A triumph of the will over all limits

"A triumph of the will over all limits." That is what it says on the back of my 2007 New York City Marathon medal, a quote from the great Alberto Salazar.

That was my first marathon, and today I re-examined that medal and looked at it closely. Once proudly displayed, it now hangs and clangs against nearly 100 other medals in a temporary setting on a hook on the bak of an upstairs closet door, away from view.

I will fix that one day soon. It will be back where it belongs. One step at a time. We moved in 2018 from the NYC area down to St. Petersburg, Florida, and running suddenly became an afterthought when I dealt with debilitating lower-body pain and a successful back surgery that first winter here.

After a year of building up strength physically and mentally, I began light running a few months ago. I set out to lose 40 pounds, and as of now I am down from 230 to 215. A new LA Fitness membership was a big deal, and then it was closed just like that. So now I'm with all of you, working out any way that makes sense amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Here's my plan:

- I have been running 5Ks on my own along Tampa Bay, mixing in Cannondale bike laps around the Tampa Bay Rays' parking lot and swimming in our pool.

- I do curb pushups on an island in that MLB parking lot, and at home my weightlifting consists of a PVC pipe that has bookbags filled with water jugs hanging off each end. (Thanks to my friend Ashley, owner of the Pushin' Weight Crossfit studio in Richmond, VA, for the idea.)

- I start each day with a protein powder shake and I eat sardines for lunch. The first interview I ever did as a young Miami Herald reporter in 1982 was with Bill Rodgers, who was visiting our One Herald Plaza office that day while on a tour to promote Norwegian Sardines. He left me a black T-shirt with those two words on it in white, and said they helped him win the Boston and NYC marathons. I never forgot, and to this day I thrive on sardines, ideally from Trader Joe's. For dinner, Rachel is usually cooking something healthy, as she is spending these quarantine months with us down from NYC, where she goes to grad school.

No matter what, I know that running is always there when you need it. It always leads to positive developments in life, even if it hurts along the way. I am reminded of this now that I have restarted this @Marathoner blog. One step at a time. It's like running a marathon.

- I talked to Marathon Maniacs and my membership as Maniac #6697 is extended. So I'm that same guy who was ASICS Ambassador for an LA Marathon finish:

 

- I find that I am fitting in my old running clothes, a nice upshot of losing 40 pounds.

- I am due for a new pair of running shoes. I am rotating a couple of pairs of Brooks Glycerines and Hoka Ones, and the cushioning has been enough for 5K distance. I'll need more for the road ahead.

- It's time for a better way of listening to audio while running. I go through many wired earbuds because sweat means you eventually just hear on one side, and I gave away a wireless set. I don't want Apple pods because I know it will be a waste of money when I soak them. AfterShokz sponsored out last #RunChat on Sunday, and I am really intrigued by their bone conduction technology so that might be a possibility for future runs.

Speaking of sardines, I have no idea how soon people will want to be crammed back into corrals or road races. But I will be there as soon as the light is green. I can't wait to sign up for another race.

Display medals. Lose weight. Run more. Get shoes and an audio solution. Keep my lower back muscles strong. Oh, and find the right literary agent for the 540-page manuscript I finished after a year and a half of writing it here. One step at a time. Let's start with finally updating this blog right here. Thanks for your patience! Please follow me @Marathoner on Twitter, and say hi.

Because I am back to following lots of runners and tweeting about our love of running.

My 10 Favorite Running Medals

Training for the Airbnb Brooklyn Half

By Rachel | Hi, everyone! As you may know I'm running the Airbnb BrooklynHalf on May 16 with Mark (@marathoner). I ran my first half marathon in The Hamptons last September (right) and the Staten Island Half two weeks later!

I originally had really big goals (for me) for this race and planned on following my New York Road Runners training plan religiously. I really wanted a sub-2-hour half. Unfortunately, right before my training plan started, I increased my mileage way too fast. Next thing I knew I had a plantar fascia strain and couldn't run for two weeks. After that I jumped right back into my plan like nothing happened. I then pulled my gluteus medius. I shouldn't have been so surprised, considering I was increasing my mileage way, way too fast!

Back to Brooks

Goodbye, cushiony blue Sauconys . . .
 

Hello, old reliable Brooks Glycerin 9s. . . .



I hated to do this, but now that I'm about 15 pairs of running shoes into my marathoner life, I know that you don't mess with fire. My fellow runners will be able to relate to this, I think.

I bought the Sauconys nearly 3 weeks ago at Paragon near Union Square in Manhattan. Really wanted a pair, as my English Bulldog chewed my only previous Sauconys. But the last two times I ran with these, at the 4-mile mark a blister rub would begin in the instep of the left shoe. The edge of the factory insert sole was rubbing against my instep, and that would be bad, bad news for a Half or a full marathon.

I returned them today to Paragon, and props to the crew there for letting me swap inside of 30 days despite no receipt (I had the same credit card I used to buy them). They are also Neutrals, and I never have to think twice about Glycerin 9s. My advice for anyone just getting into distance running is this: If you find a shoe that works, don't change anything but the color. I wanted this color anyway. I'm set, and their first race is the MLB All-Star Game 5K Charity & Fun Run on Sunday morning in Kansas City, where I'll be running with '08 American Idol David Cook and other cool peeps, plus lots of MLB colleagues.

These probably will be my ride at the ING New York City Marathon on November 4, depending on how cushiony they feel when I am one month away. I have two other trainer pairs I will rotate in.

Nothing in running gear is more important than your shoes, so make sure you don't mess with any potential trouble that could turn into something big. We run for a long time.

How To Donate Your Running Shoes

Today I humbly and eagerly donated eight of the 11 pairs of running shoes that carried me to my five-year runniversary on December 1. This process was a pretty cool experience in itself, and I encourage other runners to do the same. I chose Soles4Souls as the destination for these shoes, and here, with help from my awesome wife Lismo, are 7 QUICK video clips that take you through the process on how to donate shoes that have even more magic.

Step 1: Wash on gentle cycle with cold water.



Step 2: Remove from washer and behold! They're almost like new.



Step 3: Load shoes into large dryer on gentle cycle for about 35 minutes.



Step 4: Watch them go around the dryer like they used to go around Central Park.



Step 5: Remove shoes from dryer. "Like spring flowers!" my wife Lismo said.



Step: 6: Box up the shoes. We went to a grocery store and a box that held egg containers worked just fine. Completely seal the box.



Step 7: The time has come. 8 pair of shoes were worn with passion and now they go to others who really need them. Lismo and I present the box to Soles4Souls at their drop-box location in Old Tappan, N.J., at the Spectrum Physical Therapy & Athletic Training facility. Greg was kind enough to accept the box late on a Saturday. They're good people and I recommend them.



A friend on Twitter told me it would be hard to part with my shoes. In fact, it was the opposite. I was very excited as I went through the process of deciding which ones to give away. I decided to keep 3 pair:

My very first ones, the ASICS that I bought on December 1, 2006, the day I traded a box of KOOLS for that box of shoes;

Another pair of ASICS that are good everyday shoes to knock around, yardwork, errands, whatever. Maybe for an occasional workout. They were my third pair.

My newest shoes, the Nike Vomeros. Mainly because I am training for the 1/29 Miami Marathon and I was unable this week to find the Brooks Glycerin pair I wanted in something other than the ugly black/green model. Still trying to decide on a new neutral.

What surprised even me was that I parted with my fifth pair, the Li Nings. I bought them in Beijing while working the 2008 Summer Olympics. I was surprised as I went through the selection process that I wanted to give away items that have special meaning, so they have new life and are very appreciated by someone. I hope you feel that way.

Thank you to those eight pair of shoes that enriched my life so much, thank you to Soles4Souls for getting them to those in need, and thank you to any other runners who donate their own shoes of passion to give footwear to others. Just another example of how running makes you feel good and gives you a chance to contribute to the world.

Shoes of Passion: My 5th Anniversary As A Runner

Today I celebrate! It was on December 1, 2006, that I moved to the Upper West Side and decided that a new, freshly painted apartment next to Central Park required a runner and not a smoker dwelling inside. I broke a full box of KOOLS in half at the intersection of 73
rd & Columbus and that day I bought a box of ASICS instead. I had smoked for 6 years. My goal was to run a marathon within a year. My mission was to live as long as possible for my 3 sons Matt, Ben & Josh, and enjoy every day of life. I joined NY Road Runners and entered races, trained at Central Park, drank a lot of water and it was easy.

Five years later, as I train for three more marathons in 2012 (Miami 1/29, Paris 4/15 & NYC 11/4) that will put me into double figures, I have a story to tell. I am going to let my shoes do the talking, because I kept every pair that I have retired along the way once they reached 350 to 400 miles. I am celebrating by donating most of these to Soles4Souls (website | Twitter) so they will go to people in need of shoes.



As you can see from that video, there are 11 pairs in my running history to date. They are shown there in order, and below in more detail. I am going to celebrate my fifth anniversary by making it a dozen, because my current Nikes are rubbing on the ball of my right foot when I get past 6 or 7 miles. I am taking no chances with the Miami Marathon coming up, a blister having already ruined my 2010 marathon there. So I will get back into my most reliable shoes: neutral Brooks Glycerines (fifth pair). The greatest advice I can give any aspiring runner out there is this: It is mostly about the shoes, ask the salesperson if s/he is a runner, and once you find the right pair don't change. Color and pizazz become meaningless after dirtying them 50 or 100 miles.

1ST SHOES: ASICS GT-2110 GEL (12/1/06)
I had no idea what I was doing on December 1, 2006. I took the subway from 72nd Street to 42nd Street, got out at Times Square and went to Foot Locker. I asked where running shoes were and a salesperson recommended these for me. I'm a 10 1/2 and he told me to get a half-size larger for running. I have ordered 11s ever since. Alas, the salesperson was clearly not a runner, and I would deal with a year of leg injuries related to being in the wrong kind of shoes.


2ND SHOES: ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 9 (2007)
During 2007, an ill-equipped salesperson at Jack Rabbit Sports on 14th Street in NYC correctly put me onto a treadmill for a video gait analysis, but he incorrectly told me I overpronate and need to buy a pair of inserts for those ASICS. In this picture, you can see one of the stiff, built-up instep inserts pulled out. I followed the person's advice and it led to great pain with plantar fasciitis and shinsplints among other problems during my novice first year.


3RD SHOES: ASICS GEL-NIMBUS (2007)
These are the shoes I bought for my first marathon, NYC 2007. I ran the last 12 miles on different spots of my right foot to deal with the daggers caused by being in a wrong shoe. Still, I was a marathoner. The feeling of finishing was incomparable in life.


4TH SHOES: BROOKS GLYCERINE (2/14/08)
Finally, at Fleet Feet in West St. Louis County, a fleet female runner salesperson took charge and did the "finger test." She simply put her index finger under my heel as I stood and said, "Oh, you have high arches." She sold me these green Brooks Glycerines. After starting with three pair of the wrong ASICS, it was the turning point in my five years of running. I have been healthy ever since. Two months later I ran the St. Louis Marathon in 5:21 and was gradually a PR machine.

5TH SHOES: LI NING (8/24/08)
I was fortunate enough to work the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing for Major League Baseball's digital operation. Those two weeks were life-changing, as I went for a training run on the Great Wall of China, ran my own sub-2-hour half marathon on a real Olympic venue, watched the men's marathon, and bought my own pair of Li Nings. Li Ning was the most famous Olympic gold medalist in China's history, and he had his own line. Between the men's marathon and Closing Ceremonies, I went to a downtown mall and several workers eagerly tried so hard to help me find the right size. That was MY China, and they are world friends. Alas, the Li Nings were too large for me to use for more than an occasional short run, but they are beautiful.


6TH SHOES: BROOKS GLYCERINES (10/14/08) I bought these at Super Runners Shop from a familiar salesperson who ran marathons. This was probably my high point in five years of running: KNOWING what I want, not needing to try on any other pairs, just buying what already is proven for me. Indeed, less than one month later I ran the NYC Marathon in 5:13, which was lightning for ME. I was in such good shape, two weeks after that I finished my first ultramarathon, the Knickerbocker 60K. It rained solid for one of the laps around Central Park in that 37-miler, so I changed from my Brooks yellows to greens during the race. I wish I could find another pair exactly like these: MY FAVORITES!


7TH SHOES: BROOKS GLYCERINES (April 2009)
What footwear should a man buy to pop the question? I went with my third consecutive pair of Brooks and I wore these at the July 2009 New Jersey Marathon. It was solid rain from start to finish, but it didn't matter because at Mile 25 I picked up the engagement ring box held by race officials and carried it to the finish line. Then I got down on a knee and asked Lisa if she would marry me. She said yes and I love her.

8TH SHOES: BROOKS GLYCERINE (3/11/10)
Lisa and I were married on Valentine's Day of 2010, two weeks after I ran the Miami Marathon with a 14-mile blister (bad sock). We honeymooned in Curacao. A month later, these were my fourth pair of Brooks and the only change was a little fern frond design work along the sole.


9TH SHOES: SAUCONY RIDE 2 PRO GRID (6/24/10)
I went to the annual Wall Street 3M Run to support friends, and the finish was at the World Financial One center along the Hudson. They set up a makeshift shoe sale for runners who congregated at the finish, and I snapped up these cool pair of Sauconys. I wanted to take a chance on "neutral is neutral." Indeed, I absolutely loved these shoes. Very cushiony and a lot of life. The only downside is that my English Bulldog, King Bingley, liked to chew shoes as a puppy and took a chunk out of these -- look closely at the left shoe.


10TH SHOES: ASICS GEL-KAYANO 16 (Spring 2011) My English Bulldog having munched on the Saucony, I happened to be at the Palisades mall and in a Sports Authority. These were neutrals and on a clearance table for something like $60 so I took a chance that they would at least rotate in as decent trainers. I ran the Brooklyn Half in them. They're OK, not ideal for me. My first ASICS since my rookie year!


11TH SHOES: NIKE VOMERO 6 (8/17/11)
I wasn't even the one looking for shoes when I got these. Lisa bought a pair of Adidas at the Adidas Store in Soho, so while we were there I picked up my first pair of Nikes. They are the most cushiony shoe I have ever had...by far. The cushion lasts forever. Unfortunately, once I get past around 6 miles the ball of my right foot starts to sear. I can't chance it for a marathon so these will be just for trainers going forward.

12th SHOES: Coming soon.
RUN FOREVER...

New Shoes, New Socks, New GU, New Start

Since the Miami Marathon on Jan. 31, I have gotten married, gone on a honeymoon with Lisa to Curacao, worked around the clock with Spring Training under way, enjoyed my slippers and coffee each morning while watching blue jays and cardinals and squirrels take over our back deck, and I have taken the longest break from running since I became a runner on Dec. 1, 2006.

Rededication time is here. I wasn't going to write this because I believe in "Just Do It," but I thought some of this might be helpful to other runners who I know are in my shoes, so to speak. Here are some ways I am rededicating myself.

1. Drink water.

It always starts there. In a perfect world I will drink a gallon a day according to my son Matt. I am just grabbing a Poland Spring here and an Aquafina there. Just. Drink. Water.

2. Buy new running shoes.

Today I went to Super Runners Shop at Grand Central Station and bought a new pair of my trusty Brooks Glycerines -- pictured above, along with new WrightSocks and some GUs. It is my fourth pair of Brooks -- they are "neutral" and are good for above-average arches like mine and they keep me injury free. I have learned in my running career that the ONLY thing that matters about running shoes is that you are healthy. Color, style -- it means zero, so much zero that you can't even see it. After 2 runs they are dirty and you never will think about the color and style after that. The only thing that matters is that you don't have shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee trouble and more. If you find a pair of shoes that work for you, never ever leave that model unless the shoemaker moves on. If you ever listen to anything I say, listen to that. Unless you like a hundred little sword-like jabs in your shins during your run.



I had to get used to the design on the latest Glycerine look, and I liked it more when I read what is inside the shoe itself. The pictures tell the story above.

3. Schedule some races.

I know this but I had to be reminded -- thanks, Roxy and Traci! I signed up for the NYRR8000 race this Saturday morning at Central Park. I won't be fast but I will be back amongst thousands of other runners and moving my legs one step at a time, and that is the road to a marathon. I don't have anything else on the docket. Too much has happened in my life recently. I will get there.

4. Have a Purpose.

You need a purpose for everything in life. Why am I running? It is good to ask yourself often. I once learned from Tony Robbins that if you want a better answer, ask a better question. Why am I running? I decided to become a runner because I wanted to live a long life for my three boys, rather than smoking and coming up with excuses why not to work out. It makes me feel free. It gives me more energy to be great at what I do for a living. It makes me a happier person, and that makes me a better husband. It increases my creative thought process, which opens new doors in my life and in my job. And because I am pretty good at it when I train. It helps me meet more friends, which is always a good thing, and I cherish friendships I have made through running, as we all like to support each other through thick and thin. Most of all: Running makes me a finisher in life. I finish things. I dance across the finish line.

Who were you dedicating your first races to? To my Dad. To my boys. Who did you raise money for in your first marathon? Team for Kids, to help fight childhood obesity. How many people have you helped with their fundraising? Countless runners. What was it all about? Having a purpose. Inspiring yourself and inspiring others. Running with meaning.

5. Nutrition. Eat smaller portions, and more often. Work in some green stuff, some nuts, some fruit. Stop being a regular at the cupcake place downstairs at work. I know what I need to do. The all-inclusive resort food binge is over. Do I remember fish?

6. Enjoy warmer weather. I know this will be a natural help for me. The days of the 2-foot snowfalls, I think, are over. At my best I am able to train no matter what the conditions year-round, but nothing beats running in shorts and sweating. I much prefer running outdoor to running on a treadmill, and I also like when the running path is not covered with snow, meaning less chance of stepping badly on rocks and turning an ankle.

7. Write this. Hey everyone, do some things that commit yourself. I am never embarrassed about finishing in the back of a pack during a race, but I would be embarrassed if I follow up on this blog post by sitting around and gaining another five pounds. I am going to try. Thanks for reading this far.

8. Keep a log. I need to get back to doing this. I really only was diligent about it my first year of running. I saw one of my marathon times go way down after I had stopped logging my runs, so I just kept running without logging. It is important to do it, though. For one thing, you know how many miles are on your shoes and when to retire them -- one reason I ran with a horrible blister for 14 miles in Miami. More importantly, you guard yourself from increasing mileage too fast from week to week, and you have a better idea where you in your training. This is the one thing I cannot say with total confidence I will do. I am talking to myself right now.

9. Powerjams! Some of my friends may remember when I started the Athletes & iPods Group on myspace at the start of my running days. Sadly, my iTunes library is still mostly composed of that same music. I want to start back but I want to have some new music. I use Pandora heavily on my iPhone. I rarely listen to the iPod app on my iPhone. I take the old iPod with me when I run and the music is old. It is time to work on this section of the list, no question about it.

10. JUST DO IT

New shoes: Brooks Glycerins Yellow

Now introducing: My shoes that will fly me for 26.2 miles through five New York City boroughs and into the clouds on November 2.







Biggest thank-you in the world to my great friend Carmen, who works at the Super Runner Shop on the Upper East Side. She is in the NYC Marathon field as well, always gives me training advice, and I call her coach. I walked into the store today before work, told her that my Li Nings from China didn't work out being a half-size too big, and that my green Brooks Glycerines I was wearing into the store had been absolutely perfect in a healthy running year. She went into the back room, and came out with exactly the same shoe, only yellow instead of green.

I returned my gel inserts that I had bought at the store for those Li Nings, thinking they might help. That knocked off $30, so the shoes cost me $99. Fastest, most perfect shoe-buying experience in the history of civilized footwear, and I wore my new shoes onto the 4 train, then on the L over to Chelsea and our outrageously awesome MLB HQ.

Since I will be here late-late again tonight working Game 4 of the American League Championship Series (will travel to World Series next week), I just ran from 5:30 to 6:30 along the waterfront on the West Side of Manhattan, starting around Chelsea Pier and going down by World Trade Center and then back up again. It was just enough to give them a first breaking-in. By November 2, they will be good to go. Yeah we fly high, jus' my Brooks and I.