ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge

Seven years ago, I broke a box of KOOLS in half and bought a box of ASICS, pictured here. I started running. Little did I know that tonight I would receive an email from ASICS, welcoming me to their team!

I am proud to announce that I am selected for the 2014 ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge. It is a new 12-week program that starts now and culminates in the annual race from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica Pier.

More details on this adventure are forthcoming, but I can tell you this:

Andrew Kastor -- @CoachKastor on Twitter -- is our coach. He works with top runners such as Ryan Hall, and is half of a running royalty couple in America. His wife is Deena Kastor, the 2004 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist and U.S. women's marathon record holder. Andrew has already provided us with two 12-week training plans from which to choose, either Advanced or Beginner/Intermediate. I consider myself Intermediate, so I will go with the latter. My training is already under way and I never really stop.

The ASICS welcome email said: "He will lead all of you through the training and getting you to the starting line healthy and the finish line happy!"

That's my objective -- that and a PR. My best was 5:13 at the 2008 NYC Marathon. Lately I have drifted almost robotically into the 5:40s, training in my solo ways and always trying to overcome this or that headwind up the Seine in Paris or on Fort Lauderdale's beach. I am going to seize this moment to push. I will be blogging about my training and then right through the race, and I will be sure to show you what cool ASICS gear shows up at my doorstep during these 12 weeks.

No matter what happens, this already shows two things:

(1) It's not about your finish time. It's about the fact that you finish marathons. I believe I am representing the many runners in back of packs everywhere, those who push themselves at advanced ages (I'm 54) and with bodies that lack the metabolism of our 20s and 30s. It is for those determined, unstoppable friends of mine out there, including those Big Cats I started with in our first nationwide running group.

(2) Remember that Chad Stafko idiot who caused an uproar by writing in the Wall Street Journal recently that he deplores those runners who talk about their running and put 26.2 stickers on their cars? Well, Chad, check this out. ASICS just sponsored me for doing all that. It's called a running community. And ASICS just took a huge leap past everyone in it by reaching out to running bloggers and customers like me.

It will be a nice homecoming, because LA is where it all started for me -- specifically Fontana, where I was born. Now my 13th marathon is going to take place in the area. You can follow my ASICS LA Marathon Blogger Challenge adventure here and by following @Marathoner on Twitter.

Winter Wipeout Wonderland

Admit it: You have probably wiped out at least once as a runner. It might have been a solo day on a trail when you slipped in the mud, or maybe it was like me in my first (2007) New York City Marathon. Back then, we came charging into Brooklyn for Mile 3 and someone clipped me from behind, and I did a front somersault in a sea of bodies and somehow sprung up with only pebbles to pick out of my hands.

Well, guess what. I just saw the most awesome wipeout EVER in running history. And amazingly, it involved an elite runner. This guy probably finished about 10th-ish in the #beastmode Ted Corbitt 15K that we ran Saturday at Central Park for the start of a big snowstorm. So far, I am still the only one apparently talking about it, and certain people are trying really, really hard to act like it didn't happen -- including the elite runner! But since it happened immediately in front of me, I can't get it out of my head.

In fact, I have to THANK the pavement crasher because he totally took my mind off everything in the second lap of our race, as I kept thinking about how freaking awesome it was that he did a complete whirlybird sideways wipeout and just bounced up and finished the damn race like PREFONTAINE.

OK, let me set the scene. For the Ted Corbitt 15K (9 miles), we start on the upper east side of the park, just under the 102nd Street Transverse on the East Drive. We do a four-mile interior loop first, then repeat it, except for the second loop we add the South end of the park, making it five more miles.

The snow was just starting as the race began at 8:30 am, so there was no need to make this a fun run. We were all there to #beastmode the hell out of this race. So as usual, I know that when I am finishing up my first lap, the elites have just started to pass me and are finishing the course. One by one they flew past me, and as usual I marvel at their forms and give shouts of encouragement as they go by. It's all good.

You have to understand that all the way up the East Drive, first-lap runners are hugging the inside lanes of the main running path, and the leaders are passing everyone on the outside. The lead runner has a truck with him, thanks to New York Road Runners. Then gradually the others come along to our right side and pass us.

With about 400 meters left, roughly near where this race started, there was a crisscross point. The leaders on the outside have to get over to the inside so they can make the left turn and cross the finish line, which is set up on the left side of the transverse. I don't really understand why they don't just make the finish line on the right side of the transverse, which would mean they don't need a crisscross. But it was there.

The crisscross sign said: FINISHING LANE | PASSING LANE. Arrows pointed clearly to either side. That sign was anchored to the roadway with two huge cinderblocks. All around the cinderblocks was thickening and glistening slush, as the snow fell amid freezing temps. It was more and more slippery.

One runner was just in front of me, approach that sign from the left. One of the elites was passing me to my right, and I mean he was flying like a Lamborghini. Then it all happened so suddenly. The slower runner got almost exactly to the cinderblocks, and the elite decided to try to slip right in between that runner and the blocks, worried about losing a millionth of a second in a non-Olympic Trial event.

WIIIIIIIIPPPPPEEEEOOOUUUUUTTTTTTT!

The elite runner's right foot landed on its edge next to the cinderblock, and his leg went underneath him to the left. His momentum carried him around in a full 360 sideways whirlybird, so he was a human frisbee spinning through the cold Manhattan morning air, snow surrounding his spin, a sight that I so badly wanted to photograph or just sit down and start painting. In my mind, he is still spinning, spinning, spinning. Fortunately he did not hit his head on a cinderblock and die right there.

Then he inevitably landed on the slushy blacktop, sliding and skidding about 10 or 15 feet. He wore a singlet and shorts. His saving grace no doubt was the arm warmers he was wearing. I was expecting major roadrash. I have no idea if he bled. All I know is, the dude got up like he never fell in the first place, apparently determined not to lose his position among finishers, perhaps protecting an age-group prize.

I immediately stopped to tweet to #NYRR to please make sure that unsafe crisscross was tended to by more than an overmatched volunteer who is there to qualify as a 9+1 exemption for the next NYC Marathon. This required NYRR management presence. It was a bad place for a crisscross on this day, and what the hell are two giant cinderblocks doing there? They could be lethal.

But enough about all that. NYRR is awesome, and no one is perfect. The runner really lacked common sense and should have gone outside the crisscross and then merged over into his finish lane, and it was partly the weather. Instead, he thought he was Superman and his body failed him. Trust me, this happened...as much as no one wants to retweet it or find out who the injured runner was. I am just amazed at his level of #beastmode -- fucking awesome! What was your worst wipeout?

This was my 92nd overall race since I quit smoking in December 2006 and my last race of 2013. Checked a bag with warm gear, peeled it off and then set out at the start of a NYC snowstorm. The snow was coming sideways the whole time and we ran up Cat Hill each of the two loops. I tend to really love races like this, because I am driven to conquer and then get a warm bath. My finish time was 1:49, lost 5 or 10 minutes tweeting about the party crasher. It was my first "real" run since the NYC Marathon, having taken extra long time to replenish and get ready for a new marathon training program, with a spring race I am about to discuss!

This is what it felt like running the Ted Corbitt 15K -- video I took with my iPhone making the turn up East Drive on the south end by the horse carriages in mile 7.

7 Important Lessons For 7 Years Of Running

This week I celebrate my seventh year as a real runner. I have run 80 New York Road Runners races and 92 overall races, including 12 marathons or ultras, since I traded smoking for running on 12/1/06. The best advice I can pass along from that experience is at the very bottom of this post, a lesson for each year.

Here were my first shoes -- the actual ASICS I bought at a Foot Locker in Times Square:

And here they were after I retired them about 350 miles and many spectacular runs later...



They are hopefully being worn by someone in Africa now, as I donated them to Soles 4 Souls with many other pairs two years ago to mark my fifth runnerversary.

First race: Joe Kleinerman 10K on Dec. 10, 2006 -- nine days after I quit smoking. It was one lap around Central Park in the cold. My net time was 1:18:40. NYRR chief Mary Wittenberg told us at the beginning: "Start easy and finish hard."

First Half: Manhattan Half on Jan. 21, 2007 -- two laps around Central Park. My net was 2:30:03. I was planning to quit after the first lap, but a woman in line with me at a portapotty said, "Just go out there and keep running, you can do it." I did it, and she taught me that I can find more in myself.

First Official Marathon: NYC Marathon on Nov. 4, 2007. My net was 6:08.25. I raised funds for Team for Kids and struggled the last 14 miles with a bad case of plantar fasciitis. It obviously was not the time I was looking for, but it was my  maiden voyage and finishing was like nothing else as I ran the last 400 meters looking up at the sky at my dad and crying in joy.

First Invented Marathon: Statues on Parade Marathon in July 2008. That is when I knew that I just loved running and would do anything to keep improving myself and see the world in a new way. I have loved creating my own unique races and routes. At Major League Baseball, we had 42 Statue of Liberty replicas positioned around NYC for All-Star Week, and I ran 26.2 miles to see each of them, stopping for a photo and to take notes with each one, running from the morning until 8 pm, even getting a hand from the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Foundation to get me on a ferry fast to see the ones on those two islands.

First Ultra: Knickerbocker 60K on Nov. 15, 2008. It was 9 laps around the interior of Central Park, 37 miles. My net was 9:51:00. My future wife Lisa ran the last lap with me in the dark. I had PR'd in the NYC Marathon 2 weeks earlier, so I figured then was as good a time as any. It qualified me for Marathon Maniacs, and I am now member #6697.

First Time Being Supervised By Chinese State Police Guards: Running a half at one of the baseball venues at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. It was about 45 laps around the warning track and whole field, under the watchful eye of my two new friends, who were smiling and handing me water when I was done. It is amazing what running can do. I have seen time and time again that it cuts through diplomatic and ethnic boundaries, a very transformative experience.

Most Amazing Run: Pictured to the right here, it's me running the entire 2009 New Jersey Marathon in the rain, and knowing that my life would be changed at the finish line. With help from race organizers, I grabbed the ringbox at the Mile 25 fluid station, and ran with it to the finish line along the ocean. I crossed the finish line, got down on a painful right knee, and Lisa jumped on me as she said yes. It was just an unmatched moment for me that I will treasure always, and running made it possible. It gives you more confidence in your personal life, and for me that had meant meeting Lisa on match.com, meeting her for the first time at the Ocean Grill restaurant on NYC's Upper West Side, and hititng it off immediately. We are happily in love, and she runs with me sometimes.

I have passed on any lessons I have learned along the way, through MySpace and then with Facebook and through my @Marathoner account on Twitter. At this point, most of what I know is just infused into my being, so that instinctively I know how to train, run a race and recover. I know how much running carries over into my personal and professional life, making me want to finish everything and reach beyond my boundaries. I have seen the running community grow by leaps and bounds in these seven years.

7 BIG LESSONS:

1. You can do anything you set your mind to. Just schedule a race.

2. There is no such thing as bad weather.

3. Wash your gear by hand and hang it to dry or lay your socks out flat. NEVER put socks in a dryer. I did that once, a seam was raised, and it caused a huge blister ruining a Miami Marathon.

4. Support other runners. Don't go it alone. Be part of the running community, and the support you get back will help you through the hardest times. Talk with runners at expos and races. We are all in this together, even though we have different shapes and different finish times. Make it a team sport.

5. It's all about the shoes. I mean ALL about the shoes. I spent the first year or so scuffling my way through tick-tack injuries, plantar fasciitis, shinsplints, etc. Finally a Fleet Feet store saleswoman in St. Louis, a marathon runner, got down on her knee and put her index finger under my foot and said, "You have high arches." I never knew that. She put me in a pair of neutrals. That's all it took. I have been healthy almost the entire way ever since, save for a 2012 bout of ITB that was actually caused by a weakened left hip, which I strengthed in 14 physical therapy sessions. It's all about the shoes. Nothing else comes close. If you're battling injury it's probably because of your shoes.

6. Keep a running blog, so you can go back like I am doing now and recall things you now take for granted. It is mainly for your own benefit, and maybe others will get something out of it as well.

7. Motivation will come and go, and you should not fret over the days when you find yourself yearning for a sense of purpose in your miles. It is going to happen, guaranteed. Especially after a big race like a marathon. In early 2009, I was really struggling with that, worrying too much. Then before I knew it, I was running that NJ Marathon in the rain and proposing. When your running purpose seems diminished and you lack a charge to go out for a run, just relax, wait for tomorrow, make sure you schedule a scary race, go buy yourself some new ASICS gear and drink a lot of water. Running is for life.

New York City Marathon Recap

Dear Mom,

This one was for you.

The 2013 New York City Marathon was my 12th race of at least 26.2 miles and my first NYCM since I ran it in 2007-08. I was nowhere close to my PR of 5:13 set in '08, finishing this one in 5:47:55. But this race is not about time. It is about majesty, the spirit of America's largest city, and so many people running to make a difference, and this time it was about facing challenges with a positive outlook.

Back in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, you are a shining example to me of positive attitude and being who you want to be. I knew that any challenges including nausea that I would face over these five boroughs would be put into perspective. Your recent lymphoma diagnosis posed a challenge and we decided to be bigger than it. You are unchanged in your upbeat demeanor, facing chemo strong and determined. So far so good, and I wanted this to be a way of saying that.

Mostly, you are focused on going about your usual life. You were Elvis Presley's No. 1 fan when he was around, and I once had an Elvis impersonator appear at your house for a birthday concert. Your whole basement is Elvis. There are some people who face cancer like a hounddog, cryin' all the time. You ain't a hounddog. You are just positive. There is no better way to face adversity. We got this. And when I told you I was going to run this NYC Marathon for you, it was just symbolic of an ultimate challenge that can be overcome.

I always do a marathon recap here, and basically anything I have that sounds like adversity really is not adversity at all in the big picture. It was a chilly headwind in my face all the way up Fourth Street in Brooklyn, up First Street in Manhattan, and somehow even up Fifth Avenue when the wind flipped around. And there was some nausea in miles 17 and up, but really, nausea during a marathon is not a big deal when you are facing that right after your chemo treatments. We got this together.

A woman held up a sign in Queens that read: "Shake what your momma gave ya!" There were so many creative signs in the marathon, like the one that read: "MAKING THIS SIGN WASN'T EASY EITHER." Or: "YOU LOOK F'IN AMAZING...THEN AGAIN I'M DRUNK." But for me, none matched that "Shake" sign. And then that same woman showed up in the 21st mile in the Bronx, and I stopped that time to take a picture of it to include right here. This is what I was doing. I was shaking what you gave me.

STATEN ISLAND

I got up at 4:45, drove down to the city and took the 3 train to the Staten Island Ferry. I boarded the 7 am boat with many others, and there was a massive show of security due to the Boston Marathon tragedy. I was mainly focused on dealing with the cold, and that security made it a little harder. I wanted to bring a blanket but couldn't fit it into the Start Village bag they provided, so I just bundled in disposable layers and tried to use a Snuggie for warmth while waiting 2 hours. It was just cold. The lucky ones were in tents, thanks to their charity fundraising. We all braced against the elements for a while.

The cannon sounded for our Orange Wave 4 group, part of a record field of more than 50,000 starters, and we headed up the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. It remains an unmatched thrill. You see the harbor and Lady Liberty to the left, and the ocean to the right, helicopters overhead, a ship spraying water, and so many runners. I focused on conserving energy those first 2 miles, the first mile up the bride and the second mile down it.

BROOKLYN

Here is the largest portion of the NYC Marathon. The first half-marathon lives within this borough. Mom, remember 2007, when I ran my first marathon, and called you collect from the pay phone I saw in Brooklyn? Six years later, there were no pay phones anywhere within site. But I did see the same enthusiastic congregation standing out front of a church just before St. James -- I wish I knew its name. I slowed to actually applaud them, each of them. They are so inspirational.

The bands and spectators are just overwhelming in giving you energy. At that point I was loosely following the 5:00 pace group and then the 5:15 group. I continued my tradition of spotting an English Bulldog and getting some puppy licks around Mile 7 or 8, after we had finally turned off the long straightaway that is Fourth Avenue and headed right on Lafayette.

The only real break in the large line of crowds comes on Bedford in Williamsburg, where the Hasidic Jews are very much a different culture, not having anything to do with us as we run past men with cell phones stuck to their ears. But then again, that is the beauty of the New York City Marathon. There are so many different neighborhoods and ethnicities, and there are not many better ways to see a lot of them then by running through them. The great Melting Pot is what makes us famous in NYC.

QUEENS

We crossed the Pulaski Bridge connecting Brooklyn to Queens, and then hit the 13.1 mark. The gorgeous skyline view is on your left, and many people stop to take photos. I tried to stay on track and keep my phone in my belt pack. Speaking of that, I was packing lots of salt packets, making sure I shoved plenty of it down to avoid cramping, plus my usual GUs. I carried a baggie filled with Vaseline just in case I had chafing problems. Fortunately, I would never have the slightest such problem on this day.

The crowds in Queens were far larger and more boisterous than I remembered in '07 and '08. There was even a woman with a megaphone sounding official in welcoming us to their borough. I was really impressed. Brooklyn had nothing on Queens as far as spectators -- and I'm a back-of-the-packer, meaning they were persistent in helping us get through. We then made the daunting climb up into the lower deck of the Queensboro Bridge, famous for its quiet mile or two. It was a steady ascent, so overall it posed a challenge to avoid walking for any length of time.

MANHATTAN

Most people call this their highlight of the NYC Marathon: The moment you descend off the bridge onto First Avenue at Mile 16 and are greeted by the roaring crowds. It really is uplifting. There is nothing in running like it, I imagine. I concentrated on getting through those next 20 street blocks, which equals a mile, because my wonderful wife Lisa and her mom Maureen were waiting for me at the Mile 17 sign.

Lisa gave me a few orange slices, which were huge then. Really what helps is just seeing a familiar face, something to snap you out of your slowly building despair at that point in a marathon. "Why aren't my quads working?" "Why is the wind in my face?" "How is my pace group out of sight?" "How long is First Avenue going to be uphill?" I was trying mantras, counting backward from 100, whatever I could do to deal with that steady climb with a headwind, and seeing family was the best thing for me.

I said bye to them and ordered my quads to resume lifting, which they did to an extent. Here's the problem I would face the rest of the marathon: My quads really didn't do a great job lifting. I had tried to mix in strength training in the gym, leg weights, but I could not really go at it because of time. And let's face it, running the NYC Marathon right after working a postseason and traveling at the World Series, is not all that easy. Still, I kept wishing I had done more for my legs. I was paying for it.

THE BRONX

Crossing the Willis Avenue Bridge took me into the Bronx, and while Queens greatly increased its fan turnout in the last five years, this borough still didn't do much for me. There were not very many fans, at least not hanging around for my run-by. I saw a water table and realized it was a resident pouring water for other residents. I was really thirsty. It's one little turn after another, a lot of work to get through the Bronx without much support whatsoever. Seriously, let's get local leaders more involved in making it a big deal for runners to swing through this borough. Invite some Yankees or something. My wife works in this borough, and that was my feedback for her. Finally I saw a fluid station and some enthusiasm, a little, anyway. The goal became: Get through this borough fast, it's not doing anything for me and I'm hurting, bad.

MANHATTAN
Next stop Harlem. I crossed the Madison Ave. Bridge that took us to Fifth Avenue, and that would lead us all the way back down to Central Park. There is a little detour around Marcus Garvey Park, and all I know is that I was doing too much run-walk-run-walk. I knew to expect an almost imperceptible incline for a long way on Fifth, and indeed that was problematic, but I did my best to persevere. Again, persevering during a marathon is one thing, doing what you are doing is bigger.

The crowds again were remarkable. They keep you going, little by little. Mile 23 came and went, and shortly after that we turned into Central Park at the Runner's Gate entrance on 90th. That's the homestretch. I was so charged up by that. Lines of fans holding signs shouted encouragement, and best of all Cat Hill was downhill rather than uphill. This was a chance to pick up some time, to leave nothing on that hill. I went under the Mile 24 sign. It was a race for the south end of the park, and along the way I was overjoyed to spot some friends who helped take my mind off my disagreeable quads. First I saw my friends Ricardo and Gordon, from season 2 of the MLB Fan Cave, who spotted me and came out to greet me and even run with me a short ways. Then I saw my Facebook friend Mich from Canada, another endurance runner who is part of a great support network, great to meet in person.

I can't say enough how important it is to have family and friends at a marathon, if they're in the area. It truly helps you at what can be the hardest times. Mom, I wish you had been here. But in a way you were, because after going under the Mile 26 sign, I had a lot to think about in that final and famous two-tenths of a mile. In 2007, I cried that whole final .2 as I looked up at the sky at my Dad. This time, I cried as well, thinking of what we are going through together. But this time, they were tears of joy.



Here is how it felt at the finish:

This was nothing compared to what you are doing. But finishing this New York City Marathon strong was my way of saying I am following your lead, staying positive through any challenge. I smiled as they draped a medal around my head. I walked the long recovery walk to the new "Early Exit" area, received my awesome orange poncho (thanks, New York Road Runners!), and limped all the way to my car. I was in agony, but only in a relative sense. The marathon was over, and soon it will be Thanksgiving and we will be there in Indiana after a long drive to enjoy a great feast with you and family, and Lisa, Bingley and I cannot wait. If you are nauseous then, about 10 days after your next scheduled chemo, no worry, we will get through it together, and I'll have the medal with me as a reminder of staying positive forever.

Love, Mark

Staten Island Half Race Recap

Sunday's Staten Island Half was my fourth in the New York Road Runners' 2013 5-Borough Series, and that means I just qualified for guaranteed entry to the hugely popular NYC Half next spring. I will have guaranteed entry to the 2014 ING New York City Marathon as soon as I volunteer in mid-November, so that means my 2014 includes both NYC majors and I can start building my race calendar around those.

My finish time at Staten Island was 2:37:57. The previous Sunday, it was 2:37:45 for the Grete's Great Gallop Half, which was twice around Central Park. I ran both Halfs at marathon pace, so I think I can pretty well lock in a similar time for the first half of the NYC Marathon on Nov. 3. I'd like to finish between 5-5:30, probably closer to the latter, and I can't wait for the greatest race on Earth.

The Staten Island Half deserves its own race recap here. It was special mostly because it was part of Staten Island Day, and our registration fees ($35 for me) went to ongoing Sandy Relief. A minimum of $100,000 is being donated to the Siller Foundation and the Emergency Children's Health Organization (ECHO). The last time I was on Staten Island was last November, when we all donned our orange and unused tech shirts from the canceled 2012 NYC Marathon and ran on Staten Island with loaded backpacks to help as many impacted residents as we could. I had no power for a week and that was nothing compared to the loss some suffered. On this day, I found myself back on the Staten Island Ferry and headed to that borough, which also happens to be the start of our marathon.

It was an awesome event, which I want to say first. Here were two things that are not really knocks, just things I wasn't personally expecting and know to watch out for next time:

- There were 3 Ferry rides in the morning: 6:30, 7 and 7:30. The Half started at 8:30 and it's a 25-minute ride, so taking the last one got me to the start area in plenty of time. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way that you'd better be on one of the first 2 Ferry rides if you want to use the porta-potty. The porta-potty lines were monsters and I was among many who scrambled just in time to cross the start line (hate that).

- If you think the Staten Island Half is flat, then think again. It is an out-and-back, and the only flat part is along the shore at roughly miles 5-9, where mile 7 is the switchback point so 2 flat miles both ways. Other than that, it's a roller-coastery kind of place. I had no idea. The last mile is the toughest finish I have encountered in a long time, so in the future make sure you plan to save some juice for the kick. I don't really think the Staten Island Half is much "easier" than any Central Park half.

Thanks to all the volunteers who took the super-early Ferry over and made it an amazing race. I really enjoyed myself. Here were the highlights, in no particular order:

- The scenery. On the Ferry ride, you get an up-close look at the Statue of Liberty. She is so beautiful. It was a great photo opp, but more importantly it was a chance to just appreciate what she means. Especially right this very moment as we are awaiting progress in our nation's capital. At the start area, it is just mesmerizing to look at Lower Manhattan, with the Freedom Tower glistening in the morning sun. Also, the plentiful beach views of the Atlantic Ocean along the out portion of the race.

- The DJ inside the echo-chamber underpass beneath the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge expressway. I am not a clubber, but if I was, this is the guy I would want DJing for me. It made an otherwise dank and quiet stretch of the race very powerful and fun. It was powerful. Note to NYRR: I really wish we could get this guy to DJ on the lower level of the Queensboro Bridge at Mile 16 (hint hint).

- The medal. Nice bling! Add that baby to the collection!

- The inspiration. Jen Correa lost her home in Oakwood Beach during Sandy, but she was there and inspired the field of more than 6,800 runners: "We’re all here, we’re all strong, and we’re all ready to run," she said. Oh, did I mention she is going to be running with us at the NYC Marathon? NYC Power.

- The weather. It was perfect. The previous Sunday was about 95% humidity at Central Park. We could not have asked for better temps, and while it was a little breezy at times, it never was too windy.

- Mary Wittenberg, NYRR CEO, was running in the opposite direction as us at maybe mile 3, so I high-fived her and as always was amazed at how much she cares about runners. A few weeks ago, she was running from the start to the finish line and back during the Fifth Avenue Mile. This happens year-round. She should be officially declared Commissioner of Running in America or something like that. I'm actually serious about this. Running is as big as all the other sports, and it should have an uber organization, I think, and all the races flow into that. Nothing is as big as NYRR, so it seems like a logical progression to me. Commissioner Mary just sounds right.

- Staten Island Day. This really made the event for me. There was something for everyone after the finish line, including field access at the Staten Island Yankees' ballpark. You would think that would have been my scene since I work in Baseball, but no, my day was absolutely made by something totally unexpected. After grabbing a pizza slice and drink, I noticed a big rock wall. It was there thanks to the U.S. Army, which set up a recruiting booth. You just had to fill out a form and then three or four Army soldiers were waiting there to help you add a little #beastmode to your day.

I have never climbed a rock wall in my life. As a boy in school, I was awful at climbing a wall with pegs, and I've never been much of a pull-ups guy. And not only that, I had just run a Half Marathon! But for some reason, I wanted to have a go and see if I could get to the top. Guess what? I did it. ARMY STRONG! Thanks to the kind Army staffers in fatigues who encouraged and helped me and added to the fun of Staten Island Day.

Bronx 10-Mile

My 77th New York Road Runners race (and 89th overall) since I traded smoking for running in 2006 was the Bronx 10-Mile on Sunday. It was my third of four required NYRR 5-Borough Series races in 2013 for exemption to the 2014 NYC Half, and I will complete that requirement with the Oct. 15 Staten Island Half. I finished the Bronx 10-Mile in 1:56.38.

I parked at Yankee Stadium, and it was a moving scene for me because as I got back to my car following the race, I looked up and there was the intense visage of Mariano Rivera, shown gripping a cutter, with his large name and the now-retired 42. This would be the last day of his baseball career, so I had a pretty cool moment as the wait began for me to vote for him to the Hall of Fame when that ballot arrives in the mail in December of 2018.

The Bronx 10-Mile is an out-and-back, most of it on Grand Concourse. Pretty easy course compared to Central Park, not completely flat but not too bad. What I noticed most was the absence of WIND -- my bane as a runner -- that was common whenever I would run this event previous as the Bronx Half in late winter. Here are pics:

NYC Marathon Training Table: Sea Urchin

Today I am letting everyone else have their fun with National Cheeseburger Day, and I am thinking weight loss and Omega 3s. I went downstairs at Chelsea Market, our MLB.com HQ, and headed for the Lobster Place. Right away I spotted live wild Sea Urchin from California and my curiosity won the day. They pluck the needles for you, then they cut off the top, and then serve it to you chilled and you eat the roe inside. It is a gourmet delicacy.

I was told that each sea urchin is about a pound. He then took the urchin and began plucking away at all the needles, a rather painstaking process. Better him than me. Eventually two other employees came over to watch him pluck needles.

It was wrapped on ice so I could take it upstairs at our MLB.com cafeteria. I then started scooping out the roe, and I also had sushi on the side. I put some sesame sauce over the roe for a little extra flavor. Great green tea, too. Great lunch!