Week 22 "Unbelievable"

OK week 22 of the marathon experience has been quite a week. First off the hip has started to respond to the PT and I actually got in 2 runs of 8 miles so I am very encouraged that the hip shouldn't provide me too much pain from here on out as long as I stay on course with my stretching and PT. So for the week I did 16 miles. I will need a few more pennies in the bank prior to race day, and hopefully I can find them while I'm training.

So this past weekend was the the Karen's Team fundraiser and it was a great success. Thank you to everyopne that attended and thanks to the great donated prizes, the silent auction, Hank Morse the DJ and the help of great family friends we raised enough money so that the total donations is now over $20,000.00. Which after just hoping to get to the $8,400.00 original pledge is "Unbelievable" I would like to thank the following for donating either prizes or their time: Mark Condon, The Finestone Family, The Rita Family, The Bicknell family, Salon Monet, Barbara Piscatelli, The Nardone Family, The Teehan Family, Jim Frawley, Janice McLaughlin, Susan Murphy, O'Connors Hardware and Bubba Goodwin, Christine Glynn, Mike Linehan, Lynn Scanlon, Bruce Federman, Bob Canzano, The Billerica Country Club, Ed Brennan, Linda Salamone, Debbie Cohan, Gretchen Hughes, Tracey McGrath, and last but not least my beautiful wife Karen and wonderful boys Hunter and Colin. If I have left anyone out I am sorry and I thank you also.

This weeks donation also have come from: Steve McAveeney,Alex and Tom Brennan, Greg and Judy Zvonar, Mark and Tracy Knickle, Richard and Elaine McDonald, Jack and Carolynn Corliss, David and Barbara Piscatelli, Don and Joan Lonnberg, Joe Joyce, Michele Dedian, Michael Halloran, Catherine Johnson, Terrell Jones and T&S Express. Thank you all very much.

Week 21 "Nothing New"

I'm still having hip problems so on the advice of the physical therapist stayed off the road this week. I did a few hours on the arc trainer but that's just not the same. Hopefully there will be better news next week.
This weeks donations came from the Maloney Family and from Tony Lavalle of Ace Automatic Sprinkler Company. Thanks to all that have donated.

Week 20 "I did it anyway"

So today on the DFMC message board I have been reading posts about some of the weekend runs. It seems that most people opted for either the DFMC team 20 mile run out of Wayland or they ran the New Bedford 1/2 marathon. I took a different route.

To begin I probably shouldn't have been out running at all with they way my left hip has been feeling but I needed to know if I could get 20 miles out of my body at least once prior to April 20th. So along with 2 other DFMC teammates I made my way out to the Reach the Beach 30K. A run from the North Andover VFW to the Winners Circle Sports Bar in Salisbury it is 18.6 miles, with 1.2 more tacked on from teammate Nicole Parkers house it totalled out at 19.8 miles. I'm calling it 20.

The run began as most of my runs have lately with a moderate pain in my left hip/groin area but as the miles were put behind me it did not get any better, but it did not get any worse. I finished the run in 2:59:06 which I was very happy with. My hip area no worse for the wear. Physically and mentally I think I have at least reached a place that I feel now that even with some more time off to heal I will be OK for April 20th.

I want to thank DFMC teammates Nicole Parker and Amy Troncoso for keeping a great pace for me early in the run and a big thanks to Nicole's husband Chris who came through with a GU ( I had forgot to pack my own) at about mile 11. I also would like to thank Paula Finestone and her running partner Cheryl for a great pace towards the end of the run. Paula also helped me out with a GU for earlier in the run. So for now I think it will be back to the arc-trainer for a week or 2 and let the hip get better.

The fundraising is still going strong with donations this week from: The Medford Police Patrolmans Association, Malden Firefighters Local 902, Stephen and Kristin Corliss, Ronny DeSilva, Patrice Gay, Raeann and Guy Petrillo, and Donna Breen. Thank You all for for generous support.

Karen' Team fundraiser tickets are still available. Get them while you can.

Mrs. Lockes 3rd Grade Class

This is my son Colin's 3rd grade class. (He is in the Karen's Team T-Shirt) They raised $54.00 for my run. I went in and talked to them about my training and why I was running. They told me their favorite part was that they got see the GU that I will be consuming the day of the race.

Week 19 " Still feeling the same"

It could just be me but things are not looking or feeling to good. My hip is not responding to the medication that was prescribed and noone is responding to my pleas for help. Speaking with my doctor last week he finally set me up for a physical therapy appointment but when I called for said appointment it was for March 23rd. I tried to explain to the person on the other end of the phone that March 23rd wasn't an option so he gave me another physical therapy office to call, they were not much better coming in for March 19th. Again I told the other person my story of training for the marathon but it fell on deaf ears. So without really knowing what is wrong with my hip other than it hurts when I run, and the day after I run, I went out for a test run of 5 miles on Friday. It was the first time I had run in 9 days. I had a good stretch before I went out and within the first 3 strides I had pain in the hip/groin area but I kept going. Without any advice to fall back on I felt the need to run. After the 5 miles I again took the time to stretch and felt OK. Saturday the pain was back and I delt with it. So on Sunday without much pain after waking up I went out for a longer run of 8 miles again feeling the need to run. And once again within the first 2-3 strides I felt the pain in my hip/groin area. Now this is not excrutiating pain but it is more than just aches and pains. Again without knowing if I am making it worse or not I settled into a good rythm and finished the 8 miles. After stretching the hip/groin area remained tender all day.

Now on Monday I finally found someone that can see me on Wednesday the 11th. I am hopefull that some thing can be done for pain and that it will not impact my training too much.

So for training last week I did 13 miles.

On a better note I did have some more donations come in from my son Colin's third grade class, John and Ann Marie Locke, The Rotary Club of Medford and Courtney Locke.
With these donation I have surpassed my goal of $12,000. Thank You to all that have donated and made this possible.

Fundraiser tickets are still available. Please call or e-mail for your tickets today. (978)-490-8018, beebrad@comcast.net.

Week 18 "Pain no Gain"

Well it seems as though I jinxed myself a few weeks back when I posted foolishly on this blog that hopefully I would get through the last few weeks of training injury free. Well you know that just was not the right thing to be posting. So of course I have come down with an hip injury. I am hopefully going to get into see a physical therapist this week and find out exactly what is wrong with the hip. So far I have self diagnosed with a stress fracture, ( the internet is a dangerous place), I went and saw a general practitioner on Friday and his quick diagnosis was traumatic arthritis, (what I'm only 44) and after x-rays he could find nothing. He just gave me some anti-inflamatories and told me stay off it for a week then resume light training for a week and if the pain persisted then go see an orthopedist. I explained that I was training for Boston and 2 more weeks only leaves me a month to get ready for the race, but those were his instructions. Also the dreaded IT Band has been discussed. So I spoke with the DFMC trainer and he has hooked me up with a physical therapist and hopefully I will get in to see him within the next few days so that I can find out what the problem is and how long before I can get back on the road and off the arc-trainer.

Prior to the pain being to much to handle I did get in runs of 8,8, and 6 miles this week for 22 miles and I spent 1 1/2 hours on the arc-trainer on Saturday while the rest of the team went for the first 20 mile run. I believe that in the past I have written about how much I do not like running but I have to admit I was very envious of the rest of the team as they got to go out and run. I was really looking forward to the first time to try and go 20 miles. The next scheduled team 20 miler is March 15th and I am hoping that I will be able to participate, but only time will tell.

I would like to the Rebidue family for their generous donation, and as always thank all the donors that have helped thus far.

Fundraiser tickets are still on sale. Purchase them before it is too late.