Hood to Coast: Epic Adventure of a Lifetime

There are some races we runners do which are once in a lifetime, epic events. I believe the comment from "Hood to Coast" the documentary was you can't do epic all by yourself. It's true in this case. This is an epic race, and you have to work as a team to do it.

My team had the bland name of Running Specialty Running Group - Team A. We renamed ourselves The A Team! Our team consisted of 12 people in two vans. In Van 1: Mary, Beau, Anna, Paul, Jason and Mike. In Van 2: Tim, Taylor, Jason, Mallory, Sam and me.

At Hood to Coast, the vans alternate routes. So Van 1 does the first 6 legs, Van 2 does the second 6, and this goes on for three van exchanges. So while you wait for the other vans runners, you can rest, eat, whatever you need to do to be ready for the next go round.

Our team's start time was 12:45. Mike led things off with the brutal first leg down Mt. Hood. For my van, we went to the exchange, and waited until about 3:45pm, when Paul came blaming through and passed the baton to our van's Jason. At this point, I need to say I was the slowest runner in this van, because Jason took off....I mean he took off!!! From this point it's a race to the next exchange point where Sam would take over.

What I found cool during this journey was how well Tim and Jason could figure people's times, and know exactly when we needed to be at the next exchange.

Sam was runner #8 and he was also a speedy demon. In fact, he got to the exchange with me a bit early. I was ready, but most of the van was waiting in line for the port-a-potty, so as Sam came in, I heard Tim yelling that Sam was there. I took the baton and off I went. I heard hurried teammates screaming at me to "Go Charlie Go!"

My first leg was a 5.32 mile paved trail. It was the 6:00pm hour when I ran, so the sun was beginning to go down. The scenery here reminded me of a hillier version of the Monon Trail back in Indianapolis. Lots of trees, fields.

Initially I was bugged that I wasn't as fast as the rest of my team, but I told myself the point was to have fun and be in the moment. My lack of speed meant I was roadkill. At Hood to Coast, when you pass someone, you are roadkill, and a good many vans kept track with tick marks of the roadkill. I was fine with that. It just would have been nice to pass someone and have a roadkill of my own. :-)

I will say this, almost everyone who passed me was very nice. Shouts of "good job", "keep it up" and "you're doing great" kept my spirits up, and was more meaningful than if there were a crowd of people along the route. There was one family who were being cheerleaders with pom-poms and everything. When I went by, they asked how I was, I said I was good, and was the ocean close? They laughed and told me they could smell the sea.

This was one of those runs where you can think. My first thought, which I said out loud was, "I am running at Hood to Coast, and this is fucking awesome!!!" At that point, I may have scared whatever wild animals might have been around.

Soon it was time to pass the baton to Mallory....... at least I thought it was Mallory. I came into the exchange really moving, and I remember giving the baton to a woman dressed in Mallory's clothes. In the van I thought, "God I hope that was Mallory I handed it to." It was!

Our initial legs ended in Portland. This was probably the more raucous and fun exchange spot. There was a festive feel to this exchange, more so than any of the others.

Our few hours in Portland meant a quick trip back to the hotel for a shower and some food...oh and a beer. I'm pretty sure you can't do epic without a beer. Dinner was at a Denny's, since there are no IHOPs in Portland(WTF???). We Grand Slammed ourselves at Dennys, and headed to the next van exchange. 

My second leg was one I was a bit nervous about. Leg #21 is on a gravel country road. My feet and ankles are not well equipped to handle terrain like that. Because I supinate, the changes of me rolling ankles increase. The other issue at that moment was a hard rain and lightning was going on. I'm not a fan of rain.

Jason and I knew Sam was coming in soon, so we jumped out of the van. The temps were in the low 60s, and in addition to the rain was wind. Jason asked me a few times if I needed my jacket. I think he saw me shivering a bit, and felt bad we jumped out of the van a bit earlier than we had planned. I told him I would be fine once I got going. Sam came in and I took off at about 4:45am into the dark.

The rain was coming down. My hat did a great job of keeping my glasses dry. I was getting soaked though. I worried about blisters and chaffing. Still I had a job to do, and I was going to do it. Let me be clear, about a mile into this run, I remember yelling "Why the fuck did you give me this leg Mary Arnold(our team captain)?!?!"

The road was difficult. For a leg which claimed to be mostly downhill, I sure went uphill a lot. The road felt like a semicircle to me. if I ran on the left, I could feel a lot of pressure on my right foot. So I would alternate between the left and right hand sides of the road. All the time I was dodging potholes. I could dodge a lot of the rocks though, and about midway through the leg, I rolled my right ankle on a couple of rocks. I knew I would pay for that later, but on I went.

Another tough part of this leg was my GPS wasn't working, so I never knew my pace or distance. Every now and then a runner would come by, and I would ask how far we were. That helped. The encouraging words from my fellow runners really kept me going during this.

The sun started to come up, and as it did, and the rain stopped, I was able to see the scene around me. It was a canopy of trees and forrest. I loved it. I wondered what it was like to live there. So peaceful.

By now my ankle was hurting, and my running had a limp with it. I was so glad to hand the baton to Mallory. When I got in the van though, I told my team I couldn't run my third leg. I felt I had let them down. My team was so nice and patient with me. They assured me they had not let me down, and they would figure it out, and they did.

Driving on the route, you encounter a lot of communities which provide a lot of food and services for the runners. Jason laughs at this, but I swear the breakfast sandwich I had at this tiny town was the best damned egg and cheese sandwich I ever had. Real eggs and Oregon cheese, and what tasted like a fresh English Muffin bread. We stopped at a school which provided food, a sleep area and showers. One of the volunteers told me that hundreds of runners come through and take advantage of their services. These are great fundraisers for these groups and schools.

As we got to the third legs for each runner, the wind picked up. We heard that the finish at Seaside had to be changed due to 80 MPH winds.  We were dealing with 40-50 MPH winds. Most of these legs were uphill, so the finish goes down towards the ocean. My team handled them all in better than expected times. At this point I was navigating, and helping Taylor drive. At the last exchange Tim got there before Taylor, but she still got the baton, and we all headed to Seaside.

Van 1 was waiting for us at the Elks Lodge, already drinking beers. We knew when Taylor would come in so we headed to the finish area, so we could all finish with her. Soon we saw her, and the wild cheers came out. We all got in behind her and ran. I didn't care how badly I was hurting, I was going to run the last few hundred feet to the finish. As we got to the finish, I began to cry. I cried as I got my medal, and I remember hugging Mary and crying.

Our official time was 29:01:56

This race was about my coming back from my heart attack last year. This race was about blocking the sadness of losing my dad a couple weeks ago. This race was about me, and how hard I worked to get to the race, and how hard I ran during the race. The emotions came spilling out. Mary was so nice to tell me how proud she was of me. I needed to hear that, and I'm glad this was coming from my team captain.

I was able to pull things together for the team photo though....

As I paraphrased at the start, you really can't do epic by yourself. A team is there to encourage, support, gripe. commiserate, laugh, swear, hug and be there for each other. Jason, Taylor, Tim Sam and Mallory could not have been any better. I am do incredibly glad to have gone through this journey with them. If we never meet again, at least we know we had this experience, and nothing can take that away from us.

I understand there are relay races all over, but there is only one Hood to Coast, and it is all it is advertised to be. It's full of stunning scenery, great volunteers, fun times, hard times, and just an out in out blast. You endure the fatigue, the stinkiness of your team mates, the mess in your van, the weather. You do it, and in the end, you are glad you did it.

As I sat at the Elks Lodge in Seaside having my celebratory beer, I was quiet and thinking about what brought me to this point. I thought about how all I wanted to do after my heart attack was run again. I thought about who angry I was about not doing Hood to Coast, and how much it meant for me to win the contest that got me there. That too was a team effort. Again...epic is not a singular activity.

Thanks to my van mates, my team mates, my staff at the store, RSG and Nike for this amazing adventure.

If you have the chance to run Hood to Coast - do it! I promise you will love it. Who knows.....you may see this guy out there again next year -------->


Charlie

Hood to Coast: Today's the Day

I haven't been able to blog over the last few days, and I will update you in a later post about the week. Needless to say our hosts at Nike have been wonderful, and we have the spirit of Pre with us.


Today though is about the start of an amazing journey. My team has already started, and I will be running later today. If you have followed this blog, you know what this race means to me today.


My life has been about the physical obstacles put ahead of me: born with clubbed feet; battling to lose 100 lbs, and overcome a pre-Diabetic condition; and finally a heart attack last year. Each time I have won the battle.


Today has it's own challenges. I will be running 18+ miles of a 197 mile race. I've bitched a bit about the last leg I have. I've whined about the rain that is expected. The truth is I don't know what this journey will hold until I head out there and run.


My team knows I'm not the fastest guy, but they will know I will work the hardest to get the team to the finish. Taylor, Mallory, Tim, Sam, Jason and I are part of The A Team, and are in Van #2. Our team number is 998.


As I pack for the race, I realize what I've been through, and understand what I need to do. Now it's time to do it. Hood to Coast is here.


Charlie

Hood to Coast 4 Days Away: The Dream is Happening

A year ago I was dejected that I had been asked to run Hood to Coast and couldn't due to my heart attack. A few months ago, I was reminded sometimes dreams do come true, and tomorrow I am off to Oregon to live it.

It's an early pre-dawn flight to Portland, as I head out to run this year's Hood to Coast. Over the next few days I will be meeting my teammates, touring Nike, Eugene, OR, and of course running. I've been excited all day.

Nervous? The race will take care of itself. I wish I trained more and better, but I always wish that. So now I head out on an adventure. I will do my best to keep everyone posted as I am out there.

Just so excited!

Charlie

Hood to Coast 5 Days Away: Packing Day

I head off to Oregon day after tomorrow, but I begin packing today. An empty suitcase always looks like an opportunity to me. Time to plan and fill it with what I will be doing.

Let's see on this list.....

Running shoes
Socks
Running shirts
Running shorts
Sunscreen
Hats
Body Glide
A jacket in case of rain(it is Oregon)

I do need some non-running clothes. Other than that, I will have room to bring HTC goodies home. I love packing for a trip. It gives me the sense an adventure is coming up.

So now I get ready and the excitement builds.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 7 Days Away: What's Ahead?

A week from today the journey from Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean begins. This has been quite an experience getting to this point. What is ahead though?

In a few days I will meet my team. Yup, I don't know my teammates. We are a group of folks from the Running Specialty Group(RSG), coming together to run this. We are from all over the country. At this point all I know are names, but soon I will know the people. I'm very much looking forward to meeting my team.

We are guests of Nike on this journey, so we will be spending time at the Nike Campus. I know a good many people who are very envious of this aspect of the trip. Nike is an iconic brand, with legendary athletes who have run for and represented them. So this is going to be a very interesting part of the trip. They have promised us all kinds of fun and learning experiences. I know what previous teams have done, but don't want to say in case it doesn't happen.

Then there is the race itself. This is going to be challenging, confusing, fun, nerve-wracking, exciting, and an amazing experience. At this point, I think I've watched the Hood to Coast documentary about 10 times since I knew I was running.

Friends and loved ones have asked how I feel about running so sooner after losing my dad. I see the race very differently now. I see it as an opportunity to get away from what I've been dealing with. Death has a way of consuming your life, and I think when the chance comes to not think about it, you take advantage of it. I know that my dad was very proud of the fact I won this contest to get to this point. Something to know though....he never really understood my running. He told me it wasn't something he would do. That's fine. Not everyone runs, nor do they have to understand why someone runs. When I finished my first half, he asked if I had won. I explained to him that I won in a bigger way than the race.

I'm also looking forward to being back in Oregon. If you have never been to Oregon, you need to get there. It is an stunningly beautiful state. I can't wait to see it up close for the 18+ miles of it I will be running.

7 days and counting....this is going to be good.

Charlie

Saying Goodbye

Over the last few years I've told people the part of being an adult I hate the most is watching your parents go. It's is the most difficult thing we do. Our lives start with them caring for us, educating us, passing on their values. As we get older, they still offer us their wisdom, but subtle changes happen, where we, as adult children, feel we are on more equal footing with them. Finally comes the time where you have to be the caretaker and make the decisions. I've read all my life about how the roles of child and parent switch. I don't think it's as much switching, as we just assume a new role.

This morning my Dad, Joe Colpaert passed away. He was 97. That's a long life. During his lifetime, he had a great many joys, and probably more than his fair share of sorrow. He wasn't the most politically correct man. He was an honest and smart businessman. He and my mom traveled the world. He saw so much, and learned so much.

He and I did not always have the easiest relationship. The two of us are so different. It goes WAY beyond Republican vs. Democrat, heterosexual or gay. We were just too different. He didn't always want to see the world my way, but I know he expected me to see it his way. There were times I didn't speak to him, and there were times he didn't want to speak to me. Through all that though was a love we had for each other.

Death has a way of bringing that love to the surface. I won't go into the details of his death, as I feel that isn't appropriate. I will say, that before things went bad, he was able to convey to me how happy he was for me with my store, and its success. I am honored that my face was the last face he saw before leaving us.

He is at peace.

If there is truly is a Heaven, I am glad he is with Mom and David, as I know how much their passings affected him, and now he can be reunited with them, and all is well.

Now we deal with the what he left behind. More than things, a house, and memories, there are important lessons he left me with. I understand that the truly successful people in this world are honest, hard working, who treat people fairly and with respect. While I feel he was a man who did not easily show emotions, and would rather I not show the emotions I do, through him, I learned putting yourself out there has its pitfalls, but the rewards are so much better when you do. He probably didn't mean to teach that to me, but he did.

While I didn't always like or appreciate the fishing trips, the journeys to the endless boat shows, or all the other things he did with me that bored me to tears, I am glad to have had those experiences.

As I said my goodbyes to him before his passing, I told him I loved him, and I thanked him for everything, and to please tell Mom and David I love them. I'd like to think as he looked at my face he was telling me he loved me, and he would pass along my love.

Rest in peace Dad.

Love,
Charlie

Hood to Coast 19 Days Away: Special

Runners have races that are special to them. Whether it be Boston, New York, Chicago, Western States, or a particular 5K you love, there are races each one of us holds special. For me, my most special race was the Sunburst Half Marathon in South Bend, IN. Finishing on the 50 yard line at Notre Dame Stadium is still one of my most favorite moments.

I anticipate this race will become special for me. I've stated it previously, and I want to say it again. This race means the world for me to run. A year ago, I was in the hospital recovering from my heart attack. I was scared how life would proceed. I was so afraid I wouldn't run again. The doctor probably got tired of me asking when I could run again.

Bill Kirkendall, President of RSG knows how badly I wanted this. He came to my store shortly after we opened in March, and he asked me what he could do to help me. One of the things I told him was I wanted to realize my dream to run Hood to Coast. He told me there would be a way for my dream to be realized.

For those who don't know, a contest was held among all the RSG stores, and the top 6 managers who exceeded their goals by the most won a spot on the HTC team. My store was #1!!! My Assistant Manager, Josh and I had a deal. I would help him get his bonus, if he helped me get to HTC. Done!

Now, was we are under 20 days until the race, I am running well, studying the maps of my legs, watching any video I can find on the race, and mentally preparing myself for what's coming. It's also important to take stock of the special nature of this race. 197 miles, 12 people on a team, all trying to get from Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean. I will run the most miles on my team. While I'm a bit nervous about that, all I can think of is how special running through Oregon is going to be.

Are my expectations high? Yes! But Hood to Coast set this bar by creating something unique and wonderful for thousands of people to enjoy each year.

19 days and counting....this is going to be special.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 21 Days Away: Blank Stare

It's sometimes difficult to explain running and races to those who aren't runners, especially who make a point of telling me they would never run. This morning I spoke to our landlady, who is a very sweet woman. She told me she knew I was running "something" in Oregon, and asked what it is. I told her.

As I explained about the relay, the distance and why I'm so excited about running it, I saw the blank stare take hold of here. You know what I mean. It's the look like they are trying to pay attention, but they honestly don't care, and they were just being polite. When I was done telling her about it, I saw more of the blank stare. Then came the, "I could never run a  marathon" comment. No, I didn't correct her.

I get it. There are people who will never run. They will never run for fun, competition, exercise, etc.. I understand they will most likely only run if there is a zombie apocalypse.

Now my landlady was very nice. Sometimes the blank stare people are not so kind. I sometimes get the blank stare, then the comment, "Oh I hate running, I don't know how anyone does something so boring." At moments like that, I wish I had the nerve to say something like, "no one has a gun to your head to run."

The good news is there are plenty of people in my life who don't give me the blank stare, and they want to know how training is going.

So far, training is going pretty well.I'm on track to run about 16 miles this week. I feel pretty healthy. I'm studying the course map and figuring things out. In short, it feels like I am getting ready to race.

We are three weeks away, and the excitement just grows.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 23 Days Away: Je Suis Runner #9

Yesterday we received our leg assignments. This is something the team eagerly awaits. We give them our input on what we feel we can do, and then the team captain looks through everything, and decides who will run which legs. I am runner #9 on the 12-person team. What does this mean?

First off there is a degree of difficulty in the legs, ranked 1-12. I had requested because of my health and foot issues I run anywhere from the 10th - 12 most difficult. I will be running the 2nd most difficult. When I saw that I had anxious moments.

Runner #9 runs the following legs of the race - 9, 21 and 33. I'm going to break down each leg. Leg #9 is 5.38 miles, and listed as a moderate leg. You run on the Springwater Trail, which is a long gravel/paved bike running trail. According to the elevation map, you start at 550 ft, go up a bit, and then descend to 350 ft. So it looks like a gradual decline.

Leg #21 is the leg which has me a bit nervous. This leg is 5.06 miles, with a long decline from 1050t, to 850 ft.. What worries me is this is a gravel country road, with a lot of dust. If I am going to have a night time leg, this looks like it will be that leg. You are encouraged to wear a bandana around your face, as there is a lot of dust as vans go by. It's a combination of the gravel and the darkness which worries. I will have a headlamp, and or another light with me. Still, I worry about taking a wrong step, or how big the gravel is.

Leg #33 is my longest leg. Who doesn't want that for their final leg. This is a 7.72 mile leg, on "rolling hills on narrow country roads." The map does look rolly. I will go from 0ft to 100ft, and back down a few times. I will be tired, and not sure what I will have left at this point.

Overall I am running 18.16 miles. I worried and fretted yesterday for a time. I started reading people's accounts, and watched various You Tube videos on those legs. By the time I went to bed I said this to myself, "Well Charlie, you wanted to run Hood to Coast, well you are running Hood to Coast, so suck it up." By suck it up, I wasn't being mean to myself, I was telling myself to stop being a baby, and get ready for it.

Training will now consist of more hills, and night/earlier morning runs. I have over 3 weeks to get this figured out. This is where the real work begins. If anyone reading this has run any of these legs, any and all advice is welcome.

Je Suis Runner #9!!!

Charlie

Hood to Coast 26 Days Away: When to Run?

Normally when runners head out for a run, they do so at a preferred time of day. Some like an early morning run. Others like to run in the evening. Mine is an early morning. You can't really do that when training for a relay like Hood to Coast. You will be running at various times in a 24 hour period, and to be honest, you should train for that.

Most of my runs have been in the 5am hour, but I have also done Noon time runs, and evening runs. The only run I haven't done yet is a night time run.  You have to have some experience running at various times of the day, so you can be prepared and acclimated to the time. You will also experience different weather. Assume the early part of the day and the night will be your coolest times of the day.  Middle of the day will be the hottest.

This morning I procrastinated and headed out about 8:45am. It was already in the 70s, but there was low humidity. Still I felt the Sun beating down on me. It made for a warm run. I did this 3 miles this morning, and felt good. I always think it's a good run if you feel you could do a little more at the end of the run.

So now we are 26 days away. I'm feeling good. I feel anxious for this to start. It's all good.

Charlie

The Reminder

The Summer heat and humidity has made my running a bit more difficult this year. The fact is when it's this hot, I shouldn't be running outside. The doctor told me last year that I shouldn't run in extreme heat an humidity. I have been running, but at a far reduced scale.

Ideally I would like to be running 3-5 miles at a time, but with a heat index of 100, I'm running 1.5-2 miles. I want to be active, but I don't want to really stress my body, specifically my heart. It's a reminder to me that I need to be cautious.

People who know me, know that I hate having to be like that. They know I would rather be using myself harder than that, but the reality is I can't. I want to live to run another day. Runners by nature are stubborn people, who believe they should push through whatever. Well, I'm breaking that tradition. If I push myself, and something bad happens, I may lose the ability to run - period. I'm not sure how I could handle that prospect, so I listen to what the doctor says, and I back off a bit.

For Hood to Coast, I already have it in my head that if it is this hot and humid, I will be walking the legs, more than running them. This makes sense. My team might want me to be a bit faster, but I bet once I explain to them, they'll be in agreement with me.

In the end, I think it's better the be able to live to run another day.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 30 Days Away: Update

I'm getting asked quite a bit about how I feel about the race. I feel good, nervous, anxious and excited. That's quite a bit to feel, but to be honest, that's no different than how I feel before any other race.

My running is going well. Yes, I would rather not be running in this damned humid weather. It makes it unpleasant to run, but I can't really do anything about that. I feel good out there running.

I wish I knew which legs I was running so I could better prepare. I'm told I will know soon, but because there are two companies involved in putting the team together, soon means....not soon. I think that is where the anxiousness comes from.

The nerves come form the unknown. Not sure what I will face, so I'm about nervous about how I will tackle things. I've driven through the parts of Oregon we will run, so I have an idea of what it's like. Of course running and driving are two different things, but I am mentally, and physically preparing for a rolly, hilly run. Flat takes on a new meaning when you leave Illinois and Indiana.

I was asked yesterday if I feel like this is a dream coming true. I do. When people have asked me what races I want to do, Boston, Paris, Comrades and Hood to Coast are the ones I talk about. Comrades I will never do, but I would love to go watch. Paris, I can do in my lifetime. Boston is the ultimate dream, and until I worked for my company, I could not imagine how I would do Hood to Coast. It's the only relay race I have wanted to do. So yes, dreams can come true.

30 days away.....things are good.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 35 Days Away: What Will I See?

One of the amazing things about running long distance races is what you see. In Chicago, the marathon takes you through 26.2 miles of unique neighborhoods. Chinese dragons, Mariachi bands, drag queens, and about one million people line the streets to cheer you on. In Indianapolis, you can a run a race which takes you around the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In South Bend, IN, you can finish on the 50 yard line in Notre Dame Stadium.

A relay race like Hood to Coast gives you something more. You get to see the passage of land from a mountain to an ocean. You start in a high elevation, surrounded by trees. You wind your way through small towns, in the woods, through Portland, making your way to the sandy finish at the Pacific Ocean. That sounds incredible.

I want to take in the scene. I want to take in the people who will come out to cheer us all on. I want to see some runners in costumes. There will be silliness, perseverance, joy, sorrow, all of the emotions. This is one thing running does, that few other sports allow - you get to see the world around you.

So while I will be busy trying to get from point A to point B, I will also take it all in. This may be my only Hood to Coast and I want to be sure I see all I am supposed to see.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 37 Days Away: Who Runs?

As we draw closer to Hood to Coast, I've found myself wondering who runs this race? Of course the documentary gives you a glimpse into some of the people who gather at Mt. Hood to start their journey across Oregon. They are young, old and any age in between. They are seasoned runners, with a great deal of years under their belts. There are also those who are attempting to run for the first time. This relay is where all the stories come together.

This blog has been about my story, and what I bring to running, and now Hood to Coast. I've been running about 10 years. It's been an interesting ride, as I have experienced: learning how to run, losing weight, entering races, finishing my first 5K, 8K, 10K, half and full marathon, training people to run, loving running, not always liking running, surviving a heart attack, and coming back. My story feels unique, yet at the same time, similar to a good many other stories out there.

A relay like Hood to Coast, brings people together as a team for a shared and solitary experience. You have a bond with your team, yet you are on your own on your legs of the race. You share stories. You laugh. You may even cry.

Races like this are a part of the human element, where one person shares their love of running with another. 99.999999% of the teams won't win the actual race, but they will win in what they accomplish over 197 miles.

Who runs? Everyone runs a race like this. This is what I love about running. It's isn't for a select few, it's for anyone who can go right foot, left foot, repeat....quicker than normal,

Charlie

Summer Running

Every year I think I can do a Summer race, then I get to running in the actual season, and I hate it. I would rather run on a 25 degree Winter day than 94% humidity as I did this morning. Now if it were 72 degrees and low humidity, I could feel could about this seasonal running, but no.

Yesterday was the Narragansett Bay Half, which I had thought about doing. As I walked around Providence in 90 degree weather, I was so glad I didn't run it. I've never had a race I've enjoyed in the Summer. So I am really hoping Hood to Coast can break that for me. :-)

Today I just checked miles, not time. I ran 1.5 miles, and really that was all I could muster at 5:45am. Maybe I should run at 3:30am?

I just hate peeling clothes off me at the end of a run. To be honest, they were sticky getting on, which I also didn't like. Did I mention how much I dislike running in this heat and humidity?

Charlie

Hood to Coast 40 Days Away: From Here On

The training up to this point has included speed work, hill work, two a days, and just running in various temps. Things are going to be a bit different from here on. Now it's time to increase the miles. I feel I have a good base, now I need to add the miles.

I know how to navigate a rolly area. I know it takes a bit of a toll on me, so now I have to add the miles, so I can have the stamina to do 5-8 miles of such a route. The only way to do this is to increase miles. In stifling humidity, that can be difficult. I need my base to me 3.5 miles, and then take it from there.

This is very different than training for a marathon. At least my long run isn't 4-5 hours. In this case, I am looking at 1.5-2 hours of a long run. That's more manageable to say the least.

I also need to figure the nutrition. I have really embraced Honey Stinger products. They are natural, and they seem to give me the boost I need. Of course NUUN is always with me on hot or longer runs.

My shoes are beginning to wear down, I can feel it in my legs, so now it's time to transition to my newer shoes(thanks Brooks). I know I will need an additional pair as I get closer to the race.

If I am frustrated about anything, it's that I still don't know which legs I am running. The team has not heard from Nike(our sponsor), and I am told there was a personnel change, so we aren't sure who is helping us. Ugh! No stress there.

Still I feel good. I'm excited. I will also watch the Hood to Coast movie a few more dozen times between now and the race.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 42 Days Away: The Course

I've been asked where exactly are we running in this race? Easy, we are running from Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean. It's a course which weaves 197 miles through the northwest part of Oregon.

Elevation changes are fairly extreme. The infamous first leg of the race has you descending 2500 ft. Yes, 2500ft down!

Now for the casual person it's easy to run downhill. It isn't. It's very hard on the body to run downhill, especially at that steep a decline.

We will run on roads, trails, gravel, dirt, all kinds of terrain. We will encounter solitude and big city. We will run through the woods, and in wide open spaces. We will see a snow capped mountain, and squish our feet in the sand at the ocean. The course is varied and diverse.

Since I don't live out there, training for whatever comes my way is not easy. In fact, I can't. So my training has involved lots of rolly and hilly runs. I've run twice a day a few times. I've worked on speed, but mostly on endurance and feeling good during my run.

My team won't win. Sorry to break that to them. We won't. We will see some marvelous sites. We'll meet new people along the way. We will run Hood to Coast!

Charlie

Hood to Coast 50 Days Away: Two a Days

From the start of this I knew at some point I would have to run two a days. Seemed fitting with 50 days to go, I would start today. This morning I headed out around 5:45am and ran 2.42 miles. I chose my mostly uphill route around the neighborhood.

I felt good out there. Everything seemed easy going. It was warm out already, but no overly so. Usually there are a few folks out running, not so this morning. It was just me, and that suited me fine. Like I said, it felt good out there, like I hadn't put too hard an effort into it. At the end, the GPS said I did a 15:50/mile pace. That's pretty good.

I went about with my day. I did dishes, a bit of laundry. When Mark came home we went to a mall and walked around. All the while I knew I wanted to run later.

I ran around 5:00pm. I wasn't sure how it would go. It was more humid, so I thought I should take it easy. Off I went. Because I've never run twice in one day, I thought this should be a shorter run. I did 1.55 miles. I thought it had to be slower, because I didn't feel like I was pushing hard. It was a 14:56/mile pace. That's my fastest pace since I moved to RI.

Now, one thing I know I have to do is develop how I want to run the two a days. I don't want to go full out on the first run, because I want something for the second. At some point I want to make my second run the longer of the two. I can't do two a days every day, but they'll become more common in my running.

So today was a success. Of course now I have to take my second shower of the day. I feel grosser after run #2 than I did this morning.

Charlie

One Year

My life has been marked by the major events in my life. How I dealt with them has pretty much dictated how I moved through life. I lost my brother at a young age. I coped with being Gay. I lived through a false HIV+ diagnosis and suicide attempt. I've had love, lost it, and found it again. I've lost a parent. I've dealt with pre-diabetes. And....a year ago I had a heart attack. I imagine this would make an interesting book.

How do you come back from a heart attack? For everyone it's different. Some people get depressed and wallow in it. Some people fight back. Some use a more measured approach. I fought back. I didn't want this to define me. I wanted to define me.

I plowed through rehab with the goal of running again. When I got the ok to run....I did. Now, I don't run like I used to, and that has taken some getting used to, but I am running. Better to run, than to not run.

I also had to make changes in my life. My work was not in a good place for me. It's safe to say the stress caused by certain people in my work contributed to the heart attack. I decided to make a change. Mark and I left Indiana to move to Rhode Island, where I have opened and manage a running store. No stress there. :-)

Since we moved, I've felt more at ease, happier. I've explored running areas in the Providence area, and are still finding new places to run. I've developed a running routine.

I've come from a place where I didn't know if I would live or die, to training for Hood to Coast. I fully understand most people don't come back from heart attacks and go run relay races. I'm not most people. I've watched myself. I've monitored my food, my meds, and my running. If I don't feel well, I don't run. If I don't feel well on a run, I walk. My Hood to Coast team won't win, but we will be winners for doing it. I'm already anticipating an emotional race.

The year has been a learning curve, and I am still learning. It hasn't been easy for me or Mark. We both forget at times I have heart disease. He gets frustrated, as do I.

I have had amazing support from family and friends. There are people in my life that I don't see on a regular basis, or haven't seen in years, who have been so kind and wonderful to me. I feel very fortunate.

So here I am a year later....feeling good....taking on challenges...living life. It's easy to say this is a new lease on life, but really, it's a continuation of life....I'm just getting better at living it.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 56 Days Away: In Oregon You Can't Give Up

Running has enough challenges for me. There are days the right foot, left foot repeat are harder than others. This morning was not a difficult one. I ran my 3.1 mile hilly loop near my home. My focus was more on speed this morning. I did this loop a couple weeks about, and I finished in about 52 minutes. This morning I did it in 48 minutes plus change.

The old saying is, in order for you to go faster, you have to go faster. The only way to make sure I did this route faster was to tackle the first incline faster than I had previously. The first incline is the first  1/4 mile. When I got to Smith St., which is the top of the hill, I saw my pace was 15:49. I knew I was good.

The challenge for the run was ran the second loop around the park. It's tough sometimes to sustain a pace. This is where you have to go into your head and get into the pace. I like to use phrases. Usually I use "World Peace, " and I say part on the inhale, and the rest on the exhale. Today I wanted to say something different. "In Oregon, You Can't Give Up." This made sense. I'll be running a race, in 100% unfamiliar territory, with people waiting for me. I can't give up. So I pushed myself every time I said it.

I saw my pace drop as I got through the middle of the run. Towards the end I slowed a bit, but wow. I liked my overall time and pace.

Over the last couple months, I've gotten a sense that my running has improved, and I have felt very happy with my running. With less than 2 months before Hood to Coast, I like where I am, and how I feel. I like the notion that I can't give up.

Run on!

Charlie

Hood to Coast 60 Days Away: Closer

60 days until Hood to Coast, and my enthusiasm only increases. The team is being assembled. RSG will have two teams, and I am on Team A. At this point 7 of the 12 are confirmed. I think we need to kick the other 5 in the butt to get them confirmed.

My running has gone well. I'm able to run longer without taking walking breaks, which makes me happy. I haven't decided how I will do this yet out on the course, but I seem to have more stamina in my running. This actually surprises me because of all the hilly roads I'm running.

At this point though the training gets ramped up a bit. Now I look at days where I not only run longer, but I run a couple times during a day. I won't do two a days every day, but will incorporate that into my running.

While I don't know the legs I'm running yet, I am studying the map so I won't be too surprised. In that respect this is no different than other races I've run. I typically know the course map pretty well going into a race.

I feel healthy. I'm eating better and better, which is a key. My body appreciates it to be sure. Mark has concerns now and then about how I will do. The answer is you don't know, but you train to do your best, and you hope everything comes together. More often than not, it does.

The elephant in the room for some folks is how is my heart doing. I'm great! My heart is great, and I am doing all the right things. I'm confident heading into this race.

I've ordered a Hood to Coast shirt which should arrive any day now. That is when I will really know this is happening.

Thumbs up for now....with 60 days to go.


Charlie

Hood to Coast: Concerns

I'm not too far into the euphoria of being IN Hood to Coast, that I don't have some concerns.  I've never run a relay race, so this is akin to dropping my in the deep end of the ocean.

Concern #1 - my legs and feet. Depending on elevation/distance/terrain I worry about how my feet will feel after each leg. There will be time in the van where I'm sitting and getting stiff. My initial thought is to wear compression socks. Also, at each stop to get out and stretch and move, so I am not too stationary.

Concern #2 - weather. This is Oregon. My arch nemesis - rain could be there. I hate rain. I know, I know, get a jacket and suck it up.

Concern #3 - fatigue. I'm told there will be little to no sleep, how will I do on little sleep? Just how much adrenaline do I have in me?

Concern #4 - team. I don't want to fail my team by being too slow. I've been up front, I'm not a turtle, but I'm no gazelle. I don't want to disappoint.

Training is going well. I'm going to increase miles this week. I feel very good out there running. I'm officially registered, so I'm good there. So far so good, with 63 days to go.

Charlie

It's the Little Things

Every run is different. It doesn't matter if you run the same route every day, there is always something different about it. It's the little things.

One reason I love reason is I get to see the world around me. After living a life in a car, seeing the world through windows, running gives me the opportunity to be in the world, and not an observer of it. Little things happen which make me so glad to be part of the world.

Yesterday on my run I was coming up on a house where an elderly woman was on her front porch area. I saw she had a cane, and I saw she was trying to do something. As I got closer I saw she was trying to use the cane to maneuver the delivered newspaper so she could try to pick it up. She was having a great deal of trouble, and looked like she was in pain.

I startled her, as I ran up, and said, "Let me help you with that." I picked up the paper and handed it to her. She looked relived she didn't have to bend over and pick it up. She thanked me, and told her to have a great day, and she smiled.

We live in a world now where we spend a good deal of time looking down, texting, surfing, interfacing. We are forgetting to be part of the world. Sometimes it's the little things that happen that help you realize there is a world, we need to be part of it.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 74 Days Away - Why?

The question comes up as to why I want to run this race. I first heard about Hood to Coast a few years ago when a documentary came out about it. The film follows various teams and their journey. Stories include; first time runners who have no clue what they've gotten themselves into; a woman who had died briefly with a heart attack the previous year and was coming back; a family who had lost a loved one; a group of men(jocks) who love the race and running, and more. 

What I found fascinating was their desire to run, be part of a team, and see some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Most of all I appreciated the challenges each had. I love a challenge. I love the idea that it's you challenging whatever comes up on the run. Typically this is why I run marathons. While this is not a marathon, it is a kind of marathon. It's endurance over a period of time. The marathon is one long race. This is a combination of races you have to do within a certain period of time. 

Once I saw this film, I knew I wanted to run this race - somehow. Now, thanks to my company, I have the opportunity. I had this opportunity last year, but something called a heart attack kept me from running it. Anyone who knows me, knows how devastated I was about not running Hood to Coast. I've spent the last year talking to anyone about how I want to do this. Now I can.

Other members of my team have various reasons for running it. Some are just happy to have won a contest and are happy to be running. Others may have had this as a goal. Some were advised to do the race. We are all training in various ways. I've already laid out my training plan. 

Everyday I try to read up on the race so there are few surprises. I think my staff would like me to shut up about Hood to Coast. I am prone to be of over excitement about it. I have 74 days to train and stay healthy....and I can and will.

Charlie

Hood to Coast 77 Days Away - The Solitary Run

Hood to Coast is two races at the same time. First it's a relay. You and 11 other people are out there running, tacking a long and winding course from Mt. Hood to the Pacific Ocean. Each one of the team awaits the next person to come in so they can go.

At the same time this is a singular endeavor. Each leg is it's own course, of which you, and you alone are running at that time. In this respect, I think this is a solitary run.

I thought about this on my run this morning. I've not done a relay, but I have done many races on my own. This will be a race I think of as three races, for the 3 legs I'll do. Once I have my legs assignments, I can better plan how I will run each one.

On my run this morning I thought about the solitude of the race. I know there will be a few thousand others out there, but basically it will be me and the Oregon scenery. I look forward to that solitude.

Charlie

Hood to Coast - 78 Days Away: Do I Have a Plan?

Do I have a training plan for this race? Nothing on paper, but in my head yes. This is a different kind of race. I've never run a relay, so I look at it differently.

First you have to respect where you are running. Think about it, you are running 197 miles, starting at a mountain, and going to the ocean. There is any and every type of elevation and terrain on this route. How do you train for that? I've been running on the road and a gravel trail since I moved to Providence. Yesterday I talked about hills, but there are step grades that I am going to have a power walking training on.

Distance is a bit easier. Few of the legs over 7 miles. I'm going to work on getting to 6 miles in training. Because I want to run a half in the Fall, I will have some longer runs in there. For now though, this is my main focus.

I will have to run multiple times a day. This is going to be a challenge for me. So I am going to have a few days where I run twice a day. I also want to run in the evening, because that will be more of a challenge for me.  While I may need to run at 2am during the race, I won't train at 2 am.

No music! The rules say you can't run with a MP3 player, and that isn't a big deal for me. Mostly though, I want to hear what's around me. Some of the run is along busy highways, and I want to hear things coming and going. Of course being partly deaf plays a big role in this. Music will keep me from hearing all the sounds around me.

Speed? No speed. Sorry team, we aren't going to win this thing. I've been working on an even pace, and am pretty good at the 15-16 min/mile pace. Elevation will make it slower, though through the flatter areas I will "kill" it.

Team work. Because I know Christy and Katie, who are on the team,  I can depend on them for moral support and whatever team work we may need out there. We are already messaging on a daily basis, so this is a no brainer. Of course if we are in separate vans, that could be a problem.

Training plan is set....I just need to do it.

Charlie

Hood to Coast - 79 Days Away: Hills

Having done 99% of my running in Chicago and Indianapolis, the idea of running hills just has never been there. Because of my various feet issues, my doctor in Chicago told me not to run hills. No problem in Chicago or Indianapolis - hills are virtually non-existant. Not so in Providence.

This is one hilly town. Everything is rolly around here, and I have had to adjust. Now, this isn't a bad thing, it's just different. A 3 mile run here feels like a 5 mile run. I feel like I've had quite the workout when I'm done. I'd like to think it makes me a better runner.

Who knew that moving here would provide a good training ground for Hood to Coast. I can train on hills here. Granted, these are not mountains, nor are they close to the elevation changes I could potentially deal with, but it gives me some experience.

One of the things I will have to do in training is hill repeats. The College Hill area has some significant inclines, and I plan on speed walking those so I can prepare for Oregon. That's going to be tough, but it needs to be done.

Charlie

The Life We Are Meant to Have

Every year I watch the Tony Awards, and every year I find myself asking "What if?" No, it's not a fair thing to do. It's not fair for anyone to do.

In high school, when you have the world ahead of you, you think you know what you want to do, but you don't know what the world has in store for you. I've written before how I thought I would be an actor with an Oscar by the time I was 50.

I had wonderful theatrical friends like Todd Cerveris, Chris Runge, Sarah Pickett, Michael Haithcock, David Ferguson, and so many more. I wasn't a big fish in a high school small pond, but I thought I was a decent sized fish. Not getting into NC School of the Arts showed me a lot at the time. It showed me that I was someone who once I kicked down, I didn't know how to get up and go on. Instead I got up, and I said, "Ok....what else can I do?" Fact of the matter is there are days I still wonder what I can do, but it's different now.

My life has been a series of defining moments. The loss of my brother, not getting into NCSA, being raped, falsely testing HIV+, being a gay rights activist, working at Southwest Airlines, running, heart attack. All of these things have led me to the life I was meant to have, and am still having.

As my friends will tell you, I am not always the one who shouts my accomplishments from the rooftop. I think I get that from my parents, who kept things private. Don't get me wrong, I have a mouth on me, but when it comes to tooting my own horn, I do so in bits, and I make sure there are others who also get credit(where credit is due).

My running though has been a singular effort. That is me doing what I call, right foot, left foot repeat. That's me overcoming clubbed feet, obesity, self doubt, arthritis, heart disease and age to do what I love.

A lot of people have been very nice to congratulate me on winning the sales contest to get into Hood to Coast. Again, give credit where credit is due. That was not me. That was Josh, Theresa, Frances, Will, Sarah and I coming together to make sure runners and walkers have what they need to be active.  To be number one in the company is very satisfying, but I know this is just one contest, and there will be others, and I won't always be successful.

This though was meant to be. A year ago when I lost the chance to run Hood to Coast because of my heart attack, I was devastated. It truly reminded me of how I felt when I didn't get into NCSA. That sense of I've been knocked down, and now what will I do.

What I did was get back up, figure out the next step in life, but this time, I was still determined to get into this race. I didn't give up. I told anyone in the company who would listen that I fully intend on running this race, and somehow I have to get there. Hard work and team work got me into the race.

The hard part now is back to the singular me. I'm the one who has to put one foot in front of the other and succeed.

The life I was mean to have was where I learned not to give up on what you truly want. If could talk to 18 year old Charlie, I would let him know that the important thing is figuring out what you want to work towards and go do it and do it hard and well. Know that life is not just you, but it's about who works with you. It's about who gives you the chance to prove yourself. It's about what you do with the chance. That is how you get the life you are meant to have.

While I like to think there is a bit a reincarnation out there....really this is it. This is the life we get. Don't we owe it to ourselves to make the one we are meant to have? So now and then have the "What if?" moments. Just don't make those the moments that define you.

Charlie

The Road to.....Has Changed

In running you have to be prepared for anything. In this case, I'm changing up my running plans. I'm going to have to back out of Brooklyn. Money is a main consideration. A trip to NYC is not cheap. Too many other things(like bills) to pay for. It's ok though, I have other races to do. 

I'm beginning to think about what I want to accomplish in running. There are races I want to do before I can race no more.Some of those are well known(Boston). Others are not. I would love to run in Paris one day. If I can't live there, I sure would love to run the streets of Paris. I'd like to run a race in Florida so my family can come watch. I would like to go back and finish a Chicago Marathon. One of my must runs is very close to happening - Hood to Coast. 

For those not familiar, Hood to Coast is a 200 mile relay race in Oregon. It starts at Mt. Hood, and winds its way to the Pacific Ocean. A team of 12 do various legs. I first heard about this race when the documentary on the race came out a few years ago. At that moment this race rose towards the top of my must run list. 

My company sponsors a team every year. Last year they selected me to go, but it was a few days after my heart attack. I wasn't able to go, and it devastated me. I've made it no secret to the powers that be that I would like to be considered this year. There's a twist though. The company decided to have a contest, and winners would be on the Hood to Coast team. All you have to do is be one of the top 6 stores in the country to surpass your sales goals by the largest amount. 

My store is the newest store in the company. People are just finding us, but I challenged my staff on this. At the same time the company was offering a sales contest for full time hourly employees, a sort of bonus. My assistant manager is my only full time hourly person, so I made a deal with him. I help him get a bonus, he helps me get to Hood to Coast. DEAL!

The sales contest ended, and he is getting a great bonus. So how am I doing in the Hood to Coast contest? Going into the last weekend, my store is sitting at ..... #1. Yes, we are number one. The fight for the other 5 spots is close, but I am looking very solid going into this last weekend. I have a dedicated staff, who is doing their best. While I benefit from this, so does my store. We are only 3 months old, and we are exceeding expectations, and I could not be happier. So it's a win - win right now. 

So while I'm hoping I'm not jinxing it, it is looking good for me to fulfill this dream race. Send positive vibes....cross fingers....say a prayer....whatever you like. I feel this can happen....now it's time to get it done!

Charlie

The Road to......

Typically when I begin a running journey I call it The Road to _______________. Since last July I have been on the road to recovery from my heart attack. I've had my ups and downs, mostly ups. The move and new job have added stress to my life, and as a result,  I have not eaten as well as I should, but that is now changing.  As I'm beginning to get into a rhythm, I find I'm doing better on the health front.

Now I turn my attention to my running, which for a while has not been a top priority. I've been running 3 times a week the last couple of weeks and feel better about me and my running. My key to running is the goal I set for myself. Just getting back into it isn't enough, I need to have something to work towards. I began to think about what I want to accomplish this year. I want to run a half marathon. A half marathon, like any other long distance race is a step by step process.

I've started the process with the 3 runs a week. Now I need to build on that. In looking for a half marathon, I wanted to go somewhere I've not run before. Well I have not run most places around here, so that was the easy part. I wanted it to be exciting. I wanted a crowd. I wanted fun.  I found the race.

This October I will head to New York City - Brooklyn to be specific, to run the Rock n Roll Brooklyn Half Marathon. Those who know me, know I have a love/hate relationship with RocknRoll organizers stemming back to the ill fated Rock n Roll Chicago a few years ago. At that time they stopped my race prior to what their own rules stated. This time I double checked the course limits, and I can finish well within the 4 hours....as long as they follow their rules.

So now I'm on the Road to Brooklyn, but in reality, this Road is a big longer. I'm gearing for a marathon in 2016. So this is a step on the way towards that goal.

Along the way I will be running, training and racing. I may be running the Falmouth Road Race this summer, which is a well known 7 mile road on Cape Cod. We will see.

In the meantime, the more important thing is that I am enjoying running, and I feel good doing it. All is well running wise.

Charlie

The Look

I've written on this before, and I feel I need to again. Runners don't have a look. Runners have a stereotype of being rail thin and always running. A runner can look like...well me.

This last week I had business dealings with a man, who at one point said to me, "Well you don't look like you run." WTF!!! Nice manners sir. By the way in reference to your wanting basketball shoes, the only dunking you do involves a glazed donut and a cup of coffee.

I get "the look" from people like that, where they look my up and down, and determine some things about it. It pisses me off, but I deal with it. I got a bunch of medals, documented race times, and this blog to back up my running cred. What you got?

Now, I know I'm not who you think you are going to encounter in a running store. That's the point. You want to encounter me in the store, because I know how to relate to lacing up shoes for the first time, and heading out for a run, worrying if I'm "doing it right." I'm the guy who can tell you every detail of his first marathon and go over what you need to think about as you prepare. I'm the one who is going to give the best advice I can so you can get the right shoe(not just the pretty one). I'm the guy who wears XL, and it's ok.

"The Look" underestimates me, belittles me, and is insulting. Have you seen who shows up at races? It's me, several thousand times over. So get over the preconceived idea.....and understand I am a runner.

Charlie

Act III - Providence

The longest winter in the history of the world....or at least Rhode Island is coming to an end. With Spring comes a new act in the play that is my life - Act III - Providence.

Mark and I moved here in December. Little did we know what winter would be like. About a billion of inches of snow later.....ok, maybe closer to 70 inches, we see glimmers of Spring. The Winter and all the snow meant very little running for me, and we don't belong to a gym, so I've gained weight, and feel gross. However the next act is upon us, and there is movement afoot.

Providence Running Company is open! It's not where it needs to be yet, but it's a work in progress. I've never opened a store, and I'm not so sure I want to do it again, but here it is opening, and we are beginning to greet and meet the runners and walkers of Providence.

So far everyone has been wonderful(with the one glaring exception of a bank manager who thinks we won't do well, but still wants a discount). People are excited to have a shiny, new running store in their neighborhood.

I've hired, who I think, is a great group of people. They are all eager to learn, eager to help runners, and eager to have fun. So far so good.

Even though there have been a lot of bumps on this journey, I'm enjoying myself, and enjoying starting a business from scratch. It's an interesting process, which also frustrates, because I know what needs to be done, but am dependent on many many people to help, and communication is not a strong suit to these folks.

Still there has been wonderful support from people who I respect, and that is what has helped me be patient, and at times kept my laughing.

Providence has been good to Mark and me. We have met wonderful people. We live in a wonderful place. We are enjoying the town. I'm also enjoying running here. I'm finding nice places to run and good people to run with occasionally. I'm enjoying running....which has been a long time coming.

Yesterday I ran my first 5K since my heart attack. The St. Pats 5K was fun, fairly Irish-ish, and a great way to get back to racing.

Providence is a quirky town, but it fits us. Mark and I are kind of quirky, so I'm sure we'll fit right in.

I call this Act III, because this is my third store in my career. This could be my last store. I feel very settled with this one, and can't imagine moving on to manager another one. I have a lot of creativity with this store, which I didn't have in Indianapolis. I have more freedom, which I didn't have in Chicago or Indianapolis. One thing is for sure, I am determined to make this as fun an experience for my staff and me as possible. I feel I was missing some joy in Indy, and I have a chance to get it back.

So far, I'm liking Act III.

Charlie

Something Different

One of the things I find interesting about working with the running public are the runners who want something different, because they want to something different. Over the years I've heard comments like this:

"I'm tired of blue shoes, do you have something different?'
"I can't be seen in the race in the same kind of shoes I wore last year."
"I hear Asics is the best shoe, so I have to wear it."
"My friend told me I need to run barefoot, so I will try it, because it worked for him."

Now, I'm not going to say you need to never try anything different. I think people should, but I think they need to look at the larger picture. Why do they really want a different shoe? Are their current shoes not working? Has something changed in their running? Did the company stop making their shoes(I'm talking to you Supernova Classic people)?

I'm not a fan of the vain reasons to change shoes. To be honest, no one, and I mean NO ONE, will know you wore the Brooks Adrenaline last year, nor will they care if you wear it this year. Don't get me started on the color issue. There is no ONE brand that is the best shoe.

When I work with runners, I am happy to help them figure which shoe works best. I bring out three shoes, one of them being the shoes they have had. 9 times out of 10 they stick with the shoes they've had. Why? Because those are the shoes that actually work for them.

Now am I being harsh in my criticism? Maybe, and I admit it. I'm a function over fashion runner and will always be. I feel if I let someone out of a store without trying to help their running, somehow I have failed that runner. Sure enough, the pink shoe will be wrong, they will ache, and I will get the blame, because I sold it to them. Most times if I can educate the runner on what they should be looking for, that something different turns into their regular shoe, and they are happy runners.

Again, I have no problem with folks trying something different, I just want it to be for reason which will help their running.

Charlie

New Year, New Hope

This was not a banner year for my running. In fact, it was an almost nonexistent year for my running. Injuries, then the heart attack kept me off the roads. Not a good 10 year anniversary of my running. So I look to 2015 with a lot of hope.

This morning, I ran 1.26 miles around our new neighborhood. It was darned cold, but once I got going, I felt mildly chilly. Mark rode along side on the bike. It was invigorating, but good to get out. I hadn't run since prior to our move. So now I feel I can get to running again.

I'm working on a race schedule. Of course everything is a bit up in the air for the early part of the year as I open a new running store. Still I have registered for the St.Pats 5K on March 21. From there I slowly build to a half marathon in the fall.

Typically this next year would be a marathon year for me, but I'm not ready for a marathon, but want to do some distance, so a half will do. I've decided to run the Baystate Half Marathon in Lowell, MA in October. Rumor has it that it's about as flat a half as I will find. Hope so.

My optimism also spreads to my new venture here in Providence. The store I'm opening is not ready yet, but it is being built. I am beginning to reach out to area running groups, races, schools, organizations, etc., trying to establish a connection and grow interest in our store.

I'm also excited to explore new places to run. So all in all 2015 is my year of hope and optimism that I will be running the way I want to run.

Happy New Year everyone!

Charlie

Year Eight

I never get tired of this story, so excuse me while I tell it again.....

Eight years ago I was in a miserable job which sucked my soul out of me. It was called Macy's. I was so incredibly unhappy, and even unhappier that I hadn't found anything else. That changed when I spoke with Dave Zimmer at Fleet Feet Sports in Chicago. Dave is a hugely successful Fleet Feet owner, and a true lover of running. He interviewed me, and told me he would give me a call on Friday to let me know if there was a place for me. It was one of those interviews that you felt sure you nailed.

On Friday, Dec. 18, I went in to Macy's before my shift, and told them I was quitting right then and there. The HR woman seems confused and asked if I wanted to give two week. No I didn't. She told me by doing this I would be eligible for rehire. There are some bridges you burn, and some jobs you decide are worth walking away from - Macy's was that.

Anxious hours went by, and then I got the call from Dave. He told me he knew it was close to Christmas, but would I be able to work some for them until I could leave Macy's. I told him that I had quite three hours earlier, and could be there today if needed. He laughed and told me Monday would be fine.

For 3.5 years I worked in the Lincoln Square location with some wonderful people. I learned so much about the business and how you treat the running customer. I have kept those lessons with me through today, and always thank Dave Zimmer for taking a chance on me.

From there, I moved to Indianapolis, working for BlueMile. Like most jobs, there is a mix of good and bad, but still you learn from your experience. Gareth Wilford and Janet Crofton gave me the chance to be a manager, and I am forever in their debt for giving me the reins to the store in Carmel. I worked with outstanding people, and wonderful customers.

Nobody leaves a job because they are happy where they are. I needed something more. I am now in the next stage of my career. Year Eight has me in Providence, RI, where I am preparing to open a store. This is a new adventure, and at this point, no clue where it will go. If it is like the previous seven years, I think I am going to do well.

There are some constants in the last eight years. I have worked with some incredible people. I have helped countless people with their running/walking goals. I learned more than I thought I ever would. I have loved my career. If you don't love what you are doing, you need to find something else. When you love what you do, hang on to it as long as you love it.

Earlier this year, I looked at other things to do, but my heart told me that running specialty was something I hadn't finished, and am glad I hung in there.

Here is to eight years in the business, and to many more.

Charlie

The End of One Chapter

I am in my last few days at my current store - BlueMile. It has been a series of mixed feelings for me as I wrap things up. For starters I have an outstanding staff. No matter what has been thrown at them(and they have had a lot thrown at them), they have responded the best possible way. They have endured ownership change twice. They have seen people they loved working with come and go. They have shifted to a different tone. Change isn't always easy, but I have done my best to make it as positive as possible for them, and they responded well.

My departure did not come as a surprise, as my staff knew I was looking for new challenges. They are very excited for me, and still saddened that I'm leaving. I feel the same way. Still they have carried on with their usual professional attitude and positive outlook.

I am so appreciative of staff past and present who have made my job fairly easy. I was lucky to have three assistant managers during my years who were some of the best people I could imagine working for me. Angela, Paul and Jason are all great people. I respect and admire them. I'm also proud of the careers they have started for themselves. I'd like to think I did my best to prepare them for what lies ahead in their respective careers.

Melissa, Angie, Greg, Frank, Brandon Allison, Debbie, Joy and Marlo are my current staff, and they are amazing. Some staff you have to hand hold. While this may be true in the training stages, if you are good at training, you should never have to hand hold a staff member. These folks know their jobs, and to be honest could run the store themselves(though I won't recommend that).

I am glad to have worked with my fellow managers, as we have shared some experiences that only other managers could understand. You are good people, and I will miss that camaraderie.

There are people who are no longer with BlueMile who I owe a huge debt to - Janet, Gareth, Justin, Derek, Bradley and Michael are people I relied on for support and encouragement when I needed it. Their departures left a void, which to be honest just could not be filled. I would work with these people a millions times over. They are that good.

My initial goal when I came to Indianapolis was two-fold. One was to have the chance to move up to a manager position. Second was the chance to work with a running hero of mine, Bob Kennedy. Done and done. I am forever grateful for the chance to prove I could manage a store successfully. I am also so happy that for a time I got to work for Bob Kennedy. He is a man who knows what the future of running specialty is, and is smart enough to get people on board who can fulfill that vision.

So the end of this chapter means a new one is about to begin. During conversations for my new job I was initially told this was a lateral move. No, it isn't. This is a chance to take what I have learned in 7+ years in running specialty and start something new, in a new city. I see nothing but positive in this.

Providence Running Company will be a clean canvas, and I am eager and excited to created some art on it. I have always believed a running store should be the center of a running community, and now I get to create that center.

Again, much love and thanks to my BlueMile family. I carry all you have shared with me, and I hope to pass all that on in my new adventure.

Charlie

The Move: New England

In December I will be celebrating two milestones. First will be my eighth year in running specialty. Next will be my new adventure. We are moving to Providence, RI so I can work in a running store there. This will be a truly exciting adventure as it's a new store, so I feel I will have a blank canvas to work with, and create something special. I can't go into details, but trust me this will be great stuff.  So now Mark and I begin our packing and our figuring out where to live, etc.

I'm going to enjoy getting to know the Providence running community. There are major colleges in the town, and I know there are more than a few running groups. I also have New England to explore, including a little two about an hour away called Boston.

Over the next month, I will also look back at my time in Indianapolis. I have wonderful running memories here, and treasure them.

For now though, we are looking ahead to the next adventure.

Charlie

I Don't Get It

Occasionally I talk with someone who tells me they don't get running. Yes, someone in my store, being fit for shoes will tell me they don't get it. They've heard about the high runners get. They've heard about the joy it can bring(sounds like they read this blog). Still, they don't get it.

This week I spoke with a woman who is certainly giving it her all. She's been running since June. She wanted to lose weight, and her daughter encouraged her to run. The daughter runs, and is planning on a 5K with the mom. So this woman is doing her best to do a 5K with her daughter.

She asked me when is she "supposed to get it." I told her, and will tell you all, there is no easy answer for that question. Running can mean different things to different people. The high some runners get can be due to any number of reasons, which may not have to do with running.

I've written extensively on the joy running brings me(including a post last week). So I tried to explain to this woman what running does for me. I could tell she still looked a bit perplexed. So I brought it to something she could understand.

I asked her why her daughter runs. She told me it's just something she's always done. I asked if the daughter enjoyed it. "Oh yes," she said, "she's run since middles school and loves it." I found how to get through to her. I suggested maybe her daughter just wanted to share something she loves with her, and have a bonding or shared experience. Maybe this was a way the daughter wanted the mom to feel connected to her.

You can assume, and you be correct, that a light went on in the woman's head. She hadn't thought of that. I told her she may end up not liking running, or maybe not experience that high. She will, though, experience a moment with her daughter that they can talk about for years.

I told her my sister doesn't run, but my wonderful memory is her being out on the course for my first half marathon, and then meeting me at the finish. She didn't have to run with me, but I still shared that moment with her. It's one of my best running moments.

I told her running itself is right foot, left foot, repeat. What gives us the feelings are the moments we live through while running.

The woman bought new shoes, socks, and went away with a new appreciation for what her running was for. Maybe she got it.

Charlie

A Joyful Run

Today was one of those days you just feel joyful running. Temps were in the 50s and the sun was shining. I was on the Monon Trail, with Fall colors coming through. I liked everything about my run. I liked the pace. I felt at ease. Runners and I exchanged plenty of hellos. Days like this are what give me so much joy running.

I headed south from the Monon Center, and got to 96thSt, and then headed back. Seems simple enough. Of course, I take nothing for granted, nor do I find it simple. A heart attack make you think about your running a bit more. You think about how you are feeling quite a bit. I felt great.

While I was out there, I thought about what I want to accomplish over the next year of running. First step is to run a bit more. I try to do 3 days a week. I would like to get to 4 days a week. Next, I want to enter a 5K. I can do it at this point. This time next year, I would like to do a half or full marathon. That will be more of a process, but if I build a good base/foundation now, there is no reason I can't.

Making these goals brought me even more joy today. All in all, a great day running.

Charlie

Review Time: Hoka Clifton and TomTom Runner Cardio

There are a couple of items I'm excited about reviewing. I haven't reviewed running items in a while. Then again, running hasn't been a priority until recently.

FYI - today I ran 4 miles. Yes, 4 miles. That is officially the longest I have run since my heart attack in July. I felt terrific!!!

On today's run I got to try two different items. I ran in a pair of Hoka Cliftons and I used TomTom's new Runner Cardio GPS. Yup a twofer!

First let's look at the Cliftons. This is a very lightweight shoe from Hoka, masters of the maximally cushioned shoes. I have run in the Bondi, and have tried out the Conquest. The Clifton is a lighter, smoother version of Hoka. First thing I noticed once I slipped on the shoes was how incredibly light these shoes are.

Don't mistake lightness for lack of cushion. This shoe has a lot of cush to it. I felt nothing but a cushy feeling every time I took a step. I also felt freer moving in this shoe. I didn't feel like I was using a lot of effort in the Clifton.

Now, here's the deal. I wear a size 8.5 4E. This is a D width, but it can accommodate my foot for a time. I don't know if I would run a marathon in it, but I could do 5Ks with this shoe. It is very snug, close to be tight, but not there. This should tell the average medium width foot person that there is plenty of room in this shoe. I really enjoyed running in this shoe quite a bit. John, the Hoka rep is loaning me these shoes for a few weeks. They are testers he uses, and he came by my store last night for a fun run. I got more Hoka info, and really feel this is a strong brand with some great shoes.

Garmin has long been the king of the GPS and Polar has ruled the Heart Rate Monitor world. Here comes TomTom to take them both on with their Runner Cardio GPS.
This GPS has a built in HRM with no strap for your chest. The HRM is part of the wrist piece. An infrared sensor monitors the blood flow in your wrist to let you know your BPM. Because I am now an expert on my heart, I know what I've been doing in rehab and the gym, and let me tell you this HRM is pretty darned accurate.

The GPS is easy to use. There is one button that you can use to toggle around and make your settings before you go. Whether you are going on a run, hitting the treadmill, or just needing a stopwatch, this computer can do what you want it to.

During the run, it's easy to toggle and see your real time pace, overall pace, heart rate, miles, etc. The face is big enough to read at a glance. The computer looks bulky, but I found it comfortable. One of the features I haven't tried yet is race pace, where you can race against a previous run, and you can see how you compare.

All the info can be downloaded and you can keep track of it all on TomTom's website. This GPS is $269.99. There is a multi-sport version for your biking and swimming needs as well for $300. I think this piece is worth the price.

www.hokaoneone.com
www.tomtom.com

Charlie

What Do I Love About Running?

This morning I helped a woman who is trying running for the first time. I asked her how it was going so far. She told me she hasn't felt that "high" everyone keeps talking about. She then asked, "What do you love about running?"

I smiled, and I told her it was a pretty long list. Specifically I told her, I love the peace that running gives me. I love to be able to run in beautiful spots that take me to nature....or I find some coolness in the city. I love the fact I can clear my mind, or really think about things with no interruption. I love the fact that I can just have time for me, and not worry about anything or anyone else for a while. I told her it was "Me" time.

"So you don't get that high?" she asked.

I have, but it hasn't been a feeling of euphoria. It's just been a feeling of normalcy and peace for me.

Now, I have no idea if that was the answer she was looking for, but it's the answer she got. She thanked me for helping her, and told me she hoped she would like it more. I hope so.

Charlie

Isn't It Funny...

This morning I went for a run along the White River. The trail I took was a new one to me. Someone I met this week told me about it, and I thought I would try it. It was a warm morning, with yellow dotting some of the trees, a reminder that Fall is coming. This morning, I decided to listen to a classical playlist. Off I went.

As I run, I usually use the time to think about things, and this morning, I had a lot to think about. I thought mostly about what had brought me to this point running wise. It's safe to say my running has been spotty for the last few years. It certainly wasn't where I wanted it to be. I wasn't making time for running. Ironically, when you work for a running store, you actually don't get to run all the time.

Isn't it funny what a heart attack can do.

I've run more in the last month, than I have in over a year. I could barely run after my failed marathon in Wisconsin last year. Pain, then more pain, then depression set in .

Isn't it funny what a heart attack can do.

To get me geared up about running, I've thought a lot about some of the amazing people I've met in my running career. I've met people who have overcome arthritis, Cancer, stroke, heart attacks, and any other malady you can think of, so they can go right foot, left foot, repeat. I've met some of the great icons in this sport: Dick Beardsley, Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Dean Karnazes, Bob Kennedy. I've made friends with people who have won races, and have finished last. All of these people have mad an imprint on my life.

If you were to ask me in high school what I would be doing in my 50s, running would not have been anywhere on my list. Winning my Oscars and Tonys would have been what I predicted for myself. You just never know where the road leaves you.

Today on my run, I thought about all of these people and things going on, and what I wanted the road ahead to look like. I came home, and I talked to Mark. I told him that I understood how freaked out he was by my heart attack....I was too. I told him I want to be around for another 40-50 years, but I understand it could all be over tomorrow, so I want to be sure I live each day the best I can. I told him I want grow old with him. I also told him that things had to change in my life in order for all the good things I want to happen. There were some tears. In the end, we agreed that we would change things in our lives to make sure we are happy and healthy, and living the best life we can.

Isn't it funny what a heart attack can do.

I have running goals again. It starts with getting stronger, gaining stamina, increasing miles, and being healthy. My goal is to run at least one more marathon. I know that will take time. I understand the steps to get there. It starts with right foot, left foot repeat, and goes from there. 5Ks will come. Half marathons will be run. I will do 26.2 miles again. I'm determined.

Isn't it funny what a heart attack can do.

This week my longest run was almost 3 1/2 miles. I felt good. I wasn't fast, but I didn't care. I ran. Today's run was 2 miles. It was a beautiful run. Saw plenty of happy people out on the trail. I enjoyed myself and running.

Isn't funny what a heart attack can do. The Heart sometimes has to let you know what's going on, in order to make important changes.

Dear Heart - the next time you have a message for me, could we not make it so dramatic?

Hugs,
Charlie

In Other News.....

The day after my heart attack, I weighed 273 lbs. That only could have given me another heart attack, but it didn't. Today I stepped on the scale, and looking back at me was 253 lbs. Great strides have been made, and more strides to come.

Charlie

Running

Let's talk running. I've talked quite a bit now about my recovery from the heart attack, so let's get back to the running game shall we? I've been running. Am I ready for a marathon? Well....no. Each run has felt like one though, and that's ok.

I've been running about 3 times a week,  ranging between 15. mile and 3 mile runs, depending on how I feel. For the most part I feel good out there. Clearly I don't have a ton of stamina, but that will come with time. Also, I'm not running fast. Again, this is to be expected.

For now I'm not timing myself. I will soon, because I think it's important to know how long I'm out there. I'm not as keen on timing my pace yet. As I have mentioned many times before, there is something very freeing in running without a gadget on your wrist. You don't feel the sense of urgency to hurry up. There's no, "I gotta do a 12 minute mile." I find I enjoy my runs more without worrying about the time. I've long felt each of us should do at least one run a week where we leave the computer/app/watch at home. Try it.

There are two new things I take with me at all times on my run: my phone and my nitroglycerin. I know I just talked about leaving the gadgets at home. This is for emergencies, and it stays in the belt I wear. So I never take it out for anything other than a call for help. The nitro is with me at all times. I need it in case I have the feelings of bad heart things, then I can sit for a few moments take it, and then when I feel better, could walk home, or call someone to help me.

My body feels good for the most part when I'm out there. My left knee has some lingering pain from earlier in the year, but I find that goes away once I get into a groove. I still want it checked out though.

So I am out on the roads again and feeling good. Once I feel I have some solid running under my belt, it will be time to plan my next race.

Charlie

Graduation and Old Men

Today I graduated from rehab. I was given a diploma and a shirt, and was told I was a model patient.  For the last day they have you fill out a bunch of surveys, then they test you. On Day 1 I had to walk as much as I could in 6 minutes. The first day, I walked 1300ft. Today I walked 1490 ft.

So how did I celebrate the end of this part of the journey? I went out for a run. The weather was ideal for a run on the Monon. I did 5K. It was not the fastest 5K, but it was probably my most satisfying. I felt good out there. Every 1/4 mile I took a walk break. No watch, as I didn't care about the time. The goal was to accomplish this run.

As always, I did some thinking. I thought about Al, the older gentleman who used to look out for me on my runs in Chicago. I thought about how I missed his encouragement, and his friendship. I miss his looking out for me, and making sure I'm good on my runs. I'm sure he has passed on by now.

Then I smiled. I have another older man in my life. It's the gentleman I stopped to help who broke his ankle. He comes and spends time with me every Saturday on the Monon as I pass out water. He seeks my advice. Oh, he almost never takes it, but he seeks it, and he likes talking running with me. I should ask if he would like to go for a run sometime. I bet we are the same pace. :-)

I hope when I am older, I will be a runner's old man. I'll be the old guy encouraging, and maybe running with someone who just needs someone to provide a bit of support.

As I finished the run, my goal was to finish strong, and I thought about Al and how he told me I looked good. Well today I looked good. Hope Al was watching.

Charlie

10 Weeks Since....

Tomorrow is my last day of rehab. Today it's 10 weeks since my heart attack. Not a day goes by where someone asks how I'm doing or feeling. Today I'm good. In the last 10 weeks I've had good and not so good moments.

What gives me a lot of hope is the progress I've made. Today I ran 2 miles. I even ran negative splits. I ran the first mile in 16:45 and the second mile in 16:32. Today's run was on a treadmill, but I am about to transition to more outdoor running. As we head into Fall, I'm glad to be heading out during my favorite time of year.

I've learned a lot about the people in my life these past 10 weeks. I've learned rises to the occasion to help someone in need. I've also learned about those who don't really know what to do. Those are the uncomfortable ones. It's easy to blame them for not stepping up, but in the end, not everyone has the ability to help. I'm not mad at them. I feel more sorry for them, because at some point, they will need some help, and may not understand why no one is helping.

I've learned I have to really dig deep and depend on myself to get through this. Now this is not a smack against all the people who help. It means, I am the only one who can make myself stronger and healthier.

One of the things I am proudest of is re-learning about food. I enjoy cooking. Healthy food doesn't mean it tastes bad. You have to learn how to make it tasty.  My sister, Anne and I have exchanged meal ideas and photos of our meals. That's helped me quite a bit. I have also enjoyed reading the various recipes I want to try. Still looking for that magic low sodium pizza though.

So the last 10 weeks have been a learning curve, and I still have more learning to do. I know there will be bumps in the road....afterall that is life. Still I'll take the bumps, over not being here.

Charlie

16:27

Yesterday I went to the gym for a workout. My goal was to run some and bike some. The run was my main focus.

I've been slowly building my speed and stamina in rehab, and yesterday I wanted to see what I could do. Overall I was pretty pleased with what I did. I ran 1 mile in 16:27. Now to the untrained eye, someone might say, hey there are folks that run much faster. True, but considering what I have been through since July, I think 16:27 is like a 4:00 mile.

I felt good at the end of the run. I could tell I worked hard, which is one thing they want me to do in rehab. So on a scale of 1-10, 10 being way too hard a workout, I think I did an 8. More importantly I lived to tell about it.

I transitioned to the bike, where I pedaled a nice 3.62 miles. At the end of the workout, my legs felt like they had been through a bit.

Overall I really good workout. This morning in the weigh in - 255 lbs. Down 18 lbs since the heart attack.

Charlie

Greetings, Bikes and a Run

This morning my friend Kris and I ventured out on the Hagen-Burke Trail, towards the Monon for a run. To be fair, the run part is a work in progress. Still we trotted down the trail.

The trails were busy today. Lots of people on bikes were zipping by with the words, "On your left," ringing in our ears. The other thing we heard over and over again was greetings. People kept telling us hello, good morning, etc.. Lots of friendly folks on the trail today. It made for a friendly and happy re-etnry to running outside.

My running has consisted of a few minutes here and there on the treadmill for a couple weeks. Today I wanted to actually go somewhere. I knew the pace would be slow, and the miles wouldn't matter. The watches stayed at home. There was no GPS in sight, and off we went.

Basically we ran until I felt I needed to walk, then we would run again. Overall we covered about 2 miles. We walked a majority of it, but the running felt good. It made me feel like something normal was coming back to me slowly.

It's the feeling of normality which is very important to me at this point. I understand what the limitations are at this point in time. I understand what the process is to be healthy. No one really explains how to feel normal about this. For me running is a part of feeling normal again.

There will be other runs, but it all starts with a first real run.

Today was a good start, and I look forward to more runs.

Charlie

The Unknown

I was talking with someone at work the other day, and they asked me, as far as heart issues goes, what am I afraid of. I think it's the unknown. They looked at me a bit puzzled, but let me explain.

When you cut yourself, you can, over time see that it's healed. If you break a leg, you have a cast which indicates the bones are in the process of healing. A heart is different.

There it sits inside my chest, and I don't know what it's doing. I don't know what the arteries are doing. When I am aware of something wrong, I think it's a bit late. So there is a lot I have to do to make sure I have a healthy heart. Still, because it hides inside me, and there is nothing visibly showing(not that I want that), I worry about the unknown.

For those who have wondered, I am doing fine for the most part. I have had a couple episodes when I have had to take the nitroglycerin, but am fine. Rehab is going well. I have not run since last week, but I'm not in a rush to do that.

As for that old nemesis stress, I am working on reducing it. That is the toughest thing I have to do. Ironically, it can be a bit stressful to reduce stress. Overall, I feel pretty good. I just worry about the unknown.

Charlie

The Road to Recovery: Running

This morning when I checked in at rehab, they asked me if I was ready to ramp things up a bit. I told them I was game and ready to go. Typically this is the routine in rehab: stretch, walk two laps around the room, do resistance training for a few minutes, 15 minutes of cardio, resistance, 15 minutes of cardio, stretch and cool down walk. Today the cardio was back to back, and I could run.

Just to be clear, this is all being monitored, and no, I wasn't running like I used to. This was intervals on the treadmill, strapped to monitors, with the blood pressure check. My walk interval was 3.1mph, my run interval was a 3.6mph, which in terms of time per mile is walking at 18:45 min/mile, and running 16:45 min/mile. I would do one minute walk, and one minute run.

I was nervous as I started. I hadn't run in months, and now I was running after a heart attack. When I switched to the run part of the workout, I felt like I had been cut loose. No blazing speed, but I ran. Of the 15 minutes, I ran about 6 minutes. They asked me to stop at one point, because the monitors were not sending accurate readings, so they had be stop running, and do some brisk walking. Still I ran.

I didn't feel any tightness in the chest. I felt my heart beating, but it wasn't bad. My blood pressure went from 122/64 to 140/66. All was good.

This was an important step in my recovery, and an important step for my mental well being.

The rehab folks asked how I felt at the end, and I told them great. With that, I got a thumbs up and a "See you tomorrow" from them.

Today was a great step on the road to recovery.

Charlie

It's What You Do

Over the last month and some odd days, I've had a bit of time to think about life; who we are, what we do, how we live. During this time, I've also read a lot about things going on in the world, and the reactions to the trouble and tragedies out there. Concerning is an understatement in how I feel about the state of the world.

We are living in a troubled time. In the world wars are being fought in the name of religion, when it truly isn't the case. At home, we are living through an ugly period, where the poor get blamed for being poor, the color of our skin still divides us, who we love is challenged, selfishness is celebrated and lack of reason and clarity seem to be ruling the day.

So as I'm recovering from this heart attack, I'm thinking about how I live and what my place in the world is. I wonder about my quality of life, and am I really living my life. Once I do that, a lot of the negative things are put in perspective, and I find I want to do better for myself.

Work has been a source of stress, and this week I was challenged quite a bit. You wouldn't think that would happen on the first week back from a heart attack, but it was. I listened to a good number of unhappy people talk to me about what they don't like about their jobs. I saw a lot of sadness. I was recipient of actions taken by someone I think is pretty miserable at this time. Typically I would get upset too. I didn't this time.

This time I thought about how sorry I feel for them. I thought about how the sadness going on could be overcome. I felt pity towards the person who wasn't good to me. I also felt a certain amount of powerlessness, because I can only control my actions and how I live, and couldn't help these people.

The overriding thought during the recovery has been, it's about what you do with your life. That is what counts. Do you enjoy life? Does what you do bring meaning to you? Are you good to other people? I am more aware than ever that we have a finite time on this planet. This is our shot(unless you are a big believer in reincarnation). We waste so much time being angry, laying blame, being bitter,  reliving past mistakes, we forget those actions use up an incredible amount of energy.  We would be so much better off, if we could live more in the present, and what we are going to do, then look back, have regrets, and cling to the bad. It's what we do with our lives that makes it better. It really is.

Charlie

Part of the Community

Today was the end of week 1 at work. Saturdays are the days we coach the training program out of our store. The runners/walkers head out for a long run, depending on what they are training for. I go out on the Monon Trail and provide water. This is one of my favorite part of my job, because it really connects me to the running community.

The runners were happy to see me back at work. Some knew of the heart attack, others didn't. I talked for a few minutes before they headed out about how important running had been to my health, and why I believe the heart attack could have been much worse if I hadn't been a runner.

I was on the Monon with the water. Runners were going by; some would wave at me, or give a shout out. Others would eye me suspiciously(why is there a guy with water out on the trail?). My runners were happy I was out. It gave them a chance to rest, ask questions, chat, etc.

At one point an older man came up to me. "Charlie!" he shouted. "I'm so glad you're here. I've wanted to talk to you for a long time now, "he said.  I've written about this gentlemen in the last year. In fact it was almost a year ago.

http://running-with-coffee.blogspot.com/2013/09/being-good-samaritan-cost-long-run.html

This was the man I had seen during my run, sitting on the Monon, cradling his foot after a fall. No one had stopped to help him, so I stayed with him until his wife came to get him. I hadn't seen him since that day.

Today he was walking up to me, clearly better. He told me he had broken his ankle that day. It took him a few months to heal. Now he can run, but he isn't running 6-10 miles like he had in the past. Now he's good for 3-4 miles.

He wanted to thank me for staying with him that day. He thought it was a big sacrifice on my part, because I was doing a long run that day, and stopped to help him, thus ending my run that day. I told him I was happy to do it, and was just shocked no one had stopped to check on him.

The conversation turned to shoes and running in general. Towards the end of the talk, he told me he has always appreciated my help, and sends people to see me all the time. He was kind enough to tell me he thinks of my store and me as an important part of the running community. I thanked him, and prepared to take down my water table. He asked if I was going to make this a Saturday thing. I told him I always do. He asked if he could hang out with me some Saturday. Absolutely.

The running community is an amazing community of support. I wish all aspects of it were as nice, but no community is a utopia. It was a good morning though.

Charlie