Day 2: It’s going to get worse before it gets better…

Ain’t that the truth?

Day 2, Week -5 / 10:30AM

3 miles on treadmill

Completed in 26m 04s

Peak speed at 10.1 mph for 1 min.

Incline at 6.0 for .25 miles; Incline at 10.1 for .25 miles

I’ll be making a second attempt at the first marathon I’ve attempted in 2007 with the San Francisco marathon at the end of July this year.  Obviously, the 7×7 region is diverse as the communities, and micro-climates that make the space challenging and exciting.  To be prepared, I’ve taken mental and physical steps to tackle more and more hills.  The beginninngs of my running in San Diego hills are jokes compared to any neighborhood in the city, as I’m usually crying by the top of Dolores Park, and some of the quiet hilly inlets that the Mission has to offer.

During training it’s important to mimic the terrain that you’ll be attempting, in fact, it’s even more important you make it even more difficult and overperform routinely, so when race day hits you, you’re well and fine throughout the run.

I’m still slightly under the weather, and I wasn’t about to run outside, as it’s suddenly frostier, yet the sun’s deceptive smiles are inviting compared to the hamster wheel that is the treadmill.  I also forgot my ipod at home, so upper-body dancing or fist-pumping wasn’t happening.  However, the 24hr Fitness radio did play Elvis Costello’s track ‘Veronica,’ and that easily brought me back to high school on walks, or runs around San Diego.  I think I may have smiled midway through one of the ‘hilly’ quarter miles I ran.

Last night, I flipped through Runner’s World magazine, and happened upon the cover story on a very inspired and driven indiviual by the name of Matt Long.  If you have time, peep the video

If not, I’ll give you the short of it — Long was a NY Firefighter who was at the peak of his game with several amazing times for a half-ironman, and marathons.  Circumstances couldn’t predict that on a ride to work on his motorcycle, he would get run over by a bus.  Long lost quarts of blood, his rectum ripped, several perforations within his stomach.  Doctors gave him less than 10% to survive.  Long lived.  Long now lives with a right leg 2 inches shorter than the left, his left leg is infused with a titanium rod, with screws that hold his hip in place…

Long wanted to live better though, so he ran a marathon.

Of course, I’m going to say if he can do it, I can do it.  I know it, you should give it a shot too.

In other ramblings, other pains are getting easier to deal with.  A combination of running and good listeners is gettin’ me by… but much like the state of world’s economy I presume it’ll get far worse before it gets any better.

Like Bukowski taught me though, if you’re all the way at the bottom, ain’t no other place to go but up.