Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Recent Running
Trying very hard to get back into shape. These 6am calls aren't helping. Today I got out the door just after four - and did my 11-mile new subs loop. Today I did 90.5, which was better than yesterday's 92.5. Even so, I feel I should be running much better. Still have a long way to go. Monday I stayed on the mill between early calls - 7 altogether.
Sunday, November 26, 2006
The Weekend
...was wonderful. I always say that Thanksgiving is my most favorite holiday because it's just about being with the family. This one didn't disappoint. Wednesday night I made the lasagne for the family, then Thursday was the big turkey day. Friday we shopped at west side market and then the ladies got a dress with Val. Friday evening Dave and Jill joined the rest of us for turkey soup. Yesterday it was more shopping and a walk with Veronica. Played some games with Kathy and Mike too. Of course I ate too much as always. Lotso fun.
I did 15 with Dave here in Brunswick yesterday, and then 11 today. Most of this was 8 to 8.5 pace, but I was pretty tired today, so this one wasn't pretty. The weather has been very pretty though - and warm!
I did 15 with Dave here in Brunswick yesterday, and then 11 today. Most of this was 8 to 8.5 pace, but I was pretty tired today, so this one wasn't pretty. The weather has been very pretty though - and warm!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Turkey Day and Recent Running
The girls are in! Folks are coming over at mid-day. We had lasagne for dinner last night. Debbie and I had been cooking all day yesterday.
Got the mill fixed again yesterday. It was just a loose wire, but we had to pay $100 for the service call. I did 3 in 20 minutes on it to break it in again.
Today I did a nice 11 mile run (87.5 minutes) on this frosty turkey day. Nice route too - around town, but the interesting part was through the apartments, across Pearl, thru subs to Laurel, down Mary Ellen to Sleepy Hollow.
Got the mill fixed again yesterday. It was just a loose wire, but we had to pay $100 for the service call. I did 3 in 20 minutes on it to break it in again.
Today I did a nice 11 mile run (87.5 minutes) on this frosty turkey day. Nice route too - around town, but the interesting part was through the apartments, across Pearl, thru subs to Laurel, down Mary Ellen to Sleepy Hollow.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Today's Run - 2006-11-21
10 with Dave today in 85 and a half. Pretty slow, but about par for the course these days. Seemed like faster. It feels good to not be sick or injured anyway.
Visited Mom again yesterday and helped Carol get a treadmill and we bought a dartboard. It was fun getting the 4x6 corkboard (background) home on top of the car - holding onto it so it wouldn't blow away.
Visited Mom again yesterday and helped Carol get a treadmill and we bought a dartboard. It was fun getting the 4x6 corkboard (background) home on top of the car - holding onto it so it wouldn't blow away.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Social Stuff and Recent Running
Saturday Debbie went to Craig's surprise 50th B-day party. She gave me an out - let me stay home to watch the Ohio-State-Michigan game. I'm glad I did - it was a very good game and I also got to see Script Ohio.
Sunday we met Dave and Jill for breakfast and then picked up Mom, then Dave and Carol, and then drove out to Jennifer and Cliff's for Jen's surprise 40th B-day party. Nice time, but by the time we got home we had been in the car about 4 hours for the day.
Saturday I did a short 15 miles with Dave and Amy. Some was on the towpath, but some was up the hills - we ran to Brandywine Falls and back down the Old Carriage Trail. Lots of mud, but an enjoyable run. Yesterday I did my 11-mile Substation route in a slower-than-I-wanted 91.5 minutes. Today I was even slower - about 10 in 88.5. But it was a nice route - Miner, Hancock, Pennys, Ruth, Charlotte, up through school and over to North Park. 3 laps of the lake: 3:19, 3:14, 3:06
Sunday we met Dave and Jill for breakfast and then picked up Mom, then Dave and Carol, and then drove out to Jennifer and Cliff's for Jen's surprise 40th B-day party. Nice time, but by the time we got home we had been in the car about 4 hours for the day.
Saturday I did a short 15 miles with Dave and Amy. Some was on the towpath, but some was up the hills - we ran to Brandywine Falls and back down the Old Carriage Trail. Lots of mud, but an enjoyable run. Yesterday I did my 11-mile Substation route in a slower-than-I-wanted 91.5 minutes. Today I was even slower - about 10 in 88.5. But it was a nice route - Miner, Hancock, Pennys, Ruth, Charlotte, up through school and over to North Park. 3 laps of the lake: 3:19, 3:14, 3:06
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
today's run - 2006-11-14
Another 12 on the hotel mill in 1:26:36. This includes 5 at MP. Not a bad run, but it was really really tough. Didn't help that it was warmer in the room than yesterday. Just gotta get into better shape.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Today's Run - 2006-11-13
It's been raining here in Philly, but I wanted to do something longish. So I got on the mill and watched some tv for a coupla hours. I'm still woosy from the cold and the late night of travel, but I did ok - 18 miles in 2:13. Decent, but I've got a long way to go.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
recent running and other stuff
My cold was at it's worst on Friday, but then better yesterday and better still today. I did 3 on the mill yesterday, and didn't feel too bad. Too bad the mill broke in the process. Today it was pretty raw outside, but I did 6 at an 8 minute pace. Not bad. The knee still clicks, but is better as well. So things are looking up.
Friday we went to dinner with the Zawada family, and then stopped by Jack and Deanna's place. Yesterday we made the long trip to Costco with Kathy, and had the Zims for dinner in the evening. Good steaks if I don't say so meself. Today I head to Philly.
Friday we went to dinner with the Zawada family, and then stopped by Jack and Deanna's place. Yesterday we made the long trip to Costco with Kathy, and had the Zims for dinner in the evening. Good steaks if I don't say so meself. Today I head to Philly.
Friday, November 10, 2006
Debbie and Dan's 2006 Big Fat Greek Journey
Getting There
The entire 2-week trip – including the cost, which was not insignificant – was passing before my eyes. Due to weather in the New York area (it doesn’t matter what kind of weather; any weather will do it - in this case it was a drop or two of rain), our flight to Newark was delayed by over 2 hours, which would cause us to miss our connection to Frankfort, along with our subsequent flights to Paris and then Athens. Our options? Go ahead and begin missing connections or wait until tomorrow. This latter one wasn’t really an option because we would then miss the beginning of the tour and have to hook up with the group in faraway (from Athens) Kalambaka. God knows how we’d manage that.
So we chose the first option and decided to beg for mercy to anyone wearing a Continental uniform. The third try did it. A lady at the Customer Service Desk spent over an hour with our complicated itinerary and made it sensible and doable. We went straight from Newark to Paris, bypassing Frankfort altogether, and then on to Athens. Not only did this work, it even did so for our luggage as well!
We met our Tour Director, Gordon Spicer upon checking into the Acropolis Select Hotel. Ate moussaka for dinner at God’s Restaurant. Really.
Athens
The city tour of Athens was pretty good. We saw the Panathenic Stadium, used for the first modern Olympic games in 1896, as well as for the 2004 Games’ Marathon finish. We saw the ancient Theater of Dionysis (the god of wine) at the base of the Acropolis, and of course the Acropolis itself.
Acropolis means hill-city, and many ancient Greek cities have them. But when we talk about The Acropolis, we’re talking about the one in Athens. At the top are a few temples in various states of repair, the most famous being the Parthenon. The size and scale of the Parthenon are amazing. It had survived intact for 2,000 years, until bombing in a war between Turkey and Italy caused the roof to collapse. The state of disrepair actually seems to add to its allure. There is a beautiful view of all of Athens from the Acropolis as well. We had seen the top and the Parthenon all lit up the night before.
Why did the Ancient Greeks build so many ruins? This actual query is to be the title of Gordon’s someday-to-be-written book. Even after 37 years of being a tour director, he never ceases to be amazed at the people who take these tours. He’s already assured us that we’ll be in the book as well. Although he’s funny at times, Gordon does seem efficient and competent so far.
It is a long bus ride from Athens in the south to Kalambaka in the north. Along the way we passed Marathon, where the first one took place, the plains of Thessaly, featuring miles of cotton, mountains galore, etc. Once in Kalambaka, Debbie and I dined with Margaret and Peter from the UK and Bernie and Linda from Australia.
Meteora
Meteora is the site of several monasteries near Kalambaka. These Orthodox monasteries are perched atop huge rocks in unfathomable ways. Looking up at them from town, my initial thought was that we could never, in a bazillion years, drive to anywhere near them, but drive near to them we did, and in a bus no less. We toured the Varlaam and Bapbapac monasteries and also stopped at a third one. The views were great from up there; it was not unlike Yosemite. This and other things were good topics of conversation with our new friends from California, Jack and Glorina. Although it was still called a monastery, Bapbapac was actually a nunnery. One of the nuns made sure that all the women who entered were wearing skirts or dresses covering the knees; a wrap could be borrowed if necessary. No one tried to sneak by her for fear of getting slapped with a ruler.
Of course the best part of today’s visit was that I was able to tell anyone who’d listen about my friend who actually joined one of these monasteries. You know, the one that was so strict that the monks were only allowed to speak two words every ten years. After ten years of extremely hard, backbreaking work, my friend went to the head monk and exclaimed, “Hard work.” The head monk replied, “OK. We will note your comments. Now go back to work.” After another ten years of toil, my friend said, “I’m tired.” The head monk replied, “Noted. Now get back to work.” After yet another 10 years, my friend said, “I quit.” The head monk replied, “I’m not surprised. You’ve done nothing but complain for thirty years.
After the monasteries, it was on to Delphi, back in the southern part of Greece. So far we seem to have had moussaka and a Greek salad, complete with a liter of olive oil, every day of the trip.
Delphi
The modern village of Delphi is very nice. Much of the town has a great view of the gulf of Corinth. The Delphi archeological site is most beautiful and serene. Debbie and I walked a long way from the area of Apollo’s Temple to see the famous three columns of the rotunda. We were the only ones there, and it was very quiet and peaceful. We could see why the area had religious significance for the ancient Greeks.
The Oracle of Delphi was actually a series of women who told fortunes for the ancient Greeks; anyone up to and including kings. Legend has it that the Oracle would hear the request and then enter the nearby cave for inspiration before returning to tell the fortune. It is now believed that the Oracles experienced hallucinations resulting from gasses within the cave.
“Calimara” means “good morning” in Greek. I must remember not to wish anyone “calamari”, which means squid. We ate some calamari for lunch at a nice place on a typical Mediterranean beach. Then it was across the bridge to the Peloponnesian peninsula. There are mountains everywhere in Greece. It seems a bit like California in this way, and unfortunately it also has the smog, especially in the south. By evening we made it to Olympia to stay at the Olympia Palace. It’s the nicest of the hotels we’ve been at. The food and location were great, and it’s just a short walk to the Olympic site.
Olympia
This is the place where it all began in 776 B.C. The ancient games were held every four years for over a millennium. Pope/Roman Emperor Theodosius I put an end to them in 394 A.D. I find it interesting that the Greeks kept track of the years by the Olympiad along with the name of the winner of the sprint from that year. As we walked through the awesome tunnel and into the original stadium, I couldn’t help but get some goose bumps. Of course I had to take a run back and forth on the approximately 200-meter course. Other folks eventually got the idea to do so too. By mutual consent, we all decided not to run naked like the Greeks did.
Nearby is the ruins of the temple to Olympian Zeus, which contained one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, a giant gold and marble statue of Zeus. It was destroyed by the same Emperor Theodosius I who put an end to the games. What a guy.
Our tours of these places is falling into a pattern set by Gordon: get an early wake-up call, go to breakfast early, get the luggage ready and out of the room early, and get on with the site-seeing early. Although there is some grumbling, everyone realizes that getting to these sites early is extremely important. We are beating all the huge crowds that are just beginning to arrive in caravans of tour busses just as we are leaving. The crowds, not to mention the heat, must be really awful in the summer. Speaking of heat, we’ve had wonderful weather: the days have been sunny and the temperatures have ranged from about 45 to 50 at night to 65 to 70 during the days. Yes, this is the time to go.
We can’t help but believe that the ancient Greeks, or at least the Romans who followed, had better plumbing than the modern Greeks do. Most toilets are somewhat functional, except for a few places where they are literally just a hole in the ground. The hotel showers are a topic of conversation for everyone though. So small that one can’t turn around; made so that the water floods into and all over the tiny bathroom; shower curtains that wind up sticking to your body; I could go on and on.
Epidaurus and Nafplia
We toured the ancient theater of Epidaurus, which seats 14,000, has fantastic acoustics, and is still used to this day.
The city of Nafplia was our next destination. It is a beautiful town along the sea: very Mediterranean, and a nice place to walk. We ate dinner at a nice outdoor restaurant in an alley along with Peter and Margaret. Glorina and Jack were nearby as well.
Mycenae and Corinth
The Mycenae archeological site is hundreds of years older than the others we’ve seen. It’s famous as the home of Agamemnon who, according to the Iliad, led the Greeks in the Trojan War around 1100 B.C. Parts of the site are older still, and much is still being excavated. We saw the famous Lion’s Gate (amongst the 18-foot wide city walls) and the Beehive tomb. Unfortunately we had a foggy day and couldn’t see much of the surrounding scenery from the Mycenaean acropolis, which we were told was outstanding. Maybe we’ll see it next time we’re around.
We subsequently drove on to Corinth for a brief stop. This is the place where Paul gave his letters to the Corinthians. He obviously didn’t trust the Greek Postal Service.
Athens
Once back in Athens, Jack and Glorina, Bill and Jenny from Sydney, Shirley and Ray from Fort Worth, and the two of us all trekked over to the Benaki Museum. A mixture of art and artifacts were there for the viewing. We walked back through the Plaka district and stopped for dinner at a nice outdoor café on a square.
Cape Sounion
Since there was nothing better to do in the morning before the cruise, we took an optional side trip to Cape Sounion. There we saw Poseidon’s Temple, which commands a spectacular panoramic view of the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
Cruisin’
That first week sure had been busy – on the go every day. The theory was that once we got on the cruise ship that we’d be able to finally relax in the lap of luxury and high living. Sure, we knew that the MS Perla wasn’t going to be newest and fanciest ship in the fleet, but we went with it because it was priced right through Cosmos, and because it had a great itinerary.
First the good news. The Perla’s food was excellent. We weren’t enamored with the buffet, but the food in the main dining room was great. The ship’s entertainment was also good. The five or six singers and dancers were the same every night except for the occasional magic show, and that was good as well. The best part was that we wouldn’t need to pack and unpack every day; we could unpack and stay put for the week.
The bad news begins with, unpack to where? Our stateroom was literally much smaller than our bedroom closet in our last house. There were a couple tiny drawers and an itsy bitsy closet. The walls were paper thin, so that we could hear everything going on in the three adjacent rooms. My 18-inch bed was against the wall, so that I was only inches away from the guy in the room next to us, and he snored like a grizzly bear. I used earplugs. Modern Greek plumbing being as it is, bad smells emitting from the bathroom drains had Debbie stuffing towels into all of them. I was half expecting us to begin having Oracle-like hallucinations. And leave it to the Greeks to come up with one-sided toilet paper; heaven help you if you use the rough side….
So although we weren’t expecting the Ritz, the ship was still below our expectations. In spite of all this, we were having a wonderful time. This was mostly because we were spending so much time with all our new Cosmos friends. 28 of the original 42 had opted for continuing on with the cruise, and we were almost like a family now; a family with Father Goose, Gordon. A few of these folks that we became very good friends with, besides those already mentioned, include Becky from B.C., Valda from Rotorua, N.Z., Jeff from Oakland, C.J. and Lay Chen from Malaysia, Gail and Joanne from near Brisbane, Joan from Canberra, and (Panama) Jack, along with Sandy and Al from Florida.
“Hit Di Road Jack!” As good as the entertainment was, these Eastern Europeans were not quite Ray Charles’ material. Later one of them gave Greek dancing lessons: “Step, step behind, keek; step, step behind, keek.” We did only some dancing, but the Greek music was just as our old friend Linda Rafalski had described: “The music starts slowly, and then goes faster and faster, as does the dancing. It ends at its fastest, and then everyone yells OPA! Then the next piece begins slowly, goes faster and faster, and everyone yells OPA! Then the next piece begins slowly… and so on.”
To get from Athens to Istanbul, we cruised through the night and much of the next day. We had hoped to arrive in the afternoon in time to get to the Grand Bazaar. Unfortunately for some reason the Turkish government held us from entering the Dardenells straights for several hours and we didn’t arrive until evening.
Istanbul
Arriving after dark, there wasn’t time to see or do much. We took a short walk before discovering that the laser show we were looking for was best seen from the deck of the ship. We managed to get back in time to catch part of it. The show was part of the celebration for the next day’s Turkey Independence Day celebration.
The following morning I got out for a run in which I made an attempt to run from Europe, across a bridge to Asia. The bridge turned out to be further away than it looked, and I had to turn back as I was running out of time. I have never seen so many flags. Big ones and little ones were on display everywhere for the holiday.
Our all-day city tour took us to the Blue Mosque, one of Islam’s largest and most impressive, the Aya Sofia museum, once a huge Christian cathedral dating from the Byzantine Empire and later converted to a mosque, and finally Topkapi Palace, which, along with one piece of our furniture, dates from the Ottoman Empire. Topkapi provides great views of Istanbul, along with relics of Mohammed himself. The jewels on display, including an 86 karat diamond and some equally huge emeralds, put Great Britain’s Crown Jewels to shame.
Turkey has a secular government, and although well over 90% Islamic, is not fundamentally so like several other countries. Our guide covered her head whilst in the Blue Mosque, but explained that even this was optional. About halfway through the day we were walking around when we heard the noon call to prayer blasted from the Blue Mosque’s minarets. It was all pretty exotic stuff.
Mykonos
When you imagine a Greek Island, Mykonos is what you think of. All the houses and other buildings, even the 400 or so churches, are painted white, and the whitewashing must be done a couple times a year. Only some of the trim may contain bits of color. Even the space between the stones on the walkways is white. We strolled through town, stopping at churches, the hill-top windmills, and for the town’s famous pelican (the one that tried to swallow Gail, whole) before the rain began. Glorina, Jack, Debbie and I made it under an awning to wait it out. Soon it was a storm of biblical proportions. We made a run for it when it abated a bit. Our shoes were soaked from having to step through the flooded areas of the streets.
So much for Mykonos. At least we had had a bit of time there to enjoy it.
Patmos
Yet another of the picturesque Greek Islands is Patmos. We took in some of the scenery before heading to the Cave of the Apocalypse, where John wrote the book of Revelation. The cave is part of an Orthodox Monestary, and a liturgy was taking place at the time, so we had to be quiet and respectful for a change. We did see the large crack in the ceiling that is traditionally thought to have been caused by either God, an earthquake, or both, inspiring the book. I think if I was sitting there and an earthquake caused a crack like that, I’d have a Revelation too.
Kusadasi and Ephesus
After just a few hours on Patmos, we sailed for Kusadasi, on the mainland of Turkey, arriving mid-afternoon. Nearby is the ancient Roman city of Ephesus. The size and scale were enormous; the place must have rivaled Rome itself in its day. We saw a theater similar to the others we’ve been to, a library, a brothel, and everyone’s favorite, the toilets, which still looked usable. Saint Paul preached and wrote (the book of Ephesians) here as well.
Later we went to the Kusadasi bazaar where we were physically pulled into every shop. We wound up bargaining for some leather jackets, but in the end said no because Debbie’s didn’t fit, and I was too afraid of being swindled even though the price seemed great.
Rhodes
Rhodes is a large island, and we spent the day there. In the morning we hopped on a bus and toured the town of Lindos, a beautiful little town along the Mediterranean. It’s been continuously inhabited for over 3,000 years. The cobblestone steps were so treacherous and slippery that Debbie and many of the others turned back from the trip to the town’s acropolis. Who thought those cobblestones would be a good idea? Could it be one of the Greek master plumbers? Though smaller, this acropolis is not unlike the one in Athens, and it did have wonderful views.
There was another heavy rainstorm, but in the afternoon we walked over to Rhodes Old Town, a medieval walled city within the larger Rhodes city proper. What a great place – it was just like being at a permanent Renaissance or Middle Ages fair. It was also a bit like Prague. The town’s port also once contained the Colossus of Rhodes, a huge statue to welcome incoming ships and another of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Debbie and I managed to get extremely lost and became a bit frightened that we wouldn’t make it back to the ship before it sailed away. A little old local woman figured out that we were off track and pointed the way, and we made it in time.
Crete
This would be our final pile of rocks: the palace of Knossis. It is an entire city contained within a single palace, which contained over 1,600 rooms. These rocks were part of the oldest civilization we’d seen yet, that of the Minoan Empire of 4,000 years ago. This empire rivaled that of the Egyptians.
In theory the collapse of the Minoan empire was precipitated by the largest tsunami in recorded history caused by the 1700 B.C. Santorini volcano. The disaster to the Minoans of Crete as well as the civilization on Santorini itself is probably the source of the legend of Atlantis.
Santorini
We only had a few hours in the afternoon and evening to see this spectacular island. It was certainly the most beautiful of any we’d seen, and that is saying something. The scale of what’s left from the volcano is enormous, and the town is perched high up on the rim. After tendering over to the island, we took a cable car to the top. What a view! Along with Glorina and Jack, we walked for several miles along the rim. The sunset was great from up there.
Athens
Yes, we were back to the Acropolis Select for the third time. Time to say goodbye to Gordon, who would soon be married in London. All agreed that he did a great job to enable us to have a wonderful holiday.
Would we relax and brace ourselves for the next day’s long arduous trip? Naaah! Even though we were tired, several of us (Jenny, Bill, Glorina, Jack, C.J., Ley Chen, Becky, Joan and Debbie and I) made our way to the National Archeological Museum via the metro. It was by far the best museum we’d seen. There was the bronze statue of Poseiden, now thought to be Zeus, the golden death mask of Agamemnon and many other treasures. After lunch at a sidewalk café, we walked the long road back. Along the way we ventured through a flea market (it was very similar to the ones in America), a meat market with entire carcasses hanging around, and a fish market. We also walked around the ancient agora, a market place dating from the golden age of Greece. Turned out that I had lied about no more rocks and ruins.
By the time we arrived back at the hotel, Debbie had had it. She had succumbed to the cold/flu virus that had been going around. We ate dinner at God’s again and said goodbye to all our friends. We’ll miss them, one and all, for the trip was very much enriched by the experience of having them with us.
The entire 2-week trip – including the cost, which was not insignificant – was passing before my eyes. Due to weather in the New York area (it doesn’t matter what kind of weather; any weather will do it - in this case it was a drop or two of rain), our flight to Newark was delayed by over 2 hours, which would cause us to miss our connection to Frankfort, along with our subsequent flights to Paris and then Athens. Our options? Go ahead and begin missing connections or wait until tomorrow. This latter one wasn’t really an option because we would then miss the beginning of the tour and have to hook up with the group in faraway (from Athens) Kalambaka. God knows how we’d manage that.
So we chose the first option and decided to beg for mercy to anyone wearing a Continental uniform. The third try did it. A lady at the Customer Service Desk spent over an hour with our complicated itinerary and made it sensible and doable. We went straight from Newark to Paris, bypassing Frankfort altogether, and then on to Athens. Not only did this work, it even did so for our luggage as well!
We met our Tour Director, Gordon Spicer upon checking into the Acropolis Select Hotel. Ate moussaka for dinner at God’s Restaurant. Really.
Athens
The city tour of Athens was pretty good. We saw the Panathenic Stadium, used for the first modern Olympic games in 1896, as well as for the 2004 Games’ Marathon finish. We saw the ancient Theater of Dionysis (the god of wine) at the base of the Acropolis, and of course the Acropolis itself.
Acropolis means hill-city, and many ancient Greek cities have them. But when we talk about The Acropolis, we’re talking about the one in Athens. At the top are a few temples in various states of repair, the most famous being the Parthenon. The size and scale of the Parthenon are amazing. It had survived intact for 2,000 years, until bombing in a war between Turkey and Italy caused the roof to collapse. The state of disrepair actually seems to add to its allure. There is a beautiful view of all of Athens from the Acropolis as well. We had seen the top and the Parthenon all lit up the night before.
Why did the Ancient Greeks build so many ruins? This actual query is to be the title of Gordon’s someday-to-be-written book. Even after 37 years of being a tour director, he never ceases to be amazed at the people who take these tours. He’s already assured us that we’ll be in the book as well. Although he’s funny at times, Gordon does seem efficient and competent so far.
It is a long bus ride from Athens in the south to Kalambaka in the north. Along the way we passed Marathon, where the first one took place, the plains of Thessaly, featuring miles of cotton, mountains galore, etc. Once in Kalambaka, Debbie and I dined with Margaret and Peter from the UK and Bernie and Linda from Australia.
Meteora
Meteora is the site of several monasteries near Kalambaka. These Orthodox monasteries are perched atop huge rocks in unfathomable ways. Looking up at them from town, my initial thought was that we could never, in a bazillion years, drive to anywhere near them, but drive near to them we did, and in a bus no less. We toured the Varlaam and Bapbapac monasteries and also stopped at a third one. The views were great from up there; it was not unlike Yosemite. This and other things were good topics of conversation with our new friends from California, Jack and Glorina. Although it was still called a monastery, Bapbapac was actually a nunnery. One of the nuns made sure that all the women who entered were wearing skirts or dresses covering the knees; a wrap could be borrowed if necessary. No one tried to sneak by her for fear of getting slapped with a ruler.
Of course the best part of today’s visit was that I was able to tell anyone who’d listen about my friend who actually joined one of these monasteries. You know, the one that was so strict that the monks were only allowed to speak two words every ten years. After ten years of extremely hard, backbreaking work, my friend went to the head monk and exclaimed, “Hard work.” The head monk replied, “OK. We will note your comments. Now go back to work.” After another ten years of toil, my friend said, “I’m tired.” The head monk replied, “Noted. Now get back to work.” After yet another 10 years, my friend said, “I quit.” The head monk replied, “I’m not surprised. You’ve done nothing but complain for thirty years.
After the monasteries, it was on to Delphi, back in the southern part of Greece. So far we seem to have had moussaka and a Greek salad, complete with a liter of olive oil, every day of the trip.
Delphi
The modern village of Delphi is very nice. Much of the town has a great view of the gulf of Corinth. The Delphi archeological site is most beautiful and serene. Debbie and I walked a long way from the area of Apollo’s Temple to see the famous three columns of the rotunda. We were the only ones there, and it was very quiet and peaceful. We could see why the area had religious significance for the ancient Greeks.
The Oracle of Delphi was actually a series of women who told fortunes for the ancient Greeks; anyone up to and including kings. Legend has it that the Oracle would hear the request and then enter the nearby cave for inspiration before returning to tell the fortune. It is now believed that the Oracles experienced hallucinations resulting from gasses within the cave.
“Calimara” means “good morning” in Greek. I must remember not to wish anyone “calamari”, which means squid. We ate some calamari for lunch at a nice place on a typical Mediterranean beach. Then it was across the bridge to the Peloponnesian peninsula. There are mountains everywhere in Greece. It seems a bit like California in this way, and unfortunately it also has the smog, especially in the south. By evening we made it to Olympia to stay at the Olympia Palace. It’s the nicest of the hotels we’ve been at. The food and location were great, and it’s just a short walk to the Olympic site.
Olympia
This is the place where it all began in 776 B.C. The ancient games were held every four years for over a millennium. Pope/Roman Emperor Theodosius I put an end to them in 394 A.D. I find it interesting that the Greeks kept track of the years by the Olympiad along with the name of the winner of the sprint from that year. As we walked through the awesome tunnel and into the original stadium, I couldn’t help but get some goose bumps. Of course I had to take a run back and forth on the approximately 200-meter course. Other folks eventually got the idea to do so too. By mutual consent, we all decided not to run naked like the Greeks did.
Nearby is the ruins of the temple to Olympian Zeus, which contained one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, a giant gold and marble statue of Zeus. It was destroyed by the same Emperor Theodosius I who put an end to the games. What a guy.
Our tours of these places is falling into a pattern set by Gordon: get an early wake-up call, go to breakfast early, get the luggage ready and out of the room early, and get on with the site-seeing early. Although there is some grumbling, everyone realizes that getting to these sites early is extremely important. We are beating all the huge crowds that are just beginning to arrive in caravans of tour busses just as we are leaving. The crowds, not to mention the heat, must be really awful in the summer. Speaking of heat, we’ve had wonderful weather: the days have been sunny and the temperatures have ranged from about 45 to 50 at night to 65 to 70 during the days. Yes, this is the time to go.
We can’t help but believe that the ancient Greeks, or at least the Romans who followed, had better plumbing than the modern Greeks do. Most toilets are somewhat functional, except for a few places where they are literally just a hole in the ground. The hotel showers are a topic of conversation for everyone though. So small that one can’t turn around; made so that the water floods into and all over the tiny bathroom; shower curtains that wind up sticking to your body; I could go on and on.
Epidaurus and Nafplia
We toured the ancient theater of Epidaurus, which seats 14,000, has fantastic acoustics, and is still used to this day.
The city of Nafplia was our next destination. It is a beautiful town along the sea: very Mediterranean, and a nice place to walk. We ate dinner at a nice outdoor restaurant in an alley along with Peter and Margaret. Glorina and Jack were nearby as well.
Mycenae and Corinth
The Mycenae archeological site is hundreds of years older than the others we’ve seen. It’s famous as the home of Agamemnon who, according to the Iliad, led the Greeks in the Trojan War around 1100 B.C. Parts of the site are older still, and much is still being excavated. We saw the famous Lion’s Gate (amongst the 18-foot wide city walls) and the Beehive tomb. Unfortunately we had a foggy day and couldn’t see much of the surrounding scenery from the Mycenaean acropolis, which we were told was outstanding. Maybe we’ll see it next time we’re around.
We subsequently drove on to Corinth for a brief stop. This is the place where Paul gave his letters to the Corinthians. He obviously didn’t trust the Greek Postal Service.
Athens
Once back in Athens, Jack and Glorina, Bill and Jenny from Sydney, Shirley and Ray from Fort Worth, and the two of us all trekked over to the Benaki Museum. A mixture of art and artifacts were there for the viewing. We walked back through the Plaka district and stopped for dinner at a nice outdoor café on a square.
Cape Sounion
Since there was nothing better to do in the morning before the cruise, we took an optional side trip to Cape Sounion. There we saw Poseidon’s Temple, which commands a spectacular panoramic view of the Aegean and Ionian Seas.
Cruisin’
That first week sure had been busy – on the go every day. The theory was that once we got on the cruise ship that we’d be able to finally relax in the lap of luxury and high living. Sure, we knew that the MS Perla wasn’t going to be newest and fanciest ship in the fleet, but we went with it because it was priced right through Cosmos, and because it had a great itinerary.
First the good news. The Perla’s food was excellent. We weren’t enamored with the buffet, but the food in the main dining room was great. The ship’s entertainment was also good. The five or six singers and dancers were the same every night except for the occasional magic show, and that was good as well. The best part was that we wouldn’t need to pack and unpack every day; we could unpack and stay put for the week.
The bad news begins with, unpack to where? Our stateroom was literally much smaller than our bedroom closet in our last house. There were a couple tiny drawers and an itsy bitsy closet. The walls were paper thin, so that we could hear everything going on in the three adjacent rooms. My 18-inch bed was against the wall, so that I was only inches away from the guy in the room next to us, and he snored like a grizzly bear. I used earplugs. Modern Greek plumbing being as it is, bad smells emitting from the bathroom drains had Debbie stuffing towels into all of them. I was half expecting us to begin having Oracle-like hallucinations. And leave it to the Greeks to come up with one-sided toilet paper; heaven help you if you use the rough side….
So although we weren’t expecting the Ritz, the ship was still below our expectations. In spite of all this, we were having a wonderful time. This was mostly because we were spending so much time with all our new Cosmos friends. 28 of the original 42 had opted for continuing on with the cruise, and we were almost like a family now; a family with Father Goose, Gordon. A few of these folks that we became very good friends with, besides those already mentioned, include Becky from B.C., Valda from Rotorua, N.Z., Jeff from Oakland, C.J. and Lay Chen from Malaysia, Gail and Joanne from near Brisbane, Joan from Canberra, and (Panama) Jack, along with Sandy and Al from Florida.
“Hit Di Road Jack!” As good as the entertainment was, these Eastern Europeans were not quite Ray Charles’ material. Later one of them gave Greek dancing lessons: “Step, step behind, keek; step, step behind, keek.” We did only some dancing, but the Greek music was just as our old friend Linda Rafalski had described: “The music starts slowly, and then goes faster and faster, as does the dancing. It ends at its fastest, and then everyone yells OPA! Then the next piece begins slowly, goes faster and faster, and everyone yells OPA! Then the next piece begins slowly… and so on.”
To get from Athens to Istanbul, we cruised through the night and much of the next day. We had hoped to arrive in the afternoon in time to get to the Grand Bazaar. Unfortunately for some reason the Turkish government held us from entering the Dardenells straights for several hours and we didn’t arrive until evening.
Istanbul
Arriving after dark, there wasn’t time to see or do much. We took a short walk before discovering that the laser show we were looking for was best seen from the deck of the ship. We managed to get back in time to catch part of it. The show was part of the celebration for the next day’s Turkey Independence Day celebration.
The following morning I got out for a run in which I made an attempt to run from Europe, across a bridge to Asia. The bridge turned out to be further away than it looked, and I had to turn back as I was running out of time. I have never seen so many flags. Big ones and little ones were on display everywhere for the holiday.
Our all-day city tour took us to the Blue Mosque, one of Islam’s largest and most impressive, the Aya Sofia museum, once a huge Christian cathedral dating from the Byzantine Empire and later converted to a mosque, and finally Topkapi Palace, which, along with one piece of our furniture, dates from the Ottoman Empire. Topkapi provides great views of Istanbul, along with relics of Mohammed himself. The jewels on display, including an 86 karat diamond and some equally huge emeralds, put Great Britain’s Crown Jewels to shame.
Turkey has a secular government, and although well over 90% Islamic, is not fundamentally so like several other countries. Our guide covered her head whilst in the Blue Mosque, but explained that even this was optional. About halfway through the day we were walking around when we heard the noon call to prayer blasted from the Blue Mosque’s minarets. It was all pretty exotic stuff.
Mykonos
When you imagine a Greek Island, Mykonos is what you think of. All the houses and other buildings, even the 400 or so churches, are painted white, and the whitewashing must be done a couple times a year. Only some of the trim may contain bits of color. Even the space between the stones on the walkways is white. We strolled through town, stopping at churches, the hill-top windmills, and for the town’s famous pelican (the one that tried to swallow Gail, whole) before the rain began. Glorina, Jack, Debbie and I made it under an awning to wait it out. Soon it was a storm of biblical proportions. We made a run for it when it abated a bit. Our shoes were soaked from having to step through the flooded areas of the streets.
So much for Mykonos. At least we had had a bit of time there to enjoy it.
Patmos
Yet another of the picturesque Greek Islands is Patmos. We took in some of the scenery before heading to the Cave of the Apocalypse, where John wrote the book of Revelation. The cave is part of an Orthodox Monestary, and a liturgy was taking place at the time, so we had to be quiet and respectful for a change. We did see the large crack in the ceiling that is traditionally thought to have been caused by either God, an earthquake, or both, inspiring the book. I think if I was sitting there and an earthquake caused a crack like that, I’d have a Revelation too.
Kusadasi and Ephesus
After just a few hours on Patmos, we sailed for Kusadasi, on the mainland of Turkey, arriving mid-afternoon. Nearby is the ancient Roman city of Ephesus. The size and scale were enormous; the place must have rivaled Rome itself in its day. We saw a theater similar to the others we’ve been to, a library, a brothel, and everyone’s favorite, the toilets, which still looked usable. Saint Paul preached and wrote (the book of Ephesians) here as well.
Later we went to the Kusadasi bazaar where we were physically pulled into every shop. We wound up bargaining for some leather jackets, but in the end said no because Debbie’s didn’t fit, and I was too afraid of being swindled even though the price seemed great.
Rhodes
Rhodes is a large island, and we spent the day there. In the morning we hopped on a bus and toured the town of Lindos, a beautiful little town along the Mediterranean. It’s been continuously inhabited for over 3,000 years. The cobblestone steps were so treacherous and slippery that Debbie and many of the others turned back from the trip to the town’s acropolis. Who thought those cobblestones would be a good idea? Could it be one of the Greek master plumbers? Though smaller, this acropolis is not unlike the one in Athens, and it did have wonderful views.
There was another heavy rainstorm, but in the afternoon we walked over to Rhodes Old Town, a medieval walled city within the larger Rhodes city proper. What a great place – it was just like being at a permanent Renaissance or Middle Ages fair. It was also a bit like Prague. The town’s port also once contained the Colossus of Rhodes, a huge statue to welcome incoming ships and another of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
Debbie and I managed to get extremely lost and became a bit frightened that we wouldn’t make it back to the ship before it sailed away. A little old local woman figured out that we were off track and pointed the way, and we made it in time.
Crete
This would be our final pile of rocks: the palace of Knossis. It is an entire city contained within a single palace, which contained over 1,600 rooms. These rocks were part of the oldest civilization we’d seen yet, that of the Minoan Empire of 4,000 years ago. This empire rivaled that of the Egyptians.
In theory the collapse of the Minoan empire was precipitated by the largest tsunami in recorded history caused by the 1700 B.C. Santorini volcano. The disaster to the Minoans of Crete as well as the civilization on Santorini itself is probably the source of the legend of Atlantis.
Santorini
We only had a few hours in the afternoon and evening to see this spectacular island. It was certainly the most beautiful of any we’d seen, and that is saying something. The scale of what’s left from the volcano is enormous, and the town is perched high up on the rim. After tendering over to the island, we took a cable car to the top. What a view! Along with Glorina and Jack, we walked for several miles along the rim. The sunset was great from up there.
Athens
Yes, we were back to the Acropolis Select for the third time. Time to say goodbye to Gordon, who would soon be married in London. All agreed that he did a great job to enable us to have a wonderful holiday.
Would we relax and brace ourselves for the next day’s long arduous trip? Naaah! Even though we were tired, several of us (Jenny, Bill, Glorina, Jack, C.J., Ley Chen, Becky, Joan and Debbie and I) made our way to the National Archeological Museum via the metro. It was by far the best museum we’d seen. There was the bronze statue of Poseiden, now thought to be Zeus, the golden death mask of Agamemnon and many other treasures. After lunch at a sidewalk café, we walked the long road back. Along the way we ventured through a flea market (it was very similar to the ones in America), a meat market with entire carcasses hanging around, and a fish market. We also walked around the ancient agora, a market place dating from the golden age of Greece. Turned out that I had lied about no more rocks and ruins.
By the time we arrived back at the hotel, Debbie had had it. She had succumbed to the cold/flu virus that had been going around. We ate dinner at God’s again and said goodbye to all our friends. We’ll miss them, one and all, for the trip was very much enriched by the experience of having them with us.
Other Recent Running
After taking two weeks off after Columbus (besides the run in Olympia), I got on the ship's mill and did 15 relatively fast miles last week, and five more in Istanbul. The ole knee is way better, but still not all the way. It still feels "funny".
When we returned last weekend I got out Sunday and did a solid 17 miles at an 8-minute pace. I was tired, but encouraged that there was no pain and because I ran so consistently. Monday's 11 was anything but consistent - it was a real stinker. After taking Tuesday off, I did a 6-mile loop on Wednesday, again at 8-minute pace. Yesterday was off, but I did 10 today.
Wednesday afternoon at precisely 1:00pm I got a cold. I know the minute it happened. I'm taking Zicam, but it's not helping like it usually does so far. I'll keep doing it.
When we returned last weekend I got out Sunday and did a solid 17 miles at an 8-minute pace. I was tired, but encouraged that there was no pain and because I ran so consistently. Monday's 11 was anything but consistent - it was a real stinker. After taking Tuesday off, I did a 6-mile loop on Wednesday, again at 8-minute pace. Yesterday was off, but I did 10 today.
Wednesday afternoon at precisely 1:00pm I got a cold. I know the minute it happened. I'm taking Zicam, but it's not helping like it usually does so far. I'll keep doing it.
Running in Faraway Olympia
I just *had* to do it. How can you be in Olympia, Greece, the home of the original Olympic Games, and *not* go for a run?
Minutes earlier we had come through the partially restored tunnel and into the stadium. This was not unlike the experience of entering a modern stadium through a tunnel. I couldn't help but get goosebumps. A local guide then told us how the ancient games began at the site in 776 B.C. and continued every four years for over a millenium, until Pope/Roman Emperor Theodosius I put an end to them in 394 A.D. I find it interesting that the Greeks kept track of the years by the Olympiad along with the name of the winner of the sprint from that year.
The stadium is still as it was those 2,782 years ago - the only seats are near the finish line; all other fans sat on the grassy hillsides that surround the venue on the remaining three sides. Several different events were held, including runs of different distances. The most basic was a one-way sprint for the length of the field, about 200 meters; other runs were back and forth for multiple loops. The venue was used for the shot-put for the 2004 games, and like those of 776 B.C., admission was free.
So after our guide finished talking, I went for a jog for the length of the stadium and back, about a quarter-mile. Others soon followed my lead. It wasn't one of my longest or fastest runs, but it'll be one for the history books.
Minutes earlier we had come through the partially restored tunnel and into the stadium. This was not unlike the experience of entering a modern stadium through a tunnel. I couldn't help but get goosebumps. A local guide then told us how the ancient games began at the site in 776 B.C. and continued every four years for over a millenium, until Pope/Roman Emperor Theodosius I put an end to them in 394 A.D. I find it interesting that the Greeks kept track of the years by the Olympiad along with the name of the winner of the sprint from that year.
The stadium is still as it was those 2,782 years ago - the only seats are near the finish line; all other fans sat on the grassy hillsides that surround the venue on the remaining three sides. Several different events were held, including runs of different distances. The most basic was a one-way sprint for the length of the field, about 200 meters; other runs were back and forth for multiple loops. The venue was used for the shot-put for the 2004 games, and like those of 776 B.C., admission was free.
So after our guide finished talking, I went for a jog for the length of the stadium and back, about a quarter-mile. Others soon followed my lead. It wasn't one of my longest or fastest runs, but it'll be one for the history books.
Monday, October 16, 2006
A Miserable Failure
Yep, that's me. And yep, that's also an apt description of my effort at yesterday's Columbus Marathon. From this, you might conclude that I either a) didn't finish, or b) ran much slower than I thought I should. But you'd be wrong on the first account, and mostly wrong on the second. Here's the sad story.
Training partner Dave G. and I arrived in Columbus Saturday afternoon in time to register and hit the expo. I had pre-registered, so of course I had to wait in some extremely long lines to a) pick up my number, and b) pick up my chip. Heaven forbid they do this with one line. When I asked about this, I was told that there were too many errors the other way. Dave, who had to register there, breezed right through. About 20 minutes later, whilst we were exploring the expo, we heard an announcement: registration for the marathon is CLOSED. Even people who were in line at that point (the short line) would be turned away. Dave had only just made it in. Lesson learnt. Maybe... After the expo we headed to Dave's friends Jason and Becky's place to watch the Buckeyes (yes, there are a few Buckeye fans in Columbus), and to watch their sports-minded little ones play basketball, golf and hockey in the living room, and to eat carry out Buca Di Beppo.
Now it was Sunday morning at 4:30. Dave will be sleeping for another 80 minutes, but I need to get out of bed and do something. I grab my book and head down to the lobby to read. I hadn't slept well. You'd think that after 80-something of these, that it would be no big deal by now.
I had had a very good year, with 3 sub-40 minute 10Ks, a 10 and a 9 miler at a very solid 6:20 or so pace, a PR at the Avon 30K, a 1:26+ half, and a solid effort for a 3:09 Boston. This is not to mention several age group awards and good standing in the Ohio Challenge Series. I had been starting to think that I was finally back, after ten years, in sub-3 shape. Impossible at my ripe old age, you say. Not so, I say, exhibit A being my hero, Joe Salwan. But of course there was an extenuating circumstance: my knee. Having messed it up about a month ago, I'd cut my mileage in half trying to nurse it back. And it was better at times, and my training runs were still pretty solid, even though they were fewer in number. So what with these ups and downs, I was going to go for it, along with Dave. So yes, this one *was* still a big deal to me.
Before going back to the room, I stick my head out the door. It was supposed to be in the mid to upper 30s, and brrrr - it sure feels like it. It's also supposed to be clear, with a high in the mid-50s later in the day. Absolutely perfect PR weather. My only worry is the wind.
We get oatmeal at the hotel restaurant for $2.50 each. A half-pint container of milk to put over the oatmeal is another $1.50. If our math skills are still in working order, this means that the milk is $24 per gallon. I'm a bit worried about eating too much, because I had also had a powerbar when I awoke. But my tummy seems to feel ok. The next worry is what to wear. 30s for the start sounds like it's way too cold for shorts and a singlet, but I know that it'll warm up as soon as we get going, so that's what I'd go with. Dave opts for a bit more skin coverage. And then we wondered how the drop bag situation would work; there hadn't been too much information about it. I decided to bring a black trash bag and an old space blanket, but nothing to drop off. Yes, I am a slave to fashion.
With about 7,000 runners in both the half and the full marathons this year, I had been concerned about it being too crowded at the start. As the gun goes off, however, it doesn't seem bad at all. Broad street has once again earned it's name. Things get a bit more crowded as the road becomes narrower in a mile or two, and then narrower still turning into the scenic Bexley neighborhood, past the governor himself. After we see Mr. Taft waving to us from a street corner, we see a state patrol car nearby. I wonder out loud if the governor gets protection from state troopers the way the president does from the secret service. "*HE* should", answered another runner who was between Dave and me at the time. After about 7:30 for the first mile (one of my critical success factors being an easy start), we were now getting splits in the 6:50's. It doesn't feel so cold now that the sun is getting higher in the sky.
At mile 5, the half-marathoners peel off, and the streets suddenly feel spacious again. Now it was just us marathoners. I foolishly think that it would be this way for the rest of the race. But noooo. At mile 8 or so, who should rejoin us, but the half-marathoners again! They had taken a short-cut, and we were now running along with half marathoners who were a mile behind us, and who were running at a slower pace. We were also beginning to pass large numbers of walkers, who had started an hour earlier. It is extremely distracting to have to run around all these people so far into the race. I'm sure it's wasting valuable energy. I am handed a Clif-Shot energy gel and pop it in my mouth. It has the consistency of Really THICK Vaseline. I cough and choke and nearly vomit. Somehow I recover after a half-mile of this.
But there's a bigger problem. My knee, which had felt fine up until now, was beginning to make itself known to me. No pain yet, just some mutterings such as "I'm down here, and I can make or break you - ignore me at your peril", and things like that. So now I was having trouble running in a straight line with all the slower runners and walkers, and every slight turn was bringing more and more threatening comments from below: "if you step right or left to get around those people, you're gonna pay!".
Only by about mile 11 or so do the crowds thin out again. Heading back downtown again after German Village, we pass the half-way point in 1:30:45 or so. This couldn't be more perfect. It's *exactly according to plan. Now all we have to do is run a 1:29 half marathon. Piece of cake. There's more good news: my knee has now quieted down some. Columbus doesn't have many hills, but there are some small uphill grades at mile 14 and mile 17. Even though the pace has been right on, I am now concerned that I may have worked too hard to get to this point. Going up those hills is much more difficult than it should be, and I slow down, getting well behind Dave and the other sub-3 hopefuls. I do manage to catch back up on the level and downhill grades however.
After that harder-than-it-should've-been hill at 17, we finally turn off High street and hit a nice downhill for mile 18. I pick it back up and run my last sub-7 minute mile for the day. I know this as it's happening because I realize that I'm working too hard even on this easy downhill portion of the race. It's just too bad that although my body is hurting, by brain is functioning at capacity, because I fully understand that without all or most of the rest of the miles at sub-7 pace, I won't make it in under 3 hours. It doesn’t matter. I absolutely have to slow down. My brain tells me not to worry; if I can at least do relatively pedestrian 7:30 to 8 minute miles the rest of the way, I’d still have a solid 3:05 or so. I tell my brain to stop being so rational.
I am slowly approaching the 20-mile marker. I think I can make it in about 2:20 – still a 7-minute pace by the way – but I hit a porta-john just before the mile-marker. Good idea, I think. I should be revived after this short stop. Only one minor problem: when I emerge from the booth, I can’t run. My knee has given out completely. My attempt brings tremendous pain, along with the cracking and popping of things that shouldn’t be cracking and popping. It must have been some combination of two miles of shuffling, stopping and standing for 30 seconds, and then trying to get going again. This isn’t a problem, I think; I’ll just walk past the 20-mile marker and then begin running again as the course turned right. I try to run again. More pain and cracking and popping. I walk for a while more. I try to run again. More pain. I walk some more and begin to get very worried. It seemed like only moments ago that I was considering lowering my expectations from sub-3 hours to 3:05, and now all of sudden I feel like I probably won’t make it at all.
What to do? Walk for 6 miles? It would probably take an hour and a half, so maybe I could still make it under 4 hours. Or should I DNF, and just accept that this was not my day. The DNF sounds like the wiser decision, because it has the added benefits of getting me out of my pain sooner (it is even hard to walk), and of possibly doing less long-term damage. Now I wonder: how does one DNF? There had been an aid station at the 20-mile mark, and I could just walk a half-mile back there and turn myself in. Or I could continue to move forward to the next aid station, which would most likely come in a mile or so at mile 21 or 22 at the latest. Although it makes much more sense to go back, I can’t bring myself to do it. What if a miracle occurs and I can suddenly run again. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to find out if I turned back. If I keep going, I can try to run one last time before I quit for good.
I keep going, and I continue to consider the ramifications of this upcoming second-ever DNF. The first one was easy. Too easy. Erie had been made up of 2 13.1-mile loops, and when I saw Debbie, who was about to head over to breakfast, at that half-way point, I simply stepped off the course and went with her. Columbus is different. Even after I find someone and tell him or her I want to quite, what would become of me? I don’t think they have an ambulance at each aid station waiting for people like me. I might have to sit (if such a thing would be possible – there were no body positions that seem possible at the moment, with this knee the way it is) and wait for a long time. How long? Which would take longer, walking or waiting for a ride? And what about Dave? We were supposed to meet at the massage parlor after the finish, and he’d be worried. Now I’m starting to think that DNFing would be worse than walking it in.
This is the miserable failure part of the story. I can’t even DNF!!
I’m getting closer to mile 21 and I try to run again. I CAN DO IT! It’s an extremely slow shuffle, and people are passing me like crazy, but I’m running! I get past the 21 mile marker, past aid stations, past the 22 mile marker, and I’m still running. Folks are still passing me, including a huge bunch attached to the 3:10 pace group. Along the way I take a couple gel’s. I had been thinking, what’s the point, but now I’m glad I did so. I’m actually picking up the pace. Now not so many people are passing me. Somewhere around mile 24, the 3:20 pace group is approaching from the rear. I take my last gel, and I say NO. No one else shall pass. My last 2 miles are 8:13 and 7:40 or so. I sprint it in, feeling like I am breaking 3 hours.
The clock says something like 3:18. Is this good or bad? Depends on my expectations, and they had been in a state of flux for the entire morning. Sub-3 hours to 3:05 to DNF to sub-4 hours to maybe 3:30 (when I had begun shuffling again).
I’ll have to take it. Beats the alternative. It was nice running a good part of the way with Dave. It was also good to see Lloyd and Dan F out there spectating.
Training partner Dave G. and I arrived in Columbus Saturday afternoon in time to register and hit the expo. I had pre-registered, so of course I had to wait in some extremely long lines to a) pick up my number, and b) pick up my chip. Heaven forbid they do this with one line. When I asked about this, I was told that there were too many errors the other way. Dave, who had to register there, breezed right through. About 20 minutes later, whilst we were exploring the expo, we heard an announcement: registration for the marathon is CLOSED. Even people who were in line at that point (the short line) would be turned away. Dave had only just made it in. Lesson learnt. Maybe... After the expo we headed to Dave's friends Jason and Becky's place to watch the Buckeyes (yes, there are a few Buckeye fans in Columbus), and to watch their sports-minded little ones play basketball, golf and hockey in the living room, and to eat carry out Buca Di Beppo.
Now it was Sunday morning at 4:30. Dave will be sleeping for another 80 minutes, but I need to get out of bed and do something. I grab my book and head down to the lobby to read. I hadn't slept well. You'd think that after 80-something of these, that it would be no big deal by now.
I had had a very good year, with 3 sub-40 minute 10Ks, a 10 and a 9 miler at a very solid 6:20 or so pace, a PR at the Avon 30K, a 1:26+ half, and a solid effort for a 3:09 Boston. This is not to mention several age group awards and good standing in the Ohio Challenge Series. I had been starting to think that I was finally back, after ten years, in sub-3 shape. Impossible at my ripe old age, you say. Not so, I say, exhibit A being my hero, Joe Salwan. But of course there was an extenuating circumstance: my knee. Having messed it up about a month ago, I'd cut my mileage in half trying to nurse it back. And it was better at times, and my training runs were still pretty solid, even though they were fewer in number. So what with these ups and downs, I was going to go for it, along with Dave. So yes, this one *was* still a big deal to me.
Before going back to the room, I stick my head out the door. It was supposed to be in the mid to upper 30s, and brrrr - it sure feels like it. It's also supposed to be clear, with a high in the mid-50s later in the day. Absolutely perfect PR weather. My only worry is the wind.
We get oatmeal at the hotel restaurant for $2.50 each. A half-pint container of milk to put over the oatmeal is another $1.50. If our math skills are still in working order, this means that the milk is $24 per gallon. I'm a bit worried about eating too much, because I had also had a powerbar when I awoke. But my tummy seems to feel ok. The next worry is what to wear. 30s for the start sounds like it's way too cold for shorts and a singlet, but I know that it'll warm up as soon as we get going, so that's what I'd go with. Dave opts for a bit more skin coverage. And then we wondered how the drop bag situation would work; there hadn't been too much information about it. I decided to bring a black trash bag and an old space blanket, but nothing to drop off. Yes, I am a slave to fashion.
With about 7,000 runners in both the half and the full marathons this year, I had been concerned about it being too crowded at the start. As the gun goes off, however, it doesn't seem bad at all. Broad street has once again earned it's name. Things get a bit more crowded as the road becomes narrower in a mile or two, and then narrower still turning into the scenic Bexley neighborhood, past the governor himself. After we see Mr. Taft waving to us from a street corner, we see a state patrol car nearby. I wonder out loud if the governor gets protection from state troopers the way the president does from the secret service. "*HE* should", answered another runner who was between Dave and me at the time. After about 7:30 for the first mile (one of my critical success factors being an easy start), we were now getting splits in the 6:50's. It doesn't feel so cold now that the sun is getting higher in the sky.
At mile 5, the half-marathoners peel off, and the streets suddenly feel spacious again. Now it was just us marathoners. I foolishly think that it would be this way for the rest of the race. But noooo. At mile 8 or so, who should rejoin us, but the half-marathoners again! They had taken a short-cut, and we were now running along with half marathoners who were a mile behind us, and who were running at a slower pace. We were also beginning to pass large numbers of walkers, who had started an hour earlier. It is extremely distracting to have to run around all these people so far into the race. I'm sure it's wasting valuable energy. I am handed a Clif-Shot energy gel and pop it in my mouth. It has the consistency of Really THICK Vaseline. I cough and choke and nearly vomit. Somehow I recover after a half-mile of this.
But there's a bigger problem. My knee, which had felt fine up until now, was beginning to make itself known to me. No pain yet, just some mutterings such as "I'm down here, and I can make or break you - ignore me at your peril", and things like that. So now I was having trouble running in a straight line with all the slower runners and walkers, and every slight turn was bringing more and more threatening comments from below: "if you step right or left to get around those people, you're gonna pay!".
Only by about mile 11 or so do the crowds thin out again. Heading back downtown again after German Village, we pass the half-way point in 1:30:45 or so. This couldn't be more perfect. It's *exactly according to plan. Now all we have to do is run a 1:29 half marathon. Piece of cake. There's more good news: my knee has now quieted down some. Columbus doesn't have many hills, but there are some small uphill grades at mile 14 and mile 17. Even though the pace has been right on, I am now concerned that I may have worked too hard to get to this point. Going up those hills is much more difficult than it should be, and I slow down, getting well behind Dave and the other sub-3 hopefuls. I do manage to catch back up on the level and downhill grades however.
After that harder-than-it-should've-been hill at 17, we finally turn off High street and hit a nice downhill for mile 18. I pick it back up and run my last sub-7 minute mile for the day. I know this as it's happening because I realize that I'm working too hard even on this easy downhill portion of the race. It's just too bad that although my body is hurting, by brain is functioning at capacity, because I fully understand that without all or most of the rest of the miles at sub-7 pace, I won't make it in under 3 hours. It doesn’t matter. I absolutely have to slow down. My brain tells me not to worry; if I can at least do relatively pedestrian 7:30 to 8 minute miles the rest of the way, I’d still have a solid 3:05 or so. I tell my brain to stop being so rational.
I am slowly approaching the 20-mile marker. I think I can make it in about 2:20 – still a 7-minute pace by the way – but I hit a porta-john just before the mile-marker. Good idea, I think. I should be revived after this short stop. Only one minor problem: when I emerge from the booth, I can’t run. My knee has given out completely. My attempt brings tremendous pain, along with the cracking and popping of things that shouldn’t be cracking and popping. It must have been some combination of two miles of shuffling, stopping and standing for 30 seconds, and then trying to get going again. This isn’t a problem, I think; I’ll just walk past the 20-mile marker and then begin running again as the course turned right. I try to run again. More pain and cracking and popping. I walk for a while more. I try to run again. More pain. I walk some more and begin to get very worried. It seemed like only moments ago that I was considering lowering my expectations from sub-3 hours to 3:05, and now all of sudden I feel like I probably won’t make it at all.
What to do? Walk for 6 miles? It would probably take an hour and a half, so maybe I could still make it under 4 hours. Or should I DNF, and just accept that this was not my day. The DNF sounds like the wiser decision, because it has the added benefits of getting me out of my pain sooner (it is even hard to walk), and of possibly doing less long-term damage. Now I wonder: how does one DNF? There had been an aid station at the 20-mile mark, and I could just walk a half-mile back there and turn myself in. Or I could continue to move forward to the next aid station, which would most likely come in a mile or so at mile 21 or 22 at the latest. Although it makes much more sense to go back, I can’t bring myself to do it. What if a miracle occurs and I can suddenly run again. I wouldn’t have the opportunity to find out if I turned back. If I keep going, I can try to run one last time before I quit for good.
I keep going, and I continue to consider the ramifications of this upcoming second-ever DNF. The first one was easy. Too easy. Erie had been made up of 2 13.1-mile loops, and when I saw Debbie, who was about to head over to breakfast, at that half-way point, I simply stepped off the course and went with her. Columbus is different. Even after I find someone and tell him or her I want to quite, what would become of me? I don’t think they have an ambulance at each aid station waiting for people like me. I might have to sit (if such a thing would be possible – there were no body positions that seem possible at the moment, with this knee the way it is) and wait for a long time. How long? Which would take longer, walking or waiting for a ride? And what about Dave? We were supposed to meet at the massage parlor after the finish, and he’d be worried. Now I’m starting to think that DNFing would be worse than walking it in.
This is the miserable failure part of the story. I can’t even DNF!!
I’m getting closer to mile 21 and I try to run again. I CAN DO IT! It’s an extremely slow shuffle, and people are passing me like crazy, but I’m running! I get past the 21 mile marker, past aid stations, past the 22 mile marker, and I’m still running. Folks are still passing me, including a huge bunch attached to the 3:10 pace group. Along the way I take a couple gel’s. I had been thinking, what’s the point, but now I’m glad I did so. I’m actually picking up the pace. Now not so many people are passing me. Somewhere around mile 24, the 3:20 pace group is approaching from the rear. I take my last gel, and I say NO. No one else shall pass. My last 2 miles are 8:13 and 7:40 or so. I sprint it in, feeling like I am breaking 3 hours.
The clock says something like 3:18. Is this good or bad? Depends on my expectations, and they had been in a state of flux for the entire morning. Sub-3 hours to 3:05 to DNF to sub-4 hours to maybe 3:30 (when I had begun shuffling again).
I’ll have to take it. Beats the alternative. It was nice running a good part of the way with Dave. It was also good to see Lloyd and Dan F out there spectating.
Friday, October 13, 2006
today's run - 2006-10-13
The knee continues to improve, but it's still not 100%. Today I did 4 on the mill, including 3 in about 20:30, then 2 outside in the cold and wind. My weight is 153, so I guess all systems are go for Columbus.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
today's run - 2006-10-11
My knee is better still, but still not all the way better. Today's run on the mill was pretty good. It's always good to be able to do the 3-mile tempo @ 10 mph thing. Altogether 6 in 40. Weight's good at 154.
Monday, October 09, 2006
just 3 on the mill
that's it for today. but the knee is still improving slightly.
gonna be a busy work week.
gonna be a busy work week.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Social Life and Today's Run
Sokoloski's and the Porgy and Bess play were a whole lot of fun. We saw all my cousins today for breakfast, and that was great fun too. It's all too much fun.
Today's run was a good one. I did the Substation 11 route in 80 minutes - a 3-minute PR, and just what I wanted. I only also wanted to run just a bit faster for the tempo portions, but I'll take the PR. One reason I haven't run faster on this and my other 11-mile course is that I usually reserve my hardest running for the track. And I'm afraid to hit the track with my knee the way it is.
The 'ole knee is still holding up, but I can still feel it. I think it's a wee bit better every day though.
Today's run was a good one. I did the Substation 11 route in 80 minutes - a 3-minute PR, and just what I wanted. I only also wanted to run just a bit faster for the tempo portions, but I'll take the PR. One reason I haven't run faster on this and my other 11-mile course is that I usually reserve my hardest running for the track. And I'm afraid to hit the track with my knee the way it is.
The 'ole knee is still holding up, but I can still feel it. I think it's a wee bit better every day though.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Today's Run and This weekend
My knee mostly held up today as I did 13 on the Towpath with Dave and Amy. The weather was perfect: clear and cool, in the upper 30s to start, warmer at the finish. I tried to stay in the middle. From about a 9, down to about a 7:45 pace. It really didn't feel too bad, but I'm a bit concerned that the pace felt a bit tough. But it sure felt good to run again. And to do so mostly pain free.
Dave and Carol came over to eat, plan the Florida trip and watch a movie last night. They wound up staying over because it was late. Tonight it's Sokoloski's and Porgy and Bess with Iris, Mike, Linda and Bob. Tomorrow morning it's breakfast with my cousins at the holiday inn - Independence.
Dave and Carol came over to eat, plan the Florida trip and watch a movie last night. They wound up staying over because it was late. Tonight it's Sokoloski's and Porgy and Bess with Iris, Mike, Linda and Bob. Tomorrow morning it's breakfast with my cousins at the holiday inn - Independence.
Wounded Knee Update
After some responses, here is another update:
I just want to thank everyone for all the fun-filled advice, thoughts and help. I did some self-diagnosis based on some web information and I think it's a torn meniscus. Ain't self diagnosis fun? Gotta love that web. I absolutely know that I can't be wrong about this.
Based on the diagnosis, I plan to continue with the weights for the leg extensions and curls. I think doing squats and lunges probably made the condition worse. My research jibes with what I've experienced in this area.
And yes, I'll run only easily, if at all, in the next few days. Probably only an hour and a half tomorrow. I'll keep it to under 40 miles, but probably much less next week. Columbus should be very interesting.
I just want to thank everyone for all the fun-filled advice, thoughts and help. I did some self-diagnosis based on some web information and I think it's a torn meniscus. Ain't self diagnosis fun? Gotta love that web. I absolutely know that I can't be wrong about this.
Based on the diagnosis, I plan to continue with the weights for the leg extensions and curls. I think doing squats and lunges probably made the condition worse. My research jibes with what I've experienced in this area.
And yes, I'll run only easily, if at all, in the next few days. Probably only an hour and a half tomorrow. I'll keep it to under 40 miles, but probably much less next week. Columbus should be very interesting.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
The History of Wounded Knee
I know the exact instant when my problems began. I had run 20 with Dave and Amy on Saturday (I think it was September 16), and then I did another 20 the next morning. This consecutive long run stuff had not been a problem last year when training for the Tahoe Triple. And I had done a double earlier in the month.
On this particular Sunday morning, I ran around a bit before heading to the track and doing 9 miles there at marathon pace. This was tough because MP is always tough for me, but there was a cold drizzle as well. I had just finished the track work and was headed home for the final 3 miles, still pushing the pace when it happened. A pull to the back of my right thigh, just above the back of my knee. Since it was a sudden pain, I stopped to stretch it out. My first thought was that it was a muscle pull. After stretching a bit, I thought it could be a cramp. The pain subsided a bit, and I ran home slower than planned.
That following week in Europe was not the best for running. Aware of the busy travel schedule, I had planned to take it easy anyway. I only got one good run in the whole week - 13 miles at MP on the hotel dreadmill. I don't think there was much pain that week; perhaps just a bit. The pain began in earnest the morning after that long plane ride home. I did run with Dave and Amy on that Saturday morning, but couldn't run at all the next day. Debbie and I walked at the Nature Center before breakfast with the Dead Runners.
The last week was spent in the Philadelphia area. I took some time off, but by mid-week I was feeling better, and managed to get a long run in. The pain was bad after this trip home as well. But I was able to limp through a few miles last Friday, and to get in a solid 22 on Sunday, with the last 6 at MP. This was good - I was feeling better and more confident! After an easy six on Sunday, I ran 11 hard miles on Monday, with 4+ at MP. For some reason, that's what did me in for the latest round o' pain. I did manage to get 10 painful miles with Dave on Tuesday, but it hurt the whole way. I'm even having trouble walking.
The pain had begun in the back of the knee, and it's still tight back there, but now most of the pain is in front. Most disconcerting of all is the knuckle-cracking type feeling. Whenever I move at all, something that shouldn't be moving so much is moving around in there. I've begun to think that this may be something really really bad, and that I should see a doctor. But then there's always, "giving it one more day to see how I'll feel then".
My remedies have so far included the following:
1) Taking many more days off per week than I'm used to. This has dropped my weekly mileage down about 30%, from around 70 MPW to about 50.
2) Restarting weight training. I had stopped a few weeks ago as part of my early tapering for the Columbus Marathon. Now I started back up with the thought that this will strengthen the muscles around the knee to assist in the cure. Don't laugh - I really think there's something to this.
3) Taking Glucosamine. I haven't taken the stuff for years, but I'm back on it now. It may help over a long period of time, but it hasn't seemed to have done so yet.
So now Columbus looms just over a week away. I hadn't planned on a taper that is this drastic. It seems I can run only on certain days, so I have no idea how I'll feel on race day. And what if the 'ole knee just blows out partway through?
On this particular Sunday morning, I ran around a bit before heading to the track and doing 9 miles there at marathon pace. This was tough because MP is always tough for me, but there was a cold drizzle as well. I had just finished the track work and was headed home for the final 3 miles, still pushing the pace when it happened. A pull to the back of my right thigh, just above the back of my knee. Since it was a sudden pain, I stopped to stretch it out. My first thought was that it was a muscle pull. After stretching a bit, I thought it could be a cramp. The pain subsided a bit, and I ran home slower than planned.
That following week in Europe was not the best for running. Aware of the busy travel schedule, I had planned to take it easy anyway. I only got one good run in the whole week - 13 miles at MP on the hotel dreadmill. I don't think there was much pain that week; perhaps just a bit. The pain began in earnest the morning after that long plane ride home. I did run with Dave and Amy on that Saturday morning, but couldn't run at all the next day. Debbie and I walked at the Nature Center before breakfast with the Dead Runners.
The last week was spent in the Philadelphia area. I took some time off, but by mid-week I was feeling better, and managed to get a long run in. The pain was bad after this trip home as well. But I was able to limp through a few miles last Friday, and to get in a solid 22 on Sunday, with the last 6 at MP. This was good - I was feeling better and more confident! After an easy six on Sunday, I ran 11 hard miles on Monday, with 4+ at MP. For some reason, that's what did me in for the latest round o' pain. I did manage to get 10 painful miles with Dave on Tuesday, but it hurt the whole way. I'm even having trouble walking.
The pain had begun in the back of the knee, and it's still tight back there, but now most of the pain is in front. Most disconcerting of all is the knuckle-cracking type feeling. Whenever I move at all, something that shouldn't be moving so much is moving around in there. I've begun to think that this may be something really really bad, and that I should see a doctor. But then there's always, "giving it one more day to see how I'll feel then".
My remedies have so far included the following:
1) Taking many more days off per week than I'm used to. This has dropped my weekly mileage down about 30%, from around 70 MPW to about 50.
2) Restarting weight training. I had stopped a few weeks ago as part of my early tapering for the Columbus Marathon. Now I started back up with the thought that this will strengthen the muscles around the knee to assist in the cure. Don't laugh - I really think there's something to this.
3) Taking Glucosamine. I haven't taken the stuff for years, but I'm back on it now. It may help over a long period of time, but it hasn't seemed to have done so yet.
So now Columbus looms just over a week away. I hadn't planned on a taper that is this drastic. It seems I can run only on certain days, so I have no idea how I'll feel on race day. And what if the 'ole knee just blows out partway through?
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Today's Run - 2006-10-03
The usual 10 with Dave today in 84 minutes. The knee is still there - no change. Still 155 too.
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