Running Inward

“Rapid motion through space elates one.” – James Joyce

The upside of running with a sprain (if there is one) is that it made me realize that I needed to pay closer attention to my body – especially my footing with all the rocks, potholes, ice, etc. and the general poor visibility in the early morning hours.

“Rapid motion through space elates one.” – James Joyce

I’m writing to give everyone a brief update and some insights from my Boston Marathon training plan with the Dana Farber team. I’m pretty excited that I only have 27 days and 17 runs left before Marathon Monday. I can’t believe I’ve done almost 100 runs to prepare for this bad boy!

My training continues to go well…

I can’t complain – however, I did do this to my ankle a few weeks ago. My doctor diagnosed it as a grade 2 sprain. The good news is I really only missed two runs.
Grade 2 sprain

 

Weekly super juice

I wore a brace for a few weeks, put extra fresh turmeric and ginger into my juicer – and now it’s fine.

The upside of running with a sprain (if there is one) is that it made me realize that I needed to pay closer attention to my body – especially my footing with all the rocks, potholes, ice, etc. and the general poor visibility in the early morning hours.

So, I’ve dropped my running mantra, my mental to-do lists that I usually go through and have shifted all my attention to my breath and my immediate surroundings. I notice the surface of the streets and how cool the natural light reflects off of them. Sometimes I drift into the middle of the street – at which point my friend Steve’s mantra has to shift to, “come on back in, Andy”.

I listen to the rhythm of my footsteps hitting the street and I try to notice if my steps are sluggish or light.  I look up ahead and feel what tightens up in my legs and in my shoulders – when I start to see the route go uphill.  I focus on each step – weaving around stones, ice, sticks, and digs in the street – always looking for a safe place to land each foot, all the while, consciously focusing on my breath.  To be honest, this shift to what I jokingly call, “the immediate, immediate moment” has been awesome.  The simplicity in my attention, and the clearing out of the thoughts that usually compete for my attention during a run has been refreshing.

I’m now running roughly 40 miles a week. I’ve been training with my friends Steve, Coach Terri, Cindy, Dave, and Jen during the week. The runs vary – either a tempo, track, hills, or an easy run for about an hour.

Early morning hill work Track work

Hills and track work.

I’ve seen deer, foxes, bunnies, raccoons, and…

Milton Sunrise

unbelievable sunrises.

The toughest part is the weekly “long run” that I do on the weekends – it’s typically around 15 to 20 miles. This Saturday will be my longest run – 22 miles. Most of the long runs I’ve done have been with the L Street Running Club or fellow Dana Farber team members, and believe me, having company has been a great way to make these longer ones more enjoyable.

The Brothers Kelley

Training on Heartbreak Hill

From a fund raising perspective, you guys have helped me raise almost $2,000.00. An awesome start! I can’t believe I have over 30 people on my team! It’s really incredible! My personal goal is to raise $8,200.00 – so we’ve got a way to go – and I’m working really hard to get it over the top. For those who have already made contributions, THANK YOU! Anyone who would still like to consider supporting this very important cause can go to:

http://www.runDFMC.org/2011/andyk

Oh yeah, and if you’ll be in Boston on April 18, I’d love to meet up with folks after the race. If anyone has any good ideas where we all could meet, please let me know – I’m up for anything. So go ahead, call in sick – you can say that I said it was OK – and come cheer me and my DFMC teammates on.  We could use your support and energy.

On your mark, deep breath, OM!

-Andy

 

0 thoughts on “Running Inward”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Event Schedule