DOYOUTRI

Good Luck to those in KONA

2011-10-05T16:30:00.000-04:00

Good luck to those racing at the Ironman World Championship this Saturday. Be sure to keep an eye on my buddy Greg Close. Greg is looking to put on a great show. Be sure to track him. Good Luck and be safe.

Hello

2011-09-23T09:58:00.002-04:00

Yes the Blog still does exist. I have not been posting much. I hope to get around to keeping people up to date on my recovery. Yes I am running but slowly getting back to 100%. Welcome fall and cooler weather.

Return of the Blog

2011-05-23T16:21:00.001-04:00

Yes my blog does still exist. I have not written much since my leg injury. I am still on the mend and hope to be 100% by July. As my running increases so will my blog post. Hope to run a 5k by end of June gotta start small.

Fresh Air Fund

2011-05-08T18:10:00.001-04:00

Check this out. For a good cause.

Guess who's back

2011-03-07T18:34:00.001-05:00

Well I am back to the gym and beginning to get back into a groove. No running yet just swimming and some weights. Just like the House of Pain song “guess who’s back” and LL cool j from Mama said knock you out. “Don’t call it a comeback” I want to thank all those who helped me during my time off my feet. Especially my wife and my mom for driving me around and also a big shout out to Optimum Physical Therapy in West Chester for getting me back on my feet. Check out their web page here and if you need rehab please give them a call. So I am going to take sometime and get back into shape and when I can run I will begin running. As for racing I have no plans going to take my time and get back into shape and race when I am ready. Sorry for the lack of posts but that was because nothing was happening and I was healing. I will keep everyone updated as I get better and back into shape. Enjoy the last few weeks of winter because I am ready for spring.

Fresh Air Fund and NYC Half.

2011-02-10T13:38:00.002-05:00

The Fresh Air Fund is still looking for runners to join our Fresh Air Fund-Racers team for the NYC Half-Marathon this coming March 20th. This is a great way to participate in NYC's premier road race while helping Fresh Air Fund children.

http://freshairmarathon.com/

We are also in need of host families for this Summer. Host families are volunteers who open their hearts and homes to a child from the city to give them a fresh air experience they never forget.

Check out their site. It is for a great cause.

Enjoy the week.

More on my recover this weekend.

Rehab has begun

2011-01-30T12:19:00.003-05:00

So the cast is off. My scars look good and now it is time to allow the foot to return back to normal. I am able to walk with my crutches and I can put some weight on the bad leg but not 100%. Each day it feels better and hope to be off the crutches in a couple weeks. Slowly getting there and will keep everyone updated. Enjoy your Sunday.

Louis Zamperini and Unbroken

2011-01-30T12:17:00.001-05:00

Well I finished this book and I must say it a great read. I am not going into much detail here because I do not want to spoil the book but it was a great book and I must say read it.

Positive Feedback

2011-01-26T11:28:00.002-05:00

Well my post on The Social Network got positive feedback so I have decided to focus more time to the blog in the future. As most of the my fans know I usually post everything on Facebook and I do a blog post once and awhile. Well I have decided to change that. I am going to being using this blog more to keep all my fans updated on my rehab and back to running again. I will still be on Facebook but not as much as I used to be so make sure you follow me here.

So what is the update on my leg?

I hope to get my cast off tomorrow and I will know more. Enjoy the snow.

The Social Network

2011-01-23T12:28:00.002-05:00

This movie I must say was done very well. It was neat to see how Facebook came to be. If you get a chance you should see it. It also expressed a good point that Facebook is making everyone too connected and that people seem to online all the time.

Most people who read this post will be reading it because I set it up to link through facebook and post in my notes. Most people do not know that this blog (www.doyoutri.net) was setup long before facebook became as big as it has become.

Facebook has allowed my blog to grow but it also has taken away since people do not go to blog directly rather they just read it on facebook.

Also the part of my blog was to keep people updated on what was going on in my racing and training so going forward I am going to begin using my blog more for updates and less on facebook. I feel that being too connected can have its downsides and as a result I want people to follow my blog rather then just reading it on facebook.

So as for an update on my injury. I hope to be out of this cast later this week and into a boot where I hope I can walk without crutches in a couple weeks. I cannot wait to drive again also. I am glad this winter has been so cold because I know that I would not be loving it.

enjoy your week.

Chillin with my cast

2011-01-18T11:44:00.002-05:00

Well cast is still doing well. Hope to get it off next week and into a boot. I will keep all my loyal fans posted on my recovery. I will be putting my cast on eBay for auction. I will post a link here once it is up. Enjoy the snow.

Cast

2011-01-12T13:09:00.001-05:00

Here is a picture of my nice blue cast. Getting better on the crutches and moving around with it. Hope to get it off the end of the month. Thanks for all the well wishes and support.

Injury

2011-01-05T16:16:00.002-05:00

So how did I break my leg?

Well I went for a run just like I normally do. It was snowing a bit but that has never stopped me from running. I run in all weather. So I was taking my normal route. As I was running I began to notice some water run off that had frozen. So I went around it I was on more ice that I could not see and that was it. I tried to stop to get off the ice and the next thing I knew my right leg was behind me I heard a snap and pop and I fell. I knew I was hurt and when I looked my right foot was 90 degrees to the right. So I reached down and turned it back straight so I could move. I knew I could not stand up and my ankle was full off blood and swollen so I began to drag myself onto someones lawn as I was crawling on this lawn and guy came out who happened to be an athletic trainer. At first he did not think I was hurt then I told him I needed help. He came over and checked me out. At the same time the other person home got the car and they both helped me into their car. They drove me home to grab my phone and keys and then continued to the ER. The ride took forever since there was all kinds of traffic and finally we got to the ER and it took only 25 min. I was in all kinds of pain. Once I was admitted they gave me meds for the pain and put my ankle back in place and then they told me I would have surgery in the morning. The surgery went well and now I am on the mend :)

now you know the story

Old Shoes

2011-01-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

Anyone know a good place to get rid of old running shoes? I know there are places online and such but most of them are away and would have to ship them. I would like to donate them and know that they would be used for a good cause. if you know of a shoe drive or you want them let me know.

2010 files

2011-01-03T15:30:00.001-05:00

All my 2010 files are updated. Race results, training log and total mileage. Feel free to take a look. Going to sometime before I start with the 2011 log. I have a blank copy if anyone needs one. Enjoy the brisk winter weather.

GoodBye 2010 Welcome 2011

2011-01-01T15:54:00.002-05:00

Well if you take a look at this blog and see the background you are probably wondering what that image is. Well it is my right leg. Yes i broke the fibula and had to get 7 screws and a plate in my leg. I am currently in a cast but I will be back running in no time just need to heal up.

So what happened. For all those who do not know what happened. I fell running and the next thing I knew my leg was broken. If you want to hear the full story drop me a line or leave a comment and I will explain more. I will be updating my blog with all my year end stuff and other odds and ends as I get better. Enjoy the new year.

Looking ahead to Boston 2011

2010-11-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

Well as the end of the year approaches I am beginning to look ahead to Boston. I have already made the decision that this will be my last Boston for the next couple of years. (this will be #4 in a row) Will it be my last marathon? NO. I have no plans after Boston. I may run another Marathon in 2011 or 2012 but I am not making any plans. I do plan on doing a couple tris and other races through the summer I am not making any set plans after Boston.

I have also decided to run this race as myself. I mean no sponsorships etc. I want to wear my own gear and just race. (I have some ideas already) I am not against any sponsorships but rather would just have my own racing gear on. I found it to be fun to be sponsored this year by Team Marathon but unless they ask me to come back I doubt I will race Boston for them. When you are sponsored (not paid) there is other work your have to do and while I enjoy it I rather not have all that responsibility this coming year. I want to stay healthy and enjoy Boston 2011.

More to come this week.

Looking Ahead

2010-11-29T16:00:00.000-05:00

Boston training will begin around the end of the year. I am going to approach this year a little different then in years past. I am going to modify my schedule a bit this year to include more swimming and lifting then in years past. Also I am going to modify my schedule to keep the miles in check. In past years I have run several high mileage weeks and I know this caused my back to flare up. Recovery is also important. I have to stress the importance of stretching and recovery. I even purchased a pair of recover socks to help in this process. I think this approach should keep me healthy through my training. I plan on keeping a base of 20-25 miles until the end of the year. I was sick for over 2 months so 8-12 weeks of rebuilding should give me a nice base to begin training for Boston.

Racing

2010-11-29T15:45:00.000-05:00

Well I did my first 5k since August and since I was sick. I ran 19:21 and was 10th overall and 1st in my AG. Not a bad run since I was not really training and it has only been about 7 weeks since I started feeling better.

What is next? Well I was thinking about doing Brian's run this Sunday in West Chester. I have run this race the past 3 years. They changed this race from a 10k to a 5 miler last year. This is a good race and a tough course but I think I am going to skip it this year. I think I am going to do a 5k the following week in Malvern. I am not 100% that I will do it but it is always nice to do a new race and since I have no really been training I do not want to attempt to race a 5 miler so I will stick with a 5k.

Where you at?

2010-11-29T15:30:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the long time since last post. Things have been a bit crazy. I am back running 3 times a week and I also swimming 3 times a week. Slowly getting back in shape. I will be putting together some more blog posts this week that will sum up what has been going on since last post. Enjoy the week.

Oct 2011 Total

2010-11-29T15:00:00.001-05:00

Running Total-64.33

Swimming Total-5.73

As you can see I am beginning to get my running back. Good mileage on the ground and also in the water.

Boston 2011

2010-10-19T17:07:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that the Boston Marathon sold out in 8 hours. That is just crazy. I am glad I got in. I will have a post in the near future about plans training etc. This maybe the farewell tour of 2011 since I am not sure I will return in 2012. I have run this marathon 3 years in a row and this will be #4. Stay tuned.

Rebuilding

2010-10-19T17:03:00.001-04:00

Well looks like I am on the rebound. I am beginning to feel better. Doc thinks it was a crazy virus that I had. So I am taking this fall to rebuild and get back into racing shape. I am going to run but only a couple days a week and cross train the the other. I want to get ready for Boston 2011.

Update

2010-10-01T07:48:00.002-04:00

So I have been to a couple Doctors and have had all kinds of blood work done. All tests are negative for Lyme. They did say that it was possible that there was some previous signs that I may have been bitten by a tick. Honestly this whole thing has been crazy. I finally saw an infectious disease doctor and he basically said that I could have gotten a virus and it caused havoc in my body and now it will take some time for me to recover. I do have a follow up in a couple weeks so we shall see.

As for the rest of the racing season I will most likely not race anything long maybe a 5k or something once I am back to 100%. I am going to cross train the rest of the year and then begin training for Boston in Jan 2011. Thanks for following me. I will update my progress. Enjoy the weekend.

Valentino Memorial Benefit

2010-10-01T07:45:00.002-04:00

Help a great cause.

Lyme or Not?

2010-09-12T13:26:00.003-04:00

Well is has been over a month since my last post and the reason I have not posted anything is that I have not been doing much as in terms of training. I have been run down for over a month now. I have been to the doc several times and they have taken blood but we still do not have any answer. I was tested for Lyme but it has come back negative. Although it was negative I am still experiences signs of Lyme. I am putting all my training on hold since it is hard to run and train when I have low energy and anything that taxes my body makes me feel worse. I have more doctor appointments scheduled and hopefully we will get to the bottom of it. I just wanted to keep the readers of my blog informed as to what is going on. I will post more once I know what is going on.

Derek “Rudy” Valentino

2010-08-09T21:03:00.005-04:00

This is a follow up to the story that I wrote about back in June 2010 about the gentleman who passed away during the Sprint Distance Philadelphia Triathlon. I received an answer today about what was the nature of his death.

"Derek's death was ruled an accidental drowning"

This post is not intended to dwell on what occurred but rather shed some light on what is being done to share the life that Derek lived. I did not know Derek and until I read the story I had no idea who he was. I just felt that is was necessary to find out what really happened. I personally love to race whether it be a triathlon or a marathon or even a 5k and when I was starting out I asked alot of people for help and advice and now people come to be for questions and advice and I try to help them as best as I can. With Derek I felt that he was someone trying to do something to make his family and friends proud but had a tragic end so I feel that it is necessary to help spread the word and give my quote "advice" or on this case the information I was sent. I was contacted by someone who is helping raise money for Derek's children and they asked me to help spread the word. I have added a link to my blog that will link you to all the info you need and I also will post a copy of the flyers that were sent to me.

Philadelphia Marathon Training

2010-08-09T09:50:00.002-04:00

Well the official training has begun. I do not like to use the word official because the fall is full of several races all leading up to the marathon and I run all year so it is more like a ramp up in mileage for several weeks and the a taper and then a race so I guess you can call it training. I have few races planned for the fall. Tomorrow night is the last 5k of the summer series. I did 7 so far and tomorrow is number 8. I ran 18:37 last week best time this year on that course. We will see what this week has in store.

Last week I ran 85 miles. This is the most I have ran in one week this year. I do not plan on averaging 85 miles a week. I ran this much to see how my body would feel so that I can judge my weeks. My back issues come and go and I just have to mange them. I am stretching more and doing more core work it adds to the workout time but it helps. Overall I feel pretty good and I am going to do my long run based on how I feel. I hope to get a 20 miler in withing 2-3 weeks. Well enjoy your training and keep cool. Summer is still going strong but the cool days to train are soon to be here.

enjoy the week.

New Vs. Old

2010-08-09T09:48:00.001-04:00

Same shoes one new pair and one new pair....see the difference.

July 2010 wrap-up.

2010-08-02T14:30:00.002-04:00

Well July 2010 is in the books. I ended up running 231 miles for the month. This is a pretty good number since the injury and was a solid month of training. The last three weeks of July I ran 53, 57 and 68 miles. Now that we are into August marathon training officially begins. I am signed up to run Philly again this fall.

As for the series of 5ks I have been running there are two left. The last three I have run 19:22, 19:01 and 19:03. This is a tough course but I enjoy running it and all the runners are good which makes for a great racing environment.

Well enjoy the summer. Hopefully the heat will not be as bad as it was in July but August always seems to be a brutal month.

Will post results from the Westtown 5k series and I also post a course map on here.

Westtown 5k

2010-07-07T16:41:00.001-04:00

It was hot. 19:34 8th place over all.

Negative Nelly....I love Anonymous comments

2010-07-07T16:23:00.003-04:00

"No one cares if you will do this run next year or not Negative Nelly. This was something fun for the participants and local folks, not someone who wants to compete in this type of thing all the time. Good luck in whatever ELSE you do in the future."

so this is a comment that was left about the firecracker 5k. I chose not to publish it rather make it a topic of a blog post.

First off.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog I am glad you stopped by and visited.

Second

This is my Blog. I can write whatever I chose and I can write my own opinions so that is why I have a blog and that is why it is called blogging.

Third

If you are going to leave a negative comment please leave a name so I can address your concerns

Finally

With the race I understand you point but without serious runner this race will fail. Races need the support of serious runners to help spread the word and make races popular and keep them from folding. Also when the advertise awards for age groups then they need to stick with that. I know it was the first year but a race needs to build its popularity so it can survive from year to year.

Thanks for stopping by. Keep cool in this heat.

Firecracker 5k

2010-07-06T14:45:00.000-04:00

Well this was a new event in Broomall, PA. it was a local 5k. It was a good turn out and the timing was well done but the race director seemed to mess things up. There was only a prize for 1st int he age groups and top 4 male and females overall. Honestly I don't care about an award but don't advertise one thing and do another. I think the race director needs to get a clue. I probably will not do this race next year. I want to run the pickle.

Philly tri Death....still no update

2010-07-06T14:20:00.001-04:00

There is still no update but reading some message boards people are ripping the Race Director for his actions. I think there will be changes next year. Also you got to remember they are putting on this event to make money. I know safety should come first but sometimes the bottom lines rules. They need to lower the cost and make the race smaller. It grew to fast. This is just my opinion.

Stay cool in this heat.

June 2010 wrap-up and moving into July

2010-07-06T14:00:00.001-04:00

So June 2010 in the books. I ended up running over a 100 miles for the month. Not a bad total after getting back on the road about 6 weeks ago.

I also did several races in June.

Here are the results.....

10 miler 1:06:28
5k-19:53
5k-18:53
5k-19:28

July races so far

8k-30:29
5k-18:25

So my plan is try and avg about 30 miles a week through July and then begin to pick up the training in August. I have not decided on what fall marathon I am going to run yet. I will update my blog once I decide and of course there will be a count down.

New Sneakers

2010-06-30T17:08:00.000-04:00

Progrid Ride. Got a new pair. I love these shoes.

Philly Sprint tri death

2010-06-29T14:30:00.000-04:00

This is a sad story....Read below and you can draw your own conclusions. I have done the Olympic race before and this can be scary for someone who never swam in open water. I am not drawing any conclusions since they still do not know what happened but one thing they may need to considered is making this race smaller. The just added the sprint a couple years back to allow more to race but I think it is just to make more money since the price has gone up drastically in the past 5 years. I am for the sport of triathlons but when the focus goes away from the positive aspect of the sport to the negative aspects such as a death many questions are going to be raised. I will be anxious to see what the results are and how they will approach this race next year. Please feel free to leave your opinion.

Cause of triathlete's death still unknown

By Alfred Lubrano

Inquirer Staff Writer

Summoned by a lifelong desire to excel, Derek "Rudy" Valentino entered the Schuylkill on Saturday in an amateur sprint triathlon to test and push himself.

The 40-year-old Prospect Park mail carrier also wanted to show his two sons that hard work gets rewarded, a family friend said.

His wife and one son gathered on the riverbank to cheer his efforts in the sprint race, a shorter version of a triathlon, which involves swimming, biking, and running.

But Valentino disappeared after he went into the water at 8:22 a.m. Saturday. A search was launched after he failed to emerge by 9:40 a.m., and police found his body in the river on Sunday, nearly 34 hours after the start.

The cause and manner of Valentino's death have not yet been officially determined. A source close to the investigation said that Valentino apparently drowned, but that it was not yet clear whether health conditions or other factors might have contributed to his death.

The organizers of the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon said Monday they would give Valentino's sons, Jordan, 15, and Ryan, 17, race-finisher's medals to honor their father and the goal he could not reach.

"He always wanted to be the best he could be so he could be the best for his boys," said Samantha Savunikas, a family friend. "His boys admired him greatly for going after this goal."

She added that St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church in Norwood and the U.S. Postal Service were organizing donations to the family.

Savunikas said that Valentino, nicknamed "Rudy" after the actor Rudolph Valentino because of his good looks, seemed to be in top condition.

In addition to his own athletic pursuits, Valentino had spent years coaching and helping his sons in football, basketball, and baseball, she added.

Valentino was entered in Saturday's sprint triathlon, which included a .47-mile swim, a 12.4-mile bike ride, and a 3.4-mile run. On Sunday, more experienced athletes took part in the Olympic triathlon, which normally includes a .93-mile swim, a 24.8-mile bike ride, and a 6.2-mile run. The swim leg of the race was canceled on Sunday.

Participants in the triathlon were shocked when they learned that Valentino was missing.

"The mood on Sunday for the Olympic was quite somber," said participant Deborah Chamberlain, 45, a human resources executive in Washington. "There was not much chatting or excitement. It was very quiet."

Conditions for the race were fine, according to Jim Carney, 45, of Bala Cynwyd, who participated in the sprint triathlon and entered the water 14 minutes after Valentino did.

"The current wasn't too bad," said Carney, who works in finance. "There was a little debris, like branches, in the water."

Water flow was 700 cubic feet per second, "significantly less than average flow" of 1,100 cubic feet per second, according to Bob Hainly, assistant director of the U.S. Geological Survey's Pennsylvania Water Science Center in New Cumberland, York County.

Carney said that the swimmers were not allowed to wear wetsuits. While wetsuits aid buoyancy, they are forbidden when the water is above 83 degrees because they would be too hot to wear, according to USA Triathlon, the official governing body of triathlons in the United States.

On Saturday morning, the Schuylkill was 84 degrees, said Richard Adler, CEO of Philadelphia Triathlon L.L.C., which owns and operates the race.

"It's a tragic accident," Adler said, adding that this was the first fatality in the six years of the race.

Speculating on what might have happened to Valentino, triathletes said some swimmers succumb to exhaustion and black out. Others accidentally take in too much water when having panic attacks or sucking too much wind. Also, in the beginning of a swim race when athletes are packed together, participants can get hit or kicked.

"People want to accomplish goals, and it can get difficult," said Julie Deery, 45, a Bala Cynwyd mosaic-tile artist who participated in four Philadelphia Insurance Triathlons, though not this last one.

"Sports are dangerous. People die swimming, or in marathons. Something could always happen to any of us."

I am back........

2010-06-29T14:00:00.000-04:00

A bunch of much needed updates since my last post.

Running….

Well the running is going well. It is taking some time but I am getting back into form. I am averaging about 20 miles a week and will probably get close to a 100 for the month. I consider this all progress since the amount of time I was not running due to injury. Speaking of my injury it is getting better the pain comes and goes depending on the day. There is some tightness in my hamstrings and Piriformis muscle. So I am stretching regularly and doing my core work also. I did have one set of shoes I was running in but I decided that I needed a different pair since I think the shoes are causing some of my issues to get aggravated. I think before when I was hurt my right side was over compensating for my left so I did not notice any issues with my shoes but now since my body is working normal on both sides I notice small changes especially if the shoes are not correct. Also I decided to take a break from the Nike Frees. They were bothering my feet too much and I was not used to running in them and I did not want to risk injury. I think they will be good to use for track workouts. So that is a summary of how the rebuild/recovery is going.

Racing….

Well I did my first race since Boston on June 19^th. It was a 10 miler in Baltimore. I ran 1:06:28 and I was happy with my time. This was my first time running this race and the course was tough. I will definitely want to run this race next year. I also began running the West Chester Summer Series last Tuesday. It is a series of 8 races all cross country. It is a 5k race. I ran 19:53 last Tuesday. I hope to improve on that time tonight. Also this past Sunday I did the running for cover 5k in south Philly. I ran this race last year and had fun. I ran the 5k in 18:53 this year. I was 4^th overall and was happy with my time. I have an 8k this Friday and a 5k next Monday July 5^th. After that I have no real races scheduled until the fall so I probably will be doing a lot of training and slowly getting my miles and speed back.

In other news….

I have been sponsored by team marathon bar. I have included a link to the site here where you can look around and check out the profiles of all the athletes. I am responsible for promoting their product and giving out free samples. They provide me with racing gear and product. If you want more info or some product please contact me. This is a good program and I looking forward to promoting their product and before you ask the bars are good and I like the taste and they do give me energy.

I will post more this week. I wanted to give an update of what has occurred since my last post. Enjoy the week and keep cool in this heat.

Rebuilding

2010-05-31T14:58:00.006-04:00

Well I am back on the road again. Running that is not traveling. I ran for the first time in 34 days last Monday. I ran for about 30 minutes. I was so sore the next day. Not running for 30 days does make a difference. My endurance is still there but my legs are not at fill speed. I ended up logging 18 miles for the week. I am beginning to feel better. I am alternating my running days and the days I do not run I am swimming which is nice break.

I ran today and logged 6 miles in a new pair of NIKE 5.o Free. I definitely felt the difference when running with these. I will incorporate them into my runs. It will take time to get back to full speed. I am glad I did take the month off and get
better. As I said I do have some soreness but that is to be expected since I am just beginning to run again.

So what is on tap for the summer?

Well I am going to do the Chester County Running Store summer series. It is a series of 8 cross county races at the Westtown School spread out throughout the summer. This will allow me to race and also work on speed.

Also I am doing the Baltimore 10 miler which in on June 19th in Baltimore MD. This race is capped at 4000 so it should be a nice race without a large crowd.

But one of the most important races is Running for Cover on June 27th. Click on this link or go here

http://www.foundationformelanomaresearch.org/runwalk/myTeam.php

you want to join team ELBO. Any questions let me know. Also if you beat me I will buy you a beer. This is a fun event and it will give you an excuse to race. Well I will keep the blog more update as my running begins to take shape. Stay cool, hydrate and wear sunscreen.

And remember why today it called memorial day.

Whats new?

2010-05-19T20:00:00.000-04:00

Well I am done with PT right now. Back feel pretty good. I plan on begin to start running again next week. Hopefully run a couple days a week until I feel that I can handle running 6-7 days. I plan on also cross training and continue to stretch and do weights and core work. I will keep an update on how things are going. Enjoy the rest of the week.

Fresh Air Fund

2010-05-11T19:42:00.002-04:00

Looking to do a good deed this summer. Check out the link for fresh air families.

Here is what they did last year:

In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund's Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the country and the suburbs. Volunteer host families shared their friendship and homes FOR up to two weeks or more in 13 Northeastern states from Virginia to Maine and Canada.

Check out the site. Help others.

2 weeks post Boston

2010-05-05T20:15:00.000-04:00

So 2 weeks have passed since Boston and things are getting better. Back is doing better, foot and leg feel good. I hope to be running in 3 weeks we shall see. PT has been great. It is amazing what PT can help with and how it helps you get better and stronger in ways that I never knew. I will keep my fans updated on my progress.

I did help out at the Broad Street run this year. It was hard because I wanted to run but chose not to. I must say it was different seeing the race develop from the other side. The volunteers make huge difference and really help the race. I recommend that anyone who is a serious runner volunteer at a race and see what goes into the prep. I will be back at Broad Street next year. Well enjoy the warm weather and stay hydrated.

1 week post Boston

2010-04-27T07:10:00.004-04:00

Well a week has passed and I am beginning to feel better. All the soreness is gone from the Marathon. I am now in rehab mode. I am doing PT two times a week and stretching and doing other exercises various times a day. I feel better but I am not going to rush it. I plan on taking about 3 weeks off from running then get back into in June and then begin to increase mileage over the summer with plan to race a fall marathon. Most likely I will race Philly in Nov.

I am swimming and doing alot of low impact cardio work.

This weekend is Broad Street. I originally had planned to run but I decided not to run do to my back. This is a great 10 miler but with 30,000 runners I think it maybe a nightmare this year plus the Phils play that night and so might the Flyers. The weather looks nice so I may go check out the race from the sidelines.

Good luck to all those racing this weekend.

Boston Marathon Course

2010-04-22T21:08:00.001-04:00

Boston Marathon Finish

2010-04-22T21:04:00.001-04:00

31-34 seconds. Bottom right arms raised.

Boston Marathon 2010 Race Report

2010-04-22T18:00:00.003-04:00

Boston Marathon 2010 Race Report

Here is Mike Danko’s race report on the 114^th running of the Boston Marathon. So sit back and grab a Gatorade because I am going to take you along the famous journey through Hopkinton, Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton, Brookline and Boston.

Before I begin the actually race report. Let me refresh everyone of how the journey began.

My training began back in Dec 2009. I was following my usually 16 week program. Then we had the most snow ever in the Philadelphia area. 70 plus inches. I trained through that. Then the back issues started. I was diagnosed with l4/l5 partial herniated disk. So I stopped running and got treatment (PT and Cortisone Shots). I began pool running and some light road running. I was about 300 miles less than last year in mileage going into Boston. I had managed to get two 20 plus mile runs in and also I had done some high mileage weeks and my base was high during the month of December so I was not worried. So as I approached the Marathon date I decided to run and whatever happened, happened. I was going to have fun no matter what.

Fast forward to Friday April 16^th. Jen and I head out we arrive in Boston around 2pm check into the hotel and then head to the Expo. Got my race stuff and even more free stuff. A free bag and arm warmers from Brooks and a free race jersey, hat and case of mix1 juice from race menu. So I was pleased free gear is always nice. After the Expo we chilled and then Head to Fenway. We watch the game for a few innings and then headed out. It was so cold and I did not want to get sick so we headed back to the Hotel

Saturday got up quick run on the treadmill (raining out) and then went to the JFK museum and did some other fun things. Had dinner with another buddy who was running the race.

Sunday just did some things around Boston. It was raining again. Got all my race gear ready.

Ok now to the race…time to toe the line

Monday (Race Day)

Got up around 4:30. Showered and got dressed. Met my buddy around 5:45 for the buses and we waited. We boarded the bus and headed out around 6:10. After about 45 minutes on the Bus we were at athlete’s village. We setup camp and relaxed. We got a spot in the sun so that we could stay warm. The time really goes by fast here. You are either lying around or waiting in line for the porta potties. Around 8:30 I got ready and waiting to begin the trek to the starting line. I met up with the people from race menu real quick and then dropped my gear off and walked to the corrals. It was cool to see the jets fly over the start. The National Anthem was sung and we were ready to race. The cannon sounded and we were off (took about a min to get to the line).

And we are off…..Here we go. The race started out fast. The first couple miles are always a bit crazy because people are trying to find their rhythm and settle into a good pace. I ended up going through the 5k check point quicker than I expected. I was still moving from the started and knew that I had to settle down. I went into this race with no goal but I thought I could run a 3:10 based on my training and knowledge of the course. A 3:10 marathon averages out to a 7:15 pace per mile. Going through the first few miles I was at 7:07. Slowly I began to slow my pace. I was eating cliff blocks and hammer caps ever 30 min (45/15/45 etc) and taking my hammer caps (00, 30, 00 etc). I was out on the course enjoying myself. I was running and having fun. I got to see some sites I had not seen before. Along the way I ran with some people some first timers and some vets of the race. As I got to mile 11 I met a guy who was running the marathon for the first time. I think his name was Scott he said he was shooting for 3:10 but had some IT band issues. I told him I was on pace and he could run with me if that would help him. He was like cool and ran with me until we got the Wesley College. Here is about half way and the girls line the course and screen and have signs. It is really cool but it can cause you to use energy too quickly. Well that guy Scott who was running with me took off and I saw him begin to run faster. I could see him increase his pace but I did not go with him. I continued to run my own race and kept my pace around 7:12. As the miles began to wind down I felt good. I was holding myself back because I knew that the hills were approaching. As I passed mile 16/17 I saw that guy Scott and he was dying. He was really dehydrated and looked bad. I told him try and get some gel and Gatorade. He faded and I kept going. As I made that right the hills were upon us. I attacked the hills and made nice work of the first one. I tossed the nice brooks arm warmers that I had gotten for freeL. I did manage to keep the nice gloves I purchased on Saturday. So as I crested the top of heartbreak hill I felt good. I was still on target. I just had to get back down the hill and make the final run towards the finish. As I made my way down the hill I began to increase my speed as I felt good. Once I was through Cleveland circle I could see the CITGO sign and I knew that end was near. Before I finish the last three miles I want to revisit the Newtown Hills. These are a series of 3 hills at about mile 19-21 in the marathon. I compare it to the last round of Rocky II. The hills are Apollo and the runners are Rocky. Some will win and some will lose. I paid the price my first year here so I know what the hills can do. They can be demoralizing to some runners who go out to fast because they are so late in the race. The last 10k of this marathon is tough.

Back to the last 3 miles. So as the race hit the final 5K I ran into to a friend of my one race buddy. This guy is a sub marathoner as well but he was also looking to run 3:10 or under. So I began to run with him and this is where the pace really picked up. We were moving. We use each other to push ourselves. As we crossed the Mass-Turnpike and saw the CITGO Sign I and made that turn into Kenmore Square I knew there was a mile left. I could feel a small crap in my calf but at this point it did not matter. We began to hammer it. Quick downhill and then up hill. Made a quick right then that famous left onto Boylston. As you make that left you have .2 miles left. You can see the finish and you know the end is near. As we ran the last part of race I knew I could make it under 3:10. This is probably the best part of the race. Where else do you get to run down the middle of the street in a major U.S. city will thousands of fans screaming for you. As I crossed the line I looked at my watch and I saw 3:09:50 and I knew that it was done. I had run a great race. I once again paid respect to the queen of all marathons and in turn she allowed me to survive the race in one piece. Also I had nailed the nutrition and hydration for the race and the weather was perfect.

I must say that overall I am pleased with my performance. After all the issues I had this winter it was nice to have a great race. I do feel that experience helped also. The weather was great the crowds were awesome. The volunteers were great.As I said it before if you have been to Boston to watch or run the Marathon you know what I mean when I say that it the Superbowl of all Marathons.One Big Thank You to Boston.

After the race, met Jen and we headed back to hotel and then go some food and then went to some stores and shops.

Tuesday before we left I went to Bill Rodgers store and got his autograph and picture. This was a great experience. He won the Boston Marathon 4times. It was great to meet him. He was telling stories and just talking to everyone. He is a very nice guy and I am glad I got to meet him.

One last Thank you to Boston.

Here is a breakdown of my times

Checkpoint	Time	Pace
5k	21:37	6:57
10k	44:05	7:05
15k	1:06:44	7:09
20k	1:29:34	7:12
half	1:34:30	7:12
25k	1:52:33	7:14
30k	2:15:40	7:16	Newtown Hills
35k	2:37:59	7:15
40k	3:00:26	7:15
Finish	3:09:50	7:14


1ST Half	1:34:30
2nd Half	1:35:20	50 sec positive Split

As you can see I went out a bit fast and by half I had settled in. The pace did go up around the hills but the last 10K I was still strong.

I did requalify again which is an accomplishment itself at Boston.

Now time to rest and get my back healed.

RaceMenu

2010-04-22T15:00:00.000-04:00

Not sure if everyone knew but I race the 2010 Boston Marathon as part of the racemenu team. Check out the website here. This is a new site that connects people not only on a social but also racing level. It allows people to show what races you are doing and where and you can even link it to facebook. Hopefully they man try and have a team in the Philadelphia area. I will post more info as I get it but check out the site and make sure you spread them word. I also have a link on the main page of my blog.

Boston 2010

2010-04-21T14:33:00.007-04:00

Here are my official results. I will post my race report later this week. Time to recover.

Danko, Michael P. Jr.

West Chester

USA

5k	0:21:37
10k	0:44:05
15k	1:06:44
20k	1:29:34
25k	1:52:33
30k	2:15:40
35k	2:37:59
40k	3:00:26

Pace	0:07:15
Official Time	3:09:50
Overall	2634
Gender	2426
Division	1642

[mikedbostonalert] Results

2010-04-21T14:25:00.000-04:00

The tracking system had issues in Boston. That is why you were getting a different person. My time was 3:09:50. Thanks for following

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less then one week

2010-04-13T14:30:00.001-04:00

Well believe it or not Boston is less then one week away. The weather picture is looking good. Saturday may rain but Sunday looks good and Monday looks even better. I think it maybe cool at the start and then warm up near mid day. Almost how the weather was last year. I would much rather take cool weather then this hot stuff we have been having. I am not used to running it so my body sweat more in the heat so the cooler the better.

As for my back. I saw the Doc and he gave me another shot. Back is stiff but I feel better. I prob get in the pool tonight to loosen up and then run on Thursday. Then its time to hit the tea party.

People ask me if I can finish or still run the race since I have been injured? The answer two those questions are Yes. I have run a marathon on less training and as for being injured I would not be running if there was pain or the doctor advised against it. As I said before I am setting no goals for this race. No matter what happens there will be no regrets for running this race. I trained hard all winter and have been looking for to this race all year. It also helps having a good support crew (my wife) when you race. All factors go into racing well so just have to make sure I eat well and I am hydrated and we are good to go. Remember the 26.2 miles is the easy part.

Make sure you follow me bib # 2719 or join my yahoo group to get updates.

Enjoy the rest of the taper.

For all those people who born in late 70s and early 80s I take quote from a great movie growing up.

"lets walk this sucker" and do not take walk literally if you have seen this movie you will know the basis of this quote.

Update

2010-04-07T20:00:00.000-04:00

The Doc appointment has been moved until Monday. That is when I will get my next epidural shot. So that will give me a week for it to kick in before the big race. As of now I a doing a mix of pool and road running and stretching. I want to be fully rested for this race. As this race approaches I will end this post with a quote from Pre.

"A lot of people run a race to see who is fastest. I run to see who has the most guts"

Taper.............

2010-04-05T20:00:00.001-04:00

Well Boston is less then 2 weeks away. I see the Doc tomorrow and hopefully all things will be set for the race. I am beginning to feel better which is good. It has been about a month since I went to the first doc. I have updated all the excel files on the blog. I will update more once I see the Doc again tomorrow. GO PHILS.

Boston t-minus 3 weeks

2010-03-31T15:28:00.000-04:00

So what has been going on in my trek to run the 2010 Boston Marathon. Well on a positive note I have been able to run again the pain has pretty much disappeared in my leg while I am running. There is still some pain but nothing that is limiting my running. It has only been about 3 weeks since my injury was diagnosed. I have been doing PT very aggressively which has helped a lot. I am also stretching and doing core each day. The pool running also has helped a lot. I see the Doc next Tuesday.

As for the running I am not putting a lot of miles in right now because with Boston so close I want to race not only healthy but well rested. It is funny when I run there is no pain. I think I have not felt like this in months so it is weird because I am waiting for the pain to return any second. People ask me why attempt to run Boston if you think you will get hurt. I am going to run Boston because first off it is Boston. People try to run this race their whole lives and never get to do it and I am going for my third one in a row. Secondly the Doc said it was ok to run. Think back to when T.O. played for the Eagles and broke his ankle at the end of the season and came back 4 weeks later and played in the Super bowl well it is kind of like that. Boston is the Super bowl of all Marathons.

So what are my goals for Boston this year? I have set no goals. I am going up and going to just run and see what happens. I am going to enjoy the weekend and have fun at the race. No matter what arises I am going to enjoy the Marathon and have fun. After this winter with all the snow and rain I am determined to run and have fun. If my injury had occurred back in Jan then maybe I would have deferred but not this close to the race.

Now with less than 3 weeks to go I am beginning to taper. I am going to run but still rest I want to be rested when I run this race.

I will update all my excel sheets when I get them organized. I wanted to keep people in the loop to what is going on as Boston approaches. I will keep the updates more frequent. Enjoy the warm weather and longer days.

March Madness

2010-03-18T07:39:00.001-04:00

LETS GO NOVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tri for our Vets.

2010-03-18T07:36:00.002-04:00

This race now has even more meaning to alot of people. I know that this happened back in Jan 2010 but Matt still needs to be remembered.

If you get a chance do this race. I am going to think about it.

Read more about Matt here.

The road to Boston continues

2010-03-16T18:37:00.003-04:00

Well..the saga of the leg continues. I had some physical therapy last Thursday and that seems to be helping but still no running on the roads. Well if I can't run on the roads then it time to run in the water. I have heard of water running and know a few people who have done it but was not too sure about it. Well after joining a health club last week I am sold. Water running is great. You basically wear a belt that keeps you up right and you run as if you were on land. The good thing is that there is resistance the whole time so it helps you get stronger and maintain fitness. I be alternating between 45-60 minutes each day. I will continue to do this even when I get back on the road.

Now back to the leg issue. I saw a spine doctor yesterday and he said running will not cause anymore harm which is good but he also wanted to address the pain issue. I was giving a lumbar epidural injection. Basically it is a needle right into the spine and the shot giving is cortisone for the inflammation. It takes a few days to work so we shall see. He told me to try running Saturday so we shall see. He said Boston should not be an issue as long as the nerve has calmed down and there are no other issues.

Speaking of running. I had to bag this weekends CR half marathon in Delaware. This is a fun race and hope to run it next year.

I will keep updated on my status.

I trained in the snowiest winter off all time in Philadelphia I will be on that line on April19, 2010 at 10am with 26.2 miles to get me back to Boston. I am going to run it with no goals just run and see what happens.

And the wait continues

2010-03-11T06:19:00.002-05:00

So no running still. I had an MRI on Sunday and I have a Dr's Apt this afternoon and hopefully I will get somewhere. I also have an Apt scheduled on Monday with a different Dr. since the one I am seeing right now does not have a great schedule and I have to wait almost a week between visits to see him and I still have pain. I hope to have a better idea by early next week on my running. As for Boston as long as there is no pain I will run it. I have out in alot of miles already this year and I have ran the race before so I know the course. Boston is a race of survival. The course can trick you since its mostly downhill but then at 20 miles you have many hills so you need to conserve your energy. I will keep my fans updated.

GO NOVA.

DownTime

2010-03-05T06:32:00.002-05:00

Well saw the Doc yesterday and I am scheduled for an MRI this weekend. He believes that I have a disc that is out of whack that is causing my sciatic nerve to flare up causing me pain when I run. He told me that I can still run depending on how much I can tolerate the pain. I am going to give it the weekend off and see how it feels on Monday. I don't go the Doc again to next Thursday to see what the treatment options are. Boston is about 6 weeks away and I plan on running as long as the pain is manageable. I will keep my fans updated. Enjoy the weekend.

GO NOVA

Boston Week 9

2010-03-01T19:14:00.004-05:00

Well ended up with another decent week in mileage. 77 miles to be exact.

For the month I ran 288 miles. 288 was 2 more miles then my any month during my Boston Training last year. Last year March was 286.

As for March I would like to stay around 250-280 but we will see. I am taking a few days off. My left leg once again is beginning to flare up. I think it is my sciatica but I am not 100% sure. The pain was manageable but now it is getting to the point where I have to change my stride to compensate for the pain. I want to get this issue resolved since I only have 7 weeks til Boston. I am hoping a shot will get the inflammation to calm down and allow me to strengthen the muscles that are causing the issue while allowing me to still run. I have an appointment on Thursday so no running till then. Plus I am looking forward to a little break. My legs need a rest.

Enjoy the week. I will update on the leg later this week.

Boston Week # 8

2010-02-23T13:34:00.002-05:00

Half way....that's a good way to put it. Half way through this snowy winter or half way through my training. Well I managed 83 miles for the week. I did a 23 miler on Monday and 17 miler on Thursday. Training is going well. My sciatica is acting up a bit but that is to be expected with the amount of miles that I am putting in each week. I am being proactive and doing my exercises. Well enjoy the week and pray for no more snow. I have updated all the training sheets.

Saucony Men's ProGrid Ride Running Shoe

2010-02-16T19:27:00.004-05:00

Here are the shoes that I am currently training in. I have began to work these into my training. I used these leading up to NYC and Philly and I like the way they feel. They are a good shoe. They can be found deeply discounted online.

Yaktrax Product Review

2010-02-16T15:51:00.004-05:00

I have been asked by the makers of Yaktrax to do an official review of their product. The product I am reviwing is Yaktrax Pro. Here is a link to the product. Check it out.

In my opinion Yaktrax are great. I have run in the snow in just sneakers and I had trouble getting traction but Yaktrax solved this. They grip the road as you run and give you traction. Yaktrax allowed me to run normally but I did still use caution due to the winter conditions. I was glad I was able to use them and look forward to using them again. I recommend these to anyone who want to run in the snow or even walk they give you a nice grip.

23

2010-02-16T15:41:00.006-05:00

23 miles in one run? Are you crazy? Yes to both questions and that was my total running miles for yesterday. I had off and I decided to a long run on a Monday since I had the time and I needed to get a long run in. So people ask how and where do you run 23 miles in one shot. Well this winter has been crappy running weather and all the places where I normally do my long runs are mostly snow covered. In addition the two guys I train with are off their normal training schedules so I left to do my long runs by myself.

How to run 23 miles. Well if the weather was nice I would venture out my house with some cash and run a far out and back but because of the roads and the weather I modified my plan. It is actually quiet simple to get a large amount of miles in and test your mentality at the same time. On my run on Sunday I calculated a 5-6 mile loop. So come Monday I decided i do this loop 4 times and that would give me 20 miles. I started out did one loop come back grab some water (i keep in the snow along with Gatorade and cliff blocks) then head back out again. Repeat this four times and there is your 20 mile. How I got to 23 is that I added on some miles at the end of my last loop. So when people ask how I run 23 miles there is my answer. I think it tests your mind more then your body especially when you see the same people clearing a driveway of snow 8 times. Happy Running.

Boston Week 7

2010-02-16T15:37:00.002-05:00

60 miles for the week. Not a bad total. My longest run of the week was 11 miles. I did not run long this past weekend so thats why the weekly total was not higher. This has been a tough winter for training. It will probably be an extremely hot summer for running we shall see. As for this time versus last year I am on pace with the same amount of miles for my training especially for Boston.

Enjoy the week.

Kevin Smith vs Southwest

2010-02-16T13:48:00.004-05:00

So not sure who's aware of this but Kevin Smith the director of clerks was thrown off a Southwest Flight for being too fat. Southwest has had a policy in place for over 25 years that people who are too big for one seat need to purchase two seats. This is not only for comfort but also for safety. In this instance Kevin was flying stand by and the flight was full so he only got one seat and he was too large for the seat so they asked him to please get off the plane. He immediately threw a fit and made a huge deal. I understand where he was annoyed but safety comes first when flying.

Fast forward to last night. I was watching Nightline on ABC and they do a story about this. I am not going to tell the whole story but you can watch the video and read the story here. After you read or watch the video you will see where I draw my opinions from. I am someone who believes in fitness and leading a healthy life and for people who are overweight I understand your situation but they must realize that because of their situation they may be subjected to some restrictions because of safety issues. People who are overweight cannot complain about being thrown off a plane for safety reasons and then scream that they were harassed because of their weight. They do not get a separate set of standard because of their weight. These people need to realize that all choices have consequences. I just want people to realize that organizations like The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance take things to a whole new level when they makes statements "that fat people are hear to stay." Well shall see what happens next. I doubt this is last your will hear about the organization or this incident but in my opinion I think that overweight people may need to start living a healthier life.

Please feel free to express your opinions but those who know me know how I feel about fitness and how people need to exercise.

Enjoy your week.

Snow Days

2010-02-11T16:46:00.002-05:00

Well once again the Yaktrax came through. I was able to run twice with them this week so far. I ran yesterday and today. The snow yesterday was much heavier then what we had on sat and it was definitely harder to run since the winds are stronger. The Yaktrax did the job. I did have some trouble on this once huge hill since it was not plowed and the snow was like 8 inches deep so it made it hard to run but once a truck drove by I ran in the tire tracks and I got traction. As for today I also used my Yaktrax but it was not as snowy in some areas so I had to run on road that were clear and this is hard to do with the Yaktrax since you have metal under your shoes and you are running on a hard surface it does make your legs a bit sore. My legs are sore from the two runs I did this week since I had to work harder in the snow. My pace was not the fastest but considering the conditions I was glad I was able to run. I have read stories about people in the New England states training for Boston with crazy amounts of snow. Well I think that I will be able to say that I trained in the snowiest winter of all times 70.3 inches and I am sure there will be more to come. Well if you got snow enjoy it and be safe shoveling. I somehow have to do a long run this weekend. I may end up doing a 5 mile loop a couple times we shall see.

Fresh Air Fund

2010-02-09T21:08:00.003-05:00

Here is a link that someone sent me. People are always looking for a way to spread their message. I am helping people out by doing just such. Check out the link for the fresh air fund.

Winter Olympics

2010-02-09T21:05:00.002-05:00

Winter Olympics. Check out this link. It has all the info you need for the coverage of the 2010 winter games. GO USA.

Boston Week #6

2010-02-06T13:28:00.002-05:00

Another week down. Was able to get 66 miles in for the week. No real long run this week due to the snow. I was able to get a 13 and 11 mile run in. I have updated the training log. Enjoy the snow and be safe.

Miles	Time

66.52	7:54:33

		% change
Week 1	45.52
Week 2	51.54	4%
Week 3	65.11	1%
Week 4	70.62	-6%
Week 5	74.27	24%
Week 6	66.52	-17%

Yaktrax Rock

2010-02-06T11:23:00.004-05:00

Yaktrax are great. Well we are in the middle of a blizzard and I was able to get 6 miles in. I could have run more but I did not feel like doing a long run. I have run in the snow but these things worked great. They grip the road as you run and give you traction. I actually saw someone else running and they were shuffling their feet but with these Yaktrax I was able to run normally but still use caution due to the winter conditions. I was glad I was able to use them and look forward to using them again. I recommend these to anyone who want to run in the snow or even walk they give you a nice grip.

I will have the weekly roundup later today.

GO NOVA!!!!!!!!!!

Active trainer

2010-02-06T11:22:00.001-05:00

Thanks again active for fixing my issue. They did a great job and it was a quick response.

Active Trainer...broken again

2010-02-05T07:44:00.001-05:00

Well here we go again. All my data is lost. Lets see if they can fix it again.

Snow Run? Maybe.........

2010-02-04T08:27:00.001-05:00

We are suppose to get a nice amount of snow so I hope I get to try these bad boys out.

January 2010 wrap up

2010-02-01T15:08:00.005-05:00

Total for the month : 281 miles running.

Compared to last year I ran about 9 more mile this year then last year. My long runs were a 15,17 and 20 miler with some long runs of 11-12 miles thrown in. I have updated the Boston Marathon Training log also make sure you check it out. No races set for Feb. I will be running a half marathon in march and then April is the Superbowl of all races "The Boston Marathon". enjoy your week.

GO NOVA !!!!

Boston Week #5

2010-02-01T14:57:00.003-05:00

Well first 20 miler of the training season in the books. 20 miles in the cold and snow and it was rough. I have run in the cold before but Saturday was bad. I ended up running with 2 pair of tights, 2 pair of gloves, 3 shirts, 2 jackets, head cover, hat, and neck warmer, shoes, socks and shorts.

I did the 20 miler from my house so I could run two loops and be able to refuel halfway through. The first loop was not bad it was when the snow started that things became very cold. I ended up running the 20 miles in about 2.5 hours. I looked at last years training log and this is where I was for last years first 20 miler. I was sore on Sunday but that was to be expected. I know from last year that first 20 miler is always the hardest and does beat you up. I ended up with 74 miles for the week. I will post a summary about Jan 2010 in my next post.

Philly Marathon Course Change?

2010-02-01T14:39:00.004-05:00

Last week Penn Dot announced construction on the Gustine Lake interchange. This is where route1 and Kelly drive and west river drive all meet I-76. This is a busy interchange but it is also part of the Philadelphia Marathon. If you look at the image about the bridge that connects traffic from I-76 to ridge will be demolished and I light will be put in its place. This bridge during the marathon is what carries runners into Manayunk. So I wonder how much this will affect the course during and after the construction. It will be interesting to see what occurs. I have yet to see any type of response from the marathon itself or even runners who run this race each year. I assume more talk will arise as the race gets closer and people realize there is an issue here but when talk arises remember where you heard it first.

Product Review

2010-02-01T14:32:00.004-05:00

For most of you who read this blog I am not one to write product reviews but in this case I felt like this product was worthy of a blog posting. Some days in the winter when I run I find it begin getting dark as I am finishing up my run so it can be hard to seen. So I purchased a Nathan's Reflective running vest and I will tell you it work. I used it this past Friday and even though it was not dark when I finished it was getting closer to dusk and cars were able to see me. This vest is very reflective and allows you to be seen from a far distance away.

Boston Week #4

2010-01-24T20:02:00.003-05:00

4 weeks down. I ended up with 70 miles for the week. Did a 17 mile run on sat. I hope to get the first 20 miler of the year within the next two weeks. The 17 miler was good but I was sore afterwards. It takes a bit of getting used to once the weekly mileage begins to increase. OVerall the training is going well. Enjoy your week. More to come this week.

Boston Week #3

2010-01-17T16:29:00.005-05:00

Well got 65 miles in last week. Was a good in terms of mileage. Ran 15 yesterday. We ran at Ridley Creek State Park. We have a 3.25 out and back loop that we do. I will post the elevation changes on here so you can see the ups and downs. Ran today in the rain which was not bad only except when the wind was blowing. Weather looks good for this week temps in the 40's. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Active Trainer update

2010-01-15T17:14:00.002-05:00

I would like to say thank you to the active.com and active trainer support people. They were able to correct the issue and restore my data. I was the one that actually brought it to their attention that there was an issue with my accounts and other accounts. it is all fixed now and I can now log all my workouts and keep track of all my data. Enjoy the Holiday weekend and the warmer weather here in the Northeast.

Active Trainer

2010-01-13T14:11:00.002-05:00

People ask what I use to keep track of all my miles. I use two methods. The first is excel and the second is an online site called activetrainer.com. I used to use coolrunning.com but then activetrainer purchased them so now I use that. Well recently I went to post my workout info on the site and all my info is gone. Over three years of info. I emailed them and have called them and they say they are looking into it. Someone on there end has messed up and I am about to stop using this site and begin to recommend to others that they never use this site. I will keep everyone updated on what happens.

The debate over running shoes goes on.

2010-01-12T17:23:00.004-05:00

So I read this article (it is included at the bottom of this post). It says that running shoes are bad for you and cause injuries. Do i think this is true? Maybe, some shoes that are made for running you should not run in. Prime example is nike shox. People need to get shoes that are right for them. If you are a novice runner and do not have experience picking shoes do not go to a sporting goods store to buy running shoes because they will sell you the most expensive pair with stuff you do not need its like buying a car you do not need the heated truck warmer. Go to a running store.

So my personal take on this is that you are new to running take the time do some research on shoes and also do a self evaluation. Running beats your body up but if you take care of your body you will be fine. People get injured because they start running and have not prepared themselves. If you are gonna take up running first start slow maybe walking or light jogging. Do some other weight lifting and core exercises and then slow begin running increase mileage slowly so that you do not get hurt. If you notice something beginning to hurt take a break and look at your running form you may need correction. People give up on running too easily because they say it hurts me. It is not that running hurts you, it is just the fact that you did not invest the time to make sure you were doing it correctly. So take time review your goals and have fun.

I know people are going to agree and disagree but if barefoot running was the best thing then why do Olympic athletes still wear shoes. People have their opinions and they are also trying to make money so they are gonna say that what works for them is best. Each person needs to find what works for them. Most important aspect is do not give up. Happy Running.

Here is the article.

Running shoes, decked out with the latest cushioning, motion control and arch support technologies, may not be as beneficial to your feet and joints as you might think.
A new study finds that running shoes, at least the kind currently on the market, may actually put more of a strain on your joints than if you were to run barefoot or even to walk in high-heeled shoes, and the increased pressure could lead to knee, hip and ankle damage. The scientists don't recommend ditching your high-tech sneaks, however, as going barefoot on man-made surfaces could also prove harmful,
While exercise is no doubt beneficial for overall health, running and walking put stresses on your joints that may predispose you to getting osteoarthritis in those areas, said Dr. D. Casey Kerrigan, who conducted the study while at the University of Virginia, where she was a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage in your joints, which can lead to bone rubbing on bone, causing pain, Kerrigan explained. Walkers and runners should try to minimize forces on their joints to prevent this damage, she said.
In pervious work, Kerrigan and colleagues had shown that women's high-heeled shoes cause an increase in pressure on the knee joint, specifically in areas where osteoarthritis typically develops, compared with walking barefoot. Since cushioning in running shoes can also create a slightly elevated heel, Kerrigan decided to investigate whether or not these shoes also increase these potentially damaging forces.
Running on a "bathroom scale"
The study enrolled 37 women and 31 men who ran recreationally, at least 15 miles (24 km) per week. The subjects were then studied in a "gait laboratory," running either barefoot or with a typical running shoe. The subjects had markers on their knees, hips and ankle joints, and as they ran, cameras picked up these markers, allowing the researchers to see how the joints moved.
The subjects ran on a treadmill that contained a forceplate, a device Kerrigan describes as a "glorified bathroom scale." With each step, the forceplate provided measurements of the magnitude of their bodyweight forces on the joints, and the direction of those forces.
They specifically looked at torque, twisting force, which in this case mainly came from the participants' bodyweight, For example, if you stand on one leg, your bodyweight would put more pressure on the inside part of your knee than on the outside part, causing a torque at the knee, Kerrigan explained.
The researchers found an increase in this torque for the knees, hips and ankles when the participants were wearing running shoes as compared with when they were running barefoot.
Specifically, they saw a 38 percent increase in torque in areas of the knee where osteoarthritis develops, Kerrigan said. Such a large increase was surprising, she said, because it was greater than the increase in knee torque she had observed for women wearing high heels, which was only 20 percent to 26 percent.
Kerrigan noted the study only provides an estimate of the joint forces, and not the exact forces, because the methods used do not directly measure the forces inside the knee and other joints. However, there are other studies to support that these types of estimates do match up fairly well with the actual forces inside the joints.
Is barefoot better?
Should you ditch your running shoes altogether? While the results might seem to suggest that you should go barefoot - a way of running that has recently become popular thanks to the best-selling book "Born to Run," by Christopher McDougall, in which the author argues that barefoot running is better for you - Kerrigan says that's not the case.
"I'm concerned, I don't think this study should promote running barefoot," she said. "I think people should run in what they feel most comfortable running in ... and whether that's in a pair of running shoes or in a minimum kind of running shoe, that's just fine."
The problem with running sans shoes is that most of the man-made surfaces we run on are not "compliant" - they don't give, or compress, at the right time to absorb the peak forces on your joints, Kerrigan said.
"We've evolved to run on compliant surfaces, not on asphalt or concrete," she said. "You run on something hard, your body has to work that much harder to help absorb those forces, and that can lead to stresses and strain, wear and tear, really throughout the whole body."
Also, while certain aspects of shoes, such as arch support, may not be the best for your knee joints, they do protect the foot itself, and may help prevent other injuries, such as shin splints, Kerrigan said.
Kerrigan does have what she believes is a better running shoe system in mind that she thinks would help to minimize the harmful joint torques. She is currently developing her patented shoe design through JKM Technologies, LLC, a manufacturing and information technology service company of which Kerrigan is chairman.

Road to Boston 2010

2010-01-11T16:51:00.002-05:00

Well the Boston Marathon Training has officially started. I am two weeks and the mileage is begin to increase. I did 45 miles the week before and 51 this week. I need to start doing some longer runs. I will also be posting my training log on here for the marathon as I update it. Running is this cold weather is tough but it all pays off and as long as you dress warm you are running. Keep up the training.

GO NOVA

2009 year in review.

2010-01-01T17:47:00.006-05:00

2009 Races

17 Total

(1)10Mi Run

(1)15K Run

(1)18Mi Run

(5) 5K Run

(2) 5Mi Run

(4) Half Marathon

(3) Marathon

(1) 10Mi Trail Run

As you can, all the races are I ran for 2009 are listed above and broken down by category. I was supposed to run a 5k on new years eve but it was canceled due to the snow so that was one less race. For the year, I ended up with 2771 miles running and about 8 miles biking. I did not do much cross training this year as you can see reflected in my totals. 2771 miles is about the same distance in miles running from my house to Sacramento, CA.

I have updated all my totals in all excel sheets listed on my blog and I have even created a link to my 2009 running log. Make sure you check it out. I will be posted soon about what the 2010-year has in store.

2700

2009-12-19T13:36:00.002-05:00

I broke 2700 miles running for the year. I actually did a 10 minute run today in the snow. Conditions were not that good to run in so I did not want to get hurt. I actually be averaging about 40 miles a week in the past two weeks which is good. My hip/leg is beginning to be a bit sore so I have to start doing my exercising again. Enjoy the snow and the holidays.

Congrats to Villanova for Winning the Div 1 AA football championship. GO CATS

Hoilday Spirit

2009-12-16T20:45:00.002-05:00

Here is a good holiday story. When I run, I usually run the same way or route but lately I have been mixing it up. So on my run a week back I noticed a store rewards card and a college id and that was about it. I ran this route a couple times and I still saw this stuff sitting there. So this past Monday I was running and I past the stuff again but this time I notice a wallet down the embankment so I stopped and looked through it. There was a driver license, a boat license and a social security card in it. I had no pockets so I grabbed this stuff and continued my run. When I got home, I got on facebook and I found the kid and told him I had his stuff and I told him I would mail it back to him. I felt bad that he could not come and get the rest of the stuff so later in the day I went back in my car and I gathered the wallet and all the stuff I could find scattered and I picked it all up. I then put it all in an envelope and mailed it back. I will let you know what the outcome is once he receives all his stuff. It is all about Karma.

Busy Weekend

2009-12-06T20:00:00.004-05:00

Well did two races in two days. Got our Christmas tree up and the house is decorated inside and out. First did a 5k at Penn State Brandywine on Saturday. This was a no frills trail 5k. There were no bib numbers no timers etc. We just got the command runners set and start. I ended up finishing first in a time of 20:31. Not my best time but it was cold, wet and an it was a trail run. Very neat event and lots of nice giveaways. Before the race we also got to hear Chirs McDougall talk about born to run and how he runs barefoot and how it is supposed to help you. I am interested in learning more about this but I am not sure barefoot running is something I will be doing in the near future. (by the way I beat him in the race) Overall this was a cool event especially that it was free and got to race in the snow.

Today I did the 32rd annual Brian"s Run. This used to be a 10K that started and ended at West Chester University but due to financial issues it moved to a high school in West Chester and it was changed to a 5 miler. This was a nice race also. I ran a 30:46. It was a tough course. Alot of hills and it was also cold. I hope they keep this race like this for the years to come.

Overall both races went well. I have been battling a cold and also I still not fully recovered from the Philadelphia Marathon so in these shorter races it is hard to find that extra gear. I am not sure if I will do anymore races this year. I hope to keep a base of 30 miles a week.

Enjoy the cold weather and stay warm and enjoy the holiday cheer.

I have also updated all my race results.

NOV 2009 Wrap Up

2009-11-30T19:27:00.002-05:00

Well ended the month with 110 miles.

I ended up running 2 marathons and one 5k in the month. Personal Record on the second marathon.

Next on tap is a new 5k this Saturday and a revamped Brian's run Sunday (5 miler not a 10k)

I have begun to read a new book called Iron Heart I will let you know what i think of it when I finish it.

Not race related

2009-11-25T18:40:00.003-05:00

So welcome to the world of Comcast. For all those who have comcast cable you can relate to my story. We have comcast everything (phone, Internet, TV) as a result you get caller id on the TV. Comcast states that it is only available on hd boxes ( not correct) Anyway we have a newer digital set on our TVs and this box gets caller id even know comcast says it does not. So what is my point?

Here is my rant. Couple weeks ago I got comcast to ship me a new digital box for free but it never came I then contacted them and after them admitting they were wrong I got the correct box shipped. So finally the box comes I hook it up and i call to activate it. Well when you call you are usually calling an out sourced location since a trained ape could do this job. Anyway the person answered and said there name was like lisa but they sounded like they were India. So they activated the box said wait 45 minutes and i should be all set well 45 minutes go by and guess what no luck. I call comcast I think it may have been somewhere in the U.S. and they say wait 24 hours. Fast forward to the next day I call and the guy who answers (American) says that it should have been 45 minutes not 24 hours so the one person was wrong. So the saga continues he orders a service call and states the box needs to be replaced. The tech comes and says that he does not have the correct box to replace the one I need so no luck. Finally I take the box myself and exchange it and hook the new one up and guess what. The box does not work. So I call comcast again and I get a normal person who was based in the U.S. and he finally figures out that the first person messed my account up and that is why the first box and now the second box did not work. He gets it to work and I think all is fine. Not to be so lucky a channel was still not working so I call comcast again (Jamaica this time) and then reset the box and still does not so I switch them and call them again and finally it works. So to sum this story up I had to contact comcast over 7 times ( 3 countries) just to get my cable box to work and you wonder why people want to switch to Fios. If you call and tell them you wanna switch you can get a better deal. Enjoy your turkey day.

2009-11-23T18:52:00.003-05:00

Well time to take recovery and get some rest. I am doing a 5k this weekend nice and easy. Its a small 5k which is nice. Enjoy the holidays and don't each too much.

Philadelphia Marathon Wrap-Up

2009-11-22T13:52:00.003-05:00

Michael Danko #241

West Chester, PA

Age: 30 Gender: M

Well another marathon in in the books. Three weeks after NYC I decided to run Philly well it proved out to be a success.

The one thing I like about Philly being able to sleep in your own bed the night before.

4am wake-up get ready and out the door by 4:45am. I met my buddy and we drove down and parked the car and then headed to the start. We did a little warm up and then waited for the race to begin. The gun when off and we are off. I started out a bit quick and knew I needed to settle in at a slower pace. (I was running with my one buddy at this point.) As the first few miles went by I was able to settle may pace in around 6:48/6:49. Around mile 9 the 3 hour pace group caught up with me so I decided to run with them. This helped some of the boring miles go by on west river drive. Around mile 12 I had to stop and water the plants but I did not lose much time at all. Went through half way at 1:29:46. So I knew I was on a good pace. As we ran up lemon hill and Kelly drive this is where the training really comes into play since it is very quiet here and not much crowd support so it can be lonely and mentally challenging. As we neared the 20 mile mark in Manyaunk (My buddy had faded) the crowds picked up and make the race go by quick. Once we turned around we started heading back towards Kelly drive and towards the finish line. I was still with the pace group and was still on pace to break 3 hours. As the miles started passing 21, 22, 23 I knew I had to begin to push the pace in order to break 3 hours. Once I passed 24.5 I began to pick up the pace and make my move. As I passed in front of the art museum (the old finish line) the crowds were great. I made one last turn passed the 26 mile mark and I began to sprint and I cruise over the finish line in 2:59:23 a new PR. It was nice to run this race again. My first time running Philly since 2006.

Keys to successful race.
1. Proper diet the days leading up to the race
2. Proper Hydration leading up to the race
3. Good Night Sleep
4. Took Cliff Shots every 6 miles and Hammer E caps and Anti Fatigue
5. Strong will and determination.
6. Scene from Rocky 5 [after Rocky has been seemingly defeated] Yo, Tommy! I didn't hear no bell..(meaning one more round or 3 more miles)

Overall, I thought i was a nice race. There were some issues that I think they need to fix. Running the half and full at the same time and be hard since you have no idea who is running which race it also makes the first part of the course very much more crowded. The aid stations were nice but I did see some where they were not fully staffed and people were grabbing their own fluids. Also I did not see any aid stations for medical if someone had an issue. Another big issue was the finish. Since the finish was on the other side of Eakins Oval you have to run around it on your way back from Kelly Drive and as a result you have to weave you way though the slower runners coming through their first half and this can be dangerous. I think they need to address this issue next year I heard people talking about this before and after the race. One other thing was the finish. There were family members and all kinds of spectators in the area right after the finish this made it very crowded. Security is a big issue at most major marathons but it seemed to me that they were short staffed. I must say it was a nice race but if Philly wants to move up in the major marathon scene they need to address these issues.

Congrats to all those who ran today I got my BQ fro 2011. Now time to relax.

GO NOVA.

MCM RaceDay Alert

2009-11-22T07:40:00.000-05:00

Michael Danko @ 30K in 02:07:26 (NET). Pace: 6:50. Predicted: 2:59:14. Powered by the Philadelphia Marathon.

MCM RaceDay Alert

2009-11-22T07:02:00.000-05:00

Michael Danko @ 25K in 01:29:46 (NET). Pace: 5:46. Predicted: 2:31:30. Powered by the Philadelphia Marathon.

MCM RaceDay Alert

2009-11-22T06:15:00.000-05:00

Michael Danko @ 10K in 00:42:08 (NET). Pace: 6:46. Predicted: 2:57:46. Powered by the Philadelphia Marathon.

FREE 5K Race

2009-11-20T18:48:00.001-05:00

http://www.brandywine.psu.edu/Information/News/30852.htm

It is really free. The race director emailed me. They only give tee shirts out to the first 100 people but still a free 5k race. I will take that.

I am all set for Philly.

Anything For A T-Shirt

2009-11-17T20:36:00.002-05:00

Well I finally finished this book. This book which I started awhile back was about Fred Lebow and how he created the NYC Marathon. I had all intentions of finishing this book way before the NYC Marathon but I got distracted from it. I must say this was a good book. I enjoyed how it told the story of how the Marathon came to be from Fred's perspective. The NYC Marathon as we know it today came from them moving the event out of central park to the 5 boroughs to celebrate the Bicentennial. If you have a chance read this book I am not going to spoil its enjoyment.

Philly on Sunday.

ITS ON.

2009-11-13T14:24:00.003-05:00

Well I have decided that I am going to run the Philadelphia Marathon next Sunday. I got my bib Number 241. I did a race earlier this year and I was 242 found that kinda funny. Anyway the weather is looking good compared to this week. I have been out running but nothing to crazy. I am still a bit sore from NYC (knee and ankle) but that's to be expected. Hopefully next week I can taper a bit and be ready for Sunday. I know one thing that is important is hydration the forecast is calling for warm weather so that means it will require more fluid intake before and during the race.

I am feeling better health wise so that makes a huge difference because running a marathon sick is no fun. As for a goal. I am not setting one. I am just gonna run and see what happens. Enjoy the weekend and GO NOVA.

Whats next?

2009-11-07T20:24:00.002-05:00

Well I have taken a week off from running and it feels nice not to have to be training for anything. I am signed up for the Philly Marathon on Nov 22nd and I think I am going to run. I will keep everyone posted on my decision. As for my training log and race results I will update them this week. Enjoy the weekend.

NYC Marathon Wrap up

2009-11-03T10:04:00.002-05:00

Well another Marathon in the books. I ended up with a finishing time of 3:16:58 This was my slowest Marathon time ever but I finished and I had fun doing it. I ended up getting a stomach bug last Tues/Wed and that took most of my energy away from me. I was not eating right, Hydration was messed up and I was not feeling good the night before the race but I ran anyway. It was a battle and I wanted to run no matter what. For those who read this if you are sick the week before a race do not run. I have been in pain before when racing but this one hurt. Here is a wrap up of the weekend.

Got up to NJ Sat morning and went to my buddies place. We then headed over to the expo. I have been to many race expos but I was not that impressed by this one plus it was crazy crowded, hot and everything was picked over. We did not stay long and headed back to NJ.

Sunday morning (race day) got up and prepared to run this race. I was able to get dropped off at the start rather then take the bus. Once I got dropped off I had to wait online for almost 30 minutes to get into the starting area because they were checking all bags. This was a pain and needed to be done better since most of the people in line were foreigners and did not speak English. Once inside the race start area I got my stuff together and waited for the race. Once it was time they lined us up in corrals and then took us out on to the bridge but this was still messed up because they allowed a slower corral to go out first which cause chaos and people were running to try and get to the front. Eventually everything smoothed out and we got on the bridge and waited. Finally at 9:40 the race began and we were off. The first mile is all up hill over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge then you run through Brooklyn. The one I did notice was the first 2 mile markers were off by about .1 of a mile then eventually it evened out but not sure what mile it did because I did not run the tangent I ended up running 26.47 miles.

Well back to the race. The first half was great i was on pace to run 2:55/2:56 but then things started to go south. Around mile 13 there is a bridge and this is were I saw my times begin to slow. Then around mile 15 when you cross the 59th bridge this was were I lost all my steam. After mile 15 things went down hill. I have run races where I have hit the wall and usually you can't even think straight but this was nothing like that. I was flat out of energy. I heard NYC is a tough race because the course can beat you up. Well know I know the course and know what to expect. I guess being sick the week before does not help. Overall i thought this was a good race and I would definitely run it again. The only thing I found hard was that there is no real space to warm up. The crowds were great but walking almost a mile at the end to get your stuff is not fun. Congrats to all those who ran. Maybe you see me at Philly in 3 weeks.

Time for some recovery and rest. GO PHILS

New York Road Runners Alert Notification

2009-11-01T16:23:00.001-05:00

Event: ING New York City Marathon 2009
Last Name: Danko
First Name: Michael

Below are the latest runner's results:
--------------------------------------
Location: 5 Kilometers
Time: 00:20:25.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:33.79
--------------------------------------
Location: 10 Kilometers
Time: 00:40:47.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:33.99
--------------------------------------
Location: 15 Kilometers
Time: 01:01:59.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:39.00
--------------------------------------
Location: 20 Kilometers
Time: 01:23:47.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:44.40
--------------------------------------
Location: Half-Marathon
Time: 01:28:50.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:46.84
--------------------------------------
Location: 25 Kilometers
Time: 01:46:23.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:50.99
--------------------------------------
Location: 30 Kilometers
Time: 02:08:51.00
Pace/mile: 00:06:54.73
--------------------------------------
Location: 35 Kilometers
Time: 02:33:39.00
Pace/mile: 00:07:03.84
--------------------------------------
Location: 40 Kilometers
Time: 03:02:11.00
Pace/mile: 00:07:19.86
--------------------------------------
Location: Finish
Time: 03:16:58.00
Pace/mile: 00:07:31.05
--------------------------------------
All times are unofficial. Times may vary in post race official results.

Please note: This e-mail was sent from the NYRR Automated E-mail
Notification System. Please do not reply.

If you no longer wish to receive notification alerts from New York Road
Runners, you can unsubscribe by visiting
http://athletealert.ingnycmarathon.org/Alerts.aspx?unsubscribe.