Author Archives: Scott D.
GETTING BACK ON THE HORSE…WITH A VENGEANCE
“I’d run that for a dollar.”
Well, it’s day three of my “forced” running hiatus following Sunday’s LA Marathon. I figured I needed a few days to mend from the pounding I just did to my poor body (what did it ever do to me). And clearly a little downtime was good, especially since on Monday my sore legs and stiff neck (from sleeping wrong) had me walking around like “Robocop” (the classic one).
“Dead or alive, you’re running with me.”
Over the past 48 hours, I’ve been swimming in a sea of race memories… from checking out my race results online, to grimacing at the “proofs” from MarathonFoto and perusing Facebook for posts and photos from my friends (and also strangers) about the whole race experience.
And apparently feeding my running addiction.
RACE REVIEW: 2014 ASICS LOS ANGELES MARATHON (3/9/14)
“City of Angels” bling.
“I love LA!” Yes indeed. Randy Newman’s “unofficial” city anthem got plenty of play this weekend at the start of the 2014 Asics LA Marathon. An annual tradition since 1986, this year’s race featured a “sold-out” field of 25,000 runners dashing along the popular “Stadium to the Sea” route. Other events included the “Big 5 LA 5K” on Saturday as well as the option to run the marathon as a 2-person relay (handing off at the midway point). This year’s race also featured two unexpected twists to give the race a little “added drama” (and boy does this city love drama). First off, this year’s race coincided with “Daylight’s Savings Time” (“Spring Forward” everyone) robbing us of an hour of much-needed pre-race sleep and guaranteeing that everyone set numerous alarm clocks to ensure they didn’t oversleep. In addition, “Mother Nature” decided to overdo things a little (okay, a lot) on the California sunshine, but more on that later.
THE DAY AFTER…
Roadkill… pretty much how I felt yesterday around mile 22.
Just a brief post today as I analyze, ponder and pontificate about yesterday’s LA Marathon. I’m thinking about what went right, what went wrong and how I’d do it differently if I had it to do all over again.
And still agonizing over that bloody heat.
I’m also going to do my best to avoid the “Post marathon blues” (it’s a real thing) as you come to grips with the fact that the event you’ve been training for and planning for months has now come and gone. The pictures are posted, and my newest race medal is up on the wall with his brothers and sisters.
The thing I’ll miss most now that the LA Marathon is over is not meeting up with my T2 family every Saturday morning for that week’s training session. I truly looked forward to seeing the gang from “Team Roadkill” and the rest of the T2 group as we hit the road together.
THE LA MARATHON EXPERIENCE: POST MORTEM
Before things got hot!
Today’s 2014 Asics LA Marathon is run and done and looking back I can say three positive things about the race.
- I finished.
- I PR’d.
- I didn’t puke.
Now, refraining from vomiting is normally not among my main marathon goals, but given the race conditions, it was actually quite the achievement.
The other day I spoke about my goal of breaking the 5-hour barrier, unless my “best laid plans” went astray.
THE LA MARATHON EXPERIENCE: M-DAY
Race morning. Up at 1:30 am (which is really 2:30 because it’s Daylight Savings Time)
Number of runners for The Los Angeles Marathon: Approximately 25,000 (SOLD OUT)
Number of runners for Team To End AIDS: Approximately 100
Temperature forecast for the start (Dodger Stadium): Approximately 57 degrees
Temperature forecast for “High Noon” (Santa Monica): Approximately 77 degrees
First Song on My Running Mix: “Big Machine”- The Goo Goo Dolls
Let’s do this…”Post Mortem” to come later today.
Run on!
THE LA MARATHON EXPERIENCE: EXPO-SED…
Nobody does walk in this city.
I love me a good expo and LA does it right. Something about being in the midst of thousands of my fellow runners that just gets me utterly pumped for the race to come. I think we just feed off of each other’s enthusiasm.
Then there’s that excited feeling when you’re handed your bib and finally knowing it’s for real… you’re running tomorrow.
Not to mention the reveal of the official race shirt. What color will it be (hopefully not white)? Will the design be cool or lame? And will it be cut to actually fit humans. For the record, LA’s 2014 grey shirt with bright orange logo (and good cut) gets a “thumbs up” from me. And remember, don’t wear that shirt until after tomorrow’s race!
THE LA MARATHON EXPERIENCE: BREAKING BREAD
Bring on the grub!
Last night the runners and support staff for Team To End AIDS (T2) met at Maggiano’s for our carbo-load dinner… our “Triumph party.”
And it was quite the celebration.
About 100 of us gathered in one of the large party rooms marveling at what we each look like dressed in real clothes… and damn, we cleaned up pretty darn well.
It was a 2 ½ party as we celebrated the training season and got necessary information for tomorrow’s race. The food was good and plenty (we were a ravenous bunch).
In addition, we applauded to the highest fund raisers and gave thanks to the wonderful support staff, coaches assistants and pace group leaders who kept everything running smoothly this season.
THE LA MARATHON EXPERIENCE: “CAUSE” TO RUN…
We are T2!
Okay, so my runner’s OCD started kicking in yesterday and I’m sure it will be ramping up exponentially until the race starts on Sunday.
So, I’ve already started my race prep… tapering/hydrating, laundry done, gathering gear, reading instructions, checking on the weather and starting on a 5-hour music mix.
I’m on the fence as to whether or not I’ll hit the expo this afternoon or go Saturday morning. I’d prefer today, but it depends on the old work schedule.
Tonight I have the “Triumph/Carbo-load” dinner at Maggiano’s with my running group Team To End AIDS (T2). More on that and photos to boot, later.
But I wanted to start my prep by throwing out a number (as I’ve been harping on numbers all week). And it’s by far the most impressive number I’ll mention.
$160,000
LEAPING FORWARD…
In 2013, The LA Marathon was run on St. Patrick’s Day, meaning I could go out and party after the race… in theory, anyway.
Four leafs would be better.
But as opposed to dancing around a tavern and waving my LA Marathon finisher’s medal screaming “Kiss me, I’m Irish [which I am] and I just ran a friggin’ marathon [which I did],” my St. Patrick’s Day afternoon and evening consisted of me icing my aching feet while sitting on the sofa cradling a McDonald’s “shamrock shake” (I do love those things) and sucking zzzzzs before 9pm.
Erin Go Bragh, indeed.
Also, my birthday falls on March 14th. So, last year my party was smack dab in the middle of taper time. Needless to say it was not an all-night bash involving strippers, clowns, stripper clowns, exploding chickens and various misdemeanors.
ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE…
Causing “royal pain.”
This Sunday at the Los Angeles Marathon I plan to yell something as I cross the 25-mile mark.
And no, it’s not “Dear God, kill me now.”
Well, probably not.
Like many other of the 25,000 runners, I’ll be uttering the marathoner’s tributary phrase… “God save the Queen.”
I remember the first time I uttered that phrase at the LA Marathon in 2009; the runner next to me asked why I did that. I would have explained it to them properly, but I was doing my best not to pass out at that particular moment so I could only manage to reply with a mumbled “You just do.” Thinking back, it may have come out as “Grrfgghkl.” I can’t really be sure; I was a little loopy at that point.
But now that I’m not in the midst of a 26.2-mile death march, I can give a slightly longer and less slurred explanation.
GET WITH THE “PROGRAM”…
Just a quick bonus post today. I was perusing through the ASICS 2014 LA Marathon “Official Race Program” when I came across a surprising picture and article on Page 59. Click on the page below.
Get your program here!
There for all to see was a photo of my pace group (Team Roadkill) and I from Team To End AIDS as part of the article on the charity groups running the race. T2 is one of the official charity groups for the LA Marathon.
THE NUMBER “5”…
The Cinco!
Quick, what is your “favorite” number?
Is it lucky number “7” or do you tempt fate and go for “13”? Fans of Douglas Adams opt for “42” while fans of something entirely different sway toward the number “69.” Maybe you like “99” in support of the “The Great One” Wayne Gretzky or “3.14159” because who doesn’t like “pi”? “Mmm, pie…. Ahhh” (in your best Homer Simpson voice).
My favorite number has always been “5.”
Why? Because number 5 was worn by my favorite athlete from when I was a kid… my older brother, Todd. He was a natural athlete, exceling at both soccer and wrestling. As for me when I was little, I was an average athlete at best and always wanted to be more like him.
FEET FIRST…
What a pair.
Yesterday I did a little bit of prep work for Sunday’s LA Marathon.
Did I squeeze in some cardio and core work at the gym?
Nope.
Did I hit the track for a little bit of speed work?
Negatory, good buddy.
Did I run a few miles at Griffith Park to get an early jump on the week?
That would be “no.”
So, what exactly did I do to start getting myself ready for the 26.2 “Stadium to the Sea” race?
I got a pedicure and manicure.
“MY THIRTY”…
Run on T2!
The Los Angeles Marathon is one week from today, and every post this week will be about the “Stadium to the sea” run and my preparations (and trepidations) for it.
Today I wanted to take a moment to say “thank you” to a special group, that I’ve dubbed “My Thirty.”
As part of Team To End AIDS (T2), my goal is to help increase awareness and raise funds to support AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA). Last October I began my fundraising, asking everyone within the sound of my voice (or within the reach of my Facebook) to help contribute to this worth cause.
OCHO IN THE RAIN, SORT OF…
Left my Superman shirt at home.
Earlier this week I wrote a post in preparation for the inevitable deluge that was sure to turn our final pre-LA Marathon taper run into a swim or at the very least an 8-mile game of “dodge the puddles.”
And sure enough, it did pour in LA this week. Between Wednesday and today, the City of Angeles has been subject to the heavens repeatedly opening up and inundating us with sheets of pounding precipitation. Of course the rest of the country would describe the cataclysmic cloudbursts slightly different… it rained.
All kidding aside, we needed the rain to help the drought conditions. So while we did get a nice drink of water, Los Angeles is still quite thirsty.
Tripping The Kenyans 