new toy

I just got a new toy in the mail. A Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS watch. It is so very cool and fun. It is so cool it even picks up a GPS signal inside my house!!! Today is ths first day I have used it. I used to track my path walking johhny. Here it is: Johnny's Walk.
and here is a link to the forerunner.
And no, I didn't pay retail.

23 mile run

Yesterday I think I ran farther than I have ever run before. Sure I did that Honolulu marathon last year, but due to the heat and my injuries, I did a lot of walking. I feel that this training run was really a run.
It all started at 6am. Which is an ungodly hour to start. Not as bad as Honolulu's 5am, but still early. Florence's 9am start will be interesting too. That will be midnight in California time.
the route was great and just gorgeous. We started in golden gate park, ran over to the Presidio, through the Presidio, the old army base, and over the golden gate bridge. And we came right back and finished up with a long stretch along the great highway at Ocean Beach. The finish was awesome because they had balloons and little medallions commending our finish of our long trains run. It was a blast. And food. There is nothing I like better at the end of a long run than hard-boiled eggs. yum! Oh and mamosas. One of the other pace groups brought mamosas for after the run. Double yum! Then, with a mamosa still in hand, I had a little dip in the ocean for about 10 minutes to ice my legs. COLD!
my over all pace was 11'-13" for 23.5 miles, that includes a restroom break. We were also stopped by the AIDS Marathon coaches at mile 12 for going too fast. They made us do a penalty lap at this one place that the most gorgeous view of the city. I just couldn't believe the number of times on this run that I said, "wow. I've never been to this part of San Francisco before."

Then I went home and slept. I feel much better today.

Foot pain

A few Weeks ago I got some new shoes because my old ones were blown out. I had run too much on them and the outside support on my left shoe was gone. It was like smacking concrete. I didn't realize what was going on at first, but when I had to stop after 5 miles because of the pain, I knew something was up.

I have gone through a number of things trying to figure out what it is. Plantar Fasciitis? A deep bruise from running with no cushioning? Achilles tendiniitis? They could all be culprits. I have been having pain in my lower calves for along time, and when I was stretching recently I could really feel a pull in my Achilles tendon down near my heel. Beneath my heel it feels fine, so I don't think it is Plantar Fasciitis.

I have been using the RICE method to heal up. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate. With more emphasis on the resting and the compression. I think it would be worthwhile to see my accupunturist, Andreas, just to loosen thing up some. I'll post more as things come up.

What I have been upto...

I am running a marathon to raise money for people living with AIDS. I am out to raise $40000 and need your help to keep these people rockin!

Last December I had the honor to run in the Honolulu Marathon for people living with HIV/AIDS. With a lot help from a lot of great people I raised over $5,000 for the AIDS Marathon organization, with the proceeds going to help people living with HIV/AIDS in California and around the world. This year I am doing it again, only bigger and I need your help.

In 2005 I was able to run for 26.2 miles and train for 6 months knowing that I had a great team of people supporting me and that I was running to help countless others who are living with AIDS. I was running for their lives.

Running for somebody else was very humbling; being at service to others, knowing that their needs are greater than my own. Living with AIDS in the US is not the same as it was even 5 years ago, but it is still a struggle. It is a larger struggle for those around the world and in Africa.

I had my own struggles while training. I had injuries that kept me from my weekly runs with the group. Sometimes after a run my knees would freeze up and I couldn't walk. But I knew I had to keep going, for myself and more importantly for people in the world living with HIV and AIDS.

On marathon day, halfway through the marathon in Honolulu I was exhausted. The heat was really bad. My co-pilot Will was doing his best to keep my energy up and keep me focused. I was tired. But every time I came around a corner there were people cheering me on, calling out my name, supporting me in my running and supporting the cause I was running for. Their energy became mine and I suddenly was able to accelerate, where moments before I was having a hard time moving at all.

Through the support of others I pushed myself further than I ever could have by myself. I don't just run for me. I run with AIDS Marathon so I can give back to the group that really showed me that real living is a feedback loop. In the same way the supporters energy became mine, I know that by supporting AIDS Marathon, my energy, and those supporting me, is received by those that we are helping in even greater quantities than we are giving out. and that is beautiful.

This year I am back in San Francisco and am training hard for another marathon. On Thanksgiving day I am travelling to Italy to run in the
Florence Marathon. I have a promise to raise at least $4,000 for AIDS Marathon. This year my running and fundraising goal is $40,000. yes.
with the extra zero. And I cant do that by myself.

I have put in close to 200 miles in training this season, and I have at least another 100 to go before Marathon Day on Nov 26th.
Will you donate to help me reach my goal? Will you be on my team to make a difference and rock out?!

Dont forget, all donations are tax deductible.
If you can donate, please go here:
http://aidsmarathon.com/participant.asp?runner=SF-4440&EventCode=FL06

or, If you would like to help me in my fundraising plans, please email
me. If you can help, thank you. if you are not able to help, thank you for taking the time and please let others know what I am up to.

thanks,
doug

Florence 42Km course.

Check out the course for the marathon...all along the river.
http://www.firenzemarathon.it/B3P_FirenzeMarathon/B3PortalConfig/DinamicPortalFiles/FileComuni/Percorso/PERCORSO.pdf