A little bit of this and a little bit of that ....

 A little bit of this ...

Predictably, now that snow has fallen pretty heavily here at the house, I'm finding more time to do indoor  "stuff" that I've put off because of an active summer here in Alaska.  But then, other distracting and tempting outdoor opportunities present themselves, like Alpine and Nordic skiing.

A recent highlight this year was my trip back to New Jersey to visit family and attend my Wayne Valley High School Class of 1970 40th Reunion.  The reunion weekend included attending a WV football game with fellow classmates, hoisting a brew or two with them at local hangouts, attending a very nice formal dinner, and visiting over good coffee and breakfasts.  I visited with some high school friends I haven't seen in 35+ years. Especially enjoyable was driving around my home town (Wayne, NJ) with friends and touring where we all lived and noticing how things had changed and in some cases, not changed.

My home in Wayne, NJ where I grew up.

However, what made me feel real old was when my track and cross-country buddies David, Paul, Guy and I had to bushwhack our way through a now heavily forested area behind our school to find the long-abandoned and now overgrown uphill trail that was part of our home cross country course.

Myself with Guy, Paul and David on our formerly used cross country trail

Funny thing, when I first arrived at the reunion weekend I saw everyone as 57/58-year olds and the faces were unfamiliar.  But over time I saw the ages peel off of people and reveal the 18-year old faces and smiles I remembered...it was really freaky to see the transformation.

Fellow smiling classmates at Wayne Diner for breakfast.

I think it was a relief and refreshing for us all to revert back to the way we were and for at least a few days, cast off the responsibilities of our adult lives.  

2010 Trampathon Abroad Update

...nothing so liberalizes a man and expands the kindly instincts that nature put in him as travel and contact with many kinds of people.  - Letter from Mark Twain to San Francisco Alta California, dated May 18th, 1867; published June 23, 1867

The Mark Twain quote I posted exemplifies many of my thought processes these days and certainly reinforces some of the reasons I decided to put together my 2010 Trampathon Abroad in Europe.  Earlier posts go into other details of my trip planning and purposes so I won't describe them here; however, my traveling companion Bob Bowker and I can attest that we had contact with many kinds of people, which was one of our many trip goals.  Mark Twain's A Tramp Abroad (1880) was his sequel to his The Innocents Aboard (1869).  Both books focused attention on European travel at a defining moment in post-Civil War America.  My intent is to reference some of his observations when I write in my blog about my own.  This will kind of be exciting because Twain was very verbal and critical of what he saw and experienced in many of the places Bob and I visited, e.g. Paris, Rome, Pompeii, Vesuvius, Paestrum, and Florence. In Venice when Twain first saw gondolas, he thought them, "inky, rusty old canoes manned by mangy, barefoot guttersnipes" ... that sure as hell wasn't my first impression.  Yes it's a different era but I'm finding that the more things change, the more they stay the same.  Walking and talking brought Twain's Abroad books into being...walking and talking brought my trip to life. It is said that Twain's European adventures sparked his creativity...in my case the trip sparked a greater desire to continue to tour the great cities of Europe and beyond. 

...and a little bit of that.

Since my decision last August to back off of distant running, I have been tempted numerous times to change my mind.  My tempting is related to my buddies many recent accomplishments and/or planned accomplishments.  Here in Anchorage, my friends Neal and Jon recently finished the Zombie Half Marathon and my family friend Mary Rita is finishing her training for the upcoming California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA.  I also just learned that my friend, and Boston Marathon qualifier, Mark and his wife have begun to train for a Half Ironman.  My Florida tempters John and Bill respectively completed the Florida Ironman and Miami Half Ironman.  Another friend here in Anchorage, Casey, finished the Hawaii Half Marathon last June.  I was also moved watching this year's New York City Marathon and seeing the many ordinary folks struggling to finish, especially the Chilean runner who survived the collapsed mine incident.  As excited as I am for all my friends accomplishments, I can't help but think that I'm missing out because of my August decision.

A previous blog entry explains my decision to back off distance running, which I really don't regret. - - or at least I keep telling myself that.   In place of distance training, I'm substituting a more balanced fitness program of swimming, running and strength training.  I'm reminded that I promised my 12 year old daughter Hannah that I'd be ready to participate with her in next year's Eagle River Triathlon.  The jammer swim suit and goggles are bought and I've scoped out local pools and swimming lessons to teach me how to swim laps without drowning.  I'm also hoping the tendinitis I have in my forearms won't cripple my chances to swim effectively. There is, however, one other development that may hinder my plans.

I'll be covering this in more detail when I post entries about my European adventure, but the short story is that since having my corrective heart surgery in January 2009, I continue to have periodic episodes of shortness of breath which cause me to either abruptly slow down when I run or have to stop entirely to catch my breath.  Funny thing, it only occurs when I run...never skiing, hiking, or doing heavy chores.  It's hard to predict when it happens when I run but it happened once when I was running the Rome Marathon, a few times near the end of the Paris Marathon, and surprisingly not at all when I ran the Madrid Marathon.  Things came to a head when I ran the local Humpy's Marathon last August - I was lucky to finish.  Since January 2009 my marathon times have slowed down from about 4:15 to over 6 hours...not good.  Last week I had a trans-esophageal echocardiogram to determine if my replaced aortic valve is functioning correctly, as my cardiologist Dr. Linda Ireland suggested I have it performed to rule out any cardiac causes for my breathing problems and slower marathon times.  Results indicated some anomalies which Dr. Ireland wanted the Mayo and/or Cleveland clinics to evaluate because she wasn't sure of the results or its repercussions.  We should get their report in about a week or so.  My general physician Dr. John Mues mentioned once before that medical follow up studies have shown that cancer survivors who received radiation treatments to the chest, like myself when at 19 I was treated for Hodgkin s Disease, are increasingly developing asthma.  I hoping that asthma is the culprit, and not the aortic valve. If the cardiac test is "normal", then I'll likely see a pulmonary specialist for further assistance. In the mean time, I'll continue to hop along with my new fitness plans....stay tuned!

The road ends at the 2010 Humpy's Marathon...sort of.

First of all, I am knowingly aware that I am far behind on my 2010 Trampathon Abroad postings, and my wife reminds me that I am well behind on our planned bathrooms and downstairs renovation. However, autumn is rolling in and before you know it, I'll be snowbound here in the house catching up on those two to-do things. So what's up with the title of this post? I believe I mentioned in a prior posting that I was going to back off distance running (marathons specifically) and begin to diversify my fitness training.  Well, this year's Humpy's Marathon (which is my 8th straight Humpy's)  is my last marathon for the foreseeable future. That's not to say I have given up running...no way!  I just plan to dovetail shorter running distances with weight training, swimming, and biking...in hopes of participating in next year's Eagle River Triathlon (it would be my first) with my 12 year-old daughter Hannah.  Maybe my wife Marian will join us...that would be cool!

The 2010 Big Wild Life Runs were pretty special this year, as a number of friends ran one of many offered races (5K, Half Marathon, Full Marathon), each having its own main corporate sponsor.  I along with  Trampathon Bob Bowker, Mark Schroeder, and Mike Brandt (a CA friend I ran the Dublin Marathon with a few years ago) ran the Humpy's Marathon.

Most marathon events kick things off with a runners Expo, where you pick up your running bib packet, visit with other runners, hear guest speakers, and shop around for bargains at exhibitor's tables. Well, our expo really didn't have any of that, with one exception.  The expo organizers brought in Jeff 

 
Galloway (U.S. Olympian and running icon) and Bart Yasso (Chief Running Officer of Runner's World Magazine) to the expo, to speak at the pasta feed, and for Bart to be the guest finish line announcer.  My buddy Mike Brandt (in the photo standing next to Jeff) looks on almost bored but it's never boring talking to Jeff.

Saturday, I went to the pasta feed at the newly constructed Dena'ina Center with Bob and Mike.

We loaded up our plates and started to dig in. A couple joined us at our table and they looked very familiar, Mike thought so also. As is my nature, I started to drill them with questions about who they are, where they lived and what marathons they ran...and behold, they (Bill and Barb Grass from Texas) were on the very same Dublin Marathon tour Mike and I took with Marathon Tours and Travel a few years ago. 

Well, the flood gates opened with us sharing memories from that great trip. All that was missing were the pints of Guinness!  How strange and wonderful at the same time.

On to race day...the lonely downtown Anchorage starting line and some morning sunshine greeted us.   It has been very wet here in south central Alaska so it wasn't surprising when the sun soon disappeared and downtown Anchorage was shrouded in fog. Yes, that is a moving dinosaur puppet out there beyond the starting line.

But, Bob, myself and Mike stayed relaxed and ready for things to start rolling.

Others running various distances were also ready to go: my wife Marian and friends Neal and Jon running the 5K, friends Judy and Mary Rita running the Half Marathon, and Mark also running the Full Marathon.  This is where all the good, warm, and fuzzy things stop and the pain and misery of running a marathon (badly) begins. The following photo is of Mike and I after we finished the marathon. If you notice, no one else is around.  Where did all the spectators go?  Why are the organizers tearing down their equipment?  Where is the famous Bart Yasso announcing our names to the hordes of spectators as we cross the finish line?  Well, it's because we weren't able to finish under 6 hours and who in their right mind is going to bother to hang out in the cloudy rainy weather and cheer on some slug marathoners across the finish line...let me tell you, no one!  Heck, I wouldn't. That's OK, we got our finishers medals (my 38th marathon and Mike's 98th) and they can't take that away from us.

We may look happy and relaxed but we weren't.  Mike and I had a hell of a bad run...my slowest ever and one hell of a way to "retire" from marathoning.  To start things out, I had tough times catching my breath beginning at mile 8 and cramps in my two calf muscles starting at mile 16.  I peg-legged ran from there to mile 24.5 and then walked until I saw the finish line.  Trying to save face, I decided to do the Tin Man run the last 50 yards.  Upon crossing the finish line, I received my medal and then yelled out in pain as my calf muscles seized up one final time. Beyond a doubt, this was the most grueling marathon I have ever run.  I also learned from Bob and Mark that they also had their slowest marathon times as well...must have been something in the air.  Oh, I forgot to tell you.  At mile 11 I had to take a detour in the woods to get around a female moose blocking the route on the Coastal Trail.  So, do YOU want to run a marathon?

At the big BBQ Marian and I hosted for our friends after the races, Mike put things into perspective...he said that he and I, being prior open-heart surgery patients, should just be happy to be here...OPA!

Blog title photo: Normandy Coast

Perspective

I continue to be reminded almost on a daily basis how my 2010 Trampathon Abroad adventure has shifted my focus to think more globally than nationally…that’s not to say I didn’t have much of an interest in global events beforehand. In high school I participated in the Model United Nations and represented Great Britain in the General Assembly in my first year and the-then Soviet Union on the Security Council in my senior year. Certainly growing up in the turbulent Viet Nam War era exposed me and a generation of other teenagers to the reality of world politics and events.

My travel buddy Bob said it best when he told me during the trip that he’d never view Europe the same way again. Stories from oversees could now be put into perspective after having spent time in some of Europe’s greatest cities and for many weeks, witnessing daily newscasts about “what’s going on in Europe” and boy, there was lots going on: the failing euro, Greece’s economic problems, volcanic ash disrupting worldwide air travel, pre-World Cup hype, etc. By the way, European news outlets spent a lot of time discussing Obama’s National Health Care legislation as well as reporting on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

I now find myself surfing for news about Italy, Spain and France, rather than news about my “Motherland.” Soccer’s World Cup means EVERYTHING to Europeans and we witnessed their obsession every day in daily broadcast games and in-depth discussions about each qualifying team. Each country would brag about their chances to bring the World Cup home. It is totally devastating to the Italians and French that their countries were ousted in the first round of competition. I’m sure if I were still in Europe, daily sportscasts
would be crucifying the teams’ play and how they were mismanaged. No one in Europe gave the Americans any chance of moving beyond the first round, but here we are playing Ghana tomorrow morning in the second knock-out round. My time in Spain was a very special one and I sure hope they can continue to advance. It was amazing strolling the Madrid streets in the evening seeing every café and bar packed with patrons screaming at the television and rooting for their favorite team…their passion for the game is infectious!

Madrid's Santiago Stadium...home of the Real Madrid soccer team.

While in Europe, Greece’s economic disaster, how to solve it, and their affect on the euro were always top stories. Now back in the USA and hearing how Spain’s economy is beginning to tank, I’m confused about how bad it really is. While in Madrid, my host Lorenzo Sanchez touted the many benefits derived by Spain’s wealth and economic policies, and I witnessed its prosperous lifestyle every day I was there.

The impacts of recent transit strikes in Paris and Rome now are in perspective, as Bob and I relied on each city’s Metro 100% to get around. We witnessed firsthand how valuable the Metros are for daily commuters and tourists alike.

Entrance to the Louvre Museum in Paris.

 While in Paris, we visited almost every museum we could and certainly missed some hidden treasures, so it was of great interest to read about how the Paris Museum of Modern Art was burglarized, not once, but twice!If you ever visited one of Paris’s museums you’ll know that it is almost impossible to get within arm’s reach of any art masterpiece … so it’s amazing that the burglars got into the museums through a broken window and the alarm was not functioning properly.

Speed reached while traveling from Madrid to Barcelona.

A recent tragic story about a high speed train traveling to Barcelona and hitting dozens of people crossing the tracks has me reflecting on my high speed train trips (in excess of 300 kilometers per hour) from Madrid to Barcelona and Madrid to Segovia … at that speed, the people hit by the train certainly didn’t see the train coming … the horror must have been truly terrifying.

Bob and I spending time at the Roman Coliseum.

On a lighter note, it’s been fun to read about the recently discovered earliest known artwork of the apostles in catacombs in Rome; how sections of the Roman Coliseum fell narrowly missing tourists, and how other sections of the Coliseum never visited by tourists soon will be available to tourists. I also read that Paris intends to close roads along the Seine River and transform them into pedestrian walkways and open space. Roman and Paris are best described as living museum-cities where every street offers you wonderful cultural and historical views…I miss being there, but through the Internet I can continue to “be there” and re-live my trip.

The Grand Palace in Paris as seen from the Seine River.

Did the Trampathon really happen???

As I sit here writing this entry I'm puzzled why it is so difficult to get my thoughts together and start typing my fingers off.  It's been four weeks since I ran the Madrid Marathon and three weeks since I flew back to Alaska, why then the block?  I feel like I am still decompressing from the European trip and from my trip to Ft. Collins to attend my daughter Laura's graduation from Colorado State.  This week is the first "normal" week, in that I am not having to prepare for another out-of-state trip and don't have pressing family events (like Hannah's graduating from 6th grade into Middle School)...although the week is indeed a busy one.  I'm reminded about my first day back to Anchorage...I arrived totally fried at 2:30 am on May 2.  I woke up later in the day in a daze and disoriented.  I stumbled through the day with the family and then later that night attended "The Wizard of Oz" performance at the Performing Arts Center.  Talk about a "what's on first and who's on second" moment, I wanted to click my ruby slippers and travel back to a quiet cafe in Paris, have a cup of coffee, and watch the world go by.  Well, that didn't happen.  Soon I was back doing outdoor chores, indoor chores, working back at the Corps of Engineers part time, and the days were flying by.  Everyday since I returned to Alaska, I wondered

when I would have the quality time I need to tell you about my European adventures and share the 2500+ photos I took along the way.  There's so much to tell.  My daily Facebook posts helped to establish some story line benchmarks that I hope to expand upon.  Luckily I took daily notes to help my fading ability to remember things in detail.  My sister Carol, a published author of poetry and retired high school English teacher, has given me some advice about how to organize my thoughts and how to present my stories.  Over the coming months, yes months and not days, I plan to post stories in a chapter format and provide slide shows as illustrations.  My immediate task, however, will be to develop an outline of topics worthy of your attention.  I know some chapters will cover the individual marathon events, adventures in each city/town visited, observations about European life styles, all the great food, the mass transit adventures, some of the folks we met along the way, etc.  I think the real problem I face right now is that the Alaskan summer is just around the corner and the last thing I want to do is be inside the house .... there are fish to catch, trails to hike and ride bikes on, camping opportunities, golf and tennis matches, etc. etc. etc.  Like I do for running my marathons, I'll go nice and easy and eventually reach the finish line.  I hope you all hang in there with me.  Now, back to my chores!

Photos: The Grand Palace in Madrid, Spain; Overlook of Florence, Italy (Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral); Bob and I with fellow Rome marathoners; the Alcazar in Toledo, Spain; My sister Carol and Mom with me in Toms River, New Jersey.

Living museums in Florence and Cinque Terre

Over stimulation is about the best way to describe that last week or so.  Florence in indeed a living museum of people, art, fantastic buildings and fashion.  The museums contain great works of art and sculpture and the "entertainment" in the streets is equally fascinating. The rooms we have been staying in have been very comfortable, but cramped.  We are constantly strolling around so time in the rooms is very limited during the day.  Florence is a place that needs to be visited more than once to appreciate.  Being there near Easter adds an extra element to the city... same thing for the Cinque Terre area.  Our arrival on Thursday was perfectly timed, as we were able to get settled in and prepare for our coastline hike from Monterosso to Riomaggiore. That hike occurred on Friday in bluebird sky conditions.  No words can describe our adventure, so I won't try.  Spring is about to spring here along the coast so many of our photos are of flowering vegetation...that's the naturalist in both Bob and I.  Bob claim not to have taken more than a few photos in his life...on this trip he is up to about 500!  Tomorrow we head to Venice via the train.  We go from Monterroso to La Spezia to Bolognia to Venice...through the mountains, hooray!  Oh, I did finally go for a "brief" swim...Bob photo documented the chilling event.  The weather here on the coast has been pleasantly cool, but I'm disappointed because I was counting on lots of beach time here in Cinque Terre...I'll just have to come back!  Enough for now...we're headed off to dinner.  Oh, the Paris Marathon is next Sunday...can't wait for that.  Ciao!

P.S. I'm working on an Apple computer here at Hotel Pasquale, which is a first.  I couldn't tell which photos I would be uploading so I randomly selected some jpegs to upload ... surprise and enjoy!

Catch up time ... so much to tell, so little time!

Title photo...Trajan's Column near the Roman Forum

Mama mia!  Yes that's then name of a Broadway musical, but it best describes my time thus far in Italy with fellow trampathoner Bob.  I knew this adventure was going to be good because it all started with a great authentic Spanish meal in New Jersey after my family picked me up from the Newark airport almost two weeks ago. Bob and I are driving back from Sorrento to Naples early tomorrow morning to catch a train to Florence and it's late here and I have yet to pack.  I'm using our pensione's (Il Roseta) PC to finally load some photos onto the blog (see slide show) but it literally took me two hours to figure out the PC, my new camera (the one I brought over broke), how to download photos from here etc...  I only have time to shoot you all some bulleted thoughts and observations from the trip thus far.  I will have expanded posts sooner or later but in the mean time, check out my Facebook page for daily updates and photos.  If you are not on Facebook...set up a fake page, ask me to be your friend, and then follow my updates.

Here we go:
1. Running the Rome Marathon with my buddy Bob was a blast.  Took lots of photos along the way. Weather for me was humid and warmer than I'm use to.  It was a great feeling finishing.
2. Rome and Italian drivers are nuts...you take your life in your hand crossing the street.
3. I can live on pizza and gelati.

4. The Vatican and its museum are overwhelming.
5. The Colloseum is even larger than I imagined.

6. The Italian youth smoke up a storm and both men and women dress to impress.
7. Pompeii is a huge complex ruin requiring more time than we gave it.
8. Sorrento is a must see, along with the island of Capri.  Bob and hiked all over the island. Great day there.
9. Driving the Amalfi Coast (especially at night) aged me 10 years but the views were spectacular.

10. The Greek ruins at Paestrum are a hidden tourist treasure.  Quite, huge, great museum.

11. The ancient Roman ruins at Ostia Antica are very impressive, amazing but more crowded, especially with noisy school children on field trips.

12. The Rome metro (subway) system is fantastic...very easy to use.

13. The Spanish Steps are is, I think, over rated...crowded, noisy, dirty...disappointing.

14. Bob and I stumbled across and wondered through a political rally near our hotel in Rome...wild scene!

I know there is more on my mind but my thoughts are getting sloppy.  Back to the room to pack.

Caio!   

A Tramp Abroad

It's time to give birth to this baby.  My wife Marian compared my preparing for this trip to a 2-year pregnancy.  I first started planning for this trip waaaaay back in 2008 in hopes of taking it in Spring 2009, but we all know what happened.  My heart operation in January 2009 put an end to that real quick.  Since then it's been a long road of cardiac rehab, marathon training, trip planning and everything in-between.  With that have been highs and lows, grumpy spells (understatement), easy days and hard days, etc. etc. etc.  Days I didn't want to put on my running shoes and other days I couldn't wait to run.  My buddy Mark Schroeder (who qualified for the Boston Marathon and is running it this year) said I had straining days instead of training days...he is absolutely correct.  Hence the comparison with a loooooong pregnancy.  Now the "baby" is about to be born...HOORAY!

With everything that has happened over the past year or so, It's hard to believe that this trip is actually going to happen.  Running/jogging/walking (???) the Rome, Paris and Madrid marathons will be an amazing experience...I really miss the excitement of the marathon crowd and attending the marathon expos.  The international flare will make it that more exciting.  Adding to all this is the excitement of seeing and running amongst the ancient ruins of Europe.  Fortunately, my traveling buddy Bob and I have plugged in relaxing time between the running events.  Spending Easter Week and weekend in Cinque Terre, Italy will be an awesome adventure.  Traveling along Italy's Almalfi Coast will provide us amazing vistas of a rugged coastline.  We've already made some friends in Venice and Florence, as my hotel contacts there have been corresponding with us about our adventures.  Roby in Venice is especially interested because he is a marathoner as well.  My high school buddy Peter Pasquariello (how's that for an Italian last name) who attended veterinary school in Italy has a friend in the Venice area who is willing to show us around.  How strange, there's hole-in-the-wall gelato store in Venice named Alaska that we'll be visiting.  In Paris, Bob and I will be joined by our friends Bill Parady and his wife Salome, along with some of their friends.  We plan to see the major Parisian sites but I'm really looking forward to taking the train to the Normandy Coast to visit the D-Day sites and surrounding area.  My time in Spain will be really different from the rest of the trip because I'll be on my own for my visit to Barcelona and Valencia.  However, like for Paris and Rome, I'll  be associated with an organized marathon tour, and after the marathon, I'll be staying with a family member, Lorenzo Sanchez.  I know I'll be ready to head home by then (understatement).

I expect that my psyche will be changed by this trip...in what way, I don't know.  Will I be totally burned out on international travel?  Will I ever want to run again?  Many more questions will surface I know.  I do know, however, that my efforts to stay in shape after my return will focus on cross and strength training.  I plan to cut way back on distance running, learn how to lap swim, and bike ride more...all this in hopes of participating in a triathlon someday.

It's time to close out this entry and do some final packing, as I head to the airport at midnight to catch a 2:30 am flight to Jersey. I'll spend less than two days there to relax at my Mom's home in Toms River and prepare for my Wednesday night departure to Rome.  After arriving in Rome on Thursday at 7:30 am, I'll attempt to find Bob at the airport and the Trampathon Abroad will officially begin!  I plan to update my FaceBook page regularly and when WiFi and/or an internet cafe is available, I'll update my blog...so stay tuned!

Take care, God Bless and all you runners out there, Train hard...Run far!

Mixed bag of nutzzzzzz!

One week from today and the adventure begins and surprisingly I see the light at the end of the tunnel - - it's not the headlight of a train.  My trip to-do list is down to about a half page, my last 20-miler was run last Thursday (My God how I hate running laps, especially 80!), packing is about half done, all travel logistics are in place, and my "home stuff" to-do list is, well, almost down to two pages.

I was contacted this last week by the Amazing Running Tours folks that they found a roommate for me while in Madrid.  I was happy to hear that because it'll save me a few euros and it'll be fun to share stories about our running adventures.  My roommate is Jim Collins, and he has an amazing story to tell...I suspect it was meant to be that we'd be roommates...Jim writes in an email to me:

I’m envious of your trip. Traveling to run marathons around the world is a dream of mine, I’m hoping to fulfill by starting with Madrid. I have a little bit of an unusual story. I’ve had five different spinal surgeries to correct for scoliosis in my life, the most recent and most serious were in 2002 and 2004. I’m fused at fourteen levels of my spine and have a good deal of hardware in my back. Over the course of the last three or four years, I slowly started running again. I started out very slowly and gradually worked my way up to longer runs – greater distances and longer times on the road. In September I ran the East Hampton Half Marathon in 1.46:48. At age 46 with 17 screws and two rods in my back, I though it was a pretty good showing and inspired me to go for a full marathon. I ran a couple of marathons in the early nineties when I was in my twenties, so I have that psychic experience. It will mean a lot to me to able to do one now at this point in my life.

I’ve been training a lot, except for this past month when I was in Vancouver. I work for the Associated Press and I was busy non-stop for a month with the Olympics and only got out to the beautiful Stanley Park a few times. I’ve also has some problems with shin splints (ouch!). My back is the least of my concerns!

Anyway, thanks again for writing Wayne. Please feel free to pass along any advice. Best of luck to you in Rome and Paris.

Certainly Jim and I will have lots to talk about.

As you already know, my buddy Bob Bowker is joining me for the Italy and France portions of the trip.  He has worked his way back into marathon shape after having prostate surgery almost exactly one year ago. Bob lives in Arkansas and has been battling training in warmer weather and mad dogs. Check out his latest email to me (which I slightly edited):

I forgot to update you on the dogs on my running route. As I approached (on my  out-going  part of the route) the site of the dog challenge last week, I picked up a rock to defend myself if need be. When I got to the place, the dogs were calm but a man was walking out of the driveway. Thinking that this was my chance to inform so he could do something to control his dogs in the future I told him that last week one of his dogs had grabbed the back of my leg and torn my pants. He said, those are not my dogs. I said "I guess I'll have to call the sheriff so the owner will control the dogs." I proceeded on when a dog (actually it was the one which bit me the last week) but now on the other side of the road came after me. The man said that is my dog and if you throw a rock at it I will knock you aside your f__king head. I stopped running, turned towards him and stared. I was pissed but not intimidated and I wanted him to know it in my nonverbal way. He then said, you let me control my dog (which by that time, by his owners command, had stopped in his tracks) and don't ever throw a rock at it. I said the problem is that you are usually not here when it comes after me, then I turned and proceeded with my run. It would be another hour of running before I got back to his place again and of course I had some anger to deal with which is not something you want on a long run. During that hour the dog owner and another guy passed me twice in a pick up truck which made me wonder what was going on. As I'm approaching the dog site on the way back, I'm determined to protect myself if need be but to not push the rock throwing issue if I can avoid it (I've got too much on my agenda the next few weeks to risk getting injured by some hotheaded redneck). So, as I'm coming up to the site, I can see at least two men in the yard looking at me. The dog owner is sitting on something and in his arms he is holding at least two dogs, one of which is the one in question. Since he is controlling his dogs, I am pleased and prepare to wave at him. Before I can do so, he raises his arm and waves in a friendly manner. My take on the episode is that he had been emotional at the thought of me throwing a rock at his dog (I understand how that could be) and had therefore overreacted. After cooling down a bit, he was much more neighborly and his actions said "I'm sorry and I am controlling my dogs, have a good day." So anyway, what started out ugly and could have gotten uglier, turned out fine. I think that bodes well for our trip!

Laurie Kasinger, director of the Mountain Home Marathon and friend of mine who I think is a neat lady (she's about 50 and has done several marathons and 3 ironmans, most recently this last November) ran the Little Rock Marathon this morning to qualify for 2011 Boston but missed it by 10 minutes. She suffered from the heat she said as I told you I did on my long run this morning.

That's it for today...back to my to-do lists. Arrivederci!

The statistics of it all.....

Travel books read: 6
Tourist maps purchased: 7
New purchases: 35
Days in Europe: 43
Days in Italy: 22
Days in France: 9
Days in Spain: 12
Number of hotels staying at: 12
Number of scheduled train rides: 9+
Rental car days: 5
Number of airline flights: Bob (5); Wayne (8)
Marathon miles to be run in Europe: 78.6
Training miles (since August 23) : 1,190
Pairs of running shoes worn out: 2
Pounds lost: 8
Number of 400 meter laps run at the Dome:  Far tooooo many!

To be totally honest, I am so over wanting to train anymore. I'm exhausted having to schedule hours of time to run my 13 and 20-milers at the Dome.  I was lucky enough to get a few outdoor runs in the last few weeks when things warmed up, but we again have more snow and colder temperatures so it's back to the Dome.  While running my 20-miler there last Friday, I was run over by a herd of high school baseball players running laps...they were totally rude and disrespectful!  Luckily the even occurred at mile 18 so I only limped along for the last two miles.  I have never trained so hard as I have these last few months and yet seemed so unprepared.  I think that's telling me that I am super anxious about this trip and just want to jump right into it!

The Winter Olympics certainly have been entertaining and have inspired me to keep plugging along.  It's amazing what some of these winter athletes have overcome to appear on the world stage.  What's been real strange is that the local TV commercial I made for Providence Hospital back in March 2009 about my heart operation has been repeatedly shown during the Olympic coverage.  I feel pretty embarrassed by it all because I have progressed so far from when it was produced, plus my buddies are giving me a lot of crap about it.  However, I have received lots of feedback from others about how my "comeback" has inspired them to work through their hardships.  It feels very strange, uncomfortable and humbling to be told that I inspire others...it does, however, keep me motivated to train hard and set a good example.

I finally have mastered some key features on my iPhone which I plan to regularly use during my trip. I'm hoping to post a daily entry on my Facebook page with a photo taken with the iPhone.  I've tested it out a few times already and it'll be fun to keep in touch that way.  I also loaded up some tour-related bookmarks for our lodging, train schedules, and historical references.  It took forever to understand the international calling and texting features I wanted to purchase.  As much as I want to keep my blog up while I'm traveling, I'm afraid I won't be able to, at least using my iPhone.  I hope to use internet cafes now and then and/or if I can access a WiFi connection.

So, who's on first and what's on second?  I have one more week of heavy-duty training, including a 13 and 20-miler, then it's tapering time.  I also have about three pages of to-do's before I fly out of Alaska on March 15.  Boy, I can't wait to finally relax on the Almalfi Coast and Cinque Terre!!!

It's CRUNCH time!!!

It's not in reference to a cereal, to an abdominal exercise, or to the crinkling-crunchy sound walking on snow. It's CRUNCH time for no more slack in training and trip planning.  The blog countdown clock reminds me that in a little more than a month, my buddy Bob and I will be smack in the middle of this great adventure.

My training is intense these days.  Two days a week are my distance days.  On Mondays, I'm building up to 13 miles...I'm presently at 9 miles.  Friday is the killer-day...I'm presently at 16 miles and working up to running three, 20-milers.  My last 20-miler is scheduled for March 5.  Tuesday is a tempo 6 mile run.  Wednesday is speed work...I'm running 4 miles, two of which have me running 100 meter sprints...it's a b_ll-buster.  Thursday is a non-running day, as I'm up at 5 am for a weekly church function and then work 8 hours at the Corps of Engineers...I finish the day with weight training.  Saturday is a non-running day; however, I go Nordic skiing with my buddies on the fantastic Anchorage trail system.  Sunday is kind of mixed up, as I try to Alpine ski at Alyeska that day and tear up my thigh muscles.  If I don't ski, I do a light run.  I'm finally feeling like I'm making progress with my runs.  I still try to run outside, instead of inside at the Dome, but another cold spell is coming so it's back to running around the track like a hamster running in its exercise wheel. Actually, trip planning is coming along just fine.  All our lodging is set, car rental is set, and airline reservations are set.  The most complicated task is figuring out train schedules and costs.  For those not familiar with European train travel, one can purchase point-to-point tickets or a Eurail pass, which can cover travel in multiple countries for multiple days.  To figure out the best value, I'm having to cost-out both options, which is tough because Bob and I have multiple destinations in Italy to combine with trips in France.  I also have to consider my train trips in Spain, which Bob will not be taking.  It's a who's on first and what's on second puzzle.  The following two calendars map out where Bob and I are headed and when (click on figure to see an enlarged image):

  

As you can see, Bob and I will be every where.  I assure you, however, there is a lot of R&R scheduled, especially in Cinque Terre and the Sorrento area.  It's been a lot of fun having conversations with the folks I've contacted about lodging.  It's amazing how interested they are about Bob and I running marathons.  We already made a special friend in Venice.  The owner of Pensione Guerrato is named Roby, and he threatened to charge us more if we ran a sub-three hour marathon!  He was joking, of course, because he is a marathoner (he ran the Venice Marathon last October) and still has yet to break three hours.  We're looking forward to drinking some wine and chatting with him when we're there...he said he'll show us around...now that's service.  Scott, our Marathon Tours and Travel host for the Rome Marathon is also a runner and we talked track events...he was a 400 and 800 meters runner.  A number of other folks wished us luck and looked forward to hearing our marathon "war" stories.

That's it for now.  I have some other thoughts about inspiration, iPhones, and what-the heck-to-pack that I'll cover in future blogs, as well as fill you all in on the specific things Bob and I have planned.  Remember, train hard...run far!  Arrivederci!

P.S. The photo behind the blog title is in Florence.  Also...Hey Bill, congrats on finishing the Miami Marathon and Salome on running the Half!

Just happy to be here!

I'm writing this entry at 8:00 pm Alaska Time and this time last year I was in Never-Neverland! That is, I was still knocked out from having open-heart surgery 12 hours earlier in the day. I unsuccessfully tried to convince my wife Marian to write today's entry because she was more qualified and painfully aware of all that happened that day, and the next few days, before the doctor's thought it safe to wake me up. All the gory details of my operation, hospitalization and Marian's heartfelt thoughts of those first few days can be read in the entries she made on my blog (see archived entries).

I'm somewhat puzzled about my feelings today, or lack thereof. Efforts to try to understand it go unrewarded. Maybe it's because it's hard to believe an entire year has passed and yet the memories of the ordeal are crystal clear in my mind. A day doesn't go by that I'm not reminded of the operation by seeing the incision scar on my chest...but it doesn't bother me, I'm comfortable with it now. Frankly, I was more bothered by my doctor's attempts to medicate me with beta-blockers and other blood pressure control medications, because as you already know from earlier blog entries, I had a disastrous time getting back on track with my marathon training because of the medication experiments.

I had dinner with my European traveling buddy Bob Bowker today to discuss our upcoming trip; however, we spent more time conversing about our respective medical adventures (his successful battle with prostate cancer and my heart operation) than talking about the trip. A great amount of time was spent discussing whether or not our respective medical condition changed our lives, if we had an epiphany of sorts. Surprisingly, we both answered that it hadn't to any significant degree. We weren't sure why but we did think that already having a positive attitude about life (despite my periods of grumpiness) and being physically fit had something to do with it. One thing we both agreed upon quickly; however, was that the love for our family and friends was strengthened by the experience. With that thought shared, I'll end this entry and be thankful that I'm no longer in Never-Neverland!

Deja Vu

Besides being the title of one of my top 5 music albums, the title also reflects where I once was about a year ago. Back then I was pretty optimistic about my retirement and "walkabout" trip to Europe. I had no idea that within a few days of a January 5, 2009, blog-post things would get turned upside down...big time! But now after open heart surgery on January 13, 2009, things appear to be on track both physically and logistically. I can now relax again and reflect more on the reality of my plans to run three of Europe's most famous marathons (Rome, Paris, Madrid) and tour the countryside. Here's a recap of how the Eurothon trip and blog were born.

Regarding the blog title, my buddy Bill Parady, who blog-chronicled his 2009 Arizona Ironman training adventures, suggested I model my blog after a book written by Mark Twain: A Tramp Abroad.

The book was published in 1880 and details a journey by the author, with his friend Harris (a character created for the book), through central and southern Europe. While the stated goal of the journey is to walk most of the way, the men find themselves using other forms of transport as they traverse the continent. As the two men make their way through Germany, the Alps, and Italy, they encounter situations made all the more humorous by their reactions to them. The narrator (Twain) plays the part of the American tourist of the time, believing that he understands all that he sees but in reality understanding none of it.

I was sold on Bill’s idea modified the book title to reflect what I had in store for “Harris” and myself. My "Harris" turns out to be my buddy and running mentor Bob Bowker (known as the Silver Fox because of his flashy full head of silver hair) . Bob had planned to go with me in 2009 but he too had a medical setback but with prostate cancer...but now we are both "all cured up" and looking forward to the great adventure. Bob is here in Anchorage this holiday season visiting family so we're going to get together to run and work on the trip.

From an earlier blog post: "So how did I get this wild idea of running some of the great European marathons? The idea came to mind in 2008 after reading an article in Runners World about must-run marathons of the world. The top 10 list was packed with familiar venues, Boston, New York, Berlin, London, Rome, Paris, Chicago, etc. I was thrilled to see that some I have already run were on the list (New York, Boston, Chicago) but what really caught my eye were the dates of the London, Rome, and Paris marathons…in 2008, they were scheduled to be all 2 weeks apart. So, my mind started to work…why not combine a 2009 trip to Europe with running the London, Rome, and Paris marathons? I had already fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting some of the ancient ruins of Greece in 2002 (to celebrate my 50th birthday) and combining it with running the Athens Marathon, so I figured I’d also fulfill another lifelong dream of visiting some of the great cities of Europe and throw in a marathon or two or, in this case, three."

In 2010, Bob and I will run Rome and Paris together and spend time enjoying the sites and sounds of Italy and France. BONUS: My Ironman buddy Bill Parady, his wife Salome, and some of his friends will also join Bob and I to run Paris! The more the merrier! What's new for 2010 is that instead of Vienna, I'm running Madrid. I learned this past weekend that my cousin's ex-husband is Spanish, lives in Madrid, and is the retired Spanish Ambassador to China...and he has offered an invitation to visit with him while in Madrid...another bonus!

A quick note about my training. Now that my meds are all set, I have the confidence to really get into my training. The warmer weather we've been having lately has allowed me to run outside now and then. The Dome facility is nice but nothing beats running outside and training on various terrains and up/down hills. So far, I'm on target with my long-distance runs,in fact, I'm slightly ahead of schedule...hooray!

That's it for now. My next entry will describe the details-to-date of our trip including the cities we'll visit and the things we'll see. Remember, train hard, run far!