Eye, Eye, Eye...37 Days Without Running and Boston is Less Than 6 Months Away

The good news on Monday was that my 2nd surgery seemed to go well. The retina is no longer detached. 32 days after my initial eye surgery and my detached retina seems to be healing.

But the bad news is that the eye is blurry as hell still. The gas bubble placed inside the eye has dissapated but the vision is the equivalent of looking at one of those "fun house" mirrors that stretch objects out of proportion and mis-shape them. Eye, eye, eye. This is not fun, yet it is progress.

In the meantime the doc says to stay away from running and over-exerting myself for another few weeks at least. Today is Day #37 of no running. The next time I see the doc I'll be on Day #46, further extending my longest no-running streak since I began running in 1993. I guess the upside to this is that at least I'm setting a personal best this year for something!

This is a RUNNING blog!?  Yep. Even when I'm not running. My body is chomping at the bit. It feels so much like running it is maddening. I did trot down the staircase and across the Trader Joe's parking lot today. Not much. Felt so damn good.

My biggest challenge when I actually DO start running again is to ease my way into it. Don't need to injure myself.

In the meantime, I'm out walking every morning. Not as far or long as I'd like to be doing, but I'm getting out there every day for a minimum of 20 minutes. Not a lot, but heck if everyone went out and at least walked for 20 minutes each day, no doubt in my mind the obesity rate would drop. I've been surprised that I haven't gain a lot of weight with the dramatic drop in aerobic activity. But I do eat less to some degree and the walking no doubt helps.

Four Weeks Without Running...How to Train When You Can't Run?

One month ago today I called to make an appointment with my optomologist. The next morning in his office he asked me to stick around and meet with the retina specialist. An hour later I was told to prepare for a vitrectomy surgery the next morning. No running for probably a month I was told! How does someone (namely me) that runs 2,000 miles per year deal with such prospects!?

The doc did say that I could start to train with light weights after a week and walk, but the running was off limits. So I walked, not a lot, maybe 20 to 30 minutes per day, and it felt o.k. Not particularly enjoyable running with one eye blind due to a gas bubble in it during the recovery process.

For whatever reason, the detachment didn't heal up 100% and 2 weeks ago I had a follow-up surgery. This surgery was only 20 minutes (compared to the hour long initial surgery) to go in and laser up the detached area.  Uggghhhh....back to square one.

Earlier this week my surgeon told me it looks like it is healing up nicely this time. Fingers crossed. Not to complain or anything because at least I have one eye that I can see out of...but it sure is hell frustrating having only one eye. The doc says don't wear a patch, even though the gas bubble that is slowly dissapating prevents me from seeing fully out of this eye. In fact, as I type this, both eyes are open, but my left eye is doing all the work. (When I close my left eye, my right eye sees a blurry computer screen.)

The lovely green wristband I've worn an entire month now while gas bubble resides in eye.

I'm taking this situation pretty much in stride. There's absolutely nothing I can do about it, so why sweat it. In fact, I think it is actually easier being in this situation - one on which physically and biomechanically I'm ready to run - but to gain back my eyesight I cannot - then a typical running injury. When I tweak a hamstring or my lower back, I'm frustrated as hell when I'm unable to run.

So I continue with my 20-30 minute walks in the morning. I get bored easily while walking, so I bring my smartphone with me. I could bring the iPad but prefer the smaller device. Sometimes I grab the newspaper and read while walking. Maybe I'll stop multi-tasking if I ever run into a mailbox or light pole.

The Boston Marathon is 6 months away. Hoping in the next week or two I'll get the go-ahead to start actually RUNNING again. Chomping at the bit here.

Sarah Palin Announces She's Not Running...For President...So How About Running a Marathon?

It was not exactly a surprise today to hear that Sarah Palin is not running for the Republican nomination this fall. She's pretty busy with other stuff.

But her running seems to be doing just fine, with her 1:46:10 half marathon performance in Iowa over Labor Day weekend under her maiden name, Sarah Heath. By my general rule of thumb, take that time and multiply by 2.1 and with some decent training she can run a a 3 hour, 43 minute marathon. Her personal best is a 3:59:36 at Humpy's (odd name) Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska on August 21, 2005.

Palin is 47 years old. Her qualifying time for the 2013 Boston Marathon (2012 registration has passed) will be 3 hours, 55 minutes. Come on Sarah, let's see you go for it! You definitely have it in you.

More on Palin's running background in this August 2009 Runner's World article.

Well the Good News is That I Received My 116th Boston Marathon Confirmation of Acceptance in the Mail Today

I received this confirmation in the mail today, re-confirming the email stating I have been accepted into the Boston Marathon on April 16, 2012. My qualifying time was nearly half an hour slower than my previous Boston qualifying times at 3:05:39, but what the heck, I'll take it.

But in the meantime I haven't run since September 14th. I've walked a bit but for the most part of had to ditch my training due to my corrective surgery for retinal detachment on September 15th. The bad news for me last week is that my surgeon and I agreed that I needed a second, shorter surgery last Friday. So I was laid up all weekend and am now recuperating again.

But the good news is that it appears to be doing better. Apparently the vitrectomy did not fully heal the detachment. So he went in and lasered it up on Friday. I was pretty much out for the surger but remember waking up towards the end, attempting to crack jokes while he was doing his final prodding in and around my eye. Great stuff!

So on that happy note, I'm hoping that within a few weeks I'll be back at it. Crossing my fingers.

The Boston Athletic Organization publishes a list of entrants. I count approximately 50 entrants from the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County areas, stretching from Agoura to Simi Valley to Ojai to Ventura.

Well That Was Quick...Entry to 116th Boston Marathon Has Been Accepted

I applied to run the 2012 Boston Marathon last Wednesday night, September 21st, thinking I had applied too late in the process to get into the race (especially after hearing that the 2011 race sold out in 8 hours). At 10:30 a.m. I received the following email notifying me that my entry has been accepted. I'm in!

Wish I could say that I'm going to start training for it today! My eye is still in healing mode after a vitrectomy to correct a detached retina 2 weeks ago and my doc says NO RUNNING still. <grumble>

But I'm out there walking every morning. Better than nothing. Hoping in another couple weeks I'll be back to my usual running routine.

Dear Conejo Joe,

This is to notify you that your entry into the 116th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 16, 2012 has been accepted, provided that the information you submitted is accurate.

A Confirmation of Acceptance card will be mailed to you via US Postal Service mail in October.

In early April 2012, an official Number Pick-up Card and Welcome Booklet regarding the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and related race week activities will be mailed to you via US Postal Service first class mail. If you do not receive your Number Pick-up Card (required to claim number) and brochure by April 7, please contact our Registration Office at registration@baa.org. Registration related inquiries may also be directed to 508-435-6905.

Note that bib numbers will not be distributed on Race Day. Your travel arrangements should take into account picking up your number at the Seaport World Trade Center in South Boston on Friday, April 13 from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., or Saturday, April 14 or Sunday, April 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

JetBlue is proud to be the Official Airline of the Boston Marathon! Take $10 off each way with Promo Code RUNBOSTON12. Book your flight to Boston between September 24, 2011 and April 11, 2012 for travel departing April 12-15 and returning 16-18. Promo codes can only be redeemed online at www.jetblue.com/promo.

Get the best hotel rates by using the Official Lodging form from Marathon Tours and Travel. For more information, email info@marathontours.com or call 617-242-7845.

For additional tourist information, please visit www.bostonusa.com

We look forward to seeing you in April! Best of luck in your training!

Sincerely,

Boston Athletic Association

World Record Time in Men's Marathon Set Today at the Berlin Marathon

Andrew Makau won the Berlin Marathon for the 2nd year in a row today in a world record time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 38 seconds. This is 21 seconds faster than Haile Gebrselassie's previous world record time set 3 years ago on the same course. 2:03:38 is a tad under 4:43 per mile. At this point in my life, I'd love to do ONE mile in that time! That's an incredible time!

Makau's time in last year's race was 2:05:08, so he shaved a minute and a half off of last year's time. A minute and a half represents an improvement of about 1.2%.

Makau's 5K split times were as follows:

• 1st 5K: 14:37
• 2nd 5K: 14:40
• 3rd 5K: 14:35
• 4th 5K: 14:38
• 5th 5K: 14:48
• 6th 5K: 14:20
• 7th 5K: 14:38
• 8th 5K: 14:59 (slacker)
• Final 2K: 6:23

Talk about consistency!

Looking for a personal best time? The Berlin Marathon appears to be a good bet. The last 4 times the men's world record was set took place in Berlin today, 2008, 2007 and 2003.

For the last 30 years or so, men's and women marathon records have been almost exclusively set in London, Chicago, Rotterdam and Berlin.

Congratulations, Patrick Makau!

Oh What the Heck, Let's See If I Can Get a Boston Marathon Entry

I've run the Boston Marathon two times. The 100th Anniversary race on April 15, 1996 was the world's largest marathon ever (at least at the time) with nearly 39,000 entrants. I signed up for that race to be part of the celebration.  Then I ran the 2000 Boston Marathon on April 17, 2000.

The 1996 race was supposed to be purely a "fun run" for me to be part of the big celebration. I had run a 2:37 PR Los Angeles Marathon on March 3rd and my body should have been resing for 3 to 4 weeks afterward. But I looked back at my records and boy was I intense back then. I didn't even take a day off, and after a "light" week was ramping my mileage up to 60 to 80 miles per week. Then I raced 2 5Ks in 7 days, with times of 16:18 and 16:23. That was 9 days before Boston.

Boston came and mentally I'm pumped to race it given my recent performances. But it was a biting cold day that I wasn't prepared for physically...yes, I did not bring warm enough clothes and there was snow on the ground. I was miserable before the race.

I knew I should have just stuck with my original "fun run" goal but my ego told me to go for it and see what happens. Well the details are blurry but as I recall the last 6 to 8 miles were a death march, though I managed to pull my lifeless body to the finish line in 2 hours, 45 minutes.

The next Boston was another "milestone" race....the "New Millenium" Year 2000 Y2K race (remember all the stress and concern over Y2K...ah yes, the good ole days). I ran a 2:36 at the Long Beach Marathon in November 1999 and was set for a decent performance at Boston.

In that 2000 race I was doing pretty well up until Mile 15, when I had to make a pit stop. Pit stops are never good for me...completely take me out of my rhythm. I was at 1:18:30 at the halfway point, exactly half of 2:37. But with that pit stop and shivering cold winds (I noted there was a strong headwind and my teeth were chattering loudly at the end of the race), I managed a 2:43:49. The good news is that this was my Boston PR. But my performance was not up to par.

At that point, I had run 2 miserable, cold Boston Marathons and I was done. Put a fork in it. I love Boston but that was it for me. No mas. Finito.

That bring us to today, the 7th day in a row that I have not run, due to my retina surgery last week. I've pretty much written off my Fall Malibu Marathon plans. What to do....

I was checking out one of my fav running websites, MarathonGuide.com, and noticed an article indicating Boston Marathon 2012 has been open for registration since September 12th and ends September 23rd. Today is the 21st.

Last year the race sold out in like 8 hours. This year they changed the process to help ensure the fastest runners have a better chance of getting into the race. So the first 2 days of registration was limited to runners who beat their qualifying standard by 20 minutes or more. I looked back at my Malibu Marathon time of 3:05 last year and saw that it beat my standard by 25 minutes (sometimes it pays getting old).

So I thought, well what the heck. My wife wants to go to Boston, so why not just sign up and see what happens. I qualify for sure but given I signed up 9 days after registration started, I'd say my chances are pretty slim at getting in. I don't see how it would be possible, unless they see I was way under the standard and let me in to the club.

If not, I'll be slightly disappointed but also relieved. I'll keep my $150 and start pondering a West Coast race.

Interesting, I had to "acknowledge that my ($150) entry fee is non-refundable, even if the race is cancelled." That's pretty intense.

Detached Retina Forces a 30 Day Hiatus From Running - What the Heck?

So a couple weeks ago I noticed there seemed to be something in my right eye. Figured it would go away. Wasn't too obnoxious, just occasionally a spot would make it look like there was a fly or something. They call these things "floaters" I later discovered.

But they didn't go away. They got gradually worse, to the point where my vision was slightly blurred last Saturday through Tuesday. Little floaty shapes and black spots, kind of like a dirty camera lens. So I called the ophthalmologist and they were nice enough to fit me in for an appointment the next day.

The doctor took a look, and by the tone of his voice, it didn't sound good. I'm usually cautiously optimistic at doctors' offices and have never had a major ailment. But when he asked me to stick around to meet with the corneal specialist, that was not a good sign.

It took the 2nd doctor about 2 minutes to tell me I needed to go in for surgery...TOMORROW. Somehow the retina in my right eye became detached. Had I waited another week or two, chances are I could be losing some eyesight. He was in surgery the next day, and within minutes I was scheduled at 9 a.m. for a vitrectomy and cryopexy sclural buckle. In layman's terms, remove the vitreous fluid behind the retina, attach a silicone band with a cryogenic procedure and place a gas bubble in there to allow it to heal. Or something like that.

Everybody asked me, what caused this to happen. We just don't know. Could have been knocked in the head 20 years ago, could be the fact that the eye is nearsighted, could be family history, who knows.

Crap. Here I am, Friday night, one day post-surgery. The surgery seemed to go fine. But for the next 7 to 10 days I can't even see out of my right eye until the gas bubble dissipates.

Hopefully my eye will be fine, though now no doubt I'll have cataracts at an early age as a result of the surgery. But hey, people get cataract surgeries all the time.

But as a result of my completely out of the blue problem, I can'd do anything overly physical for at least 30 days. Yep, that's right...NO RUNNING!!!  I looked back and if I do refrain from running for 30 days (and I plan to unless somehow the eye feels completely back to normal sooner and I can run very lightly), that would be the longest no-run streak since I started running 1993.

In 1993, for some reason I took 25 days off from running in the October/November time frame. I don't know why. My notes are sketchy and I can't recall. The good news is that, 4 months after that break, I ran my first marathon, the 1994 Los Angeles Marathon, in a rainy 3 hours, 3 minutes. I was a lot younger back then, but I'm encouraged to be reminded that I took a long break and came back quickly.

My 2nd longest hiatus from running since 1993 was in 2006, after I was, ahem, neutered. Yes, you don't wanna be running around after someone messes around with you down there.

So perhaps my sudden misery will result in something new, something big. In a way it is kind of a relief being forced to take off an entire month from running. I've been having a variety of physical ailments and perhaps this experience will allow me fully recover, then come back with newfound passion.

So while I sit here, typing this with one good eye, the other closed and sore (like a fork and knife are stuck in it), I have faith that this is yet just one more temporary challenge in this game called life.

And the other good news...is that they did say that I'm allowed to WALK when the eye starts feeling better. Chomping at the bit...over and out.

2011 Bulldog 25K Lived Up to Expectations...Hot and Brutal!

Such a nice, temperate summer this year. One of the coolest summers I can remember...until LAST WEEKEND, my longest AND hilliest run of the entire year for me. In fact, I haven't run 15.5 miles (25K) since the Tucson Marathon last December and I ran a couple 5Ks earlier this summer. Sheesh!

Well, all things considered, I had a great time. Didn't take the Bulldog 25K too seriously this year, especially given the heat topping 90 to 100 degrees. My lack of heat training took its toll before I reached the aid station at the 7.5 mile mark. I was toast around mile 7 and for the most part walked all uphills and a handful of downhills after that. Was happy to jog it in in 2 hours, 22 minutes, good for 15th place overall.

The winner nailed the course in 1 hour 56 minutes, 6 minutes slower than last year but very impressive regardless. Even more impressive was the 3rd place finisher, 39 year old Anissa Faulker, who set the women's course record in 2 hours, 19 seconds. Wow! The top 3 in the 50K finished in 4:04 to 4:08...EXTREMELY impressive and in the HEAT!

I froze a bottle of Gatorade the night before the race, which started at 7:30 a.m. It was completely thawed out within 30 minutes. I just couldn't seem to keep enough fluids in and felt like I was going to get a heat stroke. A nice woman poured some icy cold water over my head at the aid station at mile 7.5 and boy was that refreshing. But...it didn't have a lasting effect.

An outstanding age group marathoner friend of mine refuses to run a marathon in the heat after a bad experience at the Los Angeles Marathon 20 years ago. Obviously one needs to train in the heat (or simulated heat...e.g. run in sweats) to race well in the heat. But I personally just don't enjoy that. Give me cool weather, or give me a beer!

So getting back to the race, I finished on a gimpy note. My big left toe has a recurring soreness after hilly, hard races and my psoas muscle continues to act up...in fact, it was subtly bothering me during the race. Not enough to stop me, but enough to distract and irritate me. That's the breaks. But I'm THRILLED to have completed my longest, hardest run so far this year!

Would I go back? Certainly. This damn brutal course is irresistable. And the views at the top are to die for. Next time I'll bring my camera.

On a side note, I left Malibu Creek State Park to get home and start the recuperation process when I was pleasantly surprised by a convalcade of over 400 motorcycles...the 4th Annual West Valley Memorial Ride.

Some scenes before the race below.

Running the Bulldog 25K Tomorrow on the Hottest Day of the Summer

What am I crazy? Well I guess I'm not the only crazy one as I run the Bulldog 25K trail run in Agoura tomorrow morning, in particular those who are running the 50K! This race in the hills of Malibu Creek State Park has 2 ascents up 2,528 ft elevation Bulldog Mountain. With a net elevation climb of 4,000 feet, this course is not just challenging...it is BRUTAL. And the 50Kers are running the loop course TWICE.

What makes this particularly nutty is that tomorrow is one of the hottest days of the year and an excessive heat watch was issued for the area (see below). What this means is that I have to really focus on hydration. Normally I don't carry fluid bottles in races. This race I'll be making an exception for (though in prior years I have not carried a bottle through the race).

I am not in particularly well-trained shape. I was given a free entry to this year's race and decided it would be fun. YEARS AGO I won the race a couple times, which is why I get a freebie. Two years ago I had planned to run the 50K for the first time but injuries prevented me from doing the 2nd loop. But I finished the single loop, walking/jogging portions of the course, in 2 hours, 12 minutes.

The 50K starts at 6:30am, when the temps dip to their "low" of 67 degrees. 50Kers will finish between 10:30am (85 degrees) and 3:30pm (94 degrees). Absolutely brutal in and of itself, not even factoring in the massive hills (and by the way, the downhill is as killer as the uphill). The 25K starts at 7:30am (about 70 degrees). If all goes well I'll be done by 9:30am, right about when the temps start hitting the 80 degree range.

I hate running in the heat. But too late to wimp out :>  Stay cool and think about me and the 500 other crazy runners in Agoura tomorrow morning!

Excessive Heat Watch for Los Angeles County San Fernando Valley

Issued by The National Weather Service
Los Angeles, CA

Fri, Aug 26, 2011, 7:57 PM PDT

EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING...

* HEAT INDEX VALUES... HEAT INDEX VALUES MAY RISE TO AROUND 105 DEGREES DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS SATURDAY AND REMAIN ABOVE 105 UNTIL EARLY SATURDAY EVENING.

* TIMING... SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING.

* IMPACTS... HEAT RELATED ILLNESS AND FATIGUE WILL BECOME MORE PREVALENT DURING PERIODS OF EXCESSIVE HEAT... ESPECIALLY FOR THE HOMELESS... ELDERLY... AND THOSE WHO WORK OR ARE ACTIVE OUTDOORS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WATCH MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS... STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM... STAY OUT OF THE SUN... AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS.

More Information

... POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HEAT EXPECTED OVER THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS...

.A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES WILL CONTINUE TO BRING HOT TEMPERATURES TO THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND. MOIST SOUTHERLY FLOW ALOFT BRING INCREASING RELATIVELY HUMIDITIES THROUGH THE WEEKEND. HEAT INDEX VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND COULD HIT CRITICAL LEVELS OVER THE VALLEYS AND MOUNTAINS OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY... ESPECIALLY ON SATURDAY. IN ADDITION... OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURE WILL BE WARMER THAN NORMAL.