Success!

Or should I say, "survival!" I completed the marathon in 4 hours and 10 minutes. It was a very pleasant day, starting off in the mid 50 and ending up in the low 70s by 11 AM when I was approaching the finish line. It was a little overcast so no direct sun. It was a very nice route for the most part:  flat with just a few low hills. There were lots of spectators which is always motivating. I enjoyed myself for the first 30km of the race-- it was 42K in total. The half marathon was a breeze. I felt like I was still going strong . After 30 km though, we went through a park which had no shade. Emerging from the park, I was completely drained. I got to 37 km and my legs stopped. My calves were aching. I walked for about 5 minutes and then forced myself to start again. It was sheer willpower at the end. The crowd was amazingly supportive. They'd see a name on the race bib and yell out encouragement to the runner. My son ran with me so someone saw our names and  yelled out "Go James Brothers." When I was done, I was feeling very faint. Everything in my field of vision looked white for the next 30 minutes.

Interesting coincidence

My marathon will be 10 years to the day after I broke my hip riding a bike . I didn't think that would happen as I lay on my back waiting for the rescue squad to come. I was in yoga today in lotus position. We were supposed to lean forward to stretch out the hips. As I was doing it, I thought, "Maybe I should back off. I'd hate to have it crack on me." So I sat up straight and waited until we did something else.

The marathon route narrated with cheesy music.

Just a week till my first marathon

I am feeling good about the marathon. Most of my aches and pains which were bothering me a few weeks ago are gone. I attribute it to the yoga. I have been going 4 times a week and really focusing on doing Warrior position which is perfect for my hips. I am also learning to appreciate recovery after I accelerate while running.  So if I power up a hill, (a phrase I use loosely at my age,) it really feels good when I slow down after reaching the top and  coast down hill. Back in college, I thought that I would start a movement which was based on appreciating the pleasure that basic bodily functions give me. I would add "recovery" to the list which includes some of the obvious ones.

 

The Onion again

Very funny . I especially like the poll at the end.



Romney Courts Hispanic Vote With Animated Sombrero-Wearing Parrot

Back to Yoga

I was traveling so much this spring that I stopped going to my 6.30 am yoga class. It was probably a bad idea as I also started my marathon training.  I am running 5 days and between 30-40  miles a week. I recently started getting pain in my left hip flexor on my long runs. I needed to stop periodically during them to stretch out. By 16 miles the stretching wasn't helping. Amazingly, going back to yoga has minimized the flexor pain. It never occurred to me how much the yoga poses did for those muscles. I have my 20 miler this Sunday so I am hoping that it is not an issue. I will just have to deal with the sheer exhaustion from running that distance. Three weeks until the race.

My Newest Music Purchase

This is such a cool song. Listen to this preacher railing against the evils of rock and roll in a way which rocks harder than any rock and roll ever did.

Second Purchase Upon Winning a Lottery

Well, I don't play lotteries so it probably won't happen. However, this ham is the best in the world.  It was my favorite lunch in Spain: fresh bread with olive oil, crushed tomato and several slices of jamon iberico. Perfect while sitting in the Andalusian sun!




Here is the first purchase upon winning a lottery: a jamonero to cut my jamon in