Go Big or Go Home

Vacation Running

2007-07-02T21:49:00.001-05:00

Well, I warned you about this at the beginning, it's time for a short vacation to the family place in New York.

Not from running, however.

I still have some pretty serious miles to run to hit my goal of 60 miles. When I get back on Sunday night I'll sync the iPod and we'll see if I was able to buckle down and get it done, or if I got distracted by beautiful women, cold drinks, and a stiff wind.

Trouble?

2007-06-29T18:33:00.000-05:00

I've got 10 days to run more than 30 miles. Trouble.

I bet more of you wish you had taken me up on my offer.

Good news for you, it's still on the table! Post in the comment if you'd like to pledge to donate any amount if I meet my goal. If I fail, you get paid!

As for me, time to go for a run!

Sad...

2007-06-20T06:31:00.000-05:00

Don't worry, I'm still here and still running.

I'll be honest, I needed a few days off after my 10 mile run. I then took a few extra days off, with hopes that some of my challengers would take the opportunity to catch up a little bit. A challenge isn't very motivating if you start way behind.

But as you can see, it looks like we only have three contenders. Oh well.

Think you'd be a better challenger? Get out there and get the Nike+ system!

Ooops Again...

2007-06-14T20:56:00.001-05:00

So, it turns out I'm a pretty competitive person.

I think I took it a little too far today. Honestly, I set out hoping to do 4 or 5 miles. But when I got to 4 or 5 miles, all I could wonder about was how far my challengers might be running. So I kept going. When I got to 7 or 8 miles, I knew that just one more little push, and I could win the first challenge outright.

So, I did it.

Now, I feel like I want to die.

But not a hurtful death, just a mentally and physically exhausted sort of death. My body feels OK, so far. Just tired.

Sleep now.

[Edit - Woke up this morning, took a shower, and I'm feeling pretty normal!]

Challenges...

2007-06-13T11:49:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite features of the Nike+ system is one that I haven't really talked about before, the ability to challenge other runners. The winners of these challenges get trophies that hang in each user's virtual trophy case. As a number of friends now use the Nike+ system, I've just set up some challenges for us:

[Edit- I've moved the challenges to the right hand column, underneath my running info. If you get a message that a challenge is not availible, just refresh as they are a little Take a look to see how we are doing!]

If you are having a problem viewing the challenges, or any of the Nike+ applets on the right hand side, you might need to download Adobe Flash. It is quick, easy, and useful. Get it here, be sure to unselect the Google Toolbar instalation, unless you want that as well:

http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash

I've promised a bottle of booze to anyone who can win all three. Keep checking back on this post to see our progress as the challenges update!

Also, as a quick yet cryptic reference, dan1007 is Beatty, saltk006 is Mikey, and you should be able to figure out the rest!

Going the distance...

2007-06-11T13:14:00.000-05:00

I had another great run on Sunday, as I exceeded my mileage goal for the week.

Nike+ has some out with some great new ways to integrate their system with this website, make sure you take a look at the new applets to the right side of your screen. You'll be able to track my last five runs, and my overall running history.

You might also notice the new applet with my new goal, to run 60 miles in 4 weeks. I'll be honest, this might be a little bit harder for me. With the weekly 'challenges', I knew from the beginning that I better get out there, because Sunday was just around the corner. With the extended time frame and no one holding me accountable on a weekly basis, it is going to be a struggle to push myself early on. Think I can do it? Think I can't? The applet will track my progress, so stay tuned...

I want to keep you all involved, so I've got a few options:

1) Pledge donation per mile:
You could pledge $0.10 per mile, and if I complete the goal, you'd owe $6. From 1 penny to $100 per mile, chose whatever amount you like. Here is the kicker- If you make a pledge, and I fail to complete the goal, I'll pay you 5 to 1 on your pledge, on the mileage difference. So if you pledge $0.50 per mile, and I run only 50 miles, I'll pay you ((.50 x 5) x 10 miles) = $25. Make sense?

2) Exceeding the goal:
You could pledge a certain amount per mile OVER the goal. So if you pledged $1 per mile over 60, and I ran 70 miles total, you'd owe $10.

3) To fail, or not to fail:
If you don't think I'll make it, put a pledge where your mouth is. If I fail, I'll pay you even money on your pledged amount.

Now, these are all in good fun, but they do a great deal to keep me motivated, and hopefully some of you will want to get invested in my progress, literally. My running will be a lot more exciting if you've got an interest in the outcome! And of course, all of the money is going to a great place.

So if you're intersted in making a pledge, note it in the comments! Pledges are valid if made before June 20th. Also, bear in mind that I'll be away from a computer (and therfore unable to synch my runs, from July 3rd - July 8th) You won't know how much I've been running that week until I come back home and synch my runs on the 9th, exactally 4 weeks from today, and the last day of the challenge.

June 5th, 2007

2007-06-06T08:33:00.000-05:00

Three pretty amazing things happened yesterday, so this is going to be a LONG post:

1) I got a birthday donation from my best friend in the world. A big one. He has been one of my biggest supporters on this endeavor, and I can't thank him enough for that. Little does he
know the role that he played in getting me started...

We were at his beach house in CT after we were graduated from High School. He and another friend decided to wake up early, be active, and go to the gym. I decided to sit around and be lazy. I picked up a book that he had left laying around, and read it cover to cover. It was The Body Sculpting Bible for Men, and just as I feared, it is wicked embarrassing to type that. But I sat there, and I read it, and I decided it was time for a change.

Six years later, here I am, just getting started! I've still got the book sitting on my bookshelf for inspiration. Over the years he has worked hard, changed his body, and changed his life. Soon, I'll be able to say the same. And maybe, just maybe, when I make him run a half marathon with me, I'll be able to beat him! (Doubtful, considering he can run 5 miles in the time it takes me to run 3!)

2) I ran a 10k.

3) I RAN A 10K! I don't believe it either. That's 6.2 miles, and I actually ran for 6.3! I got a great email from a slightly older and much wiser Aunt yesterday, that said among other helpful advice:

"You need to concentrate on the TIME you are running. Not how fast, not how far, but on how many minutes you are running."

She was right, of course. I went for a run yesterday, and rather than setting a goal for myself, I decided to put the Nike+ on Basic Mode, and just ran. I was running slow enough that I was enjoying myself, not worrying about my time or my pace, I was relaxed and focused. I ran, ran some more, and then when I felt like stopping, I turned around and went back for another loop. Some of the time I was dragging my feet, concentrating only 10 feet in front of me, other times I was running just as strong as when I had started, feeling like I could go on forever.

It was an amazing feeling. The first time I checked my distance, I saw 6.05 miles, and was shocked, as I was hoping to have made it to 5. I ran down the street and finished right in front of my house, tired, but knowing that I could have pushed myself even further.

The power of suggestion is a powerful thing. I 'created' a 10k event yesterday, but in the back of my head I was terrified. I 'knew' that I wasn't ready for it, and could only hope that in a month, I would be. But running yesterday, I realized that I'm ready for more than I could ever imagine.

My body has changed. It still needs a lot of work, but it has changed. I feel like a runner now, I am a runner now. It is now just a matter of getting my head in the game, and believing in myself.

Time to Push...

2007-06-05T08:10:00.000-05:00

1) I met my goal again this week, and saved myself some money in the process. So I guess it's time to get more ambitious:

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3.1 miles
Wednesday - 2 miles
Thursday - 3.1 miles
Friday - 2 miles
Saturday - 3.1 miles
Sunday - 2 miles

A total of 15 miles for the week. A cumulative of 104.5 miles, by Sunday at 11:59pm. If I fail, I pay up, $10 to every person who calls me out.

2) I just made plans to visit my family place in Sackets Harbor, NY, on July 4th for a long weekend. That gives me about 30 days. I've set a new goal for myself.

I'd like to run in the Shore Farm Memorial 10k, 6.2 miles, on July 7th. Never heard of it? That's because I just made it up. I'm scared.

3) It is my birthday on Thursday. I've never really cared about my birthday, but sometimes other people do. So this goes for everyone:

All I want for my birthday this year are more donations! I don't want presents, I don't want cards, I don't want you to buy me a beer. I want a birthday donation! If you want to make sure that I realize it's a birthday donation, go ahead and donate $xx.24, or maybe $xxx.24 (I'm turning 24), so I'll see it, realize it was for my birthday, and be thankful!

Race for the Cure

2007-06-04T09:01:00.000-05:00

45,000 people converged on the National Mall on June 2nd to run or walk 3.1 miles for Breast Cancer. 45,000 people, with aboslutley no rhyme or reason.

It was a great experience, but I learned that the Race for the Cure is not designed to be a race for runners.

For instance, it is very hard to get an idea of your accurate time. If I hadn't had my iPod, I would have no clue how I did. They start the race with a gun, and the clock starts going. However, as you might imagine with 45,000 people, it was about 4 or 5 minutes from the sound of the gun until I actually crossed the start line and began running. There was another huge bottleneck at the finish line where we were herded into chutes with volunteers collecting and somehow ordering our bib numbers. As a result, my "official" time isn't very accurate.

It is also tough because the first two miles are spent weaving in and out of slower runners, walkers, and people who thought they could run the distance but would abruptly stop right in front of you. A solid mass of people, all moving at different speeds, frustrating to say the least. A friend who normally runs a 3.1 mile race in under 30 minutes said his first mile took him 14 minutes!

But with all the difficulties, and the heat, my unofficial iPod time was 37:23, and I'm happy! Most importantly, I never walked which was my goal from the beginning.

But as much as I enjoyed it, I definitely think my next 5k will be one of the smaller ones. If anyone knows of any coming up soon in the DC area, let me know!

Not Poor!

2007-05-28T16:31:00.000-05:00

It looks like I'm going to be able to afford to eat this week, because I met my goal!

I'm pretty excited about it. Mostly about the eating part, but it also feels great to get back to the running. I picked a good time for it, considering that I'm running another 5k in a week!

The Race for the Cure 5k is one we always planned on doing. Now it's almost here, and I'm definitely not as scared of it as I once was, back in the day.

I promised you'd see more of this, I'd hate to let you down. New goals for the week:

1) 3.1 miles x 2, before Saturday. I need to reacquaint myself with the distance before I run it again in a race. Most likely I'll run it on Tuesday, and again on Thursday.

2) 12 miles by next Sunday at 11:59pm. That is 89.4 cumulative miles.

If I fail, the same rules apply: I pay $10 to anyone who calls me out on the failure.

Money...

2007-05-24T16:58:00.000-05:00

It's true... money solves everything.

Let me go off on a quick tangent here. I think I'm pretty good with money. My parents and grandparents have been great examples, and I like to think I've learned a thing or two from them. I have no credit card debt, I don't get behind on bills. I save and invest, try to stick to a budget, and am already planning for retirement.

So it should be no surprise that I can't stand the idea of giving away $10, let alone $10 to every single person who calls me out on not meeting my weekly goal. As a result, I've never been more motivated to run!

I feel like I'm getting paid to run this week, as every mile I go is a potential $10 that I "earn", simply because I won't have to pay it to someone else. I've stumbled upon a technique that works well for me, so expect to see it in the future. My only hope is that it continues to work in the future, or else my bank account might start taking some hits!

With all that said, how would you like to up the stakes?

We've raised $1,465.20 together. But $1,500.00 would be better. A nice clean number, an even 15%, and only $34.80 more!

If you can get us to 15% even, I'll up the ante. Instead of being safe at 77.3 miles, I'll have to get up to another nice, even number, 80 total miles. If I fail, same rules apply, and you've just made yourself $10. Each.

Here is the only fine print: If the donation that puts us over $1,500 comes in on Sunday, I have 24 hours from the time of donation to complete my end of the deal. Otherwise I might get an email at 11:50pm on Sunday saying that someone donated, and only have 9 minutes to complete my three new required miles!

Goals

2007-05-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

I like goals. Having no short term goals recently has hurt me, as I'm sure you've noticed.

Don't worry, I'm still running. Not as much as I should have been but I'm still getting out there. But, it's time to kick it back into high gear.

1) Race for the Cure is on June 2nd. I had always planned on running in it, and am excited for my second 5K! This is a huge event, so I'd like as much company as possible. Let me know if you are interested in joining our team, I'll get you the information.

2) I'm going to try running in the mornings. I'm not sure if it will work. I've found so many excuses NOT to run in the evenings recently, that I need a change. So, at least once this week I'm going to try it, and see how it works out for me.

3) Those of you who have been yelling at me- thanks, and keep it up! I've got another idea to keep you invested in my progress, and to keep me on point:

If I don't meet my goals, I'll pay you.

This week I plan to run 10 miles. If I fail, I pay you $10. If I don't have 77.3 cumulative miles by next Sunday at 11:59pm, every single person who posts a comment asking for their $10 will get it, even if I have to put a check in the mail. Next week, I'll post a new goal with the same idea.

A little unconventional? Yes. But it's almost crunch time, and I need to Go Big or Go Home.

Now YOU hate me...

2007-04-01T12:21:00.000-05:00

HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!

I know, I know, I'm mean! But aren't you happy to learn that I'm healthy, training hard, and ready for this upcoming 5k!

Ooops...

2007-03-30T21:05:00.000-05:00

I wasn't even supposed to run today. Friday is a day off! But I couldn't help it.

The monthly issue of Runner's World came today. The Boston Marathon, quickly approaching in April, was the subject of many a story. I got inspired. I had to run. I couldn't help it!

The Boston Marathon is unquestionably the most prestigious event in the world of running, period. Bar none. The history and tradition of the race, coupled with the stringent qualifying time (that's right, it's the only marathon in the world that runners must first qualify by running another marathon in around 3 and a half hours, an incredible time). There is not a distance runner alive who doesn't dream of 'Boston Qualifying' one day, even if they have no intention of running the actual marathon.

Growing up in Wellesley MA, the halfway point for the marathon, I have great memories of watching the marathon come through town every year, it gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Running Boston is something I refuse to even let myself think about, and I'll leave it at that. But like I said, I read all about it tonight, and I was inspired.

So, I went out for a run. I didn't look at my iPod once, I had no idea how long I'd been running for or how far I was going. I didn't stop to walk as I pushed myself farther at every turn. As I turned back on to my street for the final half mile, my pace actually increased and I finished strong.

4.08 miles. 53 minutes. No stopping. Most importantly- I enjoyed every second of it!

I almost feel like a runner...

2007-03-28T18:58:00.000-05:00

I had the best run of my life last night. I can barely walk up and down stairs today, but I feel GREAT!

I planned on a short recovery run with walking breaks, but I just kept adding miles. I ran a mile, I walked, I ran another mile, I walked, and then I finished strong with two miles. I was covered in sweat towards the end, but deleriously happy with the progress that simple walking breaks aforded me.

4.32 miles baby! The run I had last night was different from any other run I've done. I felt confident in my abilities and in control, able to actually enjoy the beautiful Friendship Hights neighborhoods I was running through. I have much to acheive still, but I think my run last night was a breakthrough.

You'll now be able to track my run data in a slighly more robust way. In the right column under 'Run History', go ahead and click my name. A new window will open with all of my run history, a calendar to view which days I have (or haven't, gulp) run on, and the ability to compare my monthly or weekly totals. While you could leave comments on that page, I'd prefer to keep them all in one place so continue to use the 'Comments' link under each post!

Scope this out...

2007-03-26T15:24:00.000-05:00

This weekend, joined by 7 of my friends, I ran my first 5k.

We ran in the 3rd Annual Scope It Out 5K Run/Walk for Colon Cancer Awareness:

Place..Div/Tot Name....... Age.. Hometown..... Net T Pace
143... 025/73. Jeffrey Q.. 23... WASHINGTON DC 23:53 7:42
228... 77/169. Nicholas J. 25... WASHINGTON DC 25:39 8:16
185... 035/90. Catherine G 24... Washington DC 28:35 9:12
315... 052/90. Kristin M.. 23... Washington DC 31:18 10:05
390... 053/73. [Chubbs]... 24... ALEXANDRIA VA 31:35 10:10
414... 057/73. Steve C.... 24... WASHINGTON DC 32:51 10:35
466... 066/73. [Dubbs].... 23... WASHINGTON DC 37:36 12:07
516... 076/90. Lauren McKen24... Washington DC 37:37 12:07

Everyone had a great performance, but most importantly, we all had fun. It was a beautiful course, we had amazing weather, a colorful cheering section, and it was an awesome way to spend a Saturday morning with friends. I'm already looking forward to my next one (April 15th!), where I will hopefully be joined by all of the above and more.

I'm happy with my time, but not my performance- I ran a terrible race. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of myself, but I've got a lot of room for improvement.

Things I did wrong:

1) I didn't respect the distance. 3.1 miles doesn't sound very far, especially when you've been planning ahead to a much more formidable distance (gulp). Rather than treating this race as an independent event, I saw it as just another training run. Big mistake. Miles don't come easy.

2) I started too fast. The number one mistake that beginners make when racing is starting a race at a pace that is too fast. I knew it, and I did it anyways. It felt good to keep up with some of my more advanced runner friends for the first part of the race. But, I should have worried about my pace, not theirs.

3) I was out of practice. After destroying my legs with some running, then basketball, then soccer, I took a few days off. Bad weather pushed it to nearly a week and a half. When I did run again, the Thursday before the race, I ran too hard and too fast and ended up aggravating my right leg, a pain I carried throughout the entire race.

I'm not trying to make excuses, I am happy with my time, and I'm proud of my first race.

But, I did a lot of things wrong, and I paid for it dearly on the course. I had to stop and walk after the turnaround, and hobbled through the last mile. Only by shear luck was I able to dig way down and flat out sprint the last 30 yards or so, robbing Lauren of a well deserved victory (by one second! Her performance is by far the most notable of our group, her plan that morning was to walk the 5K, but with no training whatsoever she started running and didn't stop!). It was by far the most painful and hopeless run of my short career.

Clearly, I've got a lot of room for improvement. My goal for the next one (April 15th) isn't necessarily to improve my time, but to improve my effort. I want to go into the race more confident, and finish stronger.

I'm going to focus on three things:

1) Improve my core. The core is the torso area, basically all the muscles that you don't think have anything to do with running. Turns out, they are pretty important.

2) Do some speed workouts. A speed workout is pretty self explanatory. You run fast. You tackle a much shorter distance, at a much faster rate of speed, for instance, jogging for 3 minutes, sprinting for one minute, lather, rinse, repeat.

3) Reincorporate the walk into my long runs. If you remember at the beginning, I couldn't even run for one minute. So, I'd walk, then run, then walk again. Walking is not the enemy, walking does not show weakness- it's a valuable tool for the distance runner. I had forgotten that. So on my long runs, I'm not going to be afraid for run for a mile, and then walk for 2 minutes, and then run again. Hopefully, I'll see some results and start feeling more confident about tackling longer distances.

Will Run For Boobs...

2007-03-11T15:26:00.000-05:00

I began running for a simple purpose - to cure myself. At nearly 450 lbs I was barely able to run up a flight of stairs, let alone a mile, without gasping for air. I simply was tired of being tired. One day I had an epipheny - I could either maintain my lifestyle and get worse, or make the first step.

Today, I am still making steps. Finishing my first mile. Finishing my second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and now seventh. Running has now become my saving grace. I'm 340 lbs and still running. What once was something I did to lose weight, however, has now become something with a much greater purpose.

Moving forward, I will run for those around me. My Mother, my beautiful Girlfriend, my best friends. I want to run this marathon not for just myself, but for the amazing women around me that have shaped who I am.

Right now, I'm just an overweight runner. In less than one year, however, I will be an inspiration. I will have made a difference in the lives of others, and myself. I will finish 26.2 miles, and I will do it so that others may realize that they can make something more of their life and help those that are around them.

Thanks Jeff for making this a reality. In the end, we all have a choice:

GO BIG, OR GO HOME!

-Biggie

Nike+ Graphs

2007-03-10T17:50:00.000-05:00

It was 66 degrees here today. I wasn't supposed to run today, but I woke up and wanted to. I think that's progress. Of course, because I ran 2.5 miles yesterday, I pretty much died on my 2 mile run today, but at least the weather was nice!

As most of you know, I've been using Nike+, and love it.

Take a look at my running history from January 1st until today (The first horizontal line is 1 mile, the second is 2 miles, etc. You can see my longest run in the middle of the graph, 3.1 miles):

If you'd like to see more information about any of the above runs, of if you'd like to track my running in between posts, you can always use the Nike+ Widget on the right hand side of this website, labeled "Dubbs' Runs". Click on "Workout Details", and you'll be able to cycle through each run!, and keep my honest if I haven't been running!

The Big News...

2007-03-06T19:51:00.000-05:00

When I get excited about an idea, I run with it. (See what I did there?)

Before committing to the National Marathon to fight Breast Cancer, I learned all I could about Donna Hicken, including reading her book. Allow me to quote from her website:

"Donna is the Founder/President of The Donna Hicken Foundation which began in June of 2003 assisting local women battling breast cancer. Donna herself is a two time breast cancer survivor, who was first diagnosed in 1999 at the age of 38 and again in 2002. Her own personal battle inspired her to form The Donna Hicken Foundation when learning of one woman who was battling breast cancer and had difficulty making ends meet. To date, over 400 First Coast women have been assisted by the Foundation. She is also the author of “The Good Fight” a book written about her own personal battle with breast cancer which chronicles her online journal she began with hundreds of viewers."

See her in action here and here, or read more about her.

I figured, why not? Go Big or Go Home, right? So I sent her an email, thanking her for all she is doing and for inspiring me, and included a link to this website.

Half an hour later, at 11:41PM, she emailed me back:

-----------------------------------------
From "Hicken, Donna"
To "[Dubbs]@gmail.com

Wow, [Dubbs]…what a great end to my night!! I can’t thank you enough!

This is an inspiration for ME! Can I put your blog and your wonderful comments on our web site?

Thanks again for the pump up!

Can’t wait to see you on race day!!

Donna
-----------------------------------------

True to her word, Go Big or Go Home is now featured at http://www.breastcancermarathon.com/links.html, and the website has been enjoying a steady stream of visitors from Jacksonville and around the country ever since.

As one might imagine, I've been as giddy as a school girl ever since she sent that email. Donna has a remarkable passion, not only for the cause, but for using her stature in the community to truly reach out and help others.

I've got copies of her book for borrowing, feel free to stop by and pick one up, or grab your own.

Got to have faith!

2007-03-04T20:48:00.000-05:00

I sent out an email to friends and family members fifteen days ago asking for support and sponsorship. At the time, the National Marathon to fight Breast Cancer was exactly one year away.

I'd be skeptical too.

Many of you believe in my effort and the cause, and that means a lot to me.

But some of you have faith in me, and for that I can't thank you enough.

I heard this story a long time ago:

A ringmaster, shouting over the crowd and pointing to a tightrope 200 feet in the air, asked, "Who here believes The Amazing Dubbsani can cross that rope with no safety nets, and a man balanced on his back?" A hundred hands shot up in unison as the crowed hushed in terse anticipation of the amazing feat to come. The ringmaster then asked, "And which of you has enough faith in The Amazing Dubbsani to be the man on his back?" The hands came down just as fast as they went up, all except for one.

With that said, I can't thank enough those who have taken the extraordinary leap of faith, and quite literally have put their money where their mouth is. You are the people that keep me going:

Anonymous A.
Debbie B.
Liz C.
Chris D.
Kat G.
Clark G.
Katie G.
Beth H.
Dona & Roger H.
Nicky J.
Aunt Kris
Paul & Steph L.
Uncle Johnny
Lauren M.
Lauren M.
Katie M.
Jane M.
Stephen N.
Annie P.
Alley P.
Joe R.
Daphne R
Gabby R.
Emily R.
Jason S.
Betsy S.
Lacy S.
Jenny and Fred W.
Julie W.
Aunt Genie

As promised, I want to recognize on pledge in particular, made by an undergraduate no less! She has shown her faith by pledging a donation each month in support of our goals. Who knows, if her toenail ever grows back from the marathon she just ran, maybe she'll be joining us in Jacksonville? A bottle of extra classy wine is being sent to her as thanks! Hopefully she'll have a corkscrew handy, I hear they are used to the boxed variety over at River Road...

I haven't forgotten that I need to be RUNNING, even with all the recent focus on fundraising. You can always check in on me by clicking on the Workout Details link under the Workout Summary to the right, and I'll promise I'll write about my recent progress and our upcoming races soon!

Oh yeah, the BIG news I mentioned? It deserves it's own post. It will be up tommorow. Get excited!

WOW!

2007-02-27T10:08:00.000-05:00

I'm impressed.

$1,000. 10% of our total goal. Less than two weeks.

We can't thank you all enough!

Much more to come, see you Wednesday!

A Challenge...

2007-02-21T18:04:00.000-05:00

I sent out a fundraising email on the 17th of February.

Since then, in just 4 days, we have raised over $400 for the cause! I'm incredibly impressed with my friends and family, and grateful for their support.

But, I think we can do more:

On February 28th, at 8pm, we're having a Marathon Kick Off Happy Hour, at our team headquarters, Clyde's in Friendship Heights. You're all invited. Hopefully you're around, and can stop in for a drink or two and see some old friends!

I think we can raise $1,000 before the happy hour.

That gives us one week. $1,000 would represent a full ten percent of our total fundraising goal, and to achieve that milestone in under two weeks would be an incredible way to start off this campaign.

If you are thinking about sponsoring us, please consider trying to help us meet this small goal in the next week. Donating is easier than ever, use the donation box to the right and then follow the instructions.

If this goal is met (or maybe even if we come close), I'll do three things:

1) I'll find a way to recognize and reward our "10% Club", the people whose donations allowed us to reach our first milestone.

2) I'll find a way to recognize and reward the person with the largest donation, or pledge (for instance, if someone has emailed me and pledged to donate $10 per month, $5 per mile, etc)

3) I'll shave my head. I'll kiss a pig. I'll give up poker for a month. Or, I'll entertain any other crazy ideas that you have, post them in the comments!

Oh, and I almost forgot- I have some BIG news. Close friends of mine have already heard, and they know how pumped I am about it! Trust me, this is exciting stuff! I'll tell you all about it, once we meet our new goal!

Welcome!

2007-02-17T11:00:00.001-05:00

The marathon is exactly one year from today. I'm scared.

We have have a lot of new visitors this weekend, welcome! I'll try to condense the relevant information into this post.

Here is the email that most of you just read:

We all remember middle school gym class and the dreaded mile run. Those were the days I lay in bed with a pretend fever, refusing to go to school. It seems as though my past has caught up with me.Three friends and I have a variety of motives, but suffice it to say that breast cancer has hit close to home. We've decided to do our part and Go Big or Go Home.

We are training to run a marathon on February 17th, 2008 in Jacksonville, Florida. It is the inaugural National Breast Cancer Marathon, the first marathon in the country where all proceeds go towards breast cancer care and research.

"When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I set my sights on outrunning the disease. Facing cancer is a lot like running a marathon - a long arduous race that challenges the body, mind, and spirit. [The marathon] will raise awareness and funds to fight breast cancer and help women living with the disease, [and] also provide a unique destination marathon in one of the most beautiful places in the country. I want this to become a pilgrimage for people with a passion for the cause." - Donna Hicken

Here is what you can do to help:

1) Encourage Us

We have set up a training website so that family and friends can track our progress online. We need you to yell at us when we're slacking, praise us when we're not, and put up with us when we're tired, exhausted, sweaty, and miserable. There is absolutely no way we can do this alone. We need your help, and we hope you'll be as excited about following our progress as we are about making progress.

2) Sponsor Us

"As the only marathon in the country dedicated solely to raising money to fight breast cancer, the race proceeds will go directly to The Donna Hicken Foundation, an entity which funds the critical needs of underserved women with breast cancer. The Foundation has pledged to donate the majority of funds raised to Mayo Clinic for research and its Multidisciplinary Breast Clinic, which specializes in the detection and treatment of breast cancer."

Our group fundraising goal is even more ambitious than our training schedule. Every single dollar counts, and we need all the help we can get. Donating is quick and easy, and can be done online right now with a credit card! To sponsor us, use the Donna Hicken Foundation logo on the right hand side of our training website to reach our fundraising page!

Thanks so much for you help!

Team Go Big or Go Home
http://021708.blogspot.com

Who:

You'll meet the others whenever they feel like posting, (soon I hope!), but we currently have a tentative group of 4 runners, three guys and one girl. We would love to be joined by more! I am by far the least experienced runner

What:

We're running in the inaugural National Marathon to fight Breast Cancer, founded by Donna Hicken, on February 17th, 2008. Along the way we plan to run a variety of other smaller races, including my first ever 5k (3.1 miles) race on March 24th, 2007.

Why:

I don't think that anyone can say that breast cancer hasn't touched their lives. We wanted to do our part and show solidarity with loved ones and friends who are fighting for their lives. Donna Hicken said it best, "Facing cancer is a lot like running a marathon - a long arduous race that challenges the body, mind, and spirit."

How:

With your help! We need encouragement, support, and sponsorship. We are also planning on using our legs, our feet, running shoes, and maybe some running clothes. I personally am also using the Nike+ system, which I couldn't recommend more for new (or experienced) runners.

I've been posting since December, so feel free to read through the archives and catch up. Serious training will start around the end of April, until then I'm trying to build up my base and my endurance.

Feel free to offer advice, suggestions, or ask questions in the comments, and make sure view our fundraising progress through the link on the right!

This is going to be quite the journey, so we hope you stick around for the long haul!

Behind the Scenes

2007-02-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

I hope the lack of posts and runs hasn't given you too much concern! I've got three updates for you:

1) Last week my knee was acting up. It hurt. Now don't worry, this is normal, particularly for a new runner increasing mileage. The rule of thumb is to never increase your weekly mileage by more then 10% each week, a rule I blissfully and willfully ignored! Really, I don't think it's a problem, but I'm playing it safe, and the sub-zero (OK, not literally) temperatures made it an easy decision to take the week off.

2) In lieu of running, I've been working on some logistics. Two of us started this quest, and we have now doubled that number (maybe), with the possibility of more. As time progresses and our training kicks in you'll meet the other runners, but I'm optimistic that we'll have a group of 6 running with us in Jacksonville, if not the full marathon, then the half marathon. We'll see what happens.

I've also begun fundraising preparations. I'm trying to make it more than just a one time email, and a one time donation. I want donors and sponsors to feel involved in the process, to feel like part of the team. I want to reward generosity with prizes, raffles, events, and fun. I have a couple ideas in mind, but I need lots of help! Any ideas and suggestions left in the comments would be great!

3) I'm running my first race in March! March 24th, to be exact. It's a small 5k in Washington DC. I'll be running it as part of a team of 7 or 8 friends. I'm pretty excited. More on that later!

26.2 With Donna

2007-02-03T16:12:00.001-05:00

This is what it's all about:

Dirty Trick...

2007-01-30T12:43:00.000-05:00

When I made the post last night to clarify the rules, it's because I knew that someone would be winning the contest soon. You see, last night I ran my first ever 5k. I'm happy to report that I did not die.

I couldn't even run for 1 minute without stopping at the beginning of January. Now I've run a 5k. Sure, my time was terrible, but who keeps track of things like that?

If you view the comments for the previous post, you'll see that Emily came through with the win. Most of you don't know who Emily is and that is because I don't really like her. I never talk to her, or about her, and I generally just forget all about her for all but one week out of the year. She is one of many cousins and I really just can't keep track of all of them... ok FINE, she happens to be my favorite cousin, there, I said it!

She is also my coach!

Emily ran Cross Country for 2 years at Fort Lewis College in Durango, and was an All-American, going to Nationals this past November and running a 6k school and personal record of 21:10. She runs a 5K in 18:10, and a mile in 5:08. She's now at University of Montana and has goals of sub 17:30 5k and a sub 5:00 mile. It's pretty much my fault she's such a good runner because she spent most of her childhood running away from me when I tried to throw her in the lake!

So if I am successful in reaching my goals, it's pretty much all because of me. But if I fail, it's mostly her fault.

And, because she's amazing, Emily has donated her winnings towards the cause! Make sure you check out the fundraising page by clicking on the Donna Hicken Foundation logo to the right!

Who Knew?!

2007-01-29T18:26:00.000-05:00

A few quick things:

1) Who knew $10 would create such excitement among friends?! The contest is still active with the following rules- The first real life friend or family member to congratulate me by posting a comment and including my 5K time, wins a shiny new $10 bill. Or, a dirty, old, crumpled one from my pocket. Either way, you can use it to buy me a much deserved prize for running a 5K! My goal is to run the 3.1 miles by Valentine's Day at the latest, and remember, I won't post about it, so you'll have to keep track of my progress some other way...

2) Who knew I wasn't the first person to come up with a lofty goal and then blog about their progress?! I encourage all of you to visit http://www.daphneruns.blogspot.com/ and read about Daphne's journey. Also from DC, she decided in May to run the October Marine Corps Marathon. It is a very good read, funny, and a great view of a marathon runner from start to finish.

3) Who knew fundraising was so hard?! My donation page has been up for about a month (Donna Hicken Foundation logo to the right), and I am still the only person to have donated! But don't feel bad, we haven't officially kicked off the campaign yet, so you sill have time. But, we are going to need a lot of help. PLEASE leave me some comments with some fundraising ideas! What are your thoughts on fundraising parties, raffles, contests, monthly pledges vs lump sums, selling t-shirts, bake sales, etc? What fundraising tactics have you used successfully in the past, what advice do you have for us on the best way to approach our friends, coworkers, family members, and random strangers on the Internet? We're going to need a lot of help coming up with a fundraising plan to match our ambitious fundraising goal, and your expertise would be very appreciated. Use the comments, and THANKS!

Records... Shattered!

2007-01-24T09:07:00.000-05:00

My 20 minute goal has been achieved, nay, shattered. And might I say, it was effortless.

I set out to run yesterday for 15 minutes. At the 15 minute mark, I decided to keep going. At the 20 minute mark, I saw that I was close to the 2 mile mark, so I decided to keep going again. I finally ended my run at 2.04 miles in 25 minutes.

1) This is a terrible time
2) I don't care

I'm very happy. I just need to repeat that run 13 times! In one day! Without stopping in the middle! So basically, I'm almost ready for the marathon.

The next step is running a 5k. In a million years, I never thought I'd be able to run a 5K so early in my training. My goal is to run for 3.1 miles before Valentine's Day.

To keep this interesting, I'm creating a contest. The first real life friend or family member to congratulate me after I've run for 3.1 miles will receive a $10 bill. I'm not going to tell anyone or post a message online, you'll have to track my progress some other way, visit often, and check in on me...

Things I Have Learned

2007-01-22T13:18:00.000-05:00

1) I hate running

Well, I'm kidding. I'm actually starting to enjoy it. Sitting at a desk all day at work, oftentimes I wish I was outside running. The trick is to retain that feeling when I leave every night, even when it's dark and rainy and cold.

So far, I think I'm doing a pretty good job.

I've had my longest run ever, and I'm pretty excited about it. 17 minutes, 1.4 miles. The next milestone is 20 minutes.

I Missed a Workout

2007-01-10T22:12:00.000-05:00

I'll admit it. I missed a workout. OK fine, two workouts. On Tuesday I was supposed to walk for 5 minutes, run for 3 minutes, walk for five minutes, run for 3 minutes, and then walk for 5 minutes. On Wednesday, today, I was supposed to walk for 15 minutes, then run for 1 minute, then walk for 2 minutes.

I didn't do either of those.

Instead, on Tuesday I ran a mile. Today, I ran another mile, but faster.

People say that the human body is made for running. They say with training, the body naturally adapts to running long distances. I didn't believe it, but I'm starting to. It is incredibly encouraging to have gotten this far so quickly. Clearly "this far" is relative, and clearly I have a long way to go. But I'm already ahead of pace, and that makes me happy.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the Walk to Run schedule. I want to follow the progression, but continue to push myself. So, I'm not sure how it will work itself out, but my new goal is to run at least one mile every day as a warm up, and then build on top of that.

Wish me luck!

My Legs Hurt! Progress!

2007-01-08T20:22:00.000-05:00

Week one is completed. This seems like an achievement... until you look at how easy week one was. Still, I'm proud of myself for not missing a single day, a trend that will hopefully continue as the schedule gets slightly more challenging. According to the Nike Running website, I'm 10% done with the Walk to Run schedule!

I've been using Nike+ to track my walk to and from work, 4 walking miles per day as you can see on the image above. When I'm done with the Walk to Run schedule, I'll stop tracking these walks and we'll have a much more accurate view of what I'm actually running. But for now, lets just pretend, it makes me feel pretty good having all those miles up there!

I've been researching stretches and strengthening exercises for my legs, and looking into some good running books to pick up. I'd welcome suggestions from veteran runners on either topic.

Step One is the Hardest

2007-01-02T11:01:00.000-05:00

The Holiday break was much needed. I hope that everyone enjoyed it as much as we did.

To the point, my training schedule has begun. I'm terrified. Here is a rough idea of what I have set up for myself:

1) Learn to run.
2) Run a 5k in June.
3) Train for a half marathon.
4) Run a half marathon in September.
5) Train for a marathon.
6) Run a marathon in February.

In the event I miss a scheduled training day, I'm going to:

1) Cancel my poker game that Sunday. I love that game.
2) Post it here. You'll mock me and say I can never do this. I'll be embarrassed and try harder.

So, thus begins Step One. I'll post the full schedule as soon as I get it online.

The first day - 5 minutes walking, 1 minute running, 5 minutes walking, 1 minute running, 5 minutes walking:

Inspiration from Team Hoyt

2006-12-21T11:23:00.000-05:00

It has occurred to me that running 26.2 miles is not easy. In fact, some might even consider it difficult.

This is not something I considered when I made the decision to run a marathon.

As you might imagine, I'm going to need a lot of help and inspiration. This is a story that truly touched me. Hopefully it will do the same to any other aspiring runners or those of you who are considering running this marathon with us.

When I'm ready to give up, when I don't think I can take another single step, I'll be thinking about Team Hoyt.

"Dick and Rick Hoyt are a father-and-son team from Massachusetts who together compete just about continuously in marathon races. And if they’re not in a marathon they are in a triathlon — that daunting, almost superhuman, combination of 26.2 miles of running, 112 miles of bicycling, and 2.4 miles of swimming. Together they have climbed mountains, and once trekked 3,735 miles across America.

It’s a remarkable record of exertion — all the more so when you consider that Rick can't walk or talk.

For the past twenty five years or more Dick, who is 65, has pushed and pulled his son across the country and over hundreds of finish lines. When Dick runs, Rick is in a wheelchair that Dick is pushing. When Dick cycles, Rick is in the seat-pod from his wheelchair, attached to the front of the bike. When Dick swims, Rick is in a small but heavy, firmly stabilized boat being pulled by Dick." Read More...

The Official Team Hoyt Website
Team Hoyt Photo Album
Team Hoyt Personal Bests
Inspirational Team Hoyt Videos

Is it embarrassing to know that a 65 year old man and his "spastic quadriplegic, cerebral palsy, non-speaking" son can finish a marathon in less time than it takes me to find, put on, and tie my running shoes, and with less effort?

Yes.

Will it make us work harder?

Yes.

Using Nike+ for the first time

2006-12-19T18:37:00.000-05:00

I used my new Nike + iPod today, walking to and from work:

What is Nike+ you ask?

"You don’t just take iPod nano on your run. You let it take you. Music is your motivation. But what if you want to go further? Thanks to a unique partnership between NIKE and Apple, your iPod nano becomes your coach. Your personal trainer. Your favorite workout companion. Introducing Nike + iPod."

Official Apple Website
Official Nike Website
Cabel - Multiplayer Game Of The Year - Review
PC Mag - Nike + iPod Sport Kit - Review

For the record, my gear:

$150 - Second Generation iPod Nano - 2G, Silver
$ 30 - Nike + iPod Sport Kit - Nike+ Receiver and Sensor
$ 30 - Marware Sportsuit Relay - Arm Band and Shoe Pouch

$210 spent on my new Nike+ system.

I chose not to buy the Nike+ Shoes as they are not needed, and I have a nice pair of Asics. If I had an iPod Nano already, the whole system would have only cost $60, or I could have just bought the Nike + iPod Sport Kit for only $30. Not a bad deal at all, especially because you can buy refurbished iPod Nanos for just $89.

Hello World

2006-12-19T11:04:00.000-05:00

My name is Dubbs, and I am an alcoholic.

OK, I'm not really an alcoholic. I'm also not a blogger and decidedly not a runner. All of that is about to change. Except for the alcoholic part.

26.2 miles seems like an impossible distance. That's our goal. We have over a year to train for the inaugural National Breast Cancer Marathon on February 17th, 2008. Considering I can run less than a mile as of today, we're going to need it.

Will we make it? I don't know. Will we try? Absolutely.