M-Cubed for 4.21.2014

M-Cubed (Monday Morning Musings) for April Twenty-First, Two Thousand Fourteen...a random smattering of thoughts that end up here on Monday morning.

- Patriots' Day 2014: As I type this, the Boston Marathon is about to set off. First run in 1897, it is an American and worldwide event with runners from all over. This year is like none other, though. Last year, bombs were detonated at the finish line and people lost their lives, limbs, and many were severely injured. Today, the finish line is taken back by the runners, the city of Boston, by runners from afar, and America. Posted just moments ago by the Boston Marathon are the official numbers for this year's race: "The official count for the 188th running of the Boston Marathon is 35,755 total runners (Men - 19,648; Women 16,107)" As a runner and marathoner, my heart is on those streets of Boston even though I've never run them. Those terrorists tried to knock us down and they only made us stronger. #bostonstrong

- My recovery story continues to play itself out in most interesting ways. Last Wednesday morning before I ran my birthday run, my quads were still tender to the touch from the previous Saturday's 50K in Mohican State Park. I still headed out and ran a strong 28 miles on asphalt. I wake up Thursday and BAM! I feel better. Huh? That makes no sense. I took the day off because I knew I had to "properly" recover. On Friday, I hit the trails for 10 fast and EASY miles in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. I kept thinking to myself how my feeling from head to toe made no sense! "I shouldn't feel this fresh...but I do." That was a great run and a perfect fit into a work day that started and stopped over and over again. I wore my new Hammer Nutrition tech tee for the first time, too.

- How was your Easter Sunday? Each Easter seems to play itself out a little different for us. This year, we enjoyed a traditional Easter dinner on Saturday night with great friends of ours followed by a laughter-filled euchre smack down until the ladies cried "Mercy!" On Sunday, we celebrated Resurrection Sunday by first enjoying a homemade biscuits and gravy breakfast and homemade quiche followed by a great service at church. Our afternoon took us west into the Hinckley Reservation where we climbed boulders and rocks at Whipps' Ledges and a stop to lay down on a dock over Hinckley Lake where we just closed our eyes and soaked in the sun. What a beautiful day we got! Spring picked a most excellent day to say "I'm here to stay!"

Our view from the dock

- I had the chance to photograph a local marathon on Saturday while walking my dog along the mighty Cuyahoga River in Kent, OH...the On My Own Two Feet Marathon. If you know anyone who ran it or want to check out the album, here's the link. Afterwards, Bristol and I strolled on down to the rocks along the river for some early afternoon sun.

- Facebook post of mine from last Thursday: "Circle of Life Moment: A half hour ago, I was sitting at McDonald's, about 10 feet away from the spot that I was approached by a Navy recruiter 24 years ago. Had I not been approached, I would've never joined the Navy. The Circle of Life is completed as I was sitting in uniform with a Naval Officer-wannabe, talking about aviation, and pointing to the table I was wiping 24 years ago and where I am today. We never know where life is going to take us, do we?"

All marathoners get this tech tee...sweet and original!

- So it's taper week. In just about any marathon training plan, you have a taper. Since I am far from a traditionalist these days as far as training plans go, I don't have one. However, I hereby solemnly swear to behave this week. My one marathon of 2014 is this Sunday at the Inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon in Canton, Ohio. Finish Line? 50 yard line of Fawcett Stadium. If the forecast holds, it's perfect. Mid 40s for the start and a high in the 50s. I haven't run the course but I'm expecting a relatively flat, fast course. I haven't trained to be fast but I'd love a finishing time between 3:30 and 3:45. I hope to head out around 8:25 a mile and hold it. If I have a little extra in the tank around 20 miles, I'm going to drop the hammer and see what I can do. I have no intention of going for a gingerly stroll in Canton this Sunday but I also don't care to blow my body up foolishly, either. "Run Happy and Strong!" or don't run at all! Want to run the marathon or half marathon? There are still openings here. Tracking available, too, to sign up for. (I still can't wait for mile 21...1000 full-size American flags lining the course!)

- OK, I don't share many YouTube videos here but my family and I have watched this EIGHT times. If you've seen Frozen, you just have to watch it. Naval Academy baseball player, Matt Kilby, recorded this of him and his friend lip syncing to a popular song from Frozen...and they NAILED it! It's gone viral and over 600,000 people have watched it. Enjoy!



- I'll leave you with this quote from Mark Remy, author of The Runner's Rule Book: Everything a Runner Needs to Know—and Then Some

"Run the mile that you're in. Especially for longer races (but even for short ones, like 5-Ks), it can be tempting to dwell on the total distance or on how far you are from the finish line. Try not to. Instead, focus on the mile you're running at that particular moment.

Be mindful of the full distance, of course; mentally and physically, you should be aware of how far you've got to go. Primarily, though, keep your head in the here and now.

That's a nice metaphor for life, too, by the way. In case you were looking for one."

Have a GREAT week, everyone!