This Land Was Made for You and Me.

I hope everybody had a fun and safe Fourth of July!

This past weekend was another big test with a 12 miler on the schedule. It went really well, I ran at a decent pace and I felt fine the rest of the day. Even the day after my legs weren't sore at all. I'm rounding into shape.

Fareed Zakaria once said that the United States is unique in that it's the only country where you can become American. He said that if he moved to any other country, say China or Germany, he wouldn't have the same opportunity to become Chinese or German. This point is especially poignant when I think about my grandfather leaving South America in his early teens and fast-forward sitting with him in Candlestick Park watching the Niners. He lived the experience of becoming American, and sports were a key part of that story.

My grandfather talked about playing baseball and soccer as a kid, and even when his life was defined by tumult he found relief in sports. My grandmother once told me that my grandfather was determined to learn the rules of football as part of the process of becoming American. I grew up watching football and I couldn't imagine learning a game, as he did while learning the rules of football, the rules of which change while the ball is in play. He loved golf dearly and played any time he could. His office had souvenirs from Pebble Beach and St. Andrew's. When my sister and I were young, he would take us out on the course with him. We were too young to swing the wrenches, but we would rifle through the rough, picking up derelict golf balls and take turns driving the cart. He was also a huge baseball fan, having once told me that there was a point in his life that if the Giants lost, it ruined his week. One day we were driving around San Francisco and he really wanted to see the new ballpark. We walked around a bit, he told me stories about Willie Mays, and I took his picture in front of the statue of Willie Mays. He got me a Giants hat that day and it has become my running hat. It seems fitting to wear the hat he got me for a marathon I'm running in his memory,

You can see from the two pictures below whose for hair I inherited... 

A lot of what has contributed to my love of sports comes from both sides of my family. My dad may not have a classical athlete's stature, but he's always a crafty competitor. During games of H-O-R-S-E, my dad would put on a Globetrotter-esque show of trick shots. In ping-pong, he would apply such wild spin on the ball that my sister and I would accuse him of cheating (until he traded paddles with us and continued the mind-boggling volleys, laughing the whole time). My mother and I share a love for narrative in sport. She's very interested in the relationships between players, and what a win would mean to a certain player on a personal level. My mom's dad passed away before I was born, but I have often been told about how he would watch football on TV while listening to the Twins on the radio and reading the sports page. 

My family is important to me, sports are important, and for the Fourth of July these are the things I think about. 

I'll leave you with a throwback to last year's Grandma's Half Marathon that I ran with Kris, Emily, and Sara. Try to guess what our theme was.

Ready for Takeoff

With a few weeks of runs under my increasingly roomy belt, my training schedule is about to get serious. No more greasy grub the night before a long run. Not only do I have to be more careful about what I eat to fuel up, I also have to increase the volume of food. Soon my eating schedule will resemble that of veal: snacks before and after each meal topped off with a midnight snack. My vampiric craving for carbs will no doubt result in the loaf of wheat bread leading its fridgemates on a quest to drive a stake through my protein-rich heart.

It's no secret that I'm a big basketball fan. I recently read an interview with the Timberwolves' newest #1 pick Karl-Anthony Towns that had a great motto for marathon training. He said you can't make up for yesterday. (If anyone has thoughts on where I should get my 2019 NBA championship trophy tattooed, let me know in the comments). This is going to be my mantra when I have to choose between dragging my bones out of bed versus hitting snooze. 

My current run schedule consists of three short runs during the week and one long run on the weekend. Soccer and tennis will provide cross training on non-run days. As the marathon gets closer the 18- and 21-mile training runs will take a higher priority while a couple of the shorter runs will fall away. So when my alarm rings for a pre-dawn run I'll tell myself I have to get out to run because I can't make up for yesterday.

As a post script I'll leave you with my current top three run jams (warning: these might have lots of bad words):

1) Kendrick Lamar - Alright

2) Young Fathers - Get Up

3) Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels

A fundraising update, I'm a third of the way to my goal! A big thanks again to everyone who has contributed. Any size donation to my American Cancer Society campaign would be greatly appreciated. Here is the link: http://bitly.com/1SOoyr4

Here's some of the data from my last long run before my family reunion on a short trip to the homeland. 

First Training Run

I have been swamped with preparing for final exams, but I managed to get a scenic training run under my belt. My work is a stone's throw away from Lake Shore Drive. Kris met up with me and we went for a solid 4-miler. The view definitely goes in the plus column for Chicago. The spectacular view is a little too alluring making the paths pretty congested with runners, bikers, baby strollers, and Thoreau saunterers. I like to think the crowded paths help me work on my in-run lateral agility.

This is my first training run since registering for the Chicago marathon. It's also my first run in my American Cancer Society training shirt. Artistic director/run partner Kris decided we needed both a still and an action shot. In addition to improving my pace and distance, it's clear I need to work on smiling for pictures. I looked like a poorly stitched together muppet.

Distance running is different from other sports for me in that I cannot make up for a lack of skill with maximum physical exertion. My natural tendency to just put the pedal to the metal will only result in injury. During the run I'm monitoring what's sore. It's like a car's dash. Uh-oh, the hamstring light just came on, hopefully it'll go away on its own. A foam roller is great for the IT band and sore muscles in general. A tennis ball under your feet provides a decent massage for your arches and muscles. Acupuncture is also great for a variety of ailments. I haven't done it since moving to Chicago, but back home I would schedule an appointment for after my shift. I was pretty skeptical at first, but now I'm a true believer. There was only one time that it really bothered me. The acupuncturist said there was a special point for stress inside the ear. I had needles in ear before and it was fine, but this was beyond the boundary I imagined where a needle could go inside my ear. I kinda freaked out for a minute, but similarly to running long distances, I eventually blocked out my anxiety and was able to relax.

Thanks for reading, and if you're able, please consider donating to my American Cancer Society Campaign. Here is the link: http://bitly.com/1SOoyr4

The First Step.

Cancer is familiar to us all. Everyone I know has lost someone or is currently facing a struggle against the disease. My grandfather was originally diagnosed when I was very young. I don't remember what his voice sounded like before his voice box was removed. He passed away in 2006 and he continues to be a hugely important influence. I loved spending time with him, whether it was running errands in San Francisco, reading the paper, or watching the sunset over the Pacific. He was the most fascinating person in the world to me. The other person that inspired me to run with the American Cancer Society is my neighbor and dear family friend John. John was a doctor that specialized in heart research. After retiring he moved into a home across from my family where he grew roses and read voraciously. His living room was full of stacks and stacks of books. It was like a library came to crash on his couch for a couple of weeks. After he told my parents that he had been diagnosed with cancer, he consoled them by saying, "In 10 years no one will die of this, the research is that good."

Some problems feel so massive that a solution seems impossible. I would like to think that whatever this campaign raises will be a small step toward realizing that future. I have a long way to go in my training and fundraising. This blog will keep track of progress on both fronts. In exchange for your time and money I hope to post regularly about a range of topics. I hope you will check in regularly and make a donation.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/DetermiNation/DNFY11IL?px=40618087&pg=personal&fr_id=69178