Rules to the Game

A few months ago, a friend and I were talking about all the wonderful stories of tragic comedy that keep us going. They make us laugh in that uncomfortable way of knowing that we too could be screwed just that much. These are stories we all have. These are stories that we share to share our misery, and hopefully find the brighter side. Though, lets face it, sometimes there just is no brighter side accept to know we have friends to share such tragedy with. Since the marathon is over, I'm turning this blog over to true life stories of comedy and tragedy. Some rules will be set up, and these will be posted in due time. I would love to collect stories from anyone who fits into the category, and as I get more and more contributions, it will be more like a contest for who has the best tragic/comedic before the next posting. If you have one of these stories at any time, please pass it on, share it with world so we can laugh and be slightly mortified with you.

Race til the End

The crowds rejoice and so do my tired limbs, I finally finished the Boston Marathon in a respectable time of 4:25. All weekend the runners worried about snow, sleet, rain, and wind, and the day actually turned out to be rather fair for running (for those of us who are not running 2 hour marathons).
The athletes village was a mud pit and soaked, but once the running began, we were only chasing the rain. Crowds still turned out. And so did the water trucks, which meant quite a lot of roadside relieving.
I was very glad to have someone to run with the first half, and I'm sorry that I missed my other friend as I was "blowing by her." Thanks to everyone who turned out to watch or tracked me online. The support was needed and is very much appreciated. And I'm glad that I can do something for the MS Society while being a part of such a great event.
For those of you who have the resources, I am still in need of donations. Please visit my MS donations page.

Thanks for everything.

Just read it

Published in Daily Press, Hampton Roads VA Thursday April 12th, 2007.

SMITHFIELD GRAD TESTS LIMITS

A Race for a Friend's Health

A 21-year-old woman will run the Boston Marathon, with a goal of raising $3,000 for multiple sclerosis.

By Susan Smigielski Acker
Special to the Daily Press

April 12, 2007

Smithfield High School graduate, Virginia "Van" Credle, hopes to help raise money and awareness of a crippling disease that has affected a friend by running the long race.

Credle will run as a member of Strides Against MS team in the 111th Boston Marathon to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis – a neurological disease. The legendary marathon is 26 miles and is set for April 16.

Long-time family friend, Deana Owens of Smithfield, has the disease but manages to show much strength, said Credle. "You would never know she has it. She is there for anyone who needs her. She continues to have faith and love for everyone," she said with admiration in her voice.

The pair grew close when Owens served as Credle's sponsor when she confirmed her religious beliefs at Good Shepard Catholic Church in Smithfield several years ago.

"I am honored that is doing this for me. It means so much to me," Owens said.

The 44-year-old bank teller at Old Point National Bank said it has been two years since she had an attack which can be temporary paralysis and even blindness. She was diagnosed 15 years ago when her four children were young.

"My youngest son about three years old when I had an attack and he has pretty much grown up with seeing me with an IV in my arm," she said.

"I pray everyday about it. My doctor said that my positive attitude keeps me well. I am determined not to be crippled," Owens said.

Part of Owens treatment is a weekly shot that must penetrate the muscle. Her husband of 28 years, Joe, administers the shot.

While Owens treats the disease and maintains a positive attitude, Credle, 21, is under a fast track to train for the team of 50 people. She joined the team just six weeks prior to the marathon although she applied in September. She was initially put on the wait list. However several weeks ago, she received an email that an opening had become available.

"I had to quickly change my routine to include several miles of running a day and petitioning for donations in the evening," Credle said.

Currently living in Princeton, N.J., Credle is a software marketing representative. She runs about six miles a day with one long run a week of 10 to 20 miles.

"I average about 50 miles a week. The marathon is getting close, so I am beginning to taper off," Credle said.

"The weather has not been so nice here (in New Jersey) so it has been a little hard when it is cold. I've even run through two blizzards," Credle said.

Credle has been an athlete most of her life. She was captain of Smithfield High School's varsity soccer team and a member of the cross country team. Currently she is also participating in rowing events.

The training lifestyle also includes a balanced diet of the three P's - protein, produce and pasta and one C.

"I eat a lot of carbs such as pasta and I also take a lot of vitamin C to ward off any colds. I also include a lot of fiber," she said.

In order to be on the team, each member must commit to raising $2,500 for the MS society. Credle has set a goal of $3,000 and the team's goal is $300,000 said Steven Sookikian, director of communications for the MS Society.

Presented by the Boston Athletic Association, the race has teams representing other charities to raise money and awareness for their cause, he said.

Her fund raising efforts include asking artist friends to donate art work to create shirts, greeting cards and calendars to sell.

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. It interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body and stops people from moving, Sookikian said.

MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S., and 2.5 million worldwide. Someone is newly diagnosed with MS every hour in the United States. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis, he said.

"There is everything from mobility issues to temporary paralysis, limping, to even in some cases being blind for a few weeks at a time," he said.

Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with more than twice as many women as men contracting the disease, Sookikian said.

The MS Society serves people with the disease and their families with education, advocacy and research for treatment and a cure.

"We are a place to turn to learn on how to cope with MS. If someone needs information, we provide it. If they need special services such as a wheelchair we help them to maneuver the public and private health systems to get what they need," he said.

"We also have people researching a cure," Sookikian added.

"People running in the race will help raise money for all of our causes," he said.

In the Blizzard we go Running

Based on the National Weather Service's most recent report and in cooperation with the Executive Office of Public Safety (Commonwealth of Massachusetts) and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, together with the eight cities and towns along the 26.2-mile marathon route, we are planning for likely heavy rain and windy conditions on race day.

Monday...Rain likely. Rain May be heavy at Times in the morning. Windy with highs in the mid 40s. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Exactly what I want to hear mere days before running the Boston Marathon. These reports seem much more pleasant than what my friend Adam described as "the worst Noreaster in 5 years." We'll see. Despite bad weather, lack of proper training, and even less proper clothing, I will continue. I feel like the postman, but I suppose there are worst things to be compared to. Let's just hope that through all this I won't end up going postal.

Black and White and Read all over

What you see beside this lovely type, is some more lovely type, and a picture, with a byline, which means I didn't write it. Yes indeed, I did make it into the newspaper. This article proudly ran in the Smifthfield Times last week, and I've been lucky enough to have wonderful responses from people who also have been affected by MS in their lives. Its great to have so many people that I dont know also react to this story. Actually, I was lucky it ran at all, and I'm so glad to be spreading awareness about the fight against MS.

In addition to this article, there will also be an article to run in the Daily Press in Virginia on April12th. I'm sure I will also have copies of this article posted. Because who doesn't want to read more about me. Cheers.

Its Official

Yesterday I got my singlet and my bib number in the mail. Its official, I'm actually running the Boston Marathon. Looking over the prep materials, I realized how much I missed Boston when it was preparing for the marathon. The streets were being cleaned, all the sports stores had running specials, and the marathon banners would be hung from lamp posts. As an avid fan of advertising, I think I enjoyed these most. Reading every encouraging quote under the now infamous "Reason No:" campaign. Apparently it continues this year, as my package is splattered with wonderful reasons like "It hurts so good" and "Chafing is a badge of honor." Both sentiments I would agree with whole-heartedly. There's also the John Hancock page which includes a list of promises like "I will finish under four hours" and "Boston is my first marathon but not my last." Under this spirit of promotional inspiration, I will use this blog to give my list of reasons and promises.

Reason NO:
254: I get an excused day off work
8706: I might get a tan
342: The soles of my trainers miss Boston roads
2254: I currently own a surplus of bandaids and vaseline
13: I won't get hit by a van for nothing
7293: I believe in the phrase "Walk it off"
5239: I like shiny things, like heat blankets
1: There's a cure somewhere, and I'll run to find it

If it doesn't hurt, then you're not doing it right

I had to ask myself this week, "When am I allowed to quit?" If we count up the physical damage that's been done to my body in the past six weeks, we can include:
1) inflamed hip
2) hit by a van
3) general soreness of going from 0-60 miles a week; and finally
4) stress fracture in the foot.

Clearly this is not enough to stop me from running the Boston Marathon, or raising funds to help support the MS Society, but it does give me something to pause over. Maybe my body isn't meant to run 20+ miles? Perhaps I didn't give myself enough time to train? Am I overtraining? Or, how much bad luck can one person have? These questions get mulled over as I continue to put one foot in front of the other for another hour, and yet I still don't stop. Its certainly not for myself that my body is being tortured like a Guantanamo Bay prisoner. I don't have the personal strength to do this to myself. And, in general, I'm a big baby when it comes to pain.

So, why haven't I quit yet? I guess I can thank all my friends and loved ones for the rapid deterioration of my joints. Even when my tendons pop and muscles tear, they'll still support me, and I want to give them the favor back by actually doing something to help. The conclusion comes, even if it kills me, I will run for a cure.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=3136888&pg=personal&fr_id=4211

From East to West

Tuesday: 70 F Wednesday: 80 F Thursday: 40 F Friday: 30 F Saturday: 26 F with windchill. Its sad to see such a rapid decline, especially knowing that a blizzard accompanied those last set of figures, along with a 14 (eh-hem, actually 12 mile) run on Saturday. I was not a happy camper, because running in snow is like running in sand, you just get sucked down with every step. That, and its freaking cold. When I turned around at about 6 miles, I turned straight into the wind, and there's nothing more painful than having below freezing wind slam into your sweat drenched face. But I am happy to do it, knowing that it means others may be cured and will someday experience that same wonderful pain.
But not 24 hours after that blistery cold, I was on a plane and running in the comfortably mild weather of Los Angeles, slightly hazy. The change of scenery is nice, the palm trees look good, and I'm looking forward to an exceptional, purely adrenaline driven week of conference managing, client schmoozing, and bar hopping, with a touch of running to cap it all. Cheers!

Oh the Irony

So, as it happened, the day after I start my blog something really exciting happens. I get hit by a van. Yes. hardee-har-har.

I was cross training on Tuesday, and as it was the first nice day that I had time to enjoy, I decided to take my $25 bike out for a ride. It should have been four quick right turns and back to the old abode to start my running for the day. But, as it happens, four right turns in New Jersey only make you dizzy and don't actually lead you back home. After 10 miles of riding, I was a bit tired, but was finally on my way to wear I knew home was. A mere 2 miles to go. And then, innocently, I pass through a T-intersection in which I had the right-of-way, and a mini-van decides to roll-stop through her stop sign. Being weary-legged, and unwilling to swerve into oncoming traffic, she hit me.

She was frantic, apologetic, and had 4 kids in the back of the minivan. A woman just behind her stopped as well, and was very excited to use her freshly gleaned first aid knowledge to cover up the bloody gashes in my body. But I was fine, and considered toughing out the last two miles home, but light was dimming and I was without a bike light. All the kids were moved into two seats, and she drove me home.

On the way home we started talking, and I explained that I was training for the Boston Marathon and I was running for the MS Society. She was very excited and immediately offered to donate to the cause.

This just proves that I'm willing to do anything to help this cause, and make the goal that was set before me. I just ask that if you want to run me down with a car, please be willing to make a large contribution.
Cheers.

My first Blog

So I tried to pretend that I would never actually start blogging because that's not me. I don't blog. I don't hang out online (outside of what I'm forced to do at work), I'd rather not go web shopping, or Ebay, and I feel I really don't feel like posting messages about my life all the time. But then I started doing something actually somewhat interesting, and I felt that this was a good way to keep up with it. Hopefully, this will turn into a real website rather quickly so people will be more interested in visiting and helping. This is why I've started a blog.

April 16th, 2007, I will run my first official Boston Marathon. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society invited me to be a part of their team a mere six weeks before the big day. On top of having to learn how to run 26.2 miles again (yes, I have previously ran in a marathon), I also have to raise $3000. Whoo. This is going to be a fun few weeks. This blog is to promote my efforts, record my pain, beg for money, and hopefully rejoice in victory. If you are a kind and generous person, please visit my donations page. Thanks to all. And I'll be blogging again soon.