Race Day

As we assembled at the starting line this morning the sun was rising over the Penteli mountains.  The start went off without a problem and I was able to maintain my targeted pace of about a 10 minute mile for the first 14 miles.   But as we began the ascent up the mountains my time began to slow.  The 12 mile up hill climb  became oppressively steep and it became a mental and physical challenge just to continue moving forward.  I saw scores of runners just quit...unable to move forward they gave up and sat down at the curb side waiting for a shuttle.   As I slowly moved up the mountain one step at a time,  I began to reach inside of myself to try to find some strength to continue.

I thought of the men and women of the great Baltimore Police Department and the sacrifices they make every day.  And the too many of them, all great officers, that are no longer with us.

I thought of my young children Evan, Reilly, Jack and Sophie.  I hoped that my experience  may some day teach them a little about life and encourage them to pursue their own goals.

And in the end when I was completely exhausted,  I thought of my wife Vayia.   Knowing that she was waiting for me at the finish line I began to run to her...the same woman I have run to since I was 18 years old.  As I rounded the last bend I saw her and was overcome with emotion.

I crossed the finish line in about 5:15 (unofficial time).  Maybe a little slower then I had hoped but the devastating nature of the course reminded me that the true goal of any marathon is to overcome all challenges and finish.  In the words of Pheidippides, the Greek messenger that ran the same route 2,500 years ago and died at the finish after declaring the Persian defeat:  Victory!

Last Day

Yesterday we drove the marathon course and it was it was definitely intimidating. Our guide joked that there was only 1 "hill"....1 "hill" that starts at about mile 7 and ends about mile 18. For most of the way the hill stays at a steady 4% grade, but there are a couple of sections were the grade increases to a pretty steep 7% grade. The race organizers continued to stress the importance of conserving energy and pacing slower then normal to avoid exhaustion on the hill. The good news is that the last 6 miles are a nice gradual downhill and the finish is inside the Olympic Stadium...the only sports stadium in the world that is constructed entirely out of marble.

Today, we spent the day visiting the breath taking Acropolis and shopping in the outside Plaka markets.
Tomorrow morning we leave for the race at 6:30 am, with the start expected to be at 9:00 am. I can't help but feeling a nervous excitement, and I hope I will be able to sleep tonight.


Wish me luck.

Touchdown in Athens

After 17 hours of traveling we finally arrived in Athens...exhausted.  Athens is 7 hours ahead, so we are now trying to get our bodies to adjust to the time change.  I woke up at 4:30 am this morning wide awake.  At 6:30 am, I ran with a group of runners from the hotel.  The training run was lead by Jeff Galloway,  an elite marathoner who has won both New York and Boston in the past.  Surprisingly, I felt good.

Today, we travel to the City of Marathon.  The site of the famous battle were Greece defeated the Persian army in 490 BC. Along the way we will drive the marathon route, so I will get my first look at Sunday's course.

Next Stop Athens

All the waiting is finally over. Today we leave for Athens, but I am leaving with a heavy heart.  After losing three Baltimore Police Officers in less then a month, my thoughts and prayers remain with the families of James Fowler, Brian Stevenson and Thomas Portz.  All good men, who dedicated their lives to serving the citizens of Baltimore.

As we were getting ready to leave, I took a few minutes to review my training logs.  I realized that since June, I have ran over 700 miles, averaging over 30 miles per week and peaking about 3 weeks ago with a weekly total of 45 miles.  Through all the miles, I have come to understand that committing to run a marathon is more about the journey and less about the final destination.   The race is now 4 days away and come Sunday, I plan to do my very best.

Some photos from the Baltimore Running Festival on Saturday October 16, 2010

Baltimore Running Festival

I finished the Baltimore 1/2 marathon in 2 hours and 6 minutes.  Despite all the excitement, I was able to hold myself back a little and kept within my training pace of about a 9 min 40 second mile.  I finished strong and felt great at the end.  My wife Vayia and my oldest kids Jack and Sophie, met me at the finish line.  It was an awesome experience that I will remember forever.

The entire Baltimore Police Team finished.  Deputy Major Eric Russell, Lieutenant Scott Mezan, and Detective Thomas Bender all finished the full marathon and a team of officers from the Police Academy won the Commissioner's Cup Relay.

Close to 500 Baltimore police officers worked the event, directing traffic and controlling intersections.  All the officers did an outstanding job.  The officers along with all the volunteers and event staff were incredible ambassadors for the City of Baltimore.

In less then a week, I leave for Athens. I will be updating my blog daily once I arrive in Athens, so check back often.

Its getting closer

Most of the hard training is now behind me.  Last Wednesday was my final training day with the Baltimore Police Marathon Team and we ended it with a 21 mile run.  Keeping at a slow and steady pace, we finished in about 3 hours and 30 minutes.  The distance was a huge confidence lift for me and I feel ready.  Our final training run was covered by a local news network and the story can be found at:  

http://www.wbaltv.com/r-video/25359517/detail.html.

Tomorrow is the Baltimore Running Festival.  The Baltimore Police Marathon Team (comprised of 60 officers) has raised over $10,000 for the Signal 13 Foundation, a charitable organizations that provides financial support to police families during times of crisis.  A special thanks to Corrigan Sports and Under Armour for supporting the Baltimore Police Department and for designing awesome team racing shirts. I am looking forward to running the 1/2 marathon tomorrow and will be using the day as a dress rehearsal for Athens.   

Good luck to all the runners participating in the Baltimore Running Festival!

4 weeks to go

With only 4 weeks left before the Athens Marathon, the pressure is really on.  I am working on my endurance by extending my long runs and running on steep hilly terrain.  The Athens Marathon Course is considered one of the most challenging marathon races.  From mile 6 to mile 18 the course runs all uphill with some very steep sections.  It is often recognized as one of the toughest uphill climbs of any major marathon. 

Last Friday, I started out at 4:00 am and after 3 hours 20 minutes of continuous running, I finished 19 miles.   I am finding that these long runs challenge you mentally as well as physically.  Earlier this week, I was out running with the Police Team in our final training run before the Baltimore Running Festival.