A Rocky Road to Fitness

Yo, Taxi!

As a runner who is constantly looking to push the boundaries of my fitness, I sometimes find myself becoming injured. Unfortunately, those injuries seem to be coming more frequently as I age. As a result, I’ve been spending a lot more of my time lately cross training instead of actually running. And, while I do enjoy sitting for hours upon hours on my comfy bike seat, after a while it leaves me wanting something more. So, recently I decided to take a page from the Italian Stallion himself and do some Extreme Cross Training!

Most runners are probably all too familiar with traditional cross training such as swimming, biking & weight lifting. However, these methods can only take you so far. Fortunately, that’s where the patented Rocky routine comes in handy! And, as we’ve seen in countless movies, it only takes a few minutes to get in really, really great shape. Because, as everyone knows, Sly Stallone spends 95% of the Rocky sequels messing around and only about 5% of his time actually training. But, to his credit, he usually does it to a really cool soundtrack!

You're a bum

Now, I know what you’re saying, “What if I can’t find a flock of chickens or a side of beef to train with, but I still feel the overwhelming desire to eat lightning & crap thunder”? Well, fear not! You can start building some “hurtin’ bombs” today simply by following my easy plan to “Extreme Cross Training – The Rocky Way”. So without further ado, here is a summary of Rocky’s best training methods (from easiest to most difficult) with Domestic Equivalents (things you can easily do around the house) for those weekend warriors who are meat or poultry challenged.

All Crossed Up

The cool crisp air, the brightening trees, the amber fields and, the dew-soaked grass. To most people, these are sure signs of Fall. But to runners, these autumnal images can only mean one thing - cross country season is finally here! From the long, thin starting line, to the clusters of color-coded runners. From the leaf covered paths to the scattering of orange marking flags strewn along the course. Nothing gets your competitive juices flowing like a good, old-fashioned cross country meet!

The thrill of the chase

Cross-country running is perhaps the oldest sport known to man, reaching back to our ancestral hunters and gatherers, messengers in ancient Rome, and the pursuits of excellence in the early Olympic Games. Unique in its team concept, cross-country racing affords the camaraderie of teammates while testing one’s own limits in running over hill & dale, through forested trails, across farmers’ fields and over rocks, mud & hay bales.

Oftentimes, we reach a plateau in our road running - where merely putting one foot in front of the other on the same road, day after day, mile after mile, no longer gives us the “runner’s high” we once felt. A special feeling comes to harriers who have pushed themselves to the limits, on a hilly course, in extreme weather, with their team depending on their effort & result. For many, cross-country running can present a whole new challenge. So this year, I decided to take that challenge and mix some XC races into my usual autumn running routine.

Hanging Tuff

Riding high on the comeback wave I headed down to Saugus last weekend for the Tuff Ten Trail Race. Wait?! A trail race in Saugus!? Who knew Saugus had trails?! Yup, right off Route 1. Just past the “Ship” and the “Leaning Tower of Pizza” is Breakheart Reservation. A 640-acre hardwood forest with jagged, rocky outcroppings, two fresh-water lakes, and a rambling section of the Saugus River. I know, surprised the heck out of me too!

A Race for the Aged

Ok, boys and girls. This race report is a long one. But, like the race itself, it’s definitely worth your time. So, pull up a chair and pour yourself a cold one, a coffee or a shot of Jack. Because this is a story that starts in 2006 and you’re not going to believe how it ends …

5 years ago, some friends of mine and I decided it would be fun to put together a 12-person team for the Reach the Beach Relay – a 36-leg race from the White Mountains of New Hampshire to the Atlantic Ocean, 200 miles away. The 2006 team was made up mainly of Gate City Striders ranging in age from 24 to 54. We called our team the Mine Falls Milers (after one of our favorite places to run) and headed out on our 24-hour adventure together.

Needless to say, that first year was quite a learning experience! I never knew how hard it would be to assemble (and keep together) a team of 12 runners. Not to mention how hard it would be to run 3 legs (some in the middle of the night) over unknown terrain, with little recovery time and almost no sleep. We ended up doing pretty well (for a team of newbies) as we finished in 8th place (out of 296 teams) with a time of 24:08:43 and an average pace of 6:44 per mile.

Raising the Bar

Typically, August and September are months where, because of cooler weather, my mileage starts to creep up in anticipation of a fall goal race - like a Marathon or Half Marathon. However, this year has been anything but typical and, as a result, over these past two months I’ve just been trying to get my head above water – training wise.

Late this August, I decided to test my current fitness level by running a 5k race. Of course I knew it was going to be a bloodbath because, as stated in a previous posting, I’ve got a lot of work to do on my speed. And, just how much work I had to do became very evident, very quickly. The 5k I chose was one of the last races in the Mine Falls Summer Trail Race Series and despite my high placing (fourth) it turned out to be a personal worst 5k time for me.

No Escape

So, I guess I was built for long distance running after all …

I am what I am

If you’ve been following along at home (and that’s a huge assumption on my part) then you’ll be familiar with the troubles I’ve been having recently with my running. Since the latest comeback attempt began, my runs have been in the order of 4 to 8 miles long with most being right around 6 miles. And, the vast majority of them have been awful. When I say “awful” I mostly mean they were awkward, slow and not at all enjoyable. In fact, they were so bad that I recently considered a change of hobby - as seen here.

Biddeford Pool

Anyway, last week (while away on vacation) I attempted my first "long" run since early April. Of course, heading into it I was expecting much more of the same – except that the suffering would last twice as long! However, once I got going (much to my surprise) it was great! And, I’ll give you three guesses (and the first 2 don’t count) as to when it started feeling great. Yup, you’re right! Just past mile 6!

Fortunes Rocks Beach

I don’t know what happened, but after about 45 minutes of bumbling along the winding beach roads of Biddeford Maine, my body loosened up and everything just felt better. My stride lengthened, my turnover increased and my pace quickened. In short, I got into a regular running rhythm for the first time since the accident. Of course, with the lack of any real distance training, by mile 12 I was toast, but at least I know I can work on that.

And, now that I know what I am, it’s time for me to get back to the track and work on improving those first 6 miles!

Time Trials

So, it seems I’ve become a bike racer …

After 12 weeks of “serious” bike training (and almost no running) I decided to enter the Charlie Baker Time Trial. It’s a 9.75 mile bike race series that takes place in Concord, MA every Wednesday night in the summer and is put on by the Northeast Bicycle Club. And, conveniently, takes place on the very same roads that I bike on during my lunchtime rides from work.

Not me

Now, I have no misunderstanding about where I stand as a bike rider. I’m a novice with a capital “N”. I’ve been riding off and on for a little over 2 years - mostly when I’ve been injured from running. And, lately, that's been quite a lot! I love watching the Tour De France and the amazing riders that survive it. But, I have no idea how to maintain my bike and can barely name its various moving parts.

Nevertheless, I’ve been considering jumping into bike racing for a some time now. It’s been 4 months since my last running race and the competitive juices from doing road races still course through my body - even though my running fitness does not. And, the idea of doing a time trial (as opposed to an actual circuit race) appealed to me mostly because I wouldn’t have to worry about crashing into other riders around me. It’s just me, the road and the clock – What could go wrong?

A Crisis of Identical Proportions

Dear Abby,

I’m writing to you today because I fear that I’ve recently fallen out of love – with running. Yes, we’ve had some good times in the past - a nice race up Pack Monadnock, leisurely runs in the woods, one or two fast 5k’s, and a few good marathons. But, a recent string of physical setbacks has left me feeling defeated and uninspired. What once was great is now painful & joyless. And, I find myself asking the same nagging question: Is this relationship worth saving?

Walk With Me

Come walk with me and be my friend
We’ll hike the path until its end
The primal feat of strolling the wood
Our kindred exchange is pure and good

Who will guide and who will show
We each know much but much to know
Birch from maple, fir from hemlock
Worlds discovered along our walk

Exploring fields to expand our horizon
Seeking the truth and where it lies in
In nature the world diverges from the real
Perhaps in here we can start to feel

The sun is racing our time is at hand
We must share the load to cross the land
Treasures we'll find along our way
To take and pass to others someday

The journey begins as a simple act
We join together and make this pact
Though the road is long and the peak is high
Let us promise now to attempt to try


- I wrote this poem for my Dad a few years back and decided to unearth it again in time for Fathers Day. I think the Father/Son relationship is sometimes complicated by what we've been taught about what it means to be a "man" - because it gets in the way of what it means to be "human"! 

In any case, this poem was intended to break down some of those barriers. 
I love you Dad!

If you liked this poem, I have a few more here.

Unhappy Habits

Now that I’ve been spending more time on my road bike (and less time running), I’ve noticed a few annoying (and quite dangerous) habits exhibited by some local drivers. If you bike, feel free to nod your head and smile knowingly. If you drive, please don’t be one of these people.

An Opus for Opie

Before I met Matt Baldi, I met his sneakers - red, Converse “Chuck Taylors”, size 14. I had forgotten mine at home and desperately needed a pair for my freshman high school gym class. Another friend of mine had recommended that I borrow Matt’s since our feet were similar in size, or so he thought. I grabbed them from his open locker and quickly put them on only to discover they were about four sizes too big! Needless to say, gym class that day was a bit more interesting while wearing Matt’s “clown” shoes.

Status Report

Not a whole lot of running going on at the moment. It's been a little over a month since the hamstring incident and the only thing that's kept me from completely losing it is that I've been able to ride my bike. First with my mountain bike and now with my road bike I've been doing about 20 miles per day (in the rain) with a longer ride to come this weekend. It's not the same as running, but at least it gives me something to do (besides PT) while I wait for my injury to heal. Unfortunately, in the meantime, I am missing out on some of my favorite summertime running events: GCS Outdoor Track, The Pineland Farms 25k, and The Mount Greylock Half Marathon. Plus, I was hoping to finally have a go at the Hollis Fast 5k. Alas, twas not meant to be ...

Hopefully I'll be able to get back to running regularly sometime in June and maybe try a race in July or August. I really miss being part of the TEAM. Right now,  I just feel like one of the "invisible" injured.