I hope your ready for the big day. Can’t believe it’s a week away!! I’m hoping to see you twice this year on the marathon Route. First in Newton at the firehouse on the corner of Rt.16 and Comm. Ave and again at mile 25! Praying the weather is cool and not sweltering like last year. We are looking forward to the Pasta Party and seeing you and Nikki again!
-Brendan
March 21, 2013
Good Morning,
Today is 25 days before the Boston Marathon, the day I run 25 miles to help cure cancer. Don’t worry, you won’t be the first person to ask me if I realize that a marathon is 26.2 miles. To explain, we need to go back five years to my first marathon…
I stood motionless, as I watched runners continue to the 113th Boston Marathon finish line. It had taken me 16 months to reach this place on the course. The year before, just two weeks before my first Boston Marathon, I found myself in the hospital with a server case of mononucleosis, destine to watch my first marathon from bed.
Yet, there I was, in pain, defeated and unable to gather the strength to finish. When I looked up, I noticed the iconic red and orange Citgo triangle. To my right, Fenway Park in the distance. I realized I was at mile 25 of the marathon. With a little over a mile left, and after 2 years of hard work, I reached deep down for a way to finish. I commanded my body to start running, but after a couple of steps, I stopped. I tried again and again, with no success. I can’t remember a moment in my life that I felt more defeated, more hopeless. Minutes felt like hours. I desperately searched for the littlest bit of hope to give me the confidence to continue. I took my hands off my knees, lifted my head and lunged forward with a roar of pain and belief. This time I didn’t stop until the finish line. A life lesson that wouldn’t be challenged until…
Two years later I stood on that same spot. It happens to be the location where some of the children from the Jimmy Fund Client cheer on the Dana-Farber Marathon Team. This time I was hugging my Dana-Farber marathon partner, Brendan. At the time, he was a 10 year old patient being treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia at the Jimmy Fund Clinic. Over the months before the marathon, Brendan and his family brought me into their world of a child with Leukemia. Brendan would walk me through the different treatments and protocols he would follow. He would explain to me about the different drugs that he would have to take. He showed me the tubes, the scars and the other pains of cancer that are left behind the curtain for people like me to never see.
I can’t think of another spot on Earth that has taught me more about what a human will do to endure. Since then, my marathons end at Mile 25 (with a 1.2 mile victory lap). I have seen the success of Dana-Farber through Brendan. Today when Brendan and I talk, it’s about school, video games, and girls (I wasn’t ready for that one!). Through events with the Dana-Farber Leadership Council I’ve had the privilege to speak with the doctors and scientists working on the next steps to cure cancer. I can tell you, our donations are well spent.
Like many of you, I am recently reminded that the cancer marathon is not over. Since my last marathon, an extended family member was diagnosed with brain cancer and is fighting for his life. A close family friend was diagnosed with breast cancer that has metastasized to the lymph nodes. And another friend continues her multi-year battle.
This morning, I ask you to help everyone to reach their Mile 25 by donating to Dana-Farber. The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge directs 100 percent of funds raised to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research.
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of your company’s generous donation matching program. If you are unsure if your donation is eligible for a match by your employer, please inquire with your Human Resources department.
I sincerely thank you.
– Patrick
To donate go to http://www.runDFMC.org/2013/patricko
To learn more go to http://www.rundfmc.org/faf/home/ccp.asp?ievent=1039390&ccp=116364
To see Barr Program Impact go to Impact
DFMC 2013 is now at http://mile25project.wordpress.com/ with articles on running, health, food and of course the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge.
Many of my fellow marathoners, triathletes and cyclists were surprised with yesterday’s headline “Marathons may be bad for your health“. After last weeks story on exercise can be bad for some people, I thought to myself “Am I in a parallel universe?”. I read a couple articles in leading papers on the study. Scary words like heart scarring, artery calcium deposits and heart attacks ran wild. It mentioned iniquitous deeds like running fast, long and often like they were comparable to chain smoking, eating fast food and being a couch potato.
After a got past the media sensationalism and looked deeper, there were some striking findings with the studies. Enough to make you reevaluate your endurance lifestyle. If not just because of the physical risks/benefits, but also the emotional, social and intellectual too.
Instead of giving you my options or other writer’s options, read the review article yourself…
http://cardionutrition.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/too-much-exercise-can-be-a-bad-thing.pdf
Notice to all 2012 Boston Marathon participants
We are looking closely at the current weather situation which is projected to be quite warm. The B.A.A. is closely monitoring this situation for for race day decisions. If the temperatures reach certain levels, running will put even the most fit athletes at risk for heat injury.
We are now making the recommendation that if you are not highly fit or if you have any underlying medical conditions (for example-cardiac disease, pulmonary disease or any of a number of medical problems), you should NOT run this race.
For those very fit athletes who decide to run, you should take significant precautions:
Good hydration is important but over hydration can also be a problem. Thirst is an indication that you are under-hydrated. You should maintain hydration levels slightly greater than your hydration program in your training, but not excessively so.
Even the fittest athletes, that take precautions can still suffer serious heat illness. Recognizing symptoms of heat illness in yourself and others is critical , this may include headaches, dizziness, confusion, fatigue, nausea and vomiting. If you experience any of these, stop running immediately and if symptoms persist seek medical attention.
Boston Marathon Co-Medical Directors, Dr. Pierre d’Hemecourt and Dr. Sophia Dyer
Hi Patrick
Hard to believe its here!!! This year seemed to go by so fast! Maybe it’s because I’m feeling better or maybe it’s the great weather this year, but it’s hard to believe Marathon Monday is just a few days away.
Hot or Not, we will be at Mile 25 to cheer you (and Nikki) on!!! We are excited to see you at the Pasta Party in Sunday.
We hope the weather men are wrong and it’s not as hot as they are calling for. High 60’s or Low 70’s would be just fine with us, (and probably much better for you)
See you soon:)
Remind me to tell you about being “Drafted” by Babson Colleges Baseball Team. I’m their newest member!! (thanks to Team Impact)
-Brendan
I have tried my best not to talk about the weather in our blog. Last year I seemed to be commenting on the cold, snowy, icy, foggy weather conditions in every other entry. This year, Mother Nature made it easy on me, giving us beautiful training weather all season long. I guess she is getting the last laugh. Monday’s weather forecast is in the mid 80’s according to the weather channel. Some of the local weathermen are calling for even higher temperatures. I know there is plenty of time for that to change for the better and we all know they get it wrong for time to time, but I’m starting to feed into the hysteria that started early this week with other marathon runners.
I don’t mind running in the heat but never this distance . In 2010, I participated in a ½ ironman with the temperatures approaching 90, and I don’t remember liking the run too much. However, part of the reason was because I rode the bike leg too fast for me and didn’t have much left for the run. Needless to say my energy level was shot and I was a wee bit thirsty.
I have planned for this marathon like no other before. I knew what pace I would be running at what point in the marathon (at least in theory). I knew when I would be hydrating and when I would be fueling. Now it’s back to the drawing board. One good thing for us DFMC runners is we have Jack Fultz as our coach. He is the winner of the hottest Boston Marathon on record (I wrote about it in last year’s blog http://dfmc2011.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/jack-fultz/). I’m sure he will be giving us some last minute tips during Sunday’s pasta dinner. I’m also hoping maybe Kelly’s cheering team will be on Heartbreak Hill with a big scoop of some Blue Bell ice cream 🙂 (check out Kelly’s fun and insightful blog and story behind Blue Bell http://rightonhereford.wordpress.com/2012/04/12/carb-loading-and-fun-loading/)
So bring your beach balls and sunglasses, and don’t forget the sunscreen. It’s summertime!
(queue music…Will Smith’s Summertime….)
Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge 2012 