Spotlight Series

Allison, Another Team Hero, and Me

My Hero

I’m starting a weekly feature called the Spotlight Series to highlight some of the others I’m sharing this journey with. Every Team In Training group has a Team Hero to share inspiration and support when the going gets tough. 14-year-old Allison is my hero and I asked her Dad to share some of their story with you. He was gracious enough to compose the following message. By the way, he’s training for the marathon too!

Hello.  My name is Dr. Tom Bolan and I am the father of this year’s Team in Training Team Hero, Allison.  I would like to tell you a little bit about this most remarkable young lady.  Her “adventure” began at the age of 2 when she fell down the last few stairs at the house that we were living in at that time.  After a week of continued complaining, you realize at age two, this was not just a ‘sprained ankle’ as we were initially told by the first doctor we saw.  We took her to an orthopedic specialist and he concluded that “she is simply getting more attention this way, and has decided that she doesn’t want to walk”.  Now, in my heart I knew better, but there was nothing to do but give it a bit more time to allow her to heal.  After another week and continued complaining, I insisted that something was wrong, so I sent her in for some blood tests because even the x-rays that I had taken of her legs and ankles didn’t show any abnormality.  When the results came back, she didn’t even get to go home from the doctor’s office.  A parent’s worst fears were realized when the diagnosis came back blood cancer- Acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short.  The reason she would not walk, and fell in the first place was from the bone marrow growing at such an abnormal rate. It was stretching her bones from the inside out! An extremely painful condition to say the least.  Obviously, the “specialists” were embarrassed for not finding the problem, but more importantly we began the journey that would last two years and three months.  Daily visits to the clinic after her first 30 days in the hospital kept us pretty busy.  I have never seen such a trooper in my life!!  She never complained.  I had explained to her that we were going to “take an adventure together” over the next couple of years and that I would be with her every step of the way.  We were thrilled when she was cleared of the disease until eight months after her last treatment.  And then, the worst news yet… it had come back.  She relapsed and began the entire process over again at age five.  The only chance she was given at that point was a bone marrow transplant, and after serious research, we chose the Fred Hutchinson facility in Seattle, Washington since they specialized in children and transplants.  We moved to Seattle for 5 months and spent 110 straight days in the hospital.  Had it not been for groups like the Leukemia Society helping us every step of the way, we probably would have gone crazy as well as bankrupt from all the expense.  They shared information and their hearts with us and connected us with others who had experienced similar trials.  I am happy to report that after years of follow up and ongoing blood testing, I can report that by God’s grace and lots of prayer, Allison is cancer free for eight years now!!  What a thrill for her to be able to give back to those that have helped her so much by being this year’s Team Hero.  Thank you LLS and Team in Training for all that you have done and continue to do.  Now you know why I run and train with TNT: in order to support the mission, so eventually no other parents will have to endure watching their child fight the life and death battle on a daily basis.  Go Team!!

Cruising

Coal Creek Trail

Coal Creek Trail

The mountains of Colorado don’t have an exclusive on the valuable resources of the state. Though gold and silver must be plucked from the steeper precipices and tumultuous rivers of the high country, the plains of Eastern Colorado have value too. At the turn of the 20th century, the most valuable of those resources was coal. It powered the industrial revolution in the East and the locomotives that would bring civilization into the western frontier. The mining towns, like Superior and Louisville, were rough places with rowdy residents and frequent conflicts between rival companies that became violent at times. Today, a decidedly more peaceful vibe persists, one that CNN/Money Magazine recognized when it selected Louisville (pronounced Lewis-vill) as the Best Place to Live in 2007. A regional path meanders along the wooded banks of Coal Creek for 7.5 miles and passes by the suburban homes, golf courses, and open spaces that characterize the communities today. I set off from the old homestead-turned-park at the west end of the trail and made quick time over the ten miles I set out to run today. I encountered only one short hill on an upland to the east of the Creek that rose above the trees and presented a great view of the Flatirons above Boulder where the Rockies begin. My goal today, based on Coach Rick’s recommendation, was to speed up the cadence of my stride. Most champion long-distance runners take about 180 steps each minute. My natural gait sets me at about 160. A quicker cadence (and shorter stride) is ultimately more efficient because it prevents a runner from bouncing up and down as much, making sure that all the energy is being put into forward momentum. It felt too fast at first, but I found the right cadence after a mile or so and never had a run this long feel so effortless. I’m convinced that this will make a long event like a marathon feel easier and keep me on pace longer. I’m grateful for the advice and commitment of my coaches in preparing me to complete my running goals and honor my Dad’s memory.

Rocky Mountain High

Labor Day Weekend

Four national parks lie within the state boundaries of Colorado and the flagship of those is Rocky Mountain National Park. Established by an act of congress in 1915, Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) preserves the glacier-carved valleys, sprawling tundra, unique wildlife, and cultural remnants of the Southern Rockies that have inspired Americans for generations. On this Labor Day weekend many of those Americans made time to visit and filled the parking lots and roads in the area to capacity. After not finding parking at our planned trailhead, my friend Ray and I went to the secret weapon. On the southeast side of the park, at an area far from the main entrance in Estes Park and the popular trails that lead into 14,259 -foot Long’s Peak, is a gravel road that sneaks into Wild Basin. It was still busy at the trailhead, but we found a spot to leave the car and take to the trails for a hike. We passed a number of families and couples as we followed the trail along St. Vrain Creek. The water beside us had started its trip from the continental divide not far from where we walked, within the boundaries of the park. By happenstance the rain drops that coalesced here in the creek dropped on the east side of the divide instead of the west where they would have drained to the Pacific Ocean. Instead, they would continue down St. Vrain Creek and out of the Park to  join the South Platte River on the edge of the Great Plains. The journey would be slow across the plains, a contrast to the rushing cascades we saw here as the river plunged out of the mountains. It would cross the expanse of Nebraska where it would converge with the Missouri River and bend south to join the Mississippi, eventually reaching the levees and dikes around New Orleans where it would ultimately pour into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Quite a trip if it goes all the way. Certainly much of the water here would be diverted to meet our needs on the fields of our farmers and out of  the faucets of our families.

Ouzel Falls, Rocky Mountain National Park

We continued along the rocky dirt trail, steeping over the blasted rock steps and hewn timber bridges to a view of Calypso Cascade, one of the main attractions for hikers in this area of the Park. We stopped to enjoy the tumbling waters but paused only for a moment as we still had another mile to ascend to our turnaround point: Ouzel Falls. Far fewer hikers made the trip beyond Calypso and it was nice to have some of the trail to ourselves. Up at this elevation we could see the earliest glimpses of autumn coming to the mountains; some of the aspens were showing splashes of golden leaves among the blanket of evergreens that typically cloaks these valleys. At Ouzel Falls, we cooled off on a large rock that stood at the edge of the fall’s misty spray. “Ouzel” is another name for the American Dipper, a small gray bird that feeds in rocky streams and earned its title on account of a whole-body bobbing behavior it displays between feeding. Staying long enough to enjoy the reward of our efforts, we conversed in the crisp air and over the sound of the descending water crashing into the rocks before us. Not a bad way to spend a day of leisure. Here’s to “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” that Labor Day was established to recognize.

Taste of Colorado

Easy Sunday

I met up with my teammate Lauren for a run up to the Taste of Colorado happening this weekend at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver. It was only a fifteen-minute run to the site and we passed through the gates to join the crowd of Coloradans shuffling from booth to booth to sample a variety of food and refreshments or peruse the craft makers and artisans who had come to peddle their merchandise. The city closes down a large space including the streets around downtown to support this sprawling event. The festival is meant to offer something for everyone with culinary demonstrations, a fine-dining section, activities for kids, and carnival rides. With the food tickets we bought we were able to get some drinks, some sugared almonds and pecans, and after double-checking to see that the coaches weren’t around, a funnel cake. The festival also had a number of sound stages set up for live music. I haven’t done a run where I stopped in the middle to wander around for an hour and eat junk food, but fortunately it was an easy run today and we were able to make it back to Lauren’s without cramping up too badly. Her new golden retriever puppy joined us for a cool down-relaxing on the lawn outside. I’d have no complaints if every training run goes like this but I think I’d need to reassess my racing goals.

The Long Run

The Highline Canal Trail in Autumn

Seventeen Miles

We’ll be using the 66-mile-long Highline Canal Trail for the rest of our long weekend runs. It is simply the longest, most accessible running path in Denver City Limits so it offers the best opportunity to get in the long runs we’ll need as the marathon nears. The long run has always been an important part of training for these long races. Athletes train at paces far slower than their race pace. That approach would be damaging and the recovery to extensive to go through this close to the race. The long run allows your body to get used to the sensation of going and going, but just as importantly it prepares your mind too. Team in Training athletes will take between three hours and seven hours to complete the race next month and your mind needs to be equally as strong, if not more so than your body. By subjecting ourselves to long runs we’ll be better able to cope on mile 19 when we still have seven to go and wonder if we’ll make it. Today’s run was set for a specific time instead of a specific mileage and I ended up going 17 miles over two hours of running. My pattern on long runs is to run each successive half-hour faster than the previous run and I was successful in that today, but I started off more slowly than I would have liked. Next week’s long runs will get even longer and the mileage even greater. I’m feeling ready for it.

Killer Workout

Crunch Time

The next few weeks are considered the most critical time in the preparation for the Denver Marathon. I’m glad to be coming into this period with my fundraising goals met so I can just concern myself with the running. Tonight’s workout was specially crafted for me by Coach Rick to push me to the same level of exertion I’ll need to complete the marathon in a Boston-qualifying time. I began with 3 miles of warm up. Then the real workout began. Everything I did was at a 6:20 mile pace today. It started with an 800 meter (half-mile) run, then a short rest followed by a 1200 (3 laps), a 1600 (4 laps or 1 mile) then a 1200, an 800, a 400, and a fast 200. This type of workout is called a ladder because you step up the distance and then step down the distance. By practicing this at a 6:20 mile pace, far quicker than I’ll be running on race day, I’m preparing my legs and lungs to withstand the expected strain of the race. The workout went pretty well, but exhausted me and caused soreness in my quadriceps and hamstrings for the next several days. I’d done a poor job of hydrating and staying well-fed that day and I think it made the effects of the training more severe than they would have been otherwise. I’ll need to adjust my eating and sleeping habits to ensure that I’ll be able to get the most out of the coming weeks. My performance today however tells me that I’m on track right now to meet my racing goals and as long as I can stay healthy and committed I should be successful. The thing about the marathon though is that you just never know. It’s a long race…

Mountain Multisport

Rainbow Over Elk Meadows

Hike and Bike

The city of Denver has more park land than any other city in the country. Much of the acreage is found in the traditional urban parks, ball courts, and swimming pools that come to mind when someone mentions a summer barbecue or picnic. But most of Denver’s park acreage is up in the mountains and features flowery meadows, shady evergreen forests, and rocky trails to mountain views. My friend Bre, and I took bikes along on the short drive to the park this morning for a planned biking/hiking route that would tax our lungs and legs and take us to the 9708 foot summit of Bergen Peak. The first half of the trail followed a ridge of the massive Bergen Peak up a number of switchbacks. After a few miles of this we were happy to take a break and visited with a hiker chugging up the same trail. He turned out to be the proprietor of a hot-air balloon company and told us that the chance of your hot-air balloon exploding is actually quite low. More likely is that the heat of the gas fire would destroy a seam of the fabric and deflate the balloon, sending passengers swiftly back to Earth. I don’t know if that’s any better. We continued on steadily, sometimes riding and sometimes pushing the bikes along. This is never a preferred method of travel for a biker. We agreed that biking uphill is tougher than hiking uphill, but pushing a bike uphill? Definitely the hardest. Eventually we came to a trail junction the spur trail that would climb to the summit. We stashed our bikes off the trail and took off on foot to reach our summit goal. The view from the top looked down upon Elk Meadow below and some of the narrow trails that we would be zipping along near the end of our ride. After some snacks to energize the descent we returned to our bikes and saddled up for the scenic plunge into Elk Meadows and the rolling trails below. A day like this in the mountains is, in my mind, one of  the greatest benefits to living in Denver. We were back in town in time for lunch and had gotten a great workout in the fresh air and big views that are one-of-a-kind Colorado. Not bad.

Stairs

Red Rocks Amphitheater

250 million years ago, Denver looked very different from what one finds here today. The area was a vast and shallow sea filled with life forms long extinct. The mountains that predated the current Rocky Mountains stood nearby and for many years eroded sediment from high on it’s valleys and deposited it in the basin below. Over time, the sediment was buried miles below overlying sediment. The great pressure and heat produced miles below the surface compressed the sandy sediment into stone. Many years passed and the buried stone lifted once again. During the uplift of the Rocky Mountains this sandstone, richly hued in red due to a concentration of iron-oxide, was exposed again at the surface and tilted as the massive movements of the Earth’s crust bent and warped on the fringe of the great mountain chain. All of this happened just west of Denver and that uplifted sandstone stands as frozen waves of rock today. In the early 1900s a champion of both Denver and music, John Brisbin Walker, envisioned a grand amphitheater among the prows and monoliths of these tilted layers and set in motion a 50 year project to design and construct one of the most unique concert venues anywhere. From its humble beginnings to its current standing as a premiere performamce setting, Red Rocks Amphitheater, owned and operated by the City of Denver has played host to legendary musicians and performers from around the world. The Beatles, John Denver, Jethro Tull, Carole King, the Grateful Dead, Flletwood Mac, the Dave Matthews Band, and others have all held the stage below the angled formations and open sky. In 1983, a relatively unknown band recorded a concert called Under a Blood Red Sky at Red Rocks. The album and video launched U2 on its ascendant career.

As a city park, the concert site is open to the public when no event is underway. This Tuesday my teammate Lauren and I woke up early to meet Coach Rick at the top of the seating area. We were not alone as other members of Denver’s more active community had congregated in small groups to run the stairs and aisles that are often filled with concert-goers. A powerful wind swept over the hills above, but the steep shape of the bowl blocked the strongest gusts. We started with plyometrics, exercises designed to build power and strength. We followed this with a stair workout; down, then up and back down and up. Push-ups and lunges piggy-backed on that. If it hadn’t been for such an extraordinary setting and spirited team members it would’ve been tedious drudgery, but a brilliant sunrise,  friendly encouragement and the reward of hard work left us weary but contented.

Back With The Team

Old Barn Along The Highline

Time To Get Serious

I’m back training with the team after a few weeks away. The morning run today was the longest yet of my training runs and some of the soreness that resulted from my morning workout persists as I type. We gathered at the First Church of The Nazarene which has a generous parking lot and access to the Highline Canal Trail. The trail, winding for miles through Denver, is no secret to the running community as evidenced by the many early-risers  on the trail today. Other athletes biked and walked the trail. There was even a guy wearing all terrain roller skates and ski poles getting ready for the ski season this winter. Coaches Rick and Greg had a specific plan for me today. I would go for fifteen miles starting out about a minute slower than my marathon pace and then every 25 minutes I’d pick up the pace to test my abilities on tired legs. The first couple of miles were easy and I ran along with another teammate, Lauren, who also has ambitions to qualify for Boston. Rick pedaled his bike nearby to provide more details about the plan today. After a couple miles when the pace quickened, Rick stayed with me to help monitor my pace. I continued on the gravel trail, crossing over or under a road every few miles until I reached my turnaround point. My pace quickened again, but without a way to monitor my speed too well, I picked up the pace too much. I felt good for a while, but the excessive speed of the workout after my turnaround caught up with me late in the run and I struggled to meet my pacing goals. As I neared the finish I caught up with Cathie, one of our team managers that works at the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. She filled me in on the latest statistics-we have 90 runners that have made the final commitment to raise the money and race the miles that will help end blood cancer. When I reached the finish, I turned around to jog back out and meet Rick and Lauren as they finished. We talked about cadence, the rate of each stride. We’re going to try to speed up the turnover of my running stride which should mean I’ll have more efficient movement and ought to better reach my goals. The three of us spent some time conferring at the end of the run to plan a strategy for the next week. The race is in sight at this point so the training will continue to get  more intense and focused so that I’ll be healthy and ready to accomplish my racing goal.

In Memory

Hilary Fitzgerald

A Life Well Lived

I made a special trip to Telluride this week to remember Hilary Fitzgerald, a friend from college who tragically lost her life last week in a car accident. Family and friends gathered on a mesa outside of town to share heartfelt memories of this amazing sister, daughter and friend. My thoughts have been with her parents and sister these past few days. They shared a letter she wrote some months ago that provides a glimpse into the way she chose to live and I’d like to share it with you here in the context of the loss of anyone we care about and the way we might also choose to live knowing that life is a fragile gift.

“Never stop creating or building your dreams. Never settle for less than what you know you want. Be bold and dream, think and live Big! With love and light,” written by Hilary, December 2008.