Ok, knock on wood I have been running for about 2 weeks after being cleared by my podiatrist from stress fracture without any discomfort. The first couple of runs without the orthotics produced some pain but now that I have the orthotics in all is well.
Now the plan is to build the base miles and prepare for week one of training which begin 12/17/2008.
Tim
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Stress....
So, it has been 15 days since my first half marathon and I am now in an "injured timeout" phase. When I got home from the half, my left foot hurt really bad and I couldn't stand to walk on it. It took 2 days before I could walk on it so I went to my PCP for some x-rays and they showed nothing so I was told to "rest". Well I did that and felt fine that weekend so I tried to run 2-3 miles at a gentile pace while running along side my son as he rode his bike. That was all it took for me to figure out that my foot was still not right. So I made an appointment to see a Podiatrist and met with him this past Friday. Within 30 seconds of looking at my x-rays and then another set to be positive I was diagnosed as having a stress fracture in my left foot. No running or impact training for the next 3-4 weeks but I am not really upset because if it had been a soft tissue or tendon problem it could have dragged on for 8-12 weeks.
So, no running for me until November and I will be spending some time in pool. The good news is I will be well rested for the start of my Marathon training on December 15th....
Tim
So, no running for me until November and I will be spending some time in pool. The good news is I will be well rested for the start of my Marathon training on December 15th....
Tim
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Peak Performance Maine Half Marathon
On a beautiful fall Sunday morning in October I lined up with 1611 other runners to run the Peak Performance Maine Half Marathon along with about 900 runners for the full marathon. This was my first half marathon and training was a little scattered. I didn’t follow the training plan I original chose because of the calf injury but I was able to get my long runs in and I felt comfortable that I could finish the run but I wasn’t positive I could get the sub-two hour time I was looking for.
I was able to meet a guy named Doug McCrae online via the Extra Mile Podcast and we had similar goals so we hooked up and ran the race together. It works out that it was good that Doug was planning on running with me because when he had car issues I was able to drive him to the race. So after picking up Doug and his friend John (he was running the full marathon) we headed off to the gym at the University near the start line to hang out in a warm room. My only complaint for the pre-race was the limited number of restrooms but other then that everything was fine.
I was able to meet a guy named Doug McCrae online via the Extra Mile Podcast and we had similar goals so we hooked up and ran the race together. It works out that it was good that Doug was planning on running with me because when he had car issues I was able to drive him to the race. So after picking up Doug and his friend John (he was running the full marathon) we headed off to the gym at the University near the start line to hang out in a warm room. My only complaint for the pre-race was the limited number of restrooms but other then that everything was fine.
The weather was great, it was about 45 degrees so I started with shorts and a long sleeve shirt over my race short with the plans of tossing that later on. The race started on time at 7:45 and the 2500 plus runners made their way down Baxter Boulevard and overall the crowd moved well considering there was no corrals for the runners. Doug and I made our way and easily settled into a 9:15 pace, in we were to get under 2 hours we knew we needed to average under 9:09. The race went well and the course was pretty flat through the first 5 miles then there was so rolling hills. We stayed at about a 9’15 pace so we were on target.
At mile 9 I started to loose steam and get a side cramp. I am not sure if it was because I didn’t fuel up correctly the night before (loaded pizza) or a lack of electrolytes but regardless I started to fade. So I let Doug go ahead and I struggled through the last few miles. I finished in 2:04:18 and I gave it all I had, Doug finished in 1:58:20 (he followed my strategy and he had the fuel to pull it off). It wasn’t a bad race, I had fun I just learned a lot:
1.) I need to focus more on running my long runs at race pace, how can you maintain a pace that you are not use to running.
2.) I need to stick to a training plan and log the miles and maintain quality runs.
3.) I need to loose more weight, running Boston with 25 pounds less on me is a big benefits.
Cheers,
Tim
Monday, September 22, 2008
Milestones and enter the taper phase…
Well on Sunday, the 21st of September, my 17th wedding anniversary and 1 day after my one year anniversary being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, I awoke at 4:45 AM, laced up the sneakers and headed out for my last long run before the Portland Maine Peak Performance Half Marathon.
My goal was to do 13.1 with 2 miles at a slow pace then pick up to my predicted marathon pace for 9 miles and then end with 2 miles at the slow pace. The run was great, and I was able to maintain a solid pace in the middle miles and finished the run in 2 hours and 6 minutes. This was a great way to end my training. I was able to get the 13.1 miles and the psychological fear of “can I run that distance” off the table and most importantly get the confidence that I can move from the slow “injured” pace back into the fast pace that I wanted prior to the injury.
So now I am done with my training for the half and I will use the next two weeks to do cross training and yoga to maintain my conditioning and show up in Portland on the 5th with a well rested calf.
My goal was to do 13.1 with 2 miles at a slow pace then pick up to my predicted marathon pace for 9 miles and then end with 2 miles at the slow pace. The run was great, and I was able to maintain a solid pace in the middle miles and finished the run in 2 hours and 6 minutes. This was a great way to end my training. I was able to get the 13.1 miles and the psychological fear of “can I run that distance” off the table and most importantly get the confidence that I can move from the slow “injured” pace back into the fast pace that I wanted prior to the injury.
So now I am done with my training for the half and I will use the next two weeks to do cross training and yoga to maintain my conditioning and show up in Portland on the 5th with a well rested calf.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Update on training…..
With less then 4 weeks to go until my first Half Marathon the training is going very well. I visited my kid sister in Kennebunk, Maine and ran 10 miles on Sunday morning on some of the flattest roads I have ever run. It was a nice run, beautiful farm lands, cool fall weather and clear skies. I am going to get three small runs in during this week and then do 12-13 miles on Sunday and then I think I am going to stop running for the two weeks.
I don’t want to risk injury so the thought is to rest the impact of the roads and swap the 3-5 mile runs out with 30-50 minutes of rowing or cross training and then work on yoga and stretching until the final week. I will replace the last two long slow runs with 1-2 hour sessions on the ARC Trainer to get the conditioning without the pounding of the road. Then the week of the race do two short 3-5 miles runs and rest the Friday and Saturday before the race. This should keep me rested and ready to run strong in Portland.
Cheers,
Tim
I don’t want to risk injury so the thought is to rest the impact of the roads and swap the 3-5 mile runs out with 30-50 minutes of rowing or cross training and then work on yoga and stretching until the final week. I will replace the last two long slow runs with 1-2 hour sessions on the ARC Trainer to get the conditioning without the pounding of the road. Then the week of the race do two short 3-5 miles runs and rest the Friday and Saturday before the race. This should keep me rested and ready to run strong in Portland.
Cheers,
Tim
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Run for 2 hours, who would thought it was possible
In my training for the Portland Maine Half Marathon it was critical that I get 2 hours of running in to get myself use to it. This was a big milestone for me and I am really glad to have this under my belt.
I woke up at 4:30 AM on Sunday the 31st with the plan of hitting the road for 6:00 AM. The weather was perfect and I headed out to meet with Sherry and Dimitra for part of the run. We did the Mendon Road to Quaker to School then 122 to Church Street route. This is normally an 8 mile run and I added 3 miles to it by going down my road.
Well with this run and no injury to my calf from this an even better run. I feel very comfortable at this point that I can complete the half marathon, now I just need to stay healthy.
Tim
I woke up at 4:30 AM on Sunday the 31st with the plan of hitting the road for 6:00 AM. The weather was perfect and I headed out to meet with Sherry and Dimitra for part of the run. We did the Mendon Road to Quaker to School then 122 to Church Street route. This is normally an 8 mile run and I added 3 miles to it by going down my road.
Well with this run and no injury to my calf from this an even better run. I feel very comfortable at this point that I can complete the half marathon, now I just need to stay healthy.
Tim
Monday, August 25, 2008
Flat roads make a nice vacation
Hello,
I went with the family on vacation to the coast of Maine in OOB. We had a condo on the water with a pool and beach access. The weather was pristine and I was happy to get clearance from my Physical Therapist to run my scheduled training for the Hal Higdon Novice Half Marathon schedule. With the injury I decided to stick with the basic training approach with the hopes of preventing further injuries.
I started the week with a 5.5 mile run on Sunday the 17th, then a 5 mile run on Tuesday, 4 mile on Wednesday and finally a 7 mile run on Friday. I kept a steady pace for all of these runs between 9:45 to 10:00 minute pace but most importantly I didn't aggravate the calf injury any further.
So I am going to keep plugging at the training program and build my LSR to 12 in the next couple of weeks. I am not sure if the sub two hour half is within reach but I do know I will FINISH it and that is the primary goal since Boston is the real target.
Cheers....
I went with the family on vacation to the coast of Maine in OOB. We had a condo on the water with a pool and beach access. The weather was pristine and I was happy to get clearance from my Physical Therapist to run my scheduled training for the Hal Higdon Novice Half Marathon schedule. With the injury I decided to stick with the basic training approach with the hopes of preventing further injuries.
I started the week with a 5.5 mile run on Sunday the 17th, then a 5 mile run on Tuesday, 4 mile on Wednesday and finally a 7 mile run on Friday. I kept a steady pace for all of these runs between 9:45 to 10:00 minute pace but most importantly I didn't aggravate the calf injury any further.
So I am going to keep plugging at the training program and build my LSR to 12 in the next couple of weeks. I am not sure if the sub two hour half is within reach but I do know I will FINISH it and that is the primary goal since Boston is the real target.
Cheers....
Monday, August 11, 2008
Back on the Road and race report from Falmouth
Well I got the ok from my PT to start running after 3 treatments for Soleus muscle strain and I hit the tread mill on Thursday for 2 miles (no pain) then on the open road on Friday for 3 miles (no pain) and then headed to Falmouth, MA for the Falmouth Road Race.
I entered the lottery for this race on the day the event opened with the expectations that I would never get a ticket and guess what, I got in. So I was very excited that my calf was not bothering me and I promised myself to listen to my doctor and run the race and not RACE IT, which was great advice. The events leading up to the race was great, the whole town was geared up for it. I got the race buses for 7:30 and took the ride to Woods Hole and then hung out for 2 hours trying to see if I could visit every porta-potti they had and I think I came very close to doing it.
The race started and it took me 12 minutes to get to the start line but I didn’t care. I just leisurely ran with the pack at about a 10:45-11:15 per mile pace and soaked up the crowd and the event. There were live bands through out the course, plenty of water stops, people with garden hoses to cool you off and tons of people to cheer you on. I was able to stop and hug my son and wife which were great.
Overall I had a blast, no issues with my calf, my hamstring is a little sore but that is most likely because I try to overcompensate for something. I am very happy I ran it and I will always cherish the event.
Cheers,
Tim
I entered the lottery for this race on the day the event opened with the expectations that I would never get a ticket and guess what, I got in. So I was very excited that my calf was not bothering me and I promised myself to listen to my doctor and run the race and not RACE IT, which was great advice. The events leading up to the race was great, the whole town was geared up for it. I got the race buses for 7:30 and took the ride to Woods Hole and then hung out for 2 hours trying to see if I could visit every porta-potti they had and I think I came very close to doing it.
The race started and it took me 12 minutes to get to the start line but I didn’t care. I just leisurely ran with the pack at about a 10:45-11:15 per mile pace and soaked up the crowd and the event. There were live bands through out the course, plenty of water stops, people with garden hoses to cool you off and tons of people to cheer you on. I was able to stop and hug my son and wife which were great.
Overall I had a blast, no issues with my calf, my hamstring is a little sore but that is most likely because I try to overcompensate for something. I am very happy I ran it and I will always cherish the event.
Cheers,
Tim
Monday, August 4, 2008
Stir crazy, doing PT and putting things into perspective.
Ok, so while on vacation from 07/03 through 07/14, I ran a great Bridgton Four on the Fourth race and enjoyed a week of running nowhere near as many miles as I was hoping to get in. The Monday after the race (07/07) I did a 10 mile run in 1:38:07 (9:48 pace) on very hilly roads with no shoulder. It was a nice run and my calves were “stiff” as they always are but nothing that stopped me. Well a week later on a 3.5 mile run around my office I got sharp pains in my right calf and it forced me to stop and walk. So I took 3 days off, got new shoes and did not run for 3 days. Well I did 4 miles on Thursday, 3 miles on Friday (all on treadmill) then 5.69 on the open road and then another 6 miles over two days before going to the Sports Medicine Doctors at UMASS where I was told to stop running until PT helped out. The diagnosis was that I strained my right calf. The calf muscles consist of the Gastrocnemius which is the big muscle at the back of the lower leg and the Soleus muscle which is a smaller muscle lower down in the leg and under the Gastrocnemius.
The cause of this is that I have “Fallen Arches” (I’m flat footed) and the hills of Casco/Raymond Maine while on vacation were all I needed to push my calf over the edge. So I am in PT to work to fix the current pain and prevent any future pain. I have had 2 PT sessions and I am dying to run but I am trying to follow orders. I don’t want to loose any conditioning so I am on the road bike and the Arc machine to maintain time at 70-75% MHR. The thing I want to keep in my mind is that as much as I was upset to miss Yankee Homecoming race and not racing Falmouth I don’t want to jeopardize running the half marathon in Portland and the Boston Marathon. So what is my short term focus, heal my calf and run Falmouth for the fun of it and just don’t think about the clock and then work to FINISH Portland and be prepared to FINISH Boston.
Tim
The cause of this is that I have “Fallen Arches” (I’m flat footed) and the hills of Casco/Raymond Maine while on vacation were all I needed to push my calf over the edge. So I am in PT to work to fix the current pain and prevent any future pain. I have had 2 PT sessions and I am dying to run but I am trying to follow orders. I don’t want to loose any conditioning so I am on the road bike and the Arc machine to maintain time at 70-75% MHR. The thing I want to keep in my mind is that as much as I was upset to miss Yankee Homecoming race and not racing Falmouth I don’t want to jeopardize running the half marathon in Portland and the Boston Marathon. So what is my short term focus, heal my calf and run Falmouth for the fun of it and just don’t think about the clock and then work to FINISH Portland and be prepared to FINISH Boston.
Tim
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Race Report
Bridgton 4 on the 4th, race report.
The first goal for starting to run for my wife Deborah and I was to run on the Bridgton 4 on the 4th. Bridgton, Maine is my wife’s home town and we were planning on visiting there for one of our summer vacations so it sounded like a fun race to do. The race had 1670 runners and overall it was a lot of fun for both of us. I finished 401/1670 with a time of 32:53 and Deborah came in at 55:08 which was under her goal of 59:59.
We had a lot of fun and we will be doing this race again next year with my goal of 31:30 and Deborah’s of 45:00 minutes.
the Derv...
The first goal for starting to run for my wife Deborah and I was to run on the Bridgton 4 on the 4th. Bridgton, Maine is my wife’s home town and we were planning on visiting there for one of our summer vacations so it sounded like a fun race to do. The race had 1670 runners and overall it was a lot of fun for both of us. I finished 401/1670 with a time of 32:53 and Deborah came in at 55:08 which was under her goal of 59:59.
We had a lot of fun and we will be doing this race again next year with my goal of 31:30 and Deborah’s of 45:00 minutes.
the Derv...
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Man with a Plan, let the fun begin
Hello all,
Ok, so my first Half Marathon (http://www.mainemarathon.com/) on October 5th is a little over 15 weeks away and my training plan has started and I am psyched. I am using the Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice Plan as a template but I am increasing the mileage since it has me starting with a lot of base work that I have already done.
So far everything is going great; I enjoy the 3-4 runs during the week that I have been getting 3-5 miles out of, the 8 mile runs on Friday morning and the Long Slow Runs (LSR) on Sunday’s. I am hoping to get my LSR to 14 miles and use the 5 mile runs on Saturday as Tempo runs. I am trying to keep myself to a goal of “To Finish” but I am also hoping that if I prepare myself correctly I can not only finish but do so in a competitive time.
As an update to the Boston Marathon, I met with Dave S. to discuss the fundraising goal and we are shooting to have the Blog up and running by mid August and send out our first mailing by 09/01/2008.
Cheers,
Tim D
Ok, so my first Half Marathon (http://www.mainemarathon.com/) on October 5th is a little over 15 weeks away and my training plan has started and I am psyched. I am using the Hal Higdon Half Marathon Novice Plan as a template but I am increasing the mileage since it has me starting with a lot of base work that I have already done.
So far everything is going great; I enjoy the 3-4 runs during the week that I have been getting 3-5 miles out of, the 8 mile runs on Friday morning and the Long Slow Runs (LSR) on Sunday’s. I am hoping to get my LSR to 14 miles and use the 5 mile runs on Saturday as Tempo runs. I am trying to keep myself to a goal of “To Finish” but I am also hoping that if I prepare myself correctly I can not only finish but do so in a competitive time.
As an update to the Boston Marathon, I met with Dave S. to discuss the fundraising goal and we are shooting to have the Blog up and running by mid August and send out our first mailing by 09/01/2008.
Cheers,
Tim D
Monday, June 9, 2008
Setting realistic goals and expectations
Ok, so one of my closest friends has always said that I am the one friend that is “most likely to join a cult” and that really sums up how I jump into things. I am just the type of person who feels the need to jump 100% into something and I tend to become obsessive about things in “my focus” (just ask my spouse).
So now that I have begun my obsession with running and getting myself in shape I have set my goals for 2008 as the Falmouth Road Race and my first Half Marathon in Portland, Maine on October 5th. As a newbie with 3 races under my belt and an average of 20-25 miles per week for the last month I need to STOP AND SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS for 2008 and 2009.
So I am confident that I can run 7 mile distance of the Falmouth Road Race or the 13.1 miles of the Half Marathon the real question is whether I can do it when the gun fires and not set an unrealistic goal for myself. My problem is that everybody (that would be people with more experience and miles on the road then me) keep telling me that my first Half Marathon should be run with one goal only and that is to FINISH and that makes so much sense but….
Part of me thinks that if I don’t run with a goal pace or time that I am depriving myself of finishing with some record setting time? So for the Half Marathon I am training using the Hanson Brothers Training plan (http://www.hansons-running.com/) for a Half Marathon. I have chosen this plan because I like the idea that it is 18 weeks (3) Long Runs of 12 miles and (7) 10 mile runs and also includes weekly Strength/Speed and Tempo runs. I think this plan will allow me to FINISH the race but part of me also hopes it will prepare for a sub Two-Hour Half Marathon. So for the Half Marathon my expectation has to be to finish but I am hoping to be prepared enough to run it in less then 2 hours. Does that make me a bad person or unrealistic newbie, maybe but this will be a great way to set the appropriate expectation for the full Marathon in April 2009.
This will be a common thread and discussion that I will harp on and go back and forth on a lot but just look for me selling flowers on the side of the road with all of the other cult members…..
Tim
So now that I have begun my obsession with running and getting myself in shape I have set my goals for 2008 as the Falmouth Road Race and my first Half Marathon in Portland, Maine on October 5th. As a newbie with 3 races under my belt and an average of 20-25 miles per week for the last month I need to STOP AND SET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS for 2008 and 2009.
So I am confident that I can run 7 mile distance of the Falmouth Road Race or the 13.1 miles of the Half Marathon the real question is whether I can do it when the gun fires and not set an unrealistic goal for myself. My problem is that everybody (that would be people with more experience and miles on the road then me) keep telling me that my first Half Marathon should be run with one goal only and that is to FINISH and that makes so much sense but….
Part of me thinks that if I don’t run with a goal pace or time that I am depriving myself of finishing with some record setting time? So for the Half Marathon I am training using the Hanson Brothers Training plan (http://www.hansons-running.com/) for a Half Marathon. I have chosen this plan because I like the idea that it is 18 weeks (3) Long Runs of 12 miles and (7) 10 mile runs and also includes weekly Strength/Speed and Tempo runs. I think this plan will allow me to FINISH the race but part of me also hopes it will prepare for a sub Two-Hour Half Marathon. So for the Half Marathon my expectation has to be to finish but I am hoping to be prepared enough to run it in less then 2 hours. Does that make me a bad person or unrealistic newbie, maybe but this will be a great way to set the appropriate expectation for the full Marathon in April 2009.
This will be a common thread and discussion that I will harp on and go back and forth on a lot but just look for me selling flowers on the side of the road with all of the other cult members…..
Tim
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Stomach bugs, new PR, running Falmouth...
Ok, so what have I been doing and how is my running going? Well after the stomach bug from hell that almost forced me to miss my 1st 5k, I have recovered and I am doing well. Since the first 5k at UMASS which I ran a respectable 25:29 I had to cut back on my miles since I was terrified of being more then 30 feet from a restroom. Once I felt better I was back to building up my base with some consistent runs. Last week all of my short runs through the week were great, I even tried a speed run for the first time. The Friday before my race I woke up at 5:00 AM and was on the road for 5:30 for my long run. It was a pristine morning and I felt great. I wanted to do 8:00 miles at a 9:40 to 10:30 pace and force myself not to run it at my normal 8:50-9:05 pace. I managed to stay within the pace range and did 8 miles in 1:17 minutes. Overall I was thrilled with the run.
I rested on Saturday and then on Sunday, June 1st I ran the Rhody 5k @ Twin Rivers in Lincoln RI (www.rhody5k.com). The weather was nice but this flat, tree less course was an OVEN….
I did ok though, I lined up with the 8 minute milers and all of my splits were under 8 and I sprinted across the finish line at 24:34. My son was there to cheer me on and he and my wife also raced. This is my first week of my 18 week Half Marathon training plan so I am excited. I have decided to try the Hanson’s Brothers (no not the guys with tin foil on their hands who bring there toys with them on the road) and I will keep everyone updated on my progress.
On another note, the check for the Cigna Falmouth Road Race (08/10/2008) was cashed so I was picked out of the lottery and I will have the opportunity to run it. I am both excited and nervous since heat isn’t my favorite thing but it is too good of opportunity to pass up and it will be a great test for my progress towards the half marathon in October.
More to come….
I rested on Saturday and then on Sunday, June 1st I ran the Rhody 5k @ Twin Rivers in Lincoln RI (www.rhody5k.com). The weather was nice but this flat, tree less course was an OVEN….
I did ok though, I lined up with the 8 minute milers and all of my splits were under 8 and I sprinted across the finish line at 24:34. My son was there to cheer me on and he and my wife also raced. This is my first week of my 18 week Half Marathon training plan so I am excited. I have decided to try the Hanson’s Brothers (no not the guys with tin foil on their hands who bring there toys with them on the road) and I will keep everyone updated on my progress.
On another note, the check for the Cigna Falmouth Road Race (08/10/2008) was cashed so I was picked out of the lottery and I will have the opportunity to run it. I am both excited and nervous since heat isn’t my favorite thing but it is too good of opportunity to pass up and it will be a great test for my progress towards the half marathon in October.
More to come….
Thursday, May 29, 2008
CONSISTENCY
Ok, I am new to running (Nov 2007) and most who know me know that once I get something in my focus then I become obsessive about it, but sometimes that isn't enough to get me through a run. Have you ever started out for 6 miles, gotten 1.75 miles into it and you just don't feel in the groove yet, the feet are heavy, rhythm is off and overall you just don't feel right? That to me is the toughest part of my training as someone new to this sport. I can run 5 great runs all week and then have one run that is just so off that it crushes you mentally. I take these runs personally, I get so mad at myself for quitting or cutting back my miles. I am now changing my goals from not as much a focus on miles but on CONSISTENCY.
Tim
Tim
Monday, May 26, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Why is the Derv running
So why am I am running, well I am running for two reasons, first because I needed to prove to myself that I am in shape and have moved from a sedentary lifestyle to active lifestyle and second, I would like to be around to see my son grow up, graduate HS, watch him total my car, go to college, get his nose pierced and to also to continue to "age" my wife so we can grow old together....
So back to the why I started to run....
This transformation began in September of 2007 when I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I have had a history of High Blood pressure that I was doing a good job of ignoring and not dealing with for about three years so the combination of the two was the kick in the pants that I needed to take control of my health. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that my weight and sedentary lifestyle were the primary cause of these two problems and that if I didn’t deal with my health then I better get some good life insurance.
So the same day I got the call from my Doctor, I chose to do something about my health and the next day I began my current journey into an active lifestyle and my pursuit to get my Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure under control through weight loss and exercise. I don't believe in diets since they are only short term fixes. I decided to make changes in what I ate, when I ate and most importantly do some sort of exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
Well since September I have lost 50lbs and my Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Levels are under control and my diabetes is in remission. As part of my journey I began running in November of 2007 and I have been addicted to it since. The reason I have taken to running is that prior to this lifestyle change my motto was always “I Run When Chased” and I was really good at keeping true to this motto.
I guess the reason was that at 260lbs running wasn’t a lot of fun and if I could run then I must be in shape? Once the running began, I decided to challenge myself by entering into some races, with my first one being last March on my birthday. The race was a 4 mile race to raise money for the http://www.bartoncenter.org/ and it was a great way to keep me motivated over the winter and build up my miles.
After my first race and the fact that I finished it and I didn’t come in dead last (finished in 33:53) I got hooked and decided hey wouldn’t it be great to run a marathon in 2009 when I turned 40?
If anybody knows my wife, at the moment I told her this great idea of mine, just picture in your head her facial expression and her response, I will leave it that…..
So back to the why I started to run....
This transformation began in September of 2007 when I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I have had a history of High Blood pressure that I was doing a good job of ignoring and not dealing with for about three years so the combination of the two was the kick in the pants that I needed to take control of my health. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that my weight and sedentary lifestyle were the primary cause of these two problems and that if I didn’t deal with my health then I better get some good life insurance.
So the same day I got the call from my Doctor, I chose to do something about my health and the next day I began my current journey into an active lifestyle and my pursuit to get my Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure under control through weight loss and exercise. I don't believe in diets since they are only short term fixes. I decided to make changes in what I ate, when I ate and most importantly do some sort of exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
Well since September I have lost 50lbs and my Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar Levels are under control and my diabetes is in remission. As part of my journey I began running in November of 2007 and I have been addicted to it since. The reason I have taken to running is that prior to this lifestyle change my motto was always “I Run When Chased” and I was really good at keeping true to this motto.
I guess the reason was that at 260lbs running wasn’t a lot of fun and if I could run then I must be in shape? Once the running began, I decided to challenge myself by entering into some races, with my first one being last March on my birthday. The race was a 4 mile race to raise money for the http://www.bartoncenter.org/ and it was a great way to keep me motivated over the winter and build up my miles.
After my first race and the fact that I finished it and I didn’t come in dead last (finished in 33:53) I got hooked and decided hey wouldn’t it be great to run a marathon in 2009 when I turned 40?
If anybody knows my wife, at the moment I told her this great idea of mine, just picture in your head her facial expression and her response, I will leave it that…..
Who or what is a "Derv"....?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Whirling Dervishes perform in the Monastir Mevlevi, Istanbul.
The Mevlevi Order or the Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian (Tādjīk) poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian, in Konya (in present-day Turkey). They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Dervish is a common term for an initiate of the Sufi Path.
Ok with that said, I am not a member of the Mevlevi Order nor am a member of the Sufi order, it is simply a nickname I acquired in college that has stuck with me for twenty something years. So to most of my closest friends I have always been know as the "Whirling Dervish" or "Derv" for short.
In the real world of responsibility, jobs and family commitments I am simply known as Tim Doiron, I grew up in Southern Maine and now reside in Northbridge, MA located between Worcester, Providence and Boston off of Route 495. During the day when I am not fighting crime, saving the environment and fighting global hunger I am living the dream live of a Software Quality Assurance (making sure new software applications actually work) Project Manager for a large Financial Services Company, and for this I am always appreciative of my High School Guidance Councilor for pushing my down this path of self discovery and unlimited personal and monetary reward.
I have been married for 17 years to Deborah and that fact alone makes her a Saint. Living with me on a good day is not easy as I tend to be somewhat compulsive about things that are in my focus at that time whether it be the latest toy or gadget, my photography or now my running (if it isn't in my focus then good luck getting me to concentrate on it). My wife recently summed it up best with this great (soon to be on a Hallmark card near you) quote of "You Age Me", wow those words of love real choke you up...
I am also the proud parent of a son who looks just like me and has 98% of all of my mannerism's which my wife loves. As if I wasn't bad enough she now has a "mini-derv" running around the house. All in all, I have a great life and there are so many things I should be greatful for; a loving wife, a healthy and great son, a roof over my head, a job that makes me excited to jump out of bed each morning and rush into work and for this I am grateful.
Thanks
Tim D
a.k.a "The Derv"
Whirling Dervishes perform in the Monastir Mevlevi, Istanbul.
The Mevlevi Order or the Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian (Tādjīk) poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian, in Konya (in present-day Turkey). They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form of dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Dervish is a common term for an initiate of the Sufi Path.
Ok with that said, I am not a member of the Mevlevi Order nor am a member of the Sufi order, it is simply a nickname I acquired in college that has stuck with me for twenty something years. So to most of my closest friends I have always been know as the "Whirling Dervish" or "Derv" for short.
In the real world of responsibility, jobs and family commitments I am simply known as Tim Doiron, I grew up in Southern Maine and now reside in Northbridge, MA located between Worcester, Providence and Boston off of Route 495. During the day when I am not fighting crime, saving the environment and fighting global hunger I am living the dream live of a Software Quality Assurance (making sure new software applications actually work) Project Manager for a large Financial Services Company, and for this I am always appreciative of my High School Guidance Councilor for pushing my down this path of self discovery and unlimited personal and monetary reward.
I have been married for 17 years to Deborah and that fact alone makes her a Saint. Living with me on a good day is not easy as I tend to be somewhat compulsive about things that are in my focus at that time whether it be the latest toy or gadget, my photography or now my running (if it isn't in my focus then good luck getting me to concentrate on it). My wife recently summed it up best with this great (soon to be on a Hallmark card near you) quote of "You Age Me", wow those words of love real choke you up...
I am also the proud parent of a son who looks just like me and has 98% of all of my mannerism's which my wife loves. As if I wasn't bad enough she now has a "mini-derv" running around the house. All in all, I have a great life and there are so many things I should be greatful for; a loving wife, a healthy and great son, a roof over my head, a job that makes me excited to jump out of bed each morning and rush into work and for this I am grateful.
Thanks
Tim D
a.k.a "The Derv"
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