on the shore of the ultimate sea

Well, we did it.

Last Saturday a group of coworkers and I gave a good wallop to the Hamptons Half Marathon, with all of us finishing strong and raising a ton of money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Based entirely on a supportive group of individuals, I was able to raise over $2,800 for the LLS, benefiting individuals and families afflicted with blood cancers.

The race couldn’t have gone better. It was a clear, crisp day, not too hot, not too cold. I got plenty of sleep the night before, despite a weird throat infection that had worried me all week.

The plan for the race was to stick as close to the 9-minute-mile mark. Earlier in the season I’d set a goal of a sub-2 hour finish, but with my IT band barkin’ it seemed like slower would be the norm. But everything felt good, and at the 6 mile mark it seemed like I was on track to finish in under 120 minutes.

So I stuck with it, and sucked it up when it started to get ugly around 12 miles, and finished in 1:53:33.

I’m not sure if I’ll do a full; maybe next summer. I’ve taken a week off but will soon be getting tuned up for the Nike Human Race 10k later this month, so I’ll stick with running a bit longer. I still don’t get the zen immediately. But maybe I will someday. I am, though, proud of what our group did, and thankful for the fabulous Team in Training coaching, as well as your support.

We’re gettin’ down to the nitty-gritty, ladies and gents.

8/25: Hills! The final installment of our torturous hill workouts. 1/4 full, 1/4 half, 1/2 recover x 6. Untimed. Ugly.

Ugh, glad to see these hill exercises go. Yuck.

8/29: 8.5 miles, into Manhattan, summer streets, ~10 min/mi, AM

This was a good, fun, nice run. Into Manhattan, across the Brooklyn Bridge, up the street they had closed off for the Summer Streets program, cab back home. Perfect.

9/1: 5k, 22′18″, improved from 23′09″ on 7/7

This was another 5k test to determine pacing and tempo runs for the remainder of our training. I improved slightly, which is surprising, considering my lack of training. Most improved award goes to Angela, who shaved a whole 4.5 minutes off her last time. What a difference a few months’ dedication makes, eh?

Inputting my time into the McMillan Running Calculator says I should run 7′50″ miles and finish a 13.1 mile event in 1:43:05. I kind of doubt this–all my long runs have been pretty slow. Who knows. I’m not sure if you have to buy Mr. McMillan’s training philosophy or not to get those results. But maybe I can still break the 2-hour barrier out in the Hamptons.

9/3 4.44 miles, 40:51min, 9′09″ miles, AM

I felt shitty this entire morning run. Like I was wearing a suit of my skin that wasn’t quite fitting right. I hoped to slough it off after a mile or two but it stayed on for an entire abbreviated loop of Prospect Park. iPod/headphones steadily pumping out the jams didn’t help. I don’t know.

9/5 9 miles, 96 minutes, 10′40″ miles, AM

Nine miles along the Upper New York Bay, following the greenway under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, through Bay Ridge and towards Coney Island on a beautiful sunny morning. We ran part of the route today along 4th Avenue, a stretch that the NYC Marathon covers in just a few months. Locals accustomed to runners cheered us on, as if this was somehow more meaningful than a run-of-the-mill Saturday training session.

I checked in with Jack to see how his mom was doing, and got good news. (Remember Jane Zhang?)

I’ll let Jack give the news: “We’re done with chemo and about one and a half weeks into a 3-week radiation plan. Spirits are high, her white blood cell counts are back to normal and we’re enjoying the temperate Michigan weather!”

Absolutely fantastic! There’s nothing like a Michigan fall to give you some comfort after a tough round of chemo. Don’t forget, the advanced treatments that cure cancer come about because laboratories receive funding and are able to research new cures. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society works to provide scientists and doctors with grants and education to help the front-line battle blood cancers.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE:

Lots of big stars this week as each runner with our team met their $2,800 in minimum fundraising. Thanks to everyone who came out to our bar nights and fundraisers, all the Crain folks who chipped in to the team effort, the Crain Foundation for pumping up each of us in a major way, and, last but not least, Elliot, Jessica and Peter. Thanks so much guys, for your kind words and awesome donations.

We’re in the homestretch, so now’s the time to dig in and hook me up with some dough. Three more weeks. Let’s do it.

Want to help? You should sponsor me here!

Henry’s Lake sunset, originally uploaded by nparish.

Mostly vacationing and rehab, really.

Well, charity run training diary update fans, there’s a reason why I’ve been absent since our last check-in. That IT band issue really had me slowed down on the training front.

After my 7/25 trip around the reservoir I shut training down completely, began a mini rehab program in earnest and took about 10 days off running in hopes of driving the problem away. Unfortunately, it’s still around. But, I’ve learned largely how to contain the pain, am working on efforts to restore the muscles whose weakness contributes to it and have been back on schedule over the last few days.

The rehab has mainly come from stretching sessions with my new invaluable training tool, the foam roller. I hit the roller twice a day for 30 minutes, whether I run or not, to iron out the kinks in my legs, not just the parts that scream during excruciating IT band stretch. I’ve also got a brace/strap contraption I wear during runs, a big-ass tube of Ben Gay and a bag of frozen peas that’s used solely for post-workout icing. Also, hip hitches and resistance bands are building up the parts of my glutes that have been degrading since I stopped weight training in May.

Luckily, I was able to do some fun cross-training in Montana, wading through deep, fast rivers in pursuit of oncorhynchus mykiss, oncorhynchus clarki and salmo trutta. Between the cold water and the lateral work involved it helped a lot. (Check out the photos–no pain there!)

Getting back, though, I realized I had a lot of work to do, and would have to train back to my previous level. And fast. The race is in less than a month. Unfortunately, the marathon is out of the question at this point, but I think I can still hit my original goal: a sub 2:00 finish in the half event.

8/16: Slow, short. 2 miles in 25 minutes, AM

I had planned to go across the Manhattan bridge, back via Brooklyn and home for about a 7 mile trip, but shut it down when a twinge kicked in early. This was irritating. Even though I felt some pulls in Montana, on heavy hikes, humping up and down canyons in felt-bottomed boots, I hoped those weren’t around anymore. Home to rest and ice.

8/22: Slow, long. 6.5 miles in around 2 hours, AM

Finally last Saturday I had a breakthrough. A long, slow run without a huge amount of discomfort. Rehab was paying off.

This is really only a few miles off our target for this stage in training (8-9 miles) so this weekend I’ll probably bump it up to 8.5 on our long Saturday run.

Best of all, there wasn’t any pain after I stretched and iced post run. Jump for joy! (But don’t pull anything.)

ON FUNDRAISING:

We’re getting to the point of no return. Fundraising ends September 8th. I still need your donations to fulfill my minimum obligation, so now’s the time to pull your moral compass out of its pouch and help make a difference.

So many of you have already responded to the call. Jocelyn, Merrilee & Rance, Cousin Ian–you’re the best. Thanks. Thanks also to all of you that came out to support us during our open bar last week. You’re golden. I couldn’t have done this without you.

For all you fence-sitters, now’s the time to get into it.

Want to help? You should sponsor me here!

Runs, with a little bit of drama

7/18: Slow, distance. 6 miles in 68 minutes, 11′15″ miles, AM

Brooklyn teammate Angela and I cruised around the park a few times on a Saturday morning and realized it’s getting hotter. By 10am the sun was in full effect and we were dripping. Despite stopping at Prospect Park’s many fountains I picked up a neat little fanny pack-type device that holds a water bottle. I now wear it everywhere, including the office, and when people ask why I simply say ‘It’s very important to stay hydrated.’

7/21: Hills, half-mile fast-recover repeats up Prospect Park’s south hill, 4 in total, plus 2 miles warm up/cool down, PM

This was a fun workout. I enjoy hills, and it was a wet, humid evening where my lungs really opened up and I pushed it on the effort front.  Jackson Browne was playing that night at the amphitheatre, so we were treated to his music floating around the park and a rendition of “Take it Easy” as we rested and stretched (which Browne, as he said in the song’s intrduction, co-wrote with Glen Frey).

7/25: Slow, distance. Warm up plus 4 trips around the Central Park reservoir, ~7 miles, 70ish minutes, AM

Wow. Bummer run. Fun companions, but kind of boring scenery, the cramped reservoir track, morning heat–plus, the worst bit, pain. Knee pain. The left one. I had to limp down the subway stairs to get home, then back up my stairs to get into an icebath in the tub. I alternated ice and heat for the rest of the day Saturday and into Sunday, cancelling plans that entailed leg work and doing some light stretching. What do you think, runners? Too many left turns? A cosmic conspiracy? Overpronation?

The helpful folks at Jackrabbit in Park Slope thought the second when I hauled my gimpy self there the next day. Runner’s knee, they say. Turns out my years-old Brooks Glycerin were too neutral, and after a video analysis of several models of shoe we settled on the Saucony Hurricane for more stability.

So, where does that leave me a few days later? Resting. Stretching. Icing. Heating. Taking it easy, a la Browne and Frey. Not letting the sound of my own wheels drive me crazy. It feels better already. Better enough for a couple of light days before a week of run-free vacation in the woods, after which the final push is on. And next time in Central Park, I’ll make sure to run the big loop.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE:

A lot of fantastic people have come through big to help this effort to continue. Bigtime shout-outs go to Kunur, Megan, Sam B, Kenna, Katie, Sam M, Jess, Juno, Colin, Mom & Dad, Kat, Marissa, Chico & Sue, Annie–you’re all stars, thank you so much.

The rest of you, I’m not out there enduring joint injury, heat stroke or the demoralizing psychological impediments that cause a grown man to wear a fanny pack-like device in public for no reason. If you need a reminder, it’s here. There’s a point to this whole thing, and a big part of it involves you. So throw me some dough, it’s really easy, and will make you feel good. And it might help find a cure for cancer.  Click the link below, or any of the banners on the page (now featuring my vintage retired Brooks kicks) to make a donation.

Want to help? You should sponsor me here!

Big distance! Big changes? Hills climbed!

7/11: Long, slow distance. 14 miles in 2′22″, 10′15″ miles, AM

Well, this ended up quite differently than it started.

We had an easy route down and across the Brooklyn bridge planned for a tidy 9 mile run, equal to my longest so far, but by the time I got onto the bridge I was gripped by a weird exploratory sense; I didn’t feel tired at all and wanted to keep going. So I trailed one of the leading packs of runners and made my way across the isle of Manhattan and onto the beautiful athletic paths on the west side, running past the tennis courts and smoothie stands and people out enjoying their Saturday mornings. My euphoria wore down around the seventh mile, though, so I paused and drank a sports drink and had a nutrition bar and went back to Prospect Park.

This was a real breakthrough for me; at no point was I really tired. My legs were sore by the time I got back, and that endured for a bit, but it wasn’t terrible.

Seeing as this is more than a half marathon I may have to reassess my goals. Should I do the full 26.2? I don’t know yet. Our coaches say if you can do 16 you can do the 26m, but I’d prefer to do 26 then do 26. Is that crazy, runners? I don’t really like the idea of not having run that distance before and going out and doing it.

Anyway, stay tuned about a possible distance upgrade. Also noted I should get one of those water bottle holders.

7/4: 8x 1/4 mile uphill max-outs, w/ 1/4 cool downs and a miles warmup.

Hills! Fun!

I’m not sure if the Hamptons course is hilly or not, but we certainly got a lesson on how to run them.

(And we got a view of two red-tailed hawks prowling in the park!)

Want to help? You should sponsor me here!

More training, this time with a few little races.

7/2: Cross-training? 25~ miles on the bike in a leisurely manner.

I took a spur-of-the-moment day off before the holiday and rode my bike down Flatbush to the Rockaways, in part to get some exercise, in part to check out fishing spots on Jamaica Bay. It was overcast and rained partway through the trip, but that didn’t stop me from getting a bad sunburn to start the long weekend in style.

Flatbush Avenue was busy on the way there and even busier on the way back, but once you’re over the Belt Parkway it gets quiet and the parkland starts to arrive. First off is Floyd Bennett Field, the precursor to JFK airport in New York, which is now a sports complex with some interesting areas around its periphery. The entire series of runways is overgrown but if you poke around enough you’ll find some gems. There’s an RC airplane runway and viewing area, and a group of older gentlemen were huddled under its canopied “pilot’s area” waiting out the storm on Thursday, a training area for the New York Department of Sanitation (strange small garbage trucks would occasionally dart across the runway) and a training area for the NYPD which included a beat-up ’80s-style limousine. I wound up finding the coolest thing when I was trying to get out of the heavy rains: a group dedicated to restoring historic warplanes.

The H.A.R.P. (Historic Airplane Restoration Project) is set up in Hangar B, a decrepit mess from the outside but full of interesting aircraft inside. I noticed a sign, chained up my bike and ducked in to dry off. The hangar was empty save a half-dozen gents busy restoring old aircraft, sanding parts or dunking them in a de-rust tank or just jawing with buddies.

Click through to see the whole Flickr set.

I hung around a bit to dry off then shoved on to my next destination, Jacob Riis park and one of NYC’s best beaches. After a brief toe-dip into the water I went further down to the Rockaways and Seaside then ate a chicken roll, checked out a surf shop and chatted with its interesting owner.

After that, the ride home, another pass through the mayhem on Flatbush and done.

7/4: 10k road race, 51:26, 8′17″ miles, AM

Wow, my first race. Tough and fun. Up at my parents’ lake house they do a town 4th of July race; my dad generally does it every year, and this year Juno and I were in town so I did it too.

I’m not exceedingly happy with my result–150th out of 298. The winner, who came from my age group, finished at 32:51, but I suppose it’s a good start. I had to figure out how to drink water from the cups they give you (pinch the cup until the fluid level rises then sip off the top) and how to pace myself. The course went out along the Lake Charlevoix shore for a few miles then turned back on itself; on the way back I tried to give more effort but got frustrated when a guy pushing two kids in a cart passed me. Oh well. It’s sort of tough to know how much you have left in the tank; I certainly felt fine the next day so maybe it would have been possible to push harder?

Anyway, my dad won his age group and beat me by five minutes or so. I’m pretty sure if I’m still running next year I can at least catch him.

An interesting, and maybe TMI note: I experienced the first chafing of the thighs during this race. It was a true rite of passage. Maybe because my gait was tighter and faster after the coaching session last practice, or maybe because of the general pace, but there was some post-race soreness. I’d prefer to somehow lose that extra thigh-fat but when I consulted some experts they suggested runners’ AstroGlide to keep things slick. Yipes. Next stop, nipple tape.

Observe my rictus of pain as I approach the finish, taken by the lovely Juno as she shouted encouragement:

7/6: ~4 miles on trails, ~1,000 feet of elevation change, 35-40 minutes

A fun trail run on my last day in Boyne City, this time at Avalanche Mountain. Usually I play disc golf here, there’s a nifty little woody 18 hole course, but this time we just ran up to the top of the hill. Rough.

7/67: 5k test run, 23′09″, 7.44 minute miles, plus warm-up and cool-down

The Brooklyn Team in Training coaches wanted to test us and asked us to run a hard 5k. The object of this is to figure out a good baseline training speed in relation to things like Vo2 max, the quantity of oxygen your body brings through itself during exercise. This’ll help us keep paces right as we approach our races.

I was hoping to make 7 minute miles but alas…perhaps if I’d been rested it would have been easier. Knowing from the 10k how I felt at the end of that race made it easier to gauge how much I could give during the 5k, so I went a little bit faster. We’ll see what the coaches compute for my training schedule.

Want to help? Leave some words of encouragement in the comments or sponsor me!

Important announcements are afoot, gentle reader:

First and foremost, I’d like to give a hearty handshake to my first donor, Nick Stableski. In addition to being a fine bocce player, Nick is always there with a considerate and humorous remark or link in his Gmail. Nick came through in a major way to get the snowball tumbling down the hill with a great donation to the effort. While I’d like to be able to congratulate Nick for singlehandedly coming up with the dough to cure blood cancers, there’s still a lot of ground to cover. There’s plenty of time for you to hop into the action and sponsor me.

Or you’d prefer to have few drinks too, come and hang out at our team fundraiser on July 8th at 6:30. Angela Carola, another member of our motley band, put a bar night together to help Team Crain reach out to our industry pals.

Ang sez:

…we will be holding an Industry Social at Red Sky on East 29th between Park and Madison on Wednesday at July 8th at 6:30pm.

We will charge attendees $20 for a bracelet when entering.  Anyone wearing the bracelet will have extended happy hour prices for drinks; all of the money from bracelet sales will go to Team in Training.  To help fill the bar with his industry friends and fans, Ken Wheaton has agreed to guest bartend from 6:30-7:30.

Details:

Team Crain TNT Fundraising Event for Lymphoma and Leukemia

featuring guest bartender, AdAge’s Ken Wheaton

Wednesday, July 8, 6:30-9pm

Red Sky  http://redskynyc.com

E. 29th btw Park and Madison, Upstairs Bar

$20 Donation plus cost of drinks

So that’s the skinny. I’ll be wheeling out my finest party tricks, except for the one that involves the cocktail stirrer, that was retired. Here’s the event’s Facebook page, if you’re into seeing who’s coming and a handy ical reference. Hope to see you there!

6/21: 9.3 miles, trails, ~10′ miles, AM

This was a fun run.

My dad’s a big runner–he’s done a ton of marathons, and is still fast as hell as he enters his sixth decade on this earth. I was back in Detroit, and it was Father’s Day, so I decided to finally humor him and do something I’ve been avoiding for, oh, say a dozen years–go running together.

It isn’t that I’m worried about my dad showing me up. He’d never try to make me feel bad or run fast and leave me behind. I’ve just never really been interested.

So early on Sunday, with my legs still very sketchy after 48 holes of disc golf at Hudson Mills the day before, we broke out and went over to Island Lake State Park along with one of my dad’s running buds. We did almost ten miles on the trails, up and down hills, through mud and sunny fields–the farthest I’ve ever run before. And we didn’t even go terribly slow.

6/23: Interval training, ~2 miles alternating 200m lengths with fast pace and recovery, PM

I like doing intervals. It’s fun to test yourself, and, as is the goal of this half marathon, train your body to go faster. I’d prefer to do them on an oval, though, because my mind tends to wander and I need some sort of heavy visual cues as to where to go. Case in point this time; every 200m we had to alternate between a very brisk pace and a recovery pace, but I forgot to turn around at the nearly invisible designated point and went on doing the push-recovery sets for another half mile or so, until I got to the bottom of the hill. I jogged back to see the others and finished things off but my absentmindedness really threw off my rhythm.

6/27: 6.7 miles at ~ 73, 11′ miles, AM

Had a good run and chat with Angela of team Brooklyn after we couldn’t bring ourselves to head to Manhattan to work with the rest of the group. Fun, light run, no music, just chit chat, two loops at Prospect Park on a hot day.

6/30: Interval training, ~3.5 miles alternating 400m lengths with fast pace and recovery, plus an 800m at the end, PM

Phew, more intervals. It was pouring rain as we got started, but cleared up significantly as we went. Coach Jim gave me some good tips on mechanics, namely to move my feet quickly without jacking my whole body and pumping my arms furiously. I think he described it as “bounding.” I thought that’s how you were supposed to run fast–I guess there are more efficient ways when you’re preparing to run fast for a long time. At any rate, Jim’s tactics made my running feel more like a speedy shuffle, but at the same time felt much lighter and were less of a general strain. This was much better coaching on my running form than the last advice I heard, from a lacrosse coach some 15 years ago: “You run like a soccer player. Cut it out.”

Ah, so I’m adding weight to this log–I’m at 191 lbs. I’d like to drop 5-7 to get down to fighting weight, so I’ll keep you updated on how that goes.

Want to help? Leave some words of encouragement in the comments or sponsor me!

So, yeah, I’m running the Hamptons Half-Marathon in September, along with some coworkers and pals, and I need your help.

A Half Marathon?

Yeah, what’s wrong with that? What, are you already giving me grief because I’m not doing the full? Well, more on that later, but goodness gracious.

I hate running. I always have, since I first detoured from the Husky section at Mervyns to buy soccer cleats and got anxious about the windsprints at the end of practice. I think it’s boring. Why run for an hour when you can play a game? Cycling is a much more efficient transportation method, and I burn way more calories playing an hour of squash.

So Why the Hell Are You Doing This?

“Because I never have before” is usually a lame reason, but it’s one of many in this case. I’ve never been in a race. Like I said, I hate running. But I come from solid stock (my dad’s gym is littered with medals and trophies from running accomplishments) and want to take this challenge on.

But there’s a much more emotional challenge too, stemming from a desire to focus time and effort towards a goal of doing something good. In training for and running this race (and, accordingly, you supporting me) we’ll be doing something very important: sharing concern.

Sharing Concern…

The training has actually been pretty easy–after all, it’s just running, a really basic human thing we’ve been doing for eons.

It’s even easier when you think about friend and neighbors and people who’ve had to endure lots more. Luckily, someone who’s got a tougher challenge than me came along to help keep the real focus of what we’re doing in mind.

I’m raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through its Team in Training program, with the goal to pull together $5,000 toward research and experimentation to eradicate blood cancers.

I truly believe in my lifetime we will find a cure for cancer. The process will be directly accelerated by funding for related scientific initiatives.

…With Friends and Neighbors

I’ve known Jack Cheng for a little while, but only met him a few times. We first met at a Likemind morning, and I kept up with him via his blog, where he’d deliver occasional well-thought-out nuggets of inspiration couched in awesome, clean design.

A couple weeks ago, Jack posted on a dilemma. I’m interested in dilemmas, because there’s never a good solution; a dilemma, contrary to popular belief, is a choice between two equally unpopular options. It turns out, though that the hypothetical Jack wrote about had tangible roots, and it was bad news about his mom. I’ll let him explain:

Those of you that follow me on twitter know that I’m in Michigan for the summer. I’m here because a couple months ago, my mother was diagnosed with stage 1A Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Quick cancer lesson: Hodgkin’s is a blood cancer, and typically more predictable than its non-Hodgkin’s cousin. There are four stages, with the lateness of the stage reflecting how far the cancer has spread. The ‘A’ designation means that Mom wasn’t showing any outward symptoms like night sweats, fevers or weight loss.

…

The day Mom scheduled the times for her two-plus months of chemotherapy and radiation, she was finally able to land an appointment with a fourth, well-respected hospital she had previously (unsuccessfully) tried to get time with. Here’s where things got complicated: the doctors at the fourth hospital reviewed the previous tests, conducted their own, and came to the conclusion that there wasn’t enough evidence to call it cancer at all! Their recommendation? No treatment, just monitor the situation closely.

We had to make a choice — in one scenario, we would (and were about to) endure chemo and radiation (no stroll in the park by any means), and in the other, we’d take the risk that it really wasn’t cancer and pray that nothing happens (or if something does happen, that we don’t catch it too late). Like in my thought experiment, it was a choice between the certainty of shorter-term suffering and the uncertainty of a possible longer-term, severe suffering.

The Chengs chose to go through with the chemo, and Jack’s mom Jane Zhang is currenty receiving chemotherapy treatments at the Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, one of the top cancer centers in the world.

This past Monday, Mom, had her first of four chemo sessions. Parts of the Detroit-area hospital doing the treatment look like they were taken from the interior of a spaceship designed during the cold war. They hand out buzzers in the waiting area like they do at Shake Shack.

…

We’re still learning and getting used to the side-effects of chemo. Some days go by like nothing happened at all, while on others Mom says it’s like she’s pregnant all over again. My little brother flies in at the beginning of July and I’m looking forward to spending time with him too. This summer is going to be one of the most difficult of our lives, but I think, at the same time, we can make it on of the best.

I’ve never met Mrs. Zhang, but Jack’s message arriving the day I started my training revealed a strong point to me–anyone can get sick, and when they do, it’s up to us to display solidarity and do what we can to help.

I’m honored Jack was stoked when I broached the topic of running in support of his mom; I think she’s doing the right thing by heading off any potential problems at the pass with chemo now, and I’m absolutely certain the professionals at Karmanos will do their best to help her get better. If the knowledge that some random pal of her son who’s running a half marathon is keeping her in his thoughts helps her tough this out one iota, then the race is won, so to speak.

Jane Zhang, in front of the Bird's Nest in Beijing

What Can I Do?

A few things, actually. I’m after your time, your effort, and your connections. Or any combination of them.

If you’re short on time but have some effort (or, what your effort produces) to spare, please donate to help me reach my goal of $5,000. You can see how I’m doing here. I’ll keep you posted on how things are going on this page, and personally check in a few times during the training to keep you updated.

Be certain: I understand the value of money, and the hard work you put into earning it. But this is a worthy cause, and you can make a difference.

If you’ve got plenty of time, (or you’d prefer to have few drinks too) come and hang out at our team fundraiser on July 8th at 6:30. Angela Carola, seen above, put it all together to help Team Crain reach out to our industry pals. Ang sez:

…we will be holding an Industry Social at Red Sky on East 29th between Park and Madison on Wednesday at July 8th at 6:30pm.

We will charge attendees $20 for a bracelet when entering. Anyone wearing the bracelet will have extended happy hour prices for drinks; all of the money from bracelet sales will go to Team in Training. To help fill the bar with his industry friends and fans, Ken Wheaton has agreed to guest bartend from 6:30-7:30.

Details:
Team Crain TNT Fundraising Event for Lymphoma and Leukemia
featuring guest bartender, AdAge’s Ken Wheaton
Wednesday, July 8, 6:30-9pm
Red Sky http://redskynyc.com
E. 29th btw Park and Madison, Upstairs Bar
$20 Donation plus cost of drinks

If you’ve got friends or colleagues who might want to support us, please let them know. Send a link to this page, give us a social network shoutout.

As they say on the subway, penny, nickel, dime or quarter, all are appreciated. Blog post, Facebook update, Tweet or link love, all are welcome.

The Team in Training guys are great–coaches, motivators, mentors, all of ‘em. So much so that this has been a breeze. Should I step up and do the full marathon? I guess we can decide that down the road. But here’s how it’s going so far.

6/9: 2.43 miles at 30:00, 12′30″ pace, AM

Phew. Get the lead out, slo poke. For my first run in a while (maybe six months) I took it slow and went up to Prospect Park and back with mylady Juno. I dislike running, so much so that she had to practically pull me out of bed to get going. But once we were moving, my blood started circulating, and it became an energizing start to the day.

6/11: 3.34 miles at 30:09, 9′01″ pace, PM

I think I might run a little better at night. I pushed myself and ran a little further and faster than Tuesday. Similar track as last time, up through Prospect Park. The night was warm and foggy and as I ran I’d go face-first through low-hanging branches and leaves and get a cool splash of condensation.

6/13: 6.2 miles at 63:10, 10′16″ pace, AM

Today was my first practice with the group. We ran out to Red Hook. We started early, but it got hot quickly and by the time we got out past IKEA and Fairway and onto the old cobbled streets I was wishing the NY waterways were safe to swim in. It would be unfortunate to get a terrible disease training for a run to help cure terrible diseases. Over six miles, eh? That’s the longest I’ve ever run!

On a related note, I got some new shorts that are definitely running shorts, meaning shorter-than-any-other-kind-of-shorts-except-Daisy-Dukes-shorts. “Pics or it didn’t happen,” you say. Hold tight, my threshold for humiliation is gradual.

UPDATE: Look at this killer photo of Team Crain BKLYN. What a group of crazy athletes! (from left: Abbey Klaassen, me, Tim Dalbey and Angela Carola)

6/15: 3.5 miles at 32:58, 9′21″ pace, PM

Good run, up to Prospect Park and around through some of the paths, then cutting back onto the main path to head home.

Ran without headphones; not listening to music wasn’t as tough as I thought it would be–there were plenty of birds chirping and sounds in the park to keep me listening.

Want to help? Leave some words of encouragement in the comments or sponsor me!