On Saturday July 19th, I ran my first-ever 50 mile ultramarathon.

Run time: 50 miles in 14.01. Pace: 16.33 per mile. Gun (total) time: 50.8 miles in 15.26. Weather was as expected for Philly in Mid-July... extreme heat advisories (95+ during the day) and humid.

Collateral damage: 2 1/2 heat blister on the right foot. Asphalt was 120+ degrees. Lots of runners had unexpected foot trouble as a result. Both ankles are swollen, and calves are tight. I'm walking like those old guys you see trying to beat the Walk/Don't Walk lights at the corner.

A total of 89 runners started. 53 got at least 50 miles in the 24 hour duration of the event, 5 got over 100 (one of them a woman). Top runner logged 121.43 miles.

I had expected to finish earlier, at which point I planned to drive home to grab some sleep. But since it was 1:30am when I crossed the line, I ended up sleeping on the floor. Since I wasn't really prepared, I bunked down with three pizza boxes for a mattress, a plastic bag with wet and smelly running clothes for a pillow, and the "car trunk blanket" (which smelled like beach and dog and all kinds of funk) overtop of me. I got a solid three hours of sleep.

So what's next?

Wow, you are a wild man! Congrats ! So is the goal to go as far as you can in 24 hours ? What's with the "5 got over 100" reference ??

Congratulations PhillyDude. 50 miles in this heat is incredible. Where was the race? How did you train for such a long race?

The distance itself is unbelievably intimidating and to have done so in sweltering conditions is even more impressive from a physical aspect, but the fact that you were also doing it for a charitable event takes it to an even higher level. You're a good man Mr. P!

On Saturday July 19th, I ran my first-ever 50 mile ultramarathon.

Run time: 50 miles in 14.01. Pace: 16.33 per mile. Gun (total) time: 50.8 miles in 15.26. Weather was as expected for Philly in Mid-July... extreme heat advisories (95+ during the day) and humid.

Collateral damage: 2 1/2 heat blister on the right foot. Asphalt was 120+ degrees. Lots of runners had unexpected foot trouble as a result. Both ankles are swollen, and calves are tight. I'm walking like those old guys you see trying to beat the Walk/Don't Walk lights at the corner.

A total of 89 runners started. 53 got at least 50 miles in the 24 hour duration of the event, 5 got over 100 (one of them a woman). Top runner logged 121.43 miles.

I had expected to finish earlier, at which point I planned to drive home to grab some sleep. But since it was 1:30am when I crossed the line, I ended up sleeping on the floor. Since I wasn't really prepared, I bunked down with three pizza boxes for a mattress, a plastic bag with wet and smelly running clothes for a pillow, and the "car trunk blanket" (which smelled like beach and dog and all kinds of funk) overtop of me. I got a solid three hours of sleep.

So what's next?


Man! NICE WORK- I'm not sure anyone here can fully fathom what you've just gone through. :claphigh:

WOW! :claplow: That is really amazing and somewhat crazy! I hope you are back to full health and lose the octegenarian walk soon.

You ask what next? The only thing you can do to top that is Marathon des Sables - The Sahara Marathon. 6 days 151 miles through the desert??? That is really crazy! :spaz:


http://www.darbaroud.com/uk/html/mds/general/uk_23mds_presentation.php

Keep on trekkin'

Awesome stuff PD:claphigh::claphigh::claphigh:
What strategy did you end up using in the end?

You are the man, Phil!!:bow::claphigh:

Hey Philly

:claplow::claplow:

:bow::bow:

Man! NICE WORK- I'm not sure anyone here can fully fathom what you've just gone through.
I sure can't. I have no idea how many miles I could accomplish in 24 hours, but I guarantee it wouldn't be anywhere close to 50. I don't even like driving 50 miles in a 24 hour peroid.

Awesome job, Phil--very, very impressive. :tucool:

Way to go, Philly! I'll buy you a victory Pabst Blue Ribbon at the bar of your choice next time I pass through.

Rarely do I drive 50 miles in 24 hours... let alone do it on foot.

Congratulations!

-R

Wow, you are a wild man! Congrats ! So is the goal to go as far as you can in 24 hours ? What's with the "5 got over 100" reference ??

There were three different events in the race. The "Lone Rangers" (which was my division) attempted to do as many miles in the 24 hour time period as they could. Most of us were content to get our fifty miles in and be done with it. Not all of us did them consecutively, however... there were some who did a lap (see next answer) in the morning, a few more in the evening, and finished up the next morning. Five people ran more than 100 miles in the 24 hour period.

The other big event were four person "team" relays where each member ran a lap before metaphorically "passing the baton" to the next runner on their team. Teams had the option of completing anywhere from 4 laps to 20 laps in the 24 hours (hence the name of the event "20 in 24 Challenge"). There was also an 8.5 mile race at midnight, which drew another 400 runners.

Congratulations PhillyDude. 50 miles in this heat is incredible. Where was the race? How did you train for such a long race?

The race was in downtown Philadelphia, on an 8.47 mile course around the Schuylkill River, what we refer to as the "River Drives." We started just below the Art Museum, ran up around it, "up" the west side of the river, crossed a bridge, and then back "down" the other side. I use the directional terms very loosely, as the course is remarkably flat, but scenic. Due to the heat, it was sparsely populated, but on a normal day, it's the main path which people use for running, cycling, blading, stroller pushing, etc, and there are ample areas for picnics, bbq's, and the like. One of the remarkable (and critical) features of this layout is that we had aid stations every two miles with food/fluids/medical. A lot of the experienced ultramarathoners said this was the best support they had ever seen... a lot of ultras are "25 out-25 back" with minimal (if any) formal stops for supplies... you just carry what you need on your back (or have a friend with a vehicle travel along the route).

As far as training, I was planning to run two miles (averaging a 10 minute mile) and then walk one mile (averaging a 20 minute mile). I eventually worked my way up (using that strategy) to about four hours in the weeks leading up to the race. Almost all of this training was done in the middle of the day when the wife was at work, the kids were at camp, and I was done with my morning clients at the gym. That strategy didn't hold up too well during the race, however... see below.

The distance itself is unbelievably intimidating and to have done so in sweltering conditions is even more impressive from a physical aspect, but the fact that you were also doing it for a charitable event takes it to an even higher level. You're a good man Mr. P!

Thanks Paul... and thanks for your donation. There were a number of people who were very surprised to learn that I was able to get my entire entry fee covered by people I had never even met. And the fact that there were TWO JSFers in the race (Pam - Rockenmama - also completed the fifty miles) made it pretty special too.

Man! NICE WORK- I'm not sure anyone here can fully fathom what you've just gone through. :claphigh:

I'm not sure I can fathom it myself :lol:... and I know my kids don't get it yet either. I explained to them that "Daddy ran fifty miles... that's like running from our house to Dorney Park (an amusement park an hour away by car that we visit on a regular basis)." My older son is already planning to whip out the "Yeah, but my dad can run fifty miles" retort this fall at school when the playground trash talking starts.

WOW! :claplow: That is really amazing and somewhat crazy! I hope you are back to full health and lose the octegenarian walk soon.

You ask what next? The only thing you can do to top that is Marathon des Sables - The Sahara Marathon. 6 days 151 miles through the desert??? That is really crazy! :spaz:

Keep on trekkin'

Thanks for checking in from the other side of the world! I can only imaging that the heat and humidity we had here for the race is what you probably face every day.

I am thinking about what's next, however... and I know it won't be another ultra-endurance event. I was thinking more like golf, or gambling... something which can be done with a cocktail in hand. Or maybe become one of those guys like Bear Gryllis or that Survivorman guy... you know, get dumped someplace exotic with nothing but your pack and your knowledge and figure out how to get out alive.

Awesome stuff PD:claphigh::claphigh::claphigh:
What strategy did you end up using in the end?

After the first lap, I abandoned the 2 mile run / 1 mile walk strategy and went for a steady "jog" strategy... tried to keep a fifteen minute mile and keep moving until it was over. I stopped for a meal after lap two (turkey sandwich), took a shower and changed clothes/shoes after lap three, and grabbed another turkey sandwich which I took "on the go" after lap four (six laps - 50.8 miles). In route, I was consuming approximately 100 ounces of fluids per lap... a 20oz water bottle at each aid station (four in all) plus a 10oz Powerade at the four mile point and at the main start/finish area. Something I had never tried before while running, but turned out to be very effective, were the boiled salted potatoes they had at each station... basically cooked (but cold) redskin potatoes served next to a pile of salt... you dipped them and ate them like apples. It was really the only effective way to keep your sodium levels up, and they were very tasty.

I stopped at the 30 mile point to have my blister treated by the medical staff. She duct-taped some padding over it, told me not to take off my shoes and socks again (for fear of dislodging the bandage) not to stop for a long period of time again until I was done.

You are the man, Phil!!:bow::claphigh:

Thanks Brian... you can appreciate how much "fun" I had during the race... flirting with the aid station volunteers, chatting up the girls running in the relay races, and asking for beer from the spectators partying along the way.

Hey Philly

:claplow::claplow:

:bow::bow:

No no no... YOU are the man. I'm merely mortal compared to you.

I sure can't. I have no idea how many miles I could accomplish in 24 hours, but I guarantee it wouldn't be anywhere close to 50. I don't even like driving 50 miles in a 24 hour peroid.

Awesome job, Phil--very, very impressive. :tucool:

John, I'll admit I thought about throwing in the towel between mile 25 and 30 (when the blister got bad and I reached the point where I had surpassed my personal best run distance)... then I thought about your dedication (and your donation) and the fact I would be seeing you face to face in a few weeks... and I kept going.

Way to go, Philly! I'll buy you a victory Pabst Blue Ribbon at the bar of your choice next time I pass through.

I'm looking forward to meeting up with you soon! Thanks for your support. I hope you won't mind if we make mine a Miller High Life... I prefer the "Champagne of Beers" to the "Red White and Blue" PBR.

Rarely do I drive less than 50 miles an hour for more than 24 seconds...

fixed. :evil: See you in a few weeks!

PhillyDude, you're inspiring. That's amazing work, and you should be proud!

I just saw a poster for "Ultra Marathon Man" starring Dean Karnazas (sp?). I read his book a couple of years ago, and will check out the movie when it comes out, but you've lived it! :)

Wow!! What an acheivement....

:bow::bow::claplow:

Since you asked now what....I'll throw in that there are guys out here in Colorado who call themselves "Sky Runners." They run marathons and Ultras at high altitudes. Over 10,000 feet or something like that...

There is always the Pikes Peak Ascent too. It is a marathon that starts here in Manitou (Colorado Springs), goes up Barr Trail to the peak of Pikes Peak, and then finishes back in town....

I have hiked it before...but never even thought about running it...:lol:

Philly, come out to Wisconsin in two years and run the Glacial Trail 50 with me. It's a tough course with over 20,000 feet of elevation gain and descent combined. It's also a lot more technical than the popular Ice Age 50 due to the tougher terrain with many roots and more singletrack trail.

It's two years away, so you will be able to take a nice break from running. Relax a bit, golf, gamble, whatever.

http://www.badgerlandstriders.org/GT50/

wow! what an achievement! you are one amazing dude. :nod::bow:

Congrats again Philly!!!

let me tell you guys it was SWELTERING out there!!! Phil is DEFINITELY THE MAN!!!

It was great seing you there. One of these day's I'll get back to lifting so I can show my face here and not feel so guilty.

Take care and enjoy the cruise!

I just saw a poster for "Ultra Marathon Man" starring Dean Karnazas (sp?). I read his book a couple of years ago, and will check out the movie when it comes out, but you've lived it! :)

I can't even compare to Dean... he's the real thing. I'm just a guy who plodded along for a bunch of hours (and then could barely move the next day).

Since you asked now what....I'll throw in that there are guys out here in Colorado who call themselves "Sky Runners." They run marathons and Ultras at high altitudes. Over 10,000 feet or something like that... There is always the Pikes Peak Ascent too. It is a marathon that starts here in Manitou (Colorado Springs), goes up Barr Trail to the peak of Pikes Peak, and then finishes back in town.... I have hiked it before...but never even thought about running it...:lol:

I'd like to do the Pikes Peak thing... in a sports car. :D

Philly, come out to Wisconsin in two years and run the Glacial Trail 50 with me. It's a tough course with over 20,000 feet of elevation gain and descent combined. It's also a lot more technical than the popular Ice Age 50 due to the tougher terrain with many roots and more singletrack trail.

Yeah, but you'll be like eighteen, and I'll be like... old. Good luck with it though...

wow! what an achievement! you are one amazing dude. :nod::bow:

Wow... who knew all these ladies dug the ultramarathon guys? Thanks!

Congrats again Philly!!! Let me tell you guys it was SWELTERING out there!!! Phil is DEFINITELY THE MAN!!! It was great seeing you there. One of these day's I'll get back to lifting so I can show my face here and not feel so guilty. Take care and enjoy the cruise!

You too... it was great having someone I knew in the race. Good luck with your next ultra next month.

I'm really proud of you Philly.:nod:

I can't say I'm surprised though... we already knew you were super mega awesome :) you just keep finding amazing ways of making sure we all know it :D

Nicely done, Dude. :tu: I hope the recovery is going well.

What's next? Triple-Tri! Be an Ultra-Ironman. :nod:

I'm really proud of you Philly.:nod:

I can't say I'm surprised though... we already knew you were super mega awesome :) you just keep finding amazing ways of making sure we all know it :D

Nicely done, Dude. :tu: I hope the recovery is going well.

What's next? Triple-Tri! Be an Ultra-Ironman. :nod:

Thanks... you two were among the first to step up and donate to the cause, and I wasn't going to let you down.

Status report: The swelling in my ankles is down to the point where it's not affecting my walking anymore. The blister is still pretty painful, however, and I think I tortured it somehow by playing 18 holes of golf (I did have a power cart, however, so at least I didn't have to do TOO much walking). After I finished my round, I did some shopping for cruisewear... the JSF boat trip is less than a month away! :spaz:

I broke down and went to the doctor yesterday to have a couple things checked out: First, my blister (which was painful yesterday to the point where I couldn't walk on it), second, my ankles, and third, a nagging cough I've had for about four weeks now.

<rant> I really don't think much of general practice doctors, and as a result I rarely, if ever, go to one. In fact, the doctor I saw yesterday commented that the last time I was there was when I first started running on a regular basis and wanted to get checked out to make sure my heart/etc could take it. I think that far too many people want to rush to the doctor for minor inconveniences like a sniffle or a cut on their finger, and that far too many doctors are more than happy to write prescriptions for antibiotics and other "cures" for things which will resolve themselves on their own. </rant>

As I expected, the doctor wouldn't do anything for the blister. He said (and brought in another doctor to confirm) that it's best to let it heal intact... but the problem is that there is so much pressure from the fluid which has built up that I can't put any weight on the ball of my foot (which makes things like standing flatfooted or walking difficult). I said "Well, what happens when it drains on it's own?" (there's a small tear where it will occasionally weep) and he said "Oh, if that happens, there's no problem as long as it doesn't get infected." What he was saying is that he wouldn't drain it (because if it did become infected it would be his fault) but that I could drain it myself. Which is what I did.

This morning, however, the area around where the tear was has "healed" and now I can't drain it without making another opening. Which is another site for potential infection. Which is a dilemma. To add to that, we're going camping this weekend, and while he advised me to stay out of the lake, there's probably little chance of not getting my feet dirty. What to do... what to do...

He checked my ankles, and gave me a referral to get them x-rayed. "I don't feel anything wrong... but if they still are swollen and have any tenderness next week, we should take a closer look." He was unable to come up with a cause for the cough, however... ruled out pretty much anything except the possible residual effect of a viral infection several weeks ago (which I don't recall having)... and then gave me for a referral for a chest x-ray, again with the caveat that "If it doesn't clear up in another week or two, we should take a look." So basically I was poked, prodded, and got no relief other than a refill for a cough syrup with codeine and twenty dollars taken from my wallet.

I was supposed to play golf at 7am, but with the torrential rain we had last night, the course is closed for clean-up and partial flooding. Probably just as well... I'll just hang out today with my feet up.

Yeah, the whole GP thing is in a sad state. You just need some down time. You put your body through the ringer and it needs some time to recover. And golf too ? The physical spanking you took wasn't enough, you need some mental anguish on top of that ? :lol:

Perhaps you could try some of that "liquid skin" stuff when you go out to the lake. I got one just prior to going to Disney, and knew I'd but walking a ton. It worked great and kept it clean. Blisters are no fun, for sure.

First of all...COGRATULATIONS! You rock!!!

Second...sorry to hear about your problems! If I were you...I would pop that blister with a sterile needle (just dip a needle in alcohol and burn it for a couple seconds on the stove)....I would then shove a bunch of neomycin around it and continue to do it through-out the day...cover it with a 4x4 gauze pad with more neomycin on it and then cover it with a huge waterproof bandaid. At night I would soak it in a solution called hibaclease (sold at Rite Aide or Walgreens) let it dry out while I was sitting and call it a day.

I know with all my plantar wart stuff and it being wide open during the cruise I survived with waterproof tape and waterproof bandaids with the sand. I just made sure I put the neomycin crap on it and soaked it with the hibaclease.

Third...for the cough...I would definetly go back if its not cleared up in a week or so. Try some sudafed durring the day and see if it dries up any secretions (or is it a dry cough?). At night take the cough medicine...at least you'll sleep awesome with the codeine (have a beer and you'll have a great buzz going with the cough syrup:lol:)

Keep us updated. Where are you going camping? We just got back from a camping trip and had a BLAST! The boys really enjoyed all the nature walk into the caves and gorges (Ohio)

Perhaps you could try some of that "liquid skin" stuff.

The blister is still intact, and as I mentioned, it has now sealed itself again so there is no "ooze" (and no entry point for infection). It's tender, for sure, but I think if I give it a good bit of time off today and tomorrow I should be walking more normally by the weekend.

Where are you going camping? We just got back from a camping trip and had a BLAST!

We go to a place called Locust Lake (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/locustlake.aspx) every year with a couple other families. It's a good time, although it's a LOT of work for me since I'm the one with the camping "experience" (and most, if not all, of the equipment).

At the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, they lance the blister off by slicing it open, supergluing it shut, and then duct taping it up.

At the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, they lance the blister off by slicing it open, supergluing it shut, and then duct taping it up.

:eek::eek::eek:

It sure is the feet that suffer the most over distances.
I did a 30 mile walk for charity in my teens before I knew anything about technical socks (actually I don't think they existed then:o) and ended up with 10 blisters.

At the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run, they lance the blister off by slicing it open, supergluing it shut, and then duct taping it up.

I checked out Ultramarathon Man from the library this morning and just finished reading it cover to cover. I'm glad I didn't read it BEFORE the ultra... I might never have tried it.

:eek::eek::eek:

It sure is the feet that suffer the most over distances.
I did a 30 mile walk for charity in my teens before I knew anything about technical socks (actually I don't think they existed then:o) and ended up with 10 blisters.

Hey Jedi... you're looking mighty fine in your avatar these days... :whistle:

:eek::eek::eek:

It sure is the feet that suffer the most over distances.
I did a 30 mile walk for charity in my teens before I knew anything about technical socks (actually I don't think they existed then:o) and ended up with 10 blisters.
I didn't get any blisters during my five months of training or during the marathon.:D My feet did get ridiculously sore though.
I checked out Ultramarathon Man from the library this morning and just finished reading it cover to cover. I'm glad I didn't read it BEFORE the ultra... I might never have tried it.
Dean wasn't trained the way he should have been though for that particular race. A race like Western States should not be taken lightly and his training could have been better. That was when he was still a n00b to ultrarunning though.

The official results have been posted from the UltraMarathon... and I must have miscalculated my time, as they have me crossing the line in 15.14.26. I finished in 42nd place out of the 62 runners who got 50 miles or more. So I've got that going for me... which is nice.

Results are here... I'm runner #16. (http://www.pretzelcitysports.com/08%2020%20in%2024%20lone%20rang%20res%20with%20tim e%20rev%202.pdf)

So your time was even better than you first thought. The whole thing is just mind boggling.

How are you feeling today?

How are you feeling today?

My blister became more tolerable as the day went on... in fact, I can stand with my whole body weight on that foot now and it doesn't feel like I'm peeling raw skin off the floor when I pick it up. That's been a big relief. Ankles are totally fine and all the swelling is gone. I even thought about going out for a short run with the club tonight, but thought better of it.

As I mentioned this morning, I really took it easy today... puttered around the house (hanging artwork in the remodeled living room while watching the Phillies game) and made a trip to Walmart to start gathering supplies for the camping trip.

PD!! You are the MAN! Nice job and congrats!:claphigh::claphigh:

PD!! You are the MAN! Nice job and congrats!:claphigh::claphigh:

Thanks man...

I spent the weekend camping... in fact, we were having so much fun that we decided to spend an extra night... so I just got home.

I think I'm going to try a three mile run with the club tonight... my foot is feeling pretty good at this point.

OMG!! You are my hero. :bow: And I complain about walking on the treadmill. :o I'm so impressed with your hard work and dedication!

Thanks man...

I spent the weekend camping... in fact, we were having so much fun that we decided to spend an extra night... so I just got home.

I think I'm going to try a three mile run with the club tonight... my foot is feeling pretty good at this point.

good to hear, on both the camping and the foot! :tu:

Sounds like we both had fun camping trips! Glad to hear your foot is doing better! Did you run last night?

I'm a little late - but congrats on finishing 50 miles! That's hard enough to do on a bike!

OMG!! You are my hero. :bow: And I complain about walking on the treadmill. :o I'm so impressed with your hard work and dedication!

LOL... I read your journal to see what you meant by the treadmill... keep at it... it gets a LOT easier!

good to hear, on both the camping and the foot! :tu:

Looks like you had quite the weekend as well... I wonder if spitting in my flip flop will help my foot heal any faster?

Sounds like we both had fun camping trips! Glad to hear your foot is doing better! Did you run last night?

I did NOT run last night... too much to do to "clean up" from the camping trip, and I was pretty much exhausted from the weekend... in fact, I was in bed by 8pm!

I'm a little late - but congrats on finishing 50 miles! That's hard enough to do on a bike!

Thanks Rise... a lot of people have made similar comments... "50 miles? Running? I can't even go fifty miles in a car without stopping!"

My wife is on vacation this week... but we're just making it a "staycation" and doing little day trips and activities. I think she's planning on parking herself at the swim club this afternoon... which means I may be able to sneak out and play a round of golf. :madpimp:

Nice work Philly...that is quite a "feet" to finish 50 miles no matter how you placed! Yes, you have that going for you...which is nice! :madpimp:

UltraMarathonMan was one of the best inspirational books I have read.

As for spitting in your flip flop I dont think that would help...it just makes it soggy. :(

Nice work Philly...that is quite a "feet" to finish 50 miles no matter how you placed!

Wow... that was an awful pun. :blank:

Played a decent round of golf today. A buddy called while I was out and asked if I wanted to play tomorrow as well... we're going to a course in Delaware (which was formerly the private course owned by MBNA) that offers a $100 package... which includes a bucket of range balls before the round, a sleeve of logo'd golf balls, eighteen holes of golf with a cart, lunch from the snack bar, open bar for an hour after the round, and a full lobster dinner to finish out the day. Should be a blast!

Wow! That's an amazing deal ! Tell me, is it hard fitting work in around golf games ?? :whistle:

Wow! That's an amazing deal ! Tell me, is it hard fitting work in around golf games ?? :whistle:

I've got my clients a few days a week... and the other days, I'm free. :D

Wow... that was an awful pun. :blank:

Played a decent round of golf today. A buddy called while I was out and asked if I wanted to play tomorrow as well... we're going to a course in Delaware (which was formerly the private course owned by MBNA) that offers a $100 package... which includes a bucket of range balls before the round, a sleeve of logo'd golf balls, eighteen holes of golf with a cart, lunch from the snack bar, open bar for an hour after the round, and a full lobster dinner to finish out the day. Should be a blast!

That's a great deal Philly. I'm tempted and I don't even golf. :lol:

Enjoy the day!

Wow... that was an awful pun. :blank:

Played a decent round of golf today. A buddy called while I was out and asked if I wanted to play tomorrow as well... we're going to a course in Delaware (which was formerly the private course owned by MBNA) that offers a $100 package... which includes a bucket of range balls before the round, a sleeve of logo'd golf balls, eighteen holes of golf with a cart, lunch from the snack bar, open bar for an hour after the round, and a full lobster dinner to finish out the day. Should be a blast!

What a deal...that would be one great day!:nod:

That's a great deal Philly. I'm tempted and I don't even golf. :lol:

Enjoy the day!

What a deal...that would be one great day!:nod:

It was a great day... and I played very well, even if my score didn't reflect that fact. We had a really good time and dinner was top notch.

I'll probably get a round in tomorrow too...

It was a great day... and I played very well, even if my score didn't reflect that fact. We had a really good time and dinner was top notch.

I'll probably get a round in tomorrow too...

Glad you had a great time PD and have a good round tomorrow!

Yesterday's golf was only nine holes on the local public course... I got a new putter and wanted to give it a try... the jury is still out on whether or not it'll stay in the bag.

Headed to Dorney Park today and then up to the mountains to visit my parents (and drop off the kids). Wife is going along, which will be a different experience for all of us... she's not much of an amusement park fan, so we'll probably spend most of the time in the water park.

Back in a few days!

Yesterday's golf was only nine holes on the local public course... I got a new putter and wanted to give it a try... the jury is still out on whether or not it'll stay in the bag.

Headed to Dorney Park today and then up to the mountains to visit my parents (and drop off the kids). Wife is going along, which will be a different experience for all of us... she's not much of an amusement park fan, so we'll probably spend most of the time in the water park.

Back in a few days!


Hope you had fun at Dorney Park!!

Wish me luck on Saturday! I'll be putting all that I learned in Philly to use. Ought to be interesting to see how it goes seing that it's unaided (well they will have a couple tables set up with water)

Wish me luck on Saturday!

OOPS... missed it. :o Sent you a PM.

Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I might want to do next. And since that's really what this journal is about, I guess I should continue to update it with my thoughts.

I think I've gone about as far as I can with running... I'm not fast, and while I can run far, there's not much point in going more than the fifty mile mark. I'll probably keep at it, but I don't think I'll make it my main focus. If M@ is still planning on running the Baltimore Marathon, I'm there... but other than that (and the Philly Distance Run half) I'm not planning any big events in the near future.

I thought about getting back into cycling. I have the stuff I need already (bikes, gear, etc.), which is a plus. But the time commitment involved is huge, and there is a risk factor there which is more than I want to chance. Just yesterday, a friend was telling me about a family member who went down on the bike in a triathlon and is still in the hospital two weeks later.

Swimming is out (don't like it), tennis is out (don't know anyone who plays), team sports are out (too much effort with scheduling and such). Golf has been fun this summer, and it's something I will continue to play, but the weather will soon turn unfavorable, and it's not exactly what I would call a "hard" athletic effort to hit the ball and then chase it in a motorized cart.

I'd really like to try some of that survivalist stuff... wilderness camping, "man against nature," living off the land and your wits. But there's a high cost in the travel involved, and it's really a crap shoot as to how you'll fare when you are out there. I think I'll stick to camping with the kids for now... and as they get older, move away from the "developed" campgrounds and to more adventurous outings.

But I keep coming back to bodybuilding. Something is telling me that I should put a real effort into lifting and training, cutting and bulking, and making some real changes in my physique. I'm going to mull it over some more, and talk to a few people who I really admire (for their progress and their knowledge) in the next few weeks.

So I'm going on the JSF cruise in a few days, and then I'll be gone for vacation in Florida at the end of the month. Lots of traveling, lots of restaurant meals... wish me luck, and I'll see you on the other side.

50! You're the man. Golfing too? You should live here. It'd be good times.

Congrats!

But I keep coming back to bodybuilding. Something is telling me that I should put a real effort into lifting and training, cutting and bulking, and making some real changes in my physique. I'm going to mull it over some more, and talk to a few people who I really admire (for their progress and their knowledge) in the next few weeks.

dooooo it! :nod:

But I keep coming back to bodybuilding. Something is telling me that I should put a real effort into lifting and training, cutting and bulking, and making some real changes in my physique. I'm going to mull it over some more, and talk to a few people who I really admire (for their progress and their knowledge) in the next few weeks.

DO IT!:tu:

Have fun on the cruise....We want lots and lots of pictures!!!

I'm glad to see you're ready to tackle new challenges. I'd like to see how Philly the Weightlifter does. :nod: If I remember correctly, through the various journals, lifting is usually the thing that gets pushed to the sidelines when your life gets busy, or you have to focus on other goals (little things like running 50 miles and such). I bet you'll do great things if you make it a priority. :tu:


But I'll miss Philly the Runner.

OK, I'm back. Back from the JSF Cruise, back from the family vacation to Florida, and back to home again. Not quite back to a regular schedule, as Monday is Labor Day, Wednesday is the first day of school for the kids, I'm putting together a 5k run for the school next Sunday, and then my birthday is next Tuesday. So I've still got a lot on my plate before I can settle down.

I'm selling off the fitness equipment from the Zone this weekend. I'll be sorry to see it go, and I'm sure at some point I'll regret it. I'm going to keep a few items for the home gym though... especially the AbLounge... which is a really comfy beer drinking chair :D

I'm running the Philly Distance Run half-marathon in three weeks... and I'm planning to run the Baltimore Marathon three weeks after that. Then I'm at a crossroads... I can keep training for another six weeks and run Philly Marathon, or I can call it a year and start lifting seriously.

In any event, as soon as my birthday is done, the focus will be back as well.

Well, I've been doing a lot of thinking about what I might want to do next.

Lots of big deadlifts.

Closing the Zone went pretty well... all I have left are the heavy dumbbells (85, 95, 105, 125, and 150lb pairs), the Smith machine with lat tower and adjustable bench, the seated row, the preacher curl, and one plate tree. I rented a truck from Home Depot and hauled it all over to my house and stashed all but the Smith in my basement while I try and sell off the rest. I guess I should get some kind of tarp over the Smith in case it rains before it goes.

I also spent a good deal of time working on the third floor of the house, which we've converted into a play area for the boys. I reclaimed one room for my left-over gym equipment, and have my LifeCycle, a dumbbell bench and an adjustable bench, a lat tower/chest press and fly/leg attachment system, dumbbell pairs from 5 to 50, and about 100 lbs of olympic plates and about the same in standard plates, plus a bunch of miscellaneous bars to go with them. In the kids area, I set up the fridge and the stereo from the Zone, and installed a DVD and VCR, running everything through a switcher box for ease of use. I think the thing they like best is the karoake microphone, however... they've been "beat boxing" all day.

There's still a fair amount to finish up, however... I bought an air conditioner and a new ceiling fan for up there, since it gets quite warm being the top of the house and all, and installed both of those, which is making it more tolerable to be in that area. We also got Guitar Hero Aerosmith, which is getting a fair amount of play on the PS2.

Happy Birthday, Phil!!

I was thinking about you last night while reading Runner's World magazine. They have an article about marathon pacers. Have you ever considered doing that? You'd be perfect! Although it doesn't pay anything......

Happy birthday Phil!

Happy Birthday, Phil !!!

Happy B-Day PD :D

Happy Birthday dude! :D

Happy Birthday Phil!!!:tu:

Happy B-DAY!

What ya think of our Eagles so far?? Next week will be a much harder challenge!

Happy Birthday, O Captain My Captain! :madpimp: