tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60822151043978406732024-03-13T11:41:45.584-07:0026 to Change LivesTraining...Perseverance...Focus: turning lives around is an endurance sport.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-33826078091000221472007-12-07T03:20:00.000-08:002007-12-07T03:37:42.028-08:00Road to IronmanWith a marathon now under my feet, I'm turning my attention to <a href="http://www.ironmanflorida.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Ironman Florida</em></strong></a>, November 1, 2008.<br /><br />You can see a one-hour show, covering the 2007 Ironman Florida on <a href="http://www.versus.com/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Versus</em></strong></a>, December 16 and 29, at 3:00 p.m.<br /><br />I am taking it easy until January. No strict schedule, no training calendar. Letting my body recover fully from the past several months of training. The experts say it takes a few weeks to top off one's reserves of nutrients, work out all the kinks, knots, and micro-injuries to muscles and soft tissue, so I'll believe them.<br /><br />In January, look for a new blog - this one is static as of this morning. Thanks for following along!KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-59036779661939725792007-12-05T03:32:00.000-08:002007-12-06T03:49:24.011-08:00Thanks to everyoneThanks to everyone who helped me make it to the Philadelphia Marathon starting line. By running and biking with me, emailing encouragement, stopping me on the street to ask how my training was going, and sending your contributions to Metropolitan Career Center, you helped me keep my goal in sight and my training on target. Thanks also to your congratulations since the marathon.<br /><br /><br />Here's what else it took to complete the 26.2 miles.<br /><br /><br />Since October 2006:<br /><br /><ul><li>2,604 combined miles of swimming, biking and running</li><li>649 miles running</li><li>1,618 miles biking</li><li>14 miles swimming (can you say neglected)</li><li>236 high carbohydrate gel packs</li><li>315 liter <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">bottles</span> of sport drink</li><li>157 energy bars</li><li>220,500 calories to replace those burned during training </li></ul>The marathon itself was great. I spent 26.2 miles running with thousands of great people, who were overwhelmingly positive, happy to be there, mostly sure they were going to make the distance...like being in the crowd at Citizens Bank Park last September 30.<br /><br />During the first few miles, I was nervous but optimistic, trying to find my rhythm and my pace. After four miles, I felt thoroughly warmed up, comfortable, smooth, and ready to settle in for the miles ahead. By the time I hit the half-way mark, in the midst of the huge crowd on Eakins Oval, I was ready for a boost. Now I happened to go through the crowd (at my 13.1 mile mark) about 2 minutes before the overall winner hit the finish line just a few yards away, so the crowd as pumped in anticipation. They fed it all to me and the many other people who were at that point half as fast as the winner.<br /><br />The run out to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Manayunk</span> got quiet. The course took runners up a steep climb off Kelly Drive, which hit a lot of people, already tired from 15 miles of running. People stopped talking. I could see faces, postures and strides that showed people starting to hurt, ready to be done. Once on Main Street, the long, slow hill continued to pump lactic acid into thousands of legs, but the crowds and the partying offered great distraction and comedic interludes. After the turn-around at the end of Main Street, and the fading crowds after leaving <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Manayunk</span>, with just five miles left, I could see who was having a good day, and who wasn't. People walking along the side of the road, some defeated, some just trying to find some energy to get to the end. Groups of people talking as they wound down to the conclusion of several months of training and planning. People (including me) pushing on, digging deep inside to find something to keep the legs turning over.<br /><br />During that final stretch, it occurred to me that this was just another long run. I had run up to 20 miles during training, with no pressure, no time clock, no throngs of faster runners passing me along the way. After the miles and hours of training and convincing myself that I could complete a marathon, actually doing it was not the huge feat - getting myself ready and able to do it, that was the feat.<br /><br />Hitting the 25-mile mark, along boat house row, the crowd was still there, albeit smaller, still shouting and clapping and yelling out. <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">Almost there!</span> <span style="color:#cc33cc;">Great job!</span> <span style="color:#3366ff;">You can do it!</span></em></strong> And they were right.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-7170521343197904332007-11-18T18:00:00.000-08:002007-11-18T18:17:17.640-08:00I ran all the wayYes, boys and girls, I ran the entire 26.2-mile Philadelphia Marathon today. Unofficial time is 4 hours 33 minutes: three minutes behind my goal, but that's just fine.<br /><br />Quick highlights:<br />My friend Tom driving me downtown at 5:45 this morning. Thanks buddy.<br />Standing on the Ben Franklin Parkway, beside the Mexico flag at dawn, waiting for the start.<br />Feeling fresh and light by the time I warmed up at 4 miles.<br />Losing 10 minutes while waiting in the first port-a-pottie line at mile 4.<br />Running into the bushes the other times nature called. (1 minute vs. 10)<br />Great, cheering crowds on South Street, Chestnut Street, and huge crowds at the Art Museum and in Manayunk.<br />Never questioning whether I'd make it.<br />Digging deep at the turn-around in Manayunk for the last 6.2 miles.<br />Digging deeper along Kelly Drive. The will increases but the ability decreases...<br />Finding tears at mile 23 and realizing I was just about to finish a marathon.<br />Finding something left inside to hit the heart-rate red zone and push 100% for the last mile.<br />My son emerging from nowhere 100 yards before the finish.<br />Running hand-in-hand with my son across the finish line.<br />Howard Dean would have been in awe of my victory scream.<br /><br />More details and pics soon.<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Thanks to everyone for your emails and support!</span></strong>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-2292921142597832642007-11-17T10:25:00.000-08:002007-11-17T10:30:19.697-08:00If you go to the marathon<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_aUTHJc_nPtk/Rz8yk93-q4I/AAAAAAAAAKA/SSTDGMKP1dc/s1600-h/100_3721.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5133877710891690882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_aUTHJc_nPtk/Rz8yk93-q4I/AAAAAAAAAKA/SSTDGMKP1dc/s320/100_3721.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div>If you decide to brave the weather for tomorrow's marathon, here's how you'll know if you see me. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>Blue</strong></span></div><br /><div><strong></strong></div><br /><div><span style="color:#3333ff;"><strong>All Blue</strong></span></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Bib number 549</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>See you there!</div>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-2989722036757835472007-11-12T14:14:00.000-08:002007-11-12T14:30:29.620-08:00NOVA: Marathon ChallengeWondering if ordinary people can really train for and complete a marathon, NOVA selected thirteen people - thirteen nonanthletes - and followed them through a 40-week marathon training program with the experts at Tufts University. And then put them on the course of the Boston Marathon. Along with everyone else. <a href="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/marathon/" target="_blank"><strong><em>Did they make it</em>?</strong></a>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-34509586649420237262007-11-11T07:31:00.001-08:002007-11-11T13:59:57.641-08:00Two ways to follow me in the Philadelphia MarathonOld school or new school. Digital or analogue. IRL or VR. Take your pick.<br /><br />On Sunday, November 18, you can keep track of my progress in the Philadelphia Marathon, in person or via real-time updates by email or text message.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.doitsports.com/results/MSG-signup.tcl?sub_event_id=761" target="_blank"><strong>Digital/remote option</strong></a>: register to receive instant updates as I cross timing mats along the course. You can chose to get split times (how I'm doing along the way), or just my finishing time (your digital confirmation that I survived).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.philadelphiamarathon.com/exec/philly/runners/spectators.asp" target="_blank"><strong>Live, and in person </strong>option</a>: although anywhere along the course is good, there are several recommended cheer zones, where the viewing may be more exciting. Going the "anywhere is good" route, feel free to park yourself anwhere (anywhere safe) along the <a href="http://www.philadelphiamarathon.com/exec/philly/assets/images/map-marathon-large.gif" target="_blank"><strong>route.</strong></a><br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">How to know when to be there</span></strong>: My training pace is 10 mintues per mile, so just multiply the mile point on the course by 10 minutes, and that's my target pace. The marathon starts at 7:00 a.m. (For example: if you're watching at Kelly Drive and Fountain Green, which the course passes twice, I'll probably pass at around 150 minutes - two hours and 30 minutes, or 9:30 a.m. - for the first pass at the 15 mile mark; and again at 230 minutes - 3 hours and 50 minutes, or 10:50 a.m. - for the second pass at the 23 mile mark. Depending on conditions, I could be up to a minute-per-mile ahead of pace (so getting there early will make sure I don't miss you) or up to two minutes-per-mile behind pace (so don't assume you've missed me if I'm not there at the 10 minute/mile mark).<br /><br /><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Where I'll really need you</span>:</strong> along Kelly Drive, between the Art Museum and Manayunk. I ran 20 miles a couple of weeks ago, and felt like I could have run the other 6.2, but it's impossible to predict what will really happen during the marathon. Just in case I'm running out of steam, hitting the wall, bonking, or leaning toward the curb with a nice nap in mind, seeing you along that last few miles, <strong><em><span style="color:#ff0000;">especially the final six mile stretch from Manayunk back to the Art Museum</span></em></strong>, will undoubtedly give me a boost and keep me pushing to the end. Even if I'm feeling great, you'll give me energy for a strong finish.<br /><br />Be sure to yell out so I can thank you!KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-89985337325606075062007-11-06T04:05:00.000-08:002007-11-08T03:38:24.870-08:00Last chance to run (or bike), pre-marathonNow in the final stages of the taper, I have one, last weekend run before the November 18 Philadelphia Marathon. This Saturday, November 10, I'll run 10 miles in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Wissahickon</span>. Leaving my house at 7:00 a.m., I'll be at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Rittenhouse</span> Town at 7:20, Valley Green at 7:45, Bells Mill Road at 8:05. You can meet me at any of these spots along the way, and run or bike as long as you like: 1 mile to 10. Post-run bagels, juice and coffee at my house for anyone who comes along.<br /><br />The "taper," is a relative rest period before a race to give the body time to recover from the stress of hard training. Without <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">completely</span> reverting to the couch, the taper is a period of less training to give the body a sense of rest, to rebuild energy stores, and to repair muscles, so you can go into the race fresh, healthy, and ready to run.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-51039102567702624522007-11-06T03:27:00.000-08:002007-11-06T03:58:22.765-08:00The most important part of the raceLance Armstrong titled his first autobiography, "It's Not About the Bike." Having been passed by many, many people on less expensive, heavier, and older bikes than mine, I thought I knew what Lance meant. I thought he meant it was about the rider: the training, the coaching, the determination. I still think that's right. But after registering for the Florida <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ironman</span>, last weekend, I found another part of the meaning.<br /><br />The most important part of the race (for us mortals, not the elites) isn't the finish line, it's the registration. Making the statement, "<em><strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">I WILL do this</span></strong></em>," is a commitment to yourself. It's about setting a goal, maybe a goal you're not sure you can achieve, but a goal that you're going to shoot for. It's a statement about your commitment to training, diet, rest, learning, hurting, and inconvenience. Just making that commitment, and heading down that path, means more than crossing the finish line.<br /><br />Why do I know this? Because when I hit the <em>submit</em> button at the end of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ironman</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">registration</span> form, I felt something different. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Moreso</span> than when I registered for my first triathlon or the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Philadelhpia</span> Marathon. Knowing the work that will go into swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and then running 26.2 miles, all within the 17-hour cut-off, I felt both an <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">exhiliarating</span> rush and awe at the level of training I'll have to pick up over the next year. Knowing what it's taken to get in shape for the marathon, and how much more it will take to be able to run a marathon after swimming and biking, I'm still trying to figure out how people fit it all in.<br /><br />The parallel to someone committing to train for a job is right there. Just making the serious commitment to start working is a statement to the person and her or his community. Training for jobs is hard work, especially for someone who does not have a history of sustained employment. You have to get up early, every morning: that's a change from when you didn't have to get to work. You have to get to bed early enough to get up early. You have to study. You have to be prepared for tests, to participate, and to react in a productive and appropriate way. That's not always the case before training and work. That's a big change for many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">MCC</span> students. Sometimes, it's the most important change of all - making a commitment to yourself to do something that is going to make things better for you in the long run.<br /><br />You can help people who have made that commitment to employment. By donating now, you will help Metropolitan Career Center train unemployed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Philadelphians</span> for jobs to support their families. Imagine, by the time the new year comes around, your contribution will have helped someone complete training, get a job, and live up to the commitment they have made to themselves.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-27484508940900756422007-10-20T13:26:00.000-07:002007-10-26T03:38:45.387-07:00If HE can do it...<a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297--12199-0,00.html" target="_blank">Brandon Lelsie</a> is a Navajo runner, about to go for it in the <a href="http://www.nyrr.org/races/pro/mens_trials/index.asp" target="_blank">US Olympic Team Time Trials</a>, November 3, for the Men's Marathon in Beijing.<br /><br />As you'll read in the article, Lelsie was a rising star, a high school phenom, until something held him back - tradition...culture...collective fear...genetics...you be the judge. Now on his latest attempt to prove to himself and his people that he can break out of the traditional mold, Leslie is going against the odds to make the 2008 US Olympic men's marathon team.<br /><br />The battles Lelsie has faced, and the battles he faces still, are no different from those MCC students face in their dreams of breaking out of poverty and into sustainable careers. When I read a story like Leslie's, I have to remind myself that if he can run through his challenges to go for the gold, I can surely run through mine just to find the finish line.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-59370322210582508142007-09-30T04:39:00.000-07:002007-10-08T05:48:49.094-07:00October Saturdays, run/ride with meNow in the final three weeks of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">increasing</span> mileage in my <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-11937-0,00.html" target="_blank">training program</a>, I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">building</span> up to a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pre</span>-marathon long distance of 20 miles. So for the next three Saturday mornings, I'll be out there pushing 18, then 15, and then 20 miles. That's a long time to be on the go, and you can help me. Come out for part of a run - or ride along at a leisurely pace while I run.<br /><br />I'll start at my house at 7:00 each Saturday morning, running down to Forbidden Drive in the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Wissahickon</span>, and then either stay on Forbidden Drive or head down the paved paths along Kelly and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">MLK</span> drives.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-72376279433010324432007-09-28T03:47:00.000-07:002007-09-28T04:19:34.857-07:00Into the home stretchNow inside eight weeks to the Philadelphia Marathon, and into the most intense period of training, my focus is turning to the What Elses. As in: what else can I do...what else do I need to do...what else should I not do?<br /><br />The answers are mostly the same they have been for the past 18 weeks, when I started the countdown. Stay on the training program. Get enough sleep. Eat right. Keep perspective. Read about first-time marathon running. Talk to experienced marathon runners. Rest. Don't run farther than the plan prescribes, even when I'm feeling like I can do more. Don't supplant running time with biking time (that's a tough one!). Relax. Keep the blog updated - thanks to everyone who keeps asking me how it's going!<br /><br />And then I think about the other What Else. What else can you do? I don't mean that introspectively: I mean <a href="http://home.nycap.rr.com/content/us_poster_l.jpg" target="_blank"><strong>You</strong></a>. <br /><br />Here it is:<br />1. <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Come out with me for part or all of a run</span> </strong>- on foot or on your bike. I'm out every Saturday and Sunday morning in the Wissahickon. Weekdays, I'm either in the Wissahickon or running home from work in Center City. Bike to work from Mt. Airy? Ride along with me for part of the way home.<br /><br />2. <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Send a contribution to Metropolitan Career Center</span></strong>. I could have done this marathon training and race quietly, like normal people. But I realized that if this is just about me, well, it would just be about me. MCC helps people train for a much more important course: getting and keeping good jobs to support their families. They still need our support. Click the orange Donate button near the top of this page.<br /><br />3. <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Come out to the marathon to cheer me on</span></strong>. 26.2 miles is a long way to run, and seeing friendly faces along the route will be a great boost, especially in the middle of the course. I've you've never seen a marathon in person, it's quite a site: thousands of people pouring themselves out to accomplish a big goal. Elite runners fly along the course with inspiring and incredible agility. You'll see people of all ages (14 - 84) and body types, some smiling, some grimmacing, some looking like they're going to keel over any minute, some looking like they can go on forever.<br /><br />You can watch and cheer at any point along the <a href="http://www.philadelphiamarathon.com/exec/philly/assets/images/map-marathon-large.gif" target="_blank"><strong> marathon course</strong></a>. Or party at one of the <a href="http://www.philadelphiamarathon.com/exec/philly/runners/spectators.asp" target="_blank"><strong>cheer zones</strong></a>. In the next couple of weeks, I'll post a couple of pics of my marathon outfit so you'll be able to recognize me among the crowd of runners.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-65294353360607436852007-09-27T15:32:00.000-07:002007-09-27T16:04:05.183-07:00My better halfWhen I was a kid, my dad used to introduce my mom as "my better half" at Rotary Club events. I think if I tried that today I'd be dead. Quick. Luckily, this isn't about that: this is about the <a href="http://www.piranha-sports.com/EventDetail.asp?ACTION=ShowEvent&EventID=228" target="_blank"><strong>Delaware Diamondman Triathlon</strong></a>, a Half Ironman distance event, September 9. This was my third half, and hands-down my best results in a half, so far. <br /><br />Overall time: six hours, 24 minutes. My other two halves were 7:05 last September, and 6:46 last May. A 40-minute improvement in a year! <br /><br />Swim (1.2 miles): 50 minutes (50:41). Really it was 44 minutes, but there was a 1/4 mile run from the end of the swim to the transition area, where the timing mat was, so that run time was part of the swim time. And then there was that porta-potty on the way... May's half-swim was 42 minutes, and last September's was 54 (and that was all swim). So the swim is still my weakest leg - I'll work on it after the marathon!<br /><br />Bike (56 miles): 2:55, at an average speed of 19.1 mph. That's my best showing on the bike in any triathlon so far, regardless of length. May's half-bike was 3:31, and last September's was 3:28.<br /><br />Run (13.1 miles): 2:32, not be best showing, but given that it came at the end of a great bike leg, I really wasn't pushing the run, knowing I was going to come with with a new PR (personal record) for a half. May's half-run was 2:31, and last September's was 2:38. <br /><br />The good news about the run is that, taking it easy, at about the mid-point of my aerobic heart rate zone - running in the mid 140's beats per minute range - I felt good, finished strong, and was not empty at the end. Follow that up with a stand-alone 14 mile run last weekend at 2:13 in the same mid-aerobic range, and I'm feeling very confident about the marathon, now. <br /><br />In fact, I'm finally ready to set a target. I think I can finish the marathon in 4:30. Last year, the male winner, <a href="http://www.thefinalsprint.com/2006/11/edit-philadelphia-marathon/" target="_blank"><strong>Hosea Kimutai</strong></a>, finished in 2:17; and the female, Maryina Bychkova, in 2:40. So we're not talking fast at 4:30, but although my goal is to finish with the best time I can...my real goal is to finish.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-29755341510513087882007-09-06T03:41:00.000-07:002007-09-27T15:32:17.216-07:00Support group keeps me goingI ran into a friend, yesterday, who asked how the training is going. The question reminded me that I've haven't posted anything about the marathon plan since just after the New York City Triathlon. She also reminded me, with that simple question, what a support group can do to help keep my training on track, my goals in focus, and my reporting current. In fact, one of the reasons for going public with my marathon goal is to keep it in the open so I'm responsible to you - my family and friends - rather than just me.<br /><br />As I've mentioned before, a caring support group is a great thing for training. Some people have talked about the fact that they could never do this. Considering my couch potato (or "potatoe" for the <a href="http://www.vicepresidentdanquayle.com/images/QuaylePortrait_tn.jpeg" target="_blank"><strong>Indiania </strong></a> crowd) past, I know that if I can do it, most of them/you can also. Many MCC students are fortunate to have similar support groups: families, friends, neighbors, clergy, who just post the simple question, "how's training going," or "how's the job going?" Not wanting to disappoint their supporters is a great motivator for some students. Unfortunately, other students do not have such groups. In some cases, the people in their lives become students' detractors, discouraging them from breaking the mold, from getting out of the system, or when you get down to it, doing what their families or friends think they can't - moving forward on the path to self-sufficiency.<br /><br />And speaking of support groups, the folks at MCC have demonstrated the real value of their support over the past couple of months. At the end of July, I left MCC for a new job, working with a similar population but with a different method of assistance. MCC has continued to support my marathon plan, and my efforts to raise some money for MCC's work. When I run into staff on the street (my new office is literally around the corner from MCC), they ask about my training and my races. And when I swing by the MCC office, it's like old-school week. That's just the culture there: former students get enthusiastic welcomes - OK, big hugs - when they come back in to talk to their former instructors about their jobs, or when they're back in job search mode.<br /><br /><em>Your <a href="https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=231930438&PcaItemId=9089&SOURCE=SIXDEG&CMPGN=SCB" target="_blank"><strong>donation</strong></a> will help keep MCC ready to support current and former students, especially those who do not have supportive families and friends.</em>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-24176448725011055762007-07-29T09:39:00.000-07:002007-07-29T10:56:11.015-07:00No plan, no progressSo there you are: middle aged, maybe a couple of kids, unemployed, no solid work history, and no real prospects. You need a job that will pay enough to support your family - pay the rent, electric, gas, phone, clothes, transporation. Standing in your way is the application, the interview, and the structure to keep getting to work, day after day, to keep that job. What you need is a plan. But you you've never been able to figure that part out. You can make it up, but you've tried that before. You can talk to your friends, but many of them are in the same position - needing to get ahead but not sure how.<br /><br />Metropolitan Career Center gives people the tools to create a plan. At MCC, training is not just about job skills. Instructors, employment advisors, and case managers help students understand how to plan for normal days: getting the kids off to school or day care, catching the bus that gets to work <em>before </em>the start of a shift, having a clean uniform. MCC also trains people to plan for the un-normal days: when school is closed, SEPTA is on strike or the bus is late, or when you just don't feel like going in on a rainy day.<br /><br />Without a plan - for normal days and challenging days - people who have struggled with staying on the job may fall back to familiar habits. Meaning: stay home, knowing the next step is to look for a new job. Of course, no plan is fool-proof, and the most important element is always the implementation. So when a former student finds him/herself falling away from the plan, he or she can call the coach - at MCC - for some one-to-one work to get back on track with the plan.<br /><br /><em>Your <a href="https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=231930438&PcaItemId=9089&SOURCE=SIXDEG&CMPGN=SCB" target="_blank"><strong>donation</strong></a> will help MCC's coaches keep students and graduates on the plan and on the job.</em><br /><br />Sunday, July 29 is exactly 16 weeks before November 18 and the Philadelphia Marathon. Monday, I begin a 16-week <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244-255-11937-0,00.html" target="_blank"><strong>training program</strong></a> from my virtual friends at <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Runner's World Magazine</strong></a>. The folks at the magazine worked with ten top marathon training coaches to create rookie training plans that include the common and best elements of each coach's individual plans. For an overall view of the approach to marathon training, try this <a href="http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,ssss6-238-244--11932-1-1X2-3,00.html" target="_blank"><strong>article</strong></a>.<br /><br />Although I have had a general "plan" for the marathon, based on reading and my short experience in triathlons, I know I need a structured, specific plan to make sure I get to the starting line, ready and confident, November 18.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-19961746580433632252007-07-27T04:47:00.000-07:002007-07-27T06:21:39.473-07:00NYC Tri: other viewsLook here for others' perspectives on triathlon and the New York City Triathlon.<br /><br />Can you imagine swimming in the Hudson River? The swim is only downstream, with the current: the bank on your left and nearly unbroken chain of helpers in kayaks, ready to help anyone in trouble, on your right. Nonetheless, the first time in the Hudson, even under controlled conditions, can be <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/23/sports/othersports/23triathlon.html?_r=1&oref=slogin" target="_blank"><strong>intimidating</strong></a>. (Be sure to click through to the interactive interview segments with Emma <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Snowsill</span>, two-time <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">women's</span>' pro champion.)<br /><br />Blog report of a <a href="http://meversiontwopointoh.blogspot.com/2006/07/race-report-new-york-city-triathlon.html" target="_blank"><strong>first-time triathlete </strong></a>in NYC. <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Caution</span></strong>: he's from Brooklyn, so be prepared for some colorful language.<br /><br />Spectator's <a href="http://crankyrunner.blogspot.com/2007/07/race-report-nautica-new-york-city.html" target="_blank"><strong>perspective</strong></a>. Another New Yorker...KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-24328910642795571752007-07-26T03:40:00.000-07:002007-07-27T09:57:11.494-07:00New York City Triathlon ResultsFirst, if you're ever faced with a choice between drinking Schuylkill River water and Hudson River water, go with the Schuylkill. Visibility in the two urban rivers is about the same: you can see your fingers under water, and you can see the hands and feet of other swimmers as they're about to knock off your goggles. But the flavors are distinct. The Schuylkill has a light body with a touch of cooling algae, while the Hudson is dense. Dense like diesel-fuel, with a flavor that is really hard to describe due to the many ingredients that I'd really not dwell upon.<br /><br />The good news is that I'm still alive, my skin has not turned odd colors or fallen off, I have no infections or irritations, and I'll probably go back to swim in the Hudson again, next year. Thanks to 30-plus years of the Clean Water Act, even the mighty Hudson, in New York City, is clean enough for recreational swimming.<br /><br />OK, so on to the race. The NYC Tri is a big event: 4,500 participants, including some of the world's top pros at the Olympic/International distance. The transition zone (i.e., bike parking lot) is broken into two corrals to make navigation easier for harried, blurry-eyed athletes. Organizers break the field into waves of roughly 100 people at a time to start the swim, with each wave scheduled to start four minutes apart. As I was finishing the bike, nearly two hours after starting, the starting line was still sending out new swim waves.<br /><br /><a href="http://triathlons.accenture.com/NewYork/tracking/Map.aspx?bib=777 " target="_blank"><strong>Results:</strong></a> (click here for interactive stats and a video of the finish line)<br /><br />Swim: 23 minutes, 30 seconds for the 1,500 meters. The awesome force of the Hudson, with a falling tide, makes for a very fast swim. Although this was my PR (personal record) for the 1,500 meters, it had everything to do with the current. My swim time still fell behind 74% of the field. That's OK for now: running is the focus for this year. Swim can be next year.<br /><br />Bike: one hour, 25 minutes, 55 seconds, right at the 51% mark for the field. The ride along the West Side Highway into the Bronx, turning around at Gunhill Road, was beautiful. Great views of the Hudson and the Palisades across in New Jersey. The ride was much hillier than I had expected, and helped weed out riders who didn't put in enough hill work during training.<br /><br />Run: 50 minutes, 50 seconds, ahead of 65% of the field. I clocked an average pace of 8:05 per mile, which is now my fastest run in a triathlon. If that's the result of all the focus on running this year, I'll take it!<br /><br />Overall, I finished in 2:50:48. That put me at the 52nd percentile for the field of 2,900 finishers, 41st percentile for males, and 40th percentile for my age group (40-44 year-old mid-life crisis males).<br /><br />Watch the <a href="http://triathlons.accenture.com/NewYork/tracking/Video.aspx?bib=777" target="_blank"><strong>video</strong></a> of Ben and me crossing the finish line. This is a 30-second streaming loop. We come into view at :06 and cross the line at :16 - Ben's the only kid, and I'm in yellow.<br /><br />Official race photos <a href="http://www.brightroom.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=20348&ID=38225845&FROM=photos&BIB=777" target="_blank"><strong>HERE</strong></a>.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-50370152758853248412007-07-04T04:59:00.000-07:002007-07-04T05:22:10.135-07:00Live updates at New York City Triathlon, July 22Thanks to the wonders of <a href="http://www.library.upenn.edu/exhibits/rbm/mauchly/img/mau0-1a.jpeg" target="_blank"><strong>modern technology</strong></a>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Accenture</span> will provide live updates during the NYC <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Tri</span>. Updates will include individual participant progress and place, and streaming video of the finish line.<br /><br /><a href="http://triathlons.accenture.com/NewYork/" target="_blank"><strong>Go here</strong></a> to learn more about the system and/or to register for free email updates on race day.<br /><br />Two cautions:<br />1. The NYC <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tri</span> starts at 5:50 a.m. on Sunday, July 22. My wave may begin anytime from 6:15 to 6:45, depending on how many waves they create and how far apart each wave starts. Meaning: your "live" email updates may be 2 - 3 hours old when you roll out of bed and turn on your computer.<br /><br />2. The system may fail in bad weather. Last year, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Accenture</span> tried to run the live-tracking system at the Philadelphia Triathlon, but the system did not work because of the heavy rains the night before the race, and the heavy overcast the morning of the race. Maybe they've worked this out since last year?KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-40920966299502662592007-07-04T04:30:00.000-07:002007-07-04T04:44:58.726-07:00Philly Triathlon photosMy <a href="http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=16931&BIB=1260" target="_blank"><strong>official photos</strong></a> from the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Fairmount</span> Park.<br /><br />Photos of <a href="http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=16931&BIB=23" target="_blank"><strong>Craig Alexander</strong></a>, the pro who set a new course record, and who is the reigning world champion of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Ironman</span> 70.3 series.<br /><br />Photos of <a href="http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=16931&BIB=26" target="_blank"><strong><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Leanda</span> Cave</strong></a>, who came in second among female pros, and is almost always at the top of the pack in triathlons across the world.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-36571538883144715102007-06-27T05:52:00.001-07:002007-06-27T08:25:56.109-07:00June 30 challengeA generous <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MCC</span> colleague has issued a matching challenge grant. She will match up to $250 contributed through <em>26 to Change Lives</em> by June 30. That's three days away.<br /><br />If you've been thinking about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">making</span> a contribution to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MCC</span> to support this effort, now is a great time. For every dollar you contribute, up to $250, the challenge will double your contribution. Just use the <strong><span style="color:#ff0000;">Donate</span></strong> button for the challenge at the top, right of the page.<br /><br />Why wait? Act now! Supplies limited. Not valid with any other offer.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-34259248019439873362007-06-27T03:27:00.000-07:002007-06-27T12:08:02.271-07:00Philadelphia Triathlon resultsI participated in the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Fairmount</span></span></span> Park, Sunday, along with 2,299 others. This Olympic distance event included a 1,500 meter swim in the Schuylkill River; a 40 kilometer bike ride, comprising two loops around Kelly and Martin Luther King Drives with some hills thrown in for fun; and a 10 kilometer run along <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MLK</span></span></span> Drive. The morning was perfect: clear, low humidity, and not too hot.<br /><br />First, the <a href="http://www.timberlinetiming.com/index.cfm?action=dspClientHome&clientid=45&showBanner=1" target="_blank"><strong>results</strong></a>. Once in the results system, select "<em>2007 Philly OLYMPIC Individual Results (Updated 6/24/07),</em>" and then key in my name or my bib number (1260). I came in:<br /><ul><li>818 out of 1,544 individual finishers, comfortably in the middle of the pack</li><li>145 out of 217 in my age group (Males 40 - 44 years old), solidly in the top half</li><li>546<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">th</span></span></span> on the bike leg at 19.2 miles per hour, close to the top third</li><li>966<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span></span></span> on the run leg, in the bottom 38%</li><li><div align="left">1,224 on the swim leg: meaning 78% of the field was faster than me, including most of the 60 - 64 Men. To qualify that, however: most people wore wet suits, which are legal for non-pros at this water temperature (76 degrees at race time), and make you faster because they help you float and make you more streamlined. I opted not to wear my wetsuit because the water was great for swimming.<br /><br /></div></li></ul><p align="left">You may recall from my last post that I was shooting for finishing in two hours and 30 minutes, down from 2:49 last year. Last year, because of heavy rains the night before the race, the organizers cancelled the swim leg, replacing it with a 3K run. I had assumed my swim time this year would be faster than last year's 3K run because I really took it easy on the run last year, afraid that I'd wear out my legs before the bike and the second (10K) run. Wrong.</p><p align="left">I finished in 2:56, seven minutes <em>behind</em> last year. Why? Take another look at that swim result: that tells the whole story. My bike time was almost exactly what it was last year, and my run was five minutes faster than last year. My transitions (switching from the swim to the bike, and from bike to run) were faster than last year, also.</p><p align="left">Interesting thing about that wetsuit-or-not decision. With the suit, you have the added comfort of knowing that if you get a crippling gut cramp and suck in mouthful of water, your body's going to float so they can find it afterwards. With the wetsuit, if you get tired, you can just take a break and the suit will keep you floating, effortlessly, so you can rest. Without the suit, you really get a chance to test your confidence that you can in fact make the distance. I am happy to report that I made it.</p><p align="left">Standing in the staging area before the swim, and then on the dock, ready to jump in the Schuylkill with the rest of my wave (organizers usually break up the field into waves, or groups, for timing logistics and safety), seeing 90% of the crowd in wetsuits, I questioned my no-wetsuit choice. Several times. Am I crazy or just stupid? Is 76 degrees too cold? What do all the smart people know that I missed?</p><p align="left">Then came the call to get in the water - this was an in-water start, so we swam out to the start <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">buoys</span></span> to tread water until the starting horn sounded. The wetsuit-clad crowd jumped right in. As I got to the edge of the dock, I knew I could hesitate, test the water in case 76 really was too cold (I knew it wasn't), and then decide if I should really try to swim unaided. But nope, I jumped right in, just like I knew what I was doing - because I did. Confidence, tested in another way, even before the race began.</p><p align="left">Many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">MCC</span></span></span> students face similar, but more serious confidence tests as they train for and enter the world of work. Often lacking the education of many in the workplace, they wonder if they can cut it. What if I can't do this work...can't figure it out...don't know how to...? In triathlon, not finishing the swim means holding up your arm and a boat comes over to pick you up. Not being able to perform on the job means you're back on the street - no backup, no rescue boat.</p><p align="left">In their neighborhoods, many <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">MCC</span></span></span> students see the majority of their family members and neighbors taking a different path. They're not looking for work, not training for better jobs. They're dressing for the street, not the office. The overwhelming example for many of our students is to stay home, or hustle, and stay out of the traditional world of work. Often, our students talk about family members and friends who try to convince them that training and jobs are for suckers. Talk about challenging your confidence and resolve.</p><p align="left">So I take the example of our students, who come in to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">MCC</span></span></span> despite the overwhelming messages that tell them not to. Despite all the "evidence" from all the "smart" people around them. And then, in a much less risky move, I jump right in the water and swim with confidence.</p>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-86335100619541239782007-06-19T03:49:00.000-07:002007-06-19T04:17:07.998-07:00Philadelphia Triathlon this SundaySunday, June 24, the <a href="http://www.phillytri.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon </strong></a>will take over Martin Luther King and Kelly Drives. The Olympic distance <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tri</span> is:<br /><br /><ul><br /><li>1.5 <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">kilometer</span> swim in the Schuylkill River (yes, really), </li><br /><li>40 kilometer bike along the drives, with four climbs, including my favorite, a technical climb up Lemon Hill, near Boat House Row, and</li><br /><li>10 kilometer run along Martin Luther King Drive</li></ul><br /><p>Last year's Philly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">tri</span> was my first Olympic distance (and only my second try at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">tri</span>). I finished in 2:49:49. My goal is to shave 20 minutes to finish under two hours, 30 minutes. I think I can. I think I can. </p><p>How do you cut time? First, of course, is more and better training, which leads to better fitness. Read: go faster. My pace in the run last year was just over 10 minutes per mile. I walked about five minutes of the run. Now, my race pace for a 10K run is closer to 8:30 - not <em>fast</em>, but faster. There's a nine-minute savings! And I don't need to walk any more. That's a combination of training and determination. During the 13.1 mile run of my first Half <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Ironman</span>, last fall, I thought about walking a few times, but held my pace after recalling the defeated feeling of walking in Philly.</p><p>Second, cut time in "transition," the area where you change from the swim to the bike (that's T1), and from the bike to the run (T2). Last year, my T1 time was 2 minutes, 37 seconds: that's a slovenly pace for getting on my bike shoes and heading out to the road. T2 was 2:31. This season, at the New Jersey <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Devilman</span> Half <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Ironman</span>, my transitions were each around 1:30. There's two more minutes shaved!</p><p>Finally, with a few more races behind me, I'm learning how much I can push myself in a race. Last year was all about getting to the finish line. This year I can be a little more aggressive. </p><p>Come on out, Sunday morning, to see the event! You may not see or recognize me, but you'll see some very impressive efforts by everyone on the course. (If you make it out there, I'll be in the same yellow and outfit I'm wearing at the top of this page. Plus a yellow hat. And a yellow bike.)</p>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-79123883780134757832007-06-18T04:10:00.000-07:002007-06-19T03:44:43.250-07:00Celebration (or, It's not about the race)A race - whether marathon, triathlon, or 5K - is not really what it's all about. The race is the celebration of all the training and lifestyle changes that lead up to the start line. Running 26.2 miles only comes after months, and in some cases years, of preparation, planning, eating right, sleeping enough, stretching, sweating, and sitting on the couch with feet in ice. Running the marathon is the icing, all the work leading up to it (and the resulting fitness) is the cake.<br /><br />It's like that at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">MCC</span>. Last week, we held our annual Ceremony of Achievement, a graduation for everyone who completed one of our training programs in the past year. For some, the graduation confers an associate degree - a great credential for breaking into a well-paying career in the burgeoning IT job market. For others, in our non-degree programs, graduation delivers a certificate of completion.<br /><br />With a standing-room-only crowd at Moore College of Art and Design, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MCC</span> acknowledged the hard work and dedication of 386 men and women who completed our programs in the past year. Many completed training as long as 11 months ago, and have been steadily employed since. Others have just completed training, and are working with our staff to find that first job on the path to self-sufficiency.<br /><br />Graduates, decked out in cap and gown, brought husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children, friends, and neighbors to share in the celebration. About 20 percent of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">MCC</span> students did not graduate high school, and for them, this may be the first graduation they have attended. We frequently work with students from families where no one has graduated high school. Ever.<br /><br />While preparing the event, the security guard came over to repeat that often heard and always loved phrase, <em>"I went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">MCC</span>!"</em> She completed our program in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Germantown</span> about 15 years ago, and has been mostly employed since. She had a steady run for nearly a decade at Mellon Bank before they closed shop and most local jobs evaporated. Then another bank position before signing on with a security company. She is just the latest real-world reminder that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">MCC</span> really does put people on the path, and most stay on it. Now that's something to celebrate!KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-40724734468698798852007-06-11T19:06:00.000-07:002007-06-11T19:41:10.695-07:00How to reach your goals, faster"Training with people who are faster than you will make you faster." This is the wisdom often dispensed by running and cycling magazines, books, and DVDs. Oh yeah, I've read 'em all!<br /><br />Thing is, it can be true. Yesterday is a good example. I took the bait and agreed to meet friends at the Falls Bridge for a ride around the course of the Commerce Bank International Pro Championship, and the Liberty Classic, bike races. After a hard 40-mile hill ride, Saturday, I thought riding a loop around the 14.4 mile, mostly flat course, would be a nice recovery ride. Even if it included the famous Manayunk landmark, "The Wall."<br /><br />So I met up with John, an avid cyclist who rides a self-described "moderately aggressive" commute to his Center City office; his cross-country running and beginning bike racing 15 year-old son, Robin; and his bike-frenzied friend who can pace the pros. Their normal pace on the flat Kelly Drive puts me at the back of the pace line, where I can just keep the speed with 30% less energy output. When we hit the wall, they were kind enough to wait for me at the top.<br /><br />We rode this way 2.5 times around the course before the pro race started and the course was closed. Then we took Calumet Street up through East Falls - another tough-but-short climb - to get home.<br /><br />Had I gone out on my own, I would have ridden the course once, at a comfortable pace, then gone home to rest before driving down to the see some of the race. But riding with a group made me want to stay with them, to keep up, and frankly to avoid embarrassment.<br /><br />It's like that with MCC students, too. Finding themselves in an environment where their peers are trying to get jobs and get on the path to self-sufficiency, many students step up to the challenge. Many say the come to class every day, rather than drop out as they may have in school or in other training programs, because the other students and the staff keep the pace moving.<br /><br />One of the motivating factors for our students is that several MCC staff members - including some instructors and support staff - were once MCC students. Some other staff members were in the same circumstance as current students, and made their way out. Some of volunteers and elected officials who support MCC were once right there. And plenty of former students, who are now happy in secure, well-paying careers, come back to talk to current students about staying on the path and keeping up with the pace-setters.<br /><br />So maybe the MCC model isn't to turn students into faster riders. But like riding with faster riders, training around people who have found success helps MCC students find their own paths, faster.<br /><br /><em>See a shot of the riding group at the Flikr link, below.</em>KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-68151923821079493872007-06-08T17:43:00.000-07:002007-06-08T18:34:54.556-07:00It takes a team to achieve individual goalsI'm very fortunate to have a great team supporting my training, helping me work toward my marathon and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ironman</span> goals. The "home team" wants to see me succeed, and they are willing (usually...often) to put up with early morning noise as I head out for a run, or late night noise coming home from a swim, or several-hours-long absences for long weekend runs and bike rides. Often, my son rides his bike with my while run after work, even <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">occasionally</span> when he'd really rather win the World Series on his <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">PSP</span>.<br /><br />The "away team" (work/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">MCC</span>), well they don't put up with much. Nor do they need to: because I'm a wannabe, not a professional athlete, training and racing are on my time, not <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">MCC's</span> time. But they support me by asking how training's going, how the latest race went, and the all-to-familiar look of acknowledging my obvious lack of good judgement when I remind them the distance of an marathon or a half-I<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">ronman</span>.<br /><br />My extended family supports me with their emails and contributions to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">MCC</span> (thanks, Aunt Susy!) My friends and neighbors support me by going along on rides and runs, wishing me well, and yes, also making contributions to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">MCC</span>.<br /><br />Even my doctor's in the mix - treating my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">occasional</span> injury more aggressively, she says, than she would someone who is not a healthy <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">athlete</span>. Or maybe her role is to make me <em>feel</em> like I'm getting more serious treatment?<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">MCC</span> students have a large team backing them up, too. They come to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">MCC</span> with "home teams" that vary in support from tremendous to not. Some students have great family support to complete training and stay on the job once hired. Others have families and neighbors who actively, sometimes forcefully, discourage them from breaking out of the mold. I know a student at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">MCC</span> Computer Technology Institute, where we offer an accredited associate degree that prepares students for a variety of career-track tech jobs, who has an adult son who is often in the house, dealing and using drugs. The student often moves out of the house when the son takes over, and is often at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">CTI</span> before staff in the morning and stays until we lock up after evening classes. For students like this, the staff is his home team.<br /><br />Regardless of the home or neighborhood situation, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">MCC</span> rallies a team around every student. Instructors do more than teach valuable skills and information, they listen to problems and help students connect with other organizations, services, and opportunities to deal with challenges ranging from bad credit to chemical dependency to legal problems. Our case managers work with every student to make sure they are using all the resources the city, state, and federal government have available for them, in addition to other local organizations. After a student completes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">MCC</span> and gets a job, our staff are ready to work with them a month later, a year later, and in one recent case, 15 years after completing the program. (In the 15-year case, a student worked at a small law firm since completing training. The law firm recently downsized and her position was cut. Having not applied for a job since right after completing training, she came back for help refreshing her resume and cover letter, and to get some interview practice.)<br /><br />A student's team isn't only as deep as <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">MCC</span> staff. Our board members are active volunteers, who open doors to new employment opportunities, attract funding to sustain programs and secure new equipment, and rally other volunteers to conduct mock interviews, and talk with students about career planning, just to name a few examples. Elected officials, including City Council members, State Representatives and Senators, and U.S. Congressmen and Senators, secure program funding and come to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">MCC</span> to talk to our students. They listen to our students' concerns and challenges, and, for at least one State Senator who once relied on welfare, help our students see that their career is not limited by their current status.<br /><br />Finally, our students' team is completed by <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">MCC's</span> donors, who make all our work possible through their contributions, grants, and sponsorships. Money doesn't make the world go 'round, but it is a key ingredient in providing staff, equipment, books, and supplies that help students turn their lives around.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6082215104397840673.post-42161738899585569712007-06-01T19:29:00.001-07:002007-06-02T05:13:42.900-07:00Distracted from the goalT-25 was a week of distractions. It started Friday evening with a training run along the <a href="http://www.phillytri.com/maps/Olympic-run.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>run course</strong></a> of the Philadelphia Triathlon: a 10K (6.21 mile) route along Martin Luther King Drive. My wife and son were on bikes to accompany me.<br /><br />My goal in this run was to do a hard/fast run along the route, to build a mental image of completing the run feeling strong and fast. Last year, in my first Olympic distance triathlon, 10K was a LONG run for me, and I ended up walking for about five minutes, chewing up valuable time and watching many, many people run past me. Even though I'm in much better shape heading into this year's Philly Tri, and a 10K run is a short workout, I wanted to see and feel myself cover the ground with speed.<br /><br />But my wife and son had a different agenda. They were out for a leisurely bike ride along the scenic drive. They followed scores of geese and geeslings (what? goslings?) through the lawn to the river. They raced up and down the drive ahead of and behind me. Nancy even found a $50 bill. It's not the first time she's found a $50, so don't get excited.<br /><br />This was all quite distracting. I had pictured all of us moving along at my running race pace, talking and enjoying the evening together. I wondered where they were. I got annoyed that they were too far ahead, or too far behind. I was disappointed that my vision of "our" training run wasn't theirs.<br /><br />Then Sunday we went sailing with friends. A great day, but no training. Although I did swim in open water for about 100 yards with son-Ben, who wants to do youth triathlons but has a hard time dealing with water he can't see through. I definitely relate.<br /><br />Wednesday, I had planned to do a quick 16-mile bike ride to the art museum and back. But work called in the morning, and then an event for a key legislator in the evening, which involved wine, and I didn't work out in the evening, either. I managed to slip out of the office a bit early Thursday for a great 20-mile ride, looping to Gladwyne and back. And then Friday, I had hoped to do a 6-mile run while Ben rode his bike, but he had PSP and DVR in mind, and after a busy week I couldn't blame him, and with Nancy away for the weekend, we took it easy around the house.<br /><br />So I got in about half the training I had planned for the week. Family distractions, work distractions, and my own self-imposed distractions took away from my plan and goals. I'm lucky in the distractions I face in my training.<br /><br />MCC students face much more serious and persistent distractions on their path to self-sufficiency. I have met students whose family members constantly try to keep them from going to training, from getting a job, from getting ahead. I have met students who change into work-appropriate clothes after they get to MCC, because their families and neighbors deride them for dressing in slacks and ties, or in business skirts. I have met students who are afraid to tell people they are trying to get into a better job. I know circumstances where family members physically bar students from going to class, erase voice mails, neglect to pass on messages...all to keep the student from moving out of the comfort zone.<br /><br />Add: fear of safety for walking down the street, especially in today's homocide-heavy climate in many neighborhoods; substance abuse and dependency; domestic voilence; co-dependency; lack of formal education; many prior job failures; mental illness, especially depression; distrust of a system that has allowed many people to churn through a succession of programs without real results; and the lure of a system that guarantees income for one's children...and the distractions from training and seeking a good job can seem overwhelming.<br /><br />Overwhelming is a big thing. So big that some people, no matter how motivated and sincere, succumb again and again to the distractions to their training and their goals. MCC's instructors and support staff are here to help <em>overwhelming</em> become merely distracting, and to help our students keep external distractions from derailing them.<br /><br />For me, a day or two of distractions from training means one of two things. I can train with more intensity during my "on" days. Or I can just finish the marathon a few minutes later as a cumulative result of days I was distracted from training. In the big picture, my life, my livelihood, and my health, safety, and security are not jeopardized by distractions to my training.<br /><br />For many MCC students, distractions can very well mean delayed livelihood, health, safety, and security. Only you and me, working together, can reduce the impact of our students' distractions, and speed their path to self-sufficiency.KPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15744990368638900805noreply@blogger.com0