Weeks of training: 16 Blisters healing on feet: 9 Legs healing: 1
LINCOLN PARK ( 02 Oct., 2008 ) – Some of my seven loyal readers may be aware of the situation, but others are not: My 20 mile run – the Nike Ready to Run 20 Miler – was a couple of weeks ago. I watched my marathon goal deflate six miles in. Around Diversey Harbour, it felt like someone took a baseball bat to my knee and I had to stop running.
After lots of ice, Advil and elevation, I headed to my doctor and ultimately the orthopaedic doctor. X-rays, an MRI and plenty of retail therapy followed. I walked (or limped) away with the diagnosis of a stress fracture on my tibia and no prospects of running the Chicago Marathon this year.
Thank you to everyone who has expressed their support and encouragement over the past 17 weeks. Also, thank you to those who have already extended their well-wishes for my recovery. While I am finding my disappointment to be far more crippling than my injury, your support has made this situation far less difficult to handle.
Time until marathon starts: 40 days, 20 hours, 40 min., 17 sec. Miles run since last post: 23.7 Race t-shirts acquired since 01 Jan., 2008: 9
WEEK 6, SOLDIER FIELD ( 01 Sept., 2008 ) – Last night, I took part in running history. I joined 13,999 other people to run the Nike+ Human Race 10K at Soldier Field – one of 25 10Ks taking place in cities around the world on the same day. It was touted to be the world’s largest running event, or as Nike put it, “the day the world stopped to run.”
Yesterday was a milestone for several of my colleagues too – Amy and Archie made their racing debuts at the Human Race, and the Human Race was Evangeline’s first 10K in seven years. Amy, pictured with me above, ran a 10:35 pace to finish in an impressive 65:42, and Archie finished with a 57:04 time. Evangeline tore it up with a 64:05 finish. Way to go, guys!
As for me, I started out running sub-8 minute miles for the first third of the race, but averaged an 8:32 pace for a 52:57 finish.
Time until marathon starts: 49 days, 19 hours, 13 min., 24 sec. Miles run since last post: 24 National landmarks run past in the last week: 4
LINCOLN PARK ( 23 Aug., 2008 ) – Today I ran the farthest distance I ever have in my life. I not only crossed over the half-way point in terms of marathon distance, but blew past it to run a total of 16 miles!
Posted by MichaelBennett 
Posted by MichaelBennett 
Posted by MichaelBennett 