My Year in Running 2011

At the Race Expo for the Amsterdam Marathon

If there is one thing about 2011 that I can be certain about, it’s that it hasn’t been business as usual.  We all have years in our lives that are relatively stable and those that jerk the rug out from underneath us.  For me, 2011 was the later.  After five years of the same job for both Kelly and I, and no new additions to the family (except for Buddy), we decided to shake things up with a move to Madrid in March.  While this “adventure” has brought its share of joy to our family, it has not been without its challenges.  Despite these challenges and instability, the one thing that has remained a constant for me in 2011 is running.  Some people have church, others rely on the online community, or one of a million legal or illegal substances.  What gets me through the day and helps me to deal with the day to day stresses of kids, family, life etc… is running.

            One thing I’ve always done since I began running in the summer of 2000 is to keep a running log.  In the past few years I’ve come to enjoy spending the first day of the year looking back on what I’ve accomplished the past year.  I’m not one to post daily runs and I don’t race that often, so I rarely use Facebook to talk about running.  This year though I’ve decided to share this reflection with those reading my blog.  I know it’s a little self-serving, but I would encourage all of my running friends to give it a try.  Reflecting on your accomplishments is a great way to get motivated for the coming year and an opportunity to learn from the past year. 

By the numbers

Despite all the instability this year, 2011 was a great year for me running wise.  I ran longer, in more places, and faster than I ever have.  According to the numbers, I ran a grand total of 2712 miles in 2011.  That is an improvement of about 140 miles over 2010.  Of course, many of these extra miles were possible because I’ve been living in Spain since March.  My highest month this year was July when I totaled 281 miles, while my lowest month was April when I ran the Boston Marathon and leapfrogged between the U.S. and Spain.  Overall I had 19 weeks where I ran between 50-59 miles, 15 weeks where I was between 60-69 miles, and two weeks at 70 or above.  These two weeks were also my highest two ever with the week of December 4^th at 71miles my highest all time.

The races

Although I’ve never been a weekend warrior racing a 5K every week, I do like to race 5 to 10 times a year.  This year though was a little out of the ordinary.  With everything going on, I raced only three times in 2011.  The first of these was arguably the most famous road race in the world, the Boston Marathon.  I won’t go into detail here as I already wrote a blog about my experience, but it was a good solid race for me with a time of 3:15:47 (7:28 per mile).  More importantly it was an opportunity to check something off my life list.  Getting to the finish line on Boylston Street is no easy task, although some would argue that it’s much easier than getting to the starting line.  Although it wasn’t my fastest race, it was fun to be part of the spectacle in 2011.

My race bib for the Boston Marathon

My second race of 2011 turned out to be much faster than Boston.  The second week of October, the entire family traveled to Amsterdam, Netherlands for the Marathon.  The race turned out to be the flattest, fastest course I’ve ever run.  My time was a personal best of 3:07:47 (7:07 per mile).  Just as important though, my family had a great time and enjoyed the city. 

My final race in 2011 was my first here in Spain.  It was a local 10K that I decided to run the day after my 35^th birthday.  It was a spur of the moment decision and I registered about an hour before the start.  The race was a typical local race with just under 400 runners. I enjoyed the course, which ran near our home here, and ran a blistering 10K time of 38:26.  The only problem with this was that the course was nearly a 1/3 of a mile short.  Anyways, it was a good time and a chance to race for the first time in Spain.

The Lessons

One thing I always find when I look back on my year of running is that there are lessons to be learned.  Some of these are technical, some training, and some about life.  2011 had no shortage of these.  Below are a few of the things I’ve learned in 2011.

1)      Don’t sweat time.  Just run what’s comfortable and don’t worry about your pace.  Running is a lot more fun this way. 

2)      A slow first mile does not make for a slow marathon.  I ran my slowest ever mile in a marathon at Amsterdam.  Because of the stadium start and crowds early, I ran an 8+ minute mile in a race that I would average 7:07 a mile.  That race ended up being my PR.

3)      Take a deep breath and enjoy the sites.  My favorite runs this year had nothing to do with pace/time.  Among those that were memorable was a cold run in early February when John Hnat and I saw a bald eagle near Peninsula, a short three mile run around a lake in the Netherlands at sunrise, and a run in Borghese Park in Rome that offered panoramic views of Rome and the Vatican.  On a related note, a night run around a lit up Colosseum in Rome wasn’t too shabby either.

4)      Finally, take nothing for granted and do your best to enjoy every mile.  This lesson is one I learn every year, but one that was reinforced this year as I watched as my training partner in the U.S., and good friend John, battled though several injuries and eventually a major back surgery.  What runners have is a special thing, and can disappear with one wrong step or one violent cough.

To all of my friends that are runners I wish you a fulfilling healthy 2012.  May you reach all of your goals big and small in the coming 12 months.  To all those that aren’t, if you are looking for a way to improve your health and well-being in 2012, give it a try.  Just start slow and don’t get discouraged.  Just think, in a couple of years you too can write a long winded blog that bores your friends to tears.

Happy New Year!!!

Just before the start of the Amsterdam Marathon

Amsterdam

The boys and I just before the Marathon.

Ah Amsterdam, the land of windmills, wooden shoes, canals, cannabis and prostitution.  Perhaps no city on the face of the planet has a bigger Jekyll and Hyde complex than Amsterdam.  On one hand she is that cute little Dutch girl, but when the lights go out she becomes something far different.  So what you ask was I doing in Amsterdam?  The answer is none of the above.  I was in Amsterdam to run the marathon.

            I stumbled upon the Amsterdam almost by accident.  I had originally planned to run a marathon in Porto, Portugal but the dates simply didn’t line up.  A trip to the U.S. to promote my new book, The Dover-Phila Football Rivalry: A tradition Shared Through its Greatest Games (shameless plug), meant that I would arrive back in Spain only two days before the race.  This left me looking for another option.  In the end I settled on Amsterdam because the date worked and frankly, I’ve always wanted to see what all the fuss is about.

            After arriving in Amsterdam on Friday morning, we made our way downtown to check out the race expo and pick up my race number, microchip etc…  The expo was held at a sports center that was adjacent to the 1928 Olympic stadium.  The stadium was constructed so that the city could host the 1928 summer games.  By modern standards the stadium is actually quite small.   While today it can accommodate up to 64, 000 people, when the Olympics were held here is could only hold half that.  Regardless of its seating capacity, there was definitely energy present in the old stadium.  The 2011 version of the marathon both began and concluded on the stadium’s track.

            After getting my race number and a quick stroll around the expo, we all hopped aboard the metro and headed back downtown.  Before I go any further though, I have to note that we did not have a map of the city.  Instead we chose where to leave the train by the proximity to Amsterdam Central Station, which is where all the bus and tram lines begin.  Getting off the train, we headed to lunch at a small pub.  Nothing special, but not bad either.  Then we decided to walk a little while.  Of course, as Murphy’s Law would have it, we nearly walked right into the heart of Amsterdam’s famed Red Light District.  It didn’t take long to realize it either as large picture windows began to appear in every store front.  Instead of displaying Futbol jerseys and kitschy windmill souvenirs, these particular windows featured scantily clad women dancing provocatively.  While personally I would’ve enjoyed “the sights”, it wasn’t exactly a family friendly environment.  It was also around this point that Kelly and I realized that we hadn’t seen any other tourists with children since before we got off of the metro.

            After righting our path and steering well south of the Red Light District, we continued our stroll through Amsterdam.  Much like Madrid, Amsterdam is a relatively (by European standards) young city.  Although it was founded in the 1200’s, it didn’t really come into its own until the 17^th century (1600’s).  In fact it wasn’t until the mid 17^th century that the city’s population grew to over 100,000.  By comparison, in the mid 17^th century London had a population of over 500,000.  The real change in Amsterdam is due in part to the construction of the canal system that began in 1613.  The canals form concentric circles around the city center and connect into the river Amstel, Amsterdam’s main natural waterway.  These canals helped Amsterdam to become the financial center of the world by the end of the 17th century.  Most notably, Amsterdam was home to the Dutch East India Company.

            Today the canals are more known for their tourist appeal.  They provide a fascinating way to see the city.  On Friday night, after taking in the architecture and layout of the city, we boarded one of the city’s many tourist boats for an evening cruise on the canals.  Our particular cruise was designed for families.  It provided the history and information on architecture for the adults while the food (pizza and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream) was chosen to entice the kids.  We thoroughly enjoyed the evening as the boats provide a wonderful way to see the city, especially at night.

The family on our pizza cruise.

            Our second day in Amsterdam was spent with a little shopping, a visit to the Westerkerk (West Church), a walk past Anne Frank’s House, and a tour of the Rijksmuseum.  The Westerkerk is the church that Anne Frank writes about in her famous Diary.  Westerkerk is a Protestant church that is recognizable for its soaring west tower capped by the Imperial Crown of Austria’s Maxilian I.  In addition to Anne Frank’s Diary, the Church is also well known as the final resting place of Dutch painter Rembrandt.  After walking through the church we headed next door to the Anne Frank House.  Because of the incredibly long lines, and the mature subject matter, we decided against taking the tour.  The house itself features the hidden annex that Otto Frank hid his family in for two years until their betrayal to the Nazis during WWII.

Amsterdam's Westerkerk

The Rijksmuseum

            Following the Anne Frank House, we took the trolley to the Rijksmuseum.  The museum is a national history and art museum founded in The Hague in 1800.  It was later moved to Amsterdam in 1808.  The current building that houses the museum’s collection was completed in 1885 and was under extensive renovation when we visited.  Despite this there were still over 400 artifacts and paintings on display.  What I enjoyed most about the collection was the focus on using these artifacts to share the history of Holland and the Netherlands.  In a museum the size of the Rijksmuseum, there are certainly hundreds of thousands of artifacts.  Imagine having to whittle that number down to 400 to tell your story.  This led to a very concise and focused exhibit.

            The first floor of the Rijksmuseum was focused on Amsterdam’s and Holland’s history from the beginning up to the present.  It explored the country’s growth due to commerce, the Dutch trade and colonies, and their position as a world naval power.  The second floor was devoted to the museum’s extensive art collection.  Of which they have quite a few original Rembrandt’s.  The most famous of these is titled The Night Watch.  The Night Watch was completed in 1642 and is regarded as a masterpiece for its feeling of action and movement and more importantly for its excellent use of light and shadow.  Rembrandt perfectly highlights the main characters in the painting through his use of light and shadow.  It is almost as if those who you are supposed to notice in the painting are actually being spotlighted.

Rembrandt's "The Night Watch"

            Our final day in Amsterdam was made up by the race from mid-morning to early afternoon and an impromptu trip to The Hague in the afternoon.  The race itself was a great first introduction for me into racing in Europe.  It was my first race outside of the U.S. and honestly I wasn’t sure quite what to expect.  In the end though, 26.2 miles is no different than 42 km. 

            The race began in the city’s Olympic stadium at 9:30 am local time.  We started on the track before leaving the stadium and heading out onto the streets of the city.  It’s important to note here that the race didn’t go into the older parts of the city.  Although we ran alongside of the outermost canal, we didn’t venture into the older parts of the city.  Despite this the urban part of the run featured some exceptional architecture, the Rijksmuseum, and two separate sections that travelled through Vondelpark (the city’s largest urban park).  Despite these well-known sites, my favorite part of the race was when we went south along the banks of the Amstel River. 

            Being a large urban marathon, I didn’t expect open fields and farms.  That was exactly what I got though as I ran through miles 9-14.  Through this stretch the route was a bike path with the river on one side and farmland on the other. The views were of open fields, quant houses, livestock, and historic windmills.  We were also treated to views of rowing teams getting in a workout of their own in the smooth waters of the river.  It was really a nice change of pace, and it broke of the monotony of a typical big city marathon. 

Inside Amsterdam's 1928 Olympic Stadium

            With the help of near perfect weather, 40 degrees at the start and low 50’s at the finish, and the flattest course I’ve ever run, I ended up with a personal best time of 3:07:47.  The best part was that I actually felt stronger as the race went on. It is always more fun to be passing people at the end of a race and not be the one getting passed.

            Following the race, the family boarded a train for The Hague.  The Hague is the center of Dutch government and one of three major cities (along with New York and Geneva) to host the United Nations.  The city is also a popular summertime destination as it is located on the North Sea.  After meeting up with a high school friend of Kelly’s, we travelled to the beach to walk on the boardwalk and get a bite to eat. 

            Kelly’s high school friend is originally from Brazil, but is married to a man from the Netherlands.  They have a three year-old daughter and the kids almost instantly hit it off despite the fact that the little girl spoke only Dutch and Portuguese. We all enjoyed the beach and Douglas was even brave enough to wade into the chilly surf.  Also while at the beach I had perhaps my oddest ever post-race meal.

            Before I get into what I actually ate, I need to explain the post-race meal.  Although the experts tend to recommend a certain amount of protein, etc… to aid recovery, I take a little different approach.  To me, post-race meals should involve something so deliciously terrible for me that I would never choose to eat it otherwise.  Some examples of great post-race meals are; half of a Chicago style deep dish pizza, Chili Cheese Fritos, and a triple Baconator from Wendy’s.  If it’s greasy and full of fat, it’s a perfect choice.  It also goes without saying that this incredibly unhealthy meal is usually washed down by several beers.

Dutch Herring Sandwich

            On this particular occasion instead of the usual I opted to go for a traditional Dutch treat.  I ate a raw herring sandwich that I purchased from a stand on the beach.  It is actually a Dutch tradition called soused herring.  To prepare it, the fish is cleaned and the fillets are packed into a barrel filled with a mild brine solution.  The raw fish are then allowed to ripen in this brine solution for five days before they are ready.  The soused herring is served on a bread roll, covered in diced onions.  Although it doesn’t sound that appetizing to the American pallet, it was actually quite good.  The flavor is salty and slightly fishy (in a good way), and enhanced by the onions.  The only challenging thing about this dish is the consistency which was a little mushy.

            Overall, we had a great weekend in Amsterdam.  Even if you aren’t into the vices the city has to offer, it’s still a fascinating place to visit with great architecture, history, arts, museums, and of course an incredibly fast marathon.