I met today with Dr. Curtis Rimmerman of the Cleveland Clinic. I was referred to Dr. Rimmerman by the highly acclaimed author Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. After reviewing my records and seeing the progress that I have made over the past 2 plus years, he acknowledged that a significant part of my improvement can be attributed to the lifestyle changes I have made.
I questioned (or grilled) him on the need for all of the medications I am currently on in hopes that the lifesytle changes I have made and am committed to maintaining would warrant reducing the dosage or perhaps even eliminate some of those meds.
Current Medications:
Metoprolol is a beta blocker. Beta-blockers are one of the most widely prescribed class of drugs to
treat hypertension (high blood pressure) and are a mainstay treatment of
congestive heart failure. Beta-blockers slow the heart's rate, thereby
decreasing the heart’s demand for oxygen. Long-term use of beta-blockers
helps manage chronic heart failure.
A little over a month ago, I had run out of this drug without realizing it. My doting wife always laid out my medications every morning but her dad had a serious health issue and was in the hospital. The doctors would not release him unless he had someone at home to take care of him, so it was off to Florida for her. While she was gone, I ran out of pills in a bottle that was labeled Levothyroxin. When I called the doctors office for a refill, I was told that I needed to have bloodwork done and visit the doctor before they would write a refill prescription. Since I had an appoint schedule two weeks away I would just wait. What I didn't know is that my wife had put my beta blocker into an old thyroid bottle because of the easy open cap. What followed was rather significant change in my running workouts. I found that my heart rate on easy runs which would normally be around 145 were now pushing upwards of 160 and that after 3 or 4 miles I just didn't have the energy to run any further. When I resumed taking the beta blocker after my visit to the doctor, my runs when the other way. I would run out of gas after only a mile or so and my heart rate was not even reaching 130. After being back on the metoprolol for a couple days, my training runs returned to normal.
Levothyroxin, a thyroid hormone, is used to treat hypothyroidism, a
condition where the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid
hormone. Without this hormone, the body cannot function properly,
resulting in: poor growth; slow speech; lack of energy; weight gain;
hair loss; dry, thick skin; and increased sensitivity to cold. When
taken correctly, levothyroxine reverses these symptoms. Levothyroxine is
also used to treat congenital hypothyroidism (cretinism) and goiter
(enlarged thyroid gland). Hypothyroidism has a link to coronary artery disease, so we are leaving this one alone until we can get my TSH levels back to normal.
Lipitor or Atorvastatin is used along with diet, exercise, and weight loss to
reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke and to decrease the chance
that heart surgery will be needed in people who have heart disease or
who are at risk of developing heart disease. Atorvastatin is also used
to decrease the amount of cholesterol (a fat-like substance) and other
fatty substances in the blood. Atorvastatin is in a class of medications
called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). It works by slowing the
production of cholesterol in the body to decrease the amount of
cholesterol that may build up on the walls of the arteries and block
blood flow to the heart, brain, and other parts of the body.
Since my LDL has been lowered below the target of 70 and I am committed to a plant based diet that have virutally no dietary chloesterol we agreed to cut the dosage in half for three months, then retest my lipid levels again.
Aspirin interferes with your blood's clotting action. When you bleed,
your blood's clotting cells, called platelets, build up at the site of
your wound. The platelets help form a plug that seals the opening in
your blood vessel to stop bleeding.
But this clotting can also happen within the vessels that supply your
heart with blood. If your blood vessels are already narrowed from
atherosclerosis — the buildup of fatty deposits in your arteries — a
fatty deposit in your vessel lining can burst. Then, a blood clot can
quickly form and block the artery. This prevents blood flow to the heart
and causes a heart attack. Aspirin therapy reduces the clumping action
of platelets — possibly preventing a heart attack.
I argued that the plant based diet and exercise program I've been on for the past two years has been successful in opening up the narrowed blood vessels and is no longer needed. My only proof was the vast inmprovement in my cardiovascular fitness. I'm able to run much farther and faster with a lower heart rate than when first diagnosed. The good doctor would rather see clinical proof before taking me off the aspirin so it stays....For now.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Annual Checkup
Met with Doctor Yasser Mikhail today for my annual checkup. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't convince him to reduce my dosage or eliminate some of my medications. After my initial consultation with my cardiologist Dr. Shaym Bhakta, he wrote this to my then primary care physician Dr. Anil Patel.
"I agree with the medical therapy that you are doing. I would continue aspirin indefinitely in him. I would recommend that his beta blocker be continued primarily for blood pressure control. Given that William's blood pressure is well controlled and he is currently asymptomatic, I would recommend against up titrating his beta blocker to avoid causing side effects.
I would recommend treating his hypercholesterolemia to an LDL of less than 70. I would recommend increasing his astorvastatin as needed to achieve the goal LDL"
Since my current LDL level (54) has dropped well below the target of 70, I felt that at minimum we would start weening me off the statins. I am convinced that my rising HDL (good) and dropping LDL (bad) is mostly the result of my lifestyle changes where the good doctor is of the opinion that it is the result of the medical (drug) therepy.
If my own research is correct that statins can lower cholestorol levels 30% over a 5 year period then my potential would be to reach a level of 110. My LDL levels have dropped from 157 to 54 (66%) in only 28 months.
Of note in my latest blood work.
TSH levels have almost doubled since July. TSH is a indicator of thyroid function.
Also taking a big jump is my AST levels an indicator of liver function. One of the potential side effects of statins is damage to the liver. Generally the alarm isn't sounded unless AST levels rise to 3 times the upper limit. It is also common for AST levels to be unusually high for distance runners, especially after intense workouts. Since I had a very intense interval workout immediately prior to having my blood drawn, I'm not going to be too alarmed over the higher AST levels.
Here's an excerpt from a Running Times article addressing high AST levels
AST and ALT are enzymes that are evaluated by many of the multiple blood panels commonly ordered by physicians. Although they are considered to be “liver tests”, these enzymes are produced by a number of tissues, including muscle. A hard workout or long run will commonly increase the level of a number of blood tests, sometimes to very significant levels. I recommend that runners do not have routine blood tests performed within a few days of a hard workout or race. This can prevent a lot of unnecessary worrying.
The complete article can be read here.
Sadly, my cardiologist that I liked so much, left for a new position and I need a new one who supports my choice of treatment plan. I called Dr. Esselstyn's office for a recommendation and he called back to refer me to Dr. Curtis Rimmerman at the Cleveland Clinic. I have an appointment to see him on January 2nd.
"I agree with the medical therapy that you are doing. I would continue aspirin indefinitely in him. I would recommend that his beta blocker be continued primarily for blood pressure control. Given that William's blood pressure is well controlled and he is currently asymptomatic, I would recommend against up titrating his beta blocker to avoid causing side effects.
I would recommend treating his hypercholesterolemia to an LDL of less than 70. I would recommend increasing his astorvastatin as needed to achieve the goal LDL"
Since my current LDL level (54) has dropped well below the target of 70, I felt that at minimum we would start weening me off the statins. I am convinced that my rising HDL (good) and dropping LDL (bad) is mostly the result of my lifestyle changes where the good doctor is of the opinion that it is the result of the medical (drug) therepy.
If my own research is correct that statins can lower cholestorol levels 30% over a 5 year period then my potential would be to reach a level of 110. My LDL levels have dropped from 157 to 54 (66%) in only 28 months.
Of note in my latest blood work.
TSH levels have almost doubled since July. TSH is a indicator of thyroid function.
Also taking a big jump is my AST levels an indicator of liver function. One of the potential side effects of statins is damage to the liver. Generally the alarm isn't sounded unless AST levels rise to 3 times the upper limit. It is also common for AST levels to be unusually high for distance runners, especially after intense workouts. Since I had a very intense interval workout immediately prior to having my blood drawn, I'm not going to be too alarmed over the higher AST levels.
Here's an excerpt from a Running Times article addressing high AST levels
AST and ALT are enzymes that are evaluated by many of the multiple blood panels commonly ordered by physicians. Although they are considered to be “liver tests”, these enzymes are produced by a number of tissues, including muscle. A hard workout or long run will commonly increase the level of a number of blood tests, sometimes to very significant levels. I recommend that runners do not have routine blood tests performed within a few days of a hard workout or race. This can prevent a lot of unnecessary worrying.
The complete article can be read here.
Sadly, my cardiologist that I liked so much, left for a new position and I need a new one who supports my choice of treatment plan. I called Dr. Esselstyn's office for a recommendation and he called back to refer me to Dr. Curtis Rimmerman at the Cleveland Clinic. I have an appointment to see him on January 2nd.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
2 Year Progress
Haven't met with the doctor since December but did have bloodwork done and numbers continue to look very good.
Total Cholesterol rose 5 points but the bad (LDL) dropped 4 points and reached the target level of 70. Good (HDL) increased 4 points and is now only 9 points from exceeding the LDL>
TSH levels which we have been monitoring closely dropped slightly.
On the running front. No new PR's this season yet but times in all races have improved over the same races of a year ago.
Completed my first full marathon in May and plan on running another in Detroit in October.
One thing I've noticed this year is that most of my races are averaging a heart rate of 159. Don't know how to interpret that, but thought it noteworthy to mention here.
Total Cholesterol rose 5 points but the bad (LDL) dropped 4 points and reached the target level of 70. Good (HDL) increased 4 points and is now only 9 points from exceeding the LDL>
TSH levels which we have been monitoring closely dropped slightly.
On the running front. No new PR's this season yet but times in all races have improved over the same races of a year ago.
Completed my first full marathon in May and plan on running another in Detroit in October.
One thing I've noticed this year is that most of my races are averaging a heart rate of 159. Don't know how to interpret that, but thought it noteworthy to mention here.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Meeting Dr. Esselstyn
Last night, I attended a speaking engagement of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. Dr. Sprouts as his colleagues have fondly named him, is the author of the book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease". His work at the Cleveland Clinic has earned him quite a bit of notoriety and he was even consulted by President Bill Clinton after the president's 2nd heart attack. After listening to him speak and seeing the evidence he provided, I am even more convinced that my heart disease is the result of a half century of eating the traditional western diet that gets over half it's calories from fat.
Initially I had adopted a modified version of Dr. Dean Ornish's heart disease reversal diet which like Dr. Esselstyn's program restricts fat calories to 10% of total calories. Dr. Ornish's program allows fish and small amounts of oil. Dr. Esselstyn's program is oil free and strictly plant based. Nothing from anything that has a face or a mother. According to Dr. Esselstyn's research, it is his opinion that oils (which derive 100% of it's calories from fat) damage the endothelium (the lining of the arteries) making them like Velcro for collecting plaque.
You can learn more about preventing and reversing heart disease at the good doctors website at http://www.heartattackproof.com
Initially I had adopted a modified version of Dr. Dean Ornish's heart disease reversal diet which like Dr. Esselstyn's program restricts fat calories to 10% of total calories. Dr. Ornish's program allows fish and small amounts of oil. Dr. Esselstyn's program is oil free and strictly plant based. Nothing from anything that has a face or a mother. According to Dr. Esselstyn's research, it is his opinion that oils (which derive 100% of it's calories from fat) damage the endothelium (the lining of the arteries) making them like Velcro for collecting plaque.
You can learn more about preventing and reversing heart disease at the good doctors website at http://www.heartattackproof.com
Monday, December 24, 2012
A Year Later
It's now been a little over a year now since the heart catheterization that revealed my coronary artery disease. Thanks to my good friend Dr. Cliff Packer, I did not elect the coronary bypass surgery that the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic recommended. The doctor from the Clinic in his letter to my family doctor indicated that "the patient could try medical treatment, but I consider coronary bypass surgery his best option". Dr. Packer is my baseball teammate who read the report and suggested that if I was up to the task, I might be able to reverse my heart disease with lifestyle changes that included diet and exercise.
Considering my relative young age (57), if I elected to have the surgery and did not change the lifestyle that most likely caused my heart disease, I would be back in the hospital for another bypass operation 10 years down the road, so if figured WTF, lets see what the lifestyle changes can do.
The changes:
Weight Loss: Beginning Weight 211, Weight now 169
Cholesterol: June 30, 2011: Total 211; LDL (bad cholesterol) 135, HDL (good cholesterol) 45
July 10, 2012 - Total 136, LDL 73, HDL 52
Exercise Heart Rate: Walking August 15th, 2011 4.03 miles in 1:08:28 (16:59 per mile) HR Avg 123, Peak 151. Same course August 17th, 2012 1:04:37 (15:57 per mile) HR Avg 108, Peak 120.
Cycling : September 2,
Considering my relative young age (57), if I elected to have the surgery and did not change the lifestyle that most likely caused my heart disease, I would be back in the hospital for another bypass operation 10 years down the road, so if figured WTF, lets see what the lifestyle changes can do.
The changes:
- Daily exercise of 30-60 minutes. Began with slow walking and escalated into cycling and finally into running.
- Diet: Elimination of animal protein, saturated fats and liquid calories. No fast food, no fried foods, no soda. Lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
Weight Loss: Beginning Weight 211, Weight now 169
Cholesterol: June 30, 2011: Total 211; LDL (bad cholesterol) 135, HDL (good cholesterol) 45
July 10, 2012 - Total 136, LDL 73, HDL 52
Exercise Heart Rate: Walking August 15th, 2011 4.03 miles in 1:08:28 (16:59 per mile) HR Avg 123, Peak 151. Same course August 17th, 2012 1:04:37 (15:57 per mile) HR Avg 108, Peak 120.
Cycling : September 2,
Thursday, May 31, 2012
The Big Day
My First Half Marathon! It was the best of times, it was the
worst of times (seems like I've heard this somewhere before). In the
two days prior to the race, I had been feeling some pain in both heels.
I feared that I might have an injured Achilles or maybe a plantar
fasciitis problem. I had skipped my planned Friday run as a
precaution, but when I woke up at 4:30am on race day the pain was still
there. I got dressed and headed out of the hotel for a quick pre-dawn
run through the empty streets of downtown Cleveland. Nary a soul in
sight with the exception of a couple workers hosing down the sidewalks
around Progressive Field in preparation for the Indians-Marlins baseball
game later that day. I worked up a decent sweat but the heel
discomfort remained. I did not train 5 months to let this day end in a
scratch, so I decided I could handle this. I later discovered the
reason for the pain. During my last run on Thursday, I ran with a
pair of running shoes that I've been breaking in. The Reebok's had
deep wide grooves in the heel that I can only surmise were for
cushioning and inside these grooves I discovered that I had picked up a
grape sized stone in the heel of each shoe. Apparently I had bruised
both heels during that last workout.
After the morning shakeout run, I headed back to the hotel room for my usual breakfast of Oatmeal with Craisins, ground flax and Silk then headed down to the race with son in law Brad who was also running his first half marathon. We were among the first runners to arrive at Cleveland Browns Stadium and headed to the 9:00 pace group starting area where I was to meet my OSF Everyday Athletes teammates for a pre race photo shoot. Only two of us made it there because the rest of the team had difficulty finding parking close enough to the race.
By 6:30 the crowd was starting to swell and I had already run into several groups of friends and exchanged good lucks and well wishes and managed a few photos.
6:45 - Time for some pre race fuel in the form of Gatorade Primer. People are flooding in now, not leaving much room for any kind of jogging and you can feel the excitement building. The DJ is getting everyone pumped up.
6:55 The National Anthem plays, I can't believe the time has arrived. Since the first of the year I've logged 480 miles in 96 workouts in all kinds of weather.
7:00 The gun goes off and the crowd roars and NOTHING. It seems like 5 minutes before our pace group begins to move and then its only for about 25 yards. After a little longer delay we begin to move, at first just a slow march, then a little quicker jog.
7:07 We finally reach the starting line and I start the watch. The race has begun.
Mile 1: I'm putting lessons learned from previous spring races not to go out too fast. That was pretty much an impossibility anyway with the crowd of runners. We made our way around the stadium and head up an incline of about 150 yards making our way to Lakeside Avenue, then turning west towards the entrance ramp of the west shoreway. Once on the shoreway, I could not believe what I saw. A mass of humanity shoulder to shoulder on the freeway for as far as you could see. Now I understood why it took us 7 minutes to make the 200 yard trek from our corral to the starting line. The pain in the heel was tolerable and was non existent as long as I was landing on my toes and not my heels. I pass the Mile 1 flag at 10:35, right about where I wanted to be. I got in with a 10:07 pace group hoping to run 2:12:30 and I was only a few seconds off the pace.
Mile 2: The second mile was mostly downhill as we are on the back side of the shoreway bridge heading into the near west side neighborhoods toward Edgewater Park. By the time I reached the two mile mark, I was running free of pain and so relieved that the heel was ok. I also was able to make up the deficit on the pace group with the help of the mostly negative elevation gain. Second mile ticked off at 9:31.
Mile 3: Still running without pain and maintaining sight of the 4:25:00 pace group that I was in. The temps were starting to rise and I take in some water at the first aid station without having to lose much time. I'm feeling good and am pleased to see my neighbor Christina wave as she passes by. Christina is a faster runner than I and the fact that I was with her 3 miles in gave me some confidence. Pass the mile 3 flag at 30:46 (10:15 pace), a little bit slower than the 10:07 pace group but I'm happy considering the heat.
Mile 4: I pass a young couple wearing t-shirts with writing on the back. Hers said "Getting Married" and his said "Next Week". We were now running through the shaded streets of Lakewood, but the heat is starting to wear on me. I took in more fluid at the 4 mile aid station and the fourth mile slows down to 10:40. I've resigned myself to the fact that I would not be running anywhere close to a 2:12:30 today and decided to pursue the goal of finishing with a smile on my face and not worry about the time.
Mile 5: I'm able to pick up the pace slightly (10:29) perhaps from the energy of the crowds that are forming along the route. I'm taking in the energy from the crowd and start giving high fives out to the locals.
Mile 6: The shade from trees lining Edgwater Drive and Lake Ave have given way to the concrete jungle of Detroit Avenue and the sun is unleashing its energy sapping rays. I approach the six mile aid station thinking I'm glad I carried a bottle of water and a bottle of Gatorade in my running belt. We are almost at the half way point and I realized I hadn't taken my GU Gel at the 45 minute mark that I had planned and we are 60 minutes into the race. I rip open the Gel package and suck it down in time to get a couple of cups of water to wash it down at the aid station that I walked through this time to maximize the amount of fluid I could get. By now my legs are feeling heavy and it shows on the clock with a disappointing 11:25 sixth mile, almost a full minute off the previous mile.
Mile 7: The pace slows even more to 11:38 and I'm starting to have doubts about even finishing.
Mile 8: Really starting to become a mental battle now. The infusion of energy from the GU Gel hasn't kicked in yet and I'm seriously consider walking the rest of the race. I had "Hit the Wall". Just before we get to the Mile 8 aid station when I'm feeling the worst, I see the Dunn family. The Dunn's made the 60 mile trip from Ashtabula just to watch the race. They had set up lawn chairs on the tree lawn on a nice shady street in Cleveland's Ohio Village. They recognize me and shout out some encouragement. "Your looking good Bill" is what I heard, but "I'm feeling like crap" is what I'm feeling. I want to stop and walk but can't do it hear in sight of friends from back home, so I plug on to the next 8 station. Mile 8 split 12:00
Mile 9: I again walked through the aid station so that I could take in a 2nd cup of fluid and I think that the GU has kicked in, because I'm was able to resume running at slightly faster pace (11:53) for mile 9.
Mile 10: Pace improves a little more(11:42) as I pass through the neighborhoods of Tremont. The 10th mile ends with a nice steady descent into an industrial valley on the west banks of the Cuyahoga River, but finishes with the sight of an unexpected killer hill.
Mile 11: The start of mile eleven begins with the most demoralizing sight in the form of a hill taking us from the river valley back up to Lorain Avenue. The course was advertised as one of the flattest and fastest courses in the country. The hill was only about an 1/8 of a mile on the map and the elevation gain was only about 70 feet, but it felt like a climb up Mount Suribachi. I made it about 20 yards up the hill and decided to join the rest of the masses and walk the rest of it. As a result, the pace fell off considerably (12:51).
Mile 12: Only 2.2 miles to go. I can do this. The last half of mile 11 I had joined up with Traci Kitnoja, a runner from our local running club and we ran together for a little over a half mile while crossing the Lorain-Carnegie bridge. We chatted about this and that and it really helped to take my mind off the race. I was getting a 2nd wind now, but when I reached the aid station at the start of the 12th mile I was disappointed to find out that they were out of water. I still had one sip of water left in one of the bottles I had carried with me, so I finished it off and headed on my way. Despite the dry oasis, my cadence had picked up and I was feeling stronger than at any point in the race so far. The streets of downtown Cleveland were lined with spectators and the slow constant parade of runners passing me by was replaced with me passing runner after runner. I passed the 12 Mile mark with an 11:01 split, almost 2 minutes faster than the previous mile.
Mile 13: 1.2 miles to go and still feeling strong. For a brief moment I had a sick feeling that I missed the split where the half marathoner and full marathon courses splits off. I looked behind me at the runners I had just passed, then looked down at my own bib, relieved to see the colors matching. We turn north on East 9th street and I see the wonderful blue waters of Lake Erie ahead of me. I can smell the cool water of the lake and best of all, it's all down hill from here. My pace quickens even more and when I make the turn on to Erieside Avenue for the final couple hundred yards, I break into a full sprint passing scores of runners on my way to the finish line. With 50 yards to go, I'm thinking I started my kick too soon as my legs are starting to feel the fatigue of the sprint. I manage to dig a little deeper and cross the finish line with my arms raised high in the air and semi collapse into the waiting arms of my niece Lizzie who had finished about 15 minutes prior. Almost 25 years previously I was holding Lizzie over the baptismal fountain as her godfather. I fight back the tears and give thanks to my creator for giving me the strength to finish.
Finish time 2:30:49
After about 30 minutes of recovery time and consuming all the liquid I could, I called my friend and baseball teammate Cliff Packer to thank him for his advise and suggestion. Cliff is a Doctor for the Veterans Administration and when I called him after my heart catheterization last summer, he suggest that I research and consider a life style change in lieu of the coronary bypass operation that was suggested to me by the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic. I did the research and made the necessary changes to my exercise and eating habits. Ten months after I was unable to run 60 yards without being out of breath, I can now call myself a marathon man, or at least a half marathon man.
After the morning shakeout run, I headed back to the hotel room for my usual breakfast of Oatmeal with Craisins, ground flax and Silk then headed down to the race with son in law Brad who was also running his first half marathon. We were among the first runners to arrive at Cleveland Browns Stadium and headed to the 9:00 pace group starting area where I was to meet my OSF Everyday Athletes teammates for a pre race photo shoot. Only two of us made it there because the rest of the team had difficulty finding parking close enough to the race.
 |
| Brad and I before heading to starting line. |
By 6:30 the crowd was starting to swell and I had already run into several groups of friends and exchanged good lucks and well wishes and managed a few photos.
 |
| Bill Tobia and Chrissie Barrickman-Vendetti |
 |
| Sebastian Ornelas, Shawn Van Buren, Erik Van't Veer |
6:45 - Time for some pre race fuel in the form of Gatorade Primer. People are flooding in now, not leaving much room for any kind of jogging and you can feel the excitement building. The DJ is getting everyone pumped up.
6:55 The National Anthem plays, I can't believe the time has arrived. Since the first of the year I've logged 480 miles in 96 workouts in all kinds of weather.
7:00 The gun goes off and the crowd roars and NOTHING. It seems like 5 minutes before our pace group begins to move and then its only for about 25 yards. After a little longer delay we begin to move, at first just a slow march, then a little quicker jog.
7:07 We finally reach the starting line and I start the watch. The race has begun.
Mile 1: I'm putting lessons learned from previous spring races not to go out too fast. That was pretty much an impossibility anyway with the crowd of runners. We made our way around the stadium and head up an incline of about 150 yards making our way to Lakeside Avenue, then turning west towards the entrance ramp of the west shoreway. Once on the shoreway, I could not believe what I saw. A mass of humanity shoulder to shoulder on the freeway for as far as you could see. Now I understood why it took us 7 minutes to make the 200 yard trek from our corral to the starting line. The pain in the heel was tolerable and was non existent as long as I was landing on my toes and not my heels. I pass the Mile 1 flag at 10:35, right about where I wanted to be. I got in with a 10:07 pace group hoping to run 2:12:30 and I was only a few seconds off the pace.
Mile 2: The second mile was mostly downhill as we are on the back side of the shoreway bridge heading into the near west side neighborhoods toward Edgewater Park. By the time I reached the two mile mark, I was running free of pain and so relieved that the heel was ok. I also was able to make up the deficit on the pace group with the help of the mostly negative elevation gain. Second mile ticked off at 9:31.
Mile 3: Still running without pain and maintaining sight of the 4:25:00 pace group that I was in. The temps were starting to rise and I take in some water at the first aid station without having to lose much time. I'm feeling good and am pleased to see my neighbor Christina wave as she passes by. Christina is a faster runner than I and the fact that I was with her 3 miles in gave me some confidence. Pass the mile 3 flag at 30:46 (10:15 pace), a little bit slower than the 10:07 pace group but I'm happy considering the heat.
Mile 4: I pass a young couple wearing t-shirts with writing on the back. Hers said "Getting Married" and his said "Next Week". We were now running through the shaded streets of Lakewood, but the heat is starting to wear on me. I took in more fluid at the 4 mile aid station and the fourth mile slows down to 10:40. I've resigned myself to the fact that I would not be running anywhere close to a 2:12:30 today and decided to pursue the goal of finishing with a smile on my face and not worry about the time.
Mile 5: I'm able to pick up the pace slightly (10:29) perhaps from the energy of the crowds that are forming along the route. I'm taking in the energy from the crowd and start giving high fives out to the locals.
Mile 6: The shade from trees lining Edgwater Drive and Lake Ave have given way to the concrete jungle of Detroit Avenue and the sun is unleashing its energy sapping rays. I approach the six mile aid station thinking I'm glad I carried a bottle of water and a bottle of Gatorade in my running belt. We are almost at the half way point and I realized I hadn't taken my GU Gel at the 45 minute mark that I had planned and we are 60 minutes into the race. I rip open the Gel package and suck it down in time to get a couple of cups of water to wash it down at the aid station that I walked through this time to maximize the amount of fluid I could get. By now my legs are feeling heavy and it shows on the clock with a disappointing 11:25 sixth mile, almost a full minute off the previous mile.
Mile 7: The pace slows even more to 11:38 and I'm starting to have doubts about even finishing.
Mile 8: Really starting to become a mental battle now. The infusion of energy from the GU Gel hasn't kicked in yet and I'm seriously consider walking the rest of the race. I had "Hit the Wall". Just before we get to the Mile 8 aid station when I'm feeling the worst, I see the Dunn family. The Dunn's made the 60 mile trip from Ashtabula just to watch the race. They had set up lawn chairs on the tree lawn on a nice shady street in Cleveland's Ohio Village. They recognize me and shout out some encouragement. "Your looking good Bill" is what I heard, but "I'm feeling like crap" is what I'm feeling. I want to stop and walk but can't do it hear in sight of friends from back home, so I plug on to the next 8 station. Mile 8 split 12:00
Mile 9: I again walked through the aid station so that I could take in a 2nd cup of fluid and I think that the GU has kicked in, because I'm was able to resume running at slightly faster pace (11:53) for mile 9.
Mile 10: Pace improves a little more(11:42) as I pass through the neighborhoods of Tremont. The 10th mile ends with a nice steady descent into an industrial valley on the west banks of the Cuyahoga River, but finishes with the sight of an unexpected killer hill.
Mile 11: The start of mile eleven begins with the most demoralizing sight in the form of a hill taking us from the river valley back up to Lorain Avenue. The course was advertised as one of the flattest and fastest courses in the country. The hill was only about an 1/8 of a mile on the map and the elevation gain was only about 70 feet, but it felt like a climb up Mount Suribachi. I made it about 20 yards up the hill and decided to join the rest of the masses and walk the rest of it. As a result, the pace fell off considerably (12:51).
Mile 12: Only 2.2 miles to go. I can do this. The last half of mile 11 I had joined up with Traci Kitnoja, a runner from our local running club and we ran together for a little over a half mile while crossing the Lorain-Carnegie bridge. We chatted about this and that and it really helped to take my mind off the race. I was getting a 2nd wind now, but when I reached the aid station at the start of the 12th mile I was disappointed to find out that they were out of water. I still had one sip of water left in one of the bottles I had carried with me, so I finished it off and headed on my way. Despite the dry oasis, my cadence had picked up and I was feeling stronger than at any point in the race so far. The streets of downtown Cleveland were lined with spectators and the slow constant parade of runners passing me by was replaced with me passing runner after runner. I passed the 12 Mile mark with an 11:01 split, almost 2 minutes faster than the previous mile.
Mile 13: 1.2 miles to go and still feeling strong. For a brief moment I had a sick feeling that I missed the split where the half marathoner and full marathon courses splits off. I looked behind me at the runners I had just passed, then looked down at my own bib, relieved to see the colors matching. We turn north on East 9th street and I see the wonderful blue waters of Lake Erie ahead of me. I can smell the cool water of the lake and best of all, it's all down hill from here. My pace quickens even more and when I make the turn on to Erieside Avenue for the final couple hundred yards, I break into a full sprint passing scores of runners on my way to the finish line. With 50 yards to go, I'm thinking I started my kick too soon as my legs are starting to feel the fatigue of the sprint. I manage to dig a little deeper and cross the finish line with my arms raised high in the air and semi collapse into the waiting arms of my niece Lizzie who had finished about 15 minutes prior. Almost 25 years previously I was holding Lizzie over the baptismal fountain as her godfather. I fight back the tears and give thanks to my creator for giving me the strength to finish.
 |
| I Did It |
 |
| Recovering with Lizzie |
Finish time 2:30:49
After about 30 minutes of recovery time and consuming all the liquid I could, I called my friend and baseball teammate Cliff Packer to thank him for his advise and suggestion. Cliff is a Doctor for the Veterans Administration and when I called him after my heart catheterization last summer, he suggest that I research and consider a life style change in lieu of the coronary bypass operation that was suggested to me by the doctors at the Cleveland Clinic. I did the research and made the necessary changes to my exercise and eating habits. Ten months after I was unable to run 60 yards without being out of breath, I can now call myself a marathon man, or at least a half marathon man.
 | |||
| Brad, Bill, Annie, Emily and Lizzie |
Friday, May 18, 2012
Ready to Go!
Training for the Cleveland Half Marathon is complete. For the past five months, I've gradually built up my weekly long runs as well as my weekly mileage. It began in the first week of January with a total of 19 miles culminating with a 5.6 mile run at 12:00 per mile pace. During that first week I averaged a pace of 12:58 per mile. Over the next 10 weeks, my average pace steadily dropped 10 to 15 seconds per mile until it had reached a low of 10:13 per mile, then started to slow down into the 10:35 - 10:45 range. I think this was a signal that I might be over training, so I inserted a recover week where I dropped my mileage in half for the week.
The following week I felt much stronger and had some quality runs but my average time was staying in the upper 10s. I wasn't concerned about the times though because around this time, Don Gill joined our morning running group. Don is an 80 year old runner who can still move pretty good in races, but in training he keeps his pace near 12:00 per mile. Even though these runs were easy paced, they helped get my mileage up and I was getting some quality speed workouts on the in between days with some mile intervals below 9:30.
Mileage peaked at 35.5 miles with a long run of 13.2 miles at the end of April before starting a four week taper period.
In four and a half months, I've managed to log 467 miles with a peak of 129 miles in April.
Cleveland 10-Miler
April 28th, 2012
It was a cold day in the mid 30's on the shores of Lake Erie at Cleveland's Edgewater Park. Two weeks before, I had a miserable 5K race when the temperatures rose into the 80's. I started that race out way too fast (8:29 first mile) and paid the price for it at the end. I was hoping for a least a PR in this race and at best to break the 30:00 mark. Neither happened as I crossed the finish line at a disappointing 31:45.
This race I was determined not to make the same mistake and went out slow, hoping to maintain a 10:15 mile pace throughout and finish at 1:42:30. My GPS was off today for some reason and was giving me all splits in the 9s. However when it told me I had completed one mile, I was still 75 yards from the Mile 1 sign. The same thing in subsequent miles. The GPS would announce that I had reached a certain milestone but the actual mile marker kept getting further and further away. I crossed the official half way mark at 50:49 (10:10 pace). When I reached the 9 mile mark at 1:32 something, I thought that with a decent last mile I might reach my goal of 1:42:30.. Fortunately the last mile was to a large degree down hill and I was able to finish strong with an 8 something final mile and cross the line at 1:40:55.
Geneva Community Days 5K
May 12, 2012
In a final tuneup race before the Cleveland Half, temperatures started rising right around race time. Felt if I could keep the pace at about 9:45, I would have enough in the tank at the end and be able to break that 30:00 5k for the first time. I was worried when I hit the mile mark at 8:39 (too fast). When I hit mile 2 at 17:44 (9:05) I was starting to tire, but started doing the math figuring I could hit my target goal of 29:30 by running a mere 10:00 3rd mile. At 3 miles (27:10), I knew I had my 29:30 and might even break the 29:00 mark. Kicked it into high gear for last 100 yards and was really excited to hear 28:50.
The following week I felt much stronger and had some quality runs but my average time was staying in the upper 10s. I wasn't concerned about the times though because around this time, Don Gill joined our morning running group. Don is an 80 year old runner who can still move pretty good in races, but in training he keeps his pace near 12:00 per mile. Even though these runs were easy paced, they helped get my mileage up and I was getting some quality speed workouts on the in between days with some mile intervals below 9:30.
Mileage peaked at 35.5 miles with a long run of 13.2 miles at the end of April before starting a four week taper period.
In four and a half months, I've managed to log 467 miles with a peak of 129 miles in April.
Cleveland 10-Miler
April 28th, 2012
It was a cold day in the mid 30's on the shores of Lake Erie at Cleveland's Edgewater Park. Two weeks before, I had a miserable 5K race when the temperatures rose into the 80's. I started that race out way too fast (8:29 first mile) and paid the price for it at the end. I was hoping for a least a PR in this race and at best to break the 30:00 mark. Neither happened as I crossed the finish line at a disappointing 31:45.
This race I was determined not to make the same mistake and went out slow, hoping to maintain a 10:15 mile pace throughout and finish at 1:42:30. My GPS was off today for some reason and was giving me all splits in the 9s. However when it told me I had completed one mile, I was still 75 yards from the Mile 1 sign. The same thing in subsequent miles. The GPS would announce that I had reached a certain milestone but the actual mile marker kept getting further and further away. I crossed the official half way mark at 50:49 (10:10 pace). When I reached the 9 mile mark at 1:32 something, I thought that with a decent last mile I might reach my goal of 1:42:30.. Fortunately the last mile was to a large degree down hill and I was able to finish strong with an 8 something final mile and cross the line at 1:40:55.
Geneva Community Days 5K
May 12, 2012
In a final tuneup race before the Cleveland Half, temperatures started rising right around race time. Felt if I could keep the pace at about 9:45, I would have enough in the tank at the end and be able to break that 30:00 5k for the first time. I was worried when I hit the mile mark at 8:39 (too fast). When I hit mile 2 at 17:44 (9:05) I was starting to tire, but started doing the math figuring I could hit my target goal of 29:30 by running a mere 10:00 3rd mile. At 3 miles (27:10), I knew I had my 29:30 and might even break the 29:00 mark. Kicked it into high gear for last 100 yards and was really excited to hear 28:50.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)