Quarterly blog post!

In case you missed it, Vibram, the maker of Five-fingers shoe things, settled a class action lawsuit with people who've taken issue with their claims that the foot socks prevent injury.

This is actually relatively timely. When we were in San Francisco, I wanted to get Stef a birthday present and only had a vague idea where the store I wanted to go was in relation to where I was. I walked to the street where it was located but to my chagrin, realized I was some 14 blocks away and up over one of those big hills for which San Francisco is famous. I decided to run it in Vans slip-ons (roughly 2 weeks before a marathon, smart guy that I am) so as to not make the group I was with suffer from my poor planning. Long story, less long, my heel has been jacked up ever since. Even though I am a mid-foot striker and did my best to stay on the balls of my feet, I wound up hurting myself.
This more or less proved what I thought about bare-foot running for a long time. We may be born to run but we didn't evolve running on concrete or asphalt, therefore, we need to give ourselves a technological  advantage which will allow us to do so. I feel far more comfortable running having the added protection from a running shoe rather than a minimal shoe.
I'm glad this came up for another reason, too. As McDougall points out in the third link above, one of his points in the book was that he changed his stride to land lighter and saw positive results, i.e., less injuries. I missed this point, as did many others apparently. A point I did not miss was that we are being sold a bill of goods by shoe companies. The rule of thumb that running shoes are good for 300-500 miles is designed to make us buy shoes before we need to replace them.

I wore these for >2 years and put 2 marathons and 3 half marathons on them without injury. Even the damage above didn't drive me to replace them, I sewed the tear and continued to run in them. I only replaced them when I wore a hole in the sole of the right one. Someone once told me to wear running shoes until they don't feel good anymore, and that's what I did. They felt good right up until they let slush inside them. For something that is nominally cheap to do, running sure is expensive and I see no need to spend anymore money than I need to enjoy what it year-round.
There is a time tested marketing ploy that tries to make us think if we buy Thing X, it will make us do Activity Y better. The notion that Sketchers is doing something right because Meb wore them in his win at Boston is laughable. The same is true that a foot sock will prevent us from injury or that you can shoes with funny soles will make you healthier. Hard work, dedication and training are what do that.

Getting back in the groove

While, it's certainly been a while since I last wrote, you can rest assured I am still running.  Between my last post and now, I've completed two other marathons, one with my wife in Newport.

One of my best finishes

Currently, I'm training for my 5th this coming May at the Maine Coast Marathon.  This time around I'm shooting to finish in under 4 hours.  Although I'm not running this year's Boston Marathon with the Genzyme Running Team, I've been joining them for early morning runs the last couple weeks and can't help but catching some of their excitement.  Running in Boston in the winter is so much fun, once you figure out what sort of gear keeps you comfortable in the teens and accept that you're feet are going to get wet if you can't bring yourself to brave the treadmill.  It snows here and you have to deal with it one way or another.

For instance, yesterday involved snowy track work

This morning as we ran through in the pre-dawn darkness with some folks who recently joined us from Europe, I realized this was their first time running through the winter here.  They're all seasoned runners, one of whom ran Boston last year, but they've never experienced this particular part of the Boston training.  I was at the same time nostalgic and even a little jealous.  I immediately thought of how different these runs would be in March when we would be heading back up the river as the sun rose, the temperatures would be (probably, but not certainly) warmer and the paths would be far more crowded.

Running in the Spring, Summer and Fall have their own particular challenges around here but I really think there isn't much like winter running in Boston.  There's something special about heading out in the early morning, over lunch or at night through the 34 degree rain, driving snow or just straight up arctic vortex.   It's sort of like the feeling after finishing a great run but it's months long in the making.

Plus you sometimes you get to be the first person to break an iced over puddle.

23925

I really should still be asleep, since I am running the Boston Marathon today.  But as I sort of anticipated, my eyes clicked open at 5am like they always do and I’m sitting drinking coffee while the cat goes bananas in the living room and the sun slowly rises above my beloved city.  It’s our little tradition.  Much like Boston has it’s own little tradition: The Boston Marathon.  Every year thousands upon thousands set upon my city to run from Hopkinton to the steps of the Public Library.  Some run for the golden laurel wreath, others for charity and some because it’s the oldest and arguably the most prestigious Marathon in the world.

As I’ve grown up my feelings have changed about the Marathon.  As an angsty teenager, I had very little time for it.  The Marathon shutdown my city, like Head of the Charles and what’s worse brought tourists to my city, like the Freedom Trail and King’s Chapel.  In my twenties,  I learned to deal with it, I avoided driving near Boylston and worked most Marathon Mondays, so it didn’t affect me much.  When I met my wife, she organized my first trip to watch the race since I was a child and it was a lot of fun: a group of friends cheering on people who had just run 23 (!) miles with adult beverage-filled coffee mugs.

Last year, though, as I was running to train for my first 5K, then later the sprint triathlon, something had changed.  I started talking to my co-workers who had run for NORD in the past and who had done Ironman races about their experiences.  It had never, ever occurred to me to run a marathon.  Now I was running, certainly not long distance, but running nonetheless.  Could it be possible that I could run Boston? 

But here I am on the day of my first marathon.  I’m more calm than I was last night and well rested.  I think I’m properly hydrated and sufficiently carbo-loaded.  I feel as though I’ve prepared well over the winter months for this day and that’s something that little 17 year old punk rock Matt never would have fathomed, especially not as he chain smoked Camels and scowled down Dartmouth Street toward Copley Square.   

Big week to start March off

What a week!  Sunday I ran the Hyannis Half Marathon, the longest road race I’ve done so far; Monday, the 4th Annual Rare Disease Day, I met the woman for whom I’m running the Marathon.   Then today, I ran 18 motherslappin’ miles.

At the half marathon, I posted a 1:59:02, which makes me very happy; I had been shooting for 2 hours so to actually meet the goal I had set was pretty awesome.  I no longer run with an iPod with a timer, so I had to guess at how hard I should have been running.  With approximately 5 miles left, I ran past a church with a clock tower and realized that breaking the 2 hour mark was totally attainable.  The weather was a miserable mix of rain, sleet and snow but it didn’t matter once I crossed the finish line. 

As I said, Monday was International Rare Disease Day and Genzyme commemorated the day by inviting Suzanne, the woman I am paired with for the www.runningforrarediseases.org program as well as Jean Campbell, a patient advocate who worked for many years at NORD to speak at Allston.  Suzanne’s story was so powerful and inspiring; I carried it with me through my long miles this week and was able to draw from it today during the afore-mentioned 18 miles, which I’ll get to later.  I also spoke to the site about my experiences training and running.  Stef came to support me, which was nice.  We then went to my teammate Radhika’s fundraiser at Za followed by dinner next door at EVOO with Suzanne her husband Bob and one of Genzyme’s patient advocates, Kathleen.  It was great to have a chance to sit down and get to know Suzanne and Bob and to make plans for Marathon Monday.  They plan to come back to Boston to cheer me on to the finish line, which is awesome.  Dinner was delicious; Stef and I are planning on returning, so if you’re wondering what’s good in Kendall Square, look no further. 

Today’s run was rough and not because I had an ill advised omelette.  After about 7 miles I was really feeling this week’s 31 miles in my legs and feet.  There wasn’t a major muscle group in my right leg that didn’t hurt, from the bottoms of my feet, all the way up to my hip, some part of each section either ached or just outright hurt.  I still had so far to go, though, but one of the good things about picking routes that bring me so far away is that once I’m out there, I might as well run back.  So, that’s what I did; I remembered Suzanne’s story and all she overcame because she had no other choice.  I did have a choice, though.  I could have hobbled over to the train and packed it in for the day but instead I finished out my run and head into work.  I went to work on a Saturday after running 18 miles because I was reminded this week of what’s at stake if patients don’t have their therapies on time.  I remembered that there are 6000 rare disorders which people face that still need a treatment.  So, I’ll keep running for them and I’ll keep running for Suzanne regardless of how much my legs hurt.

My International Rare Disease Day speech with less jokes and ad-libbing and more Rs

Thanks Sandra and thank you, everyone, for giving me the opportunity to tell you a little about this year’s Running for Rare Diseases Team.  We’ve had ten people from multiple Genzyme sites come together to raise money to help support the National Organization for Rare Disorders.  NORD is a non profit organization dedicated to ensuring that research for orphan drugs like the ones we make here continues to be productive and that patients never need to go without their life saving drugs.  Jean will talk more about NORD, their advocacy and the Orphan Drug Legislation later.  

For those who don’t know me, I’m Matt O’Shea, I work in Manufacturing Compliance and Training.  I’ve been here for just shy of 10 years, most of which I did not spend running every morning.  Like I said, there are 10 of us from Waltham, Framingham, Genzyme Center and Allston Landing.  Most of the team members have run marathons before, some have run Boston and a few of us, myself included, have never run a marathon before. 

Part of the Running for Rare Diseases program is that each runner is paired with a patient who we will run the Marathon in honor of.  I have been paired with Suzanne, who lives with Gaucher’s and who we’re lucky enough to have join us for Rare Disease Day.  Ever since I joined Genzyme, I’ve always been proud of being part of a company that makes drugs that have a very real impact on people’s lives.   Keeping the patients in mind has always helped motivate me here and now it’s helping me to train for the Marathon.  On more than one occasion, towards the end of a long run that I decided would include a big hill at the second to last mile, when I thought I didn’t have anything left to finish, reminding myself that I’m not just running up this hill for myself but that Suzanne is also counting on me to finish helped me to find that little extra bit I needed.  It also helps to remind myself that there are so many other diseases that, unlike Gaucher, have no therapies and that there is a very real need to help raise awareness for NORD and their mission so that work can continue.  

For more information, you can visit our website, Runningforrarediseases.org, where you will find posts from both patients and runners, links to our many fundraising events like the one tonight at Za over in Kendall Square and the upcoming bowling event at King’s in the Back Bay on 3/18.  There’s also a link to my blog where you can find some of the gritty details of what it’s like to run through one of the worst Boston winters in recent history

I’d now like to welcome Jean Campbell, a consultant with JF Campbell Consultants LLC, and a recognized and respected advocate for patients with rare diseases.

Some random thoughts on nutrition, hydration and British heavy metal.

 

Yesterday's run  was rough.  The start of the run was hard, probably due to the heavy omelette I had for breakfast.  I estimate that it took me about 4-5 miles to really get beyond the point where I was struggling to run for lack of energy rather than muscle fatigue or pain.  Though I know that it shouldn’t surprise me, it really is amazing how choices in diet can affect performance.  I’m not even talking about the difference between a salad and deep fried Twinkies: eggs and home fries were heavy enough to noticeably impact my ability to run. 

Again I’m aware that I’m not having groundbreaking insights into anything but as they say, seeing is believing.  It’s one thing to hear that a change in diet will positively alter your energy levels and that eating crap will make you feel like crap but it’s something else entirely to be able to actually measure the difference yourself.  

I did make a smart decision regarding nutrition yesterday.  In my route planning, I included a trip to Landry's Bike Shop to pick up some Shot Bloks from the makers of Clif Bar.  After reading on line that the Gu-type gels upset some people’s stomachs, I decided that I really didn’t want to risk that, so at the recommendation of one of the helpful folks at Landry’s I decided to use the Shot Bloks for the Gloucester Triathlon.  They’re not hard on my Prilosec dependent stomach and give almost instant energy.  They come in a sleeve with 6 - 33 calorie pieces.  Over my 16 miles, I ate 10 of them.  After the practice I’ll have over the next 10 weeks of long runs, I could probably have a pretty good idea of how to use them without getting the point of having my energy flagging.  

The other part of body maintenance during the run that I have to worry about is hydration and I’m trying figure that one out.  It seems like a 16 oz water bottle will last me roughly 6 miles.  This wasn’t a problem training in the warmer months as there are bubblers all over the place to get a drink or fill up a water bottle, but the public works departments shut them off in the winter to avoid the pipes freezing/ bursting.  This led me to make an in-run decision to change my route in include the Newton Fire Station station on the corner of Comm. Ave. and Washington which allows you use their bathroom and water bubbler (enter through the side door on the right and make sure to say hi).  This decision led me to wind up running 16 miles rather than the 14 Hal wanted me to run this week but without it, I would have been rather thirsty and I’m not sure how I would have gotten water since there aren’t terribly many convenience store on that stretch of road.  

But anyway, on to the hilarious segment of the blog.: last week, I mentioned that Heartbreak Hill came too early in my run to accurately gauge how difficult it would be come race day.  This week, I was about 10.5 miles into my run when started the climb and considerably more drained (though well hydrated!) than I had been the first time.  Oddly enough right as I crossed Centre Street, which is about halfway up the gentle slope leading to what I guess is the business end of the hill, Iron Maiden’s  Run to the Hills came on my headphones.  It was just what I needed to help me get up and over it.  

I’d also like to state, for the record, that I’ve never had a deep fried Twinkie.

The new fund raising page is up!

http://www.rarediseases.org/helping/boston-marathon

I’m wicked spoiled...

...this much is obvious.  Over the past week I’ve had an opportunity to reflect on this a little.  I’m healthy and I live in Boston and until recently these two facts have been utterly wasted on me.  The only barriers to my running the Boston Marathon are in my head.  This is in stark contrast to the barriers the patients of rare diseases such as Gaucher, Pompe and the myriad other diseases that NORD supports face.  The woman for whom I’m running the marathon has had multiple surgeries to repair the damage Gaucher has done to her bones but throughout all of this, she remained far more active than I was for at least a third of my life.  She remained undaunted by what Gaucher was doing to her and continued to be active and even exercising.  When I think of this, I’m humbled beyond words and I’m energized by this on a regular basis.  Once again this past weekend I found strength in this to continue during my long run.  More on this later, though.

Last week, I also had an opportunity to meet a Pompe patient.  Like Gaucher, Pompe is an enzyme deficiency disorder.  It impacts the body’s ability to break down glycogen, which accumulates in the lysosomes, weakening muscles in the respiratory system, the heart, as well as those necessary for mobility.  This woman has also shown an incredible amount of resilience.  For ten years she lived with an incorrect diagnosis of Muscular Dystrophy and once the doctors identified that the diagnosis was erroneous, she had to leave her home in Las Vegas and travel to Minnesota… in December… in a blizzard.   As I was listening to her story, I realized that nobody I know has had to leave Boston to gain access to a hospital with medical treatment they needed.  We have them all here: Children’s, Brigham and Women, MGH, all of these world class hospitals that I’ve always taken for granted.  

These are not earth shattering revelations: that I’m healthy or that I live in an area with a large number of hospitals, but I’m sort of ashamed when I stop to think of how I have taken these things for granted.  I think this realization that I’m a spoiled brat might be the most important thing that I will get out of this experience.  I’m thankful for having this opportunity to have my eyes opened to these blessings that have been bestowed on me. 

Now to this week's run:  For the first time, I ran with members of the NORD Marathon team during my long run.  We did the last 9.3 miles (I don’t know whether to trust MapMyRun.com or my teammate Frank’s Garmin) of the Marathon route which includes Heartbreak Hill.  This came after only about 3 miles, so I’ll refrain from commenting on how it felt.  I did consider how I’d feel about it on April 18th as I started up it, though and decided I could totally see how it would be intimidating after 21 miles.  

After 7 miles, I had just about used up whatever benefit the Cliff Bar I had 3 miles earlier provided me and was, again, as close to the point of exhaustion as I think I’ve ever been (I’m noticing a pattern, how about you?) and almost like clockwork, I thought of Suzanne and all she had overcome.  Once again, I was able to draw on her as the motivation I needed to continue on and complete my run.  It’s amazing how easy it is to convince yourself that you’re not as tired as you think you are.

So, in closing, I guess I’ll tie this week’s post together with a quote from John Quincy Adams: “Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.”  

Well put, sir.

February Fundraiser! Hope you can join us!

The 2011 NORD Marathon Team is having another fundraiser on 02/11/11 at Lir on Boylston.  Hope you and all your friends can make it.

Let me get you back up to speed... and me back on track here.

So, it’s been a very long time since I’ve written.  Just shy of a month, but rest assured that I have indeed been training and that I’ve also been raising funds.  Thanks to all my lovely, generous, good looking friends who have donated so far.  To the rest of you good looking people, I hope you can find the time and the scrilla to donate to help ensure that research for therapies for rare diseases continues to be well funded.

Since we last spoke, I’ve extended my long run to 12 miles, ran through Manhattan and Central Park and even managed to squeak out a quick 10 miles on New Year’s Day despite the presence of both bourbon and rye in my house the previous night.  The run through Central Park was pretty fun despite not seeing any famous people (this is more to Stef’s chagrin than my own) and not winding up with a cool story about getting mugged.  All the same, it was a pretty sensational experience.  Running through Manhattan before the throngs descended upon the streets and seeing the city as close to quiet as it gets was interesting.  Halfway through Central Park, I came upon an outdoor hockey rink where there were a few youth hockey games going on.  I stopped to watch the kids play for a few minutes and reminisced about playing when I was young.  As

I was standing there watching the game, a father was walking his daughter to the car after her game and commented, “I don’t think you’ll realize this until you’re older, but it’s pretty cool that you just played hockey in Central Park.”  I totally agree, sir. 

This past weekend, since the huge snowfall that decided that it wasn’t going anywhere, I was forced to do my long run on the treadmill.  Ugh, the treadmill, is anything more boring?  12 miles with nothing to distract yourself from the fact that you’re running is not my idea of fun.  This is something I’ve noticed about myself, if I’m not paying attention and allow my mind to wander the run goes so much faster.  However, if I focus on the time or the distance or that my feet or sore and my legs are tired, it makes the run seem to drag.  Indeed, losing myself in the run is part of what I like so much about this new hobby of mine.  It’s also part of why I thought it might be a good idea to write a blog summarizing my thoughts.  

Oh, and also, for the first time in my life, I have actually worn through a pair of running shoes. 

Big day.

Motivation

So, I may have told you, I am running the Boston Marathon to raise money for the National Organization for Rare Disorders and have committed to raise $2500 to support their efforts.  What I may not have mentioned is that as part this experience each runner on the team will also being paired with a patient who lives with one of the 1200 diseases that qualify as rare.  We will run on behalf of them, using them as inspiration and motivation and make a connection between our efforts and the people the funds we raise benefit.  

On Friday, I learned that I will be running for a woman living with Gaucher Disease, a lysosomal storage disorder which affects the metabolic process within the cell.  Patients’ bodies do not produce or only produce a limited amount of a protein that breaks down a certain lipid, which can cause it to accumulate in the liver, spleen and bone marrow, resulting in a variety of life threatening symptoms.  It can be treated by Cerezyme, the first drug made at Allston Landing and the first process I learned when I came to work at Genzyme.  Cerezyme, as well as some other treatments, replaces that missing protein and reverses many of the symptoms, affording them a much better quality of life.

I was reflecting on what it means to be running for this person during yesterday's run .  I’ve always felt immensely proud of the fact that I helped produce a drug that made a very real impact on people’s lives.  We don’t make drugs like Prilosec or Claritin; we make something that saves lives.  This has always motivated me at Genzyme and now that I have an opportunity to get to know someone who directly benefits from my work, it will help motivate me to live up to my commitments.  

In fact it already has: at the tail end of my 10 mile run (it was only supposed to be 9, but I made another wrong turn) I was running up the other side of Corey Hill, exhausted and legs screaming.  I wanted to stop, I wanted to walk and I really, really wanted some water.  I thought of this woman who was relying on me to finish 4 hills and 26.2 miles and the responsibility I owed her.  It was enough to motivate me to reach the top.  

On the way back down that hill, I realized that my focus has been on preparing for the Marathon rather than the reason why I am running in the first place.  There are many more people who have no treatment for their rare disease and who rely on NORD to fund and advocate for research that will give them hope for a better quality of life.  I’m glad that I remembered this in time to draw inspiration from it.  

Fundraising Page is up!

Hi everyone,

NORD has set up the fund raising page for the Genzyme Boston Marathon Team.  If you would like to make a donation to help me reach my goal of $2500, Follow this link and enter "Boston Marathon - Matt O'Shea" in the "In honor of" field. 

Thanks for your support,
-Matt

On Saturday I ran the longest I have ever run up the biggest hill I've ever ran.  It was the first long run of my training, and because I took a wrong turn towards the beginning, it fell just short of the 8 miles I thought I was running thought I was running.  I've already marveled over the fact that I'm running wicked far, so I can't really repeat that theme.  So instead, I'll marvel over how easy it was.

The second mile of my run included Corey Hill, or Summit Ave in Brookline.   When I told Stefanie this, she looked at me kind of funny.  I'm not going to pretend as though it didn't immediately occur to me when I turned onto to it didn't seam like a really stupid idea.   Before my run, I read this guy's blog about how Boston's hills are nothing to complain about and while running up that hill I thought a lot about him ridiculing Heartbreak Hill, calling it a pimple and about the elevation profile of the Pike's Peak marathon. 

When I reached the top and started my way down towards Beacon Street, I realized I wasn't exhausted and my legs wouldn't be useless for the next hill which came about 3 miles later.  How could this be? The simple answer is that I had prepared for it.  I've been averaging roughly 15 miles a week for the past year and apparently adding a little incline apparently isn't as bad or scary as I thought it would be.  A slightly more complicated answer could be that I stopped allowing myself to be psyched out by the hype of this race and allowed myself to just run and enjoy it.

Please join me and the rest of the 2011 Genzyme Boston Marathon Team as we kick off our fund raising efforts at the Landsdowne Pub. 10 Boston Marathon runners from Genzyme, a corporation dedicated to making a major positive impact on the lives of people with serious diseases, have teamed up with The National Organization for Rare Diseases (NORD) to make a difference.

We will have appetizers, information on the rare diseases th...at your donations will benefit and some great raffle prizes. Please come and spread some holiday cheer for the patients that we will be running for in April.

Tickets are $10 in advance/$12 at the door

Raffle prizes include:

• 2 tickets to Bruins/Penguins - Saturday January 15

• 2 tickets to Bruins/Thrashers - Thursday December 23

• 4 tickets to Boston University Terriers vs Harvard Crimson on January 15

Here we go...

So, I'm running the marathon.  The Boston Marathon, to be specific, and I'm excited, scared and something else I can't quite put my finger on yet.  A lot of people say that Boston shouldn't be your first marathon, that it's too hard and training through the winter is crazy.  Anyone who knows me knows how much I love Boston and there would be no other that could serve to be my first.

The fact that I'm going to run a marathon at all is still a little crazy to me.  A year ago, I was close enough to 250 pounds to realize that I never wanted to weigh an eighth of a ton.  So, I joined a gym and started doing cardio, thinking that was the best way to burn calories and slowly I worked my way up to being able to running on the treadmill without vomiting.  After a while I realized that I was running what those crazy people who run call 5Ks.  So, I gave myself a new goal: a triathlon.

The training program I followed for the triathlon was an 8 week program that assumed I could run, ride a bike and swim by a guy named Hal Higdon, who apparently writes that sort of thing.  In the end, it prepared me to not only meet, but exceed the goal I had for a finishing time.  Being on the other of a triathlon and looking forward to the training for a marathon , it sort of seems like I shouldn't have been that daunted by the prospect of completing a sprint triathlon.  I mean it was only 1/3 of a mile swim in the ocean , a 12 mile bike ride and then the 5K, which is really just 3 miles.

I hope my sarcasm translates well, but anyway: the fact that I actually did it taught me something about myself.  It taught me that I have the discipline to stay the course I have set for myself; that I can remain focused on something which will serve to better me; and that I can do something that I never thought I could do.