Well I wanted to start by just throwing out a much needed disclaimer that any advice or tips I give are in no way professional. I still have a lot to learn about running and all things associated with it. I just like to babble on about things that have worked for me or I think are cool.
That being said I wanted to throw in a quick update on my running. Yesterday I ran 10 miles and did it 82 minutes (pace of 8:12/mile). I don't think I've talked about my paces yet so now you can all start to judge me and say "well I could do that"; so why not go out and run 10 miles and prove it to me and yourself? Let me know how you're doing if you go for a long run of any distance; I'd love to hear how everyone is doing whether it's faster or slower. I started pretty slow on the run and at the end still felt really good and knew I could have given more. But since it was a long run that's expected for me to run slower than I could, but what was very encouraging was how good I felt at the end. I definitely had some gas left in the tank and actually feel like I'm ready to run a half marathon right now. Too bad I'm running a full marathon :P
I ran 5 miles tonight and took it real easy and kind of just used it as a recovery run from yesterday to get my muscles moving again. Let me tell you, the day after the marathon last year I went for a run for the same reasons. People who'd run marathons told me, "you need to go out for a real short run to help the recovery process". So I went for a 3 mile run.... I'm still not sure if I should qualify it as a run haha. My legs were like jelly and I must have been the funniest thing to watch on two legs that day. But yes, recovery runs are in fact good and healthy but don't go pushing yourself otherwise it kind of loses the point of recovery, right?
Anyway I've logged 21 miles so far this week and will probably log just under 40 miles for the week. I need to start picking up the distance of my long runs a lot and plan on doing 12, 14, 16, and 18 miles as my long runs for the next 4 weeks. Then I'll drop back down to 12 and work back up again. It's suggested that every fourth week or so you take a lighter week to ensure you get not just a day of rest but a week of not quite rest, but reduced activity.
I don't fret too much about following a training schedule where it dictates your mileage every day. It might work some people, but I tend to focus on getting good mileage in and on ensuring long runs occur at least once a week and progressively build up to the 21 mile run that is typical to do about 3 weeks out from the race.
My body is holding up great so far with minimal aches and pains; I attribute it to my off-season training and my renewed focus on maintaining a solid core.
Well, I hope I haven't bored you, but if you are impressed with what I'm doing and appreciate my cause to raise money for Dana-Farber through the Boston Marathon please go the following site and donate towards a worthy cause
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
And as always, go out there and let's logs some miles together.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 26, 2009
Stretches, Cross-Training, and Working Out
Yes, this post will have it all! But it's deserved after the days since my last post. I was running a 10K tonight (6.2 miles) and was thinking about these three things and how they're the unsung heroes of running.
Let's start with stretching. I already mentioned it in the last post and thought I'd give you a few that I do. To stretch the back of your legs, particularly your calves, place your legs together and bend forward at the waist, clasping your hands behind your back. Then place your weight towards the front of your toes and pick your head up. You should be able to feel the pull in the back of your legs. Another easy one for the backs of your legs is to find a ledge or the streetcurb and place both feet such that half is hanging off the curb and push one of your heels towards the ground while keeping the other flat (perform for both feet). A simple but effective quad stretch is standing on one leg and, using your hands, pull the other leg, bent at the knee, up towards your back. Finally, pretend like you're taking a knee for a prayer before the big game. Take the leg you aren't leaning on and extend it back behind you with the toe pointed to the ground and then gently push your heel towards the ground and you should feel the stretch (do for both legs). There are so many different exercises depending on which parts of your body tend to get tight, but these cover some basic body parts that are going to be doing a lot of work while running.
Running should not be work, part 2. Unless you really really love work, in which case let's try to make it like work, part deux. What I mean is that if you don't feel like running or you've run 4 days in a row and are dreading the fifth day in a row, don't. Cross-training; things like rowing, biking, walking, swimming, playing aerobic sports, dancing (or spastic movements if you're me), are a great way to give your running body parts a rest but still attain a high cardio level during a workout. Believe me, it'll keep you from burning out from the constant running and it will give you that one or two days that you look forward to at the gym because "it's swimming day" or "I'm going to play tennis with my friend".
"Working out? But I just want to run and runners are small little things." WRONG!! Sorry, that was a little over the top. What I meant to say is that working out is crucial to injury free, effective running. I read about top runners who say that the key to their running is in their core (meaning their abs, chest, back). When you're running there's a large amount of stress on your body, but the tighter your core is, the more your body is able to manage the stress. And besides the stress, the better shape your core is in the better your running will become as your body won't hurt as you run faster or longer. So invest in a few key exercises and you can prevent injury and improve running. When I'm at the gym I focus on these few, doing some daily and some just a few times a week. For your lower back, which can be a trouble point for many runners (I pulled a muscle in my back in September and almost missed my half marathon in October), try the rowing machine. It really works the back and is also a good cardio-sidekick to your run. For your abs, I'd suggesting targeting your rectus abdominus muscles which aren't really the six-pack ab muscles but the ones that lie behind them and support them (but don't worry, if you work these out you can more easily get the six pack ones if that's your goal). And for your chest do some pushups or if you want to use weights, go ahead. But I have to stress the importance of the core.
I can't finish the discussion of working out without also talking about your legs. If you are taking a day off but feel guilty, I implore you to go and do some leg workouts; presses, squats, leg raises, etc. I mean, I don't need to spell this out but the legs are doing a lot of the work in running and take most of the stress, so help them out by getting them fit and ready to take what you're throwing at them.
Next time I want to talk about eating and water consumption before and after working out, but this post is getting entirely too long I think.
I do want to just say thank you to the people who have donated in the past week. Your generosity is much appreciated. For those of you who have not donated, I ask that you consider giving to a worthy cause in Dana Farber with whom I'm running the Boston Marathon, and go to the link below.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Let's start with stretching. I already mentioned it in the last post and thought I'd give you a few that I do. To stretch the back of your legs, particularly your calves, place your legs together and bend forward at the waist, clasping your hands behind your back. Then place your weight towards the front of your toes and pick your head up. You should be able to feel the pull in the back of your legs. Another easy one for the backs of your legs is to find a ledge or the streetcurb and place both feet such that half is hanging off the curb and push one of your heels towards the ground while keeping the other flat (perform for both feet). A simple but effective quad stretch is standing on one leg and, using your hands, pull the other leg, bent at the knee, up towards your back. Finally, pretend like you're taking a knee for a prayer before the big game. Take the leg you aren't leaning on and extend it back behind you with the toe pointed to the ground and then gently push your heel towards the ground and you should feel the stretch (do for both legs). There are so many different exercises depending on which parts of your body tend to get tight, but these cover some basic body parts that are going to be doing a lot of work while running.
Running should not be work, part 2. Unless you really really love work, in which case let's try to make it like work, part deux. What I mean is that if you don't feel like running or you've run 4 days in a row and are dreading the fifth day in a row, don't. Cross-training; things like rowing, biking, walking, swimming, playing aerobic sports, dancing (or spastic movements if you're me), are a great way to give your running body parts a rest but still attain a high cardio level during a workout. Believe me, it'll keep you from burning out from the constant running and it will give you that one or two days that you look forward to at the gym because "it's swimming day" or "I'm going to play tennis with my friend".
"Working out? But I just want to run and runners are small little things." WRONG!! Sorry, that was a little over the top. What I meant to say is that working out is crucial to injury free, effective running. I read about top runners who say that the key to their running is in their core (meaning their abs, chest, back). When you're running there's a large amount of stress on your body, but the tighter your core is, the more your body is able to manage the stress. And besides the stress, the better shape your core is in the better your running will become as your body won't hurt as you run faster or longer. So invest in a few key exercises and you can prevent injury and improve running. When I'm at the gym I focus on these few, doing some daily and some just a few times a week. For your lower back, which can be a trouble point for many runners (I pulled a muscle in my back in September and almost missed my half marathon in October), try the rowing machine. It really works the back and is also a good cardio-sidekick to your run. For your abs, I'd suggesting targeting your rectus abdominus muscles which aren't really the six-pack ab muscles but the ones that lie behind them and support them (but don't worry, if you work these out you can more easily get the six pack ones if that's your goal). And for your chest do some pushups or if you want to use weights, go ahead. But I have to stress the importance of the core.
I can't finish the discussion of working out without also talking about your legs. If you are taking a day off but feel guilty, I implore you to go and do some leg workouts; presses, squats, leg raises, etc. I mean, I don't need to spell this out but the legs are doing a lot of the work in running and take most of the stress, so help them out by getting them fit and ready to take what you're throwing at them.
Next time I want to talk about eating and water consumption before and after working out, but this post is getting entirely too long I think.
I do want to just say thank you to the people who have donated in the past week. Your generosity is much appreciated. For those of you who have not donated, I ask that you consider giving to a worthy cause in Dana Farber with whom I'm running the Boston Marathon, and go to the link below.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan20
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Stretching
In training news I went for a solid 5 mile run that just felt really good so I was happy about that.
Today I figured I'd drop a quick note in about stretching. I was having a beer with Jack Fultz, 1976 Boston Marathon champion, last month and asked him about stretching (no joke, he's our training coach at Dana Farber). He suggested that if you like to exercise first thing in the morning, it's important for you to stretch as your muscles are slightly stiff after a night of sleep. Whereas if you exercise after work it really doesn't make too much of a difference if you stretch or not. Stretching or not stretching, Jack did suggest that you start your run with some warmup walking/jogging and end the run with a cooldown of some sort. I'll assume that the reason behind that suggestion is that it gradually increases your cardio rate to prevent you burning yourself out right away and both warmup and cooldown help prevent you from injuring yourself too. I'll point out a few amazing stretches tomorrow that I find get me ready to go in two minutes.
So come on people, get out there and let's run some miles together :)
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Today I figured I'd drop a quick note in about stretching. I was having a beer with Jack Fultz, 1976 Boston Marathon champion, last month and asked him about stretching (no joke, he's our training coach at Dana Farber). He suggested that if you like to exercise first thing in the morning, it's important for you to stretch as your muscles are slightly stiff after a night of sleep. Whereas if you exercise after work it really doesn't make too much of a difference if you stretch or not. Stretching or not stretching, Jack did suggest that you start your run with some warmup walking/jogging and end the run with a cooldown of some sort. I'll assume that the reason behind that suggestion is that it gradually increases your cardio rate to prevent you burning yourself out right away and both warmup and cooldown help prevent you from injuring yourself too. I'll point out a few amazing stretches tomorrow that I find get me ready to go in two minutes.
So come on people, get out there and let's run some miles together :)
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Upside to the treadmill
While I much prefer running around the Charles River here in Boston, when it's slushy and 21 degrees outside, I somehow find myself on the treadmill instead. There's a couple of tricks that I find really helpful if you are stuck on the treadmill, or, if you prefer the treadmill to outdoors; although let's be honest, it can admittedly get boring and dull.
For starters, you should change some setting on the treadmill, be it incline or speed, every 5 minutes. This will ensure that you stay engaged in your workout and often leads to you pushing yourself. My general rule of thumb is to increase the pace during the run, and usually insert a mile that includes a good incline for fake hill training. But I'm not allowed to slow the pace down; once you've committed to up it you're stuck my friend. It may seem sick and twisted but knowing I can't take it back down is perfect for ensuring that good workout.
Additionally what I find really helpful is if you can pick out a few TV shows (if there are tv's on your treadmill) that you like during the week and watch them while you're running. You know we all love to multi-task and it's not like you weren't going to watch Gossip Girl anyway, so why not feel good about yourself and motivate yourself to look like a cast member of the show while on the treadmill? This is one of my favorite times of the year with TV for two reasons.
1.) American Idol season has begun - I generally don't watch the entire season but we're at the beginning episodes that are just plain hilarious at times and I end up laughing and when you're laughing on a treadmill people kind of give you weird looks because they are most likely convinced that you are masochistic. But when an audition involves a woman saying "that came out of the wrong rectum" you just can't help yourself.
2.) Biggest Loser - I mean what will make you feel more motivated about working out then saying people heavier than you doing it and losing drastic weight. Last year this show was my go-to for long runs and I'd run the entire hour the show was on and it did not feel like an hour at all.
Anyway, I had a good 6 mile run tonight and have a huge blister on my right toe which I'm sure you all wanted to know about; pictures to come shortly :P
And as always don't forget to contribute to Dana Farber and my Boston Marathon fundraising effort at the link below:
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
For starters, you should change some setting on the treadmill, be it incline or speed, every 5 minutes. This will ensure that you stay engaged in your workout and often leads to you pushing yourself. My general rule of thumb is to increase the pace during the run, and usually insert a mile that includes a good incline for fake hill training. But I'm not allowed to slow the pace down; once you've committed to up it you're stuck my friend. It may seem sick and twisted but knowing I can't take it back down is perfect for ensuring that good workout.
Additionally what I find really helpful is if you can pick out a few TV shows (if there are tv's on your treadmill) that you like during the week and watch them while you're running. You know we all love to multi-task and it's not like you weren't going to watch Gossip Girl anyway, so why not feel good about yourself and motivate yourself to look like a cast member of the show while on the treadmill? This is one of my favorite times of the year with TV for two reasons.
1.) American Idol season has begun - I generally don't watch the entire season but we're at the beginning episodes that are just plain hilarious at times and I end up laughing and when you're laughing on a treadmill people kind of give you weird looks because they are most likely convinced that you are masochistic. But when an audition involves a woman saying "that came out of the wrong rectum" you just can't help yourself.
2.) Biggest Loser - I mean what will make you feel more motivated about working out then saying people heavier than you doing it and losing drastic weight. Last year this show was my go-to for long runs and I'd run the entire hour the show was on and it did not feel like an hour at all.
Anyway, I had a good 6 mile run tonight and have a huge blister on my right toe which I'm sure you all wanted to know about; pictures to come shortly :P
And as always don't forget to contribute to Dana Farber and my Boston Marathon fundraising effort at the link below:
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Long-Run Sunday
All marathon training regimes focus on two things - increased mileage per week and long runs. During the week I like to get my miles in and keep a pace that is close, but just below, the pace I want to run on race day (8 minute miles - which puts me at 3:30 marathon although secretly I'd love to run around 3:15 so that I have hope of qualifying for Boston one of these days). Today, with 91 days, 15 hours until the start (you'd find this amusing if you read the last post), I went for an 8 mile run. While the nice thing about long runs is that I can pull the pace back as I'm just focusing on getting the distance in, the downside of course is that it's a lot of time and I'm always sore the next day.
Well my posts are probably too long usually so I'll keep this one short and simple.
I encourage you all to run some miles with me and let me know how things are going.
And if you are so inclined, please consider donating to Dana Farber for whom I'm running the Boston Marathon.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Well my posts are probably too long usually so I'll keep this one short and simple.
I encourage you all to run some miles with me and let me know how things are going.
And if you are so inclined, please consider donating to Dana Farber for whom I'm running the Boston Marathon.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Constant Reminders
So I happen to be fortunate enough to live about a 1 minute walk away from the finish line of the Boston Marathon. On a daily basis I cross the finish line as I heard towards the T to get to work and as I head towards the gym at night. And as if it's not daunting enough to have the daily reminder that I need to get to that spot from 26.2 miles away, the running store at the finish line called "Marathon Sports" has recently placed a "countdown timer" in the window of their store that tells me there are "92 days, 17 hours, 15 minutes, and 44 seconds" until the marathon starts. While I certainly appreciate the reminder, it just makes me nervous as the time ticks away and I need to start getting into serious training mode. Tomorrow I'll be running 8 miles which is not exactly a "long run" at this point in training but hopefully will make me sleep better at night after passing by the "countdown timer of impending doom".
The one thing I'm happy about and a place where I'm well ahead of myself compared to last year at this time is my weight and fitness. I was overweight after the holiday season last year, but I wound up spending the first month and a half of training losing a good chunk of weight. I felt like I was on "Biggest Loser", one of my favorite shows. I lost the weight quickly because considering I was never a runner before it boosted my metabolism a lot and I ate smarter by ensuring I had enough iron, protein, and dietary fiber.
Today I weight around 158 pounds with a lot more running background under my belt and a lot more muscle. The goal is to drop down to around 150 pounds by marathon day which given that I have three months to do it I'm feeling confident in dropping about 1 pound a week. If you want to hear something I think is ridiculous, if you're my height, according to the BMI (Body Mass Index) chart normal weight should be 125 to 165 pounds. I'm sorry but I don't know that I would look right if weighed 125 pounds; but maybe that's just me.
And if anyone is looking for weight loss tips or tips for getting in better shape here's a final thought: Go out and buy an article of clothing that's a size smaller than you normally wear (or one that doesn't fit great if you're not looking to lose weight but gain muscle). You won't be able to wear that nice shirt out or feel good in those jeans until you lose the weight and exercise. I find that it serves as a great impetus to get out there. Plus, you feel like you just wasted money on something that you can't even use, so once again it gives a little kick in the pants.
So get out there and run some miles with me :)
As always, if you're feeling generous I'd appreciate some help in my fundraising goals for the marathon with Dana Farber
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
The one thing I'm happy about and a place where I'm well ahead of myself compared to last year at this time is my weight and fitness. I was overweight after the holiday season last year, but I wound up spending the first month and a half of training losing a good chunk of weight. I felt like I was on "Biggest Loser", one of my favorite shows. I lost the weight quickly because considering I was never a runner before it boosted my metabolism a lot and I ate smarter by ensuring I had enough iron, protein, and dietary fiber.
Today I weight around 158 pounds with a lot more running background under my belt and a lot more muscle. The goal is to drop down to around 150 pounds by marathon day which given that I have three months to do it I'm feeling confident in dropping about 1 pound a week. If you want to hear something I think is ridiculous, if you're my height, according to the BMI (Body Mass Index) chart normal weight should be 125 to 165 pounds. I'm sorry but I don't know that I would look right if weighed 125 pounds; but maybe that's just me.
And if anyone is looking for weight loss tips or tips for getting in better shape here's a final thought: Go out and buy an article of clothing that's a size smaller than you normally wear (or one that doesn't fit great if you're not looking to lose weight but gain muscle). You won't be able to wear that nice shirt out or feel good in those jeans until you lose the weight and exercise. I find that it serves as a great impetus to get out there. Plus, you feel like you just wasted money on something that you can't even use, so once again it gives a little kick in the pants.
So get out there and run some miles with me :)
As always, if you're feeling generous I'd appreciate some help in my fundraising goals for the marathon with Dana Farber
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Reason I'm Running - My Father
No one should have to say goodbye to someone that they love before it's their time to go. Yet there I was, home for Columbus Day weekend my freshmen year of college, kissing my father's forehead and saying goodnight and goodbye because as my mother said that night, "You never know what's going to happen". My father, 48 years young, was at the time unconscious in the ICU unit hooked up to a dialysis machine as his liver began to shut down. He passed away the following morning.
My father was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Mantle Cell Lymphoma in the summer of 2000. The prescribed treatment was a bone marrow transplant after several rounds of chemotherapy. My mother stayed with my father for weeks and months on end during his bone marrow transplant while he suffered from what is called "graph vs. host" whereupon the "host" body (my father) attempts to fight the new white blood cells he received as part of the "graph". My mother would later confess that doctors would frequently tell her that there was a 50/50 chance that he would make it through the night. It didn't help that he caught Legionnaire's Disease through the shower system at the hospital. And while there was great stress on mother, the situation wasn't much better at home with my older sister and I attempting to take care of the 4 younger siblings, run the household, and me trying to keep my father's appraisal business afloat. Looking back I can certainly say that it was during these trying times that I learned a lot about myself and it was a time when my family grew closer than ever before.
In and out of the hospital was the routine for my father over the following two years when the graph versus host flared up as a result of his immuno-suppressed state, which caused his body to be extremely fragile and susceptible. I remember one time my mother went to visit my sister in Florida for the weekend and I was to monitor my father and make sure he had everything he needed. The first day I went to visit he was buying my mother a watch for their anniversary; he very much loved my mother. The next day when I went in I found out that he had been switched to the ICU. For those who are fortunate enough not to see a loved one unconscious and hooked up to a heart monitor, you cannot help but feel immensely helpless. And that's the problem with cancer, there's nothing that you and I can physically do to stop it; the best we can hope to do is provide resources to others who will one day cure cancer and provide the best care possible to those afflicted by cancer (both of which Dana Farber strives towards). I cried next to my father's bed for a few hours by myself, thinking how unfair this all was. It was also the day that a Niagara power plant caused the loss of electricity statewide in NY; I was appreciative of emergency back-up generators that day for my father's sake.
My mother dropped me off at Boston College as a freshman and was gone within 30 minutes once the car was unloaded. I understood that she had to get back to my father who at this point was in the hospital with kidney poisoning as a result of an improper CAT Scan. While in the emergency room for his kidney poisoning he caught an infection (as a result of the immuno-suppressed state) and the infection ate away his heart valves. The doctors said that they would need to replace both heart valves in surgery. I found out he was going into surgery the night before he went in and was able to talk to my father. We conversed about the typical news items of the day, how the Mets were doing well but would probably blow it as usual. After the conversation my mother got back on the phone but I said to her, "Hey Mom, can you put Dad back on for a second?" When she handed the phone back to him I said, "Hey Dad, I just wanted to tell you I love you." And in a choked voice my father replied back, "I love you too." It was something that would often go unsaid among us men in the family, but I was certainly glad to have said it. Little did I know that that would be the last time that I talked to my father. A few weeks later while attempting to recover from the surgery is when his liver shut down and that's when I found myself saying goodnight and goodbye to my father on Columbus Day Weekend.
I want to run this marathon in memory of my father and the great man that he was. I am also running because I know that I alone cannot defeat cancer, the disease that ultimately took my father from me and my family. Dana Farber was the logical choice for me because after reading the synopsis of my father's battle you know that providing the best care is so crucial to ensuring that cancer patients are given the best chance of surviving the disease. Moreover, Dana Farber is also taking on the larger goal of curing cancer and ensuring that no family sees a loved one fade before their eyes and pass away.
It's truly unfortunate and sad that so many people have stories that are similar to mine. But that's all the more reason why we must stand behind organizations like Dana Farber; because this isn't a problem that affects just a few people. Cancer disrupts lives, takes loved ones from us; it doesn't care if you are black, white, rich, poor - cancer affects everyone and it is up to all of us to fight back.
Please go to the website below and help support the fight and give hope that no one else will have to suffer from cancer.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
My father was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Mantle Cell Lymphoma in the summer of 2000. The prescribed treatment was a bone marrow transplant after several rounds of chemotherapy. My mother stayed with my father for weeks and months on end during his bone marrow transplant while he suffered from what is called "graph vs. host" whereupon the "host" body (my father) attempts to fight the new white blood cells he received as part of the "graph". My mother would later confess that doctors would frequently tell her that there was a 50/50 chance that he would make it through the night. It didn't help that he caught Legionnaire's Disease through the shower system at the hospital. And while there was great stress on mother, the situation wasn't much better at home with my older sister and I attempting to take care of the 4 younger siblings, run the household, and me trying to keep my father's appraisal business afloat. Looking back I can certainly say that it was during these trying times that I learned a lot about myself and it was a time when my family grew closer than ever before.
In and out of the hospital was the routine for my father over the following two years when the graph versus host flared up as a result of his immuno-suppressed state, which caused his body to be extremely fragile and susceptible. I remember one time my mother went to visit my sister in Florida for the weekend and I was to monitor my father and make sure he had everything he needed. The first day I went to visit he was buying my mother a watch for their anniversary; he very much loved my mother. The next day when I went in I found out that he had been switched to the ICU. For those who are fortunate enough not to see a loved one unconscious and hooked up to a heart monitor, you cannot help but feel immensely helpless. And that's the problem with cancer, there's nothing that you and I can physically do to stop it; the best we can hope to do is provide resources to others who will one day cure cancer and provide the best care possible to those afflicted by cancer (both of which Dana Farber strives towards). I cried next to my father's bed for a few hours by myself, thinking how unfair this all was. It was also the day that a Niagara power plant caused the loss of electricity statewide in NY; I was appreciative of emergency back-up generators that day for my father's sake.
My mother dropped me off at Boston College as a freshman and was gone within 30 minutes once the car was unloaded. I understood that she had to get back to my father who at this point was in the hospital with kidney poisoning as a result of an improper CAT Scan. While in the emergency room for his kidney poisoning he caught an infection (as a result of the immuno-suppressed state) and the infection ate away his heart valves. The doctors said that they would need to replace both heart valves in surgery. I found out he was going into surgery the night before he went in and was able to talk to my father. We conversed about the typical news items of the day, how the Mets were doing well but would probably blow it as usual. After the conversation my mother got back on the phone but I said to her, "Hey Mom, can you put Dad back on for a second?" When she handed the phone back to him I said, "Hey Dad, I just wanted to tell you I love you." And in a choked voice my father replied back, "I love you too." It was something that would often go unsaid among us men in the family, but I was certainly glad to have said it. Little did I know that that would be the last time that I talked to my father. A few weeks later while attempting to recover from the surgery is when his liver shut down and that's when I found myself saying goodnight and goodbye to my father on Columbus Day Weekend.
I want to run this marathon in memory of my father and the great man that he was. I am also running because I know that I alone cannot defeat cancer, the disease that ultimately took my father from me and my family. Dana Farber was the logical choice for me because after reading the synopsis of my father's battle you know that providing the best care is so crucial to ensuring that cancer patients are given the best chance of surviving the disease. Moreover, Dana Farber is also taking on the larger goal of curing cancer and ensuring that no family sees a loved one fade before their eyes and pass away.
It's truly unfortunate and sad that so many people have stories that are similar to mine. But that's all the more reason why we must stand behind organizations like Dana Farber; because this isn't a problem that affects just a few people. Cancer disrupts lives, takes loved ones from us; it doesn't care if you are black, white, rich, poor - cancer affects everyone and it is up to all of us to fight back.
Please go to the website below and help support the fight and give hope that no one else will have to suffer from cancer.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Rememberance Banner
We were given a Dana Farber banner at our last marathon meeting to do with what we want. I've decided that I'd love to cover the banner with messages from you donors. Whether it's a word of encouragement for me or the name of a loved one battling cancer or one who lost their battle it would provide immense inspiration for me to have everyone with me as I train for and run the marathon.
On my donation page (link provided below) there is a space for you enter in a comment and that would be a very easy way for me to receive messages for my rememberance banner. If that doesn't work you can always send me a message through the blog or any other means :)
I look forward to hearing from you all!
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
On my donation page (link provided below) there is a space for you enter in a comment and that would be a very easy way for me to receive messages for my rememberance banner. If that doesn't work you can always send me a message through the blog or any other means :)
I look forward to hearing from you all!
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
About Dana Farber
I didn't just randomly pick a charity organization for which to run the Boston Marathon, and I hope that once I describe Dana Farber and their mission and work you will understand why I chose to run for them.
The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) enables people to run the Boston Marathon while raising money to benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The DFMC directs 100% of funds raised to the Barr Program, which enables scientists at the leading edge of discovery to achieve better cure rates and to enhance patients' quality of life.
"Dedicated to Discovery. Committed to Care." is the mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), described as "one of the world's premier cancer centers" by the National Cancer Institute. Founded in 1947 by Dr. Sidney Farber, DFCI is renowned for its unique blend of basic and clinical research, and for using its discoveries to improve the treatment of adults and children with cancer. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center ¾ one of 39 nationally designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. A teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber is also one of 19 federal centers for AIDS research in the United States.
Dana Farber boasts a few things that almost no other charity organization can. Most important to me was:
1.) As noted above, they give 100% of all donations towards funding the Claudia Barr research and care program. Not one cent of money that people donate is going to be used towards administrative costs or hidden fees that are skimmed off the top
2.) Dana Farber is battling cancer on two fronts: they are both searching for cures while also focusing on patient care and ensuring that those afflicted with cancer are given the best treatment available.
It's really unfortunate that so many of us know someone who has cancer or had cancer, but that's why it is crucial for us start supporting these institutes that are working diligently to find a cure and to take good care of those who are already battling disease.
After going to a few marathon meetings to this point I have to say that this organization is just bubbling with enthusiasm and that Dana Farber gives hope to a lot of people, so please help me give more hope to people.
Below is a link to my personal fundraising page with Dana Farber. I've set two lofty goals;my fundraising total and total miles in the marathon, but I can tell you that any donation will help me achieve the first goal and inspire me to achieve the second goal.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
The Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge (DFMC) enables people to run the Boston Marathon while raising money to benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The DFMC directs 100% of funds raised to the Barr Program, which enables scientists at the leading edge of discovery to achieve better cure rates and to enhance patients' quality of life.
"Dedicated to Discovery. Committed to Care." is the mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI), described as "one of the world's premier cancer centers" by the National Cancer Institute. Founded in 1947 by Dr. Sidney Farber, DFCI is renowned for its unique blend of basic and clinical research, and for using its discoveries to improve the treatment of adults and children with cancer. It is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center ¾ one of 39 nationally designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers. A teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Dana-Farber is also one of 19 federal centers for AIDS research in the United States.
Dana Farber boasts a few things that almost no other charity organization can. Most important to me was:
1.) As noted above, they give 100% of all donations towards funding the Claudia Barr research and care program. Not one cent of money that people donate is going to be used towards administrative costs or hidden fees that are skimmed off the top
2.) Dana Farber is battling cancer on two fronts: they are both searching for cures while also focusing on patient care and ensuring that those afflicted with cancer are given the best treatment available.
It's really unfortunate that so many of us know someone who has cancer or had cancer, but that's why it is crucial for us start supporting these institutes that are working diligently to find a cure and to take good care of those who are already battling disease.
After going to a few marathon meetings to this point I have to say that this organization is just bubbling with enthusiasm and that Dana Farber gives hope to a lot of people, so please help me give more hope to people.
Below is a link to my personal fundraising page with Dana Farber. I've set two lofty goals;my fundraising total and total miles in the marathon, but I can tell you that any donation will help me achieve the first goal and inspire me to achieve the second goal.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
Welcome!!!
Hello and welcome to a blog of marathon proportion!
My name is Ryan Meehan, I'm 23 years old, and I'm running the 2009 Boston Marathon for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. There is sure to be the following over the next 3 months: soreness, blisters, calls and emails asking for donations, runner's nipple (if you don't know what this is I'll create another post or maybe you should just google it :P), many miles covered, if I'm lucky some weight loss and muscle gain, and a lot of fun memories! So please join me in the journey of the Boston Marathon through this blog where you can learn more about me and why I decided to take on this awesome challenge.
Below I've posted the link to my personal webpage where donations can be made. I'll place this link at the bottom of each post in case I inspire you to give towards a cause that is so important.
http://www.runDFMC.org/ryanmeehan2009
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