62 Miles left to go!

He's feelin' fine!


After warming up a bit, Danno ran the last five miles to the support stop with no problem at all. It's getting dark in New England, so he and Amelia have already donned their headlights.

Man alive! Did he get cybernetic implants while he was resting!? This is great news, so far. Check back in a couple of hours, as it looks as though he'll be running well into the night.

The crew is set up at the next support stop which is wonderfully coincidental and accurate, considering the circumstances. They're in the parking lot of a beautiful picturesque chapel called "Our Lady of Hope".



Elizabeth and I were also doing some advanced calculus in our heads, and by the time Danno hits this church, his distance will be equivalent to a quintuple marathon! Yes. 5 of them. 5 times 26.22 miles is 131.1. Danno hits 135 next.

There are some, myself included, that think ONE marathon is a feat of human endurance.

Pheidippides, the greek messenger, would be proud.
-CStan

On the road again...

He's off! With supergirl Amelia on pace!


High fives all around!
-C

The Phoenix has risen!

"I've got my boxing gloves back on and I'm ready to fight!"

That's right folks...amid the mixed metaphors, Danno is indeed BACK!

Just got off the phone with him, and he's now en route to where he left off. Food and rest has done wonders for his spirit. That and the tremendous support from all of you out there. Dan is bound and determined to make Run 192 a reality.

Dan thinks that he underestimated the physical toll his body took last night when he passed out. Though he felt better this morning when he went to resume running, it did not take long for the heat and humidity to bring him back to the dark place. He said it was the hottest he's ever been in his life. He was on a "death march" and he had to stop for a while.

But he's back and should be starting up any minute now in Cape Cod where he left off. We should be able to resume tracking him right away. His legs feel fine and he's certain he'll be running. Some new gel inserts for his sneaks won't hurt either. It's still a bit humid, but pretty cool, and there doesn't seem to be a chance for rain.

"I'm just glad I'm not in the hospital", he finished with.

Can you believe this spirit? It's all of your support that is driving him now. If you've been waiting to donate, now is the time to do it! We just need a little bit more to break $6,000. If Danno's not inspiring you right now, then you're uninspirable. Yes, that's probably not a word.

You can do it, Dan!
-CStan

Rumor...

I'm hearing that the warrior has emerged and is donning his armor for another charge. By armor, I mean band-aids and body glide. The other runners will get it.
More info as it comes in!
-CHS

RUN 192 Team is at rest.

Hey guys,

Wish I had more to report, but with the trials and tribulations of last night, all I know is that Dan and the team are still resting and trying to regain their energy. The second that they emerge from restoration, I will let you know.

We'll all keep our fingers crossed that Dan emerges like a fresh baked biscuit!
-CStan

127 and H U M I D!

Two supercool things that I forgot to mention in the last post. First, is that you readers and supporters out there did it! I thought it would be cool if we could break $5,000 in donations over night and have that great news to share with Dan to galvonize his spirit and you guys made it happen! As of this post, we just crossed over that milestone! Dan's going to be ECSTATIC!

The second cool thing that I heard about this morning was that Dan's friend Jessee Hope (an old friend from college days, and a mighty fine softball player I hear) was tracking Danno through the night. When Dan came somewhat near her city, she just couldn't take it anymore and got her husband Mike in the car and drove out to meet up with them. Did I mention it was 3:00am EST? Oh, did I mention she's 7 months pregnant? How sweet is that? No word yet on what her hundred yard dash time is. ;) Jessee, you get a gold star for the year!

So I know ya'll are wondering how Danno's doing since he started up again from the rough night. Well, the first five miles went ok, but then the heat and insane humidity kicked in. It was a unanimous decision to take a break, and let the hottest part of the day pass. The crew's gunna get him some more real food and give it time to digest. His stomach must screaming right now. Food and rest, while the peak temperatures pass, and then we're gunna jump right back into it.

I assure you, readers. Dan is ok, and not in any danger. Dan's super smart and he's not one to push the needle. Precaution can be a runner's best friend. Still need more proof that Dan's feeling good? This pic just came in 2 minutes ago:

If that's not a look of determination, I don't know what is. I can just tell, that he wants to be running. We'll get him going soon, stay tuned!
-CStan

120, but not a good night

Hey guys,
Just woke up here in LA, but definitely have some news to pass on from the overnight. Just got off the phone with Danno.

As the sun was coming up, and Dan was hitting the 120 mile marker, he felt overwhelmingly tired. He felt the best thing for him would be to take a 10 minute nap in his brother Erich's car. Eric was Night Crew and he certainly had a surprise in store.

When the alarm woke him up after 10 minutes, Dan went to the back of the car and simply passed out. Luckily Erich was there to catch him. He put Dan back in his car, and when he regained consciousness, he was nauseous and really sweating hard. Luckily, Erich's house was right nearby their location so he took him there, carried him to his bed, and Danno basically collapsed.

He woke up just about 20 minutes ago, and is determined to keep going. "I'm not gunna give up", he said. So he's moving now, starting where he left off . It'll be slow for a bit, until he's feeling closer to normal. He already feels a thousand times better than last night. He's not sure what it was, could be a couple of Aleves too close together, who knows. He's got new socks and sneakers on and his feet feel completely different and wonderful. They used to be excruciating.

So it'll be touch and go for a bit today, while he gets his stride.

Wow. I'm speechless.

I'll keep you guys updated, and we'll make sure he stays healthy. Right now, it looks like he's passed the sickness.

He's already a hero.

100 MILES STRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got another surprise call from our hero Danno just around 1:00am EST. He was moments away from arriving at 100 miles. I'm honored that he shared that milestone with me. And boy did he sound fine! I half expected to hear a series of random mumbles that somewhat resembled speech patterns. Oh, but no. Danno's the real deal, and he sounded stronger than ever(certainly more articulate than I feel at this hour) And Amelia was still by his side! Somebody put that girl to bed, ha! Wonderful wonderful work, darling!

My notes from the call are terrible, as I was mostly interested in hearing how he's feeling mentally and physically. I'm happy to report that both mind and body are receiving high marks! He's tired and sore, of course, but according to him...the last 50 miles were easier than the first!!!!!!

Sorry, I had to reread that last sentence. It IS what he said, but it still makes no sense to me. He breaks it down like this: The first 20 miles were crazy. Apparently there's only one way to fully appreciate how hilly the state of Massachusetts is and that is to run it. It's always nice to start off incredibly hard and grueling, yikes! Also, it's important to reiterate that this is NOT a runner's course. We all knew that, but until you run it, you don't really "get" the difference. Dan often has very little room on the road to run, and the 18 wheelers cruising by like dinosaurs on crack doesn't help keep ones focus.

He was definitely glad he ran the extra ten miles this morning, cuz there's NO way he'd be able to do them at the end.

Without a doubt, the toughest part so far has been the mid-day run (basically between miles 40 and 55 or so). With no cloud cover at all, and with the heat bouncing off the asphalt, he was basically getting cooked from both sides. Imagine trying to run in a crock pot filled with magma. How did he survive it? The medicine of Rock!

I've been wondering all day what was the most uplifting song on his iPod shuffle that brought him out of the fire pits. Well it was Chumbawumba's "Tub Thumping" of course. I've always secretly known that that song would save someone's life. It's THAT good! It was also the first that came on.

So now Dan's in "night mode" He won't be moving fast, but he won't be stopping. He'll probably put a couple of billion calories of real food in his gullet, and drink some Red Bulls to give him the a little bit of a boost to stay awake all night. He'll enjoy running on the canal, and will be looking forward to the sun coming out. Not only will it kick his energy into high gear, but it will also mark the beginning of Cape Cod, where the roads will be significant flatter. But don't feel bad for him being by himself all night! This is what he trained for.

As he said it best himself, "It's what I do."

Godspeed Champion and have a successful night.
-CStan

Media Update: Channel 3 story ONLINE!

CStan here...
Just got off the phone with Danno approaching 100 MILES! More in the next post, but I wanted to get this video up as soon as possible. Remember the story about the Channel 3 reporter catching up with Danno on the run? If you don't live in New England, or you missed it on the air here it is in all its awesomeness:


Dannno, you clearly rock AND roll. Well played!
Here's the direct link.

90s and the Fuzz!

Amazingly, we have a night shot of Danno and Cousin Erin!

She's already ran 10 miles with our hero, and will do 5 more before retiring for the night. Thanks to Erin for supporting Danno through some very tough miles. 90 miles is already quite an achievement for Dan!

Danno's taking it easy right now (as he should!), and having some much needed real food for dinner. He's got to get his energy back up for the overnight haul, and a man can't live on gels alone!

It's a beautiful nigh for running, cool with no bugs. The road right now is super clear. Soon, (When Erin's done) Amelia will don her super sneakers and run one more leg with Danno before getting her crew beauty rest. She's still debating on how much she can do.

I'm hoping to have a call with Danno tonight, and I'll give you that report when it's ready.

Another good story from the Run: The A Crew was on their way back from their break to join up with B Crew, when a car pulled up behind them. Naturally they thought the car was Uncle Rich and Aunt Betsy, so they waved and yelled and laughed. Then the spotlights of a Berkeley Mass police cruiser came on. WHOOPS! No worries, though, they weren't arrested for disorderly conduct! They explained to the officer all about Run 192, and he understood. In fact, he said that he just passed him a few miles back. "Tell him I said good luck!"

Even the law is on our side!
-CStan

80 Miles and a Run Buddy

80 Miles and still running strong! Danno briefly stopped at the hometown support stop, and quickly set off running again...this time with a partner in tow. Cousin Erin has joined the run!

(File foto...not from current run)

Erin is expected to run with Dan for at least the next 15 miles or so, which should be pretty rough. The sun is setting fast in Mass, and Dan and Erin have their headlights strapped on. Live pics might be difficult until the morning, but we'll keep the updates flowing!

The A Crew is taking a break right now. The B Crew of Uncle Rich and Aunt Betsy have taken over for a few stops. Thanks for your help guys!

We've raised quite a bit of money since Run 192 kicked off this morning. Let's set a new goal, readers! By morning let's try to break $5,000 in donations! Tell all your friends and family! We're almost at the halfway point! Let's keep him energized throughout the night!
-CStan

HomeTown Support Stop

So here's what awaited Danno as he approached 75 miles:

Yep, that's his adorable cartwheeling wife, Elizabeth.

A couple of things to report here....besides the fact that Dan is literally running faster than I can type.

The first is that the closest Danno will be to his Taunton hometown(besides crossing rt44) is Dighton/Rehobeth High School. The support camp will be setup in the parking lot. There he will be meeting up with his Aunt and Uncle, as well as his Cousin Erin who will be his running buddy for many miles.

The second is that there have been reports that Dan's Channel 3 Interview starting airing in New England. It should air again in the 9:00 EST hour.
-CStan

70 In The Can - Voicemail from the Champ

CStan here...

I was out walkin my pooch and I missed a surprise call from Danno. It was about 20 minutes ago as he was just completing 70 miles. My my my. You know, I don't think I've ran 70 miles if you combine all the running I have ever or will ever do in my lifetime. We're talking almost three marathons already! PHEW!

I believe he was running while leaving the message.

"I'm feeling real strong...there's a little bit of pain, but not enough to slow me down. The last few miles were still around nine minutes. I'm very encouraged to hear that we broke $4,000 in donations. It definitely puts a spring in my step! Well, I gotta keep running, tell everyone 'Thank you' and to keep pulling for me."

I tell you, he sure sounded great. Like he was on top of the world.

Well, we know he's got his phone back, so gps tracker is working again. Just remember to keep trying, if its having trouble locating him. It's dependant on cell service. I just checked it out, and it looks like he'll be approaching his hometown of Taunton in a couple of hours. How cool is that? All you Tauntonians and Raynhamites better get out there and cheer on your local hero!

Media Update: Jimmy Fund Website

Saul Wisnia has just posted a wonderful article on Danno just a few minutes ago on the Jimmy Fund website. Take a look!

Also, I just got word that 65 Miles are done as of a few minutes ago. His cell phone needs to be charged, so his gps tracking will be down for about an hour. I'll let you know when tracking is back.

When Danno heard the news of breaking $4,000 in donations, he was overjoyed. He says thanks to everyone for their continued support! He also wants everyone to know that he found two open mailboxes along the way and he closed them! I think the heat is getting to him. ;)
-CStan

60 MILES DONE

That's right folks, Danno's blazing a trail right now through farmy North Attleboro, MA. He just passed mile marker 50, which gives him 60 miles done. He's cruising along so fast, his crew is having a hard time keeping up with him.

I spoke with Dan's crewmember/Mom, Joan, just a few minutes ago. She's the one supplying me with the live digital photos that I'm putting up here. She definitely feels that Danno is way ahead of time. He's feeling great and he told her that its probably because of his ipod music. He should publish his track list as an exercise album! Also, it's nice to report that a few more clouds have joined the skyline, giving some relief from the brutal sun.

At the last support stop, Danno was given a unique throne to sit upon while he rests for a beat with Elizabeth:


Many thanks go out to farmer Bob Tisbert for giving up his tractor seat for a few moments to give Danno a chance to catch his breath. I've been assured that Dan is NOT going to drive the tractor the rest of the way. Bob's wife is a current Dana Farber patient right now, so our thoughts go out to her!

It also pleases me to announce that we have indeed broken $4,000 in donations just a few minutes ago. This will certainly give Dan a super-boost to get through the rest of day 1. Lets continue to make Run 192 a huge success!
-CStan

The 192 Crew Car

The Run 192 Crew is doing a fantastic job keeping Dan healthy on his arduous path. They drive ahead of him 5 miles at a time to provide a mobile support station. They have all the supplies Dan could need, like Hammer Gels in various flavors, stuff like Perpetuim and Success Caps. I have no idea what any of this stuff is, but it provides the energy and nutrients that a long distance runner requires. I hear "plain" is the flavor of choice for Danno, as the crazy flavors get old after dozens of miles. I'm sure the last thing he'd want is a banana-lime gel after a hundred miles.

But as you can see from the pic, the Crew's car also serves as a mobile banner for the Run 192 and Dana Farber's mission, and helps locals track them down. It's a silvery brown Nissan Murano. They've already had numerous cars honk their horns at them in support!

In fact, about an hour ago a gentleman named Marc saw the van and was inspired. He ran a mile alongside Dan! His Aunt suffered with cancer so he was very sympathetic to the cause.

Dan's been running for 9 hours now, and through his nifty GPS setup, I can see that he's in Franklin, MA now. He's making great time.

I'm gunna give Danno a donation report in a couple of hours. Let's see you guys out there can get over the $4,000 hump so I can give him great news. Click here and give 5, 10, 100...whatever you can!
-CStan

Media Update: Channel 3

This is pretty cool. While Danno was running with Amelia, a foxy jogger came up behind them. She asked "Are you Dan Rose?" and of course he said yes. Well it turns out she was a news reporter for Channel 3 (NECN) and wanted to do a story.

Amelia describes that it was an interesting interview because Dan didn't stop to chat. They gave him a hand held microphone to talk into while he ran and followed him in their news van with the videocamera sticking out of the window. Dan and Amelia both had to play it cool for the cameras. No walking up hills during a television interview! Haha!

Thanks to reporter Jennifer Eagen for running after our boy to help spread the word. The story should air tonight in New England at 5pm and 9pm EST.

If it hits the net, I'll keep you informed.

Rock and Roll, Dan! You're a quarter of the way done!
-CStan

45 Miles Down, and Dan Just Warmed Up!

Hey gang,
just got some new updates for you. I just spoke to the darling Amelia, who not only Dan's closest friend from college and Run 192 Crew Member, but also one of the sweetest girls you'll meet. She strapped on her running shoes and ran alongside Dan for a full ten miles between markers 25 and 35. It must be awesome for Dan having a good friend by his side after close to 8 hours of running. Here's a blurry cell phone pic!

As I mentioned in the title, with Danno crossing the 35 mile marker, he's already hit 45 miles(Remember, we have to add ten to all the mile markers because Dan ran an extra ten before starting the official course). This is a direct quote from Dan:

"I'm feeling strong and now I'm warmed up"

I wonder if the asphalt is helping to heat him up. Amelia says the road is radiating heat. She says "it's like standing next to a frying pan" It's mid-day and it can be the most brutal part of the day to run. Danno's smart, though, and he's playing it safe. He's got his ice, and is taking it easy on the hills. His training has certainly prepared him to take on the mid-day heat.

I'm sweating in my air conditioned office in Venice, CA just thinking about it.
-CStan

Media Update: Boston Herald article

The Boston Herald this morning published an awesome article on Danno and the RUN 192.

Take a look! It's required reading!
-CStan

RUN 192 HAS BEGUN!

Just woke up here in LA, but there is already tons to report on. First, here's the first image from the run, taken just moments ago:


From an excited phone call from Dan's lovely wife Elizabeth, I can tell you two amazing things already. The first is that Danno decided to start early this morning and began running at 4:45AM EST(more than an hour earlier than planned). Not sure that's an official start time for Run 192, because there's an interesting development. The team discovered yesterday that the actual official PMC course has changed slightly this year and only amounted to 190 miles. So Dan thought he would run the extra 2 before the course run begins in order to keep his promise. In Elizabeth's words though, "This morning he decided that 192 was no longer as cool as running a full 200". Wow.

So there you have it folks, We're just about 6 hours into the run. He's just passed his first planned stop, which i think is around the 30 mile mark....but it's more considering the extra 10 that Dan has already run before starting!

Don't forget to stop by the donation page and see if there's a few dollars you can add to help Dan's charitable mission. We'll keep him updated on the rising numbers throughout the next 48 hours.
It's gunna be a long couple of days for our superhero...
Next update in a bit,
CStan

192 Minutes Until Start!!!!

CStan here...
Still up in LA. My Bobby Fisher-esque mind just realized that if Danno starts tomorrow at 6:00am EST, then there is exactly one hundred and ninety-two minutes until RUN 192 begins...starting NOW!

Set your clocks ladies and gentlemen. When I awake, it'll be well after Danno begins. Knowing him, he'll be deep in the thick of it by then.

Well, I'm exhausted just thinking about this run. I get exhausted after thinking about the word "run".

Good night, Team 192!

Please Allow Me To Introduce Myself...

Greetings fine followers of this very special blog,
Our superhero, Mr. Dan Rose, is sound asleep in his hotel room in Sturbridge, MA, leave his best bud 3,000 miles away with the keys to his blog. How do I know this? Well...i've been tracking him for hours and he hasn't moved.

My name is Chris Stanley, and since I have two first names, you can call me any derivation of the two. I'll be the digital eye-in-the-sky, the Big Brother of the run. I'll be tracking Danno's gps positioning and checking in with all the members of the "192 Crew".

My hope is to bring you updated details on this historic run on an hourly basis, complete with on the trail reports, and milestone accomplishments. Interviews? Sure! Pictures? Maybe! Insider information? No Doubt! Check this:

I know for a fact that Danno had a Chicken Salad and 3 or 4 slices of whole grain bread for his pre-run dinner tonight. "Nothing too fancy", he said. It's a pretty established tradition of his before a long race or an incredible run. This surprised me a bit, as I figured he'd be carb-loading on Fettuccine alfredo and Miller Genuine Draft. Then again, I'm about as healthy as a can of condensed milk, so what do I know?

Dan has spent the last couple of days, with his new bride, driving the 192 mile trail to better acquaint himself with what will lie ahead and update his maps. Which is exhausting and considerable, even in an automobile. Our boy is going to have a fun few days!

I urge all you readers out there to support Danno and this magnificent cause. You can donate to his cause all throughout his run by clicking his link in the upper right corner of the blog. While he's out there burning up the trails, let's surprise him when he logs back in sometime on Friday and sees a wonderful increase in his donations!

If you're in Mass and you want to cheer him on in person, keep the site bookmarked and check back as often as you can. You should be able to pinpoint his exact location and/or arrival. For everyone else, I hope you enjoy my virtual description of his journey. I'll do my best to provide the most complete coverage for you guys. Good Luck Danno! Run Strong!
-CStan

Ready...Set....Go!!

In just a couple hours I'll be driving up to Boston for my annual check-up at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. This is my 4th year of being cancer-free, and not a day goes by when I don't realize how lucky I am.

I'll never forget the day I walked out of the hospital at the end of chemotherapy - The expected feeling of joy was quickly overcome by an overwhelming sense of responsibility. Why was I the lucky one to walk out of there? I was leaving so many friends behind in those infusion rooms and hospital beds. As one of the lucky ones, I knew I now had the responsibility to do what I could with my second chance to help them. I'm not a rich man, nor do I hold any powerful sway in society, so the "easy" solution to give back wasn't an option. Instead, I knew I needed to help them the same way Lance Armstrong's book helped me when I was first diagnosed.

Reading about how someone like Lance came back from his fight with cancer to achieve amazing goals and inspire so many others helped me immensely heading into my own treatments. Now, I know I'm no Lance Armstrong, but if a ordinary Joe like me can do something inspiring for Dana Farber, maybe that story will spread to a few patients there, and they'll be given a little mental boost during their treatments.

Running the 192 mile course of the Pan Mass Challenge has been my goal for the past 4 years, and tomorrow morning I set out to achieve it. I can't thank everyone enough for the outpouring of donations and support via this site over the past few months. THANK YOU!!

Check back here for regular updates on my progress from about 10am on Wednesday to the finish sometime on Friday morning. Wish me luck!!

Who Loves Drymax Socks?!

I DO!!

Here's why: In the past year I've written/called/stalked dozens and dozens of running-related companies looking for support of any kind for the Run 192 mission. I made it very clear I would be happy with even a small discount on their products as I go through shoes/clothing/fuel quickly in training, and it's all pretty darn expensive!

Long story short, not one of my letters, phone calls, or emails was answered. Not one.

I understand these companies receive many many requests like mine each year, and I'm sure they're understaffed in the 'Correspondence with Random Requests' Department, so I completely understood the cold shoulder treatment. It's just too bad, because I would have gladly promoted any company who even sent me a 10% off coupon. Oh well...

So how do the good people at Drymax Socks come into this story?

I just received an extremely generous - and completely unsolicited - donation from them in support of the Run 192 cause.

That, my friends, is a company run by the right kind of people. Do me a favor and check out their site by clicking here. Even if you're not a runner, you'll notice they have a specialized array of socks (even for diabetics!) to fit just about every walk of life (horrible pun intended).

Now, some of you may be thinking: "Sure Dan, there's no denying that they're great people, but how can you endorse their socks without having worn them?" Well, to that I say HOLD ON! I'm no sell out! I have one more quick story to relay to prove that Drymax socks are the real deal.

Rewind a couple months to the Umstead 100 miler in April. For those of you who remember, that was one wet and wild race. At the pre-race check in, a Drymax representative was handing out free socks. Never one to shy away from free gear, I happily grabbed a pair and tossed it in my bag. I figured I would just take them home, wash them, and give 'em a try in the future. After all, I had been training in (insert name of company that didn't respond to my calls/letters) socks all year to that point, and I wasn't about to switch brands the day of a 100 mile race without having had the chance to try out (or wash) these new socks.

Well, later on that night with the forecast of heavy rains and overall nasty wet weather weighing heavy on my mind, I started to think about how my current socks usually felt after a few miles in the rain (not so good). The more I thought about it, and the more I read the little pamphlet about the amazing performance of Drymax socks in the rain, I convinced myself to wear them in the race the next day.

How did that 100 miler go, you ask?

I ran a 17:05 to finish in 3rd place, in the rain...and I crossed that finish line with ZERO blisters.

Drymax socks, people. They're the real deal. AND, come to find out, they're made by some pretty nice people too!

Live Tracking and Updates

For those of you not able to come out and participate in person at Run 192, you'll be able to track my progress right here on this site. My best friend C.H. Stanley (out in LA) will be in communication w/ my crew every couple of hours, and he'll post regular updates. I expect a theme in his updates of:

"He's sweating a lot. He looks really tired. He just consumed his 124th Hammer Gel. He's now sweating pure Hammer Gel. etc etc"...

In addition to Mr. Stanley's updates, if you're looking to track down my exact whereabouts to meet up with me, click here, and follow these instructions:

Sign in: 617-256-8507
Password: run192

Once you sign in, you'll see a locate "Dan Rose" button on the right. Click on that and you'll have me pinpointed (within 100 yards or so). If you cross-reference my location w/ the Run 192 Map links on the right side of this blog, you'll be able to track me down in no time.

One note on that Sign-In phone number: Don't bother calling it. It is the number for the phone I'll have in my fuel belt during the run, but the only calls I'll answer will be from my Crew. Please don't abuse this!! Thank you!!

Run 192 Cast and Crew

With just over a week to go before the big run, I thought I'd take a moment to introduce the amazing friends and family members who will be helping me during the Run 192 adventure.

First up are the four members of the main crew. These hearty souls will be working just about all of the daylight hours (and probably some at night too) in order to make sure I have all the supplies I need along the way (they'll meet me just about every 5 miles along the route):

My parents - Joan and Steve - Crew veterans of many a race in my past - Shown here as they pass the time at the VT100 last year. Who knows if Steve's "Brando" will make another appearance next week.

My beautiful wife, Elizabeth - I'm certain she never expected to say "Do you need more Hammer Gel" as often as she has in the first two months of marriage.
My best friend from college, Amelia - Shown here during her first (and most excellently executed) crew position at Massanutten a couple months back. Amelia is coming up from NYC to serve double duty as both crew member and pacer for a few miles.
Beyond the Main crew, other key players will be joining in the fun over the course of the run as well. My cousin Erin - Shown here after her 19-under course record run at the Maine Marathon last October - will be most likely running the most miles with me than anyone else (I'm going to do my best to coax her into "just one more 5 mile section" more than once out there).

Pulling the all-night graveyard shift the first night will be my brother Erich and his pal Marky. This will be Erich's first time crewing, and since he'll be starting after I've covered 100 miles or so, he'll get to jump right into the fun of taking care of a exhausted and delirious runner.

My good friend Dr. Wade will be up in MA to check in on me as well. This will be her first time seeing me in full-on Zombie mode while running - Same goes for my brother in-law Jeff who may be able to sneak away from work to run a few miles. If anyone else finds themselves up in MA next week and wants to join in on the fun, by all means come along! I'll have a link up on the site during the run so everyone can GPS my current location, so all you need to do is come on out on the course and hop in. I'll definitely enjoy the company, especially at night!

Week Training Log:
Definitely an easy taper week for me as I rest up for the big run. No break from the heat training though, as it's been 95 the past few days here in DC. Odds are the highs during the run in MA will be more like 80-85, so I should be in good shape.

Monday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Tuesday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Wednesday - Off Day
Thursday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Friday - Off Day
Saturday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Sunday - 6 miles - Hains Point Loop

Week Total: 40 miles

Jamie Wins Badwater!!

A HUGE congratulations goes out to my friend Jamie Donaldson who just crossed the finish line of the Badwater 135 mile run in first place with a new women's course record!! Her time of 26:51:33 beat the long-standing record of Pam Reed (2002) by 1 hour and 3 minutes, and it was good enough to place her 3rd overall in a super-elite invitation-only field of male and female runners.
Speaking of Pam, she and Jamie were locked in a great back-and-forth battle this year which made for an amazingly exciting race. 90 miles into the race Pam held a 30 minute lead over Jamie, but J's intense training over the past few months really paid off in the subsequent miles - By the next official check point at mile 122, Jamie had not only caught Pam, but pulled ahead by 18 minutes herself. From there she put the hammer down and opened that gap up to a 51 minute lead by the finish line.
This victory is extra special for Jamie since last year she led the women's race for about 100 miles before a nasty case of shin splints slowed her to an excruciating hobble. Like a true champ though, she never gave up as she gutted her way to a 41 hour finishing time. It's great to see all of her hard work and dedication following that frustrating finish a year ago translate into victory today.
Here's to you, Jamie!! Congratulations!!!

Week Training Log: 7/7 - 7/13

As the clock counting down on the right-hand side of this page reflects, we're getting close to showtime for the Run 192! This past weekend marked the last long run I'll cover in my training, so all that's left now is two weeks of tapering. The hard work is done, now it's time to rest up and get my body/mind ready for a hefty beat-down. After running the last couple weeks in Brooks Glycerins, I've decided it's a worthwhile move to wear them right from the start in Sturbridge. Sure, they weigh a couple more ounces than other shoe options, but the extra cushioning they provide makes that trade-off an easy one to make. I don't know what my feet/legs will feel like after 192 miles of asphalt running, but I know it's not going to tickle. I figure I might as well do my best right from the start to absorb as much impact shock as possible.

One special note before I list my week log: Starting at Noon EST on Monday (7/14), my Umstead friend Jamie Donaldson will be running in the Badwater 135. This is a race that starts in Death Valley and ends half-way up Mt. Whitney (the tallest mountain in the US). The forecast for the next two days is for highs of 111 to 115 in the area. This is actually "cool" for that area. Obviously this race is insanely brutal (runners are entered by invitation only), but from the comfort of your chair it's pretty fun to watch unfold over the next two days. Check the live updates and help cheer on Jamie to victory!

Week Log:

Monday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Tuesday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Wednesday - Off Day
Thursday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Friday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop
Saturday - 30 miles - Mt. Vernon Trail
Sunday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point Loop

Total Miles - 72.5 miles

Week Training Log: 6/30 - 7/6

The plan this week was to tread lightly while allowing my leg to heal up. Even though my overall mileage wasn't high, I'm quite happy with the results. I was able to run a pretty quick 25 miler yesterday with no pain, so I think I'm in the clear. Also helping with my healing process was the arrival of my first pair of Brooks Glycerins. I've run nearly 2,000 miles this year in Brooks Radius models, but with all the pavement pounding I've been doing to train for the 192, I figured the extra layer of cushioning in the Glycerins couldn't hurt. After a week of running in them I'm happy to report that they're a very comfortable shoe, and they really take the edge off the impact of running a bunch of miles on pavement/asphalt. Not sure if I'll start off with them in the 192 (they're a little heavy), but I'm sure I'll end up switching off after 100 miles or so when my feet are begging for mercy.

Week Log:

Monday - 5 miles - Elliptic-Hell Machine
Tuesday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point loop
Wednesday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point loop
Thursday - 8.5 miles - Hains Point loop
Friday - 11.2 miles - Colonial Beach loop
Saturday - Off Day
Sunday - 25 miles - Mt. Vernon Trail

Week Total: 66.7 miles