Team Transplant, UWMC

Keep the Green Wave Rolling!

Savor the Memories!

It all started when I showed up down at Safeco Field around 4:25 am.  Shirley Schultz and Ida Boecksteigel were already there.  I parked my car a couple of blocks away, and as I walked to greet them, I started to feel kind of guilty…really…was it necessary to have them get there so early?…I made a lame attempt at apologizing, saying something like, “you know…this might’ve been overkill.  We’ll have to talk about if we really need to get here so early next time.”
To which they both energetically responded, “Oh…Dick’s already been here and signed in!”
I waited with them for the next hour seizing the opportunity to recharge my energy stores by plugging into the enthusiasm that Mark Scott, Micah Gwinn, Janette Morantes, Jason Stahl, James Boecksteigel , Dave and Carla Trulson Essenberg, Katherine MacDonald, Allen Vary, Jonathon Baird and his niece all brought with them as they chose to launch their journey down to Tukwila from our check-in station.
Leaving downtown around 5:30, I headed out to my post.  I parked above I-90 with plans to run to Seward Park.  It’d been a long time since I’d made it out to run that early…shocking how tight I am at that hour!  Nonetheless,  I timed everything just right so that I had enough time to run up the very long hill from Seward Park to the Colombia City Cafe Vita for coffee and a piece of squash bread before the first runners came through.  Otherwise, I’m sure I would’ve collapsed on my couch much earlier in the day!
I positioned myself at my post just as the elite runners started to run by…and made small talk with the event official until our team members started to appear….
The first Team Transplanter on the scene was Jennifer Herlihy.  Looking very fit and comfortable, she cruised down the hill with training partner Lynne Sloan, yelling, “We love you Alysun!“   To which I responded, “I love you more!”   They looked awesome…like they were on an easy Sunday afternoon run.   I know Jen was hoping for a big PR, but her time of 2:0:40 was still very respectable especially when you consider that she was injured most of last fall.   Her performance on Saturday was a certain sign that she’s back and that she has a good training base to take along with her to the Transplant games later this month!
Next  to arrive was  Allen Vary.   While Allen’s become a self-proclaimed aerobic training junkie since his transplant, he’s had all kinds of obstacles challenging his status as a super endurance athlete.  The most recent was a stumble (something about admiring someone’s shoes??)  that left him with a broken hand about 3 weeks before the race.  While this curtailed his cycling, he managed to maintain enough of a running/walking regimen to finish the half marathon in a very fine 2:18:01…It’ll be exciting when he actually gets a day when all the pieces to fall into place…I hope to be there to see it happen!
Mari Jo Fraser once again squeezed us in between baseball games…I think I read somewhere on Sunday night that she had completed a half marathon and 3 baseball games over the weekend.  Now…really….how many people can say they’ve done that in a lifetime let alone in 2 days?!!  Her half marathon time was 2:33:45.
The next participants were a bit of surprise.   Lenard Yen and Mark Scott somehow found each other during the first 5 miles of the race.  And anyone who’s come to a practice knows that when you mix a little Lenard Yen with a little Mark Scott…well….you just have to hold your breath and hope for  the best.   And heaven forbid you should get a dose of an awful lot of either one of them!    From all reports (well…this would be all of the reports from Mark and Lenard), they spent the entire race egging each other on and pushing each other.   If you look at the race photos, you can’t find one shot that doesn’t have both of them in it…or one that doesn’t show the steely determined look of competition on each of their  faces.   When they flew by me going downhill to Seward Park…it was  very clear they were on a mission…
In the final results…Mark, aka, the “coyote” or ”the sticky green guy,” prevailed with an official time 3 minutes faster (a reflection of the corral start) than Lenard, aka, “rock star” or ” cheerleader charmer,” although from the race photos, it’s obvious that in the head-to-head competition, Lenard wasn’t about to Mark an inch and just clipped him at the line.  Both finished with incredible times with Mark finishing in 2:52:31, a near personal best, and Lenard, who has spent the last 2 years ringing on the 3 hour doorbell and who had apparently grown weary of waiting for someone to answer, deciding to just go ahead and bust the whole darn door down.  He crossed the line in a mind-numbing 2:55:27!
And…what of that other walker??….the one that would not be named…the mystery Team Transplanter of Lenard’s e-mail…the one who was sneaking along  the course disguised in a hot pink skort… Well….Far be it for me to ruin the intrigue or blow her cover…but I believe it’s important to give credit where credit is due…and while I have yet to get a formal confirmation…I believe that that elusive walker…the one who managed to overtake the cat’n mouse game just ahead of  her… was none other than lung transplant, Anne Hagerty!   Anne completely ripped up the course, finishing in a super spectacular PR of 2:45:13!!!   Coming so close on the heels of her big race down in Oregon where she set finished in 2:46:30, it’s obvious she was able to ride that thin line between recovery and preparation in the months leading up to the Rock’n Roll Half…not an easy thing to do!  Nice work, hot-pink-skirted mystery transplant walker!   We’re proud to call you one of us!
Jonathan Baird once again had an impressive day that showcased his incredible consistency.   While he got off to a slow start this season, he rallied his training over the last few months, and was bouyed by the support of his niece, who has become a regular at TT events, on race day.   As they passed me, they flashed big grins and laughed…Who laughs in the middle of a half marathon??  People who are having a good time, that’s who…It’s awesome to be in the kind of shape that you can go out and do 13.1 miles and enjoy it!    Jonathon, wearing his floppy safari hat to the end, finished in just over 3 hours, as his chip time was a very fine 3:01:54.
Next…was newcomer, Maggie Kim.  Hard to believe this Team Transplanter is just 6 months out from her surgery as she coasted through the course, running every other mile.   It was a lot of fun to see her cruising downhill to Seward Park…headphones in place…dressed in a brown tank top with her foliage green TT shirt wrapped around her waist…and huge smile on her face!   hmmmm… seems to be a theme here!   Maggie finished in a stellar debut of 3:04:35!
Dan Tennant made his second appearance in the Team Transplant green…and make no doubt about it…we love seeing him in that color!   Another recent transplant, it’s amazing to see the progress he’s made in the past year!  He was someone who got right into training after his surgery which probably explains why he looked so comfortable as he walked by. He and his wife finished in fine form with a very respectable 3:22:11.
And then…came Dennis Cole…What an incredible story this is!   Dennis received his 2nd heart transplant about 2 years ago…His first one lasted 18+ years.   I can’t tell you what a thrill it was to see him running down that hill.   Also dressed in his best TT green, he was flashing one of those amazing smiles as he paused to give me a report on the first half of the race…and make some editorial comments about the water.    I know he slowed down a bit at the end…his final time was 3:27:05…but you know…that just means he’s got a good goal for next time!
Now…about this point, you’re probably thinking…STOP!!  Stop it with all the good stuff, Alysun…I can’t take anymore, but…I can’t do that…because you see…there’s still more good stuff to share!  And…rememeber…I’ve had all this marinating and simmering inside of me for a WEEK so I’ve got to go somewhere with it…
The next wave included our kidney transplants, Micah Gwinn and Jason Stahl.   Micah was in a group with James Boecksteigel that was commandeered by Janette Morantes.   They were all business as they marched by…Janette was determined to keep everyone moving and on task.   Incredibly….they all fell in line and the extra focus paid off as Micah who has really been making great strides with his training this past year, finished along with Janette in an unbelievable 45-minute PR, completing the 13.1 miles in 3:28:45….James, who’s also overcome some incredible obstacles to be there on Saturday,  finished in 3:10:04 (obviously he used the corral start to his advantage)…
Jason Stahl, biding his time back in the chase pack…was soaking it all in…the crowds…the music….the scenery…the cheering squads….He had waited one very long year for this moment and he wasn’t going to miss out on any part of it!    He cruised by looking incredibly at ease and relaxed…With this approach, it was obvious that he was in for a big day…and a big day it was!   He chopped an astounding 30 minutes off his time in Seattle last fall crossing the line in….3:48:11!
Also sneaking in with this group was Carla Trulson-Essenberg.   Walking her second half marathon as a Team Transplanter, she once again showed us that gritty determination and competetiveness that we’ve come to expect and love.  Despite a foot issue that popped up during the week leading up to the race, she hung on to finish in a time that was just 5 minutes off of her impressive debut in last year’s event.    I know it was big race for her as as  both her husband and son walked along with her this year.  Carla’s official time was 3:47:11.
Dick Fitzgerald and Ron Adkins, two of our seasoned veterans, rounded out the squad.   Both steady and focused, they wisely avoided the quick early pace and patiently made their way along the course as they waited to make their big strategic moves up the hill to I-90.  When the dust had cleared, Ron, together with his daughter, Heather, managed to edge out Dick at the end, crossing the line in 4:24:14.  Dick still pulled off an excellent finish, winding up the 13.1 mile race in 4:24:30!
Once everyone had cleared the Seward Park area, I started to make my way back to I-90 and my car…darting in and out of the competitors and stopping to walk with team members…whew…it had been 5 hours since I’d last journeyed along this path.  Shocking how stiff I can get when I stand around for 5 hours in between runs!    As I approached I-90, our cheering section was still going strong.  The Millers and Laura Lewis were still every bit as excited to see people come by then as I’m sure they were earlier in the day.  I stayed with them until everyone had passed the 9 –mile mark….
I retrieved my car….headed back to QWEST Field…enjoyed the music and reverie of the finish area…and then once everyone was in, headed back home where I had 45 minute break until the fabulous celebration started back up again in my backyard.
It was a wonderful day…and a wonderful celebration.  Thanks to all of you who helped make it possible…especially those of you working behind the scenes and on the sidelines!   The day would never have happened with out you….
•    Sign in /Sign Out…
Shirley Schultz, Ida Boecksteigel, Jeannie Reynolds, Suzann Stahl, Cindy Weber, Colin Rines, and Vanessa Whitacre
•    Mile 9 Hoopla Station!
Lenore Miller, Steve Miller, and Laura Lewis
•    BBQ
Kris Hendricks, Steve Miller, Dennis Cole, Janette Morantes, and Susan Bussell…and everyone else who contributed to the potluck!  It was unbelievable!
And… I need to give an extra big helping of thanks to Steve and Lenore Miller…Steve was at my house on Friday afternoon ready and eager to report for yardwork duty; both of them were out at the Mile 9 Hoopla Station all morning on Saturday;  and then they showed up early to help with the BBQ set up  and ran the grill for all of us.   They definitely earned their Hollywood stars last weekend!
That’s all for now…I’ll be sending updates on our fall season very, very soon.  Tenative plan is to start up training again the week of August 9th!
Have a wonderful summer…and savor the memories!

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This is it!

The Second Annual Seattle Rock’n Roll Half Marathon…a wonderful celebration of everything you’ve accomplished over the past 16 weeks!  The whole process of getting to this point can seem so mundane…going out for your daily walk or run…eating right…stretching…hydrating…pacing. Just looking at any one individual day, it may not seem like much…but when you add them all up…each day that you followed through on your commitment to exercise; all of the time you shared with your teammates….or enjoyed the solitude of a walk or run in the rain…or spent reading one of Alysun’s lengthy e-mails; every healthy lifestyle behavior that has now become routine…it all becomes something incredibly special!

It becomes the bundle of memories, learning experiences, relationships, improved health, and sense of peace that makes all of the hard work and early mornings worth it.  It redefines how you see yourself…adjusts what you see as your limitations…and expands  how you see your role in this world.  Finishing a half marathon is a big deal…there’s no doubt about that…but even bigger is the ripple effect that accomplishing such a feat can create.  If you can walk or run 13.1 miles…what other things are out there waiting for you to conquer?

Yes…training can be a grind…but having the discipline to stick to a plan…to set a goal that you actually reach…to put yourself out on the start line on race day…well…those are mighty powerful things!  And they’re the things that you can take with you to your next great endeavor…

But…let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Before we solve the problems of the world…and yes…I believe this group could make some great strides toward doing that…let’s not overlook the specialness of this Saturday morning.  You’ve worked hard to get to this point, and it’s going to be an amazing day….an incredible reward for sticking to the daily grind.  So soak it up!  Enjoy the bands…enjoy your teammates and all of the people around you…and enjoy the fact that you truly belong out there…It’s going to be a wonderful celebration!

Go Team!

A few final tips…

It may be warm tomorrow…
Remember to hydrate! Both during the race…and before. If you have a long wait at the start, be sure to bring (or seek out) water to sip on.
Dress appropriately! If it seems chilly at the start, remember that it (and you) will warm up!  Layer your clothing for easy removal later in the race when you may not want all of it.
As the sun comes up, try to run and walk on the shady side of the road…
…and remember SUNSCREEN!!!!

For those of you not participating in the race, consider meeting up with Lenore Miller and Laura Lewis out on Lake Washington Blvd where the racers connect with I-90.  They’re planning to show up around 8:00am.

That’s all for now…Take it easy today…Get some good rest tonight.

I’ll see ya at O’Dark Thirty tomorrow morning!

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Well….here we are. The last practice of the spring season…and what a spring season it’s been!   “Spring season?!”  you may be asking…”What exactly has been spring about this season??!” …Well…despite this exceptionally glum weather we’ve been having, there actually have been some springtime moments.

In fact…and brace yourself….I’m about to go all Webster dictionary on you…there are several other ways to think of the word spring, and interestingly, I think some of them do apply very nicely to our team…For example the word “spring” could be mean..
•    To be resilient…
Jennifer Herlihy is “springing” back to form and seems to be totally recovered from injury.  She’s looking very strong for the Rock’n Roll Half and even has plans to compete in this year’s Transplant Olympics in July.
•    To issue with speed or force
Sam Patterson‘s definitely been “springing”out of the starting blocks by working on his speed and tackling a series of shorter races the past few months…He’s been picking up some big PR’s, and I expect he’ll come back as an even bigger force in August!
•    To grow…
It was just last year that Jason Stahl was reluctantly sitting on the sidelines wondering if he could really walk 13.1 miles…and now…he’s about to do it for the 2nd time!   He’s shown incredible growth over the past year and has really “sprung” up as leader on the team!
•    To make a leap…
How about Dennis Cole??…This guy is now out from his 2nd heart transplant and he’s RUNNING!!   That’s an incredible leap and “spring” forward from where he was a year ago!
•    To stretch out in height…
Has anybody noticed Micah Gwinn lately?…I think he’s been stretching out his training a bit…And with this improved fitness, comes the ability to “spring” up and reach toward new goals!   Can’t wait to see where that takes him next Saturday!
•    To leap over…
You should have seen Lucky and Seuss playing last Saturday!   When tiny Seuss stepped forward and offered the challenge, and the much larger Lucky gleefully accepted….well…you couldn’t have found a better example of leaping over and “springing”…What at a joy to watch such genuine, unbridled fun!…Of course…Seuss probably would have been much happier if someone had “sprung” him from his leash!:-)

…you know…when you think about…it really has been a pretty good spring season!

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Wow! Amazing…Wonderous…Warming…Radiating…Satisfying…Inspiring…Perspiring…Sweatspiring…Transforming…Photosynthesizing…Vegetable garden nourishing…Flower blooming…Red face coloring…Stay on top of  hydrating….Awesome…Vitamin D repleting…Invigorating …Energizing …Mood brightening…Shining…Yellow… Glowing… Awakening….Basking…Gotta get out and do something…Time to go shades shopping…What’s the latest on spf rating…lazy days are coming…Oh yeah!  there is a summer season…reassuring…

Last Saturday morning….Ssssunshiiiiine.

Sounds like we could be in for another bright Saturday morning….Even if you’re not doing the race or not up to 12 miles, don’t miss out on a chance to enjoy a beautiful day…and the good company of your fellow Team Transplanters!

SAMMY WINS IN A WALK !!!!!!!!!!!!

PORT ANGELES,WA-   Although officially finishing third in the 60-69 age division, Sam Patterson of Seattle’s University of Washington Medical Center Team Transplant was the first walker in that category to cross the finishline in the Olympic Discovery Marathon 5K, placing behind 2 runners.  His time of  51:29, averaged out to a 16.42 pace, on a course that routed participants along the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca Water Front Park.  His nearest competitor was 1:00 behind.

The course was downright muddy in two sections from an all-night rain, which finally let up around 7:00AM, two hours before the beginning of the 5K. The start was a shoulder-to-shoulder affair with both 5 and 10K competitors mixed together in a narrow gate behind the Red Lion hotel parking lot.

“Once that all got sorted out, it was fine,” said Patterson.  “Ennis Hill was pretty steep, but at home I train on a steep one, referring to the hill along 100th St. NW, although it’s shorter than this one was.  Once I crested the top, I just wanted to get out of there.”

Sam half-sprinted downhill finding his rhythm in the straightaway and looking smooth all the way into the finishline.

After shaving 9 seconds off his personal best for the 8k down in Olympia last month, Sam was ecstatic to cap off his spring season with another big PR for the 5k.   He plans to return for the Seattle Half Marathon training next fall.

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I know it’s easy to fall into a little lull at about this point in the season.  The novelty is wearing off and the race is still soooo far away!  That’s why I really recommend you get out and participate in one of the events listed below! It’ll add a little variety to your routine and give you a chance to see how much progress you’ve made in the last 2 months…

And in fact…I speak from personal experience.  My running had been getting a little dull the past few weeks so I decided to spice things up a bit and entered the Top Pot Doughnut 5k last Sunday.  And,  yes…I did receive more than a few raised eyebrows when I mentioned my plans.  After all…how could a dietitian support an event that champions doughnuts!?

Well…for me, it wasn’t about doughnuts….it wasn’t even about the official charity.  It was more about the pursuit of childhood exuberance.   You see…my dad was a high school track and cross-country coach; and during the summer, he’d encourage his runners to meet at our house early in the morning so that they could get their training in before it got really hot (This was Kansas remember), and often, I’d join them.  As an extra incentive, he’d occasionally organize a doughnut run.  We had a 2-mile loop from our house and Daylight Donuts was at the 1-1/2 mile mark.  We would run as hard as we could to the doughnuts, sit in the parking lot eating them, and then, of course, have to walk the remaining 1/2 mile home.

The Top Pot Doughnut 5k…it was hardly about the doughnuts…It was about recapturing a time when I ran just because I could…it wasn’t about trying to be healthy…or about pacing or official vs. chip times or maintaining weekly mileage…it didn’t have to be scheduled in between work and other commitments…and it certainly wasn’t something that I HAD to do…it was about doing what came naturally…running as hard as I could for as long as I could…and then celebrating the experience with good friends…over doughnuts and a carton of ice cold chocolate milk….and heading home to take a nap because there was nothing else to do.

…which is exactly what I did on Sunday!

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In case you were wondering…Jennifer Herlihy, who was sidelined by injury last fall, is back!    Even though we haven’t seen much of her this past season, she is running and is nearing, if not exceeding, last season’s form when she broke 2 hours for the Rock’n Roll Half Marathon.   She competed in the Seahawk Team Spirit 12k on April 11and finished with an incredible time of 1:04 (that’s 8:50 pace!)   I know she’s got big plans for this year’s RnR race and it looks like her steady progress which included taking the time needed to heal, cross training, and a gradual return to running has her right on track to meet her expectations!  We look forward to seeing more of her in May!

Sam Patterson, competed in the Walk for the Water 5k on Sunday.  From the sounds of things, he was having an incredible race up until about 4k when he had to stop for a few minutes and dropped from 3rd to last in his age group.   Despite this disappointment, Sam was able to take a philosophical look back on his performance…”This puts a lot in perspective.   Its called Team Transplant. We battle adversity.  There are a lot of people who have had it a lot worse and stayed the course.   Sunday was such a beautiful day to be down on the waterfront…the water…the mountains…the fresh air.  It was a great day to be alive!”

Perhaps an even bigger highlight for Sam is that being alive means that he gets to skate another day.  In his Monday night hockey game, he scored a goal on a break away and then followed it up by setting up two more goals.  A pretty successful weekend, I’d say!

Off to the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon!

Some words of inspiration from Shirley Schultz.   Shirley, a new liver recipient, joined us for the first time last fall.  This excerpt is from an article she contributed to her work newsletter as she reflects upon her race and her first season as a Team Transplanter…

And me? I participated with the UW Medical Center’s Team Transplant for a couple of reasons. Partly this was because the coach started recruiting me about two days after I received a new liver last March. I was a bit dubious – not only because at that time it was impossible to walk across the room, let alone a whole mile – but also because I have never in my life set a fitness goal and actually worked toward it in a consistent manner. Forget actually accomplishing a goal… I had always had one excuse or another.

I was finally able to join the training sessions in September and quickly realized I had completely underestimated the motivational power of a team! . There was something about knowing that the 65-year-old heart/lung recipient would be out there slogging through the course that really killed any excuses I might have had for skipping practice. There was also the encouragement from meeting and getting to know folks who are 20-year recipients, and watching the hard work of one teammate who was a month behind me. This overpowered lazy Saturday mornings to inspire cold or soggy or long runs and walks around Seattle. It overpowered muddy trails and steep hills and sore knees. It overpowered any sense of “I can’t” that I had.

Best of all, though, at some point on a muddy run through Discovery Park, I realized I was really, truly, having fun. I plan to continue and actually run the half marathon with Team Transplant this June… because I can for the first time in my life, it’s good for me, it’s a stress release, it’s a way to support friends, but mostly because it’s fun. I think that’s probably what my colleagues would say, too. Wish us luck (and good knees)!

Seattle Half Marathon Wrap Up—Another Amazing Team Transplant Weekend!

It’s almost been a week now…the dust has settled…your muscles are starting to limber up…the spring is returning to your step…and hopefully what you’ve just accomplished has started to sink in…because what you’ve just accomplished is a Big Deal.

For you rookies, simply finishing your first 5k or half marathon is a Big Deal. It may have been something that seemed unimaginable just 4 months ago and now…it’s a reality!  For those of you who’ve done this race nine times now…the training, the course, the build-up may all seem a bit routine, but think back to where you started.  To have 13.1 miles…on this challenging course…seem routine…That is a Big Deal!

While all of you followed the same path on race day, each of your journeys was different.  Your reasons for starting the training…for keeping it up…for actually making it to the starting line…All different.   And each year you do it, your reasons will probably change.   Next time your goal may be to not just finish, but to improve your time…or perhaps to use it as a way to encourage a family member or friend to exercise along with you… maybe you’ll try to run  it…or at least some more of it.   And while your motivations keep changing…they keep bringing you back…Back to the team where some things will stay the same.  You’ll continue to get stronger and healthier… to make lasting friendships…and to show the whole world that organ transplant recipients can and do live active, healthy lives!

And those things…well… those are the things that are the Biggest Deals of all!

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Highlights from the Big Weekend….Recapping a few memorable moments…
•    Watching our 5kers on Saturday morning…We had 11 participants entered in Saturday morning’s race including Vanessa Whitacre, Colin Rines, Carla Trulson-Essenberg, Reggie White, Jennifer Herlihy, and Frank Irigon.    They did an amazing job and showed that the continuum of training sometimes involves backing off and starting slowly…but not giving up completely!
•    Just as exciting was the support crew that showed up to cheer them on!   Believe me…when you’ve got Sam Patterson, Ron Adkins, Jason Stahl, Terry Way, Steve Reynolds, Lenard Yen, and Andy Deckert all rooting for you, you will pick up the pace!
•    Listening to Jennifer Herlihy and Jason Stahl tell their stories at the pre-race pasta dinner on Saturday night!   They did an incredible job and left everyone inspired for the next day’s events!
•    Hearing Janette Morantes say that she couldn’t believe how much better our team members looked coming up the hill on Galer compared to everyone else!
•    Mari-Jo Fraser‘s stealth appearance as she squeezed us in between baseball seasons!
•    Looking up to see Mark Rosinbum running up Galer Hill…and then watching Mark Scott, Lenard Yen, and Jonathon Baird (who, by the way, is totally a public speaker whether he thinks he is or not!)  all follow suit!
•    Anne Hagerty‘s big course PR!  She clipped 5 minutes off last year’s time and broke 3 hours in the process!
•    Dan Tennant’s and Shirley Schultz‘s incredible Team Transplant debuts!  Expect to seem them dipping below the 3-hour barrier very, very soon!
•    Terry Way and son, Jeff, finishing the race together; and Ron Adkins and daughter, Heather, doing the same!  It’s wonderful to see exercise becoming a family tradition!
•    Tami Sadusky…actually this is a missed memorable moment…I missed seeing the gap Tami gained on Mike coming up the hill.  Next time, Michael….I’ll be there!  You can count it!   And Tami…you go, girl!
•    Sam Patterson‘s course record of 4:11:06…Sam is now an HOUR faster than he was 5 years ago when he started with us.  Turns out he also negative splitted the race on Sunday (meaning he did the second half of the race faster than the first!)…an amazing feat in any race…but especially notable with the hills in the final half of this one.
•    Jason Stahl…Talk about continuum of training!   This guy has it down!  Last year he was just too fresh out of transplant to make 13.1 miles, but he still came up to do the 5k.  And this year…Look at him?   He’s a half-marathoner!
•    Having Dick Fitzgerald back!  He hasn’t sported a Team Transplant jersey for this race since 2006.  Good to know he’s returning to form!
•    Micah Gwinn…proving that commitment , dedication, and teamwork is what it’s all about as he finished along with good friend and training partner, Lenore Miller!
•    And last, but certainly not least….Allen Vary‘s debut marathon performance.  He learned the hard lesson that even when you do your best to train, things don’t have to go your way….But he also showed us that even though things don’t go your way, you can still feel pretty good about how you did!
Thanks for an amazing day, everyone! It truly was a privilege to be out there on Sunday to cheer you all on!

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Wow!  Can you believe it? Have you taken a look at the
training schedule?…You only have to go 6 miles on Saturday!  Six
miles…Think about the last time you saw a 6-mile workout on your
schedule.  It may have seemed daunting at the time.  Could you
really run or walk that far?  Now…crazy enough…you might be
wondering…Is it even worth the drive to Green Lake for such a piddly
workout?   Six miles is something that you could do on any
ordinary day,  but the difference is that doing it with Team Transplant is
anything but ordinary.  What you all have been doing over the past 4 months
has been nothing short of extra-ordinary.

For whatever reason…you decided back in August to make a commitment to do this race, the Seattle Half Marathon.  Maybe you wanted to lose weight…Maybe you wanted to meet new people or reconnect with old friends…Maybe you wanted to show everyone that even at 40 or 50 or 60, you’ve still got kick in you!…Maybe you wanted to celebrate the fact that you’ve started a new journey in life, one that includes second chances and a new lifestyle… Whatever your reason…You’ve now discovered that Gatorade isn’t terrible, and that you love Fig Newtons…Your training turf ranges from Redmond to Discovery Park…You know that you can manage 10-12 miles, even when hills are involved…And…you’ve got a whole bunch of  friends who expect to see you on Saturday mornings…including this Saturday morning when you’re ONLY going 6 miles…

There’s nothing piddly about that….nothing piddly at all.

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Wow…that was blustery day out at Kirkland on Saturday! I’m sure many of you heard the wind and rain and opted to stay at home under the covers….an understandable decision.  Yet we had a crew of about 20 who chose to show up.  Unbelievably, one of them was Mark Scott, who drove alll the way from Magnolia to join us and who hasn’t been as visible this season because of his son’s soccer season. Crazy that he picked Saturday to ramp up his training!   As he got out his car to greet me, he said, “Soccer season is over.  The  team went 7-1…My son had a happy season.”

Mmmm…the Happy Season!  Who doesn’t love a happy season!?  In my more competitive days, the happy season meant running fast times; winning races;competing for state and league championships; qualifying for big races; placing at nationals; eating pre-race dinners at Valentino’s all-you-can-eat Italian buffet and celebrating with lunch at the Sirloin Stockade after important meets.   But now that I’m older,  I’m hoping that a happy season doesn’t have to depend on a win-loss record or a stopwatch.  I want happy to have a deeper meaning…but how then do you measure one season against another?  Mark’s comment made me wonder…When I look back on this past season, what are the things that are going to make it happy for me?
•    Patrick Green‘s neon orange shoelaces (how can you not smile when you see his feet??)
•    Rachel Lyon‘s and Jeff Edelman‘s marathon PR’s
•    Jason Stahl‘s 6 minute PR in the 5k and the anticipation of his debut half marathon
•    Terry Way’s son, Jefferson,  joining our team!
•   Jennifer Herlihy and Bridget O’Connor taking an interest in interval running
•    Seeing Allen Vary running along Juanita Way as I drove to practice on Saturday…and realizing later that he had NOT just run from Ballard!
•    TT Homeland Security‘s incredible commitment…Would you believe they went searching for our lost cone in last Saturday’s blustery weather?
•    Thursday night hill workouts with Seth Hennessey, Sam Patterson, Micah Gwinn, Jonathon Baird, and the Millers
•    Random encounters with Mark Rosinbum…recently seen walking across the Fremont Bridge on Thursday afternoon.
•    Mari Jo Fraser‘s butterfly balloon at Issaquah
•    Watching our rookies, Dan Tenant and Shirley Schultz, mix it up with our veterans
•    Lenard Yen’s incredible web design talent!
•    Sam Niles loving her water station duties on race day!
•    Having James Boeckstiegel be able to participate in practices and getting to cheer him on in the 5k on Nov. 28th!
I hope that you too can look back upon the past few months and find things that will make this a happy season for you!

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Amazing to think that we only have 2 more long workouts to go!   It’s been quite a year, and we’ve had some amazing breakthroughs in the past few weeks. Our newly transplanted members, Shirley Schultz and Dan Tennant,  are performing at an incredible level;  Allen Vary completed his 20-mile run on Saturday and has his sights set on the whole marathon on Nov. 29th; Jason Stahl clipped 6 minutes off his 5k time last weekend; and Jonathon Baird and Dick Fitzgerald just continue to get stronger and stronger.

But just as exciting as a breakthrough season is the comeback.  For some of you, this year has just proven to have too many challenges…from  health concerns to injuries to family and work commitments, all of which can make training for a half marathon seem like a dream.  The important thing to remember is that these setbacks aren’t the final answer.  Quite often, setbacks are followed by comebacks which result in breakthroughs.  I don’t know if any of you watched the New York City Marathon last weekend, but it showcased an amazing comeback.   Meb Keflezighi became the first American to win the race in 27 years!   It was an incredible comeback and breakthrough for a truly amazing person who’s had his share of setbacks over the past few years. (for more on Meb’s journey, go to: http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2009/11/meb-keflezighi.html#Replay)

As Dick Fitzgerald so aptly put it on Saturday, the breakthrough is when you feel that all of the “pieces fall into place,” training gets easier, and it becomes less of a struggle and you feel like you’re getting faster.  And, as Meb would advise, it’s a time that you need to “Cherish…it’s a beautiful thing, when you can click the miles along. It’s a beautiful thing, and you better cherish it.”

Setbacks are inevitable.  They’re a part of sport…and definitely a part of life.  But remember…the dream of the breakthrough is what gets you through those setbacks and drives your comeback. So if you’re someone who’s experiencing a breakthrough year,  follow Meb’s words of wisdom and cherish it.  If you’re someone struggling through setbacks this season…Don’t give up.  Your turn is coming!

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We were certainly treated to a beautiful day out at Alki last Saturday morning…much different than our last little adventure out there!   Once again Ron pulled off a phenomenal course including the additional Endolyne Joe loop to make sure the mileage was accurate (we had a few complaints last year from people who felt short-changed after their Garmins showed that their total mileage was only 9 vs. the 10 miles they were expecting)

To fulfill my coaching duties, I decided to drive out to Lincoln Park to see how everyone was doing. I planted myself in the upper parking lot of the park where I could catch all of you as you came up the trail back onto the street.   If you remember, this was the critical juncture where you chose to take the Endolyne Joe loop or head back to Alki.   The first person I saw pop out of the park was Steve Miller, aka, the greatest downhill runner ever.  He didn’t stop long to chat because close behind him were Jonathon Baird and Mark Rosinbum…He greeted me quickly and then charged downhill to the ferry terminal.  As Jonathon and Mark approached me,  they indicated that they would be going separate directions.  Jonathon, to Endolyne Joe’s.  Mark, back to Alki.  Strange, I thought…They seemed to be having such a lovely time together.

As they parted ways, Mark turned to me and said, “I’m going back.  I find that leg down to Endolyne Joe’s offensive.”   When he saw the funny look on my face, he explained, “It disrupts the flow.  I really like the way this course flows and that little leg just doesn’t fit.”

Wow…I get that.  Sure, it feels good to know that I’ve gone exactly the 12 miles I intended to do, but it’s never as exciting as the times I’ve experienced a run with good flow.  There’s nothing more exhilarating than feeling like everything is in synch…my stride is smooth…breathing comes easily…the twists and curves of the course feel natural…and, mentally, it feels like I can keep going forever…no one can beat me…I can only run faster.  It doesn’t happen very often…so when it does, I can certainly appreciate the importance of protecting it.  Don’t get me wrong…I can be just as much of a mileage cruncher as the next person…In fact, I  caught myself doing this just the other day…I was running to the Park’n Ride to pick up my car.  I was under kind of a tight schedule, and in getting to my destination, I had settled into a pretty nice rhythm…probably the best I could hope for with a pack on my back…but when I got there, I was 5 minutes short of my 45-minute running goal.  Since I didn’t want to take time to wait at stoplights, I opted to spend the next 5 minutes running around the Park’n Ride parking lot.  It was awful…clunky…my rhythm was gone. And to use Mark’s words…It was offensive!

Now…I’m not saying that getting in your mileage isn’t important…and I’m not saying that I think that the Endolyne Joe’s loop was offensive.  Flow is a very personal thing.  There will, of course, be times that you’ll  have to press through the clunkiness to get in the proper training…but when you do get that rare opportunity to enjoy the sensation of flow…go with it!.   It can definitely give your workout a lift and transform the idea of training into a magical experience!

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For those of you who missed it,  last Saturday’s practice was a lot of fun!   We had a smaller turnout…probably the weather?… but it was a very spirited group that showed up.  As we started the warm-up, one of our members made a comment that I appreciated very much.  “I figured I could go out and do my run alone or show up and do it with someone else.  I decided that it’s much better to have someone else to run with.”   It’s true…it’s much more fun to have someone to talk to and to hold you accountable to running or walking the entire workout…but not only that…it’s nice to know that there’s someone else out there who understands and gets why you had to drive all the way to Discovery Park early on a rainy Saturday morning…to exercise.

When I first started back to running competitively after moving to Seattle, I joined a group that did track workouts at the dirt track at Green Lake.  You can only imagine what that track looked like after a week like we’ve had.  Mud…Puddles…goo!  Yet, 20-30 people would show up every Wednesday to run intervals around that track.  Afterwards, I’d have mud caked on my legs; flecks of mud on my face; clumps of mud in my hair; industrial strength mudstains running up the back of my shirt that no laundry detergent could ever remove.   On one especially wet, dreary, rainy, muddy night, I  stopped at 7-11 on my way home to buy some Gatorade.  As I walked up to the counter to purchase my drink, the clerk looked at me and said, “It looks like someone’s been having some fun.”  It’s only when I caught a glance at my reflection in the window that I realized that the way I’d chosen to spend my evening..It probably wasn’t normal…Nor was it apparently normal to meet friends for a long marathon training run at 5:30am on a Friday morning before work.   From a scheduling standpoint, it all worked out…I was done running by 8:00; into work by 9:00, but later on when someone asked why I looked tired, and I’d have to explain that I’d gotten up super early so that I could run 20-ish miles…the look on their faces…well…It’s then that I realized that what I’d done..it probably wasn’t considered normal either.  But, I have to say..it was nice to know that I had those 20-30 other people who understood why on a muddy Wednesday night I had to go run intervals…even if the track was sloppy and that I had those friends who knew why,  of course, it made sense to squeeze a long run in before work when I already had a busy weekend planned.  It was good to know that there were others out there who got it…almost like a secret or inside joke we all shared and no one else was privileged to it.

So for all of you who stopped for coffee after Saturday’s practice despite the mud caked on your legs…or returned home to greet family members who were completely turned off by your rain-drenched, sweaty presence…or had to explain why you really deserved that nap on Saturday afternoon…know that you aren’t alone.  You have a group of friends in Team Transplant who completely understand and get it…and were happy to share the experience with you!

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I hope the training’s going well. Amazing to think that we are just 6 weeks away from the big race!   Between now and then, we’ll be venturing onto some hillier courses and continuing to increase our long workouts on Saturdays in preparation for the 13.1 miles on November 29th.  And the irony of it all?  Just as we’re getting down to the nitty gritty with our training, the weather starts to change and the days grow shorter, making it even more of a challenge!   While it may be easier now to come up with reasons to avoid your workouts, it’s important to remember that there are still many more reasons for why you should stick with your training routine…Reasons that don’t depend on the weather or the time the sun sets.  You can still get stronger and fitter and improve your overall health; you can still enjoy the camaraderie of good friends and teammates; and you can still help bring attention to donor awareness and the impact of transplantation.

It may mean you have to stray from your usual routine a bit by adjusting your schedule or planning to do more of your workouts on a treadmill or by adding an extra layer to your usual training attire, but the benefits?   Without a doubt…they’re worth the extra effort!

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Wow!  Can you believe we are already closing in on the halfway point for our training?!   As a means of evaluating our progress, I thought this might be a good time to recap some of the season’s highlights:
1.)  We’re getting hoodies!
2.)  It turns out that foliage green is a very pleasant color!
3.)  We’ve found a couple of great new training locations at Montlake Community Center, Lower Woodlands, and Volunteer Park!
4.)  Wow!  We’ve had amazing weather!!
5.)  And now rain is now considered a refreshing alternative!
6.)  I’ve been able to come up with some new training tips!!  (Be sure to check out this week’s!)
7.)  Our vounteer support has been incredible!  People are stepping up to help out with water stations and our TT Department of Homeland Security continues to make practices run oh so smoothly!
8)   All of you…Once again our roster is topping the 80-member mark which includes 25 members who are transplant recipients or donors!  The fact that you’re all out there working to improve your fitness, showing off the benefits of transplantation, and supporting each other along the way is the biggest highlight of all!

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Kudos to everyone who ventured out to try our new course last weekend!   We had another phenomenal turnout…and I’ve gotten nothing put positive feeback about the new route.  Not knowing the Capital Hill area well myself, I was a little hesitant to go there, but it turned out to be a very scenic, residential, urban alternative to our wilderness jaunts out at Discovery Park and Redmond Town Center.  We’ve also been trying out something different with our Thursday night workouts by mixing up the terrain a bit with our practices in Lower Woodlands….I’m still trying to sort out the best way to coordinate these practices so there’s a bit of a learning curve and the appearance of some disorganization ( though I do think the cones work better than the whistle so I think we’re making progress!), but it’s so refreshing to try something new.

I’ve also been finding this with my own running.  As a competitive runner, it’s easy to get locked into certain routines.  You know exactly how far a course is and exactly how long it should take you to finish it; and you can fixate on having a consistent measure.  However, lately, its been weighing me down.  I need to focus on enjoying my runs…not on using them as tools for comparison. So I too have been looking for new routes; adding new twists to my old ones; and trying to do a better job of coordinating with friends to make my outings more social.

For those of you who are a little uncertain about training with the group or not sure if you want to drive alll the way out to West Seattle or are locked into measuring your progress on one particular route…why not come out and at least give a Saturday practice a try?  We’ve got a beautiful course planned for you out at Alki this weekend—it’s tried and true so no learning curves or disorganization involved—and we’ve got great people for you to train with.  I guarantee it’ll be a refreshing alternative—you won’t have any choice but to focus on enjoying your walk or run!

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Wow!  I don’t know about you, but I woke up around 5:30 last Saturday morning, heard the rain, and thought…ughhh…I can’t believe I’m going to have to drive down to Seward Park.  Who is going to show up?…It’s pouring out!  And, if they do show…They’re not going to be happy!   Then I thought…I’m sure it’ll stop by the time I have to get out of bed….It almost always does…and rolled over and went back to sleep…until Janette called at 6:30…It was still raining….and hard… to tell me that Susan Bussell had called her requesting that she bring the canopy (a sure sign that the weather wasn’t any better down south).  Since Janette was out with a cold…she wondered if perhaps I could swing by her house to get the canopy on my way down to Seward Park.  Wow…Now I was responsible for bringing something.   I laid in bed…thinking that I’d get up when the rain stopped…but it didn’t.  The rain just kept falling…and, as far as I could tell,  it hadn’t let up since 5:30.  Finally…I dragged myself out of bed. It was 7:10…so much for leaving my house by 7:00.  I made it out the door, into the car, to Janette’s…all the time thinking…This is just goofy!   Who in their right mind is going to show up?  It’s miserable out here!…Who is the crazy person who thought this was a good idea anyway?  I mean really…every Saturday!?!  Even when it’s raining?!

As I neared Seward Park, my spirits lifted…no, it hadn’t stopped raining, not even close…but I saw our very cheerful yellow cones already set up to mark our practice route.  Rachel Lyons ran by.  She was getting in her extra marathon-training mileage before the rest of the group showed up.  Harch and Susan Bussell were waiting eagerly for me at the park entrance, ready to assemble the canopy.  Obviously they were looking forward to a little shelter.  Team in Training was camped out across the street, their water station person huddled in a car, eyeing our canopy with envy I’m sure!   Terry Way and his son pulled into the parking lot next to me, and then Lenard drifted in…Thankfully people who could lead stretches!   Allen Vary rolled in on his bike.  He had ridden from Ballard….and had the soaking wet cycling attire to prove it!   Mark Scott and Co…Tami and Mike…Lenore, Steve, and Micah…Shirley Schultz, making her debut appearance….people just kept coming!  Mark Rosinbum popped up on the scene…right on time…to report for water station duty while Nancy Colobong Smith and husband Tim slid in, per their usual routine, just at the last minute, to catch everyone as they headed out onto the course…All totalled, we had a crew of about 30 people show up!

What can I say?   Thanks for being a part of the goofiness!  Your commitment and dedication continues to amaze me, and your positive attitudes are always an inspiration (I didn’t hear one complaint about the morning!)  And, believe it or not…it did actually finally stop raining just as we headed out to walk and run.

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I don’t know if you’ve been paying any attention to it…but I’ve been totally caught up in watching the World Championships for Track and Field this week. Held every 2 years, the World Championships are a chance for the best athletes in the world to come together in head-to-head competition during the non-Olympic years. Since the sprinting races are always favorites to show on TV, you can often hear the commentators discussing an athlete’s ability to get off to a good start. It can completely make or break a race for them…so much so that the athletes spend hours just practicing this particular aspect of their race. The start determines their role in the race…will they be the one who has control of the race or will they be the one playing catch up?…and a good start can give them an extra edge on their opponents. Even though it may be as little as .01 second, it can be huge in a race like the 100m.

Well…last weekend’s practice may have been the beginning of something a little longer than the 9.58 seconds it now takes to run the 100m dash, but I think it still carries a lot of meaning. As the official start to our season, Saturday made it clear that we are off to one incredible time! From the beautiful weather to the phenomenal turnout to the amazing breakfast spread to the warm camaraderie and team spirit that all of you brought with you, it’s certain that we aren’t in this to play catch up. In our case…it’s not about crossing the line in first place or in record time. It’s about making healthy lifestyle choices and being a part of a community that supports those choices. There may be no finishline tape waiting for us, but it’s the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle that determines who’s the winner here. And it’s clear…in this race…we have the edge! The gun has gone off…and we are out of the blocks running (and walking!) Let’s keep that momentum going!

Team Transplant’s Rock ‘h Roll Season:

With our season entering its second month, we continue to blow out our previous spring training turnout records!!Believe it or not, we are averaging 50 people each Saturday morning! And, this isn’t 50 people choosing to roll out of bed at 10:00 in the morning or 50 people choosing to come out if the weather looks okay. This is 50 people who are making the decision to get an early active uplifting start to their weekends even if it means going to be a little early on Friday night or having to set an alarm on their day off, and more importantly, this is 50 people who are making the commitment to reach their training goals no matter what the day may bring. And don’t think it’s not being noticed…Your enthusiasm has been contagious! I keep getting e-mails from people who would like to join us. The race is still 3 months away, my friends…I can’t wait to see where all of this excitement and energy is going to take us!

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Such a beautiful time of year (at least for today it seems so!)…I think this is the fun part of starting our training in March and going through June.  We get to see how Mother Nature transforms herself from the barren grayness of winter to the bursting with color of spring!  And, as I think about it some more, this idea of transformation is a theme that’s been carried throughout UWMC this entire week.  Our Dr. Baktha was awarded the Service Excellence award for his efforts to make a kidney transplant happen during the December snowstorm; we celebrated the unveiling of the organ transplant tribute wall on Tuesday; and the hospital will celebrate its 50th anniversary this weekend.  Each of these events recognizes in some way the impact and transformational nature of organ donation and transplantation.
It’s been a lot of fun to be a part of these celebrations, but for me, I feel even more blessed to be able to witness this transformation on a personal level every single Saturday morning.  To watch so many of you, who may have never dreamed of doing anything active before, suddenly realize that yes, you can do a half marathon (or a 5k or a full marathon), is pretty amazing!  And it’s not just the progression over the course of 16 weeks.  It’s amazing to see the progression of those who’ve been involved for the past 8 years.  The transformation just continues.  It doesn’t end once you’ve crossed the finishline.  Each race…in fact, each step starting with your very first Team Transplant practice…is a building block for your next great adventure…whatever that might be.   This transformation..this process of training…is a such an amazing journey…a bright, beautiful, bursting with color journey.  And I can’t wait to see where it takes each one of you!

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Hey, everyone..
It’s about this point in the season where I feel like I’m turning into a broken record… You guys are so amazing that you don’t give me much else to say other than “Wow! What an incredible turnout!  You’re all doing awesome! Can’t wait for race day!  Our team is going to rock!  Keep up the good work!”   And, that may be how some of you feel about training right now…You know it’s going great, but you’re a little tired of your training routes; looking forward to another way to spend a Saturday morning; ready to think about something else….All of that is normal.   I do it, too, but the important thing to remember is that what you all are doing is making a huge impact…in fact, I was at a party a couple of weekends ago and a friend told me that she had become an organ donor for the first time because of our team…That’s amazing!  And, it’s not just about doing the race.  It’s about taking the time and making the effort to prepare for it…to make the event something special by making exercise and fitness a part of your regular lifestyle habits…   The race is going to be huge and exciting…but it’s what happens along the way that makes it possible.  That’s what gets people’s attention.

So all I have for you today is…”Wow! What an incredible turnout!  You’re all doing awesome! Can’t wait for race day!  Our team is going to rock!  Keep up the good work!” And while you’re all doing that good work…I’m going to go look for a thesaurus!:-)

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…a Running (and Walking) Nirvana…That’s what they’re calling this weekend.  Using my new love of looking things up in the dictionary and thesaurus, it’s interesting to note that one of the definitions for nirvana is “oblivion to pain, worry, and the external world.”   Now I’m not sure if that exactly applies to what most of us have experienced during a half marathon or marathon, and I have to admit my episodes of runners high have been few and far between.  But I do think it’s a great way to approach the race…Everyone does best when they’re feeling relaxed, and this race is going to be A LOT of fun…So go out and enjoy the experience! Enjoy the music!  Enjoy the course!  Let the wave of 25,000 people carry you along…What will be will be (that was just on the radio:-).  You’ve done the training…Some of you  have even dialed it up a notch or two over the last few months.  I couldn’t be more proud of how the season has gone.  If you don’t quite manage a Nirvana experience…at least go out and have a rockin’ good time!

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Wow!  That was fun! I don’t think we could have asked for a more beautiful day…While it might have been a touch on the warm side for racing, it was pretty much perfect for spectating.  And, in my role as the Queen Bee Spectator, I can’t believe how many of you I was able to see during the race…I mean there were like 24,925 people I had to sort through to find you…And what I saw when I saw you was so darn cool…You all were having so much fun!….no cares in the world…trekking along “oblivious to pain, worry, and the external world”……Nirvana?  Only you can be the judge of that.  A rockin’ good time?  You made me a believer!

But what was most impressive was how much you all enjoyed looking out for each other and seeing each other before, during, and after the race.  That kind of camaraderie is a special thing…not all teams have it.  But you guys…you guys…I think you do.   According to Wikipedia (I’m branching out here),  the most effective team is produced when “all the individuals involved harmonize their contributions and work towards a common goal.”
Now, I know I tend to be the competitive one of the bunch so I always think this means winning, but truly, you all understand that there is a goal bigger than winning a race or championship.  It’s overcoming obstacles…and not letting little things drag you down.  It’s striving to get the most out of life…and enjoying every single moment of the day.  It’s embracing a healthy, active lifestyle…and showing that transplant recipients and donors can live that way too.   It’s surrounding yourself with people who support and encourage you…and to whom you can return the favor once in awhile.
A band at every mile?  Who needs that?  With UWMC Team Transplant in the mix, there is bound to be plenty of good harmony all along the way!