Are Marathons Healthy

Around nine months ago I wrote a post questioning whether or not Marathons are healthy. I wrote the post a few days after I had completed the ING Georgia Marathon. In the half a year since that has passed I have trained for and ran the New York City Marathon and I am currently a few weeks away from running in the Disney Marathon.

The good news for anyone interested in running a Marathon is that I am still running with no real problems. I have reduced my mile pace by close to a minute and I have also lost close to fifteen pounds. I have been taking a vitamin supplement as well as glucosamine. I still can feel an old hip injury during the first couple of miles but otherwise I have not noticed any changes in my body.

The scary news is that during the past few months there have been multiple cases of sudden death during marathons. Chad Schieber collapsed during the Chicago Marathon this summer. His death has been attributed to a pre-existing heart condition. In April, 22 year old David Rogers collapsed after completing the London Marathon. His death has been attributed to hyponatraemia. Finally, there was the highly publicized death of Ryan Shay, the elite runner who perished while attempting to qualify for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. His death has also been linked to a pre-existing heart condition.

It should be noted that these young men who died while running made up a very small percentage of those who ran in Marathons and finished without a problem. Most of these men had pre-existing conditions and the stress of the marathon was too much for their bodies to take. These unfortunate events highlight the need to get a proper medical exam before attempting to run long distances. Marathons place a enormous amount of stress on the human body and you need to be sure that you are not putting yourself in danger.

Can the interenet be used to make money?

I apologize to the few people who actually read this blog on occasion, as I have not done much to keep your interest levels up. The past month has been quite turbulent as far as my work and social life goes, plus the weeks before Christmas break are always crazy at school. This is of course not a good excuse since I actually still have been doing some writing.

Some of you may remember Don Lapre, the "nutritionist" who enthusiastically told late night television viewers how he made "millions of dollars from his one-bedroom apartment by placing tiny ads in newspapers around the country." Well, my scheme does not really sink to that level of desperation but it is not much better.

If you have used the Internet in the past few months, you may have noticed that there is an abundance of advertisements strategically placed on many websites. These ads provide revenue for the owner of the website each time they are clicked on. The amount of money is determined the type of advertisement and if the click results in a sale for the advertiser.

As a young college graduate with limited wisdom on the workings of the world, there are unfortunately a limited number of topics that I can provide advice about. The one topic that I do know quite a lot about is obtaining funding for college. I had to take out student loans for both undergraduate and graduate school. As a result of the research I did, I believe I can provide somewhat sound advice for students attempting to pay for their education. The best part of my idea is that the advertisements that I have placed on my website are quite lucrative.

Now that you have taken the time to read this post, please be sure to check out the sound financial advice on my Student Loan Advice website! Perhaps you will even help me pay off my own loans by visiting some of the advertisers on my website. Hopefully you will see me some day talking about how I made millions from my one bedroom apartment by placing tiny advertisements on websites all over the Internet.

I beat P-Diddy

Well, the NYC Marathon is a couple weeks behind me and I am just finally sitting down to write about it. The race itself was incredible. I give a lot of credit to the New York Road Runners organization for putting on a great run. They were able to organize over 40,000 runners into three starting areas and based on previous finishing times. These runners were then herded into starting corrals which allowed for a somewhat organized start of the race.

The sight of NYC from street level is an experience I will never forget. The sight of Manhattan from the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge was incredible. The various ethnic neighborhoods kept my mind on the surrounding environment and not on what my body was telling me. I also was fortunate enough to have the support of my family who made the trip to NYC to cheer me on.

The most memorable part of the race will forever be the Queensboro Bridge. This two mile long span is known for being especially difficult because of a lack of fans encouraging you on as well as no water stops. As we ran up the first mile which is a slow and gradual incline to the apex of the bridge, the only sound to be heard were the pounding of shoes on the deck of the bridge. Halfway up we passed a runner from the wheel chair class who was struggling up the incline backwards, propelling himself upward with his one functional leg. I began to cheer for him and my shouting spread to hundreds of other runners on the bridge.

Once we reached the pinnacle of the bridge and began our descent, something could be heard from up ahead. It started out faint, but with each step it grew louder. As we approached the end of the bridge, there was a sharp turn to the left and then a steep 180 degree turn. The sound had grown into a powerful roar, and that is when the sight thousands of people standing 10 deep on the barriers hit me.

The rest of the race became increasingly difficult mentally as I physically began to deteriorate. My quads and calf cramped up into knots that grew larger with each step. Without the support of the fans and my family, it would have been difficult to finish. I was reduced to walking for a few minutes each mile after mile 22. The surge of energy that I had hoped would hit me as I came withing a mile of the finish failed to materialize. I felt worse with each step even as I crossed the finish line. It was a good feeling to be done, however, I was both mentally and physically drained.

Overall, the race was a great experience. My training paid off, and I was able to finish with a decent time (just over 4 hours.) I am grateful for the opportunity to see NYC from street level and I cannot thank those who cheered me on enough. I am also glad that I was able to beat Sean "puff daddy" Comb's time by more than 10 minutes.

NYC Marathon

I leave tomorrow morning to run in the New York City Marathon! I have been training diligently since I found out that I was admitted via the Lottery. The weather appears like it should be favorable and I hope to finish with a decent time. I will be sure to post my results and opinions about the race in the days following the event.

Over 110,000 people tried to get into this marathon, and I am one of the lucky 38,000 that will have the opportunity to run this race. I hope that I do not let down my friends and family who will be watching and that I can finish strong.

Updates will be posted soon!

The Toronto Bills?!

The rumor mill is churning out all kinds of speculation about the Buffalo Bills. The most recent disappointing loss to the Cowboys on MNF in the closing seconds of the game has started anew grumbling in upstate New York. As most NFL fans know, the Bills are considered one of the most unlucky teams in the league. Their four Super Bowl losses in a row is a record that few teams will ever hope to beat.

With yet another losing season in progress and a lack of any economic recovery in Buffalo, NY, rumors have started about a possible sale of the franchise. Owner Ralph Wilson has repeatedly stated that he has no intention of moving the Bills anywhere. However, like Ponce De Leon, Ralph Wilson has not discovered the Fountain of Youth and will most likely die soon. When that does happen there may be a power struggle that could rival that of Imperial Russia.

Apparently Ralph Wilson will not be leaving the Bills to his sons due to inheritance taxes. This means that the team will be up for grabs to the highest bidder. There has been rumors that the slow economy and lack of funds could push the Bills into the territory of our maple syrup and beer producing neighbor to the north. The promise of a new stadium and larger fan base could lead to the final loss for Buffalo.

During the 2008-2009 season, the Bills will play a pre-season game in Toronto. The following year the Bills will play a pre-season and one regular season game. This could be the beginning of the end of the Bills. It may be up to a local billionaire to pick up the pieces, much like how Tom Galisano was able to revive the Buffalo Sabres. As a loyal Bills fan, I can only hope that NFL football remains in Buffalo.

Jar wars

Jar Wars Video

Jar Wars

For the past three years I have organized a fund raiser. The idea for the fund raiser was taken from my high school. On an annual basis, our school would anticipate the arrival of Jar Wars. The details of the event were kept a secret for most of the year. There were periodic announcements on the school television station, but these commercials were cryptic and kept the underclassmen in the dark.

The Jar Wars fund raiser was created by Mr. Carmen Gumina. His enthusiasm for the project was contagious. He was a Biology teacher at Webster High School and is currently serving as a Principal in the same school district. When I became a teacher I reflected on my high school experience and thought about what had made it a truly unique experience. The one event that I looked forward to each year was the Jar Wars fund raiser. As I began my own career on the west coast of Florida, I hoped to start a similar event for my students.

Monday will kick off the competition. This year we are raising money for the Achilles Track Club, a local organization that encourages people with disabilities to participate in athletics. We hope to beat the total from last year which was over $2,800. There are no administrative costs; all money will go directly to the charity. All prizes that are given to the winning team have been donated from our community.

To follow in the footsteps of Mr. Gumina, I have put my dignity on the line and offer up my hair as a reward to the students. Should they raise more than $3,000 this year, I will shave my head on the morning news. This morning was the culmination of a advertising contest for Jar Wars. The students who designed the most creative advertisements won a small prize and were invited to come on the morning announcements and smash a pie in my face. The odor of curdled whipped cream is still in my nose, but hopefully it will make the smell of a successful fund raiser that much sweeter.