Ozzie's Marathon Training

Manassas Battlefield Run

2009-03-28T03:44:00.001-07:00

My Monday afternoon run in the Manassas Battlefield Park turned out to be one of my best places to train. The San Diego Marathon is supposed to be a very tough marathon because of the many hills sot the winding hilly terrain was the perfect environment for my training. The additional feature in regards to training is that the trails are covered with mulch which really helped absorb the impact on my knees. This seemed to shorten my recovery period after my 14 mile run in the park. Now for the real reason that the run was so incredible. The trails are all beautiful some wind through heavy trees and along babbling streams and others would suddenly open up into large expansive fields. The constant changing terrain and the sudden appearance of various wild animals made the running incredible. I nearly ran into several herds of deer along the paths that didn’t seem to mind my presence. They were nearly close enough for me to touch them as I ran by. I saw an assortment of birds such as a titmouse, bluebird, ducks, geese and chickadees but my most exciting was the Piliated Woodpecker. I have only seen them twice in my life. They are extremely large woodpeckers and were the model for the woody woodpecker cartoon. This isn’t my first time here in these trails during my recovery from my knee surgery; I would come out to hike in order to build up my strength prior to running. This was during a time that I wasn’t sure if I could run again so it is a special place for me. I will need to make a point of coming back here more often.

Ozzie

If you wish to provide support in fighting Leukemia & Lymphoma please go to the link

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/rnr09/ovazquez

If you want to take a look at the training route take a look at the link

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/PML3ZO7JQFX4DB3JPOQIDPQEEM

A Great Sunday Team Run

2009-03-22T16:44:00.001-07:00

This has by far been one of the best training runs that I have had so far. The run today was with our Northern Virginia Team In Training at Fletcher's Boat House Washington D.C. It was a beautiful run and I was able to take many pictures as we ran the course. Everyone who will be running the San Diego Marathon complete a 12 mile run along the canal beginning at Fletcher’s Boat House. It has turned out to be one of my favorite places to run. The scenery is wonderful with many changes in terrain and many people out running and biking so you never get bored. I had a great conversation with many of my team mates. I have posted all of today’s pictures on my facebook account using my ovazquez@earthlink.net address. Please feel free to take a look at the pictures. My knees held up well with no pain so maybe this marathon will turn out to be a little faster then I planned, we will see. Anyway just thought that I would send a quick note to let everyone know how my training was going.

Take care
Ozzie

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/rnr09/ovazquez http://ozziesmarathontraining.blogspot.com/

If you want to take a look at the training route take a look at the link http://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/4DEAHN2NCMCGMPHKFNDQQBLBYY

My Rainy Run in D.C.

2009-03-17T03:40:00.000-07:00

I feel blessed to be able to run in such an awesome place. It was 47 and rainy last night, a perfect night for a long run. I was a little worried about my knees holding up but I knew that I had to start logging miles again. So, I took it very easy. I ran across the 395 bridge into D.C. and then followed the shore of the Potomac passing the fish market. I need to stop their sometime with Sue and do a little shopping. It looks like a great place. I then ran down to the Washington Navy Yard and turned inland passing the 8th & I Marines, sure miss wearing the uniform. I continued to the Capital building, senate offices, Washington Monument along the mall. It’s very inspiring and I thought especially beautiful in the rain. Finally pasted the Jefferson Memorial one last time and headed home. I am a little sore but better then the past few weeks. I am hoping that I feel ok this week while I ramp my mileage back up. I am hoping to run about 55 miles this week. If you want to check out my run, you can take a look at the following link.

http://www.trainingpeaks.com/sw/JXHGK466WNBJINP3CXXFCI2HAI

please take a look at the following sites.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/rnr09/ovazquez

http://www.lls.org/hm_lls

Current Training

2009-03-11T17:31:00.000-07:00

I have had several wonderful runs along the Patomac River. The views of the capital are inspiring and do make it easy for me to continue my training. So far the longest run that I have completed was a 16 mile run that took me around many of the monuments in D.C. Unfortuntely I did injure myself stepping into a hole. I believe that I may have torn the miniscus in my right knee as well. It seems to be holding up and I don't think that it will keep me from completing the San Diego Marathon.

please take a look at the following sites.
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/rnr09/ovazquez
http://www.lls.org/hm_lls

Dan Park

2009-02-25T14:18:00.000-08:00

This week, I'd like to share the story of Dan Park, the son of long-time Team in Training participants (Coach) John and Pam Park, whose experience with lymphoma and the supports received from the Society led to the family's ongoing involvement with TNT.

It’s hard to believe that it has been nine years since our son Daniel was diagnosed with marginal zone B-cell lymphoma. During this time, we have had wonderful resources available to us for Dan’s prompt diagnosis, treatment (radiation), and follow-up. Thankfully, there has been no indication of a return of Dan’s cancer. He’s a 2006 UVA graduate. He and his girlfriend Neena recently moved to Los Angeles, where Dan is managing the Saddle Ranch Chop House outside Universal Studios – stop by and say hi if you are in LA…

It was an incredible shock when we first learned, in the Spring of his junior year of high school, that Dan had cancer. The diagnosis was made after a series of events: an enlarged lymph node under Dan’s neck that he brought to our attention (we thought it was acne); Dan’s pediatrician who “thought it was nothing” but referred him to a specialist; the specialist who “thought it was nothing” but decided to remove and examine it to be safe; the pathologists who couldn’t visually detect a problem but referred it on for further tests; test results that detected an “anomaly”; and finally, diagnosis by a well-respected oncologist at NIH.

The roller coaster continued as we found out more about the cancer Dan had and how to treat it. Marginal zone monocytoid B-cell lymphoma had only recently (within the last 10 years) been identified as a cancer, and it was extremely unusual to be found in someone Dan’s age (it usually was found in older women). As a result, there was no widely-accepted treatment protocol. We felt uncomfortable having Dan be treated by a doctor who had never seen this cancer or had not treated this cancer in a person Dan’s age. So, Pam and I became very familiar with various hospitals and oncologists in hospitals around the country in our search for proper treatment. Ultimately, we found Dr. Tanya Trippett at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York City. Not only was Dr. Trippett familiar with marginal zone monocytoid B-cell lymphoma, she was tracking the disease in the young adult population. Together we decided to have Dan receive 18 days of radiation treatment at Johns Hopkins University Hospital and to involve Dr. Trippett when interpreting all follow-up scans. In the six years of follow-up, there have been many moments of concern (several false positive results early on), but we have been blessed by the fact that Dan can look forward to a life without cancer.

Like any family affected by cancer, we learned more about cancer than we ever wanted to know. From the whole process, we have several observations:
As bad as it was for us, there are many families which are dealing with much more dire situations. The first time (actually, every time) we visited the pediatric oncology ward, we were struck by the courage exhibited by all the children battling life threatening diseases, and their families who are grasping at any advances in knowledge or technology that will save their child. We essentially arrived at the ward with a 6’4” healthy-looking teenager with all his hair; for many others, it is a daily fight to live.
You don’t know how much support is available for you until you really need it. Our friends and family (including our TNT family) were wonderful and supportive to us. We didn’t realize it at the time, but the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society funded significant research that was directly helping the understanding of Dan’s cancer, and the knowledge and technology for his treatment.
Pam and I will never be able to express how blessed we feel having Dan successfully treated. It is for this reason, and in memory of Pam’s father, I. Mead Hayward, who died of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 1991, that we have participated and will continue to participate in TNT.

Why

2009-02-25T14:11:00.000-08:00

I have been running many years and love the challenge of participating in endurance events. Several of my friends have had the misfortune of having to battle cancer and I wanted to do something to support the fight. So, When I found out about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training it seemed like a natural fit. This will allow me to tie my love of running to my wish to positively impact peoples live. If you would like to learn more about LLS or TNT please take a look at the following sites.
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/rnr09/ovazquez
http://www.lls.org/hm_lls