Thanksgiving Day Race 2010 - 11 years in a row...!

Thanksgiving Day Race 2010 coming up on Thursday.

10K race course in downtown Cincinnati.

Best time = Last year 41:53

This year = Will be much much slower than that.

Also this year = Be in the lookout for the Clot Buster... new polka-dot shirt design to be revealed to the world... STOP THE CLOT!!!

Looking forward to the HUGE crowds and hopefully nice weather.

Finally... I am THANKFUL for YOU and your willingness to stop by and reading my posts. I very much appreciate your curiosity and time!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

November Athlete of the Month

Is it really the end of November already?

Is it really time for Thanksgiving?

Is it really time to make the very difficult choice between Pumpkin Pie versus Pecan Pie after the turkey dinner?

Hard to believe that it is this far in the year.

Even harder to believe is that I did not get around to post about November's Athelte of the Month until now...

As of late I've been in "search mood" looking to see if I could find an inspiring story out there I could share with you guys. The right combination of search words got me to find the following article I would like to share with all of you.

Please allow me to introduce to DENESHIA LARSON from Gainesville, GA. Although I have not been fortunate enough to meet her I've been luck enough to find this article about her.

Please read and get inspired to overcome anything!

"Dave Larson will be carrying a big sign to show support and jumping up and down for his favorite athlete in Sunday’s Aflac Iron Girl triathlon at Lake Lanier Islands. Larson knows the potentially fatal health issues that his wife, Deneshia Larson, has overcome. Now he wants to celebrate as she tackles her first race with the swim, bike ride and run all tied together in this race designed solely for female competitors.

“I’m very proud of my wife,” Dave said. “She’s the kind of person that when she picks a goal, she goes after it.
“I just want to be as supportive of her as I can during the race.”

People take part in distance races for all kind of reasons. Some sign-up to celebrate the conquering of health issues. Some participate simply to stay in shape or improve on last year’s time, others to celebrate a milestone.

Still, Larson has to have one of the more remarkable stories. Doctors didn’t even know if she was going to live after she suffered from genetically inherited blood clots, which surfaced with scary symptoms while she was running in the spring of 2009.

Originally chalked up to stress, those symptoms couldn’t be ignored any longer after Larson almost passed out after running only about 50 yards near her home in North Hall one day. She scheduled a doctor’s appointment for the next day and was immediately hospitalized, doctors originally believing she may have suffered a heart attack.

It wasn’t a heart attack.

After almost a week in a hospital bed and a number of tests, including blood tests and chest X-rays, it was determined that her ailment was pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis — blood clots in the legs and both lungs. Both of these conditions are potentially deadly and doctors told the Larsons she would not have survived had it not been for her good physical condition.

Now, just a little more than a year removed from a shaky prognosis, she’s been cleared compete in her first triathlon.

“I just want to be able to finish the race,” Larson said. “Being able to complete the race is very important.”

She will not be competing in the race alone. Her sister, Jessica Warren, will be making the drive up from Jacksonville, Fla. to be right by her sister in the race. Aside from a little friendly trash talk between the sisters about who will finish first, Larson’s younger sister is just glad she’s got this opportunity to be going through such a grueling event together.

“I feel really privileged to be able to do this with my sister,” Warren said. “It really scared me when it happened because she was in the hospital for about a week.

“I know it’s a miracle she survived.”

After a long period of uncertainty during which she was unable to do any athletic training, Larson was given a clean bill of health by her hematologist on Oct. 26 of last year. After taking blood thinners for six months to combat the blood clots, she is back to a normal lifestyle, except for relatively minor precautions she must follow: taking an aspirin every day, staying well hydrated and limiting Vitamin K intake.

Shortly after getting the go-ahead to start training, the Larsons saw the previous year’s Iron Girl event televised. Deneshia immediately gravitated to what the race had to offer and was drawn to sign up. However, she had to take it easy at first.

First it was baby steps running. Then she would run a mile. On race day, it will be a three-mile run that women have to complete on a moderately hilly course.

Now, as a pair, the Larsons train regularly to have Deneshia ready for the race this weekend. Her biggest worry going into the race is the 1/3-mile swimming portion, since she’s only been training for stamina in the water for a few months. As for running, the Larsons train a few days each week during their lunch break from their respective jobs in Alpharetta.

Training on the bicycle is probably the most thorough.

After a ride of about 20 miles on Mondays, the couple will do a 30-mile trip on Wednesdays with friends from Reality Bikes in Cumming, then on the weekend they try to tackle about 60 miles.

Now, it’s all come together for Larson, who has previously competed in a number of half marathons — 5Ks and 10Ks — with her husband.

“She’s been training hard for this race,” Warren said. “And I know she wants to be able to place too.” "

Be Thankful this week because we are able to experience come-backs like Deneshia's. Anything is possible once you get the bill of clean health like she did. Never ever lose the hope that you can come back.

Enjoy the THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

BLOOD CLOTS In The News

As I see these news articles I will pass them along for all to share.

Knowledge is power.

This article in particular can resonate with those of us who find ourselves attempting some sort of endurance event.

What ever your condition or level of athletic ability BE AWARE!

Please CLICK HERE for the article.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

BLOOD CLOTS In The News

As I see them I will try my best to pass them for all of us to share.

Knowledge is power.

Knowing that blood clots affect people of all walks of life can serve as an indication that we need to be aware of all the signs and symptoms ALL THE TIME.

Please CLICK HERE to read this article.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

MARTY - YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!

Congratulations to my friend and CLOT SURVIVOR MARTY BUSEKRUS in becoming an IRONMAN at IM FLORIDA!!!

Very proud to be able to share this as it is very inspiring to see him go the distance.

See the progression of his race day below.

Marty - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Get inspired people!

We may not do an Ironman but we can get out there and do whatever is that we want to do even after a blood clotting episode.

Thanks for Reading,

The Clot Buster

UPDATE on June 2009's Athlete of the Month

Last week I got a nice note from June 2009's Athlete of the Month - JIM FENTON in which he was telling me that he completed the CANNON BALL Half -Marathon wearing his polka-dots.

Mr. Fenton also told me that in this race he got a new PERSONAL BEST of 2:03 which destroyed his old PR of 2:32...!!!

Can you believe it!?!?!?

But that is not all, he also told me that through the NATThlete Program he was able to raise $1025.00!!!

JIM - THANK YOU for your efforts in spreading the word and rasing funds for our cause against blood clots and blood clotting disorders.

JIM - CONGRATULATIONS!!! on a Fantastic Time on your Half-Marathon. You got some speed my friend!

You are truly an inspiration to all of us looking to make a difference by wearing our polka-dots!

I am thrilled for you and I can't wait to learn more about your upcoming adventures!

Good Luck!

Thanks for reading AND GET INSPIRED!!!,

The Clot Buster

IM World Championships

How about this year's race in Kona?

I can't believe that Chrissie Wellington whitdrew from the event. That sure opened the door for the women's field and the crowning of a new champion.

I can't wait to see the broadcast later on this winter.

The men's race was also very interesting. Fun battle on the run amongst all of the favorites.

The ability of these competitors to push themselves to such limits is simply beyond what I can understand. I admire anyone who can do an IM race. I drool and wonder if I can do one someday but I very quickly return to reality and think of the pain that I have felt attempting Half-Iron Distance races before. How in the world would I ever be able to double that distance and effort...? For now, the answer is NO WAY JOSE!

I am wondering however, when is it that we will have an American athlete as a winner of either race?

It is nice to see the international flavor of the event but I am tired of seeing other countries dominate the event with Americans significantly out of the runnig for the top podium spot. As Tim DeBoom announced that he was not racing at the Big Island anymore I wonder where is the next American Champion of this race in either gender. It just seems that we don't have what it takes anymore to contend for the title.

As a follower of the sport I see some American Stars in the distance and some stars fading away in the lava fields but in the near future it seems that the IM World Championships will continue to belong to the international field.

If that is the way it is then so be it. I like the sport far to much that it does not matter to me in the end because the competition and ability is what I am interested in regardless of its nationality.

So as I drift away again day dream about racing in Kona some day...

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster