Anticipation

Finishing the Flying Pig Half-Marathon back in 2006... First time ever the Clot Buster jersey was used in a race!

It is only the Wednesday before the BIG DAY next Sunday and the butterflies are flying high inside my stomach every time I think about the upcoming marathon.

Am I ready?
Am I tapering properly?
Is eating Chipotle for lunch today a cause for concern?
(I actually had a salad bowl instead...)
Will my legs be able to hold the pouding?
How am I going to deal with the hills of Cincinnati?
What pace should I start with?
Will spending the night at the Hospital for 5 days impact me in any way?
What pace should I keep during the hard miles of the race?
What pace should I kepe to finish off the race?
What else should I do in order to be ready for Sunday?


I really hope that I don't forget my running shoes when I leave Columbus sometime on Saturday to head South to Cincinnati... knowing me I probably will do something like that. Imagine if I forget the Clot Buster polka-dots... well that will not happen as I already stashed the jersey in the car just in case.

I am very much looking forward to do this race on Sunday but my heart will not be entirely in the race because I have to leave my better half at home in Columbus due to an entirely differnt type of anticipation the two of us along with our families are going through... more than keeping your fingers crossed for me and the race cross them so our Little Varga stays in the oven just a while longer...

Let's see if I can catch some sleep with all of these butterflies inside of me.

THANK YOU to all of you out there who have donated to the cause. You can still do by clicking HERE.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

HARD TO BELIEVE...

** Hard to believe that April is almost over.

** Hard to believe that I have not update my blog in so long... sorry about that but life gets in the way sometimes and time is not available very much to do the things you consider a part of your "normal" routine.

** Hard to believe that our son wants to come and join us a little sooner than expected... say about 2 months ahead of time. He is giving us a nice rollercoaster ride before he is even out!

** Hard to believe that it is so warm out there these days... did we skip spring here in OH? I saw in the news that in Minnesota they are getting up to 15 inches of snow...WOW!

** Hard to believe that the Flying Pig Marathon is just about a week away... ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?! To say that I am a little nervous is probably pretty accuarte. I've been training very hard to get to this point and I cannot believe it now when I look back at the training program I started 18 weeks ago.

** Hard to believe that my legs will be ready to carry me for 26.2 Miles all over the city of Cincinnati next Sunday.

** Hard to believe that I am actually going to be doing this when I always considered this distance a very difficult challenge for me to undertake.

** Not so hard to believe is all of the support and interest that I have received throughout this process. I wish that I could provide some live updates of the race next Sunday but I guess we will have to settle for a complete report once I find my way to a computer and I am able to function once more.

PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR SUPPORT TO MY FUNDRAISER BY CLICKING HERE!!!

Your donation will help NATT continue their mission to spread the word and educate about blood clots and blood clotting disorders!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Happy Birthday Number 31 + 31 Weeks for our Little One + Last Long Run of the Training Program

So much has been going on this week...

Perhaps the most amazing/interesting of all was that the exact same day I turned 31 (last Thursday) our baby boy was turning 31 weeks. What are the chance of that taking place? That was/is really wicked for sure!

Yesterday, I had the chance to run my last long run as I start to taper ahead of the marathon coming up in May. It is scary to think that it is so close and now my mileage will decrese considerably. I really need that because aftre my 26 Miles the weekend before my legs definitely felt fatigued and it took a long time to get them back. So, here we are getting closer and I can't even believe that for this year I am well over 420 Miles worth of running... that is out of control! I am very pleased with the 3 days of running per week. It has really done wonders for me and getting me where I need to be to finish this race. Now, I just need to dream about some realistic goals times and go for them.

If you have not had the chance to donate to my fundraiser and as a result help NATT to continue their mission to educate about blood clots and blood clotting disordes please click HERE!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

I think I am still recovering from Saturday...

Well My friends, how crazy do you think I am?

From my previous blog you know that Saturday I ran in the Capital City Half-Marathon. The race went well for the first 10 Miles as I was keeping an even pace of just over 7 minute miles, 7:07 to be exact. I was very satisfied with that, however during the last 3.1 Miles of the course I struggled big time just trying to hold and finish. All together I managed a 1:34.53 which is outstanding!



After a brief pause to catch my breath I continued to run and I ran from downtown Columbus all the way to my house on the north part of the city for a nice round 26 Miles worth of running for the day. 3 hours and 44 minutes all together it took me... I am still fatigued from that I believe. I guess that now I understand why people don't go all the way 26 Miles while training but for my own peace of mind I needed to have the experience under my belt to see how it feels. This was a HUGE MILESTONE for me and I thrilled to be stepping into my tapering phase of the training as the marathon draws closer.



I better get some more rest... I need to keep my feet up while at work to help the recovery.



PLEASE CONSIDER helping me out on my effort of raising funds for NATT through the running of this marathon! You can DONATE through this link HERE.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Back from a little R & R

Mrs. Clot Buster and I had the chance this past weekend, long weekend that is (Thursday through Tuesday), to make our way to beautiful Cozumel for a little down time. After the winter we wanted to have unlimted amounts of sunshine, the chance to swim in crystal clear water, and to have some sand between our toes. It was very nice to be on the island and get to experience sunsets like the one above and beach front landscapes like the one below.

This place really has a little bit of everything. All you need is enough time to do it all. As we go along I will try to share some more pictures so that you can see what we were able to see.

So, we came back on Tuesday and had to attempt our best to catch up with everything. The house, work, mail, you know the usual suspects. No worries, I was able to get some runs in Cozumel but I did not follow my training program all that much while down there. You know, vacation is vacation, no rules to follow like at home.

Well, here I am Friday afternoon and I just realized that I signed up to race a Half-Marathon tomorrow. I sort of did not think too much about it while dipping my toes in the white sand... but now it is all coming back. I was going to run the Bank of America Capital City Half Marathon that takes place in downtown Columbus tomorrow at 9AM and then I am planning on running home from downtown, which is about 12 Miles or so, for a grand total of 25 Miles for my VERY LAST LONG RUN of the training program.

So, Mrs. Clot Buster will drop me off at the race start tomorrow morning and somehow I need to find my way home after the race. We have a nice trail system along side the Olentangy River than I plan to use so either running or walking I should be able to make it home.

Stay tuned for a full report of this craziness sometime over the weekend.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

($1.00 $/Mile x 26.2 Miles) = $26.20 for NATT

26.2 Miles racing to create awareness about blood clots and blood clotting disorders!!!

Help the Clot Buster reach his fundraising goal by donating

HERE

ONE MORE DAY!!!

Dear readers,

One More Day left in our MARCH = DVT Awareness Month 2nd Annual Auction!!!

Don't miss out in this great opportunity on scoring some great gear and help the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia - NATT. This is a great opportunity to help us in our mission to educate about blood clots and blood clotting disorders.

I hope that all of out there had a wonderful weekend.

Long run for me today... 20Miles all together at the Heart Mini Marathon venue in Cincinnati, OH. I started with the 5K at 9AM with Mrs. Clot Buster I followed that up with about 1.5K to the car from the start line to get going with my official participation in the 15K. I was able to get through the course in 1:07.00 for a pace of 7:12 per Mile (VERY SATISIFIED I have to say). Once I got done with the 15K, I kissed Mrs. Clot Buster, sucked down an energy gel and headed out for a third time to close things out with 10K just so that I could say that I did all of the available distances on this course 5K, 10K, and 15K!

So, it is time to packed in and get some rest.

DON'T FORGET TO PLACE YOUR BID!!!

You have until midnight tomorrow. DON'T MISS OUT!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

On I go with the training...

As part of the 3 run per week training program today I have the "speed run of the week." I've had all kinds of different drills to do during the Tuesday run. Today I have to throw down 5 x 1 Mile (1600 Meter) sprints, read as fast as you can..., with 400 Meters for recovery. I am not sure what pace I will be able to sustain but I will aim high for under 7 minute miles and see how it goes... Very likely that the first two, maybe even the first three, will be fast but I will decline as I go.

Considering that we have a "Wind Storm" going on outside at the moment I think that I will go on the trademill and hammer things out there. I appreciate having the control on the speed to push or ease off when I need to.

NOT MUCH TIME LEFT to place your bid for MARCH = DVT Awareness Month!

DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SCORE NICE GEAR AND SUPPORT NATT'S MISSION TO EDCUCATE ABOUT BLOOD CLOTS AND BLOOD CLOTTING DISORDERS.

Mrs. Clot Buster keep in shape... She looks adorable with her pregnant belly. I LOVE IT!!! (If don't write for while is because my fingers have been broken and I am recovering...)

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Done Early...

Thankfully I had Good Friday off from work so I was able to get my long run done yesterday instead of today. As I look outside the snow is falling and I am very glad that I was able to run yesterday even after I was hurting BIG TIME.

For the first time I ran 24 Miles in less than 24 hours. On Thursday I did 7.5Miles and then yesterday I slugged through 16.5. Towards the end there I was suffering... I even shed some tears as my legs were tired. Mentally I was fine but my quads were burning and screaming for me to stop. Although it was not very comfortable I am glad I did it yesterday instead of today with the snow falling. I don't how people up north deal with this stuff as snow keeps coming time after time. I really admire their dedication. Today surprisingly enough I don't feel too bad. It relatively hurts going up stairs but outside of that I can be pretty normal. I guess that I am starting to get in running shape... most notably I can tell when I ride on the trainer. For the first few minutes on the bike the legs don't seem to agree with the new protocol. But after a while we adjust and we are back to "normal" in the sense that I can pedal but not with the same power as when training for triathlons. Very interesting to see the adaptability of the human body. These type of transitions I enjoy watching a great deal.

DON'T FORGET TO MAKE PLANS TO PLACE A BID ON THE AUCTION WE HAVE GOING ON FOR DVT AWARENESS MONTH!!! All of the goods are nice products that any athlete should have!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

The Clot Buster

Quickly...

Soggy wet run on Saturday... I was in good shape until about 12 Miles in when it started to come down. Luckily I decided to modify my run and stay close to home as I saw on the radar the chance of rain increasing right before I left the house. Probably a good decision as I only had about 4 Miles to go home instead of the 10 or 8 I would have had if I was running the original route I had in mind.

I felt great during the time I ran. I can feel the training pushing me along to new boundries that I have not explore yet. I never thought that running 15+ Miles in one sitting would be like a walk in the park but in all honestly that distance goes by very easily. Now, I struggle a lot more when we get into more mileage like 20+ but the feeling is great to have legs develop to this point and of course the STOP THE CLOT inspiration that keeps me going.

What do you thin about this glasses? They are some of the latest offering from my good friends at DPM Sports. They look nice. I have not had the chance to try them on but YOU CAN if you decide to participate in the Clot Buster's DVT Awareness Month Auction. Take a chance on getting the cool gear and at the same time help NATT continue their work educating about blood clots and blood clotting disorders.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Heading out for 20 Miles in 5 Minutes!

Well, here we are last weekend I had it easy with 15 Miles today I have to go for 20 once more...

I hope that my legs can handle it... let me rectify that, I hope that my mind can handle it. I know my legs can but stay focused every step of the way is the challenging part.

Here is my route...for some reason I don't think that will be able to see any roses at the Park Of Roses at this time of the year. At least today I don't have to do this distance on the trademill even if I can get such a great photos...


I much rather be outside... so much easier to be able to handle the distance.

So, I am off to run. I better go otherwise the motivation will be even less in about 15 minutes...

If you know anyone intereseted in the items from the Auction LET THEM KNOW!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

From 20 down to 15...

Well, in this DVT Awareness month of March the training continues...

From 20 Miles I went down to 15 Miles with big mileage during the week, Tuesday 7 Miles and 10 Miles on Thursday. But next weekend I am looking at 20 Miles once more. Unfortunately, yesterday I had to go through 15 Miles on the treadmill because over here in Columbus, OH we are buried under the white stuff. Hard to believe that it snowed more than 16 inches and the city is shut down. I don't think that Mrs. Clot Buster's car can get out because of the height of snow. I spent a pretty good amount of time pushing the snow around just to get enough space to get out. We will see tomorrow if she can leave...

The run on the treadmill was brutal. I was sweating all over the machine and I just could not wait for the distance to go through. I struggled to stay focused. I don't mind doing short distances on the machine and even some speed work but 15 Miles was a little bit too much to handle. I had to change clothes a couple of times as I was soaked even with a fan blowing full blast. The legs held up well as I was constantly changing speeds to make the miles go by faster. I pushed the pace as hard as I could but at times I had to take the foot off the gas pedal to save some for the end of the run. All things considered it was a great experience but not one I want to do again. I am very thrilled to be able to do it but I much rather take the polka-dots to run outside!

So, here we are another week gone and now I am that much closer to the main event in May. At the rate that I am going it will be here before I know it... I am surprised as to how well my body is holding up. When I first started this training I thought that I did not have a chance to go through the long runs without any issues..."Knock on wood" I hope that this streak continues...

Please keep BLOOD CLOTS and BLOOD CLOTTING DISORDERS in your mind this month of March. We need to be AWARE in order TO STOP THE CLOT!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

BE AWARE IN MARCH - Let's STOP THE CLOT!

This is a very important month for all of us interesting in blood clots and blood clotting disorders. Don't let this month go by without letting someone about some of the numbers I pulled off from NATT's Website. We have a lot of work to do in terms of spreading the word. Let's use March as our spring board!

The Numbers are Staggering

Almost 900,000 Americans suffer from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) every year.
Of these, about 380,000 develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
Nearly 300,000 deaths per year.
Only 50% of those with DVT have symptoms, yet quick, effective treatment is critical
600,000 are affected annually by pulmonary embolism (PE).

Up to 25% of those patients with PE present with sudden death.
1 in 20 Americans are affected by hereditary thrombophillia – an inherited predisposition to blood clots.
52% of hospitalized adults are at risk of dangerous blood clots.
The recurrence rate of venous thomboembolism (VTE) is 30% over 10 years.

I have this avenue along with the triathlon racing and first attempt a marathon to spread the word. There are many avenues out there to get involved. If you need some ideas please let me know because together we can really make a difference as the numbers listed above should not be acceptable to anyone.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

BE AWARE in MARCH!

DVT AWARENESS MONTH!

Dear Readers of the Clot Buster Blog,

Please don't forget that March is DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) Awareness Month. There is so much for us to learn about blood clots and blood clotting disorders. At the same time, there is plenty for us to do in terms of spreading the word and let people know about the dangers of blood clots and how they can come about without any warning.

Also, during this time I like to hear your story about your clotting episode. Although, I do this year around, this month especially, I like to focus on the positive aspects. About how it is possible to bounce back from a clot and return to your daily routine. Yes, your life changes dramatically but life continues and you can still do everything that you desire. If you want to share your story with me please send it on (email them to me polka40@hotmail.com). I believe that sharing your experience with others is a very powerful experience from which all us of can learn. Knowing about people going through blood clotting issues and knowing that it is possible to move on inspires me a great deal to continue my efforts to wear the polka-dots every chance that I get and let people know about NATT and what we are all about.

So, I started off March well with a solid 18 Mile run on 2 hours and 40 minutes. It was a very nice day out there with plenty of sunshine and very mild temperatures compared to other days in which I had to run. I would venture to say that it is getting easier to go at it for about 15 Miles after that I am starting to feel the pain and I have to start fighting to stay with it. But I am out there giving it a try. Hard to believe that March is already here, that means only two more months of training before the big day is here. The distance still scares me I have to confess but with 20 Miles under my belt once I am coming around the idea that I can do this thing. Who knows I may even start thinking about some "realistic" time goals...

So, BE AWARE in MARCH... DVT AWARENESS MONTH!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

In case you were wondering...

I know... I sort of pushed aside the need to update the blog. Busy times around here, part of if comes from house projects we have under way and some additional NATT "homework" I had regarding NATT's latest seminar taking place in Chapel Hill, NC. You can read more about it HERE. Unfortunately I will not be able to be there but "the Clot Buster" will be there in spirit with wristbands available for purchase so that you can support our mission to edcuate about blood clots and blood clotting disorders.

So, YES I did survive the run. The last 10 minutes were pure agony. I was hurting all over the place espcially because the route I was on had a slight grade that was killer on the quads. I was/am very happy with the effort on Saturday. The sunshine was inspiring and although it was cold out there (31 degrees) the sun felt great. I surprised myself when I got around mile 20 and I was at 2 hours and fifty minutes. I for sure thought that I would be well over 3 hours by that point. Of course, Saturday's pace puts me somewhere around 3:30 finishing time which is right in place of my multi-layered goal approach for my first marathon. You will have to stand-by for a detailed explanation of this multi-layered goal approach that I have going on for this race.

I am feeling good today but Monday and Tuesday I was HURTING... the muscle pain did not settle in until then even after my stretching and yoga routines.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Off to run 20 Miles...

You can't begin to imagine the debate going on inside of my head since this morning...

Today is my first ever 20 Mile - Over 3 Hour run... but with the snow and sleet we got yesterday I was facing the possibility of having to run inside. Mrs. Clot Buster on her way to yoga this AM was calling me giving me updates on the sidewalk conditions and the trail at SharonWoods Park which has a 4 Mile loop. Considering the conditions I am going to do 5 loops here. I figure last week I did 13 loops for the half-marathon race 5 loops should be even easier...

If you get the chance and you want to be inspired you need to watch the Spirit of Marathon Movie. You almost want to start running right after the end because you want to train and go for it.

So, here I go... Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Piece of Cake...

... hardly!

The concept of running 1 Mile loops to complete a marathon or a half-marathon sounds great on paper. However, when you actually out there doing it your mind starts playing tricks on you that I was not expecting. I don't know why but going through the laps became a challenge for me. Especially during the hardest miles of the race Miles 8, 9, 10, and 11. During those laps I had to fight to stay on course and keep driving. I was counting steps, telling myself that after each one of those laps I had one less to go, that I was more than half-way and on the finishing half. You name it I was giving it to me.


It was a nice day for running even with the sprinkles we got here and there. The polka-dots were out in full force and people notice them as I was passing by them or when I was getting passed... both of those situations happened often during the course of my 1:37.13. I am pleased with my effort as I was keeping my laps fairly even throughout the event. THANKFULLY the wind advisory came about 2 hours afetr the race. Let me tell you it is blowing out there. We had a stretch on the course where we had to go against the wind and at times it was picking up. I am lucky that I did not do the full marathon by that time we left the wind was picking up speed and now as I look at the window I can see our trees blowing violently out there.

All in all, great opportunity to put some speed into this marathon training. I am feeling good at the moment but the afternoon is early and the coffee from this AM is wearing out. I may pass out for a while hopefully I can be up by the time the summary from the Tour of California on Versus comes on at 5PM EST.

Let's hope that some people from this race turns to www.NATTINFO.org to learn about the fool with the polka-dots and of course about BLOOD CLOTS AND BLOOD CLOTTING DISORDERS.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

How fast can you run a 1-Mile Loop...

13 times!!!

Some people may even do this a total of 26 times at the LAST CHANCE FOR BOSTON race I will be participating in this coming Sunday.


So, I've stepped it up all the way to 18 Miles on my training. This week it would have been 20 Miles and the weekend after that 13 Miles. Instead, I am re-arranging the plan to run the 13 Miles this Sunday and leaving the 20 Miles for the weekend after that. I enjoy racing a great deal so getting to participate in this race will provide a good window into how I feel when race time pressure is upon me.

Racing to raise funds for NATT is my ultimate motivator. I am going to complete the 26.2 Miles of my very first marathon there is no question about it. During that process I will be wearing the polka-dots ALL OVER me for people to notice and perhaps motivate them to search and learn about NATT and our goal to educate about blood clots and blood clotting disorders.

26.2 Miles of Running TO STOP THE CLOT!!!

Those 26.2 Miles are coming on May 4h... for now I am concentrating on 13.1 to be done as fast as I can on Sunday.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Bster

18 Miles in the bank...

I don't know what I would do without the option of listening to the audiobook I am listening to while running the better part of two hours forty six minutes and some change.

The feeling I get when I am returning home is hard to describe. I am very happy to be able to return home but I don't seem able to smile about it. I know that inside I am smiling and thrilled to make this milestone but my body is very slow to react and things happen in slow motion. It is very strange to have my mind operate at it's normal speed but my body due to the fatigue does not move nearly as fast. The audiobook is doing wonders for me. I a listenting to "Into the Wild" by John Krakauer and the read is keeping my mind engaged on the story and not so much on the pain on my quads, or the wind on my face, or how cold my fingers are getting, or how I still have some ways to go. Although, I check my pace regurarly to make sure I am staying on track the time on the run goes by fast as I am listening to the book. I hope that I am not creating a condition in which I have to have something going in my ears to get through every run. I try to do my other two run workouts without any distractions so that I can continue to avoid any dependence on the headphones. I would never race with headphones so I better be prepared to go the distance without them.

So, after this long run I felt some of the same discomfort I've felt after other long runs. But this time around my two big toes are very sore. Why would that be? I can't seem to understand as I did not change shoes or socks from my what I wear regurarly. For some reason they received some additional pounding from which I recovering.


But all things considered I survived to live another week.


Next weekend I am changing the schedule a little. I am due to do 20 Miles on Saturday but instead I am planning on running a half-marathon on Sunday. Actually, I should say that I plan on racing a half-marathon on Sunday at the "LAST CHANCE FOR BOSTON" Marathon, Half-Marathon that will take place in Dublin, OH. It will be interesting as we have a 1 Mile Loop and I will be doing it 13 times. I want to put a solid effort together ahead of my 20 Miler next week. So, I have to get ready for the monotony of the one mile loop 13 times. This should be a great test of speed, focus, and concentration.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

On tap for tomorrow 18 Miles...

I am gearing up for tomorrow's run.

Farther than I've been before.

The wind will be blowing tomorrow which will make things interesting specially when I am heading south for the first half of the run. I figure, let's go through it first and then have the wind on my back for the way home.

The audiobook will be playing otherwise I don't know how I will be able to keep my focus.

Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Spanish for wicked cold = GRIPE

Wow, looks like the 17 Miles from last Saturday knocked me out. Yesterday was brutal as I had to stay home because this head-cold got to me. I could hardly sleep at all on Sunday night.

Unfortunately, I had to take yesterday and today off just to allow me some recovery. Secretely I have to confess tha I don't mind skipping the 3 x 1600 meter sprints I was scheduled to do today.

So, on we go. Let's hope that tomorrow I will be ready to do what I am scheduled to do but you never know.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

17 Miles...

I made it...although I am paying for it today I made it. The Audibook I was listening to kept me engaged the whole 2:28.49. I can't believe I was able to make it but I did. After mile 10 I was passing really close to home and the thought of taking a detour home came on strong over me because the cold in my hands was really bothering me. However, I made the turn left away from home and I was on my way to 7 more miles of fun. I was lucky enough to find some garbage bags that I could put over my cold hand and I kept on going finishing up the entire route.


Getting ready to rock and roll. During the first few miles I though that going sleevless on my Spiuk Jacket was a huge mistake but as soon as I got warmed up I felt a lot better.




Finally back home. Glad to be able to cover the distance. Now, I need to recover and see if next Saturday I get to add one more mile to my total of longest run ever.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

In about 2 hours...

I am about to step into a zone in which I have not been before...

17 Miles have been mapped out (it looks SO FAR!!!) and it is time for the Clot Buster to step away from his comfort zone and establish once and for all a new personal long run record. Yes, this record will be broken next week and the week after that but to me running anything above 15 Miles is a HUGE DEAL. Can't you tell that I am pumping myself up...

Wish me luck today, I have to confess that I am scared out of my pants...


Stay tuned for a recap whenever I am capable of writing again.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Map My Run...

I can't seem to break away from this site as I get around to complete my runs and see how far I've gone during my route. I don't like what I see let me tell you. I am coming in short on the distance that I thought I ran according to my pace. In many respects is good but I am not happy to realize that what I am running is shorter than what I thought..

I need to make sure I use this before my runs so that I can have my distance mapped out and I can hit the markers that I need.

So far, the legs are feeling strong and I need to make sure I have enough distance this weekend so that I can complete my 17 Mile journey on Saturday. We will see how it goes...

So, if you'll allow me I need to excuse my self and make sure I map these runs so that I don't cheat myself anymore.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Attempting a 15Mile Run...

So, now you know why the Clot Buster is marathoning this year...

Here is my attempt yesterday at doing 15 Miles of running. I went out for 2 hours of running in 28 degrees of weather with a stiff wind coming from the south which was half of my route that day. When I got home I realized that I had a serious difficulty talking as my jaw was very stiff. It was funny trying to tell Mrs. Clot Buster about the run and how it felt...I could not speak.

Today the legs are pretty sore after yesterday's effort. As far as I can remember 15 Miles is the longest that I've ever done... hard to believe. Next week's 17 Mile run is looking very intimidating. I just hope that I can keep it together. I will let you know how it goes.
I think that I need an audiobook to keep me engaged throughout the next effort. I will be itunes looking for something interesting...Any thoughts?

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

I have a confession to make...

Dear readers of the Clot Buster's blog,

There is only one reason why I had a reaction like the one below. Last Monday was an incredible day for us because of what we were able to experience.

It was amazing to experience,

I am still in shock, a very happy shock,

Even My Mom (the crying one) and Liz's Mom were excited,

But ultimately to get My Father to smile like that it had to be EXTREMELY SPECIAL...

The WONDERFUL DISCOVERY that we will have a SON coming in June!!! There are no words to describe the feeling of seeing it come to live right in front your eyes. Simply incredible to be so lucky to have the opportunity.

So Dear Friends, MAJOR changes are in store for us this summer. Unfortunately, the triathlon season this year will be changed this year for obvious reasons. My fundraising for NATT will not have the same ring to it as it had in previous years which is the reason why I am concentrating on the marathon in May as my major fundraising event. 26.2 Miles are going to be a HUGE challenge for me and I am more than happy with this challenge as the one I want to accomplish this year personally and for the NATT fundraiser. Of course, I have plans with my friends from Cleveland to make the Greater Cleveland Triathlon another successful event for NATT with the raffle we have planned. So, the Clot Buster's adventure continues in 2008 just with a little different format...

I am already looking for a baby polka-dot outfits the Little Varga should wear out at the races next summer.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

MUCHO FRIO!!!

Well, another Saturday came/went and another long run I was able to do. Although this time I had to improvise and stay indoors I managed to throw down 12 hard fought miles. I really hope that I don't have to do this procedure again because it really tested my patience while running. During this run I ran 84 Laps around our gym's indoor track for a total of 7 Miles. Hard to believe that I did not get dizzy after so many revolutions. One nice thing after running so long our track is that people stays out of my as they hear me huffing and puffing around the track. But after 84 Laps I could not take it anymore and I got on one of the trademills to finish up what I was set out to do. Those were some rough 12 Miles as I had to fight not to stop and throw my hands in the hair to quit because I could not take the monotony any longer. Unfortunately, I had not choice because it was freaking COLD out there... 15 degrees at the time I went to the gym. MUCHO FRIO indeed for this guy with nice warm south american blood running through his veins. I have a cut off point at which I stop playing outside. For running is around 25 degrees for riding is someplace around 48 degrees, of course depending upon the wind blowing at that moment. Do you have temperature cut off? What is it? Am I a whimp...?

Well, let's hope we get some warmer temperatures next weekend. Otherwise my 15 Miler on Saturday will push me not only physically but also mentally... In the mean time on Tuesday I will be going to the track to do 1200, 1000, 800, 600, 400, 200 at race pace with 200 meters of recovery. We will see how that one goes!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Motivation is hard to find

These days not much desire to head to track and throw down 6 x 800's with the temperattur right around 33 degrees... I am glad that I don't live farther north than Columbus, OH.

But because 26.2 Miles are lurking in the background in May and I want to do a good showing for the Clot Buster nation out there I did go out there and pushed on through. How many people out there who has had a clot or know someone who has clotted is planning on doing a marathon or half of one this year? If you are one of those people let me know. I would love to hear from you!

This year the Flying Pig Marathon will be my early focus on the fundraising front. The Greater Cleveland Triathlon is shaping up to be another big event for the Clot Buster with the raffle taking shape with some really cool stuff to be available. Stay tuned for me as it becomes available.

So, I will be running my first 26.2 Miles wearing the polka-dots. Would like to come along? If you do then you need to get out there to your local track and do some sprints just like I did today!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

I made it!

To me is always a surprise to be able to run this far. I estimate about 12 Miles all together. My legs are pretty sore at the moment but I made it. Check the route below. Hard to believe that I went all over the place. But at the same time it is great to have the alternatives that we have around here to do long runs and never be too far away from home...



GOOD LUCK to my friends Harkness and the Spandex King as they are getting ready to run in Phoenix the PF Chang's Marathon. I bet that in Arizona they are going to be running well and fast!

Ahead of the big run of tomorrow...

Well, here comes Saturday again. Time for the long run of the week. This time around I am looking at 12 or 13 Miles, which is a jump from my 9 Miles from last weekend.

I had a nice track workout on Tuesday where the wind from the south really broke me down everytime I came down the far straight away but the final 100 meters were fun with the wind on my back.

Let's see if I can make it all the way tomorrow. It should be a cool one but I am sure I can handle it. Not really that I like the cold weather but I can deal with the temperature above the freezing point. I may dress funny but with some of the items I have from Spiuk I should be in good shape.

Wish me luck tomorrow. I am still within my normal range of running ability but next week will be different by pushing the 15 Mile mark.

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

First Long run of the 18 week training plan - COMPLETED

How about that?

I worked my way for a total of 75 minutes running for a grand total of 9 Miles on Saturday. Not a bad start as I was able to keep my pace consistent throughout the effort. Of course today I am not doing anything very fast but that feeling should improve as we continue with this training plan. I am starting to realize that running this long distances will require some serious concentration and some degree of distraction. I generally don't run listening to music but I may have to use some help on the longer runs coming up.

Has anyone used audiobooks to gain that distraction?

One week down, 17 more to go!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

Totals for 2007...

Dear friends,

Over the last few days I was able to tally my totals of miles for last year. I can't believe all the miles and races I was able to participate in. It was nice to look back at the races and trying to remember how they felt and what I was able to see during the course of the race. I wish that I could describe to you all of the feelings that I had through my mind when I saw the names of the races and the different workouts that I did. But all things considered it was a GREAT year and it will be hard to improve in all levels.

Of course we can never improve enough in the area of introducing people to NATT and letting them know about blood clots and blood clotting disorders. That is one area in which I wished I had the highest numbers that I could come up with... who knows someday I will be able to match my excersize miles of the year with the number of people that learns about NATT and about blood clots.

So here are my number for 2007...

SWIM = 71.1 Miles

BIKE = 2,519.3 Miles

RUN = 567.6 Miles

Thank you for coming along in all of these miles. 2008 should be just as fun so stay tuned for more...

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2008 WELCOME!!!

Here we are at the door step of a new year. Full of expectations, new challenges, and plenty of SPREADING THE WORD ABOUT BLOOD CLOTS AND BLOOD CLOTTING DISORDERS!

I hope everyone out there who dares to read my blog received the New Year in FINE FORM. Mrs. Clot Buster and I sure did as you can tell from our "New Year Receiving Feathered" outfit ensembles...

I hope that 2008 brings everyone all the happiness, good health, good fortune and peace you can handle. May all of your wishes come ture this year!

On the sporting side of things, yesterday December 31st I began my marathon training program that will take me all the way to May 4 and the start of the Flying Pig Marathon. This is a new experience for me as I will attempt my best to follow the training program as closely as I can. But yesterday I did not have a good start... On Monday, the schedule indicated that I needed to some cross training and have my first run workout (speed drills) on Tuesday. Well, I butchered this week already as I went out yesterday eager to run and I did a 6 Mile run with some mild intervals which I should have done Thursday! So, needless to say I need to pay a little more attention to the program before I head out do my workout. In the mean time, this week I need to fix the situation and adjust accordingly... I will attempt some cross training today and tomorrow and on Thursday I will head to the track and see if I can go for it and attempt the 12x400 with 90sec. recovery intervals in between (somehow I don't think that is going to happen but I will be happy if I can do 8 of those...). By then, I should be back on track and gearing up for my first long run on Saturday.

So, come along with me and entretain yourself with my trials at going through this training program all the way until May. This a new approach for the Clot Buster but one that I wanted to try to see how I hold up after 26.2 Miles. DON'T FEAR I still plan on doing some triathlons later on this summer but this year will much different than 2005 and 2006... soon enough you will know why.

Check back soon, as I go through this challenge of staying on course and giving this marathon thing a try.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Thanks for reading,

The Clot Buster