The Summit Academy Mountaintop Breakfast

The 8th Annual Mountaintop Breakfast is Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 8:00 AM.  It's a free, one hour fundraising event at The Olmstead.  This is a wonderful low key event to learn more about Summit Academy.  My family and I will have a couple of tables this year for guests.  If you would like to come and learn more about Summit Academy, I would love to have you as my guest.  If you would like more information or would like to RSVP, please contact me at t.metcalf@insightbb.com.

This is the event that I spoke at last year and shared my daughter's story.  You can view a video of my speech at this link.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-vsj5LbhzE

Short Video of my PPA finish

I don't think I posted this on my blog, so I wanted to share it with everyone.  This is a 35 second video of my finish at the Pikes Peak Ascent.  I am the second person in the dark blue shirt, looking dazed and confused!

Race Day

Beth and I walked to the start line and I was nervous and giddy.  It had been a long time since I felt that way before a race, and it was an awesome feeling!

On the way to the start line I was doing my final facebooking and tweeting and almost stepped in a pot hole.  That would have been embarrassing to get injured on my way to the start.  I handed my phone over to Beth.

I was standing at the start line looking at the Pikes Peak Ascent start race banner.  Above the race banner I could see the sun shining on Pikes Peak.  It looked like it was 100 miles away.

The tradition for the start of the race is to sing America the Beautiful, which was originally a poem written about Pikes Peak.  A woman started to sing America the Beautiful and all the emotion hit me at once.  Tears started to stream down my face.  I knew why I was here and what I was running for, and the emotion overwhelmed me. 

The gun went off I began my up hill run.  I waved at Beth, knowing I wouldn't see her again until I reached the Summit.

The course was straight up.  It wasn't long before runners became fast walkers.  The first part of the trail contained a lot of switchbacks and was very narrow, so we fell into a single file line weaving our way through the trail.  There were lots of rocks to step and jump over.

Around mile 4 a woman in front of me tripped over a rock and went down face first.  A couple of us helped her up and she seemed OK.  During the race there was a lot of tripping over rocks, by others and me. 

The following picture of Pikes Peak is from the trail between mile 4 and 5 zoomed in with the camera.  If you look closely, you can see the Cog Railway train on the summit.

I was hoping to finish the race in less than 4 hours.  I reached mile 8 at 2 hours and 4 minutes.  I was right on target.  Then the wheels fell off.  It took me 2 hours and 36 minutes to cover the next 5 miles. 

Right after mile 8 I started feeling nauseated.  I'm not sure if it was altitude sickness or not, but I was sure I was going to loose my breakfast and all the water and Gatorade I drank up to that point.  I didn't notice having trouble breathing, maybe because I was more focused on my nausea.

I reached the tree line around 2 hours and 54 minutes and I soon learned why the last three miles are called the death march.  It felt like I was climbing stadium stairs.  I was shuffling my feet like an old man.  I couldn't seem to lift my feet over the rocks and I would trip, then I would curse.

The guy in front of me looked like he was running drunk, swaying back and forth.  He would fall back towards me and I would put my arm out and push him back up. I was sure he was going to pass out or fall on me, creating a domino affect down the mountain. 

I had originally tried to convince Beth to run this race with me.  Around mile 11 I was glad she didn't, because I know she would have divorced me.

Around mile 11 I was passing the search and rescue team and I heard a call come over their radio that a runner was down.  They jumped up and took off down the mountain.  I was thankful I was still standing at that point.

I was dizzy and I thought I was going to pass out.  I remember thinking, if I pass out and they give me medical help, I will be disqualified from the race.  I'm too close to the finish and I can't let everyone down.  I took a moment and sat on a rock, taking in the view from 13,000 foot.

The following picture is Beth's view at the top waiting for me. 

One word kept going through my mind, brutal, brutal, brutal, brutal, brutal............

At mile 11 the finish line still looked 100 miles away.

Around the 12 mile mark, someone was passing out beer to the runners and I almost hurled, but I didn't have enough energy so it would have to wait.

When your watching at the top, the runners just appear out of nowhere!  If you look really hard you can see me in the following picture.  I'm wearing a dark blue shirt and grey shorts with a yellow stripe.

I finally crossed the finish line, 4 hours and 36 minutes after the gun went off.  My last mile took me over 38 minutes.  Compare that to the 7:35 average mile I ran for 13 miles to get into wave 1 of this race.

When I crossed the finish line someone put a Pikes Peak Ascent medal around my neck.  I was officially a finisher and in an elite club of runners.

Dazed and confused, I moved forward looking for Beth, and there she was waiting for me.  My first words were "never again!"  Shortly there after, I told her I needed the medical tent.

Still dazed and confused!

I sat in the medical tent getting oxygen and having my vitals checked.  Fifteen minutes after the race, my heart rate was still racing at over 140 bmp.  The doctor said the best thing was getting off the mountain and sent us on our way.  Lucky for me, there are no pictures of me in the medical tent.  I've come to realize Beth was more worried about me than she let on.

I have to admit I was disappointed that I had to leave the summit so quickly.  I had planned on putting on my "Run with Todd" shirt from Summit Academy and taking pictures of me on the summit of Pikes Peak.

And now the rest of the story..........

Beth and I rode the shuttle 3 miles down the mountain to our car and then started to drive back down Pikes Peak highway.  The nausea feeling I had for the last three hours finally overwhelmed me and I told Beth to pull over.  She looked at me with an "are you serious, where am I going to pull over" look.  Finally, she pulled over and I hurled.  I got back in the car and I instantly felt better.  I started texting and facebooking to let everyone know I finished (we had very little cell coverage on the mountain and I think the only post that got out was, "I had to go to the medical tent", which of course sent my Mom in a panic). We went the post race party and I ate pizza, chips, and cookies and even drank a beer.  Obviously I was feeling better.  I'm not sure if it was altitude sickness or not.  I contend I drank some bad water during the race, which makes
Beth laugh.

The Pikes Peak Ascent was the hardest race I have ever run.  It was also an incredibly rewarding experience.  I am proud of this accomplishment!  I am thankful to all who donated money.  We raised over $4,200 for Summit Academy.  I am also thankful to everyone for your kind, supportive and motivating words.  I truly appreciate everything! 

It's funny how quickly you forget about the pain and misery of the race.  It's been almost 4 weeks now and I'm ready for my next challenge.  I'm not sure what it will be, maybe a return trip up the mountain.  Any idea's?

Pikes Peak Mile Splits

Below is a chart of my Pikes Peak Ascent mile splits taken from my Nike Plus GPS watch.  I was surprised at my first mile.  You can tell I was excited to run because a nine minute mile going uphill was a little too fast.  I felt pretty good until about my 8, which was at around 10,500' elevation.  At mile 10, which is around 12,000' elevation, I reached the tree line and the death march began.



Mile                                                  Time                                               Ave. Pace

1	9:05	9'05"/mi
2	23:04	13'59"/mi
3	41:42	18'38"/mi
4	58:59	17'17"/mi
5	1:16:50	17'51"/mi
6	1:30:29	13'39"/mi
7	1:44:38	14'09"/mi
8	2:04:06	19'28"/mi
9	2:26:50	22'44"/mi
10	2:54:17	27'27"/mi
11	3:22:29	28'12"/mi
12	3:54:43	32'14"/mi
13	4:32:52	38'09"/mi

The race was a little over 13 miles long.  My final time was 4:36.

The Race is Over?

The race is over.  He made it to the finish line. All the training, blogging, planning, talking came down to a 4+ hour run up a mountain to the summit. It was a beautiful day, no snow storms to turn the runners back this year. No freezing winds to sit in for those of us waiting at the top. It seems ironic that we come home to begin another school year and the planning and talking shifts to the coordination of schedules with work and therapy and school activities. The truth is the race is never over.  For parents of kids with special needs, the race against the developmental clock continues every day and it seems the course and the training changes without warning. After yet another meeting with an “expert” to go over how much their program helped Katie and how much more they could accomplish with more time (and money) I told Todd in frustration that we need to sell our house to live in a hyperbaric chamber with our therapeutic listening music and only come out to tend to our organic garden and to spin around.  It is an ongoing struggle to balance the programs available to help our children with the available financial resources and still plan for the future.  It takes courage to have hope, but it also takes hope to have the courage to demand better for our children who need our voices to speak for them.  The rate of autism has exploded in this country and yet it still feels like an incredible fight to get therapy visits approved and biomedical treatment options covered. Our public educational system cannot meet the needs of our kids and yet the system will not change unless we demand more.  The race is not over. We don’t even know where the finish line is.

Sometimes I ask to seek a closer look

Skip to the final chapter of the book

Then maybe steer us clear of some of the pain it took

To get us where we are this far

But the question drowns in its futility

And even I have got to laugh at me

No one gets to miss the storm of what will be

Just holding on for the ride

Indigo Girls, “The Wood Song”

-Beth

It's Really Over

So it's been a couple of weeks since I finished the Pikes Peak Ascent.  I had planned on writing a couple of posts about my run before now, but to tell you the truth that would mean it's really all over.  There is a part of me that’s glad it's over, but there is also part of me that's sad its over-maybe even a little depressed.  I spent the last five months training, writing blogs, facebooking, tweeting and telling anyone who would listen about my run and Summit Academy.  Now that it's all over I feel a little lost.

I think one way to move on is to schedule my next race.  I plan on running three half marathons in October and November, all which are local.  One is the Iron Horse half marathon in Midway, KY and the other two are The Big Hit and The Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon.  The last two are new to Louisville this year and I definitely want to support them.  I had originally thought I would run a marathon this fall, but I enjoy the half marathons so much more.

I'm also looking to next years runs.  I have a goal of running a half marathon in all 50 states.  My run up Pikes Peak in Colorado was state number 11.  I'm not in a hurry to complete this goal; it's more about a life of running and adventure.  So I have 39 states to choose from next year and I hope to check off another 3 or 4.

I have a lot to share from my Pikes Peak Ascent run.  I plan on following up this post with some stories from my run and I'm sure I can get Beth to write some of her thoughts as well. 

I Finished the Race

I finished the race!  I ran it in 4 hours and 36 minutes.  Also, for the first time ever I had to visit the medical tent, I didn't feel so well, but I'm OK now.  I'll explain more later.  Sorry we couldn't get the word out, but we had no cell coverage on the mountain.  I'll post more later.

Race Morning

Its race morning and I'm ready to run up Pikes Peak.  Beth is going to post pictures on my facebook fan page this morning and update everyone on the race, as much as she can.   http://www.facebook.com/pages/Todd-Metcalf-runs-Pikes-Peak-Ascent-to-benefit-Summit-Academy/110310922383500  When I hit the trail, she won't see me until I reach the summit.  The race starts at 7:00 AM (9:00 AM EST.).

I'm a little nervous, but extremely excited.  My hope is to enjoy this run.  I know there will be times today when my body is hurting, but the truth is I blessed to be able to do this.  It's an honor for me to run for Summit Academy.  This has been an incredible adventure, both mentally and physically, for me.  Today I will do what I never thought I could.  I will summit Pikes Peak!

Thank You Everyone

I want to say thank you to everyone for your love and support. I have enjoyed all the e-mails and comments over ther last couple of days. It's hard to believe the race is tomorrow morning. I'm a little nervous tonight, but I'm anxious to get running. I have focused on this run for 5 months now and I'm ready to charge up that mountain! We will keep everyone updated on the race and we'll let you know when I finish. Good night.

Cog Railway

Yesterday's adventure was riding the Cog Railway up to the summit of Pikes Peak.  I figured I need to rest my legs from the previous days hike, so I sat back and let the train do all the work.  The trip starts in Manitou Springs, elevation of about 6500 foot, and takes about one hour to get to the summit of Pikes Peak.  The 8.9 mile trip had waterfalls, cascading streams, dense stands of Englemann spruce, Colorado blue spruce as well as Ponderosa pine trees, boulder fields, wildlife and awesome views.

I can't put into words the view from the summit.  It was spectacular!  I just stood there in awe of the view and enjoying the fresh air.  I was completely moved by the experience.

Then it hit me, I'm going to run up here on Saturday.  I looked down to see the trail, which was barely visible, and the top of the trail was ice covered.  This is going to be the biggest physical challenge of my life!  I still can't believe there is a run on this mountain.  How crazy would you have to be to sign up for and pay an entry fee to run this race?

I wasn’t affected that much by the elevation.  I was able to breathe without much trouble, however I did walk down the trail a little and noticed on the way back up I was sucking air.  This part of the race will be extremely difficult especially because it will at the end of the race.

While at the top, I had their world famous donuts.  Yes, I said world famous.  The donuts have been featured on the Food Network.  Evidently, something happens to the yeast when you make donuts at 14,115 foot elevation.  I bought two donuts, walked outside and sat on a rock taking in the view and ate my donuts.  They were warm and melted in my mouth.  They were incredibly good.  It was a perfect morning.  Days like yesterday remind me how blessed I am. 

 

A Good Hike

I hiked up Barr trail this morning up to Barr camp which is about 6.5 miles, so round trip it was about 13 miles.  Barr camp sits at 10,200 foot elevation and is the half way point to the summit of Pikes Peak.  Barr trail is the trail we run for the race on Saturday.  My original plan was not to hike that far.  I only wanted to hike about 4 miles or so up, but I got caught up in the moment.  It was quiet and secluded and the views were awesome.  I just couldn't turn around and go back down.  I was drawn to keep going up.

It's amazing how quickly the trail climbs.  After hiking about 20 minutes I turned around to look back at Manitou Springs and couldn't believe how high I was already.  Today’s hike was good for me to learn the terrain, at least the first part of the race.  I started noticing my breathing at about 9600 foot elevation.  I was breathing pretty hard, but breathing under control.  I was pleasantly surprised at this.  When I reached Barr Camp, I rested, had lunch and returned down the trail.

My legs are a little tired tonight, but I'm not too concerned.  Even though I hiked further than I wanted, there is plenty of time for them to recover.  Tomorrow I'm going to ride the Cog Railway up to the summit of Pikes Peak.  The Cog Railway is a train that’s a 3 hour round trip to the summit and back.

The following picture is the summit of Pikes Peak, from the trail, about 8 or 9 miles away.  When hiking today I looked up and my knees buckled at this view.  I can't believe I'm going to run up there.  First it looks like I need climbing equipment and second it looks a lot farther away than what the race website says. 

good marathon (guest post from Beth)

In spite of my earlier blog, I really did have a great time in Anchorage, Alaska in June 2001 when my father and I traveled there with Team In Training to run a marathon. We had a couple of days to enjoy Alaska after the race so we tried to cram in as much as possible. The day of the race was just all about the race, so we drug ourselves 2 blocks over to the convention center for dinner with the rest of the runners. It was a buffet and so my dad decided to fix his salad plate and his main course all in one trip. But he dropped his salad plate and it landed perfectly upside down in between us. He looked at me and I looked at him--we both knew he might as well have dropped it in the Grand Canyon. There was absolutely no way either one of us could squat down and pick up that plate. So Dad decided to play it safe and tried to just kick the plate out of the way of the other people behind us. The plate went flying and the salad stayed in a perfect pile on the floor. Dad told the waitor cutting the meat at the end of the line that he had dropped his salad on the floor and could not pick it up and the guy looked at us like we were all alien beings he couldn't wait to get away from. We hobbled back to the table and laughed as hard as I have ever laughed.

We scheduled a sight seeing cruise in Seward, Alaska the day after the marathon. We asked the waitress at the hotel how long it would take us to get to Seward. She underestimated by about 30 minutes, but we didn't figure that out until we got on the highway and saw our first sign. My father then drove as fast as the 2 lane highway would allow through some of the prettiest country so we wouldn't miss the boat. We made it but they had to hold the boat for us. On the way back, we drove a little slower and stopped at some of the sight seeing spots. One of them had a sign about what to do when you see a bear. If the bear is black, fight back. If it is brown, lie down. The sign then went on to say that if the bear was brown and you were lying down playing dead and the bear started "feasting" on you, you need to change your strategy and fight back. Good to know.

We also visited a dog farm where they raise the Alaskan Huskies for the iditarod race. The sign said you could take a dog sled ride so I talked my dad into doing it. We paid $20 each, wondering how they were going to pull this off in the middle of June. We climbed on to a sled with wheels and the dogs took off down this gravel path that was a circle about 1/16 mile long. After the initial whiplash, we recovered, only to be pelted by rocks that flew up at us. We got back to the starting point and the guy goes, "No, no, they are the $20 people" and we were off again for round 2. That ride was over in about 2 minutes from start to finish, so I am pretty sure it was a complete rip off but we had to laugh as we picked the gravel out of our teeth.

On the last day, we arrived at the car rental return at the last minute. This was before 9/11, so we were really pushing our time to the max so as not to waste any time in the airport. Dad went to turn in the rental keys and he was just standing there so I coaxed him to hurry up. He looked at me and said, "My hand is stuck." Indeed, he had somehow managed to get his hand stuck in the car key return box. He told the girl working the counter and she stepped back, cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "DOES ANYBODY HAVE LOTION OR A SCREWDRIVER?" A hush fell over the crowd but no one offered any help so the girl looked at Dad, shrugged and walked away. I began to laugh, wondered if I had time to get the video camera out of my suitcase, thinking how I could not wait to tell my sister about this one. Dad finally wrenched his hand out and we caught our flight on time but it left a pretty good cut on his ring finger.

Dad and I raised over $12,000 for the leukemia society through the generosity of our friends and family. In return, we got the trip of a lifetime and a marathon medal. It was a really good experience. Running afforded us opportunities and I am glad I got to experience that one with my father.

marathon training (guest post from Beth)

In my first year out of college, I decided I should try to run a marathon. I had time to train--no kids, no weekend work, and Todd was working 80 hour weeks. It seemed like a good thing to try. I had a few half marathons under my belt. So my dad and I signed up for the Leukemia Society Team In Training and set our sights on the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon in Anchorage, Alaska in June 2001. I quickly discovered my training group in Lexington was not going to work out so I continued to train alone. I ran on the routes I knew around campus and experimented with gels and water and power bars. Sometimes Todd would join me for the end of a long run. But something goes wrong on every run after 15 miles. I blame it on low blood sugar or something like it. I become a cursing fool. I lose the ability to think rationally and begin to act like a redneck with a really foul mouth. The only time I have ever flipped the bird to a driver who yelled something crass at me was at mile 18 of a training run. I know better than that--every female runner knows better than to invite a further response from someone in a car. Todd patted me on the back one time around mile 17 or so and said something like "good job, keep going" and I responded with a less than pleasant remark. I am pretty sure he was laughing inside as he ran on but I apologized profusely later and we still laugh about it today.
The day of the actual marathon was no different. I was my normal self until about the 15 mile mark. We were running on tank trails by then and it was dusty and narrow and slow going. I knew by that point I was not going to hit my goal finish time and it was making me mad. By mile 20, I was absolutely miserable. I dropped an F-bomb with every step for the last 6.2 miles. That is not an exaggeration. When the speed walker from Georgia passed me again at the 24 mile mark, it took every ounce of self control I had left to not tackle him. He looked completely calm and had the same pace going he had at the start. I knew I would feel better if I could just mess his hair up a little bit. When I finally crossed the finish line and saw my time, my first comment to my father was "Holy @#$%! I am slower than Oprah." I was upset because I knew that distance got the better of me and that meant I would have to try it again someday. Looking back, I know I missed the point. I had finished an incredible race in an incredible place with my dad at my side (well, actually quite a bit ahead of me) and I was upset about my finishing time. I have not had the inclination to try that distance again. I will have to someday. If you want to train with me, I hope you don't offend easily.

Jimmy Valvano's 1993 ESPY Speech. "Don't give up, don't ever give up."

I think Jimmy Valvano's speech is awesome and inspirational.  It's yet another reminder of how precious life is.  I hope you enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuoVM9nm42E

mediocre runner (post from Beth)

I am a mediocre runner at best. A middle of the pack jogger who only places in my age group in the extremely small races. A 7 minute mile makes me see stars and is an all out effort only sustainable for a mile, followed by a long recovery. So the question, "Why do you run?" is a difficult one to answer. I have found the answer changes depending on the stage of my life. I got a wild hair in my sophmore year of high school and decided to try out for the track team. There weren't enough female runners to actually cut anyone, so I started to work out with the Ballard track team. I promptly got injured and sent to the "field" activities. I enjoyed learning discus and shot put until the first real track meet. There I stood, all 90 shapeless pounds of me in my little bitty maroon track shorts and the 3 rather husky girls took one look at me and said, "Look at the little white girl! We could roll her up and use her as the shot put!" That thought had already occured to me but I was pretty sure that injured or not, I could outrun them. It was a short lived track career. I ran in college to combat the sudden discovery of cafeteria food and the weight gain that came with it. I found a roommate who also loved to run and we had some great runs together. We would chat and dream and solve all our problems. I ran after I got married because I was already hooked and was rapidly discovering that working a full time job as a new grad was difficult. Todd and I used to get up and run in the morning. He was nice enough to slow down to my pace until the sun came up and not demand any conversation as we ran through the quiet streets of Lexington. We joined a run club and found new friends to run with and new races to try. I ran after I had Katie because it was the only time I could get outside. Todd would come home during his lunch hour while I was on maternity leave and I would run 3 miles around the neighborhood. The cold weather was exilherating as was the silence. It gets exponentially harder to fit running into your schedule as you have a career, more children and the pressures of being a productive adult. I am lucky to have a spouse who runs. I honestly do not mind the training hours Todd has put in for this race. I get it--the need to do something, the need to run. Some of my reasons for running now are more vain than they used to be. My metabolism really has slowed down and I am not exactly 90 pounds anymore. But truthfully, my runs are my time to be by myself and my thoughts. I have prayed, cried, pondered and dreamed over many miles. I will never be a strong runner. But if I last long enough, I just might win my age group one day. - Beth

I Hated School

My last post got me to thinking about my experience in school, one instance in particular.  Before I share that story with you, I have to tell you I hated school.  I don't remember starting out that way, but eventually I ended up hating school.  My concern for Katie was she would end up not liking school either.  I obviously wanted her to learn, but I wanted her to be happy.  I also wanted her to feel safe and be free to be herself.  I wanted her to be understood for whom she is, which is why we chose to send her to Summit Academy.

I have a lot of stories I could share about my education.  One particular situation stands out in my mind and to this day still burns me up.  When I was in the second grade we were working on our writing.  I was writing on the last page in my tablet of paper.  Behind the last page was the thick piece of cardboard.  I was sitting in the back of the room and behind me was an oscillating fan.  Every time it passed by me, my paper would blow forward and I couldn't focus on my writing.  It just kept blowing.  I started to anticipate it and I would hold my paper down.  Now I wasn't working on my writing at all.  I was focused on the fan. It wouldn't stop blowing my paper.  I wanted to get my writing done so I came up with an idea to fix the problem.  I got out my Elmer’s glue and applied a thin line around the card board backing and pressed my paper into the glue.  Problem solved.  I was proud of myself for fixing the problem.  However, I spent all my time fixing the fan problem that I didn't finish my work.  The teacher came back and saw what I did and that I didn't finish my work.  To my surprise she yelled at me for playing around.  I tried to explain why I glued my paper down, but she was too furious to listen.  All of the other kids were looking at me and I was embarrassed.  She wrote a note to my parents, on my paper, that said something to the effect of look what your son did in class.  She then folded the paper and cardboard up and put it in my front shirt pocket.  Have you ever tried to fold a piece of cardboard up?  My shirt pocket stuck out about 6 inches and she made me keep it in my pocket all day. Again, I remember all the kids looking at me laughing because I had this piece of cardboard stuffed in my pocket. 

My entire education experience is full of stories like that.  School wasn't fun for me.  Learning was difficult.  What I did learn was nobody understood how hard it was for me.  I also learned it was easier to be in trouble by being a class clown, than for everyone how dumb I was. 

Even when I was diagnosed with learning disabilities in college, learning was challenging, but I least I knew what the problem was.  I was able to change the way I studied to adapt to how I learned.  I started to have success and I really enjoyed business school.  If only we could have figured it out sooner, how different would my education have been and how different would my life be.  That's my wish for my daughter, that her educational experience will be different than mine.  I already know it is better because of Summit Academy.

Picture I found on Facebook this morning. I love it!

I Have Learning Disabilities

Last week Tyler and I were sitting in the waiting room at Minds in Motion (an intense vestibular  program) with other parents waiting to see Katie demonstrate some of what she has been doing the last 4 weeks.  Tyler asked me, "Dad did you go to a special school when you were a kid?"  I could feel the eyes of the other parents on me.  I said "No I didn't.  Why?"  Tyler's response was, "Mommy said you had trouble learning, like Katie has trouble learning."  The other parents were watching and listening, not hiding the fact they were listening.  I said, "Yes I did.  I had trouble learning, but not as much trouble as Katie."

I'm always surprised how in tune Tyler is to Katie.  He understands, probably better than the rest of us, how difficult things are for Katie.  That being said, I can relate to the kids at Summit Academy.  I'm more like them than most people know.  I did have trouble learning when I was in school.  I can remember being told I was lazy and that I wasn't trying.  I was told I didn't put forth effort and that I didn't care.  I can remember how the teachers treated me and how they made me feel, and how the other kids looked at me.  I was 21 when I was diagnosed with learning disabilities.

I have always been embarrassed by my education.  It's not that I'm dumb.  I am smart, very smart.  I graduated college with a degree in finance and use it in my career as a financial advisor.  However, I missed out on a lot of basic education, because I was struggling just to get by.  For me, blogging has been incredibly difficult.  I know I don't write very well and my sentences aren't structured properly.  Truth be told, I didn't want everyone to know.  I didn't want to publish this post.  I didn't want to take a chance that this information could hurt my career and others opinion of me.  I wanted to keep that barrier in place to protect the real me. 

But Tyler's question got me to thinking.  I went into this run wanting to make a difference and that means sharing the whole story, not just part of it. I am an adult with learning disabilities with a college degree and a career. After I was diagnosed halfway through my college career, I made changes in the way I studied and scheduled classes and it made all the difference in my academic success. It is possible to suceed with learning difficulties with the right interventions. That is the whole mission of Summit Academy. If a child can't learn the way we teach, we should teach the way they learn.

Hometown Hero Story on me and Summit Academy

http://www.wlky.com/video/28639264/detail.html

Pikes Peak race website

Here is a link to Pikes Peak Ascent/Marathon website if you would like more information about the race.

http://www.pikespeakmarathon.org/index.htm

I'm on Terry Meiners radio show today around 4:00 PM

I will be on Terry Meiners radio show today a little after 4:00 PM.  I will be talking about my run and Summit Academy.  Listen if you get a chance.

Facebook Fan Page

It's hard to believe that in 18 days I will be running up Pikes Peak.  I'm excited yet terrified at the same time.  Beth will be there to cheer me on and take pictures.  She will also provide updates on my Facebook fan page. 

My Facebook fan page is different from my personal Facebook page.  I won't update my blog until after the race, later in the day, assuming I can move.  If you want to see updates and pictures during the race, go to my fan page and "like" it.  Here is the link:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Todd-Metcalf-runs-Pikes-Peak-Ascent-to-benefit-Summit-Academy/110310922383500

I'm not sure how much updating Beth will be able to do because once I hit the trail I will be out of sight for a while.  She will post on Facebook how the race started, pictures and maybe a video.  As soon as I reach the top we will post on Facebook.

Thanks for your support of me and Summit Academy!

Time to Taper

It's hard to believe the Pikes Peak Ascent race is on 21 days away.  I just finished a 7 mile run and that makes a total of 50 miles for the week.  It also brings to an end my tough training schedule.  There were times when I thought I would never make it to the end.  The funny thing is, as I sit here now, I'm wondering where the time went.

I will now begin the taper process, which means reducing my mileage each week for the next three weeks giving my legs time to rest and recover from my training.  This will allow my legs to be fresh for the race.  I will also do more stretching and yoga in preparation for the race.

The big question is "am I ready for the run up to the summit of Pikes Peak?"  I don't know the answer to that question.  Can a flatlander ever really be ready for Pikes Peak?  What I do know is my legs are strong, stronger than they have ever been.  I feel like I'm in great shape.  I'm also very motivated.  I have received great encouragement from those around me and your words will help get me up the mountain.

As I’m sitting here typing and thinking about my next line, I received an e-mail from the Pikes Peak Ascent.  The e-mail is to confirm my registration data because they are getting ready to print our bib labels.  This race is really about to happen!  The butterflies are starting to flutter in my stomach.

Radio Interview with Terry Meiners

It looks like I'm going to be on the Terry Meiners radio show next Tuesday, August 2.  I'm not sure of the time yet, but I will update my blog when I find out. 

The Let Down

Beth mentioned to me the other day she's concerned about the "let down" after my race.  I'm not sure if you need to be a runner to understand or relate, but after a big race, you have a let down or after race blues.  I know its sounds a little silly, but think about.  I have spent almost 5 months training for this race.  I have been blogging, posting on Facebook and tweeting.  I talked about this race to anyone who would listen.  I've had two television interviews, and one radio interview.  I have another radio interview with Terry Meiners soon.  My life and my families life has been consumed with this run.  I have loved every minute of it.  What happens when it's all over?

I'm sure part of me will be glad when it's over.  I do have other running goals and races I want to run.  I also know part of me will be sad it's over.  For me, this has been a great adventure.

Someone said to me yesterday, "what are you going to do next?  You don't seem like a person who is going to sit still."  Maybe secretly Beth is worried about what challenge I will take on next.

I will have plenty of time to think about it after the race, but after a week or two my mind will start to wander about other ways to challenge myself.  Who knows what I'll come up with.  Any suggestions?

Meeting My Goals

When I started this adventure back in a April I had two goals I wanted to accomplish.  My number one goal was to bring awareness to the community about Summit Academy.  I have accomplished that goal.  I have had two television appearances and have been on the radio once.  I just found out that I will be on the Terry Meiners radio show the first week of August.  I have had conversations with people about Summit Academy, people who previously hadn't heard of Summit.

My second goal was to raise a little money for Summit Academy.  I accomplished that with the first dollar donated.  I greatly appreciate the support of those who have donated money to Summit Academy.  There is still time to donate.  Please consider making a donation to Summit Academy, no donation is to small.  Summit Academy is a school of necessity, not choice.  Over 40 percent of the families at Summit receive some kind of financial assistance.  All of us together can, and are making a difference for these kids and their families.

If you would like to know how to make a donation or have questions for me, you can e-mail me at t.metcalf@insightbb.com.  Thank you!

Week in Review - 50 Mile Week

This was a good week of running for me.  I ran 15 miles this morning at Iroquois Park in 2 hours and 19 minutes.  I ran a total of 50 miles this week.  I was worried going into todays long run that my legs would be tired from all of the miles this week, but I was surprised.  My legs felt good and I had a great run.  I think I'm about ready for Pikes Peak, as ready as you can be for a little hill.

I have almost reached the end of my training.  I have a couple of weeks left and I will begin to taper.  My race is just around the corner and I am getting excited (and nervous).  I'm anxious to toe the start line and see what happens. 

Guest Blog from Beth

It is not easy being a parent. I don’t care how prepared you think you are, there are just some things you don’t see coming. It turns out we are not all Cliff and Clair Huxtable, 2 professionals who manage to be home all the time with the quick answers and thoughtful lessons for their children.  Do you remember all the things you said you would never do? How long did it take to start eating your words? I would never let my child act like that in public. I would never bribe my child with candy or treats to get them to stop acting like that in public. I would never lose my patience with my child when they ask me the same question for the billionth time. I would never get upset over their messy antics and lose precious moments of their childhood worrying about the water dripping down the bathroom walls or the 10 gallons of sand they just tracked in from the sandbox.  And I would never, ever let my child sleep in my bed or give in and curl up beside them in their little bed because that would facilitate bad sleep habits.

Somewhere along the way, my thoughts have changed from “I would never…” to “I would never have thought…”.  I would never have thought that I could survive 8 years of not sleeping straight through the night. But, alas, children with autism are notoriously bad sleepers. I am not a nice person at 4am when someone wakes me up for the 3^rd time. And there comes a point where you will do anything to go back to sleep, even if it breaks your idealistic notion of everyone sleeping in their own bed all night long. I would never have thought that I would not be above bribing my child or that I would not be able to control the temper tantrums that seem so loud in a public place.  I definitely would not have thought that I would question our vaccine schedule or whether or not to get a flu shot. But when the lab work comes back with my daughter’s HHV6 titers off the charts and a flu shot kicks off a sinus infection that took 2 months and 3 antibiotics to get under control, it makes you wonder. I would never have thought that Whole Foods would be my favorite grocery store. I never once thought about making my own baby food—that is for stay at home moms with too much time on their hands.  But if I could do it all over again, I would rethink that notion. (Ask me how much time we spend every summer making our own popsicles!)

 Parenting is one big journey that is different for everyone and changes us in ways we could not imagine before we had children. So my advice is to be careful about judging other parents or about declaring what you would never do if you don’t have children of your own.  I will admit that I said I would never spend thousands of dollars on tuition for a non-public school. But we write that tuition check every month and are thankful we have the ability to do so and that Summit Academy exists. Be careful what you say you would never do. You might find yourself training to run up a mountain to raise funds and awareness for this school for kids with learning differences. But that is seriously crazy—I would never do that. - Beth Metcalf

Listen to me on the Radio Sunday Night

I was just asked to be on the Dr. Stan Frager radio show on Sunday night around 8:50 PM, to talk about my run and Summit Academy.  I want to say thank you to Kate Chawansky, the shows producer, and Dr Frager for the opportunity.  This will be good for Summit Academy and I greatly appreciate it.

Listen on WGTK 970 AM.  I will be on from 8:50-9:00 PM.

Video of my Mountaintop Breakfast Speech

I wanted to share this video of my Mountaintop Breakfast speech from November of 2010.  My speech is about my daughter Katie and how we found our way to Summit Academy.

I spent a couple of months working on my speech and each time I practiced delivering it I would break down crying.  I would rehearse it in the car, on the way to Lexington, and several times I had to pull over because I couldn't see the road.  My fear was not speaking in front of 400 people, but my fear had become not being able to get through my speech.

When I walked up on stage to deliver my speech, something happened, and I had a peaceful feeling come over me.  I'm not sure how it happened, but I was able to get through my speech.  You will notice there are a couple of moments where I pause to pull myself together.  That morning was the first time I got through my speech without completely loosing it.  Even now when I watch it, I can't hold back my emotions.

I hope you are touched in someway by my speech.  Enjoy.

WHAS 11 interview

http://www.whas11.com/community/Climbing-a-summitt-for-Summitt-124776524.html

I ordered my Road ID, finally.

I have been a runner for around 20 years now.  When I run I don't carry any ID on me, so I guess you could say I have been lucky that I haven't had an incident where I needed ID on me emergency responders to contact my family.  Ordering a Road ID has been on my list of things to do for years.  A Road ID is almost like a military dog tag.  It comes as a bracelet or attaches to your shoe.  It has your name, family contact information and medical issues.  I definitely think it's important to have ID on me in case I couldn't communicate important information to first responders.  I guess you could say it's irresponsible of me for not getting it done sooner.

I can feel the anxiety of others around me about the Pikes Peak Ascent race.  My family has made comments about me not being able to breathe, the weather on the top of the mountain and if anyone is going to be in Colorado with me in case something happens.  My Mom even bought me a new GPS watch, in case I get lost on the mountain somewhere.  She also has been all over me to get my Road ID.  I will say, because I don't think my Mom reads my blog, my Mom is right.  I need a Road ID.

I ordered a Road ID for my wife and one for myself this week.  They will be here next week and I will make sure we attach them to our shoes for every run.  It's important that if something were to happen, to either my wife or myself while running, the emergency responders have our medical information and be able to contact our family.  I hope I never need it, but there is peace in my mind knowing it will be there.

Guest Post From my Wife Beth (it's a good read, please take time to read it)

Who exudes God’s transforming love in your life? This was a question posed by Buddy Lee in our class one Sunday morning. A simple question that generated a lot of thoughtful answers. I did not speak up that day but I mulled the question over for the next few weeks.  Earlier on the morning Buddy posed that question, I was so angry with God I could feel my blood pressure rise as soon as we pulled in the church parking lot. We have a daughter with an infectious laugh, a caring nature, and a host of unpleasant neurodevelopmental diagnosis that leave her future very uncertain.  Where was God’s love? How could he create this beautiful child and then crisscross all the wires in her brain to make even the simplest daily task overwhelming?  But as I looked around the church, I could easily name many people who exude God’s love.  As I went through the week, I could identify even more people in our community of educators, therapists, specialists, and friends who exude God’s love in the work they do every day.

 Our daughter’s journey has led us down paths we never would have envisioned.  Ironically, it has also led us to some of the most amazing people I have ever met. Katie attends Summit Academy in Middletown, an independent school for kids with learning differences.  These are some of the most inspirational kids and teachers you could ever hope to meet. This is also a small school that relies heavily on its volunteers and (not unlike Highland) once you show a willingness to serve, the rest is history.  My husband Todd started as a volunteer to help out with the run club. He is a runner so he figured he could give back to the school in this way. Then he joined the board. Then he came up with the idea to run the Pikes Peak Ascent to raise money and awareness for the school.  Pikes Peak is a little hill in Colorado that ascends to about 14,000 feet where rumor has it there is not much oxygen to spare for things like trees or crazy runners. Where can you find enough inspiration to run that far without a normal level of oxygen? Perhaps from the children Todd is hoping to help. If you watch these kids as they train and run, it is more than putting one foot in front of their other. They are pushing their limits and finding their potential. There is a 10 year old on the team who uses a walker just to walk. But there he is, training and running and sometimes falling down. His teammates simply stop and help him up and they all continue on. That is God’s love in its simplest form.

Todd asked me to join him in running this race. I replied that I am simply not as insane as he is and will stick to sea level races. But I am very proud of him and his willingness to share our story and our struggles. It has helped us to let go of the anger and begin to move forward. I am proud of this school for having the vision and the love to reach out to kids who need help in order to reach their potential. It is so unfair that these kids have such high mountains to climb at such a young age.  But I am inspired by their courage and the love shown to them by their teachers and community of people who believe we can help them overcome their obstacles. If we open our eyes to God’s transforming love, we are called to act. Do we have the courage to run up the mountain?

Set the DVR for WHAS 11 June 30 at noon

I will be on TV this week.  I will be on WHAS 11 noon news this Thursday, June 30 talking about running Pikes Peak Ascent for Summit Academy.  I'm really excited and I think this will be great exposure for Summit Academy.  Please help me spread the word and pass this information along.

2008 PIkes Peak Ascent

More random thoughts and short stories

One day I asked Tyler what he wanted to be when he grows up.  He said a baseball or basketball player.  I said how about a runner?  Tyler said no running is boring.  I said, if you don't practice you will never be able to beat Daddy.  Tyler said, you’re not that good.  I said, yes I am.  Tyler's response was, have you ever come in first place?  I said no, but in my last race I finished 116th out of about 2,000 runners.  Tyler’s response, hahahahahahahahahaha.  As Tyler walked away he said, only first, second or third counts.

I was helping Beth train for a marathon.  Her training plan called for a 20 mile run.  I met her after she completed the first 10, so I would be fresh to help her finish the last 10 miles.  We reached the 19.5 mile point and all of a sudden she disappeared.  I turned around and she was sitting on a brick wall.  I jogged back to her and she said, I'm done go get the car.  It took sometime but I talked her off the wall and she finished her 20 miles.  Side note, Beth and her Dad ran the Alaska Marathon for the Leukemia society.  They raised over $12,000 and had a great experience.

I think one of the best parts of the Louisville Mini-Marathon is when you run up the first hill in Iroquois park.  Everyone stops talking and all you hear are feet hitting the ground.  There is something magical about that.

Years ago I ran a half marathon in Midway Kentucky.  The course ran along some beautiful horse farms.  As I approached the turn around a horse came over to the fence, close to the road I was running on, and ran beside me to the turn around and then ran back with me as far as he could go.  It probably was only 30 yards each way, but I thought it was the coolest thing ever.

When traveling, I think the best way to see a new town is an early morning run.

Long before I had kids, I was passed in a race by a runner pushing a running stroller.  The kid in the stroller leaned out, waved and said bye.  BRAT! 

I think every runner has a race or distance that haunts them.  For me it's the marathon.  My first and only marathon was in 1999.  I ran it in 4 hours and 35 minutes.  At mile 16 I had a stress fracture, but I still finished.  I have trained for 3 other marathons, but have gotten injured or sick during training and never made the starting line.  Maybe I will try again soon.  I still think I can break 4 hours!

Katie at the Beach

This is my Katie Bug.  She is my motivation for running Pikes Peak Ascent.  I hope others will take notice of what I'm doing and get involved.  You can help by sharing my blog and Facebook page with your friends and family.  You can also help by making a donation to Summit Academy in support of my run.  All 100% of your donation will go to Summit.  If all you can give are words of encouragement, I'll take them.  Thank you to everyone who has donated so far and keep telling you friends about Summit Academy and my run.

TV

I will be on WHAS 11 news on June 30 at noon with Rachel Platt talking about the Pikes Peak Ascent race and Summit Academy.  Help me spread the word and tell all your friends to watch.

Stuck in the Middle

At this point I am in the middle of my training.  The initial excitement of the race has worn off. Race day is still over 2 months away.  So, I feel like I'm stuck in the middle. 

Usually, I run a half marathon every 2-3 months.  I always like to have my next race on the calendar.  I need to have something to look forward to.  It's been 4 months since I ran the Lost Dutchman half marathon in Arizona, and because of my schedule and vacation this year I haven't even run the local races.  So, I feel like I'm stuck in the middle.

The middle can be tough.  Long high mileage weeks can where you down, even when you love running.  I think the middle is where all the hard work and race preparation takes place.  If I lose my focus now, the race will be even tougher for me.

This week I have been on vacation in Folly Beach, South (about 12 miles south of Charleston).  It's been a good week to rest my body and get ready for the last push in my training.  I have 63 days left until I face my biggest physical challenge yet, running to the Summit of Pikes Peak.  I will be ready!

Life Changing

I originally decided not to share this next story on my blog.  I wanted to focus on Katie and other kids like her at Summit Academy.  However, to truly understand what motivated me to run this race and why I'm working hard to be an advocate for kids with learning disabilities, you probably need to know my life changing experience.  This story isn't a secret, but it may come as a surprise to some people who know me.

At the end of Katie's first year in kindergarten, I ran two half marathons in three weeks, nothing unusual for me.  After the second half marathon, I had trouble recovering from the race.  My legs were heavy and it was hard to run, so I took a week off from running to rest.  The week off didn't help me feel better and I began running slower and slower.  I figured stress had finally caught up with me. It had been a whirlwind of a year for us.  Katie was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum and with severe learning disabilities, we enrolled Katie in a school for kids with learning disabilities (which is expensive and wasn't in my financial plan) and the stock market crashed.  It really was a triple whammy.

Over the next month I started feeling worse.  It was mostly fatigue.  I would come home in the afternoon and sleep for about 2 hours.  When I woke up I wasn't refreshed. I still felt tired.  It got to the point where I couldn't get out of my chair to run and play with Tyler.  This went on for about a month and I decided to go to the doctor.  I always felt, because I'm a runner, I was very in tune with my body.  I knew something was wrong, but I still felt silly when I told the doctor, "I just feel tired all the time".  The doctor examined me, drew blood and sent me on my way.  The next morning I got a call from the doctor saying there was an issue with my blood test and wanted me to come back in for another test.  After the second test, the doctor called and said he was referring me to the Consultants for Blood Disorders and Cancer (CBC).  Obviously, the name itself scared the hell out of me.

During my initial visit with my doctor at the CBC, he determined I had a swollen lymph node and immediately scheduled me for a CAT scan to check for cancer, plus he sent me for more blood work.  It took about two weeks for the entire process of getting the tests done and to get the results.  That two week period seemed like an eternity and no matter how hard I tried, I was planning for the worst. 

Obviously I know how precious life is.  I have a special needs daughter who requires more of everything compared to other kids.  However, I guess I needed a seconded wake up call to remind me what's important in life.  To be completely honest, I was tired of dealing with "real life issues".  I just wanted to coast through life for a while.

I don't remember making a deal with God, but I do remember thinking if I got through this I would spend more of my time volunteering and helping others, especially kids like Katie.  If given the chance, I would make a difference!

My doctor’s appointment, to get my test results, just happened to be the on first day of school for Katie's second year of kindergarten.  I gave her a kiss, dropped her off and drove to the doctor’s office not knowing what the next couple of hours would be like.

The doctor came in and immediately put my anxiety to rest by telling me I didn't have cancer.  However, he told me I have Hemochromatosis, which is a genetic disease.  Hemochromatosis is an iron disorder where the body simply loads too much iron. This action is genetic and the excess iron, if left untreated, can damage joints, organs, and can eventually be fatal.  Luckily for me, we caught it early, as confirmed by tests on my organs.  Most people usually don't get diagnosed until there is some problem with their organs, caused by to much iron.

The treatment is therapeutic blood removal or phlebotomy as a means of iron reduction.  It's just like giving blood.  In the beginning of my treatment we had to aggressively remove the iron to get my levels back to normal.  I had weekly phlebotomies for 2 months, and then I went to every other week for 2 months and then monthly.  It took about 8 months to get my iron levels back to normal.  I am now on maintenance therapy, which involves making a blood donation every 2 to 4 months for life.

I have adjusted to having Hemochromatosis and the life long treatment that goes with it.  When I think about it, the treatment is not really that bad.  It's definitely better that taking medication for the rest of my life. 

In the time after my diagnoses, I kept my promise and I have become heavily involved at Summit Academy.  I am a board trustee, member of the development committee, fundraiser, running club volunteer and am always on the look out for some other way to help (like run up a mountain).  I hope that I can continue to use my life changing experience to make difference for other kids like Katie and their families.  I love Summit Academy and all who are involved with it.  It has been a godsend for my family. 

Summit Academy's new web-site

Summit Academy has a new updated web-site.  I am including the link to the prospective families area.  Please watch the video to learn more about Summit Academy.

http://www.summit-academy.org/html/prospective.html

Week in Review

This was not a good week of running for me.  Luckily it was a step back week.  We had all the end of the year school stuff to attend, which interrupted my regular routine.  Friday, which is my favorite day of the week because it's my long run day, didn't go well.  I had planned on running 8 miles and had trouble making 3 miles.  I did run another 3 miles later Friday afternoon.  That made a total of 18.5 miles for the week.  The original plan was for 25 miles.

Hopefully that means my legs are well rested for next week’s training.  I plan to run over 40 miles for the first time this summer.

The following week we will be on vacation, so I will cut my mileage back again, but I will run.  I love to run in new place, especially near the ocean.

Week in Review

It was a good week of running for me.  I ran a total of 38 miles.  My long run was 14 miles, which I did on a hilly course.  I ran 5 days and rested 2 days. 

Next week I will cut my mileage back to 25-28 miles to give my legs a chance to rest.  The following week I will run around 41 miles total.

Ways to Donate

If you would like to make a donation to Summit Academy in support of my run, you have a couple of options to do so.  You can donate through my blog using the secure "donate now" button.  If you would prefer you can write a check, make it out to Summit Academy, and give it to me or mail it to Summit Academy at 11508 Main Street, Louisville KY 40243.  Please add Pikes Peak in the memo section.

Thank you for your support of Summit Academy and our children.  We greatly appreciate it.

A Balancing Act

Over the years I have learned how fit my running in around a busy life.  When I decided to take on the challenge of running Pikes Peak Ascent, I wasn't overwhelmed by the amount of time I would need to train.  Truth be told, if I wasn't running this race, I would still be training about the same amount.

However, I miscalculated the amount of time it would take to keep up with the blog, Facebook and Twitter.  It takes a lot more time to keep up with the social media part and to get the word out about Summit Academy.  I'm struggling to keep my head above water at this point.  I'm lucky to have help from the development committee at Summit Academy.  It will only get harder.  I will need another vacation after this is over. 

Someone asked me the other day if I was a trust fund baby, because in my blog I didn't mention anything about working.  After thinking about it, I came to the conclusion it was a very good question.  The answer is no, I'm not a trust fund baby.  I do have a job.  In my professional life I'm a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial.  One of the perks of my job as a financial advisor is flexibility.  As long as I'm not in a meeting with a client I can work from almost anywhere, assuming I have my laptop and cell phone.  I have one of the best assistants around, who makes my office run like a well-oiled machine.  Also, my work hours don't have to be from 9-5.  This flexibility has helped over the years, especially with a special needs child. 

One of the reasons I can get it all done is because I'm an early riser.  I usually get up around 5:00 AM (this morning it was 4:45 AM).  I spend the first hour and a half catching up on the news, markets and e-mails.  I will also use this time to research and review client portfolios.  Beth and I get the kids up and ready for school.  I get Tyler on the bus and go for a run.  When I get back from my run, I catch up e-mails and work that has come in over the last hour.  Then it's on to work.  Each day is different, but the same.  I run, work and take care of my family-not necessarily in that order.

There is another reason I get it all done, and that's Beth.  There is no doubt I married well.  I also married a runner, so she understands my need (addiction) to run.  She is also the first person I turned to when I decided to run Pikes Peak Ascent.  She is always there to pick up my slack and help me get it all done.  Together we make a great team and I am blessed to have her as my partner in life.

Week in Review

It was a busy week, but I managed to run 34 miles total for the week.  My long run was 12.64 miles in 1:58:57, so my new Nike+ Sportswatch GPS tells me. 

Next week I plan to run around 38 miles total.  I need to get more hill workouts in and I need to continue to increase my long runs.  I hope to run a long run of 13-14 miles next week.

Video of Abbe and I on Louisville Live Today

We are on at the end of the show around the 45:00 mark.

http://www.justin.tv/wbki_tv/b/286075905

Watch me on Louisville Live Tuesday, May 17 at 10:00 AM on WBKI, The CW

One of the reasons I took on the challenge of running the Pikes Peak Ascent race was to bring awareness to the community about Summit Academy.  I get my chance to do that on a bigger stage this week.  I will be on the TV show, Louisville Live, this Tuesday May 17.  Louisville Live is on WBKI, The CW at 10:00 AM.

Abbe Pedersen, Director of Communication and Marketing for Summit Academy, and I will share Summit's story and talk about my challenge of running up Pikes Peak.  I look forward (nervously) to this opportunity.

Please tell all your family, friends and co-workers to tune in and watch us, and don't forget to set your DVR.   

Week in Review

It was a good week of running for me.  I ran a total of 35 miles (including the Throo the zoo 5K I'm getting ready to run this morning).  Wednesday I did a double, 3 miles in the morning and 5 miles of hills in the evening.  This was the first week with the heat and humidity.  I actually like running in the heat, but it will take a couple of weeks for my body to adapt.

Friday was my long run and I did 12 miles at Iroqouis Park.  The first nine were on the pavement, then after refueling with gatorade, I ran a trail for the last 3 miles.  I haven't run much on trails and I think it's completely different than running on the pavement.  You have to concentrate more on where your feet are landing, so you can't zone out.  The Pikes Peak Ascent is run almost entirely on a trail, so I need to continue training on trails.  I felt good on my long run and my time was 1 hour and 53 minutes.

Next week I plan to run around 35 miles with a long run between 10-12 miles.

TV Appearance

I'm excited to announce I am going to be on the Louisville LIVE television show on WBKI, The CW next Tuesday, May 17.  Louisville Live is on air from 10-11:00 AM.  I will be talking about my Pikes Peak Ascent run and Summit Academy.  This is great exposure for Summit Academy and I really appreciate Louisville Live taking an interest in what we are doing.  Please share this with all of your friends and plan on watching it.  Thanks for your help and support. 

I will write more on this later.

Summit Academy Run Club

This Saturday the Summit Academy Run Club will run the Throo the Zoo 5K.  Janna and Jessica, the coaches, have done a tremendous job of teaching and training the kids to run a 5K (3.1 miles).  I'm very proud of the kids and I can't wait to see them cross the finish line.  They have been training really hard to get ready for the race this weekend, including this past Monday, which was the hottest training day by far this year.  They are ready for a hilly and challenging course.

The run club will have matching shirts on.  We will have a big Summit Academy sign and will set up at the finish line.  Come hang out with us and help cheer the kids on.

Thanks for Your Support

100 days until race day!

I want to take a moment and thank everyone for your support of Summit Academy and my run.  I greatly appreciate it.  I love getting your e-mail and comments, so keep them coming. 

Let me know if you have any questions about Summit Academy, my training or the Pikes Peak Ascent run.  Also, let me know if you have any blog suggestions.

Continue to help me spread the word.  Tell your friends to check out my blog.  Also, follow me on my Facebook Fan Page.  There is a link on the right side of my blog page, click it and "like" my Facebook Fan Page.  Please share both with your friends on Facebook.

To make a donation to Summit Academy, click on the Pikes Peak Ascent sponsor Todd picture.

Thanks again for your support.

Learning Disability Statistics

Learning disabilities are a reality.  Statistics confirm that children with un-remediated learning disabilities suffer.  The community suffers as well:

• One out of every seven children has a learning disability of some kind. 
• There are over 20,000 disheartened, struggling school age children in metro Louisville. 
• Their high school drop-out rates are 35% higher than their peers.
• They have a 50% higher chance for teen pregnancy
• They have an alarming 220% higher chance of ending up in the legal system

Week(s) in Review

The last couple of weeks have been chaotic.  Between work, the weather and Beth being out of town, my training hasn't gone according to plan.  That being said, I have extra weeks built in my training for times like this.  I feel like I'm back on track though.  This week I ran a total of 30 miles with a long run of 10 mile.  Next week I plan to run aroung 33 miles total.

Random Thoughts and Short Stories

Last year while running in Iroquois Park, a squirrel fell out of a tree and landed in front of me with a big thud.  I jumped, and then he jumped up and darted at me.  I jumped again (I may have shrieked) and he made a quick left turn back into the woods.  As my son Tyler would say, I think I peed a little.

Beth and I ran a 5k at Tom Sawyer several years ago that had a unique finish.  The race director, I think it was the first time he put on a running event, said the course was well marked and we shouldn't have any trouble finding our way.  That should have been our first clue.  The race was small so all the runners got strung out along the course.  I like everyone else was lost.  At one point I jumped a fence to try to get back on the course.  Finally, I saw the finish line and as I ran toward it there were runners finishing from 5 different ways.  Not sure if I ran shorter or longer than a 5k that day.

In a 5k several years ago, I won first place in my age group.  I walked up and got my trophy and as I turned to walk away the race director asked "was there anyone else in this age group we missed"?  Instantly I heard the giggles of my family.  I won my age group because I was the only one in my age group.

When I run on the treadmill in our basement, I get hot so I take off my shirt.  Katie tells everybody I run naked.  So if she tells you I run naked, it's not true.  I only run topless.

A couple of years ago Beth, her Dad (Jim) and I were on the way home from running the Derby Mini-Marathon.  I was driving and Jim was in the back seat.  We were working our way through the traffic leaving downtown, when Jim started screaming in the back seat.  He was having a cramp in his calf.   He couldn't straighten out his leg, so he tried opening the door and getting out.  We had the child safety locks on and the door wouldn't open.  He started screaming louder and I guess he was getting mad because he tried to rip my door handle off and started hitting the door.  I told Beth to get out of the car and open the door for him. Beth said "in traffic"?  I said yes; get him out of the car! While he stretched out his leg Beth and I sunk down in the seat, giggling, as others drove by watching the side show.

The first 5k we ran turned out to be a running death match between Beth and her brother-n-law, Brad.  Leading up to the race they both talked trash to each other.  Brad said he was not going to get beat by a girl.  The day of the race, the starting gun went off and we all took off like we were shot out of a cannon.  We each settled into our own pace and were strung out on the course.  Jim and I finished and waited for Beth and Brad to finish.  Beth and Brad were coming to the finish line neck and neck.  They turned the last corner with 50 yards to go.  As they turned the corner they were bumping each other and their arms were flailing, smacking each other, like little kids on the play ground.  I was cracking up. Brad edged out Beth at the finish line and collapsed to the ground.  In between gasp for air Brad said, I.....didn't.....get.......beat.......by......a......girl.  Beth didn't win the race, but it didn't hurt her as much as it did Brad.  Brad has yet to give Beth a rematch.

Have you ever heard of the Bloody Eleven?  You can file this under to much information.  If your at the finish line of a race you might notice guys finishing the race with a red eleven on their shirt.  When guys wear the wrong type of shirt, for example cotton, and after they sweat or poor water on themselves to keep cool, the cotton rubs their nipples raw and causes them to bleed.  The blood runs down their shirt and it looks like a red number eleven.  Guys if your going to take up running, buy yourself a running shirt and put band aids on your nips.  That's all I have to say about that, and that was probably too much.

After almost every race our family goes to Cracker Barrel for breakfast, to relive the good, the bad and the ugly of that day's race.

I need your help

I decided to take on the challenge of running Pikes Peak Ascent for two reasons, to raise awareness  and money for Summit Academy.  Summit Academy is an independent, not-for-profit school for kids with learning differences.  Summit serves grades K-8, and is adding a pre-school for 2011-2012 school year.

I can still remember the day when the neuropsychologist delivered the news to Beth and I.  He told us that Katie's visual and auditory processing skills were so severely impaired that she would never go to college and might not even graduate from high school.  We were devastated. 

Oddly enough the next morning was the Papa John's 10 mile race.  I remember, at the start of the race, being angry and wondering why this was happening to Katie.  That anger propelled forward, pushing me harder and faster than I should have run.  I ran until I couldn't take the physical pain anymore, and then the emotional pain set in.  In a sea of 9000 runners, I ran with tears streaming down my face.

We were lucky to find our way to Summit Academy.  Summit has been a blessing for our family and for so many other families.  Katie is learning and we have hope for her future.  More important, Katie is happy and enjoys school.

I know there are families in our community who need Summit Academy, but have never heard of the school.  I know there are other families who can't afford the tuition.

Please help me spread the word about Summit Academy.  Tell your friends and co-workers about Summit Academy.  Send them a link to my blog and ask them to "like" my facebook page.  Encourage them to follow along as I train to run Pikes Peak Ascent.

Lastly, we have a link on my blog and on Summit Academy's home page to sponsor my run, or you can use this link:  https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=ee1ad7.  Ask friends and co-workers to consider sponsoring my run.  All 100% of sponsorship money goes directly to Summit Academy.  Thanks for your help.

 

Favorite Races

My wife, Beth, is traveling later this week to Northern California to run the Avenue of Giants half marathon in Humbolt Redwoods State Park.  The race is run under a canopy of beautiful Redwoods.  I ran this race a couple of years ago and it remains one of my favorite runs.  The Redwood trees are absolutely amazing.  That got me to thinking about some of my favorite runs over the years.

Here are a couple of my favorites.

Beth and I ran a half marathon together that finished on the 50 yard line of Notre Dame's football field.  We ran into the stadium through the same tunnel the football players run through while the Notre Dame fight song was playing.

We have run a half marathon in the Smokey Mountains.  Hilly but beautiful.

I ran a 15K on the grounds of the Biltmore Estate in Ashville, NC.

This past February I ran a half marathon around Superstition Mountains in Apache Junction, Az.

I'm assuming Pikes Peak will be on this list, again assuming I don't die during this race.

Do you have any favorite runs?  I would love to hear about them.  Leave a comment or post on my facebook page wall and tell me about your favorite run or race.

Truly Blessed

I try to remind myself every time I start a run, how blessed I am.  I'm fortunate that my mind and body work.  I realize others aren't so lucky.  For me running is a privilege and I'm thankful to be able to do it.

I'm also blessed because of the people around me.  Last week I posted a written copy of my Mountaintop Breakfast speech.  It was a speech I gave at a breakfast to raise money for Summit Academy.  My speech was about my daughter’s health issues and her learning disabilities.  In the first couple of days after I posted my speech, I was overwhelmed with e-mails and messages from people thanking me for sharing my daughter’s story and offering words of encouragement for my run.  I also received e-mails from other parents sharing stories with me about their children's health and learning issues.  I'm honored you shared your stories with me.

I want to say thank you to all of you for your encouraging words and sharing your stories with me.  It's those words of encouragement and stories that will help get me up that little hill on race day!