Week Three!!! I love running in the Morning😣!

Flag of Czech Republic

Hey Kids!

I had to make some running changes given the heat and my summer work schedule. Normally I’m a late morning or early afternoon runner. Given the temperatures this week and my daily camp schedule I had to alter my usual running routines.

SOOOOOO…. this past week I did my 3 miles on Tuesday am, 5miles on Wednesday am and skipped Thursday. I skipped so I could do my weekend long run of 9 miles on Friday morning to avoid the triple digit temps this weekend.

Image result for hot weather running

My advice….don’t.  Training for the fall marathons means you need to train in the summer.  Like I said I don’t like to run in the morning. Im stiff, slow and generally kinda cranky. Because of this I am usually the first one up at 5 am ( with Lucy of course;-)Image may contain: 1 person, sitting and dog

, coffee is brewed before I wake.Image result for pcu coffee now

And I spend the first half an hour of my day in silence with these guys

Image result for mary calvi and chris Image result for mary calvi and chris

I tell my HS students constantly to “Make time” to do the things that are important ( Usually in a conversation about instrumental practice time) and to prove to them that they have the time, I break down the hours of the day and find them their half an hour to practice. I recommend doing this in your own life whenever you think you don’t have the time to do something.

I am reminded of a passage I read in a book about self improvement and it quoted a Buddhist monk who answered a woman’s question/complaint about not being able to meditate daily because she had no time time.

She laid out her day to the monk detailing a legitimately very, very busy daily schedule of child care, errands, responsibilities etc. The monk listened intently then responded saying “What time do get up to do all of this?” The woman responded, “6:00 am” To which the Monk responded, ” Get up at 5:30.”

Its simple, make the time to do the things you deem important. Yes we all have to sleep and we all have more to do then there are hours in the day so you may need to eliminate things to make the time but you still can make the time.

Image result for buddhist quote about getting up early

No please don’t take me as being righteous. The first mile or so of each morning run is not met with a smile. But I am proud that I do it and it is definitely worth it.

Time management is a struggle for everyone. I will mention a book that I have before that has a great section of a way to organize and prioritize  your time.

Image result for 7 habits

Mr Covey has you make a 4 box chart of Important/Not Important and Urgent/Not Urgent. He explains in detail obviously but the idea is to focus your energy in quadrant 2. This actually reduces the amount of items in the other three.

Image result for 7 habits time management

So I wake up extra early on Tues, Wed and Thurs. do get my morning run in.  On Friday my boy James got me up at 4 am! Since I planned on 9 miles that day it actually worked out. I started at 5:30 am and finished a little before 7. Now I can enjoy the weekend!

Random though while running, “Trent Reznor was really angry, Image result for trent reznor

I hope he is better now. But he did make really great music when he was angry, so I hope he can get angry on demand, write good songs and then be happy.”

 

Image result for trent reznor happy

Happy Czech!

Czech Word of the Day

2018-07-0101
benner
špendlík
tack
noun (masculine)
Přišpendli roh toho papíru, aby držel na místě, když kreslíš.
Put a tack in the corner of the paper to hold it in place while you draw.
připínáček
red thumbtack

Week Two Chicago! Top TEN!!!

Hey Kids!

Happy Fathers Day to all! I made sure to do my long run yesterday so I could enjoy my Saturday afternoon and watch Golf all day Sunday. So happy Fathers Day to all of the Great Dads in my and you life!

Jamie and I are squinty 🙂

Ellie-Bean also had her big dance recital yesterday. I was blown away! She was sooooo good so it looks like Dance-Dad-4-Life!

My Favorite Picture of me and My Dad

POP-POP! ( he is the one in the middle, The monarch I believe… 😉

   

Uncle Chris and Liam!

So in keeping with the dad conversation, when I was doing my 7 mile long run yesterday around mile 5 I asked myself a familiar question, “Why am I doing this again?” and I started making an impromptu list so I though I would share my top 10 reasons for running:

10. Fights the Dad bod- In previous posts I mentioned that I decided to pound the pavement when my daughter was a baby and while brushing my teeth I felt a jiggle of my belly right below my skinny ribs.(=SkinnyFat)  something had to be done…

The Unhealthy Skinny-Fat Phenotype

 

9.It’s Free!- Gyms, trainers and programs are expensive. Running is relatively cheap . Really good sneakers are a little over $100 but last a long time.  Outside is free!

8. I’m alone-I like running alone, for reasons I explain more in the next few but I like being able to control when, where and how I do this exercise. Also, there is no bailing out on a work out. If I’m going to run 10 miles, even if you try to stop early you still have to make it back! Does not leave you much of a chance to cheat, I like that.

7. Physical health- Now it is no secret that running a marathon is not good for you in the sense that once you run over 20 miles you are dong more damage than good. That being said with my training program the only time you run over 20 is the actual race. Plus in the process I am very conscious of my weight, diet,  flexibility etc. I get in great shape and generally feel good most of the time!https://www.halhigdon.com/training/marathon-training/

6. Helps me sleep- I have never been a “Good Sleeper” I sleep lightly, have a hard time falling asleep, and when I’m up I’m up… I definitely sleep better when I’m running consistently.

https://www.runnersworld.com/health-injuries/a20786856/how-exercise-helps-and-hurts-sleep/

5. People think I’m amazing- I have been lucky enough to have the kind of life where I get to accomplish things that I never thought possible. Running in general is definitely one of them let alone running these big races! I like goals, I like the ceremony, applause, photos, medals and I like the attention you get from running marathons. I don’t need it but its awesome to work hard at something and be told your awesome sometimes 🙂

4. Soaking it up with my soul mate- My wife is a fitness instructor and a PE teacher so exercising is something we can do together even if we don’t actually run together most of the time. Its great to have a common interest to share.  (SONO half marathon 2017, SUB TWO!)

3. It’s Philanthropic- I did start running before I ran with the AFSP but after the tragic loss of Eddie and Fred running the races for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention gave it the purpose I needed. (We raised over $10,000!!!) It helped me feel useful in an extremely helpless situation. I heard someone say that Running “helps me deal with life’s BIG problems.” I can absolutely relate to that, and I agree 100%. Hey lets donate to the AFSP! link below.

https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/Jonathan-Kinne_chicagomarathon

2. Mental health- Everyone alive needs to invest in their own mental health. Just like physical health it needs attention, effort and investment to be healthy. No one is just naturally mentally healthy  despite what you see on Social Media.

Im currently taking a grad class on mindfulness and I have studied related practices pretty intently for years now. Running and/or walking is an outstanding way to basically meditate while moving.  It is my personal belief, and there is plenty of science to back this up, that the mental benefits of running are just as good as the physical.

10 Mental Health Benefits of Running

1. My kids- I run for all of the above reasons but when it really comes down to it I do it all for my kids. I want to be around as long as possible to provide for them and watch them grow upI want to be a good role model of fitness and to learn that being active and healthy is a good and normal thing.  Im not saying Im the epitome of healthy habits ( I have plenty of bad ones too) but at least my kids will know me as a dedicated runner. I also want my kids to see that nothing is impossible. By running these big races I am showing them that everyday people can do extraordinary things if you work hard enough. When it gets really hard for me training, that’s my go to thought.  I love you Ellie and Jamie!

So Happy Fathers Day to all and week three starts tomorrow!

Random thought while running… “Where do snakes go in the winter? Because I’m going to need some rocks from across the street again so it may be safer if I move them when its cold.”

Happy Czech!

Czech Word of the Day

2018-06-1717
benner
černé vlasy
black hair
phrase (masculine)
Žena má černé vlasy.
The woman has black hair.
krátké černé vlasy
short black hair

https://www.czechclass101.com/czech-phrases?src=site_dashboard_myteacherhttps://www.czechclass101.com/czech-phrases?src=site_dashboard_myteacher

Week One Chicago!!!

Hey Kids!

My training for the 2018 Chicago Marathon has begun. Im in week one of training and though I’m a bit slow I’m feeling OK! I have a link above to my 18 week training program But here it is in a nutshell:

HA! Mike Meyers is kinda a hero of mine

Any way Im on week one and here we go!

Week Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
1 Rest 3 m run 3 m run 3 m run Rest 6 Cross
2 Rest 3 m run 3 m run 3 m run Rest 7 Cross
3 Rest 3 m run 4 m run 3 m run Rest 5 Cross
4 Rest 3 m run 4 m run 3 m run Rest 9 Cross
5 Rest 3 m run 5 m run 3 m run Rest 10 Cross
6 Rest 3 m run 5 m run 3 m run Rest 7 Cross
7 Rest 3 m run 6 m run 3 m run Rest 12 Cross
8 Rest 3 m run 6 m run 3 m run Rest Rest Half Marathon
9 Rest 3 m run 7 m run 4 m run Rest 10 Cross
10 Rest 3 m run 7 m run 4 m run Rest 15 Cross
11 Rest 4 m run 8 m run 4 m run Rest 16 Cross
12 Rest 4 m run 8 m run 5 m run Rest 12 Cross
13 Rest 4 m run 9 m run 5 m run Rest 18 Cross
14 Rest 5 m run 9 m run 5 m run Rest 14 Cross
15 Rest 5 m run 10 m run 5 m run Rest 20 Cross
16 Rest 5 m run 8 m run 4 m run Rest 12 Cross
17 Rest 4 m run 6 m run 3 m run Rest 8 Cross
18 Rest 3 m run 4 m run 2 m run Rest Rest Marathon

As you have figured out I am running this race as a proud team member of the American Foundation for Suicide prevention. Please don’t take this as opportunistic but I do feel the need to at least mention the passing of two famous people this week.  Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain.

I only mention these two icons in their respective industries because it is a stark reminder of how this side effect of depression is universally human. I have included below some basic stats on this epidemic.

Suicide Statistics

Suicide Statistics

It is our responsibility, as humans, to address this issue with compassion, action and a sense of urgency. These lives are needlessly lost and there is something we can do about it.

Groups like the AFSP and the many others like it provide a wealth of resources and take action to address the staggering numbers listed above. You can take action as simply as supporting endeavors like mine or see the attached website for resources on how to be more involved.

I know this was a more serious post that I usually throw out there but sometimes life is serious. I look forward to training, blogging and having mundane adventures with you over the next 18 weeks! Please donate to the AFSP by using this link below or the attached above.

https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/Jonathan-Kinne_chicagomarathon

and remember…

Image result for running fun

Happy Czech?

Czech Word of the Day

2018-06-0909
benner
lev
lion
noun (masculine)
Lev spí.
The lion is sleeping.
Lev se zastaví a pak pokračuje v chůzi.
The lion pauses and then continues walking.
velký lev
big lion

 

I’m Official: The 2018 Chicago Marathon!

Ok so its on! I am officially registered and paid for 2018 Chicago Marathon and I have been accepted on to team AFSP as an official runner! To donate to the AFSP / my campaign check out the link below!

https://afsp.donordrive.com/participant/Jonathan-Kinne_chicagomarathon

So let me address the main question, Why the hell would I do this to myself again?

In Mile 23 of NYC I said, to myself that this was probably it. I don’t ever want to feel like this ever again.  Shortly after the race I said the opposite but throwing marathon training on top of my currently pretty packed life was a complicated decision.  So I put it up on the shelf for a while.

I love reading books about bettering yourself and studying the human experience. After reading a great book, which I highly, highly recommend,  Design Your Future by an  old Ramsey friend Dominick Quartuccio,

here he is looking very Dawson’s Creek- esque 😉 

I am trying to apply the concepts and methods he lays out in the book to my daily life.

Buy the book- http://www.dominickq.com/book-design-future/

Here is more about Dom too http://www.dominickq.com/

He gives great advice about challenging yourself and how to do it with the goal of living the happiest and most productive life possible. I keep this book on my night stand and as I was reflecting on it one day I asked my self, “when did I feel I was at my best?” I realized that the answer was when I was working toward the goal of running  a marathon and consequently (with a lot of help from a lot of people) helped make the world a little bit of a better place. I got in great shape, dealt with the trauma of loosing a close friend, started a blog, was able to participate in two marathons including the NYC Marathon, which is top three best days of my life (for real!)  So I ran a couple of Half Marathons this fall and though about Chicago.

Training for a marathon is half awesome and half awful. You get in great shape mentally and physically but the weeks with multiple long runs are very taxing in the same way, on top of real life.

That being said, I don’t know how many more marathons I have in me. So if Im going to run 26.2 Miles I want to go BIG! My buddy Eric and I decided about a year ago after NYC that we would take a year off from marathons and sign up for Chicago 2018. (Even though I believe he did two more, Philly and Boston, right after saying that 🙂

not my best pic…

I checked out the dates about a month ago and saw the lottery opened up on 10/31. So I checked with Eric to see if he was still up for it. (I knew he was in,  I was using one of Dom’s techniques about basically letting other people in on your goals so you basically cant back out of them)

So, The registration just went up the other day and we both signed up for charity runs. I’m very proud to be running on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention team again. Initially I was thinking of choosing to get in on the lottery or pick another charity but my buddy Griff has been “showing up” a lot  lately, so Ill take the hint 😉

(Griff had a “colorful” sense of humor to say the least, so trust me when I say he would love the above)

 

Ok one more!

miss ya buddy:-)

Any way, I feel invigorated and excited to take on this challenge once again. The race is October 7th 2018  so I’v got some time to get ready and raise money. I am very excited to get the blog going again! I promise as many mundane adventures as I can and some new insights. I am going to bench the word and Unicorn of the day to make room for new (currently unknown) blog features.

Thanks all!

Quote of the Day from a hero of mine:

 

 

Part II- Final Post: Running with Eddie and Freddy.

Hey Everyone!

I sat in this very spot one year or so ago and I decided to do something which I considered big and way out of my comfort zone. I decided to raise $500.00 for the AFSP as a tribute to the lives of RHS Music Booster Dr. Fred Fiume and my dear friend Mr. Eddie Griffin.

I would honestly say that this entire endeavor of Running w/ Eddie and Freddy was 50/50 selfless and selfish. I was struggling with the loss of my good friend and shared in the pain of the Fiume family every day. I am a do-er.  I don’t like to sit around and wait or search for answers to problems, I like to take action. Unfortunately in this situation I was at a loss. Nothing I could do would bring these men back or ease the pain of their families. Nothing I was doing, or not doing, was easing any of my own pain either. Nevertheless, I reached out to Joanne and Yasumi, told them my idea, and asked them for their permission to use Eddie’s and Freddy’s likeness and stories to raise money for the AFSP by running. They obviously gave it their blessings. I figured this organization, which Eddie loved, needs all the help it can get and I did not know if if would help me or not but at least it is something I can do and just might make me feel a little better. So I, bought a website, started a personal campaign with the AFSP and have been bothering you all ever since;-)

I mentioned before that when I set up the site I aimed high with a goal of $5000 but really only expecting $500. It would take me too long to count up the number of donations the two campaigns have received along the way but I can tell you that the NJ Marathon campaign brought in $5339.92 to the AFSP and the NYC Marathon campaign brought in (after a huge boost from the Fiume’s charitable efforts) $3795.00 for a total $9134.92!  Incredible! Thank you seems to fall short but I will say it again, Thank You, Thank You, Thank YOU!!!!!

So after all of this running, hurting, healing, talking, blogging, and fundraising I find myself today a better human being in so many ways but still equally as confused as before. Through this whole process my belief in my fellow man, as well as myself, has grown. Like I said I had a goal of $500. I never expected the outpouring of love and support for these men and this endeavor from so many. I am very humbled and grateful to have been a part of that. I do not have any proof but I do believe that our donations to the AFSP have, at a minimum, made a difference in many, many lives and possibly saved a couple along the way.

Many people have asked me over the past few days about the NYC marathon and what it was like. I described it in my previous post but my stock answer is “It was equally awesome and awful at the same time.” Which is very accurate btw. But I have also said this, “If you want to see the best of humanity, go run or watch this race.” From the moment I left my house Sunday morning until I went to bed that night, I was engulfed in positive energy. Everyone I met or saw was nice, helpful, respectful, supportive, united and just happy. The most amazing thing is this, there was absolutely no reason for anyone to be any of those things. There was nothing in it for anyone. NOTHING! no money, no fame, no time gained, no position, power, advancement, degree, job, love NOTHING! It is just a whole ton of people either watching or running in the same direction… thats it. Yet, everyone involved in every way shape or form was together and just happy and supportive of their fellow man for no reason at all…and it was awesome:-)

In three days time I have experienced the above and where we are at today. Don’t worry I’m not going to get political here or tell you that we need to unite blah blah…  I will share something that I have learned though through all of this and it has helped me understand things a bit more. This whole process has reaffirmed my belief that all people are innately good. This belief has not always served me well, and may not in my future but I still believe it and believe in it. All actions come from a good place. Things may get twisted and/or shifted along the way but I believe that people will do what they feel is best for everyone. Trying to get to that realization behind people’s words or actions is a very hard  thing to do but since I have been actively more mindful of people’s motivations I have found myself much less confused than before.

So a couple of years ago I started running to get in shape. Since, I have done a number of races, ran a couple of half marathons, became a blogger, connected with nature, reconnected with an old friend/new surgeon, lost an organ, got a sweet tattoo, ran a marathon, discovered 90’s rap, reconsidered some dreams, ran another marathon (faster than Tiki Barber ;-)coped and healed from the loss of my friends, experienced the best of humanity and through it all found the best of myself.

I did not plan for any of the above yet here I am. So having experienced all of this, and still equally confused about life, I will embody the mantra of “Nothing changes by staying the same.”  I will go forward as I did in this endeavor believing in myself, my abilities and my fellow man. I do not know what this blog of mundane adventures will become for I do not know what I will become, but I have some ideas…:-)

Thank you all for reading and coming with me on this journey as well as for all of the love and support! I send it right back to you.

preview preview copy

Thank you Eddie and Freddy.

-Jon

 

Part 1:NYC Marathon & Me, Mile by Mile

Part 1:


November 6th 2016

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Mile-0 wake up 4 am. Im dressed like a hobo. Gear loaded up. Eric picks me up and we head to Ridgewood Cycle to catch the Marathon Bus to Staten Island.

Eat our bagels on the bus. They shut down the highway 2 miles away from the Verrazano Bridge so we sit in traffic for about 45 min before arriving at Fort Wadsworth at the base of the bridge at around 7:45 am.

Security is very, very tight but the NYPD was AWESOME! Not just helpful but super kind, respectful and supportive. Thank you NYPD!

Wander around a bit, take care of business a couple of times and head to our respective villages. I was in Blue Village, Eric in Green. I gather my gear, strap up all of my gels, gummies, band aids and take my last sips of water before getting in the corral. Meet some cool people in there. Everyone is very excited and anxious to start. Wave one has just taken off!

As we start to move forward to get in position for Wave 2, I notice that the bathroom lines are scarce so I decided to jump over and get in there one last time. Serendipitously I bumped into a guy on my team AFSP who I had been communicating with on our facebook group. Chris Graham up from the DC area! Great Guy!

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We pushed up to the start, I saw the 3::45 pacer. And moved out into a maze of charter busses right in front of the toll booths. So I officially crossed the bridge for free;-) I appeared to be surround by Germans and a woman with the words “Beer Girl” on her shirt? Everyone is pretty anxious at this point. We hear God Bless America faintly being sung and then a very loud cannon shot to start our wave. Kinda reminded me of the hunger games actually… So we slowly shuffled our way out to the bridge and with the cameras moving on to us and the DJ Pumping we took our first steps over the starting line. It was very exciting because you cant see anything being surrounded by the busses until you hit the bridge and the horizon opens up!

Mile 1&2- Verrazano Bridge (upper level)- Mile one is up the bridge, adrenaline was going so I did not mind the steep incline. The view to my right was the Atlantic Ocean, to my left was the most spectacular view of the morning sun illuminating lower Manhattan, Statue Liberty and all, as we ran over the FDNY Fire boats spiraling water jets below us! No cars, not much sound except the pounding of thousands of feet. There were a lot of people taking pics etc. Mile two is down the bridge. As we crested the bridge an NYPD Helicopter flew down right next to us on the same level we were running IT WAS AWESOME!!!! Cops were waving at us as they were hovering and everyone was going nuts, it was crazy!

Mile 3-Bay Ridge Brooklyn- Once off the bridge and around the corner people went wild! DJ’s going, bands playing and everyone shouting “Welcome to Brooklyn!”

Mile 4- As I finished mile 3 I looked ahead and saw a massive road full of runners intersecting our road as the Orange Village combined with ours on 3rd ave. I forgot that there were the other two Villages running on the lower level of the bridge, as we combined we engulfed the whole road.

Mile 5-8 Uphill- we were cooking at a decent pace in a straight line but then people started to fall back so it became very hard to push forward and keep my desired pace of 8:30. Imaging the mall at Christmas time but everyone is jogging at different speeds.

Mile 9- to begin mile 9 I saw another river of runners joining us on Lafayette Ave. I actually turned to the guy next to me and said “Great just what we need more runners!” It was packed!

Miles 10-13 Williamsburg, Greenpoint- Moved our way North up Brooklyn. The water areas got really tight and it was very difficult to run especially as the streets narrowed. After the water areas your feet would stick to the pavement from all of the spilled Gatorade. Brooklyn was hopping though. Lots of great music, mostly live and GOOD! Everyone was partying and lots of good signs and Hi-5’s even the cops were cheering and slapping hands! it was great.

Mile 13-14 As we crossed over into Queens on a Small but steep bridge, very few people. I saw a runner who looked dead on the median with cops all around him about 3/4 of the way up. His eyes were wide open but definitely unconscious. Kinda scary.

Mile 14-15 59 St. Queensboro Bridge. ob-ne778_0323ny_f_20110323172255

We enter the bridge on the lower level. It gets eerily quite. No spectators, just pounding of feet and a lot of really heavy breathing. Oh and it is a really steep incline 90% of the way! I saw a lot of runners walking at this point. It was tough. On my way up the bridge I saw the 4 hour pacer IN FRONT OF ME!!!! I got very angry. I was shooting for 3:45. SO I took off and just started burning past people. I resolved not to be over 4 hours.

Mile 16– Manhattan 1st ave- Definitely one of the most exhilarating moments of the race is exiting the Queensboro Bridge on to 1st ave. As you near the end of the bridge you hear a high pitched almost static. then you round the corner and see a short street packed with people going nuts! THEN you round a quick corner to First ave where you can see straight ahead for 4 miles of Avenue stacked 7 rows deep with people going INSANE cheering everyone on! oh and did I mention that it was uphill?  Good news was that it opened up here so you could keep a decent pace without having to weave in and out too much.

Mile 17-19 Somewhere in here I saw a woman fall. It was pretty scary. She did get up though so I think she was ok. Another thing I did not expect was how people go crazy when they would see people they know. Your running and then all of a sudden someone near you screams really loud and scares the heck out of you! Pretty cool though to watch people support each other.  I had an awful random thought somewhere in here ” Wait, its Sunday…I have to go to work tomorrow ;-(” But almost immediately after that thought I found my self running next to a man who was pushing his son of about age 12-13 in a racing wheelchair, both of them were smiling, talking and having a good time. It put me in my place real quick and made me think of my kids and smile. 1st ave was a zoo and was awesome!

Mile 20– Cramp…. This freaked me out as we were crossing into the Bronx. I have never cramped before while running. I had felt myself getting fatigued around 18 so I did start to worry. My right front quad right above my knee was cramping bad and I felt it twitching a lot. This was quickly joined by the same spot on my left quad. I did not know what to do so I just kept going and hoped it would work itself out. It never got to the point of unbearable pain but definitely slowed me down. The Bronx was cool though. Chill people, a lot of spanish music, cowbells and dancing, great energy! Someone had a sign that said “Beyonce is at the end!” I liked running through there and I would recommend watching from there!

Mile 21 we crossed back into Manhattan. I heard a lets go Rangers chant and someone had a “This is the last Bridge” sign. We did 5 bridges in the race…

Mile 21-22  All I heard was how bad 5th ave was before the race. So as I ran out of the Bronx and through Harlem I thought “this is fine” flat and open. My cramping was getting pretty bad though so I decided to stretch it out at the next H2O station…Bad Idea… just before mile 22 I pulled off to the beginning of the table to grab a gatorade and stretch my right quad. As I attempted to do this my hamstring recoiled in shooting pain. I screamed really loudly. A man working the table, who I guess was bored, sprang into action and forcefully tried to hustle me into a medical tent. I calmly tried to explain to him that I just had a cramp but I guess he did not listen and kept saying “Medical Attention!” Now, its mile 22, I not only had found “The Wall” but slammed into it full speed so needless to say I was not stopping! So I screamed at him “It’s a CRAMP!” and then just ran away…

Mile 23-24 – 5th ave. You cant see it until you come around a corner and there it was. A really NASTY incline that you can see for two miles. I really thought I was going to pass out. So I just put my head down and schlepped up the hill. Everyone must have looked pretty bad at this point because even the crowd looked scared. As I neared the top of the hill I noticed that the area on my right looked like central park. That was a good sign. Oh and BTW, this is prob about where I blew past TIKI Barber who started 45 minutes ahead of me… images-35That’s what you get for dissing the team Tiki,… I got your back Eli.

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Mile 25– Central Park, Downhill at first. Better than up hill but my feet had been numb for about an hour and my cramping was just holding off but ready to pop. NO STOPPING, Just keep going is all I could think. Up to this point I had no idea if I would see My Wife or not. There were only 2 miles to go and I knew that she could not get to the last mile without a ticket so I was doubting that I would see her. So right about the end of mile 25 I must have heard My sister in law Beth scream my name on my left and I looked to see Eileen on the side of the road. I think I yelled “Hun!” but I’m not sure. So she jumped up to chase me because I yelled “I cant STOP!!!” meaning if I do I will collapse, which got a chuckle from the crowd. She ran with me and gave me a great big kiss which was awesome! It was exactly what I needed at that point. Then I cried a bit because you are just so overwhelmed with emotion and exhaustion and I just wanted to finish.

Mile 26- was packed! Now I appreciate well wishing but, if your ever at the end of a race, don’t ever shout “Dig Deep” or “Finish Strong”! I heard this in mile 26 and so I cursed a lot. Just cause your digging deep into your appletini and working off brunch does not give you the right to tell me to do the same. Just stick with “You got this!” and Way to go!” etc. Any way, just trying to stay on my feet at this point as I cursed out the band playing “Born to Run” on the corner 😉 Sorry Bruce… nothing personal, your still the boss:-)

Mile 26.2- Would you believe me if I told you it was up hill… it was. So as I moved up to the finish line some guy right in front of me busts out his flag and hits me in the face. So I moved to the right, smiled arms up and tried not to trip over the finish line. 3::57!

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Sorry this was so long. Part 2 will wrap it up and be shorter. Thanks all!!!!!

 

Last Pre-Race Post!!!!

Hi all!

This is it! Pasta in the belly, last training run complete, alarm set for 4 am! NYC Marathon tomorrow!!!!!

This training program has been hanging on my fridge for months now and I have only one more to cross off. It has been another great journey this time around and I’m even more humbled and grateful than before.

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My buddy Eric and I head to Ridgewood tomorrow morning to catch the charter bus from Ridgewood Cycle to Staten Island. (see link below for course map.)

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http://cdnnym.nyrr.org/sites/default/files/TCSNYCM16%20CourseMap%20v3_web.pdf?_ga=1.9446709.1484541753.1475627853

Across to Brooklyn, up to Queens, Over to Manhattan, up to the Bronx then back down 5th ave into central park!

Here is what I got!

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I have Eddies Hat that Yasumi gave me and the FIUME name tag as well. lots of gummies, pretzels and of course CRAISINS!!

You can track me along the way! I’m in the second wave starting at 10:15 am. Bib number #24202 link below

http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/race-day/mobile-app-and-runner-tracking

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Sorry to cut this one short. I am very tired and want to sleep. I look forward to writing about this event in a final blog. Thank you thank you Thank you to everyone who has donated, supported and helped make the world a better place by honoring Eddie and Freddy through the AFSP! We raised over $9000 between NJ and NYC marathons and the TEAM AFSP for the NYC Marathon has collectively raised over $58,000!

Im so very proud to be a part of this and I cant wait to take Eddie and Freddy on a final run through NYC! Thanks again all!

Jon

Follow ME in NYC! Bib#24202!

Hi all!,

It’s Race Week!!!! This sunday 11/6 I will partake in the massive event call the TCS NYC Marathon! Never in my life did I think (or even want to) say that! I have heard nothing but awesome things about this event ( with the exception that it is not flat.) This race will be the biggest thing/event I will ever actively participate  in with 50,000+ people racing! (I’m not saying Im going to win but… top 3 probably 😉 I am excited an honored to be not only in the race but representing the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) on their official team.cropped-cropped-487655_229021067_XLarge-1-2.jpg

Still time to donate preview copy

https://www.crowdrise.com/afspnyc2016/fundraiser/jonathankinne

I am super pumped up for this race and I cant wait until Sunday! A lot of you have told me you will be there so…..If you are coming out to the race PLEASE let me know this week where about you think you will be watching from so I can look and wave! I will post another blog later in the week about my gear etc. but I want to bring a list of people to look for and where. Also I will be keeping my phone off before the race because I want to make sure I have enough battery life so I will not be turning it on until just before I go so don’t text me right before the race I wont get it.

My Start time is 10:15 am. I am in Blue Wave 2, Corral F. You can track me (and 19 other runners) on your phone with the app below My bib # is 24202 !!!

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http://www.tcsnycmarathon.org/race-day/mobile-app-and-runner-tracking

My training has gone great! I am way faster than I planned on being and Im now shooting for a 3 hour 45 minute marathon! So if all goes to plan I will be done around 2pm!

Thanks to every one who has donated to both campaigns, and for all of the well wishes and encouragement. At least on more blog post to come before the race.

Word of the day : Moot- adjective

subject to debate, dispute, or uncertainty, and typically not admitting of a final decision: whether the temperature rise was mainly due to the greenhouse effect was a moot point .

• having no practical significance, typically because the subject is too uncertain to allow a decision: it is moot whether this phrase should be treated as metaphor or not.

verb [ with obj. ] (usu. be mooted)

raise (a question or topic) for discussion; suggest (an idea or possibility): Sylvia needed a vacation, and a trip to Ireland had been mooted.

noun

1 Brit.an assembly held for debate, esp. in Anglo-Saxon and medieval times.

• a regular gathering of people having a common interest.

2 Law a mock trial set up to examine a hypothetical case as an academic exercise.

Unicorn of the day:

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SONO Half, PR’s for all!

Hey All!

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This past weekend was the South Norwalk 5K/Half Marathon. We signed up for this about 6 months back. My brother in law Chris Olson14717318_10100276928949542_2561625783679313776_n(Star of the stage and screen)

has worked the event for a couple of years now so we made it a family event. I included it as part of my NYC Training, Eileen put it on the calendar as her first 13.1, my Sister in law Beth ran the 5K and my In-Laws Bob and Pat decided to walk the 5K. (at least that was the plan:-)

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The day started out very cold. We woke up two sleepy kids around 6 am and took the  mini van up to Norwalk CT.  We picked up the rest of the Olson clan and headed to Vets Park where the race started. It was an all-star event. Bob Duff was there!

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http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/duff.php

I have met Sen. Duff. Really Really nice guy! So if you live in the Greater Norwalk CT area jonkinne.com officially endorses his 2016 campaign.

Also, on line for the bathroom, I bumped into my old friend Steve who I grew up with in Ramsey and moved up to the Norwalk area when we were about 13.

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This was his bachelor party 😉 Steve is a great guy with an awesome family. We had so many great times as kids with the Tisdale crew. Fun fact! Steve’s Ramsey phone number was 327-SEXY! big hit in the 80’s:-)

So the plan was this, Pop-Pop was grounded so he could not make the race so we put his number on the Double stroller with the kid-os. Pat would walk some of the 5K w/ the kids and the double stroller. Beth was running the 5K and Eileen and I lined up for the Half.

Beth Ran the 5K with a PR (personal Record) 14657449_10100276928829782_3716168538486306011_n

Eileen did her first Half Marathon (so automatic PR) in 2 hours and 4 minutes! that is an awesome time, better than my first half!

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I also had a PR of One Hour 47 minutes!

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Nana, pushed the two kido’s on the 5K. Now, Im in pretty good shape and I have pushed Ellie and James in the double stroller recently. This is no easy task. They weigh about 70 lbs together and plus the stroller it is 80+ lbs easy. Since there were three of them I would say she walked a 15K! Great job Nana.

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Here is the fun part. Nana, was a rock star crossing the finish line even though she was technically in last place for the 5K.  But right on her heels was the guy who was winning the Half Marathon (not me 😉 so they hustled her along the finish line, busted out the tape for the guy to cross and in all of the commotion tripped over nana and the Kidos! BUT the best part is that Nana came in second in her age group for the 5K so she got an award…Who beat her you ask? POP POP! Since we pinned his number to the stroller it technically crossed the finish line before her so pop pop won his age group and he was not even there! They both got medals and trophies!

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All and all it was a great race. Norwalk is really a beautiful town and the race was great. Very very well organized, pretty run, hilly yes but I will do it again next year. Great job to all!

Word of the day:

intrepid |inˈtrepid|

adjective

fearless; adventurous (often used for rhetorical or humorous effect): our intrepid reporter.

Unicorn of the day (Courtesy of Mrs. Nicole Kidman Bowden)

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