Happy Holidays

I have been making myself verry merry over the holiday season catching up with friends and family.  I've been making so merry that I am writing to you slightly past my deadline.  I hope the holiday season has been good to all of you and your loved ones.  Relocating 1000 miles from home has made me very thankful for my time with my family and friends.
Before I departed for home I was watching the Chicago Bears play the New England Patriots and was dreading coming home.  The weather in the Chicagoland area was awful with heavy snow and winds.  Now the tables have turned.  As most of you know, the northeast is being pounded with near whiteout conditions in some areas.  I heard Syracuse NY has seen over 70 inches of snow...in only a month!  I can't imagine what it is like trying to get a run in out there.  Because of all this winter wonderland excitement, I have prolonged my departure back to the Upper Valley a few days.  Say what you want about Illinois Tolls, but everyone of our streets are cleared, even with our heavy snowfall.  So will be enjoying the roads in the land of lincoln for a few more days before I head back to take on the nasty Northeast weather.
Stay Warm!
Matt

Christmas Cookies Are Pretty Neat!

Hello Everyone!

I know what you're thinking,
and the answer is yes, this
picture was taken in Turkeyville, USA.

I hope you are reading this after a very nice Christmas spent with friends and family. I had a great time and ate more than my fair share of cookies and candies to last me until next year. I got a ton of awesome presents this year. My favorites were an iPhone from my parents, a T-shirt from my sister with a map of Michigan that says “I’m from here” on it, and some Reese’s peanut-butter trees that I guess were from Santa because they were in my stocking. All of those were great, but the best gift was from the doctor who I saw last Monday. He told me my foot was basically completely healed and I’m out of my walking boot and wearing normal shoes again – and way ahead of schedule – AWESOME!

I can’t for real run yet, but I am starting to increase the amount of weight I’m bearing on the Alter-G (at Michigan Rehabilitation Specialists) every day. I’m at 60% of my body weight now and am going up 5% per day as long as it feels comfortable. The doc told me that he was almost ready to tell me that I could go out and run but was nervous to pull the trigger for fear something might flare up again, so I’m still taking it easy for a bit just to make sure.

It was really interesting to listen to my doctor, John Grady in Oak Lawn, IL, talk about what was going on with my injury while being able to look at a picture of my tendons on an ultrasound screen. He said that the cyst in my foot had pushed through the bone in two places – one on the top of my calcaneus bone into my ankle joint and two on the outside of my calcaneus bone. Where the cyst had pushed through on the outside I was repeatedly fracturing the bone. That had been going on so long that the bone actually formed somewhat of a buttress around the fracture line. The harm from that fracture was also causing damage to my Peroneal tendon that wraps around the outside of the ankle and attaches under the midfoot. Since that tendon was damaged, my plantar has had to endure more stress than usual and has become extremely inflamed – even after taking time off for my bone to heal from surgery it still has quite a bit of inflammation. So Dr. Grady hooked me up with a shot of anti-inflammatory into my plantar and some brand new custom orthotics, which I’ve never had. They take 3 weeks to make so I’ve been taping my foot every day to give the plantar a little support and relief. I’m really excited I’ve finally got everything in my foot figured out and on the right track, and even more excited that I’ll be able to run pain free for the first time in years!!! All said and done, Dr. Grady spent 2 hours with me in his office and I can’t thank him enough for all of his help.

This is all very cool stuff for me and I was Fired Up(!!!!) when I walked out of the doctor’s office, then had to drive through a stupid Midwest blizzard from Chicago back to Ann Arbor and didn’t get back until 2 AM. While I was driving, I realized that I will be running in Santa Barbara in just a couple short weeks and suddenly, the blizzard did not matter. 

mmmmm xmas cookies

Parent's Christmas Tree.

I went to a Michigan Bball game.

Reese's, Shirt, iPhone...!

-Lex

'Tis the Season

The Days in 2010 are quickly and relentlessly winding down.  The holidays are upon us, the daylight hours dwindling, and it’s just Brian and I left at the house.  With the entire ITA roster out visiting family or warmer weather, Brian and I, the two sole New Englanders (represent), are left behind to hold down the fort.  Our days have been filled with frantic last minute Christmas shopping, frigid runs, and festive movie watching (who knew there were so many Christmas movies on TV?).  But today marks the last full day in town for us last remainders, as Brian and I will both embark home, leaving behind the jovial haven which is the Upper Valley.  But never fear, we will be back, returning and reuniting at the beginning of 2011.  Bellies full of holiday feasts, and spirits lifted by family cheer, the ITA team looks forward to 2011, where we will release the fury and ignite forth onto great horizons.  So from all of us here at ITA, we wish you all a great holiday festivous and a joyous new year.

Until next time, nothing but the Truth,

Ben

It's Always Sunny in Gainesville...

...Even when it's a tad bit chilly. This week I am writing to you all from Gainesville, FL where I am enjoying an early Christmas break. Unfortunately for me Florida has been experiencing a cold spell much like the rest of the country. While the weather hasn't been ideal for sunbathing, it has made for some quality running. This past Tuesday I completed a "Lady Michigan"- a workout which alternates between interval and tempo pace runs. The original workout, created by former University of Michigan coach, Ron Warhurst, is slightly more lengthy. T.C.O.B., it's what I do.

Its freakin freezing in here Mr. Bigglesworth!

Good Morning,
I hope everyone is staying warm!! It has been a very cold past couple of weeks minus monday when it reached a record high 50 degrees....... and on tuesday it was right back down to 18! Gotta love this New England weather. Speaking of that on our long run on Sunday we started out at about 34 degrees in rain and within the first 5 miles it went from rain to sleet to snow to rain back to snow back to sleet and then eventually for the rest of the run it was just a cold rain. That didn't phase us to much as we picked up the pace throughout the whole run and my last 5 miles of my 15 miler were in the low 5:50's! By the end of our run it was about 40 degrees.

Like I said above on Monday it was a record high but by the same time on Tuesday for our workout it was back down to 18 degrees and the outdoor track was frozen over with a nice layer of snow on top! This forced us to do our workout on the Dartmouth indoor track. The work out was called the Michigan! We had to modify it a little bit by changing the tempo part from 2k to just a mile because we were on the indoor track. The workout consisted of me running a Mile hard followed by a mile tempo then a 1200 hard followed by a mile tempo then and 800 and a mile tempo then end on a fast 400! after every hard interval we had 3 min rest and after every tempo we had 2 min rest. We did all of this in lane six on a flat 200m track! Needless to say I was very pleased with my results as I went 4:30/4:58 3:23/4:53 2:12/4:48 58...

As you can imagine I was feeling yesterdays workout on today's run  but that was nothing compared to my hat freezing to the side of my head and my sweat freezing on my eyelashes!

As much as I cant wait to head to Santa Barbara for some warmer weather! Im definetly going to miss training up here in New England! Even though the weather can be miserable I feel that It gives you a different kind of toughness that you cant get in California. 

And on that note My  Nephew Frankie would like to say Happy Holidays everyone!

Happy Holidays!!

-Brian

Bonfire Story

Good Morning, 

So, as usual I am struggling with something fascinating to write about for today’s blog. In the last 30 minutes I have not come up with much but would like to share a story that I was telling Brian earlier today. He got a good laugh out of it so I hope everyone will enjoy it. 

A few years back I had a family friend that lived in Chicago. She was 20 years old and a college student. She is a very small petite woman and for all intensive purposes is Taylor Swift. 

It is a week or two before Christmas and her neighbors are going on a short trip to some warmer climates. They have asked Taylor to watch their wonderful golden retriever until they return from vacation. Things are going fine and according to plan the first few nights. Unfortunately and sadly on the third night an unexpected event occurs. The dog decides to pass away - honorably and painlessly in his sleep. 

Taylor needless to say is sad and slightly nervous to tell the owners about what had happened to the dog while they were away. Fortunately, for Taylor, the owners where very understanding and not too surprised about the event. The dog was getting old and they knew this day was coming. Taylor, then proceeded to ask the owners what to do with the dog? They instructed her to take the dog to the local vet were they could take care of the K-9 in the proper manner.

Now, Taylor Swift is not a body builder by any means. She had no idea how she was going to get the dog from crowded Chicago to the vet. Taylor, however, is motivated and an innovator. With a little ingeniousness and creativity she had a solution. 

In the closet was a large suitcase with rollers. The dog weighed roughly 100lbs and Taylor had no prayer to try and carry it. The decision was made that it would be much easier to get in and out of public transportation if she rolled it in a suitcase. She thought she was a genius!!!!!

She grabbed her coat, loaded the dog into the suitcase and headed out. As she walked down the street she complimented herself on how innovative her plan was. Until she arrived at the 30-40 step staircase that was needed to be climbed to get to the people mover. As she struggled to get the suitcase up the steps a man notices her situation and asks if he can be of assistance. As they arrived at the top of the staircase the man comments on how heavy the suitcase was and asked “What do you have in that suitcase?” 

Taylor, is now put in an awkward situation. She debates on whether to tell him the truth. She is concerned about how he will react if she tells him there is a dog in this suitcase. After a slight hesitation she decided to make up a false object(in this case objects) that were occupying the suitcase. She responded "I am hauling computer parts in the suitcase." 

Before she even could blink the next thing she knew was that she was on the ground and slightly disoriented. The man had shoved her to the floor and ran off with what he thought was computer parts!!!!!!!!! 

It is unbelievable what some people will do in todays world. Serves the man right for stealing! I would love to see the look on his face when he gets back to his home and opens up the suitcase to find a dog!!!!!!!!

In closing, I hope that you all enjoyed the story. It is a good one to tell around a bonfire or during an awkward silence.

Everyone have a safe and Merry Christmas. I will be headed back to Michigan in the next few days and according to the weather channel training is going to be snow filled while I am there!!!!!!

Happy Holidays!

David 

Looking forward to warmer temps...

Well the date and location have been set (tentatively) for our departure for warmer weather, January 12 Santa Barbara.  That's 5 weeks from today.  It's nice to be able to start the count down, because today was the coldest yet at a chilly high of 24 degrees.  It doesn't look like it is going to get much warmer anytime soon.

Our initiative to start implementing the NYRR Mighty Milers program is coming along.  We have collectively reached out to over 15 schools in the Upper Valley.  We've noticed that best way to reach out to the schools is by contacting the PE teachers, and many of them are very excited to hear more about our plans for the program.  We have also begun looking for schools in California that we could work with during our stay there. 

The team looks good as we continue with our training in preparation for the track season.  The team had a great debut at Manchester Road Race.  Look for some of the team to compete next at the Millennium Mile on New Year's Day.

Matt

Seasons Greetings: From Michigan

Sorry, I had to do that...

Hello Everyone, This is Lex Williams reporting from my parents couch in Michigan. Things have been progressing nicely for me as far as training/recovering from surgery goes. I’ve been biking now for just over two weeks and I’m up to 40 minutes per day! Also the last 4 days I’ve been able to get on an Alter-G treadmill at Michigan Rehabilitation Specialists (MRS). This is where my former coach, Ron Warhurst, works out of.

For those of you who don’t know what an Alter-G treadmill is, it’s a treadmill encased in a pressurized bubble that allows you to “Alter” Gravity and run at a percentage of your body weight. Every day, I go in to MRS and put on some compression shorts made of a material similar to what you’d see used for a wetsuit. The shorts have a zipper around the top so when I’m ready, I step on the treadmill and zip in to the bubble. I hit a couple buttons on the touch-screen and the bubble inflates, lifting me off the treadmill track and calibrating for my weight. I can offset up to 80% of my weight to run on as little as 20% of my actual bodyweight, which is what I’m doing currently.

Here's a short clip of my first or second day, That's Ronny standing next to the treadmill. Camera work by Josh Perrin:



Before starting I spoke with Dr. John Grady, who performed my foot surgery in Chicago on November 5th. Dr. Grady did some research and spoke with a colleague about the use of the Alter-G as a tool to help me get back to running faster. He came up with a nice progression to add 10 minutes, 15% of my bodyweight, and some incline to my session each week. I’m very fortunate to be able to use the Alter-G because it allows me to start getting used to the running motion again so soon, even if it is just at a fraction of my weight. I’ll be way farther ahead when I get off the treadmill to do some real running for the first time. Even in just four days, I feel like I've made some big improvements with my foot's mobility and readjusting my legs and body to the motion of running

I’m staying in Michigan until after Christmas and will join back up with my teammates in the Upper Valley shortly after. I can’t wait to get back with the team and my home in NH. Live Free or Die!

-Lex

Whelp, Howdy There Folks

Life in the Upper Valley has been quite delicious of late, full of Thanksgiving feasts (I had three) and miles ran. It would be easy to go forth and talk about these epic turkey spreads, of the team’s inaugural race, or of how the training and community service work have been progressing. Even to waggle the chin regarding the recent duck hunting adventures on frozen waters, or of my physical therapy sessions to get movement back into my healing toe (side note: in good news, my therapist believes that although I cannot currently bend my toe per se, I should, in time, gain back full range of motion) would be a pleasure. But alas, none of this will suffice. As I sit here at our dining room table, contemplating just what to write about and listening to Brian scream at the television in fiery rage (apparently he was unjustly, unmercifully and undeservingly killed in the newest release of the Call of Duty video game), only one thing clearly and joyfully jumps to the front of my mind begging, pleading, nay, imploring to be told. And that my friends, is of that wonderful day, the day of the year’s first snow fall.

Now don’t get me wrong, we’ve had snow fall from the sky already this year (psh, who do you think we are? Florida?). No no, what I am talking about is the first of the snow to land and accumulate in vast quantities on the ground. Okay okay, I’ll admit ‘vast’ might be an exaggeration, but still, the ground was covered and the trees white. And, allowing me to digress momentarily, I have to divulge, that while I have hung up my skis in pursuit of a career in athletics, something inside me always awakens when the flakes begin to fall, yearning for a world blanketed by a thick layer of deep snow. But I wander! Back to the task at hand. This past Saturday the team set out on a terrific long run along the banks of the Connecticut River. It was a gentle twenty miler, with a gradual (some might argue my word choice here) four mile climb in the middle up to the high point. Things were going smoothly, we were just clipping along having a grand old time, when, as we turned up the dirt road signally the beginning of our climb, the sky opened up, spitting snow with such flurry that our foot steps disappeared as soon as they were formed. A rosy hue emerged on my bare knees and I had to fight to keep the snow from packing into my eye sockets, reducing my visibility to mere feet. Lips pursed, I crested the top of the climb, legs perfectly numb, eyes burning from the onslaught of frozen crystals, and with the knowledge of still having nine more miles to run the simple question of “what am I doing here?” may, just may have crept into my mind for a fleeting second. But just as quickly as it entered, a deafening response boomed forth, erasing all doubt and uncertainty. The response, from the depths of my being, which shone forth like a beacon of light? “This... is... awesome!” A smile slipped across my face, as the kid inside me burst through joyfully. The rest of the run was nothing less than a treat. The snow had created a new world to explore, an adventure waiting to be had.

The snow has since all melted away, and our plans to vacate the Upper Valley to the refuge of Santa Barbara for winter training is looming. While the rest of my teammates are eagerly awaiting our western departure, I will miss the snow and ice. I will just have to hope for a few good snowstorms before we go, giving me due time to enjoy a proper winter, and rejoice in all it has to offer.

Now that there was a true story, until next time,

Ben

Learning to Race Again

Thanksgiving morning found Ben, David and I amidst a crowd of 15,000 for the Manchester Road Race in CT. Live llamas, people dressed up like llamas, Teletubbies – you name it; this race had it all. It was an exciting venue for us to make our debut as members of the In the Arena New Hampshire Track Club. For me it has been a long journey to the starting line.

Almost 7 months have passed since the last time I raced. Following that race I spent two months with minimal running while combating IT band syndrome. The next three to four months consisted of slowly building up my mileage. I finally started working out again about six weeks ago.

Racing again after so much time away is almost like racing for the first time. It was hard to predict how I was going to feel, and harder still to interpret how I would feel while racing; racing is always going to hurt, especially the first race back.

On Thursday I approached the race as I approach all of my races: with a carefully constructed plan. I guess my inexperience road racing got the best of me though, and my plan went out the window. The race had a mixed start (men and women) and the women were quickly enveloped in the mix. Sally Kipyego blasted to the front, splintering the rest of the women’s field.  Instead of going with the flow, I decided to run conservatively the first mile, hoping that this would pay off in the latter portion of the 4.748-mile race. I reached the first mile at 5:18 and had already lost sight of the lead group of women.  I used the second mile (which is mostly uphill) and the third mile (which is all downhill) to make up ground. At the four-mile mark I could see a group of three women ahead of me. Despite closing the last ¾ mile under 5:10 mile pace, I was unable to improve upon my finishing place. 

While it is disappointing to think that I could have performed better had I employed a different race tactic, I am encouraged at how well I felt despite just starting up again.

In the Arena had a successful morning with Ben running a great race to place second in 21:43. David ran 23:14 finishing 25^th in a very competitive men’s field. I was the 11^th woman across the line in 25:50. I then headed home to Long Island to eat some turkey.

Complete results can be found here: www.manchesterroadrace.com

I’d like to thank the organizers of the Manchester Road Race for their hospitality and for putting together a great race! 

Toni

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Things are starting to get Icy in Hanover.. Yes it is getting colder but also our Ice Tub is finally up and running!!

My time with ITA has flew by! It's already Thanksgiving and Christmas is right around the corner then a few indoor meets and bam! we are in Santa Barbara for are winter training!. Training is going great! After doing the Aerobic threshold test I am able to push my training to the next level with out over working my body. And so far it has been paying off as I am feeling alot better and going alot faster in recent workouts!

As for the holidays it seems like Thanksgiving has come an gone already because we had a team Thanksgiving Dinner last friday night and have been eating leftovers ever since. I have some video clips of the dinner but unfortunatly my computer is on the fritz so I wont beable to share our first ITA thanksgiving. Now its time for round two of turkey and desserts! I guess I will have to add an extra mile or two to my long run to make up for the double thanksgiving.

.
I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!

Hanover News

Good Evening. Im David Brent and heres whats happening in the world of Hanover, NH

SInce my last post training has been going great.................until the last 2 days. All training runs, workouts, lifts, etc. were going fantastic and according to schedule...............till friday. Someone decided to put a tree root underneath some leaves on a trail that we run frequently. The combination of my foot contacting the uneven root surface and the momentum of my body caused my ankle to give way. My ankle is currently rather swollen and sore, but I will live. The only thing I can do is ice, ice, ice!!!! It has been rapidly improving. I took the weekend off and am hoping to be able to complete a full day of training tomorrow and be back on schedule for the Manchester road race this Thursday. 

Earlier this month I took a nice trip back to Michigan. It was fun to catch up with some hometown friends and see the family. I also watched the Eastern Michigan Cross Country team win the Mid American Cross Country Championships. Congrats to all of them. It was a great time and it brought back many old memories of being on the cross country team at EMU. 

We are currently in the process of contacting schools in the Upper Valley to start the Mighty Milers program. We hope to be in schools implementing our programs in the upcoming week or two. It has been a rewarding and exciting process and I look forward to our progress in the future.

Lastly, I would like to congratulate my sister Sarah and her high school volleyball team(Monroe St Mary’s Catholic Central) for winning the Michigan volleyball state championship this past Saturday. I was lucky enough to watch it out here in Hanover live online. It was a very exciting game and she played great!!!! I am a very proud big brother!!!!

http://www.detnews.com/article/20101120/SPORTS05/11200388/1361/Class-C-volleyball--Monroe-St.-Mary-Catholic-Central-beats-St.-Louis

http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101121/SPORTS/711219992

From Hanover. Im David Brent and you stay classy Upper Valley.

Making Progress

These past few weeks have seen alot of new developments for the ITA team. We have now been in Mount Lebanon Elementary School for a few weeks reading to the students. My reading buddy is a third grader named Ethan, or "Cool Ethan" as I like to call him. We are well into a gripping tale of a little girl trying to make it back home with the help of some new friends: a scarecrow, a tinman, and a lion. I never realized how long of a book the movie would make.


Our second big venture is our partnership with the New York Road Runners' Mighty Milers Program. It is a great program aimed at elementary and middle school students around the country. The students will run laps around their school, gym, or athletic fields during recess or after school. The kids will recieve prizes for reaching certain benchmarks and their totals will go toward a national tally. New York Road Runners have set a goal of 2,500,000 miles for the 2010-2011 school year. We have targeted some great schools through out the Upper Valley that we hope to work with. This week we will make initial contact with the PE teachers and principal's at out target schools. So wish us luck as we try to convince them that this would be a great program to bring to their schools.

If you want to learn more about The Mighty Milers program click here www.mightymilers.org

If you want to see the best part of the Wizard of Oz click here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KSiyaqnZYs

Surgery, plus a video.

Hello loyal ITA follower,

A lot has developed for me since my last time Blogging - October 17th. To make a long story short, the day after my blog, our doctors discovered a large cyst growing inside the calcaneus bone in my left foot. I was told that if I continued to run I’d risk the collapse of the bone and, consequently, damage to my ankle joint from such a fracture. Basically, if a collapse occurred there was a good chance that I’d never run again. Within two days I was in for an MRI and Tim was consulting with some of the best foot specialist around the country. We talked it over, decided that surgery was really my only option, and chose Dr. John Grady in Chicago – one of the best foot and ankle specialists in the nation whose office is a reasonable drive from my parents’ house in Ann Arbor, MI.

So right now I am on my parents couch with my foot elevated for 40 minutes out of every hour, but an improvement from 50 minutes an hour for the first week post-op. I’ve been watching a lot of TV to say the least. I also took apart and fixed an Xbox with the dreaded Red-Ring-Of-Death, and increased my Halo Reach time. I’ll have to send my mom to the store to pick up Black Ops soon, I’ve heard good things. My sister has been picking up all the Harry Potter movies from the library. I’ve watched the first 5 so far, and #6 is on HBO on-demand. I basically fill in the rest of my days looking at youtube videos, browsing reddit and facebook, and trying to stop my dog from barking out the windows.

Surgery was last Friday and I just saw Dr. Grady yesterday for my first checkup. Dr. Grady’s son runs for Notre Dame who took third in the team standings at the Great Lakes Regional in Rochester, MI yesterday. It looks like they’ll get one of the first at-large bids into the NCAA meet. The reason for my saying that is that Dr. Grady was kind enough to stop by my parents’ house on his way back to Chicago to check on my foot, saving us the drive there and back. The diagnosis is I can start walking a bit with a boot Monday (tomorrow) and biking with a boot for ~20mins on Friday… That means, I’ll be back in the Upper Valley in no time! I am incredibly happy with how things have progressed so far. I have to take a second to thank the doctors at the Sharon Health Clinic in Sharon, VT for discovering the “ticking time-bomb” in my foot, Dr. Grady for performing the surgery and going out of his way to check on my foot, and ITA for all the support – Tim and Amory specifically - for guiding me through the stressful process of getting surgery, which Tim is too familiar with himself, and for setting up top notch health insurance that allowed me to see one of the best foot specialists in the country.

Until next time,

Lex

Here is a video I made of my dog, Flash...

Thanks

I had originally promised one of our teammates, Ben - whom you all know has been stuck aqua jogging with me in the pool for the past few weeks due to a not so fun injury - to write a really long and wonderful blog about how incredibly awesome aqua jogging really is. I agreed to do so because the very last time we had to pool run together (hopefully for a long while now that we are both running without pain...knock on wood) Ben was.....NOT very optimistic, something that is unusual for him. Now if any of you have ever run in the pool (i.e aqua jogged) you know that it really IS NOT wonderful and can seem like the most horrible thing in the world somedays! Anyway, the next day I had my very first hard interval workout with the team. It did not go very well. Lets just say, I'm not quite in the shape I was over the summer haha! On our cool down after the workout I started to think about writing this blog about how 'wonderful' aqua jogging is and I realized something. I realized that, despite how horrible the pool seemed compared to running, I was so very thankful that I was able to continue training in the pool, thinking how much worse that workout would have been if I hadn't been able to cross train at all.

Then I started to think about all of the things I am thankful or grateful for and what a lucky girl I am. So given the fact that Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that most people overlook it due to the excitement of Christmas, I have decided to make a list of the things I am most thankful for, one for each day of the month.

Things that I am most thankful for are:
1. My family - Without them I would not be here. They are the most supportive and wonderful people in the world and I love them dearly (even when they drive me nuts on trips home)
2. My friends - Lets face it, life would be so much harder without them, they get you through the toughest times like fender benders in the pitch black of night in the middle of no where (thank you Jason!)
3. My teammates and my coach - Without them I would be miserably training alone in a concrete jungle. I am so grateful to be part of such a fun team with a great coach!
4. Running! Without running I would probably pull my hair out some days, running is such a great way to clear the mind and let out some stress :)
5. My health - Without it, I would not be able to run and then I would just be cranky! Without it I also could not do the simple things in life that we take for granted like walking or even getting out of bed in the morning.
6. My education - It saddens me to think of children who do not have the opportunity to go to school and learn how to read or write.
7. Having a roof over my head - one of the worst things to see is a lonely old man sleeping on a park bench in the dead of winter, something I have seen all too often in Boston. I am so grateful for my warm bed and the roof that covers it!
8. Chicken, vegetables and people who are responsible for the invention of pasta - without them I might starve!
9. Deep tissue massages - While painful and often extremely uncomfortable, I feel like a million bucks the next day!
10. Doctors - While they don't always tell you what you want to hear and can even make you really angry sometimes, they have helped me overcome some terrible injuries that I probably wouldn't have figured out on my own (though given my injury history, I could probably read my own MRI's and XRays now)!
11. Cross training (ie the pool, bike or any other piece of machinery that has allowed me to train like crazy without further injuring myself) - without it, I would be in terrible shape and getting in shape would take WAY too long!
12. Having lived in both the country and the city - I've had the pleasure of going hiking both in the mountains and through the woods, swimming in lakes, climbing trees (falling out them on occasion), being able to run down the middle of the road without seeing a single car...all things I would not get to experience in a city. Living in Boston taught me how much more I loved living in the country! I have become much more outgoing and have met so many interesting and different people living in the city that I never would have met in the small town of Jaffrey where I grew up.
13. The seasons - There is nothing more beautiful than a fall day in New Hampshire, having two feet of snow on Christmas in the winter, the smell of fresh cut grass in the spring and a the warmth of the sun on a hot summer afternoon.
14. GPS and maps - without them I would always be late for everything because I have the worst sense of direction in the world!
15. Working with Kids - I have taught children from inner city elementary schools how to ride bicycles in after school programs. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a small child who has never even touched a bike let alone ridden one, whiz by you with a smile on their face yelling 'look at me, look at me, I can do it!' Kids are so much brighter and more intelligent than adults give them credit for!
16. The sun - Without it, the world would be a very dark, cold and gloomy place!
17. Change - Life would be really, really boring if things never changed.
18. Memories - Having lots of good memories reassures me that I've done lots of fun things in my life.
19. Hugs - A good hug can make anyone feel better!
20. Laughter - I love hearing people laugh, it just makes me happy.
21. My Eyesight - About five months ago I had corrective eye surgery so I no longer have to wear glasses or contacts. It was the best decision of my life and I owe a huge thank you to my grandmother for this. I can't describe how amazing it is to go from not being able to see an inch in front of your face to reading a road sign over 100 feet away!
22. Making other people smile - It makes me feel wonderful to know that I can make other people smile or laugh, even if it is at the expense of my own embarrassment :)
23. Soldiers - Without them, we wouldn't have any of the privileges we have today.
24. Fruit smoothies - There are no words... :)
25. Challenges - Life would be boring if everything were easy.
26. Meeting new people - because I talk to everyone and anyone, I meet lots of interesting people and hear really neat stories. I once met a man in our hotel pool on the other side of the country, who used to go to school in the town next to mine. He used to hang out at the little convenient store in my hometown that my grandmother was a manger of that went out of business many many years ago. The world really is a small place!
27. Sleep - I know that when I go to sleep I get to wake up the next day and start a new adventure.
28. Good Conversation - I just LOVE to talk, enough said!
29. In the Arena - for allowing me to be a part of this team and to reach my goals as both an athlete and an individual who loves working with people.
30. YOU who are reading this blog - thank you for your support of our team and our efforts to make a difference.

Thanksgiving is a day to remember the things we are most thankful for, even the smallest things that we often forget about. Enjoy the holiday, enjoy the food and remember all the little things you are thankful for. I apologize to Ben once again for not telling the world all about the joys of aqua jogging and how awesome it is as promised...maybe next time :)

Andrea

The Week That Was

So, I’m not going to lie, this week has been awesome. Good times had by all, suffice to say. For me, it was my first full week back to running after my turbulent little mishap a little over a month ago, and boy was it glorious. Thursday saw my first workout of the season: a simple six mile tempo run in the freezing rain (a good old welcome back slap in the face if you ask me), and Saturday I was able to kid myself with a shortened long run -complete with an uninterrupted five and a half mile stair-stepping uphill, ranging from gradual to grimacing. Needless to say, I was in Heaven. This week we also saw the return of “Just Below Average,” our very own top-notch trivia team, where we gallantly battled into contention for the win before sadly falling short in the final round.

But more importantly, this week saw the inauguration of ITA’s involvement in the program Everybody Wins. Everybody Wins, or EW, is a school based initiative which seeks to promote and improve reading in local elementary schools. Every Wednesday we all pile into a car and drive down to the Mt. Lebanon Elementary school where we meet up with our fourth graders and read to them during their lunch hour. Even after only one session the experience has been remarkable. My little buddy is as excited and fluttered to read as anyone I know, and is already whipping through novels like nobody’s business. Currently we are reading The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and yes I’ll admit, I am very happy he is such a good reader so I can sit back, bask in the story line, and admire the Garth Williams prints adorning the pages.

Everybody Wins, is only the beginning of ITA’s involvement with the local community. Currently we are working with various proposals to formulate and execute a plan to promote healthy lifestyles and to curb the rising obesity epidemic in America. Our plan, as ambitious as it sounds, is to start here in the Upper Valley by working with local schools to help instill an active and healthy lifestyle into the youth of the area. By focusing on the younger generation, we hope to inspire a lifetime of healthy living and help construct a ripple effect to other aspects of the community. I am very aware about the selfishness that is professional running, and I feel very humbled and honored to be able to be apart of a team that prides itself on giving back to its community -for it takes an entire village to raise a man. I cannot wait to begin working with more schools and implementing our new initiatives, as well as to begin to make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you ITA for this opportunity, thank you.

Until next time, never false

Ben

Top of the Heap

This past weekend I took a respite from Hanover’s increasingly chilly temps and spent some time at my beloved Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx. While it’s been a few years since I last toed the line at this historic cross country course (a line that is ever-changing these days due to never-ending construction), I hope to do it again some time in the future.

The occasion for my visit to VCP was to cheer on my alma mater, Cornell, at the 2010 cross country “Heps” (aka the Ivy League Championships). Having been a part of four major conference championship meets, as either an athlete or coach (Atlantic 10, Heps, Big 10 and ACC), I can say that there is definitely something special about the Heps. The small size of the conference makes for an intimate atmosphere. And you are left in a state of tense anticipation until team scores are posted – since it seems like everyone has someone up front.

The allure of VCP stems from the inherent uncertainty in the race that the course provides; that and some punch-you-in-the-legs-hills. The first mile is flat around an open field. Mile two takes runners into the woods and through the back hills of the park – leaving coaches and spectators in the dark. The back hills present both a physical and tactical challenge. The constant turns, ups and downs make it difficult to see where your competitors are. Once runners re-enter the field, there remain less than 1000 meters to the finish.

Cool temps and a dry course provided ideal conditions for the race. Princeton dominated (as many expected), winning the team and individual titles for both men and women. The Cornell women had a solid race but finished a disappointing 4th behind Columbia and Brown. The Big Red women return many of its top runners so I am excited about their future. On the men’s side the local Dartmouth team ran an impressive race to finish 2nd (I was probably the only person sporting red cheering on the Big Green).

I spent the rest of the weekend in the NYC/Westchester area visiting old friends. I had a fantastic long run at Rockefeller Park where, of course, I managed to get lost. For anyone who finds him or herself in the Westchester area, I would highly recommend a journey along Rockefeller’s picturesque trails – but plan to do a long run so you can enjoy getting lost too.

Toni

Trick or Treat

Hello Everyone,
Things are starting to get cooking in the Upper Valley. This past week I hit 65miles in 6 days and I did my first hill workout! I did 6x600m with David. David continued on and did 1000m  while I jogged to the bottom and did a 200m interval then jogged back to the base of the hill just as David finished up his rest. It worked out great! Its never fun to do hill work alone. Unfortunately this week I will have to do my hill workout alone cause David is home for the week in Michigan. Coach is also home for the week  so its just me the Withrows and Ben in the house for the week. But before everyone took off we did have a pumpkin carving contest that I think went well but I will let all of you be the judge of that... 

I also went home this weekend and went out to dinner for my mothers 50th Birthday! It was a great time as my one year old nephew Frankie stole the show! All in all it has been a great past couple of weeks for my training and Im looking forward to the next couple of months of training. Its going to be getting pretty intense and I will make sure to keep you all posted on how it goes! Oh yea we start our charity work this week so look forward to hearing all about that in the next blog!

Brian

Hills, Hills, Hills

Good Morning, 

Everything in the upper valley has been going fantastic since the last blog. Great training, Great people, and Great Halloween movies.

Im excited for the next week, I am taking a week trip home to Michigan to watch the Mid American Conference Cross 

Country Championships and spend some time with the family. Somewhat of a early Thanksgiving because I will be racing during that time and wont make it home again until Christmas. 

Instead of talking about how training has been going I had a fun idea while pondering about what to write for this blog. I would like to invite everyone in on one rep of a hill workout we did the other day by watching the clip below. If you are really ambitious you can run in place in front of your computer. You could also join us on 6x1000m hills by watching the clip six times. Or you can just watch the movie clip like a normal person. 

I give special credit to Lex for selecting the music. Good Night!

David 

There's No Place Like Home

Someone looked at me last night, after a fun filled evening of dancing and asked, “why did you come here?” As if moving to Hanover from Boston was the stupidest thing I have ever done!  

If you had asked me three months ago if I would ever leave Boston I would have looked at you and said “Are you kidding me? NO WAY!” especially if you asked me to move to the upper ‘stix’ - as people would call it- of New Hampshire. Now I am not bad mouthing New Hampshire at all, I’m actually a native of this fine state, which is exactly why I would never have decided to move back here. Boston is just filled with wonderful things to do and there is never a quiet moment so naturally the thought of moving to a town where I would probably see the same people day in and day out seemed a little…monotonous. I have walked down the same streets of Boston for six years and can honestly say I have seen new and different faces every single day. Not only that Boston is filled with street performers, restaurants, concerts, museums, the wonderful Charles River, the infamous Fenway park…you name it Boston has it. So why am I here?

I spent the last three months training alone in Boston. For anyone who has ever had to train alone, you know it isn’t easy, especially if you are looking to improve. I realized that I needed a change, that if I wanted to improve my running, I needed to train with people who are as dedicated to running and training as I would like to think that I am. So I started looking around. I heard of this new group in NH that would be training under the well-established runner Tim Broe from a wonderful athlete and fellow ITA member that I met out at the Bix 7 miler in Davenport Iowa (awesome race by the way!). To make a long story short, which is hard for me to do since I am quite the chatter box - as some of my teammates have come to painfully discover – I visited/talked to other running groups and nothing seemed to compare to this group. Not only do I get to run with some amazing athletes and really awesome people, I also get to use my running for the greater good. As a team we get to do what we love to do and motivate others to lead healthy and active lifestyles. If there is one thing I love more than running, its working with children. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a child’s face who has just learned something new and is excited about it. Needless to say I can’t wait to start that aspect of the program!

In the mean time we have spent our days running, eating, sleeping and just spending time together as a team. This entails, potlucks, competitive games of halo, shooting at animated jungle animals (including spiders, why you would shoot at a spider is beyond me) and all sorts of other fun adventures. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute I have been here thanks to this wonderful group of people and I want to thank everyone – teammates, my coach and In the Arena – for giving me this wonderful opportunity.

So to answer the question asked of me last night “why did you come here...” I came here to be with the best athletes and to make a difference in someone else's life. I came here because this is where I feel like I belong, its home to me and there really is ‘no place like home.’

Cheesy I know but its true! :)

 -Andrea

Winter in October?

Fall in Hanover has been beautiful!  I’ve never seen the leaves these kinds of colors before in my life.  It is a picturesque and ideal place to run during this time of year.  We are officially starting to get into a routine and enjoying the views of the mountains, rivers, and trees on our runs.  But recently…

Yep, that’s right!  It seems that winter has already arrived in the beautiful Northeast.  While driving through rain last week, I watched as the rain turned to sleet which turned to hail which then turned into full out snow.  I’m not talking little flurries, I’m talking snowflakes and plow trucks!  Don’t get me wrong, I love the winter and Christmas time and the holidays, but its not even Halloween yet!  And snow… already!!  What happened to the gorgeous fall weather, the crisp air, and the trees changing colors?

I guess we’ll have to enjoy the fall colors while they last.  Lucky for us we can start thinking about where we will take our winter getaway to enjoy warmer training.  Stay tuned to find out where we will be headed.  Leave a comment if you have any suggestions on great places to train in the winter.

VO2 Max Testing

Part of the group visited Burlington, VT to do some treadmill work this past Wednesday. So, I spent some time yesterday with the footage that was accumulated and created a fun short video. Thanks to Declan, Lauren, and the University of Vermont for all there help!!!!

Enjoy!

David

"That's How I Roll"

Hello everyone!

This is my first blog, so I guess I’ll start off with a shortlist of some of the highlights of my experience in the northeast thus far: Dracula potlucks, Getting to know my new teammates, the abundance of trails in Hanover, Ramunto’s Brick & Brew Pizzeria, New York City for the fifth ave mile, the internet, West Lebanon, Average Wayne’s, and Halo Reach.

I could probably go into great detail on any one of those topics, but I think I’d be more comfortable talking about them all (in no particular order).

1) Dracula potlucks. This is where we drive to the farm (Tim and Bekah’s apartment) and all bring a “spooky dish” to pass while we watch bad Dracula movies with Keanu Reeves and/or Tom Cruise. David Brent is the only one to go the extra distance with the spooky food by bringing his world famous mummy hotdogs and spooky potato salad in cauliflower brain bowl.

2) The abundance of trails in Hanover. To give you an idea of how beautiful it is out here, one of our runs is named “The Sound of Music.” Ben has been our tour guide for the most part, but David and I ran for 2 hours on a set of “new” trails that Ben neglected to show us. We decided that he either A) didn’t have time because of all the other trails, or B) doesn’t like those trails.

3) Ramunto’s Brick & Brew Pizzeria. This is where we go on Tuesdays to test our knowledge on topics about New Hampshire, Pulp Fiction, and Harry Potter. Every week, the loser gets to choose one category for next week’s trivia - we’ve avoided this.

4) Average Wayne’s. This is where we go to get strong. Wayne, or “Wayne-kster” as Tim calls him, is a Dartmouth track alum who knows his way around a weight room. He listens to good music composed by Afro-man, LMFAO, and Eazy-E.

5) West Lebanon. This is where we go to feel at home. There is Wendy’s, Best Buy, and Walmart.

6) Halo Reach. This is where we “pwn the n00bs on the styx, yo,” or in layman’s terms, “play beginner’s on xbox.”  I almost wrote my entire blog about this game, its flaws and inferiority to previous Halo games, but I refrained.

7) New York City for the fifth ave mile. We came, we saw, we conquered. None of us raced (this year). We actually didn’t even watch the race, but did get to visit with and make some good friends!

8) the internet. This is what we use to keep in touch with people from home. It’s a good invention. Thanks Tim Berners Lee!

9) Getting to know my new teammates. (that includes you too Tim and Bekah, Amory and David and Thea and Torin!!). Really, this has been the best part of being in Hanover because pretty much every highlight on my list we’ve done together as an ITA team. It’s comforting to be surrounded by great people even though I’m far from Ann Arbor where I lived my whole life until September!  

Thanks for reading,

-Lex 

Operation: K.B.S.

Well, it’s been a little over two weeks now and “Operation K.B.S.” (Keep Ben Sane) is in full swing.  While things had been (notice tense) going great every since I decided to move back east from my brief stint out in Eugene, OR –everything changed that fateful day, the dreaded fourth of October.  That, my blog reading friends, was the day “Bam-Bam,” my ever so prudent and tender alter-ego came out to play.  It was then, during a brief and momentary lapse of judgement, that I, yours truly, forgot to dorsiflex.  The team was doing barefoot drills and during one particularly dynamic straight-leg bound, I stubbed my toe.  No big deal, right?  I mean, “I stub my toe at least six times a day” you must be thinking.  But you see, when I do things, I do them right.   

By the end of practice my foot had swollen to a size that would make Sasquatch jealous (although slightly less hairy) and the deep purple color, while neat to look at, did not bode well.  A few hours later it was confirmed by x-ray: I had received an avulsion fracture to the base of the left great distal phalanx.  Say what? Translation to English: I stubbed my toe so hard that the tendon that articulates my big toe ripped a chunk of bone off, as well as doing a number to the tendon itself –i.e. no running for three weeks.  And yes, my toe now hangs limp and lifeless whenever I pick my foot off the gound… a somewhat disheartening sight to say the least.   

Someone say sanity check?

So now what?  Now is when I delve into the under workings that is K.B.S.  Let me explain.  First off, I love to run.  Secondly, I don’t like the idea of injuries, nor what they entail, and thirdly, fall in Hanover is not only beautiful, but it is the best time and place to build your fall mileage.  Wait… I don’t think I wrote that sentence with enough gusto.  There is no better place, nay, no place even comes close to fall training here in the Upper Valley –anywhere.  The hills, the trails, the foliage, ah, you can’t beat it.   

And where am I?  I’m stuck in a pool, drowning by aqua jogging, staring at turquoise tiles as elderly women swim laps and do water aerobics.  How dreadful, how appalling atrocious.  Alas, my one escape is the road bike where at least I get a faint glimpse of the outdoors.  But, sadly, biking is no substitution for running and every time I come home from a ride and take off my bike shoes, gingerly placing them next to the barely used and annoying pristine running shoes, I can’t help but feel a glint of guilt –as if I had been cheating on a loved one.  No, nothing can fill the void left from not running.  I spend my time marking the days off the calendar, willing –commanding –my foot to heal.  But as much as I mope, as much as I pine away in despair, I know that the season is long and I will return, better, stronger, and faster than before.  So until then, it is time for me to keep the chin up, my stick on the ice, and my mind fully engaged, for I am ready. 

 

Until next time, yours truely

Ben

Greetings from Hanover

Autumn is upon us here in Hanover, and it feels like my favorite coat from high school – a bit discolored, a little chilly and tattered, but always cherished. After spending the last two years in an unmentionable state where seasons fail to exist, I have been longing for the fall. Real fall. And fall in New Hampshire does not disappoint. 

And for the first fall since before I can remember, I am not making a joyous trip to Staples to load up on Five-Star notebooks and three-ring binders. (I’m not going to lie, the nerd in me misses this; I do not, however, miss spending hundreds of dollars on textbooks.) Luckily for me, my academic career is not entirely over yet. In order to earn a pair of particularly desirable letters to follow my name (i.e. R.D., as in Registered Dietitian), designating me as a nutritionist, I have to pass the Registered Dietitian’s exam. Unfortunately I spent this past summer celebrating the conclusion of my seven straight years of college instead of studying. Not to worry though, I have plenty of time to prepare in the coming months.

In the absence of academic pressures, my time in Hanover has involved little else other than sleeping, eating, running, and the occasional studying session. This is not to say that life as an ITA member is stress-free. There is a little event known as ‘Trivia Night” that takes place on Tuesdays at a local pizza joint in the area, and it is entirely stressful, especially with categories like “Famous Dartmouth Alum”, “New Hampshire” and “Tuck School of Business”. Looks like I found something else that I need to study for.

On another (and more important) note, training has been going great so far. I’m starting to get used to the overabundance of hills and hours of Tim’s drills. My mileage reached a somewhat respectable level of 60 miles this week (highest ever for me!), and we are looking to commence workouts soon.

This fall has brought the lion’s share of changes with it – a new state, a new coach and a new focus. I’m looking forward to what’s to come. Cheers to the fall!

Toni Salucci