Double Stroller Double Marathon - A Thanksgiving Weekend Challenge

With no in person racing, I challenged myself to run with both my boys for four straight days over Thanksgiving weekend. I ran a total of 53 miles over four days broken into legs using my half marathon route going out on the Levee Access Road, up the Northeast Branch Trail, to Lake Artemesia, on the Paint Branch Trail, back the Rhode Island Trolley Trail and down the Rachel Carson Greenway Trail and home via 22nd Street to Monroe. This route is about 13.15 miles, but I extended it to 13.2 Thursday, Friday, and Sunday and 13.4 on Saturday to get to 53 miles. It took me about 7 hours and 20 minutes. My fastest half marathon pushing both boys was Sunday in a time of 1:45:45. For reference, my fastest single stroller half marathon is pushing Miles for 1:35:30 on Election Day. My personal best half marathon is 1:22:47 a few years back at the DC Road Runner Club Gar Williams Half Marathon on the C&O Canal.

Aden was a cool dude for all four runs, but Miles had a few whiny moments. I let him bring his iPad and he mostly watched PBS Kids. We did play I Spy, a rhyming game (he keeps starting with duck and truck), sang Baby Beluga and Down By the Bay, and observed nature.

The first three runs were pretty consistently run at 1:52. The last one I had some unexcepted energy and got it down to under 1:46, just about an 8 minute pace. We got very lucky in that I didn't hit a single stop light (a few crossings paused me for less than five seconds). There is a tunnel we go under from Lake Artemesia on Paint Branch where he wanted me to go left, but I went right the first day. I had to explain to Miles momentum and why his telling me to go left was too late. Each subsequent time he called it out with plenty of time.

For the most part, the runs were steady. The stroller weighs 35 pounds, Aden weighs 20 pounds, and Miles is 40 pounds. It is a workout pushing 100 pounds. I am pleased that I was able to hold an 8:30 average for three straight days then an 8:00 flat for the final. Since in person racing isn't a thing for a while, I am pleased that I was able to push them and hold a decent time. As I write this on Monday, I am sore. I was going to run with just Aden this morning, but it rained. I went out a little later during a break of the rain and held a 7:56 pace for 9 miles, which made me happy.

As my time in Brookland draws to a close, I appreciate each run and route knowing new routes and crowns and local legends are ahead.

Wedding Weekend and Running

These last few months have been pretty good to me. I went to two bachelor parties and two weddings and found time to run and train at all of them. My friend's bachelor party in January was in New Orleans. Having been there a few years ago with Laura, I was familiar with how to find places to run. I stayed on the boardwalk by the Mississippi River for a shorter run and ran down the trolley tracks and around a park for my longer runs. His wedding was in DC, but I was able to train with a friend the Saturday morning before to get in a good long run with tempo and a ten miler the morning of the wedding.

Two good looking guys at Keith's wedding

For my bachelor party, we went to Brooklyn (Brookland to Brooklyn bachelor party). We arrived Friday around dinner and went to a famous pizza place under the bridge. In the morning, I raced a "10K" in Prospect Park. It was pouring and cold and the race was two laps around Prospect Park; however, one loop is about three and a third miles, so the race came in at 6.7. I came in second overall and got a neat photo. For warm up, I ran around the park once and for cool down I ran around the park again. But, the awards ceremony was half an hour away and I was so cold that the only way to stay warm was to do one more lap; five laps = 17 miles and one shivering Kenny!

The race had fifty people, but third place didn't stay for the presentation.

Cheers at Brooklyn Brewery!

After the race, I headed back to the suite in the Box House, showered, and we headed out to a beer garden in Williamsburg. We ate lunch (I had the gypsy toast which was very good), drank beer, headed to the Brooklyn Brewery, drank beer, went back to the suite to rest, and went out to dinner (Shalom Japan), and drinks (Barcade and others). I remember staying out until about 5AM - up almost 24 hours - a good time was had by all!




My wedding weekend started Thursday afternoon when my folks arrived. That morning, I ran an easy eight with Sammy along the Hobart Long Loop touching the edge of the Zoo and Rock Creek Park. We picked them up at DCA, went back to my house, and rested for the afternoon. Laura got her nails done and my folks got some pizza from & Pizza. For dinner, we met Laura's folks at Gordon Biersch, had a lovely dinner, and then went to bed. Friday morning, my folks and her folks went on a White House tour that I booked for them through Rep. Kennedy's office. It was pouring and a bit rainy, but I had to do my long run since I wouldn't have time Saturday or Sunday. I got in a three mile warm up from the White House to the Mall and up the Capital Crescent Trail then started with the bulk of the workout:

16 @ MP tempo (6:50-55) 7:54/19/26/08/08/13/23/10/18/19/6:57/49/50/39/45/46/42/37/30/7:10/11. The CCT was uphill and windy on the way out so the first seven were slow, but the final miles were downhill and faster. I finished with a two mile cool down.  After the run, I met my folks and her folks at the hotel where they drove us home.  After lunch and a shower, we drove back to the hotel to drop off the hospitality bags (which caused me more of a headache than it was worth), before heading to meet the Luries, our cousins, at a pizza and beer place near Foggy Bottom.  That night, we went back to the hotel for happy hour (free drinks on the hotel) and met with some more relatives.  There was a dude there doing some artwork that my dad deduced was there for the free drinks and the hook of hitting on the single ladies.  He had some kids himself, but Dad nailed it - this was his game.  We ate some Taylor Gourmet for dinner in the bridal suite with our folks and then called it a night.

Saturday morning, Sammy and I ran an easy six on the MBT trail.  Laura gets nervous when I go with Sammy off leash, but I find running with her unleashed is better for us since she doesn't pull and tug or stop, yanking me back.  When she goes, she goes.  If I need to pick something up that she did, then I do.  After, I readied for the aufruf and luncheon at our shul, Ohev Shalom.  I practice the haftarah portion, Shabbat Hagadol, with my friend Mark Levine.  It took many months of learning the trope and then practicing with the Hebrew, but I nailed it!  The rabbi said some meaningful words about how hard I practiced and our being members at the shul.  We gave aliyah honors to her dad, my dad, her brother, my brother, and her uncle Joel.  Cousin Larry got to do geliliah, and I think Scott and Yehuda did an honor as well.  My sister and her family arrived in time for Molly and Drew to see the Torah service and I was able to give the kids candy.  Molly came over to sit with me after awhile.  At the luncheon, it was a zoo downstairs, but fun.

Back at my house, it was a zoo also.  We had to move my folks to the hotel for check in, and I was going there as well.  The three kids were all making noise and I was happy to leave my home and check in to the hotel.  Once at the hotel, I was able to rest before the rehearsal.  It went rather well at the shul and then we headed over to Carmine's for dinner.  There, my dad gave his speech (the ingredients in a pot that makes a good marriage) which was well received.  Lindsay Pfeffer gave a nice maid of honor speech.  Dinner flowed well and people enjoyed the food.  Laura's dad commented after what a great rehearsal dinner it was.  After, we hung out in the lobby of the hotel for a bit before Laura and I headed up to our suite.

In the morning, I woke up early and went for a nice, head-clearing run on the Mall and out and back on the Capital Crescent Trail.  The weather was great and to be outside and have a little time for myself to process was needed.  When I returned, I joined Dad and Auntie and Auntie Maryann and later Auntie Sheila for breakfast, eggs florentine.  Back in the room, I bathed in the jacuzzi - would have been nice if the jets had worked.  Then I joined Adam Golove in the lobby where we hung out  until his room was ready then got lunch at Clyde's with the guys (Keith, Matt, David, and Mark).  Matt was generous in picking up the tab.  I remember that I was so full from breakfast that all I had was a plate of hummus.  We got back to the room to have the photographer take "getting ready" pictures.  It was there that we realized Mark wore the wrong color suit!  He insisted I told him blue, but he forgets that we went into his closet to pick out the navy blue suit he was to wear.  David eventually brought him the right suit, but all the pictures are of him in the wrong colored suit.  It didn't turn out to be a big deal.

On queue and on time, we walked over and took photos at Portrait Gallery before starting the tish at the shul.  From there, I gave my speech on this week's parsha and all the guys took turns debating how great my insights work.  The rest of the night was a blur: signing marriage documents, bedeken, wedding, dancing!  We got some great photos, managed to talk to every guest, and had a very meaningful ceremony.  I had trouble breaking the glass since it slipped out of the bag and I crushed it on the rug.  David was in pain and left after the ceremony to change shoes and missed the introductions.  I got choked up at our first dance (Everlong) and the dance with my mom (Rainbow Connection).

Our wedding ceremony!

It really was a great day!  I'm so glad I have running to help me appreciate these moments and take in a little bit of time to process what a great weekend it was!

Ronnie Berger 1950-2012

My Uncle Ronnie Berger passed away on September 11, 2012, after a brave battle.  He was my godfather, one of the father-figures in my life, and a mensch.  His departure leaves a giant hole in my heart and life.  His funeral is today, and I was asked to say a few words.  Below are some of the memories and feelings I want to share.

This past Tuesday, I was at lunch in Chinatown in DC with a friend when I received a call from my mother.  She was in tears and said he had taken a turn for the worse.  The next hour as I tried to eat my vegetarian Indian plate, I waited for more information.  My sister texted me to let me know it was serious, and my mom called back to say that I needed to come home.  I rushed home and threw together some clothes in a bag and took the Metro to the bus to BWI Airport.  I spent an hour at the airport bar drinking Sam Adams - the same beer we had at Brielle's bat mitzvah just a few months earlier in Florida over Memorial Day Weekend.  On my flight was Auntie Nancy who was connecting out of St. Louis as she was there seeing a friend.  We sat piggyback toward the back of the plane, and when we landed, my dad picked us up to rush us to the hospital.  There, they were waiting for us, the last family members, to arrive before unhooking him and letting him go.  He died at 9:37 P.M. on September 11, 2012.

Ronald Berger was my godfather.  He taught me about life, about being a good person, and Jewish values.  A few specific times I can remember where I grew closer to Judaism he was involved: my bar mitzvah, his first diagnosis, and my divorce.  When I was home for the High Holidays, we'd go to shul together.  Uncle Ronnie was a family man.  There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for his close friends and family.  Every Christmas we spent the day at his house eating, drinking, kibitzing - basically having the same party year after year.  It was great.

Uncle Ronnie was the kind of man who would cheat at board games to beat a ten year old (aided by his older brother, my Uncle Eddie).  He was the kind of man who took me aside at my bar mitzvah and said that now since I was a man, I would do tequilla shots with his uncles (again, Uncle Eddie was present).  He was responsible for helping me find my Jewish identity.  It was during his first diagnosis in 1995 when I found myself going to Hillel to seek some sort of sense and pray for him to get better.  And during my divorce, he was there to remind me that things happen for a reason and to be thankful because I wouldn't have to spend the rest of my life with someone that didn't make me happy.

Last night, I went to the Sox versus Yankees games with my brother Matthew, my brother-in-law Ryan, and my college friend, Greg.  (Thank you, Uncle David!)  We first went to Boston Beer Works across from Fenway and toasted Uncle Ronnie.  Then we watched the game from great seats with a nice view of the park.  It would have been nice if they had won, but the Sox aren't doing so well this season.  If he were sitting with us, he'd have shared his views on who was a bum, who needed to go, and who was the dirt dogs of the team.  He wasn't shy with his love of the Sox.  One of my favorite memories of the Sox was the July 24, 2004, game against the Yankees where Varitek shoved his mitt in A-Rod's face and Bill Mueller hit a walk-off home run off Rivera for a dramatic win.  I went to the game with my friend Adam (a Yankees fan and visiting Fenway for the first time) and he was at the game with Auntie Maryann.  We got a beer across the street before the game and celebrated after.  Another time, I went to the game with them and on the way home we ate dinner at the Halfway Cafe.  He loved the Sox, and I loved spending time with him bonding over the Olde Towne Team.

Mostly, I'm going to miss the times I visited home and stopped by his house.  He was almost always there with Auntie Maryann watching Sox or Pats or Celtics.  I'd sit down with them, game on in the background, and catch them up on what was new in my life.  Living in DC, I didn't get to come home as often as I'd like, but I averaged about 4-5 times a year.  I'd updated them on work, social life, politics, my running, and more.  I'm going to miss calling you with exciting news or other events in my life.  I'm going to miss our times on the golf course.

I already miss you...