Monday, August 31, 2009
Here's a couple more photos from the Yankee Candle 5k a couple weekends ago. Remember that I wrote in an entry in July that it's the volunteers that make these races work. Lindsey and Stephanie seemed to be everywhere on August 15th and along with the other volunteers, and all the hard work they do to make our running pleasurable, that was a great day for the runners and the American Lung Assoc.. Then there was Toby. Pictured here with his mom and dad, Suzanne and Erik, he finished to a round of applause as he completed the 5k. What a great new world of family time together.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
These pictures are from the 1st road race I ran on August 15th. Remember that as you read about my chiropractor 2 entries from this one. This race was a 9 a.m. 5k at Yankee Candle in South Deerfield, Ma.. It was a beautiful start to a sunny but very warm day. Part of the course ran past the BBC Brewery which was temptation at it's best trying to entice everyone to carbo load during the race. In one picture you see Jo Ellen receiving an award for winning her division. Not only is Jo Ellen from the same gym I go to, but, she was presented the award by Santa Claus. That's right he was on hand at the race to help out. Behind the awards table you see Dan and Kim from 93.1 a local radio station. They not only are a husband and wife morning radio show team, but, Dan has raced his bike across the U.S. more then once. And they put on a Bike-A-Thon every year that has raised tons of money for charity (I think it is over $1 million). The 2nd picture is of myself, Amy and the tallest woman I ever saw run a road race. I counted that she took 8 strides per mile which allowed her to take the course -in stride. OK bad pun. Actually Yankee candle brought in a whole slew of entertainers for the morning festivities and this tall slender beauty was one of them. Amy is a wonderful story herself. This woman took command of her health and has done tremendous things to become slimmer, trimmer, and full of life. This was her 1st road race ever an beat her goal time by 3 minutes. A great personality and a new appreciation for feeling good along with her 1st road race made just talking with Amy a great experience for those around her. For me it was a great way to start the day and from there it was off to Rhode Island for another race.
These pictures are from the Bobby Doyle 5 Mile Summer Classic that I ran as my 2nd race on August 15th. I picked it because it had drawn 550 people the year before, which was it's 1st year. I was not disappointed. Over 600 people came including 35 soon to be graduating members of the Rhode Island State Police Academy. The atmosphere was great and some special things happened. The gathering was at a school in Narragansett, R.I.. The ball field that the tents and stage were set up in was surrounded by trees and made for a great setting. Just before the runners were asked to head to the starting line Jim Doyle (Bobby's brother) said a few words about Bobby and thanked all the volunteers, helpers and participants. Then he introduced a young woman who sang the National Anthem. Everyone was silent as she began to sing. I closed my eyes and focused not only on the great voice but her words echoed off the trees and just filled the field with a a special feeling that I can't even put into words. Then we moved to the street and the group from the academy gathered in a 3 line formation behind the rest of the runners. The gun went off and we started. These cadets and their lieutenant along with a flag carrier ran the entire 5 miles in formation to a cadence. Even though we were on the shore it was still 90 degrees and to watch these men and women run together like that was tremendously impressive. I was able to finish far enough ahead of them to be able to run to my car after finishing, grab my camera and take their picture as they rounded the last turn back into the school yard, heading to the finish. (1 of the 2 pictures you see). The other picture is me with Jim, on my right, and Michael (Bobby's son). We had a great conversation and I learned what a great runner Bobby was having won marathons over 3 decades and many, many running accomplishments over his lifetime. Check out more about this race and more about Bobby's accomplishments on www.bobbydoylesummerclassic.org. I believe they are even going to set up a link to this site soon. So- Great Job Everyone- I'm sure Bobby is proud of your efforts.
These are the mechanics in my life. When you decide to take a year off, to do the run that I'm training to do, your financial and physical worlds change. These guys are the ones that keep the old parts working. In the top picture you have Harry Duffy and Mike from Duffy Front End Service. The thoughts I had about a new work truck and new personal vehicle went out as the idea of running from Alaska to Florida came in. Harry and Mike are honest, hard working, concerned about the customer, take pride in their work kind of guys. Traveling just to the road races I do involves 1000's of miles of driving each year all by itself. Without them my chances of attending the races would diminish tremendously. My mechanical abilities end at the handle end of a screw driver. Fred Wellman on the other hand has to keep the other old parts working. Fred is my chiropractor. As any athlete I do encounter injuries and also just need to keep aligned to avoid injuries. Fred is in his profession because he truly loves to help people feel better. He searches for the causes of your problems and works on fixing the whole situation not just setting you up with a series of generic appointments to keep you coming back. A true "artist" of his profession. He also has to deal with me. Fred did some adjustments to my back and legs on a Thursday trying to help a hamstring situation. On my way out the door he strongly suggested that I not run the races I had planned for the up coming weekend and let my muscles heal. "No problem" I said. Well that Saturday I ran the 5k AND the 5 miler you read about getting to this blog entry. When I called him the next Monday talking about hamstrings being real tight he asked if I had run over the weekend. "NO of course not" was my response. So we set up a Friday appointment. I talked with him during the week and fessed up to having run JUST the 5k. Well at the appointment and looking him straight in the eyes I confessed. "All right" I blurted out "I did run both races". He quietly said "I knew that" and re-fixed what he had fixed the week before. So without these 3 people in my life all the old parts would have alot more trouble keeping on the roads. THANKS GUYS
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
This is him. Yep, when we raise millions of dollars for a charity and I set new records for the distance that is going to be run, this is the good
samaritan "culprit" that you can blame. This is Bill Sullivan who is a tremendously close friend and the person that snapped me into into the world of running that I didn't know existed.
Holyoke, Ma. has a huge St. Patty's day celebration. There are parades on Sunday and a 10k raise on Saturday. After my last trans-continental run I stepped out of the world of competitive running and just continued to run on my own. Being a small business owner I sometimes would have a bad day on the job site and come home, run 20 miles to unwind, and go about my social life. Bill changed all that. I knew he and a bunch of his friends would run this "race thing" on that holiday and then celebrate with a couple of pints of
carbs at a place called the Clover in the city. I told Bill I didn't want to run in any races, despite the miles I was logging, but would love to join them for the after party at he Clover. "That's not the way it works" Bill told me. You don't
carbo load with us unless you've run the race first. So I decided to run a race after being away from racing since high school and not running with others for over 20 years. Well after a couple years of just running the St. Patty's race I began finding out about all YOU crazy people and have not only been having a great time ever since enjoying all the people in
sooo many places, but, the crazy side of me has re-surfaced and here we go again. By the way 2 years ago when there was 16 inches of snow the night before the race I was the ONLY one that actually ran the race. Everyone else had some "reason" they couldn't --BUT-BUT- BUT they all showed up to the Clover. So some day in the not to distant future some charity and the hundreds or thousands of people touched by that charitymay say "thanks" to me for running the fund raising event, but, they will NEED to turn to Bill and "thank" him for making Alan earn that beer at the Clover. The challenge that turned me loose once again.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
This is a story of keeping "Average Al" humble. During the week leading up to the May 22-23rd weekend I searched all the race websites most of you look at to pick your races. By Friday I had selected 2 and Saturday headed to Worcester, MA. to run in the Seven Hills Foundation 5k. I arrived my usual 1-1 1/2 hours early because I like to have the time to register if I haven't already, ask about the course, stretch a bit and get ready for the start at a leisurely pace. I arrived early and found myself to be almost the only one there. I could see that the only other people there were a small group, in the middle of a field, under a canopy. They did have a table and other things that assured me that I was probably in the right place. There were a series of different fields and they were in the middle of them all. I made my way to the group to find out about the race. As it turned out it was the 1st annual Seven Hills Foundation 5k and was Ryan and his friend Andrew's senior project. What a great thing for a couple of young guys to be doing. The Seven Hills Foundation is a local charity that tries to reach out and help people in many ways. Check out http://www.sevenhills.org/ for more info on them. I was also able to find out that the course was the cross country course used by the high school teams. It crossed one of the soccer fields then went up into the woods and came back to the fields. The loop was about 8-9/10 of a mile which meant when you came back to the field the 3rd time you had to do a bit extra around another field before the finish line. Both runners and walkers began arriving and soon there were 30-40 of us. What I did notice was that of the runners there were only 4 of us that were not from the local high school cross country teams. And 1 of the 4 of us "oldies" was a national caliber steeple chase competitor. You should understand that I always feel that you are guided to places even though you may not understand why sometimes. Well, to the starting line the runners went and we were off. We circled the field and up into the woods we went. It truly was a beautiful course and since I used to run cross country in my high school days it brought back some memories. So up the hills, through some wet areas, and over tree roots we went. When I popped out of the woods this 1st time I was about 100 yards behind the last runner but everyone was still in sight. Around the field again, up a hill and into the woods we went for the 2nd time. About 3/4 of the way around the 2nd loop I could hear a gazelle--I mean another runner coming up behind me. Sure enough it was the kid that was leading the race and he was lapping me. On his way by he said some great encouraging things to me while I was thinking I wanted to trip him and teach him to be passing a world record holder less than 2 miles into a 3.1 mile race. ONLY KIDDING!!! Turns out he and his dad did triathalons and he "dusted" all of the runners. Well by the time I came out on the field the 2nd time I could see catching up may not be one of my options. So around for the third lap I went and then to ad to my ego check I had to run that extra distance around another field and finally circled the last field to the finish. Did I mention that it was a soccer field??? So the guy who holds a long distance running world record was watched by all present as he made his way to the finish line---DEAD LAST. I knew at that point that I wasn't here to prove my running abilities. So I turned my attention, while licking my wounds, to the others. Ryan (pictured above with his brother-Ryan's on the right) had a cell phone that had internet access. I had him link on to my website and told all students that were around us that they needed to go to school Monday and tell everybody they could they had beat a world record holder. They were all curious to see the site and read some of it and I think beating me might have helped make their day. But who was the real winner that day? The foundation received money they really needed because 2 seniors used their senior project to benefit a great cause that, in these times, could use every nickel. The 2nd picture is myself, Bill Stock of the foundation, Ryan, and Andrew. AND at that race the baton was passed on to one of their friends who was a junior as his senior project for the next year. Go and enjoy this race next year and enjoy the enthusiasm of youth on a great mission. This is how great things start- with a vision and age has no boundaries when it comes to vision. By the way I was at the Red Hook Brewery 5k the next day in Portsmouth, N.H. to help my ego re coop. Great Job Guys. Walk Proud. Thanks for a great memory.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sorry about the lapse of time since the last entry. The pics you're looking at are from the finish line from 31 years ago. the cluster of 4 pics shows the banner I crossed to officially bring an end to the run, Jeff Easley (the Spina Bifida poster child that year) in a miniature version of a corvette, and a gathering of Spina Bifida Assoc., corvette people from as far away as Ohio and Michigan and me. In the 2nd shot piece you see on the bottom the picture that the top of the web page was created from. If you look real close at my left hand you might see some of the newest technology of the day back then. Give up? There is a 16 mm camera in my hand that allowed me to take some of the pictures you may see mixed into the blog later. The gentleman on the left is my step-dad Angie. He passed away a couple years ago but was a tremendous help and support through my life. The top picture is packed with quite a bit of things. In the front you have myself, Jeff in the mini again, his dad and my brother-in-law Rocky helping Jeff guide the car to the finish line and you can see a small part of the 1000s of people that lined the 2 1/2 mile stretch of road I covered to finish the run. What you can only see a small piece of is the 65 corvettes that were following me the finish line. 1000s of horse power and 100,000s of dollars worth of cars at their 1978 values. The mayor of Northampton proclaimed it "Al Tardy Day" and the most expensive parade to ever hit the city. You will I'm sure see and hear more about the last run but I will get back to the present in the next entries. Hope to hear more from you and see you somewhere soon.
Hi folks, Sorry about the lapse of time since the last entry. What you have here is a couple of the photos from the finish 31 years ago last Wednesday
Aug. 5th. The
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Hi folks, It's 11:00p.m. on August 4th, 2009. I won't be posting any photos tonight. But I thought I'd quickly share with you what was going on at 11:00 p.m. on August 4th, 1978. I had arrived to a point just outside my home town (and the finish line for my run) on Tuesday night. I had to stay hidden from sight for a few days because the ceremonies, and my finish, had been scheduled to take place on Saturday. I had made a couple quiet visits to friends that knew I was back. I was staying in the apartment of a woman that I had worked with, had begun dating just before I left for California, and had developed a long distance relationship with during the course of my run through phone conversations. She and her friend shared an apartment that turned out to be my refuge as the emotional wheels fell off me the night before what was supposed to be MY BIG DAY. It was right about 11:00 p.m. that I REALLY realized the end was at hand. A year and a half of training, organizing, and planning with myself and 22 people on a support team. 76 days 62 of them running. Time zones, rattlesnakes, reporters, fundraising, calls all over the country, aches, pains, a potentially long term hobble that had developed after I was told not to run anymore by a doctor in Cincinnati, sleeping in a tent, motels, people's homes I only met the day they let me stay with them, in fields wrapped up in my rain parka--It Was All a few hours from ending!!!!! Tears began to pour out as the fear of the end poured in. Someday I hope you are able to hear the whole story and find out that I wasn't the real "hero" as somebody called me. I was just the runner that allowed so many others to be HEROES--TRUE HEROES--UNSUNG HEROES. People without whom that run would never have taken place. The tears are flowing again right now as I type 31 years later. The thoughts I cling to right now are thoughts of the new unsung heroes that are already emerging in preparation for the run that is coming. I have promised myself that I will sing their praises and not leave them in the background. Not only will they be recognized but I just know that some of the heroes will be you and you don't even know it yet. Please join this journey. Search in these blogs, and the information that will be put out to you, for your place in this event. Read, communicate, open your heart and you will find that spot.
Please excuse me as I close. I want to spend a bit more time remembering this time 31 years ago and those that were not only part of the journey, but the ones that are my heroes. Good Night.
Monday, August 3, 2009
31 years ago on August 5th I was finishing my California- Massachusetts run. As I enter some things onto these blogs I will add in some pictures from now and then and a bit of an insight into the answers to the 2 questions people ask me all the time. 1: Are you F....n nuts? 2:why do you want to do this? The answer to the first question would be--no more nuts than anybody else who stepped out from the "norm" would appear to be. The answer to the second question is a bit deeper and I hope is something that you will remember whenever you question what motivates me. My true belief is that God has given me two gifts 1. my health, which I take too much for granted too often and 2. an ability to run and run and run. I firmly believe I was given these things in order to help others. I also feel I dropped the ball for the last 31 years and it's time I picked it back up again. This is about as "heavy" of an entry that I'll make into my blogs, and I may offend people with these things, but, this is what is in my heart as I head into the next big run.
On a lighter note the pictures you are looking at are the me of today and the me of 31 years ago. Can you tell which is which? The double picture is 2 shots taken in Denver in 1978. The other pic is me running in Foxboro in July 09. In the double picture I had hair and a 28 inch waist. In the current photo--well--the hair thing. What I tell people is that I used to be able to have an afro but now all I can muster up is a half-fro. In the current photo the size of my waist is determined by which part of my stomach I want to consider to be my waist. So it's somewhere between a 32 and a 30something.
The one thing that is the same in these pictures is my heart and the desire to do something with my running to help others in a BIG way. I'm also excited about the fact that through the blogs and your comments and emails you can join me either via the computer and/or on the road somewhere. I know for a fact that people from all over the east coast, plus Michigan, Illinois, Colorado, Ohio, Nevada and California are reading these entries and I invite you to come along and feel free to stay in touch. tardy4@comcast.net
Well since this week 31 years ago I was about to finish my San Francisco, Ca.-Northampton,Ma. run I thought I'd throw in some pictures and thoughts from then and now. What you have pictured here are First thing is there were no such things as cell phones, PCs, or blogs. When I was running I would stop at a pay phone (remember those things) and call people collect. I was calling to newspaper reporters, co-ordinators, friends, and family. But I was not able to reach into my knapsack, pull out my cell phone and call anyone from anywhere. I was flown out to San Francisco met some people who sent me on my way the next day from the Golden Gate Bridge. I was carrying a knap sack with a tent strapped to it, some STUFF (I'll explain what some other time)
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Most of the races I attend are the first time I will be running the course. I many times try to find someone that has already run the race and at least get a brief description of what we are about to face for a course. This was the case with the 2 races I ran when I met these folks. Mike I met at a race in Forest Park which is in Springfield, MA. He works for the Sheriff's Dept. in the area and likes to run in local races. Not only did he give me the low down on the course before the race but turned out to be fun to talk with while hanging out after the race. A real friendly guy that introduced me to a lot of the people and helped make the the morning a great start to the day. The other picture is of me and a woman whose name I can't remember while I'm writing. When I do I will fix the entry. Her advice of the course was given to me at the Groton road race this past spring (April 26th I believe). People at the road races always seem to not only to be friendly but love to exchange stories about the run. We all share a common goal. We want to finish the race in a better than last race's time and want to share the tales of our running with people that can relate. And what better people to share those stories with than the ones you just ran with.
I have had these pictures since early June. Until now I wasn't sure if I could ever express the feelings I had while attending the Vision 5k at Boston College on June 7th. You should understand that many of the races I attend I will sometimes pick a day or two before they happen. Sometimes I pick a particular race on its description, or its past results (looking to see the number of people attending in past years), or sometimes I'll pick one based on a feeling. This race I feel I was meant to be around. I knew I was in for a new experience when I arrived. When I was standing in the registration line and some of the other people waiting in the same line to register had white canes. They were led to the line by somebody because they could not see. I didn't know what to make of it. Blind, running through the streets of Boston, IN A RACE??? Not only were there people visually impaired but if you wanted to take on the challenge you could wear a blindfold and try it without vision yourself. How did they do the running? They were tethered together with another runner as their guide. HOLY COW!! I watched and listened as I was running in total amazement. The guide would speak the directions pertaining to the turns, moving past other runners, uneven areas in the pavement and anything else that needed to be verbalized. They moved together like the syncronized swimmers in the Olympics except this was running through the streets of Boston, which to me was simply incredible to watch. And how did they do you might ask? I believe 50% of the top 10 finishers were blind. Including the WINNER. Check out the Vision5k website and put this on your "got to run" list or just attend it as a walker or watcher. You will come away with a greater sense of thanks for your ability to see (something we all take for granted) and a tremendous new respect for those that can't see, but still believe in their own abilities "to do".
