PART 2 -- A RUNNING HALLOWEEN STORY

This is the conclusion of the true scary running story I posted yesterday. VERY IMPORTANT: If you didn't read part 1, please scroll down to the post below this one and read it first.

Everyone have a happy and safe Halloween!

The Chair (part 2 -- the conclusion)

 

I swiveled my head back and forth. “N-n-no. I’m not gonna sit on it.”

“Ah come on, Joe,” Bruce said. “Don’t be a chicken.”

I backed away, still shaking my head.

Mike hooked his thumbs in his armpits and flapped his elbows. “Buck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck.”

Their taunting didn’t faze me. I wanted to go home. "Come, guys. It's getting late. Let's get out of here."

"You're such a wimp," Bruce said.

Jogging along Scotch Ridge as we passed through the shadows of the night, I heard rustling noises coming from the woods. “Do you hear that?” I asked.

“Yeah, I hear it,” Mike said.

When we stopped to listen, the rustling stopped. “Must be our imaginations,” Bruce said.

We jogged again, this time slightly faster, but the noises followed. “Hold up, guys,” I said. “Bruce, shine your light into the woods there.”

When the ray crossed the greenery, a dozen eyes lit up and barking exploded.

“Run!” Mike screamed.

Although Mike and Bruce were great distance runners, I had more speed. With adrenalin streaming through my body, my legs churned under me like the Roadrunner with Wylie Coyote on his tail. If Coach Gordon Downie had been there with his stopwatch, I would’ve broken the school record in the 440-yard dash. After several hundred yards, I couldn’t hear my friends’ footsteps behind me, only blood curdling screams and barking.

Finally, I halted, turned and stared into the blackness. The barking trailed away. Wild dogs. That’s what’s been killing the livestock on this ridge. A pack of wild dogs. For more than a minute I leaned on my knees, catching my breath and imagining the gruesome fate of my buddies. They shouldn’t have sat on the Chair.

Then, softly at first, I heard footsteps and huffing coming toward me. My heart rattled in my chest like an outboard motor with a few screws missing. Emerging from the black shadows into the moonlight, Mike and Bruce ran at a good clip.

“You guys all right?” I hollered. As they neared I noticed they held something in their hands.

“We fought ‘em off with rocks,” Mike said and then dropped his stones to the ground.

“I’ve never seen you run so fast, Joe,” Bruce said. “If you’d run that fast at the District Cross Country Meet, we’d qualify for the State Championship.”

“You’re hilarious,” I said. “Let’s go home.”

 

 

Epilogue

 

After graduating from college and teaching a year in northern Indiana, I returned to my hometown of Martins Ferry to take the art position at my old high school. Eventually, I became a Commissioned Lay Pastor for the Upper Ohio Valley Presbytery. Many Presbyterian churches in the Ohio Valley needed pastors, and not enough ordained ministers were available.

In the summer of 1990 I got a call from a farmer named Paul Pickens who wanted me to fill the pulpit at his small country church, the Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church. The name of the church sounded familiar. When I arrived at the bottom of the steep driveway, I knew I’d been there before—on a late October night in 1973.

I pulled my car into one of the few parking spaces, stepped out, and saw the Chair. My friends’ taunting echoed in the back of my mind: Don’t be a chicken. Buck-buck-buck-buck-buck-buck. That morning I preached to eight elderly members of the Scotch Ridge congregation, members who had been faithfully praying that their fellowship wouldn’t die out. Soon after, they hired me to be their lay pastor.

For the last twenty-three years the Chair has greeted me every Sunday morning, but we’re still alive and well at Scotch Ridge. Mike and Bruce haven’t succumbed to the Chair’s curse either. Bruce recently received the honor of induction into the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame for being a four-time state champion. Mike and I get together occasionally and talk about the glory days. We're a lot slower than we used to be. One thing hasn’t changed since that October night in 1973. I still haven’t sat in The Chair.

 

The End

 

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If you would like a free download of my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
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A RUNNING HALLOWEEN STORY

With Halloween one day away, I want to share with you a true scary story from my days as a high school distance runner.

The Chair

 

 

“I’m not afraid to sit on it,” Mike said.

            “If you do, I will,” Bruce said.

            I wasn’t so sure.

            On an October night in 1973 we jogged along Treadway Road, a dirt lane that crossed a series of Appalachian foothills and led to the Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church. The wind whipped dead leaves across our path, and the full moon through the branches of overhanging trees splashed splatters of light around us, like small ghosts. Bruce brought a flashlight in case we needed it, carrying it like a baton. Fortunately, our eyes adjusted well to the darkness. Running up and down hills for three miles didn’t bother us either—we were high school cross country runners.

            We’d known about The Chair’s curse since grade school. Everyone did. I’d heard about the farmer’s wife who sat on it back in the 30’s, lost her mind, and hung herself from the rafters of a barn not far from the church. Then there was the young man who came home on leave from the Army after basic training. On a dare from his buddies he sat on The Chair at midnight and died a few months later from shrapnel wounds on a Vietnamese battlefield. More recently, a kid I knew personally lost his life in a car crash on the very night he supposedly sat in The Chair.

            Most teenagers from the Upper Ohio Valley made late-night excursions to the monument to challenge the curse, but almost all chickened out once they got there. Mike and Bruce had declared their intensions. They were risk takers and loved to compete against each other. Both were All-Ohio distance runners. If they sat on it, what would I do? I tried not to think about it.

            “Did you hear about the mutilations?” Bruce asked as we neared the top of a long and winding hill.

“What mutilations?” I asked.

            “Livestock mutilations,” Mike said. “Farmers are losing cows and sheep along this ridge. Don’t know what’s killing them. Ain’t no bears or coyotes round here anymore.”

            “Might be a maniac,” Bruce said.

            “M-m-maniac?” I stammered, and Bruce smiled, the moon’s glow glinting off his black-framed glasses.

            “Lot’s a psychos in these parts,” Mike said as he grinned at Bruce.

            Now for sure I didn’t want to sit on the Chair. I wasn’t superstitious—just  naturally conservative. Why take unnecessary chances?

“It’s right up here,” Mike said as he slowed his pace to a walk.

We stopped at the bottom of a steep gravel driveway and peered up. The full moon hung over the small brick church like a big eye. Its light dabbed the gravestones on the hillside with ashen strokes. To the left of the church a huge dead tree extended its spidery branches into the starlit sky. Below the tree The Chair waited for us, a black throne, edges gilded by the moon’s glow.

“Let’s go,” Mike said. “It’s almost midnight.” He started up the long driveway at a slow jog, and we followed.

At the top of the hill the wind whistled through the dead tree’s branches. Bruce shone the flashlight on the Chair. Intricately carved ivy vines climbed from its base, up simulated wooden legs and around its back. A scroll unrolled on the seat with a scripture verse from I Samuel 20:18: Thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.

“Look down here,” Mike said as he pointed to the left side of the base.

I read the inscription. “Alvin Mitchell. Born December 2^nd 1852. Died December 13^th 1873. The guy only lived to be twenty-one years old. Wonder what killed him?”

Bruce smiled and said, “Maybe a maniac.”

Mike laughed. “Or a psycho.”

I didn’t think it was funny. “Let’s see what’s on the other side.”

More than anything, the inscription on the other side of the monument freaked me out—Meet me in heaven. I wasn’t ready to cross over the great divide yet. What if I did die? Would heaven’s gates open for me?

A gust of wind rattled the dead branches above us. Bruce glanced up and said, “Are we gonna sit on this thing or not?”

“Who’s first?” Mike asked.

Bruce and I looked at each other and then at Mike.

“You guys are wimps,” Mike said. “I’ll go.”

He placed his hands on the seat like a gymnast mounting a pommel horse, jumped, and spun. Firmly his rear end landed on the throne, and he raised his arms into the air. “Hey, Grim Reaper, you can’t catch me!” he yelled and then whooped like a chimpanzee.

Mike quickly jumped off, and Bruce declared, “I’m next.”

I didn’t argue.

Using Mike’s technique, Bruce mounted the Chair. He threw his head back and cackled like a madman, the moon flashing off his glasses. “Any maniacs out there? Come after me and you’ll eat my dust!”

After Bruce dismounted, my friends gazed at me expectantly. The wind velocity increased. A loud crack erupted above us, and a tree limb tumbled through the branches and struck a nearby gravestone, shattering into a hundred pieces. My heart leapt in my chest. Was that a sign?

 

This was part 1 of two parts. Check back tomorrow for part 2

 

If you would like a free download of my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon





THE MARATHON STICK

Today I completed my fourth day in a row of cross training--one hour on the stationary bike, pushups, curls, leg lifts, and back raises. The calf is feeling better but definitely is not ready for a run yet. Most of the pain can be felt right in the middle of the calf and comes when I am walking up steps.

I ordered a "Marathon Stick" from Amazon.com a few days ago. I'm waiting for it to arrive.
 Here's a description and picture of the product:
20" long with 10 working rollers, the Marathon Stick was popularized by endurance runners. The most flexible of the small models, it's perfect for those with lean muscle mass. it contours nicely to the muscle; primarily used on legs and especially calves. Price $31.95

LENGTH: 20-inches
TYPE: Flexible
GRIPS: Yellow

The product is rated 4 1/2 stars by users. Most of them rave about how the Marathon Stick brings blood flow into their calves and hamstrings helping to eliminate daily soreness, speed recovery, and accelerate healing. I'm looking forward to trying it out and will let you know how it works for me. In the meantime I have applied Kinesio Tape and continue to self massage the calf as best I can.

I wish I had the time and money to hire a massage therapist. If I can't get back out on the road soon and get a good run in, I might end up needing psycho-therapy. I saw a great saying on the back of a shirt when I was at the Columbus Marathon Expo: RUNNING IS MY THERAPY.

Ain't that the truth!

If you would like a free download of my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon

SPRING MARATHONS

My son-in-law, Josh Taylor, and I are now seriously considering what spring marathon we will run in our attempt to qualify for Boston. We originally figured it would be one of three: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or Nashville. All three have positives and negatives.

Five years ago I ran Pittsburgh and really enjoyed the race. There was only one major hill on the course about halfway through the race. The second half of the race was mostly downhill and flat. Pittsburgh is very near, only about sixty miles away from where we live. However, I worry about heat. When I ran Pittsburgh five years ago we enjoyed an incredibly cool morning. Warm temps are definitely possible in Pittsburgh in early May.

I've run the Nashville Half three out of the last four years and managed to place 3rd in my age group in 2012. The country music atmosphere is incredible there with a plethora of talented bands along the route. This race is one of the most popular in the country with nearly 30,000 participants. I'm wondering, though, if the crowd could be a factor in the early miles. Also, Nashville is definitely not flat.

I've never run Cleveland, and the opportunity for a new race experience is always enticing. A big plus for Cleveland is the flat terrain. The older I get, the more I appreciate a flat course where I can get into a steady rhythm. The downside of Cleveland is the mid-May date (May 18). The temperature could easily rise above 70 during the race. The heat kills me.

A reader suggested the Ashville Marathon in Ashville, NC. Scheduled for mid-March, the temperature should be perfect. The course is located on the Biltmore Estate, which is an incredibly beautiful part of North Carolina. However, I'm worried about hills on that course. Also, serious training would have to begin in January for a March marathon. January can be a tough month weather-wise where I live in the Ohio Valley.

There is another marathon we are seriously considering--The Glass City Marathon in Toledo, Ohio. It's scheduled for April 27, so chances are the weather will be accommodating. The race usually hosts about 1000 runners, which means there should not be crowded conditions for the first few miles. However, this plus may become a minus. How lonely will the race become in the latter stages?

Whew! Tough decision. I want to qualify for Boston, go to the Big Dance, and then write the sequel--The Old Man and the Boston Marathon. The marathon we choose could be critical to that goal. Please, if you have opinions on any of these races or other suggestions, comment below!


 If you would like a free download of my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon

DEALING WITH INJURY (MENTALLY)

I HATE BEING INJURED!!! It's worse than finding a half a worm in your apple. It's worse than finding out Darth Vader is your father. It's worse than finding out your neighbor is a Scientologist. It's worse than finding out the truth about Santa. Alright, maybe it's not as bad as the Santa thing, but still, I HATE BEING INJURED!!!

After several days of whining and complaining, I have come to terms with my calf injury. I am facing the fact that I may not be able to run for one to three weeks. I need to accept this and embrace this and take responsibility for it. If I don't, I may drive my wife crazy. She will tell you that I am not myself when I'm injured. I get a little . . . on edge. You know are not yourself when you set up an IV drip directly from your coffee machine.

Here's my advice for mentally dealing with injury: Don't focus on the temporary loss of running. Focusing on the negative will only drive you further toward the dark side. Understand that running is not as important as it appears to be. In fact, running is way down the list when you consider the truly important things in life--family, friends, health, peace, freedom, big screen TVs, and the list goes on.

Instead of seeing your injury as a loss, embrace it as a challenge, an opportunity to learn what to do to bring swift healing and how to prevent the same injury from happening again. In all probability the injury occurred because you were overdoing it--too much training or racing finally caught up with. Listen to your body and take the time to help it heal.

This past Saturday I watched the high school regional cross country meet at Pickering near Columbus, Ohio. One of our runners had a bad day. She didn't qualify for the state championship. It's hard to console a high school gal who didn't quite achieve a personal goal. All I could say was, "Don't take it too hard, kiddo, there will be more races."

That same advice I give to you and to myself. There will be more runs and more races. Keep pressing on.

If you would like a free download of my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon

CROSS TRAINING -- UGH!

Don't get me wrong. I believe cross training is an incredibly important part of a runner's training program, especially if the runner is injured or old like me. I don't mind cross training two or three times a week to keep my joints healthy. But more than one day in a row and I start longing for the roads.

I was hoping to wake up today feeling half decent. Unfortunately, my calf hurt more today than it did the day after the Columbus Half. I plan on cross training three days in a row and testing it out on Wednesday with an easy six miler. I will also do a Kinesio tape job on it. Kinesio Tape is an elastic therapeutic tape that is great for strains and minor muscle tears.

Here's a video showing you how to tape a strained calf: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XTxAREiYFE

What do I do on my cross training days? Stationary bike. Not very exciting is it? But it's effective. I can go hard without straining muscles that I use on runs. I also throw in three sets of pushups, back raises, leg lifts, and curls. Like I told you, I don't mind cross training one day and running the next. To cross train three days in a row is going to be mentally challenging for me.

But this is what I deserve. If I would have taken a more conservative approach to training after a hard half, I would not be in this position right now. Learn from my mistake. Err on the side of caution.

If you would like a free download of my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon

BIG MISTAKE

After running a PR at the Columbus Half Marathon this past Sunday, I made a big mistake. My personal record time motivated me to get out there and start training for the next half marathon. I was seriously considering running the Tour de Ashand Half (http://www.ashlandrunners.com/) in Ashland, Ohio on December 7. Big Mistake.

On Sunday at the ten mile mark during the Columbus half my calf cramped. I finished the race in a lot of pain, but I didn't slow down much. Two days later the calf felt fine. I figured it was just a cramp. I ran an eight miler on Wednesday feeling just a little sore, and biked an hour on Thursday. Then I tried a ten miler today. Stupid, stupid, stupid. At the eight mile mark my calf cramped again, just like it did in the race on Sunday. This time it took my hamstring with it. I had to walk and jog the last two miles of the training run. Now I am probably out for at least a week.

BIG LESSON: After a long, hard race like a half or full marathon, take your time coming back. Keep your mileage down and your pace slower. Give your muscles time to recover, or you will end up like me: INJURED. :(

I plan on biking the next several days and then testing it about Wednesday with an easy six miler. Is it possible to be too motivated to train for a race. YES. Don't be a fool like me. Take it easy for a couple of weeks after a long, hard race.

If you would like a free download of The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon

Decision Day

Today I made a decision to train for a spring marathon. Which one? Very important question. I want to qualify for Boston 2015. I've narrowed it down to three: The Nashville Country Music Marathon on April 26, the Dick's Sporting Goods Marathon on May 4, or the Cleveland Rite Aid Marathon on May 18.

Tough Decision. Any opinions? I ran the Pittsburgh Marathon back in 2009 and enjoyed the race. Back then I was 52 years old and ran 3:16:31. That qualified me for Boston, but Achilles tendon problems made me hesitant to take the leap of faith and sign up for Boston. Hotel costs and entry fees for Boston are enormous. I decided not to take the financial risk.

Eventually, I ended up getting ASTYM treatments on my Achilles tendon. The therapy was extremely painful but incredibly effective. Since completing the Pittsburgh Marathon I've run about 20 half marathons. The most recent was this past Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. I covered the 13.1 miles in 1:25:57 and finished second in my age group--a personal record by almost a minute.

That new PR motivated me to consider another marathon, but I must confess I have another motivation. Recently, my latest novel, The Old Man and the Marathon, has been getting a lot of downloads at www.smashwords.com. In the novel an old man takes on the challenge of qualifying for the Boston Marathon despite a history sciatica problems. If I ever write a sequel, it will be called The Old Man and the Boston Marathon. Before I write it, though, I actually want to run the race. This means I must qualify for the race. Thus today's decision. Which will it be? Nashville, Pittsburgh, or Cleveland?

If you would like a free download of The Old Man and the Marathon click on the link below:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/351449
or go to Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Marathon-ebook/dp/B00ESVLMOA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382654213&sr=8-1&keywords=the+old+man+and+the+marathon
or go to barnesandnoble.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-old-man-and-the-marathon-joe-ellis/1116763619?ean=2940148767169&itm=1&usri=the+old+man+and+the+marathon