"I'm Derek Lindstrom, and I can do anything!"

#WhoKnew
First, thanks for taking a few minutes to stop by my blog. I have had this blog for the past 8+ years, using it only occasionally as I was training for the 'next big race'...a race that never seemed to happen.
I've run/raced a lot...110 marathons, Ironman, probably nearly 700+ races in total, but over the past 5+ years, I truly have found myself searching for a race, a meaning.
I honestly thought that Leadman 2018 was going to be IT. I was excited, motivated...threw down my $855 to enter. Was training at a D+/C- level for most of the fall/winter, having limited energy to get out. Motivation, none. Always tired with an excuse. What a lazy piece of shit, I would call myself.

Fast forward to Saturday March 3rd, 2018, in Stillwater picking up Torun from swim practice, standing in the lobby of Stillwater Jr. when all of a sudden I felt odd, really light headed, to the point where I needed to lean against a wall so I didn't fall over. No arm movement and couldn't speak, though I was coherent, enough so that I could see and hear Torun, but I had no movement...I'm sure all the swim-moms I was with thought I was drunk. Lasted maybe a minute or so but gradually got feeling and such back, but what the hell was that? "You ok, papa?"  Still not feeling the best a couple of hours later, I drove myself to the ER, just to make sure I was OK to drive.
Park Nicollet in Burnsville, nope, they send me across the parking lot to Fairview where they run me through a hula hoop looking MRI...nothing. "Let's try one more test...", I hate when they say that. Well this MRI shows a dissection(?) in the back of my neck, a tear that could have been pooling blood, or where a clot had formed and let loose, possibly causing a minor stroke, but we need more tests. So, off by ambulance I go, to Fairview Southdale, for the night.
The next morning I'm treated to numerous texts...another MRI, labs...so much blood drawn, good god. Ready for this? "Let's try one more test..." Ugh.
This test, a TEE, gets me put out for just a minute, placed on my side and they shove some tube down my esophagus to take a peak at my heart...I came to not knowing they had done anything. My kind of test :)
Now I'm not sure when I got results, whether it was Sunday or Monday, but at least I got news. Severe scaring in the heart, a severely dilated left ventricle, a 6x8 thrombus (clot) in the LV...and an ejection fraction of 23%...
I think basically what he was saying is that "You're screwed!"...wait, what?

So here I sit, Thursday April 12th, 2018, with no other news. I've seen 3 cardiologists and a neurologist, with 4 different conclusions. I found a cardiologist at the Heart Institute in Minneapolis that I really like, so I will listen to her...and her advice is to first get an ICD implanted, more to keep me alive in case the ticker stops. The ICD will jump start it, as I understand it. 
After the ICD, it's time for a biopsy to take a tiny chunk of the heart to see what the scaring looks like. After which they will do what they can to get my EF number up, (I'd take a 35 at this point) and if not, well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
#WhoKnew

So, I could use a quick prayer from time to time. I want to grow old to see the kids graduate from high school, to get married...maybe get back to the point where I can jog with them, though those days may be done :(

Yea, no running and only easy riding. I'm on blood thinners to help with the clotting, and I think they're afraid I may fall down, get a cut and bleed out...? Don't they know who I am? I'm Derek Lindstrom...I don't fall :)

That attitude, which has worked well for me for years..."I'm Derek Lindstrom, and I can do anything!" ...an attitude needed to race well, to push through another hard workout. I remember riding with the Gear West Tri Team June of 2016, a ride that I will always remember, as will Jordan Roby. I show up ready to rumble, pushing the pace from the start, a KOM on Game Farm Road, and I pushed hard for 40+ miles...pushing, pushing, pushing, and I remember telling myself a couple of times on that ride, when I was going to be dropped, that "I'm Derek Lindstrom, and I can do this...I can pound these guys into the ground!"
Worked well THAT day, and on too many runs to count over the years...well, that attitude may have sucked the life out of me. So many times over the past few years I would suck up a workout, push through, pound, push, whether I had the energy to pound or not...turns out I did not, and that I was struggling because I was sick. But how was I to know? I assumed I was just getting older and losing motivation...turns out I was tired and struggling because my IF was half of that of other runners/riders. ...suppose that should make me feel better, but it doesn't.

Gotta run now, but I hope you take time to pop in and read from time to time...it's going to be a battle, both physically AND emotionally. Reading that almost 40% of patients with heart issues such as mine run into depression, well I'm not going to let that happen...I'm Derek Lindstrom, for crying out loud!

Hit the reset button...

Seems to be the theme, run/race well for a bit, only to get dinged up.  So here I sit, 3 months after my fibula stress fracture...chomping at the bit to get out there and run!
I ran 3 easy miles last night, but it was an ugly/painful 3 miles...pain at the fracture mark, only to move down into my ankle at around mile marker 1.
I have been staying fit (12.5 hourz last week) by spinning at Life Time, lifting, core, powerwalking while hauling a 90 pound sled in the cold.  I feel fit, strong...and ready to rumble, except for this damn leg. 
So, Boston?  Still not sure...if I can heal up quick, put in a little quality...maybe a long run or 2, I'll toe the line and roll the dice.  I won't be expecting anything, but to get to Boston again to run, vacation...visit with BPEC Race Team members.  I am registered and we have our hotel booked...besides the leg, I am ready.
What else has been happening? 
Race calendar for 2014?  I'm still thinking...if/when I get healthy, here is a quick list:
* Boston Marathon
* Afton Trail 25K (Pace)
* Voyageur 50 Miler
* Leadville 100 Miler
* St. George Marathon
* Ironman or 70.3?  How about 1 mile on the track?  So many races, so little time...


I'll try to be better at updating the blog this Spring...promise :)

3 Hour Playlist

...as you know, I don't do anything without tunage...one of my favorite 3 hour playlists...enjoy!


We Are The Waiting - Green Day
Who's Your Daddy - Benny Benassi
Let's Get It Started - BEP
Locked Out Of Heaven - Bruno Mars
Feels So Close (Extended Mix) - Calvin Harris
Jellyhead - Crush
Get Lucky - Daft Punk
Sandstorm - Darude
Sexy Bitch (Chuckie & Lil Jon Remix) - David Guetta
Titanium (Feat. Sia) - David Guetta
Clockout - Devo
Uncontrollable Urge - Devo
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
We Are Young - Fun.
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
We Are The Waiting - Green Day
F.O.D. - Green Day
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
Empire State Of Mind - Jay Z
La La La - LMFAO
Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
Free Bird - Lynard Skynard
Stitches (Green Velvet Mix) - Orgy
Blue Monday (Club 69 Mix) - Orgy
Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke
A Love Bizzare - Sheila E. (12+ minutes...)
Who Am I (What's My Name)? - Snoop Dog
So Far Away - Staind
Magic Power - Triumph
The Promise - When In Rome
Scream & Shout (Feat. Britney Spears - will.i.am
#thatPOWER (Feat. Justin Bieber - will.i.am

Well this sucks...

Marathon #106...Marquette Marathon...done!

Well I guess you could say that the marathon 'cram' was a success...but I'm not sure if I wanna do that again!
To set the marathon stage, The Marquette Marathon is a small marathon in an even smaller town, my hometown, Marquette, MI.  Race date was Saturday August 31st, 2013.  I ran my first marathon there in 1981, I think in 3:02. 
Jen and I drove to Marquette on Friday.  After a late start, we pulled into Marquette (following a 7 hour drive) at 7:45p local time...shit, expo closes at 9:00...and I still need to register!
Good dinner, good sleep and I'm ready to rumble.
Saturday morning, race day, and I feel grand.  I have a good breakfast (NO Diet Pepsi), and we head to the start.  No Garmin today, I'm going to run off 'feel' and just let my playlist guide me. 
The plan (?) is to run 7:40's from the start, be consistent and run 3:24:59 to hit my Boston time by the 5:01 over mark, allowing me to sign up on week 1.  Well, plans change... 
Favorite shoes, (Mizuno Precision)...check; gel flask full of PowerGel, favorite Brooks shorts and Brooks/BP tech top and a loaded iPod...I'm ready. 
With my gel, as well as my hydration, I stuck to the plan...7 gels total, early and often...I was one of the only runners to take a gel and 2 cups at mile 1.5 :)

Standing at the start line, doubt is heavy on my mind...minimal training, limited quality, sore left calf, family health battles weighing heavy with me... "How am I going to run 26+ miles at 7:40 pace when I have only done 1 run beyond 9 miles in the past couple of months?" ...but at some point, you just need to get it done.  I have years of base, and years of experience...what will be different about THIS marathon?  Nothing...dammit, Derek, just put your head down and push...you need Boston, you and Jen need Boston.
As we begin the 2 loop course in and around Marquette, most of our miles will be run on paved bike trails...a gradual climb from miles 3.5-5/16.5-18...could it be any more beautiful than this?  Marquette really is paradise.  A town of roughly 20,000 residents, situated on the shores of Lake Superior and home to Northern Michigan University and the Olympic Training Center, and apparently, a very supportive community, as we had an endless supply of spectator support on the course.
...Mile 1, 7:02, mile 2, 6:59...mile 3, 7:04...what the hell?  Why did this feel so easy?  "Slow the hell down, Derek!" 7:11, 7:06...10 miles in 1:10:40 and the half in 1:33 and change.  "Hey, toolbox, what about the 7:40 plan?"  Well, the course is fast, weather is amazing...and that playlist...  How long can I hold this crazy pace?  Can I hold on and finish 20 minutes under my Boston qualifying time?
This race is reminding me a lot of the 2006 Baton Rouge Beach Marathon, there I also needed a Boston time after pacing my ex to a Boston time at Chicago only 6 weeks earlier.  I came into that race, as I did Marquette, undertrained, no mileage, no quality, yet ran an opening half in 1:26 and finished 5th overall and as the Master's Champion in 3:05ish, a race that still has me scratching my head.
Mile 14, 7:13, 15 in 7:11...?  In hindsight, my race went South with a strong push on mile 18, an uphill mile that I worked hard...too hard.  7:08 for 18 and then 6:59 for mile 19...and then I was done.
I hit mile 20 in roughly 2:24, 7:12 average...a huge Boston cushion.  The rest of the run was a jog/run/walk through aid stations, keeping a close eye on the watch so I kept my 10:00+ Boston time.
3:17:54.  RESULTS  The time was good enough for 28th overall, 3rd in my age group.  (Pretty sweet AG awards!)
Negative splits?  Ha...1:33:38 and 1:44:16, but looking back, it wasn't that ugly of a finish...with my fitness, I couldn't hold on to the opening pace for 26.2, so by the time I hit 21, it was damage control...so did the wheels really fall off physically, or mentally did I know I wasn't going to hit the 20:00 under time and just shut it down?  A question I can't answer.

A race I highly recommend, and a town you need to visit!  www.marquettemarathon.com

Post race...I need a Pepsi Max.

Next up, marathon #107 at Big Cottonwood Marathon in Salt Lake City, UT on September 14th, 2013.

Training mimics 'life'...

Happy Monday!
Finally, a quick update on the training-cram for the Marquette Marathon.
26 days to go, and things are looking good...no aches, no pains to speak of, and best of all, the scale yesterday said 180.1...perfect, as I wanted to lose these final few pounds before the race...well, they're gone, now I can focus on training!
Friday August 2nd:  Got up early and ran 11+ miles on the trails outside of Long Lake with Jan and Beth...found myself still a bit sore from the beating I took from Brett 2 days earlier on the same trails.
Saturday August 3rd:  Crazy busy day was followed up by another surprising speed workout...surprising in that I'm not hurt yet.  After my 6 x 800's last week, I had a great stretch followed by an ice bath.  This week, time limitations only allowed me 45 minutes, so I did a quick 1.5 mile warm-up followed by 4 x 800 in 2:28, 2:33, 2:36 and a strong 2:28.  I couldn't have done 8 at this pace, but it was perfect for 4 of them.  6.5 miles in 46:08...perfect.  A solid stretch and core, yummy.
Sunday August 4th:  First let me say, I had an amazing weekend with Jen...from Friday night at the lake, to all day Saturday and our incredible Sunday...training mimics 'life.  When life is good, rewarding, and you're head over heels in love, you seem to train with a spring in your step, with purpose.  I'm training hard for Marquette for US, so we can go to Boston together next April...meaning every workout, everything I eat, the core/lifting and stretching...it all has a purpose...and it feels damn good!
For my/our workout on Sunday, we got up and had breakfast before we loaded up the packs and headed out the door on the mountain bikes. "Let's ride to Lake Calhoun" we said...that's not a bad ride from Eden Prairie.  Well, we couldn't leave well enough alone...got to the Lakes and decided to ride to St. Paul for lunch.  45+ miles and 4 hours later, we made it back...just in time for a nappy :)
I followed the night up with a solid lift session at Life Time Cross Town.  I may be sore tomorrow :) 

Stay tuned for updates this week...speed on Tuesday and a 20+ miler with Jan on Thursday!

Don' Be P####

When things get tough, and they will get tough while racing, (and if they don't get tough, you're not racing hard enough) just remember these heartfelt words from the Russian Ski team, "Don't Be P####"...
Couldn't have said it better myself.

Coach D