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I just want to take a few minutes and mention a few quick updates that have unfolded within the last few weeks. Things have been busy, but good busy.  There is a show on Comcast Sportsnet called “Net Impact” that has expressed an interest in telling my story. The show features human interest stories about people and their journey above and beyond sport. I met with show host Gregg Murphy and his camera guy Brian  last week and we shot interviews as well as some training in the pool. The cool thing was that I got to wear a head mounted underwater mini camera. I can’t wait to see how that footage turns out. We will film one or two more sessions over the next couple of weeks and the show should air in March on Comcast Sportsnet. Gregg is a great guy and I am looking forward to our next session. I will keep people posted.

We shot those Net Impact interviews and swim footage at the YMCA in Delaware County PA where I am a longtime member and board member. As it turns out, Gregg Murphy is also on the board of his local YMCA in Gloucester County New Jersey. A couple of days after we filmed, Gregg approached me about being their keynote speaker for the 100 year anniversary celebration of their YMCA. It took me about 6 seconds to think about my answer, after which I responded with an enthusiastic, “I would love to do it. Count me in. And THANKS”. That will be in March and details are still pending. It should be a nice night. And I always welcome the opportunity to connect and network when it comes to the YMCA and all of the good that organization does.

Registration is now OPEN for the Brad Schoener Memorial 5K and Music Marathon which will be held on May 19th. I am directing this race again and hope to treat you all to some new surprises this year – as soon as I figure out what they will be.

I am also working with the legendary and renown band Chico’s Vibe in helping them “orchestrate” a new 5K which will benefit hunger relief. This is still a work in progress and nothing is definitive yet but November 17th, 2012 in Havertown PA is looking very probable. Complete details will be announced once they are confirmed. Expect a FUN event, with registration and timing handled by Tim Krueger’s Run the Day. The band’s front man Dennis Chiccino, and I go back to the mid 1980’s and if the first planning meeting is any indication, this is going to be one heck of a fun trip.

Other than that, not too much is “new”. Training is going well. I feel good. Team in Training is in full swing. Our St. Anthony’s triathlon team is just starting to hit their stride and we started recruitment for the Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon this week. Summer will be here before you know it.

Also, to help get you over the winter hump, please don’t forget to visit this year’s Endurance Sports Expo. The Philly area local event will again be held at the Oaks (Pennsylvania) Convention Center the weekend of February 25th and 26th.  Other locations have also been booked in the region. Be sure to visit www.endurancesportsexpo.com for complete details.

I once again can walk above the clouds with clarity and confidence . On January 23rd I had my semi-annual routine blood work with my oncologist. The weeks leading into these appointments are always filled with angst and anxiety for me. I always find myself asking all of the wrong “what if” questions. But I am happy to report that the results were spot on perfect once again. I had a great appointment and chat with my oncologist.

Also, I have just signed on to work with Philly Health Watch and am very much looking forward to this partnership. My regular monthly contribution will probably be centered around multisport racing and training. BUT I will also have the platform to be able to interview and feature some of the amazing individuals and organizations that I am connected to. And will be able to do so via a couple of different media channels. More very soon on this!

Welcome to the 4th Annual Brad Schoener Memorial 5k Walk & Run.

This is a two loop run course, (or one loop walk) in beautiful Arlington Cemetery, the resting place of Upper Darby’s beloved band director, Brad Schoener.

Along the course, runners and walkers will be treated to live music by some of Brad’s students and friends. After the race enjoy more live music right across the street at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center at the Music Marathon to benefit the Brad Schoener Fund.

Participation in this event has grown steadily over the last three years. We encourage everyone to register EARLY to guarantee your slot as we may sell out by race day.

** NEW THIS YEAR – Registration and race number pick up will also be available at Arlington Cemetery, (Toppitzer’s Funeral Home building; 2900 State Road, Drexel Hill PA 19026) on Friday May 18, 2012 from 4-7 PM.

Race day number pickup and registration will be held from 8:00 – 9:30 AM at the Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, (601 Lansdowne Avenue, Drexel Hill, PA 19026).

Click HERE to register.

Contact – Steve Brown – 267.496.7866

By Craig T. Williams

“I dare greatly, and I shall live as no ordinary man bound by a game of chance.”
 –Dr. John Baxter Taylor, Jr.

Muhammad Ali. Jackie Robinson. Dr. John Baxter Taylor, Jr. The first two names need no introduction. The latter, Dr. Taylor, may not have been a three-time World Heavyweight Champion or dominate in six World Series, but his accomplishments are stunning: Dr. Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic Gold medal. Dr. Taylor is little known; his obscurity perpetuated further by the fact that the great Olympian Jesse Owens is often accredited with Dr. Taylor’s landmark Olympic achievement.

In The Olympian: An American Triumph, author Craig T. Williams reintroduces Dr. Taylor’s story from standout talent at his high school in Philadelphia to winning Olympic Gold at the 1908 games in London, some 50 years after the abolishment of slavery in the States. A work of historical fiction, Williams took what little facts remained about Dr. Taylor’s life to unearth a forgotten hero, one who left a deep footprint on the history of sports and was a key figure in fueling progress at a time of great racial divide.

 “In the Progressive Era, African Americans were no longer slaves but, in many ways, they were not truly free. This circumstance provided an opportunity for African Americans to dream big and test the boundaries of what freedom meant for them,” says Williams. “Dr. Taylor was an individual who was never content to listen to others’ opinions of his abilities – not as an athlete, a student, or as a man.”

 What may be even less known about Dr. Taylor is his heroics off the field, where he triumphed over obstacles of inequality as a graduate of the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. He also became a member of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, the first African American professional organization in the country.

 “Dr. Taylor’s Olympic achievement is only the tip of the iceberg that makes him a fascinating and heroic figure,” informs Williams. “It is his ability to transcend the culture of the times in his non-athletic life, as a doctor of veterinary medicine, and the choices that he made in spite of harsh realities that make him a hero.”

 Weaving a forgotten piece of U.S. history into the greater tapestry of American myth, themes in The Olympian include:

· From standout student-athlete to Olympic Gold Medalist to doctor of veterinary medicine – an in-depth look at the makings of an American hero.

· A country in transition – after Emancipation but before the Civil Rights Movement, the Progressive Era provided an opportunity for African Americans to test the boundary of what freedom meant for them, and more specifically:

· A man who did just that, who cared little for the limitations that were set for him and faced adversity head-on
“His perseverance and belief in the human spirit paved the way for future generations of heroes, and retains the power to inspire us today,” adds Williams.

About the Author:
A successful entrepreneur with ventures in several industries, New Jersey native Craig. T Williams’ true passion is storytelling, unearthing stories of little known heroes from diverse backgrounds. His signature approach blends historical figures within a mythological framework, changing they way one looks at past and present heroes. The Olympian is Williams’ first novel. Vintage World is a multimedia art and entertainment company established to commemorate stories of forgotten heroes. He currently resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife, Andrea, and their daughter, Alexa.

For more information and to purchase the book, please visit www.theolympian.net and www.amazon.com. Publisher: iUniverse

“Participate” is exactly what I did this year. I went into the race very undertrained, with only one “long” run under my belt. The problem is that “long” training run was only 14 miles. So as expected, and as planned, the second half of my race became even more social with lots of walking breaks. And I swear, running a marathon that way can be so rewarding because you don’t miss a thing. You don’t miss a single sight, smell, or sound along the way. I think I high-fived two million people along the side of the road yesterday.

Once again we stayed with my wife’s sister and her family. Although they live about 25 miles north of the race festivities, it’s a wonderful opportunity to see family while being a part of such a great race. I wouldn’t exchange the great company, great home cooking, and the comforts of home and family for the convenience of staying in NYC. We arrived at their home in West Harrison late Friday and settled in for the weekend ahead. And I do have to say that my wife, MG, was and is a complete saint for shuttling me back and forth all weekend to make sure all of my connections were made. I thanked her a dozen times if not more over the weekend. Support like that is just incredible.

Saturday mid-day we cruised into the city to take care of my registration details and the expo (and spent a few dollars on some things I NEEDED). From there it was off to the Remi restaurant to meet Ethan and the crew for our GRS marathon team pre race dinner and gathering.  The dinner really set the tempo for what would be a great weekend.  There are a number of athletes who have done this race before and we have all developed a nice friendship so it was good to see everyone and get caught up. It was great to see guys like Paul, Sully, Craig, Angela, Becky, and many others as well as the many new comers to the group. This is a GOOD group of human beings and I am honored to call them friends.

We added about 20 more runners this year over last, including Ironman 70.3 World Champion triathlete Aaron Scheidies from Seattle. Aaron is a visually impaired athlete who I also knew from the triathlon world. I might add, he is also one of the nicest guys I have ever met and is a complete character who can eat anyone I know under the table.

After a great dinner and many laughs we started to wrap things up and head our separate ways to get things in order for race morning.  But not before I was tapped on the shoulder by the film crew of Everyday Health and asked to do a short interview about the race, and my relationship with Ethan. Hopefully that comes out well, we shall see. Shortly after that we headed back to get organized.

This weekend we changed the clocks BACK an hour so I was a little nervous about my wake up, but all went very smoothly and we left to head back into the city at about 4:45 AM on Sunday morning. We all gathered at the race’s host hotel and took care of some last minute preparation before boarding the team bus to the start.  Ethan also reached into his bag and said “I have something special for you” as he handed me a Stand Up 2 Cancer / SURVIVOR bandana.  That was much appreciated and actually turned out to be a great distraction during the race because I played with it and kept moving it around between my head…. My neck…. My wrist …… it kept my mind off of running 26.2 miles.

While we waited, I had a nice conversation with a guy in our group named Adam. This was Adam’s first marathon and he was pretty nervous. We had a nice chat and I assured him that he had already put in the hard work and there was no doubt he would have a good day. I reminded him to start off slow and to also savor the day and drink it all in. I also told him to enjoy the crowd, engage the kids when possible and high-five anyone who sticks their hand in the road. More on Adam later.

We boarded the bus and made our way to the start. At dinner I had recommended to Ethan that we write the letters F C on the soles of our running shoes. “FC” has taken on a couple of translations over the years with this group. “Fight Cancer” is one of them. The other, is not quite so G rated. On the bus ride, we broke out the Sharpies and marked up the soles of our shoes. Ethan took my idea one step further and suggested we stomp through dog sh*t to REALLY drive the point home to cancer.  Not sure how he made out with that one! Luckily I didn’t encounter any of that during the race.

Unfortunately our arrival at the start was a little rushed because the bus hit a lot of traffic delays so we actually had to exit early and walk the rest of the way to the start. Once that happened, people scattered and some of the people that I had hoped to at least start out running with all ended up in different places. No worries. I made my way to my designated start coral and waited for our start.

At 10:10 the cannon fired to signal the start of our wave. The start of the NYC marathon is actually about a one mile climb up the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. It feels steep and it’s a little chilly between the shade and the breeze from the river. But before you know it, you hit the crest and begin the descent back down the other side.

As I mentioned earlier, I was a little under prepared for this race. But I was healthy and injury free so I knew I could fake or muscle my way through it without any problems as long as I didn’t set the bar too high.  I ran the first half at pretty consistent 10 minute miles. At around 14 miles, the walking breaks kicked in and became longer in duration as the race went on. Other than feeling like I had steak knives sticking out of my quads, I felt OK. Nutritionally, I felt great. Things went relatively according to plan.

I also did get the chance to connect with a few GRS runners on the road, including Sully, and Angela. And remember Adam, who I gave advice to in the hotel? He passed me somewhere around mile 15 and gave me a thumbs up and a smile and asked how I felt. And THEN, Adam weaved his way over to the curbside so he could high five a row of kids. He listened to what I had told him and during that simple little exchange I had an emotional moment.

There were other moments as well, especially as I reflected on the fact my wife and I are celebrating 25 years of marriage. She has been such a catalyst in allowing me to achieve and realize so much in this life.

Of course, runners cannot turn onto First Avenue without being overcome with emotions. I feel like the heart of the entire race sits right there waiting for you to come off of the quiet of the bridge and erupt into a hero’s welcome.

In keeping with a little tradition that I started, I did have a couple of Philly pride moments. Most notably came along First Ave at about 79^th. A group of guys were tossing a football on the sidewalk, tossing it into the crowd of runners anytime a runner gave them a nod and a “hey, I’m open” sign. So of course I did, and the guy hit me in stride with a perfect strike. But before I tossed it back, I broke into an “E-A-G-L-E-S” cheer and fired it back to them. I thought the whole corner was going to come after me. Good thing for cops and barricades. I did the same thing to a spectator wearing a Giants Lawrence Taylor jersey. That guy just yelled back and said “I’ll remember your face”. Too funny.

So eventually, after over five hours of five borough therapy, I made my way into Central Park and across the finish line of marathon number…. perhaps 20. I am not 100% sure. I met up with MG who SOMEHOW had secured street parking just a few blocks from the finish. (a saint, I’m telling you). From there we actually went back north for a great dinner, shower, and to pack up and say goodbye to our family.

And so ends another chapter of the ING NYC Marathon.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to everyone who played a part in this awesome adventure. From my wife and family, to my warrior cancer brother Ethan Zohn and his GRS team, to each and every spectator and volunteer along the way. You all rock and I will see you next year.

Side note – please don’t forget my committment to donate all proceeds from my book “In Search of Center” to two of Ethan’s favorite charities. Details can be found HERE.

The irony in all of it is he has been training for this weekend’s NYC marathon where I will be joining him and racing for his charity; Grassroot Soccer. Ethan will also be guiding a blind athlete that we have running with our team. Check that. Not just any “blind athlete”, but world class and world champion  triathlete Aaron Scheidies. 

All systems were GO. So of course in true warrior fashion, he will still race. Perhaps not as well as he had hoped, but he’ll get it done. Someone commented that this news is “sad”. I don’t feel “sad” right now. I feel really pissed off and offended if that makes sense. But not “sad”.

In talking to Ethan yesterday, I offered the following:

Call me crazy but I feel A LOT of really positive energy around the race and your situation. Think about the dynamic…. Leading a blind athlete…. Going though treatment …. Running with another survivor … (yours truly)….. raising money for GRS and saving lives…. leading by example ….There is just so much karma and POWER in all of this….

The Hodgkins Lymphoma is just showing its ignorance by rearing its ugly head. It’s going to get chewed up.

I’ll post some updates once we get to NY on Friday. I will see Ethan and our crew for dinner Saturday night and we will all ride a team bus to the start and have our own little colony to hang out and enjoy each other’s company prior to the start.

My goal is to just hang out with Ethan during the race and make it a MISSION against cancer.

More to come.

Below is an email from Ethan that went out to our marathon team just today:

To All My Favorite GRS Marathoners,

The past 2 years as a cancer survivor have been super exciting – a trip to South Africa for the World Cup, a journey around the world on The Amazing Race, a new TV series with Jenna called Everyday Health, and running of the NYC Marathon for Grassroot Soccer. In fact, working with GRS has always been the MOST rewarding part my life.

Having said that, I have some not-so-exciting news. On September 14^th, after a routine visit to the oncologist, they found evidence of canzer. I relapsed. My f’ing canzer is back.

I have Hodgkins Lymphoma that is localized to the chest and lung area. The docs are very hopeful and are treating this with curable intent.

I’m on a super new drug called SGN-35 which was passed by the FDA on September 24,2011. SGN-35 is considered a “Smart Therapy” because it will only target the cancerous cells in my body.  Therefore, the side effects are not as bad.  Most importantly, I will not lose my jew-fro again, and that’s really my biggest concern…not this stupid cancer stuff. HA!! My first treatment was on October 18^th and I’m feeling ok.

Here’s the yucky part. Once my cancer is in remission, I will have to endure another stem cell transplant. Hola Mr. Bubble Boy!!!!  This time it will be an Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant (versus and Autologus stem cell), which means I will use another human’s stems cells and I WILL lose my hair. I will be in the “bubble” for about 40-50 days with a hard-core intensive 120-day recovery period once I’m released.

So that’s the deal….

I think the general perception of cancer is that there are winners and losers. You either beat cancer and win, or lose to cancer and die. There is no in between. The reality of my situation is that I did everything in my power to beat cancer and I did. But it came back. And that’s ok too. I’m not a failure. There are millions of people out there living with cancer and living with the reality that this horrible disease may come back.

This morning, People Magazine made this announcement, but I wanted to send a personal note to everyone. I’m going public because I hope the details of my life have the power to educate and heal others. Or perhaps enable them to connect with me in a way that helps make their journey more manageable. I’m right there with them…living and fighting each day of my life bringing awareness to this global pandemic. It’s who I am, It’s what I represent. I stand up for what I believe in.

I’m still running the NYC marathon for GRS even though I have cancer and have had my first chemo treatment.  It’s that important to me. The docs think I’m crazy, but I want to send a message of hope and let people know that cancer will not slow me down. And it doesn’t have to slow anyone else down either. I will to charge forward and continue to do the things I love, like work with GRS.

I know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a horrible diagnosis and I want to do everything in my power to make sure no one else will have to go through the same crap that I’m going through…whatever that may be, cancer or HIV.

I can’t wait to see everyone this weekend and have some fun. It’s an honor to be part of something so much bigger than myself.

Who’s ready to outrun cancer and stomp out AIDS?  That’s what I thought…me too!

See you at the finish line,

Ethan

PREPARE FOR THE START

Planning ahead can make or break race morning. Pack your bag on Saturday night and making sure you have everything you need in advance. You’ll be much happier if you don’t have to scramble to find something in the morning

2012 is starting to come into focus a little more clearly. I may also add the Ocean Drive marathon in March since I will already be in 26.2 mile shape. The spring will bring a number of sprint triathlons. Then of course EagleMan IronMan 70.3 in June. Followed by a few charity/training bike rides to support LIVESTRONG and the American Cancer Society in July and August. Then I will be back in Cambridge again for ChesapeakeMan ultra distance triathlon in September. Before I know it, I am back where I started with NYC again next year.

Add to that my usual support and “working” races such as Avalon Islandman, Philadelphia Insurance Triathlon, SheROX, and it should be another full and rewarding year. Much more to follow! Stay tuned.

I really had no idea where I was going when I left the house. I just figured I would run and keep running, ala Gump until it was time to turn around. So I headed north on City Ave towards St. Joes University. My initial thought was to either turn right on Belmont Ave and head towards the Please Touch Museum and then down Black Road to MLK Drive… OR… turn left on Belmont and make my way into Manayunk. I could decide once I got there.

But neither of those two things happened.

Once I hit Lancaster Ave I felt an uncontrollable urge to bang a west-hand turn. So I plodded on along route 30….. destination still unknown. In fact at that point the very words “Destination Unknown” popped into my head. And for the next hour, the Missing Persons song of the same name haunted me.

As I headed into Wynnwood, it hit me. I knew where I needed to go. I made my way into the quaint little borough of Narberth and I did so for a reason. Growing up, Narberth was very near and dear to me. My father managed the legendary hardware store in town called Ricklins Hardware. And I spent many many hours and days in and around Narberth between the hardware store, the neighboring shops and restaurants, the basketball courts, and the baseball field where I watched and/or played almost every weekend…. as well as watched 4th of July fireworks.  My father passed away in 2005 and I haven’t stepped foot in that store since several years prior to that when he retired …. perhaps even 10 years prior.

So as luck would have it, my water bottle was nearing empty just as I was approaching Ricklins…

I walked in and made my way to the water fountain for a quick refill. A few (very young) employees asked if they could help me. I just chuckled and said, “no thanks… I just need to refill…. and walk down memory lane a little”. All of the memories came rushing back. Everything looked and smelled the same. I walked around a little, exploring some of the nooks and corners where I hung out and played as a kid. It was good. It was all very good. But after a few minutes, it was time to move on. So I thanked the staff and continued on my trek.

Exiting the borough of Narberth I felt that my run had a sense of purpose. A reason. So I figured as long as I was reminiscing, I might as well pull out all of the stops. I cruised along Wynnwood road and did a quick lap of South Ardmore Park where I played Cadet baseball, then continued into Ardmore…… passed my old elementary school, Chestnutwold. (now a sprawling new school). I passed the school’s baseball field where my dad, and several other fathers built the first backstop by hand in 1970 so we could all play summer league baseball.

I passed the strip of stores that was once Herman’s (then Frenchie’s Pizza), I passed the site of the old Givens and Goldens supermarket, and Ben & Edies pharmacy…. and … oh look – Yearsleys is still there!

I had come that far so I knew I needed to run down Malvern Road and see the old house. Hell, I was ready to introduce myself and invite myself in had I seen any activity, but I did not. So I waved to no one , and I kept running.

I weaved my way up the Septa bus road, crossed over Darby Road, passed my old Junior High/Middle School and forged my way back home. This run has meaning. I found myself naming the old residents of all of the houses that I knew, and realized that I am lucky enough to still be in contact with many of them. In fact many of them may read this post.

It was a good day and a good run. Most of the free streaming consciousness was positive and peaceful. The couple of very random questions that popped into my head were:

“Why does Lankenau only get one L but LLanarch is worthy of 2″?

and …

“Lindsay Lohan, just what is your problem exactly”?

I met Ethan at his Center City hotel at 7:45 on Saturday morning and we headed over to Boathouse Row so I could show him one of my favorite running loops around the Art Museum. Of course we had to detour slightly to run up the famous steps and pause for a Rocky Balboa dance at the top before heading back onto the path to resume our run. (With another brief stop to touch the boot of Rocky’s statue). We resumed our run and had a typical Ethan and Steve discussion about everything from cancer to diet to endurance sports to how we can save the world to soccer to how nice Kelly Drive is to run…. And a long list of other topics.

On the return trek, of course we couldn’t pass the Art Museum without another trip up the steps, followed by a little push up and ab workout at Eakins Oval. Once done we made our way back to his hotel and I went on my way to brace myself for Hurricane Irene. Bracing myself also meant sitting at my laptop with swim goggles, swim cap, and a headlamp! I was ready!! The good news is we really did dodge a bullet. We had some minor water in the basement and we lost power for about 20 hours but all things considered, we lucked out.

And in reality, my wife and I ended up having a lot of fun with our own little hurricane party. We had a few cocktails, plenty of battery life to run the iTunes, and even danced a little! Of course I played DJ and added my own little narratives and twists with those dumb factoids like how the Classics IV morphed into The Atlanta Rhythm Section, or how Paul McCartney’s former girlfriend Jane Asher was the sister of Peter Asher, of Peter and Gordon fame and how Paul had written a number of songs for Peter and Gordon and then wrote “You Won’t See Me” when it was time to blow off Jane Asher…. you know…. rocket science stuff that the world can’t live without!

The attached pictures and video however show the very area where Ethan and I ran along Kelly Drive. Areas of that path were completely submerged by Saturday evening and into Sunday. It’s hard to believe we were running on it just hours before.

AND, today, Monday, is a day from the weather gods….. beautiful skies and 80 degrees. And the rest of the week looks like more of the same.

Check out this VIDEO.

So, goodnight Irene and I wish a speedy cleanup and recovery to those who were not as fortunate as I.