Providence Marathon - 2009

On the last weekend before my birthday I wrapped up my Rookie Year as a Marathon Man with my forth finish in Providence. Little did I know last year at this time as I was preparing to run my first marathon in San Diego that I would run so much in my 50th year.

The New England weather forecast waffled back and forth in the week leading up to Providence and I was expecting to see rain but was pleasantly surprised when it held off giving us cloudy conditions with a temp in the 50's. Pretty close to ideal for running.

This was the first time I used a heart rate monitor during a marathon. In the past I have gone out to fast and figured that caused me to slow at the end. I felt good and tried to hold my pace based on my heart beats and ran at a 10 minute mile. Just after mile 6 was my first bout of technical difficulty. My ipod shuffle was clipped to my waist and I perspire heavily even in cool weather so it got wet and failed. Since this was my 4th long run I was prepared and stopped to get my back-up MP3 Player and realized I should keep it in a plastic bag with just the wire of the headphones extending out.

Running the Miami Marathon I blistered pretty bad which led to my slowest finishing time so in Providence I tried out a new brand of shoes. Noticed a little knee pain around mile 9 so I stopped to stretch giving me my first encounter with a friendly runner. She was the type that offers a big smile and words of encouragement along the course.

Ever since I started running I've been a bit of a gadget guy and now in addition to my standard running gear that includes a GPS on my wrist and a music player pumping out a selection of classic rock tunes I carry my cell phone & camera. I only stopped once just after mile 14 for a photo and as I tuned back and snap a shot that friendly smile from mile 9 was in my viewfinder. Over the next several miles we passed each other a few times before my old legs slowed and Deb Jones maintained her pace finishing while I still had a mile to go.

After four marathons I still haven't figured out what it takes to maintain a decent pace and will continue to challenge myself with the long run. So far this year I have two half's on my schedule, Fairfield and Philadelphia plus I signed on for the grueling Goofy Challenge in January 2010.

Miami Marathon Memories - 2009

My Miami Marathon adventure started off on the wrong foot and never really eased into the right pace. The plan was to arrive in Florida a week before the race so I could adjust to the warmer weather after training during the snowy New England Winter. Monday morning we woke to discover unexpected snow was falling. The highways had not been plowed and traffic moved slowly so we arrived just in time to board our 6:30 flight.



Since we had so much snow in Connecticut I didn’t put as many miles as planned on my new marathon shoes. I purchased two identical pairs of Kayano 14’s and used one during training but only had about 25 miles on my racing pair. Marathon morning I was a bit concerned because my left foot had been sore since my last run in my race day shoes and there was a bruise on the topside of my foot.

Shortly after 4:00 am Pat and I were in line at the Miami Beach Convention Center waiting to board the shuttle to the starting line and despite the expected crowd of 15,500 runners it was fairly easy to find Wendy and Frank.

After a half hour of chit chat we all parted ways to our starting corrals. The race itself had a few starting glitches but nothing major. Thought they squeezed runners to the side a little early crossing the bridge at mile 2 or 3 so they could open a lane for traffic and had to pour my own drink at one of the first few water stops but after that it seemed fine and there was more snack food along the course than either of the other two marathons I ran.

My foot didn’t feel too bad once I got going but the later miles were tough. As we ran through a residential area with fairly loose roadways I could feel a pebble in each of my shoes so just after mile 16 I stopped to get them out. By mile 20 the heat on my feet was a pretty clear indicator that I was blistering and my pace dropped to about 13:30 for those last 6 miles as a walked and jogged to the finish.

Memories of My First Marathon

Being a lifelong New Englander I'm an early riser so waking at 3:00am in San Diego to run the Rock-n-Roll Marathon was easy for me. Looking around before the race there were not many smiles at dawn.

Race day is the end result of many training miles. Most participants at the race ran 500 miles or more during the proceeding 4 or 5 months so they'd be ready to undertake the 26.2 Mile event.

The Course started out on the West Side of Balboa Park and we looped around going through parts of the San Diego Zoo on our way Downtown. The city streets were a little rougher than I expected so there were plenty of cracks and pot holes to dodge. Nothing worse then hitting a hole the wrong way and twisting your ankle during an event of this magnitude.

After the first hour I was slightly ahead of my theoretical target time so I pulled out my camera for some photos along the way. As you can see in the photo below the running crowd was still pretty thick. I lost some time over the next several miles due to the congested streets and constantly stopping to take pictures. Suppose serious runners would never think of actually enjoying their time on the course but I typically run races with a camera.

Once we left the Downtown Streets it was time to head out on that highway. At that point I needed to refuel the camera. Anticipating many photo opportunities I did pack spare batteries in my running shorts so I pulled over for a pit stop. Yes... I carry way to much junk!

I did have some technical difficulty and the camera flash starting going off everytime I took a picture. After wasting a few minutes fiddling with settings I decided I better get back to running

As I rounded the bend I saw the second ambulance of the day loading a runner. We were still a few miles from the halfway point. My wife and I had prearranged a meeting spot where the course came closest to our hotel so I snapped a few final photos as I came through the water stop before leaving the camera with her.

My intension was to make up lost time in the second half but things don't always go as planned. Once the cloud cover known as June Gloom in San Diego burned off the sun warmed it up. I could feel the heat on the ball of my right foot. The only other time I'd felt that sensation was during our longest training run of 20 miles. Willpower and determination is not a problem for me so not crossing the finish line was never a concern. I did do a bit of walking durning the later miles so I finished at just before noon with a chip time of 5:15.

Recovery time was very fast. By 2:00pm I was making my way to the hotel's outdoor cafe for a burger and beers... One of my team mates from the Leukemia Society's Team in Training was there with his parents and we discussed the race and events of the weekend.

Simon's father, Peter, was so inspired by the TNT organization and the huge amount of money raised ( $12.5 Million at this one event ) that he is planning to run a half marathon as a participant this fall.

I still have a few more miles left in me so I will be running the Fairfield Half in two weeks and start up again in late September at the Philadelphia Distance Run.

In my spare time I'm available to sell houses. To arrange a private showing of any home listed on the Connecticut MLS that is in my territory of New Haven County just contact me, Dan Cummings, The Running Realtor via email at Dan@CummingsTeam.com or call my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455

Reaching the Peak with Team in Training

As many of you know back in January I signed on with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's TEAM IN TRAINING. Since I've always been very level headed I took their sales hype about participation being a Life Changing Experience with a grain of salt and fully expected fundraising to be a difficult task. Sunday morning as I drove to our longest scheduled run of 20 miles I was reflecting back on the 16 weeks leading up to this point.

During the early months my time was consumed with raising money. I sent out Press Releases and mailed letters to family, friends and business associates asking for a small contribution. My thought was to encourage 200 people to offer donations of $25 each for a total goal of $5000. I Failed! What I did get was less than 100 donations but the dollar amounts were very generous.

My single largest contribution came from a man I had never met until last week. During dinner conversation he asked if I ever Hit The Wall. I told him our training schedule was designed to have us approach The Wall but hopefully avoid it and our longest test run was coming up...

My first 10 miles were perfectly paced but oddly I started to slow and dropped off a minute per mile. By mile 15 I was feeling tight and thinking cutting my 3/4 acre lawn with a 22" push mower on Saturday afternoon might not be classified as resting before the long run. The coach at mile 17 suggested I stretch a little and that brought on severe leg cramps. He asked if I was running on the sidewalk and coincidentally since this training was in unfamiliar territory I was on the sidewalk most of the time. It was then that he told me concrete is much tougher on the body and whenever possible I should stay on the softer asphalt road. It was to late to salvage that run so I walked the final three miles and will not be running on sidewalks in the future.

Our honored Teammate, Olivia was also up and out of her home early to meet us before the 7:00 am run. After all the reflection of successful fundraising techniques and running miles in the rain and snow the real payback for participation stood before us. Diagnosed at 4-1/2 years old and going through 3 years of treatment she is now a normal 10 year old that is cancer free. Other than the minor inconvenience of having her blood monitored she can live the carefree life of a kid....

What was reinforced by my involvement with the team was something I already knew.... Money doesn't mean shit! There will come a time in most everyones life when they realize that $20 bill they hold so dear will not buy them another minute. If I can offer one bit of wisdom let me say Loosen Up, Give a Little...

The Running Realtor Joins Team in Training

My first six weeks with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training has been hectic. Being in the Real Estate Business gave me one big advantage over some of my other teammates. Since being a Realtor involves a fair amount of marketing I already had systems in place to deal with mass mailings. The first week I spent composing a letter and printing my initial mailing to 150 friends and past clients. Concurrently I submitted a press release to a few local newspapers and both acted fast in publishing the news.

Since I am so heavily involved in on-line activities I was surprised by the reluctance of some people to contribute using a credit card on the secure donation site but learned during my second week at the TNT fund-raiser workshop that we should include a return envelope in our mailing. My second batch of letters went out to 150 relatives, neighbors and acquaintances along with a return envelope but the response rate was not substantially different.

With all this fund-raising activity and the rainiest February on record I have managed to run 100 miles since joining the team. I also finally learned how to produce a YouTube show. Hope this inspires donations!

Anyone with questions about the Team in Training can contact Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor via my 24 hour access line : 203-672-2455 or email ( Dan@CummingsTeam.com )

Guilford, Connecticut 06437

Welcome to Guilford, Connecticut - 06437

GUILFORD - "This town, the seventh oldest, was founded in 1639 by an oppressed but optimistic band of English Puritans. Henry Whitfield, a minister in Ockley, near London, was the moving spirit behind their emigrations. About forty of his friends and sympathizers formed a joint stock company to sail across the Atlantic. They were mostly young and energetic men, farmers, well-educated, and all of them persons of high standing in their community. In a deed of sale dated September 29, 1639, the Whitfield Company purchased the lands between Stony Creek and East River from the Squaw Shaumpishuh, Sachem of the local Menunkatuck Indian tribe. Whitfield's stone house at first served as a fortress and meeting place. Guilford Green was inspired by the typical 17thcentury English common. In the fall of 1641 the settlers purchased from the Indians land beyond East River that included most of what became East Guilford."

"East Guilford, now Madison, was set off as a distinct church society in 1703, North Guilford in 1720, and North Bristol (North Madison) in 1753. Two good harbors and two tidal rivers assured success to Guilford in Connecticut ~ New York coastwise shipping and the West India trade during the 18thcentury. In the American Revolution, British troops landed several times and burned two houses. The famous Sachem's Head Hotel ( 1797-1897 ) made this town the center of society for many years. John Beattie's granite quarries at Leete's Island employed as many as three hundred workmen and supplied stone for the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Famous sons of Guilford include William Leete, an early Governor of Connecticut; Fitz-Greene Halleck, one of the noted Knickerbocker Poets; and Abraham Baldwin, a signer of the United States Constitution and Senator from Georgia."

Now that you have read what the historians say I will try to explain the town more my way. It's a beautiful blend of the old and the new with The Whitfield House still standing today. Constructed of stone in 1639 it has been through restoration and looking just fine. The home is oldest in Connecticut & the oldest stone house if all of New England, surviving time it has been a museum since 1899. Henry Whitfield himself led quite a life, went back to England after 11 years also ditching his wife.

Just beyond the Whitfield house heading down to the shore amongst historic homes you see a strange sight. The Spaceship that "landed" back in the '80s one night. Continuing south and looking out at sea sits Faulkner's Island with the second oldest Lighthouse built in 1802.

Heading north towards the center is a favorite place, steps from my office its like an escape, the Guilford Green. If you read the article about the picturesque Green it mentions a gadfly old guy always lurking around like some kind of a spy. Keeping odd hours myself I was acutely aware that Richard Greene was always out there. Sad to say its no longer that way, Mr. Greene passed away the mid of last year. Reflecting back over hundreds of years it is easy to miss one mans modern day fears. Richard Greene was quite passionate when he felt he was right, always sharing his thoughts and putting up a good fight.

If you are planning to buy or sell a home in Guilford or one of the neighboring towns in New Haven County contact Dan Cummings, The Running Realtor.

Dan@CummingsTeam.com or call 203-672-2455

Connecticut - My Real Estate Territory

Recently I was discussing real estate in my marketplace with another agent and came to the realization that not everyone is familiar with my section of the state. Most people from other parts of the country think of Connecticut as one of those tiny specks on the map.

Land wise we are the 3rd smallest state consisting of just over 5000 square miles. To put it in perspective if every state was our size all 50 could fit into the area of Texas. Connecticut is a mid-size state based on population. Our 3.5 million residents make us larger than Vermont, New Hampshire & Maine combined.

The advantage of being a smaller state is the ability to drive to nearby attractions rather quickly. My location is about the mid-point in the state on the southern shoreline. Within about 1-1/2 hours we can be in Providence, Springfield or New York City.

My primary area consists of the shoreline towns of Branford, Guilford and Madison plus the more affordable towns of North Haven & North Branford. Since I am a Connecticut native I am very familiar with many other partsof New Haven County and can offer assistance on an as needed basis from West Haven to Westbrook along the shore or Woodbridge to Wallingford for interior towns.

When you are Coming to Connecticut remember to Contact Dan@CummingsTeam.com for Real Estate or call 203-672-2455.