Dear friend,
The objective of the newsletter is to keep you informed about the status of my Bangkok Marathon fundraising efforts, and my Bangkok Marathon “Adventure” [see below]. I would appreciate it if you would pass the newsletter on to your family and friends.
Bangkok Marathon Donations:
This year is a critical year in my fundraising efforts. If I am to meet my mission to raise $100,000 for kidney cancer research by December 31, 2008 I must reach the $50,000.00 total amount raised this year. As of this date I have raised $5,998.00 for the Bangkok, Thailand Marathon – this brings the total amount raised to $46,645.00. In order to meet the $50,000.00 total raised this year I need your help to raise $3,355.00 by December 31, 2006. If you have already donated, thank you, if you have not donated I would be honored to have you join the hundreds of people who have made donations to support my efforts to raise money for kidney cancer research. If your company has a Matching Gifts Program I would greatly appreciate your using the Program to help in the fight against kidney cancer. To ensure that 100% of all donations goes to kidney cancer research I pay all of the expenses [Airfare, Hotel, Stamps, Supplies, etc] and do all of the work myself.
How To Donate:
Click here to make a secure donation by Credit Card today.
To ensure that 100% of credit card donations go to kidney cancer research I will write a personal check to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center that will cover the credit card fees for all donations made online.
Your generous tax-deductible donation will go to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Biologic Therapy Research Program and will be placed in the Dr. Michael Atkins Kidney Cancer research fund in memory of John Rebello.
The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centers Tax ID# is 042-103-881.
My Bangkok Marathon “Adventure”:
Because I had a well planned and executed 9 month training program that included a difficult marathon run on a hot day in May [Palos Verdes, CA], that I finished in a time of 4:22, I felt that I was prepared for the challenging Bangkok marathon. But as anyone who runs marathons will tell you, “things can go wrong on the way to the marathon finish line” that will effect your performance on marathon day. For the 3 weeks prior to the marathon there was a “black cloud” with my name on it that followed me everywhere I went – if something could go wrong it did.
Every one of the 8 worldwide marathons that I have finished since 1999 has had it’s own unique adventure for me but the Bangkok marathon, at age 70, was my most adventurous, humbling, challenging, painful, and yet, my most rewarding marathon to date. It was my most rewarding marathon because on the way to the finish line I had to “dig deep” to confront and overcome an injury [Hamstring], Jet Lag [17 hour direct flight/15 hour time difference], sickness, heat, humidity, pollution, and dehydration just to finish my 4th continent in 5 hours and 36 minutes.
What follows is my Bangkok Marathon Adventure:
10/21/06:
Pulled my right Hamstring muscle during a 10 mile run–I could not do any running and had to rest the injury for 3 weeks. Fortunately I had completed all my training long runs of 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22 prior to the injury.
11/12/06:
Ran for 3 miles, Hamstring is still painful, it is very clear that I will not be able to run the complete marathon - in order to ensure that I meet my objective of finishing the marathon I will have to run for one mile and walk for one minute throughout the marathon. I have never tried this approach before but it appears that this will be the only way that I will be able to finish the marathon. Because of the injury, and the way I will have to run the marathon, I have re-set my original finish time goal of 4:45 to a more realistic goal of 5:20, which is 1 hour slower than my most recent marathon finish time.
11/21/06:
Arrived in Bangkok [6:30 AM] after a 17-hour direct flight and a 15-hour time difference-I only got 3
hours sleep on the plane. When I left the air-conditioned airport I was immediately confronted with Bangkok’s oppressive heat, humidity, and pollution. Arrived at the Royal Orchid Sheraton hotel with a bad cough, aches and pains and an upset stomach – picked up a viral infection on the flight. Stayed in the hotel for the rest of the day.
11/22/06:
Woke up at 1 am-only got 3 hours sleep the night before. Still sick with cough, aches and pains and upset stomach – could not eat solid foods and I did not leave hotel.
11/23/06 — Thanksgiving:
Woke up at 1:00 AM and could not go back to sleep I still haven’t got over my jet lag, only got 3
hours sleep the night before. Still sick but not as bad as the last 2 days - I took a cab to Lumpini Park to go to the marathon Expo to get my race number/chip-my race start time is 2:00AM. Tried running around the 3-mile loop, after 1 mile I was soaking wet due to the heat and the humidity – the pollution made it difficult for me to breathe. Lumpini Park is where the Thai people go to get their exercise.
11/24/06:
Woke up at 1:00 AM and could not go back to sleep, I still haven’t got over my jet lag, only got 3 hours sleep the night before. Took a cab to Lumpini Park - ran the 3 mile loop –very hot and humid again. Went out to eat in the evening and had some Pasta at the Italian restaurant in my hotel.
11/25/06:
The day before the marathon and I only got 3 hours sleep the night before the race. Woke up at 1:00AM again and could not get back to sleep. Rested most of the day and went out to dinner and had some Pasta – tried to get some sleep before leaving for the marathon at 12:00 AM-had to be there at 1:00 AM.
11/26/06 — Race day:
The race started at the very unusual time of 2:00 AM – prior to the start of the race the Thailand National
Anthem was played and then the race was on. The start route near the Grand Palace was well lighted but when you started over the first Bridge there wasn’t much lighting and there were no crowds along the way until around mile 20. No wonder – why would anyone get up at 2:00 AM to watch a marathon? The first 3 miles of the race I spent getting used to running for a mile and then walking for a minute. The first 9 miles took me 1 hour and 40 minutes [10:30/mile pace] at that pace I would finish in 4:35– well ahead of my 5:20 goal. My time at the halfway point [13 miles] was 2 hours and 20 minutes [10:40/mile pace], at that pace I would finish in 4:40. At mile 18 my hopes of finishing under 5 hours were dashed when I had difficulty running because my hamstring starting to really bother me. At mile 22 I was no longer running due to the hamstring, and although I drank water at every mile, I was showing signs that I was dehydrated due to the heat, humidity, and pollution. The last 4 miles were the most difficult and painful miles I have ever run in a marathon - it took everything I had just to get to the finish line.
Media:
- The Asia – Pacific Harrier Magazine will be featuring a “Letter to the Editor” that I wrote about my Bangkok marathon experience in one of their upcoming editions as well as an article on my worldwide marathons for kidney cancer research. If you want to know more about the magazine you can reach the Editor/Publisher Jim Edens.
- Road Runner Sports is featuring my story on their website, to read my story, please click here.
- Triathlete Magazine [Mitch Thrower] is featuring my story on their Blog, “Iron Mitch: Triathlete Magazine’s Memoirs of an Ironman” Blog. Click here to read my story.
Listed below are my corporate sponsors who have generously donated their “best in class” products to help me meet my mission. Without their generous support it would be very difficult for me to continue my mission.
Have a great day,
Bob Rebello
