12 Weeks Down + 28 Weeks = DAD

I was wondering when the official announcement would come. So this is my official congrats, consider that one in December preliminary. Sooooo happy for you both! OK, now what about that announcement of your run for the presidency? I guess not in 2012 since family comes first.

Congrats Schuey (and Lisa). Very cool.

healdgator wrote:Congrats! The time flies by. In just 5 or 6 short years you will be wondering what happened to your little baby and your wife will say something about having another one and you will tell her to stop with the crazy talk. But maybe that's just me.

Thanks and I agree time is already flying by!

Jerry wrote:Congratulations!

No wonder you have been busy.

May I suggest if you get twin boys, you name the 2nd after Jerry?

Yep Jerry I have been a little busy and I would love to name a second boy Jerry after Jerry Garcia a course

jon c wrote:Congrats Schuey and Lisa! Very exciting news indeed! I will hope and pray that the preganancy progresses well and that both Mom and baby will be healthy throughout the process.

This blog has great potential!

Jon thanks, Lisa and I are very excited. Thanks for the prayers, healthy throughout the process would be very welcome!

Dave-O wrote:

Schuey wrote:[

I dedicate this new blog to mine and Lisa’s unborn child Michael Dave-O(boy) or Kristina August (girl) who is due on August 6th, 2012.

You guys, that's really not necessary. I appreciate it though.



May the next 28 weeks bring the whole gamut of emotions. I'm just glad to be able to follow along here.

HaHa Dave you are a funny man! You know I have gone through a lot of emotions in my life but I have to say I really excited to experience what lies ahead. I still remember the night as if it were yesterday when Lisa told me I was going to be a dad! In one word AWESOME!!!

T Miller wrote:Congratulations you two!

Thanks Tim

JohnP wrote:Congratulations! No wonder you haven't written a race report yet!

Yep you nailed it but don't worry I promise I will get a report up for all you who want to read about JFK adventure! I only wish that I could have done just a little better, no doubt I look forward to JFK this coming year!

Mark B wrote:Congratulations!

Make sure you plan out your running routes take you past grocery stores, Schuey, just in case Lisa gets a pickles-and-ice-cream craving while you're out!

Thanks Mark, yeah Lisa's cravings have been something of an adventure already! Let's see we have gone from Ice Cream, pickles to hot melty cheese to everything that is really spicy! Oh and let's not forget the fact that she hates the smell of meat or fish cooking! Man it has been rough for me and my diet of late. Then again it has been awesome because she also craves fruits and veggies like they are going out of style on a day to day bases.

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:Funny, I was thinking about you this morning on my long run, Schuey. Must have been those good vibes. I am so very excited for you both as parenthood is an experience that really is second to none. I realize how much I am going to miss my daughter next year - it seems like yesterday when I was pregnant, not almost 19 yrs ago.

Woohoo! Congrats!!

You know what Michele we have been thinking about you also! Can't wait to finally meet you in Boston in 10 weeks. Wow really 10 weeks were did the time go?? I'm so looking forward to the challenge of fatherhood as is Lisa (motherhood). The best thing about it all is that you only get to travel done this road once and everyday is well a new experience! It's kinda like running your 1st marathon over and over everyday. Man I unreal I'm finally going to be that dad that I have wanted to be for a long long time. I'm so excited I can't even express it all in words.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Schuey, this is awesome news! I know I've never even met you or Lisa, but I can tell you're both wonderful, warm-hearted people, and you will both make great parents.

And I approve of the boy name, for sure

I thought you might approve of the name Thanks for your very kind comment Mike, we are truly touched by your words. Hey let's change that in 10 weeks and finally meet in person!

Nick Morris wrote:Martin, congratulations to both you and Lisa!! The next chapter in your life is soon to begin!!!

Thanks Nick

Liz R wrote:Such good news! I look forward to following your progress.

Yeah pretty cool news eh Liz!

KBFitz wrote:Way to go, you two!

Long may you run.

Kevin you know the funny thing is I was running JFK and we were talking that day about life and the whole time I didn't even know I was going to be a dad. Really puts things into light on how really special that day was. Hey by the way JFK sign up for this years race is in MAY!

Alex Kubacki wrote:Congrats Martin. That's great news for you and Lisa.

Thanks Alex, look forward to meeting you in Bayshore.

Julie wrote:Aww, congratulations!
So, is Lisa really still running Bayshore??
Big congratulations to both of you. I hope everything is going great.

Thanks Julie and yes everything is going great. The results of the genetic testing came back great and the baby looked good when we did the 13 week ultrasound. HR was great to hear also 162bpm!!

As for Bayshore I believe her plans are to walk it now at best. She has been doing a lot of walking and doing the elliptical, she wants to run but her left leg has been still giving her issues. Our doctor is a runner and is all for her running, but I told this is a great time to let that leg recovery (possible Stress fracture). For us running is fun and there is really no need to push things, she has the rest of her life to run. Again the important thing is she is doing exercise for aerobic fitness, also doing yoga and some other things.

John Kilpatrick wrote:Congrats to the three of you!!!!!

That. Is. Just. Cool.

Thanks for sharing the news with us!

Hey John yeah it is pretty darn cool!!! No doubt that we would share it here! This is place is our extended family!

Chris M wrote:Whoooo hooooo! You already know how pumped we are for our Chicago niece/nephew to be born!

Yeah we were pretty pumped to tell you and Jennifer and we even more excited about your trip to Chicago this fall and our trip back to Maryland in November! Thanks buddy!!!

dot520 wrote:Congratulations! This is wonderful news for the two of you! Ah, exciting times ahead!

Thanks Dot, we are ready with open arms for all the exciting times ahead!

Bob wrote:Boy, you sure know how to keep a secret!!

Congrats to both of you!

HaHa Bob, yeah not to bad on keeping a secret!

Matt W wrote:

Congrats to the both of you. I know how excited you are to begin this next step of your lives together. You are going to be great parents and give your child(ren) lots of love. I can't wait to talk life changes with you in Boston. I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been up to since November (running-wise, that is).

Good to hear from you again.

Thanks Matt! It was great to talk to you the other day. As always I look forward to talking to you in Boston, man can't believe it was 4 years already that we meet up for the first time. So you need anymore Gatorade??

Michael Enright wrote:Congratulations! Enjoy it.
And I love the Dylan!! When he does that song in The Last Waltz, it's just awesome.

Oh "The Last Waltz" one of my favorites. I put that on not to long ago for Lisa to watch!! Great stuff.

ounce wrote:I am just tickled pink for the both of you!

And won't it be something that the baby will be born with more hair than Martin has now! Best of luck and enjoy the decreasing days of just the two of you.

Go ahead Ounce start in right away with the hair jokes. You know there was a time when my hair was really really long and then there was no doubt that I won't be mistaken for a Deadhead. Yeah the days are getting shorter of just Lisa and I and for as much as we enjoy and cherish those days, we are also looking forward to adding to our family!

Diego wrote:That's really awesome for the two of you. I wish y'all nothing but the best. As a proud parent of 2 little ones, there's nothing better. Congrats Schuey and Lisa.

Dave P wrote:Super excited for you both - just wait until you get to pace your kid in a half marathon - so cool!

Thanks Dave, I don't know about me pacing my kid in a half, it might be more like my kid pacing me!

fostever wrote:I was wondering when the official announcement would come. So this is my official congrats, consider that one in December preliminary. Sooooo happy for you both! OK, now what about that announcement of your run for the presidency? I guess not in 2012 since family comes first.

You to funny Mr. Foster. Hey I need to call you back I saw you called on Saturday. We were at Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us looking at and playing with all the toys! Fun Fun Fun.

My run for presidency? After all the wonderful talks we have had on our runs do you really think this country would be ready for someone like me??

Ben Z wrote:Congrats Schuey (and Lisa). Very cool.

Thanks Ben, yes very cool!

Alright now that I have caught up with respond to all you wonderful people that took the time send congrats to Lisa and I will have to get to some updates. It is the almost the end of my shift here at work, so I promise to take some time tomorrow to update you all on the running front and what is going through my mind with all that fun stuff.

Look forward to sharing my running and other fun life things that have been going on over the last week or so. Thanks for taking the time to follow along. I hope to do some new, fun and exciting things with this new blog!!

The Bull

Schuey wrote:

Look forward to sharing my running and other fun life things that have been going on over the last week or so. Thanks for taking the time to follow along. I hope to do some new, fun and exciting things with this new blog!!

The Bull

I'm looking forward to seeing what you've been up to and what you are thinking about Boston this year. You've had quite a few changes in the past half year. Your take on things is always interesting, so don't take too long to post about them.

Looking forward to hearing about the running, too. Heartbeat of 162 is great, isn't it awesome hearing that beautiful sound?

Healing up a stress fx while pregnant is a great idea, too. Both of my knees were so injured when I became pregnant with Jocelyn and it was a really good excuse for me to get some extra rest and healing in (although not an excuse as I still ran and walked as much as I could).

Is Boston your next race?

We just got dumped on with 14" of snow on Saturday so I'm indoors for awhile, but I hope you're still enjoying some good running weather!

2-8-12 Getting back on track

Well were to start I guess I’ll start this post by saying “I can’t believe that this will be my 6th Boston Marathon”! “Oh Oh what I want to know is where has the time gone?”, it seems like it was just yesterday when I started running again and decided to run my first marathon. Through the years I have had my ups and downs with this wonderful sport and truly have embraced every moment I have encountered. With that I have to be honest and say that this time around it truly is different and I’m at a crossroad that I have never been at in my running career. The time has come again just like it has in the past to choose a path and than give it 110%.

As everyone knows a lot has changed in the past 5 months that I can only shake my head and say wow what a end to one year and what a beginning to the next. 2011 was filled with events and moments that would change, shake and test me to see how I would embrace those inconceivable things thrown my way.

I can remember the excitement I was feeling as the time was drawing closer and closer to running my first JFK 50 miler and then being crushed to the grown hearing the sad news of my Uncle dying. It was this very thing that made me think about my own life and to cherish the precious time I have on this Earth and be thankful and blessed for every breath the good lord lets me take. As you all know I allowed myself to be strong enough to get enough training in to have what I call a very successful first 50 miler but far from my best (but I will say it was my best for that day 110% without a doubt).

The year was also filled with me taking on a new adventure by going back to work for a big financial firm. Not only was it going to be different going to work everyday but I was also taking over the Asian shift and working nights for the first time. This I would have to say has been the biggest challenge in my training this year. It’s not the fact of going into a office to work but more the fact that I work a weird night shift (5pm to 1:30am) and that is on a good night. Darn guys in London can never seem to get in on time! HaHa! I have made the choice at this time to go to bed right when I get home from work and then get up as early as possible. So getting in the sleep I need has been a challenge with trying to keep a high level of training. I must admit I have failed at this for the past couple of months!

Than came the news and the reason I started this new blog, I found out in early December that I was going to be a DAD! Something I have dreamed about for a very long time and I can honestly say that I very proud that this dream of becoming a dad is becoming a reality! One word AWESOME!

As I stop and reflect on what I have just wrote, one may wonder what the heck does this have to do with running and about being at a crossroad and the Boston Marathon. Well it has everything to do with it. It has everything to do with telling me and showing me what type of person I am and were my desires, beliefs and love for life, family, God and running are all about. I have decided that for the next 10 weeks I’m giving it everything I have to train for Boston and make it yet another great experience and journey from Hopkinton to downtown Boston. To use this as my springboard for my next 50 miler in August, then Chicago and finish the year at my 2nd JFK 50 miler. And in the process becoming a dad in August!!

When I decided to stop bitching about how tough this was training while working nights and getting the house ready to be a dad it came to me that all I needed to do was to remember why I run. The answer to that is that I love the act of it and love lining up at the start line and competing against myself and my own mind. I know you all have heard it hundred of times but really I don’t worry about what the clock says at the end. It truly is about the effort and the experience and being one with myself and embracing the moment of the day. Even though every race brings that I have to admit there is something even more special about lining up at the start line of the Boston Marathon.

This week I have come up with two words that have been my inspiration for training:


Motivation- I have promised myself to be motivated to get up everyday and to not slack and let the day be wasted on wasteful things. To put my energy towards my training, taking care of Lisa and work. So far this week has been a great success and on the running front things have been awesome for the past two days. It feels great to have that new found motivation to do something that I truly love.

Focus-is the ability to attend to internal and external cues in your attentional field. Attentional field is everything inside of you, such as thoughts, emotions, and physical responses, and everything outside of you, including sights and sounds, on which you could focus. Prime focus involves focusing only on performance-relevant cues in your attentional field. Prime focus gives you the ability to adjust your focus internally and externally as needed during the course of a competition.

Although I’m sure I will come up with different words each week of training, I’m pretty sure that those two words will be the key building blocks to the next 10 weeks of my training. Again off to a great start this week and feeling strong and enjoying the hell out of running.

My next blog post I will try to describe more of how I’m approach the next 10 weeks from a stanpoint of what my training days are like and what I expect to get out or shall we say try to learn over the next 2 months and 2 weeks.

Until than best of training and to you all and keep your head up high and always remember:

“Anything worth doing is worth doing right” - Hunter S. Thompson

Welcome back Schuey.

Would be curious to know how you are approaching training these days as it seems like you have a big base underneath you these days based on the little I understand about your training lately.

Best of luck with these next 10 weeks. If things go well I might be knocking on the door of your PR this spring. Let's hope!

Bull is back! Bull is back!

Ben Z wrote: If things go well I might be knocking on the door of your PR this spring. Let's hope!

And how's that for some good old-fashioned motivation!

My road ID has all the important info (name, address, phone number) and then says "Keep your Focus, but have fun" (because one of my running friends got on me like crazy for supposedly losing my focus the end of my 2nd marathon, costing me 17 seconds from our goal, whatever, I was happy). Just reminded me of your motto. Looking forward to reading your ultra training and I'm excited for all of you going to Boston this year! One of my running buddies is also going, she's so speedy I'm amazed she will run with me, too.

Important questions....

- When you coming in to Boston? We will be up Saturday afternoon. Let the real bosses (Jennifer and Lisa) plan stuff. I'm not flying out until Tuesday evening but the girls are flying back Monday evening.

- Details about race day logistics including meeting up in Hopkinton gotta be figured out. Did you like the State Park (2010) or other place (2011) better? I think I liked the State Park because we got dropped off right there near the starting line and then walked up to AV versus the other place where we were way down the road from the school and probably had to walk about the same distance anyway.

- Lisa going to be stationed at the finish or is she up for going to someplace like Wellesley? Jennifer will have Cassidy and Scott's daughter Gillian and is undecided about seeing us on the course versus the finish.

- Union Oyster House? Duh, that's not a question. Of course the answer is yes. But when? Pre-race? Post-race?

- Hey, how's Lisa feeling? She getting sick at all? Have any crazy food cravings? Tell her we are thinking about her.

- Your kid is going to be a soccer player. Does that bug you? No football, no hockey....all soccer, all the time.

A baby bull! Congratulations to both of you!!

Thanks for the update, Schuey. I knew 2011 was an eventful year for you, but now that I have some of the details.. wow, just wow. I admire your focus and dedication to making this work - for all the right reasons. I look forward to seeing how it goes.

Still running or just going to Bulls' games? I hope you are doing well.

Matt W wrote:

Still running or just going to Bulls' games? I hope you are doing well.

He's showing me up with pimp seats!

Hey Schuey, I've been off the boards for a while so it came as a happy surprise to stop by and see the exciting news that you shared and that everyone has been talking about here. Congratulations to you and Lisa! I hope she's feeling well and that everything is going along smoothly. Additionally, I hope your Boston training is progressing full steam ahead (I have no doubt that it is).
Please send my best to Lisa! What an exciting time for you guys!!

Happy news!

Well it's been a while since I've post and it is safe to say for the first time in a long time my training has sucked! I know from the standards of some they would be more then happy to have put in the training that I have put in so far. And that is cool and i understand that but for me I'm 100% unsatisfied at the effort I have put in the last few months.

It has always been about effort for me and it is safe to say that I have not given it anywhere close to my 110% or even 100%! It has really made me sad and to some degree depressed! I really thought that I had found my motivation and focus not to long ago but it was a false-negitive. I'm not going to make any excuses I just haven't got it done but with that being said I really truly believe that it has all happen for a greater good.

Over this time I have been able to sit back and look at what I have accomplished since 2008 and I have to admit it has been one hell of a run. There has been so many high points that I'm not evening going to list them and I won't list them because the only those things are really important to is myself. As for it being for the greater good I can sense that as the year goes on there are going to be some really amazing races and moments to be able to look back at this past winter and say it was all possible because I allowed my mind and body the time to recharge itself. I have found that the human body even mind needs a break for the not stop hard training.

So with that being said no matter the how good or bad things go over the next few weeks I will being post it all. I think it is important going forward to share with all of you my running friends the ups and downs that I'm going through with my running and hope that there is something for all to learn from. It is safe to say that I was also burned out with blogging and writing about my running over the past few months. I can now honestly say that I'm not only ready and back to running but excited about post to my blog, others blogs and 365 in general.

To add as you all know it has been some really really exciting times in the Schumacher household with only 4.5 months left before the new addition to our family arrives! I won't use it as an excuse but I was a little naive in the fact to how much work had to be done and still has to be done. I really have thrown myself 100% at doing everything because it is hard for Lisa to do things and well I want to carry my weight in helping to make sure her and the baby get to stay as stress free as possible. It was my wonderful wife Lisa that has whipped my ass back in gear again! She has pushed me to get my act back together and give my heart not only to our family but back to my running. I thank her for allowing me to hit the roads again with full force and to make this coming racing season a great one.


The decision I have made for now is to do the following:

Boston: Go and see what happens if things fall into place for something special to happen then great if not I'm truly ready to go there and have a fun time just running Boston this year. Matt W and I have talked a little about running together and just taking it all in this year.

Bayshore: If Boston is just a long fun run, I might try to go for a PR at the end of May but again if the legs are not ready this again will be a a race that I just go and enjoy and use as a training run for my goal races later in the year.

North Country 50 miler: This will be my overall 2nd 50 miler on trails and again is a very hilly course. Goals haven't been mapped out for this as of yet. I have to talk this over with my advisor on how we will be handling this race.


Chicago Marahton: I would like to give it a goal of running a PR this year in Chicago, it has been a year since I have ran a solid PR on my hoe course. Hoping for good weather for it this year.


JFK 50: This is the one, this is what my whole 2012 racing season comes down to folks!! I WANT THIS RACE REALLY REALLY BAD!! I'M NOT GOING TO LIE IT IS ABOUT EFFORT BUT I WANT TO BREAK 7 HOURS AND I WANT A OVERALL TOP 20 FINISH AND TOP 10 AGE GROUP FINISH!!! I HAVE BEEN TASTING THIS RACE SINCE THE DAY I FINISHED IT LAST NOVEMBER!! There is no doubt that this 50 miler is like no other in this country. The course has it all and it really puts all runners in a challenge with themselves and the course!! All I have to say is that I will be BRINING IT this year and I'm no longer a virgin on this course of race distance. I can't wait to run the mountains the canal and the rolling hills at the end 100% better this year. I'm so Fing pumped for this race and it is only March!!!!! Can't wait to see Kevin PR at this race this year!

There's no question you'll kill it at JFK. I hope you enjoy the ride with the baby and training to get there.

Jeepers, I just can't help myself, I'm in full blown Mom mode again....Ya know, Martin, having a baby is HUGE deal. The HUGEST. And everything else sort of pales by comparison. I doesn't surprise me that your training hasn't been what you might have expected it to be. You are treading in uncharted emotional territory. Struggling with your training doesn't mean you are less tough than you have always been, but perhaps your emotional focus has shifted to Lisa and the family you are about to start. And, honestly, (this is where the Mom part comes in), that seems totally appropriate. That's not to say that I think you should not train hard, but rather I suspect that your heart has other priorities no matter what your brain says.
Just a thought from an old lady.

Good luck, Schuey. You'll be fine. So, how many pillows is Lisa sleeping with, now? And Happy Anniversary, too!

Happy anniversary and I hope that Lisa is doing well. She is at that point where you really feel great and can take on the world - I remember - but then comes those last few weeks of waiting. It is all worth it though especially when they are almost 19 and tell you while out of the country that they wish you were with them.

I as excited about JFK as you are, and I'm trying to figure out a way to get to the area to watch/crew (since I can't run the pace of you or KBFitz) because honestly Ohio isn't that far and I'll have lots of free time with no kiddie.