ING New York City Marathon 2007

(We are proud to have Dean Brown, one of Tim McGraw’s Dancehall Doctors, as one of our runners for this year’s marathon. Follow along as he shares his thoughts on training and travel while hot on the concert trail.)

Episode 12: Team McGraw Shines in Washington, DC

Waking up on the bus, a full night’s sleep…what a treat. 

Wait a minute. Waking up on the bus during this tour usually means we’ve slept through our usual 3:30 AM wake-up call from Lonnie, our driver, and we’re now parked a million blocks away from the hotel.

These “fancy-schmancy” hotels we’ve been staying in on this tour are usually located downtown, and the prospect of having bus parking right outside the hotel is about nil.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the chocolates on my pillow and the fluffy robes and slippers.  But after a night of rockin’ and rollin’, and then crashing out at one o’clock in the morning, waking up at 3AM does not a good night’s sleep make.

So you can understand why I’m shocked to be waking up on the bus. Fortunately, Lonnie has not gone up to his room yet.  So I ask him: “What’s up?”  Turns out, the hotel is just around the corner, and since everybody was still crashed out when he checked us in, he thought he’d just let us sleep. 

Coffee in one hand and my bags in the other, I hop off the bus and make my way to the hotel.  Passing men and women in their business attire scurrying to their “9-to-5,” with me still in my P.J. pants and Batman T-shirt thinking, “yeah; I’m glad that’s not me.”

Today, we’re running with Julie Hamill.  She is another of our Team McGraw members, and after only a short time in town, she picks us up at our hotel and we head off to Georgetown.  What a cool place!

She has scoped out a great trail near a park for us.  We park at our starting place, Julie locks her keys in her car, and…oops!! Well, now what?  We took a vote and decided to wait and take care of getting the keys out after the run.
 
The run was great! We run along the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, part of a historical park that stretches 184.5 miles along the Potomac River.  It is really beautiful, and a great place to really enjoy the day without struggling with traffic.

After another successful training run – and a call to the local locksmith – we are on our way back to the venue for soundchecks, dinner, and a performance to an outstanding audience in Washington, DC.

I truly love my job.

Episode 11: “Anyone For Tea?”

Following our stop in Philadelphia, we hit Boston…after having a few much-needed days home.

Sometimes, even just a few days back home can make a huge difference in how you feel out here.  And what more perfect time to go home and visit the family than over the Fourth of July!  Granted, Boston on Independence Day has got to be incredible – fireworks on the river, orchestras playing in the park, all the history available.

One of these days, I’ve got to experience it; this time, I was glad to be home.

Leaving Nashville to return to the road, we flew into Logan Airport and were carried on a bus to the Ritz Carlton hotel.  As usual, our rooms weren’t ready; that’s so DHD.  Still, we made good use of the mishap and found some lunch.

Our run in Boston was great. We went through Boston Common, an amazing place.  It’s the oldest park in the United States, and since 1630, it’s been everything from a cow pasture to a British military campsite to a site of public hangings.  Today, it’s a beautiful greenway visited my thousands of tourists every day.  We found our way to the Charles River and found it littered with remnants of the holiday celebrations from the day before.  The scenery was great – the river, the bridges, the architecture, everything. 

I feel scenery is an important ingredient to running. If you can lose yourself in your surroundings, everything else just flows along.  Before you know it, the miles are covered and your run is done. 

One thing’s for sure; watching as New York City surrounds me and flashes by during the upcoming marathon is gonna be awesome! 

Episode 10: “Roll On…Big Mama”

The days and the miles have just flown by, and the training has been fantastic! 

“Funny thing, that time is!” (In my best Yoda impersonation.)  One minute you’re looking at your calendar saying, “Oh, I still have plenty of time!”  The next moment, you’re wishing you had just a little more.  Then, before you know it, it’s all just a memory.

The beginning of this tour is now just that...a faint memory.  November 4th is swiftly approaching like a runaway train. 

We made it out of Canada with only one “near-arrest” – (mine…ask me about it sometime) – and being back in the States never felt so good.  Home sweet home, land of the free and home of the brave.
 
Our show in Philly led to an opportunity for us to get a run around Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies baseball team. What an awesome experience that was. It was there that I sat in on what was my first ever, in my life, Tug McGraw Foundation board meeting.  They are some great folks; it was a real pleasure meeting everyone, and it solidified my feelings about being involved with such a wonderful organization. Truly blessed.

We had some media people there taking video footage of Jeff and I on a training run around the outside of the stadium. Then they invited us to actually go on the field and do a few laps. We met “Video Dan,” the longtime videographer for the Phillies; that was a real treat.  He had some great stories from when Tug joined the Phillies and the two first met.

Really made me wish I had known Tug back then.
 
But all in all, it was a great day, and I had an awesome time meeting everyone. I didn’t get a chance to do the “Rocky Stairs” on this trip, but I have a feeling that I’ll have many more opportunities.

‘Til then, I’ll just hum the theme as I run on.

Episode 9: Making Our Way Home

Originally the settlement of York, the city of Toronto was established on March 6, 1834.  It was renamed  “Toronto, the Mohawk word for “meeting place.”  Yonge Street, one of its main thoroughfares, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest street in the world.  It stretches 1,896 kilometers north, from the lakeshore in Toronto to Rainy River, Ontario, Canada near the Minnesota border.

That’s all great…but there’s still no place like home.

We were only in Canada for a week, but man, it sure felt longer.  The crowds and shows were awesome, and I found some incredible food while we were there, but I really missed the good ol’ USA.

As for my training, it was all good.  Still feelin’ strong, we found great places to run.  November is still a ways away, but I think I’m on the right track.

Sometimes, finding a good place to run can be a difficult task.  Non-running concierges will direct us to the local track so we can get a six-mile run…which means running roughly 24 circles for an hour.  Uh, no.  Maybe they will send us to “the best option” of a local park; most times, these turn out to be duds. 

I have found that if you “google”the city you are in, and search “running routes,” you’ll usually get a pretty good listing of local routes.  In Toronto, we managed to find our way for a good eight miles through the city – and still found time to do laundry.

This can really be a crucial part of life on the road…especially when training every day for a marathon.

After Toronto, we were off to Ottawa – the final stop on our Canadian tour.  The sweet smell of home was getting stronger.

Traveling out here, city to city, we’ve had the opportunity to meet up with some of the Team McGraw runners; sometimes, we’ve even shared a run.  In Ottawa, Jeff hooked up with team member Mark deGruchy to grab a few miles together.  Regrettably, I missed out on missing Mark – (Sorry, pal!) – though I didn’t miss my run. 

Still…it sure is cool to get to run across some of my teammates out there.

It was hot in Ottawa, something I hope we won’t have to deal with in New York.  But you never know.  When I ran it back in 2003, I was prepared with a couple of different “put it on, take it off” layer options.  Pre-race was chilly, and I was covered.  Once we got to the starting line, I guess all the excitement and anticipation of the race started heatin’ things up; I had to start shedding some of my “skins.”  I took off some of my extra layers and made my contribution to the clothing trees.

Yes, I said “clothing trees.”  Trees – covered with the unwanted layers of 35,000 runners.  It was really pretty amazing to see.  Another one of those moments I wish I had a camera handy. 

That’s another thing I’m thinking about.  There were many “Kodak moments” along the run, but the thought of carrying a camera for 26.2 miles doesn’t really appeal to me.  Maybe on this next marathon adventure, we could figure out something.  Some sort of camera drop-off point or somethin’.

Actually, I have an idea that could absolutely revolutionize the way the photographer/runner goes out for a run, but that’s all for another entry.  It’s funny, the ideas that I get when I’m out on a run.

With Toronto and Ottawa behind us, we were headed back to the States.  All that was left was a simple border crossing and we were home free…

…but nothing ever seems to be as simple as it ought to be.

Episode 8: Edmonton, Canada…“Are We There Yet?”

They say Edmonton is the “Houston, Texas” of Canada.

Hmmm…I couldn’t really see it.  I guess what they are referring to is the oil industry end of Edmonton. I mean, it does kinda smell like Houston.  That must be it; that, I recognize.

Edmonton, the oil-producing province of the Great White North, was a twinkle in an otherwise flat and barren landscape. Believe me…we have covered a lot of Canadian miles in our tour bus, and I know flat and barren. 

Still, once we made it to the city, I could see for miles and miles from my hotel window, which made for an awesome view of the Canadian sunset.  At first, the scenery was totally unfamiliar to me. Have we been here before? So many places, so many faces, so many hotel rooms – at times, it does all seem to run together.

But my memory was immediately refreshed as Jeff and I set out for a run.  We left our hotel, rounded a couple of corners, and then approached THE STEPS – a set of 192 stairs that led us down to our running route along the river.

Oh…yeah.  We have been here before; I never forget a stair.

These stairs are killers. As we made our way down, we passed several people on their way up; the look on some of the faces was daunting. I was thankful that a long run was not on the schedule during our stay in Edmonton. I might have had to consider a cab ride back to the hotel, just to avoid the brutal ascension. But we were able to get a couple good runs and still make the climb on our own.

So many memorable things take place while we’re out there on the road.  For example, the day of our show in Edmonton, something happened on our way to the running trails that I can honestly say has never happened before. We encountered livestock.

See? That’s what Jeff and I said: LIVESTOCK?  In downtown Edmonton? Why are there goats in downtown Edmonton?  Then, as if it wasn’t weird enough, we were overcome by the sounds of a marching band. Was this just one of those bizarre dreams?

No, it was a welcoming. A local middle school and the local radio station were parading through town welcoming the Soul 2 Soul 2007 tour to Edmonton. The deejays were dressed up like Tim and Faith, riding around in the back of a pick-up while the band played a rousing version of “Don’t Take the Girl.”

This was definitely a Kodak moment – and us without a camera! (Come on, McMahon; you ALWAYS have a camera, you slug!)  Just as we began to move on and write it off as one more reminder to always be prepared, we were recognized by a couple of very nice fans.  These two young ladies, Jennifer and Lindsay, took care of us, lending us theirs to capture the moment; thanks a lot, ladies!!

Of course.  Anytime you find live goats wandering the streets to the musical clamor of a marching band…you just KNOW that devoted McGraw fans are lurking just over your shoulder.

Everybody knows that.

Episode 7: Vancouver, Canada…and Runnin’ Through!

Running in this area was incredible. We found Stanley Park, which turned out to be a gold mine of running benefits. There was this Nike Runner’s Lounge that was set up where runners could learn more about how they really run, receive a gait analysis, get free refreshments…the whole enchilada. The scenery, the paths, the courteous people on bikes announcing their arrival with a pleasant “On your left!” as they passed. Sometimes the scenery alone can be a helpful distraction from the physicality of running. 

A chance to disconnect…and just run.

I remember running [the New York City Marathon] the first time; focusing on all the different things and activities going on sure helped to keep my mind off the task at hand.

We returned to Stanley Park several times during our stay in Vancouver – (we were there for a few days) – but I never did I see Paul anywhere.  (For the uninitiated, Deano is a longtime Kiss fan.  Paul Stanley is the lead singer and guitarist.)  But if he were to have visited Vancouver, I’m sure this would have been his hang…

…right next to the guy feeding the raccoon.

Episode 6: Vancouver, Canada…Rollin’ In…

Ah, the Great White North…except the tundra wasn’t really white this time of year. It was more of a shiny gray. Oh, I’m sure the lovely city of Vancouver gets its share of snowy weather – but the three days we were there, it was nice.  A little rainy, but over all…nice.

We rolled into Vancouver around 3:30AM.  We were all still awake on the bus; I remember, because the ringing of [Tim's bass player] John Boy's voice as he did his best “Fargo” impressions still reverberates in my head.  (“Ooooh, they’re jest goin’ krehzy down there by the leck, ya know!”)

Anyway, the city reminded me of the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz, all lit up against the early morning sky. I was amazed at all the people still on the streets as we arrived, as if the night was new and the party was just starting.  It’s 3:30AM, you crazy kids!!

The hotel was a welcome sight; I was ready for some rest. I was just getting over the cold that put me down in St. Paul and didn’t need to be up that late. The saving grace?  I could sleep as late as necessary the following day –as long as I made the bus call at 3:00PM. 

I know what you are thinking: “Lucky!”  But in the immortal words of our drummer Billy Mason, “It’s a blessing and a curse.”  Yes, I could sleep as late as I want, but as most of you with kids know, once that internal clock is set, there’s no changing it. My eyelids usually roll open around 6:00AM whether I want them to or not. Fortunately, I fought it this time, and, with the shades pulled tight, I managed to keep the sun out of my room until around 10:30AM.

The Vancouver I saw as we rolled in and the Vancouver I saw as I woke up were two totally different beasts. The sunlight revealed the beautiful mountains of Northern Vancouver across the bay, sprinkled with architecture that could be seen from the hotel. I watched the seaplanes arriving and departing from Coal Harbour, taking people to they’re jobs across the bay. These air taxis were awesome.  It was a bit odd to see a floating Exxon gas station out in the middle of this beautiful body of water, but I guess pulling into one down on Georgia Street wouldn’t go over too well with the Mounties.

The city was amazing! Kind of like San Francisco or something, diverse in the culture and architecture, strangely familiar and different all at the same time. Tall skyscrapers with lush cloud-covered mountains in the background. People hurrying this way and that, rushing to make their destinations.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee around every corner – ahhhhh! It was awesome.

Episode 5: The Next Stop…

Well, Omaha was a blast!!! The folks there are real nice. And since [my wife] Cindy and the boys were there, we had to visit their amazing zoo. I recommend that anyone visiting Omaha make the zoo a “must-see.” 

But as the ol’ saying goes, “the show must go on!”  So ON we went.

The next stop was St. Paul, Minnesota – the home of Prince and the Vikings.  I know, kinda opposite ends of the spectrum – but it’s a great place, nonetheless. With a week’s worth of full production rehearsals behind us, and two shows under our belts, we were ready to rock.

But just when I felt like I had a handle on balancing training and touring, reality set in – and I caught a nasty cold that took me down.  I know that sometimes overtraining can be just as big a problem as not training enough. So, in trying to keep a happy place in my training, I voted to take a couple days off and recover.

We played our shows in St. Paul and had a great time. Cindy and the boys flew out the day after, and the band and I took a L-O-N-G bus ride to Salt Lake City, Utah.

Salt Lake is wonderful.  Over the years, I’ve developed some incredible friendships there with the great people at Jon Paul Bows; visiting them every so often is a real treat, and this time was no exception.  (Thanks for all the new fiddle bows, guys.) Since we are somewhat familiar with SLC, we do have our favorite running routes.  This time, though, we ventured away from our normal “Mowgli Run” through the hills to seek out someplace new, uncharted, and easy.
 
We asked the concierge for directions, and he was right on the money. A few left turns, a few right turns, and we were there – Liberty Park.  A quaint neighborhood park overflowing with the sounds of laughing children and the smell of smoldering charcoal. We found a mulch-covered trail that led us around the entire park.

I must admit, seeing all the family activity there kinda had me missing home.  But I had to stay focused and keep positive that everything’s gonna be alright.

We finished our loop around the park and made our way back to the hotel, making special note of the coin-operated laundromat on the way home.

Tomorrow had to be “Laundry Day;” I run, therefore I wash.

Episode 4: The “Qwest” Begins in Omaha, NE

The city that would kick off our summer tour was Omaha, Nebraska.  Everyone arrived a week early; there was a lot to prepare for our upcoming adventure.  Production rehearsals with full lights and video, wardrobe fittings, tour information meetings – it was kinda like going through orientation to start school at Soul2Soul University!

Nebraska was great, what we were able to see of it.  Other than our runs, which were generally shorter to allow for rehearsals, we never were really able to get out and explore the area. 

I was especially blessed to have my wife Cindy and our boys out with me for that first week to help get the party started.  The family bus was ready and rolling…and my family was on it!

It’s funny to think that, as we sat in Omaha preparing to embark on our new musical journey into the great unknown, other more notable journeys had taken place just over our shoulder in earlier years.  It was in the early months of 1804 that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark – yes, that Lewis and Clark – and nearly four dozen other men navigated their “Corps of Discovery” up the Platt River just behind where the Qwest Center now stands. 

Certainly those two pioneers were on a much different journey – a quest of a different kind.  But as we prepared our own tour launch from the Qwest Center – it just seemed strangely appropriate.

The more things change…the more they stay the same.

Episode 3: Rescue Run 5K

At first, when Jeff asked if I would be interested in running this 5K in Nashville, I thought, "Hmmm.  I can do 3.2 miles; I do it all the time."

But there’s something about pinning that number on your shirt that turns even a 5K into a marathon.  I was nervous, but I agreed. I knew it was going to benefit our training to get a race in every now and then – just so we could gauge ourselves, see where we stood in our training.

I also knew that our bus call was at noon that very same day – (we had a gig in Mississippi that night) – and if I was going to make it all happen, I’d better have all my duckies in a row.

Race day was great. The morning air crisp with excitement, and my bags were packed and waiting.  All was right with the world.  Jeff met me around 7AM, the gun fired at 8AM…and we did awesome!  Everything felt good throughout the run. Well, except when that eight-year-old girl and her father that passed us around mile two.

Fortunately, we passed the little girl and her father on our last lap before crossing the finish line.  Ah…redemption.  We enjoyed our bananas and Gatorade and then headed to the house. 
                            
It was kinda weird thinking that, in a few short months, we’d be running on Staten Island, across the Verrazano Bridge, and through all five boroughs finally ending in a beautiful, 843-acre park.
 
But there were a lot miles until then, and we had to get to work. 

Mississippi was waiting.

Episode 2: Feelin’ Fine in Florida

I guess our first real training run was in Florida.  Real meaning, now I have a plan…something to actually train for…the New York City Marathon.

I was down there with the band, playing somewhere down close to Jacksonville.  We were actually performing for Tim’s mom’s – (we refer to her as “McMom”) – 40th high school reunion, of all things!  What a great time!

Now it was hot…whew!  Hot and humid.  We started out on the street from our hotel, but after a couple of miles we found this comfy sand trail.  That pulled us off the beaten path for a little while; those are always fun. 

Sometimes all it takes to make you feel alive is a good sweat, and man, we did!  We spun back around after reaching our halfway point and headed back to the hotel, finishing up, (oddly enough), on my street.

Yep…Brown Street.  It was definitely a sign; catch ya later!

Episode 1: And They’re Off…

Here we go, sports fans; the training is underway.

I’m so glad to finally be at this point.  For the past few months, I’ve just been training to train. Now, I can officially say it: I’m training to run the New York City Marathon on behalf of the Tug McGraw Foundation…WOO HOO!  I’m so excited to be doing this!

The tour, the training, the marathon…what a great adventure!  One of the best things about doing most of our training out here on the road is all the different locations.  One day the desert, the next day the mountains.  One day the ocean, the next day the Vegas strip.

Running across state lines and in other countries.  Up the stairs in Philly – the ones that Rocky bounded up – all while singing “Da duh…da-da-duh…da-da-DUH…da-da-duh.” It’s great! My friends and I thought, why not?  Let’s let everyone share in the adventure!

And so begins “Postcards from Deano,” kind of a “Where’s Waldo” sort of thing – minus the funny hat.  Follow me on this wild adventure across the United States, Canada, and ultimately to the finish line of the 2007 New York City Marathon.

All on behalf of great people doing great things; thanks for including me.