Rocky: the flim that started it all for me

While everyone else is anticipating the holidays and doing their last minute holiday shopping I am looking forward to the latest and final of the Rocky saga. Three decades ago, when I was just four-years–old, I fell in love with this Cinderella story.
It was 1976, and my favorite sport was boxing. Knowing that I loved the sport my grandparents took me to see this Oscar winning film. Although I was a a little young I really loved the movie and watched it many, many times after that. The movie made such a big impression on me that I really wanted to be the character Rocky. My grandmother, being so devoted to me went along with my infatuation and reenacted a few of my favorite scenes. In Rocky I, Sylvester Stallone trains by hitting a side of beef. I guess my grandmother couldn’t afford a side of beef so she got a frozen chicken and hung it by its feet. I would kick it for hours. Another time I made her put three raw eggs in a glass and feed it to me. You see I am a true Rocky fan. She also used to try to copy the ring costumes that Rocky wore in the movies. This seems funny now but back then I really loved it.
Every time a sequel of this movie would come out I would be one of the first fans in line to go see it and get all of the memorabilia from the movie. I had trading cards, punching bags, action figures, and I even had a Mr. T sprinkler. I guess I went a little overboard but I was young and the movie really inspired me to become all that I could be.
When I first heard rumors of another sequel called Rocky Balboa was coming out I couldn’t believe it. It had been more than 15 years since the last Rocky film. But once the press got wind of it the idea caught on like wildfire. Then I saw trailers on the internet and I knew that it was true. At first I didn’t think Stallone, at the age of 60, would be able to play a believable role as the same character that he last portrayed on screen more than a decade and half ago. However, I knew if anyone could do it he could. This guy does not look his age at all and he slips into this famous role like he played it yesterday.
The Rocky movies are more than films. They are stories that everyone can relate to. They are stories that motivate and inspire people to go after things they would normally only dream of. I know this because that is what these movies did for me.

The drive to compete

What drives a person to compete in a sport? For some it is a way of fitting in with their peers, for others it is an unseen force that drives them. A few months ago a friend of mine took his passion for a sport to the extreme.
I met Anthony D’Arezzo about 12 years ago when I was lifting weights at Gold's Gym with my friend Lonnie Morris. Lonnie, being a wrestler, knew quite a few weight lifters and fellow wrestlers who trained in my gym, D’Arezzo being one of many. One day Lonnie introduced me to D’Arezzo. I had seen few people with the enormous stature that this man had. He really looked like a professional wrestler or a football player for the NFL, but when he spoke to people you could tell he was very intelligent.
As time went on D’Arezzo became more and more comfortable around me. Like most people he was a little hesitant to start a conversation with me because of my disability and my speech problem. Not long after he would often give me suggestions on how to improve my workouts. The thing I most remember about D’Arezzo is he would constantly tell me to “lift lighter weights and concentrate on your form. You are not a large guy.” I always agreed with him but never really listened too much. At the time I didn’t put to much weight in his suggestions, I figured I knew my body best and I was going to lift as much as I was able to.
Over the years I didn’t see D’Arezzo as often as before, but on occasion I would run into him at a club or sporting event and he always made time to ask how I was doing. Late last spring I bumped into him several times at a Providence nightclub. This is where he informed me of his health problems and he probably would not live to an old age. Like anyone else would do I told him don’t talk like that you will be all right. He said thank you and we moved on to more pleasant conversation.
The first time I met D’Arezzo at the gym Lonnie told me stories of how competitive he was and how he was such a great wrestler at Johnston High School as well as at Boston University. Lonnie said that he had a work ethic like no other.
In recent years D’Arezzo had been diagnosed with cardiomyopathy, a type of heart disease, this condition made him stop competing in bodybuilding and reduced his training to a minimum. Although he wasn’t competing, D’Arezzo still had that competitive spirit as a personal trainer. Over the years he helped countless individuals become physically fit.
Last year, like most elite athletes D’Arezzo succumbed to the urge to compete in one last body building competition in Pittsburgh. Although his doctors were against this notion D’Arezzo had his mind made up and began to train once again, but this time harder than ever before. His training was progressing well and everything was in place for him to excel at this competition. Then it happened just an hour before he was to take the stage he collapsed and passed away in his hotel room.
Some might say that he took a risk that he shouldn’t have taken, but people like D’Arezzo with such a passion for excellence, there was no other way to live his life. D’Arezzo once said that he would rather die on a body building stage than to die of old age in a hospital. On that hot July day in Pittsburgh D’Arezzo got his wish and we all lost a great friend and motivator

Go Jay Go

Mile 14 and 17 of Marathon #2....fans, fellow guide runners, and imposters of fans and fellow guide runners

Pisano achieves goal, completes back-to-back marathons

Jason Pisano achieved one of his most ambitious goals yet last weekend, successfully completing back-to-back marathons.
The West Warwick resident, who has cerebral palsy and races by pushing himself backward in a wheelchair, first finished the Breakers Marathon in Middletown on Oct. 21 with a time of 9 hours, 33 minutes and 23 seconds.
Pisano then headed to Mystic, Conn. the next morning and completed the Mystic Country Marathon in 7:43:22.
They represented races No. 36 and 37 in his quest to finish 50 marathons.
Pisano was featured earlier this week on NBC 10. Click here to see the video clip.
Posted by Carolyn Thornton

Celebrating with Team Pisano at the Iron Man After Party

Hurting but thrilled

Team Pisano in action

52.4 miles in two days what a feeling!

Last weekend was quite a busy one for me. About six months ago, I came up with the idea to attempt back- to- back marathons this October. I have been doing marathons for 12 years, but I never had attempted a task so demanding as racing 52.4 miles in a span of two days. I signed up for the Breakers Marathon and the Mystic Places Marathon slated for October 21st and 22nd.
Last Saturday my guide runners and I arrived at Gaudet Middle School in Middletown, Rhode Island at 6 a.m., an hour before the Breakers Marathon would begin. Going into this marathon I was feeling great and I really expected to get one of my best times on this course, that was until 40 mile per hour wind gusts hit me when I was near the ocean. The first four miles flew by and I was right on pace for a personal best then the wind picked up and the next two miles took almost as long as the first four. After this occurred I knew that I would have to change my goal to just completing the race.
The Breakers course is a loop marathon with a lot of long winding hills that seem like they never end. During a loop marathon it has it’s ups and downs, the good part is you know what is coming up next the negative is you have to do the difficult parts three times. This day was quite long and took a toll on me mentally as well as physically every mile that went by I knew I was losing time but I had no choice but to push on. After eight hours on the course I very aggravated, tired and was ready to get this day over with. Just over an hour and a half later I reached the finish line in one of my slowest times in years. I completed the course in 9:28:11 but the important thing was I finished.
After that it was straight home to get ready for the next day and my next challenge, the Mystic Places Marathon in East Lyme, Connecticut. I had a good meal prepared by my stepfather and a great nights sleep. On Sunday we woke up at 5 a.m. and prepared to do it all again. It was cool out but I noticed the winds were nowhere as prominent as they had been the day before. Although I was hurting this made me more optimistic. When we arrived in East Lyme I got changed and got into my racing chair once again to warm up. This is a feeling I will never forget it really felt like I never got out of that chair and my right hip was throbbing.
At 9 a.m. my guides and I started the final half of my personal Iron man. The first three miles of this race are in the park and are all slightly uphill, this was not great for me with the way I was feeling. It took us over an hour just to get out of the park and I was thinking “Here we go again” but then one of my guides that I went to college with came up with a strategy that got me motivated and I slowly began to get back the time I had lost. At the half way mark of this marathon I was at 4:06 I wanted to do this marathon in less than eight hours, to accomplish this I would have to run the second 13 miles faster than the previous. Honestly I didn’t know how much longer my hip or my legs would hold out. With the encouragement of my guides, fellow competitors and spectators I began to feel much better. Almost every mile was getting faster and faster and eight hours no longer seemed unreachable. When I hit the 20-mile mark I was at six-hours, I knew I could achieve my goal.
Although the last six miles had a few big hills I managed to keep the pace, which allowed me to finish in 7:43:24. I was quite a bit happier with this performance than with my performance on Saturday. Now that this is over and I achieved my ultimate goal of completing two marathons back -to- back I would like to thank everyone who made it possible. I would like to thank my mother and stepfather for doing all the preparations and getting me to and from the races. I also would like to thank all my friends that came out to cheer me on. However most of all I would like to thank my three guides Dr. Scott Dresden, Nathan Tompkins and Chad Johnson. Thanks to the three of them I was able to accomplish one more of my goals. 37 down and 13 to go!

MY IRONMAN

With less than 24 hours to go till my attempt at back-to-back marathons I am focused and ready to push my body and soul to the limits. This will be my biggest challenge to date. I have been doing marathons for over 12 years but I never tackled a task as monumental as competing in two 26.2 mile marathons in a span of approximately 32 hours.
Over the past 12 weeks that I have been training, I have encountered many obstacles along the way. From daily visits to see my grandmother in a nursing home, to losing several of my guide runners, to fighting the flu and a cold, I managed to somehow keep on my training schedule. Training for a marathon for me is always a challenge even under the best of circumstances. First of all I have to make sure I get myself in tiptop shape before I can complete a race that is as draining as a marathon. In order to do this I need the time, along with the proper assistance to maintain a regular training program.
In early September I was faced with a large hurdle to overcome when one of my aides had to leave without giving any notice. Fortunately a good friend and former aide came to my assistance and found me two very quick learners to help me get back on schedule. When training for a marathon full-time your body gets run down and you are more susceptible to illness. This happened to me twice recently. Fortunately I trained through it and now am completely recovered.
Another factor for anyone training for a marathon, never mind back-to-back marathons, is time management. Because of how I race it takes me a lot longer to put in the miles needed to get my body in condition to be ready when I get to the starting line. An able-bodied runner might take an hour and a half for a long training run, while it will take me closer to three hours to complete that same distance. Along with this I have to make time for weight training, work, meals and adequate rest. All this makes for a very full day.
Fortunately I have a very loyal support system that I like to call “Team Pisano”. Team Pisano is made up of my aides, guide runners, friends and family, and sponsors. Without these special individuals I wouldn’t be able to continue my quest for 50 marathons. Tomorrow morning when I wake up at around 4 a.m. it will mark the beginning of my Iron Man weekend. Next week when I write my next column I hope to report that I successfully completed both marathons in a satisfactory amount of time. So on Monday, I’ll probably be very sore, but I should have only 13 marathons to go before I reach my ultimate goal of completing 50 career marathons.
In conclusion I would like to thank a few special people that have gone out of their way to help make this weekend a reality. The first two people I would like to thank is my coach Paul Tetreault who designed a training schedule for me to follow, and Doctor Scott Dresden from Wisconsin who will be one of my guide runners in both marathons. Next I would like to thank Chad Johnson and Nathan Thompkins who will also be my guides this weekend. Lastly I would like to thank my mother and step-father, Ray and Michele Burdick for all they did to make this weekend possible as well as for all they do for me every other day of the year.
For anyone who would like to learn more about my races or Team Pisano they can go to my blog at http://teampisano.blogspot.com/

Ready To Roll

THE QUEST FOR 50 MARATHONS FOR TEAM PISANO CONTINUES!

Where: ON SATURDAY, Team Pisano is Meeting at 951 AQUIDNECK AVENUE, IN MIDDLETOWN, RI AT 7 AM AND ON. FOR UPDATES OF PISANO'S PROGRESS THROUGHOUT THE DAY CALL 401- 255-6177.

ON SUNDAY, THE MEETING PLACE IS McCook Beach Playground in Niantic (see map)
Walking distance to Main St. Niantic Shops for food etc.
Suggest you come in off 156 (rocky neck) due to closure of Main St. Niantic
When: Sunday October 22nd 12:30 pm
(P.S. Time may be off a little, Jay may be tired because he is doing the Newport RI marathon Saturday as well!!)
How: Jay has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. He pushes himself backwards with his legs.
Why: Only Jay could answer why he does this to himself!!



SUNDAY'S Race Day Updates: Call Randy @ 860 287-6440 for Jay’s progress on the course if you need to get time narrowed down better.

For More Info: http://teampisano.blogspot.com/

http://mysticcountrymarathon.com/

15 years of racing and counting

In 1991, I entered my first road race; it was the Harvard Health 5K in Providence. Before this I had never raced a distance longer than 800 meters, but with my good friend John Gallo helping me train I decided to attempt this 3.1-mile race. After a month of training and lifting weights the day finally arrived.
It was a cool October morning and Gallo and I took our positions in the back of the pack of about 1,500 runners and joggers. We wanted to be in the rear of the pack because we knew I’d be slower than most, if not all of the participants. Back in those days I raced in an old heavy metal wheelchair which made this task that much harder.
Although I struggled and it took me a little over three hours I managed to be the only wheelchair athlete to complete the 3.1-mile course. My actions attracted so much attention I received a major police escort for the last half-mile. When I finish, exhausted but fulfilled, I was interviewed by television and newspaper reporters. It was simply amazing. Most just wanted to know what drove me to attempt such a monumental task. My answer was simple to test my limits.
Now to 2006, 15 years later, I’m proud to say both this race and myself have grown and widened our horizons. Last Sunday I competed in the 2006 CVS Pharmacy Downtown 5K. Back in 1991, I was the only disabled participant in any of the festivities. Last year the race organizers came up with the idea to have races, not only for able-bodied children, but also for disabled children as well. This was a big success but most of the disabled athletes came from Special Olympic Programs from around the state. This year the race organizers took this program to a whole new level inviting all children with disabilities to compete in this very successful event.
This year along with many Special Olympic athletes there were over 50 youth competitors from the National Disability Sports Alliance of Rhode Island (NDSA-RI). They called this part of the program “CVS All Kids Can”. It felt great to see so many kids enjoying the sport that has played such an important part in my life and my growth as an athlete.
Following the children’s event came the main event of the day, the United States Track and Field Association’s 5K National Championship. Unlike a decade-and-a- half ago, I wasn’t the only wheelchair racer in this event. There were three of us. Although we all had different levels of disabilities I felt it was important for all the people on hand to see athletics and exercise are important to all people whether you are able-bodied or disabled. As far as my own race, I was very satisfied with my performance. This race was the last competition I will be in before I attempt back-to-back marathons at the end of October. This being the case I really wanted to go out and push it to the limit. I had a very good race but I didn’t beat my personal best on this course. I finished in the time of 42:24. I was very pleased and will be thrilled if I can keep this pace throughout my marathon weekend.

A life-long friendship

What is a true friend? Well the dictionary defines a friend as, “A person you know well and regard with affection and trust.” For myself, few people embody a true friend as well as my buddy Lonnie Morris a Physical Education teacher at Coventry’s Knotty Oak Middle School..
I met Lonnie the summer before my senior year of high school in 1990. He was working on a Del’s Lemonade truck in the parking lot of Roche’s Market. My friend John Gallo and I were on the way back from the gym and John decided to stop and talk to Lonnie. The two friends talked a few minutes about their old high school football rivalry, but throughout their conversation I could see Lonnie leaning over to get a better look at me in John’s truck. He finally asked John who I was and John just said he is a friend that I lift weights with. Lonnie said hi to me and then we were on our way.
A few months later John enlisted in the Marines and I was having trouble getting personal assistants so after searching high and low Lonnie popped into my mind. I called John’s mother and asked her for Lonnie’s phone number. The next day my grandmother called Lonnie’s house and we made plans for him to come over and meet me.
It was a Sunday night and Lonnie came over to get to know me. He was only there for a few minutes, but we hit it off immediately and I knew he would be perfect for the job. He worked for me for about five years. In that time, Lonnie mastered almost everything about my many needs and myself. He went away with me on competitions, vacations, and even on my college orientation. After he graduated from Rhode Island College it was time for Lonnie to move on so he quit the job, but by that time we had developed a friendship that will last a lifetime.
Before Lonnie finished working with me he trained one of his younger teammates on the Wrestling team at Rhode Island College to take over for him. He also called on a regular basis to see how it was working out or just to get together.
As the years went by we both got busy and drifted apart but whenever something important was going on we always made time for the other. Recently I was in quite a bind when both of my male assistants had to leave suddenly, leaving me no way to train or even get out of the house. One call to Lonnie and my problems were solved. Currently Lonnie is the head wrestling coach at Johnson and Wales University and for the past five or six years he has provided me with at least two-thirds of my personal care staff in that period of time Lonnie is one of the few people that truly realize that my quality of life is directly effected by the type of aides I am able to hire.
Although we don’t get together as much as we both would like and we joke around a lot, I truly feel that he is one of my best friends and I would like to thank him for everything he has done for me over the years, although he will never convince me to be a Red Sox fan!

The Team Pisano motto thought up by team member DR. Scott Dresend

Impossible is just a big word thrown aroundby small people who find it easier to live in a world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion.Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare.Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHINGStill don't believe IMPOSSIBLE is nothing?Visit: teampisano.blogspot.com/Donate early and often!

Pisano seeks training partners

BY CAROLYN THORNTONJournal Sports Writer
HELP WANTED: Individual to train world-class disabled athlete.
POSITION TO START: Immediately.
Jason Pisano is sending out a desperate plea for help.
Just weeks away from embarking upon his most ambitious athletic endeavor yet, the wheelchair athlete has lost the services of his training partners.
The 34-year-old West Warwick resident, who has cerebral palsy and competes by pushing himself backward in the wheelchair using only his left foot, is eager to find someone to help him get his training back on track so that he can be properly prepared to attempt the Breakers Marathon in Middletown on Oct. 21 and then head to East Lyme, Conn., the following morning to compete in the Mystic Country Marathon.
"Every September, most of my aides go back to college, so I have this problem," said Pisano, communicating via e-mail by typing his responses with his toe. "Also, one of my aides was forced to get a job with medical insurance this year, and that was very sudden.
"This is a great job for college kids in physical education, special education, nursing, etc. Flexible hours!"
Pisano -- who is more than halfway toward his career goal of competing in 50 marathons -- has people lined up to assist him on the days of each marathon. Nathan Tompkins will come down from Vermont, where he is attending Champlain College in Burlington, to run the Breakers Marathon with him. And friend Chad Johnson will join him for the Mystic Country race.
But what he needs are training aides to assist him with his daily workouts leading up to the marathons.
Through his association with Johnson & Wales University wrestling coach Lonnie Morris, Pisano has been getting some help over the last couple of weeks from Peter Reilly and Josh Corona. But with both being full-time students, they aren't able to devote as much time as Pisano needs to train fully, which he estimates to be about 20 hours a week.
The person doesn't really need any special qualifications, he says: "They need to be strong enough to put me in my racing chair. They need to be willing to be trained on how I do things. They can't get frustrated, and they need to be ready to have fun!"
Pisano owns a specially equipped van that the person would need to be able to drive.
"They just need a license, a good background check and an insurance card," he said.
Pisano follows a training program designed by coach Paul Tetreault that includes a little bit of everything, including racing on the track and weightlifting.
"Paul has me everywhere -- from the grass to hills to the roads," said Pisano, who trains at the West Warwick High School Athletic Complex, the Community College of Rhode Island Field House at the Warwick campus and at Gold's Gym in Warwick.
Tetreault says that Pisano's previous aides or members of the aides' families would be able to show the new training partner the ropes.
"Depending on the person, duties may include transferring Jason into his racing chair and walking/jogging with him as he goes through his workout," Tetreault said. "My suggestion would be for the person to stay local around Jay's home until they become familiar with him. I'm sure he is quite adaptable to make anything work."
There is pay involved, adds Pisano, a freelance journalist and graduate of the University of Connecticut. But perhaps even more valuable is the opportunity to work closely with one of the most accomplished disabled athletes ever to come out of Rhode Island.
Last summer, he captured two gold medals -- in the thrust kick and the distance kick events -- at the 2005 Cerebral Palsy-International Sports and Recreation World Championships.
To learn more about Pisano, visit his Web site: http://teampisano.blogspot.com/.
Individuals interested in working with him can contact Pisano by e-mail at JPRUNR@aol.com or by phone at (401) 822-4781.
cthorn@projo.com / (401) 277-7340

A Lady who inspirres me

Recently I had an enlightening experience. After years of living with my grandmother, Barbara Pisano, we all (my family as well as her herself) decided that she was in need of living in a skilled nursing facility. In late July, grandma arrived at Riverview Healthcare Community Center in Coventry.
Loving my grandmother as much as I do, I had a very hard time dealing with this decision. I felt as if I was letting her down as her grandson. Another reason I had some hesitation about this, is that working as a journalist for close to 10 years I have heard of, and reported on many nursing home horror stories. Fortunately my fears were unfounded.
Coming to grips with the fact that home is not always the best place for a loved one getting on in years is never easy, but sometimes ends up being the best alternative for everyone involved, especially the senior. Before my grandmother moved to Riverview, she had little if any interaction with people her own age. Now, when I visit her I have to send a search party to locate her. From weekly bingo games, to bowling and visiting her many new friends, she is doing more in a day than she did in a month at home.
As for her mood and state of mind, it’s like night and day. When she was living at home she tended to be lackadaisical and withdrawn. Now when I go into her room she is enthusiastic and always wants to tell me stories or take me to meet her newest friend.
Honestly, I never thought this transition would go so well for any or us, however the opposite turned out to be true. Now not only is my grandmother receiving the type of care that she needs and rightly deserves, but my family and I no longer have to worry about leaving her for long durations of time. Knowing that she is safe and enjoying herself has put all of our minds at ease. The staff at Riverview is a group of wonderful and caring individuals. They are so caring that my grandmother no longer refers to them as her nurses, but now as her friends.
It is always difficult to have to make lifestyle changes. We often figure it would be better to keep our loved ones home as long as possible no matter how draining this may be. However, with facilities like Riverview, families such as mine can leave the nursing to professionals and enjoy quality visits daily. I know my grandmother and I are closer than every, so thank you Riverview for bringing back the grandmother I have k known and loved for so long!.

Can He Do This?

Pisano is at again. The West Warwick resident with cerebral palsy - who competes in a wheelchair, pushing himself backward with only the use of his left leg - has set another ambitious goal of doing two 26.2 marathons in a span of just 36 hours! Do you think he can do this. Leave coments and see what the experts say!

Jason's Left Foot

Back in 1999 Jason Published part of his life story in the Northeast Magazine (Hartford Courant). The cover is shown here. It is the inspiration for the bracelet design. I will soon post the text from this article. It is a great story and worth reading.

WWJPD: What Would Jason Pisano Do?

Team Pisano Member Scott Dresden wrote the following:

Next time you are too tired to get out of bed and exercise in the morning, do yourself a favor and read the following.

WWJPD?
What Would Jason Pisano Do?

In 1994 you decide to enter your first marathon. You have never walked a step in your life. You were born with a severe case of Cerebral Palsy and 90% of your body is constantly in spasm. You have controlled coordination of only your left foot. Your best friend and training partner says he doesn’t think you can make it 26.2 miles since you will have to push yourself backwards the whole way and you have never run more than 8 miles. The race organizer of the Ocean State Marathon tells you they don’t allow mobility impaired athletes in their race and you will not be recognized or supported on the route.
WWJPD? He’d start the race at 4AM, bring his own support team, take a wrong turn and go an extra mile and a half and finish the route from Narragansett to Warwick, RI in 12 and one-half hours.

In 1995 you set your sights on the granddaddy of all marathons, The Boston Marathon. The Race Organizer refuses to give you an answer about your eligibility, as it has never been run “backwards”.
WWJPD? Jason would “unofficially” run one of the hilliest courses in America with his own support team. The stir created by his accomplishment would lead to the creation of one of the most popular race classes in the Boston Marathon.

In 1997, the Ocean State Marathon finally decides to recognize your accomplishments by making you an official participant in their race. Tragically, Rachel, the 12 year-old with Leukemia that inspired you to join Team In Training and raise $1000 for her cause, dies the day before the big race. Do you pull out of the race and feel sad? Do you hold a grudge against the race official and refuse to run in the race?
WWJPD? Jason would run the race again, only this time 5 hours faster than his first, and then give his official medal to Rachel’s mother.

In 1999, Bob Teschek, the Race Organizer of the Mount Washington Road Race tells you: “This race isn’t made for wheelchairs.” Apparently a “good” wheelchair racer with the use of both of his arms had attempted the race a few years back. It turned out to be too steep and rocky for him since it is an off-road event 7.6 miles straight up from the base of the mountain to the summit.
WWJPD? Arms, arms, he don’t need no stinkin’ arms. It’s all about the toe. It’s about the heart. Jason would run up the mountain anyway. At times, the mountain was so steep; Jason would push his left foot off the anchor of his guide Randy’s foot since the loose ground wouldn’t hold him. Three hours and 59 minutes later he would unofficially finish one of the most grueling road races in America.

Move to the enlightened age of 2005. The Race Organizer of the Mystic Places Marathon in Mystic Connecticut says he will not allow you on his course as he feels you are a liability to the other participants. (Even though you safely finished 33 other races over the past 11 years!)
WWJPD? Jason would send over his friend the state trooper to explain to the director how unsafe things really could be. The race ends up being held during a torrential downpour, causing many to drop out. Jason finishes frozen to the core. A week later he ran his 12th consecutive Boston Marathon.

It is now 2006, and after training for 4 months, you come down with a mouth full of ulcers and a virus two days before the Boston Marathon. Your family and doctor tell you not to take any chances and to drop out of the competition.
WWJPD? Jason would run it anyway. He would tear out the first 10K like a bat out of hell, get fried in the heat, but fight through it to finish his 35th consecutive marathon.

Would you feel sorry for yourself if you had Cerebral Palsy? WWJPD? He’d move away from home after graduating in the top 20% of his high school class. He’d move into the dormitory at college and party with the rest of his classmates. He’d get a degree in Journalism from the University of Connecticut and succeed as a freelance journalist. He’d become an international athlete and win two gold medals at the Cerebral Palsy World Games. He’s set a goal to do not 1 marathon, but 50. “A lot of people think Jason Pisano should feel bad for himself, but he's too busy doing other things.”

Run Faster With the Team Pisano Bracelet

The Team Pisano bracelets are in!! Courtesy of Scott Dresden. These things are awesome. I love the design. Nice job Scott! I put mine on tonight and I feel faster already! Drop a line if anyone would like one before they are all gone!

Baily's Garden

My next door neighbor is well into a project to build a fully accessible playgroud in memory of his daughter. You can check it out at www.baileysgarden.org . Check out the pictures of the playground design. Keep in mind this will be in my home town so you can come and visit and see this final product. When no one is looking we will definetly try it out, even though we are over the age limit. The website gives info on how to donate. But here it is as well.
Donations may be made to:

Bailey's Garden Fund
c/o The Community Foundation of the Tri-County Area
676 Main Street 4th floor
Willimantic, CT 06226

First race for NDSA-RI

Last Saturday afternoon I participated in my first competition for the newly formed NSDA-RI Road Racing Team, the St. Mary’s Feast 5.5-Miler. Under gray skies and breezy conditions my aide/guide Nathan and I took to the streets of the Knightsville section of Cranston to mark the beginning of this new inclusive (able-bodied and disabled) athletic program
Because this program is fairly new I was the sole representative of the group. Being in the midst of training for two marathons coming up this fall my sprinting speed is not what I’d like it to be, but I went out there to run the best time I could.
As I started 35 minutes before all of the other runners I felt a little tight but very strong. Having rained before the race my footing was kind of slick but I’ve been training on all surfaces recently so this didn’t hamper me much. I passed the mile-1 mark in just under 17 minutes. This was slower than my average mile but faster than I usually start a race. It takes me a while to get warmed-up and find my rhythm, but the longer I go the stronger I seem to get. This is great in a long race such as a marathon, but in shorter distances I tend to press myself to get into this rhythm much sooner.
As the race went on I continued to feel strong and slowly picked up my pace. I passed the 3-mile mark in slightly over 49 minutes. Right there I was four minutes behind my target pace and with the hilliest portion of the race yet to come I just hoped I could keep that pace and not lose anymore valuable minutes.
As we were approaching the 4-mile mark the top runners passed us. As the leader blew by me on a short uphill, he shouted a word of encouragement and gave me a quick wave. A few minutes later the main pack caught us. Almost every runner, jogger or walker, no matter how tired they were or how much they were struggling, took a second to clap for me or pat me on the back.
I ended up finishing the race in 1 hour, 26 minutes, and 41 seconds. This wasn’t my best time on this course but it was not my worst either. All in all I feel this was a perfect tune-up for the Blessing of the Fleet 10-mile Road Race that I’ll be doing later today in Narragansett.
Racing has done so much for me over the years. I also feel that I have had an inspiring impact on so many runners, joggers, walkers and wheelers over the past 12 years. By assisting in getting this road race team up and running I hope to further raise awareness of what people with disabilities are capable of.
People looking to join the NDSA-RI Road Race Team can get more information by emailing me at jprunr@aol.com or call NDSA Executive Director, Jerry McCole at 792-7130. Information can also be obtained at: http://teampisano.blogspot.com/

High tempts, pouring rain, and streaks of lightning couldn't stop me

Last Friday evening, I competed in the 35 Annual Narragansett Lions Blessing of the Fleet 10-mile Road Race, held in Narragansett. This has become one of my favorite races to do each year. This 10-mile foot race is one of the oldest and most popular races in Rhode Island. People come from near and far to run this oceanfront course.
This was my tenth consecutive years competing in this race. Usually I like to use this race to mark the beginning of my marathon training, but because this year I’m doing back-to-back marathons in October I forwent the track & field season and started my marathon training about a month earlier than normal. Because I’m going need to be in the best shape of my life to be able to accomplish my goal in October, my coach decided to design a program to build my strength and endurance slowly. This was a great idea but really limited the number of miles I could do in preparing for the Blessing. This had me a little bit nervous but I still knew I’d have no problem with the 10-mile distance.
Along with short runs on the West Warwick High School grounds and inside the West Warwick Athletic Complex, I also tested myself the St. Mary’s 5.5-Miler, in Cranston. This race has a slightly hilly course and really let me test my endurance. I finished this race a few minutes slower than last year, but still was happy with my performance. I felt strong at the St. Mary’s Race but I still thought I needed to train more in the heat, so for the next week, my aide Nathan and I made sure we trained in the hottest part of the day. This wasn’t very pleasant but we knew it would pay off on Friday during the race.
It was very warm and humid on the day of the race and thunder storms were forecast for later that day. This made me rethink my strategy. I planned to go out slow for the first five miles, but with the threat of lightening and downpours, I decided to go out hard right from the start. As I was warming up I had a good feeling about how I was going to perform.
I rolled up to the starting line about 5 minutes before the gun sounding. We went off with the walkers so the first mile was kind of crowded but faster than usual. It took us a while to get some breathing room and pick up the pace. We passed the three-mile mark in just over 45 minutes. This was a great pace for me and I just wanted to keep it going. Between the fifth and sixth-mile point I sort of lost my rhythm and fell way off pace. I passed the 6-mile mark in about an hour and 41 minutes, this was about 13 minutes the pace that I hoped to keep. I had wanted to finish this 10-mile race in less than 2 hour and 30 minutes. At this pace, there was no way that I would finish close to that time. And if things weren’t worse enough, at this point the skies decided to open up and thunder and lightning were with us for the remainder of thee race.
The next two-mile were on back road and were mostly shaded by trees, so we had a little reprieve from the torrential rain. This helped me get back on stride.
Although I was soaked to the bone and slipping in the countless deep puddles, all in all I was really feeling good. We passed the eight-mile maker in 2 hour and 12 minutes, we were still 10 minutes off of my goal pace but by now time wasn’t the main thing, finishing was. The final two miles of this 10-mi.le trek were my best and we crossed the finish line in 2 hours 40 minutes, and 42 seconds. This wasn’t my personal best time for this course but I was very happy I hung in there and overcame all the obstacles that U faced that day.
There’s an old saying that like, it is “Whatever doesn’t kill you will make you stronger”. If this saying is true I’m a much stronger person than a week ago at this time!

People asked How can I Support the Team?

Friends have recently asked me how they can help support Jasons training and racing. Jason does have a travel and training fund set up through the NDSA (National Disability Sports Alliance) in Kingston Rhode Island. It is a 501C(3) non-profit organization. You can donate specifically to individual athletes. To do this make checks payable to

NDSA Travel and Training Fund (Jason Pisano)

Mail Checks to:
Jerry McCole
National Disability Sports Alliance
25 West Independence Way
South Kingston, RI 02881

If you have questions contact Jerry McCole 401 792-7130

The Ultimate Challange

This fall will mark my 12th consecutive year of competing in marathons. When I started doing these grueling endurance 26.2-mile-races my sole goal was to finish, but as I became a more experienced marathoner I began to train harder and set higher goals than just finishing. Over the past 12 years, I have raced in and under almost all conditions, but this October I will be faced with my largest challenge to date. I will be attempting two marathons in a span of just two days, the Breakers Marathon in Middletown, RI on October 21st and the Mystic Marathon in East Lyme Conn. On October 22nd
In the past I have raced with a wide variety of obstacles, but none have stood in the way of the finish line and me. My first marathon was the1994 Ocean State Marathon. That day I dealt with unseasonably warm temperatures for 12 hours to cross the finish line in total darkness. In 1996, I braved 28-degree weather to complete the New York City Marathon. In Boston in 1997, I raced with third degree burns on my foot from an accident at college. I could go on and on but I think I’ve made my point. I never back down from any challenge.
Because of my disability I rely on guides to steer and brake my racing chair on the downhill portions of the courses. Throughout my entire marathon career I’ve only done five marathons without the guidance of my best friend from college Randy Spellman. Not only is Randy my best friend, he is also one of, if not my fastest guide runners that I race with. Usually each October we choose one local marathon to do and then a couple of weeks later we head off to participate in the New York Marathon. Earlier this spring I learned that this year would not be the usual yearly routine. Randy came over and gave me the good news that he and his wife Jenny would be expecting their first child some time in October. I was very happy for them, but I knew, without Randy, New York would be out of the question for this year. This forced me to go on a hunt for another local marathon this fall.
After weeks of searching and asking around I found a marathon where I could have one of my other college friends accompany me. It was the Mystic Places Marathon. This marathon is a great race but the only drawback about this year’s race is that it’s going to be held the day after the Breakers Marathon This means I have to run 52.4-miles in less than a 36 hour span.
I have run two marathons in a week, but I’ve never attempted a task so ambitious as this. Climbing Mount Washington, qualifying for two International track meets, and completing 35 marathons are all accomplishments that I’m very proud of but this will show everyone the type of training I put myself through for each of these races. Not many able-bodied athletes would attempt back-to-back marathons, so I feel when I complete this it truly will be something special.
Everyone is always asking me, “When are you going to do the Iron Man?” Well I can’t swim, so I guess in a sense this will be my personal Iron Man!

2005 Boston Marathon: a warm up for the World Games

On Monday, April 18th, I attempted to complete my 10th consecutive Boston Marathon. It was my32nd career marathon on the road to my goal of 50. I ventured into this marathon less prepared than I have been in other years, because I’ve been spending the majority of my time training for the Cerebral Palsy World Games, held in Connecticut this July. Training for short track events increases a my sprinting speed, but it also takes away from my endurance, which is crucial to completing a 26.2 mile race.
Going into this year’s Boston Marathon, I wasn’t as worried about turning in a personal best time, but I was working to finish the trek in a respectable time without injuring myself. At 6:30 a.m., I headed out with my stepfather and two guide runners (friends) to Hopkinton, MA. This is where this historic race begins each year. It was extremely warm on Monday- so warm so that I was sweating just warming up. I knew it was going to be a long, hot day. Fluids were essential to staying hydrated.
Being in the Mobility Impaired Division, I began the race at 10 a.m., two hours before the other 20,000 runners. Right from the start, I felt great. The unseasonably warm temperatures allowed me to warm up much faster than usual.
The first eight miles flew by. I was at 1 hour 51 minutes at the eight-mile mark. I was very happy with that time, but shortly thereafter the headwinds started to kick up. The next eight miles were a fight against the wind. At the 16-mile mark, I was at 4 hours 51 minutes. This is when I knew I had no shot at my personal best time- 6 hours 32 minutes (my time at last year’s Boston Marathon). I still had 10 miles to go, and the hardest portion of the race lay just ahead.
Miles 18 to 22 at the Boston Marathon are known as “Heartbreak Hill”. There are three major hills that come one after another. This is where many people give in to their exhaustion and call it a day. This year was no exception. With the warm temperatures and strong wind, I saw many runners fall and pass out. Fortunately, I was able to conquer the hills with ease.
At Mile 23, I was at 6 hours and 35 minutes. This was not my best time, but it wasn’t my worst either. I was determined to push hard and get the best time possible. At 7 hours, 23 minute, and 25 seconds I crossed the finish line in the heart of Boston.
By this time, it was 5:23 p.m., and the elite runners had crossed the finish line over three hours before I did. Surprisingly though, there were still people cheering at the finish line. They cheered me through to my 32nd successful marathon finish, and it felt just as good as it has every other time. Stay tuned.

WELCOME TO TEAM PISANO: THE QUEST FOR 5O MARATHONS

The final countdown.

This is a picture that a local newspaper snaped of me practicing the Thrust Kick. The Thrust Kick is simular to the able-bodied shot-put. The next day I would win the World Chamionship in this event and a few days later I would do the same in the Distant Kick event.

Nothing feels like winning two world titles

In early January, I was notified that I had been selected to represent the United States in the 2005 Cerebral Palsy World Games, to be held July 2nd – 11th, on the campus of Connecticut College, in New London, Connecticut. I was very honored because the United States only selected 47 athletes to represent our nation.
I began training for this world-class athletic competition during he first week of February. When I was selected to be a member of Team USA I had only qualified in one event, the 100 meter dash. Don’t get me wrong, even only competing in one event would be an honor, but I really wanted to see if I could meet the international qualifying standards and add a couple more events. Training for a track competition in the winter is not an easy task. Cold temperatures, snow, and ice forced me to train indoors at the West Warwick Complex most of the time. This was alright, but there’s no way to train at the same intensity as if I was on an outdoor track.
The snow and ice finally stopped by April, and I was able to take my training outside. This is also when I acquired the assistance of North Kingstown High School Cross Country Coach Paul Tetreault. Paul was my coach when I was just starting off in track, and is very knowledgeable about the sport of track and Field.
Over the past five months I have pushed my body to limits that I’ve experienced before. I trained on hills, grass, lifted a lot of weights, and learned to relax. All these things, along with Paul’s coaching have allowed me to qualify in three additional events - the 200-meter, thrust kick, and the distant kick. I will be challenging for world titles in four different competitions in New London next week.
Whether I win a medal or not, this competition will be the pinnacle of my athletic career. I will be among 1,000 of the best physically challenged athletes from 36 countries from around the world. This is, in essence, my Olympic dream. I have been competing all my life, but when you have the opportunity to represent your country, the honor you feel is indescribable. I dream of the chant 'USA, USA, USA' every night when I lie down to go to sleep.
On Sunday, my assistant Jim Bob and I will be checking into our dorm room along side the other team USA members. I’m eager to see what awaits me. I am focused on my events, but I also feel this will be a good life experience. What other time in my life will I get to meet and experience how people live from all over the world?
In closing, I’d like to thank all my assistants, my family, and all the people who have supported me since I began training for this event. Without their support, I would never have the opportunity to live out this dream!

The high point in my athletic career

After eight months, 491 hours of training on the track, over 5,000 kicks, and endless hours lifting weights, last week my life-long dream/s came true. I was honored to add two gold medals to Team USA’s medal tally at the 2005 CP-ISRA (Cerebral Palsy International Sports and Recreation Association) World Games at Connecticut College, in New London, Conn. Theses games united over 1,000 of the best physically challenged athletes from 36 nations together to compete for world titles in nine different sporting events.
I have been competing in sporting events for over 25 years, but I’ve never experience anything like this event. This competition had a true Olympic feel to it. All 47 members of Team USA worked as one big family throughout this nine-day event. We did everything as a team. We ate, trained, and socialize as a cohesive unit. We (athletes and coaches) came from all over the United States, but we all had one thing in common; representing the US to the highest level.
For the first four days we trained and looked forward to the amazing opening ceremonies. I cannot find the words to say how I felt when I paraded across the field, as a member of Team USA. The pride I felt is overwhelming.
Thursday marked the beginning of my competition. First up was the 100-meter. Wednesday night I thing I only slept about one hour. I was so nervous. This was only my second time competing on the international level and the first time biding for a world championship, I knew I was a heavy underdog, so I just decided t go out there and run the best race I could. When I rolled up to the starting line my stomach was doing back flips. A few seconds later the gun went off and my dream had begun. I didn’t medal in the 100-meter, but I did turn in one of my better times. I came across the finish line in 46:07 seconds.
I had thought I would have Friday off, but while I was relaxing on Thursday evening at 10 p.m. in the Team USA lounge my head coach notified me that the distant kick, my first field event, was moved to 11 a.m. on Friday morning. At this moment I had to switch my entire frame of mind. I knew my best chance for a medal was in both my field events, so I was excited but still quite nervous.
Friday morning was a chilly and rainy one. I arrived at the field over an hour early to get warmed up I felt very good, but the event was to be held on Astroturf and I had never kicked on that surface. Once my events kicked into gear, I clinched two gold medals in both of my field events. The last day I competed in the 200-meter. Once again I turned in a great time, but didn’t medal.
This entire competition was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. As they called my name to take the podium in front of the United States flag I realized how proud I was to have had the honor of representing our nation in these games.

33 was a war

Preparing to compete in a marathon is similar to a boxer training for a big fight. You can put all the miles in, lift all the weights, and plan a strategy, but when it comes down to it, there’s really nothing you can do to be prepared for the many factors that you might encounter on your 26.2-mile journey. I was taught this lesson once again by Mother Nature last Saturday, as I tackled the Newport Breakers Marathon.
Now that I’m an experienced marathoner I set my goals high going into each race. On this day I really felt well prepared so I set my goal very high. I wanted to cover the 26.2-mile course and cross the finish line in less than six-and-a half hours, however this was not in the cards for me on this day.
The race started off very well. I was on pace to set a personal best time through six miles. I was at 1 hour and 28 minutes, two minutes under my goal pace of fifteen-minute miles. As we reached the six-and-a half mark the skies opened up and it began to rain. This usually is not a big deal. I actually enjoy running in the rain, but this course was a loop course with long steady uphill stretches. Some hills felt that they were never going to end. The rain and wet leaves also hampered my leg drive, which slow my pace drastically.
As I reached the halfway mark of the marathon I knew this was going be one of my slowest times in years, but I was still determined to finish and keep my consecutive marathon streak going. This was not a race anymore; instead it turned into a test of will.
As each mile went by slower and slower I began to get frustrated. My two friends/guides, Randy and Karleen, who accompanied me the entire way kept me in a positive mind frame. They told me just keep pushing hard and concentrate on finishing the race. I took their advice and pushed on. After injuring my foot in between miles 15 and 16, the task became that much harder. Now along with all my other aches and pains I had from going 16 miles I had to baby the one part of my body that I can always count on; my left foot.
This injury made me have to change my strategy once again. I usually do 80 percent of the work with my left foot, now because I felt a sharp pain each time I push off of it, I was forced to use my weaker leg to compensate. Although it was painful, I was more frustrated. As the clock hit eight hours, I was really beat both mentally as well as physically. I decided I was going to use whatever I needed to win this battle.
Cold, soaked to the bone, and hurting, I crossed the line in a time of 8 hours 41 minutes, and 11 seconds. This was much slower than I planned, but I really feel it was one of my rewarding performances. Sure I enjoy when I have a perfect race and am able to set a personal best, but it’s almost or even more fulfilling to have to overcome a series of events to achieve a goal.
Now I’ll take a few days to heal before starting to prepare for the New York Marathon on November 6th. Although I enjoy a good challenge, Newport was enough to last me awhile. Next week I’ll be praying for sunny skies and mild temperatures, as I look to take a bite out of the Big Apple by completing the 2005 INC New York City Marathon. If I am successful I will only have 16 more steps to my ultimate goal of 50 career marathons.

Number 34 was rewarding and victorious

Oh what a difference two weeks can make. On October 22, I struggled in cool temperatures and pouring rain in Newport to finish my 33rd career marathon. Just 15 days later I found myself in the Big Apple competing in the 2005 Ing. New York City Marathon and these two experiences could not have been more different. As much as I struggled in the Newport race, I thrived on the streets of New York City.
Because of my disability, Cerebral Palsy, I prefer to race in warmer weather because the temperature allows more flexibility in my muscles, enabling me to find a rhythm. I couldn’t have had asked for better weather on November 6, the day of the New York Marathon. With sunny skies and temperatures in the high 60’s I knew it was going to be a good race and was eager to hit the road and get rolling on my 26.2-mile journey. Another advantage New York had over Newport; a competitor. It is very rare for me to have someone to race against who competes in the same fashion as me, pushing backwards in a wheelchair with their legs, but that’s exactly what I encountered in New York.
His name is Bill Reilly from New York. We have competed against each other in track & field quite a few times, but only squared off in a marathon once before, at last year’s New York Marathon. I crossed the finish line an hour-and-and-half before my rival in 2004 and this year I was determined to defeat him again but hopefully by a much larger margin.
As the starting time approached, and just inches away from Reilly, I was anxious to get started and could tell he was as well. At 8 a.m. the gun went off and the race began. I had raced against Reilly in short races on the track, but I’ve never seen him take off with the speed he did on this day. The second the gun went off he sprinted up the ¾ mile bridge and never looked back. This made me a nervous but my coach had warned me that Reilly would probably start strong, but that I should stick to my game plan and let him wear himself out. I took his advice and just concentrated on my race.
My first mile was a little slow but soon after I was warmed up and in my rhythm. After cranking out a few 12-minute miles my guides gave me the word that Reilly was in sight. A few minutes later I overtook him on a downhill. I never saw him again after that. That was mile six and it was just a race against the clock now.
I turned in my best time on the New York course in 1999. My time was 7 hours 29 minutes and 14 seconds. This year I hit the halfway mark (13.1 mile mark) at 3 hours and 29 minutes, so I knew a personal best was within reach. Each mile I felt stronger and stronger and was really enjoying everything about this race. Even the uphill portions of the course seemed to go by fast. It was like I was in a zone and my body was performing perfectly.
As I hit the 20-mile mark I was approaching 5 hours and 30 minutes. I knew I had a true shot at crossing the finish line in less than 7 hours but I’d really have to push it. As we got closer to the end of the race the street became crowded. Between the other runners and the enormous amount of spectators there was little space to maneuver. A few times I even hit people’s heels almost causing my chair to tip over. Following those close calls, I decided to play it safe and just keep a steady pace.
Before I knew it I had less than a mile to go and crossed the line with a pretty large crowd watching. My time was 7 hours 7 minutes and 39 seconds. I didn’t manage to break 7 hours, but I did set a personal best, beating my previous best by a little less than 22 minutes.
I was very pleased with my performance and I was even more pleased when I learned I had defeated Reilly by a little more than 3 hours. I’m thrilled to have set a personal best, and satisfied to surpass another athlete in my class. Now I’ll take it easy a little while and rest up over the holiday season. In January it’s back to training hard. That’s when I’ll begin to prepare to conquer the Boston Marathon once again in the spring. When I cross the line at Boston I’ll only have 15 marathons to go to my ultimate goal or completing 50.

Testing a Movie Post

Here is the film of Jason's finish, not sure if I can upload this or not.

Boston Marathon Pic 10

Here he is on the last stretch, 100 meters or so from the finish of his 35th marathon.

Boston Marathon Pic 9

Here's the World War I Ace making his way up a few last hills into Boston. You can almost smell the Fenway Franks.

Boston Marathon Pic 8

I almost got to talk to the superstar today. I received a call at work. It was Gramma Pisano. "Rann, its Gramma...hey give us a call back ok??" So I did. I talked to Gramma for a little, chit chattn' about this and that. Then she says, "Jay's out right now Ran, can you call back later?" So here I am again posting to my Jason Pisano fan site.

Jason has disappeared!!

This is an immediate call for smack talk. It's the only thing Jason responds to. I haven't heard from him in days. It's too early to be hangning out at the beach and Harbour Side so I have no idea what he is up to. He could be training to beat Lance in the New York Marathon who knows. He used to be my hero...maybe since I started this blog he thinks I'm stalking him. I've run over 30 marathons with you Jay...and what do I get? ...a cold shoulder...You're not even that fast Jay!!..I'm cheering for Lance ..go Lance!! No Boston pic today...I refuse. Here's a pic of Jay partying it up in Mexico...

Boston Marathon Pic 7

Here's Pisano chipping away at heart break hill. Yeah!!!

Boston Marathon Pic 6

Often in our rides to the start line we listen to Cake's "Going the distance". Jay, check out the sign this girl is holding. I just noticed today what it said.

Recovered and Ready for another...Randy

Boston Marathon Pic 5

After the first "official" wheelchair racers caught us, we were caught by Rick and Dick Hoyt. Check these guys out at www.teamhoyt.com. Read their book "It's only a Mountain". Next pic...the girls of Wellesley college scream for Jay!

Boston Marathon Pic 4

The start of the race for the "mobility impaired" division was at 10am so Jason had some time to get out and moving on the course. Here he is out on the course playing cat and mouse with the others that started at 10am.

Boston Marathon Pic 3

Here is Jay poised to lay waste to the 2006 Boston Marathon course. From Hopkinton it is straight downhill. That's where the guide runners come in. Our job is to steer and slow him down as he goes downhill. His pace is on the downhills is limitted to how fast we can run and maintain control. As far as any forward momentum it is all him. So NO he is not that guy that I push in the marathons!!

Boston Marathon Pic 2

Here is one more in the Elementary School. Jay all suited up in his chair and ready to head to the starting line.

Daily Boson Marathon Pic 1

Over the next few days I'll share some pics of Team Pisano in this year's Boston Marathon. Here is a pic of Jason Pisano resting in the elementary school in Hopkinton Mass a few hours before the start. Behind him is his racing chair and on the floor our guide bibs.

Randy

You Know You're Brothers When...

As this blog has no timelines or general outline of stories I will randomly jump to one I promised a friend I would tell. So, Arghh mateys sit back and listen to the story of Jay and the giant clam.

I had been working with Jay for a year or two up at UConn, where we went to college together. At UConn I helped him with whatever he needed. Being in a wheelchair and having no real control over his arms etc...he needs a lot of the little things. A push to class, someone to take notes, pick up the phone etc...I was particularly talented at holding his beer at Teds or Huskies. I quickly learned that if you were friends with Jay you didn't act like...oh Jay here you go, do you got it..is that ok...can I get you anything else...It's more like stick the straw in is face and hope you have time to drink your own before he is done and wants another. So anyway after the semesters were done I ended up working for him at home during the summer. He needed someone to help him, I needed a job, we both wanted to go out, work out and hang at the beach. It was an easy decision.

It was something like the summer of 1995. It was a hot summer day and Jay, myself, his family, their friends, their friends kids, their friends' friends and maybe their gardner were all on vacation at a beach house in Naragansett Rhode Island. Jay was spending the day working on a big 5lb, maybe more, bucket of muscles that they bought for him at the local docks. Whatever those things were they were like the most seafood you could get for the cheapest price. He ate all afternoon until we were ready to go out for the night

Three or four beers passed the muscles clams, whatever, Jason's mom realized that I was looking a little tipsy myself. "I know you say thats the same beer you started with but I will drive you guys down to the Coast Guard House and you can call me when you are ready to come home. Of course we didn't call and at about 2:00 am they found us in the upstairs bar sipping a free drink from the owner or maybe some other nice person who knew Jay from here or there. It was time to go home and to bed.

I was out cold, deep asleep when I heard him yelling. We were sleeping in the living room with big cathedral ceilings and a hallway with doors to all the other bedrooms just above us. "Randy," he yelled. "I need to get up". "Yeah okay" I said still sleeping away. "Hey" Jay yelled. "What Jay, What?!!" I cried back. "Shut up!" someone up stairs moaned. Calmy he said,"I'm gonna get sick." "What, sick! okay, I'm up, I'm up" I said as I jumped off the couch and tripped over his mattress on the floor. "Just get me up" he said.

So I bent down and grabbed him like a wrestler and flung him up ready to sit him quickly into his chair. I didn't have his arms held and they swing all about whereever they want. Jays arm stretched out and hit the light switch. It wasn't just one switch it was one of those multi switch panels controlling all the indoor lights, outdoor, fans and who knows what eles. "ahhh what the heck," every one starts yelling "turn the lights off!!!"

I dropped Jay into his wheelchair. Turned off the lights and felt much better. I sighed, noticed my mouth was pretty dry. It felt great to be in the dark again and my eyes relaxed back to their sleepy mode. I figured I'd hit the head so..."Hey!!" Jason yelled at me. "What are you doing?" he said, slumped over in his chair a gurgling volcano of muscles and Natty Ice. "oh yeah" I said, and I felt my way to the kitchen stubbing my toes on furniture and beach toys.

Finally I made it to the cubbard, at least it felt like a cuppard and it was. Opening it let out a crash of dishes put away by careless vacationers more concerned about playing screw your neighbor. I was in too much of a hurry to care about the noise then, as I sensed Jay getting closer and closer to eruption. One pot..too small, the next too big and heavy, that one's for the lobster tomorrow, plastic? no.., frying pan no , cup (shouldn't be in here)......YESSS! perfecto, good size, feels pretty old and beat up and not too heavy.

This is where they play Chariots of fire as I run across the room, one arm stretched out with the pot in hand, the other feeling my way. I made it just in time. I was good, I was real good. I've never smelled so many nasty pieces and parts in my life. I turned my head and covered my nose with my free arm. Jay yelled to me again, "Hey". I just ignored him, tucked my head into my shirt like a turtle and pinched my nose "It's okay Jay", I muffeld out. "HEYehhyyyyy!!!" "Idiot, Idiot he he yelled and kicked me. "What now Jay?, What??" I said.

Jay looked up. "It's a strainer".

Introducing Jason Pisano-His Own Words

This past Monday my two guides and I set out to complete the 110 Boston Marathon. This was my 11th consecutive year racing this historic course. Like every year, I put myself through four months of intense training so I would be prepared for any extra challenge that might present its’ self on Marathon Monday.
The Boston Marathon is one, if not, the most difficult marathon to run in the world. To attempt this 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton to downtown Boston, one must be both ready mentally and physically to push their bodies to the absolute limits. This year I trained very hard and was probably in the best shape of my life. I really thought I had an excellent chance at setting a personal record on this course, but then it happen.
Two days before the marathon I woke up with a tooth ache and this virus that left all sores in my mouth. I was definitely not happy. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed never mind doing a marathon, but something inside me enjoys an extra challenge, so I decided I was going to race as planned.
Easter morning I went on my final training session. I only went out for 30 or 40 minutes just to loosen up my muscle and I felt OK but I knew I wasn’t going be at full strength. For the rest of the holiday I just relaxed and tried to focus on the race.
After a light supper and watching Rocky IV for the 1,000 times I felt a little better. After a hot shower I went to bed nice and early so I’d be fresh for my 5:30 a.m. wake-up call. I slept well but still didn’t feel at full strength. After dressing and a quick bite to eat, we were off to the staging area. I slept the entire hour ride to Hopkinton. When arrived at the small grammar school where the wheelchair athletes dress and warm-up it was extremely cold. I actually think it was warmer outside than in that school. After we get all set and I was properly in my racing chair we headed up to the starting area. Like each year this area was mobbed with media and spectators. This kind of got me psyched and made me forget about not feeling up to par. After about 20 minutes of giving interviews and warming-up it was show time.
At 10 a.m. I started the race with the Mobility Impaired Division. I still felt a little weak but I was going faster than normal. I passed the eight-mile mark in 1 hour and 53 minutes. I was psyched but still did not feel myself. This is when I fell apart. The next five miles took me almost as long as it took me to do the first eight miles. Right then I knew I was in trouble. I was struggling and Heartbreak Hill (five miles of up-hill) was just a few miles away. Although I knew this was going be my one of my slowest times at Boston I knew I had to push on.
The next 13 miles were brutal. Each year the hills seem to get bigger and longer, or it could just be me getting older. This is the portion of the race where every push hurts so badly. This is also the portion of the course where I get the most encouragement. So many people, runners and spectators, took time to tell me how much I inspire them, or how much they look forward to seeing me struggling up those hills each year. Even if I had ever thought about quitting how could I after hearing all that encouragement.
Finally I sprinted over the line in the heart of Boston in a time of 8 hours, 43 minutes, and 3 seconds. Like any competitive athlete I was very disappointed in my performance, but then I thought of something my friends and family always ask me; “Why do you put yourself through all this?” My answer is because I can.
I can do something that most people cannot ever do. I can show people life is all that you make it. Yes, Monday certainly was not a great day for me, but that does not mean I threw in the towel. These kinds of days only make you stronger for future endeavors. Hopefully everyone appreciated my efforts and I’ll be able to return to Boston next April and really show them my best.

Jason Pisano Finishes 35th Marathon

Hello All,
On Monday one of my best friends finished his 35th marathon! Picture yourself somewhat spastic with little coordiation of your major muscle groups. You are in into wheelchair, arms tied down so you don't accidentally hit anyone. What do you do now? Start pushing...with your legs that is..backwards...for 26.2 miles. That's what my buddy Jay does and has been doing for over 10 years. This Monday he finished the Boston marathon (his 35th total). He claims that we are done when he finishes 50 total. We will see. I created this blog to begin telling his story and the adventures with various characters collectively known as Team Pisano.