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I am runner number 26323 in the ING New York City Marathon.

The Time is Now.

After chronicling my odyssey all season, since I started distance running last December, it is time. I just returned from the World Series in Denver, where we put the 103rd Fall Classic to bed, where I spent so much time talking with Red Sox fans and writing their stories on MLB.com, and looking back I have to say that it was the best Major League Baseball season that I remember in my lifetime. I will put it up there with '41, '69 or any other season from the past that has inspired so many books and legends. No year ever could match this one for magical milestones (3000/500s/600/300 and important records (home run king), 3 no-hitters, unprecedented competitiveness involving seemingly everyone into September, and a fourth straight year of overall record attendance. It is simply the greatest time in baseball history. And that's saying something with this sport. This year had it all, and in the end it had the team with the best record winning the world championship. Congrats again to the Red Sox. I was there for both of their sweeps, at St. Louis and at Colorado, and this one was just as sweet for them. My favorite memory will be of being in Cleveland's visitor's clubhouse at about 2 a.m. on getaway night after Game 5, and Manny is sitting there wearing a ridiculous purple tie and black pants, and Big Papi gets up from the couch next to him, walks around the media and comes back and says to him: "Why don't you tell them where the funeral is." Just being around Manny is funny.

Now it is time for the other marathon. The New York City Marathon. I am ready for my first 26.2. I just watched a commercial for it on NBC here in Manhattan, and that just got me a little nervous. I have been visualizing it, mainly by using this youtube video. One of my Team for Kids teammates posted the link on our site, and I think it is a great example of how today's technology lets an athlete visualize better than ever.

My goal is to finish between 4:30 and 5:45. I drained myself with a bug on the final weekend in Denver and am spending this final week replenishing, constantly hydrating, eating right. Starting tomorrow, I will begin carbing up. The TFK coaches have been incredible, all of them veterans of this event. I am also VERY proud to say that I raised over $2700 for Team for Kids, well over my required fundraising amount to run this year's marathon. Next year I am already guaranteed entry, and I already know that I will want to help a cause in pursuit of that one as well even if it's not required. It is one of the best things about being a runner, to me. I love running, and now I have a big, scary, incredible race about to happen.

I have been cranking my favorite training tune loud -- Nelly's Heart of a Champion. That's my theme for this one. I have learned to overcome so many things. I am looking forward to putting the new beginning and ending on my 210-page manuscript "Trees and Numbers" after I finish this marathon, or at least after I recover from it. Never have I seen a greater example of Trees and Numbers than this booming sport, where the Half-Marathon is now so common in small towns everywhere. I know that I have timed this one perfectly, this boom and this book audience. I am so excited about that, and my next big goal will be a bestseller in the next 18 months. But enough talk. It's time to run. Thank you all for spending a marathon season with me. Baseball is over, and now it's my other big event.

I am runner 26323 in the ING New York City Marathon.

Only 39 days till the ING New York City Marathon. Plantar fasciitis in my right foot is the third consecutive injury I have dealt with in rapid-fire succession. Today was my fourth "rehab run" and after five miles the pain was too much to run through. Have decided to once again shut it down for a couple of weeks, and fortunately I will have access to hotel health clubs everywhere I go because . . . .

It's time for some October baseball! We're in the final days of deciding the postseason berths after the most historic, spectacular regular season in the history of Major League Baseball. (My MLB.com article here.). We have had more major milestones than ever (by a mile). There was even that day when Frank Thomas hit his 500th, followed at night by Craig Biggio's truly unforgettable 5-for-5 performance that included hit No. 3,000. Tom Glavine got his 300th win and Roger Clemens his 350th. A-Rod and Jim Thome joined the 500 HR Club. Sammy Sosa hit his 600th (Junior Griffey will do it next spring, when Manny gets his 500th). Trevor Hoffman became the first pitcher to reach 500 saves.

And, of course, there was the chase that resulted in a new home run king and a change of the guard for the most hallowed individual record in any sport, professional or amateur. Maybe you hated it, maybe you loved it, and maybe you tried to be indifferent. But you were probably watching when Barry Bonds cranked No. 756 in August, and when that classy video message from dethroned Hank Aaron came over the AT&T Park scoreboard.

Is there any doubt that October will likewise be something truly out of the ordinary? Could this be the year that the Chicago Cubs not only reach their first World Series since 1945 . . . but also WIN their first world championship since 1908? They still have to take care of business this week first. Will the Yankees finally regain their royalty and win No. 27? Will Cleveland win it all for the first time since 1948? How about a Mets-Red Sox reunion from 1986? And how about my Rockies? I predicted on MLB.com in March that they would go to the World Series. I am pretty sure I am about the only one who predicted that in the civilized world. To me, it was a great young core that was going to come together. They are sure doing that now. (For full disclosure, I also predicted they would face Texas.)

I'll be working the postseason, and as I said, fortunately I'll be able to use hotel health club facilities the whole time -- exercise bike, elliptical, swimming, etc. So I will shut down running for up to two weeks again and keep up my fitness. I am registered for the ING New York City Marathon 18-mile Tuneup this Sunday at Central Park, but it looks like I will just forfeit my $20 entry fee because it's just not that important as I listen to my body. My first marathon approaches fast, and fortunately we are up to $2,134 raised for TEAM FOR KIDS thanks to my friends here and elsewhere. Please click here if you would like to help me make a difference to give a running start to many needy children and donate to this very important cause (my entry number is 94714 and last name is Newman). Any amount is welcome, and maybe you would like to donate $1 per mile -- it would be $26.20 and I promise you would feel GREAT about it.

This is going to be one unbelievable, crowded, busy, amazing October, carrying right over to a November 4 date with destiny that I will somehow finish despite these injuries. And then after that, the completion of my work of a lifetime, "Trees and Numbers," providing a beginning and an ending to the current 210-page manuscript.

That's my life right now.

Yes, this is The Marathon Season.

Team for Kids Donation Form | Entry 94714 | Newman

Dear all my awesome friends:

Have you ever wondered what you can do to make a difference?

I did, and I found a way: I'm running the ING New York City Marathon 2007 as a member of Team for Kids.

In the past five years, Team for Kids members have raised more than $5 million to support running-based fitness and goal-setting programs for 25,000 schoolchildren a week in New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Tampa, Tennessee, and South Africa. These classes target at-risk kids -- most of whom don't have physical education in their schools.

You can ensure that more kids benefit from NYRR's youth services by sponsoring my run. You can pledge $1.00 for every mile I run ($26.2 total) or donate any flat amount. All contributions are tax deductible and will be acknowledged as such in a letter to you from Team for Kids.

Most importantly, all contributions will go toward helping kids lead healthier, more productive lives. The New York Road Runner youth services programs teach goal-setting, nutrition, fitness and running skills. Knowing how to make physical fitness a habit can reduce the risk of diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and other costly diseases in this population.

Thanks in advance if you would consider helping me -- and thousands of schoolchildren. As a father of three boys who has raised his sons in athletics and is ACTUALLY GETTING TRAINING TIPS FROM THEM (!), I am so, so, so proud to be able to help them and to give YOU this opportunity to help them. It is going to feel TWICE as good to cross the finish line at Central Park after running through five boroughs that Sunday morning on NBC, a few days after I return from working the World Series for MLB. You can help make this happen. I am required to raise $2,500 by the November 4 marathon, and half of that total by late July.

Again, the donation form is right here. If you are kind enough to donate any amount to this cause, please note that you will need my race entry number (94714) and last name (Newman) to do so.

For anyone wishing to donate via regular mail, please make checks payable in US dollars to: New York Road Runners Foundation. The mailing address for that is:

NYRR Foundation Team for Kids
845 Third Avenue, 11th floor
New York, NY 10022

I also have a PDF file of a Donation Card for anyone desiring that, and could send that via email. But the online donation form is definitely preferable.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Your friend,

Mark

UPDATED 9:50 A.M. ON SUNDAY, JULY 15: No wonder I almost passed out during the spectacular run I am about to describe. I just went to mapmyrun.com and discovered that it was 7 1/2 miles from our hotel to the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Throw in the tough hills, and I just (mostly) ran 15 miles (my longest was 13.1 three times) on a hard course with changing elevations. We had planned to run 9 or 10.

It was the best All-Star Game that has been played since I was a boy, when they were truly staged for pride and glory, and I can only describe my trip out to San Francisco from Saturday morning (7 a.m. flight on 7-7-7) through Wednesday night as UNFORGETTABLE. It was that in every way, from Sunday's future stars to our MLB.com party that night co-hosted by Alyssa Milano and Jose Reyes to Ichiro's inside-the-park homer to the Willie Mays pregame ceremony to the Barry Bonds crowd to the ninth-inning rally to my first visit to majestic AT&T Park with its View Level splendor looking out over the Bay. And you know what? The best part was saved for last.

After four days of working the All-Star week for MLB, I checked out of the truly unforgettable Hotel Nikko in San Francisco at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time on Wednesday wearing my running gear with 2 GU packs and my Canon Powershot (which I killed on the Golden Gate Bridge) in the back pocket of my fuel belt. I checked three bags with the bellman, and was surprised to find that my colleague Jason, our guy with the Detroit Tigers, was waiting there in the lobby. I had mentioned I was going to run, and he was all ready to rumble, a past marathoner. So I had a running partner, and one who had run the San Francisco course before. We started running at 11:25, our baseball work behind us. It was everything I had hoped for and more when I planned to take a redeye flight out late just for this. Here we go:

We left Union Square and headed for Market Street, then over to The Embarcadero. Here is the first site from there: The Bay Bridge.

Here is the famous Coit Tower, decorated in our All-Star regalia just like me.

That's me and Jason, taken by a guy who was going to run the San Francisco Marathon later this month. Our course covered much of that layout. You also can see what my brand-new Nathan fuel belt looks like. It's twisted around in this pic because my ill-fated Powershot was in that big pocket on my left hip (it was in the middle of my lower back while I ran). I liked the Nathan better than the red/black Fuel Belt because of the sturdier holsters for the water bottles, so that they go in and out easier while you are running. There's the red do-rag I picked up at RonJon Shop on Cocoa Beach last month, and the Nike Sportband I got last month at Apple Store on Fifth Ave. to replace the one I left in the Florida taxi. It's funny when I look at these pics and see little stories of my running past.

Here are a couple of shots of the Aquarium area, first view of the Bay.

There's me about to be eaten by a Megaladon, the largest shark in the history of the world dating back 750 mabilliavajillion years ago. I gave him a tooth inspection and was flossing between his bicuspids. I think he will be happy even though he's about to eat me. I hope my BreatheRight strip will protect me.

Alcatraz.

This was a silver guy. I guess he was being a statue.

The guy making the sand sculpture looks friendly here to the passing Runner Tourist. But he was telling me here: "If you're going to take a free picture, it's at least 5 cents." Ha! Like I'm carrying any coins and what's he going to do, take back my digital picture? He looks like a nice tourist-loving guy but he was a jerk.

This was my favorite thing about San Francisco when I used to come here in the late '80s and when I lived here in 1990-92 (no, I never got near the Golden Gate Bridge back then because of work/whatever). It's Fisherman's Wharf, and even though it's real cheesy there, the crab is just awesome. I love it.

First sighting: Golden. Gate. Bridge. (You are about to see very much of her.) At this point we ran a long way through the Marina district, gorgeous homes. It was a really long straightaway, preparing me for what Fourth Avenue will be like in Brooklyn on Nov. 4. We went through a few really wicked hills, including one straight up. Then, suddenly, it is right there in front of you, the base of The Bridge. I refilled my four water bottles at the Golden Gate Gift Shop, and we each grabbed a Gatorade.

Meet Joseph B. Strauss, builder of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Guess what? We're on the Golden Gate Bridge. I was immediately surprised by how wide it is, how easy it is to run/bike over. It is six lanes wide, and plenty of rec-lane space. And flat.

I repeatedly stopped along the rail to just admire the most fabulous running scenery I have experienced. The panorama is just so beautiful. I love you, San Francisco.

We ran across the Golden Gate Bridge, which was just over 4,000 feet for the main span, and more than 6,000 from support to support. We reached Vista Point on the Marin side of the bridge, and then turned around and headed back. The wind started picking up on the bridge run back, the kind of chilly high wind we were expecting in the first place. That made it really hard to run. It was beautiful, and it was a superhuman workout as I expected. Here is the view heading back across from the Marin side.

After stopping again at the Golden Gate Gift Shop, to refill the four water bottles and to each hit the GU, we ran back to Marina and you would absolutely love this dirt running path that they maintain so beautifully. It takes you right along the marsh beach, and just an indescribably beautiful run back to the City. Alcatraz is right in the middle of the picture...you are running right at Alcatraz on the horizon. I even stopped along the beach to splash some water from the Bay onto my head. (Sorry, Asics.)

On a not-so-good note, when we got back to Fisherman's Wharf, right about then I started getting lightheaded. I walked a little, then started again, and it kept getting worse, like everything was really bright. I was starting to worry that I couldn't finish, realizing that seven months ago I was a pack-a-day smoker. Altitude? Long sleeves for 90-percent humidity? (Felt like 60s so it seemed appropriate.) Not enough hydrating? I was pounding liquids. Was it that condition when you have TOO MUCH fluid that I've heard about? Maybe someone can help me, because that worried me. Also on a not-so-good note, right about then I realized that the aperture was not opening on my Powershot. My experience with others is that once that happens (no warranty), it is toast. No more pics, and fortunately I had already taken all the pics/vids I needed.

After going it slow for a while, I started running again, and then I was fine for the most part. I made it all the way back to the hotel with Jason, working our way back along the sometimes-hilly downtown streets (we passed on the roller-coaster hills of Lombard, just too lethal for such a monster run). Back at the Hotel Nikko, we headed to the health club on the fifth floor and I hit the jacuzzi and the swimming pool. It felt good to do that and shower and clean up there, then I said later-days to Jason and thanked him for the run, and I jumped on the BART train (much better than NYC subways) and headed for the San Francisco Airport. Back to New York.

UNFORGETTABLE...
...from near or far...

Next stop, San Francisco! On a 7 am 757 on 7-7-7 from NY to San Fran for our MLB All-Star festivities, and after a busy work schedule through all of the activities including the Home Run Derby Monday night and the 78th All-Star Game on Tuesday night, I am especially looking forward to spending the entire day Wednesday running the hilly and legendary streets of San Francisco. I just have to catch a redeye flight at 11 that night, so I'll have time to figure out where to wash off before the flight, since I check out of my hotel by 1 that day. Airport bathroom if nothing else. Any suggestions welcomed! I will be very sweaty heading to the airport! Maybe a beach has an overhead spray or something and I pack a bar of soap to take with me on the run? Feel free to say hi during the All-Star events, I will be writing lots of articles for MLB.com and help facilitating sportsjunkie.tv among many other duties, and I also look forward to meeting with our partners here at Six Apart, creators of VOX. I am responsible for MLBlogs.com, where we are in our third year of partnering with Six Apart for that original Typepad platform (must grow to social network asap!), and here is my own MLBlog in case you are interested.

New York City Marathon training is going great, and I am enjoying the challenge of training with my Team for Kids partners that I have discussed in previous posts. Just received this weekly workout schedule from them, so you can see what I am trying to follow. Will be MUCH HARDER with the All-Star week, but I am determined to not sacrifice my running during out jewel events in Major League Baseball.

Recommended Training Schedule
Week of July 9

Monday: Rest or cross train with a bike, an easy 6-10 miles to loosen the legs

Tuesday: 6 miles – interval training

o        Start: easy mile and a half

o        2:00 minute pickup - aim for a faster pace but not ‘all out’ running

o        2:00 minute slower pace jog

o        2:00 minute pickup

o        2:00 minute slower pace jog

o        2:00 minute pickup

o        2:00 minute slower pace jog

o        2:00 minute pickup

o        2:00 minute slower pace jog

o        2:00 minute pickup

o        Finish: remainder of mileage at easy pace

The pickups and interval jogs should get you through about a mile and a half, but it is okay if you do a bit less or a bit more.  We want to have you start to get the sense of acceleration and quicker running.  Try to do this workout on a dirt trail or path.

Wednesday: 2 to 4 miles easy pace

Thursday: 5 miles easy pace

Friday:  Rest

Saturday: 8 to 10 miles with hills

Sunday: 3 to 5 miles easy pace

...keep in mind that the New York City Marathon is on Nov. 4, so it's now just about a 16-week training program.

Why can't every day be Mother's Day? It was an incredible day, again indicative of my Marathon Season.

In the morning, I set a PR for time and pace in the New York Junior League Mother's Day Race, a 4M event at Central Park to help erase domestic violence. My time was 36:54 and my pace was 9:13. In my previous 4M race with New York Road Runners, it was 43:05/10:46. So that's a huge drop, and I will be in the 8 Minute Pace group soon. The first mile included a sprint up Cat Hill, our long and gradual incline near the Metropolitan Museum of Art on East Drive, and that caught up with me in the third mile when I had to break a couple of times to walk a short distance. Soon I also will be able to do these with no walking at all, save for the fuel station. I am getting there. Friends have told me I am definitely getting faster, and the results are very noticeable after having just celebrated my five-month anniversary as a non-smoker on May 1. I still need more work on the core and to lose more weight...it's all coming together. Next weekend, I will run my ninth NYRR qualifier of 2007, meaning on that day I will officially become a guaranteed entry in the 2008 ING New York City Marathon. And keeping my fingers crossed that in early June I will find out that I made it out of the lottery for this year's even on Nov. 4. I'm planning on it.

The rest of the day was all about the pink bat as we at Major League Baseball try to help the Susan G. Komen for the Cure with a goal of raising $1 million in funding. My story is here on the MLB.com homepage now, and I hope you will please read it. Part of that target funding will come from our MLB.com Auction listing of many of those game-used pink bats that millions of fans are seeing all over the place today. If you want one guaranteed instead of bidding (lots of people are asking!), you can just order here and $10 of the sale goes to Komen. But it's not just about raising money. It's about raising awareness. It's about harshly reminding people that the number of new diagnoses of breast cancer in U.S. women this year is an estimated 178,480, and the number of women who will die of the disease this year is over 40,460. There is no known cure and we don't know how to prevent it. The Komen foundation is recognizing its 25th anniversary of founder Nancy Brinker's initiative to try to keep her promise to her late sister Suzy, a victim of breast cancer. That is way too many years already. But it was taboo to mention "breast cancer" when Komen began. The five-year survival rate is WAY up to 98 percent. Still, it is all about eradicating breast cancer. And cancer as a whole. We are trying to do something about it -- people inside the game and all the fans. Being aware of it, talking about it, all has the positive effect of more action and more women who will be screened earlier.

And in between the race and the pink bats work, I called my Mom back home in Evansville, Indiana, and told her that I ran the race for her this morning and what purpose it served. It was fun to do something meaningful, however small it may seem. That is one thing I love about running. You always seem to be helping someone, even if your only real wish is to just go out and run and sweat and improve yourself. It's an awesome way to make a difference in life. I also wanted to pass on what I read on the leaflet I received in my race packet, provided by the NYC Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, which had a booth at the event:

Know Your Rights

1. I have the right to be treated with respect.
2. I have the right to make mistakes.
3. I have the right to express my feelings.
4. I have the right to say NO.
5. I have the right to protest unfair treatment or criticism.
6. I have the right to change my mind.
7. I have the right to be free of fear.
8. I have the right to decide whether or not to have sex.
9. I have the right to a life free of violence.

Ping me if you know of anyone who is having those rights violated. That leaflet had a lot more info on it.

OK, next up: the Healthy Kidney 10K on May 19 at Central Park, benefiting the National Kidney Foundation. And a pass directly to the NYC Marathon! One cool thing about that race: I get to be in the same field as "Buster" -- Craig Mottram, the Australian running sensation and early Olympic favorite. I'll report here after that one, and will drop some fresh pics as Brightroom.com was shooting the Mother's Day 4M event. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

My marathon awaits in the fall, but the traditional marathon season of baseball is now under way. It has been incredible so far, and not a whole lot of sleep. We had our traditional Opening Day ceremony at the MLBAM HQ in Manhattan, including the ceremonial first pitch in the cafeteria, and I really do think I have one of the best jobs in the universe. I think a lot of people around the world are still dazzled by the MLB.TV Mosaic product that we unveiled yesterday. It has to be seen to be believed, a total game-changer for a baseball fan and technology lover. It's your own TV control room, drag-and-drop thumbs to switch from one live game view to another, with fantasy player tracker, live everything, just unbelievable. The whole Opening Day was unbelievable, from Edgar Renteria's game-tying and game-winning homers in Philly to all that pageantry and finally that Angels bullpen at 1 a.m. ET. Here is my story on the MLB.com homepage to see how everything unfolded across the Majors on the greatest day on the calendar.

One more game is on the Opening Day docket today: Padres vs. Giants. The chase resumes for the all-time home run record (Barry hit seven homers this spring and will pass Hank pretty quickly) and it's a chance to see Barry Zito across the Bay in a Giants uni. It also will be interesting to see Bruce Bochy now managing against his longtime former Padres club. Then, of course, there are 15 more home openers coming up in the next week when the teams now on the road return home. Opening Day is no longer just Opening Day. It's Opening Night, then Opening Day and Opening Week. Lots more pomp and circumstance to come. I'll head out to Yankee Stadium sometime in the next few days, and then out to Shea Stadium next week to see the Mets. I am going to wander up to Fenway Park and down to Citizens Bank Park sometime in the next month or two, but one other priority that I will be playing with today and tomorrow is finding a tropical beach for 3-4-5 days, maybe end of April. Perhaps Dominicana...I added this to my Travel Photographers group as well and anyone there who wants to throw out a good, easy, white-sand-relaxation, tropical-getaway suggestion, feel free!

Off to run Central Park. My next run is the New York Road Runners Half-Marathon: Brooklyn, on April 14, 13.1 miles. The NYRR stages five Half-Marathons during the course of a year, one in each borough, as a build-up toward the ING New York City Marathon that goes through Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Manhattan in November. I ran the Manhattan half in January and might do one or two more. Feeling great. I hope this is a strong week. I have been amazed at how there are just times when you will feel like total crap out there...and times where you look down at your legs and ask them, "How are you still moving?" Also of special note, someone in our offices yesterday said, "Wow, your face is a lot thinner." It's funny being a runner.

This will be quick because I'm headed to our MLB offices for 24-48 hours of Opening Day extravaganza as our season starts tonight with Mets at Cardinals. Some of my articles now on MLB.com homepage: this also this and this.

It is the best day of all on the calendar, the day life begins again.

And on this day, it has special meaning for me.

It is April 1, the four-month anniversary of my Dec. 1 decision to break a box of Kools in half outside my new Upper West Side brownstone and join the massive legion of distance runners around the world. I didn't really know what to expect but I knew I wanted to rediscover the athlete inside of me.

Today I celebrated by running my first 10K under an hour, my seventh of nine 2007 New York Road Runner qualifiers for guaranteed eligibility in the 2008 New York City Marathon. My net time in the Scotland Run 10K was around 57 minutes, although I am unofficial on that because it only lists Finish Time, and the results say 1:01.17 (pace 9:53). That's what the time was when I crossed the mat, I believe, but I crossed the start line a good seven minutes behind the horn, so if there is no net time posted then I'm going with 57 even for now and will contact NYRR and figure this one out for sure.

And believe it or not, I had no intention of running this race. I developed shin splints in my left leg on Tuesday. I took three days off and it felt like three weeks. I was miserable waiting. I RICE'd it all week, at home and at work. I didn't want to take a chance on being less than 100% for the Brooklyn Half on April 14, so I planned to bag this. Then a good friend sent a kind message overnight with some wisdom about handling shinsplints, and she told me how she had been fine for one race after treating shinsplints the night before. Just seeing how someone else had run with determination made me see it differently. I read that message at 9 a.m., and at 9:20 I jogged over to Central Park, picked up my bib number and C-chip (I had registered long ago), and jumped into the 9 Minute group at the starting area by Tavern on the Green. It was nice to meet my friend Andrea there and I made her listen to a little bit of my Nano Red while we waited. She has a cool Forerunner and I will trade her a bunch of CDs for it.

I never felt my shinsplints the entire 6.2 mile loop around Central Park. It was beautiful. Chilly and overcast day, nice for running but let's get the heat in here. I labored in the third mile and had to walk briefly, otherwise I was running station-to-station, maybe one other cheat speedwalk. Four months later, I know that I am still getting my wind back, still becoming friends with my lungs. God knows I am trying. I would LOVE to run an entire race without stopping. And it never fails, I get in that zone the last miles of a race and have my groove on.

THEN something really funny happened. I went to the awards presentation area, and was one of those people who gave them their raffle number from the bib with about 10 seconds left. So they raffle all these awesome prizes, and sure enough, the emcee calls my bib number. It was a great day for No. 2978 at Central Park. I went up on the stage, got the pic taken, was given the envelope for some elaborate Scottish shawl, and then I saw that friend in the crowd there and went over to her and gave her the envelope. I told her it was the least I could do because she's an awesome friend and I knew I wouldn't have been there if not for her email that I read at 9 in the morning of a day I planned to miss a race. I'll post pics here later.

EVERYONE: Have an awesome Opening Day, and enjoy the start of the greatest MLB season ever. I hope your team wins, I hope you catch a foul ball this summer, I hope you go to the ballpark on a date or maybe get proposed to there, I hope you get lots of autographs, I hope you have special memories that last forever and that you share them with family and friends. Baseball is the greatest game on Earth, and I think running is right up there now.  :)

I leave you with this email that was among those I received over the weekend -- from a fan in Italy. I think it says it all:

Hi, Mark!
at last....
let's go the Baseball...
to start from tomorrow...
for my fantastic YANKEES...
the pasion forever....NYY

kiss.at everything....yankees!

ilaria

from PARMA /Italy

The first day of spring means that Opening Day cannot be far behind. Nature and baseball go hand-in-hand at this time of year! Only 11 days till the first pitch of Mets at Cardinals, the Sunday Night Opener on ESPN. Make sure MLB.com is already a regular part of your routine and watch some MLB.TV now to get in the flow of being a serious baseball fan! Below is what Busch Stadium looked like the last time I was there -- late October of 2007, courtesy of my Canon PowerShot A540. Where will I be this October? How about a Rangers or Rockies bash? This decade is all about crowning the shockers and spreading the love, so that Rally Monday early each October is new blood everywhere. Just do me a favor and completely throw away any preseason publications after you read their picks. Everyone will be wrong again. Now that I'm in my sixth year with Major League Baseball, that much I know as absolute gospel. Yankee fans, not a good idea for my buddy Johnny Damon to say the Yanks are best. The best shall be the rest. Again. Best to go into a season not expecting a whole lot and even better to win that Wild Card!

Random thoughts...

The countdown clock on the top of our homepage is just about to tick inside of 20 days till Opening Day: beautiful.

Someone who is really impressing me is Jeff Samardzija, the freshly drafted Notre Dame receiver who pitched today for the Cubs. Big, strong and great location on his fastball against the Giants. I just have a feeling, and I know Cubs fans have this feeling every year since antiquity, but I just have a feeling. Maybe they could sneak The Big One in before 2008 arrives with a year-long 100th anniversary of their last world championship. No reason they can't. At all.

The best song I have ever put on my Nano Red for training is Love, Reign O'er Me by Pearl Jam, the remake of The Who classic, from the Adam Sandler movie Reign Over Me.

I am catching jabs from colleagues, including one who just said, "Newman is hanging on to every Red Sox-Yankees pitch and it's an exhibition!" Yep. Pavano just gave up three straight oppo-field hits, jury still out.

I am looking for the best, most sensible info on the Internet for working on my core. Time for situps and more. The core is now at-bat on my list of body improvements.

Sammy Sosa has hit safely in all eight "A" games so far this spring, including a triple today. Rangers fans are going to get their money's worth from the guy their team originally brought to The Show. Of course, he has every incentive in the world. He has just has to stay healthy and he will blow past the 600 HR mark.

I am on record with Rangers over Rockies in the World Series. For those laughing, see: This Decade. I reserve the right to destroy this post several months from now. But I can see it. There are only three teams that I can't personally see winning the World Series in 2007, and I won't mention them.

I am still amazed that a guy pulled a NASCAR move on me in the last mile yesterday and tried to keep me from passing him. I hope he choked on my Asics Vapor. I guess I have to get used to competition again.