TMC & Fleet Feet Half Marathon

Wow, where to start? This was my first half marathon so I was very excited/nervous and I did not sleep well last night. But I woke up excited and ready to go! Got to Sabino High School and it was COLD! Somewhere between 40 and 50 degrees and I was very envious of fellow DMer Eileen's gloves. I got to chat with her a bit while trying to stay warm and I got to finally meet fellow DMers Becca and Matt.

I started the race with Matt and we ran at a good pace for me but maybe a little too fast for him (sorry Matt!) so after about 2 miles he slowed down a bit and I tried to keep on pace. I decided to settle in around a 9 minute pace and tried to hit that for the whole shebang and come in around 2 hours. I thought it would be an excellent goal and it would keep me running for the whole 13 miles. It turns out, my legs were just not ready to run 13 miles straight. But, they were strong enough to run 10! That was the longest distance I'd ever run without stopping and it felt great. I carried a small water bottle ate gels at miles 5, 8, and 10 and really the only one that seemed to totally energize me was the first one. The others I'm sure just stabilized my energy levels instead of raising them. I ran with headphones and a music playlist that my wonderful girlfriend helped me put together. Throughout the whole race, my mind wandered and there were times I didn't even realize I was listening to music and then it would just click in.


I ran through the 5, 6, and 7 mile marks feeling great and really enjoying myself. Once I got to the 8 mile mark, I was reaching the furthest that I'd ever run continuously and it was weighing on my mind. I pushed myself past the mile 10 mark, ate my gel, and thought I would be able to continue running with the energy of the gel but my legs would not have any of it. After only a quarter mile more, I had to walk a bit. As soon as I slowed down, my quads started spasming and my legs were shaking. I got that under control after about a minute and went back into a 9 min/mi pace thinking that I only had a 5K left to go and that if I pushed myself, I could totally make it. That was not quite the case. Through the next 3 miles, I traded between running and walking. My final Garmin graph is pretty remarkable. It's virtually a straight line at about 9 min/mi for 10 miles then looks like an oscillating wave for the last 3 mi ranging from 8-9 min/mi (running) to 13-15 min/mi (walking).


As I rounded the turn onto Harrison and Sabino High School came into view I knew that I was in the final stretch. I gathered all the strength I could muster out of my legs and ran the last bit into the school and into the stadium. Becca was standing inside the track cheering and snapping photos I rounded the track and headed to the finish. I gave her a fist pump and she got a good picture of it. As I ran through the finish line, I raised my fist in triumph and as I slowed down, my legs knew it was over and wouldn't have let me run another step even if I wanted to. I walked/stumbled over to Becca and together we cheered on Matt as he came around to the finish.


Becca took some finishers pictures of Matt and I and after some post-race stretching, I grabbed some of Everyone Runs' famous post-race breakfast (amazing tortilla, eggs, beans, and salsa), eyed the line at the massage table, and headed out for a meeting at REI.


Right now, as I write this report, it is 5 and a half hours after finishing the race. My knees and feet are in pretty bad shape. The muscles aren't so bad because I stretched but my knees and feet took it pretty rough. I hope they're just road worn and not injured. This is the biggest beating I've subjected them to. As soon as I finish writing this, I'm going to sit in a cold water bath for a while.


I just checked the results of the race online and it looks like I came in 183rd out of 312 half marathon runners and 12th out of 20th in my age group (25-29). I thought there were a lot more runners but I guess that's because there were 333 people running in the 5K. Well, I was shooting for 2:00:00, optimistically running for 2:05:00 and came in at 2:06:00 with a pretty steady pace so I am very happy. And exhausted. And beat down. And proud.

Somewhere in the middle of the race. Look at that focus!

Fist pump to Becca as I come onto the track.

Coming into the finish. Looking strong?
Probably feeling less so.

This one shows how tired I'm feeling.
And how much I pronate.

The start of another awesome fist pump.

And there it is! The fist pump at the finish!

And this one shows how tired I am. 

Matt and I. Half Marathon finishers!

That's right! Half Marathon Finisher!

Race #: 10

Distance: 13.12 mi
Type: Road
Bib #: 275
Time: 2:05:52
Pace: 9:37/mi.
Place: 183/312


Upcoming Race Schedule:
December 16, 2010: Ride N' Tie mountain bike/run relay with Marty.
January 16, 2010: 13.1 Los Angeles Half Marathon
February 25-26: Ragnar Relay Del Sol!

Challenge. What does it mean to you?

Challenge. It’s a word that has a different meaning for everyone on the planet. For me, the meaning has always changed and my challenges were usually means to an end. However, in January 2009, I decided to concentrate all my efforts on an endless challenge that has already significantly changed my life. I decided to get my health under control. At the time of the decision, I was sitting squarely in the overweight category, I was beyond unhealthy, and it was only getting worse. So I took on the challenge to change and save my life.

Fast forward a year. February 2010. I am already a new man. I’ve lost 65 pounds, and am healthier and more active than I have ever been. I decided to up the ante on this challenge and road test my newfound health. I registered for my first 5K. My first training run was a disaster. I could barely run a mile and struggled to walk and run through the full distance at a 10 min./mi. pace. I learned that just losing weight wasn’t enough. I also had to increase my endurance and fitness level.

Fast forward a month. My first 5K. I ran the distance in under 25 minutes. I had reached my goal of completing the race and shaved 5 minutes off my original time. But this wasn’t the end of my challenge. I registered and raced several more 5K races, progressively getting faster, fitter, and more addicted to running and exercising outdoors.

Fast forward two months. I’ve now lost 75 pounds and am racing in my first 10K. I loved the challenge of the longer distance of the race and found myself wanted to keep running. In the back of my mind I knew that longer distance races were out there and waiting for me but that transitioning from racing a 10K to seriously training for a longer, harder challenge would take more than just will and grit to tough it out.

The next step in the challenge presented me with a choice and a lot of questions. Do I stick with just running? Increase my distance to the half marathon? The marathon? Beyond? Or do I transition to a triathlon? Having only recently started running and never been a cyclist or a swimmer, can I even complete a triathlon? But with my recent running successes in mind, I realized that my new body and mind can do more than I thought it could. So I made a decision. Fast forward to July 2010. I am competing in my first sprint triathlon. And fast forward to December 2010. I am competing in my first full marathon.

Race Seven!

Oh the hills! Oh the humanity! Haha. Anyway...
Today's race was the Tucson Heart Group Cinco de Mayo 10K. My longest race to date. And I had two goals for this race.

1. Keep a steady pace so that I can run the whole race. In training, I always tried to keep my 5K pace going for 10K and wasn't able to sustain it. This time, I slowed my pace slightly and was able push hard but not beyond my limits. As I ticked off each mile, I felt stronger and stronger. It may have also helped that the last 2 miles were mostly downhill.

2. Break 8:00/mi. I've been consistently running around 7:30/mi. in the 5K and figured I'd need to slow down to run the whole 10K and I wanted to still see that 7 in the pace. I couldn't find my watch this morning so I wasn't able to track my pace through the race. I listened to my body and slowed up when I was in trouble and sped up when I was feeling great. Fortunately, there was more feeling great than trouble. The course itself was pretty wicked. When I first signed up for this race I talked to a few folks who had run it before and they all said, "Oh, the Cinco 10K? Hope you've been training on hills!" They were right! The course started up hill and was relentless through the turn around. Although they billed the last 2 miles as downhill, the course finished after a hill.

I saw some of my running buddies at the race and it's always nice to compare war stories.

I know I've said it before but I'm still amazed at how far I've come. Down 75 pounds in 16 months, down 7 minutes in my 5K time and 10 minutes in my 10K time in 2.5 months. I never thought I'd be a runner but here I am. I am a healthy. I am happy. I am a runner.

Race #: 7
Distance: 6.21 mi
Type: Road
Bib #: 628
Time: 49:40
Pace: 7:59/mi.
Place: 172/740 (AG 15/30...just noticed that 7 of the top 10 are in my age group...haha...crap.)

Next Challenge: TRIATHLON! AH! 7/4/10: Holualoa Firecracker Triathlon

My new training partner!

Since I am low on funds these days (can't wait for my new job to start!) I wasn't able to blow a bunch of dough on a new road bike to train for my first triathlon.  Until today I've been getting out on my 1993 Trek Singletrack 930 mountain bike.  However, my new boss offered to let me borrow and train on his road bike, a 2009 GTR Series 3.  I took it out today for a test ride and it was AWESOME.  I'm gonna love training on this thing.

Sixth Race!

The Dash For Darfur: What can I say about this race?

I normally enjoy the race environment when there are hundreds of people all excited to be out and running and possibly helping a charity.  This one was organized by a student coalition against the genocide in Darfur.  While I'm happy to support the cause, since there were so few people at this event, I think they spent about a quarter of what they raised on the top prizes for the race (not that I'm complaining, as I'm sipping the iced caramel macchiato I got with the gift certificate I won for getting 3rd place).

1. This was a very small, very organized event.
2. The course was a bit longer than 5K (3.17 mi.)
3. The race started almost a half hour late which REALLY matters when the temperature is rising.
4. Only 26 people registered (and I think less ran).
5. 4 of the runners (if you can call them that) were jackass frat boys who A) were likely hung over, B) were jackasses, and C) tried to cheat.
6. Almost puked at the finish.  Remind me not to run in the heat anymore.

7. No matter how many people were running or who was there, I was still able to run my race and kept a PR pace.  Came in 3rd because of it.

This was my 3rd hard run day in a row.  8 miles on Friday, 5K trail race yesterday, then this 5K today.  SO EXCITED for a rest day tomorrow!  Then it'll be time to get pumped for my first 10K next weekend!

Race #: 6
Distance: 3.17 mi.
Type: Road
Bib #: No bib, #9
Time: 23:10
Pace: 7:19/mi
Place: 3/26

Next Race: 5/2/10: Tucson Heart Group Cinco de Mayo 10K!

Fifth Race!

The Spring Cross-Country Classic 2010 was just about the same time as my last 5K race.  At least it's good to know that I'm not getting slower.  Actually, considering this was an awesome trail race with some solid hills and sand, I guess I ran a bit faster than my last 5K.  As always, I got out of the gate a bit too fast (1st mile was 6:47) and burned myself out by the time I was on the hills in the second loop.  Finished strong when I saw the clock ticking towards 23:00. My legs feel pretty weka right now which I attribute to the race + yesterday's 8 miler.  I have another 5K race tomorrow, a charity road race, and unless my legs get some good rest today, it might just have to be a recovery run.  First 10 K in a week and I don't want to totally wear my legs out!

Saw some Dailymilers (@lizz7l and @sarahsdailymile) and other new running buddies out there.  Fun event!  Didn't stay for the potluck or the egg toss.  May partake in the beer garden next year, though.

Race #: 5

Distance: 5K

Type: Trail

Bib #: 1208

Time: 22:59

Pace: 7:24/mi.

Place: Men's: 41/128 (AG: 6/9)

Next Race: 4/25/10: Dash For Darfur 5K

The Next Mile

As you may have noticed, I've changed the name and function of this blog.  Gone is the cheesy nickname and in its place are the words that inspire me.  The Next Mile is a philosophy with no end.  There is always a new challenge.  Every mile is a chance to become a stronger, better me.  I am in the endless pursuit to understand who I am on the other side of The Next Mile.

I have a tattoo that quotes Dante.  In the Inferno, he wrote: "Consider your origins.  You were not made to live like brutes but to pursue virtue and knowledge."  I live by this.  Through running, I am pursuing the virtue of a stronger body, mind, and soul.  I am pursuing the knowledge of myself; of a stronger, better me.  Beyond The Next Mile is the best, most virtuous, most knowledgeable version of me.  This pursuit is life-long.  There is no end, there is only The Next Mile.

Beyond The Next Mile is...