My 5 tips to help you start (or return to) running!

Let’s be honest, when starting out, or coming back from a break, running isn’t the easiest thing in the world. I’ve been running for about 15 years and am just now starting back after several months off due to a stress fracture in my sacrum. I’ve been surprised at what a challenge it is to get back into running after just a few months off. That’s why I want to tell you about my 5 tips to start, or start back, running. Here we go…

Let’s get right to it. Tip number 1: Go slow. This is probably going to be a lot slower than you think you should run. A lot of people ask me how do they control their breathing while running. If you’re starting out and you’re wondering how to keep your breathing under control, you’re going too fast. There is a lot to be said for pushing yourself and running fast, and it can be fun, but in the beginning, the lower you can keep your heart rate, the lower your rate of perceived exertion (RPE), the more comfortable you’ll be. The more comfortable you are, the more likely you’ll be to continue and make running an enjoyable habit that you WANT to do. Remember, speed has absolutely nothing to do with whether you’re running. The main difference between running and walking is that you get airborne when you run. That is, when walking, at least one of your feet is always in contact with the ground. When you’re running, at some point during your stride both feet are in the air. Running slow and easy is going to be a different speed for everyone and it will change for you as you progress! What is hard and difficult for you now will not be as hard or as difficult for you after 6 months of consistent training.  

Which brings me to tip number 2: be consistent: Consistency is key if you want to make a behavior a habit and if you want to improve at that behavior. If your goal is to be heathy by eating more fruits and vegetables, I promise you it won’t work if you eat fruits and vegetables once and then again two weeks later and in between you eat junk and processed food! That’s not a habit. The same rule applies to running. Don’t expect to get better at running and don’t expect to see the results you want if you’re not consistently putting in the effort. While good intentions are nice, running, fitness, and health require more than far more good intentions. They need to go hand in hand with consistent application. The road to being a couch potato is paved with good intentions. (that’s the adage, right?).

That leads us nicely into tip number 3: be committed! A commitment is a personal choice you make. Commitment is the state of being dedicated to a cause or activity. Do you have a partner? You’re probably committed to maintaining a good relationship with them. Do you have children? I’d bet you’re committed to raising them the best you can. Do you have a job? Your boss would hope you’re committed to working hard and being as productive as possible. At the very least, you’re committed to earning that paycheck, right!? Anyway, being committed does not mean your running will be easy. It does not mean you will enjoy every moment you spend doing it. What commitment does mean is that you will do it, even when it’s not easy!  That’s when you’ll see progress. That’s when you’ll see results. Tip number 3, be committed.

Now, you can commit to something, but to be successful, you need to hone that focus a little. That’s where my tip number 4 come in: Set goals!

Goal setting theory refers to the effects of setting goals on subsequent performance. Numerous studies have demonstrated participants perform better when they set goals. I’m sure each of you have your own anecdotal experience with this. It works with running!

Lets be smart about this. No, I don’t mean smart like, intelligent, I mean S.M.A.R.T., the acronym. The S.M.A.R.T. approach to goal setting means you will set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Adjustable, Realistic, and Time-based.

Specific goals means your goal is concrete rather than abstract. For example, for someone who is starting to run, a specific goal might be to run a 5k. That’s better than the abstract goal of just running further. For a runner with a little more experience, a specific goal could be to run that 5k 30 seconds faster than before, rather than the abstract goal of just running faster.

A Measurable goal is one where the progress or action can be charted or recorded so you can see your improvement. Again, the example of running a 5k is a measurable goal; distance is measurable. The example of running a 5k 30 seconds faster than before is measurable; time is measurable. Make your goals measurable and you’ll revel in your improvement, perhaps sparking more motivation to continue.

Having an adjustable goal is important because of, well, life. Life happens. If you’re injured, don’t make a goal of running a 5k 30 seconds faster than before even though you missed a lot of your training due to the injury. Adjust your goal by pushing it out to a later date. By the same token, if your training is going so well and you think running 30 seconds faster will be easy, adjust your goal to run it 45 seconds faster!

Setting a realistic goal is a HUGE part of you achieving success whether you’re starting out or a veteran runner. For example, if you’re running for the first time, setting your goal as running a marathon may not be as effective a goal as the goal of running a 5k. Now, it’s ok to set the marathon as a goal, if you really want to run one, but set incremental goals along the way. Incremental goals will help you get to you end-point. When I say end-point, I should clarify that there is no end-point. Setting goals will always make you achieve more and be more focused on the task! Keep setting goals!

The T in SMART is for Time-based. Make your goals time-based. Returning to the example goal of running a 5k, a better goal would be to run a 5k 6 months from now. This time-constraint will help you focus on achieving it, making it more likely. Without the time based element to your goals, you may be likely to procrastinate or get even bored and drop it completely. I’m sure you all know someone who waited to the last minute to hand in an assignment yet still did well on that assignment. This is because the time-aspect made them super focused on achieving their goal. When the completion date was far in advance, it was impossible for them to be adequately motivated to complete the task. The same is true for your running goals!

Remember, your goals are there to benefit you. You’re not married to them! If your goals are not working for you, you have the power to adjust them!

Ok, tip number 5: Increase gradually. Increase what gradually, you ask? Anything to do with your running! This includes distance, speed, and time! This is sound advice for every runner at any stage of their running life. Have you heard of the terrible twos, I mean toos? Too much and too soon can be a serious hazard! Picture this, your starting running and you’re beginning to see results; maybe you’re getting faster, maybe you’re running further, maybe you’ve dropped a few pounds. Whatever it is, the results can be addictive. The thought that if I got these results by doing x, I will get better results by doing 2x can be an easy trap to fall into and, trust me, it’s a slow process to climb back out. Listen, if you’re starting out, you’ve gone your whole life not running, give it a little time and trust the process; it works.

And now a bonus tip!! Tip number 6 of my 5 tips to help you start (or return to) running is, don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone is different and on different stages of their journey! Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for disappointment and discouragement.  Trust me when I say there will always be someone faster than you (I’m making an assumption that Eliud Kipchoge or Usain Bolt are not watching this). But keep this in mind; you will always be faster than someone sitting on the couch. You will always beat someone who didn’t have the courage to start!

Now, with these 5 tips in mind, it’s time to get up and go for a short, slow, easy run. You’ve got this!

Cheers!

 

 

Race Review: Bulow Woods Trail Run

The 2nd annual Bulow Woods Trail Run took place on Saturday December 12th. Three distances were offered: 50k, half marathon, and a 4 mile (ish). 

Before I talk about the race itself I must let everyone know that the whole (race) weekend was a huge deal for my family and me. I was graduating from university with a B.A. in psychology the following day. My daughters and parents had flown in for the occasion and my wife, Harmony, had organized the whole weekend down to the last detail. As a runner, I really wanted to race this weekend; I knew it would add to the excitement and create memories. It didn't disappoint! Harmony, who earned both her B.A. and M.S. as an adult, and my girls, both of whom have their B.A.s, were running the half marathon and I was running the 50k. I mention their education to show how they were a huge part of the motivation for me to complete my degree! Thank you, my beautiful family, for your support!

On to the race! Very simply, the half marathon was a single loop of the out and back course and the 50k was two loops, obviously with a couple extra miles tacked on! The course was wonderful! It was flat and runable with a nice mix of trails through the trees, double track, and rooty/muddy sections that made me feel like the hard-core trail runner I am (in my mind).

The organization was fantastic, especially considering this is only the second running of this race. The race was held in the Bulow Woods StatePark and parking was a couple miles away in the Tomoka State Park. This was not as inconvenient as it sounds; shuttles were constantly bringing people back and forth. I must have waited for the shuttle for a total of 5 minutes! Easy! There were three aid stations but because of the course, runners were never more than 3 or so miles from the next one, and often closer. The food was great with lots of the perfect foods runners enjoy: fruit, candy, chocolate, Fig Newtons, water, Heed, etc. (and rum runners in a souvenir jar at the finish!).

I'd estimate 95% of the course was shady! 

 It was lovely! I brought sunglasses but ended up carrying them for the first half before dropping them off at the half way point!

Milling around the start of an ultra is always fun an exciting. There is a lot less stress in the air than at a road race (and exponentially less than at the start of a triathlon) and seeing all the equipment and clothing is fun! Before the gun (or the race director saying "go"), everyone was hanging out near the line and chatting about what runners chat about: running! No one was standing on the line ready to bound out of the gate for an immediate lead! It was very laid back and chill!

 ***Pro tip*** Don't judge a runner and/or change your race plan because of their equipment or body hair!

I found myself gazing at two guys that looked like every ultimate ultra-runner depicted by Trail Runner magazine! They were trim, wearing hydration vests, and had beards! Beards!! I thought to myself, these guys must really mean business; they have beards! Should I try and hang on to them at the beginning? Ugh! This was supposed to be a fun run and now these beards are goading me into running faster than I'd planned, and we haven't even started! For a few minutes I was cursing my clean-shaven face for hindering my performance! (Ha ha, I jest! Well, sort of!) Anyway, as in any race, once it begins, all pre-race jitters melt away as I did what I came to do: run as well as I could on the day!

I started with the front couple of runners at a fairly easy pace (8:15ish) and enjoyed chatting to a few guys for the first couple miles. (I'm #4 in the photo below! I'm guessing I didn't see the camera!)

The flat and shady course soon whispered that it was ok if I picked up the pace. I listened! I took the lead somewhere between miles two and three, not with the sole intention of running away (pun intended!) but more to look for the trail and make sure we stayed on track. On trails it is often easier to be behind someone and have them keep an eye out for the trail markers. This wasn’t really a problem at this race because the course was extremely well marked. It would be very difficult to get lost (this is coming from someone who has got lost several times on supposedly “well-marked” courses). 

 The course was relatively easy and very flat until the last three miles before the turn around. That’s about 6 miles per loop (12 miles total for the 50k) where we really needed to watch our footing over roots and through twisting trails. There were a few sections where the trail got muddy. As I was the first one through the first time, the mud wasn’t too bad but after all the runners had gone through, it got pretty sloppy (and fun). It wasn’t muddy with standing water but the mud was shoe-sucking soft (I heard one runner got their shoe sucked off their foot!). The first time through this techy section was fun and easy(ish). The second time through, fatigue was making it more difficult to pick my feet up as high as I needed. Although I didn’t go down completely, I did trip several times (This is the first trail run I can remember that I haven’t fallen!). At the second turn around with about 7.5 miles to go, I was wondering how far back the person in second places was. When I passed him, I timed it at 5 minutes and 40 seconds. Ugh! Not enough of a buffer to stop and rest, especially if he was feeling good and picking up the pace. In the last quarter of a race, it is not often I am feeling my best and freshest. Today was no exception! I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, determined not to stop. I knew I wouldn’t mind not winning if I had given everything. My determination paid off and I crossed the line in first place in 4:12:14. Needless to say I was VERY happy. What made it even better was my daughter, Michelle, running the last ¼ mile with me. She had wandered down the trail looking for me and made me dig deep to turn my legs over faster to finish strong! My wife and daughter, Libby, and Ryan (Michelle’s boyfriend) were all cheering as I crossed the line! In looking at the results, I can see I increased my lead over the last 7.5 miles, finishing 13 minutes and 17 seconds in front of the second place finisher. I guess the lesson is to just keep pushing on; you never know what you can achieve until you try! 

This race offers something for everyone! For those looking to tackle their first ultra distance race, this would be an ideal choice! The course does not add so much difficulty (terrain wise) that it makes the distance seem even more challenging! Let me be clear, running 50k is no easy feat, however, don't be put off by the course itself; it is welcoming and provides enough challenging terrain that makes you look forward to the flatter and open parts of the course! It was great having the other distance races too; there were always people to cheer and give high fives too! I received a lot of kudos from other runners on the course! It really helped me, especially during the last hour of the race! Support means everything and the running community knows all about this! Thank you!

My wife, amazing runner that she is, finished 3^rd in the half marathon and won the Masters division! My daughters ran the half marathon together and came 2^nd/3^rd in their age group! What a great day of racing! Thank you to my wonderful family for making it extra special and memorable! 

Lesson learned: Pace yourself to meet your goal

You know how it can take an extreme example to prove a point? This is what happened to me with the point that going out too fast in a race is not the most effective way to run a race. Going out too fast in a race is a rookie mistake. It is a rookie mistake that even after running for 10 years, I still make. When racing, I often find myself running faster than planned during the early miles; I’ll think about banking time knowing (when I say “knowing” I mean “incorrectly assuming”) fatigue in the latter miles will force me to slow down. My reasoning for banking time is that during the latter miles, I will be able to cash in the banked time and still meet my goal. While I can tell myself this strategy is successful because I meet my subjective goal, it is clearly an anecdotal fallacy; there is a ton of evidence supporting the claim that running a positive split (running the first half of the race faster than the second) is not the most effective way to meet your racing potential.

I’m not going to go into the data supporting negative splits but if you’re interested, this link provides a great analysis of some race times and allows you to draw your own conclusions about successful pacing strategies. If you typically run a positive split in your races, don’t feel bad; you’re in good company (and the massive majority). Why? It’s really hard to run a negative split!

Check out this Runner's World article: What World Records Teach About Marathon Pacing

My unintentional experiment came on a day I had planned to run 13 miles. I have recently been trying to slow my roll, to run the majority of my runs easy, rather than at the medium pace that I would usually fall into. 

Running slowly is like a breath of fresh air; it’s fun (and easy). I like the idea of the 80/20 running plan (80% of your mileage is an easy effort, 20% is a medium to hard effort), and especially the data and scientific support behind it. FYI, It’s likely I have been encouraged by Matt Fitzgerald’s book, 80/20Running, which I am currently reading. 

Although running slow is fun and easy, I still need to do some hard work to harness my full potential (I cringed at writing that but I’m leaving it in!). That was my thought as I set out to keep my heart rate (HR) below 140bpm (70% MHR) except for the 5 X 0.75 mile intervals I wanted to do. By the way, this run started at 10am with a temperature of 89F (31C). It was HOT! I warmed up for three miles before starting the intervals. I noticed my HR was not going under 140bpm during my recovery (0.25 miles) but I wasn’t worried; I had several miles to run after the intervals in which I would run in the easy zone 2. However, much to my surprise, my HR was extremely hard to get into zone two after the intervals were done. I really slowed down too! It want’s until I slowed to a walk that I could get my HR into the mid 130s. A lot of runners don’t like to walk (I am one of them), even if their goals would be better served by doing so but I think that comes down to ego (fodder for another post). Anyway, after my short walk, a very slow trot kept my HR in the range I wanted but it was several miles before I had recovered enough where I could speed up without putting my HR through the roof. Below is a graph of my pace and HR.

So, what did I learn from this workout? Well, nothing I didn’t already know but rather, something I chose to ignore. Recovering from a hard effort take longer than I thought! If I were racing a long distance, I would have jeopardized my race, or at least my race time, by burning through my glycogen stores so quickly. Then there is cardiac drift which is the normal phenomenon where your HR increases throughout your run (exercise session) although your speed remains the same. Even if you don’t increase your effort, your HR increases. If you raise your HR too early it has nowhere to go. Your effort will, obviously, be unsustainable. Although my interval workout and racing are not exactly the same, the lesson I learned is if you want to meet a certain goal (time, HR), correct pacing is the key to success! Deviating from your race/workout plan can lead to goals not being achieved.

Run hard when you have to, run easy when you don’t.

Race report: 119th Boston Marathon (2015)

Hooray! Marathon Monday is upon us again! The Boston marathon is a revered race in the running community. The 119^th running was my third consecutive time running it. It didn’t disappoint…of course, it can be cathartic to complain about something and the weather forecast provided such catharsis. The race was still super fun! A few days before, this was the forecast. 

 

Burr! Needless to say, there was a lot of moaning and groaning within the online running community.

Exited to get going on my race weekend, I left Tampa, FL early Friday morning, flying into Manchester, NH.

I am fortunate my parents live pretty close to Boston so I can stay with them. This has so many benefits above being able to combine a family visit with a race; I get to eat my normal food and stick to a fairly similar routine, which is something that can be lacking when you travel for a race! I had mailed some food items to cut down on food preparation time and to ensure I had exactly what I wanted. Some may call this “rigid” or “fussy,” I call it rigid AND fussy, but I also call it being well-prepared. It makes me happy, reduces stress, and makes me happy. Who is against happiness?

Like every runner before a big race, I had been checking the weather, compulsively. In a nutshell and as you can see from the forecast above, it didn’t look good. However, the weather in the three days leading up to the race were beautiful: sunny skies and mild temperatures. But, really, who cares about the weather before a race? It’s race day that matters.This was a video I made on my Sunday shake out run, the day before the race. Look how beautiful the weather is!

The taper ought to be a time of celebration. It's when your hard work and preparation get rewarded with tons of rest. Although I walked quite a bit in the days leading up to the race, I had reduced my mileage and eliminated any additional cardio activity (elliptical, Stairmaster, bike) in the two weeks leading up to the race. Although I know I have rested, I struggled with not feeling as rested as I'd like. Why were my legs a little achy the day before? There were little feelings of discomfort on my shakeout that had me worried in the beginning, although they soon went away.

Race day arrived and I had slept well, which can be unusual before a big race. I made it to the drop off point in a light rain …

…but by the time the bus reached Athlete’s Village it had stopped. I only had about 30 minutes before I had to walk down to the start line and in that time I had another banana (my fifth of the morning) and a spot of coffee. It’s about ¾ of a mile from Athlete’s Village down to the start line and, as usual, the atmosphere was thick with excitement with runners making their way. I was still wearing my warm clothes, which I was grateful to have; the temperature was 41 without any wind-chill. About 5 minutes before the start I shed my sweat pants and trash bag rain jacket, keeping my sweatshirt, hat and gloves on. Unfortunately, the planned Army helicopter flyover was cancelled due to a low ceiling, which was funny; the news helicopters’ had no trouble flying over the crowd. Oh well. 10am arrived quickly and we were off. For those who don’t know, the first miles of the course are downhill. After a taper, and with extreme excitement and eagerness to run, it almost feels like you’re falling. Below is the course profile with my pace (the dip in pace at mile 14 came courtesy of a potty break)!

Early running is easy but IT’S A TRAP! Going too fast here can cost you later in the race. I managed to hold back and was quite pleased with the restraint of my first three 5K splits: 20:45, 20:29, and 20:40. I felt good and could have gone way too fast! At mile 8 the rain began and at mile 11 is was a complete deluge. I was soaked and, worst of all, my shoes were soaked. I cannot emphasize enough how miserable I was between miles 11 and 13. It was so cold. My face felt frozen. In short, it was very uncomfortable! My metal game went out the window with the downpour and I had to battle to get it back. I kept on and when I checked my watch at mile 16, saw a 6:31 split, and felt good, I knew I had made it through the worst. I would not allow any mental weakness for the remainder of the race! Next up was the Newton hills, culminating with Heartbreak hill. I knew the hills started at mile 16 and ended around mile 21. I told myself I was up for 5 miles of work and my reward would be an easy 5 (mostly downhill) to the finish. I used a few mantras during the hill climbs including “run within yourself” and “do what you can do in this moment.” Furthermore, I refused to look up the hill. I kept my gaze about 20 feet in front and hammered it out. The final 5 were not as easy as I told myself they would be, due to the pounding my legs took in the hills, but it was nice knowing I was so close to the finish. At this point, I saw my average pace, up until this point, was 6:44 and I knew, barring anything unforeseen, I would be achieving my primary goal time: under 3 hours. I was very happy but I tried not to focus on the finish, yet. “Do what you can do in this moment!” I ran as hard as I dared (could?) in the last 5 miles and I felt great! Turning onto Boylston is a real treat; you can see the finish line in the distance and the crowds really motivate you to go all out!

I crossed the line in 2:57:39. This was my third time running Boston and I had made it a goal to go under 3. 

It turned out, in spite of, or perhaps because of the weather, to be a fantastic day…until I stopped running. Wow, that is when the cold hit me. Luckily, my parents were quickly on scene and had a sweater and jacket for me but it was still SOO cold. I knew I’d be posting about the race so I took a few (freezing) minutes to take some photos. 

The walk to the car was brutal but I made it to the sweet warm cocoon. Speaking of sweet warmth. This review is being written on an insanely turbulent flight back to Tampa but I have warm temps to look forward to upon my arrival.

Congrats to all runners who ran today! You’re all amazing athletes!

GOOAAAALLLLLLLs......can make all the difference!

Runners are, generally speaking, a pretty successful group of individuals. Yes, admittedly there may be a slight bias to that statement, but I stand by it. Setting goals is an important part of getting anything done. This applies to most things but i'll try and keep it running related. Goals really help when training for a specific distance or time; without them, our workouts lack structure and focus. Goals provide motivation and direction. They help us get up early and get out the door or to log a run after a long day at work (something I am not motivated to do). Most importantly, setting and working towards goals is fun! Achieving one's goal is also fun but it's the process that matters. It adds another level to your workout instead of just floating, aimlessly, through life and mindlessly logging miles without direction. It seems like a safe assumption that most runners are goal setters in some regard, however, I think many of us could use a little more focus and direction with our goals.

A goal ought to be both specific and measurable; an ambiguous goal will not allow you to plan the specific actions needed to meet the goal. E.g. Bad goal: I want to run faster. Good goal: I want to run a 4:00 marathon!
There is a goal setting sweet spot that runners should consider: Goals ought to be hard enough to attain that they encourage one's top performance but not so hard that they're inconceivable. For me, It would be not be a good goal to want to break 2:00 in the marathon; training, body type, orthopedic threshold, and the time commitment needed, make it an inconceivable goal. Oh, and the fact that it has never been done (yet) is a small limiting factor for this recreational runner!

Once a goal is set, the next step is appropriate implementation intentions, that is, how, exactly, are we going to achieve the goal? This is an important aspect of goal setting theory and separates those who reach their potential from those who do not. E.g. It would be silly of me to make a goal to run a hundred mile race and then only focus on 5Ks leading up to it. It is probable I would not meet my potential in the 100m distance (This is where having a coach can be beneficial!). Make challenging and achievable goals; your performance will improve and you will move towards it. Motivation can be maintained, when your goal is far in the future, by making mini-goals that keep you on the right track. An example could be running a 1:50 half marathon before your primary race where you go for a 4:00 marathon.

The Reality of Goals

We all know how important it is to make good goals and how effective they can be. I always find it funny how, during a tough interval sesh or race, I will catch myself negotiating with my goals. That's why I like to set various goals to account for different race day variables. I use the "A", "B," and "C" goal format where the "A" goal is the primary goal if everything is perfect. My "B" goal is still a good goal and I'd be happy with it but I have fallen back on it because some element was not perfect. The "C" goal is the catch all. A lot of people put "finishing" in this spot but I still prefer, and recommend, having a quantitative goal. "Finishing" allows too much leeway in effort and can lead to slacking off the pace more than you otherwise might if you still have a time you can work towards.

Goals are your friend. They push and motivate you to be your best possible self. With them, you can become the best runner you can be. Without them, you're doomed to run aimlessly without the satisfaction of working for and achieving something. They are not totally rigid; they're flexible and can be reasoned with when absolutely necessary. Try it today! If you haven't set a goal for this summer's race season, do it. You'll be amazed at how your motivation increases and you have purpose and direction in your sport.

What are your goals for your upcoming races? Remember, letting others know your goals holds you accountable to work towards them.

2014 Space Coast Marathon

This photo below was taken the day before the marathon. We had just finished a short "shake out" run and were practicing our pose to cross the finish line.

This race was a big deal in a lot of ways: this was my first marathon after a summer of recovery and healing; I had sustained a stress fracture in my hip at the Boston marathon last April; and, because of the injury, I had spent the summer cross-training (including a lot of boring hours running in the pool). For those who have been through it, you’ll be able to empathize. The healing process is long and frustrating and it is frustrating not being able to do what we love. During my recovery I was often without any pain or discomfort, giving me a false sense of health, which led to running again too soon and then aggravating the original injury. Ugh! I have done this before and it is a vicious circle perpetuated by a mixture of passion for your sport, weakness of the mind, and irrational though processes! The right motivation, however, can work wonders. In August, my wife and my daughter asked me to refrain from running until November. They knew I needed at least eight weeks without any running to heal and have a chance to run my next scheduled marathon: Space Coast. This would be My daughter's first marathon and we were planning on running it together, which is why this race was such a big deal to us! She had diligently followed a training plan and put in all the hours of training. She had followed in the footsteps of her mother (a 3:00 marathoner herself) and me. This race experience potentially had all the elements of a fantastic day and it did not disappoint.

We stayed in a hotel about 8 miles from the start line. We drove our route to the start line the day before and decided where we would park. We are planners! On race morning we got up super early so we could eat, drink our coffee, and get to the start line early enough to mill around with the other runners. There is always a great atmosphere before the start of a race and I was enjoying it immensely. I was watching my daughter and imagining how she was feeling, finally facing the start of her first marathon. My wife was race-walking the half marathon which started 30 minutes before the marathon. My daughter and I were well trained and well tapered, so when the starting gun went off we settled into a pace that felt easy, so I was not worried that we were going too fast. Our initial pace was faster than we had planned, but only by about 10 seconds per mile. After about 8 miles we slowed down to an 8:00 pace. Our ‘A’ goal was a 3:30 finish. Was it an aggressive plan? Yes, but that’s what ‘A’ goals are about! Our ‘B’ goal was a 3:45 finish and, as is appropriate for one’s first marathon, simply making it to the finish line, in whatever time and condition, was the ‘C’ goal.

Things were going well until around 16-17 miles in, when all of a sudden, the race was on (at least the hard part was). The mile markers were a little off from what our Garmins were showing, indicating we would be running a little further than 26.2 miles. This was having a psychological impact as, when running at race pace, the thought of going even one step further than necessary is a daunting prospect. As the cliché goes, the 20 mile mark is the halfway point in the marathon. The final 10K was a slog! We were digging so deep that we could feel the heat from the Earth’s core! About a half mile from the finish line, my Harmony’s screams could be heard. She had race-walked the half marathon, finishing in 2:34:55, and was there to cheer us in. Her encouragement, along with being so close to the finish line, helped us  increase our pace (slightly) and we realized were actually going to do it! Of course, there was never any doubt, but we were excited it was finally happening! The training had paid off! We crossed the finish line in 3:42:03, with our arms held high and holding hands, as all champions do!

This photo was taken shortly before the finish. You can see my right arm, holding M's hand; we were about to raise our arms in victory!

It was a hard race; marathons often are (especially the first one)! I am one proud Dad! Lessons were learned, especially in the areas of nutrition and pacing. There is something to be learned from every race! Races have many variables, some of which can be controlled, but it is far from an experimental design! As runners we ought to train hard, prepare for the worst, and hope for the best!

After the post-race festivities, my wife and daughter went back to our hotel to shower. I celebrated the race by running back to the hotel. I had to give them time to shower, right? Also, because I ran without any pain, I had my eye on a 50 miler. To be honest, I had my eye on the 50 miler before the Space Coast Marathon, but now it was really a possibility.

Many thanks and much love to my two favorite people for giving me the motivation to rest my body to let it heal and for the best race experience ever!