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: Dunes 100

My First 100 Mile Race: The Dunes 100

Running my first 100-mile race has been a long time coming; I completed my first 50k in 2010, my first (and only) 50 miler in 2015 and my first (and only) 100K in February 2016. I’d given myself the goal of completing a 100-mile race before I turned 40 (October, 2017) and after pouring over the Florida ultra-marathon calendar I settled on the inaugural Dunes 100.

Although the goal was set in my mind, I kept putting off the actual registration. Why? I was scared! I know, I know: goals are important and the first step of goal-setting theory is to actually accept the goal, and yet I procrastinated. BTW, this is exactly how goals don’t get met! The excuses kept coming: “I’ll register after running next weekend.” I was running the Celebration Marathon on January 29th so “I’ll register after the Celebration Marathon if I’m still feeling good.” “I’ll register after logging another 50k training run.” On and on it went until, two weeks out, my wife helped me recognize my lack of commitment and suggested I should register if I was doing the race. Two minutes later:

Thanks for the push, Harmony! You know exactly what I need!

A little backstory on my support network, I met my wife the day of my first half-marathon (January 21st, 2007). Since that day, she has inspired me to run more and to run farther and she always supports my ever-enlarging fitness goals. BTW, she has a 3:00 marathon PR so that obviously provided a little jump in my competitive drive too! I cannot emphasize enough that she has made me what I am! Her support has been integral to my success, not just as a runner, but in life. Thank you, Harmony!

For weeks before the race I poured over ultra-marathon race reviews, mental tips, fueling strategies, etc. I wanted to be as prepared as possible and if I weren’t, it wouldn’t be because I hadn’t read enough on the subject. It was all consuming. I had made a packing list with each item I was bringing and which items were going into which drop bags. A week before the race, everything was laid out on the floor of my office.

The Dunes 100 was held at the Jonathan Dickerson State Park in Hobe Sound, FL and because I had never been there prior to the race, course reconnaissance was part Google Earth, part trolling other runners’ photos taken at the park. The course is a 25.286 mile out-and-back, completed four times for the 100 mile event, with approximately 45 miles of sugar sand, including the “Dunes of Heaven” and “Dunes of Hell.”

Race weekend: I drove to Jonathan Dickerson State Park for the first time on Friday afternoon to attend the pre-race briefing. It was then I saw the Dunes of Hell for the first time as I drove along U.S. 1. Wow! They were definitely steeper than the photos I’d seen showed. I should mention that the descriptive name, Dunes of Heaven, is only appropriate when juxtaposed with the Dunes of Hell; true, they are not as bad as the Dunes of Hell but they’re still small rolling hills of deep sugar sand. They’re far from the ideal running surface and definitely not heavenly!

The Dunes of Heaven east bound

The Dunes of Heaven west bound

The race briefing was laid-back and it was fun meeting the other runners and race organizers. There were a lot of first-timers running the 100 miler and as well as meeting new friends, I got to meet several friends I had only known from Strava. Pre-race photos were taken and introductions to all 100-mile runners were made (something fun and not possible at larger events).

Race morning arrived and I got to the start area about 30 minutes early. A few more pre-race photos were taken before we filed into the starting corral.

Taken just minutes before the start.

For each 25 mile leg of the race there were 6 aid stations (AS): AS1 (5.9 miles), AS2 (7.7 miles) and AS3 (12.5 miles/turnaround), AS2 (17.4 miles), AS1 (19.2 miles), and start/finish/turnaround (25 miles). The aid stations were well-stocked with typical ultra food: water, Gatorade, soda, bananas, oranges, pickles, pretzels, Rice Crispy treats, M&Ms, quesadillas, broth, potatoes, PB&Js, etc. The list is longer but you get the picture, right? There was more than enough variety and quantity of food for even the pickiest eaters. The adage made popular in Chris McDougal”s Born to Run that ultras are “eating and drinking contests with a little exercise and scenery thrown in" was not disproved at this race! Eating, specifically foods I don’t usually eat (chips and soda), are, for me, one of the many draws of ultra-running.

So what did I eat? I didn’t want to only rely on aid station food so I made 8 PB&J sandwiches that were cut into quarters. I calculated each sandwich was about 450 calories and I ate one sandwich on each 12.5-mile section (one quarter every 3 miles or so). I kept the sandwiches in my drop bags and would grab one on my way through and stuff it in my pack before heading back out on the course. My PB&Js were just supplemental; as mentioned above, I ate potato chips (crisps), potatoes with salt, pickles, and what seemed like gallons of Mt. Dew at each aid station. When out on the course I only drank water but due to the heat (it reached 86°F/30°C) I was literally drinking gallons. My pack’s bladder held 1.5 liters and while the sun was up I was refilling it with ice and water at every aid station. I also carried a soft flask on the front of my pack with extra water.

Aid station 2

On to the race itself: I used time-tested ultra advice to ensure I finished. "Start slow and taper off from there." Wise words, indeed! Although my first lap was a little fast, it was in my plan. I wanted to get as many miles in before the sun came up and the temperature soared. The first 12.5 miles were awesome; the park was especially beautiful as sun rose and the fog slowly burned off.

Sunrise through the fog at Jonathan Dickerson State Park

Almost immediately after beginning the second lap, my watch reset and I could not turn it back on. This was an early mental setback as I contemplated running the next (possible) 20 hours without knowing my pace or distance. Luckily, the watch started working again and I only missed a few miles of data. After completing the first lap, my original plan for laps two and three was to run 20 minutes and walk for 5 minutes. I ended up using a 10/1 split which was much better. For the whole race I planned to walk up any incline (this was imperative!). Even though I had a plan I was fortunate that, around mile 26, I began running with Eddy Souza. It was Eddy’s first 100-miler too and it was fun chatting as the miles passed. 

Eddy and I on the most runnable part of the course

The Dunes 100 allows runners to use pacers after the first 50 miles and Eddy had arranged for four friends to pace him for each 12.5-mile section of the final 50 miles. Without a doubt, Eddy was a HUGE part of my success, but the pacers, Sebastian Rovira, Nick Stump, Nathan Gehring, and Tom Walters, were definitely the glue that held the race together for both Eddy and me. My race plan for lap four was to simply get through it and just keep moving and the pacers ensured the relentless forward progress that was needed. No one ever completed an ultra by standing still, right?!

L to R: Tom Walters, Nick Stump, Eddy Souza, & Nathan Gehring

Running into AS4 (mile 62.5) and picking up pacer, Nick Stump.

I read so much about the devastating lows runners can experience when running ultras. It’s understandable; the distances seem insurmountable and the only way is to break it up into bite-sized chunks. I attribute my good mood for most of the race to having company, however, it wasn’t all cake and ice cream. At around mile 70 I was getting a little overwhelmed by the thought of running another 5 miles only to turn around for another 25 mile lap. Moreover, this last loop could quite possibly take us 7 hours. Getting started again at mile 75 was tough, but again, having a pacer saved the day and encouraged Eddy and me to run several minutes before taking another walk break (repeated over and over). The last miles were a slog. We walked as fast as we could for the last few miles, without running a step, until we were about 200 meters from the finish line! You can’t walk across the finish line, can you?

Crossing the finish line with Eddy was the sweetest finish I have ever experienced. It was a unforgettable journey resulting in personal achievement. It was a unforgettable journey resulting in team achievement. Eddy and I both completed our first 100-mile race in 21 hours, 40 minutes and 55 seconds. We tied for first place!

And of course, what 100 mile race would be complete without the buckle! It's gorgeous and most definitely hard-earned!

I have to give a huge thank you to all the volunteers who donated their time to help me meet my goal! You are all incredible and I'm not exaggerating when I say the volunteers at Dunes 100 were the best I've seen at any race!

To everyone at Down to Run, you guys seriously know how to put on an event! Thank you for your commitment to our sport and help making goals (dreams?) come true! 

Did I miss anything in this review you want to know about? Write a comment and ask!

Miscellaneous information:

GPS Watch: Garmin Fenix 3

Pack: Salomon Skin3 12 Set

Shoes: Nike Wildhorse 3s

Gaiters: Salomon Low Trail 

Headlamps: Nathan Halo Fire and Black Diamond Spot

Hat: FUR flap hat

Race Review: Iron Horse 100K

Friday February 5^th, 2016: I finished work at noon in order to get home, pack, and drive the 3+ hours to Florahome, FL; the race briefing was at 1730 at the start line. I say I had to pack but I was already well prepared, having had everything set aside for the last week. It seemed like I was bringing enough food to feed an army. I was not going to go without exactly what I wanted to eat before or after the race but especially after the race; my plan was to drive home immediately after I finished and eat the whole way home; my wife was racing her third half marathon in as many weeks the next morning.

Like every runner leading up to a goal race, I had been religiously checking the weather every ten minutes or so for the past week. Earlier in the week the forecast had indicated it would be raining all day but by the night before, there was only a 15% chance of rain beginning around 1700. Perfect, I thought; if the rain held off for a bit longer I may avoid it altogether. No such luck. 

Chris Rodatz, the race director, conducted the race briefing and told us of a few changes. Mainly, aid station 2 (AS2) had been moved due to heavy rain in the days leading up to the race and the aid station volunteers were unable to get to the originally planned location. This turned out for the best; AS2 turned out to be in the perfect location that we (in the 100K) would pass 8 times, making it a great way to break up the race into manageable sections. Chris also mentioned there was water on the course and it was likely we’d be getting our feet wet. Ugh! 

Below is a selfie at the race briefing. What you can't see is an abundance of beards and trucker hats. It was great!

Course description (100K): The course amounted 25 miles. The 100K would run it 2 ½ times. We began running west on the paved Palatka-Lake Butler State Trail for 1.75 miles before turning around and coming back to the start line. We continued east on the paved trail for about two miles before joining a sandy access road along a power line easement, entering the Etoniah Creek State Forest. On the map below, AS2 was at the 7.5 mile mark. Once at AS2, runners headed in a northeast direction for a loop along East-V road before returning to AS2 and heading north for a loop along West-V road. After returning to AS2 again, we ran back to the Start/Finish to complete the course. After doing that twice, we then ran to a turnaround point a little past AS2 before returning to finish.

 

Saturday February 6^th, 2016: A great part of this race was the parking. Runners were able to park their cars next to the start/finish area, parallel to the course. This allowed us to use our cars as an aid station and not waste any time, as may happen if you had to park further than 5 feet from the course! It was a cold start to the day and I wore 2 long-sleeve t-shirts, a fleece jacket, hat and gloves for the first 3.5 miles. 

After we ran back through the start area, I was able to pop the trunk as I ran up to the car and throw my excess clothing in. I probably lost 10-15 seconds with my costume change. 10 seconds means everything when you plan on running for 10-12 hours, right?! Ha ha! Ok, that is more of a 5k mentality but after only 3.5 miles, I was full of energy and wanted to go!

So, the race began and I took off. I knew I had to run easy and also knew I never run easy enough. My first mile was way too fast (8:05) but I soon settled in to a somewhat easy and controlled pace. I knew I would be slowing down as the race progressed and the hours ticked by but my heart rate was low and I felt I could maintain the pace for ages. At about mile 4 I began running with Shawn Greenhill. He was also running the 100K and, after talking to him, realized we had the same goal of <10 hours. Well, that was my ‘A’ goal. I had been having pre-race doubts and was thinking I’d be more like 11 hours. Oh well, if I had company, I may as well go for it. You never know, right! 

With company, the miles began to melt by easily. I was stopping at every aid station and eating potatoes (dipped in salt) and bananas. I was carrying a hand held bottle and Powerbar Double Latte gels. Before I knew it, we were running through the start/finish and completing the first lap. Shawn and I were talking quite a bit for the first 35 miles or so but as fatigue set in, the conversation became limited. 

The photo below shows my 50K split: 4:35:08.

The course was great for seeing other runners; it was basically three out and backs from AS2 repeated again and again. There were a lot of “good jobs” and “looking goods” going around and it was fun seeing the same people throughout the day. The aid stations were well stocked with water, Heed, bananas, oranges, M&Ms, cakes, muffins, and other miscellaneous ultra-type food. I heard there was going to be shrimp gumbo at some point but I didn’t see it. During the second lap, on the East-V road loop, I forgot to fill my water bottle at AS2 and, with a couple miles until I’d be back there, I was getting pretty thirsty. When I finally arrived I drank several cups of Coke and when I say nothing has ever tasted so good, I mean the Coke was soul-nourishingly good, no, more like trade your first born for a cup good. Ordinarily I don’t like Coke but today it was the nectar of the gods!

There were a few gradual inclines on West-V road and, during the first lap, we talked about how much steeper they would be when we saw them again. During the second lap (mile 40ish), Shawn and I decided to walk up two of them. Although we walked for about 5 minutes total, it was a well-needed break and stopped my heart rate from spiking. After completing the second lap (50 miles) we talked about how we only had 12 miles to go and broke up the 12 miles into sections: by the time we went out and back to the start line, there would only be 9 miles to go. Then it was another +/-2 miles before we met the trail, +/-2 miles before AS2, another short section and a then we would be heading home! During this final 9 miles, the weather turned. It had been overcast in the mid 50s for most of the day (perfect weather) but slowly it began to rain. It rained hard for the final 5 miles. Although there are a lot of negatives to running in the rain when it’s cold out, the rain today enhanced my sense of achievement. It also made me think about all the people still out on the course, especially those running the 100 mile race; some of them would be out all night! I was in awe of them but not envious!

About a mile from the finish, Shawn and I talked about running across the line together, effectively tying for second place. Oh, I haven’t mentioned we were in second place! We were! I was ecstatic about that!

We had passed several people throughout the day but the guy leading our race was WAY ahead. The winner was going to get a $100 Altra gift certificate that, had we been leading, we would have raced to the finish for. Shawn, I’m really glad it didn’t come down to that! According to my watch, we crossed the finish line in 9:50:50 and 62.76 miles after we started. Yes, I measured the course a bit long but if I consider the long distance and not taking the tangents, the course was extremely accurate.

This was a fan-bloody-tastic event. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to try their first ultra distance race. It was a runnable course with, seemingly, constant access to aid stations!

So, what did I learn running my first 100K. Well, when I ran my first 50 miler last year (Everglades), I went out way too fast. I paid dearly for that mistake during the last 10 miles. For this race I started easier and maintained a somewhat consistent pace. Also, my nutrition was dialed in. I ate all the time (which is half the fun)! I was constantly drinking too, which I know helped immensely! 

Thank you to race director, Chris Rodatz, and all who helped organize the day. Huge thanks to the many aid station volunteers who were always offering to fill bottles and get food for us as we approached them. Thank you to Shawn Greenhill for almost 10 hours of company and motivation to keep running at a good clip. I owe my sub 10 time to you, my friend! 

 Here is a very short video I made about the race. It's basically a very limited race report!

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!

Image is everything, or is it?

Don’t we all want to be thought of, or seen, in the best light possible? When we identify with a particular sport/job/activity, it’s pleasant to work hard at it, to become better and see improvement. When those efforts are recognized by others it only serves to increase one’s feeling of well-being an enhance one's self-image. It’s a basic tenet of the supervisor-subordinate relationship: praising the effort, rather than the result, achieves greater success and happiness in the subordinate. Of course, we all know that one has to be happy with one’s self to truly achieve happiness. It’s a repeatedly cited cliché but Whitney was right: learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all. 

Anyway, enough of all that; if you’re reading this then it’s likely you accessed it from Twitter. Social media allows us to present out best selves. Social media doesn’t care if you love yourself; it cares about presenting your best self. The side of self that will be looked up to the most, appreciated and “liked/favorited” by as many people as possible. 

We often show only the side that makes us look like the superstars we all are. This is my blog so take me for example, I ran 20 miles today! Wow! Yes, I know, that is a long way. If you’re reading this then you may be (probably?) thinking, “Plantfedrunner is one freaking amazing guy! I want to be just like him. I wish I could go out and run that far and be so freaking awesome, like him!” (Don’t unfollow; I jest!) Ok, that may not be exactly what you’re thinking but the fact that I posted my long run earlier today painted me in a pretty positive light, especially if you’re a runner and into that kind of thing. What you don’t see is the struggle I had on the run. It was hard. I needed the motivation of my wife when, at around 7 miles, I ran into her near the house. I stopped and walked with her for a bit. She told me to “just get it done” and that I’d be really happy if I did it. I knew she was right but when you’re not in the right mindset it’s very difficult to focus on a future feeling. Social media doesn’t care about that. It’s the end result, not the journey that followers, me included, like to see. I like to see all my online friends activities and postings because it can be motivational. I don’t think (often enough) about how hard it was for them to run that day or what else they had to sacrifice to get it done. Just waking up can be a PITA and getting out of that sleepy, relaxed mode can be super hard! I will try harder to appreciate the effort that goes into the work and workouts you all post!

There is also the faulty self-image that social media and our training logs can provide. I like looking back at my training block to see what I’ve done. It can be comforting to know you’ve worked hard at achieving a goal. “Trust your training” is great a mantra to overcome race day anxiety! 

 But comparing ourselves to others is (mostly) not a good thing. True, it can provide motivation to better our selves but, overall, we are our own person and should embrace it. That brings me to the real reason for this post. I have been looking at my Tweet statistics and am not getting much attention. Apparently, photos increase the attention each post receives. Duh, of course! I know I like seeing personal photos! During my run I knew I was going to take a few photos to post immediately after my run. The only thing is that I was tired at mile 7. At mile 20 I would be exhausted. Who cares! A photo is just a snap shot in time. It does not have to capture my fatigue! 

I also remember seeing a photo of Rich Roll that, I thought, captured the grace of running. Even though it is not a typical running step, Roll looks strong and elegant. FYI, I just copied the photo from his site. If you want to check out his podcast, click here!

I’m that kind of runner (I thought). I will recreate that photo.

Post run, I walked in the door and immediately ask wifey to come out and take a few photos and a video of me. The photos are not too bad but, unfortunately, the video captures the real me. 

Not the imagined elegant and graceful runner I imagine myself to be. This is pretty self-depreciating so, in my defense, I did just run 20 miles. Enjoy!

Ahh, but what happens if I take some stills from the video?

Admittedly, these photos still do not paint me as the most elegant or graceful runner but they are clearly better than the video. Lesson learned: It is easy to adjust the image you portray to your followers. Are your photos showing the real you or the "you" you choose? Either way, I guess, it's all fun!