Monkey Business

From the moment you begin to consider a registration for the selection lottery for the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon, a process so tightly lipped that even the organizers can't tell you how it actually works, you begin to hear that this is probably the worst decision you will ever make in your running career.

And yet many return, year after year. Word on the street is that these folks have been hypnotized and their souls taken over by overprotective Flying Monkeys. Although this claim cannot be corroborated because as the story goes, no one has actually seen a real live Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey. It is said that the runners keep returning to look for vengeance. Or so they think.

But do these Monkeys really exist or is this simply a myth? Ask any one of the 300+ runners that venture into these sacred grounds each year and they'll tell you that they believe, otherwise why would they return once and again?

My first encounter with "the Monkey", as we lovingly refer to it around this neck of the woods, was last year. It happened two short weeks after running the New York City Marathon. I was in great running shape, but my legs were tired. From what I remember, It was a very cold and miserable November morning. The temperature at the start was a mere 17f and it appeared to be dropping. My time, not that it mattered, was just shy of forever.

During the weeks leading up to race day, we would receive very motivating emails from race director Trent (I will not use his real name to protect his identity), a person which by the way, we have learned to hate. These emails would leave the door open for anyone that wanted to pull out to do so. Not sure anyone did. Cannot imagine anyone, for any reason other than injury, taking the easy way out. These emails would also remind us in no uncertain terms that "Running Is Stupid". Well, not in any uncertain terms, he would actually come out and tell us this.

Oh yeah, we were indoctrinated with the idea that you in fact, cannot train for the Monkey. We would soon find out the truth in this statement.

The course boasts an elevation change of some 7,200 ft. Give or take a hundred or two. From experience, I would tell you that you could probably give instead of taking a hundred or two. Also from experience, I can positively tell you that there are no "flats" on this course, to speak of. Okay, maybe just one. Started at mile 16.001 and it went through to mile 16.010. At one point in the race I remember, but its somewhat blurry, hearing voices from what it appeared to be coming from up above. I looked there and some 3 to 4 stories high there were runners. I also remember thinking that somehow I had to get there. From here.

All week leading to the race this year, the weather forecast was not favorable. Not favorable I say if you think that rain and thunderstorms would put a damper on the run. But as luck would have it, it rained sporadically and when it did, it was not a big deal. We did get wet, but this just added to the story line of the day.

Photo Credit: Keith Steiner

I have to confess that if you look around at the race participants, you compare their experience and abilities to mine, you would scratch your head and wonder what in the world I'm doing there. After two completed Monkeys I still ask myself that question.

Perhaps is the fact that this race is run for the sake of running. No Age Groups, no records that mean anything, no qualifying for anything, nothing. You run because you love to run. You run because it's really and truly a personal challenge. You run because you get a cool tech tee shirt with a "monkey" on the sleeve for each "monkey" you have finished, you get a pretty cool medal and a finishers beverage cup. Oh yeah, you also get bragging rights; you entered, you ran, you survived and you finished the "Monkey". You lived to write about it.

Photo Credit: Elly Foster

My day went just as expected. It hurt. It hurt bad. Not most of the time... all of the time. There were no walls to hit, because the entire race was a huge wall. But as luck would have it, every time I saw a photographer, I managed to squeeze a smile. Miles 0-16 went without much consequence. Around mile 17 I kept thinking of my friends at the aid / water stop on mile 23. This kept me going. Knowing that they would be there waiting for me, (because everyone else from our group had already gone by) was a huge motivator. My wife Monica and daughter Juliana would be there as well. I couldn't let them see me hurting. So, I kept going.

Monica and my friend Skip were waiting for me about .5 mile before the station. Their presence was a God sent. It was awesome to see them there. Plus, it meant I was that close to mm 23, just 3.2 short miles to go. And just as expected the music, the yelling, screaming, hooting and hollering from the Hendersonville Running Club water stop was phenomenal. Juliana's high-five sent me over the top. I drank a flat cola. That's all I wanted.

Photo Credit: Keith Steiner

And I was on my way. To the finish line. 3.2 miles to go. That's all. 3.2 miles to go. Dang, they were long. They were tough and they hurt. But when it was all said and done, I entered the finishing area and all my friends were waiting. I wanted to walk because honestly I couldn't run any longer, but I didn't. I couldn't let them see me hurting.

I returned to normal walking about three days and three toe nails later. The pain and anguish of those hills are now a faded memory. So what about next year? Well, provided that I make it through the top secret selection committee, I will be back. For a third go at it. Hills? What Hills? Pain? What Pain? Train? You can't. Why? Because Running IS Stupid.

Chicago Marathon: "Every Mile IS Magnificent"

If you are not a speedster, which I'm not, you enter each and every race with very similar goals in mind; to finish in a respectable manner. "Respectable" as defined by the beholder. To enjoy each and every mile. To race harder and stronger than you did the day before. To learn something in the process.

The Chicago Marathon for me was no exception. I have no illusions of a Boston slot, I have no illusions of ground breaking phenomenal personal records. I do however, train for each and every race with the utmost respect for said race and go in with the expectation that I have to give everything I have that day; to take nothing with me after the race because I left everything on the course. Again, the Chicago Marathon for me was no exception. I say what I say regarding a BQ because I'm a realist. I know that cutting an hour off my time at this point in my life is not within the realm of possibilities. Perhaps one day. Perhaps.

Registration for the Chicago Marathon 2014 opened 7 months after I had registered for Ironman Chattanooga 2014. I cannot remember when I put my name in the hat for the lottery, maybe I was secretly hoping that my name wouldn't come up, maybe I was secretly hoping that it would. Couldn't tell you the thought process here, it's all a blur. The fact of the matter is that after it was all said and done, I had registered for an Ironman and a Marathon just two weeks from each other. Great!

For me the Chicago Marathon was an item to be checked off my "bucket list". But having said that, this is also a race that if the opportunity presents itself, I will run again.

The family and I arrived at McCormick Place for the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo a few minutes past 10:00 am on Friday morning. Even though the doors had opened just a short one hour earlier, there was already a crowd. 

I proceeded to my station to pick up my bib, No. J 48693. The "J" stands for the corral I was assigned to, the one next to the last one. I felt more comfortable here than I did in at the New York City Marathon last year where I ended up in the very first corral. I thought this was more my speed. But I will get to how I think this affected my time a little bit later on.

The process moved swiftly and without consequence. I picked up all my "stuff" and as personal protocol dictates, I proceeded to the Nike Official Marathon Merchandise area. In a matter of personal opinion, I thought and still think that the race shirt was designed at the last minute by someone who received a call from the printer saying that they needed the print-ready artwork in 10 minutes.

Again, another personal opinion, I thought that the Nike Official Marathon Merchandise left a lot to be desired. There was nothing, absolutely nothing that jumped out to me and said "buy me". But I did. After a long search, settled for two items. Not that this is a bad thing in any way, for I had left a small fortune at the Ironman and another big expenditure would have been out of the question.

Two hours later we found ourselves at our hotel. The Hilton Chicago. This is the race host hotel; the Kenyans were staying here. All of them, they were all here. Goodness gracious, they look fast, even when they're standing still. Someone told me I would run fast by osmosis, I was hoping that to be the case. It wasn't.

The rest of the day Friday we spent doing a little walking around Michigan Ave and Lakeshore Drive. Both my wife Monica and Marcela, our youngest daughter love big cities. Me, not so much. But somehow, this time I didn't mind it. It was relaxing and fun. Walked to Navy Pier then to dinner at Volare Italian Restaurant for some serious carb loading, and then back to the hotel. I was tucked in by 9:30 pm. 

On Saturday the girls left early. They wanted to take in the sights. I stayed behind, didn't want to put all those extra miles on my legs. I opted for a short walk around Buckingham Fountain and Milennium Park. The day was perfect, the sun was out and the temperatures just right. I brought my camera along for some distraction. Made it back to the hotel early afternoon to relax and watch some college football. The girls came back mid afternoon and we headed to Sweetwater Tavern and Grille for dinner, and more football.

RACE DAY

One of the biggest perks, if not the biggest perk, of staying at the Hilton was the fact that we could see my corral from our hotel window. From the hotel front door to the corral gate took no more than 10-15 minutes, and it took that long because of the crowd. This was perfect for I didn't have to deal with the cooler temperatures for any length of time. Another not so obvious perk was the fact that I didn't have to check my gear bag in; one less crowd to fight.

The start of the race was long and slow. I guess with such a crowd, it would have to be. It was well staged and extremely well organized, however. When it came time for our wave to start, it still took about 25-30 minutes to get my corral off and running. But nonetheless, we were off and running. Tee time was approximately 8:30 am.

Today's race plan included the use of no data. Yes, the Garmin screens were turned off. All but the one that would manage my intervals. 4:1. I planned to run like this all day. Four minute run, one minute walk. And this I did. There was no keeping up with pace or time. The distance accumulated came courtesy of the mile markers along the course. My friend Skip suggested I do this when I told him I wanted to just go out and have "fun". After all, I had just raced and Ironman. My legs didn't have a stick of speed fiber left in them.

Or did they?  I will never know.

It is said that you run according to your surroundings. Or better stated, you run according to how those around you are running. This is why it is recommended that in order to get faster you train, and run, with faster folks.

At the NYC Marathon last year, when I ended up with the "fast" crowd, I had the fastest marathon time I have ever had, a sub 5 hour marathon. Here, today not so much. I was running with the slower folks and my finish time reflected this. 5:39:10. Had I placed myself further up, would this have made a difference? Not sure, doesn't matter.

The course was scenic and crowded. I was hoping that the crowd would thin out after the 13-14 mile mark. It did not. The course was also flat. Very flat. there were three very small bridges that I remember elevated minimally. Race support at Aid Stations was fantastic. There were 20 of them throughout the course, very well spaced. Each station was approximately two blocks long. First block always had Gatorade Endurance Lemon Flavored and the second block always had water. Bananas were offered at the stations somewhere between miles 20 and 24.

My personal nutrition plan consisted of Infinit and Huma gels. I carried a hand held water bottle mixed with the Infinit and I would sip some every 1 minute walk. Had to refill the bottle once. This worked out great. I also took a Huma gel at mile 9 and a second gel at mile 18. This too worked well. From the aid stations I alternated a small drink of Gatorade at one station and a drink of water at the next. I took one third of a banana around mile 20.

The crowds of cheering supporters were everywhere as well. People lined the streets for most of the race. This was a great motivator. Even a bigger motivator for me was finding my wife and daughter at miles 13 and 18. Or rather, having them find me. Not sure how they spotted me, but they did. They called out my name, I heard them and there they were; big ol' smiles that lit up the course!

The one big let down was the finish line. It was anticlimactic. Where were the crowds? There was no crowd. The bleachers were set up on both sides, but there were 5 or 6 people there. Was I that far towards the end that everyone had already left? Don't think so. I remember at the last aid station, the station captain was telling his volunteers, over the megaphone, that there were still some 10,000 runners to come, to make sure to keep their spirits up.

Perhaps it has to do with security. Security throughout the course was heavy. Obvious and heavy. Swat teams. FBI teams, Local and State Police, etc. they were out and they were out in force. This was good to see.

From the moment I crossed the finish line until the moment when I found my family, about 45 minutes had passed. I was tired, I was hungry. I just wanted to eat. I had taken a Gatorade Protein Shake at the finish line, which btw, was pretty tasty, but obviously that was not enough. I had taken a moment to stretch my legs, but there's no amount of stretching you can do to prevent your Plantar Fascia from hurting when it gets cold. It was beginning to ache. No, it was beginning to hurt and hurt bad.

LESSON LEARNED

One of my goals with each race I run, is to come out with new lessons learned. Again, Chicago Marathon was no exception:

1). The choice of hotel matters. It matters a lot. We have stayed at hotels near and far from race sites, but never one this close. It brought peace of mind to someone (me) who worries about race day logistics. However, this choice of hotel is a once in a lifetime opportunity for us. I cannot justify the expense just to be "close" the the race start/finish. Next time, I will get over race day logistics.

2). Registering for and racing an Ironman and a Marathon two weeks from each other is a BIG DEAL. A huge deal. Label me crazy if you must, but it CAN be done. Are you up to it too?

3). Running for fun, is a lot of fun. But the "fun" must be as defined by you.

4). Judge the Effort Not The Time. Not all your races, because of circumstances, are created equal. We have accustomed ourselves to judge performance by time. Someone in the elevator at the hotel asked me if I was happy with my "time". I replied that I didn't know what my time was for I had run without my Garmin. He had a very bewildered look upon him. I explained that I had just raced an Ironman two weeks before then his look changed from one of bewilderment to one of awe. I didn't tell him that to impress him, I just told him the truth. Yesterday one of my clients asked me about my time. I replied that my effort was 100%. I went on to explain. This made perfect sense.

5). Positive Attitude Cures Everything. I already knew this, but its nice to keep finding reinforcement. The pain, the agony, the tired and heavy legs, all cured or at least sustained with a positive attitude. The "wall"? What wall?

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Also invited you are, to join the Tri Talk. Click here to do so.

NYC Marathon ~ The Flight & Plight of # 542

I remember it like it was just yesterday. I opened the email from NYRR with my race number assignment. Remember thinking as I was opening that the date was getting closer and closer. Remember the excitement building. Remember that gut wrenching feeling when I saw that my assigned number was 542. Remember the cold sweat pouring down my face when I read: Wave 1.

Almost immediately, I jumped and retrieved last years number, the one that had been assigned to me before the race was canceled. Last years number would have been 65201. This year's number, did I tell you? would be 542.

I'm going to assume (but you know what happens when we do that), that if you're following this blog, you know a thing or two about "corral" and "wave" assignments. But just in case any of you don't know what I'm talking about, the lower the numbers, the earlier waves and corrals are usually reserved for those faster than fast runners. Obviously that's not me. Obviously someone made a big mistake.

I tried to justify this by thinking that maybe, just maybe the NYRR had assigned a special starting place to those of us who were to run last year and returned this year.

Nah, that couldn't be it.

As time passed I looked for the positives in this. There had to be some, right? The first one, and only one I really embraced was the fact that I would start earlier and that the wait in the cold would not be as long. But even that came with a hard realization that if I wasn't really careful, I would get trampled. There went my positive!

So how did this happen, I kept asking myself. There had to be only one logical explanation. The person or persons in charge of making bib assignments for the NYRR must have thought that "Mauricio" in Kenyan meant "With Gazelle-like Speed" and therefore gave me that number. In reality, they should have known that "Mauricio" was Spanish for "So slow he's moving backwards".

Come race day, I attached my number to my race belt and off I went. Didn't think about it any longer.

Well, that is until I arrived at the staging area.

There's something to be said about a mature, slim looking gentleman, sporting white hair and wearing a number 542. He must know a thing or two about running and racing.

As I sat patiently waiting for us to be called, a gentleman from Dublin sat next to me. He must have noticed my number, my HOKAs, my "experienced" look and promptly asked me: "what's your time goal?"

I told him sub 5.

Immediately, I saw the puzzled, bewildered look on his face. I asked for his and he said 4:00 hours. He was wearing a number in the 30-000 range.

He proceed to ask about my number. I told him not to ask. He insisted. I shrugged.

I moved to a warmer place. Found a spot inside a runners tent. The temperature here was about 10 degrees warmer. I thought I would just wait here.

But then someone said..."You best get moving. Start finding your way to the start. You're off with the fast runners, and they take of in about 40 minutes."

And so I did. I navigated my way through the maze to the corral to find my spot with Wave 1.

Once there the conversation was pretty much the same. Everyone was comparing notes. "What pace will you be running?", "What's your expected time?", so on and so forth.  I was trying as hard as I could not to make eye contact with anyone so as to prevent anyone from asking that or a similar question of me.

But then something hit me and hit me hard. Real hard. A pace sign went up a few people in front of me. I was standing smack, dab in the middle of this pace group. Said sign read: "3:10". Okay, that's not going to happen today.

Very carefully I moved as far back of the corral as I could. I figured back there, I would not get trampled upon. This worked out good, I survived the start.

And so concludes the flight and plight of bib no. 542. Or does it?

I did discover the humongous benefit of having this number, one I had not thought of before the race. I was not blocked by any runner. I found my way to the middle of the road and ran the race without having to weave through slower runners. This made it a whole lot easier to run a steady, controlled pace.  However, it was demoralizing for a moment or two, when I realized that I had passed no one and that everyone was passing me. Oh, well. I got over that real quick!

As I made my way through the Boroughs of New York City, I never gave the number a second thought. That is until I saw pictures of me at the finish line. Alongside runners sporting bib numbers in the 39-000!

Read the entire recap by following these links:

NYC Marathon Part I ~ The Training Process. Click here
NYC Marathon Part II ~ The Middle Half. Click here
NYC Marathon Part III ~ Why I Love My HOKAs. Click here
NYC Marathon Part IV ~ Race Day. Click here

About Country Music Marathon & Half Marathon

It was never my intention to run this year's Country Music Half Marathon.  I ran in the USA Half Marathon in Washington DC on March 16th and the Oak Barrel Half Marathon on April 6th.  I am registered to run the Rev3Knoxville Olympic Distance Triathlon on May 5th, so running another half was far from my mind.

That is until the events of Monday, April 15th in Boston.  It was then that I decided to run in Nashville, so on Wed., April 17th, I registered.

My wife was already registered, so this was an added bonus.  We would run this together.  Again.

The weather in Nashville for this race is always unpredictable to say the least.  We've had heat and humidity in the 90F's, the floods of 2010 came the week after the race, but on race day we had tornadoes and the race was cut short.  This year's weather proved to be equally exiting.

All week rain was in the forecast for the entire day.  As we got closer to race time, the chances of precipitation increased.  As we arrived at race site, the chances of rain were holding steady at 70%.  It was just a few minutes after, that the rain started.  And it never stopped.  Ever.

First on the agenda was the obligatory stop at the porta potties.  And in true Rock 'n' Roll fashion, accommodations for these were sub-par   As usual, there were not nearly enough, anywhere.  The lines were huge.  We stood in line for almost 45 minutes.  I wish they had taken a note from the USA Marathon where they had four porta potties inside each corral along with several scattered outside the corrals.  This is the way to go.  Maybe one day, the Competitor Group will start thinking about the athletes a bit more.  This was and is the only negative about this otherwise well organized race, except well, for the finish line.  More in a bit.

As we made our way to our corrals, the rain kept coming down steadily.  Not hard, but steady.  The mood amongst the runners was upbeat.  Everyone was making the best of it.  We just wanted the race to start so we could get moving.  It was getting cold.

After the National Anthem, we were asked to raise our hands and make the "peace" sign.  This was pretty awesome to see.  After this, Neil Diamond's Sweet Caroline came on.  Everyone was singing.  Again, pretty upbeat, pretty cool.

And then we were off.

I don't know where or what time it was when the rain picked up.  At times it was coming down hard, and the wind was blowing.  At times, the rain hurt (as much as rain can make you hurt) as it hit you.  But we kept going.  Everyone kept going.  No one was complaining, everyone was just moving.

One of the biggest challenges throughout the day was having to pay attention, extra attention, to where you were stepping.  The puddles at times where big.  I tried to avoid as many as I could but I quickly realized that this would do no good.  It would use more energy than needed and the shoes and socks were already soaked, so through the puddles I went.  I did try, however, to follow the lead of those in front of me.  Didn't really want to step into anything that could be dangerous.  This is where it got tricky.  Additionally, I tried to run, as much as possible in the middle or the road, where it crowns.  This is a place where there was less chance for water to gather.  For the most part, this worked.

A few "firsts" for me took place during this race.  This was the first time I ran a race in the rain from start to finish and beyond.  Also, this was the first time I had to stop at the porta potties more than once.  Actually, I had to stop four times.  Not sure what's up with that. I'm thinking electrolytes were messed up.  But, each time I stopped, the lines were large.  Larger than I have ever seen before during any race, so I guess I was not the only one with issues. Not sure what to make of this.  According to my Garmin, I lost exactly four minutes on these stops.

Regarding the finish line...  A couple of years ago, they changed the finish line, in my opinion, for the worse.  Marathoners used to finish on one side of LP Field, Half Marathoners on the other side.  This would allow for the crowd to disperse a whole lot quicker.  Now, everyone finishes at the same spot.  Making this overcrowded and dangerous at best.  Not only does everyone finish together, but the chute gets narrower as you move along, so you literally come to a dead stop.  As you finish running a half marathon, much less a full marathon, the last thing you need to do is to come to a dead stop.  Makes me think that whoever thought of this brilliant idea, is not a runner.  I have complained about this before, I will continue to complain about this until its fixed.

So once I made it through the finish line maze, through the overcrowded human corral, I proceeded to move to the family gathering area where I was to meet my daughters who had come to support; braving the elements all morning long, and my wife, who finished not to far behind me.  By the time I arrived where I was going, I was cold. Very cold. I was shivering uncontrollably at times.  I waited patiently for everyone to gather, but once we were together, we hurried to the car, which was at least two miles away.  It felt like it was two miles away. It could have been just two blocks away, but it felt like it was two miles away.

And for the numbers:  Official Finish time: 2:17:27.  Official Pace: 10:30.  Moving Pace:  10:03

Mauricio 9868.  Monica 23435

Am I glad I decided to run this race?  You betcha   Would I have run this race had I known before hand that the conditions were going to be like this?  You betcha   I would change nothing.  I would do nothing different.  It was a wonderful day, it was a wonderful race, it was a wonderful time.  Glad I ran it.

The one thing that stuck to my mind more than anything was the fact that during the entire day, despite the monsoon like conditions at times, I heard no one complaining.  No one.  Everyone was upbeat, everyone was happy, the mood was perfect.

So, as I posted on my facebook page on Saturday:  "Don't ever doubt the heart of a runner."

Next on my agenda is Rev3Knoxville Olympic Distance Triathlon, to be held on Sunday, May 5th in Knoxville, TN.  I will do this alongside my wonderful wife Monica and awesome daughter Juliana.  I am looking forward to this race for it will be one that I will never forget!

About Being Fit vs. Being Healthy

Of course you're fit.  You swim, bike and/or run for hours and miles at a time.  You can out-endure anyone close to you without even trying.  Your physique is envied by models everywhere.  You can lose weight without even trying and your body fat percentage is the goal of every top professional athlete.  Yes sir.  You're fit alright.

But are you healthy?

I have been thinking about this for a while now and even more so after the unfortunate death of a triathlete at the start of Ironman Louisville this year.  Of course we're fit, but are we healthy?

Those of us that got a late start in the sport, have a lot of ground to make up.  As for me, I was overweight (198 lbs), in pain from bulging, herniated and ruptured discs.  I have had numerous surgeries on my toes and ankle, leaving a constant nagging, if you will, on my lower extremities. Add to that the fact that I have high cholesterol due to family history and the very unhealthy diet that I followed for many a day.  In 1988 I had an asthma attack which landed me in the emergency room, at which point my cholesterol was discovered to be over 500; "a walking heart attack" I was told I was.

In 2006 I turned the corner and saw the light.  It was there blinding me, much like a train coming at you in a tunnel.  I did not want to be in pain any longer.  I wanted to watch my daughters grow, get married, have kids.  I wanted to travel with my wife; go places and do things only imagined impossible up to that point.  So I joined a gym.  I was 52 at that point.  I decided to get fit.  And healthy.

I changed a lot of my habits.  It was hard, but it had to be done. No ifs, ands or buts. It had to happen.  And slowly I started loosing weight, cholesterol started coming down hard (and staying down), pains turned to aches which are easier to manage.

I began to get fit.  But was I healthy?

My doctor suggested I see him twice a year vs once.  Due to the new stress I was putting on my body he wanted to make sure my ticker was ticking just fine.  I obliged.  He was keeping a close eye on me, for which I was very thankful.

I have done a couple of stress tests over the past couple of years.  Surprising the heck out of the techs performing the procedure.  So, as far as we can tell... yeah I'm fit and I'm healthy.

Most of the deaths at triathlons occur in the swimming leg of the event.  There's just to much going on at that point for an unhealthy heart to handle.  I understand that all the tests in the world cannot guarantee diddly-squat... but you know what?  I like my chances now a whole lot better.

Which brings me to the point...  Of course you know you're fit, but do you know you're healthy?  Go see your doctor more often.  Don't ignore, as much as us Type A personalities want to, unusual pains.  Chances are that they're nothing, but why take the chance?  When was the last time you had a stress test?  Call your doctor's office, have them schedule one... today!

Yes sir, you're fit alright.  But are you healthy?

About Country Music Marathon

Nashville's Country Music Marathon & 1/2 is a very special event for me for many reasons.

First of all, it was here back in 2007 when I jumped, feet first, into the world of endurance sports.  I entered, ran and completed my first of many races.  Never mind the simple fact that I did not know the first thing about running, endurance, nutrition, training, etc.  I finished with a very respectable time of 2:37 and change.  Since then, I have cut some thirty to thirty five minutes off that time.  I ran a sub 2 hr once in Memphis but have not been able to do so again.

The image that will be embedded in my mind until I'm carried to the beyond is that of crossing the finish line to the cheers of family and friends.  All along the route, I remember thinking: "What in the world am I doing here?", while the instant I crossed that line my thought changed to: "When is the next one"?  I was hooked.

Since that first one, I have run a total of two 1/2's and two fulls in Nashville.  And each one has it's own story to tell.

This year I will run my third half.  And it will extra special because I'm running this one side by side with my daughter Marcela.  Life couldn't get any better!

See ya'll at the finish line!

The Home Stretch

According to DailyMile, my online training log, I have logged 583 miles over the past four months. That's a lot of road!  And in a little less than 48 hours, it will all come together at the Country Music Marathon.

Preparation for this year's marathon began much earlier than that.  Actually, it began as I finished last year's.  Well, a couple of weeks after the end of last year's.  As number 16137 crossed the finish line, I remember telling myself "never again, ever".  But here I am today, 12 short months later anticipating the start of a new CMM.

Best piece of advice anyone can give you at this moment is to savor the moment; there's nothing you can do to make a difference in the race now, there's plenty you can do to ruin the race.  I have followed, for the most part, my training plan, deviating only on a couple of instances but nothing that would interfere with progress.

I have pushed, pulled and dragged myself through each mile and I have thoroughly enjoyed each and every step.  I have mostly trained by myself but on a couple of instances I have met up with our running group.  This was special, they're a fantastic, supportive bunch.  Additionally, I have created a sizable on-line support group.  Through Facebook, DailyMile and Twitter, I have found advise and encouragement from sometimes the most unlikely sources.  To all my family and friends... I am indebted to you!

My race number this year will be "17067".  I have a finish goal time in mind but life as I know it will not end if that is not accomplished. I will be very happy if I finish ahead of last year.

My race gear has been ready for three days.  All spread out on the couch.  Each time I get a chance I look at it and take inventory.  My biggest fear is that I will forget something.  A few weeks ago I designed my race day tee shirt.  I ordered it and received it two weeks ago.  I will be wearing this on race day:

According to the National Weather Service... "potential exists for severe storms in Middle Tennessee on Saturday... any storms that develop will have the capability to produce large hail and damaging winds.  There's also a potential for isolated tornadoes...'  GREAT!

This is one element that I can't control so I will not worry about it.  I will take the weather as it comes and run to the best of my ability given the conditions that are given to us.

So, for now it just hurry up and.... wait!  See ya'll at the finish line!

2010 - Decisions, Decisions!

Putting together a competition schedule for next year has not been easy. Many factors have to be considered before making the final commitment to any one event. Most of these have to do with the travel factor. Will these events require more than a one night stay? How far a drive is this event from my home? These are not as big a deal as the fact that work schedule (vacations) and my daughter's senior year (college) soccer (Belmont University Lady Bruins) schedule will have to be seriously considered.

I would like to participate in at least one Marathon, a couple of Half Marathons, one or two 70.3 Ironman Triathlons, one or two Olympic Distance Triathlon and a couple of Sprint Tris. Add to this the obligatory 5 milers to support local causes.

The year will begin in form with the Goofy Race and Half Challenge on January 9&10 at WDW, Orlando. For those that are not familiar with this event it's a Half Marathon on Saturday, January 9th and a Marathon on Sunday, January 10th. This Half and Full will not be counted towards my 2010 goals! Or maybe they will!

First off I have two 70.3 Ironman in my sights. I would like to return to Augusta and I am considering the Steelhead. The Augusta 70.3 simply because I would like to see improvement on this year's time and the Steelhead because the timing and location are right.

The one obstacle with Augusta is that on that same weekend, Belmont Soccer has two games and it would be a big deal (to me) to miss either. The Steelhead is on a date (July 31) with no conflicting events. Additionally, this event is held in Benton Harbor, MI and it would be sort of like a homecoming to me. I went to high school in St Joseph, MI which is the other half of the Twin Cities, St. Joseph/Benton Harbor, MI. The event expo is held at Lake Michigan College, school which I briefly attended. As far as the distance, they're both almost equidistant for driving. 408 miles to Augusta, 459 miles to Benton Harbor. Hotel reservations have been made for both, will make a decision soon.

Regarding shorter distance triathlons, I am looking at Chattanooga Waterfront Tri on July 11th and Music City Triathlon on July 25th. Both of these are Olympic distance events. One issue with these is the timing. If I choose to do the Steelhead (July 31) it would make sense to choose the Chattanooga Waterfront as well.

I will go back to the Mach Tenn Sprint Tri and to the Mountain Lakes Tri. I did both this year and enjoyed them. Again, I'm looking for time improvement.

And as far a running events are concerned, I will run the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville and the St Jude Memphis Half for sure. I have registered for the lottery for the NYC Marathon. A decision on which events I will run will be determined by whether or not my number comes up for NY. Should I not win a slot in NY, I am seriously considering San Antonio, Chicago or the MCM.

"The Willies"

In just five short days all the training, hard work and many sacrifices that went into the training for my first marathon will be put to the test. Right about now "the willies" are settling in. You know, that feeling of uneasiness that goes with uncertainty.

Have I done enough? Have I done the right thing? Have I gone far enough? Should I have run that extra mile? Did I run one mile to many? Undoubtedly these questions and more will be going through my mind over and over during the next 120 hours, and the answers will not be apparent until I cross the finish line.

In my mind I don't think I could have done anything different. In my mind I think I've worked my plan. Now, at race time, it's all up to me. I need to run my race, my pace, my time. If I do this, I should be okay.

But how difficult will this be? Not getting caught in the emotions of the big event will be a difficult task, but at the same time, enjoying the big event is part of the plan.

Only thing left to do is to trust and have faith.

Country Music Marathon #16137 - Corral 16

For the good part of the last sixteen weeks I have been training long and hard for my first full marathon, which by the way, is just 12 days away.

The road has not been without pain. Physical at times, emotional as well. The physical pain I have documented in previous posts. I just hope that I have followed instructions well and that my body is ready. The emotional challenges tested my dedication to this journey more often than I care to admit.

For the most part I stayed true to goals. I trained as I knew how and as I had planned... for the most part. Adjustments were made to allow the knee(s) time to recover. At times I tried to keep up with the Jones' and this threw me for a loop. I do not do well trying to follow others' steps. So back to my plan I went.

As I sit here and write this, I feel that I have done everything I have set out to do. I have run my miles, I have rested when needed and pushed when I had to. The taper is something that I have learned to enjoy, although I must confess that I feel guilty at times not pounding the pavement for that extra mile.

My plan told me that I had to run 12 miles last Saturday. 13 I ran. Wanted to push to 15 but I knew that would be wrong. Today I ran a quick 5.5 miles. Seemed like just a warm up, when I was getting in the rhythm, it was time to stop!

Earlier I pulled my Final Confirmation Sheet for the Country Music Marathon. My bib number is 16137, which means I will be in corral #16. Same as last year, however last year I ran just the half. This place in the pack I liked. I'm hoping for the same outcome this year.

I have begun to ponder the many lessons I've learned during these past three months. I will have to wait to digest it all once I cross the finish line.

This Week Unlike Any Other Week

I haven't reviewed a week in a while. Mostly because most have been pretty typical. I work, I spend time with family, I train.

This week has been a little out of the ordinary in that this week was the first week since my new-found passion for endurance sports I've had to deal with an injury. An injury that is most common to runners but that can be debilitating if not addressed promptly and effectively.

ITBS (IT Band Syndrome) was diagnosed by the doctor on Tuesday. On Thursday, the physical therapist set me straight, or at least put me on the right track.

I have a better idea now on how and why this happened. Some of the tools to begin recovery and prevent future flare-ups have been put in my tool box, now it's up to me to begin using them. Many more tools will follow, or so I'm told. Can't wait.

On Monday, my lovely wife brought home a present. The book "Chi Running" (pronounced chee), by Danny Dreyer. What a timely gift. I have devoured this book; so much relevant information and it all goes with what I've just gone through.

I went to the pool on Sunday, day after injury. It was probably the greatest swim I've ever had. Got one mile in and felt great. Rested on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday I went to the track and did 7 sets of Yasso 800's. I forgot to take my mp3 player with me but as it turns out this was a blessing for I managed a much better form and a more consistent pace without the distractions of different tempo music.

I decided on Thursday that I would do a mid-week long run. Wanted to do 8 miles. Got 7 in. By design I left my music player at home and ventured off alone with just the thoughts on my head. Again, I think this was a positive move for I was able to focus on form and pace better than I ever had before.

Every once in a while I would feel a pinch on my knee. I knew at that point that my form was wrong, so I was able to concentrate on fixing it. By doing so, the pinch disappeared and allowed me to move on.

Today my long run goal was 22 miles. I would be happy with 20. Okay I would be happy with 15. I had to settle for 12. I was quickly reminded that I'm not in charge at this time and that listening to what my body (knee) is telling me is more important than anything else at this moment.

The prudent and smart thing would be to stop and not aggravate the pain and take a step back in the slight progress made this week. The prudent and smart thing I did. The payoff was huge. First, I got a chance to join some running friends for breakfast and second, my knee doesn't feel like it's going to fall off any second now.

Father and Son

A son asks: "Dad, would you like to run a marathon with me"?

Despite is heart condition, dad replies: "Yes"

So they participated in many a marathon together.

Dad always answered "yes" when his son asked if he would like to do another marathon.

One day son asked: "dad, would you like to do a Ironman together"?

Once again, dad replied: "yes"

So father and son went on to do the Ironman...

Sometimes a story comes along that leaves you speechless... I hope this is one of those times.

Nutrition Is A Full Time Job

Or is it?

Amongst the many things endurance athletes have to contend with is nutrition. I say "contend with" because for me is more of a job than an adventure. I have to plan my meals and dates with my wife and kids around this carb loading thing.

There used to be a time when the question was asked: "Where (or what) would you like to eat"? and my answer would be an automatic: "Oh, it doesn't matter, you know I like, and will eat just about anything". Life was simpler back then, I left it up to my wife and daughters to pick the dinner menu or restaurant of their choice. Not so any longer.

I don't stress over what I eat, but I do watch what I eat. Miles are piling up as the date to my first marathon gets closer so I have to make sure that I have the right mix of carbs and protein with every meal.

I had been getting very tired the past few weeks. I made an appointment with my doctor just to make sure I was not getting anemic. I also wanted to make sure that the extra stress on this old body was going to be okay. They drew blood and he ordered a treadmill stress test...just to make sure.

The treadmill thing was somewhat funny... to me, not the nurse performing the test. My heart rate wouldn't go where she wanted it so after some nine minutes she cranked the incline to the max. That did it.

Reviewing the results with the doctor he couldn't help but laugh. He told me that the average time (to get the heart rate to max) for someone my age was two minutes. It had taken me 9 minutes and 45 seconds. I smiled. He also told me that the blood test was normal. So we got to talking about my training and eating habits, and then he asked: "what do you eat and when do you eat after your workouts"?

I knew I'd been had. I knew I should have been doing this all along. Recovery food is something you read and are told numerous times. But, NOOOO... attention I paid none. The simple truth of the matter is that I never had the proper nutrition within the prescribed thirty minutes post workout.

As the doctor smiled he knew right then that I knew what I had to do.

I bought a box of EAS recovery, high protein drinks. I started taking one after each and every workout. I can feel the difference.

So for now, is another bowl of pasta for me!

Goofy, Crazy or Just Plain Nuts?

This week I made a commitment to at least another year of running long and hard by registering for the "Goofy Challenge" to be held on January 9 & 10, 2010 at Walt Disney World in Florida.

So what exactly is the "Goofy Challenge"? It's a half marathon on Saturday followed by a full marathon on Sunday. Goofy, right?

After yesterday's murderous long run I have spent several hours pondering the reasons why I put myself through this. My family; wife and daughters are convinced that I have totally lost my mind. I'm not so sure they're not half right. My doctor has told me that he's not convinced as well of the same; although he's very happy with the results of my latest physical. Best numbers ever! Yeah Baby!

I remember attending a clinic prior to the first Country Music 1/2 Marathon that I ran. The speaker happened to be an accomplished marathoner and speaker John "The Penguin" Bingham. He asked a simple question: "Why are you doing this?"

One by one we were asked for answers. "To loose some extra pounds". "Because of my health". These were the most popular ones. But when he got to me I simply replied; "Because I lost a bet"!

Well, that wasn't quiet the truth. When I first decided to venture into the world of marathoning, a friend asked me if I had lost a bet. I thought it was funny then, I think still funny now. But no, no bet was lost.

So, why am I doing this? Why do I put myself through this sometimes physical discomfort, if not plain ol' pain? Why do spend hours upon hours on the road, on the bike and on the pool? Yes, I have lost plenty of weight and I've kept it off. I have lost plenty of cholesterol points, and I have kept them off. I have lost 4 inches off my waist, and I have kept them off. In my book these are all by-products of a choice I made some four years ago.

Bottom line is this: It's a challenge. It's a challenge I'm willing to put myself through. Many years ago I learned how good it felt to do something you never thought you could possibly do. And that feeling never left me. Running a half marathon, a full marathon, a triathlon of all things were not in my radar. These were things that only young, physical, athletic types did. Or was it?

So why then am I doing this? Why am I running a full marathon? Why the Goofy Challenge? Why Triathlons?

For the right to say "I did"!

Old Hickory Lake Triathlon

Twenty Four hours and change after the conclusion of the Old Hickory Lake Triathlon I'm still replaying the race over and over in my mind. Don't get me wrong, I finished the event, and that was my main goal. I have said over and over again, after each and every event that finishing was the goal of each race, as it was, but for this one it couldn't have been any more true.

On Tuesday morning, just four days prior the the tri, I woke up and could hardly walk! Took me several minutes to get out of bed, took me even longer to be able to stand up straight. The two bad discs on my back were at it again. I could feel the pain shooting all the way down my right leg, through my thigh to the knee. As I struggled to the morning two things kept going through my head; what went wrong and will it get better before Saturday morning?

On Wednesday I woke up feeling even more in pain. Nothing I did on Tuesday seemed to help. I just knew that the race in Saturday would have to be bypassed. This was a bummer. I was so looking forward to this one event. It is to be held at home, in front for family and friends, but I knew that feeling how I felt at that point it would be irresponsible to follow through and try to compete.

I continued stretching and concentrated on doing more sets of the back exercises. I pulled out the inversion table and borrowed a massage pad from my sister-in-law. I was not about to accept the fact that I couldn't race without a fight. I postponed the decision to a "game time" decision.

On Thursday morning the pain was a bit more bearable, it seemed that whatever I was doing was working, I was encouraged. By Friday morning, just hours prior to the swim start, I still felt pain and my walking was still affected.

So here it was. Woke up Saturday morning and my decision was to try to do at least ten back press ups as soon as I got out of bed. Assess the pain and make a decision. I was able to do full presses and the pain was almost non-existent. I was ready to go! Got ready and off I went.

The pre-race jitters were huge! Never this intense. There were several issues that contributed to this . How would my back perform and react? How would the swim leg be? This would be the first time I ever compete in open water and how would it go? How about the run? Would my back take the pounding? How would splitting the run in two stages be?

I was number 252 out of 454. My turn came quick and like it or not, off I went. As soon as I got in the water, anything and everything I had learned and practiced at the pool, was gone and forgotten. You cant see with your head in the water so your first reaction is to lift up your head to see where you're going. This alone, seemed to take more energy than anything else I did. When I tried to swim with the right technique, I found myself way off course, again dispensing more energy trying to get back in line. The buoys seemed to be miles away. Boy am I glad I had practiced the backstroke at length. This saved my swim.

Off the water came the first run leg. It started very gingerly as I was trying to assess how my back was feeling. It felt good, not great just good. Got through this stage and made it to the transition area to mount the bike.

The bike stage felt awesome. I feel this is where I made up time lost in the last two faces. All went well until about mile nine when my calves starting cramping up. Found out real quick that you cant climb well when your calves cramped up. Actually, it is very difficult to climb with your calves in pain. But I worked through it and made it back to transition area.

The last stage of the triathlon was the second half of the run. As soon as I started running the left calf started tightening up again, so I stopped immediately, stretched it to prevent further development. This worked somewhat but I still felt the remnants of pain through the remaining of the run.

I'm not sure what my total time was, let alone the splits. Today I was truly not interested in this, I was just happy I was able to finish. Half way through the event I realized that my mid to late week focus on the back pain distracted me from focusing on proper diet and hydration. I felt the effects during the race; I even forgot to take my pre-race Gu Gel as I have done prior to each event and each long session in the past.

Now this triathlon season is over for me. I will concentrate in the next few months in marathon racing. Yes, I did say "marathon" racing. My desire is to run the full Marathon in Memphis on December 6th! We'll just have to wait and see what develops!

HOT 100 - Metric Century

Participating in the HOT 100 - Metric Century (66 mile) Bicycle Ride yesterday was another first for me. I was looking for a bicycle ride experience to put under my belt, and that I did! It was quiet the experience, to say the least... but a great one at that.

I was tested. I was tested to every last bit of my being. I was tested like I had never been tested before. Early in the summer when I started looking for such a ride, my goal was to find one that was amongst other things, a bit challenging but not overpowering. Not having traveled in the bicycle circle as of yet, I was not sure of what to look for so I set off asking questions of anyone who may have had an answer and searching the web for anything that could enlighten me.

I arrived at the site some thirty minutes prior to start time. Plenty of time to get registered, use the facilities, get some energy food in me and ensure my bike was in proper working order. Once all that was completed, it was off to the races... well, it was not supposed to be a race, but tell that to the rest of the pack.

I calculated, to the best of my ability some 500-600 riders. All were sent at the same time, which again to my inexperienced opinion was a big mistake. Immediately off the starting block, big packs formed and I would say that the grand majority of participants (me included) do not know how to ride in a pack. This was sadly evident as in the first, very first turn of the course, a major crash claimed it's first (and I hope its only) casualty. It appeared to me that on this turn, bikes crashed and people tumbled over each other. As I passed the scene, seconds after the incident, help was being administered to a gentleman who appeared not to be very mobile on the ground. I thought about him for a while, I was surely hoping he was alright.

The first 18 miles of the ride where wonderful, easy going, fast passed. Not any major climbs to speak of. I imagine my average speed was somewhere around the 20 mph window for I made it to this spot in less than a hour, and yet I felt that I was not over extending myself. This was how I had planned it. As I chose the 66 mile option, I was to have my first rest stop slightly past the 18 mile marker. It was very evident shortly thereafter why this rest was so strategically positioned at this spot.

Mile 27 brought the first real test of the day. For half a mile more or less, a climb that registerd an 18% climb. This was murderous, it was by any and all accounts the biggest challenge I had experienced all year long. Half a mile of gearing down and cranking up! This was followed by anothor shorter climb at a 13% grade. I had made it through this, I was over the hump or so I thought.

The next fourteen miles or so, where smooth with very small rolling hills. I approached the second rest stop around the 42 mile mark. Here, I took the opportunity to fuel up and recharge my evereadys. I estimate my pit stop lasted some 10 minutes.

And now I was off for the last third of the ride, which proved to be the toughest part of the morning, not just because it was the tail end of a very long morning but because it was evident why they're called "rolling hills". For anyone who may not know, anyone who may be wondering, there's no such thing as an easy, rolling hill course out in the country. When you span three counties, 66 miles of "rolling hills" along a country setting, there's nothing easy about it. Hill after hill, with very little flat land to recharge to end the ride makes for a situation where the very best may question their abilities.

Information is a wonderful thing, at times. At times it could be your worst enemy. Let me explain. I have a gps computer installed on my bike, which gives me any and all information on the fly about my performance. I knew exactly how fast I was going, what my heart rate was, how fast I was pedaling (cadance), how steep the climbs were and for that matter how steep the descents were as well, but unfortunately for us on the bike, the descents are never as long as the climbs. All this at the time seemed to be a wonderful source of help. That is until the tail end of the ride. 20 miles to go, 15 miles to go, 12 miles to go... just two more and I will be in single digits miles to go, I remember thinking. Each stroke seemed to get harder and harder. My toes were killing me, really killing me. I need to work on my pedaling to make sure I don't put undue pressure on the toes. They were bad, I remember thinking that if I had more distance than that I could possibly not make it.

Single digit miles to go. 9, 8, 7, 5 and oh my goodness my toes were hurting, they were hurting bad. 4 miles, it all seemed within my reach, 3 miles, 2 miles, one mile! Yes, I was there, I would finish. Then the computer read 66 miles. I should be at the finish line, but I was not. It was no where in sight. What happened? Are they playing a joke on me? This ain't right! Where are the officials? I want to file a grievance. I should be finished by now. 67 miles and still no finish line... Oh, there it is. I see the school, I see the turn. I AM home. I have finished. I am done. 67.3 miles and I was done! None to soon.

As I look back at the experience I wouldn't change a thing, except I will not keep track of my distance past the three quarter portion of the ride. This was the worst. Counting down, in this case was a detriment. It did not help. I learned from this experience that this distance is just about as far as I would want to go. The hundred mile ride, well... I think that for me, it would take the fun out of it.

I have one more event this summer. In two weeks I will compete in the Old Hickory Lake Triathlon here in Hendersonville. I can't wait.

Looking Back so I can See Ahead

This has been a summer of firsts. First of all, I'm still amazed that I have been able to do what I have done so far. I have competed on my first triathlon, I have been on my bike for a combined total of almost 500 miles, I have been in the water for what seems a million laps - well, not quiet a million, but it sure feels like a million. I have run from 10 to 15 miles per week, not a lot by many's standards, but a bunch by mine.

I still have one more triathlon to compete on. The Old Hickory Lake Triathlon to be held in my hometown of Hendersonville, TN. on September 6th. Not a long one by any stretch of the imagination, but challenging in that the run portion of the event will be split in two. The first leg will be 1.5 miles out of the water and the second leg will be another 1.5 miles out of the bike. I have been on the bike course for a few rides and I think I will be alright. It's the swim that I'm concerned about being my first competition in open water. 400 yards doesn't seem like to far or to big a challenge to swim, I have been able to do without problem in the pool.

I have taken a great interest in improving my bicycle portion of the event. I have been riding most every Saturday for the past couple of months. I have been on rides anywhere from 40 miles to as high as 52 miles. This I have enjoyed the most.

On Saturday, day after tomorrow, I will participate in the H.O.T. 100 bike ride in Murfreesboro, TN. I will be riding the 66 mile course. I am excited, for I do not quiet know what to expect, I'm nervous, for I do not know quiet to expect. An aero bar has been added to my bike in an effort to make the ride a bit more comfortable. Hope it works.

With very few exceptions, I have tried to keep to a six day workout routine; two - three times in the pool, two times on the weights, two - three times run and one - two times on the bike. This, as far as I can tell, seems to be working for me. Will have to wait and see.

To finish out this year, my plans are to do the Memphis - St. Jude's Half Marathon on December 6th. After that I will decide if I will run the Half-Marathon or the Full Marathon in Nashville in April, but before that I have a date with my brother to do the Gasparilla Half Marathon in Tampa, Fl on Sunday March 1, 2009.

Country Music Half Marathon... 2:00:14

4:45AM came awfully quick! The weather man had predicted rain for the morning and he did not disappoint. The rain was steady but the spirits could not be dampened. After training for hours upon hours, day after day, week after week, for what seemed like forever, race day was here and a little shower would not interfere with the plans. I have never raced in fowl weather. Some have been cold and windy, others hot and muggy, but I never have I experienced a wet, rainy race. How will I react? How will I perform? What will the water and wind and cold do for the race and the runners? The puddles? The roads? So much was added to the pre-race gitters. At one point I remember thinking: "If I can run as fast and steady as my mind is going now, I will be okay!"

Upon arrival to the starting site, the rain was still coming down steady. Again, the weather man had predicted that he showers would end by 7am. As time approached the rains moved out! It was time for me and the other 30,000 runners plus to get serious about the task at hand. So off it goes, the elites take off and the race is on. Being corralled at number 16, it would be another 36 minutes before my turn, so it became a hurry up and wait situation.

Then there it was. All the preparation, all the expectation, all the build up and jitters would finally be put to test. But as I crossed the starting gate, one thought came to mind: "this is just another race... take it as such and you will be alright!"

That's what I did. With every step taken I would be one step closer to realizing my goal. And as with every event past, my goal still very simple; I just want to finish! A respectable time would be nice, better than last year would be awesome. I carry with me Garmin that helps me keep in pace. Not to fast, not to slow... just steady. If I get anxious and push, it'll remind me to slow down. If I get lazy and slow, it reminds me so crank it up a bit. The only other aide I bring with me is my mp3 player. Although I cannot tell you what was playing while I was running, I can tell you that it kept me going.

As the miles passed I began to realize that alll the work leading up to today was paying off handsomly. I hydrated as needed, I fueled as planned. My body was responding as I hoped it would, it was time to push, to see what I had.

Somewhere along mile eleven, give or take, I realized that finishing in two hours, which would be 27 minutes faster than last year, could actually be a reality. I would have to run the last strech of race in under nine minute mile pace. And that I did!

I do not pretend to sit here and tell you that every step taken came without some sort of pain, sometimes physical, sometimes mental... because there was plenty of that throughout. However, the memory of approaching the final stretch towards the finish line, having thousands of cheering supporters helping you through, and amongst those my daughters, wife and her parents, was the ultimate motivator. Again, I was not disappointed, it was everything I had remembered and expected it to be. Unbelievalbe to most, one of my thoughts at that moment was not that I had made it through in two hours flat, it was the thought that I couldn't beleive that the race was over, that it would be a year before I could do this again in front of family and friends.

Have you ever wonder if you can do this? Have you ever wondered if you have it in you to run a race like this? Have you ever wondered if you have the discipline to train and dedicate some of your time to do something as crazy as this? All I can tell you is that it is within all of us. There are people of all walks of life participating, and from what I managed to gather when talking to some of the participants is that we all have one thing in common; the desire to put our mind to something, something we never thought we could do, and doing it! And by a unanimous, albeit unofficial poll, once you do in once, you'll come back again and again.

Just hours to go!

With this year's Music City Half Marathon just around the corner, my mind has been racing just as fast and steady as my body has. The prelude to last years event, being the first one of such magnitude that I had participated in, brought few questions of little concern, mostly regarding my conditioning at the time. "Will I have enough gas to make it through"?, "Will I pace myself accordingly"?, not knowing what to expect, all I really thought about was if I would make it to the finish line... if I would make it standing up... if I would make it that same day! Because things went as I hoped they would I was more than pleased.

This year, having that race to refer to, my mind has been quiet busy. What ifs, mostly. What if it rains? What if my back doesn't hold out? What if my ankle betrays me? What if I didn't train properly? Most of these questions will be answered once the race begins... in the first couple of miles for the most part. This has been the norm for every training run I've had this year. I expect that if I have done the proper things to prepare myself, I will be fine. I must keep in mind that my goal is to finish the race in a respectable fashion. I would like for the time to be under 2 hours and 15 minutes... but that's just a wish. I must remember to push myself just to the point of a little anguish but not past it.

9 minute mile

To say that this experience has been easy, would be a stretch. As each day passes, miles have to be logged; miles have to be logged because, well... miles have to be logged.

Yesterday's 10K (6.2 miles) at a 9 minute mile pace, in Nashville was sort of a test. Needed to see where I stand in-as-far as running in a competitive environment. I do not wish to compete against others, for me this will take the fun out of what I'm doing. I do, however, wish to compete against myself. I need to see improvement in both times and conditioning. Self imposed goals, if you will.

As I hit the pavement, I am quickly reminded that my back and my ankle are dictating much of what I have to do. I have learned that with proper technique and diligence, I can not only prevent future strain to both, but I can help improve their condition.

I have a quote posted on my schedule board, it says: "The pain may last a day or two, but regrets will last a lifetime." I have this embedded in my head, and each time I'm no the track, the road or the water, I have to pull it out as a reminder, and it helps me through, not the physical pain, because there really is not any, but the mental anguish has a tendency to try to take over here and there.

The biggest challenge I am facing at this moment is keeping pace with the race. The natural reaction when the race or the training session starts is to take of like a jack rabbit. The pace has to be methodical and planned. I think I am coming along nicely on this. I have two weeks to get this down right.

This coming week, there's more large miles in store for my training, culminating on the weekend with a 11 mile long run. After that it's mostly recovery and allowing the body to get ready for the half marathon (13.1 miles) to be run on the 26th.