Run a Marathon…Check

Running brings such peace in life. Being able to identify a goal & achieve it is not always a given. I recently began training for my first marathon and found it a difficult task, especially past the 14 mile mark.

The first 13.1: I began the first of 26.2 this Sunday with a large pack of runners for one of many annual marathons. It was freezing for a Floridian, which is to say it was about 30 degrees (no snow, but ice on one bridge). The first 13.1 was great…no pain, easy going and in good spirits. Then the pacer seemed to speed up…

The second 13.1: I started to feel the shin splints that I took 3 weeks off for in the hopes they’d just disappear. They reappeared during the second 13.1 & hit hard. The cramps started at 18 or 20, then it got difficult. Thankful to a fellow runner I caught up with at mile 14. We pushed each other for several miles, then the mutual benefit faded. I was able to finish in a respectable time due to her strength in pushing me to not stop & just focus on the 3 5Ks we had left. One down, then two & the final push. Yes…running is an individual sport in many ways, but at times it is definitely a fellow runner that helps lift our spirits.

Running across the line was awesome, like awesomely awesome. One of the best experiences of my life & one of the most painful.

I found new limits that I could run past. You can find out a lot about yourself running a marathon.

So…I run to learn my limits…and how to break through them…

Peace…

Not in SC Anymore…

Texas has brought a new level of heat.

As such, the running group here in town has decided that 5:45 am on Saturday morning is a good time to run.

Training for my first full marathon brings anticipation and, if I’m honest, a bit of hesitation (aka fear).

What if I cramp up on the second half, what pace should I run (not a half anymore), and is it acceptable to finish by walking if all else fails (I wouldn’t be happy with it, but it could happen)?

All on the mind, but not during training.

No grants, no deadlines, & no smartphones...just peace…

Just thinking about keeping pace with others twice my age.

So in closing, watching the sunrise on a warm Texas morning mid run is a beautiful thing.

Go running… 

Going nowhere?

This summer has been weird as far as running and training is concerned.  With travel (two conference in four weeks), strange illnesses, colds, and now the heat/humidity, it has been difficult to be consistent at all.  The few times I have tried to go out for a long run, it has been far too humid to get in a quality run.  So, I finally bit the bullet and went to the gym on campus to use the treadmill.

For me, this is a defeat of sorts; treadmills can be effective, but to be on one for an hour is mind numbing.  No matter what entertainment there may be (TV, audiobooks, podcasts, etc) my mind has a tendency to watch the slowly moving display, and not really enjoy the run that much.  

While effective for logging miles, it is not very effective for my mental health; for me, being outside and running from one point to another (even if it is a loop) is very cathartic.  Running in place, indoors, and literally going nowhere, is not the same.  Regardless, it needs to be done for me to continue to work towards my goals.  At least I can look towards the fall, such as it is down here, for a bit cooler weather.  Maybe then, with me literally running nowhere right now, I will be able to go further and faster and get somewhere then.

A Garden Run

I headed out for an 8 miler the other morning on my usual Kennerly road route. Nothing unusual about this stretch of road except I always seem to notice something different about the scenery on a regular basis. I guess that is because this route is in a rural setting that passes by sections of large forest and farmland with the occasional house inter twined between the two. I was only out about a mile from my home when I passed by a distant neighbor that was carefully turning the weeds under that had invaded his two plus acre garden. He was slowly plowing through the middle of the rows of corn, watermelon, beans and squash. I have become accustomed to seeing this event year after year since this particular garden is on my normal route but this morning it caused me to think about how running and even life in general relates to this garden.

 We are all aware that our desire to keep our running base fitness is directly related to how often we run. This is even more directly correlated as we age. That being said, I thought about the amount of time and energy that is utilized to care for this garden. If the gardener only dropped a few seeds in the ground and then returned several months later to reap his effort, he would probably be very disappointed. It is because of his commitment to plant, water, fertilize and weed that allows him the sweet taste of rewards in the months ahead.

 It is the same with our training. Imagine if we purchased a $125 pair of running shoes and then set them in our closet until race day. We wouldn't expect to run very far just because we purchased a good pair of running shoes. The shoes may help with our comfort while running but they do not make you a runner. You make the runner.

The farmer reminded me of why I was out on the road. I was out for a run to enjoy the outdoors and work on my training. I was out there because I understood that the end results of that days run would or could just be the fact that I did something just for myself. I was keeping the weeds out of my thoughts and actions as I ran. Most people just simply call it a training run. I would say however that for me, it was about keeping my running garden in condition to taste the rewards at my next event.

So what about you? Is that a weed I see growing out of those running shoes sitting in the corner of your garage? Lace em up and get out there.

What Happen To Steve?

Well, where do I begin? It has been a long time since I have posted to the blog. So far 2013 has been a busy year for me that has included working in Florida for almost two months, preparing our house to place on the market and attempting to figure out where we will end up if our house sells quickly. I have managed to continue with some minimal running in the mist of all of the changes but managed to miss the Cooper River Bridge run and the Palmetto 70. I was in Florida during these events and that really bothered me since they are my two favorite races. I like the Cooper River run because of all of the energy of 45,000 runners and the absolute best post race event of anywhere in the USA. I love the Palmetto 70 due to the challenge and you just know that hanging out with several other guys for about 16 hours has to create some good memories. The relay series allows you time to really drink in your love for this sport.
On a more positive note, my wife and I visited our children and grandchildren in Denver last week. I found a fun, family oriented 5K while we were there and managed to talk my wife, daughter and son in law in joining me. The 5K was sponsored by a community called Thorton and a Elementary school. The event had about 750 participants and I would guess that about 35% of them were elementary age children. This was the 18th annual event so I figured they had most of the bugs worked out by now. My daughter had began to run again and she finally agreed that if Susan aka MiMi, would push the boys in the stroller, that she and I would run together. Andy would blast ahead as usual and attempt to finish some where close to the front of the pack. This turned out to be a fun event and since it was geared up for family they had Krispy Kreeme donuts and Chic Fil-A coupons at the finish as opposed to beer.

Ashley and I finished side by side at the finish line and I was thankful it was not a 10K. The air at 5,000 feet is a little different than the air around Irmo. The first mile was like running while holding your breath or at least like breathing through a straw. What happened to the oxygen???

 It was a great time. I have been in events with my daughter but this was the first time we ran together. I am hoping that somehow we will have the opportunity to run some additional events together. I will however have to get myself back in a more regular training regiment. Ashley may not want to hold back during the next one. So, while I missed my two favorite events this year, I did manage to find a new. Any event that includes running with my daughter.She after all was the one that got me involved with this sport to start with.

So, what happen to Steve? Well just life in general but mainly discovering something new once again about this sport. I like that about running. When you head out on a run or a race, there is always something new to learn or observe. So lace em up and get out there.

A run not worth running?

I do not travel as much as some friends I know, but I am out of town about three to four times per year for conferences and other meetings.  These conferences have me flying to such far flung places as Washington DC, Asheville, Denver, and for this week, Louisville, Kentucky.  I always bring my running gear, and often use a run or two as a way to do some sightseeing, and get a feel for the city I'm visiting.  One of my favorite places to run while on the road is in DC; to run by and around the monuments, near the Potomac, and to get out to a relatively quiet part of the city (usually on the Rock Creek trail) is usually quite enjoyable.

However, sometimes a run on the road is just no fun.  I may be tired, jet lagged, or not eaten very well while in the hotel room.  This week was just such a run; I only managed 6 miles, and the entire run felt like a struggle.  The setting was nice--a well groomed river front trail provided a good sense of the city, an the footbridge over the river was a nice touch as well.  But, I felt more tired after this run that I usually do--runs usually perk me up and shake me from the work day.  It was not until I took a shower, grabbed a quick bite, and grabbed a quick drink (Kentucky is known for its bourbon, after all), and dinner with an old friend (and a couple new ones) did I perk up again finally.

Despite this struggle in this run, I am still glad I went out and did it anyway.  Why?  At this point, anytime I can spend outside, relaxing from the day, and moving is a good day.  If I learned anything from the Boston marathon incident, you never know when your next run will be your last.  So, I will take every chance to get out there, even if it is not the best run I have ever had.  A bad run is always better than no run at all!

The view of downtown Louisville from the footbridge

Palmetto 70 Wrap Up

Well, the Flying Irmites have successfully completed another relay event.  This is our second time at the Palmetto 70 (actually, its  65.5 miles long) that runs from Cordesville to James Island County Park outside Charleston, SC.

It was the first relay with a full six member contingent, as opposed to our teams of four in previous outings.  As a result, we did finish with a faster overall pace (8:41 per mile) than before, and placed 7th out of 22 teams.  We were shut out of the awards, though, because we ran faster than our projected 9:01 pace!

I think this was also a major success, considering three of us (David Kizziah, Shane Parker, and Jonathan Newcomb) had never done a relay before.  They did remarkably well, although Johnathan had some choice words about the heat (since this is a family friendly blog, they cannot be repeated here).

I attempted to send live blog updates throughout the day; they are summarized below.  I can say that once again, we had a great time, great fellowship, and learned a lot about each other (as one is wont to do when you spend 16 hours with five other guys in one vehicle).

One thing we all learned, that I again cannot elaborate on, is the two different meanings for land meat (you'll have to ask Sam about that one).


At the rest stop at 2:45 am.

Alan gearing up for his 8.9 mile 5 am trek

At the start!

Getting pumped for my first leg

Cool action shot of David

Sam warming up

David finishing strong on his first leg

Newcomb getting fired up

Shane waiting for Alan to return from his second leg

And Shane off on his second stint

Off on my second and final leg

Running out of gas at the end of my second leg

David's off for his last turn

Representing CHS!

Sam coming in strong at the end

Newcomb heading for the finish line

Beear and BBQ at the finish--never tasted so good!

Awesome Day

Awesome Day

See if you can guess Why I Run…

I failed to sleep the night before (all had little or no sleep to work with) starting out at 2 AM from Columbia, SC.

In the VA Tech Van (Kevin’s doing) with 5 other dudes heading for a 70 (ish) mile relay with a 5 AM start time.

Highways, checkpoints, cool times, lots of laughs & good conversation with the team & the extended team (i.e. all other racers). Such comradely in this sport.

My last leg on a gorgeous span beginning from the Ravenal Bridge over the park…a bit of a hike…

Then finishing almost 7 miles through beautiful Charleston, SC with its historic areas & Battery with a waterfront view most of the way…

This was one of my best days of running…& far from the last...

Beer and bbq at the finish

Newcomb bringing us in, finishing in 9 hours 30 mins

Sam finishing up his last leg. Jonathan is finishing us up!

And handing off to David for his final leg. Just two to go!

Kevin starting off his last leg

Alan handing it off to Shane for leg 8. Almost there!

Beavis pumped up for the halfway mark

David finishing up strong!

Sam getting ready for his first leg-almost halfway there!

David off on leg #4!

Swag!

Third leg, just after dawn...

At the starting line!

2013 Palmetto 70

We are doing it again--the Palmetto 70 is this weekend.  We only have two returners from last year's team of four (three returners from our Colonial 70 team),and three newbies who have no idea what they are getting into.

With a team of six, which translated into about 11 miles per person over two legs, we are anticipating a faster time (and quite a bit less pain).  Our previous relays only had four team members, and that third leg was agonizing--I would say possibly as painful, if not more so than a marathon.

All that being said, I will attempt to once again do a live blog of our day (which will actually start at 2 am at the Wal Mart Parking lot!).  You can follow along here or our Facebook page for our updates.

Looking forward to it!

Conversation Starter: Running Over Walking

I noticed a new study that may be a good conversation starter for those trying to encourage others to run.

It details the utility of running over that of walking.

‘FRIDAY, April 5 (HealthDay News) -- Need to lose weight? Running will help more than walking, according to new research.’

Link: http://healthfinder.gov/News/Article/674896/want-to-lose-weight-then-run-dont-walk-study

Take a look for yourself & choose to use the information or not based on your own evaluation…

PS. Looking forward to an awesome Relay this weekend…Hope to see many come out to the Palmetto Relay…Teamwork, Comradely, a bit of pain in the lungs & free (ish) food…

Peace…

End of the Day

The day is no longer young.

Computer screens, printers and numbers flood the mind.

Drowning what energy I cling to…

I have sworn off excuses for a few weeks…to the gym I go…

A perk of being a student at USC is having access to USC’s gym, with an indoor track. This is awesome in the rain & cold.

10 minutes turns to 35 in short time, and the last lap is at speed.

I find so much peace near the end of this day. Such a good run (followed by a few weights and the sauna).

Even when the day feels draining, I find a simple run can bring me back again.

This is yet another reason…That I run…

Aside: For some reason I found myself signing up for another 13.1 in 11 days. Can’t wait. 

[Columbia, SC - Famously Hot Half Marathon...you can still register]

Wait--is it sleeting?

Today was my first race since September of last year; it was a 12k Trail run at the Harbison State Forest (Make My Day 12k).  While I’ve run that far on the trails plenty of times, I have never actually raced that distance before, so I thought it would be an fun on to try out.

Here is my timeline of thoughts for the day:

7:30 am—it’s 45 degrees and drizzling outside.  Not too bad, once you start running, it will be fine

8:30 am—is it getting colder?

8:55 am –the race starts at 9; of course, it promptly starts raining pretty hard.  No worries—I won’t notice when I start running.

9:05 am—about half mile in, the sleet starts.  Ok, this could be an interesting morning.

9:30 am—3 miles mark? I thought I was about halfway there. Getting chilly.

9:45 am—at least the rain has let up.  Wait –no, it’s coming down harder.

9:55 am—I realize I can’t really feel my arms anymore.

10:15 am—I cross the finish line, just in front of an TEN YEAR OLD BOY.  Keep an eye on that kid, folks.

10:16 am—1:12?  That seems slow.  Why does my watch say I ran 8 miles? I thought 12k = 7.4 miles. 

10:30 am—Get back to the car, and change out of my wet shirts.  This was much more difficult than it should have been, as my hands and arms were almost completely numb and in operable.

11:00 am—take the longest, hottest shower since I lived in VA.

Overall, good race, lots of fun, and a lot of folks signed up for it.  Wish we had run it yesterday (when it was 65 and sunny) instead of today!  But, really, the cold rain, sleet, and mud made it more of a challenge, which is all I really want out of these things.  How hard can I push myself?  What weird, difficult settings can I put myself into?  How will I respond?  I felt pleased with how I responded today, especially the last third of the race.  

As you see in the pic, my speed steadily increased over the last couple miles.  Maybe it was the cold (get me out of here!), or maybe I actually rose to meet the challenge, instead of wilting before it.  Or, maybe, it was that ten year old behind me, causing me to run faster so I would not be embarrassed getting passed by him.  Can you imagine?

MLK Day

Today is the day we all have off from work, in commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. and his struggles for equality for all people, regardless of race, creed, etc.  I myself am not big on reflection for the most part, and do not typically find myself being too introspective in regards to what he did for our nation.  I am fully aware, however, of what he did for my non-white  friends, neighbors, and colleagues who otherwise would not be where they are today without his struggle and sacrifice.

I did see a quote of his today that struck me:

“If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”

While it has obvious implications for running, I think it speaks volumes for how he faced his goals, what he sought to accomplish, and how he went about it.  If anyone would have had the right to give up due to the hardships and seemingly impossibility of the task, he would have.  However, what he was fighting for was so important to him that he would have done anything to keep it moving forward.

Many of us will not face the challenges he faced, or such a monumental problem to attack.  We all do have, in all of our lives, our own challenges to need to be addressed.  The best way to do so it to simply keep moving forward  towards your goal, even if and when you are pushed back.    

Cherished Moments

I was on a long run the other day and for some strange reason I began to think about some of my friends that had passed away. I know that sounds morbid but you just never know where your mind may wonder while running. I think that is one of the aspects of our sport that I enjoy so much. A run is sort of like a box of chocolates. (lol) Anyway, it occurred to me that some of these friends that had passed were not really much older than me. I would guess that they had between 10 and 15 years on me. That may seem like a lot of years but when you are pushing 60 it is a relatively small number. I am thankful for my walk in life that had included gentleman like Jimmy. Jimmy and I usually had a difference of opinion at times but we never allowed that difference to cause us to fall out of our friendship. We were brothers in our cause and our desire for others to find truth. That seems to matter more than always being in an agreement with each other.

So what is the point? My thoughts caused me to think about how quickly time passes. We run through life with set goals and ambitions. We hear the call to reach the top rung of the ladder and find our nirvana. We are so busy with the next new achievement that we can’t enjoy the one we just finished. We forget to enjoy and soak in the present cherished moment. What cherished moments have you missed because you were so busy looking for the next one?

A cherished moment doesn't have to be about a great achievement or goal accomplished. The corporate world wants us to believe we will never find our contentment without their latest product. Actually, I have finally realized that a cherished moment is more about our time. It can be something as simple as laughter around the diner table with your loved ones, having lunch with someone, or watching a sunset while fishing with one of your old friends.

I think my cherished moment on this running  day was just remembering how blessed I had been over the years with friends, family and discovering our sport. So what about you? Do you find your mind and heart cluttered with life’s issues?

 Lace em up and get out there. There is a moment waiting to be discovered just for you.

.

A Red Clay Run

I was out on a long run the other day and happen to notice a freshly plowed corn field. My run routes include several of these type fields but I seldom allow myself to give them much of a thought. It was a little different that day due to my mind started to think about the winter months and how the barren red clay field was in transition. The once thriving corn field lay turned under and useless.

We see our lives that way sometimes. Every thing seems to be running smoothly and then one morning we wake up to discover somewhere along the way, the heat on the job, a family disagreement or maybe a nagging health issue has caused us to become ineffective with every thing we do. It wasn't a sudden change but one that wore us down one day at a time. Our lives appear to be plowed under.

The one thing I also realized was our lives are in need of rest at times just like the crop fields. It is good to stop and be still. To allow time to think, ponder and determine where our lives are heading and if a change of course is required.

As I was headed back I passed another field that was almost directly across from the field I had passed earlier. I noticed that this field had also been plowed under at some time but it had also been raked and re planted. It appeared to be a winter hay or oat planting. The fresh green sprout had lifted their head about 1 inch up from the nurturing soil. A new birth that had probably repeated itself hundreds of times. I found an encouragement with this newly planted field. Sometimes our lives may seem empty, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Maybe we are in a season like the empty plowed corn field; waiting for the next great planting. I guess it depends on who you consider your farmer to be.

So lace em up and get out there. There are red clay fields out there that can provide an answer. 

Planning Ahead

I have been running competitively, off and on, since I was around 12 years old.  One thing I have never done, however, is really sit down, at the beginning of the year, and plan out my racing schedule.  previously, I have just done whatever sounded fun at the time, with no real coherent strategy.

Granted, I am not aiming to win any  of these races--there is little chance of that.  I do think, though, that if I form a plan, I will have more motivation to keep pushing through those harder workouts, days I want to go back to bed, or when I eye that bag of Doritios in the pantry.

I also have an eye towards a couple new, more challening events, that I am sure I could not accomplish without a more long-range view.  The first of these is the Spartan Beast, a 10-12 mile obstacle race held in November.  The other is the Harbison 50k trail run, held in January 2014.  Both events are either longer, or much more difficult, than anything I have ever tried before, so I think a year-long plan would be beneficial.

so, here is what I am thinking about for the coming year:

February:  Make my Day 12k trail run
April:  Palmetto 70 mile Relay
May:  New Heights 5k Trail run
June: Warrior Dash Carolinas 5k
July: XTerra 21k Trail Run
August: Table Rock 15k Trail run
September: Irmo Dam run 10k
November: Spartan BeastCarolinas
December: Rudolph's Rampage Trail Half Marathon
January: Harbison 50k

I would love to hear what anyone else if planning to do, or any new or interesting events.  If you want to join in any of these I plan to do, let me know--the more, the merrier!

Resolve to run

I know most of you that read this are runners already. However, I am sure you have friends or family who are now interesting in getting in better shape, improving their fitness, or losing weight. This article from Runner's World is a good overview of how to get started, and a good one to share with folks. It is also a good reminder that running is one of the most simple things we can do--just get out there and do what you can.  I challenge you all to share this, and your own love of running, with others this year, not only for their benefit, but for yours as well.