On Daughter's and Marathons

I warned you all in an earlier blog post that there was always going to be a chance that one of these blogs would go off on tangents.....simply because my runs are when I have the time to think.  I should probably impose a 6 hour moratorium on posting after runs.   Anyway, it's been an absolutely crazy month around here with oldest daughter moving home from Clemson May 2nd (Go Tigers!), middle daughter graduating high school and planning for college (here she comes American University, get ready), and my baby graduating from 5th grade at Moses Brown and about to embark on her next stop at The Middle House @ MB.   Exciting times to say the least.  And very, very busy.   So with all the emotion of the last weeks what comes blaring through my headphones around mile 3 tonight?   Tim McGraw and "My Little Girl."   The Dads with daughters will certainly appreciate the song......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I5UV4VWCSk

The chorus was especially poignant tonight with all the goings on and moving about in our house lately.

You're beautiful baby from the outside in.
Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again.
Go on, take on this whole world.But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl.

OK, enough of the mushy crap.  Let's talk about running.   That is the point of this blog after all.   Several weeks ago I was lamenting with a few Colonial Road Runners that over 3,000 registered runners failed to show for this years Boston Marathon.  I can certainly understand that injuries or personal circumstances may have caused some to reluctantly drop out.   But over 10% of the registered field?  In the year after the bombing?   Fo Real?   The point was made, and well taken, that every race has its share of no shows.   So why am I so worked up about it?   Because there were probably a million runners just like me that would have gladly taken one of those spots.  You see, I am not fast enough to qualify for my own bib number.  (yes, you actually have to qualify for Boston).  I would need to run a 3:25:00 marathon in a Boston qualifier race.   Thats a full 35 minutes faster than my PR, 3:59:03 at the Marine Corp Marathon last October.  To put it in perspective, I would have to clip more than a minute off my pace to qualify.   To quote George H. W. Bush, nah ganna happen.   

So, my little bitch session turned into a challenge of sorts.   Essentially, I need to stop complaining and just qualify for the damn race.   The good news, if you could ever call turning 50 good news, is that effective Sept 18th, my qualifying time goes up to 3:30:00.   Woop de frickin doo.  So the last month or so has been filled with thoughts around how I possibly trim a half hour off my time.   And I have come to a very important conclusion.  I don't.   I won't.   I can't.  I refuse to be consumed by some arbitrary time.   Boston is a very important race, a race that someday I will run even if I have to go the charity route and buy my way in.   But I will not make running a job....I will not allow the rigor of a training plan to take away the joy that I get out on the roads.  Running a 20 mile training run is an awesome experience when your goal is to enjoy your marathon.   Running a 12 mile tempo run at race pace is a whole different story.  And the last thing I want is to NOT enjoy a training run.

That's my plan.   Now let's discuss reality.  I am leaning towards the Philadelphia Marathon in November.   October will be a crazy month and a nice cool Sunday in Philly sounds like a perfect time to run a marathon.   It also happens to be a certified Boston qualifier.   Plan A is to enjoy the summer and train for Philly with a conventional training plan.   Something that will have me run comfortably with the 3:45:00 pace group.   But of course there is a Plan B, right?   Yes, always.   You see, I have recently started heart rate training.   I could do a blog just on what I have learned about it over the last couple of months.  I was intrigued by Colonial Bill Rivers and his performance in Boston this past April.  Bill has a marathon history similar to mine.  A 4+ marathon to start followed by breaking the 4 hour mark in a later race.  But then Bill did something that I still cant figure out.  He went out and broke 3 hours in Boston.   When I asked him how he did it, he attributed it to heart rate training.  I'll try just about anything that has a shot at shaving minutes off my time so I am now about 3 weeks into heart rate zone training.  I plan on sticking with it through at least the half way point of my marathon plan.  I am going to settle on a plan based on zone training and see how I feel when I run a half marathon in September.   If it's working, I will stay with it.   And if I stay with it, it's on like Donkey Kong.   I will target 3:30:00 and let it rip in Philly.  Of course there is always the chance that my body will laugh at me and remind me that those times are for guys in their 30's.  Like Bill.   We shall see.

Time to wrap up......but not without reminding everyone that The Colonials are full on into our summer fun run series.  Mondays in Raynham, Tuesdays in Abington, and Wednesdays in Brockton.   If you have ever thought about trying out running, this is your opportunity.  All ages and abilities come out to these fun runs.  You will not be alone and I can guarantee you will have fun.   And its all for $2.  See you there!!!!

Run FOR life, not from it,

JD

Raynham Fun Run

Just back from a 6.5 miler with the Colonial Road Runners.  We have a core group of 8-10 of us that meet every Saturday at 8am.  Runs cover the gamut.....from 3 miles to as long as 18 when folks are training for something.   But safe to say the average run is around 5 miles.  The beauty of these runs is that there is always someone that will run your distance.   Feel like 3?   Someone running 6 will run with you and then just do a second loop.   I can't stress enough how important it is to occasionally run with a group.  It removes the mental barriers that your mind will put up in your path.  It's so easy to cut an intended 6 miler short when you are alone.  If you have even the faintest glimmer of competitiveness, there is no way you will let your running mate down by cutting short.  So join us.   Every Saturday at 8am.  We meet at the Lions Club on King Phillip.   But be warned.....be on time.  We leave at 8am on the dot.....we wait for no one!!

A sure sign of spring is the return of the Raynham Fun Run!!!!    Every Monday night, the Colonials host a 3.25 mile Fun Run.  Again, we start at the Lions Club at 7pm sharp!!   The run will cost you $2 each week.  (please bring singles, nothing worse than making change for a $20).   Show up early the first time you run. (6:30??)   You will have to sign up and you will receive a bib number.   That bib number will stay with you all summer long, it's yours every week so don't lose it.  So it's only the first week that you need to sign up, and show up early.   Every week after that you simply stuff your two bucks in the jar.

I have been running these Fun Runs off and on since their inception.  Local race directing legend Jim Dupont started these back in the late 90's?   Early 00's?   There was a group of about 10-15 of us that met on Judson Street behind the RAC every Monday night and did our thing.  No frills, believe me.  Like most things in life, if you build it, they will come.  And come they did.   Dupey's little run got big enough to get the attention of lots of runners.....and local officials.   The latter of which was fielding calls from concerned citizens that all of a sudden their quiet neighborhoods were being overrun by a randy bunch of emaciated middle age folks that appeared to be enjoying themselves too much.  So off of Judson Street we went.

Fast forward to the last few years.  Dupey turned over the race to the Colonials and the Gillis family has picked up the ball.  They do a great job along with the volunteers from the Colonials and put on a great little run.   Also Mike from Spark BRS handles the hydration station with military efficiency.  Did I say its a great little run?   Well, it was little.  At one point last year there were over 100 runners, perhaps closer to 150 if memory serves me right.  

So, for those local readers that have been tempted by this blog to take your first steps as a new runner, here is your chance.   You will NOT find a friendlier group run.   We get runners from ages 8 to 80.   From the high school rabbits that finish in 16 minutes to the run/walk crowd that take 45 minutes.  And everything in between.  There is NO legit excuse for you not to use these Monday nights as your incentive, your rallying call to just do it.   You will not find a friendlier bunch of people and I guarantee you will find someone just like you to run with.  By the end of the summer you will be running 9 minute miles, smiling and thinking to yourself how far you have come since May.

See you Monday!

Run FOR life, not from it,

JD

Doyle's and Boston....

The third race for the Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix was this past Sunday.  It was the Doyle's Emerald Necklace 5 Mile Race in JP.  The course was predominantly run in Franklin Park so safe to say very runner friendly.  It's a huge race....my guess is 1500+.   Very well organized and a mix of all kinds of runners.  From fast to slow and everyone in between.  For the casual runner, or maybe first time racer, Doyle's would be an excellent event.  And of course, being as it is Doyle's, one doesn't have to stray very far to get a cold beer....either before the race at 10am of after the race when runners drink for free!!   There aren't many times that I miss a cold beer, but I have to admit Sunday post race was a test!

The weather was miserable at the start.  A steady sprinkle and at times a little more than that.   The problem was the 45 degree temp....or maybe 50.   Whatever, it was that raw, wet feeling.  As miserable as it was, this type of weather is actually very runner friendly.  Temps in the 40's are absolutely perfect conditions if you are planning on getting after it.   I wasn't, but did adjust my plan of an 8:30 average pace accordingly.  So in typical JD fashion, out I went at a pace that was probably a bit aggressive.  Hit mile 1 in 7:50.   For this time of year, thats a tad foolish and, so I thought, probably not something I should expect to maintain.  I'll spare the mile by mile details.  But i surprised myself and maintained a 7:45 pace throughout.   My goal entering the race was to be around 41-42.  I ended up smashing that and came in sub 39:00.   Very happy with that and also happy to take home second in my age group for the CRR Grand Prix.

So this is going to be an interesting next few days in Boston.  All of the memories are rekindled and we all will deal with the Marathon in our own way.   There are millions of stories out there and most of us will remember where we were at 2:50pm on Patriots Day 2013.  We will also surely remember where we were that Friday night when the Watertown and State Police cornered the cowering punk curled up in a ball in a trailered boat.  All of these memories very similar to 9-11, albeit to a lesser degree for most.  Certainly not for the families of those killed or injured.  This IS their 911.  The emotions will run the gamut from sadness to anger to pride.  Personally, for me Monday will be just another day.  I'll get up, thank God for another day, and go to work.  Sure, I will reflect in my own way and probably spend some time watching or reading about the race and the events surrounding it.  Hoping that it's turns out to be a glorious, uneventful day.

While I would have liked to run this year in Boston, this old boy is neither fast enough to qualify nor lucky enough to be selected for a entry.  That's OK, there are others more worthy.  Perhaps one day soon, maybe in the fall, I will run my own Boston Marathon.  Get dropped off in Hopkinton and just start running.  For the love of the run.....my tribute to those lost last year.  

Who's with me?

Good luck to all the runners Monday, especially the Colonials that are running.  And good luck to all of the volunteers that make Boston the greatest race on Earth.  Finally, let's pray for the safety of all in Boston Monday.

Run FOR life, not from it,

JD

Perspective...

Tough week out on the roads for me.   In my last blog, I mentioned that I wrapped up last week with a great run Saturday morning.  I took off Sunday and I knew that I couldn't run Monday due to travel.  What I didn't plan for was my Dad ending up in the hospital and needing surgery.  And that surgery was Tuesday.  So off the plane and a drive out to Worcester.   To complicate matters, he didn't go in for the surgery until 5:30pm.   Who the heck STARTS surgery at 5:30 pm?   Anyway, by the time he got out and we got the all clear it was around 9pm.  So my plans (more about planning later) for T-W-Th-Sat runs were altered.  I ended up with two runs, a decent 4.5 miler Thursday night and then an OK 6.5 this morning with the CRR group.  Not a great week but let's put things into perspective.   I got two runs done in a week that included work travel and visiting my parents during a difficult time.   Thats a good week.

So again, perspective.   I hear from so many people that they started a running program but couldn't stay with it.   Injury, busy schedules, boredom.....I've heard them all.   Many are legitimate, many are carefully crafted excuses.  Let's look at some of the latter and help you eliminate them one by one.

Injuries - they happen, you can't eliminate the possibility but you can greatly reduce the chances.  In an earlier blog I talked about footwear.  Bottom line, get fitted for your first pair.  Find out if you need a stability shoe or if a neutral cushioning shoe will do.  Then spend a few extra dollars and buy a pair from a running store.  Find a brand and a model that works, and stick with it.   Once you find a model that works, then you can go online if you want to save a few dollars on your next pair.  Personally, I get fitted every time I buy a pair.   Never know, the body changes.    And please, I beg of you, do not buy running shoes based upon how they look.   You will NEVER wear them for anything other than running.   Overheard at a race.....young lady complimenting a friend on the fact that her brand new Nike Free 5.0's matched her "outfit".  Followed by.....no lie....."I love them, they hurt my feet but they are so cool looking."   The physical therapist reading this are smiling.....cha-ching!!!!

Schedules - I've heard them all.   Kids, work, etc....   Very, very convenient.   Believable.   Bullshit.    Yes, I am calling bullshit on you if you have convinced yourself that you cannot find the time to exercise.   Disclaimer:   If you are a single parent with young children,  this is not for you.  If you can find time to exercise, you are a rock star.   Likewise, you may be dealing with health issues that prevent you from running.  But for the rest of us, it's time to be honest with ourselves.  Assuming we sleep 8 hours, and work maybe another 10 hours with commutes included, there are 6 hours left from which to get everything else done.  Yes, we have to move kids around, feed the family, and a host of other obligations.   Where will we ever fit in running for 30 minutes?   The time is there, you simply haven't prioritized it.   Here's a challenge for you.  Get two pieces of paper.  Make two lists.   List one:   your priorities in life.   List two:  how you spend you time every day.   My guess is your health is somewhere near the top of your priorities list.   Probably up there right after family.   Now go to your typical day.....is exercise near the top?    Are the two lists simpatico?   If not, fix it.    Sooner than later while you still can.  Personally, I count my health as part of my family obligation.   I am determined to see my girls married and settled down with families.   That depends on me staying somewhat fit and healthy.  I will be 50 this year and we have an almost 12 year old.   If she has babies at 32, I will be 70.   I want my grandchildren to have healthy, viable grandparents.   I run for them.....

Dedication - so we have you in good shoes, we have convinced you that running needs to be a priority.   (or some sort of exercise for 30 minutes/day).  The next hurdle and cause of failure is lack of a plan.  Humans are planners.   We make lists of things to do.  Some plan better than others but when we wake up every day we have some sort of plan for the day ahead.   If you are running only when you have a gap, when you can fit it in, you are setting yourself up for failure.   For example, how many times has it gone this way.   I think I will run tonight after work.   At noon, text from friend.   Meet for a drink at 7?    Sure, see you then.   Work runs a little late, instead of getting home at 5:30 and running from 6-6:30pm, you get home at 6pm.   No way you get your run in, shower up and meet at 7pm.   Maybe the old you just blew off the run because you promised your friend you would meet at 7.   The new you texts the friend and says "see you at 7:30, something came up, sorry.   Absent some sort of emergency, the time you blocked for your run is set in stone.   Put yourself first.

Expectations - be reasonable.   If you are in your 40's, or even 50's or later.....this will not be easy.   Start slow.   I talked about a run/walk/run program to get started.   No shame in not being able to run for a full 30 minutes.  Have a goal.   Maybe a local 5k is coming up next month.   Organized runs (notice I don't call it a race?)  are great motivators.   Once you are running for all 30 minutes, maybe plan a route that will take you 3 miles.   See how it goes.  You may have to return to walking some part of the distance but I think you will be surprised at how far you have come since that first day.  You will remember your first day as the day that your heart felt like it was about to explode, your lungs were burning, and you were sweating like you were in Death Valley.   But then you show up to run that 5k.  Get your t-shirt and bib number.   And then you find out that there are dozens of people just like you.   You don't come in last, in fact you finish before quite a few people.  Even some younger than you!!!    Thats a good feeling.   Thats the feeling of accomplishment that will become your motivation.  Heck, before you know it you are toeing the line for a 5 miler, a 10k, or even a half marathon!    Nonsense you say?   You have one thing in common with every man and woman that has ever run a marathon......we all remember how much those first few runs really sucked.   But we are so glad we got our priorities straight and took control of our health.

Enjoy the weekend!

Run FOR life, not from it!

JD

No No NY....

As expected, tens of thousands of runners received the "thanks for entering" e-mail this past week.  Yes, I was among the 77,107 hopeful runners that paid a non-refundable $11 for the honor of being told not to make plans for NYC in November.  Approx. 9,100 were given good news that they hit the lottery.  Do the math, thats approx. $850k collected by the NY Road Runners from people hoping that their number would be called.   Big money in this sport, big money indeed.  Add to this total another $255 for all of the 50,000 runners (40,000 non-lottery runners qualify by their times or are running for a charity), or another $12,750,000, and we are talking some serious change.   I would say the sport of running, and in particular road races, is alive and well.

In fact, approximately 541,000 runners completed in an American marathon last year.   Thats an all-time high.  At least until 2014, when many believe that the events in Boston last April will result in even larger numbers running.

Even more impressive are expectations that more than 2 million runners participated in a half marathon in 2013.   This will not come as a surprise to any of you that have been racing this distance.  Where there were once races with 100 participants, we now see multiples of that number.   Clearly, the half is the distance of choice.  And for good reason.  It's about as perfect a race as there could be.  Short enough that most runners willing to put in a little work can finish.  And long enough that even the most accomplished runners have to respect the distance.   The best of both worlds.

Last week was a good week of running for me.  Nothing too long but just felt good on all 4 runs.  Capped it off Saturday morning with a Colonial Road Runners group run.  My plan was to run an easy 5 on a familiar loop.  For me, thats anywhere from 45-46 minutes.  Instead, I fell in with a couple of gents and found myself pushing pretty good once we got going.  Ended up running 6.5 with 4 of the 6 miles below an 8:30 pace.  For this time of year, thats pretty good.  

Next up for me is Doyle's Emerald Necklace on April 13, a 5 miler organized by Doyle's Pub in Jamaica Plain.  The distance should be a good challenge for me as one piece of my training that I have not started yet is speed work.  At almost 50, the body tends to handle the request for more speed a bit differently in the spring.  We shall see.  Anything around 41 minutes will make me very happy.

Hopefully this is the week you take those first few steps.....you won't regret it!

Run FOR life, not from it....

JD

One Small Step for Man.....

Just back from a quick 4 miler through the beautiful streets of Raynham.   It's a bit of a race against mother nature at this time of year.  I am not a morning runner so that little window at the end of the day between the commute home and sundown is precious time and not to be wasted.  It felt good to get out although at 41 degrees it's tough to dress efficiently.  I usually end up overdressing and carrying my hat and gloves back.  This is the type of weather that also challenges my respiratory system.  And no, I don't have trouble breathing.   Rather I suffer from the natural byproducts of labored breathing in cold weather.  So to those drivers on North Main St waiting for the light to change, my sincerest apologies for blasting out a few snot rockets.

I thought tonight I would share a few thoughts about getting started with a running program.  Why tonight you ask?   Because this is the perfect time of year to start.  Cool days make for perfect conditions and removing heat from the equation makes things a little easier on the new runner.  If you have started a running program in the past and didn't last very long, do not despair.  A few tips and maybe this is your year.   Personally, I believe most runners quit for two reasons.

First, pain or injury.  And I do not mean the usual aches and pains the day after a run.  That is to be expected as the body shakes off the effects of relative winter inactivity and lack of vigorous exercise.  The good news is this is temporary.  The pain I am talking about is more acute.   The knee you can't walk on.   The hip or lower back that makes it difficult to get up from your chair.

Second, lack of goals and a plan to achieve them.  Let's face it, starting a running regimen is difficult.  Running without a plan makes it even more so.  The smallest investment in time can go a long ways toward achieving your goals.

Pain - first, I am making the assumption that you have been medically cleared to begin a running plan.  That assumption aside, acute pain is usually caused by improper footwear or being impatient with your progress.  If you are serious about running, your first stop is to a running store for a professional shoe fitting.  When your foot strikes the ground, it may roll inward, outward, or may land in a fairly neutral position.  Running shoes are made to stabilize this movement, called pronation.   Only a trained eye can determine your level of pronation.   Yes, you will pay a little more for running shoes at a specialty running store.  But seriously, when you are writhing in pain from runners knee, you would gladly pay the extra $20 to make the pain go away.

The second reason for pain, being impatient, goes hand in hand with having a goal and a plan to achieve it.  The old adage "slow and steady wins the race" certainly applies here.  There is absolutely no shame in starting with a run/walk/run program.  As a rule of thumb, a reasonable starting point would have you run/walk/run for 30 minutes 4 times a week.  Or even starting with a brisk walk.  Don't even pay attention to mileage.  At this point, how far you go is irrelevant.  When you find that you are running the entire 30 minutes, only then do we start worrying about and tracking mileage.  When we have a mileage base, and you are feeling like the 30 minutes isn't enough, then it's time to increase your effort by adding no more than 10% to your total weekly mileage.  So lets assume that your 4 days running has you going a total of 10 miles.   The following week we will tack on a mile, or 1/4 mile a day.  This slow and steady progression, accompanied with proper footwear, will set you up for injury free running.

There are dozens of great running plans online.  Just Google "starting a running program".  Be reasonable with your expectations.  But have a plan.   And put YOU first.   Put the dates in INK on your calendar.  These running dates have to be your focus goal every single day.   Aside from family and work obligations, your run HAS to happen.   As scheduled.   Every day it's on your calendar.

With a little planning, and reasonable expectations, your first 5k is not as far off as you might think.  More on that in the next blog........

Run FOR life, not from it.......

Why not me?

Why not me?   There are blogs about just almost everything.   Go ahead, pick a topic, any topic.  Type it in that little Google box and add the word "blog".   I challenge you to find a subject that someone, somewhere isn't talking about.   I'll wait.  A blog about bark mulch?   Yup, several.  Azaleas?   Yes, more than a few.   Catching the spring theme here?  Just came in from inspecting the yard.  Mother Nature has been a nasty bitch this year, hasn't she?

So why not me.....me and running to be more specific.  Is it possible that people give a crap about what I think about running?  Is it likely that I give a crap if people give a crap about what I think about running?  We will find out I guess.  

So this blog will center around running.  It will veer from time to time as I often experience a stream of consciousness when I run.  May dabble in politics, perhaps financial markets, and most definitely my family.  They are a constant source of material.  I will probably have to put a self imposed filter of at least an hour after a run in which I cannot write.  I don't know if its the endorphins or lack of oxygen to the brain but I've come up with some pretty crazy stuff on my longer runs.  Luckily reality sets it after I finish.   Otherwise I might be standing on the working side of a beach bar in Nevis right now.  

From time to time I will rewrite about races or runs that I have have participated in.  If all goes well this spring, at some point this summer I will write about training for my third marathon this fall.  Hoping for NYC or Chicago but more likely something on a smaller scale.  Perhaps my stories or experiences will motivate you to take those first few steps.  Often the hardest and longest steps.   But most rewarding.

DISCLAIMER:   I am not a fast runner.   I am a middle of the pack guy.   I can run one sub 7 minute mile mile.  Just one.   I can run a 22 minute 5K, a sub 1:50 half marathon and I have a 3:59:03 marathon under my belt.  I am no expert....but if Barak Obama can write about leadership, I can write about running.  Take nothing here as the gospel.  many have forgotten more about running than I will ever know.  These are just musings.....

New Bedford Half Marathon - Sunday March 16, 2014

This was probably a mistake as I was nowhere near ready to run 13.1.   My last race was the Frosty 1/2 Marathon in my hometown of Raynham back in December.  Probably my best race ever but I was coming off a very rigorous training program for the Marine Corp Marathon in late October.  So my training level was still where it needed to be.  Ran the Frosty in 1:48, average pace 8:15.  It was a brutally cold day but thankfully light winds.  Excellent race by the way, Sandy and Dawn from the CRR nailed it.  The problem is, after the Frosty I got a serious case of winter blahs.  Still ran regularly but a lot of treadmill work and not a lot of dedication.   Fast forward through the holidays and into the new year.  I had decided to give the Colonial Road Runners Grand Prix Competition Series a serious go this year.   Its a series of monthly races in which club members get points for where they finish in their age group (40-49).  There are races every month.  And there in March is the New Bedford Half.

My longest run leading into the race was a 10 miler 8 days before the race.  The CRR  hosts group runs every Saturday out of the Raynham Lions Club so I joined in with a few local runners for an easy 10.  (More on the CRR and all the awesome things they do for the local running scene in a future blog).  So suffice to say expectations were pretty conservative.  Anything under 2 hours and I'm a happy guy.  Just finish in a respectable time and don't get hurt.

Race morning was uneventful.  Proper pre-race ritual. No need for details here, just trust me that I am a creature of habit and these rituals are important to me.   Let's just say they are "regular" events.  Picked up good friend Steve and off we went.  

Aside:  I highly recommend a running partner.   Runners tend to be social types and sometimes just knowing someone else is suffering along with you serves as motivation.  Unfortunately 95% of my runs are solo.   

It was sunny but chilly, one of those days that are impossible to dress for as a middle of the pack runner.  New Bedford presents its own issues as several miles are run along Buzzards Bay and conditions can change on a dime.  Aside from the weather, New Bedford is also a hilly course.  We started out and as usual got caught up in a race pace probably not correlated to my training.   If my memory is correct, I believe we were running 8:15ish for the first 2-3 miles.   Fortunately at mile 3 we hit the monster, Hathaway Road.  Hathaway is one of those hills that make you question why in the Hell you signed up for this race.   Its about 200ft of incline over about a mile.  Just a long, slow, lactic acid pity party.  We made the turn at the top and both Steve and I agreed that the last mile had sucked.   Again, great to have a running partner.  

Miles 3-8 are favorable for the runner.  Flat to moderate down hill and no wind.   I worked on getting my heart rate down from the climb and settled into a nice cadence.  According to my trusty Timex Run Trainer, about 8:45 pace.  Also dealt with the inevitable heating up and stripped off top level.  Unfortunately that level had my bib number pinned on.   Rookie mistake.   Miles 3-8 include some of the better parts of New Bedford.  My favorite stretch is running along Buttonwood Park.  Closed road and lots of people cheering.  At some point I lost Steve.  I recall hearing him say he was slowing down for water.   I was feeling OK and not due for water so kept moving.   

At this point, the competitive side of me reared its ugly head.   Smart thing to do given my training would have been to be happy running at a 9 minute pace and finish on the right side of 2 hours.  But no, the hill was behind me and I had a nice stretch of gradual downhill so I stepped it up a bit.   You're probably asking yourself, weren't you just saying how great it was to have a running partner?   Yes, for me but it's inevitable in every race that at some point I shut out everything around me.  Seriously, I tune everything out....it's a flaw.   Including running partners.  I know, you're probably thinking...what an a-hole.   All I can say is that a race is different than a run.  I'm sure Steve understands.

Uneventful for next 5 miles.  Felt OK, not great.  Then we made the turn at Fort Rodman and BOOM!    Hello wind.   Other than hills nothing sucks more than wind.  And it was an in-your-face steady 15-20 mph wind, not an occasional gust.  The other little treat for New Bedford runners is a 100ft incline at mile 12.  Yes, wind=suck, hill=suck, wind+hill=kryptonite.  That's runners algebra for you non-runners.   Anyway, the last 1.5 miles felt like I had a 30 pound rucksack on my back.  (more on that later if I ever get around to blogging about the Marine Corp Marathon).

The beauty of technology is that I knew that a sub 2 hour time was a given.  Now it became a "how far under" challenge.   Another weakness of mine, it's great to meet goals, better to smash them. (tip:set reasonable goals)  So I mustered up what little energy I had and crossed the line in 1:54:03.   Must have looked like crap because for the first time in my life I had medical staff ask if I was OK.   Yes, just old, thank you.  

From there it was back to the YMCA for a rubber fishwich sandwich and some warm air.  No disrespect to the race organizers, I love the rubber fishwich.   It brings me back to grammar school!!!

Well, that's about it for today.   If a 1/2 marathon is a goal for you, you won't do any better than the two I mentioned above.  The Frosty and New Bedford.  And if you are reading this and thinking that a half marathon is impossible, just know that I walked the last 3/4 mile of my first 5k.  (Thanks to you, Dupie).

Run for Life, not from it!!!

JD