Charles Street 12 Race Recap

My alarm goes off at 4:15 am.  I pop out of bed. It's race day.  My plan is to get to the start line by 6am.  I go down to the basement and hop on the computer to post on Twitter (@dzlrunner) about my excitement and that I'm ready to go!  I start to begin putting my gear on and I figured that I would allow my wife and daughter to sleep a little more.  (This may have been a mistake...  I started to hear my wife walk around upstairs at about 5:30am)  No big deal.  I figure a 45 minute drive to get to Towson from where we live wouldn't be too bad if we left between 6:00 and 6:10.  I mean, we'd still get there before 7am, since the race starts at 7:30.

We're all getting ready and I lose track of time!  I get a text from one of my running buddies, who's running the race with me.  The text asked if I was at the start line yet.  This is at 6:16 and I haven't left my house yet!  I responded that I just left the house.  (Technically, I wasn't quite in the car yet... I had to run back in the house to finish getting the rest of my things.  Oh, you've done it too. That time when you respond to someone about a future location of where you should be now or something that you should be doing now and you haven't quite gotten to doing it yet.  You're close, but not fully there... lol)

Well she said, "Geez... I hope you live in Towson!"  At this point, I knew I was in some trouble.  I don't live anywhere close to Towson.  I live in PG County, a good 30-35 miles from the start line.  I plugged the start location into my GPS and it said 58 minutes to reach my destination!! WHAT?!?!  At the rate I'm going, I'd get there in the middle of the National Anthem, if not after the race begins!!

I load my family in the car and we get going.  My wife and daughter are still pretty tired, so I knew I had to make time.  You can guess what I did... Once we got on the road and they were sleep, time had to be made up some way.  It was after 6:30am when I finally left my house.

I pull up to the starting location at 7:10am and I know I'm in the right place, because of the sea of neon colors in the street.  That's something I like about being a runner and running in races.  So many different colors, different outfits... so many different people! Such a beautiful thing!  I pull into a parking space, so my wife can switch to the driver's side.  I kiss the wife, kiss the baby and set out to look for my running buddy.  We haven't seen each other in a few years... So we catch up a little bit, talk about our training and shortly thereafter everyone's moving towards the starting line.

The National Anthem is sung, the starting gun sounds and we're off!  I wave to my wife and daughter and cross the starting mat.

I was prepared for the first third of the race to be tough.  The Course Information on the website stated that the course was downhill.  But, the elevation map on the website showed the first 3.5 - 4 miles being hilly.  I was mentally prepared for that.  I had already set my Garmin to run 12:30 miles, so I wasn't going to push my pace at all in the first quarter to first third of the race.  I was just going to keep steady and negotiate those hills as gently and as smoothly as possible.  (You can see my Pre-Race Strategy here)

Now these hills were not as bad as the hills I trained on, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, NC.  No where close.  But, consistent rolling hills can take a toll on you.  Within the first quarter of the race, we ran thru some residential areas of Towson and passed Towson University.  The first aid station was around mile 1.5.  I didn't stop, because I had my trusty Camelbak hydration vest and it wasn't a part of the strategy to drink this early. I felt fine through this portion of the race and it was just a matter of sticking to the plan.  I have run 4 miles so many times before, this was no different.

The second third of the race, miles 4 - 8, was pretty tough.  This wasn't because of the few minor pains I began to feel.  I could deal with that.  But, it was mainly because, I like many other runners were thinking "downhill".  For some crazy reason, when I got to the bottom of a hill or the end of a flat portion of the course, I looked up and there was another incline.  I kept thinking that maybe I read the information wrong... Maybe it said that this was not a "downhill course" and I wanted it to be.  I don't know.  It just steadily frustrated me to think downhill and I am continuously climbing hills.  A pretty sick joke by the race directors, if I do say so myself.

Oh yeah... I didn't even mention the fact that my Garmin only had 2 bars.  In all my excitement, I failed to charge my GPS watch!! Unbelievable!!  At this point, I'm not as comfortable as I would've like to have been.  The race course was not what I mentally thought it would be and constantly hoping my Garmin wouldn't die on me was more than I wanted to be concerned with.  But, just like life, sometimes you've got to just roll with the punches and work through it the best way you can.  Everything won't always be exactly the way we want it... That's a fact.

Around mile 8, I had came up to a runner and said good job.  She was doing well and returned the pleasantries...  We ran about the same pace, so we stuck together until about the 8.75 mile mark, when she said "Ok, you brought me through... I'm gonna walk a little bit."  I bid her adieu and continued my trek.

The final third of the race was where the battle between mind and body began. I was coming up on territory that I wasn't as familiar with.  Sure, I'd run several 10 mile runs up until this point in my training, but only one 12 miler.  This is the place, where pace no longer mattered and I just wanted to finish.  This is the portion of the race where all mantras that have ever been thought of, begin to flood the mind.  Mantras like, "One foot in front of the other" and "a body in motion wants to stay in motion" and "trust your training" all begin coming to mind at once.  These thoughts mixed with the desire to stop, but the desire to finish were becoming annoying.  I remember thinking how much I wanted the finish line to just magically appear in front of me or right around the corner.

But, no... it wasn't going to be that easy.  I'd have to work to get to the finish line.  There were no shortcuts and no magic carpets to get me to the finish.  All there was, was my desire to finish and the training I had put in.  My Garmin, didn't even keep me company as it saved my run at mile 8.49 and showed a blank screen.

I resolved in my mind that I would, in fact, finish this race and I was finally able to quiet the unnecessarily loud noise of mind and body, when lyrics to "She'll be coming 'round the mountain when she comes" came to mind.  Eventually, those lyrics turned to "He'll be coming 'round the harbor when he comes".  The Baltimore Harbor was where the race ended and not a point sooner.

I was at about mile 9.5 and my new running buddy, that I met at mile 8 showed up again.  She said something like "I told you I'd catch up with you."  This was much needed company at the time.  We ran a little further, talked about our training and at about mile 10.3 or so, she needed to walk again.  I said my goodbyes and kept on trekking.

I knew that I was getting close to the finish.  There were several winding turns between mile 10 and 11 and we were in downtown Baltimore.  At this point, I was wondering why I didn't have much and I was running on fumes.  It hit me... I forgot to take my energy gel at mile 9!  That's why I felt like I was running on empty.  I took the hot Gatorade that they gave at the aid station for electrolytes, but it didn't seem to help.  I was already in a hole that I couldn't crawl out of.  Once again, I had to roll with the punches and work through it the best way I could.

At about mile 10.9, I was feeling like I needed a second wind.  So I decided that I would walk this last tenth of a mile to the 11 mile marker and I would run the rest of the way.  This was slightly disappointing, because in all of my training runs, I've never even walked a hundredth of a mile.  I usually run the entire distance.  But, that's the funny thing about races.  They make you do different things and feel different ways.  It was time to recommit.  I tapped mile marker 11 as I passed and got back on my horse.  I made the choice that I would run from this point to the finish line.  No stopping.

Finally, I could see the harbor.  I had reached the harbor and all there was to do was to get down the boardwalk, past the Maryland World Trade Center Building, past the Phillips and Barnes & Nobles and hang that left into the finisher's shoot.

As I ran down the boardwalk and saw other runners who had already received their medals, a feeling of hope came over me.  I was almost there!  I ran past the Spirit of Baltimore, past Ripley's Believe It or Not, past the USS Constellation, in between the Cheesecake Factory and the Baltimore World Trade Center.  I got to the finishing shoot and guess who's running towards me... My 2 year old daughter.  I couldn't have asked for a better finish to this race.  I picked her up and carried her through the finish line, with my family cheering me through!!  All the pain and lack of energy I had subsided for that short period of time.  It was one of the greatest feelings in the world!!

(Video of race route and footage of my personal finish, can be seen below...)



















My official chip time was 2 hours 29 minutes and 19 seconds.  Thank you Charm City Run for a great challenge in the Inaugural Charles Street 12.  I will definitely come back to finish better and stronger next year!!

My last training run before my first long distance race, The Charles Street 12

My cousin had responded via Facebook, to a training run I posted.  He stated that he wanted to run with me before my 12 mile race this weekend.  Another cousin of mine, who is also a runner, who ran Boston this year, and who is an inspiration to my running, suggested it to be a good idea.  So, we scheduled for Wednesday morning at 5am.  He stated he would come and run my route and we settled on 5 miles.

When we were stretching, he asked me what pace I wanted to run at, 10:30 or 11 minutes.  I said let's do an 11 min/mile pace.  Now, my cousin is already much faster than I am.... I mean, he's doing around 8 min to 8:30 miles!! My fastest average pace was 10:18 in a 5k race, back in April, and I was pushing HARD!  So, I had to keep my effort up, simply because I didn't want him to think I wasn't working hard and holding him back from a good training run.

I normally train on my own and this is where it can be good to run with someone else from time to time.  Just so that you can get that extra push, mentally and physically.  Continuously training at the same pace doesn't necessarily allow you to challenge yourself the way you need to be challenged, sometimes.  Not to mention, I didn't want to look like I've been loafing for all this time, so it was important that I produce a good showing and effort.

We set our Garmin Forerunner 10s (we both have the exact same watch, color and everything) and got started.  We haven't seen each other in a long time, so we began the run catching up.  I normally take the first mile to warm up and that's usually a 12 -12:30 pace.  But, after mile 1, I checked my Garmin and we completed that mile in 11:09.  I was already at the pace I thought I would build up to.  I felt fine and the weather was alright.  I figured I would hold on and see how long I could hold on to this pace.

Miles 2 through 5 went great!  From time to time, my cousin would ask me how I felt and surprisingly I felt fine.

Now, depending on how I feel at the end of my run, I'll push my pace and finish strong.  On this run, I just took off! I was hoping my cousin would try to catch up with me... Just a little challenge to get some of the competitive juices flowing.  He did!  I heard his footsteps behind me and I pushed more!! Surprisingly, I had another gear!!  I was shocked!! After running 5 miles at an uptempo pace, I still had a strong burst at the end.

What's funny is that, I don't think my cousin appreciated being surprised like that... but that's the fun of it.  He's already faster than me, so I had to get him when I could.  He posted on Facebook that I should not have tried to out sprint him at the end and now he's gonna have something under his sleeve for the next time we run.  We decided that we would get together and run once a week, so I'll be training harder to be ready for unexpected surprises he may try.

It was a fun run and I'm ready for my race on Saturday!!  Thanks cuz!!

Inspired by @Sarah_dietitian "You Can't Outrun Your Fork!"

I've been seriously struggling with my nutrition lately and I don't know what it is.  I just feel myself slipping back into the abyss of quick eats. I'm becoming unfocused on what I take in to fuel my body versus just eating because I may be hungry and taking for granted the fact that I'll just run it off.  Now, before we get too deep into this post, I take full responsibility for my actions.  There's no passing the buck here and no denial of bad judgment like A-Rod and Ryan Braun (don't get me started on these guys... Agh the arrogance).

Anyway, I have a problem and I'm looking for a solution.  My problem is: What do I need to do to get my nutrition back on track?  A few weeks ago, a buddy of mine challenged me to go on a no sugar diet... No sugar, no carbs, etc.  He told me it's serious and will push me to my limits, in so many words.  This challenge has been rolling around in my head ever since he mentioned it and I have been noncommittal about trying it during the month of August.  (I'm still deciding)

I heard about the Paleo diet and how beneficial it was for weight loss.  So, I decided to take action and do some further research.

I just finished reading a blog post by Sarah Danaher "To Paleo Or Not To Paleo... That is the Question".  It explained what the Paleo diet is and it's Pros and Cons.  But, there was a specific thought in the article that just hit me like a ton of bricks... "You Can't Outrun Your Fork".

When I read this, so much clarity came to my mind.  It hit me how important diet is to my running and weight loss.  It reminded me of something an ultrarunner, who runs five 100 mile races a year, told me about a month ago.  He said that fruits and vegetables are the key to running well.  This is truth.

I ran easier and so much more efficient, before I fell off the wagon.  My times were better and it didn't seem that I was working as hard as I've been working more recently.  (It could also be the heat o_O... I'm just saying)

So with this information and more information to come, this is how I plan to proceed...

I'll continue to do research on the Paleo diet and by July 31st, I will make a decision on whether I will make an attempt at the Paleo diet for the month of August or some other approach to getting back on track.  Whatever my decision is, I will post my progress throughout the month of August so that you can benefit from my experiences.

If you've fallen off the wagon too, maybe we can help each other to get back on.

Celebrate the small victories... Re-Inspiring Yourself

Me at 287 lbs 2 yrs ago

Me at 287 lbs 2 years ago

My weight loss has slowed down considerably.  I've set a goal and it doesn't look like I'll make it.  (If I were honest with myself, I'm not as far away from my goal as I used to be.)  But that very same goal feels like it's further away than it's ever been before.  Giving up seems like a viable option.  I begin asking myself why I even tried to do this in the first place... It's too hard. What's the point?

Are you thinking some of these thoughts?  Good...  You're still human.

These same feelings and thoughts have crossed my mind too.  Many times, this journey of weight loss and healthier living seemed like a good idea.  But, it has also seemed like a crazy idea that same number of times.  Maybe more...  There were times when frustration set in and the progress I thought I should see, just wasn't showing up on the scale or even in the mirror.

I've even felt light at times and said to myself "Yeah, I've lost a significant amount of weight."  Only to realize that I'm where I was last week.  It's funny how the mind and body can play tricks on us.

But, instead of allowing these negative thoughts to cloud our mind and fog up our vision of how we should see ourselves and want to become, we should look back on where we've come from and see the progress we've made.  Not just once, but as many times as it is needed.

See, if this weight loss thing were easy, so many more people would be doing it.  This is win number one!!  We're already doing a lot more than those people who aren't doing anything at all.

Number 2: You are already successful... As long as you continue to work towards your goal!! Once you've quit, you are no longer successful.  So don't quit!!  Earl Nightingale, the accomplished author and great philosopher defined success in "The Strangest Secret". (If you haven't heard of this audiobook, stop reading this now and go get the mp3 here!!)  He said that success is defined as the steady progression to a worthy goal.  Keep plugging away and don't stop!  It's just like running a race!!  You continue to put one foot in front of the other, in order to get to the finish line.

In this weight loss journey there are times when we have to encourage ourselves.  Everyone is not going to acknowledge our journey to self improvement, all the time.  It's just the reality of the situation. In my opinion, that's a good thing.  It keeps us grounded and allows us to learn to inspire ourselves or light our own fire.  People can say what they want, good or bad, but until we find out our own "WHY?", we'll become unfocused and distracted.

So, take a moment to look back on some old pictures or videos.  Take some time to think about what you used to do and compare it to what you do now.  Celebrate the small victories and re-inspire yourself.  Enjoy the fact that some changes have been made and if none have been made, you still have an opportunity to make those changes.  Obviously, if you're reading this now, you have a desire to become better.  So... become better. One step at a time. :-)

Me at 244 lbs now

First Marathon Nightmare

I just woke up abruptly, to the sound of my alarm on my phone... Its 4:30 am. This is the time I normally wake up to get ready for my runs, as i'm a morning runner. I go to use the bathroom (sorry) and I look in the mirror. I was dreaming!!

I posted on twitter that I just woke up from a marathon nightmare and began writing this post about it.
I was running in the Rock 'n' Roll USA marathon in Washington,DC, my hometown marathon (which is a race that's on my bucket list). I'm at the start line with all the other runners and for some reasons the race director and coordinators have given out brown bag lunches, with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in them. (Now, I don't know whether this had anything to do with the fact that i've had PB&J for lunch most of this week or what...)

But, everyone has a brown bag lunch. This is odd, because normally post race food is given, well, after the race. But, this is a dream or nightmare, so anything goes I guess... Whatever.

The gun fires and everyone starts the race. But, in my hand, I've got 3 brown bag lunches!! I don't know how I got them or if the other racers just "left me holding the bag", but I've got them.

I begin to run, but I've gotta put these bags down, so I decide to put them under an overpass and figure I will come back for them after the race. (Please don't ask me why, this is a dream/nightmare)

Now, this particular overpass looks like one of the overpasses at Hains Point, under I-395. But, in real life, I don't even know if the race course goes anywhere near that particular overpass at Hains Point.

Anyway, I'm already in the back of the pack. We're talking dead last. I'm so far in the back, I'm having conversations with the driver of the van that picks you up if you don't look like you're gonna finish. That's how far to the back of the pack I am.

I decide to start running... A light bulb comes on and says, "you can't leave those brown bags there". So I go back to pick up the brown bags and put them on a table. (I don't know where the table came from, this is a dream/nightmare... Stuff just happens and appears, you know?)

After putting the brown bags with the PB&J sandwiches in them on the table, I can begin my run. There's a man that directs me which way to go.  By this time, an hour or so has gone by and I'm the only one running.  Doubt begins to creep into my head and the negative thoughts about not finishing are getting louder and louder. I begin to think about the 26.2 miles that I still have to run and how long it will take, with no one else around to keep me company... My discouraged trot becomes a walk and I quit.

(ALL OVER SOME PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY SANDWICHES IN SOME BROWN PAPER BAGS?!?! - you might ask)

I'll chuckle and say, no. I doubt that's the real reason. There maybe something deeper that I need to figure out about myself, on my journey back to health through running.

And that's what so great about running and becoming an endurance athlete. It allows me to dig deeper into who I am as a person and what I'm all about. The competition is not against other runners... The competition is within me. My mind versus my own body.

I was talking to my dad the other day and he complimented me on my weight loss so far. He asked me about my running and I told him that I was preparing for a few upcoming races. I told him about how I enjoy the experience and my strategy of running races and he jumped in said "... And then you speed up at the end to try to win, right?" I laughed and explained that running and racing is not about winning "the race you're running in", its about winning the race YOU are in. Whether, you're running for weight loss, running to get fit, running for you're mind's sake or running to find out who you are... Running is about winning the race YOU are in.

I hope you enjoyed this...  It's about 6am and it's time to begin my day.  My wife stepped out of the house, so I'm here while the kids are still sleep.  No run this morning.  But, I'll get mine in and I hope you get yours in too.

Feel free to leave a comment in the comment box and provide your thoughts on why you run? I look forward to reading them and hopefully we can encourage one another in winning the race WE are in.

Brooks Addiction 10 Review

I purchased some new shoes last week... The Brooks Addiction 10s.  These shoes are part of the Brooks collection for over-pronators.  Another shoe that works well for over-pronators is the Brooks Beast.

I normally wear a size 12, but I believe Brooks running shoes are cut smaller.  So, I purchased a size 13 and these were perfect.

I've been wearing these Brooks Addictions over my last few runs and before providing an official review, I wanted to put at least 25 miles on them.  It also helps that I have a 90 return policy at my running store. :)

As of yesterday, I have logged 27 miles on them and they have officially been broken in.  I believe in giving my gear that I wear a full and fair review.

Test Run #1:
Distance: 9 miles
I could tell that I was running in new shoes as the shoe was somewhat stiff all around.  There wasn't much give initially.  As I ran further, the shoe provided more flexibility.  Another observation is that this is a heavier shoe, so that's something to consider when looking to purchase motion control shoes.  Around mile 8, I felt a little pressure around the top part of my ankle.  I attributed this to the fact that they were new and I had previously been running in shoes that did not provide the type of all around support the Brooks Addiction provides.

Test Run #2:
Distance: 4 miles
No problems at all.  This was a much shorter run, compared to the 9 mile maiden voyage.  I felt no pain, there was no rubbing or friction anywhere.  Great run.

Test Run #3:
Distance: 3 miles
This run went well too.

Final Test Run
Distance: 11 miles
This is an overall good shoe.  The arch support, cushioning, and shock absorption were impressive.  I ran on asphalt and concrete throughout this run and I didn't really feel a thing during my run.  This was the longest distance I'd ever run to date and it seemed like the longer I ran the better the shoes performed.

The Brooks Addiction may not be the coolest looking shoe, but it's functionality is exactly where should be.  Check out a more technical review by Brooks Running, here:

Go slow to go far - My first 11 mile training run.

It's the 4th of July and I decided to do my weekly long run on this day, mainly because my weekend was pretty full.  My wife's work schedule would not have allowed me to do a long run, especially since I'd be watching the kids all day.  I just wouldn't be able to fit it in.

My mind was already set to do 10 miles, but 11 kept flashing in my head.  I said to myself that I've already done several 10 mile runs and I need to see if I can push past that, as I'm continuing to build mileage.  So, I started out and figured I would just see how I felt as I got into it.

I knew I would need to run at a slower pace, if I wanted to have energy for the latter part of this training run.  Of course the heat and humidity already had that taken care of, as I couldn't run much faster even if I wanted to.

My first mile was 13:43 and I figured that was a good pace.  It wasn't too hot at this point and there was a light breeze blowing... I was comfortable.

Fueling for this training run was also very important.  I figured I would fuel early and often to keep my body supplemented with the necessary nutrition to be strong throughout.

Around mile 3, I ate my Pure Protein protein bar.  I didn't want it to get soft and begin melting in the heat, since it was chocolate.  This would have been a complete mess. So, that was the first to go.

I felt pretty good.  I was moving along pretty steadily and around mile 4.5, I started to think about what I would do for water.  I really need to purchase a hydration vest for my long runs.  It has now become evident that I can't go without it.  I took a couple of dollars with me to stop at a gas station and pick up a water during the run.  I didn't think about how much I hate running with water bottles in my hands.  It's not fun and becomes somewhat of a distraction to me.

I get to mile 5 and I decide that I'm going to go for the 11 today.  So at the 5.5 mile mark I'll turn around and head on back.  Now, I like to do out and back training runs for the psychology of it.  I've seen the course already and I won't be finished until I get back to my car.  So, there's no need to get anxious and continuing to wonder "are we there yet"...

At about the halfway point (5.63 miles to be exact), there was a Shell gas station.  This was perfect, because I could get water, get A/C and get somewhat of a rest while waiting in line.  I stepped in the door and it was wonderful.  It felt like a refrigerator in there!!  The A/C felt so good on my legs!!  This was great... AND they had a little line that was formed, so I could enjoy this wonderful goodness for a few seconds more.

I bought my water, drank some and began my trek back to my car.  I felt OK at this point, but, my body knew that it had run 5.5 miles in the heat.

At mile 6, I took some orange flavored Clif Shot Blocks.  I normally take some more fuel around mile 7, but I needed some fuel already in my system at mile 7, so early and often.

Now, I don't know what got into me at this point, but during these long runs your mind tends to go places.  For whatever reason, I began to chant the words of
Sherman Klump, "Yes. I. Can.  Yes I Can" in my mind.  I don't know where it came from, but this was my mantra for a good part of the way back.

At mile 8, I was moving pretty steady.  I was feeling the effects of the heat and my water had already begun to lose it's coolness.  In fact it was almost luke warm by this point. I decided to take another Shot Block.

Around mile 9.75, a cyclist who I had seen on my way out was coming up behind me.  He shouted, "Good Job!! Great Way to Work!!" and passed me.  This was the encouragement I needed.  It came at the right place and at the right time.  I had a second wind!!  Where did that come from?!?!  That encouragement was provided in such a perfect moment that I literally got goose bumps!!  I was thankful, because my mind was in the middle of fighting a battle at this point.  My body wanted to quit, but my mind provided the determination to keep going.

That's a part of what I enjoy about this sport.  No one else can do it for you.  It's you vs. you.  Even in races, as runners, we're not really competing with others, we're competing against ourselves.  And if you're not mentally strong, you will lose that battle every time.

At this point, I had a renewed mindset.  I was ready to be done, but I was also ready to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I reached my goal.  Mile 10 came and went and I had officially run farther than I had ever run before.  I could've stopped at that point, but I set a goal and I was going to achieve it.  Not to mention, my car was still about a mile away.

I looked at my phone and Map My Run said 10.89 miles.  I was way too close to stop now.  All my water was gone by this point and it was just a matter of staying steady and continuing to move forward.  Before I knew it, I heard a voice say "Total distance 11 miles, time 2:30:14."  I smiled.  I did it.  I said Thank You and I began to walk to my car.

Running to me is like love was to Alfred Lord Tennyson...

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

I was talking to my running buddy yesterday and expressed to him, how I was coming off a terrible week of training.  No injuries, no excuses... In fact, looking back on the week, I really could have fit my scheduled training runs in if I stayed disciplined.  Frankly, I should be up to about 25 miles per week and this particular week I only ran 13 (extremely disappointing).  What was more disappointing, was that the majority of my mileage for the week, came from my long run of 9 miles!

After talking with him further, we came to the conclusion that it could've been a whole lot worse.  Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem came to mind and I modified it a bit.  I concluded that it's better to have run, than not to have run at all.  Perspective began to set in.  If I ran 2 miles, it would've been better than sitting on the couch and not running at all.  That's about 24 minutes of exercise for me and 24 minutes of exercise is better than no exercise at all.  Right?

Sure, the initial disappointment still hasn't left completely; but, I'm dealing with it.  It's not so much the lower mileage, but the lack of discipline on my part that I'm most upset about.  So, what are you gonna do??  Instead of dwelling on it, we will move into a new week.  A week that we can make a positive change, a week of improvement, a week that I'll be able (with the good Lord's help of course) to reach my goal.

That's the good thing about life's journey and running.  We can always improve...

Is this running thing a choice?

I finished my 4 mile run this morning and did as I normally do, which is post my workout thru my twitter feed @dzlrunner. One of my Facebook friends saw my post and responded with encouragement, but she then said something that was quite profound to me.  She stated that "...working out is not a choice. #keeprunning4yourlife"

I thought about this and I have to say, I agree.

Sure, you have a choice to exercise or not to exercise, initially. But what happens when you make the choice to do this on a consistent basis? What happens when you begin to see positive results in your weight loss, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and your waist line?!?!

The positive benefits of us: interacting with our families and coworkers in a calm and positive manner; of a routine checkup at the doctors office, being just that... a routine checkup; and being more productive in all phases of our lives, make our decision to exercise no longer a choice, but a must. It becomes a part of us and something we just have to do. The pros significantly outweigh the cons, if there are any cons at all.

In order to keep the positive results appearing and reappearing, we must decide that this is a lifestyle change. We must make a conscious decision to make our lives better. And this isn't just in leading a healthier life, this applies to living life in general.  Don't you think?

They tell me I'm an over-pronator... I say thank you... Wait, what's an over-pronator?

A few weeks ago, I went to get my gait measured at a running store in Columbia, MD.  This was my first experience doing something like this.  For the past couple of years, I've been going to my local Modells to purchase my running shoes.  I figured that I needed running shoes and well, the local box store sells... running shoes.

But, the more knowledge I seemed to get on a daily basis about running, the more I realized how counterproductive I was being by keeping the right shoes in the running store and not on my feet.  I learned some valuable information on the day I walked into this running store.  I began to understand that many injuries can be caused or prevented by the shoes we wear.  It's even more imperative that heavier runners, like myself, respect and care for our bodies by wearing the proper shoes.

I stepped into the store and surprisingly not many people were in the store at the time.  I must admit that I was initially hesitant and apprehensive to go in, because, I had a particular image in my mind of what a runner looks like, and well, that image was not me... for sure.  But, I went in and caught the eye of one of the associates there. I explained that I had been running for about 2 years, had lost some weight and needed him to measure my gait (the rhyming was not intended here).  He was nice enough to make me feel welcome.  He asked me to step onto this machine that showed a colorful image of the imprint of my feet on a screen in front of me.

There was quite an assortment of colors, mainly red, green and yellow.  He explained that the machine shows the distribution of my weight on my feet.  I remember seeing a lot of red where my arches were supposed to be.  He told me, that I'm an over-pronator, which generally means... I'm flat footed.

He went on to tell me that as an over-pronator, when I run, my arches fall, and illustrated this point by placing both of his hands flatly in the air, palms facing down and began tilting the inner side of his hands downward. He assured me, that I need a shoe that provides the much needed arch support every time my foot lands on the pavement.  He also stated that in some cases of over-pronation, running without proper support of the arches can cause knee pain and pressure in and around the knee joints.

The associate then asked me what size shoe I wore, went into the stock room an brought out three pairs of shoes... All size 13s!  I told him I wore a size 12!! These were a full size bigger!! This may have been a little exaggerated, but my mind immediately went to an image of my 2 y/o daughter, sticking her feet in my shoes and trying to walk in them.  Little did I know, I would learn something else in a few moments.

The associate proceeded to explain that the reason he got me a size 13 is due to the fact that as we run, especially longer distances like 10 miles or more our feet spread.  They spread while we run anyway, but a continuous pounding on pavement for a long period of time can cause our feet to swell.  Thus, the reason for getting a larger size.  He also mentioned that a reason some runners get black toenails, blisters, etc. can be due to not having the proper sized shoe, as well.

This was all news to me and after having him explain a little more about over-pronation and the mechanical process of running, I couldn't have been more grateful.  I had learned so much... I almost felt like I had taken a class on running.  My professor was so knowledgeable, smooth and procedural in his lesson... I couldn't have asked for anything more.

That day, I walked out of the store with a new mindset.  I walked out of the store with a new confidence and a determination, not to cheat on my feet.

Crofton Kiwanis 10k Challenge Race Recap

Its Friday night, June 7 and I'm in the bed looking forward to a good night's rest. The TV is on and Gladiator is playing on TNT. It automatically catches my eye and I'm up watching it. I know that I should be sleep, and I figured I would fall asleep by the end of the movie. But, Gladiator doesn't let you do that. I consciously have to turn the TV off, in order to focus on going to sleep. Have you ever experienced that? Well, I ended up going to be later than I initially decided to when I woke up that morning (11:00pm).

Anyway, it's Saturday morning and I wake up to the sound of my alarm at 4:30 am. Because this was my first ever, 10k, and first time ever going to the Crofton Country Club, I wanted to be there early and avoid any potential problems. So, I left my house at 5:15am to start my 20 minute journey to a race that started at 8am that morning.

It wasn't extremely hot, but I remember noticing the warmth as I stepped out of the front door... 67 degrees. I preferred a much lower temp, but you've gotta play the hand that you're dealt with regard to the weather, right?

My stomach felt a little weird and I couldn't quite shake it. I then thought about the 4 hot dogs I had eaten the night before, around 9pm, in the name of "fueling" and attributed the pain I may feel in the next few hours to that decision. It's true what they say, you know... one bad decision can be consequential to your future happiness.

So, I got in the car, shaken stomach and everything and drove to the location of the race, Crofton Country Club. I arrived around 5;45 and as I expected, no one was there. I drove around the neighborhood and parked my car a short distance away from the Country Club. This race was sponsored by the Crofton Kiwanis Club and Surlis Re/Max Real Estate Team and that peaked my interest in running this race as I needed a 10k to do and I have a background in real estate... But, I digress. My stomach settled down a little, but I was not 100% and I didn't go into the race feeling as good as I would've liked. I figured, I would just have to make the best of it.

While at work, I enjoy listening to podcasts about running, as they inspire, inform and increase my knowledge about this incredible sport that does so much for so many. I had been listening to The Extra Mile podcast over the past two weeks. This podcast is built around the audience and their experiences in training and races. The host, Kevin, does a wonderful job facilitating such an organic program and helps to bring a fresh approach to podcasting about this sport.

I decided to call The Extra Mile and inform them of my upcoming race. After a few re-recordings, I submitted and saw that it was around 6:15am. Registration started at 6:30, so I proceeded to walk to the registration tables. I was 2nd in line to register and everything was well organized. This was a smaller race and after looking at the results and everything, there were only 250 participants. The website stated that there would be about 400 runners and as 7:51 am, there didn't seem to be 100 runners there. But, it filled out as we moved towards the starting line.

The gun went off and the race started on time. I decided to start from the back of the pack and wanted to do 12 minute miles. That wasn't happening... My first mile was completed at a 10:55 pace and I was still falling behind. This was a pretty fast field. So, there was no choice but to try to hold on. It normally takes me a mile to a mile and a half to warm up and after that I was in a pretty good groove.

A friend of mine on Daily Mile was doing the race too and she stated that this course had a few rolling hills. Now, the website stated that it was a flat course... Thanks to my friend on Daily Mile, I was prepared. There were some hills in this race. I took a GU around mile 3.5, but I didn't feel any kick or jolt. I just felt like I could continue the pace I was running.

Around mile 4, I was looking to pick my pace up a little. The race was getting short. I needed to make some moves. I noticed that I was steadily in a mental battle. I wanted to stop running and walk, but my mind kept saying that I've done 6.2 miles many times before. I'm learning that these races really test what we're made of. The easy option is always to stop, but the test comes in pushing one's self past what they think is their limitations.

I kept going and it seemed like the course would never end as it winded through this quiet middle class neighborhood. I came up on the final aid station and one of the volunteers I saw at a previous aid station was chanting "Come on green! Come on Green!" I was wearing a lime green shirt in the race. This support seemed to put me back in check, mentally and my determination to finish rose. There was a guy in a blue shirt in front of me and I said to myself, "You can get him, you can get him". Slowly but surely I gained on him.

After finally catching up with him, it seemed like forever before I could pass him. We were running about the same pace and I was trying to push ahead. I finally get past him on a turn, but I can hear him not far behind me. His cadence was in my head and I couldn't get it out. I decided to focus on the woman in front of me, who had been about 50 yards ahead of me all race long. I remember noticing her odd running form earlier in the race... Well, I wanted to pick her off too.

My mind was telling my legs to go faster, but it seemed like my legs were moving at their own pace. I tried pumping my arms but, that didn't work either. I don't know what was going on. Eventually, the distance between us began to dwindle down and I don't know whether she was getting tired or I was in a full press forward... What I do know is that the finish line just seemed to pop up out of nowhere.

This was it!! The final stretch of this race!! All the folks who had finished before me, were waiting at the finish line. This was an awesome feeling. As I'm getting closer, I feel strong all of a sudden. A wave of energy just comes over me and there's new life in my legs. My lungs are burning, my legs are burning, my arms are tired, but none of that seems to have an effect.

I finally got past the lady with the odd running form and its all downhill from there (figuratively speaking). The finish line is getting closer, the race is almost over and I hear someone chant "Push! Push! Push!" That's all I needed. I was already saying that word in my head and the person in the crowd just vocalized it. I'm coming through, I'm almost done... FINISH!!

I crossed the finish line. I wanted to check my time on the race clock, but totally forgot to do it while I was crossing. I went over to get my after race snacks and there was a great assortment of foods and treats.

Smoothie King, Chik-Fil-A (I will do this race again next year, just for this!), Brusters Ice Cream, bagels, orange slices, and more!! This race did not disappoint on the post-race food. After eating, I went to check my time and I finished in 1:07:38. This is my first 10k, but the fastest time I've ever run this distance. So, I was pretty happy about that. I was number 198 out of 239 total runners, which I'm ok with. I got what I wanted to get out of it, which was the experience and a documented 10k race time.

As I enjoyed my meal, I enjoyed the atmosphere. Pictures, laughs and memories were all around me. I decided at that moment, that I would come back and do this race again.

As we were waiting for the awards ceremony to start, I overheard an older guy telling a story about his neighbor. He was saying how runners tend to look like they're in pain, when they are running. I chuckled to myself, because I know exactly what he meant.

He continued to say that his neighbor had been running for about 20 years. One day, he saw him running while driving past him in his car. He said that his neighbor looked like he was in so much agony, he asked him if he wanted a ride. The neighbor yelled NO! The older guy said that he didn't know whether he offended him by asking him if he wanted a ride, but he looked like he was in so much pain...

I love this sport, but sometimes, I consciously think about the faces I've made while running. If someone who doesn't run or wants to start running and saw me at times, they'd probably say "...forget it. I'm not doing that."

If you look at some runners, while they are running, their demeanor may not sell you on how wonderful running can be. But, talk to some of us after a good run and you may not be able to get us to shut up about the joy of running.

Well, after watching the awards ceremony, I walked back to my car to head home. Overall, this was a great race!! I enjoyed this experience immensely and look forward to doing it again. I'll tell others about it and hope to bring them with me next year. Great job Crofton Kiwanis/Team Surlis Team!! Keep up the great work!! See you next year!!

Finally... My first ten mile training run in the books.

This run seemed to avoid me over the last couple of weeks as schedules didn't mesh and stomach issues arose. Its been tough trying to get to this milestone, but I finally got there and I feel like I've accomplished a significant goal on my running. I feel like i'm close to being ready for first half.

I started out as slowly as possible, which was about a 12:15 pace. I actually still felt that I wasn't going slow enough... So I slowed down even more in my second mile and by that time my average pace was 13:55 or something similar (I could've easily just looked it up, if it weren't for technology... But I'll get to that later).

Miles 2-5 were a breeze... It felt like a regular weekday run, where I normally do between 4-5 miles. By this time, I had been running for about 51 mins as I checked the Map My Run app on my phone. I took an energy gel and kept moving. I deliberately reassessed how I was feeling around mile 6 and I was feeling good.

I don't know what it was, but mile 6-7 seemed like it would not end. I don't know whether it had something to do with this specific portion of my route being new or what, but time seemed to move slower.

I noticed a gas station and felt like I needed to get water, so I went in the gas station, purchased a .99 water and continued my journey. That was my only stop, I'm pretty proud to say...
Because running nonstop is important to me, I justified it as if I were to stop at an aid station during a race. So it wasn't that big of a deal.

What I did through this pit stop, was
confirmed, how much I don't like running with anything in my hands. This water bottle didn't bother me as much as I thought it would, but it just wasn't comfortable.

Its mile 7, and i'm staying steady. I don't feel like I am moving that slow, but i'm definitely not moving fast. I'm on the way back to the start of my run and I move through mile 8. I get to mile 8.5 and I realize i'm not too far away from my start. I've got to create mileage if i'm gonna get a full 10 in. My start (where my car was parked) was only .5 miles away. I decided that I would do an out and back of a mile.

I reached mile 9 and I didn't feel bad, buy I definitely wasn't fresh. "Only 1 more mile to go..." was my mantra. I had come this far, there was no way I was gonna stop at that point. There's something about that double digit number compared to, well, 9.

As i'm willing my way to 9.5, i'm counting in my head, what I feel the distance of each quarter of a mile should be. I felt like I reached 9.5 and it was 9.45 miles. I say to myself "whatever" and head on back towards my car. I figured the parking lot that my car is in would complete the ten mile distance. I decide to pump my arms as best as I can to open up my stride. My stride is opening, but I don't feel like i'm going anywhere. I don't quit, I won't stop until I hear my phone say my distance, time and split time.

Finally... The voice on my phone announces: 10 miles, muffled total time, split time- 11:54.

I stop the workout, get to my car, attempt to save my workout and begin driving home.

I get home and look to my app to review my stats and the workout is not there!!! What!?! All that work and nothing to show for it but sweaty clothes and a tired body. Unbelievable!!

Technology... It can be a great asset at times, but it can be an annoying thing at times as well. I guess the best overall technology is our bodies and minds.