And the verdict is: Sub 4 Hours

Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I've had time to decompress, recover, and reflect I'm finally ready to end Part 4 of Escapism with Style (Sub 4 or bust).  At the end of the day I ran a 3:52:03, almost cried at the finish line, and couldn't have been happier with how things played out.  My goal was actually 3:57, dream finishing time of 3:49 so I was crazy happy with how things went.  To say they couldn't have gone any better would be an understatement.  The weather started at a perfect 45 degrees and built up to around the high 60's.  The course though undulating was crazy beautiful and definitely not too hilly showing me why it was a top 10 Boston qualifier.  The crowds cheering us on at every turn was a huge boost and I'm guessing the extra 1/4 of a mile I did on my GPS watch was crossing the road at numerous times to give the people cheering for us high 5's. 

One thing I can't help mentioning is my finishing lap.  For the 26th mile I managed to post an 8:30 minute mile meaning I had a whole lot still left in the tank.  Without a doubt I was still sore and stiff at the end but I was no wheres near bonking, or hitting the dreaded wall.  In fact I was regularly running up to struggling people and trying to pep them up with my enthusiasm.  The only thing I can attribute this to is not my state of health.  I'm sure I didn't train any harder than most people there, but the carbo loading I did in preparation.  That seemed like the real difference between the other marathons I've done, and for anyone approaching a marathon or more I recommend doing some serious homework on how to do it properly.  Most of the time runners think that's just a big pasta dinner the night before the big race, but that's almost the exact opposite (OK maybe not totally the opposite) of what you're supposed to do but more on that at another time.

Another great part of the Albany Georgia Marathon was the runners themselves.  I always tell people curious about the sport that one of the best parts of long distance running is connecting with the people you're running with.  You aren't sprinting, not even close, for well over 3 hours so conversation flows naturally with the shared camaraderie and love for putting one foot in front of the other more than others.  That day I met a ton of great runners with awesome stories, helped a few people pep up for the last miles, met a soldier completing his first marathon running with him for a couple miles at the end, and got the real feeling that everyone there left winners. 

Speaking of winning being a teacher and wearing my bling and my racing shirt to school the next day the number 1 question I got asked was did I win?  My response to them: yes i did.  It wasn't the fact that I came in around the top 40% mark for total people, my age group, and the males, but I did exactly what I came there and trained for almost half a year to do.  This was really a pipe dream at one point as I thought it would never be possible weighing in at around 236 pounds and the truth is it wasn't.  Without a doubt loosing that weight was the best thing I ever did for myself and if anyone out there takes anything away from this blog its this: just go do it.  Not tomorrow, or next week, or a month from now.  Get started today.  That's what makes the sport of running one of the most beautiful sports ever.  It doesn't take any fancy gear, or expensive memberships, or special areas to practice.  You put your shoes on, head outside your door, and put one foot in front of the other.  Its that easy, and it all begins there from first time couch to 5k runners to Olympic athletes.  Its as simple as that.

If today's post sounds a little more somber than usual its really because it is.  The incredible variety of emotions runners go through in the following weeks after completing their big race is almost indescribable to someone whose never been there, which is partly why I have so much difficulty writing after the fact.  You're ecstatic that you made your goal, questioning how things could have gone differently, thinking about the incredible amount of miles you've put in over the last few months, enjoying the much needed down time bored out of your mind at the same time!, but more importantly you're asking yourself one big ugly question...  The part of your life that was filled with training is now an empty ravenous void and you keep coming back to "Whats next?"  Without a doubt this is another chapter in my life closed, but I guess two weeks to celebrate is all I get.  After all I'm kind of cheating today calling this the end of part 4 because while my sub 4 or bust training is complete, my new plan is just beginning.   As of today I'm "officially" (looking into) my new training plan and part 5 of Escapism with Style: An Ultra Marathon.  Now this isn't for sure so if I back out in a couple of weeks I really can't be blamed but a 50 has always been my real dream.  After all I never really thought a sub 4 hours possible so... And sure I'm closer than ever but lets be honest: 50 miles is still 50 miles.  Fingers crossed and thanks to everyone who followed my through Part 4 of Sub 4 hours or bust.  Sub 4 complete...

Week 7: 1 Wall Down, 1 to Go

Pic to See (Creative right?)

Lacing up my shoes this morning before the sun reached out over the bay I really wasn't sure just what to expect.  For a few days my calves and knees had hurt, and I was finding myself with less and less motivation to push on.  Today I was approaching a wall (see pic).  Okay not exactly "the wall" at around 18-20 miles, not there yet, but a mental wall I had from 7 weeks ago when I was defeated and had to walk the remaining two miles home in total agony after attempting a 15 miler I was totally unprepared for.

The good part was I felt ready.  I'd iced what needed to be iced, rested what needed to rested, and petroleum jellied what needed to be jellied and after failing to find the GPS after the first go around my watch finally found it.  With a shot, (or more of a shuffle) I started out one foot at a time trying to ignore the looming wall in my mind ahead of (reference pic again if need be) and repeating my mantra over and over again in my head:  "I ain't everybody."

All in all the run was epic.  It definitely wasn't my fastest, something I think having to do with the massive camel bag full of water on my back (which I'll revisit later), but it felt great.  Not easy, but not hard either, and just around 2 hours and 45 minutes later I was done and felt truly accomplished. Even better in less than 30 minutes after having my remaining pop tart (new running fuel [more  to come on this also]) and my post run protein shake I felt completely recovered even enough to head down to the beach for a quick swim.

So what did I do differently?  For one thing the 7 extra weeks of ramped up mileage certainly helped.  Another thing was getting out before the sun got up for most of it.  While the temperature and humidity don't really change down here too much, being out of the sun for 90% of my run certainly seemed to make a big difference.  Lastly, I had some pretty intense motivation.  Last night I watched the Desert Runners.  An epic story of a group of amateur runners attempting to do the 4 big desert Ultra's all in one year.  For anyone dipping a little low in the motivation department I can't recommend this movie enough and if you don't shed a tear anywhere in it, then your heart must be made of stone as my eyes were barely dry at all during the whole thing.

The moral of today's story?  Confidence.  Confidence in knowing you've trained to do this, knowing you can really rock it, and the best part: knowing your not trying to complete 4 ultras over some of the hardest desert courses on the planet.  I truly believe confidence makes all the difference.  For me today I made the 15 miler mine, and I now own it.  It isn't a world record or anything anyone will ever make a movie about but its mine.  Now having that little gem swimming around in the back of my mind how hard can next Sunday's 16 really be?  Either way the first wall is down, and its time to go find the next.

Week 7 of 16:  COMPLETE.  

Week 9 Preview:  Got my eye on you!

Sub 4 hours or Bust! It could go either way!

With a little over 10 weeks to go no truer has the name of my latest training plan felt:  "BREAK 4:00 OR BUST!"  Up to this point after restarting my training 6 weeks ago after a couple of failed long runs I've felt strong,  confident (if not cocky!), and more importantly faster than ever at least for a guy that used to weigh 236 pounds.  But lately my mileage has really seemed to catch up to me.  For the past few days I've had a knot in my calf that I can't seem to lose though it doesn't seem to affect my running, in the first mile my one knee threatens to give out, and my easy miles doesn't exactly seem as easy as they used to be. 

Starting today though I'm turning a new leaf.  I've started watching inspirational running movies on Netflix, reading about slump busting training tips, and I'm trying to get that feeling back that I CAN DO IT!  If 6 months ago someone would have asked me if I'd have ever thought I'd be this close to running a sub 4 hour marathon I'd have told them NO WAY AIN'T NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.  But with my loss of 70 pounds and my new found stamina and speed its clear that I really can.  I've coasted through a 10 mile long run and a little more challenging 13 mile both on a treadmill, and ran the best 12 miles of my life with my dad in Texas conquering hill after hill with ease.  Now tomorrow its time to graduate to the big mileage: 15 miles the same distance that got me the 7 weeks ago.  Not this time though, this time its mine and by this time tomorrow yes I'll be hurting, but I'll be one more successful long run closer to breaking a goal I never imagined possible for myself; the Sub 4-hour marathon.  Sure it won't be easy, but if its was easy then everybody would do it and guess what sports fans?  "I AIN'T EVERYBODY!"


PS:  I'm not yelling that's just my new running mantra...

Trading in the wheels for feet...

Last week marked a pretty big anniversary for myself.  Exactly 1 year ago I had my hopes and dreams totally swept out from underneath me in a crushing personally defeat of epic magnitude.  I'm referring to one of the darkest moments in my past:  The Philadelphia Marathon of course.

After training with my new running partner Dean for months I was faster then ever.  I had scored a personal best at the Niagara Falls Half Marathon with a smoking 1:57.  Now that may not seem fast to many (or maybe most), but for a man 5'10'' well over 200 pounds who had a long history of deep loathing for running that was pretty quick!  A little less then a year before that I had also achieved a commendable full marathon time in Rochester at 4:37 so I thought I had the experience and the speed this time to blow the doors off Philadelphia.  But fate is a fickle fiend and that didn't happen.  I finished all 26.2 miles but it was a painful retched experience that I've had nightmares about ever since.  In fact I've probably run less then a total of 10 miles in the last year because of it, so I know getting back into it won't be pretty...

Getting back into it?  Yep thats exactly what I'm going to try and do.  I love the sport, love the endurance and mental toughness it takes, and love how personal running is.  It's truly a practice in escapism and I have a new running goal.  One more marathon.  New shiny medal: Get ready cause here I come!