going to change. I'm turning my weakness into my strength.
Monday, March 21, 2011
You Never Forget How
going to change. I'm turning my weakness into my strength.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Seriously Fast Food
I am doing my best to get a Chick-fil-A sponsorship. Here is my latest effort.
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Story/Stories?ID=426
http://www.chick-fil-a.com/Story/Stories?ID=426
Saturday, February 5, 2011
2011 Houston Marathon
There is one race photo that I love more than any of my others, my first Ironman finish photo. It is just an awesome display of emotion. But, I have never had a group of photos from one specific race display so much of the struggle. In every one of my photos, none of them am I making this race look easy. I was pushing the entire race, apparently that's how you annihilate your personal best time.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Record Breaking
I had never run under 4 hours in a marathon. Today, I broke the 4 hour mark for the first time, with a couple minutes to spare, half an hour to spare.
I finished 3:30:27!
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Mega Mind
Tomorrow is the marathon. This will be my 3rd Houston Marathon and 10th 26 or + mile running race. Tomorrow my body won't be my greatest strength, it's my mind. Running is the only sport I feel I can use that to my advantage, when you make up your mind you don't want to quit, what the body wants becomes irrelevant. But, only for so long.
The Houston Marathon is generally a flat, fast course and pace runners are out there, meaning a guy with a stick showing his pace lets everyone know how fast he is running the marathon. I'm going to do what I've never done, do what made Prefontaine famous, start out way too fast. I'm going to start running with the 3 hour marathon pace group, an hour faster pace than my fastest marathon ever.
My body can't last the entire marathon at that pace, no way. But to give up on that pace I'll have to fall back and watch as they run past. As soon as the race starts I'll have a 3 hour timer counting down and it's up to my mind to put off self preservation as long as it can.
The Houston Marathon is generally a flat, fast course and pace runners are out there, meaning a guy with a stick showing his pace lets everyone know how fast he is running the marathon. I'm going to do what I've never done, do what made Prefontaine famous, start out way too fast. I'm going to start running with the 3 hour marathon pace group, an hour faster pace than my fastest marathon ever.
My body can't last the entire marathon at that pace, no way. But to give up on that pace I'll have to fall back and watch as they run past. As soon as the race starts I'll have a 3 hour timer counting down and it's up to my mind to put off self preservation as long as it can.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Quick Who is This Guy?
He is the first US runner to break 1 hr (59:43) in the half marathon. He also has the fastest time ever by an American at the Boston Marathon, and that only got him 4th place. I can get his autograph at the Houston Marathon Expo, but I really don't want to wait in line with 3 other people. Poor guy is at the top of his sport, I wonder if he ever thought about football or basketball?
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Marathon
I keep forgetting I am running a marathon this weekend. That's something I probably should be thinking more about. I have been resting rather than training. It has been 3 months since I went any serious amount of distance. I think my knee wanted some time off, but it is about to get a jolt on Sunday.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Doesn't Get Any Easier
I am running a marathon in 2 weeks. Time to start training.
The other day I went for a long run. I got about 16 miles and needed a taxi to pick me up and get me back home. Apparently, I still need to do some work to stay in ultra endurance mode.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Friday, December 17, 2010
Body Moving
I have some problems, mentally and physically. Some are new.
This happened last time and has happened again, just the PIDS - Post Ironman Depression Syndrome. The first couple weeks after an Ironman I want to sign up again. Basically, sign up and race all over again within the week. It is a feeling of unbelievable invincibility and accomplishment. A month post Ironman, I never want to do a race again. I just want to lay on the couch, wearing my Ironman medal and remember how great it all once was. I am 6 months away from my next Ironman and in a normal world of training would just now be starting to get ready and prepare for such a monstrous event. Starting over, going through the whole process again sounds terrible.
I have something very wrong with my knee. One thing about being an endurance athlete is you become hyper aware of your body. It is an awesome sense to have such a command over your body, I would compare it to driving a manual car versus an automatic. I have slowed down, back to a 10 minute pace to try and figure out if I can nail down what is wrong with my knee. It's like when the check engine light comes on every now the then, but won't stay on long enough that you feel you need to go to a mechanic.
I went for a 10 mile run last weekend with every intention to just blow out my knee, then it can be fixed. No luck. My knee acts like it is going to hurt usually every 30 minutes, but I can run just as I have been. It is odd and a bit frustrating. For the first time since I can remember I had to really work at running. The other day I started out on a run and my body felt like a bike, not something that wanted to move, but that required a good deal of effort to crank to go forward.
I have a marathon in less than 45 days. If I can't blow out my knee but then, maybe I'll qualify for the Boston Marathon. Or hopefully, just make the newspaper. They print the top 1000 men and women finisher's names and it is always fun to see your name in ink.
This happened last time and has happened again, just the PIDS - Post Ironman Depression Syndrome. The first couple weeks after an Ironman I want to sign up again. Basically, sign up and race all over again within the week. It is a feeling of unbelievable invincibility and accomplishment. A month post Ironman, I never want to do a race again. I just want to lay on the couch, wearing my Ironman medal and remember how great it all once was. I am 6 months away from my next Ironman and in a normal world of training would just now be starting to get ready and prepare for such a monstrous event. Starting over, going through the whole process again sounds terrible.
I have something very wrong with my knee. One thing about being an endurance athlete is you become hyper aware of your body. It is an awesome sense to have such a command over your body, I would compare it to driving a manual car versus an automatic. I have slowed down, back to a 10 minute pace to try and figure out if I can nail down what is wrong with my knee. It's like when the check engine light comes on every now the then, but won't stay on long enough that you feel you need to go to a mechanic.
I went for a 10 mile run last weekend with every intention to just blow out my knee, then it can be fixed. No luck. My knee acts like it is going to hurt usually every 30 minutes, but I can run just as I have been. It is odd and a bit frustrating. For the first time since I can remember I had to really work at running. The other day I started out on a run and my body felt like a bike, not something that wanted to move, but that required a good deal of effort to crank to go forward.
I have a marathon in less than 45 days. If I can't blow out my knee but then, maybe I'll qualify for the Boston Marathon. Or hopefully, just make the newspaper. They print the top 1000 men and women finisher's names and it is always fun to see your name in ink.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Ironman Florida Recap
How did I go from a 14:52 finish in Lake Placid in 2009 to a 11:51 finish in Florida? Simply put, I might have had the race of my life.
It should be noted that comparing races is difficult because no two races are ever the same - the course, the weather, and there are so many variables on each individual race day. Lake Placid is known for being one of the top 5 toughest Ironman races out there, while Florida, and no Ironman should be considered easy, is generally thought of as easier in the spectrum.
I was super fit. I came down 20 pounds from Lake Placid. Not carrying 8% of yourself for 10+ hours makes a difference. It felt a lot like a fighter moving weight classes. I wouldn't call it a diet, I ate whatever I wanted, just with a controlled intake. I previously ate 4 meals a day. I started eating 3 and would stop eating just before full. I don't like being smaller, mentally I don't feel as tough. Physically, I am just a rocket.
I had a film crew following me around. No one wants to look slow.
I didn't change anything about my biking or running technique physically, just mentally. I just tried to think if I push hard now, this is going to be over quicker and that would be somehow better.
I have also done one of these before. Knowing what my body needs and how it reacts under such an event was probably the biggest key. I knew I made some mistakes before, not this time. In Lake Placid I kept thinking, "all I want to do is finish." That means staying alive on the bike while going 35 mph downhill on a wet road on a mountain rather than seeing if you can get up to 45 mph. I didn't push too hard on any one activity, just so I made sure I made it to the next activity. I have finished before, I am an Ironman, so this time I made sure just to go.
Nutrition falls under the experience category. I knew what my body would need and I had it ready. I put Chick-fil-A biscuits everywhere. I had a biscuit in my bike transition bag. I taped a cut up water bottle full of chicken minis to my bike. I had a biscuit in my bike special needs bag (you can get special needs bags half way through the bike course and at the half way mark on the run), biscuit in my run transition bag and a biscuit in my run special needs bag. I like having real food to put in the tank with all the gel and Gatorade and it made a big difference in my performance. I love you Chick-fil-A. I accept any sponsorship packages you would like to present.
I got to the starting line healthy, despite crazy throwing up 6 days before, and the weather was great. Really, these two things are impossible to control and just a gift on race day. The weather was just a little bit cold, and I came out of the water and onto the bike thinking I need to put down the hammer and go out strong and try and warm up a bit, and I just didn't slow down the entire day.
It should be noted that comparing races is difficult because no two races are ever the same - the course, the weather, and there are so many variables on each individual race day. Lake Placid is known for being one of the top 5 toughest Ironman races out there, while Florida, and no Ironman should be considered easy, is generally thought of as easier in the spectrum.
I was super fit. I came down 20 pounds from Lake Placid. Not carrying 8% of yourself for 10+ hours makes a difference. It felt a lot like a fighter moving weight classes. I wouldn't call it a diet, I ate whatever I wanted, just with a controlled intake. I previously ate 4 meals a day. I started eating 3 and would stop eating just before full. I don't like being smaller, mentally I don't feel as tough. Physically, I am just a rocket.
I had a film crew following me around. No one wants to look slow.
I didn't change anything about my biking or running technique physically, just mentally. I just tried to think if I push hard now, this is going to be over quicker and that would be somehow better.
I have also done one of these before. Knowing what my body needs and how it reacts under such an event was probably the biggest key. I knew I made some mistakes before, not this time. In Lake Placid I kept thinking, "all I want to do is finish." That means staying alive on the bike while going 35 mph downhill on a wet road on a mountain rather than seeing if you can get up to 45 mph. I didn't push too hard on any one activity, just so I made sure I made it to the next activity. I have finished before, I am an Ironman, so this time I made sure just to go.
Nutrition falls under the experience category. I knew what my body would need and I had it ready. I put Chick-fil-A biscuits everywhere. I had a biscuit in my bike transition bag. I taped a cut up water bottle full of chicken minis to my bike. I had a biscuit in my bike special needs bag (you can get special needs bags half way through the bike course and at the half way mark on the run), biscuit in my run transition bag and a biscuit in my run special needs bag. I like having real food to put in the tank with all the gel and Gatorade and it made a big difference in my performance. I love you Chick-fil-A. I accept any sponsorship packages you would like to present.
I got to the starting line healthy, despite crazy throwing up 6 days before, and the weather was great. Really, these two things are impossible to control and just a gift on race day. The weather was just a little bit cold, and I came out of the water and onto the bike thinking I need to put down the hammer and go out strong and try and warm up a bit, and I just didn't slow down the entire day.
Friday, November 26, 2010
Thanksgiving
I have been given a gift. It happened in Florida and apparently hasn't left me yet. I am fast.
I have not ever thought of myself as fast and now running is like something out of a movie scene when the superhero finds out they have powers. It is incredible and I can't explain it. To give you an idea, there is a loop I run that is around 5.5 miles and previously would take me about 50-55 minutes. I ran it the other day in 40 minutes. It's crazy.
I am thinking I need to make the most of of this gift while I have it and achieve what would be for me a miracle in running - qualifying for the Boston Marathon. To do that, in my age group at the Houston Marathon in January, I would have to run a 3:10 marathon time. That is running 26.2 miles at 7.15 minutes each. I need to trade 10 hours of endurance for 1 hour of speed, and knock 50 minutes off of my fastest marathon time ever, run just 3 weeks ago. It is not quite water to wine, but in the running world probably close.
I also have a bit of a knee thing. It is like this gift came with its own kryptonite. It doesn't hurt but feels like it should, or is going to later. It's a warning that I can't tell if the speed inside me is telling me to stop running on it or to speed up and minimize the pounding.
Pray for my health and speed, and I will show you a miracle.
I have not ever thought of myself as fast and now running is like something out of a movie scene when the superhero finds out they have powers. It is incredible and I can't explain it. To give you an idea, there is a loop I run that is around 5.5 miles and previously would take me about 50-55 minutes. I ran it the other day in 40 minutes. It's crazy.
I am thinking I need to make the most of of this gift while I have it and achieve what would be for me a miracle in running - qualifying for the Boston Marathon. To do that, in my age group at the Houston Marathon in January, I would have to run a 3:10 marathon time. That is running 26.2 miles at 7.15 minutes each. I need to trade 10 hours of endurance for 1 hour of speed, and knock 50 minutes off of my fastest marathon time ever, run just 3 weeks ago. It is not quite water to wine, but in the running world probably close.
I also have a bit of a knee thing. It is like this gift came with its own kryptonite. It doesn't hurt but feels like it should, or is going to later. It's a warning that I can't tell if the speed inside me is telling me to stop running on it or to speed up and minimize the pounding.
Pray for my health and speed, and I will show you a miracle.
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