the last blog and testament

this is my last blog and testament. i started this spring on a journey to run the outer banks (obx) marathon and that journey has come to a wonderful end. the training was hard sometimes and many, many days but it all paid off yesterday when i crossed the finish line on my first marathon. i had many reasons for doing this race. i can't remember any of them now except for the fact that i will be 50 years old next year. being that, i saw this race as a window of opportunity that i would never get again.

i was very excited about the race and ran it strong. i trained knowing i would have to run the baum bridge. however there is nothing like it in my city. i hit the infamous wall at mile 22 and the bridge is mile 23. i was really concerned i could not run the bridge. however, i pushed myself with everything i had to run the entire bridge and it kicked my butt, but i conquered it. i say hell yeah for making that accomplishment. maybe i will go run it again and look over the side. the view was awesome i am sure but i missed it. i was focused on running and nothing else at that point. 

it was an amazing day. the organizers did a great job. there were clear markers where to go and turn. the changes in scenery showed me some cool areas of the outer banks that i never knew existed. cheers to all of my supporters along the way. i love you!

this was a family affair. i know for sure that love is all we need. 

i love you!

peace be with you

the marathon:

duration: 5:03:52
distance: 26.47 mi (goal 26.2 miles) 
pace: 11:29 min/mi 
calories: 3,812

weight: 176 lbs

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/242663334

training day number eighty-one

this is close to my final post on this blog. the journey has been amazing. taking the time to reflect on my training here has helped me reach my goal. i did not consider that the collective days of running and pushing myself to train was more of an accomplishment than the actual race itself. so at this great moment after 81 training runs, i can honorably say, "i did that shit."

what a week it has been. president obama got 4 more years. i got a promotion at work. my crazy case at work got fixed and i get to go on vacation. that is real change from a year ago this time when i was ready to quit my job and i was over 20 lbs heavier. so cheers to this week and to life!

on wednesday, i ran the fullsteam run and that rocked. it was 55 degrees at start but dropped to 45 degrees by the end. i wore long pants and that made it bearable. i know i would have been embarrassed to wear tights a year ago. but on wednesday, i didn't care and maybe even flaunted a little especially all sweaty at the end back at the brewery. we ran hard and fast doing about a 9 min/mile pace. then we were treated to a free spanish meal of rice, black beans, plantains and chicken. i skipped the chicken but it looked really good and folks said it tasted yummy. on top of all that we all got a free pint glass for being runners.

i ran my solo training run on thursday. this was supposed to be a 3-mile run but i had a route in my head. that route took me from the house to prospect park then up vickers avenue to chapel hill street. then down the big hill and up the big hill which is my training hill for this bridge we have to cross in the marathon. when we drove over this bridge yesterday coming to obx, yes we are here, i know i can make it. it is a big hill bridge but one step at a time, i will make it. i finished thursday's run with a full loop at duke east campus and back the way i came. that all turned into 5 miles but so worth it.

the next post will be my marathon experience. i have my bib, i am number 946 in corral b. i will have to come up with something clever that rhymes with 946 B something like "when times are hard, and you just can't see, set yo ass free, with 946 B" but i only have 22 hours to work on it.

run:

duration: 51:35
distance: 5.30 mi (goal 3 miles) 
pace: 9:44 min/mi 
calories: 785

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/241831529

weight: 179 lbs

days to go until race day: 22 hours (running2obx, yeah baby!!!)

total this week: 20.93 miles (that rocks)

training day number eighty

i'm smiling at what has happened with this goal. the training has been so good for me; bigger than me. damn good.

today's run was the last in my long run training. the race is one week from today. to save up energy for the big party, i plan to only run 4 miles or less on training days this week. 

cheers to all my fans (when i hear trains in the city as i run, i imagine those are my fans cheering me on)

love to all my family (when i take every step, you are there with me)

best time that i ever had

run:

duration: 1:39:55 
distance: 9.08 mi (goal 8 miles) 
pace: 11:00 min/mi 
calories: 1351

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/240153843

weight: 177 lbs

days to go until race day: 6 (sand between my toes, anything goes)

training day number seventy-nine

cold, cold, cold. it was a cold run today. i had on long sleeves and short shorts. in fact, it was ok as long as i was moving but if i had to stop running for any reason, it was cold. the great thing is i ran and made my goal for the day. run forest

i usually do the fullsteam beer run on wednesdays but today it is halloween and the guys i run with have young kids and had plans. it gets dark early now. i headed out at 5:30 pm but still got caught in the dark. it is hard to get a run in before the sun goes down these days.

i am so excited about the up coming race in obx. seventy-nine runs so far is a lot of training and who knew i would stick with it but so far i have and still enjoy running.

running is cool.

run:

duration: 1:03:19 
distance: 6.25 mi (goal 5 miles) 
pace: 10:08 min/mi 
calories: 929

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/239001719

weight: 180 lbs

days to go until race day: 10 (i keep nudging boo to pack our bags)

training day number seventy-eight

today's run did not disappoint on the adventure side. it was shin splints, pitbull chases and crunching acorns. (smile) but i did my goal. so cheers to to the challenger, i am ready for the assignment. this is good as we are in the final weeks of training.

after finishing the run and a nice breakfast we headed to the cinema to see "cloud atlas" on imax. i truly enjoyed it and want to see it again. only thing, after running 20 miles, it was hard to sit for 3 hours so i am a stiff dude at the moment. i will go to bed early then. i am out of beer anyway. (smile)

run:

duration: 3:55:36  
distance: 20.96 mi (goal 20 miles) 
pace: 11:14 min/mi 
calories: 3080

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/238131218

weight: 178 lbs

days to go until race day: 13 (i hope sandy stays offshore)

training day number seventy-seven

it's getting so close to race day that i am rolling with emotions that go in different directions. the challenge is to maintain a positive feeling and stay healthy for 3 more weeks.

for today's run i had a great cool morning that was excellent for a run. at this point though, i could use a nap. (just kidding, sort of) i ran the fullsteam 6 mile last night and then got up at 6:00 am this morning and ran 5 miles for training. so a nap would be nice but i'm at work so it won't happen today.

today's training run was good. yesterday's beer run was real good. we ran fast and i was keeping up and at times setting the pace for a group of three. we came in last but that does not mean much when we were running the longest distance of the larger group.

i am done with running training for this week as i rest up for my long run day on sunday. the forecast is rain. eek. but i will deal with it and won't worry until i have too.

run:

duration: 51:07  
distance: 5.04 mi (goal 5 miles) 
pace: 10:09 min/mi 
calories: 757

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/236912804

weight: 176 lbs

days to go until race day: 16 (the pirates are around the corner)

garmin link for fullsteam run: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/236912838

total for the week: 29.24 mi (good job)

training day number seventy-six

a new day, a new challenge. work has to be done. and last night work was a all-nighter. i did not get to bed until after 6:00 am. i got up at 10:00 am to run before heading back to work. i wondered how that would go, but i did it. and best of all, i ran fast. i was driven to make it to work on time for a meeting and it ended with a faster run than i usually do for a training run. good times.

as i was finishing the last mile, i ran by a lady who dropped her purse as i was passing. i thought i scared her so i apologized. she said, "you didn't scare me, this purse always falls off my shoulder. run boy, run!!!" so i kicked it up and finished strong. thank you lady.



run: 

duration: 1:11:41 
distance: 7.35 mi (goal 7 miles) 
pace: 9:45 min/mi 
calories: 1092

garmin link: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/236543605

weight: 177 lbs

days to go until race day: 18 (i can almost see jockey's ridge)