Golden Gate Relay 2017

On May 5th, I flew to San Francisco to participate in my 12th Adventure Relay - The Golden Gate Relay. If you have been reading my blog for some time, you know that running is my sport and my passion. Last November I completed my 9th marathon in New York City.  But I can truly say that I have made some of my best and closest friends through these crazy relays.  What I have found is that that my teammates and I are friends for life because we experienced a connection like no other.  Our experience in these relays is unique not only because of the quantity of time we spent together, but because of the quality of the time we have enjoyed. I would fly anywhere in the world to run with these dear friends.

The Golden Gate Relay course runs from Napa to Santa Cruz.  They say that it starts in Calistoga.  But that is not true.  Only teams that can run the entire course from Calistoga at an average pace of 6:30 per mile or better are allowed to run the entire course.  This was a bit of a disappointment because it meant that Van 1 would only run 2 legs each.  To compensate for that they allow the team to have 6 runners run over the Golden Gate Bridge (Leg 18).  The race also allows walking teams which is not something I have seen.

This was a strange rely compared to the others I have run.  While it was a beautiful course, I have to say the organization was a little too loose for me.  When we checked in at the Napa starting area, they didn't ask us to show the safety gear (reflective vests, tail lights and headlamp) and there was no safety training like at Ragnar.  They simply asked if we had them.  They were also supposed to have
pre-printed signs for the back of the van saying "Caution Runner on Road".  This was so teams like ours could purchase them instead of trying to bring another thing in our luggage.  They had run out.  So we took a sharpie and wrote it on a piece of poster board they gave us.  I knew that we would follow all of the safety rules since we are an experienced team.  But throughout the race, we saw many teams not following the rules.

Based on the change in where we would start, we were only going to run 30 legs instead of 36 because we were not a competitive team.  Our start time was  2:30 p.m.  The race did start on time. Our van was not going to run until very late in the evening.  We headed out to the exchange area in Petaluma at the Marin French Cheese Factory.  When we arrived we purchased some cheese and a baguette and had a little picnic while we waited.  Van 2 arrived at the exchange around 7:25 p.m. We had arrived in San Francisco at 11:30 a.m. on Friday.  Our 12th runner Alan cruised in at a blistering 7:05 pace and handed it off to Rae.   Van 1 was finally running 32 hours after arriving in the Bay Area for the race.

Rae, Kayleigh, Brian and Jennifer all had great runs on their first leg.  With the change in the start and the fact that Nathan's knee had been bothering him leading up to the race, I had decided to run 2 legs back to back so I could run over the Golden Gate Bridge with Nathan.  The route was not well marked and a little scary as I was the only runner out on the course it seemed.  When I finally made it to the exchange, Nathan joined me and we ran together.  It was a very hilly route up to the bridge.  Just before the bridge Rae and Brian joined us.  I have to say that no matter how I feel about the race, the run over the Golden Gate Bridge near midnight was spectacular.  We milked it for all we could until we finally reached the end. We stopped to take a few photos and generally just loved the sheer pleasure of running in a place we wouldn't normally run.

Unfortunately, we missed the turn to the exchange.  There were no signs showing us where to turn to find the tunnel under the bridge to the exchange.  We did disturb a few raccoons who were looking for food.  As we looked around to try and find the right direction including reviewing the leg map we had been carrying, we finally heard someone call us and point us the right way.  We handed off to Van 2 at 12:58 a.m.  I had covered 11 miles at an average pace of 10:16 per mile.  I was not particularly happy with my overall pace but we were done for now.  We headed down to the next major exchange to get some rest before our final leg.

It was difficult to sleep in the van because it was pretty cold.  We finally got the call at around 4:30 a.m. that they were on their way to the exchange.  The problem was, the directions were not clear as to where the actual exchange was located.  After a lot of texting back and forth, we finally found it.  We cut it pretty close though.  Alan came flying in at 5:28 a.m. having averaged a 7:17 per mile pace.  He was definitely our speediest runner.  Rae took off and we were off and running for the final time.

My second (third) leg was going to be difficult.  3 miles uphill with no relief.  And at a 7% grade.  I wanted to run as much of it as I could since I had trained for the hills.  I ran the first 1/2 mile and was getting my heart rate up to high.  So I decided to do a run/walk routine.  I would run for 1/2 mile and walk a 1/4 mile.  That worked for the first 2 miles.  However, during the last mile I was getting gassed.  So I just ran/walked until 3/10 of a mile from the exchange.  I ran the last part and was greeted with a team tunnel.  That is why I love running these races...the team camaraderie.  I was glad to be done.  My leg had gained 1,292 feet over that 3 mile hill.  I am not sure I could have run the entire thing no matter how much hill training I had done.  I am a little bummed about not having my heart rate monitor on this one.  I am sure my heart rate got up into the red zone several times when I was running on the hill.

We were done.  Van 2 took over and had to cover 32.8 miles before we all would run over the finish line together.  After a nice lunch in Santa Cruz, we got word that Alan was on the road and moving fast.  We met Van 2 about 200 yards from the finish line planning to run across it together.  Apparently Alan had forgot about us and blew right by on his way to the finish line.  We tried to keep up with him.  But his overall pace for the last 10K was 6:46 per mile.  We all got there and high fived before heading over to get our medals.

Overall, the team finished in 60th place out of 134 teams  which was relatively fast given the topography of this race.  In the Open division of the race we placed 32nd out of 88 teams.  In the Open Mixed division (teams with women) we had placed 9th out of 44 teams.  No matter how you slice it we had a great race.  The official time per the race director was 24:14:35 which was a team 9:05 per mile pace.

If you have never run an adventure relay, I would not recommend this being your first one unless you live in the Bay Area.  I am not sure I would recommend it to an experience relay team.  It is an absolutely beautiful but grueling course.  If I had to do it again, I would have only brought 10 runners and divided the 30 legs up evenly.  Our team definitely had a great time and is already asking about the next race.  I guess we will have to figure out where we are going to run in the fall.  Until then, I am going to take it slow and ease back into a good training routine once the soreness subsides.

Apr. 17 – 5.20 miles (56:47, 10:55 pace) - Hill Repeats
Apr. 18 – 6.30 miles (54:59, 8:44 pace) - Speed Work
Apr. 20 – 8.40 miles (1:14:07, 8:49 pace) - Tempo Run
Apr. 21 – 5.20 miles (45:02, 8:40 pace)
Apr. 22 – 10.10 miles (1:28:07, 8:44 pace)
Apr. 23 – 9.40 miles (1:26:49, 9:14 pace)
Apr. 24 – 6.20 miles (1:00:21, 9:44 pace) - Hill Repeats
Apr. 26 – 3.10 miles (23:52, 7:42 pace) - Speed Work
Apr. 28 – 5.20 miles (46:25, 8:56 pace)
Apr. 29 – 11.10 miles (1:35:48, 8:38 pace)
Apr. 30 – 8.30 miles (1:14:45, 9:00 pace) - Speed Work
May 3 – 5.20 miles (43:42, 8:24 pace)
May 4 – 3.10 miles (27:20, 8:49 pace)
May 6 – 11.00 miles (1:43:29, 9:26 pace) - Golden Gate Relay Leg 17 & 18
May 7 – 3.00 miles (38:21, 12:47 pace) - Golden Gate Relay Leg 30
May 11 – 4.10 miles (35:02, 8:32 pace)
May 14 – 5.10 miles (43:45, 8:35 pace)

Total Miles:  106.0 miles
2017 Total Miles:  709.8 miles

My Three Boston Experiences Have Made Me a Better Runner

Tomorrow is the 122st Boston Marathon.  I have had the honor to run this storied race on three different occasions.  While I didn't get into the race by running a Boston Qualifier time, I still felt that I belonged there.  I felt that way because I logged the miles in training necessary to carry me the entire 26.2 miles to the finish line in Boston.  I was able to run the Boston Marathon as a charity runner with the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team.  I have fond memories of each of my three Bostons.  Each one was a different and unique experience.

As I read the Facebook posts of my runner friends who will be running the race this year, I actually felt jealous that I will not be there.  I started to think about the need to have another Boston Marathon experience.  My experiences made me think of Emile Zatopek's famous quote, "If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon."  I can honestly say that my life has changed so much since I ran my first marathon in 2000.  But my three Bostons actually had more of an influence on my life.

It probably seems strange that three races could have a profound impact on an indivual.  But they did.  I was able to experience the joy of reaching a lifetime goal that seemed somewhat unrealistic.  I learned that I could persevere by overcoming a severe setback and still finish the race.  And I was able to push my body to its absolute limit and cross the finish line with a smile on my face.  In the last two cases, I was able to dig deep and find out just what I am made of when it comes to overcoming adversity.  The first experience showed that dedication and hard work can produce amazing results.

In 2009 I decided that I wanted to run the Boston Marathon.  I was living in Massachusetts not far from the starting line.  I found that I could get into the race if I raised money for a charity.  I chose to raise money for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  I had found a brand new training program (Brooks Hanson) and decided that I would use it to help me properly prepare to run a strong race.  My initial hope was that it would allow me to set a PR which meant I had to run faster than 4:25:03.  I had four months to get ready and would have to train through the New England winter.

I got to the starting line on April 20, 2009 in the best shape of my life.  I felt excited about being able to run this great marathon.  Deep down I felt like I could set a PR and was hoping to run it in about 4:15:00.  You can read my detailed report in my April 21, 2009 entry.  Looking back 8 years later, I now know that what happened that day was a fortuitous confluence of circumstances that allowed me to not only reach my goal but to absolutely crush it finishing in a sub-4 hour time.  While I always wanted to run a sub-4 hour marathon, I never thought it would happen.  On that day, my training, health, attitude and weather all fell perfectly into place.  The planets aligned and the circumstances allowed me to achieve more than I could have imagined when I started on my journey to the finish line.

My second Boston experience was the complete opposite.  The morning of April 16, 2012 was one of the warmest days in Boston Marathon history.  As I headed to the starting line, I knew that my hopes of repeating a sub-4 hour finish was not going to be in the cards.  Again there was a fortuitous confluence of circumstances that aligned to make that race one of the hardest I would ever experience.  How I responded to those circumstances helped me find out that I could overcome any limitations placed in front of me.

As the Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume said, “He is happy whose circumstances suit his temper; but he is more excellent who can suit his temper to any circumstances.” On that day, despite my hope that the circumstances would change and allow me to run the race the way I had trained for, I could not control the fact that the heat would not allow it.  When I reached the finish line in 4:49:00, I learned firsthand that I can only control my response to the prevailing circumstances and in that way achieve a better result than would normally be expected.

On my final Boston Marathon, I experienced something that I had never imagined could happen to me.  I sustained an injury in the middle of the race that would normally force a runner to pull out of the race and not cross the finish line.  However, I was determined to not let that happen to me.  I had trained so hard for that race.  I felt really confident that I was going to be able to run my second sub-4 marathon.  As I hung around the corrals with my Dana Farber teammates, I was feeling great.  Nothing indicated that I wouldn't have a great race.  The temperature was perfect and I was ready to run well.

You can read a detailed report on exactly what happened in my May 4, 2014 entry.  I will never forget the pain I felt at mile 16 when my right hamstring gave out.  All I could think about at the time was that I had to continue and finish the race.  My experience in 2012 told me that my body could take the punishment.  There was a nagging doubt arising in my mind but I told myself to relax and focus on landmarks I knew were coming.  I used the crowd and other runners to help pull me along.  Finally, I shifted my focus on my upper body motion to distract me from the pain in my right leg.  All I thought about was crossing the finish line in victory which finally happened 4:57:09 after the gun went off.

When I am running a race now, I draw on these three experiences to help me be successful.  Instead of thinking of the last two Bostons race as failures, I think of them as learning experiences.  Everything that went wrong were simply feedback.  I know bad races happen.  It is just the nature of running road races.  I now know that I can take those experiences and use them to figure out how to make the next one better.  I try to use the newly gained perspectives to make future races better.  Running is a huge part of my life.  Since I am far from being an elite runner, I never let setbacks influence my joy of participating in the sport.  I run to bring joy into my life.  This means that I can never let a bad race kill that joy.  In the end, I just love the feeling of accomplishment when I cross the finish line no matter how long it took me to get there.

Mar. 27 – 6.30 miles (54:48, 8:42 pace)
Mar. 28 – 5.10 miles (51:50; 10:10 pace) - Hill Repeats
Mar. 30 – 3.10 miles (31:08, 10:03 pace)
Apr. 1– 8.20 miles (1:14:08, 9:09 pace)
Apr. 2 – 8.40 miles (1:16:20, 9:05 pace)
Apr. 3 – 6.10 miles (1:06:46, 10:57 pace) - Hill Repeats
Apr. 4 – 6.40 miles (55:08, 8:37 pace) - Speed Work
Apr. 6 – 8.40 miles (1:14:08, 8:50 pace) - Tempo Run
Apr. 7 – 5.10 miles (45:37, 8:57 pace)
Apr. 8 – 9.10 miles (1:15:48, 8:20 pace)
Apr. 9 – 8.30 miles (1:15:21, 9:04 pace)
Apr. 10 – 6.20 miles (1:02:12, 10:02 pace) - Hill Repeats
Apr. 11 – 6.30 miles (55:15, 8:46 pace) - Speed Work
Apr. 13 – 8.30 miles (1:13:42, 8:53 pace) - Tempo Run
Apr. 15 – 8.20 miles (1:12:22, 8:50 pace)
Apr. 16 – 5.20 miles (47:03, 9:03 pace)

Total Miles:  108.7 miles
2017 Total Miles:  603.8 miles

I love the 5K

I planned to write about each of the distance races I have run since my very first 5K race back in December of 1988.  As always happens, life gets in the way.  I found that I wanted to write about other things.  But I promised myself I would get back to the theme as soon as I could.  Finally I have nothing else pressing on my mind about my life or running.  Therefore, I can now start off this series of blog entries with my experience with the 5K distance.

Personally I love the 5K.  It is the one race that I can go out and run with little or no preparation.  Now if I want to run a certain time or set a PR, I have to train.  But it is the once distance race that can truly be called a "fun run".  The best part is that if I do decide to train for it, I can still have a normal life.  It is not an all consuming training program.  When I am training for a 5K, I never feel too tired to do other things in the evenings or weekends.  Best of all I can run a 5K race every weekend if I choose.

The other great thing about a 5K is that the whole family can participate in one of these races.  My children both liked to run with me when they were growing up.  My son even ended up running cross country, indoor and outdoor track in junior and senior high school.  We ran his first 5K together when he was only 8 years old.  It wasn't a fast finish but seeing the look of satisfaction on his face when we crossed the finish line was worth it.  Since then, I have run with both my son and daughter in several different 5K races.  I find it so rewarding to see them embrace the sport I love so much.

Most of my runner friends think that a marathon is the only serious race.  While it is serious, no one should ever look down on someone who runs only 5K races.  Every 4 years when I watch the Olympics, I love watching the 5 and 10,000 meter races.  Partly because I too run those distances albeit not as fast.  No one I know looks at those athletes and says they are not serious runners.  The simple truth is that there are some runners who simply aren't well suited to run long distances.  If you are a casual runner just trying to get healthier and more fit then I would say that the moderate mileage you need to run to prepare for a 5K is perfect.  It will put less stress on your body and potentially provide more satisfaction than training for and running longer distances. And best of all, it will most likely keep you injury free.

Now I cannot talk about racing without dealing with the elephant in the room - costly entry fees.  The nice thing about most 5K races is that they are usually the cheapest races to run.  I have never paid more than $35 for an entry.  The 9 marathons I have run in averaged over $175 per race.  I consider the 5K race the value proposition when it comes to distance racing.  Plus you get to run with all levels of runner because the entry fees are not prohibitive making it affordable for anyone who wants to participate.  If you want to make it a family event, it will not break the bank.  The last 5K I ran with my kids cost us $75 for all three of us to participate.

If you are reading this because you are contemplating running your first 5K, I encourage you to do it.  Send in that entry form and let everyone know you are going to race in your first 5K.  You may ask me why.  The simple answer is because I know when you cross that finish line, no matter how long it takes you, you will be much happier than when you started.  Running always makes me happy.  The experience is like nothing else you will do in your life.  Don’t let the fear of being "too slow" deter you.  You are still better than all those people who never even try.  What have you got to lose?

“Our running shoes have magic in them – the power to transform a bad day into a good day; frustration into speed; self-doubt into confidence; chocolate cake into muscle.” - Mina Samuels, Author

Mar. 13 – 6.10 miles (1:02:28, 10:14 pace) - Hill Repeats
Mar. 14 – 5.30 miles (45:12; 8:32 pace) - Speed Work
Mar. 16 – 5.00 miles (42:30, 8:30 pace) - Tempo Run
Mar. 17 – 6.20 miles (54:42, 8:48 pace)
Mar. 18 – 9.20 miles (01:21:45, 8:53 pace)
Mar. 19 – 9.30 miles (1:22:40, 8:53 pace)
Mar. 20 – 6.20 miles (1:05:41, 10:36 pace) - Hill Repeats
Mar. 21 – 6.20 miles (54:48, 8:50 pace) - Speed Work
Mar. 23 – 8.20 miles (1:12:58, 8:54 pace) - Tempo Run
Mar. 24 – 6.20 miles (53:46, 8:40 pace)
Mar. 25 – 8.30 miles (1:16:02, 9:10 pace)
Mar. 26 – 10.20 miles (1:30:18, 8:51 pace)

Total Miles:  86.4 miles
2017 Total Miles:  495.1 miles

My Path to Becoming a Runner

I started running in 1985 when I moved back to Fort Worth from Las Vegas.  I had been putting on a little weight and wanted to get into shape. I didn't have the money to join a gym.  So the only thing I could do was try running as a way to get back in shape.  I laced up my Nike shoes and went out on a run around my neighborhood.  I ran 1 mile and don't even remember how long it took me to finish.  Over the next several months it became my routine to run 1 mile every other day.  Little did I know then that running would become my life's passion.

My wife and I moved to Sunrise, Florida in 1988.  I kept up my running and had even started pushing 1 -2 runs during the week to 2 miles.  Then in December of that year, I got a flyer on my car for the Sunrise Jingle Bell 5K.  I had never run more than 2 miles.  But I figured if I could run 2 miles how hard could it be to run another mile.  On a whim I signed up for the race.  Years later I would read Dr. George Sheehan's quote, "The difference between a jogger and a runner is an entry blank."  I know now that that first 5K was the official day that I switched from being a jogger to a runner.

My time in that race is lost.  I am sure it took me over 30 minutes.  Regardless of the time it took me to complete that race, I was hooked.  I met so many friendly people that day.  When they heard that it was my first 5K, they gave me words of encouragement.  I felt that I had found my way into a new fraternity.  There was no official invitation and anyone was welcome to join.  When I crossed the finish line, I was so happy because I had challenged myself and completed it.  I was so excited that I started to look for the next race.

Back in those days we didn't have the internet to research races or to sign up for them.  Most of the races had people handing out flyers and entry forms at other races.  You had to mail in your form with a check to enter back then.  I don't recall how many 5K races I ran back then.  I am sure it was at least a dozen.  At the end of one of the races, I received a flyer for a 10K race down in Miami that finished inside the Miami Zoo.  I thought that would be cool.  So I signed up.

At this point in time, I had not run further than 3.1 miles.  I decided that I should train for the race.  I didn't know anything about training.  So I kept running every other day.  But I would add 1 mile to my long run on Saturday each week until I had run 6 miles.  I figured if I could run 6 miles then I knew I could finish the race.  I built up to that 6 mile distance over about 6 weeks.  I am sure I broke every training rule in the book.  Hey, I was young and dumb.  In the end, I did finish the race and with a smile on my face.  My training regimen had worked.

From my first 10K in 1989 until we moved to Arkansas in 1991, I ran at least 6 races per year at either the 5K or 10K distance.  I was really loving it.  I was in pretty good shape and had found something I could do anywhere I went.  I started to feel like a runner.  At that time I felt exactly as Dr. Sheehan said, "Like most runners, I always want to do better. I am constantly after myself for eating too much and training too little. I know if I weighed a few pounds less and trained a few hours more, my times would improve. But I find the rewards not quite worth the effort...I am forced, therefore to do the best with what I've got. I must get my speed and distance from the most efficient use of my body."

I didn't race at all when I lived in Arkansas. I never found any races in my area.  I am sure there were races.  But my wife and I had 2 very young children at home.  This wasn't conducive to a lot of racing.  And frankly I wasn't as motivated to search them out.  I did keep running though every other day.  I also started working out at the Wal-Mart Fitness Center.  I was keeping in shape but missed the challenge of a race.

When we moved to Carlsbad, California in 1995, I was living near my family.  My brother and I would run together occasionally.  I found some races in and around my neighborhood including the Carlsbad 5000.  I started racing again.  I ran a few races with my brother and his friends.  I started reading Runner's World magazine where I started to learn training techniques.  And I started striving to get better and faster.  Then at the finish line of the Chargers 10K, my brother started talking about trying a half marathon.  I told him he was crazy.  We hadn't run more than 6.2 miles at that point in time.  Being a little brother, he challenged me.  So I agreed to do it.

I got advice from a friend who had been an college runner.  He put together a training program for us to follow.  My brother, his friend and I started getting together to do our long runs.  It made the training seem easier to be running with other people.  We followed the plan religiously.  We had signed up to run the America's Finest City Half Marathon which runs from Point Loma to Balboa Park.  It was a real challenge to complete because the last 1.5 miles or so is up hill.  I finished in 2 hours and 10 minutes.  Not too bad for my first half.  My brother had beat me but I was so excited to have completed the distance.

After a few more half marathons, I challenged my brother to run a full marathon.  He told me I was crazy.  But after some discussion, he and our friend Greg decided to sign up for the San Diego Marathon which was going to be run in Carlsbad in January 2000.  Here I was 15 years since I first started running and I had signed up for a full marathon.  I must have been crazy.  I found the Hal Higdon Marathon Training program in Runner's World and gave it to Greg and my brother.  We followed the plan closely and did our long runs together on the race course.  When the day came, we had trained well and knew we could do it.  But I was still a little nervous.  I finished my first marathon in 4:41:29 and my brother beat me...again.  Regardless, I was hooked.

Here I am having been a runner for almost 40 years and I still love it.  I have learned to train smarter.  I have tackled 8 other marathons and numerous halfs.  I set PRs in both distances well past my 40th birthday.  I am now training 6 days per week and getting better despite my advancing age.  I have met so many great people through this sport.  Some of them are my closest friends.  I cannot imagine what my life would have been like if I hadn't signed up for that first 5K race.  I am certain it would have been different.  I am even more certain that my life is significantly better because I am a runner. As Dr. Sheehan said,  "If you don’t have a challenge, find one."

I will leave you with two of my favorite quotes from Dr. Sheehan from his book Running & Being:

“The distance runner is mysteriously reconciling the separations of body and mind, of pain and pleasure, of the conscious and the unconscious. He is repairing the rent, and healing the wound in his divided self. He has found a way to make the ordinary extraordinary; the commonplace unique; the everyday eternal.”

“Man is meant to be a success.” Each of us, he said, is unique and endowed with potentials unlike those of others. Success comes in finding your authentic self, the person you truly are, and becoming that person, tapping all of that untapped potential.”

I am looking forward to what the next challenge brings me and will keep running until I have exhausted all of that untapped potential.

Feb. 27 – 5.60 miles (1:00:08, 10:44 pace) - Hill Repeats
Feb. 28 – 5.20 miles (44:49, 8:37 pace) - Speed Work
Mar. 3 – 4.20 miles (34:46, 8:17 pace)
Mar. 4 – 8.30 miles (1:15:40; 9:07 pace)
Mar. 5 – 10.10 miles (1:28:52, 8:48 pace)
Mar. 6 – 6.10 miles (1:06:17, 10:52 pace) - Hill Repeats
Mar. 7 – 5.30 miles (45:30, 8:35 pace) - Speed Work
Mar. 9 – 7.10 miles (1:03:09, 8:59 pace) - Tempo Run
Mar. 10 – 6.20 miles (53:16, 8:35 pace)
Mar. 11 – 7.20 miles (1:29:27, 12:26 pace) - Trail Run
Mar. 12 – 9.30 miles (1:23:45, 9:00 pace)

Total Miles:  74.6 miles
2017 Total Miles:  408.7 miles