Stepping Out of Your Box

A brand new year, 2019 is just a couple days away. For many, a new year is a time for resolutions and a fresh start. Resolutions are great, but only if you follow-through with them. More often than not, resolutions are so lofty and unattainable from the get-go that the individual who set them quickly gets discouraged and quits. 

My resolutions tend to be challenging, but not unattainable. I learned a log time ago, that If I have too many goals, I'm going to get discouraged when I realize I can't accomplish them all. I also learned a long time ago that in order for me to grow, I have to step out of my comfort zone. So, I tend to pick one goal that's going to push me, get me out of my comfort zone box.

Sometimes I've stepped out of that box by choice and other times I've been shoved. In both cases I've learned so much and become a stronger individual. Becoming a 5th grade teacher, moving my family to Greensboro to pursue a writing/editing career, speaking in front of large groups at national conferences, being laid off from a job of 13 years and going back to school at 45, opening a small business (who does that during the great recession?), coaching hundreds of runners, creating RunTheBoro. Each of these life events were hard. Sometimes I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I'm still growing. At times, I still wake up in a cold sweat thinking, "What am I doing?" "How am I going to get through this?" 

At times I had to force myself out of my element. But over the years I've learned that your element is not cut in stone. Your element is often self-imposed. Your element can change. It's up to you. 

So, make 2019 a year of positive change for yourself. Remember that stepping out of that box can be scary. Don't leap frog out of that box. Take it one step at a time and remember the RunnerDude mantra, "Trust. Believe. Conquer!"

Taking That Leap

I wanted to be an architect like Mr. Brady.

This morning I Facebook messaged with a friend who was telling me he was miserable in his current job. I told him to think about what was worse, being safe in his current job but miserable, or (albeit scary) taking a leap of faith and make a change and do what he really wanted to do. It made me reflect on my own past decisions.

When someone asked me as a kid what I wanted to do when I grew up, I'd usually say I wanted to be an architect. I think that was because "Mr. Brady" the dad on my favorite TV show "The Brady Bunch" (this was the 70s) was an architect. I didn't really know what that was, but it sounded cool.

My early art. Not great, but I really enjoyed drawing, It was
my escape. Probably haven't drawn anything in 20 years.

Of course I didn't become an architect, but dreaming about it was fun. As a kid, I was always making something. My poor dad. While other fathers were in the sports section of Roses (Wal-Mart of the 70s) picking out a glove, ball, or bat, my dad was in the crafts section waiting for me to pick out the next whatever I was going to make. I never had any formal art training. Never even took art in high school, but on my own, I drew. I drew a lot. Mostly pen and ink and colored pencil. I was never secure enough in my talent to take an art class or to take it in school. Ironically, kind of like sports at the time. I was scared to put myself out there.

Then all of the sudden I'm getting ready to graduate from High School and I'm expected to have a career in mind.  I really had no idea. I was accepted into App State, NCSU, and UNC-Chapel Hill. Not exactly sure why, but I chose App State. I was thinking I was going to go into "art" not knowing what that really was or meant. There's one thing about me that has always been and will always be and that is that I might not know what I want, but I definitely know what I don't want.

My first few days at App were not very good. Now keep in mind, I had really only been away from home by myself once. I was a preacher's kid and while I wasn't really sheltered I was a very naive kid. Looking back I'm pretty proud of that naivete because it really let me be a kid. Problem was that at that point in my life that naivete didn't prepare me for the first couple days of college life having drunk kids fall into my room and lots of other not-so-appropriate-things being thrown in my face full force in concentrated form on day one. Scared the heck out of me. I called home and without much detail, I told my parents that ASU just wasn't for me. My Dad, said, "Well, let me come up there tomorrow, we'll talk about it, and then we'll decide what to do." Dad arrived the next day like he promised. But when he got there, I had my room emptied and my car packed. We headed home. LOL! Like I said, I may not know what I want, but I know what I don't want. Still true today.

So coming home, my Dad said I had to have a plan. And so I did. Because school had already started, I couldn't just go to NCSU or UNC even though I had been accepted. I had to reapply. So that semester, I took evening classes at UNC while awaiting my re-acceptance status for the second semester at UNC or NCSU. I heard from NCSU first so, I headed to Raleigh with the idea I'd be a business major. First two semesters were great, then in my third semester, when I took my first "real" business class (some kind of statistics class), I thought "holy crap!" Decided then-and-there that the business route was not for me (kind of ironic since today, I'm a small business owner). I transferred to UNC-Chapel Hill as an Education major.

A letter from a student in my last 5th grade class.
Wow! She'd be about 31 now....I feel old. 

I had finally found my niche. I graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill with a BA in Intermediate Education and began my career as a 5th grade teacher in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. I really loved what I did. After eight years, I had an opportunity to go into educational publishing with a company based in Greensboro, NC. It was scary, to move from teaching into a more corporate setting, but it was a great blend of teaching, creating, and big business. My first leap of faith.

I was in publishing for 13 years. Loved what I did. Had worked my way from writer/editor, to Senor Editor of Intermediate Books, to  Book Development Manager, to Curriculum Manager. I got to travel some and really loved what I was doing. I thought I'd be in publishing until retirement. Then the bottom fell out of the economy in 2009 and 1/3 of the company I worked for was let go. I was a part of that 1/3. Funny how the ones with the most experience and longevity are the first to go during times like that.  Insult to injury, the company held me to a non-compete and I was not able to work in my field for 18 months. I could have fought it, but instead I took it as a sign to do what I really loved doing....running and fitness. Leap of faith #2.

So in 2009, back to school I went getting my diploma in fitness training from the National Personal Training Institute in Raleigh, my personal training certification from the American College of Sports Medicine, and coaching certifications from RRCA for marathon training and USA-TF for track and short distance running.

In 2010, I leased a 400 sq ft office space in Greeensboro, NC with (no money and no clients) and opened RunnerDude's Fitness. Leap of Faith #3. Scared to death, but excited beyond belief, I began my journey as RunnerDude. Best decision of my life. In the past seven years, that 400 sq ft has grown to 3000 sq ft and that zero client list has grow to me working with over 600 running and fitness clients. I've helped hundreds of runners reach their running goals from running for the first time to qualifying for Boston. I've crafted RunnerDude's Blog into one of the top rated running blogs in the country, being read in over 90 countries and  over 1.5 million page views, giving me the opportunity to interview running greats like Olympians Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher, Nick Symmonds, and Jeff Galloway as well as Runner's World's Bart Yasso.

Evolution of a Dude

Is it still scary? Heck yeah, but I love what I do. All though I didn't know it at the time, all of those life "stepping stones" helped create the person I am today. Many my age are talking about upcoming retirement, but I feel like I've just started. I'll probably be coaching runners from my hoveround on the greenway when I'm 90. :-)

Change is hard, but to grow as an individual, you need change. Your change may not be a huge career change, but whatever change comes your way, embrace it, it may bring amazing things your way. Are you due for a leap of faith?

Build Confidence. Don't Break It Down.

When I was in middle School in the late 70s, I was overweight and not athletic at all.  I never wore shorts. Actually didn't wear jeans either? Evidently back then the only thing clothiers thought kids my size wore was plaid. Just what the "fat Kid" needs, right? Plaid. 

Man I can't tell you the last
time I had a burger and fries.

I remember having to run the mile in Mr. Wade's 8th Grade PE class. Yes, I ran the mile in my plaid pants and my plastic/vinyl "athletic" shoes from Pic-n-Pay. Me and Danny Weidner were the last to finish. I think I ran that mile in 18 minutes and 20 seconds. Mr. Wade did not like me. His disdain for me and the other non-athletic kids was very obvious. He even met with my parents to let them know I was different and that they probably needed to do something about it. 

Yep, I was different. Those plaid pants, that "roll" around my middle, those plastic running shoes, and that 18-min mile made me who I am today. Ironically at 51 years old, I've run 15 marathons, 1 ultra-marathon, 20 half marathons and too many 5K and 10Ks to count. Oh yeah, and I'm RunnerDude, owner of a personal training studio and running coaching facility, founder and host of one the most popular running blogs in the country, and author of a running book.

What's up with the double
pictures? I think one of
me was plenty. LOL!

I'm a huge believer in things happen for a reason. I bet if I had been the fastest kid in the class, I would not be a running coach today. Now don't get me wrong. I think kids need to be active. But, each kid is different. Some kids are team sports players. My brother was. He played basketball, baseball, football, tennis and now golfs. I tried team sports. I played baseball 2 years and football 1 year, but did not enjoy it at all. I mainly played because my dad signed me up. It's what you did in 1974. If there were other options, I wasn't aware of them.

In middle school, I had a friend who was very fit and was into gymnastics. I always envied his ability to run and do flips in the air. He was strong, but because it was not football, basketball, or baseball, he was often teased too. During those middle school years, there was a sign-up day for gymnastics at the school gym. I actually got the nerve up to go. We lived in a small town on the North Carolina Coast. I rode my bike up to the gym. I was nervous as all get out. I had sweat stains the size of Montana under each arm. I walked in, climbed up the big built in bleachers and sat there watching the others register and try out. I sat. I did not have the confidence to try out. I was the fat kid. I couldn't do that. Really all I needed was someone to say, "Hey, come try." I stayed for about an hour then walked back down the bleachers, got on my bike and headed home. No one every knew I went to the tryouts that day. 

In that small coastal town in which I lived in, there was a man, Mr. Smith, one of my friend's dad, who used to run a big 10-mile loop around the town. He'd run with his big black dog. He always looked so content running with his dog. I admired his ability to run so effortlessly. Without him knowing it, Mr. Smith motivated me to try it. One day, not long after that gymnastics tryout day, I decided to try to run. Yep, in my plaid pants and plastic shoes. I didn't go far (probably a mile or two of Mr. Smith's route), but I did run and it felt good. I did it a few more times. Nobody ever knew. 

Later that summer, I decided to lose weight. My mom was doing Weight Watchers, so I just followed the same meal plan. I lost 40lbs that summer and started High School a new person. I ran the mile in 9th grade in under 8 minutes. My confidence boomed. I was still teased, because I wasn't a jock, but it didn't matter, because inside I had grown so much.

I didn't do too much running after that until my first year in college. I ran my first 10K in Raleigh, The Great Raleigh Road Race. That's when I discovered others ran too....all kinds of people. That's the day the seeds for RunnerDude were planted. I continued to run lots of 5K and 10K races and in the late 90s I got into running marathons. Plaid pants ditched long ago, I was feeling good about my accomplishments as a runner and all this confidence was helping me in other areas of life. Running reveals so much more about yourself than just your physical abilities. That's the message we need to instill in our kids. 

If you are the parent of a "plaid pants" kid, encourage them to explore different activities. Not all kids have to be in organized sports, but maybe you can do family walks, go hiking, or see if they're interested in running. What they are interested in is the key.  Maybe it's art, music, or dance. Get them involved in what they are interested in. Once they have gained some confidence, then they'll be more likely to put themselves out there to explore more.  

Lead by example. Kids shut out preaching, but if they see you leading a healthy lifestyle, they'll come around. It may take a few years, but it does work. My 24-year-old son, Duncan initially wanted nothing to do with running or fitness...and now he's working along side me at RunnerDude's Fitness as an awesome fitness trainer and running coach.

The great thing about running (as one of my runners, Brandon put it) "it's an individual sport that's made so much better by running with friends." You can start out on your own or with a similar-level group and build your confidence. You can compete with yourself or with others. You can run solo or with others. You can make it your own.

I guess in a way, I should thank Mr. Wade. Not because he was right. But, because I knew he was wrong.

Endorphin Warrior Prize Drawing!

If you know anything about me and my coaching style, I'm all about motivation. I encourage my runners to discover that inward motivation and inspiration to keep them on track and training hard. Sometimes, however, it's great to have an outward reminder,especially when things get tough or when you've hit a training slump or if you're out due to an injury. That's where Endorphin Warrior comes in handy. This awesome company makes unique motivational and inspirational jewelry (and now t-shirts, hats and key rings). I began my relationship with Endorphin Warrior in 2010 when I first opened RunnerDude's Fitness. They too were a new company having just started in 2009.

Endorphin Warrior is best known for its leather Warrior Training Bracelets. This unique bracelet is comprised of a nickel-plated metal tag riveted to a 5/8th"-wide natural-leather wristband. It has a snap closure for easy on and off. The minimal design is perfect for men and women. The metal plate is engraved with one word...a very powerful motivating word. You can select from several of these words and choose one that will motivate and inspire you the most--Persevere, Unbreakable, Strength, Believe, Relentless, Conquer, Unstoppable, Fearless, Focus, Transcend, Limitless, Positive, Courage, Consistency, Breathe, Warrior, 13.1, 26.2, Swim...Bike...Run, 70.3, 140.6, As I Run, As I Walk and As I Dance.

My favorite is Persevere. When thinks get tough, I remind myself to persevere. That's what I do...persevere. I think that's what all "Dudes" do...persevere.

The founder of the company Eric Jenican recently contacted me and offered to do a give away on the blog for one of the Warrior Training Bracelets and one of his awesome Warrior Training Rings. The rings are made of "warrior strong" stainless steel, perfect to wear anytime, anywhere to help you stay postive, strong-minded, and focused. Like the Warrior Training Bracelets, the Warrior Training Rings also are engraved with one motivating word.

Endorphin Warrior has quite a variety of motivating and inspiring sterling silver sports jewelry too. Be sure to check out all of their unique products at www.endorphinwarrior.com. Eric has given me a speical discount code for my blog readers!! Use code: RunnerDude15 and save 15% off your purchase!! The code is good through 9/30/16.  

To enter for a chance to a Warrior Training Bracelet or Warrior Training Ring, be sure to complete the entry options below. The drawing will end on Feb 19th and the winner will be announced on the blog February 20th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Short Life That Touched So Many - Peyton Moore

This morning I awoke like any other morning. Early. Weekdays and Saturdays I'm usually up at 4:30AM. I have early morning clients to train at the studio during the week and on Saturdays, I have to get the water coolers out on the greenway before my runners have their Saturday morning long run. Sundays, however, I can sleep in. But my body has an internal clock now of 4:30AM. So now, even though no alarm is set, I often find myself awake at 4:30am on a Sunday. Today was no different. I laid there a while and tried to go back to sleep. Didn't work. Turned on the TV and watched Cindy Crawford try to convince me I'd look years younger if I rubbed this rare melon all over my face. I finally got up and decided to catch-up on reading some of my favorite running blogs.

The long hours needed to keep RunnerDude's Fitness growing has taken it's toll on my own blog writing, much less having the time to read other blogs. But today, this morning, I had that time. 

I headed to my blogging buddy, Noah Moore's blog, Moore on Running. Noah is an amazing guy and I've been following his blog pretty much since I started mine back in 2008-2009. Noah has a great story. He overcame obesity and did a 360 in health and fitness and not only for himself, but his entire family. Noah is one of the very first "How Running Changed My Life" stories I featured on the blog. Click here to read that post.

So, this morning I was struck numb when I saw his most recent  post "Our Miracle, Our Love, Our Angel-

Peyton." The post began..." Many of you who follow my blog know about the passing of my son, Peyton Moore (June 4, 2013)." It had only been a few months since I last read Noah's blog. This couldn't be. 

In December, Peyton experienced a seizure and was shortly after diagnosed with benign rolandic epilepsy. Often diagnosed in kids ages 6-8, benign rolandic epilepsy often shows itself as mild, infrequent seizures. Most cases cease when the child reaches his/her teen years. Peyton had several more mild seizures after that one, but the last known seizure was in February. On June 3rd, after not getting up as usual for school, Peyton's dad found him still in bed not breathing. He died the following day at the hospital.

Although just 9-years-old, Peyton was responsible for saving two people's lives--his mom and dad. Peyton was the inspiration for Noah's dramatic weight loss as well as Jennifer's quitting smoking. Peyton also inspired many others. Peyton was often right by his dad's side while coaching many new runners in Noah's Couch to 5K program.

My heart goes out to Noah, Jennifer and the entire Moore family as well as the Charleston running community. Even though I never met Peyton in person, I feel like a virtual part of the family having watched him grow into such an awesome young man through his dad's blog.

RunnerDude's Relay Rejuvenation

Some may think a 208-mile relay through the Virginia and NC mountains with 12 not-so-familiar individuals packed into two passenger vans for 36 hours would be anything but rejuvenating. But that's exactly what the Blue Ridge Relay was for me last weekend.

A Dude, a Mountain, and the Road

My profession is personal trainer and running coach. I have about 70 running clients and about 30 personal training clients. I'm currently a one-man-show. So, I'm a very busy guy. Sometimes it's hard to catch my breath. My day begins with my first client at 6AM and ends usually with running group wrapping up around 8:00PM and often includes 2-3 runs with various groups as well as seeing personal training clients all throughout the day.  Don't get me wrong. I love it!! Working with my various clients (ages 11 to 72) is the most rewarding thing I've ever experienced. But, I'm also human and need rejuvenating from time to time just like everyone else. The Blue Ridge Relay provided the boost I needed.

Back at the very end of July a running acquaintance, Nathan Daughtrey, who runs with a local running group called the Woo Hoo Crew contacted me to see if any of my runners might be interested in filling in three spots on his Blue Ridge Relay team. Three members had to back out for various reasons and Nathan and the Crew wanted to try to keep the team at 12 members. Most of my runners were in the heat of half or full marathon running so I didn't want to temp them into an endurance event like this during their training, so I volunteered. I figured it was a great way to check "Endurance Relay" off my bucket list.

Afterward, I though, "OMG! What did I just do!" But, a commitment is a commitment, so I tried to wrap my brain around the upcoming event. Because of my schedule, I wasn't able a attend any of the Woo Hoo Crew relay team meetings. Nathan did a great job of keeping me apprised of what was going on, but I couldn't help but feel a little like an outsider missing all the fun.

Pre-Relay Dinner with the Woo Hoo Crew in Jefferson, NC

Soon, Nathan contacted me with my three legs for the race--Leg 1 = 7.5 miles (rated Hard); Leg 2 = 10 miles (up Grandfather Mountain; rated Very Hard); Leg 3 = 4.5 (rated Moderate). Total mileage = 22 miles. My first thought was, "Okay, new boy hazing going here". LOL! But, after looking at all the legs, everyone had pretty challenging runs. Some may have been shorter in distance, but had crazy inclines like 11%+.

Shortly before the race, I discovered that my last Leg increased from 4.5 miles to just shy of 7 miles and the difficulty rating changed from Moderate to Hard. Road construction and safety issues caused a route change increasing the mileage. So, now my mileage was closer to 24.5 miles. "I've got this," I told myself. In the back of my head, I kept thinking, "You're gonna die!" But I'm RunnerDude, right?

The Woo Hoo Crew Plus a Dude

Travel Day finally arrived on September 6th. I met the rest of the crew and we packed the Vans for the trip to the NC/Virginia state line. The two other runners recruited to fill out the team were also in my van which was cool. I figured I wasn't the only new kid on the block. I could tell as soon as the van doors closed, that I was in for quite an experience. As the banter began and jokes started flying, I was a little overwhelmed trying to absorb it all, remember everyone's names, think about the upcoming runs, trying to t remember if I packed socks and Fabreeze, and on and on.

The Rainbow was so big, I couldn't get all of it in the frame!

A few hours later we stopped for gas and hopping out of the van we saw the most beautiful full rainbow. It was an awesome sight. I've never seen one so complete. Somehow it settled my nerves and I knew all would be well. It was a good omen.

That night, was full of tossing and turning. I just couldn't get to sleep. My brain wouldn't shut off. I do multiple runs in a day, but not quite at the distance I was to do this weekend. The group was all about having fun and just completing the relay, not about killing themselves doing it. So, the pressure was self-induced. I may have gotten in about 2 hours of sleep when the alarm rang around 4:30AM to get up and get ready for the trek to Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia, the start of the relay.

Getting Ready for the Big 10-Mile Leg

My first leg was was the second run of the relay. So after group pictures and sending off Amanda with the first run of the relay, we hopped in the van and headed to the runner exchange zone where Amanda would finish her first leg and I'd begin mine. This first run for me had several turns and that had me a bit nervous. I'm a bit dyslexic with directions. But cue sheet in hand, Amanda popped the BRR slap band on my wrist and off I went.

As soon as my feet hit the pavement my nerves began to settle. The view was amazing! This route took me out of the park, across the state line and into some of the most beautiful mountain countryside I've ever seen. Most of the legs were along back roads, traveled mainly by locals. I got to run down curvy gravel roads through hollers with old farm houses tucked in the trees here and there. The roads winded up and down some rather steep hills but the view was a great distraction. I finished my first leg well under the goal time I had set for myself. A big confidence booster.

My view for 10 miles up Grandfather Mountain.

Leg #2 was the big one that had me a bit worried--10 miles up Grandfather Mountain at night. But just like the first run, once my feet hit the pavement, the nerves settled. The cue sheet showed a percent incline increase with each mile. I was expecting to become fatigued with each increase and just peter out by mile 10. But an awesome surprise resulted instead. I definitely felt the increase with each mile, but then my body acclimated and I would speed up. Almost felt like a downhill, but I was still climbing. That happened with each mile. It was an awesome and unexpected outcome.

Blue Ridge Relay Course

Nathan had asked the group to keep track of the number of runners we passed "RoadKill." If a runner passed us, we had to deduct it from the RoadKill total. On the Grandfather Mountain leg, I hooked up with about 5 other runners. We kept passing each other. Positive. Negative. Positive. Negative. My RoadKill count was a wash, that is until mile 9. This was the steepest incline of the run. I was at the back of our little pack. Quit a ways back. I noticed they were walking up an incline. I took a deep breath and trotted past them. My brain was telling me, "They're walking for a reason. You need to walk too, so you'll have energy left at the end." But my gut was saying, "GO FOR IT!" All five did in fact did pass me again, but then I looked ahead a few minutes later and saw that they were walking again. Yea! I dug deep into my inner Dudeness and somehow passed all 5 runners on the incline and kept it going till the exchange zone. I felt great! I was at my projected pace and had 5 road kills to boot. Happiness doesn't explain it.

Something happened after that run. A rejuvenation of the mind, soul, and body happened. My job has me running the miles of others. These miles I wouldn't exchange for anything. But along the way I'd lost track of my own abilities. The 10-mile mountain run reminded me that I still have a lot of "me miles" left in me. It felt great to be competitive, even if it was just with myself and 5 unknown runners (and one pesky bat) in the pitch black on a mountainside.

Moral to the story. When you feel like your mojo is no more, challenge yourself. Do something out of the ordinary. Push the limits. Think outside of the box.
Trust. Believe. Conquer!

A huge thanks to all the members of the Woo Hoo Crew Blue Ridge Relay team who motivated, inspired, and put up with me last weekend. You guys are awesome!

Running: A Saving Grace

Running is anything but Radical, it’s the saving grace for many a runner.

Through the blog, I’ve had such an awesome opportunity to meet so many amazing runners from all over the world who have used running as a means to overcome life’s adversities. Some overcame family hardships, others medical issues, and still others the death of loved ones. Some used it as a means to raise funds and awareness to the plights of various causes such as breast cancer or mental illness. And still others had monumental health issues and used running as a platform to bring awareness and support to and for their own illness.  And others used running to bridge the gap from being laid off to re-employment, helping give them a sense of stability while their lives were put on hold.

When you have the time, click here  to meet and read about some of these awe-inspiring individuals...heroes such as Danica, Ann, Thomas, Mel, Joe, Ashley, and David.

Your support and readership of the blog means so much. If so inclined, a vote of support for RunnerDude's Blog at The Top 100 Running Sites would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your readership!

My First Marathon: Vinny's Story

I started running in February a few years ago, after I quit smoking in late November the year before. Like a lot of people out there, I ran in high school and always thought about a marathon.  I found Team in Training and joined up not only raise some money but to keep my motivation in perspective. I figured, if I wanted to quit at any time, I could think about the people that I was raising money for and it would keep me going. I also dragged my sister, Theresa, into the meeting and she signed up for a half marathon

I joined the team for the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon in June. A local half marathon fell at about the halfway point of our training. Our marathon group got to train with the half-marathoners for the race.  It was a huge group (about 30 of us) running together every weekend and getting to know each other. I heard a lot of great stories and made a few friends.

Midway through the training season, the half marathoners had run their race and weren’t around anymore. At that point, it was just us full marathon runners (only about a dozen). The first time seeing that few of us was a little different for me. I was used to being surrounded by groups of people talking and being part of conversations. So, I started my run and struck up a conversation with a woman who was running about my pace. I had noticed her before and she always ran with her Mother. I didn’t know anything about her at all, but I had about 18 miles to run (my longest run at that point) and I REALLY needed someone to talk to. I didn’t know what to say, so I just said the first thing that came to mind, “So, you left your mother back there huh?” That was around mile 2. I found out through the next 16 miles of our run, her name was Nichole.

During our run we talked about different things, mostly nonsense just to keep the run and the conversation going. I found out she ran in high school, and this was her 4th full marathon. I told her about my life, how I also ran in high school, and how I had smoked for the past 13 years. I explained to her how much I loved a local cross country course. Her eyes lit up and she began to tell me all about her memories of it as well. We made plans to meet there for a practice run on our own during the week. In my high of running my first 18 miler, I totally forgot to get Nichole’s number. Thankfully, she wasn’t as winded from the run, and pulled me aside to exchange.

Midweek we met at the course, Sunken Meadow State Park. We went out again on a run, and didn’t stop talking. We only ran for about 6 miles this time, but still had the same great conversations and laughs. We continued our Saturday runs together, with the team around us, but we also met mid-week by ourselves. After our Wednesday runs, we would stop and get something to eat, to “re-fuel” but more-so to continue our conversations.

Race day finally arrived. We started the race together, running and talking as usual. Somewhere around mile 12, I started feeling it. We were moving faster than I was used to. We were talking way too much, and I was in pain. We both were feeling it. The next few miles were very quiet. I managed to make it to mile 16 before saying, “Go ahead without me, I need to stop for a minute”. I’m pretty sure Nichole knew that we wouldn’t meet up again, but I was determined.

I muscled through what I guess what my “wall” as they put it. Being the Rock-and-Roll series there were lots of people cheering and running. I found a group of Elvis runners, pushing a stroller with a boom box playing nothing but Elvis tunes. I stuck with them for a while. I have to admit, it was pretty cool, and it kept me going. Around mile 24, I did it. I caught up to Nichole. I saw her next to one of the coaches from Team and Training. She was having a very hard time. They were helping her through the end of the run. I wanted to stop and check on her, but one of the coaches assured me she was okay and started to run next to me for the next mile and a half pulling me into the end of my run. Once I crossed the finish line, I was relieved, it was over. I had officially finished a goal I had since high school. I walked around in a daze, and found a spot to sit and just plopped down. After sitting there for a few minutes, I heard my name. Nichole found me and was looking for me to congratulate me. We talked about the run and what we experienced on our 10 solo miles. Then we caught up with the rest of the team.

Later that night, we all went out for drinks and dancing and celebrating. Nichole and I broke away from the rest of the group and went to another bar. We spent the night dancing and having a great time. Some point in the night we kissed, kept dancing and enjoying each other. When we got back home, we kept up our routine of running for a few hours followed by eating and talking for a few more. Eventually we made our relationship "official."

It’s been over two years since then. We've run a few marathons together; even worked our way up to ultras and moved on to 50k, 100k, 50-mile and 100-mile races. We run a lot in the mornings together. We spend our dinners talking about our run, or how we can get our times down. We plan our vacations and long weekends around a race. We look for new local trails to run around and spend time it. We finally got into NYC this year and will be running it together.

My life completely changed because of my first marathon. I found a passion in running that keeps me going, and I found a woman that I can spend my life with who has the same passion. Running has become one of the biggest parts of my life and Nichole has become more than just my running partner, and my partner in life. She is my “sole” mate.

When Last Place Is Better Than First

The other day, Steve, a member of my beginning running group at the Volvo North America Headquarters told me that he was learning to “celebrate the small gains.” He just discovered during  our post-run stretching that he could balance on his right ankle. Something he’s never been able to do. He also shared that he's had fewer calf cramps and has improved his breathing. Steve's excitement over seeing his running pay off in other areas of his everyday life was pretty cool. Earlier the same day, another client at Volvo (Debra, in her 50s)  who is in the Fitness Walking group shared a similar experience. While at a recent weekend beach excursion, she was able to pull the family's wagon full of beach “stuff” up the dune to her car to the amazement of her husband. Keep in mind that not too long ago Debra had a hip replacement.

What many don’t understand is that Steve's and Debra's experiences are what fitness is all about…celebrating the small gains. Before you know it those small gains add up to huge life-changing gains.  Getting up off the couch and taking that first walk really can lead eventually to completing a marathon. It all starts with that first step. 

New York City Marathon co-founder Fred Lebow once said, "In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." That was definitely the case this past weekend for myself and a client of mine, Rhonda. We ran the Triple Lakes Trail Half Marathon in Greensboro, NC and came in last place.

Distraught? Let down? Disappointed? Hell no! I’ve run a lot of half and full marathons over the past 25 years. My half-marathon PR is 1:30 (not too shabby). But the Triple Lakes Half Marathon at a finish time of 3:58:59 will stand out as one of the most inspirational and moving races I’ve ever run. 

Rhonda and her husband Row came to me several months ago. Rhonda was on a mission. She was turning 50 and wanted to run a half marathon to celebrate this milestone. Row was along for the ride to support, Rhonda.  Many 50-year-olds run half-marathons, but what set Rhonda apart was that she was not a runner and had over the years endured 7 knee surgeries. Rhonda has a passion for tennis and has played most of her life. It has taken a toll on the knees.  I could see she was determined and after passing her fitness assessment, we set to work on achieving her half-marathon goal.

The first session we had, I took Rhonda and Row out for a run/walk. I noticed that Rhonda was heel-striking and knew this would more than likely aggravate her knees. So, I showed her how to land with more of a mid-foot foot strike underneath her body. She took too it immediately and said after that very first session, “That’s the first time, I’ve run without pain.” That one small change made all the difference in the world.

Rhonda and Row continued the run/walk workouts on their own, hitting the trails most weekends. They also continued their training sessions with me coming every Sunday afternoon for a 1-hour workout. We worked on building upper-body, core and lower-body muscular endurance. While Row (in his mid 50s) was initially along for the ride to support Rhonda, he discovered he enjoyed the workouts as much as Rhonda.  I’m not sure who was inspired the most, Rhonda and Row doing the workouts and getting stronger every week, or me watching them get stronger each week.

Rhonda watched how Row had taken to the workouts and was really improving as a runner and she wanted him to run the half-marathon at his own pace and do well. She also knew he wouldn’t leave her alone to run the race on her own. I realized this too and offered to run the race with Rhonda. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I met Rhonda and Row early on race day and the journey began. It was a chilly morning. Both Rhonda and Row were over dressed and each had a Camelback hydration unit strapped to their backs. Looking around they laughed realizing they were overdressed and were probably over “watered” too for a half. I told them they had on layers they could remove as they heated up and better safe than sorry with the water. 

It wasn’t long after the starter gun sounded that Rhonda and I were in last place. We held on to that title till the very end. Rhonda’s goal from the very beginning was to finish. Time didn't matter. All she wanted to be able to say after finishing was, “I gave it my all, I finished, and I finished strong.” And that she did.

We kept up a 4-minute run 2-minute walk for a good portion of the race. The course was tough, covering four different trails. The last segment was on the Owls Roost Trail which is quite hilly and has several technical sections. The challenging terrain began to tug at Rhonda’s knee, so we walked a good portion of this final trail and enjoyed the beautiful morning, deep in the woods, winding around gorgeous Lake Brandt.

Rhonda said that at each milestone birthday she’s done something adventurous.  At 25 she went sky diving. At 30 she went to Greece. At 40, she and some girlfriends went to Vegas (I’m sure it’s never quite been the same) and at 50 she ran this half-marathon. She’s already contemplating what to do for the big 60.

Towards the end of our half-marathon journey, the full-marathon runners began to pass us. First just one, then two, then the first female marathoner.  Each time, Rhonda gave a shout out, “Looking strong” “Keep it up” “You’re amazing!” All I could think was, “No, Rhonda. You’re amazing.”

We crossed that finish line almost 4 hours after starting and I’ve never had a smile so big on my face as I did throwing my arms up with Rhonda’s in victory as we crossed that finish line.

My First Marathon: Vanessa

Below is the first of a series of upcoming posts on "My First Marathon." It's such an awesome experience, I thought it would be great for readers to share what their first marathon was like and why it meant so much to them. The first in the series is from Vanessa Taylor. Read on to find out more about Vanessa and her first marathon: SunTrust Marathon, Washington DC, 2009

I had started running for real in Fall 2008, when I started a graduate program in Washington DC.  I had always wanted to do a marathon, and that seemed like a good time to do it.  I went through a rookie program training plan that I found online, trained all winter, was hoped for the best.  It was my goal to break 4 hours, although I had started to wonder of the likelihood of that.

It was about 30 out when the gun went off at 7AM, but I warmed up within a few miles. I was able to see my parents at the starting line, which was great. The first few miles went by quickly, although when I ran my first mile in 9:30 (21 seconds off my pace), I picked things up, nervous that I wouldn't meet my goal. My ideal goal was to break 4 hours (and I had secondary goals of 4:10 and 4:15). For the first 6-7 miles, I ran alongside of a nice guy named Rich, who was also trying to break 4 hours. However, at mile 7, my right sock rolled under my ankle, and I had to pull over to fix it. I was so concerned about the time I lost fixing my sock, that I picked up the pace again.

The majority of the hills were between miles 3 and 9, and it felt great to knock them out. The crowds were great; everyone was cheering, playing music (including the Rocky theme), and just being very supportive. I saw my parents at mile 11, and I was so happy to see them. Around that point, I think I misread my pace band, and thought I was 4 minutes off of my pace. However, when I got to the halfway point (13.1) in under 2 hours, I then realized, not only had I made a mistake in reading my pace band, but that I could truly break 4 hours with some room to spare. Also, I knew I was halfway done, which was good. Then I was also able to see my mom and dad again at mile 15, which was great.

The next few miles flew by, especially mile 17, which went downhill (weee!). At mile 18, I realized I only had 8 miles to go, which did not seem that bad. I knew that my friends from grad school (Wes, Seth, and Mary - the 3 I talk about the most) were going to be standing at mile 20. I told them to come around 10AM, but thankfully they got there early, since I was running at a pace faster than I imagined. I saw them first, and yelled out, and they were so surprised to see me, it was hilarious. I was so happy to see them. Then at mile 21, things started to seem a bit ugly. 5 miles left, but I just started to feel icky. It's not even that my legs were hurting, it was that I had been drinking Powerade and eating GU, and just had a sickening sweet taste in my mouth. Mile 22 was an "out and back" mile, which meant I ran half a mile, then turned and ran back on the other side of the road. It felt like I was going nowhere. Then I had 4, then 3.

At 3 (23), I told myself there was only a 5k left, and that I would be done with it soon. Then 2 miles left, but 2 hills to climb. Those 2 hills wouldn't have been so bad had they been earlier, but they seemed terrible then. Then the mile sign said 25, so just 1.2 to go. That felt long. Finally, I passed the sign that said 26, so all I had was a 200 yard dash. I dug in, found the last bit of energy I had stored, and sprinted to the finish. They announced my name as I went through the finish line, which was pretty cool, and I saw my friends and parents as I was finishing. The time that showed up as I crossed the finish line was 3:55:47, but I knew it was actually less than that, since it took me a few minutes to even cross the starting line. I then got my medal, and was immediately surrounded by Mom, Dad, Mary, Seth, and Wes. It was amazing, lots of hugging, etc.. I was insanely happy (I'm sure the adrenaline played a role in that). Once I slowed down, I started to feel sore, so I walked around, stretched, and even got a free massage on location, which was great.

Later in the day (following a good shower and nap), I went out for a steak dinner with my parents and friends - so good. It was just great for my parents to meet my new friends, and everyone just had a great time.

When I got back from my celebration dinner, they finally posted the official results of the race.
743 overall (out of 2094)
29/120 in my age division (F 18-24)
Overall Pace: 8:52
Finish: 3:52:18

I did not expect to finish in that time - I was shocked. In the weeks leading up to the race, I was filled with a lot of doubt about my goal, and in the end, I beat myself.

Vanessa Taylor

Check out my blog! www.medievalistrunningincircles.blogspot.com

The Boy Who Wore Plaid

Last week I worked with my youngest client, Paul. He's 8. Great kid with a head full of thick vibrant red hair and a personality just as vibrant. His grandmother is a running client of mine and she asked me if I could work with Paul on running bases. Paul is on a coach-pitch little league team. We worked on some simple speed and agility drills and I talked to Paul about the leg muscles that help you move when you run. I told, Paul these muscles had to be strong to give you lots of power to get him to first base and beyond. We also talked about arm swing and how it's important to keep your arms at your sides and how they should be pumping just as much as your legs are moving. Paul was a great student, very alert, attentive and eager (a trainer's dream).

I set up a mock "home base" and "first base" and had Paul pretend to swing his bat and lay it down just as his baseball coach has instructed him and then had him blast off to first base, using all the techniques I had just taught him. Paul did great. You could see the concentration in his eyes. I noticed he was landing with really heavy feet and there was a loud clomping sound to his foot strike. So we talked about a better foot landing that would promote a smoother stride. He had no problem modifying his foot strike and soon was running with very little sound.

So, we ended that first session with a firm hand shake and off they went to a ball game. Yep, he had a game that night. We had only worked together for 30 minutes, but I was hoping I hadn't worn him out for his game. Then I remembered he was 8 not 46. LOL!

Later that night, I got a message on Facebook from Paul's grandmother. He had hit a home run and she said he blasted around the bases with his arms at his side pumping hard, a smooth stride and his legs just a moving. She could tell he was already putting his learning to good use.

After I read that FB message, I couldn't help but chuckle. When I was Paul's age, I played baseball for 2 years. Hated every minute of it. The first year we had to wear those old scruffy, itchy wool uniforms. There I was, the pudgy kid in this itchy as heck gray wool uniform out in right field, praying hard the ball wouldn't come my way. I knew from day one of practice that I was not cut out for baseball. Of course the ball that popped up and smashed into my face didnt' help any either. Somehow I made it through a second year and even one year of football before calling it quits with sports. A short career (so I thought). 

I figured I was supposed to be the fat kid in the plaid pants. You know the happy-go-lucky kid who always had a joke to tell. Back then, if you were "husky" (as they so politely called it) you had very little options for clothing. And it seemed that the designers at the time believed that fat kids looked best in plaid. Better yet, plaid pants with reinforced knees (guys you remember Toughskins from Sears?).

That's how it played out for the rest of elementary school and middle school too. My older brother played baseball and tennis while I ate twin bags of Lays potato chips on the couch after school watching General Hospital. My best friend Dennis, however, was a gymnast. I always admired his bravery to be the only male on the gymnastics team. He was probably the strongest guy in our class, but he took a lot of ribbing from the other guys.

The thing that I didn't realize at the time was that it wasn't that I wasn't athletic or didn't have athletic potential, it was that I was not a team sports person. Problem was that back then (at least where I lived) there was very little to do other than play baseball, basketball, or football.

The summer before high school I decided to lose weight. I went on weight watchers and lost a little over 40 pounds. During my freshman year we had to run the mile in PE. The previous year in 8th grade, the mile had been torture. I ran the mile in 18:20 (and yes I was wearing plaid pants). This time it was different. I ran the mile in under 8 minutes. By no means a world record, but I was astounded. For the first time, I realized I could actually do something athletic. I still didn't have the confidence to go out for cross-country or track. Even after losing weight you still feel like a fat person on the inside, even when the weight is gone.

About 5 years later I ran my first 10K. This was around the time (in the mid 80s) when road races began to gain some popularity with "average runners." I was hooked. I finally found my niche. Something athletic where I could compete against myself...or others if I wanted.

Running has taken me many places and provided me the opportunity to meet many people from 8-year-old Paul to legendary Bart Yasso. Who'd a thunk that the fat kid in the plaid pants would be teaching an 8-year old how to run bases.

Children today as well as adults have so many more opportunities to be involved in exercise. If you're a parent, be observant and foster the activities that interest your child. If you're an adult, be willing to explore different options until you find what clicks. It might be walking, running, kick boxing, or hot yoga. Doesn't matter—just get up and move!

Do You Know a Running Hero?

You may not know it, but there are heroes all around us. They're not given medals. They're not recognized on the 6 o'clock news. And they're not rich and famous. But, they are heroic nonetheless.

These are ordinary people who overcome extraordinary obstacles—weight challenges, the death of a loved one, a chronic illness, the loss of a job, and/or mental or physical disabilities, just to name a few. Many of these people use running to help them overcome those life obstacles.

Over the past two years, I've featured over 40 examples of these everyday running heroes. These are some of the most inspirational and motivating people I have had the privilege to encounter.

There is Noah who lost over 60lbs to make sure he was setting a good example for his son and so he'd be around to see him grow up. There is Ann affectionately known as "Grannie Annie" who decided to take up running at age 50 and who now at age 67 has run over 70 marathons. There is Danica and her amazing story about her courageous mom's battle with cancer and how running helped Danica gain back some normalcy in her life after the passing of her mom. There is Mel who has an amazing 2nd-chance story of how she regained her life from mysterious seizures. And there is David who used running to help him deal with his sister’s cancer having come out of remission. These are just a few of the 40+ stories shared on the blog.

Recommend a Runner of the Week!
Do you know someone like Noah, Ann, or Mel who with an inspirational running story? If so, I'd love to hear it and share it with the thousands of runners all over the USA and the world who read RunnerDude's Blog. If you know of a great candidate for RunnerDude's Runner of the Week, please email me at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com. Be sure to put "Runner of the Week" in the email's subject line.

Runner of the Week: Chris Wojtowicz

If you ask 10 different runners how they got into running, you'll probably get 10 different reasons. That's a big reason running is so appealing to me. People are drawn to running for so many different reasons. Some use it as stress relief, some use it to draw attention to a cause, some use it to build confidence, others use it as a means to stay fit, and still other use it as a means of working through the grieving of a loved one or to help them cope through a traumatic time. This week's Runner of the Week (Chris Wojtowicz) is a true inspiration and a true testament of what one can accomplish when they have the desire and commitment. Read on to learn more about Chris and his story.

RD: Where are you located? Original hometown or a transplant?

Chris: Born and raised in the Detroit area, which I still call home.

RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? Hobbies?
Chris: I’m a 36-year old dad to three great kids and have been married to my wife for 10 years. Our youngest is not quite 2 years old and together, they keep us very busy. As a software sales executive, I work out of a home office and find myself on the road visiting customers almost every week. When I’m on the road, big business meals and bar time with co-workers isn’t uncommon at all.

RD: How long have you been running?
Chris: Less than a year. In the fall of 2009, I got an email from Rodale for a promotion for their Biggest Loser book, 30 Day Jump Start. My wife and I love the show, and thought that we’d give it a try in 2010. I started walking/running on January, 9th, 2010. At first, I could only go a ½ mile on the treadmill at 4.5-5.0 mph before I’d have to get off, out of breath and with lots of pain in my legs. I wanted to just give up and tell my wife “I’m just not a runner….let’s find something else.” But my wife and I promised ourselves that we’d stick with exercising and a better diet for THIRTY DAYS….no matter what. I’m a grown man! I can stick with something for 30 days, right? On days when I was too sore to run, I’d climb on the treadmill and walk instead. Sometimes for 20 minutes, sometimes for 2 hours while I watched a ballgame. Sometimes 3mph and flat, sometimes 4mph with incline. It dawned on me that if I was sweating, no matter if I was walking or jogging, it was good. I was tracking all running/walking activities at www.nikerunning.com. Looking back on my workout history, I was able to jog my first non-stop mile on day 10 (Jan. 19th). I did this mile in 10:57 and remember collapsing on the couch a sweaty, sore, PROUD mess! I did a mile! After a few more days of recovery walking, I tried again at the mile and failed! I gave up after ¼ mile! I was so frustrated and again wanted to quit. On Jan 27th, though, I completed my second 1-mile run, this time a slower 11:19. Then more walking, more jogging, more, more more. Through these first few weeks, I was beginning to learn that jumping off the belt was a conscience DECISION I was making! This realization allowed me to stay on longer. On Feb 1st (22 days after climbing on the treadmill) I finally completed my first non-stop, 5k jog, in 36:44. I was SO proud (sore and sweaty, too). From there, the confidence and determination was INFECTIOUS! Now that I knew that I could do this (seemingly) ridiculous distance, there’s no stopping me! I did another 5k the very next day in 36:30 (a new PR!). A few days off, then another 5k. I now had a base. A 3.1-mile run was my new standard! In just a month! WOOOOHOO!!! When our 30 day commitment was over, I was HOOKED! On days that I couldn't get in a run and a good sweat felt miserable, like something was missing. So we stuck with it. My wife and I signed up for a 5k in April. Having a date on the calendar allowed us to stay focused on making sure we were getting in our 4-5 runs per week. I ran my first 5k in 25:31! Since I was hooked, I needed my next event, Chicago’s Rock and Roll Half Marathon! The mileage increased and I was getting stronger and stronger. I finished my first half marathon on August 1st in 2:02 (9:18/pace). I had to put on my sunglasses as I crossed the finish line because I didn’t want my finish photos to show me crying! A September 5k was next and I came in at 22:04 (7:06/pace). Finally, in October, we ran the Detroit Half Marathon and finished in 1:50.  Next Event: We’re heading to New Orleans to run the Rock and Roll Mardi Gras FULL MARATHON on February 13, 2011!

RD: You’ve lost a great deal of weight. Did the running drive the weight loss, or did the weight loss drive the running?

Chris: On January 9th, I weighed 262. Along with climbing on the treadmill, we also made a 30 day commitment to watching and, most importantly, tracking everything we ate. It wasn’t easy, especially at first. We had planned a day trip to ski on January 9th and instead of enjoying a big pizza lunch with the rest of the group in the ski lodge, we brought our own salads and chicken breast. Tracking our input on www.thedailyplate.com was a fantastic way to set goals and track our daily and weekly progress toward those goals. Also, tracking our exercise (calorie burn) on this website helped bring the two most important numbers together….on one screen…for easy analysis. We learned quickly that if we monitored our food (for the first time ever) and made a commitment to daily exercise, then good things would happen. We weighed in every Saturday morning, and after one week, I had dropped ten pounds! After our initial 30 days, I was down a total of 24 pounds to 238. There is no doubt that without running, the weight would have been much slower to come off. Conversely, there is no doubt that without a conscience effort to eat more healthily and with reasonable portion sizes, the weight loss would have been slow. Combining these two practices, however, was like magic! Plus, carrying 24 less pounds HAD to make running easier. Easier running means longer distances and more miles. More miles means more weight loss. It was an exciting and very enjoyable cycle!

RD: What initiated the weight loss and a new life of fitness??

Chris: I carried my weight above 260 for a few years. I was waking up with ankle pain, sore knees, back pain, recurring gout attacks, etc. For SO long I just chalked this pain up as “…getting old…”. Getting down on the floor with the baby and (even more so) getting off the floor was very hard. Wanting a new body, more strength and energy was my primary motivation. Then the 30 Day Jump Start book showed up and the message was simple: Give us a 30 day commitment and see what happens.

RD: What do you enjoy most about running?

Chris: At first, the biggest enjoyment I got out of the daily running sessions was the “alone time”. For a few minutes or 1 ½ hours on long runs, I’m able to think about the kids (how can I be a better dad), the family (what can I do more for my wife and family), work (I get great work ideas when running), or simply create a great playlist and enjoy some tunes. Often, on the long runs, I get through all of these topics! Nowadays, we’re training for a full marathon and our training plan is defined from now until race day in February. So, I enjoy getting the “Check In the Box” after each day’s assignment. Some days, when I’m not in the mood to get on the treadmill or put on 3-4 layers and hit the street, I remind myself that there’s an empty box on my training plan. I hate an empty box staring at me, so I lace up and check off that box.

RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with a group?

Chris: 90% of my runs are alone. On the rare occasion that my wife and I are able to free our work schedules and send the kids to friends/families, then we run together. Long runs with your best friend, especially after all those runs alone, are absolutely priceless.We chat about running articles or blogs that we’ve read, the latest running gear for cold weather runs, etc. It’s absolutely perfect. The best thing about running with someone you’re so close to is, in all actuality, hard to explain (but here goes): Running is magical in its ability to allow one person to give another person energy and motivation. Similar to reaching into my pocket and giving her a quarter, through chatting and pacing each other, I feel like we can give each other a few points of energy to keep running, to get through the rough patch, to fight through the pain, and finish the run. More often than not, I’m in need of the energy points, but on the rare occasion I’m able to talk her through a rough patch is nothing short of magical and a lot of fun to talk about over a post-run smoothie.

RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?

Chris: On a vacation in Scottsdale, I was getting in my daily run (alone, because my wife had gotten ill) through mountainous/hilly neighborhoods when, much to my shock and surprise came a coyote….and his friend. I froze in my tracks, as did my new friends, about 20 feet ahead of me. Waiting to see what their first move would be, I had scanned the area for my ‘escape’, which would have been a sprint to a nearby 5 foot concrete wall that I’d have to scale and hope they weren’t very good jumpers. As luck would have it, though, it appeared that I scared them as much as they scared me and they took off in the opposite direction and out of sight! Phew! I don’t run across coyotes much in my Detroit suburbs.

RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?

Chris: Even though my 2nd half marathon was 11 minutes faster, my 1st half marathon was my biggest/proudest running accomplishment. Running a 5k was a GREAT accomplishment in “becoming a runner”, but my view of a running a half-marathon seemed like a monumental feat….one that very few people can say they’ve done. When I crossed the finish line in Chicago, 13.1 miles and 2 hours and 1 minute of non-stop running, I knew that I did it….I was OFFICIALLY a runner and no one could dispute that fact. I was no longer “the biggest guy in the room” at 260+ pounds. I was a runner. I had a big, heavy finishers medal that I earned!

RD: Do you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?

Chris: My favorite running shoe is the Nike Lunarglide. They’re super light and provide lots of support. For training purposes, though, I’ve fallen in love with my Nike Frees and even the Vibram Fivefingers.

RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s) or favorite race?

Chris: I’ve run a couple of 5Ks, an 8K, and two half marathons. Of these, my favorite race distance would have to be the 5k. Now that I’ve built up a good base of fitness and running strength, I believe I’m finally learning how to race. My last 5K was completed in 22:04 and (for the first time ever) I even finished before my wife/coach!  It’s my goal to complete a 5K in less than 20 minutes in 2011. My favorite of all the races was the Detroit Half Marathon. Starting in downtown Detroit, the course crosses into Canada via the Ambassador Bridge. I’ve driven over this bridge so many times in my life, and here I was….RUNNING across it, high over the water below! Very neat. Then a few miles on the Canadian shoreline was great. Our Canadian supporters were so enthusiastic and encouraging that the miles seemed to fly by. Returning to the US is done via an underwater mile via the Detroit/Windsor tunnel. Again…I’ve driven this tunnel so many times, and it was absolutely amazing to run through it (although it never dawned on my while driving through that getting out of the tunnel was a serious incline!).

RD: If you were speaking to a group of non-runners or runner wannabes and trying to encourage them to run, what would you say?

Chris: “If I can do it….then YOU …. ANYBODY….can do it. It seems so simple to say, but running or not running is a choice. A simple choice to lace them up or NOT to lace them up. I tried to use the excuse that I couldn’t run (or walk in those early days) because I had to take care of the kids, or the house needed cleaning, or there’s just no time. But every day, I had time to watch Biggest Loser, or Wheel of Fortune, or the Evening News. Many times, I set the alarm at 5am to walk/run before everyone else woke up in the morning. Ball game on TV? Grab the Walkman and listen to it while I trekked through the neighborhood. A co-worker of mine, who ran daily, told me three simple letters. EFD. I asked, “What’s EFD?” He replied, “Every ____ Day….just get out there and run. Some days are easy and feel great. Some days are harder than others, but EFD. EFD”. He made it sound so simple and logical. Do you want to run and be a runner? Or do you want to stay in and wish you could be a runner? EFD. EFD.

RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.

Chris: I’m shameless on drawing motivation from any source possible and have become an avid reader of all-things-running. I read every Runner’s World from cover to cover. I use stories of other runners to get me pumped up. If they can do it, I can (at least) put in a great effort as well. I read running books, such as Christopher MacDougall’s Born to Run (which got me into the Vibram FiveFingers), Hal Higdon’s Marathon and Through the Woods. Also, Duel in the Sun was an amazing story of the 1982 Boston Marathon. I’m currently listening to Once a Runner by John L. Parker. I often refer to these stories, these amazing athletes and their accomplishments while I run…especially during a rough patch.

Thanks, Chris, for sharing your story. We will be rooting for you and your wife in February!