Man on a Mission: Jacob Sternfeld

Congrats to RunnerDude's Fitness race trainer Jacob Sternfeld who completed the Amsterdam Marathon this weekend. Amsterdam isn't his ultimate goal, however, it was just a part of his training for his primaryracing goal of Athens on November 1st. Jacob wanted to run Amsterdam, because that's where he's originally from. Jacob's goal for Athens was 4:47:00 and he's already blown that out of the water with a 4:29:56 at Amsterdam this weekend. 

To put Jacob's accomplishment into even more perspective, at 50 in 2009, Jacob had a heart attack and quadruple bypass surgery. Before the heart attack, he was smoking 30 cigarettes daily. After the heart attack he dedicated himself to fitness, quiting smoking and dropping 40lbs. And quite the commitment it has been, since 2009, Jacob has accomplished quite and amazing feat...becoming an Abbot World Marathon Majors Six Star Finisher. To obtain this honor he's completed the Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, NYC, and Chicago marathons. 

Jacob lives in Chapel Hill, so he's been to the studio, but mainly we communicate via email for his training. He is very dedicated and committed to his goals. Oddly enough through our training discussions, we've discovered that his wife and mine with to high school together at Durham Academy in Durham, NC. Small world indeed.

In a few weeks he'll be running the Athens Marathon (a marathon I dream of completing one day). I know that Jacob will have an awesome run. If you ever think it's too late to make changes in your life, think of Jacob. To read more about Jacob's amazing story click here.

Your "Bun-Print" to Success

Sometimes you find evidence of your success in the most unlikely places. Sue who is in her fifties, joined one of my beginning running groups over a year ago. New to running, it was a challenge for Sue, at first. But man was she committed. She came to every group run ready to run. Sue lives near me and I'd see her out in the neighborhood getting in her solo homework runs too. She was bound and determined to get to the end of the program and be able to run 30-minutes straight with no walking. Boy did she accomplish that... and more. Not only did Sue finish that 30-minute run, she went on to do the group celebration 5K a few weeks after the group's last run. Sue was bitten. Bitten by the running bug. Sue is now a member of my RUNegades program which includes each week a group full-body circuit workout, one group easy run, and one group speed workout. She's running over 5-miles now.

But, I knew she was bound for success early on in the program. Each of our group runs finishes up a slight hill that leads out of an underpass tunnel near the RunnerDude's Fitness Studio. I have the group stop there to do stretches. The wall along the side of the the hill makes a perfect ledge for propping up feet for hamstring and hip flexor stretches. It's also a great place for the group members to sit after the run to chat about their run.

After one such chat, Sue stood up and looking down said, "Ew...a bun print!" She was mortified that she was sweaty enough to have left a bun print on the concrete wall. Without skipping a beat, however, she repeated the same comment, but this time with an heir of pride..."Ahh...a bun print!" She was suddenly filled with pride and accomplishment that she indeed had worked hard enough to produce a bun print.

So, what is a "Bun Print to Success"?  Steve, another previous beginning running client sums it up best, "Learn to celebrate the small gains." During stretching after a beginning running group, Steve ran up to me all excited. He was amazed that he just balanced on one foot while doing a quad stretch. Steve had not been able to balance on that ankle for several years due to a previous injury. Running had helped strengthen his ankle and he didn't realize it until that one-legged stretch. That made his day. Celebrate the small gains.

Whether it's a bun print, balancing on one foot, or finishing that 5-miler 10 seconds faster than the last time, learn to celebrate the small gains.  Small steady gains lead to huge success in time.

My First Marathon: Jeff's Story

First off let me start by saying I am now a Marathoner and I couldn’t be happier with that fact.  I am proud to join the approximately 1% -2% of people who will ever run a Marathon and I WILL Marathon again by the way!  On Saturday, October 15, 2011, I completed the Baltimore Marathon in 3 Hours 58 minutes and 4 seconds.  

A brief history, less than a year ago I ran my first 5k (I lie, I actually ran one about 6 years earlier but the time was so bad I won’t count that!).  Since that time, I’ve completed 6 5k’s, a 10k, a 10 miler, a ½ Marathon and now a Marathon.  I’ve logged over 1800 miles so far this year and I felt good going into the Marathon on Saturday.  My goal was to finish under 4 hours but my real goal was to finish with a sub 3:30 pace so I will admit I’m a bit disappointed with my time.  I made the classic rookie mistake – I went out too fast!  The Baltimore Marathon route is a challenging hilly course.  The weather was almost perfect temperature wise (high 50’s at start time) but that was offset by wind gusts up to 20mph.

When the race started I felt really good.  I had told myself that it was ok to go out a little fast and I typically do that when I race – I now realize that wasn’t the best strategy for a marathon.  As you can see by my splits at the bottom of this post I was moving pretty good through mile 11.  At about mile 6 I caught up with the Geico 3:20 pace group and actually ran with them for about 2 miles (I love running with those groups btw!).  I noticed my pace slowing a bit at mile 12 and was ok with that.

At mile 13 I began to worry a bit.  The ½ marathon starts 1 hour and 45 minutes behind the marathon and merges with the marathon course.  Entering this area is interesting.  As you come down the street you see thousands of ½ marathoners waiting to begin and there were also crowds of people on both sides of the course.  As I was running down the hill I saw my parents and Tamara.  To my surprise Tamara jumps in to run with me.  I immediately look over to her and tell her that I came out too fast and I’m hurting.  That was about all I could say – Tamara tells me I’m strong, keep pushing and she would meet me at mile 18 – “its only 5 miles away”.  As I begin to go up yet another hill I start to get passed by both marathoners and ½ marathoners who have now started.  This bothered me mentally more than I thought it would, for the first time in the race I was in the slow lane and getting slower.  I found it challenging to run with all of the ½ marathoners who were fresh into their run.  I was at mile 13 and they were at mile 1.

I continued to push up until around mile 17 and this was where things started to get challenging.  I never felt like I hit a wall but I was experiencing things I never have before on any of my training runs.  All of a sudden I became super thirsty and was drinking anything I could at the water stops.  Then I got hungry (I have been training with GU on all my long runs and ate the same exact things before race day and on race morning but something different was going on) .  Someone was handing out bananas (I ate ½ of one), someone was handing out miniature Snickers (I took one).  This was also where I began to walk at the water stops.  I’ve never walked before in an event and this was mentally tough for me to deal with but I also began to use this as a strategy.  I lost the 3:20 pace group at this point, the 3:30 pace group went by – my goal at this point was to finish under 4 hours.

Around mile 20 I started to get cramps everywhere – my quads, my calf and I also had a sharp pain on my right side – Again, nothing I have ever experienced on any long training run.  I wasn’t sure what was up with my legs but I figured the cramp in my side was caused by all of the snacking I did around mile 17.  I also told myself it was ok to walk a little if needed.  I was doing a continual calculation in my head watching my Garmin and calculating the mileage left and how long it would take for me to complete it so I could finish in under 4 hours.

At mile 24 I see Tamara – she is waiting for me on an overpass.  I tell her that I’m hurting and I think I worry her a bit because I never complain when we are running but she knows I’m in pain.  Bless her, she was so upbeat and kept cheering me on but I was a little grumpy at this point.  She told me I only had 2 miles to go and it was all downhill.  When I look up I see a hill and tell her I see a hill and immediately ask where is the downhill?  She assures me that there is one around the corner.  I also can’t stop looking at my Garmin – I needed to finish in under 4 hours!  Tamara keeps telling me to stop looking at my watch, I keep telling her that I want to look at my watch.  As you can see by my splits I finally get it together at mile 25 and begin to push – I want and need to finish strong and I really don’t have any time to waste.  Tamara runs out in front of me looking back constantly to make sure that I’m ok.  She runs with me past mile 26 and then tells me “Congratulations – You are a Marathoner!”  In my tired/exhausted grump I tell her that I’m not a Marathoner yet I didn’t cross the finish line!  She tells me congratulations again and tails off.  I push through the final .2 and finish under my stretch goal 3 hours 58 minutes and 04 seconds.  I am a Marathoner!

Tamara is amazing by the way!  She has been dealing with a knee issue for a few weeks but decided to run the 5k – came in 4th in her age group and then proceeds to run another 10 miles through Baltimore chasing me, running with me and helping my parents navigate the city!).  This is the first major distance race that I haven’t started with Tamara.  She was on the course with me up until a few minutes before the start.  I won’t lie, I was sad when she walked away.  Although I was grumpy at times I was so happy  and thankful to have her support and encouragement along the course.

I have some thoughts on what may have contributed to some of the issues I had during the Marathon, but bottom line – I’m a Marathoner!!

My First Marathon: Angie's Story

My first marathon experience started just shortly before 4:00 a.m. on a  Saturday morning in June 2006 after a restless night of sleep. I'd been awake since 3:00-- tossing and turning-- and when I finally couldn't stand it any longer, I got up and got going. The weather report during the week left me a little concerned: scattered thunderstorms with winds 20-30 mph. But considering the bulk of my training had been done in less-than-ideal weather, I didn't let myself fret too much. As it turned out, the weather could not have been better as the entire race was under cloudy skies with temperatures never above 80 degrees. And though the wind picked up a couple of hours into the race, itwasn't nearly the problem I'd feared it would be.

Another nice surprise was my lack of nervousness on race morning. I'd expected my stomach to be churning, preventing me from eating and drinking what I needed, but I was all business from the very start and only felt the excitement of just getting started. I caught a bus to the starting line at 5:30 and enjoyed the atmosphere of the other runners as we talked amongst ourselves. I overheard one runner who'd done a trail marathon only seven days before! This was a very small hometown event with about 85 full marathon runners and 24 relay teams (I noticed immediately that the women were far outnumbered by the men). After exiting the bus, I made two trips to the port-a-potty and spent awhile warming up and stretching. Before too long, it was showtime!

The first eight miles were as easy and enjoyable a run as I can remember in a long time. I was riding the adrenaline high and just coasting along (though still being very aware of my pace and starting off slowly). I ran the first mile and a half without taking a walking break-- mostly in an effort to let the crowd thin out a bit. Once I started the breaks, however, I took them regularly every five minutes or so, timing them well enough to walk through the water stations. The few trouble spots I'd been having with my legs weren't making any noise and I was gaining confidence with every mile that passed.

The course was absolutely beautiful, but it was definitely open and very rural. The sun was at my back almost the entire way, but it poked through the clouds just often enough to cast a shining glow across the farms and canals I ran alongside. The spectators were few, but those that came out made all the difference. There was even a para-glider floating across the sky! My parents and sisters traveled several hours to join my family and friends here in supporting me along the course. I outfitted them with things I'd need along the way and they followed through wonderfully. Except for the gal I rode next to on the bus, I was never struck up in conversation with another runner along the course, but I did make an effort to acknowledge those I passed with a "how're you doing?" or some other greeting. It took about 13 miles before the ranks really thinned out, but for the first half of the run I yo-yo'ed quite a bit with the same people, one fellow in particular who caught me at the end to congratulate me and thank me for helping him keep his pace.

I was particularly diligent in drinking and snacking often and along with the walking breaks, I know it helped my performance enormously. I carried my own Gatorade, but also drank cups of water that were offered at the aid stations. Bits of bagel, gummy bears, a whole banana, orange wedges and three energy gels sustained me through the entire 26 miles. I was a little concerned upon learning the port-a-potties were eight miles apart along the course, but fortunately didn't need to take advantage of them anyway.

I kept an eye on my watch at certain mile-markers and realized I'd set a PB time for the half distance when I crossed it. Part of me was proud of that fact, but another part worried a bit that I hadn't paced myself slowly enough during the first half. But what was done was done and I kept on trucking. At mile 15, the course passed by a small cemetary. I laughed to myself at the irony of it... which apparently was recognized by others as well with a sign on a post that read, "NO, you can't stop here!!" It was shortly after this that I passed a barefoot runner. I'd noticed him very early on and just shook my head in amazement. He passed me five miles or so into the race, but when I overtook him many miles later, he was still moving but looked to be in some pain. I asked how the feet were and when he replied positively, I told him he was amazing and wished him luck. Didn't ever see him again.

The real first hint of fatigue set in around mile 18. By this point, I was two miles into a stretch of the course that consisted of rolling farm hills. I'd trained very well for hills and felt strong doing them, but they were definitely a challenge so many miles into the run. My calves started burning a little during the hills, but only enough to gently remind me I was running a marathon. I forged ahead and was distracted nicely by more signs along the road ("This is fun... right?!" and "Just keep on breathing") and a small, bright red single-engine plane that passed overhead several times.

Before I knew it, I was at mile 20. A glance at my watch told me I was 12 minutes ahead of pace from my 20 mile training run and I made a quick mental calcuation of what my potential finishing time could be if I could keep up that pace. Though my ultimate goal all along was just to finish, I knew what I was capable of doing and the thought of beating that time was all the motivation I needed. I saved my last energy gel specifically for mile 20 and when I finished it and felt the subsequent "kick", it was time to kick my heart into gear and finish this thing off. I'd wanted to run the last 10K without walking and I did for the most part. Except for the last few aid stations through which I walked shortly, I kept running. As it reached miles 22, then 23 and 24 my pace slowed more and more. My body ached top to bottom, but I was still running. And amazingly, I still felt really good doing it. Finally, the last mile point two-- the homestretch!-- and I think I was just a tiny bit delirious. This stretch was on mainstreet in downtown with traffic on both sides, and even with people honking and cheering from their cars, all I could concentrate on was taking the small, slow steps needed toward the finish line. The last 300 yards were a blur, but when I heard the crowd start to cheer and I saw the finish line, I snapped to attention and picked up my pace. I heard my name called and held up my arms to cheer for myself when I crossed the gate. I did it!! My final time was 4:26:54... a time I didn't think I would even come near to achieving (and which was good enough to place me in the top half of the overall runners and 7th place out of 23 women). I felt utterly exhausted but absolutely triumphant. Once out of the way of the crowd, I fell to my knees, held my head in my hands and sobbed, knowing I had just accomplished something extraordinary by all standards. 

Angie Now the Avid Runner!

I'll never be a speedster and will probably always place somewhere in the middle of the pack, but whether it's a local 5K or another marathon, I'm always planning my next race. To date, I've finished 13 half-marathons and 4 full marathons... with many more to come! 

My family and friends are a huge support, of which I couldn't do without. But truth be known, I don't run for anyone but myself. I run to test my body. I run to clear my mind. I run to embrace my emotions. I run to celebrate my life. It's what I do. It's what I am. I am a runner!

Be Sure to check out Angie's blog, Tall Girl Running.

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.

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.

Runnerdude's Runner of the Week: Mark Olivieri

I find it so inspiring when I read about individuals who are able to balance family and fitness. I discovered one such person when I stumbled upon the blog Journeys of a Triathlete Father of Five. Mark Olivieri is the host of the blog. In the "About Me" section, Mark says, "I am an eternal optimist and a hopeless romantic—and I am proof that no matter how busy our lives are—it is possible to find balance with a little sacrifice." As a father of 3 and a runner, that was enough to pull me in and I've been following the blog ever since. Read on to learn more about Mark's story.

RD: Where are you from?
Mark: Rochester, New York

RD: Share a little about yourself. What do you do for a living? Hobbies?
Mark: I am a composer and a university professor. One of the really great parts about my work is that I get to travel places and work with incredibly skilled musicians and ensembles who perform my music. It is also a great opportunity to work in location runs. My hobbies include running triathlons, cooking, and eating—my wife and I are self proclaimed foodies.

RD: How long have you been running?

Mark: I first started running in 1997 while a graduate student at Ithaca College. I was into strength training then, and would run to get in some cardiovascular training, or so I thought. I did not really know what I was running for, how to train, how far I should go, or how fast. I only ran indoors on the treadmill after weight training. I would run two miles at 6.5 m.p.h. I remember thinking that was fast at the time.

This will be my fourth season of triathlons. I wish I had found the sport earlier in life, and that I had done more running, swimming and biking at an earlier age. However, I think that is part of the reason why I love it so much. It is great—and humbling—being a beginner at something again.

RD: What got you into running?

Mark: I think I got into running because my training partner at the time was trying to get leaner (we are so narcissistic when we’re young, aren’t we?) Not to mention, the treadmills in the gym that we went to faced the cardio area where there were a lot of college coeds climbing up and down on steppers and kickboxing in scantily clad sports apparel. Shallow to be sure, but it provided a great landscape of the potential dating pool.

As far as triathlons go, as a child, I have always been captivated by watching Ironman on t.v. When I was a kid, I would listen to my father marvel at these athletes who would get off their bikes after riding 112 miles and then run a marathon. Two summer’s ago, my wife’s cousin Matthew stayed with us to lose weight. I trained him and he lost 72 pounds over the course of three months. We decided that we would train and run our first one together, which we did.

RD: What do you enjoy most about running?
Mark: My favorite thing about running and participating in a triathlon is how it makes me feel. Training can sometimes be tedious, but that is when you have to switch gears to make it work for you. There is nothing quite like the feeling of crossing a finish line—no matter how far the distance. I also love the camaraderie that you share with fellow athletes training—your successes and failures. They help you grow as an athlete, and develop ways to be more efficient.

RD: What are your favorite training foods?
Mark: My favorite training food is pasta—no doubt. I can eat it about a hundred different ways. I actually wrote a post on my blog titled “Confessions of a Complex Carboholic” where I proclaim my love for this culinary masterpiece.

RD: Are you a lone runner or do you run with some buddies? What do you like about each?
Mark: It depends on my mood, but I am almost invariably someone who enjoys running with others. For me, it is a motivation and safety issue. I am less likely to dog it out there if I am being pushed by someone else. I do like to go out there on a long run by myself to collect my thoughts, and my mettle.

RD: You just taught me a new word—mettle (inner strength, spirit, the courage to carry on ) Cool! I definitely agree. I love my buddy runs, but also need the solo runs just to think about complex issues or just absolutely nothing.

RD: What’s the funniest or oddest thing that’s happened to you while on a run?
Mark: I am not quite sure how funny it was for me, but my training partners thought it was: let’s just say that training for my first HIM, I made a b-line to the bathroom with 3 miles left to go while running the half course. I have yet to run faster negative splits, but when you are having lower g.i. issues, you can really motor to the nearest bathroom.

RD: What’s your biggest running accomplishment? Why?
Mark: My biggest triathlon accomplishment thus far was a top ten age group finish at the Finger Lakes Olympic Triathlon just a week after running the Rochester City Marathon. My legs were still fatigued, and I had to push it hard and forget about the pain for a couple of hours.

RD: you have a favorite brand of running shoe? Which model? Why?
Mark: My favorite brand of running shoes has been New Balance. I am a creature of habit. When I find something that works for me, I stick to it. I wore New Balance 882’s for about five years. They do not exist anymore. I just recently switched to Pearl Izumi SyncroFuel. The verdict is still out.

RD: I'm like you. It takes me a while to find a shoe that works and when I do, I like to stick with it, but Murphy's Law always kicks in and usually the shoe I find is overhauled the next year or discontinue, so the search is back on. I just recently reviewed the Pearl Izumi Syncro Fuel XC Trail shoe for Pearl Izumi. I really liked how is performed and gave it 5 Dudes. They just sent me the road version and I'm looking forward to testing them too. Let me know how you like yours after you've run in them for a while.

RD: What’s your favorite race distance(s)? Do you have a favorite race you run each year?
Mark: I think my favorite race distances are both the half marathon and half-ironman. You can push it, but you will not be wobbling like you are nine months pregnant for a week after the race. My favorite race so far has been the Musselman Half Ironman in Geneva, N.Y. The race director, Jeff Henderson, does an outstanding job making everyone from the first place finisher to the person who comes is last feel like winners.

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?
Mark: I speak to non-runners, and wannabe triathletes all the time. When people find out that I race triathlons, they always ask me for advice getting started. The first thing that I tell them is that running and triathlon communities are wonderfully supportive. People want to give you advice, and be encouraging. Find a running group, a triathlon club, or other support network. Take a spinning class, start doing master’s swim, and take lessons if you feel you need improve in a given discipline. Make it a lifestyle. The other thing I tell wannabe triathletes and beginning runners is that you do not need to go out and purchase a $5000 carbon fiber rig for your first race. Your mountain bike will be fine, or rent or borrow a road bike. See if you like it. Don’t skimp on running shoes though! Find a qualified professional to help you find a decent pair of shoes for you. This will make a big difference.

RD: Open Mike: Share anything you‘d like about your running experiences, past accomplishments, goals, dreams….anything you haven’t previously shared.
Mark: Everyone has off days and weeks. That is okay. Try to analyze what it is that is impeding your training. Do you need more sleep? Do you need to change your diet? Running should be fun. You can make it as difficult as you want depending on the goals you are trying to attain, but for me, it is always about having fun.

As for my own goals: I want to become a much better swimmer this year. I know that I need to take lessons and work with a professional in order for this to happen. My goal with any race is to perform better than I did the last time out.

Thanks Mark, for letting us get to know you a little better! Be sure to check out Mark's blog—Journeys of a Triathlete Father of Five.

To you and yours on this very special day!

Everyday your visits and comments inspire me more than you can ever know to run and to write about running, fitness, and healthy living. You truly have become a part of the family. As 2009 wraps up, I'm excited about what 2010 holds for you, RunnerDude, and RunnerDude's Blog!

Your stories about how running has impacted your lives truly inspire me as well as hundreds of readers all across the country and the world. If you haven't submitted your story, please think about sharing it here on RunnerDude's Blog or if you know of a running buddy who has a story to tell, encourage him/her to share it too. To learn more about how to submit your story [click here].

Happy Holidays and Happy Running!
RunnerDude

How Has Running Changed Your Life? Share Your Stories With RunnerDude!

The "How Running Changed My Life" posts that have been featured each week have been a great success! I want to thank all those who have contributed their amazing stories! The readers have spoken and they want to hear more of your amazing stories!

So...tell me how running has helped you overcome a life obstacle. Email your story along with an attached photo (jpeg format) and/or a YouTube video link of yourself (suitable for posting on the blog) to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com with the subject line "My Story" by midnight Saturday, October 17. Each email that's received will be placed in a drawing for a $25 RoadRunner Sports Gift Card! Each email will be assigned a different number based on the order that the emails are received. The winning number will be selected by The True Random Number Generator at Random.org on Sunday, October 18.

This is simply a drawing for the participants. The stories will not be judged in any way. The winner of the drawing will have his/her story posted first and then a different story will be posted each week thereafter in the order that the stories were received. Submitters will receive an email from RunnerDude announcing when the stories are posted so they can tell all their friends and family to check it out.

I look forward to reading, celebrating, and sharing your stories with all of the RunnerDude's Blog readers and seeing the powerful impact they'll undoubtedly continue to have.