How Running Changed My Life: Noah's Story

The following is the awesome story of Noah's amazing transformation from overweight, sedentary dad to marathon-running; boot-camp workout member; and flag football, soccer and T-ball coach. Oh yeah, did I mention he also lost 60 lbs in 5 months! Here's Noah's story in his own words.

Six years ago when my wife was pregnant it was one of the happiest times of my life, it was also the time of my life that I gained the most weight. During that time I ballooned to 255 pounds (at 5’ 6” that is a lot of weight to carry around).

When my son turned two I decided to try to get back in shape. I tried working out, but I found that all I was doing was exercising to eat. I dropped a few pounds, but most of it came right back.

Two years ago at 235 pounds and 36 years old (and after running the Cooper River Bridge 10k in 1 hour and 17 minutes) I made the choice to eat right and start seriously running.

I am now working out with the a boot camp group three days per week and I run on my own three days per week (I only take a day off because everyone tells me I have too). In February of 2008, I had dropped my weight to 164 pounds (it is July 2009 and I still weigh the same). My Body Fat went from 31.2% to 13.9%; my triglycerides went from 235 to 34; and my waist shrunk from 46” to 31” - my waist is smaller now than when I was in high school!

So with all this in mind, I ran my first marathon on Saturday, February 14, 2009 in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina , and finished! It was an amazing experience. I trained for this race for several months, Jen (my wife) and Peyton (my five year old son) helping me on all of my long runs (14, 16, 18 and 20 mile runs) and supporting me throughout my training. What a great team!

The start was a little chilly at fifty degrees. Jen and Peyton woke up with me at 4:30am (they had been such troopers putting up with my need to sign up for so many races over the past two years). They drove me to the starting line where I waited with six thousand other runners and walkers. I found a nice warm spot with about twenty other runners next to a generator until the start of the race. At this point I was feeling nervous, but really happy. I talked to this guy who was running his ninety-ninth marathon. When I told him that this was my first marathon he acted more impressed than I did when he told me how many he had run. What a crazy bunch of people I have joined...

Miles one through five were perfect, not too fast and not too slow. Miles six through ten felt great - I was a little ahead of my pace. I was thinking to myself that this is a piece of cake! Miles eleven through thirteen were wonderful. Mile thirteen was a little hard as the runners of the Half Marathon approached their finish line (this is a little daunting when you know you have another half to go). Fourteen and Fifteen seemed fine and I was now counting down the miles (only eleven miles to go!).

At mile sixteen the first sign of trouble hit; my left calf started to cramp. I kept thinking, "This is not happening.” I slowed a little and the cramp seemed to go away. Just then I hit mile seventeen. I could see Jen and Peyton standing in front of our hotel waiving and smiling. What an incredible feeling that was. I was filled with so much joy. Jen came out and gave me a quick hug and kiss. Peyton watched me with big bright eyes and it made me feel like a hero! This was the best.

Miles eighteen through twenty were getting hard. I felt great from seeing Jen and Peyton, but I was worried about the cramps. I drank and ate everything I could throughout the race, but it was not enough. At mile twenty-one my legs cramped up again. This was the worst pain I had ever felt. It felt like marbles were rolling around in my calves. I slowed down and I tried to change strides, but nothing seemed to help. As I came to mile twenty-two I was thinking "Why did I do this? What is wrong with me? What made me think I could do a marathon?" It was at this point that I felt that I could go no further; I wanted to quit. I saw the first aid station and as I passed it, another runner asked me if I need to go back to get checked out. I made the decision to go on. I knew that if I stopped I would never be able to continue running (this is how I have felt for the past few years as I dropped a over ninety pounds – if I stopped, I would never be able to get going again).

Miles twenty-two through twenty-four are a blur. I know that I was thinking about Jen and Peyton waiting for me at the finish line. I was thinking about all the work I had put in for this race and the support Jen had given me while I went running for hours at a time. Then I saw it - the marker for mile twenty-five. At this point I knew I could finish the race. Time did not matter anymore; it was all about finishing the race.Mile twenty-six flew by until I saw the final shoot for the last two tenths of a mile. I had no idea I would be so emotional about finishing this race. Then I heard my name over the loud speaker and at the same time I saw Jen and Peyton waiting for me at the finish line. Jen had tears in her eyes and that sent me off the deep end. This was, at once, one of the most incredible and most painful moments of my life.

Finishing the race in four hours and twenty-seven minutes was not the goal I had originally set. But the feeling of accomplishment, pride and joy of finishing the race was better than anything I could have ever imagined.

That race was a few months ago and my decision to make this commitment was over two years ago. My whole family is healthier. The last time we ordered pizza was for the Super Bowl (this is a big improvement from when the pizza guys new us all by name). I am now able to coach my son’s sports teams (so far it has been flag football, soccer and now T-ball). We are taking a family vacation to DC in October for the Marine Corps Marathon. I am running the marathon, my wife is running the 10k and my son is running the 1 mile kids run!—Noah from SC.

What an awesome story. I know Noah's family and friends are so proud of his transformation. The best thing out of all of this is that now he'll be able to coach his son's teams for many more years to come. Maybe even the grandkids! Be sure to check out Noah's blog—Moore On Running.

We Need a Honey Bun Run!

The area I live in—Greensboro, NC and the surrounding towns of High Point and Winston Salem—is known as the Triad. The Triad is home to quite a few famous personalities such as singer Chris Daughtry, American Idol winner and Broadway star Fantasia, authors Orson Scott Card and Michael Parker. We're also the home of the Krispy Kreme doughnut, Vick's Vapor Rub, and now I've discovered we're the home of The Honey Bun. I discovered this awesome fact while reading my blogger buddy (and fellow runner) Eddie Wooten's blog—Running Shorts. Eddie has a great idea for celebrating this hometown treasure. Read on as Eddie tells more about the Honey Bun and his idea to honor it.

A Honey Bun Run is waiting to happen in Greensboro. We have all sorts of road races that honor our history (Cannonball Marathon), holidays (Greensboro Gobbler and Resolution Run) and worthy causes (Women’s Only 5K and Imagine How 10K).

But we need a Honey Bun Run.

Here’s why: The gooey, sticky honey bun, in all its saturated-fat glory, was invented right here in Greensboro.

A rare vending-machine trip and brief flirtation with Mrs. Freshley and her Original Jumbo Honey Bun led me to find that the real Original Honey Bun—the first one—was baked by the late Howard Griffin.

When Griffin was a boy, his mother baked small, fried pies and sent the young ‘uns downtown to sell them at lunchtime. So the flour, sugar and aroma soaked deep into Griffin’s veins. After he and his wife married, he developed a formula and began making honey buns in the basement of his home on Walker Avenue in the early 1940s. The city didn’t care for him selling them out of his home, so he built the Griffin Bakery on West Market Street.

How do we know Griffin was first?

“He had a patent on the machines,” says Mary Griffin, his former daughter-in-law who lives in Elon. “Nobody else had anything like that.”

The Food Network gave him credit in one of its shows, too.

Griffin went on to get his company listed on the stock market, which was pretty good for a man with a junior high education.

“It’s the most outstanding thing he did in his life,” Mary Griffin says. “He achieved something he never thought he would do.”

Griffin sold the company to the Flowers Food company, which produces the Mrs. Freshley brand. He died in 1980 at age 65.

A quick Google search didn’t turn up a “Honey Bun Run.” So like Griffin—and because of Griffin—we can have something original.

I’ve done my part, years ago. I’ve chased countless honey buns with Mountain Dews on morning breaks in the tobacco fields.

And now I can’t imagine why a honey bun wouldn’t go down just as easily after I cross the finish line at the Greensboro Honey Bun Run.—Eddie Wooten

I'd love to know what treasures your hometown's known for that would be good to honor with a run.

Got Marathon Moxie?

According to Dictionary.com, moxie is the ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage. It goes on further to say that the term was used as far back as 1876 as the name of a patent medicine advertised to "build up your nerve."

Too bad there's not a bottled "marathon moxie" that you can gulp down just before the start and then be miraculously provided with all you need to run the race. Man, whoever invents that will become a millionaire! Until that day, marathon moxie does not come from a bottle, it comes from within you.

In a recent post I mentioned that believing in your training will help kick-to-the-curb those self-doubts that sometimes creep in before the big race. That's exactly what marathon moxie is—believing in your training, believing in yourself, and having the confidence and courage to meet head-on the 26.2 miles that lay in front of you.

Sometimes writing down and documenting all that you've done during your training can visually confirm all your hard work and the commitment you've exuded over the past several months. This doesn't have to be a long and tedious task, just use a brainstorming web like I've done here. Once you see all that you've accomplished there's no way you can doubt yourself!

Having a marathon mantra is also a great way to remind you of your marathon moxie during the race. When the going gets tough later in the race, having a mantra to repeat to yourself can really make a difference. I've done this during many a race and it really works! I'm not sure if it distracts you from the pain or if it actually causes a physical reaction that overrides the fatiguing of your muscles. Really doesn't matter as long as it works. So, be thinking of what kind of mantra may work for you. A few months ago, readers submitted running mantras as a part of a contest. Here are some mantras from that contest that may motivate you in thinking of your own unique marathon mantra.

• Can't Stop! Won't Stop!—Janel
• No regrets!
• If you don't, you rust!
• I'm a running machine, not going down without a fight!

• The pain of discipline or the pain of regret.
• Relentless forward motion

• Make Mom proud!
• Run like you're being chased!
• This too shall pass.
• Perpetual forward motion

• Not today, I will not be broken.

• Not if. When.

• I will keep on.
• Define yourself!

• Not everybody can do this!

• When the going gets tough, the tough get going. So get going!
• With God all things are possible, so you CAN do this!
• I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

• Do this today and you can eat your weight in chocolate tonight!
• Of course it's hard, if it was easy everyone would do it.

Marathon To-Do List: #1 Kick that Self-Doubt to the Curb!

It's normal and it's inevitable—marathon anxiety. You've trained for months and now "the day" is almost at hand. Did I train hard enough? Did I have enough speedwork in my plan? Were my tempo runs long and fast enough? Should I have run one more 20? All of these questions and more are probably running through your mind. That's normal, especially if it's your first marathon.

The best advice I can give you is to take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and trust in your training. You've put in the miles and you've stuck to your plan. You're ready physically. All you have to do now is believe in all the hard work you've done and get your mind as strong as your body. Self-doubt is a strong bugger. Kick it to the curb. Don't even let it on the front porch.

There are some things you can't control and there's no need to worry about, such as the weather. Mother Nature is very fickle and she can throw a curve ball at any moment. So, make sure you're prepared for any type of weather. Running a September marathon in the South? Pack a long-sleeve running shirt, just in case. Running a December marathon in the Northeast? Throw a short-sleeve shirt in your suitcase, just in case. Running a marathon in Phoenix? Pack a rain poncho, just in case. Doing these little things can help alleviate worries about the things you can't control.

I'm currently training for my 11th marathon and I've learned a few tricks in the past 11 years on the "dos" and "don'ts" of preparing for a marathon. Below are 12 tips you might want to consider as you prepare for your race day. (#10 and #11 were suggested by Thomas an avid RunnerDude's Blog reader. Thanks Thomas!)

Marathon To-Do List
1. Find out what sports drink and/or sports gel will be provided along the course. (Either train using what will be provided or decide to carry your own or have family members/friends provide it for you along the course. Never train using one brand then switch to another on race day.)
2. Become familiar with the race course. (No need to memorize every street name and turn, but identifying major hills and other course challenges can be helpful.)

3. Keep tabs on the weather. (Periodically check weather.com to see what the forecast is for race day; best to be prepared with cold/heat/rain gear than not.)
4. Give yourself plenty of travel time, especially if the race is out of town. (If going to a new city, it's best to arrive two days before the race. This gives you time to acclimate to your surroundings and a new bed.)
5. Pack your race-day clothes and running shoes in your carry-on bag if you're flying. (If your luggage gets lost you'll be able to run as planned.)

6. Pick up your race packet early. (No need to wait until the last minute to pick up your packet. You never know what may come up to delay pickup.)
7. Have a plan for where to meet your family/friends after the race. (No need speeding longer than it took to run the marathon looking for your family.)
8. Layout your racing clothes, shoes, and gear the night before the race. (Go ahead and pin your race bib to the front of your shirt too.)
9. Don't overdress for the race (Rule of thumb is to dress like it's 15 degrees warmer than it really is. Your body will warm up at least by that much while running.)

10. Take along some old sweats to the start. (Some races have you at the start really early and it can get chilly in the wee hours of the morning especially at a fall or winter marathon. The sweats will keep you warm while you wait and then you can toss them at the start. Many races donate the discarded clothing to local homeless shelters.)

11. Don't start out too fast! (It's very easy to get caught up in the hoopla of the start and before you know it you're running a minute faster pace than you're supposed to! Hold fast to the pace at which you've trained. You can turn in on later in the race, if you've got extra gas in your tank.)

12. Trust in your training and enjoy yourself!

Runners: The Power of Positive Imagery

I've recently been reading The Athlete's Way: Sweat and the Biology of Bliss by Christopher Bergland (St. Martin's Press, 2007). Bergland is a triple Iron Man record-breaker and the son of a neuroscience researcher. In his book he shares the idea that exercise is as much about the mind as it is about the body. He believes that running makes athletes healthier physically but maybe even more, it helps make them happier, smarter and better adjusted individuals.

Bergland provides steps for how to develop an athletic mind-set that include setting goals, getting inspired, monitoring your mood, and using positive imagery. In the latter (positive imagery), Bergland shares a unique technique he uses as a visual reminder of all the hard work he's put into his training.

Each morning Bergland puts a new rubber band on his wrist as a reminder of his commitment to his training. Before going to bed, he removes the rubber band and adds it to a rubber-band ball. Bergland says the ball reminds him of his "investment." Those rubber-band balls travel with Bergland to his races to remind him that he's trained hard and is prepared for the race.

What types of positive imagery do you use to remind you of your hard work? Send your positive imagery ideas to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com.

Runner's Palate September Recipe: Brown Rice Breakfast

I love super simple recipes that taste great and don't use many ingredients and the ingredients you do use are ones you'll most likely have in your pantry. I recently ran across one such recipe—Healthy Brown Rice Breakfast—from Bethenny Frankel of Diet.com. This 5-minute easy-to-make breakfast also doubles as a great post-run recovery snack. Give it a try!

Brown Rice Breakfast
Ingredients:
½ cup cooked brown rice (Note: the quick-cook brown rice varieties work really well. I like to fix a big bowl at the beginning of the week and then it's ready to use for this recipe each morning or after a run)
1 Tbsp. slivered almonds, pecans, or walnuts
1 Tbsp. raisins or cranberries
¼ cup soy milk or skim milk
1 Tbsp. maple syrup or honey
dash of vanilla extract
sprinkle of cinnamon

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients into a small sauce pan and stir until thoroughly mixed. Heat until warm throughout. (May also combine in a ceramic or plastic bowl and heat in the microwave.)
Makes one serving.



The total calories (using soy milk and almonds) is about ~317 which is perfect! A pre-run breakfast should be around 300 calories. The protein content is ~7.5g and the carb content is ~54g which is also a great ratio of carbs to protein for after running recovery. Gives you the carbs you need to restock the glycogen stores you've just used for the run and provides you with some protein to help rebuild muscle tissue. So, eat up!!

Do you have quick-n-easy healthy recipes that would make a great breakfast or recovery snack for runners? If so, send them to runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com for possible posting on the blog!

New Contest!! Winner Gets Free Entry to the Blue Ridge Marathon!

Recently I posted on one the most beautiful and challenging of the spring marathons—The Blue Ridge Marathon in Roanoke, Virginia. The breathtaking course begins and ends in downtown Roanoke. In between, runners enter the Blue Ridge Parkway, where they'll make three significant climbs and descents.

Now I have EXCITING NEWS!! The Blue Ridge Marathon is giving RunnerDude's Blog one race entry to give away as a prize! TO ENTER all you have to do is EMAIL RunnerDude at runnerdudeblog@yahoo.com! Be sure to put "Blue Ridge Marathon" in the subject line and include your full name in the body of the email. That's it! Each person is allowed one entry.

Email entries will be accepted until midnight (EST) on Sunday, September 13, 2009. Each email received will be assigned a number (in the order that the emails are received). The True Random Number Generator will be used to select the winning number. The email with the matching number is the winner! The winner will be announced on Monday, September 14, 2009. Enter soon! Good Luck!—RunnerDude