Leave the Cape at Home

The sky is dark.




This means one thing- time to go for a run. During these winter months this means locate tights, long sleeve, shorts, Smartwool socks, gloves and hat... and a reflective vest of course. This is the uniform of the season and can create a daunting prospect from the comforting prospect of going home to a wife and warm dinner.


But- we are runners and therefore, a sort of super hero... if only to ourselves for a matter of mere hours each week. This means we must suit up to brave the elements and do something great when called upon. This time of year we are truly tested in our commitment. What separates the decent runner from the exceptional runner? It is not speed, though this seems to help externally, and it is not our finishing place either... again, completely subjective to the surroundings at a particular event.


What really makes the difference for the successful runner is the ability and ultimately the decision to be consistent in our running. We have each lived this truth, when we give our soul to running, it will give us greatness in return. Not the false greatness that lands us on the front page or leads to applause and standing ovations (these things are nice too...) but the lasting greatness which leaves a person changed.


These heroic moments of culmination not only serve to validate the past and present but spur us onto the future. This is the time of year when we are all excited with these three dimensions of time. Let's try to remember one thing though, with each step we take we are deciding to be heroic. We really are inspiring our friends and family, that person we zoom by on the sidewalk and maybe even that person on the running fence as they idle in 5pm traffic...

DON'T be this guy

So, when it is dark and cold and windy and raining and seems miserable outside... don your super hero uniform, take a few steps and within minutes you'll know this decision is noble, it is right. You may not have a cape (I would NOT suggest it nobody likes a guy in a cape) but each day we have the chance to inspire one person... go see who that is!

Dancing Machismo or Simply the Flow

The essence of running and living at our best involves simple things. Moving forward, always toward the next goal, the next step... doing so in a relaxed manner and within the natural order of things... this can be called a dance; though some of the more machismo oriented of us may call it simply flow.

Click here for a more in depth look at this concept as experienced by me this past spring, when the colors were just arriving and the air was a pleasing, fresh hug of an old friend.

The Basement Tapes...

How does a solid base affect our running? Here is an entry from this past February as I was about one month into the training for the Chattooga 50k.

This patient, consistent base led to a great year, my best year of running and one that was injury free along with my highest yearly mileage total while never reaching a high mileage week, PR's in distances ranging from the 50k to 5k (and hopefully come Disney a new Marathon PR). I have re-qualified for Boston, ran consistently without feeling the pressure to run fast each and every day. Easy days and fun days... off days when needed; long runs as a priority; faster running as a seasoning.

In fact, I mainly run for the enjoyment of the movement... So, the above entry is a look back to see how it is that I reached this point; the genesis... from zero, to 10 miles a week and now... a solid, yet relatively moderate 2100+ miles for the year... one runner's journey within himself.

Behind the Ninja- Revisited...

This entry from a warm, muggy run this summer... perhaps this will warm our spirits a bit as cold has gripped this small portion of the Earth...
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A quick trip to Southern Pines, NC this weekend brought me back out to the Weymouth Woods area. A nice, flat, sandy trail network about a half a mile from the in-laws' house. I set out around 10:30 am for a very warm and muggy 9 miles.

The heat hit me about 3 miles in, on one of the "climbs"... I think it was mainly dehydration at work so I stopped for a water fountain and loaded up on fluid. A mile more down the trail I came across a 2 foot snake in the trail. I grabbed a sturdy stick and tried to urge him out of the trail. He did move in his time but not before bowing up, flattening his neck and loudly hissing back at me. A ninja snake if I have ever seen one. So I moved along and got out of his way.

After another 2 miles I reached the boggy areas of the network again. This is where all of the flies were, the big biting flies... I swallowed a few and was coughing one up when I came around a turn, verbally cursing the flies. I looked up and saw a middle aged man on the trail in front of me. I saw that he was walking with a staff and a pack. Since I was coughing loudly I assumed that would make him aware of my presence. The single track here made it difficult to pass so I slowed down... waiting for him to acknowledge my presence.

As I reached a couple of strides from him I noticed he was listening to an Ipod... surprise, surprise... Just about this time he realized there was something within "striking distance" of him. He stopped, turned toward the "threat" and prepared for battle. His stance wide, holding the staff in classic fighting position... staring at me in a menacing yet foolish manner. I gently held my left hand up and met his gaze. I passed by him, leaving him to think about the situation.


After a few seconds and strides passed I heard his words chase after me.

"You should get a bell," he blared with embarrassment.

"...or maybe just an Ipod," I harked back to him.

What a character.

Well, I finished up my run... headed back to the in-laws and eventually spent the rest of the day driving home and sleeping; not simultaneously. Upon arriving home I was so inspired by the day's events that I just had to watch 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'.

The BIG Snow- A high Country Day to Remember!

This was the kind of storm that really delivered. Talk of 10-20 inches sounds exciting and it is... but is also creates doubts. A big storm around here is 4-6 inches. The snow started Friday and kept dumping through the night and into Sunday morning. By the time it was all tallied we had over two feet of the fluffy powder on our porch.

Friday night I took Lil' our youngest husky out for an hour of gentle hill climbing on the abandoned back roads. Saturday was full of snowshoeing... I guess I logged about two hours out in the woods between our house and the river, some with Lynnea, Lily and Goliath (Aster on the DL with turf toe) and some by myself, trudging along briskly (Bear Grylls style) in lieu of a run that day. I feel you need to take advantage of these sorts of days, it is not as if I was eating bon-bons like Stuart Smalley I just wasn't running... "and that's okay".

Sunday I laced up again for a quick (but searing) 6 miles including the big climb up to check on the in-laws home on the hill. This 1/2 mile+ long hill is comprised of two 20% grades with a short, very short, flat section near midway. I used this area to STOP and breath for a minute in the falling snow and solitude of the countryside over looking the TN state line near Hwy 321. It was quite nice.

I finished the climb and then prepared to accept my reward. 5 full minutes of downhill bliss!!! Running down a powder-filled descent in the high-country, I silently "flew" with such ease and softness trying to be in the moment as possible.

These are the experiences you can close your eyes and recall for years to come!!

Monday I was stuck at the house. Seems the Honda would not make the trip down the driveway without me first clearing the way. No run, but I did get in 2 1/2 hours of shovelling; moving nearly 6000 cubic feet of snow. As I made the attempt with the Civic I was painfully close to being home free; just the last few feet to reach the pavement of the county maintained road when I was suddenly stopped on a large pile of compacted white stuff... damn.

Back to the house for the shovel... within 30 minutes I had the car out, the area cleared and I was joyriding the streets of Bethel, NC in all its winter splendor!! Happy Winter Solstice runners!!

Running in the Snow!!

Here we go again. The locals are getting carried away with the prospect of a large winter weather system approaching from the Gulf. Apparently Boone and the surround area is scheduled to receive up to 10 inches of snow in the near future.

I have been trained through experience to expect about half of what they call for when the hysteria hits... and to look for twice as much when they think nothing of an approaching system... not that I am a smarty pants or anything:)

So, now that the post-marathon non-running grace period has elapsed (first run last night... easy 4 miles) it is time to get busy and get moving. This means running in the snow, in a storm!!! I just love the solitude of running through large flakes dumping down onto the road. The cars have abandoned the area, the deer are off somewhere too... nothing out there but white flakes, white puffs of breathe and the clarity of the mind. Looks like a nice 10 miler is waiting to be run!!

Run For the Red Marathon- Valle Crucis, NC Running Showcase!!

Looks like there is a brand new Marathon set for September 18, 2010 in Valle Crucis, NC. This is called Run For The Red and the beneficiary is the Watauga Chapter of the American Red Cross, in Boone, NC... in other words for those local to the area this race may directly benefit YOU or someone you know. In addition to the great cause it is also great, great course as anybody who has experienced running in the high country can tell you.

The Run For the Red adds another Marathon to the high country's race calendar to join the Grandfather Mountain Marathon. I would bet Run for Red will be less hectic, less expensive at only $35 and at least as difficult. The course is born from the Valle Crucis 25k and the Valle Crucis 7 miler. These two race courses are basically added together with a hilly spur added to the first 1/3 to make sure it is difficult enough. The course reaches a max elevation of 4377 ft, gaining about 1700ft in the first 8 miles! You then lose all of that returning to the banks of the sleepy Watauga River

A potential onlooker on Watauga River Rd.

For a link to the course map and elevation profile go here.

This is a brand new race for this year as I mentioned. But, do not fear.... the folks who are putting this one on are great race organizers! I have run several of their races and have not noticed the RD at all, except their smiling faces. This, to me, is the highest of compliments for an RD. If they are noticed, well then... you must have had something go wrong.

This promises to be a low key event with lots of hills and the beauty of fall in Western NC. Come on out for a kick in the butt. You will not qualify for Boston at this one but you will have earned the respect of a local. Around here nothing much else matters...

Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon- A Race Report

Standing on the starting line for the 2009 Charlotte Thunder Road marathon with some 9000 full and half marathon runners... the guy next to me bouncing up and down, the guy to my left jittery with nerves... I stood with a clear head ready to take my first official step toward Boston 2011. That was the goal of the day... aim somewhere around 7 minute pace and get in under the 3:10 mark.

The starter exclaimed "start your engines!!" and the official pace car was revving up and we were off. The flow of runners surged by me from my front row center perspective and I had to tell myself constantly to slow down... slow down... easy. Mile 1-6:15.

Getting a toe in...
I felt this was too easy to be accurate, and so I did what any intelligent distance runner would do; I slowed down even more. Mile 2 gave us a little moderate climb, the first of maybe 10-12 of the day, none super challenging; just the type of hill that helps to break up the repetition and use some different running styles. Mile 2- 6:55. Right on target.

By this time things were beginning to sort out and the group around me was comprised of half and full marathoners... about 50/50 with the top 3 women from the half in the general vicinity. I was feeling very smooth, effortless and flowing across the beautiful neighborhoods. The trees lines the streets along with gaggles of fan support every half mile or so. This sort of marathoning is extremely motivating and the mile markers were flying by. The runners were still in thick groupings in the journey...

M3-6:38 M4- 7:09 (bathroom) M5- 7:01 M6- 6:30

I threw in a little quicker pace there in order to get re energized. I felt I was becoming a little lethargic and wanted a bit of an eye opener. So a gel was sucked down and I was through 10k in about 42 minutes. The next few miles clicked on by much the same. The climbs were little more drawn out and the downhills were a tad more gradual and longer. This all helped with keeping the mind engaged.

M7- 6:47 M8- 6:48 M9- 6:50 M10- 7:05 (bathroom) 1:08:06 About 2 minutes fast but feeling like I am poking along at this point.

I was taking a lot of pitstops (insert Thunder Road/ NASCAR reference) ... I think 3 for the day at about 30 seconds on average... these seconds did add up and if I were shooting for a specific time goal I might have had some regrets... but this run felt like a training run... and with the urban setting, the port-a-potties seemed the best option for running more comfortably for 3 hours. So I took advantage of them.

I hit water every mile for the first 20 miles, I feel it is best to get water early when you are feeling good and to maybe skip the water in the last 10k. If you are hydrated with a mixture of water, energy drink (for balancing minerals) and energy gels... for, well energy, then the fuel issue should not be a big one... given proper training and pacing.

M11-6:54 M12- 7:12 (bathroom) M13- 6:59
13.1- 1:30 or a shade under... right on schedule!!

Now the 2nd third of the run begins. You can get antsy about this point and get tricked into blowing the whole effort from 13-20 miles. This is a really crucial point to stick with the plan.

A Four Dimensional Game of Go! (with apologies to Gary Snyder...)
The crowds grew thicker and louder and we entered the city-scape again. The elements can combine to work against you as you might shoot for short term gains... many runners began to pass me here as I plodded along. I started to feel less "fresh" but according to my splits I was right on and there was no reason to go with these passing runners... this was simply temptation at work. I let them pass.

M14- 6:58 M15- 6:39 M16- 6:57 M17- 6:59 M18- 7:20 (bathroom- last one I promise)

The 3 hour pace group caught me around mile 14 and we ran together through mile 15.5 when I realized that I did not want to be running 6:40 the rest of the way. I was beginning to feel a bit tired and so I though 7's sounded about right. Conservative and patient was the order of the day and with my goal in sight I was not going to spoil it with a foolish gamble of machismo. Execute the Marathon; don't allow it to execute you!

M19- 6:50 M20- 7:15 M21- 7:13

I began to feel fatigue, not just a loss of sharpness. The miles in this area of the course were sparsely populated, the lonely miles every marathon should have, where you are left with only yourself and your doubts. I never really had too many doubts on this day, just maybe, lost some focus for about 15 minutes... knowing my goals were somewhat secure from here on in. After the second consecutive 7+ I regained my composure and picked up the tempo.

Four miles to go and the crowds were back. The steps were quickly adding to miles and the clocks were getting closer and closer to each other. Usually, as any distance runner knows, at this point in the run the opposite is normally happening.

Moments of Perfection...
Funny how perception behaves. I was going along with a big smile!! Only 5k to go now and confidence allowed a little more effort to come forth. The flow was alive a well. The spirit was flourishing in this place!! Passing the final large gathering I was spurred on by their resounding joy!!! They watched from their front lawn on some random corner house lot in Charlotte. These folks were having a great time and so was I!!!

The Marathon was being kind to me and I was to it I suppose but it is never as easy I you hope for, there is always a challenge lurking. Mile 24 brought one last grind of a hill. The kind that goes under an overpass with a swooping, dipping action and up the naturally formed hill on the other side. Though I was catching people every quarter mile now and feeling great I still did not go sub-7 here. Any small increases in effort were creating stabs of oxygen debt immediately and I found the balance between the dis-comfort zone and the clock in my head... 15 minutes to go, 10 minutes to go and so on. BTW- I was now seeing many of the backs that had redeeded around mile 13 -15... My investments were garnering returns. I did feel some pity for those guys out there though... we all the know the feeling of despair.

We come to know what we can do and accept can doing for certain periods of time. This is called coping! This can serve as a lesson concerning where we are in life. The more we want to take on, the deeper the reserve, the more of a meaning there may be in our task... I think this is called spirit... you could call it fight.

M22- 7:01 M23- 6:57 M24- 7:11 M25- 6:43 M26- 6:40 .2- 1:32
Total- 3:01:33... (chip 3:01:27)
Average pace 6:56 28th overall:)

So, that is it! I accomplished my goal. Boston here I come!! The year capped as a successful running campaign! Now, I rest for a few days and resume maintenance for next month's Disney Marathon. With a BQ secured I can take a little more aggressive approach in Orlando. It is my intention to run 2:53-2:57... in other words:

At Disney I will run a new Marathon PR:)

"There is Meaning in Every Behavior" -Mark Wetmore, Colorado XC

I made a goal about 10 years ago to run the Boston Marathon and after chasing that dream for 5 years I qualified back in 2003. Soon after, I was deployed to Kuwait as a member (at the time) of the USAF. While in Kuwait I sustained a running injury and could not go to Boston that year.

After separating from the military I fell into some lifestyle traps which at the time seemed worthwhile. These changes were not conducive to training and over the course of 2-3 years I fell farther away from my goal of running Boston. As these stories go, eventually I let down just about everyone around me, most of all myself. Fortunately my wife was there for me, always encouraging and waiting for the time when I could return to the person I am when at my best.


About a year ago I started running again. Just 10 miles each week, fairly regularly... soon I was running for an hour, then two hours and then in May completed my first 50k distance run. At that race I set a course record, maybe because I did not know any better... maybe because I had found some secret, some source of inspiration which stemmed from the mystery within me. I knew this could lead me toward the best version of myself and I chose to follow this guide.

Since that time I have set my sights on qualifying for the Boston Marathon once again. This time, to toe the line and complete the famed course. So, this Saturday in Charlotte, NC I will be running with the memories of addiction trailing behind me, trying to catch up. I will never out run them, but rather I will go within my soul and use the best in me to do something great. That is, to face doubt with the courage I seek to renew each time out there. This running is not about anything other than finding the next challenge for ourselves.

I suspect there is meaning to every step each runner will take this weekend. My story is just one of those. My greatest hope is to run with this feeling inside and to then learn the lessons which are available. This is what life teaches. Stay engaged, keep your eyes open. Never stop.

Loopy Tuesday- prerace

Today is Tuesday, and even if it is cold, which it is; and wet with soaking rain, Tuesday means getting in the work. With the Marathon on Saturday this session is just a sharpening opportunity... I will just go out and get in some turnover for the mechanical efficiency benefits.

Today will be something like 3x800m at 6 min pace and then a couple of 400s slightly quicker, like 10k effort. I am not getting too hung up on the actual particulars. Today I will run relaxed and flowing allowing my mind and body to come together for a couple of miles. The pushing the limits stuff will have to wait until Saturday.

Finishing up at the Reindeer Fun Run 5k; 16:25

I find that after a cycle of speed work when we head into the taper, that the body begins to crave this particular sort of running and when it is deprived the body becomes restless, then lethargic... so you have to find balance. In this case, for me, I have discovered that teasing myself with a hint of hard work is enough to get the spirit wanting more.

Once this is established all that is left to do is wait and run with patience on the big day... and not fall off of anything in the meantime!

Reindeer Fun Run- 5k Race Report

This Saturday morning can be described only as a full success. The day was drizzly but not raining and chilly but not cold. We lined up for the Reindeer Fun Run 5k, a dog friendly, costume friendly event and were off with the shout of "Go!"

The last time I ran a 5k in Southern Pines I was bested by about 5 seconds by a 16 year old and ran a 17:05. The youngin was back for this race and I knew that to win this one, I would need to stay near him for the first mile. So I settled into 5th place, running comfortable and allowing my body to feel the effort without going into debt before the few small climbs.

Racing...
Entering the first climb I made a small effort to assert myself and moved into 2nd place. The leader was ahead about 8 seconds and I was just holding steady with him. Another increase in effort and I cut that lead in half at the mile mark. He was through in 5:34, for me 5:37... right on schedule.

The course continued on a slight uphill and I pushed a little harder figuring my strength was an advantage here on this terrain. Even if I did not catch him here, forcing the work on the climbs was to my advantage. Into a small swooping decline and I was on the youngster's right shoulder. I could now hear him breathing a little harder than I was but stayed put knowing we had two more small climbs to use.

Assertive patience...
A quick left turn with an uphill and I surged on past his shoulder and took control of the lead. Using the hill to grind into I made him stay with me. A very assertive move that left me breathing halfway into the race. Knowing the course is all downhill from 2 miles I kept the foot on the gas and applied the pressure. This was going to be a guts race and if the young runner was to beat me this time, it was going to be well earned with toughness and some foot speed, because I was feeling relatively fresh at this point.

One last incline of about 100m and now I went with a decisive push that dared anyone to go with me. In these moments one of two things happen. Either, you can hear the continued patter of footsteps along with the breathing on your shoulder... or, you move ahead into silence.

Running within...
I was now alone with the lead. I could hear my breathe, my feet and the voice inside urging my body to accept this pain and move on through it to where personal victory awaits. I chewed up the terrain in front of me as the pines went by in a tunnelled blur. Just a half of a mile to go and I was getting tired but the strength of track work was now shining through. "Relax and move' relax and move." This mantra carried me through the steps.

I remained assertive knowing that if I was to be rundown by a pursuer, he would have to run somewhere around 4:40 for the final mile. If that be so, then good for him but it was my task to lay it all out right now and make my best run for the line. Body check time: shoulders loose. knees driving. Flow through these last 2 minutes... my body was feeling alive, my mind at ease... This is the best running has to offer!

Quantified validation...
I made the final turn and saw the finish line with its blizzard of feaux-snow. Through 3 miles and I now knew that sub-17 minutes would be attained, my goal was met and now a .1 victory sprint to the line!!!

I finished up in 16:25 for my first win since July 4... and was blessed with my second best 5k time ever!!! This time was also good enough to become the new CR. Like they say, when you least expect it...

Splits: 5:37, 5:25, 4:58, :25~

Training peaks
The validation of the training this year has come to me several times at key races. Recently, I have added speed sessions (mile repeats mainly) and they seem to have paid off. Dropping 40 seconds off my 5k finish is a huge confidence builder going into Thunder Road Marathon next week.

I believe that I will qualify for Boston 2011 given health and patience on race morning. More to come this week as the day approaches:)

History of the Sean and how it Relates to Today

This Week
Reindeer 5k on the schedule this weekend so it is back over to Southern Pines! Last 5k I ran was a week out from a self-supported marathon distanced training run. I ran 17:05 and fell short of my goal of 16:59.

Next Week
I am currently in the midst of tapering for next Saturday's Thunder Road Marathon in Charlotte where I hope to run sub 3 hours... so tomorrow I believe dipping below 17 minutes is possible.

The main focus is to get one more race experience before next week's goal effort. A little background here...

...and how the hell we got Here...
In 2003 I qualified for Boston running my PR of 2:58 (and change) at Chicago. That was a long time coming for me... a good five years of running the distance to break through. After Chicago I was deployed to an airbase in Kuwait and while there was injured while running leading to a long lay off. I missed Boston in 2004 and then in 2005 as well.

After leaving the USAF I fell into some traps and bad habits which led to less than ideal training environments... my running fell to 4 miles a week on a good cycle. Let's just say the quarter repeats came in plastic baggies, not on an oval. After a few years of that I made the decision to get myself together. This past January I began running again for myself, for the enjoyment and to this point I have run at or above the marathon distance 4 times this year, Charlotte will be number 5... matching my lifetime total coming into the year of 2009.

So, what?
Will I get back to Boston (for 2011) qualification? I think I can run 2:53 if things go well... on a larger scale I could not be happier to be writing about such things.