Mesquite Tri-State Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 18th Edition 
372.5 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Mesquite Tri-State Marathon
Place: Mesquite, NV
Miles from home: 1101 miles
Weather: 50-60s; mostly cloudy; intermittent wind and sprinkles

Running the Mesquite Marathon was more or less a last minute decision.  To say I haven't exactly been feeling good about my running since my bike crash in May would be an understatement.  Taking on a marathon, especially one which has bitten me in the butt on two other occasions (26.2 in 2009 and 13.1 in 2010), wasn't exactly high on my list of to-dos. But sometimes you make decisions and not too long ago I said let's give the Mesquite Marathon another shot.

I had run this basic exact course before. Slight changes had made the final few miles different but left the overall big downhill and rolling hills nearly the same. However, time heals all wounds and makes runners forget all uphills.

My great friend Shannon joined me to run the course even though she was in the midst of moving hell (Oh yes, A-Team Movers out of Dallas, you are going to get your own blog. I am sure it will be as scathing as Eff You, Jet Blue) and was not in any way ready to run a fast marathon. So in other words, we were both in the same boat.

Having said that, with no job obligations, no expo speeches, no book signings and nothing to do but just enjoy a race was a feeling that is really hard to describe.  It was both unsettling and wildly invigorating. Nevertheless, I still found it relatively easy to go to bed. Needing to get up at 4:15 a.m. in order to get ready to catch the 5:30 a.m. shuttle to the start didn't hurt either.

Race morning:

The shuttle to the start did not leave promptly at 5:30 a.m. as was stated which was fine by me. Sitting in the warmth of the bus was much more desirable than sitting on the side of a road for 45 minutes. We finally got going around 5:50 a.m. and the bus meandered through the Mesquite for a bit before hitting the course we would soon be running on.  Through Arizona for 17 miles and then onto Utah where the race would begin, I missed most of the bus ride as I was sleeping soundly.

When we got to the start, we still had another 30 minutes before the race began so I figured I would sit on the bus for a bit, use the bathroom and then saunter out sometime about 20 seconds before the race.  This was when we were told that we not only had to get off the bus but could not use the comfortable bathroom on it because the bus would be used for something later that day and the driver did not want to have to clean it before then. Really?

So 133 of us get out of the two buses and cue up for three bathrooms. With 30 minutes to spare each person can't take more than a little over a minute to use the bathroom if we want to not be standing in the bathroom line when the race starts. Let's just say some people took their sweet damn time.

In the bathroom line a runner introduced himself to me and we began chatting.  James was his name and he was prepared.  Both Shannon and I were a bit chilly standing in the windy nothingness of this pocket of Utah wearing very little to protect ourselves against the elements.  It wasn't that cold out, but we weren't expecting to be standing it it this long.  James gave us both one of those mylar blankets and became Coolest Guy Ever for at least the next half an hour.  He told me he would be shooting for a sub-3 and I gave him the low down of the course.  Technically, it should be an easier course than when I ran it in 2009 because of about 2 more miles of downhill to start. Plus, the weather looked like it would be cooler and cloudier for the vast majority of the next three hours.  In exchange for the mylar blanket, I tried to give James as much advice about the course as I could.  I wish I was in better shape to run with him but well, I was not.

As the seconds ticked down to the start of the race, I assumed that with just about ten people or so left in line, the race organizers might just hold the start for a minute or two so we could all use the bathroom.  I was wrong. The race started and I was still standing in line. Unfortunately, it was not the quick restroom break guys can do in the wild, so standing I remained. Finally, I was able to get in, used it as quickly as possible and headed toward the starting line. My quick potty skills allowed me to cross over the timing mat (it was chip timed which is why I wasn't completely angry) just 69 seconds late.

Santa Barbara International Half Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 17th Edition 
346.3 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Santa Barbara International Half Marathon
Place: Santa Barbara, CA
Miles from home: 943 miles
Weather: 50-60s; bright sunshine; intermittent wind

My goal for this race was to run right around a 1:30. I ran a 1:29:34. Saying I hit the goal is quite true but I definitely did not do so in a standard way for me. I was all over the place with my pacing and only a late surge and use of a generous downhill (only after a series of ups, mind you) allowed for this to occur. However, this race recap is less about me and my effort (this truly was a hard training run where I received a medal and people can find my exact time) and more about the race, friends and people I met along the journey this weekend.

As always, I wish I could remember every name and every story and had infinite amount of time to write about them all (and you an infinite amount of desire to read them) but that is not the case. So below are just a few that really stand out to me and I hope they catch your attention.

* The course - I give this course two solid thumbs up. Even though it is relatively challenging, with three hills to contend with (around mile 6, 8 and 10) it is forgiving in between those hills and ends with a steady 2 miles of downhill. And what downhill it is. After cresting the hill at Cliff Drive, doing two quick turns through a neighborhood, runners are gifted with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean, sparkling and shimmering in the rising sun. A downhill that just continues to give back what the much shorter in length uphill took away is only made more special by the visage on the runner's right. Having run the race 3 out of the 4 times it has been run, I am still taken aback by the beauty of this finish.

* Fast chicks - I had two good friends running this race hoping to set new personal bests. Ironically, I met both of them at races put on by Destination Races in previous years; Sarah at the Oregon Wine Country Half and Jessica at the Santa Barbara Wine Country Half. Sarah was one of the NYC Marathon orphans trying to extend her training and preparation for one more week. Jessica had taken time off for an injury, as well as school, and was just getting back into shape. Fortunately, I did not have to root for one over the other as Sarah was running the marathon and Jessica the half.

Sarah ended up not only breaking her PR, by four minutes if memory serves me right, but broke the course record, taking second to Paige Higgins who herself has run a marathon in he low 2:30s (if not faster.) This course was even more challenging than NYC where she was hoping to PR so while I am impressed, I am not surprised.  Sarah is one hard working runner and I couldn't be happier for her effort.  As a Spira-sponsored athlete I am guessing owner Andy Krafsur is glad I made the introduction some time back! Fantastic work, Sarah.

Jessica and I ran the first mile of the half together before I realized that she was in much better shape than I was (5:53 for the first mile) and I had to let her quickly fade into the distance.  While she didn't keep that blistering pace for the whole race, she ended up with a two minute PR, good enough for 6th place overall for the women. Winning the half was another uber-fast woman, Alvina Begay a 32:58 10k runner (!)  There were some serious wheels on the ladies in the race and I am glad to have known a few of them.

Indianapolis Monumental Half Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 16th Edition 
333.2 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Indianapolis Monumental Half Marathon
Place: Indianapolis, IN
Miles from home: 2237 miles
Weather: 40-50s; variable between cloudy and chilly and snowyish 


I have now run the Indianapolis Monumental marathon or half for three consecutive years. For some reason I come into the race forgetting how well run it is and how easy it is to have a good race here. I am making a promise to myself to never make that mistake again.

First and foremost, hats off to the organizers for putting together a truly fantastic weekend.  I ran the 13.1 distance and had an absolutely splendid race in picture-perfect weather. Well, picture-perfect for a runner who likes to run in cloudy cool weather.  Those running the full or taking a bit longer had to deal with some inclement weather, including variable degrees of rain or sleet for small portions.  However, anyone finishing their race in under two hours could not have asked for much better.  On a weekend where the NYC Marathon was canceled, the Indy organizers opened their arms and streets to those who wanted to run a marathon in a fine city. Hundreds of personal bests were set and great times were had by all.

Expo:

I arrived a little late to the first shorter day of the expo and had just enough time to get everything set up at my table before the smaller crowd which comes on Thursday rolled in. The next day promised to be a long one (with the expo going until 9 PM) and with my 2100 mile road trip the previous week moving one of my best friends, I knew I was going to be a tired puppy.

Most of the talk during the second day surrounded NYC's decision to cancel the marathon.  It made for a lively discussion and further clarified for me how, as a whole, thoughtful and intelligent runners are with regard to topics ranging all over the board. By the time the day was done, I got a late dinner and was back to my lodging I was, as predicted, exhausted.

Race Morning:

I was able to find parking downtown just a few short blocks from the race without too much trouble.  This was the first time I had driven to the start of the race (previously having stayed at one the many hotels near the start/finish area) and was curious how bad this would be.  Color me pleasantly surprised. The morning called for few cool temperatures but somehow it just seemed a little more than chilly.  Feeling the briskness in the air, I was disappointed I was not in better shape. This was definitely PR weather.

My lateness in arriving to the starting line (by design- I simply do not like to mill around prior to a race) made me miss the National Anthem.  I did, however, find my friend Mike who I met three years prior at this race. Mike got his first Boston Qualifying time ever that morning - in his first marathon ever! He was going to be running around the pace I wanted to run for the half for his marathon, so we decided to run together for a bit until the courses split.

First 3 miles: 6:36, 6:29, 6:21

My desire was to run right around 6:40 for the first five or so miles and then play the rest of the race by ear. I was very much unsure of what I had in my legs and four hours of sleep had me quite weary. Hitting the first mile right about where I wanted to, we were treated to a glorious sunrise just peaking out over the horizon.  I took a quick picture which doesn't even capture how beautiful it was.  Mike told me to enjoy it as bad weather was predicted.  I had missed this memo completely and could not have been happier to be running 13.1 instead of 26.2.

Soon thereafter, Mike, who was pacing a friend in his first marathon picked up the pace a bit.  I told him I was none too surprised when the next mile ran a little hot. Approaching the 3rd mile, I told them this was a pace I could not keep up and even falling back ran way faster than I was hoping to do. The pace they were keeping was one for a very fast marathon time but I knew I didn't have that in me today.  I bid them adieu and fell back into my groove.

NYC Marathon Canceled

I struggled mightily with this one.  Lots of thought went into it.  But I finally had to make a decision and am sticking with it:

"Canceled" only has one "L".  Hate me if you want but that is how I was raised.

Now onto something far less controversial: the NYC Marathon getting its plug pulled.

I was signing books at the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon expo when someone asked me what I thought about the NYC Marathon’s decision with regard to its race.  I said that it was going to be interesting to watch it all play out but at least they were sticking to their guns. That was when this person told me that seconds earlier, the announcement had been made saying it was a no-go.

“Well, how about that,” I recall saying verbatim.  Throughout the rest of the day I was asked my thoughts on it and I had to keep deferring.  By the time the day was done columns had been written and everyone seemed to have an opinion.  I simply wanted more facts. With a few more days of reflection (people feeling they need to be the first to write about a story, often needing to retract opinions, is one of the most annoying parts of this instant-information world we now live in) I think NYC made the right decision.  But they did it at the wrong time for the wrong reasons and in a bumbling idiotic manner.

First and foremost, regardless of how bad the damage would end up being, if the organizers had ended the weekend's events immediately when the storm hit NYC, the decision would have been much better handled by most.  Not all, but most. The Myrtle Beach Marathon comes to mind and how a few years ago a bad snowstorm led to the race being canceled.  Well, the snow storm ended up being far worse than predicted.  A few whiny people still cannot get over it, stating how hardy of runners they are and how they will run in everything - missing the actual point. It was not whether Steve and Mary have the balls to be so krraaaaazy to survive cold temperatures but whether Steve and Mary and 700 other people can do it safely.

Now change that to 40,000 people and if the decision was made a week prior to the running, most people could understand and accommodate.  They could cancel flights, hotel reservations, look for other races, etc. Instead, canceling on a Friday afternoon after saying the show would and must go on, left a lot of pissed off people and rightfully so.  Now runners felt, rationally or not, as if the city only wanted to get them into town to spend money on food, hotels and the like purposely making the decision so late in order to assure that. (This probably is not true at all.)

Ending World Hunger - Not Quite Yet

Back in July I posted an article dealing with a graphic which talked about how much water goes into raising animals in America.  If you don't have the time to read the article I will boil it down for you - many infographics are completely full of crap. That is not news at all. I don't even have time to begin to debunk all the ridiculous graphics I see all the time.  However, one made its way to me more than a few times so I felt I had to address it.  Here it is:


"The feed needed to produce an 8 oz steak could fill 50 bowls with cooked cereal grains." Wait.  What? I tried to roll this around for a while before realizing that it flat out didn't make any sense at all. However, it has just enough words in there to stick with someone who wants to say that raising beef is causing the world to starve. That's the mission. Place enough "factoids" in the head of people who don't have the time to actually look up whatever it is they want to agree with and blammo - disinformation has been disseminated.

But I didn't want to trust just my powers of research and rationale so I went to a few sources, one being my good friend Daren Williams who is the Executive Director, Communications at National Cattlemen's Beef Association.  Here were some of the points our conversation boiled down to:

1. We have no idea what this is even talking about. Cooked cereal grains? The feed grain corn which is raised for cattle is technically a "cereal grain" but you would never cook and eat it. It could possibly be used to make corn starch, corn oil, etc. that could eventually be used in human food, but would have to be processed to make it edible for humans.

2. You can take wheat, which is sometimes fed to cattle as part of the ration, and cook it to eat. It puffs up considerably, so it would not take much to fill 50 bowls. Filling a bowl is not really that difficult. I can fill a room with cotton but it doesn't mean much, does it?

3.  Nearly 85% of the land cattle graze in the U.S. is not suitable for cereal grain production. So a good part of that steak comes from cows eating grass that we cannot consume. Furthermore, if we tried to farm that land with grain crops it would be an environmental disaster (for a multitude of reasons I needn't get into right now.)

4.  Most importantly, let's ignore 1-3, shall we? Even if we go with the best case scenario of what this message is trying to say, cereal does not come close to providing the same nutrients as beef. We might be able to fill people’s stomachs with a bunch of grain but we would all suffer severe nutrient deficiency from the loss of zinc, iron, protein and B vitamins from our diet. Yes, you can get those from certain plant foods but grains would not provide sufficient amounts. Moreover you can’t grow spinach and kale in say, Nebraska! In other words, even if all land could be used in whatever way we would want to, the end product would still be lacking if it was "cooked cereal grains."

It is unfortunate so much misinformation is out there. We'd like to believe that if it is on a poster that it has been vetted for truthfulness, even if the opinion involved may be skewed. This is definitely not the case, especially when anyone can throw together a poster with some words and a graphic and send it out into the world free-of-charge. (And yes, the idiots who blindly follow people like the Food Babe show I am 100% correct here.)

So, as always, question what you read and here. Even this article. I want you to do the research yourself and if I am wrong, let me know. It's bound to happen someday.  :)

Cattle Business Weekly - Top 10 Industry Leaders

Recently, I was selected as one of the Top 10 Industry Leaders by The Cattle Business Weekly.  If you have been following me at all for the past two-plus years you will know that I am an enormous supporter of fueling my body properly with an emphasis on doing so with lean beef.

Last year I worked hand-in-hoof (ha!) with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association on a 20-race project to help not only dispel myths and rumors about eating lean beef but to spread the good word about how healthful eating lean beef can be for all endurance athletes.

It has been an ongoing battle to try and show many that the things they thought they knew were wrong and how so many athletes, word-class on down, make lean beef an integral part of their diet.

To receive this recognition for my hard work was extremely flattering and humbling. I know that many have worked for countless hours to get the message out to not only consumers but athletes about how the low-calorie high-protein lean beef diet, packed with zinc, iron and oodles of other vitamins is one those who put their body through the wringer need.  To be included amongst those who have given so much of their time and energy to the cattle business is a massive honor.


I look forward to continuing to spread the word about the power of protein! If you are interested yourself, just contact your state's Beef Council and ask them to join their Team Beef.  If it is in its infancy, help get it started so you too can be part of the solution for those who are looking for the right diet to fuel their body for the finish.

Des Moines Half Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 15th Edition 
320.1 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Des Moines Half Marathon
Place: Des Moines, IA
Miles from home: 1785 miles
Weather: 40-50s; sunny

The Des Moines Marathon will always hold a special place in my heart.

Back in 2006 when I ran 52 consecutive weekly marathons, the Des Moines Marathon was the 41st marathon. I was riding a high of marathons at the time I rolled into town. In my 36th marathon of the year I had run my first Boston Qualifying time of the year – something I didn’t think I had a chance to do given my task. In the 39th marathon, I had done one better by not only running another BQ but bettering my personal best by two minutes to 3:05. The weekend after that I had taken 3rd place overall in a marathon, placing for only the second time in my life at that point. Hitting Des Moines I had a touch of a swagger going on. This was before the word “swagger” got so annoying I almost hesitated typing it out.

2006

At the Des Moines Marathon in 2006, I had an idea pop in my head that I would have laughed off just two months prior – to run a sub-3 hour marathon. However, at the race, I was approached by the pace group coordinator about potentially filling a hole in their pacers slot at 3:10. I now take pacing very seriously and it bothers me greatly when I see people who pace groups who obviously have no idea how to actually pace someone. Even then, having only paced a 3:20 group at the Frederick Marathon I still knew that those needing the help of a pace group leader do not need you to go crashing out of the gate too fast.  Therefore, I said I would pace the 3:10 group with the caveat that they tell those running with me what I was doing that year and I would do my best to keep them going as long as I could. 

While I had gone under 3:10 only 7 times in my marathon career, most of them had been done with rather precision pacing. If you read my first book, See Dane Run, you will see that I was fortunate enough to hit my goal as a pacer in Des Moines. I ended up hitting my time almost perfectly (3:10:12), slowing down at the very end to give the sole runner who was with me his moment in the sun alone. It’s not the pacer’s job to celebrate like a buffoon when they do what they were supposed to do. The attention is not meant for them.

2008

I came back to Des Moines in 2008 and this time paced the 1:30 half marathon group.  An odd day that had virtually all the runners either start sprinting at the last mile, or fall way behind, I finished nearly alone in a time of 1:29:32. I did end up catching one runner who was failing (not unlike what I had done in the marathon in 2006) and was able to push him on. I got a little carried away which is why I finished a full 28 seconds fast.

When I got to Des Moines this weekend to work with the Iowa Beef Council, I couldn’t believe it had been four years since I had been in the DSM. This time I would again be running the half marathon but for the first time would simply be running for myself. 

Super nice guy, Bill.

Speaking at the expo and various engagements around the city about the power of protein, I found I was hardly alone in using lean beef as the fuel for my engine. I would not say that the word is getting out as much as the word has been out and more people are becoming vocal about it.

I could spend the next paragraphs simply listing all of the friends who were running at this race and would still invariably miss a few. Suffice it to say, being back in Des Moines was a reunion of sorts with many who would be chasing major goals. Me, I was simply trying to continue firing some life back into my legs. Des Moines is without a doubt the right half marathon course to do just that.

Prairie Fire Wichita Half Marathon Recap

A Runner's Ramblings: Volume 7; 15th Edition 
307 miles run; 1.75 mile swam; 59 miles biked in 2012 races
Race: Prairie Fire Wichita Half Marathon
Place: Wichita, KS
Miles from home: 1762 miles
Weather: 50- 60s; windy and sunny

 I had the great fortune of being in Wichita two years ago when the old and dusty Wichita Marathon got a facelift. Becoming the Prairie Fire Marathon, it had new management, a new course and a whole new attitude.  To say it has been a success in revamping its old image would be an understatement. While I was not able to make it back last year, returning this year was a must.

As the speaker at the event the first year, I also had the opportunity to speaker to a group of middle school cross-country runners.  This year my schedule allowed me to talk at Wichita East where the Blue Aces only can count as one of their alumni one of the most famous of all high school runners ever, Jim Ryun.

After the speech, the Aces took me out for a run and presented me with the coveted 400 Mile Ace t-shirt.  Given to runners who run 400 miles over the summer, they said I had more than earned it.  I was beyond flattered.

When I ran the Prairie Fire Marathon in 2010 it was my first marathon ever in Kansas and my 119th marathon overall. This year, as I am trying to experience as many different races in my life as possible, even when I go to the same city more than once, I chose to take on the 13.1 distance. While my half marathons have out-numbered my marathons since the start of 2010 (41-34) I am still way behind in the total number of halfs run (142-56 coming into the race.)  As such, although this may seem a bit difficult to believe, I am still learning how to run the half-distance. My body is conditioned to run in the green zone for long periods of time.  It is not used to run very hard for short distances.  Part of what I am trying to do is condition myself to say it is OK to hurt.

So many of my friends are graduating to ultramarathons and cross-country runs where I am trying to do the opposite. I still have the occasional challenge planned over the next few years but as I mentioned in this posting on my blog, I want to try and put some fire into these legs. That plan was put on hold with a bike crash in May and some setbacks that followed but it appears I am finally beginning to get back some spark. I was not expecting a super fast time in Wichita but was hoping to continue the quickening trend of late, in spite of all my travel and work obligations.

Allstate Life Insurance 13.1 Dallas Preview

You may have read my course preview for the Allstate Life Insurance13.1 Marathon® Series race in Atlanta a few weeks ago.  Continuing to work as ambassador for this series, I headed south again from my home in Portland to Dallas to run another course in its entirety to give runners an idea of what to expect beyond just a mere course map and elevation profile.

WRRC doing some track workouts.

While my schedule in Atlanta allowed me the opportunity to drive the course prior to running it, this week in Dallas was too hectic for a preview in the car. My handler for the week, Teresa, had me promoting the race at various Luke’s Locker locations in the Dallas area as well as taking part in a great track workout (my first in who knows how long) with the White RockRunning Co-Op. In addition, it was an absolute honor to present a short speech to the members of all three chapters of the Dallas-area Back On My Feet organization. For more information on this fantastic organization, please click here.

BOMF inspiring me.

However, I would not be running the course completely blind or without help.  My run with Luke’s Locker (at the awful hour of 6 a.m. – seriously, how do runners run this early?) allowed me to traverse bits and pieces of the course as well as meet those who had run it the year before.  It was very helpful to get their insight and perspective before I even set foot on the course.  In addition, Teresa and her husband provided me with turn-by-turn directions while following me on bikes during the run and also gave me a deep history of the sections I ran through while doing them. Since I would be traversing the course during normal business hours this meant that the downtown portions of the run would be done by abiding to all traffic lights and pedestrian traffic. However, with two cyclists flanking me and with Teresa’s husband conducting a business call with earpiece in, I looked like an important figure with security detail.  We grabbed more than a few looks that day. I couldn’t decide if we should tell people I was Paul Ryan or Novak Djokovic. (Go ahead. Do a google image search of both. The resemblance is a little odd.)

Course Preview:

First off, like the Atlanta 13.1, the Dallas 13.1 begins and ends at the same place. For logistical purposes, I cannot tell you how much I love when a race does that sort of looping.  Even the laziest of your spectating friends is guaranteed to see you twice simply by showing up! Starting in the shadow of the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, runners quickly skedaddle out of this area heading for McKinney Ave.  Before even a half -mile has passed you are treated to the warmth of Uptown Dallas. For the next two miles, running on streets wide enough to hold numerous runners but cozy enough to allow revelers to watch from the nearby establishments, the course ever so slightly trends upward in elevation. Don’t worry though as the entirety of this slope equals about thirty feet. You would be hard pressed to even notice the change. Runners have to be just a little careful with their footing here as there is both exposed brick and trolley tracks. I say this just to make a small note even though I have seen many runners, including myself, trip over absolutely nothing. Sometimes it just happens.

Trepidation

The following is an article I posted about a year and a half ago.  It was entitled "Trepidation" and I felt, having just received a message from an online friend about their nerves in taking on their first marathon at the Prairie Fire Marathon in Wichita Kansas, that this was a good time to re-run it.

When I meet athletes at an event, many times I am meeting first timers. I ask how they are feeling and fairly frequently the words “nervous” or “anxious” pop out of their mouths. I can relate, obviously. But I tell them these are good feelings to have. These feelings usually keep them from doing something stupid in the last few days before a big race. I also think they are extremely important for races of a longer nature. For example, with the marathon, it doesn’t matter how many races you run, if you do not respect the distance, chances are high it will not respect you either. You will be left to shuffle along, praying for the finish line, only to collapse in a heap at the end if you are lucky enough to make it.

This past weekend was my 130th lifetime marathon. Running for the Vermont Beef Council I realized on the starting line that I had not run a marathon in 50 days. I had only gone that long between marathons 14 times previously. I can usually keep fears and thoughts of under-preparedness away by simply toeing the line for the marathon on a fairly frequent basis. Granted in those 50 days I had done two triathlons, a duathlon, a half marathon and a 10k (personal best, mind you) but my mileage was way down. I wasn’t anywhere close to being ready for a marathon, or at least as ready as I would like. I felt a little lump in my throat. Nerves. They were striking me.

But I knew I was on familiar ground. If I used my head, I could harness the nervousness and use the energy to my advantage. The trepidation I felt was not something to be feared. It told me I knew what was in front of me was going to make me tired, sore and probably quite thirsty. These were all things I had experienced and knew were on their way. Suddenly, I felt relaxed. Acquiescing to the fact that my next three hours were going to include about every emotion one can have suddenly made everything so much easier to swallow.

A nice warm glow came over me. My miles for 2011 might be at the lowest for any year since I have been keeping track, but this just meant that my legs were fresher than ever (Yeah, right). My goal was to run a sub-3 hour marathon so I could tick Vermont off the states I needed to do that for. I had eaten a hearty steak for my usual pre-race meal so my nutrition was set. My mind was where I needed to be. All I had to do was go run.

But I learned a long time ago that the marathon does not care about your own personal milestones. As chance would have it, the weather for this race was right in the sweet spot of what decimates me: namely heat and humidity. But having been down this road before many times, I was able to change my race plans on the fly and have a successful day. And by “successful” I mean crossing the finish line upright and officially, even if it was with a ton of chafing.

Instead of using the nervous energy to propel me forward, I instead used it to hold myself back and then kick where and when I could. Undoubtedly these are things one can only learn in time or by following the advice of others. However, knowing that nerves and anxiety are often your friends, and not your foes, is a key lesson for beginners to learn.