2011 Race Finishes, Totals, & Good Times

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.
Washington, DC

2011 was another year filled with great experiences, sights, and stories we will be able to share for a lifetime! Aside from participating in races and running everyday, my hobby provides many opportunities I do not believe would occur if not for running. Pounding the pavement allows us to go places and see things not noticeable in our automobiles or on television. For example, if we see a monument or a historical site, runners get a rest stop of invaluable information. My moment came in August, when I got the opportunity to visit our nation's capital on business. Yep, the daytime was filled with training and informational sessions; however, the evenings were filled with running and sightseeing. I will never forget exiting the subway at the Smithsonian stop, coming off the escalator at the top, and looking right to see the Capitol Building, then left to see the Washington Monument. I was immediately engulfed in US History and surprised to see all the activity going on all around these majestic sites, as if they were not even there! I began my run toward the Washington Monument, mesmerized by the size and towering height of the structure. I looked in the distance curiously to see another monument and wondered what it could be. So, I ran further, and as I approached this one, made of marble and granite, Honest Abe slowly appeared at the top of the steps, behind massive columns. I reached the top of the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and stood in awe, as I read the words on the wall above him: "In this temple as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the union. the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever." And then I look down to see "I have a dream"and realize this is the very spot Martin Luther King, Jr. stood when he gave his famous speech, August 28, 1963. I turned around to see a dug up Reflecting Pool, where the Washington Monument would normally reflect and where a million people stood around to march for freedom and jobs.
While I could go on and on about my DC experience, the point is that I saw the majority of these historic monuments in a matter of hours, while taking the time to get lost in the architecture, history, beauty, and the wonders of the people that stood in those very spots before me. Running took me to the bridges and trails over and along the Potomac River.

Atop the Duquesne Incline
Pittsburgh, PA

Running also took Ames and I to some amazing places in 2011, we either had not been before, not been in a long time, or had not been together. First we saw the beautiful southern city of Rome, GA. I do not believe I have ever seen greener grass or a more beautiful combination of rustic treasures and floral decor in my life. We went to Pittsburgh in May, home of my favorite landmark in recent memory, the Duquesne Incline, where millworkers in the early 1900's would be transported to factories no longer in existence. The top of the Duquesne Incline provides an elevated view of Pittsburgh and the three rivers of commerce unlike an view I had ever seen. Next came the Downhill @ Dawn, in Ridgecrest, NC. Aside from the sheer beauty of the area, Ames and I visited the Biltmore Mansion for a day, then Gatlinburg for the rest of the weekend. Finally, to top the year and the race season off, Ames found a race in Holland, MI, the Park2Park Half Marathon. The race did not compete with the overall experience of the weekend, although the scenery of the race route was beautiful - especially at the 7.5 mile mark when we hit Lake Michigan, which appeared as an endless body of water. Highlights of our weekend in Michigan included the house where the Wizard of Oz was partially wrote by Frank Baum, visiting the beautiful harbor towns of South Haven and Sagatuck, and finding my favorite spot-to-date in the entire world. We hope to be blessed with many more experiences in the years to come.

2011 FINISHES:
2011 Louisville Sports Commission Half Marathon 1:32:51
Overall Place: 55     Division Place: 15
2011 Big Hit Half Marathon Louisville, KY 1:31:36
Overall Place: 45     Division Place: 9
2011 Park2Park Half Marathon Holland, MI 1:38:15
Overall Place: 75     Division Place: 10
2011 Carmel Half Marathon Carmel, IN 1:34:10
Overall Place: 47     Division Place: 8
2011 Downhill @ Dawn 1/2 Marathon Ridgecrest, NC 1:29:35 (PR)
Overall Place: 11     Division Place: 2
2011 Geist Half Marathon Fishers, IN 1:34:13
Overall Place: 71     Division Place: 13
2011 Pittsburgh Half Marathon Pittsburgh, PA 1:35:19
Overall Place: 208     Division Place: 27
2011 Kentucky Derby MiniMarathon 1:29:57 (PR)
Overall Place: 163     Division Place: 29
2011 IU Mini Marathon Bloomington, IN 1:34:43
Overall Place: 46     Division Place: 8
2011 Papa John's 10 Miler 1:09:37 (PR)
Overall Place: 207     Division Place: 42
2011 Berry Half Marathon Rome, GA 1:31:03 (PR)
Overall Place: 17     Division Place: 3
2011 Anthem Fitness 5K 19:17 (PR)
Overall Place: 194     Division Place: 37

2011 Training Totals:
Total Miles: 1,440.93
Calories: 145,062
Total Time: 172:54:10
PRs: 5 - 5K, 10-Miler, Half Marathon (3x's)


***Mileage increase by over 300 miles from 2010 to 2011.  
***Half marathon PR decreased by nearly 2 minutes.
***10-Miler PR decrease by approximately 1:30.
***5K PR decreased by nearly 2 minutes.


Each of these four statistics tell me training is paying off; therefore, I committed to going harder in 2012 to decrease these PRs. 


HAPPY RUNNING!!!!!

Biltmore Mansion
Asheville, NC

South Haven, MI

Runners - Happy 2012 - Enjoy Yourself

My wife gifted me a book for Christmas this year titled The Runner's Book of Daily Inspiration by Kevin Nelson, written in 1999. Daily reads are dated by calendar day and geared to provide motivation and instruction. While I love to run, I do believe those of us that do not run for a living need motivation at times. Whether the wind is gusting, temps are 100 degrees or below zero, or you find something interesting on television, there are times when we just need that extra push. Today's excerpt reads:

January 2: "How much happiness is gained, and how much misery is escaped, by frequent and violent agitation of the body." -Samuel Johnson
The main goal of running is not to finish first, or run faster than you have ever run before, or beat your competitors, although any one of these can be, at times a very worthy goal.
The main goal of running is to enjoy yourself. Whenever you run, keep that in mind.
There is one indisputable rule of the roads: If you do not enjoy running, you will not run. If you do not run, you will not reap the benefits from it.
Everything starts with fun, a sense of play. Lacking that, all is lost. Though runners often work desperately hard at it, most love what they do and get an elemental charge from it. To borrow a line, at the heart of every runner is a little boy or girl.
Inevitably some days seem like more like work than pleasure. When this occurs, ask yourself, Are you focusing too much on duty and routine, times and mileage? Every day is a good day when you run. Remember that, and you'll be fine.
Resolved: I remember to enjoy myself when I run.

When I read this morning, I was reminded of how much I love to run in the rain, snow, slop and mud and I smiled. I believe I run because it keeps me feeling good and young, I battle the age anchor, and I resist to feel like many people often say they do. When running on muddy trails, I feel like a kid again, welcoming  the mud on all over me and often laughing when I turn that corner and take a tumble. I thought about how motivated I am by entering miles into all my storage sources and enjoying the accumulation toward a monthly goal. I could go on and on!
Charging into a New Year full of resolutions and desires to change, I challenge you to take up running as a hobby and you to challenge your friends to do the same. If you do not already run, and you enjoy it, you will find a healthy addiction and a new-found passion. Remember to enjoy running, set goals, cross finish lines and set new goals.
Find your enjoyment in running and, more importantly, find what motivates you. Whether to get active, lose weight, create confidence, or simply do something to be proud of, running brings more benefits than you will ever imagine - so stick to those resolutions!
Best of luck in 2012!
HAPPY RUNNING!!!!!

2011 Stats: 1,440.93 miles, 145,062 calories burned, 172:54:10 h:m:s spent on workouts!

Scheduled races for 2012:

UPCOMING RACES

• 2/12/12 Mercedes Half Marathon Birmingham, AL
• 3/31/12 IU Mini Marathon Bloomington, IN
• 4/21/2012 Carmel Half Marathon Carmel, IN
• 4/28/2012 KDF Mini Marathon Louisville, KY
• 5/5/2012 500 Festival Mini Marathon Indianapolis, IN