Friday, September 13, 2013

My Running Stats . . . so far

These are my running statistics that concern official races.

MARATHONS
#1 Los Angeles Marathon 05-25-2009
3:57:22 (9:04 pace) I ran LA all by myself.
#2 Twin Cities Marathon 10-03-2010 (Minneapolis to St. Paul)
4:17:45 (9:50 pace) I ran TCM with my friend Tony Cloyd. Such a beautiful course.
#3 Long Beach Marathon 10-09-2011
*PR 3:30:28 (8:02 pace) I ran LB all by myself and bonked. See What Happened.
#4 California International Marathon (Folsom to Sacramento)
4:09:12 (9:31 pace) I ran CIM with my cousin Elaine Wersky.

5Ks
#1 Huntington Beach 4th of July Firecracker 07-04-1992?
Unknown finish time?

#2 Saddleback Memorial, Laguna Hills Memorial Day 05-30-2005
23:42 (7:39 pace)
#3 Lake Forest 4th of July 07-04-2005
23:28 (7:32 pace)
#4 Saddleback Memorial, Laguna Hills Memorial Day 05-26-2008
21:46 (7:01 pace)
#5 Lake Forest 4th of July 07-04-2008
*PR 21:03 (6:47 pace) Read Lake Forest 5K.
#6 Disneyland 08-30-2008
21:19 (6:53 pace)
#7 LaHabra 03-28-2009
33:32 (10:49 pace) I ran this with Mike Taylor and Tony Cloyd and we had to walk a bit.
#8 Lake Forest 4th of July 07-04-2012
26:50 (8:39 pace) I stayed with Zoey's friend Bianca to help her finish. Zoey left us both at 24:14.

10Ks
#1 Dana Point Turkey Trot 11-27-2008
*PR 43:20 (6:59 pace)
#2 Camp Pendleton Mud Run 06-06-2009
2:05:41 (20:16 pace) Ran this with Chrisy and her friends, not for time, just for fun, stuck together.
#3 Dana Point Turkey Trot 11-26-2009
46:43 (7:32 pace) Ran with John Reed in the rain. Great race. Read Turkey Trot and Cloudburst.
#4 Camp Pendleton Mud Run 06-06-2010
1:44:54 (16:55 pace) Also ran this with Chrisy and her friends, not for time, just for fun, stuck together.
#5 Camp Pendleton Mud Run 06-05-2011
1:38:14 (15:51 pace) Again, ran this as a group and stuck together. Not for time.
#6 Camp Pendleton Mud Run 06-03-2012
1:49:16 (17:37 pace) Again, not run for time. Ran as a group. One day I need to do the Mud Run for time.

Half-Marathons
City of Laguna Hills Memorial Day Half, Saddleback Memorial 05-31-2010
*PR 1:35:58 (7:20 pace) I ran this all by myself. Finished 70th overall out of 1,199 runners.
Surf City, Huntington Beach 02-05-2012
2:55:57 (13:26 pace) I did this side-by-side with my wife, doing a run, then walk pace.
Long Beach International City Bank Half Marathon 10-13-13
1:57:42 (8:59 pace) I ran this side-by-side with my friend, John Bogler

5 Milers
Peter's Canyon Dirty Series Trail Run 07-10-2008
*PR 37:26 (7:29 pace) Very hilly trail run. I did this all by myself. Read Peter's Canyon.

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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Reflections on Running

In 2012 I decided to take the entire year off from running official races. I think I got burnt-out by running two back-to-back marathons in 2011. I spent the year trying to figure out what my future as a runner looked liked. Honestly, I was experimenting with the idea of not being a runner. However, what I learned during that time is that there is no going back: once a runner, always a runner. So, as I get ready to run an official race, the Long Beach Half Marathon on October 13, 2013, I have spent some reflecting upon how I became a runner. In my next post I will list my race statistics so that I can see them all in one place.

I think my very first official race was the Huntington Beach 4th of July Firecracker 5K. I think it was 1992, the year after I got sober. Honestly, I don't remember much about it. I didn't save my bib. I don't know my finish time, and I can't find it archived on-line. All I remember about it was that I was wearing my ShoreLife Church t-shirt because I had just had my encounter with Jesus Christ.

I first started casually running in 1991. I got clean and sober on June 27, 1991. At first it was tough to stay sober so I was trying to occupy my time and I did a lot of walking. In short, I began running just to stay clean. Three months later I found ShoreLife Church in Huntington Beach. I became a follower in the way of Jesus on September 22, 1991. Shortly after that, I found a running buddy, Patty Mastro at church. Patty and I did quite a bit of running together. It was low-key and we didn't track mileage.

After I got married in July, 1993, and definitely after I had my first child, I began my "fat and happy" phase. Actually, it wasn't all happiness, but I was also back in college, working during the day and going to school all night. Thus, the script I told myself was I had no time to run. When I stood at the alter and said, "I do" on July 24, 1993, I weighed 165 pounds. By the time the Twin Towers were struck in 2001, I tipped the scales at more than 225 pounds!

I found running again in 2005. That was the year I began leading the junior high ministry at TerraNova Church. At one of our first events I realized that I didn't have the energy I should have as a 36 year old. If I was going to keep up with the 7th and 8th graders, I would need to drop some pounds. Running was going to be a means to the end of weight loss. I ran and, slowly, but surely, and the pounds came off. I registered for a 5K on Memorial Day, 2005. That was the first time I ever kept my bib from a race.

In 2008 I purchased a Nike+ sportsband device. I recorded my first run on July 5, 2008. And on July 30, 2008, I logged my first 100 miles with Nike+. Somehow, that first eCertificate saying I had run 100 miles was a great motivation to me. On December 21, 2008 I hit 500. The 1000 mark came on May 1, 2009.

I would say that 2009 was the year that crystallized my love of running. That was the year of my first marathon. I ran the Los Angeles Marathon on May 25, 2009.You can read Running Stats 2009 to hear more, but it was a very enjoyable experience and a great year! When I crossed that finish line of my first marathon, I was easily back down to my wedding weight. I ran another marathon in 2010. Then I ran two marathons at the end of 2011 and struggled with my passion for running all during 2012. The thing is, even though I wasn't logging a lot of mileage, I wasn't content with not running.

As I type this, I feel like I am "back" from my 2012 running lull. One thing that has truly helped me to get back my passion for running in 2013 is that I found another true running partner in my friend John Bogler. We have been consistently running at least once per week together for quite some time now and the commitment has been very motivational. John and I are training to run the Long Beach Half Marathon on October 13, 2013. Additionally, I am currently planning on running my 5th marathon, Surf City, in Huntington Beach, on February 2, 2014.

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