Hi there. I am a new follower to your blog, and after reading your post “why I run” I wanted to ask you a question. I am totally stuck at the three mile mark. Three miles feels like it really will be the death of me. Sometimes I can do it in twenty five minutes-sometimes I can do it in thirty five minutes. My time is never consistent and sometimes I feel okay after three miles, while other times I feel utterly exhausted. How do I break out of it? Thanks!

Well….I wish I had a magic formula, but it took me until I was 33 to break past the 3-mile barrier for the first time. Everybody is different, but for me I just had to force myself past 3, and then when I got to 4 my body started to relax and I got into a rhythm. Even now, the first three miles are always tough for me, but I start feeling better when I get past them. This is one of the big reasons why I still do a 1 or 2-mile warmup even before a full marathon.

Don’t worry about the differences in pace on different days. It is normal to have good days and bad days. My advice is to listen to your body. If you feel OK after 3-miles, keep pushing. If you push past 3 and still feel bad, stop. Stopping is always OK. There are many days where I have a set distance planned but stop early because it just isn’t my day.

Another thing that has really been a help to me is running with a friend. I don’t know if this is something you already do or not (or if it is an option), but it has been a really big help to me. I helps to take my mind off of the miles and just enjoy running with a friend.

The important thing is that you are out there giving it a shot. For that you should be proud. Keep running, and feel free to shoot a question anytime if you need some help….Tim

Why I Run… (Revisited)

Since this blog has seen a number of new followers recently, I thought I would re-post one of my original entries entitled “Why I Run.” In addition to this blog, this article was also printed in a local magazine for the Nashville Strider’s running club. The numbers related to races completed have been updated, otherwise this is the same post from the spring of 2010.

By far the most common reaction I get from non-runners when they find out I’m a long distance runner and marathoner is some type of obligatory comment like “that’s great!” or “wow!” but their body language is saying “I don’t get it” or “You’re Nuts!”  Some people are even more direct in voicing their bewilderment.  My favorite comments include:

  • Running a marathon is more dangerous than smoking
  • You know that you’re destroying your body
  • Well, I only run when being chased

While these reactions are frustrating, it is something I understand.  For the first 30 years of my life, I hated running with a flaming passion. Running was punishment. Something you had to do when you made a mistake in practice.  I always looked at marathoners with a sense of amazement, but also with a feeling that they were some type of freak of nature (like an alien).

I tried numerous times to become a runner, but I never seemed to be able to go farther than 3 miles without feeling like I would (a) collapse or (b) die of boredom.

When I reached my 30s, I started a new job, and began working with a lady named Mary Anne who had run over 30 marathons.  I told her over and over again about my hatred of running, and she continued to encourage me to try it again. Eventually I did try it again, and again I seemed to get stuck on my 3 mile limit.

On one particular Saturday, I decided that I was just going to push past mile 3 no matter how tired I was, and right on schedule I thought that mile 3 was going to be the end of me.  Then somewhere in the middle of mile 4, something clicked.  I fell into this trance-like rhythm, and was able to complete 6 miles.  I was ecstatic. From that moment in the middle of mile 4, I have been hooked.  How could this be?  I hated running?  Yet, the next weekend I ran 7 miles, and then next weekend 8 miles, and so on.

So what is it that “clicked” on that particular Saturday?  How did this moment transform me from someone that hated running into a hopeless addict.  How did I become a person that has completed 9 half and 9 full marathons?  I guess on some level I agree with the one who says they only run when being chased.  However, the things that are chasing me are not wild animals or bad guys.  They are the things that drive me, that push me to run, and run, and run.

So What is Chasing Me?

A High Stress Life – While I love my life, I have to admit that it is extremely high stress.  From my job, to frequent speaking/teaching engagements, to family and church responsibilities, I can’t seem to slow down.  Running has become my outlet, and my solace.   Nothing can drown out the noise of the world like the rhythm of running long distances.  I used to think that activities like golf and tennis were good outlets for stress, but they bring their own stress, especially golf.  The only thing stressful about running is finding the time to do it.  Otherwise, running is like the greatest drug in the world to me.

An Inferiority Complex / Scars from High School – To say that I was not very popular in high school would be a big understatement.  I was shy.  I was a nerd.  I didn’t date a lot.  I didn’t “party” with the cool kids.  I did not play football.  I was the last one that got selected for teams in PE and recess.  I got picked on constantly.  Now, I often wonder to myself how many of those that tormented me through those years can do what I can do.  All of this just adds fuel to my addiction.

Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy – Approximately 6 months after the moment when running “clicked” for me, and 1 month before I was supposed to run my first half marathon, I began experiencing some bizarre neurological symptoms that started in my legs, and quickly moved throughout my entire body.  Running only intensified these symptoms (including numbness in my feet, arms, and face), and I was forced to stop.  It took 7 months, and a trip to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to discover that I have a rare neurological disorder called Small Fiber Sensory Neuropathy.  This is an auto-imune condition that destroys the small nerve fibers in the skin, leading to intense feelings of burning and numbness.  The good news that I received at Hopkins was that this condition would not affect my motor skills, and the symptoms could be controlled by medication.  Even though I lost a year of running due to the disorder, the medication allowed me to return to training, and complete my first 1/2 marathon 8 months after being diagnosed.  When I started running again after my diagnosis, I was even more driven than before to run, no longer taking this ability for granted.  It continues to be a major motivation for me.

Family History of Hypertension – Almost every member of my immediate family is on some type of high blood pressure medication, and I began to see signs of this in my own life very soon after I graduated from college (1996).  However, since I began running in 2007, my Systolic pressure has consistently been less than 125, and my Diastolic less than 75.

A “Type A” Personality – Mary Anne often tells me that she knew I had a personality that was perfectly suited to long distance running, and that is why she talked to me about it so frequently.  I am a “Type A” perfectionist, to the extreme.  I think this is ultimately why running “clicked” on that Saturday in 2007.  Once I pushed past that 3-mile barrier, it was something I knew I could do, and I wanted to do it really well.  For the first time in my life I saw the possibility of completing a half, or possibly a full marathon, and I wanted to go for it.  This insatiable drive to get better continues to push me through every training run, every track workout, every cross-training exercise.

Fear of Failure – I set lots of running goals, though I rarely share them with others. However, part of my motivation to continue running is a fear of not meeting these goals.  This fear is exponentially intensified if I do share a goal with someone.

Well, there it is….the reasons why I run (at least many of them).  Why do you run?  What is chasing you?

The Quest for 3:15 – So What’s Next?

Well….since I didn’t break 3:15 at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, the Quest for 3:15 continues. So, what’s next in the search for this elusive goal?

My next registered marathon is the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville Alabama on December 10, and my training program will begin on Monday. As long as I remain injury free, and the weather cooperates, I’m gonna give 3:15 another shot at this race. Being that it is in December, seems like there are better odds for cool weather. Also, it is supposed to be a relatively flat and fast course, with only two hills of any significance.

The next few weeks of training will be difficult as our family is going on vacation late next week, and then I’m part of a 12-person, 196-mile relay race in three weeks. Otherwise all systems are go for Rocket City!!

My Most Frustrating Race

Need to vent! Of my 25+ races completed, today’s Murfreesboro “Middle” Half Marathon was by far the most frustrating.

I’ve made a big deal the past few months about my quest to break 3:15 in a full marathon. However, there has also been a sub-quest to break 1:30 in a half marathon (my current PR is 1:31).

Well today I think I ran fast enough to break 1:30 (6:52 avg pace), BUT the police officers who were leading the race took a wrong turn during mile 2 that added .4 miles to the course. This meant that I actually ran 13.5 miles and had an official time of 1:32:40.

I’m frustrated because I not only lost the chance to break 1:30 but also to set my full marathon and half marathon PR in the same week.

I realize this is insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but I’m still disappointed.

@davidsgoals

David….I know!! It sold out in 11 DAYS! I’m friends with the Race Director, and he gave me a heads up that it was not going to last long this year. I really wanted to run it for the 5th anniversary. It was my first long distance race in 2008 and the site of my half marathon PR last year.

“What is this?” you ask … Well it’s my bib for the 5th annual Murfeesboro “Middle” Half (@TheMiddleHalf) tomorrow. “And why exactly would you sign up for a half marathon that is SIX days after the Chicago Marathon?” you wonder… Because I’m CRAZY!!! Oh and because it’s an awesome local race.

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Races and Personal Records (PR)

Last Updated: March 24, 2013

Marathon

  1. 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Oct 11, 2009 – 3:53:05
  2. 2009 St. Jude Memphis Marathon – Dec 5, 2009 – 3:42:22
  3. 2010 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon – Mar 28, 2010 – 3:39:12
  4. 2011 Country Music Marathon – Apr 24, 2010 – 3:52:55
  5. 2011 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon – Oct 3, 2010 – 3:25:38
  6. 2011 Rock n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon – Nov 14, 2010 – 3:24:13
  7. 2011 Walt Disney World Marathon – Jan 9, 2011 – 3:43:08
  8. 2011 Mercedes Marathon – Feb 13, 2011 – 3:39:46
  9. 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon – Oct 9, 2011 – 3:22:28
  10. 2011 Rocket City Marathon – Dec 10, 2011 – 3:18:44
  11. 2012 Rock n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon – Mar 4, 2012 – 3:12:28 (PR)
  12. 2012 St Jude Country Music Marathon – Apr 28, 2012 – 3:59:11*
  13. 2013 Rock n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon – Febr 24, 2013 – 3:18:28 
*Official 4-hour pace team leader

Half Marathon

  1. 2008 Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon – Oct 11, 2008 – 1:58:29
  2. 2009 Country Music Half Marathon – Apr 25, 2009 – 2:19:41
  3. 2009 One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon – May 7, 2009 – 2:12:22
  4. 2009 Clarksville Half Marathon – Nov 7, 2009 – 1:44:37
  5. 2010 One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon – May 8, 2010 – 1:42:46
  6. 2010 Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon – Oct 16, 2010 – 1:31:00
  7. 2011 Oak Barrel Half Marathon – Apr 2, 2011 – 1:34:46
  8. 2011 One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon – May 7, 2011 – 1:32:00
  9. 2011 Murfreesboro Middle Half Marathon – Oct 15, 2011 – 1:29:49 (PR**)
  10. 2012 Cedars Frostbite Half Marathon – Feb, 11, 2012 – 1:32:41
  11. 2012 Oak Barrel Half Marathon – Apr 7, 2012 – 1:29:52 (PR*)
  12. 2012 One America 500 Festival Mini Marathon – May 5, 2012 – 1:31:28
  13. 2013 Chickamauga Battlefield Half Marathon – Nov 10, 2012 – 1:39:06

*Official PR

**Unofficial PR – Course was .4-miles too long in mile-2 due to misdirection. This time was calculated by using the average pace for the first 10K (official time – 6.6 miles), and then reapplying to correct distance (6.2 miles). Final 6.9 was unaffected.

15K

  1. 2009 Shelby Bottoms Boogie 15K – September 26, 2009 – 1:21:21
  2. 2011 Shelby Bottoms Boogie 15K – October 2, 2011 – 1:03:39 (PR)

10K

  1. 2011 Purity Moosic City 10K – April 16, 2011 – 44:59 (PR)*

*Race started 10 minutes after I finished the Purity Moosic City 5k

5-Miler

  1. 2009 Boulevard Bolt – Nov 26, 2009 – 35:31
  2. 2010 Boulevard Bolt – Nov 26, 2010 – 32:22 (PR)
  3. 2011 Boulevard Bolt – Nov 24, 2011 – 32:35
  4. 2012 Boulevard Bolt – Nov 22, 2012 – 33:07

5K

  1. 2007 Sherry’s Run – September 8, 2007 – 24:24
  2. 2008 Franklin Classic 5K – September 1, 2008 – 23:01
  3. 2008 Chick-Fil-A 5K – September 20, 2008 – 23:11
  4. 2011 Purity Moosic City 5K – April 16, 2011 – 19:43 (PR)

Other

  1. 2011 Tupelo 14.2-Miler – September 4, 2011 – 1:48:06
  2. 2011 Ragnar Relay -Tennessee – 196.2-Miles – 24 Hours 19 Minutes

2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon (Race Review)

My thoughts on the 34th annual Bank of America Chicago Marathon…

Bank of America Chicago Marathon
October 9, 2011
www.chicagomarathon.com

My Run:  Overall, the 2011 Bank of American Chicago Marathon was my ninth full marathon. Chicago was also the site of my first marathon back in 2009. There was no secret that my goal coming into this race was to break 3:15 for the first time. I had set my current PR of 3:24 at the Rock n’ Roll San Antonio Marathon in November 2011. Just before this I tried to break 3:15 at the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon in October, and was able to hold that pace for 22-miles before hitting the wall hard and finishing with a 3:25.

Everything in my training program, which started on July 4th, was aimed at this goal. I reduced the amount of time I spent doing cardio-based cross training, and spent that time instead on putting in extra miles on the road or trails. I added trail running and barefoot running to my schedule to improve strength, and was diligent about doing tempo runs and marathon pace workouts around this goal pace. My training throughout the summer went extremely well, and I felt ready to break 3:15.

The one thing that I could not control was the weather. When I ran Chicago back in 2009, the temps were in the 30s and 40s during the race, but this year it was 65 at the start and nearing 80 when I finished (with full sun). While this is not oppressive heat when compared to what we run through in Tennessee during the summer, it is way higher than what is ideal for a race of this distance. Also, Middle Tennessee had seen morning temps in the 40s and 50s for the past two weeks, so this made it even more difficult to adapt.

We all knew what the temps were expected to be going into race day, but I decided I was still going to give 3:15 a shot. My plan was to run a slightly conservative pace for the first 15 to 18 miles, and then take inventory and see if I could push it the rest of the way.

On race morning, everything went according to plan. This included my pre-race meal, hydration, warmup, etc. My legs felt really good with no soreness or pains. I ran easy for just over a mile with Nathan and Paxton, and then did a few short bursts in the corral to get my heart ready for race pace.

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Jimmy Fallon: Troll Doll Jingle Auditions

Jimmy Fallon: Troll Doll Jingle Auditions – I had not heard this in a long time, but it popped up on XM Laugh USA this morning, and I’d forgotten how Awesomely Funny this is (especially Alanis). Enjoy!

(Source: http://www.youtube.com/)

My daughter Kate & I just finished a 2-mile “barefoot” run on the Harpeth River Greenway. She wore her Vibram FiveFingers & I wore my Saucony Hattoris. She even did the last 1/2 mile truly barefoot without shoes. Awesome Father/Daughter run!

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