Boston!

Well, so much for writing about the rest of my ride from D.C. To South Bend. Work, traveling for Motocross and life got busy. I'll try and incorporate some stories into future posts, but for now I better talk about where I am now and what I am doing.

I am sitting in a diner in East Greenbush, New York, about 12 miles from the start of The Erie Canal. Yes! Another adventure. My ride a couple months ago was meant to be a test ride for a longer ride starting in October. I had planned to ride from Canada to Mexico but I had been advised that the weather along the Pacific West Coast would be very rainy. So, after long consideration, I decided to fly my bike out to Boston and ride back towards home. My plan is to make it as far as I can by Thanksgiving. If I can pound out a lot of miles, it is possible I can make it home. If not, I'll catch a plane back. This one is about just touring and having fun. I'm always faced with the decision of whether or not to stop and look at something or to keep going so I get in enough miles. I've never regretted stopping but having some goal is good or else I would stop for EVERYTHING. So, that's the plan.

My route is Boston to Albany, where I will ride along the Erie Canal to Niagra Falls. Then Chicago via Canada and then follow Route 66 to Santa Monica. I am excited to see the Illinois section of the Mother Road as I missed this on my run because I didn't go up to Chicago. As far as I am concerned, as long as I get to St Louis, I'll be happy. Anything after that is extra. so, I'll play it by ear and just have fun. For me that is huge!

Of course there is one thing that could get me to end even sooner.... Bella! That's an issue that I'll have to explain in another post. Right now, I've gotta ride.

Paul

D.C. to South Bend, Indiana: Part 1

Some roads lead to places unexpected. Sometimes, you have the faith to follow that inner voice that is telling you to do something or go somewhere, only to find that where you end up, is not where you thought you were headed. That is a journey and that is not only what I have learned to embrace, but what I look forward to. 


"Where are you riding to?" That is the question I heard most often. I guess it was obvious from the amount of stuff I was carrying on my bike that it wasn't a day ride. I should have said South Bend, Indiana since that is where I ended up instead of Buchanan, Michigan where I told everyone. But then maybe the conversations would of been shorter and I would have missed out on getting to know so many people, albeit briefly, along this amazing trip. After all, the people I met, seeing my family and finding peace in Ann Arbor,  truly was the best part. 

I said Buchanan because that is where the 6th Motocross race of the 12 race series is held. Race #5 was in Mechanicsville, Maryland. Our hotels. However, were in Waldorf, Maryland and South Bend, Indiana. I rode between those two points. Had I rode the direct route between the two, the distance would have been around 700 miles. I took the more scenic (and flat) route by way of the C&O towpath and The Great Allegheny Passage, which follow winding rivers)  as well as heading a bit north to Lansing, Michigan by way of Jackson, making my total mileage 920. I was out a total of 19 days but only rode 17. That makes an average of about 55 miles a day. I did a couple of shorter days due to the location of some campsites (and a couple of breweries :) Most days, I rode between 60 and 65 miles, which wasn't bad considering the weight of my bike (103 pounds) and the heat. Ah yes, the heat!!! I managed to pick the two hottest weeks of not only the year, but apparently the last 100 or so years. Yes, record temperatures. 

I seem to do well with the heat. I hate being cold, like REALLY hate being cold. Admittedly, it is hard to do lots of miles in the heat and it is preferable to have cooler temperatures while you are running and riding, but you don't do that all day and night, so I enjoyed the warmer weather but this was a bit much for even me. I will say that riding in it was definitely easier than running in it! Honestly, I am not sure I could have ran in it. Riding was easier because you actually create your own breeze which really helps, the problem is stopping. There were a few days where the temperature was in the  low 100's with a heat index in the 110's I would be ok while riding but when I would stop, the heat would envelop you and feel like it was choking you. I definitely battled dehydration and the wonderful headaches they bring and places where there was no shade, it was tough to escape the stifling heat in any way other than to just keep peddling until I was  done for the day.

But like anything, the pain or discomfort you feel is temporary, luckily. Instead, I am left with all of the wonderful, amazing memories of my ride. I have so many I'm not sure where to begin or which to choose to write about here. So, I guess I'll just let 'er rip. 

I started 20 miles south of Washington DC. I was so excited to see our nation's capital! I had been there on a family vacation when I was 14. But, like most teenagers, I was too into music and chicks to care about monuments to presidents. This time was different. I am still into chicks and music :), but also VERY into american history!! There is no better way to see DC than on a bike! Except when you want to go up the steps to the Jefferson Memorial and realize that leaving ALL your belongings for the next 3 weeks, sitting alone, out of sight,  while you go read plaques, is not a good idea. 

I found a way to take my bike up (elevator) into both memorials and aside from security at the Lincoln memorial telling me that I couldn't have my bike up there, I pretty much got to see everything I wanted. The only thing I wasn't able to see was the Smithsonian. There was nowhere to put my bike. I was bummed, but rationalized it by realizing there was no way I would be able to see everything I wanted to, in an afternoon. I considered getting a room and staying for a day, but opted not to when a) I saw the prices of rooms in the area and b) remembered how many miles I had ahead of me and accepted the fact that I had no idea how this whole thing was gonna go and better make sure that I get to South Bend on time. 

DayOne entry, Jun 17, 2012

Georgetown is incredible! Is everybody beautiful in this town? Seriously! It was amazing riding my bike around the Capital. It was easier than running.

So, I saw all I could see and started on the C&O Towpath. I was so excited to be on this trail. It was as beautiful as I had imagined and there was a ton of little signs citing historical information that no matter how hard I try, I can never ride or run past and have to stop, read and take a picture of. 

This is easier to do when running. It is harder when riding, as is taking pictures. I take a picture when something special catches my eye (obviously). When composition or contrast is interesting I want to take a picture! When you are riding, by the time you stop, the picture has completely changed. It's different than running. So, I'd stop and either compromise and shoot the new perspective, ride back (annoying) or just forget the shot. This actually bummed me out a bit. Pictures are how I remember my trips. I play them as slideshows and relive so many great places. I wonder how many gaps I have allowed due to the faster pace? Oh well, no matter, my memory is so bad, I'll never know the difference :)

I was excited to spend my first night on the Towpath. I was looking forward to camping and knew of all the campsites along the 330 miles of trail. I rolled up on the first one that was about 10 miles into the trail and saw a sign saying that it was by reservation only and for groups of Boy Scouts or something. I called the number on the sign but got no answer. There was nobody at any of the sights and it was getting dark. The next campground was about 10 miles up so I really had no choice. I chose a sight towards the back, pitched my tent and settled in for the night. 

Or, tried to settle in. Actually, there was nothing settling about my first night camping, alone, with over 800 (planned) miles ahead of me with an admittedly semi irrational fear of bears, made more rational by the location of this campsite, directly adjacent to an island named "Bear Island". 

Paul

The C and O Canal, The GAP and beyond!

There is something about traveling that makes me feel connected, connected to God and the universe. For someone that has suffered from panic attacks for much of my life and damn near slipped into agoraphobia a couple times, venturing out beyond any perceived safety into the unknown is very empowering. The less safety nets the better. It's like the parent that tells the kid "if your gonna cry, I'll give you something to cry about". It would be a little silly to be afraid of going to the store when I have been in the middle of the desert, running, with "safety" nowhere in site.

I know, thinking that doing anything in United States is doing something in extreme conditions compared to parts of the rest of the world is a stretch, but it's all relative. And hey, I'm trying to not let myself get carried away. I don't feel the need to go "Into The Wild"..... yet.

No, I will settle for covering the most interesting places I can find using my own power. Whether it be on bike or running, I prefer seeing a place, NOT from inside an enclosed, rolling piece of metal. It is so much more intimate for me and as I have become so enthralled with history and love to read about the places I am going, there really isn't anything more exciting.

SO.... I had been trying to think of a ride I could do before my planned Canada to Mexico ride in the fall. I have been shooting Motocross for the last four weeks and that continues until the first week of September. It is amazing to be traveling to these 12 races around the country. Ok, I am surrounded by metal much of the time. In fact I am typing this from about 30,000 feet in the air, surrounded by metal and hoping it stays that way for the duration of the flight. But I love this type of travel as well, just a bit differently.

Anyway, I have a couple weeks off starting June 17th and I figured I could take my bike out for a nice trial run. But where? I already did a few hundred miles down the coast about a month ago. What about the part of Route 66 that we didn't do on the run because we went through Phoenix? That would be awesome and I would love to do that, and will one of these days, but I am afraid it would be too hot in June... hmm.... I thought, well.. maybe take a train towards the east coast and ride for a couple weeks. Then it dawned on me that the races that straddle the break are in Mechanicsville, Maryland and Buchanan, Michigan. I'm not really sure how mad I would have been at myself if I would have never realized how PERFECT this is!!

I am flying my bike out to this weeks race, then riding the 870 miles to the next race. Not only is it one of my favorite parts of the country, there are also tons of historical sites along the way. Historical sites for our country and a couple personal ones as I will be heading a little farther north and riding through the town I was born in, adding about a hundred miles to the trip, had it been point to point. Of course I am sure I will find most of the craft breweries along the way and as an added bonus, I will be visiting my cousin in Lansing who owns a brew supply store. I actually just found this out last week from my other cousin. He's had it since 1999. How did I just find this out? There is actually a longer story in there, but I think I will save it for another time. Perhaps I will start a journal on the road and post here. Lots of people do that while touring on a bike. Since I am hoping to have more energy cycling rather than running, maybe I can actually keep up with one. Ahhh! I have threatened to do that before, so I won't make any promises.

Speaking of bike touring, here is the full set up.

I shot this while doing an overnighter last week to see if I was forgetting anything. It's best to be prepared! And boy have I prepared. I fretted over every choice, from the bike to the panniers to the camp stove. I am very happy with all my choices and I even realized a little bonus when I discovered that my Ortlieb panniers will also fit very nicely on my baby jogger making me look a lot less homeless!

Yes, I like cycling, but running is still my love and it is nice to know that the things I am getting will work for both. The lightweight camping gear will also work for backpacking if and when I decide to REALLY rough it and do the Appalachian Trail or a backpacking trip in Europe or elsewhere :) But first things first!

I'll head out from Mechanicsville, Maryland and ride through our nation's capital and from there enter the C and O Canal that runs along the Potomac. Then, after about 150 miles, I'll hit Cumberland and start down The Great Allegheny Passage. To say that I am excited about this would be an understatement. Chris and I did about 75 miles of this and it was my favorite part of the run. I always knew I would go back. I didn't think it would be this soon. This really is PERFECT!! Well, except I wouldn't mind having a lady riding with me and tour like these guys. But, you can't have everything.

From there, I will leave The GAP in Pittsburgh and make my way to Ann Arbor then Jackson, up to Lansing and on to Buchanan in time for the race on July 5th. I'll have 19 days to cover the miles which should give me a chance to see a bunch of stuff along the way but still give me a decent amount of miles to do, that I will feel like I have earned that beer (or 2) at the end of the day.

So that's that! That's the map and that's the plan.

As I look out the window of the plane, somewhere over northern Arizona, I am so thankful. Thankful to be traveling. Thankful to be meeting people. Thankful to be seeing so many beautiful things. Thankful to feel connected. But maybe most of all, I'm thankful that I stopped longing to be safe and started living. I think it's true that you don't really appreciate things until you don't have them. Or stated another way, maybe experiencing pain makes pleasure that much better.

As always, I'll post pictures on Facebook. But, I really am going to try and keep a better journal/ travelogue on here. It is much easier to read and eventually Facebook will go the way of MySpace... right? :-D

Paul

Beer cycling?

Ok, that is one way to describe it. But I'd actually like to think that I am hitting the open road again, mainly to quench my longing for adventure. But, it is true that breweries will be a magnet and will determine some of my route. This is going to be a relatively short trip. I had planned to ride a bicycle from Canada to Mexico once I finished the project I was working on. But, I was advised that weather in the spring, through those states would be less than desirable. I will be starting to shoot Motocross on May 17th so, my window of opportunity has narrowed to only a few short weeks. I will also be running the OC Half Marathon on May 6th along with Brittany and I have several family and friends doing this as their first race. So, I need to stick around the area for that.

I have been so restless since my run. Seeing the over 8,000 pictures rotate as my screensaver, creates such bittersweet memories. In many ways, after doing something like that, you can feel like that was it, the pinnacle! I have spoken to other crossers about this and they said that the way they fought the depression was to have more adventures. This was always the plan. Even when I was out there (crossing) I was talking to Chris and Mike about what was next. I never imagined that it would be the end. I always thought it would be the beginning. For whatever reason, when I got back it didn't quite work out that way. I think partly because I was looking to do something bigger! Perhaps I thought I needed to think of something PERFECT. Now, I realize, I just need to get out there. I need more pictures. I need to create more memories. I need to look FORWARD to my life. And, it doesn't have to be perfect. In fact I don't want it perfect. I don't even want a plan.

So, my non-plan is to pack up the panniers, hook them on to the hybrid and head towards San Clemente this Thursday, April 26th. Julie from PubQuest, along with her bike, is going to take the train up from San Diego and we are going to meet at Pizza Port . Then we are going to make our way down to San Diego hitting breweries along the way. Then I will have 4 or 5 days to make my way back home for the race. It's only 100 miles so I will most likely make some detours. The mileage is not long and it is not an exercise in endurance and I don't have it mapped or planned other than those two destinations. That is out of character for me and very exciting. I just want to explore, have an adventure and see where it takes me. This will also serve as a nice test run for a longer tour in the fall. I'll see how much I like being on a bike as opposed to running and if I decide to do something on a bike, what works equipment wise and what doesn't.

It feels great to sit here and have something to look forward to. I remember on the run when I would look at the map and see a part of the route that I hadn't done yet. I would realize that at that point it was just a line with a name or number on a map, but after I had ran it, it would be a memory and it would, from then on, always hold meaning and, most likely, a really great story. Maybe that is what traveling means to me. Creating a connection between me and places on a map and the people along the way. There is no better, more intimate way to do that than to run or ride it. I am so glad that my run won't be the end of that road, but God willing, just the beginning.

Weight training

Back in 2005 when I decided to join the gym and dedicate myself to becoming fit, I started out doing what most people do when they join the gym, I started lifting weights. Perhaps it was because I was approaching 40 that I knew I needed a strategy. Or the fact that my job no longer consisted of me "swinging a hammer", which kept me in much better shape then my lifestyle choices would have otherwise. I knew that I needed to be active to prevent myself from getting "out of shape" and feeling the age I was about to become. So, I joined the gym. I had belonged to a gym for years. I payed a lot of money the first 2 years and then was able to keep the membership up for some ridiculously low price, like $25 per year. But, I would go maybe once or twice every two years or so and that was it. It never stuck. I vowed that this time would be different. 

looking back, I guess there were a few reasons why I was able to start a routine that eventually turned into a lifestyle that I would never want to abandon. It wasn't that I had more will power. I believe that will power is rarely what's missing, I looked at the endeavor with intrigue. I wanted to learn about fitness and learn the science behind it. I bought a book and made clear goals. I had my workouts and I followed them. It became about that, not getting muscles or really being fit. Of course that was a great benefit from it and it's what started it, but you really have to enjoy it for it to become a lifestyle. It did enjoy it and it made me feel really good. 

I worked out lifting weights for about a year, when my daughter Brittany asked me if I would be interested in doing a 5k race. I had never been a runner and in fact HATED running my entire life. I had major leg surgery when I was 8 years old and aside from the pain from that, I was always told (and it's true) that I run funny. But, one of the things that I was doing as part of my workouts, was run/walking on the treadmill. I had gotten up to about 15 minutes straight by this time, so the thought of a 5k (once I figured out how far that was) didn't seem THAT out of the question. So, I told Brittany that I would do it with her. 

I remember the first time running went from something I dreaded to something I loved and WANTED to do. I had just finished 2 miles or so on the treadmill. I was sitting on one of those fitness balls and I was dripping sweat and my body felt so relaxed, like I had just gotten out of a jacuzzi. I've always had back problems and used to pop Tylenol like it was candy, just to get relief and to feel like I was feeling right then. I felt amazing and I wanted to ALWAYS feel like that. And it was natural. 

The rest, as they say, is history. I fell in love with running and have done a ton of races, did some triathlons, including Ironman, ran across America etc... But it didn't come without a little pain. I went through all the usual growing pains that come from your body adapting to the new stresses that come from running. Shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, etc... but I worked through them and look forward to (hopefully) running until the day I die. 

But wait! There's just one problem with all of this. That day that I fell in love with running? Just like a teenager falling in love, I dumped everything else in favor of it! Sure, I spent a little time with the weights for a few months. throwing it a bone, doing just enough so I felt like I was doing something. But as my races got longer and my running training schedule got more intense, the less I cared about any type of strength training. Who needed it when running made me feel so good? When I started doing triathlons, at least I was getting more of a balanced workout because of the swimming, but still, when it came time to strength train, I would gloss over it. I just didn't want to train with weights. I hated IT like I used to hate running. 

Too much of a good thing is not good and even though I have tried to convince myself that running is all I need, I know better. I have not been overall fit and am in dire need of strength training. So, I have taken these last 2 weeks that I have been recovering from the marathon to get reacquainted and fall back in love with WEIGHT TRAINING! 

And, I am happy to report, that with a few helpful tools, it is working and we are rekindling our relationship :) 

One of the things that has been really helpful is to have a program to follow. I have tried several apps to help me with this in this past and didn't really like any of them. This time, on Brittany's recommendation, I purchased iPersonalTrainer for the iPhone. It's an amazing app and it's only .99 cents. I look forward to training my 5 days a week and I can really feel the effects of the workouts. Also, they built a new gym near my studio in Burbank and it is a real pleasure to work out there. 

I guess what has become obvious to me (again), is what I preach to everyone else. I needed to make weight training fun for me again. It wasn't that I was lacking will power, it was that I didn't give it enough attention and find ways to make it interesting so I would WANT to do it. Now, hopefully I have done that enough that it will stick and it will be something I'll never toss aside in favor of a "new love". I think I have room in my life for both and I'll be better for it. 

Paul

Some thoughts on training

I've been analyzing my finish time in Sunday's marathon and (for once), trying to nail down what I did RIGHT! I've already talked about the fact that I followed Hal Gigdon's training program more carefully and did ALMOST all my speed work and didn't simply run slower to avoid injury. However, there was something else that was different this time around. I didn't overtrain! I did follow Hal Higdon's advanced marathon training plan, but I noticed a couple of weeks ago that the plan I was following lacked an 8-10 mile run midweek, like the plan I had followed before had. There were no mid week runs over 5 miles.  I'm certainly ok with doing higher mileage, but I'm thinking that this allowed me to do my speed work more effectively. I also refrained from doing a bunch of extra cycling. I did weight train, but I really did try and save my energy and focus for my MAIN goal which was a sub 4 marathon. 

Now, armed with this feedback, I am looking forward to my next goal and FOCUSING on achieving it. One thing I will say though, my legs are still very sore and I have only run one mile since the race. The lower inside of my right shin STILL hurts, so,  I do see the potential for injury.  I will have to keep that in mind as I shoot for faster times. In any event, I am excited! 

I think I will be doing The OC half Marathon on May 6th, where I would like to do around 1:45. My PR is 1:48:17. I think that is doable, given my splits in the full where I was definitely holding back because it was a full marathon. The half is and has always been my favorite distance so I am looking forward to really nailing it. My Niece Stephanie and her Husband Jake will be doing the 5k as their first race (which I am very excited about, and hope to be the first of many for them) along with Brittany doing the half. Then, most likely the Long Beach Marathon on October 7th, where I will try and take everything I learned from Surf City and try and better my time. These three races make up the Beach City Challenge and earns you a cool medal, so why not? I love these races anyway! Brittany has committed to all three and I am looking very forward to doing them with her. It is great to be excited about doing races agin. I realize how much I really miss it! 

I am also registered for the Malibu Creek 50k on March 3rd. When I registered, I had thought I would be working until mid March, then have a little time off. The plan was to do my tour (whether running or cycling) from Blaine, Washington to San Diego, CA as soon as I was done with this job. If I was to run it, I figured it would take about two months. I have been also giving serious consideration to cycling it and making it more of a laid back trip where I could have the flexibility to see all the great breweries along that route and see more things and meet more people along the way. I got a call a couple weeks back and got offered to shoot Motocross starting in May, with a couple shoots at the end of April. I shot Supercross for three seasons and love the gig, the people and of course the travel, so I took it. This changes my plans a little for a Canada to Mexico trip. Hmm... what to do? I could fit a cycling trip into that window, but I would have to back out of the 50k since I would need to leave in a couple of weeks. I will be done with the job I am working on, BUT, I started thinking about my training for the upcoming races. Yes, I would be riding the whole time, but it is certainly not the same thing. I don't want to just run these races, I want to better my times and really focus. I've also been getting more dedicated to strength training and muscle building and riding a bike from brewery to brewery WILL be a bit of a setback in that area as well. SO... I have a lot to think about. Right now, it is just trying to prioritize and decide what appeals to me the most. I would also be doing the ride (running it does seem out of the question at this point, given the time constraint) in the rainiest season. I haven't decided yet, I will just keep an open mind and let circumstances point me in the right direction. Either way, I have great things to look forward to and that in itself is a nice change.

Paul

Finally.... A SUB 4 MARATHON!!!!

Boy am I happy to finally be able to write this post. I finished the Surf City Marathon in 3:56:16!!

I went into the race hoping to finish in under 4 hours, but told myself that I would be happy just to PR. Well, I did both and PR'd by over 10 minutes. I couldn't have been happier.

The wonderful weekend started off on Friday, when my race buddy (and daughter) Brittany and I went to the expo. We love Expos and spent over 3 hours going to every booth, checking out the merchandise and trying all the samples. Unfortunately, our favorite vendor, Dirty Red Gear, wasn't there so I wasn't able to buy Brittany anything from her, but we did see some other cool stuff like this.

Which is something I say, but wouldn't wear. And, this

Which is something we both say, in fact it was printed on Brittany's bib for the race. She didn't end up getting any clothes but we did get new race belts from Hippie Runner and they worked great. They were lightweight and didn't bounce during the race. Yeah, we really do love the expos!

Leaving the expo, we had someone take a picture of us at the entrance and as we were going back to my truck, I looked into my window and caught this.

The inside of my truck was dark but the reflection in the side view mirror was glowing. It was phenomenal! Even better than what I captured, as when I finally got the door open and lined up the shot, the sun had set a little more and it was glowing a little less intense than it was a minute earlier. Nevertheless, it was a magical moment and a precursor of the weekend to come.

My start time for the full was at 6:30 and Brittany's was 8:10 for the half. With almost a full 2 hours between our start times, I wasn't sure if Brittany wanted to go that early with me, but she said that she wouldn't want to sleep in on race morning anyway, so my Dad was kind enough to drive us both down to the race to avoid parking issues and we got to enjoy a perfect morning together.

We got there so early, it was dark and there was hardly anyone there yet.

A few minutes before the start.

I was very nervous for the race. I trained right on my paces and managed to stay injury free, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to achieve my goal. In the past, I know now, that I had trained too slow. I had had injuries and started doing low heart rate training. Well, too much of that makes you... slow! So, I really stuck to my prescribed paces for a 4 hour marathon and this time would have no excuses.

I also decided that instead of going out at a 9:09 pace and trying to maintain that throughout the race (putting a lot of pressure on myself in those last 5 or 6 miles to not slow down) I would do what I know is not recommended and go out a little faster and bank a little time. I was pretty confident I could do this since I did my last 22 mile run at 9:11 pace and that was a training run and felt fine at the end.


Here are my splits with heart rate.

Mile 1 8:41 167
Mile 2 8:25 179
Mile 3 8:25 179
Mile 4 8:38 181
Mile 5 8:19 179
Mile 6    8:25 180
Mile 7    8:16 183
Mile 8 8:21 182
Mile 9 8:35 180
Mile 10 8:10 178
Mile 11 8:27 177
Mile 12 8:33 177
Mile 13 8:23 178
Mile 14 8:17 180
Mile 15 8:33 181
Mile 16 8:30 180
Mile 17 9:03 178
Mile 18 9:30 175
Mile 19 9:25 174
Mile 20 9:56 173
Mile 21 9:49 174
Mile 22 9:23 175
Mile 23 10:10 173
Mile 24 10:33 173
Mile 25 10:31 174
Mile 26 10:13 175
Finish 9:27 179

My overall average heart rate was 177, compared to previous marathons, this was 2-3 bpm lower, so I definitely don't feel like I went out too fast. I slowed at the end mainly due to fatigue in my legs, not overall fatigue and when I finished, I felt great everywhere except my legs. I felt much better than I had in any prior marathon. I had figured that if I could get to mile 20 by about 2:50 minutes, I would have an hour and ten minutes to do the final 6.2 miles. I got to the 20 mile mark at 2:53 and felt comfortable with that. I kept doing math in my head and knew what pace I had to maintain to come in under 4 hours. My legs were feeling heavy and I walked the water stations the last few miles and did a gel and some shot bloks that were provided by the race. By 3:30 I only had 2 1/2 miles left and was pretty sure I was going to make it. I did get a slight cramp in my left calf that luckily didn't turn into a full cramp, then about 5 minutes later, got one in my right calf. I thought, that might be the only thing that might actually stop me from my goal. Luckily it didn't. 

Running all of those "marathons" across the country really helped me mentally in the race. It has erased the stigma of 26.2 miles in my head. Yes, there are all the physical things that happen when running 26.2 at this faster pace, but I have run more miles so many times that I could tell myself that it was "no big deal". It worked enough to keep me going and not slow too badly. I only had one pace group pass me and that was the 3:55 pace group. I have had pace groups pass me in past races and it is so demoralizing. Watching your dream go past you literally sucks! But with a 1/2 mile left to go at 3 hours and 50 minutes, I was sure the 4:00 pace group wouldn't pass me this time. It was the best half mile of my life. I enjoyed knowing that I was finally going to break 4 hours and let myself smile and enjoy the crowd. I opted to not listen to any music this race as well. I'm not sure if that had anything to do with it, but I sure did not miss it. I felt more present and was able to be in my head more, mostly in a good way. 

My Father came out and cheered us on at the finish. Brittany finished the half in 2:28:33 and her goal was 2:30. Mission accomplished for her as well! We met up with my Dad and went to the beer garden and met some friends, then, met a coworker of Brittany's who organizes the cycling volunteers and had a great conversation with them over some Stone IPA. Wow! what an epic day!

Now that I have finally ran a sub 4 marathon, I need to come up with another goal. I would need to shave 26 minutes off of that time to qualify for Boston. Somehow, that seems a little less out of reach now!

Paul