A Personal Worst (Part Two)...

There was no sunlight, but I saw the suggestion of it in the thinning clouds looming above. I saw the possibility of it.

Maybe this was a portent of things to come. Maybe, this too shall pass. Maybe, the storms would subside.

Everyone loves a comeback. I could comeback. I could be the lion in winter.

It had been awhile since I'd roared, but I thought the roar might still be there. My claws weren't as keen, but I could sharpen them. I was bruised, but not broken.

The words from an ex from the distant past reminded me of something I had forgotten, 'You are a fighter.' I wasn't done fighting yet. I could get back up.

I was still standing. I could still walk. I could even run.

The lion started to growl. It was restless. It was anxious to hunt again.

But, a successful hunt always requires the right strategy. The timing of each strike is critical. Mistime any of them and your prey goes free.

But, the road is no ordinary prey. The road is very much a predator itself. I knew I could never really beat the road. But, I wouldn't let it beat me today. 

It would never forget me. It would feel my wrath. It would bleed. It would remember me.

I wasn’t capable of a personal best today. But, I could still do something I had never done before. I could attack the last 10K.

I would bare my fangs. I would roar. I would unleash the beast. As it so happened, this was the word emblazoned on my shirt that day. I was a beast.

The beast had been chained and caged up deep inside for far too long. He was a potent mix of self-loathing, sadness, disappointment, and rage. He was eager for a kill.

The beast needed to be kept on a short leash. He could kick ass or just as easily get your ass kicked. I knew I could get the former if I played my cards right.

I had a sense of how hard and how fast I could go. It was about 20 miles. Then, I would need some help for the rest.

The rest would take me about 30 minutes, maybe less if I was lucky. The 'beast' could handle 30 minutes. This could get me to the finish line.

Mile 20 arrived. I had subsumed the darkness for 20 miles. I had bottled it up for much longer. It was time for release.

I didn't unleash the beast yet. But, I loosened the leash. The beast growled, snarled, and snapped hungrily. I smiled darkly.

All in due time. You will hunt soon. You will get your kill.

I dug into the well. I didn't have to dig deep. It all came spilling out.

The disappointment came. The sadness washed over. The rage raged.

It was a volatile and dangerous cocktail. I growled audibly. I got a few uncomfortable looks from those running next to me. I smiled back.

They had nothing to fear, unless they crossed me. None of them looked like they would. I am sure I looked crazy.

There was little doubt I was uncorking it. Every once in a while you have to say, 'What the fuck? Make your move.'

I was making my move. Win or lose, fast or slow, I wanted to do something true to me. Nothing could stop me, but me. This last 10K was all about me.

Most of my days and miles were dedicated to others. Such is the plight of a running coach. The running you do is often not for you. It’s in support of others. 

I’d chosen this path thinking it was a perfect storm of sorts. I’d help others and I’d help myself. But, it didn’t necessarily work that way. 

Few runs were truly my own anymore. But, this one was. These last 6.2 miles were all mine. I wouldn’t be sharing them with anyone. 

Mile 20 rolled by quickly as the beast began to take hold. I was feeling it. But, I was also feeling something else. It was a tightness.

My hamstring was complaining. I had tempted fate by doing this marathon. My grossly abbreviated training cycle had spanned all of six weeks, if that.

I was asking a lot of my body. It was a bad habit of mine. My ‘torpedoes be damned’ approach to training paid dividends, but it also burned me not infrequently.

I grappled with what the next move should be. I just needed a few more miles. I dialed into the tightness. 

I shortened my stride. I lengthened my stride. I ran a self-diagnostic to come up with some kind of prognosis.

It seemed to be holding. The tightness didn't seem to worsen when I adjusted my stride. But, how much more could it take?

I had no idea. It could lock up entirely in a minute. It might hold for another mile.

I hemmed and hawed. I vacillated. I finally got clarity.

I would talk to my hamstring. I would acknowledge its complaints. I would empathize.

Then, I would ask it very nicely to just hold on for another 30 minutes. I promised to take care of it once we reached the finish line. I begged it to just give me a little bit more.

The hamstring frowned. It gave me an angry glare. Grudgingly, it agreed to try. It was all I could ask.

With the hamstring seemingly placated, it was time to move on. It was time to exorcise the demons. It was time to finish.

 

A personal worst....

I had six marathons under my belt. Each one had been a beast. But, each one had also been a best.

My streak of personal bests was coming to an end. I knew this as I toed the line for my seventh crack at 26.2. There was no question about it. 

At every previous marathon, I had been at my best. I had known I was in the best shape of life or something close to it. This time was markedly different.

I was far from my best. I could finish a marathon, but I couldn’t expect more than this. I was a shadow of the runner I had been just a year prior.

A year prior, I managed to improve my personal best by two minutes. It wasn’t a huge improvement, but it was still a personal best. It was also a triumphant return to the marathon after I’d been derailed by plantar fasciitis for more than two years.

There was little sense of triumph a year later as I scowled at the dark, angry clouds overhead. It seemed they’d been following me around for quite some time. Very little had gone my way the past few months. 

My tiny business had become mired in a legal battle that generated enormous stress. The plantar fasciitis that had derailed my running three years ago returned with a vengeance. Rounding things out, my girlfriend dumped me unceremoniously.

Nothing had panned out the way I’d hoped. The dark clouds looming overhead resonated for me. I was dark, stormy, and angry. 

While a personal best wasn’t possible given the feeble state of my running the past few months, there was still something to be done over the course of 26.2 miles. I had demons to exorcise.

A coach told me once I ran angry. He was right. I always ran well with a chip on my shoulder. The chip was never larger than it was that morning. 

I’d exorcise some of the demons and the darkness that hung over me, maybe all of it.

I rolled back my shoulders. I took a few deep breaths. I stretched nervously. The clouds rumbled overhead. A storm was coming.

The gun fired and the exorcism began. I wasn’t sure if 26.2 miles would be enough to exorcise everything. But, nothing else had worked thus far.

Running was always my go to place whenever something went awry. The act calmed and cleansed me. I was in need of both. 

I worked to keep the dark emotions from creeping in the first few miles. They would do me no good early. The frustration, the disappointment, the sadness, the anger, all of it would be useful later.

Still, some unpleasant thoughts crept in. They slithered to the front of my mind. What had I done so wrong? What had I done to incur such a shitstorm? Why does life always have a tendency to hit you so hard when you're down?

There were no answers. So, I ran. At least running makes you feel like you are moving forward. Brooding over unanswerable questions never does.

The battle between the nagging, unhelpful questions and the effort to quiet them lasted for a few miles. 6 miles in, the mind was quiet. I hit my stride. 

It wasn't the runner's high, but it was close. I tried to lose myself in the act. 

Spend as little time in contact with the ground. Breathe in. Breathe out. Expend as little as possible. Rinse and repeat. 

Some people wonder why I run. It's hard. It hurts. 

They are right to wonder. Running is really hard even when you are really good at it. Often, it just hurts. 

But, then the moment arrives. It could be the runner's high. It could be divine intervention. Suddenly, the hard and the hurt don't matter. 

All that matters is the mile in front of you. It's a perfect wave. You have to seize it.

You don't know when it is going to end. You don't want it to. So, you ride it.

If you're lucky, it lasts longer than a mile. If you're extraordinarily lucky, it gets you all the way to the finish line.

I didn't care how long this moment would last. I was just so tired of feeling crappy. I was thrilled to have a minute or a mile of feeling good again.

I had begun to wonder lately if that's really all one could hope for--fleeting moments of happiness surrounded largely by dark, damaging storms. I had weathered too many of them as of late.

Happiness had been hard to come by the past few months. Stress had become me. It was a dark place.

Running had been the only place where I could find even brief, fleeting, ephemeral moments of happiness and a vague hint of hope the past few months. I deserved a bit of it on race day. I earned it.

A few miles later, the dark clouds overhead began to thin and break apart. I was halfway there. 13.1 miles remained.

To be continued....

Epic Run 6ish Miles-05/14/2016

We'll get things rolling with an easy 1/2 mile warmup run to Julius Kahn Park from A Runner's Mind (3575 Sacramento St) and we'll do some range of motion drills with Revision Athletics in the park before starting the run.

 
Here's a link to the course map....
 
Epic Run Course Map 6ish Miles
Epic Run Printable Cheat Sheet/TBT Directions

Here's a description of said course..

-Launch from Julius Kahn Park. Follow dirt trail towards Arguello. Turn right on Arguello.   
-Shortly after turning right you will cross the street and veer left onto Bay Area Ridge Trail.  
-Continue on Bay Area Ridge Trail (Look for signs and flour markings). 
-You'll follow Bay Area Ridge Trail to Park Avenue/Amatury Loop.
-You'll follow Bay Area Ridge Trail across Park Avenue. Roughly a 1/4 mile later look for flour markings on your RIGHT and continue following Bay Area Ridge Trail to Rob Hill Campground (it will be on your left).
-Run through the parking lot of Rob Hill Campground and turn LEFT and the end of the parking lot onto Washington.
-Run along Washington for 1/10th of a mile and cross over to Immigrant Point Overlook for an EPIC view! At Immigrant Point Overlook take steps down to Lincoln Blvd.
-Cross Lincoln Blvd. Join Battery to Bluffs Trail and follow trail until you reach the top of the stairs that are adjacent to Lincoln.
-Turn around here and head back through Rob Hill Campground onto Bay Area Ridge Trail until you reach Park/Amatury Loop.
-Head LEFT and follow Park Trail downhill. Look for flour markings. Follow Park Trail until you reach the intersection of Lincoln/McDowell.
-Turn around and head back up Lincoln/McDowell.

-Once you crest the hill (at Park/Amatury Loop), turn LEFT onto Bay Area Ridge Trail and head back to Julius Kahn.

Saturday Recovery Run @ PSOAS (3-6 miles)-06/18/16

Saturday's recovery run launches at PSOAS Massage/Bodywork at 333 3rd Street between Folsom/Harrison.

If you need to use the restroom, change, and/or store some personal items, head up to PSOAS in Suite 205.

Here's a link to the course map-

Saturday's Run Course Map.

Here is a brief description of the course:

We will cross Folsom from 3rd Street onto the sidewalk and take a right. We will run along Folsom all the way to the Embarcadero. We will cross the street and take a left onto the Embarcadero.

Run along the Embarcadero past the Ferry Building. Look for the street sign for ‘GREEN’. This is a hair over 1.5 miles. Beginner runners turn around here and head back for 3 miles!

Continue running along the Embarcadero. Look for the Hillstone Restaurant on the LEFT side of the Embarcadero at Embarcadero/Bay. This is 2 miles. Intermediate runners turn around here and head back for 4 miles!

Continue running along the Embarcadero until it turns into ‘Jefferson’. Run along Jefferson to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. Look for the CVS drugstore on the left. This is 2.5 miles. Advanced runners turn around here and head back for 5 miles!

Run through Fisherman’s Wharf right to the edge of Aquatic Park. Once you reach the cul-de-sac at the edge of Fisherman’s Wharf/Aquatic Park, you’ve logged 3 miles. Race level runners turn around and head back to PSOAS for 6 MILES!

I run because of the small things....

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I have a mound of unread emails. Countless text messages pile up. The list of to do's is daunting.
 
I should address all of them. All of them are high priority. Running is the last thing I should be doing.
 
But, I lace up the shoes and go. I create space between everything and me. None of the aforementioned can follow me.
 
Thoughts of the undone items rattle around. I pick up the pace. My labored breathing silences them.
 
A brilliant blue sky surrounds me. The blindingly white clouds awe. The sun shines brightly radiating heat.
 
I am not saving lives. No one is going to die if I delay responding to my texts. No lives will be lost if the to do list doesn't shrink.
 
Surely, there are more emails accumulating in my inbox. Undoubtedly, a voicemail has arrived. I press on uphill.
 
The sweat pours out of me. Accompanying it are the worries, doubts, and fears. The voices chiding me for leaving it all behind are faint.
 
Rome wasn't built in a day nor was it lost in a day. What I have built will still be there when I return. I will be as well.
 
I crest the hill and am blessed with a view that nearly brings me to tears. I am so small. The universe is so huge.
 
I am reminded how little I am in the grand scheme of things. It is a welcome humbling. I run on.
 
It's not the size of the dog, but the size of the fight in the dog. As small as I might be, I've got plenty of fight in me. I snarl and carry on.
 
Stay the course. Relax and focus. This too shall pass.
 
My go to mantras never fail. My breathing calms. My strides even.
 
I won't be overwhelmed. The small things won’t fell me. All of the things that got me out here are small.
 
The road stretches on and the small things become smaller. The things I sweat aren't even real. They aren't tangible.
 
They may slow me down. But, they can't stop me. I won't let them.
 
I won't allow them to keep up. I surge again asking my legs to turn faster. They comply.
 
I put a gap on them. Small and frail, they wheeze and gasp behind me. They are fading.
 
I smile to myself as I shift up one more gear. I really put the hurt on them. I obliterate any hope they have of catching me.
 
They might be done, but I'm not. I still have a few miles to go. I want to relish this one.
 
My stride relaxes. My mind quiets. The flow washes over me.
 
I lose myself. The road rolls by unnoticed. No effort is expended. The day is mine.
 
The large things loom ahead. But, they are few. They might fell me, but not today.
 
Today, I move forward. Today, I put the small things behind me.

Saturday Long Run (04/09/16, 8-12 miles).

We'll get things rolling with an easy 1/4 mile (approx) warmup run to Jordan Ave.  

We'll segue into some range of motion drills and then continue with our run towards Golden Gate Park!

 
Here's a link to the course map....
 
Saturday ARM Long Run Course Map

Here's a description of said course...

-Launch from A Runner's Mind. Turn LEFT on Cherry across California Street and continue onto Jordan Ave. Look for chalk arrows/markings.
-Continue on Jordan Ave. to Geary. Take a 'slight' left and run across Geary on Stanyan St.
-Follow Stanyan to the intersection of JFK/Stanyan (big, controlled intersection with stoplights)
-Turn RIGHT on JFK and continue running into Golden Gate Park. This is just under 1.5 miles into the run. 
-Continue running through Golden Gate Park until you run under the overpass and reach the intersection of JFK/Transverse. This is a controlled intersection (four way stop). This is 3 miles. Continue running along JFK to JFK/Transverse. Move over to the LEFT side of JFK. 
-1/2 a mile later you will reach the intersection of JFK/Chain of Lakes Drive East. This is FOUR miles. Beginner runners will turn around here and head back to A Runner's Mind for 8 MILES!
-Everyone else will run through this intersection and continue on the left side of JFK until you reach a T-intersection.
-Run through the pedestrian crosswalk and turn RIGHT to continue on JFK (you will be on the dirt path on the LEFT of JFK) until you reach the parking lot area for the BEACH CHALET SOCCER FIELDS ON YOUR LEFT. There is a sign here for your visual cue. Look for a 'RC 9' in chalk. This is 4.5 miles. Intermediate level runners will turn around here and head back to A Runner's Mind for 9 MILES!
-All other runners will continue on JFK towards the Great Highway. Turn LEFT on the Great Highway until you reach the Beach Chalet. Advanced level runners will turn around here and head back to A Runner's Mind for TEN MILES!
-Race level runners will continue along the Great Highway.
-Race level runners will continue running along the Great Highway until you reach the intersection of Great Highway and Lawton. Look for a 'RC12' and turn around and head back to A Runner's Mind for TWELVE MILES! 

Saturday's Recovery Run (3/26/16)

Saturday's recovery run launches at PSOAS Massage/Bodywork at 333 3rd Street between Folsom/Harrison.

If you need to use the restroom, change, and/or store some personal items, head up to PSOAS in Suite 205.

Here's a link to the course map-

Saturday's Recovery Run Course Map.

Here is a brief description of the course:

We will cross Folsom from 3rd Street onto the sidewalk and take a right. We will run along Folsom all the way to the Embarcadero. We will cross the street and take a left onto the Embarcadero.

Run along the Embarcadero past the Ferry Building. Look for the street sign for ‘GREEN’. This is a hair over 1.5 miles. Beginner runners turn around here and head back for 3 miles!

Continue running along the Embarcadero. Look for the Hillstone Restaurant on the LEFT side of the Embarcadero at Embarcadero/Bay. This is 2 miles. Intermediate runners turn around here and head back for 4 miles!

Continue running along the Embarcadero until it turns into ‘Jefferson’. Run along Jefferson to the intersection of Jefferson/Powell. Look for the CVS drugstore on the left. This is 2.5 miles. Advanced runners turn around here and head back for 5 miles!

Run through Fisherman’s Wharf right to the edge of Aquatic Park. Once you reach the cul-de-sac at the edge of Fisherman’s Wharf/Aquatic Park, you’ve logged 3 miles. Race level runners turn around and head back to PSOAS for 6 MILES!

Saturday Long Run (6-9 miles)-03/19/16

We'll get things rolling with an easy 1/4 mile warmup run to Julius Kahn Park.  

We'll segue into some range of motion drills and then continue with our run towards the Marina/Embarcadero

 
Here's a link to the course map....
 
Saturday ARM Long Run Course Map

Here's a description of said course...

-Descend from Julius Kahn Park to MacArthur Ave. 
-Turn RIGHT on MacArthur Ave and follow to Presidio Ave.
-Veer RIGHT on Presidio Ave towards Lincoln Ave. 
-Turn LEFT on Lincoln. Run briefly along Lincoln and then turn RIGHT on Girard. 
-Follow Girard to the Marina. Girard turns into Marina Boulevard. 
-Continue running on Marina Blvd. Once you reach the Marina Green Monkey Bars, you will have logged 2 miles.
-Continue on Marina past Safeway and crest Ft. Mason Hill. Descend Fort Mason Hill and run through Aquatic Park. 
-Run until the sidewalk terminates in a cul-de-sac/roundabout. This is 3 miles. Beginners will turn around here and head back to Julius Kahn for 6 MILES!
-Everyone else will continue running into Fisherman's Wharf.
-At the intersection of Jefferson/Powell (this is a stoplight controlled intersection..look for the CVS Pharmacy on the RIGHT), you will have logged 3.5 miles. Intermediate runners turn around here and head back to Julius Kahn for 7 MILES!
-Advanced/Race level runners will continue running on the Embarcadero towards the Ferry Building.
-At the intersection of Embarcadero/Bay (Hillstone Restaurant is on the RIGHT), you will have logged 4 MILES. Advanced runners will turn around here and head back to Julius Kahn for 8 MILES!
-Race level runners will continue running to the intersection of Embarcadero/Green. This is 4.5 MILES. Turn around and head back to Julius Kahn for 9 MILES! 
 

Race Discounts for Team Gilead!

 Check out the discounts below....

-The Jig & Jog 5K on Sun, 3/20 (Use the 'MMRUN' code for $5 off)

-The Presidio 10 on Sun, 4/17 (Use the 'FORSMAN10' code for 10% off)

-The Sasquatch Scramble 5K/10K/Half on Sun, 4/17 (Use the 'RUNCLUB' code for 20% off)

-The Marin County Half Marathon on Sun, 4/24 (Use the 'RUN' code for $5 off)

Ten Miles.

I learned that becoming a runner involves losing a bit of your sanity. It involves subjecting your body to things that leave others stunned and slack jawed. This was the response I encountered most frequently in the days leading up to conquering my first ten miler.

My friends balked. My parents were stunned. Was I ready for this?
 
I had no way of knowing. The idea of running ten miles was like climbing Mount Everest. Few tried it.
 
What happened to those who ran ten miles?  Were they left shattered and destroyed? Did they transcend their physical limits and become a superhero?
 
All these questions rattled around noisily in my head. Over the cacophony of these questions, another faint voice could be heard. This faint voice provided answers.
 
You can do this. You are a runner. You are a contender, not a pretender.
 
I barely heard this voice it was so faint. The deafening questions barely allowed this voice to be heard. But, every once in awhile I would catch a word or two.
 
The day of reckoning was a few days away. It loomed on the horizon ominously. The date was circled on my training diary with the number '10' jotted on it.
 
I became a bit obsessed with the number. There was something about the number 10. I remembered what a big deal it was to turn ten. High school reunions always seemed to happen every ten years.
 
Ten years is commonly known as a decade. Ten yards is what you have to cover to get a first down. Ten miles is what you have to cover to become a real runner.
 
In search of inspiration, I picked up my first issue of Runner's World.  Amidst the countless articles about nutrition, hydration, and shoes was something else. There were stories of runners who ran ten miles.
 
There were stories about runners who ran more than double this distance. They were called marathoners. They ran 26.2 miles.
 
Not only did they run 26.2 miles. They ran 26.2 miles really, REALLY fast. I couldn't even manage a single mile at the pace they were running for nearly THIRTY miles.
 
Ten miles was a mere warmup jog for these otherworldly creatures. These gazelles thought nothing of ten miles. The same ten miles that had me quaking in my boots was nothing for these people.
 
I inhaled the rest of the issue awestruck by the incredible feats these marathoners were performing. How did they get there? How does one possible get into the kind of shape to attempt something like this?
 
I wondered if these athletes had been as daunted by their first ten miler as I was. I imagined their talent was so transcendent that their very first run was ten miles. They simply emerged from the womb born to run.
 
I wasn't born to run. At least, I didn't think I was. Running had been an alternative, a second choice, a last resort. I chose it in lieu of doing nothing.
 
Independent of the articles about the elite marathoners, there were a smattering of articles about runners who were far more pedestrian. They didn't run ridiculously fast times. They didn't win races.
 
But, they ran far. Some of them ran ten miles. Some ran marathons. Few of them seemed like serious athletes.
 
I finished the issue and while I didn't have any easy answers for conquering ten miles, I knew that it had been done. Many had done it before. Some had done much more than ten miles.
 
There were runners out there both elite and far from elite who had done exactly what I was endeavoring to do and more. I didn't know exactly how they had done it, but they had gotten it done. A modicum of confidence crept in.
 
Our last practice prior to our ten miler arrived. It was a casual, light, easy day. We jogged a few slow miles, did some stretching, and went through a few drills.
 
During this practice, a man stood underneath a tree nearby watching us. Someone mentioned it was Tom Dowling. He was an Olympic development coach and our coach’s husband.
 
He watched us intently and periodically took a few notes. I wondered why someone who worked with world-class runners was spending his time watching some high school runners. He studied us as we went through our entire routine.
 
We wrapped things up and began to leave. Before I made my way to the parking lot, I heard someone call my name. It was Tom.
 
He jogged up to me and introduced himself shaking my hand. He told me who he was. Then he said something I would never forget.
 
'I think you will be a great marathoner some day.'
 
I was dumbfounded. I hadn't even run ten miles let alone a marathon. I couldn't fathom covering 26.2 miles, let alone being great at it.
 
What did he see? Did he have me confused with someone else? Was he simply delusional?
 
Maybe he had completely succumbed to the insanity that one had to embrace to become a runner. This made sense. If you run long enough and far enough, you simply lose your mind completely.
 
A pregnant pause ensued as I stared at Tom contemplating all of this. I didn't know what to say.  I couldn't believe what he said. So I said the only thing I could think of to say.
 
'Thanks.'
 
I shook his hand and walked away.  Did he really think I could be one of these athletes I had read about in Runner's World? Could I become this kind of runner?
 
My encounter with Tom kept me awake that night. No one had ever said anything like that to me before. I wasn't sure I even wanted to be a runner.
 
But, the idea of being one of the fastest runners on the planet intrigued. It did more than intrigue. It seduced. It beckoned.
 
 

Run Club Spring 2016 Launch Details-PLEASE READ!

Hey Folks,

I'm looking forward to meeting all of you and getting A Runner's Mind Run Club started on Saturday at 9:30AM @ A Runner's Mind (3575 Sacramento St)!

You will receive a more substantive email later tomorrow with a link to the comprehensive training schedule for this season and a TON of additional details, but I wanted to give you some info. that might be useful in the interim. 

-Parking! Admittedly, finding parking right in front of A Runner's Mind can be challenging and it's mostly metered. The good news is you can find PLENTY of free parallel parking on Clay and/or Washington just a block or two away. 

-Test driving. If you have a friend or two who are interested in checking Run Club out, feel free to extend them an invite. Saturday's launch is largely a glorified orientation/launch party (hence the mimosas and pancakes!) and we're only covering '2' miles on Saturday. So, we're not doing a TON of running.

-Run Club price goes up $10 EOD FRIDAY. If you know anyone who wants to join, but has NOT signed up yet, encourage them to sign up before EOD FRIDAY as the price for full-time/part-time participation goes up $10 EOD FRIDAY. 

-A Runner's Mind VIP gift package and raffle prizes! Yet another reason to sign up before EOD Friday is to make sure you get a VIP gift package and are eligible for the raffle prizes we're giving away on Saturday. The VIP gift package from A Runner's Mind inclues a reusable bag, a water bottle, a $20 ARM giftcard, NUUN samples, and much more! 
Additionally, all officially registered Run Club team members will be entered into our raffle which includes a free entry to the Jig & Jog 5K, The Sasquatch Scramble, A Runner's Mind giftcards, and more!

-$5 off The Jig & Jog 5K on Sun, 3/20! This fun, locally produced Jig & Jog 5K is managed by official Run Club sponsor, A Runner's Mind! Use the code MMRUN to get $5 off this one. BTW, there's a really cool run club challenge associated with this event. The more people who use the MMRUN code, the better! If we win the challenge, A Runner's Mind will host a party for us complete with food, beer, wine, and more! To boot, they'll cut us a check for $1,000! I'd use this cash to produce some SWEET Run Club hats!

-10% discount on The Presidio 10 Miler/10K on Sun, 4/17! We have a few target events this season and one of them is The Presidio 10! This awesome event includes an epic run through the Presidio and across the Golden Gate Bridge, a hot breakfast, post race beers/bloody marys, and more. To boot, I've got the hook up for you! Use the code FORSMAN10 for 10% off! 

-20% discount on The Sasquatch Scramble 5K/10K/Half on Sun, 4/17! If you're looking for a trail party of EPIC proportions, look no further than The Sasquatch Scramble 5K/10K/Half! This one includes epic views, awesome trails, sweet technical shirts, bottle opener medals for half marathoners, post race BEER, massage, and more! I've got the hookup on this one too! Use the code RUNCLUB for 20% off!

I'm working on getting you discounts for a few other races we're targeting this season, so stay tuned! 

If you have any questions/concerns between now and Saturday, please drop me a line!

Cheers,

-Marathon Matt

The Comeback...

The two miles went by swimmingly. I hoped this was a portent of things to come. It was just two miles, but it felt right.
 
I felt connected. I felt in control. I felt in command again.
 
It was running as it used to be. The shoes handled well. They encouraged me to be dialed in.
 
They demanded that I pay attention to every footstrike, every breath, and every mile. All of it counted and none of it could be ignored.
 
I could ill afford to be sidelined again for an extended period of time. I didn't have that luxury. The window was closing. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but I could not ignore the sand in the hourglass.
 
I wouldn't always feel spry. Running six-minute miles wouldn't always feel easy. I was keenly aware of my mortality and how fortunate I was to still be able to do it.
 
I would not take it for granted. I was not promised another mile. Each one that I was lucky enough to have would be savored.
 
My new ride opened my eyes to all I could be doing. The little things mattered. Sheer force of will and mental toughness only gets you so far if your body simply won't comply.
 
I needed to associate more with the act of running. Screw the heart rate monitors, apps, and gadgets. I needed to run like a Kenyan.
 
I needed to feel my way. I would listen to the messages my body would send me. I would listen CLOSELY.
 
Each step, each breath, and each mile provides data. This data can be used to stay upright, to surge, or to dial back if the stars aren't aligned.
 
Any time I hadn't trusted my gut in life, I'd gotten burned. So, trusting my gut to guide my running was an easy decision. I was evolving or perhaps evolving by devolving.
 
I was doing this in a measured, gradual way. Changing or evolving can be painful. This is particularly the case if you do it quickly. We evolve gradually. It's how we're built.
 
So, I built. I built gradually, progressively, and methodically. My mileage climbed, but in almost a glacial, imperceptible way. I worked on my feet. I strengthened my calves.
 
I paid closer attention to the little things. I listened to my body.  Rather than charge ahead despite yellow or red flags, I stopped. I listened. I learned.
 
Then, I took a step forward again....carefully. Then, I took another. The steps added up.
 
The evolution continued. The foam roller became a friend. Massage became a staple, not an indulgence. I treated my body like a temple. Well, aside from the occasional cheeseburger, beer, or glass of wine.
 
I was willing to evolve...to a point. But, I was still a caveman. I was still a persistence hunting knuckle dragger who enjoyed a feast after slaying the beast.
 
My first running Renaissance had been glorious and short lived. I qualified for Boston. I broke three hours. I ran a 2:45.  All of this was done within a two-year span.
 
I even briefly indulged a pipe dream that I could somehow, someway get my time down to an Olympic 'B' qualifying time. This was greatness.
 
This was the greatness Tom had seen. It's what I told myself. It's what I wanted to believe.
 
As the miles added up, I began to wonder if lightning could strike twice.  Could I get back in the ring? Could I rise from the ashes like a Phoenix?
 
I had to think my evolution at least gave me a shot. It would at least get me back to the starting line. At least, that's what I wanted to believe.
 
It happened before. It could happen again. I would become the dark knight of running.
 
I would shake off the rust, work out the kinks, and avenge. I would not be denied again. Woe would befall anything that got in my way.
 
I would be smarter, shrewder, and cagier. Youth might not be on my side. But, experience would be. Wisdom would be.
 
The year ended and for the first time in a long time, there was hope. I had hope my changes were the right ones. My gut told me they were.
 
But, admittedly I was venturing into uncharted territory. I wasn't sure where I was going. This was a new journey for me.
 
But, I needed to find out what greatness was left in me. Was it spent? Could I delve deep and find a little more?
 
I was willing to do whatever I had to in order to get answers. I didn't want to leave anything on the table. I didn't want to find myself down the road ever wondering.
 
This would be the ultimate disservice.  As Steve Prefontaine once said, 'to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.'
 
I had been gifted. I had sacrificed the gift. I had taken it for granted.
 
No more. The gift would be cherished. It would be cared for.
 
My gut told me I still had the gift. No heart rate monitor could tell me. No device could confirm it. But, I still believed.
 
The question was when to hunt next. I believed I was ready to reap the rewards of my evolution. But finding the right time to strike is an art and a science.
 
I didn't want to just run another marathon. I wanted to bend one to my will. I wanted to notch the personal best I had always coveted.
 
What was the point of evolving? What was the point of coming back? What was it all about if I didn't dig as deep if not deeper than I ever had?
 
I found myself gravitating towards the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton who 'endured' despite being plagued by every hardship imaginable. I had broken my hip from running. I'd been derailed for nearly three years from plantar fasciitis.
 
But, I would survive. I would endure. I would overcome just as Shackleton had.
 
 
 

Saturday Recovery Run @ ARM (01/06/16)

We'll get things rolling with an easy 1/4 mile (approx) warmup run to Jordan Ave.  

We'll segue into some range of motion drills and then continue with our run towards Golden Gate Park!

 
Here's a link to the course map....
 
Saturday ARM Recovery Run Course Map

Here's a description of said course...

-Launch from A Runner's Mind. Turn LEFT on Cherry across California Street and continue onto Jordan Ave. Look for chalk arrows/markings.
-Continue on Jordan Ave. to Geary. Take a 'slight' left and run across Geary on Stanyan St.
-Follow Stanyan to the intersection of JFK/Stanyan (big, controlled intersection with stoplights)
-Turn RIGHT on JFK and continue running into Golden Gate Park. This is just under 1.5 miles into the run. 
-Continue running through Golden Gate Park until you run under the overpass and reach the intersection of JFK/Transverse. This is a controlled intersection (four way stop). This is 3 miles. Everyone will turn around here and head back to A Runner's Mind for SIX MILES!

Believe in Magic...

I identify as agnostic. But, I absolutely believe there are beings out there that are much bigger and more powerful than we can possibly imagine. I think we’re probably ants or microbes to them.

We barely show up on their radar. I don’t think our silent pleas to the universe are heard by them in any substantive way. They’ve got much bigger fish to fry...like making black holes, altering the space/time continuum, or giving birth to stars.

BUT...I do think these beings take a day off, enjoy screwing around, or just get bored. On these all too infrequent moments, I suspect these beings fuck around with the weird microbes on the blue and green rock...just for shits and giggles.

The result of this are those bizarre, surreal, and completely implausible moments that you will always remember in vivid detail. These are the experiences that tattoo your cerebral cortex. Those seconds where time froze.

There’s no logical explanation. There’s no scientific explanation. This is what I call magic.

The list of reasons why I run can encompass more than a single book. It’s a staggering list that not even I fully understand. I run to maintain my sanity. I run to slow the aging process. I run to quiet my mind. 

But, there’s ONE reason that stands head and shoulders above all the rest. It’s because RUNNING IS MAGIC.

Yes, running can be drudgery. It can be awful. There are days when it is nothing but an exercise in futility.

But, there are few activities that provide a catalyst for magic quite like running. I’ve had moments that I can barely explain to anyone.

I’ve seen incredible things I never would have seen had I not run. I’ve inexplicably endured things that defy reason because of running.

I’ve had moments where I have clearly been blessed (or cursed) by beings much larger and greater than me for reasons I can never fully grasp.

RUNNING IS MAGIC. Read on for one such illustrative moment.

An Open Invitation to Calamity…

I thought I was passionate about running. I thought I lived and breathed running. I thought I was devout.

Then I spent some time rubbing elbows with a few ultrarunners. I felt like a poser in the presence of these remarkable creatures who ran distances that most humans don’t drive in a week.

I already indulged in selfless self-flagellation regularly; 70 miles a week of it. But, the ultra world was a whole different kind of pain that was completely foreign to me. 

I was intrigued. Curiosity caught hold. Maybe I was suited to this kind of thing and just didn't  know it.  

I spent some time running with these fascinating ultra runners, but I wasn’t one of them. I’d never ventured beyond 26.2. I was a hack. I was a pretender.

But, logging a few miles with them planted the seed. You spend enough time with the infected and it's almost inevitable that you become infected yourself. Could I swing more than 26.2 miles?

The seed germinated when I had the great (mis)fortune to see JB Benna’s incredible documentary ‘Unbreakable’. I should restate that.

I saw the world premier of a phenomenal, inspiring documentary with most of the stars of the film in attendance, 300+ passionate trail runners in attendance, right next the Marin Headlands, on the eve of the North Face Endurance Challenge Championship. This night alone was MAGIC.

While I had been a bit skeptical about the whole ‘ultra’ scene, skepticism became inspiration after feeling a bit of the magic that seems to accompany this scene. There’s also more than a little bit of crazy going on in the ultra scene.

But, crazy was not uncharted territory for me. So, I went with it. I embraced the crazy (a bit more than usual).

I pulled the trigger on a 50K and a 50 miler. I had no idea what I was doing. So, I did what most fools do, I tried to figure it out on my own.

To be continued….