Caitlin Chrisman: Talkin' About Camaraderie in CRC

This morning I bailed on a 6am run from the Dowd YMCA that I had assured several people I would be attending. However, after a tough 300m track workout last night, I decided to set my alarm clock for 6:10am instead and to run on my own. I did this for a variety of reasons:

1. Extra 30 minutes of sleep
2. Slower paced run (I knew the group usually runs faster on Thursdays)
3. Sore quad

However, around 615am, I heard what sounded like a group of hooligans. Awakened out of my groggy slumber, I assumed the noise was my neighbors coming home from a long night out of drinking and decided to ignore them. Then I heard the unmistakable voices of Matt Jaskot and Aaron Linz saying something about “Hop the Fence!”. It really sounded like they were directly outside my bedroom door, on the back patio.

I found out later that Matt was just trying to jump my fence because Jay had told him my fence was locked (it wasn’t Jay, fyi). With the first attempt an obvious fail, they opted for my front door, which did not allow for as close of a proximity to my bed. Don’t be fooled though, I could still hear their voices clear as ever.

I immediately jumped out of bed because I thought they would all come storming in and see me in my underwear, so I threw on some shorts, and opened up the front door. All I could see were blurry blobs of people and a big light in my eyes. At first I thought it was a car’s headlights, but it was really just Aaron’s headlamp. I didn’t have my glasses or contacts on, so I was practically blind. I told them I needed a couple of minutes. Not sure if they could tell this at the time, but I was absolutely flattered. Little did they know I literally had just gotten out of bed, so I put on my contacts, threw on a sports bra and shirt, and laced up my shoes in record time. I didn’t even have time to go pee, so that combined with the unexpected fast pace for my tired legs made for an unpleasant first 25 minutes of the run.

With my contacts in, I saw that the people who waited patiently for me were: Matt Jaskot, Jay Holder, Justin Breland, Danielle Walther, Aaron Linz, Kevin Ballantine, and Jason Martin. At the Providence Road intersection, I veered off so I could run home and pee in a bush, and the larger group ran on to add more en route to the Dowd.

However, everything aside, I think this story in itself portrays the camaraderie of the Charlotte Running Club perfectly. Longtime club member, Matt Jaskot, was joining us for his last run before he embarks on a journey across the US in a van and people came to see him off. My own teammates went out of their way and waited in the semi-cold weather for me to pull my clothes on to run with them.

I doubt many other running groups can boast that their running groups transforms into traveling cheering and support squads. Further examples include after Cherry Blossom when Aaron and Justin stopped by my house in the middle of one of their runs to knock on my door and surprise me and also after OBX when Thomas and Michelle did the same. Aaron mentioned in his Boston Marathon recap how many facebook messages, text messages, and voicemails he had received after his race. This shared sense of accomplishment is what makes the Charlotte Running Club unique. I hope that those of you who are in the Club can experience this sense of camaraderie that a weekly Thursday morning group has created over the last eight months.

PR with a Poop – Part 3 of 3

Written by Aaron Linz

I crossed the finish line and knew I had over a 3 minute PR. Tremendous relief and emotion came over me right away but my first concern was figure out how I could stop walking without a volunteer shoving me along. They are doing the right thing but my back immediately locked up, I was having trouble keeping my balance, was cold from having no shirt on and really wanted to just stop. Boston has a LONG walk down a couple blocks to get to your bags. As I was stumbling along, the medical folks (volunteers in red jackets) kept coming up to me and asking me if I was ok. I initially said, ya I think so as I just finished 26.2 so I had every reason to be tired but I thought I was ok and did not want the medical folks spending time with me when most likely other folks with more serious issues needed them.

Things started to go bad quickly when I realized I was not walking well without the heavy assistance of a volunteer holding my arm and I started having trouble breathing. I kept moving forward which honestly hurt more than the last stinking mile of the marathon. I was able to stop and get my finishers medal. A huge wave of emotion hit me and I am not gonna lie, I cried like a little girl! I was so overwhelmed with emotion of what I had accomplished and thought of all the folks that helped and supported me. I just broke down. You younger men will find out that as you get older, you start to transform into a girl when it comes to emotions. There are events that I would have kicked my ass for when I was younger (“There’s no crying in baseball”) that now easily have me fighting back tears. Maybe I am man enough now to know it is ok to show some emotion. Maybe it is the metro sexual wardrobe I have adopted as I have lost weight and ditched those horrible baggy clothes from the 90s. I don’t know! But back to running 

After several medical volunteers passing me off to the next set of volunteers, I saw them getting a wheel chair ready. They asked me if I needed a ride in the wheel chair. I doubt it was much of an option because as soon as I was in that thing, that was a ticket to the medical tent. As they were wheeling me that way, I pointed out that to the right was my bag bus and literally as I am pointing that way telling the volunteer where to go, we take a sharp left for the medical tent. Crap! I had read about the medical tent in Runners World as they did a cool job describing how they scan your number in, have 6 ambulances ready to go and all the beds, etc they have setup to assist runners.

Before we head into the tent, as I was getting wheeled over, I hear a shout from behind say “Aaron Linz is my hero”…I knew it was Jay…I really wanted to respond but I was too exhausted and out of it to even turn around. I really appreciate it though as he knew I had a good day and it was a beautiful gesture of respect.

About 6 folks including an attending physician started asking me lots of questions and by now, I was really having trouble getting a deep breathe and I was shivering uncontrollably. I kept apologizing for being in there as I was really concerned I was wasting their time and that someone in much worst attention would not be getting it because I was holding up the line. As it turns out I think of the 30 beds in there at the time, there were only 2 of us. I guess one advantage to being fast is you can get first in line for medical help!

So, they took my temperature and it was 92! I thought this was a mistake but I distinctly remember them taking it a couple minutes later and it was still that. According to my sister who is doc and Mom who is a nurse, apparently I was close to shock. The doc had me walk around slowly as he said if I laid down, there would be a good chance my body would shut down. I am a medical idiot as anything hospital/medical freaks me out and I have never cared to learn much as again, sister is doc, mom nurse, Dad had heart transplant, wife is in nursing school. I am not really sure what “shut down” meant but it didn’t sound good. They wrapped me in a bunch of blankets.

Walking frankly was exhausting so they helped me lay down on a cot and I was wrapped in even more blankets. They gave me some water and best of all, some hot soup. So this went on for awhile and I had to get up and walk every couple minutes. I started to feel better I think after 20 min and one of the volunteers got my bag for me and came back. That was Awesome as I was able to change out of my wet clothes and put on my own warm dry stuff. I retired a pair of Asics shoes that I had already decided would have their last run that day. Because I was not thinking well and didn’t want to carry it, I retired a new pair of Mizuno shorts and a new pair of Beluga socks. Dropped my pants right in the tent in front of too many folks but I really didn’t care. I had already got pretty personal with these folks 

What is amazing to me is I think what was 30 min or so in the tent and I was read to head out. I really have no idea how much time passed but I doubt it was longer than that as I was able to quickly find Jay and I found my buddy Billy and his folks. I think the docs said it was dehydration but again, I am no good with this stuff. All I know is I have been dehydrated before, started seeing stars, had to have my mom wake me up every 15 min on the couch to force Gatorade down me, etc but having trouble breathing was a new one for me.

Looking back, I thought I did ok drinking water but I did start going every other water stop and I know I got hardly any Gatorade in me. I also had maybe half of 3 Gels as I was so tired of those darn things from 4 months of training with them. All good reasons that I have already linked up with Megan Hovis to help improve my race nutrition for future races.

I grabbed some extra water before I headed out of the tent, thanked everyone lots and lots and tried to put some food in me.

Walked out of the tent and pretty quickly found Jay. Chatted with Lauren and then got to meet the Holder family for the first time. Met Billy and his folks. We got a good picture that I am waiting on from his folks and then headed for the subway. I was actually feeling ok and Billy and I were looking forward to ordering a pizza.

We got back to our hotel, turned on my phone and it went nuts! I must have had 15 text messages, a couple voice mails, a ton of facebook congrats. While I began going thru them, Billy ordered us a large pepperoni pizza.

I made some calls, answered some texts and then ate the heck out of some pizza. We threw on our swim suits and headed for the hot tub.

Our grand plan was to then nap but more phone calls, texts, shower, lounging around and before you know it, the time had come to head out.

We went straight to a Dunkin Donuts, got coffee and donuts and then took a cab to meet up with folks. It certainly was not a wild and crazy night but fun to meet up with others, chat about races and enjoy lots of greasy food that none of us had eaten in awhile.



Slept well but got up around 6.30am (stupid habit). Decided to head out on a run to play with my new GPS watch. My quads were killing me but according to the garmin I ran 2 miles in 7.30 and then 7 flat. Billy and I decided to do some sightseeing so after a nice breakfast, we headed over to downtown Boston. I think my legs got worse as the day went on because all stairs looked evil and even the cobble stones in the older parts of Boston hurt to walk on. We needed to walk to loosen our legs so while moving around hurt, I think it was good.

I do highly recommend that you attempt to walk lots the day after a marathon. Go as slow as you want and rest lots but you need to move around. I would also recommend you go on a short run a couple days after. It is going to hurt no matter when you start up so might as well get it over with as you will hurt just as much on that run 3 days after vs. 7 days after.

Flight home was eventful except that USAIR was super cool and said all marathoners could board the plane first! There were marathoners even all the way back in Charlotte that were on the shuttle back to the garage. Again, I had seen the folks before as we don’t have that big of a running community in Charlotte, however again, names I am no good with.

Got home, medal to my daughter as usual and a few gifts for wife and daughter as usual. I slept great and went back to work Wednesday to start back my road to recovery.

So there you have it! Lengthy 3 part series about the PR with a Poop! I enjoyed writing it and hope you all were entertained at least a little.

Happy Running!

Declared Your Fall Marathon Yet?

So finishing one marathon you find yourself already thinking about your next. It is a sick thought process that after you just tortured your body and swore it was the most painful thing you ever did...a day goes by and you think about how you can improve :)

Here is what I have heard so far about the Fall and folks in Charlotte.
1) Twin Cities - several folks going out to that one from CRC. Flat and fast.
2) Chicago - always popular and I know a couple members heading that direction.
3) MCM - lots of folks for Charlotte heading to the Nations Capital for this one. Sold out except for charity spots.
4) NYC - another big one that draws plenty of people from here - sold out
5) OBX - usually between the full and half, about 10-15 Charlotte folks go.
6) Richmond - I am going so selfishly I would love to see as many folks from Charlotte so we can have some fun together :) Would love to return back up to MCM but it is halloween.

Others? Philly is usually popular for folks here at a few people head down to Atlanta.

Of course super late fall/early winter don't forget Thunder Road right here in our back yard.

We will be doing more to try and help link folks up for training for fall full and half marathons and also to help you find familiar faces to travel/room/race/celebrate with for your marathon journey (or half marathon journey).

Happy Running :) - Aaron

PR with a Poop - Part II

Written by - Aaron Linz

Gun goes off and it takes about 30-40 seconds before I hit the starting line. I do not remember the last race I was not less than 5 seconds from the start line but Boston has some of the best runners in the world. The pace is quick and tight as the roads are narrow at the start. I jump off to the far left shoulder to avoid traffic and am running with my CRC long sleeve shirt on over my singlet and my CRC head band. Jay is about 10 meters in front of me.

Despite the traffic, the excitement of the first mile puts me at 5.54. Ok, good but too fast. Next mile 5.47! Ughhh…I am feeling good but this is ridiculous pace. I think I threw off my long sleeve at a couple of kids and was down to my singlet. Lots of fans and did lots of high 5’s to kids along the way. At mile 5 I really force myself to slow down and I hit 6.14. Jay inches away from me but I can still see him. I contemplate catching up with him but I worry I will not run my pace if I do. I try to latch on with some folks and strike up a conversation but nothing. Guys either up at that level or at Boston were just really competitive. Every half and full I have run, I usually kill at least 5-7 miles chatting with some folks. It is something I look forward to and enjoy about the distance. I am not sure why but that just did not happen.

So….that gave me more opportunity to play with the crowds which some of you know I like to do  I would wait until we passed right into one of the small towns along the way that was like 5-10 people deep on each side and I would yell something like “Way to go fans”. Or if I saw a dunkin donuts, I yelled “Can someone get me a donut?” Stupid stuff but the crowd would respond and go nuts. A lot of those folks had been waiting for an hour or so already and we were the first runners they saw.
Around mile 7/8, I started to not feel so good. Every marathoner goes thru periods in the race were you don’t feel good and have doubts. The trick is to get yourself thru those rough patches. I was a bit nervous about the pace and was concerned I was going to let myself and others down if I ran bad after all I had put into it. I then remembered Thomas and the whole 100 mile race experience. It reminded me that I love to run and I needed to have a smile on my face and ensure I enjoyed the run.
I settled into a good pace and focused on getting to half way.

Around mile 11/12, my stomach started to act up. Unfortunately, once you start thinking you have to go, then it pretty much is downhill from there. I made a decision to get to the water stop at the half way point and then attempt a bathroom break. My splits were well ahead of where I wanted to be and frankly, the rest would be nice. Right past the 13.1 water stop on the left I saw a straight shot into the porta john. Zoomed in, did my business and out I am pretty sure in about 40 seconds as that mile was 6.50 and I was averaging right at 6.10 around then.
Would I have run 40 seconds faster had I not stopped? Debatable. Anything that happens during a race is part of the race. If you get stuck in traffic, get knocked over, have to use the restroom, need to change clothes…these are all the challenges of a race that one must overcome to run well. I was feeling marginal without the bathroom break so would I have continued to maintain the same pace? I don’t know. All I know is I got a quick rest, got my adrenaline flowing again and was back at it.

From 13-16 I was in cruise control mentally preparing myself for the hills. The one exception was heading thru Wesessley. I could hear the cheers from about a half mile away and when I went thru there, the ladies did not disappoint! Thousands of co-eds with signs and cheering loud. Very cool. No kisses for me but I definitely got lots of High 5’s.

As we neared the hills, I literally shouted out “Bring on the Hills” as I was pumping myself up for whatever was ahead. I had heard a lot about the hills at Boston and while they were not small, I thought they were reasonable and forgiving. For each big climb, there was an equal or greater flat and downhill after. I was able to keep my pace pretty good through the hills. Threw my head band off somewhere along the hills as it probably weighed 2 pounds at that point.
Somewhere around mile 17 I heard a familiar shout and saw my buddy Billy’s parents. Mr. and Mrs. Pemberton. It was very comforting to see and hear them as they cheered for Billy and I throughout high school in our cross country and track meets. Super nice folks. They drove all the way from DC to see their son run and I feel equally fortunate that I got to see them.

I had a few other cheers for me specifically that were either CRC folks and in one case, I think my former college coach.

The parties and crowds were growing bigger along the way. Since the whole state of Massachusetts was off, some of the college parties at this point were packed with kegs, folks grilling and folks on roof tops (literally) cheering! Pretty cool party scene!

Before the race, my plan was to run the first half controlled. Maintain in the hills and really try to race the last 21 miles. Instead, I got to the top of heart break hill at mile 21, threw my singlet off and I was absolutely beat! I pretty much went into survival mode. I was trying to keep a good pace but I had little awareness of who was passing me or I was passing. All I remember is some fella from Boston and nearby Summerville or something like that were getting a ton of cheers from folks. I was now known to the crowd as “Skin guy” or “Shirtless guy”. Apparently, this was very comical to lots of fans as I got both yelled at me a lot. All I had to do to acknowledge was a quick thumbs up or a wink and they would go crazy again with cheers!

At 21 I thought that I would focus on getting to 24. If I could get within 2 miles without my body falling apart, I would be ok. I got to 24 and thought, if I can get to 25 I am fine  The crowds at this point were HUGE, really loud and thank goodness as I could have cared less about a PR at this point. I was just constantly reminded each step how much my body hurt all over.

As I neared 25, I was pretty damn sure I saw Jay up ahead. When I fall apart, my head goes back and forth and I sway too much. When Jay does not look good on a run, his head and whole upper body bob a bit too much from one side to the other. While I will not lie that it was motivation to reel Jay in, I immediately felt bad as even though he was on pace for a PR, I know he was hurting bad and was off his stretch goal. Shortly after 25 I caught Jay. For months we have trained together and on our last intervals we always shout out the famous words “UNO MAS”. So…after 4 long months training together and preparing for Boston, with a mile to go, I had the opportunity to utter “UNO MAS” at the perfect time to Jay above the crowd roar! It must have got him a bit pumped as he surged on me and I thought no chance I would be able to respond. But, I kept him in contact and then noticed he was fading. I had no idea how far away the finish was especially since there were fans everywhere so it was hard to peak up ahead around corners. I decided to just go and pick the pace up as at this point, I was going to get a PR and was close enough that even if I cramped up I would be ok.

The final turn and off in the distance was the finish line. I was a bit unclear exactly where the finish was which sounds stupid because there is a huge temporary bridge over it but what confused me was exactly where the finish mat was. I don’t know how but I saw Megan Hovis clear as can be to my left with her huge smile and cheering like mad for me. It was surreal because out of thousands of folks at the finish cheering, it was like she was the only one there and that was super cool! I was kicking to the finish but there was not much left in the tank. I think I caught 1 or 2 guys but I probably got past by one of two which is not like me. With about 15 meters left, I felt a bad cramp in my right hamstring so I slowed just a little. I crossed the finish line and immediately bent over to rest. 2.42.41!!!...over a 3 minute PR from Marine Corps Marathon in October of 2009.

My splits:
Mile Split
1 5.54 6.13 pace
2 5.47 37.04 10k
3 5.56 1.19.21 half
4 5.52 260 overall place
5 6.14 2.42.41 finish time
6 5.58
7 5.59
8 6.12
9 6.05
10 6.11
11 6.09
12 6.1
13 6.06
14 6.49 (restroom break)
15 6.16
16 6.12 12.25 missed split so just divided to get 6.12 and 6.13
17 6.13
18 6.18
19 6.12
20 6.22
21 6.31
22 6.14
23 6.24
24 6.24
25 6.29
26 7.33 (includes 385 yards. Missed 26)

On the flight home I came up with the scoring below. I had time to reflect and think about what I did well and what I might be able to improve upon for a future race.

Training Consistency A+
Fairly injury free and sick free cycle. Had some injuries but did not miss much time and was able to keep training going. Had more miles and more 6 day efforts than ever before.

Workouts B
Intervals were good. Long runs good. Not enough tempos and especially marathon pace tempos over longer distances.

Taper A
79.8,67,52.8,40.8

Pre Race Weekend B-
Ate too much night before and ate greasy meatballs with spagetti which was stupid on my part. Did yard work Sat and hamstrings were really tight Sunday. Started race with left hamstring still tight.

Pre Race Morning B
Struggling with this. Seeing Megan. I think I am eating stuff that is leading to stomach trouble.

Race Hydration/Nutrition C+
Thought I drank ok but skipped some stops and should not have. Didn't take enough GUI and need to consider something else because I am so tired of GUI. Put myself in dangerous place after as visited medical tent. Lost 40 seconds at mile 13.1 to use the porta john to poop.

Effort B+
Splits did not fall off as much as I thought. Was surviving 4 of last 5 miles rather than racing but kept it together and did a good job to compete the last mile.
Pace B-
Too fast at start despite telling myself over and over not to.

Weight A
Was 162 for MCM which was post college low, Got to 159 before Boston. Passed folks on uphills and felt good on uphills which is a good gauge.
Form B+
Really thought about it and ran upright but always an area that I need to be aware of.

Stretching/Strength B-
Should do more core. Get content and not consistent with stretching.


Here is some analysis I did to compare my two most recent (and most successful) marathons. More mileage for Boston but not significantly more.

MCM vs. Boston Training Cycles

3 months Runs Monthly Mileage Average
MCM 72 743.5 10.3 7/22/2009 10/22/2009
Boston 79 861.9 10.9 1/16/2010 4/16/2010
7 118.4 0.6

4 months
MCM 95 966 10.3 6/22/2009 10/22/2009
Boston 104 1146.9 11 12/16/2009 4/16/2010
9 180.9 0.7

Next up...post race:
Finisher's medal
Jay shout
Medical Tent
Holder family
texts/emails/calls
Pizza
Celebration
Sight seeing.

PR with a Poop - Part I

Written by Aaron Linz
No chance that I can write better than Jay Holder as he edits for a living. However, I hope I can provide you all with some entertaining stories and a little inspiration about the 2010 Boston marathon. This is the first of a 3 part series about my Boston Marathon experience. Boston is EVERYTHING you hear and then some. It is the super bowl of marathon running. It exceeded my expectations in so many ways.

PRE RACE
Boston training started for me in December. I had officially planned to start in January but ended up getting almost 300 miles under my belt in December. Over the course of January – February, I put in my first 80+ weeks ever and my first 300+ months. This is pretty cool considering I ran track at UNC Chapel Hill and never came close to these numbers. I was fortunate to have no major injuries during my training cycle.

Most of all, I was consistent. I can’t point to any one workout or even a series of them. Just week after week knocking out the miles and having fun doing it (Never forget to have fun…if you are enjoying it, other than keeping your ass from getting big, why do it?). I remember a 5:30am run in about a 40 degree blowing cold rain with Thomas. I remember a run through snow in McAlpine with Jay and we were the only folks in the park. I remember emails and calls to my best buddy up in DC, Billy Pemberton who I dragged into MCM so he could qualify for Boston. We would share training and help motivate each other. If you want to improve you running, the biggest advice I can give you is to be consistent. No one workout will take you to the next level but week after week, month after month will build your body.

So, by the time I hit the Charlotte airport, I was pretty darn excited and felt really well prepared. The yard work I did on Saturday was not wise. I knew I did too much lifting mulch and dirt bags to create a new vegetable garden but hopefully the hamstring pain would go away by race day on Monday.

Most folks flew up Saturday. I honestly wanted to save a few bucks and I wanted to stay with my family and sleep in my own bed. Jay had sent me a few text messages Saturday about the expo and being up in Boston so I was anxious to get up there myself. I remember all your faces and enjoy chatting with new folks but I must admit I am terrible with names. I sat with a fella who lives up in the University area. He has 2 young children that he left with the grandparents so he and his wife could head up for the marathon weekend. I chatted to him about Charlotte Running club and hope he joins soon (he may have as Caitlin does a great job of welcoming new members and I am a bit behind reviewed the new folks).



I landed in Boston, met my best buddy Billy Pemberton who flew in from DC. We headed to the expo. WOW!!! HUGE expo! Adidas stuff was everywhere (primary sponsor) and folks were SO friendly at all the booths. It was a runner geekfest! I could not resist making some purchases including buying the new Garmin 110 GPS watch…Yes, swore I would never do this but finally the thing is smaller than a basketball. I have some specific needs for it so figured the time had come.

Headed back to the hotel, went for a short 2 mile easy run with Billy and then a quick rest in the hotel hot tub. We stayed over near the airport in the Embassy Suites. Billy and I wanted to stay near the hotel so we asked downstairs for a nearby Italian restaurant. Again, I am bad with names but the place was cool. Little local joint. Nice folks, great food. Miller Lite, Spagetti, salad, bread all for 11 bucks. Only issue was I had two huge meatballs and ice cream on the way home. More on that later 

Billy and I went to bed around 9pm. I had got lots of sleep all week so even if I did not sleep a wink, I knew I was rested. Tossed and turned a bunch and by our 5:15 wake-up, I was more than read to go.

So here is where you start to really learn about the actual Boston marathon. I hear the New York logistics are similar. 5:15am wake-up. We hit breakfast downstairs which was full of runners. Out of the hotel at 5:45am to walk over to the subway. Subway was loaded with runners. We headed over to Boston Common to load onto school buses. 40 min ride on a school bus. It is pretty wild to be in a convoy on 50 buses heading somewhere all in line. I will bring this up several times but in Massachusetts, Patriots day is a holiday and all schools and most businesses have it off. This helps a ton to provide logistics and support for the race as folks have time to do it.

The bus dropped us of at 7am….race does not start until 10am so we headed into a huge field full of tents, sponsors, porta potties and other runners. We had packed a lot of stuff as being our first time when did not know what to bring. Billy brought a tarp that we placed on the field and laid down for a bit. For those going in the future, there is plenty of water, Gatorade and bagels in the start areas.

There was the most interesting porta potties that had a crank to flush and let’s just say, it did not dispose of stuff very well. I tend to have a fair amount of business before a race so I stay near porta johns.

We stripped of our warm gear, checked it into the buses that go back to the start line and started the walk to the start line. It is about a mile walk to the actual start from the school. Billy and I chatted with a Canadian fella who had run 5 Boston marathons before and helped calm us down a bit. My hamstrings were still a bit tight but race day so I was ready to go. Temp was about 50 degrees, windy but sunny.

Billy and I wished each other good luck and he entered his corral. I got to head up to corral one and say Jay immediately outside it. Corral I is a cool honor and I am very thankful I got that experience. The reason is the elite athletes pass right by you to head to the front. Here I am with a bunch of sub 2.45 marathoners…some as fast as 2.20 and under and yet, we were like school kids when the elites went by. Jay was right up against the fence and got a high five from both Ryan Hall and Meb. Credit to those guys..they were pumped and got me excited. They high fived and hollered at the crowd.

Being a guy affords certain advantages. Let’s just say if you are in a crowded start area and need to do things, a Gatorade bottle is very handy. Go goes off and the race begins!!!

Next up….THE RACE•
• Too fast
• Crowds
• Poop
• Hills
• Survive
• Uno Mas
• Finish

Followed by…POST RACE• Medical tent
• Pizza
• Beer
• Touring the town
• Texts and FB

What Can I Say? It's the Boston Marathon!

It's the Boston Marathon and there is nothing about it that isn't legendary. People who have run with me, listened to me get nostalgic, or even just asked me "why?" have heard me tell the story about a goals list I made in high school. I don't remember much of what was on it, but I do remember that I had just sort of fallen in love with long distance running, and because of that had listed "run the Boston Marathon" as one of my goals. Through college, the goal remained. In the immediate post-college years, it seemed like it was probably unlikely. Running had fallen by the wayside. But, since moving to Charlotte in April of 2008, the goal had become real again.

In the four months leading up to Boston, my third marathon since February of 2009, I logged 1072.2 miles on the roads and trails...in the mountains, and on the greenways. I lost a week to a calf injury, and nursed every other ache and pain known to man with a mixture of ice, salt, massages and simple TLC. I steered clear of fatty foods, and attempted to eat well-balanced meals three times a day. I didn't eat fast food once. I changed my nightly average bed time to 10:30pm, making sure to get at least seven hours each night. I did not miss one scheduled day of work.

When the alarm went off Monday morning at 5:30am -- a full four-and-a-half hours before race time -- I was as ready as I was going to get. ( There were some things I doubted coming down the final stretch of training, but I will expound on those later on.) The night before, I had pinned my bib number (1334) to my singlet, and laced my timing chip into my Mizuno Elixers. I had packed a bag containing everything I needed or might need prior to or after the race. Gu, Body Glide, extra shorts, extra shirts, bananas. I made a full breakfast of a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, a banana and a half-cup of black coffee to satisfy a caffeine dependency. From there it was to Boston Commons to board the buses.

Driving up to the park on Tremont Street, I saw something I had only ever read about. There was a man walking toward the pick-up point. He was wearing the Boston Marathon jacket, carrying the race bag and smoking a cigarette. The smoking runner. He does exist. He was just one of many in the collage of faces found in the massive crowd waiting to hitch a ride to Hopkinton (No one tell Ryan Hall he spelled it wrong in his recap). Waiting for the yellow school buses to come, I met runners from Washington State, California and Argentina. As the buses pulled off, every volunteer lined the curb waving, giving a thumbs up or both. It was powerful.

The ride to Hopinkton seemed to take forever. I didn't want to be anti-social, but I craved focus and time to go into my own bubble. So, even though the bus was jam-packed with no seats to spare, I put my iPod on and escaped for an hour. By the time we got to the Athlete's Village, I had time to think about what was right with my training, what was wrong with my training and what was questionable with my training. But, I had come to the conclusion that this was Boston and despite any mistakes, I was going to be happy to be a part of the most prestigious marathon in the United States if not the world.

The Athletes' Village was a site to behold. Tent next to tent. Blanket next to blanket. Porta-potty next to porta-potty. Everyone there had to get back to Boston proper, and they only had one way to get there. I made the obligatory stop at the porta-potty, then the second obligatory stop 30 minutes later. In between, I sat on a blanket Lauren had donated to the cause, stretched and did some rubbing with my Tiger Tail. (Note: Next time, I will charge to rent out my Tiger Tail. It was a hit with a Canadian team behind me, and other runners who spotted me using it.)

45 minutes before the scheduled start, I stripped down to a hoodie and shorts and made my way toward the starting coral. It was a 7/10 of a mile walk. On the way, I dropped my bag off at the buses. Heading toward the starting line with Kevin Creedon, Dexter Pepperman and Colby Schwartz, it was incredible how many people jogged past us as we walked at an leisurely pace. I kept thinking, "you've got 26.2 miles to do that."

I had to show my bib to get into the first coral. The first few minutes I was in there, it was a small crowd. But it quickly grew. I was side-by-side with Aaron Linz, both us rocking the Charlotte Running Club singlet and the red sweatband. His goal was to go sub 2:44. Mine was to go sub-2:40. About five minutes after entering the coral, a buzz swept through alerting us that the elites were about to make their way out. Nothing gets a group full of running nerds riled up like the prospect of getting to rub elbows with Ryan Hall and Meb Keflezighi. I positioned myself right along the gate hoping to get a high-five and was lucky enough to get one from both top American runners as they made their way to the starting line. The only downside to this was, such a crowd had built that I was no longer able to escape to take one final pre-race pee in private. This is where my extensive research came into play. I had brought an empty Gatorade bottle with me for just this occasion. What I had forgotten was to put body glide in a very important place; my nipples. Fortunately, someone behind me had a jar of vasoline which he was kind enough to let me use.

A man sings the National Anthem. The gun goes off. The first mile was a mix of dodging traffic, repeatedly telling myself that I was really running the Boston Marathon and trying hard not to go too fast. Many veterans of this very race had told me that it's a real danger not only because the first 13 miles or so are mostly downhill, but also because of all the adrenaline, you don't realize your speed. I felt like I was doing a great job of staying in control until I hit the 5k in 18:01. I tried to high-five Tim Rhodes who was standing on the timing mat. Too fast. I asked the guys around me what their goal was and they told me 2:34, so I let them drop me. I noticed early on, that unless you were running with a training partner people weren't here to work together. Throughout the first half of the race, I looked for someone to run with, someone to have a conversation with, but no one seemed game. I decided I was doing this on my own.

10k -- 36:34. Well, I'm not very good at this self-pacing thing. Again, I knew it was fast and let the pack I was with drop me. I knew the longer this went on, the more danger I was in come the end of the race. Shortly after the 10k, I saw my parents, my sister and her fiance Brian (they got engaged shortly after the race). They were in Framingham, carrying hilarious signs and wearing a T-Shirt that said "Team Holder" bearing a photo of me before the Beer Mile last fall. I could see them as clear as day, and it was some motivation to pick off some more runners.

15k -- 55:16. I am feeling better than I felt during my 10 mile tempo last weekend, but still aware that this is a little faster than goal pace...and we're going uphill. We are going through Natick, which contrary to what I learned on Family Guy, is not home to an indestructable Twinkie Factory.

As you head toward the half-way point in Wellesley, signs warn you of the noise. They tell you its deafening and to cover your ears. Boston Marathon legend has it, you can hear the students of the all girl's school screaming from a mile away. I am here to tell you that is absolutely true. It is certainly the high point of the course. It was like running through a football stadium, packed to the gills with nothing but screaming young women. Many of them holding signs, begging for a kiss. I only gave them high-fives. 1) because I have a girlfriend and 2) because I was on a mission. But, I did give a whole lot of high-fives..which might explain...

Half-Marathon -- 1:18:19. 11 seconds ahead of schedule. Not terribly fast, but by this point I had shifted my goal to 2:40 and was trying to adjust appropriately, still failing miserably. Everything else is going according to plan. I am alternating water with Gatorade, and have taken one Acel Gel. Plus, I am having the time of my life.

The time of my life stopped at mile 16. That's when the rolling hills begin. It's also where my left quad muscle tightened up something fierce. It felt like a row of very taught banjo cords. I was telling myself it was only 10 miles to go, but I couldn't help but think that was an eternity. I had been told the hills weren't steep, they were just consistent and that turned out to be the case. During this section of the course, as we rolled through Newton, I saw my favorite spectator sign. It said, "run like a recalled Toyota!" I thought that was clever.

30K -- 1:53:04. The hills have caused me to lose my once steady 6:00 minute pace. I am clearly starting to slip and really starting to hurt. It's incredible how quickly it comes on. I can say, I was totally comfortable through at least 15 miles. I knew Heartbreak Hill was approaching, and despite everyone in Charlotte's downplaying of it, given my condition, I was certain it would be a challenge to some degree. I could tell where I was when I got to the base, even though the hill was not clearly marked. The reason it's called Heartbreak Hill is not because it's a mountain by any means, but instead because it is strategically placed at mile 20 when your body is starting to get really pissed off at you.

The marathon is two races. It's a 20 miler and a 10k. I kicked the 20 miler's ass. The 10k kicked mine. I was hanging on for dear life those last six miles as my pace steadily dropped into the sixes. The hills never really quit at the end of Boston. When I crossed the 40K in 2:33:58 and hardly any energy left in my body, I knew breaking 2:40 was unlikely. If I reached my arm out, I knew I could place my hand flat on the wall. Anyone who's run a marathon knows what the wall feels like, and knows what it feels like when the wall is imminent.

Boston's iconic Citgo sign signals one mile to go. I was coming up on it when Aaron came up on me. "Uno Mas...let's go bitch" is what he said to me. It fired me up and I was able to open it up for about a minute or so, but at that very moment I smacked into the wall. He took off past me as we passed Lauren just after one to go and Megan Hovis shortly after. I crossed the finish line in 2:43:04, hurting more than I have ever hurt. I thought it was going to be a flood of emotion, but instead it was simply relief. There were no tears, just shock. I was shocked at how battered my body felt. I staggered past helpful volunteers who handed me a Gatorade, a bagel and a lunch sack containing potato chips. I could see Aaron in front of me hurting maybe more than I did. He had beaten me by 23 seconds. They put him in a wheelchair and hauled him off to the medical tent. That is when you know you didn't leave anything on the asphalt.

The finishing time was 1:31 second PR. Was it what I was hoping for? No. But, I can't be too disappointed. It's still the fastest and only the third marathon I have ever run and more importantly, it's Boston. There is so much more to say about the experience of being a part of that race, but putting it into words doesn't do it justice. You simply have to be there. I know there are things about my training that weren't conducive to such a lofty goal. I am not writing them as to harp on them, I am just writing them to acknowledge that there is always a way to do better and to point out that I will strive for that the next time. I don't think my plan included enough tempo and marathon pace runs. Those are more important than short intervals, which I relied heavily on this go-round. I also think the cycle was too long. I started upping the mileage in mid-December. By February, I was running better than I had ever run before, but by late March I was feeling zapped by the end of every run. That contributed to a lack of confidence going into the race. Caitlin Chrisman told me on the phone after the race that she didn't think I approached it with the necessary confidence and I truly believe she was right. Finally, the marathon can be a lonely race, but it doesn't have to be. I did every workout and nearly every training run with Aaron, but didn't run with him at all in the actual race. In a field of 26,700, we finished less than 30 seconds apart. How could we have benefited from running side-by-side?

As I said, the whole experience was amazing and I will likely give it another go. I could have never done it without the support, patience and cooking of my girlfriend Lauren or without the camaraderie of my teammates in the Charlotte Running Club. It meant so much to have my family there; mom, dad, Julie and Brian and to be there when the latter duo got engaged. And, I can't overstate the important role my old High School pal Raeanne Napolean played in all of this. When I asked her if I could stay with her for the race weekend, she let me know that all I had to worry about was what happened in the race. She would take care of the rest. And she did. Because of Raeanne, I didn't stress about any of the details that tend to bog down a runner's mind before and after the race and I can't thank her enough.

I'm not good at ending epics like this. So, I think I am going to just say that the recovery is just beginning, but recovery is the first step of the next training cycle.

Runner in the Spotlight: Jocelyn Sikora

Jocelyn Sikora works at Bank of America during the day and trains for triathlons during her off hours. One of the areas top females runners and triathletes, Jocelyn also volunteers with a kids running club.

Where do you work?
Bank of America. I work in a quant group that forecasts revenue, loss and balances for the bank’s consumer products to help the lines of business make more informed strategic decisions. I focus primarily on our UK Credit Card portfolio.

What's your favorite restaurant in Charlotte?
This is a hard one…I really like Zio’s, a little family owned Italian place on providence rd, but based on how many times I visit it, Jason’s Deli comes in a close second. Can’t beat all-you-can-eat frozen yogurt!

Favorite place you've traveled and loved for running?
I traveled to Lake Tahoe this past winter and the views on my run were simply unreal. The hills on the other hand were another story…

When and why did you start running?
I went out for track in 7th grade after growing up playing soccer, however I didn’t switch to distance running until my senior year of high school. I’d moved to Orlando the summer before and thought joining the cross country team would be a good way to make friends. It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made.

What do you love about running?
I have had the chance to meet so many different people while running in Charlotte that I’m not sure is possible with any other sport. Also, it is both an individual and team sport at the same time. I can only reach about 90% of my potential on my own. It is the encouragement of my teammates, friends and family that help push me the extra 10%.

Are you a morning or an evening runner?
Evening, however I do manage to pull myself out of bed for some of those 6am runs.

Do you lead any Charlotte Running Club group runs? What time?
Yup, Wednesday 6am from the Dowd and co-lead the runs Monday at 6pm from the Dowd & Thursday 6pm & 6:30pm from Dilworth Neighborhood Grill.

What's your most memorable race and why?
I had the opportunity to participate in the Half Ironman World Championship this past November where I competed against athletes from over 50 countries. It was my third half ironman, first salt water swim and first triathlon for my parents. With swimming being my weak point, coming out of the water second to last in my age group didn’t seem like the best start. I pushed the bike hard thinking of all my friends tracking me when I cross over each timing mat. After finishing the bike, a cheer and wave from my parents and sister were the encouragement I needed to go the last 13.1 miles of a 70.3 mile journey. During those last 13 miles, I thought of all the people who had helped me get to that point and with each memory, a little boost of energy. I can’t explain the emotion I felt as I crossed that line. It had been a busy fall balancing increased responsibilities at work, a cross country team and tutoring, in addition to training, and there were points during that time that I didn’t think I was going to make it to the finish line. I ended up with a PR in all three disciplines and a 9 min PR in total – 4:49:21 (31st in my age group).

Where is your favorite place to run in Charlotte and PR?
Latta Plantation, McMullen Greenway and Dilworth/Myers ParkFavorite distance?
15K and Half Marathon
15K – 57:54
Half Marathon – 1:23:24

What’s next on your race calendar?
Cherry Blossom 10 Miler - Jocelyn finished 32nd overall at the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler and was a member of the Charlotte Running Club winning women's club team!

Thanks Jocelyn for such a great interview!

Runner in the Spotlight: Eimear Goggin

Eimear is the Charlotte Running Club's webmaster. She works with the website and updates it on a daily basis. Enjoy!

Where do you work?
At UNC Charlotte, in the Office of Summer Programs.

What's your favorite restaurant in Charlotte?
I like the Crepe Cellar on North Davidson (((organic Normandy cider, mmmmm)))

How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Since 1994.

How did you learn to work with websites?
I took an evening class, 2 nights a week, in the Spring of 2007, at the University. My job even paid for it!

How did you learn about CRC?
I can't remember - maybe from the link on Theoden's blog?

Favorite place you've traveled and loved for running?
Barcelona. I learned some Spanish, and went for 2 weeks a couple of years ago. Running along the sea front in the mornings was magical. (I also swam in the Olympic pool there, in the "carril rapido" or fast lane, which made me laugh under water all the time; ate great food; saw tons of art; heard Ben Sidran play in a little club - it was all just lovely.)

When and why did you start running?
I swam a lot when I was young (still do). For a while a few years ago I was a member of the Y, and for a change tried out the gym - that Elliptical Fitness Thingy, and then the treadmill. It was a big deal when I was able to run a mile at 6 mph. It's kind-of addictive as you can see exactly how far and how fast you've gone. But running outside is best, of course! I think this is my 5th year running.

What do you love about running?
I guess it's more sociable than swimming! And faster too.

What’s the funniest or strangest thing that has ever happened to you on a run?
I think the strangest thing may have been that last year (at the advanced age of 52) I actually WON a race. It was the extremely cool White Squirrel 10k in the extremely cool town of Brevard, (where they really have a population of white squirrels) and I got the coolest medal in the known universe with, of course, a picture of a white squirrel on.

Do you lead any Charlotte Running Club group runs? What time?
It's hard to say I "lead" anything, because I have a broken foot and haven't run for ages; but I take care of a nice group who run from the Charlotte Running Company on Thursday evenings at 6:00 pm (4.44 hilly miles, at a random pace). Rumor has it the store will be restarting the popular "Thursday Speed Night" again soon, and we kind-of become absorbed with that.

What's your most memorable race and why?
Hit the Brixx 10k, 2009. I decided to try to go under 45 minutes for 10k last year, and with the help of Mark Carbone (who was working in the Running Company then, and made up monthly plans for me, and put up with me, and was kind enough to take me seriously), I did it at that race. I felt so competent and confident (for a while) afterwards that I found the nerve to volunteer to look after the club website!

Where is your favorite place to run in Charlotte?
Reedy Creek park which is pretty close to where I live; though I run a lot at the University campus (hilly 5k course), and also on the Mallard Creek greenway.

Favorite distance? PR?
10k, 44:12

What’s next on your race calendar?
I don't know when I'll be able to run again :-( but maybe something in June - the King Tiger 5k if my foot doctor lets me.

What do you love most about the Charlotte Running Club?
They let me play with their website!

Anything else interesting you want to add
I'm swimming in the NC short-course yards masters champeenships May 1 and 2 - go me!

CRC and Mizuno for 2010!!!

Charlotte Running Club is very proud to announce our 2010 relationship with Mizuno.

Mizuno has been our provider of racing singlets and technical t-shirts. We now have an opportunity to extend the relationship via a racing team and discounts. Our first Charlotte Running Club race team is composed of 5 men and 5 women who qualified because of exemplary performances and excellent ambassadorship to the club. The team members currently have no affiliation with any other local race teams.

WOMEN: Caitlin Chrisman, Shenna Kevorkian, Jackie Savage, Michelle Hazelton, Lauren Robbins

MEN: Aaron Linz, Mike Beigay, Ben Hovis, Thomas Eggar, Allen Strickland.

Remember that these folks represent CRC as our racing team but EVERY member is a part of our team and that is what makes this club so great! A special thanks to club member Dexter Pepperman, a Run For Your Life employee, and our local Mizuno Representative Chris Pluchos for making this all happen!

Mizuno sells high quality running shoes and running apparel. On the recommendation of several club members, the board selected Mizuno as our partner for 2010. The gear last a long time, looks terrific and performs well. Get your Mizuno gear today at your local running specialty stores.

Runner in the Spotlight: Boriana Bakaltcheva

Boriana is a University of Virginia grad, works at Bank of America and spends her spare time running. She is one of the ten ladies who can keep up with the boys on the Thursday early morning Dowd run. Tough and extremely supportive of the Club, Boriana is a fun person to run with!

Where do you work?
Bank of America, as a credit underwriter for high net worth individuals.

What's your favorite restaurant in Charlotte?
Big Daddy's! Nowhere else can you build your own salad and add a burger pattie on top. Rusan's is great for sushi, and Mimosa Grill is delicious all-around.

How long have you lived in Charlotte?
Pushing 3 years now.

When and why did you start running? In 9th grade I tried being a sprinter on the indoor track team, in order to get in shape for the soccer team in the spring. I was such a terrible sprinter, that the coach barely had patience to wait for me to finish 200m intervals, as I lagged considerably behind the rest of the team. Some teammates finally convinced me to try out "long distance" (which in high school terms consisted of the mile and two-mile), and needless to say, I loved it so much and forgot all about the soccer team. Since then, it's been over 10 years and perhaps 13 thousand miles, and I hope I continue to love running this much for many years to come.

What do you love about running?
Everything! It can be deeply personal and cathartic. It can also be the backbone of relationships, a camaraderie, a whole social fabric and place within a vibrant community. It can feel exhilarating and excruciating... all within the same run, perhaps! It is finite, measurable and objective - you can not argue against the clock or interpret it any differently than what it reads. It is a never-ending challenge of mental stamina, focus and self-understanding. Ha - and some people think that running means only lacing up shoes and putting one foot in front of the other!

Where is your favorite place to run in Charlotte?
Location doesn't really matter... the company counts more for me!

Favorite place you've traveled and loved for running?
I studied abroad in Germany one summer in a small town called Marburg, which is about an hour outside Frankfurt. I enjoyed exploring the old, historic town that summer during my runs, as well as the countryside. I remember going for a solo 10 mile run on my birthday along some trails, with deer crossing my path several times.

What’s the funniest or strangest thing that has ever happened to you on a run?
Neither funny nor strange, but it's simply interesting to me that I can have the deepest and most personal conversations while on a run... perhaps even with people who I may not know extremely well. The running bond makes us all automatically closer to each other in a way.

Do you lead any Charlotte Running Club group runs? What time?
I have been at the AG track on Wednesday evenings from time to time with Shenna. However with the heat coming upon us, and school soccer games, I would propose to start leading an AM track group. I prefer Tuesdays at 6am, but am flexible. Please feel free to email me at boriana.bakaltcheva@gmail.com if you'd be interested!

What's your most memorable race and why?
There are many to choose from! Perhaps King Tiger 5k in 2008. I ran a 19:41, which was a 30-second PR from two months prior. I learned how to take a risk in that race. I had been so used to going out in 6:30's on autopilot for 5ks, and only in that race did it finally dawn on me to just bite the bullet and go out at a pace I knew I was prepared for based on workouts (6:15). It was scary to go beyond my comfort zone. After the first "risky" mile, it was all mental to hold it for each subsequent mile. Also, I never broke 20 minutes in high school, so it was a bit of "unfinished business" that I was proud of achieving with my own training and regimen, not relying on a team or coach.

Favorite distance? PR?
Ten miles. Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in 2009 - 1:07:30
Speaking of which, good luck to the 2010 Cherry Blossom runners from CRC competing this coming weekend!

What’s next on your race calendar?
Tar Heel Ten Miler in Chapel Hill on April 10.

What do you love most about the Charlotte Running Club?
I love that there is such variety in the club members, yet all are so welcoming, friendly and dedicated to the sport they love. Some prefer short over long distance, some have Olympic aspirations, others chase PRs or age group prizes, still others aren't in it for the races at all, we are all in the midst of different life phases and career paths... but boy, we all really love running!

Fun fact:
My favorite running quote, for a bit of (cheesy?) inspiration:

"In running it is man against himself, the cruelest of opponents. The other runners are not the real enemies. His adversary lies within him, in his ability with brain and heart to master himself and his emotions."
-Glenn Cunningham

Thanks Boriana for such a great read!

Aaron Linz: Fast Times are no Accident

I have had some folks approach me the last month or two inquiring why I am running so well right now. At 36 going on 37, I am performing at the same level and in some cases better than when I was a Division I athlete at UNC Chapel Hill over 15 years ago! It is pretty factual as to why I am running well so I figured I would share the numbers:

MILEAGE
March: 319.8 miles/26 runs/12.3 average, 1 bike, 4 swim
Feb: 273 miles/27 runs/10.1 average, 1 bike, 4 swim
Jan: 300.6 miles/26 runs/12.02 average, 2 bike, 4 swim
Dec: 275 miles/27 runs/10.2 average, 3 bike, 4 swim

The 4 highest monthly mileage EVER for me and I have been running since 1984!

Additional Facts:
-Best and most consistent sleep and eating I have had in my life
-Virtually no injuries, Best stretching and medical support I have ever had
-Lightest weight and lowest body fat since college
-Minimal stress in my life right now
-A great group of folks to run with that inspire me and push me to run faster

So what does it all mean? Mileage pays off but I caution, it took me 2 years to get comfortable with putting in 70+ miles in 6 days. Don't read this and decide you need to run 300+ miles in April to get better. But...if you want to take your running to the next level, the more mileage your body can handle over time and the more time you can commit to make that happen, it will pay off. Last year, right around 60 and my body would start to break down. I was doing 5 runs a week and occassionally 6. Now I can handle 6 runs a week and can push up to 80 and a little over 80 a week.

Sleep - TOTALLY under-rated. I apologize to those who have heard repeat this a million times but it is such a powerful statement. Coach John McDonnell who had more distance all americans and team championships that most coaches dream of was once asked what did all his top runners have in common. He said the only thing for sure that was consistent accross all his all americans is they all got 10 hours of sleep a night! Now I know most of us (including me) can't and probably don't want to get 10 hours a night. But I try like heck to get 8 hours when I am training hard or have a big race coming up. Try sleeping 8-10 hours a night a couple days leading up to a big race or a long run and I promise you will feel much better. Sleep is an easy way to improve your running. You just need to make the time for it.

Injuries - I am dealing with some shin pain now and I had some hip flexor issues this training cycle but for the most part, I have been healthy which means I have been able to consitently train. This is because I stretch well, do my strength exercises and when I have a problem, I find the best professionals in town to help me get over the injury and move towards preventing that injury going forward.

Weight - Ughh....nobody likes this topic but try carrying a roll of quarters in each hand and run up a hill. Now do it without the quarters. Did it make a difference? Absolutely! I have traditionally been a good downhill runner but over the past year, I would argue that I am a much better uphill runner now. I feel lighter and can motor up hills like never before. Do I explicitly diet? Not really. Instead I try to eat well. I splurge every now and then and am particularly careful the weeks were I am training hard but I can guarantee you that nobody in the world has ever put on weight from bananas and apples. If you finish your meal and you are still hungry, have some fruit. For better or worse, distance running is a sport where the less you carry the less your body has to work and hence, you should be able to run faster and further. But....don't be stupid about it! Starving yourself, getting too thin cuts into your strength so seek a professional if you are serious about finding the right weight balance.

Low Stress - Be HAPPY!!! That sounds so incredibly basic but too many folks stress about really dumb stuff. Ask yourself, what you are stressing about...does it really matter in the big picture? We are not on this planet long enough to freak out about stuff. Find ways to be happy and find activities (like running) that reduce stress. Your body won't be as tense and you won't tire yourself out by stressing about silly things. I have been reallly blessed to have minimal stress in my life lately.

The GROUP!!! - Every Monday when I read the club newsletter, I am so extremely proud of the success of our club members. I am not talking just about good times and top places. I am particularly proud for the folks who broke 2 hours for the first time in a half marathon. For the folks who completed their lst marathon. For the folks who really decided they love running and are going to do more of it. It motivates me tremendously.

If you know 15 folks are going to be at the Dowd Y at 6am in a cold wet rain, you feel guilty if you decide to slack and sleep in so you get up and make it out to the run. I would NEVER do this on my own but knowing other folks are out there has helped me be consistent with my training.
He/she did that so I can too! - I am competitive so when I see runners in the club perform at new levels that are better than me, it feeds my competitive fire to want to beat them in my next race! I have seen alot of this occurring this year and I believe this healthy competition is terrific! It makes us all want to do better. What is the best thing for Kobe Bryant? Lebron James and Dwayne Wade. I guarantee they are very aware of each others performances and are always striving to be better than their competitors.

So.....if you made it this far, hopefully I put some thoughts into your head and unfortunately, eliminated any dreams that I have some magic potent which allows me to run faster. For 99.9% of us running his a hobby and we must juggle it with family, work, and other interests. So, we all have a judgement call about how much we can commit to the sport. Again, I am blessed at this point in my life that I can commit a lot of time to running. The good news though is the more you can put into it, our sport rewards you handsomely with better results. If you do have the opportunity and desire to take your running to a new level, please keep the facts in mind that I have listed here and you will see improvement.

Happy Running!!! - Aaron

UNO MAS!!!

For those of you who have ventured out to the Tuesday workouts that are either at Dowd, JCSU or McAlpine, you might have heard a strange cheer near the end of the workout. I don't even remember exactly how we started this tradition but the credit goes to one of my favorite Charlotte Running Club buddies, Caitlin Chrisman. At the end of our hard workouts, when we are down to 1 interval left, I will ask her, how many more to go? The group then shouts out "UNO MAS". It is a fun way to recognize we are almost done with the workout. Since we started this little tradition months ago, not a hard workout has gone by without the shout of UNO MAS and it is something I look forward to getting to and hearing at every workout.

So, now you know the story behind UNO MAS :) - Aaron