Thirty years ago this Sunday (1983) I made my 26.2 debut at the Houston Marathon. I went out like I always raced… fast. And ended up like I sometimes did…walking at mile 20. I managed to run 3:11:11 but often wish I knew then what I know now.
My longest training run was 15 miles, I ran that distance on 3 occasions and was sure I was ready to roll. Most of my runs were in Nike Waffle Trainers and a pair of swimming britches. No watch, no garmin (!), no map my run, no headphones, no social network with daily assurances of my awesomeness.
Refused to warm up thinking it a waste of energy, would sit on starting lines until just before the gun. Refused to pace sensibly preferring to run as far as I could as fast as I could and then try and hold on for as long as I could. Finally stopping with hands on knees, looking behind at the closing runners, measuring them, and then off full tilt again, hoping to hold them off enough times to break the tape. Not at all smart but I did win my share of races in those early years with this unorthodox approach.
I had been running semi regularly throughout 1980 and ’81 after kicking a 2 pack a day habit on December 31, 1979. Started racing in February 1982, entering 10Ks and 5 Milers. Inexplicably won age group hardware (still have the paperweight) in my very first race, the 1982 Pasadena Rodeo Run 10K. Running and Racing were Real in Houston back in those days and thus the notion was born that I might have some inherent knack for putting one foot in front of the other with rapidity. But on pure guts more than any real talent or science.
And I refused to accept science or guidance in training, feeling I knew more about my body than anyone else possibly could. It was a heady time of self discovery and that exhilaration, coupled with my innate hubris, led to a long road of hard knocks education.
Which brings me to today. I’ve made most of those mistakes. Became a student of our sport, psychologically and physiologically. Decided that running would become The Arena in life that I would make my mark, both in my own pursuits and assisting others to reach their potential and dreams. And have thus devoted myself for the last 30 years. A brief resume of moderate success for my own running, a much broader record of accomplishment in helping others to achieve their aspirations.
This is what I love to do.
I am currently accepting clients for the Lincoln Marathon and Half Marathon, training cycle will commence this coming Sunday. Three packages available; online, online plus, and personal. If you would like to take your own training to the next level, run a personal best, or just expand your knowledge base of running, contact me at [email protected].
1983 was a good year to learn about marathoning. Houston in January (3:11:11), Galveston in March (2:56:56) and Freedom Marathon in Monticello, IL in October (2:49:47). The last time I ran 3 marathons in one year, another great lesson about sensible marathon training and Racing. Giddyup to our mate Shannon Mauser-Suing this coming Sunday, she will be wrecking her marathon pr on the streets of Houston this Sunday morning. And maybe creating a tale for 2043.
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