Looking Back At The Year That Was 2013

I can't believe another year has come and gone.

Time surely does fly when having fun.

2013 was a mind-blowing year for me running-wise! I posted PRs left and right and reached heights I never thought possible for me. Since I began running in April of 2010, I have ran 5,269 miles. Not bad for a guy who couldn't run a mile without stopping when I first laced up the shoes.

There are so many highlights this year that it'd be difficult to list my top 5. My No. 1 highlight is a no-brainer for me, but I'll reveal that later on in this post.

(However, if you're a regular reader and/or follow me on Twitter and Facebook, I'm sure you can guess what it is.)

My 2013 Races In Photos

I thought 2012 was an amazing year for me running-wise, but 2013 kicked 2012's butt. 

It has been nothing but wonderful if for no other reason than I got to run with my bride and daughter a lot this year. (Hopefully in 2014, my son will join us.) And while I will have a year-in-review post coming soon, I wanted to relive with you my races this year in photos.

The race count was modest for me this year as I ran in only seven races with one marathon, three half marathons, two 5Ks and a 4-miler.

Christmas Eve Trail Run: Sheltowee Trail

Stopping for a photo-op

Every Christmas Eve, the leader of our local running club - the Falls Road Runners, usually has some sort of interesting run to celebrate his birthday.

On his 33rd birthday, Chris ran 33 miles to celebrate with a number of others joining him at varying stages to help him get to his goal. The first one I tagged along for was two years ago when we ran the trails at Levi Jackson State Park. That also happened to be my first trail run.

To celebrate this year's birthday, Chris decided to head out to Vanhook Falls on the Sheltowee Trail. In all, there were 17 of us to make the 5-mile trail run.

I'm not the most experienced trail runner even though I really do enjoy it, so this was my first trip on this particular trail. I am so glad I went on this run. It is amazing some of things you find in your backyard, and the Sheltowee Trail is a gem, especially the trek out to Vanhook Falls.

PRs All Around: Jingle Bell Jog 5K Recap

At the start line.

This past Saturday, my bride and I ran in a local 5K - the Jingle Bell Jog, and neither of us knew really what to expect. We were two weeks removed from running the Secret City Half Marathon relay, I was in wrapping up week 1 of marathon training, and the weather was ... well, let's just say it wasn't ideal. (At least it wasn't according to my bride.)

It was a cold and rainy day.

The temp was in the mid-30s, but there was a light rain when we showed up to pick up our bib. As if being wet wasn't bad enough, the slight breeze was chilling as we waited for the start.

Fortunately, the rain stopped just prior to start and stayed away for much of the race.

Even with good weather, I highly doubt my bride and I would have intentionally shot for PRs. I was just beginning marathon training and focused on that, and she had not had much opportunity to run in the two weeks prior since we ran the half marathon relay. Work and life has been busy for us.

Sometimes Even I Question My Sanity From Time To Time

OK, I'll admit it.

There are times that even I question my sanity.

And before today's run was one of them.

For whatever reason, I texted my friend Chris after I saw him post he was going to do a 14-mile trail run ... beginning at 4:30 a.m. ... after it rained for nearly 24 hours straight (while it seemed like it did) ... in 32-degree weather.

Not going to lie, I was concerned about this run happening yesterday afternoon/evening as it poured the rain all day and the forecast called for the potential of ice on the roads. Fortunately, the rain pretty much stopped around 8 or 9 p.m. and the roads were fine this morning.

Secret City Half Marathon: Crossing The Line With My Bride

My bride and I after the race

Today was the day. Not going to lie, I've been looking forward to this day for months.

Ever since I signed my bride and up for the Secret City Half Marathon relay on March 1, I've been so geeked up to run this race. I couldn't wait to run with my bride and cross the finish line with her.

Being one who loves to run and run long distances, I also signed up to run the entire half marathon as well. So, I got to be the cool guy where not one but TWO race bibs.

I love running with my bride. Running is one of my favorite things to do. PERIOD. And to get to share that with the one I love makes it even more special. Our runs together are a blast for me. (My bride might describe them differently since she doesn't enjoy running as much as I do. Guess I'm a glutton for punishment.)

Goal Setting: How Do You Approach Setting Goals For Yourself?

"No matter how many goals you have achieved, you must set your sights on a higher one." ~ Jessica Savitch 

It's that time of year again. As each year winds down, it's time to assess the goals you had set for the year and to begin goal-setting for the new year ahead.

In running, I firmly believe it's important to have goals set before you to help keep pushing your forward. Without goals, it is easy to become stagnant, stuck in a holding pattern and not really going anywhere. Goals are what drive us.

You will never hit the mark if you don't have anything to aim for.

Yet, knowing all this, I'm at this awkward place. It's rather odd and strange for me, and I'm not quite sure what to do about it.

I'm not sure if or what goals I want to shoot for in 2014.

Who Knew Running Would Take Me So Far?

Cindy, Kelcey, Dave and I at the Golden
Gate Bridge in July of 2010.

Earlier this month, I hit a milestone: 5,000 career running miles.

Since I began running back in April of 2010, I have now logged 5,107 total miles. (Editor's Note: I had planned to blog about this sooner, but life has been getting in the way.) I 'think' I hit the 5,000-mile mark on my 42nd birthday. It was some time around then, but like I said, life's been hectic.

Yet, not too hectic to keep me from running. :)

Truthfully, when I began my running journey, I never imagined I'd become of the runner I have. With the mileage I've racked up, I could've ran to the Golden Gate Bridge and back home - which by the way is one of my favorite places I've run and I ran there very early in my running career.

Jack-O-Lantern Jog: The Family That Runs Together

My two running buddies and I.

October 26 was the day. The day my 9-year-old daughter Haylee was to run her first real race. This was going to be a challenge because it was a 4-miler.

Personally, I would have preferred her start off with a 2-miler or even a 5K. But I think the like the cool looking bling for the AG winners and she wanted one of those. (Plus, instead of a t-shirt, you got a nice hoodie. Not bad for a $17 registration fee, eh?)

Then again, she could just take after her old man. After all, the first race I signed up for and ran when I started running at the ripe age of 38 was a half marathon. They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, you know.

The fact Haylee asked to run this race (and trained with my bride and me) was a bit surprising. A couple years ago, she did the Kids Half Marathon as part of the Secret City Half Marathon. All she had to do was run 12 1-mile increments leading up to race and then run the final 1.1 miles on race day. As soon as she crossed the finish line, she announced, "I'm never doing that again."

Again, sounds eerily similar to someone I know.

No Goal Time, But I Got A PR

For months I trained for the Iron Horse Half Marathon with the goal in mind of hitting a sub-2. On the surface, it seemed doable. I mean, what's a measly 5 minutes 14 seconds, right?

But we're talking about shaving 24 seconds off per mile.

I am happy to report I gave it my all. I'm confident in knowing I did my best.

Unfortunately, my best on this day did not result in a sub-2. However, my time of 2:04:20 did give me a course PR and a half marathon PR, and I'll gladly take that any day of the week.

Still Alive And Running

I love my job. I love it so much that it doesn't seem like a job.

And that's a good thing.

However, working in college athletics can be crazy. Summers are busy, but the job becomes much more laid-back and very 9-to-5. Yet, once August hits and the fall sports student-athletes report, all bets are off. The whirlwind begins and I kiss my bride and kids goodbye until May or June.

OK, it's not that crazy, but it seems that way at times. (Ask my bride and kids how much they see me during the first of November, from late-February through mid-March and in May.)

Because of this craziness, my blogging suffers and I'm unable to update here regularly. Thankfully, my running doesn't suffer. To be honest, it can't suffer since that is how I keep my sanity.

Best Running Week Ever? Quite Possibly

No two ways about it. I've had a pretty amazing week.

It's definitely been one of my favorite weeks running-wise, and it really had very little to do with me.
Yes, I did have a pretty good week, posting another 40-mile week and recording back-to-back days with double-digit mileage. However, none of that made this week special.

No, it was my family that made this week special ... especially my daughter.

Can't really explain it, but she seems to have caught the running bug.

On Wednesday, Haylee decided to join my bride and I at the track. She ran with us for a while, but after a little over mile she was done. She had enough.

Announcing The Winner Of the RunGuard Prize Pack

This has been a great giveaway. Never could I have imagined such a great response.

It's apparent a lot of you like and/or want to find out more about RunGuard as there were just under 300 total entries.

I really appreciate each and every one of you who took the time to comment and register for the giveaway as well as further check out my blog. I love running, especially the running community. It truly is a family.

I especially want to thank RunGuard for agreeing to do this giveaway. They have been super gracious and went far beyond what I even suggested what the giveaway should be. Good people there at RunGuard, that's for sure.

Also, not sure how much longer this coupon code is good for, but you can take $5 OFF an original or sensitive 2.7 ounce stick of RunGuard! Go to the RunGuard website to order, and at the checkout, use this code for the discount: RUNJAYRUN

Anywho, the winner of the RunGuard prize pack is ...

Gel-Bot: My Secret Weapon To Help Get Me To A Sub-2

I've made it no secret I'm shooting for a sub-2 hour half marathon. Additionally, I've made it no secret I'm gunning for this sub-2 at the Iron Horse Half on Oct. 13.

Consequently, I'm doing and looking for any advantage I can get to help cut and save time. I'm upping my speed work. But anything that can help me maintain my pace and not slow me down, I want to employ it.

Enter the Gel-Bot.

I first heard about the Gel-Bot on a post by Scott on his blog iRunnerBlog, and I wanted one. My lovely bride then bought it for me for my birthday last November. (The actual post I first read about the Gel-Bot is here.)

However, I really haven't figured out how to incorporate the Gel-Bot into my running because it did not have a pocket/handle for me to better carry it during my runs. This is important to me because of comfort and since I always carry my cell phone with me for safety purposes.

But then I had a stroke of genius to hit me.

Y'all, I Did Crossfit And Did Not Die

Tried something new yesterday: crossfit.

My sentiments of the evening.

When I agreed to go, I did not realize how tough of a workout this was. I know it  was a challenging workout, but I honestly didn't know to what degree.

Sadly, I agreed to this workout with the same flippancy I did when I agreed to run my first half marathon. Let me just say, I was not as worn out after the half marathon as I was this nearly 20-minute workout. Wish I was joking about that, but I'm not.

Fred, a member of our local running group, has been doing this program for several months, and a few of us were intrigued so we went to check it out. Actually, Chris - the head of our running group, was intrigued and roped a couple of us in to suffer with join him.

I fully admit to being naive. That won't happen again.

RunGuard: Product Review And Giveaway

When I started running, I never realized I'd 'need' a variety of different gear and products. I mean, it's running. "Don't I only need the five S's? Shorts, shirts, stopwatch, socks and shoes?"

As I racked up the miles, I soon found out how much other things I needed to go run. A GPS watch, a fuel belt and/or a hand-held water bottle, GU gels or some other type of food/fuel, headlamp and other safety running gear. And the list goes on and on.

It was during training for my first marathon I learned runners sometimes chaff.

Talk about a painful lesson. Not fun at all.

I had heard stories of male runners getting bloody nipples, but to be honest, I thought it would never happen to me.

Sad to say, I was wrong.

Consequently, I sought ways to prevent this from happening again.

And The Winner Is ...

Wow! What a great response!

Some of the swag I got from last year's 7 Bridges Marathon

When I first decided to run this giveaway, I had no idea what kind of response I would get. In truth, I was super surprised when the good folks, in particular Denny Marshall, from the 7 Bridges Marathon granted me an entry to giveaway. They run a fantastic event, which, in my humble opinion, will only get better and better with each year.

In all, there were 131 total entries. Given that this was my very first giveaway, I am pretty happy with that.

I also enjoyed hearing all the different reasons of why people wanted to run 7 Bridges. Running really does bring people together, and I really wish I could help fulfill everyone's goals and hopes in running this race.

But alas, there is can only be one winner.

And the winner is ...

I Think I Can! I Think I Can! I Think I Can!

Not going to lie, when I first studied the training plan I found to help me shoot for a sub-2 hour half marathon, I was a wee bit apprehensive. I mean, I've never been confused with being a speed demon ...

Like ever. (To borrow a phrase from Taylor Swift)

But being one to set goals for myself, I figured why don't shoot for the sub-2. After all, my current half marathon PR is 2:05:13 and I set that without really trying to. (True story! Check out the recap here.)

That all said, the thoughts of averaging 9:10/mile for 13.1 miles seems very daunting to me. For a plodder like me, that's a lot of speedy consistency.

Yet, as Thomas Jefferson once said, "Anything worth having is worth fighting for." I'm sure he was referring to our nation's freedom, but it aptly applies to anything that's worth having - even a simple running goal. If I am to hit that sub-2 mark, I'm going to have to work for it.

Especially since speed does not come easy for me.

Halfway There At The Halfway Mark

"You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself.
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go."

- Dr. Seuss "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" 

Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever had thought I would travel so many miles ... on foot!

Running never had any appeal to me whatsoever. Of course, I blame this largely on playing basketball where my coaches insisted on using running laps - and lots of them - as punishment. Sucked all the joy out of running for me.

Fortunately, I fell in love with running, albeit much later in life. And I've amazed at how much more fun and challenging running has become with each passing mile. Nothing like seeing how far you can go.

Or better yet, how far you've come.

Giveaway: 7 Bridges Marathon

Last October, I ran my second marathon ever. While I didn't have the result I desired, I fell in love with the race.

The 7 Bridges Marathon is an up and coming event that is only going to grow in recognition, in my humble opinion. Of course, Chattanooga, Tenn., is one of my favorite places to visit.

The course is fun and yet somewhat challenging. There are rolling hills, numerous bridges to cross (more than just the seven the title suggests, but the seven bridges refers to the number of times you will cross over the Tennessee River). You get a sense of empowerment as you climb atop the Chickamauga Dam at mile 15. The falls colors make backdrop of the race absolutely gorgeous, especially during the latter part of the race as you run for miles on a greenway beside the Tennessee River. And the finish has a wonderful festival vibe as you ran on grass in Coolidge Park beside the river and in the shadow of the final bridge you crossed.

In case you can't tell already, I absolutely love this race.

This year's race is set for Oct. 20, and I want you to have a chance to enjoy this wonderful event.

Training Is A Process

Me after a hot run this summer - which summarizes my
feelings of yesterday's run.

So, I announced on Monday to the world I've set the goal of running a sub-2 half marathon this fall. My first attempt at this mark is now less than 16 weeks away. Yesterday was my first training session for this race, and what do I do?

Cram all the sessions in to one.

Yup, yesterday's run was a bad one.

Apparently, I thought I should try to run a sub-2 on Day 1. I know better, and my body quickly reminded me of how foolish I was being.

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither was a tortoise turned into a sub-2 half marathoner.

Time To Up The Ante: Seeking The Sub-2 Half

"You can't hit a home run unless you step up to the plate. You can't catch a fish unless you put your line in the water. You can't reach your goals unless you try." ~ Kathy Seligman 

I love setting goals for myself. They give me something to shoot and strive for. No matter the area of life, you need goals to give you direction and drive. Otherwise, you end up going about life aimlessly.

Early in my running, I saw the importance of have a goal out there to keep me motivated, to keep me going, to keep me getting up early and hit the pavement.

At first, signing up for a race was enough motivation. I had to run and train in order to be able to finish. Then it was to PR, to try a new distance and so on and so forth.

But with each goal achieved, a new one must replace it.

And the ante must be upped.

Two Years Of Streaking

Runners can be funny with their obsession, and I'm no different. Add the fact in that I'm a stats geek in large part to my job as a director of sports communication, and that obsession goes to exponential proportions.

In addition, runners have the habit of getting caught up with streaks. Runners' World, in fact, promotes two different running streaks - one from Thanksgiving to New Year's and another which began today (Memorial Day) and rolls to the Fourth of July. During these streaks, runners are encouraged to run at least 1 mile every day.

You can follow along with everyone's progress by following the hashtag #RWRunStreak on Twitter.

While I'm going to attempt to complete this running streak, I'm not going to stress over it. My longest run streak is 11 days. My body needs rest, and I'm not a fan of injuries.

However, this post is not about the #RWRunningStreak but rather a different running streak of mine.

After my run this morning, I have logged 100 miles or more in 24 months in a row.

There's Nothing Like A PR - 2013 Knoxville Marathon Recap

A beautiful morning for a race. Let's do 26.2!

P - FREAKING - R!

There! That's my recap!

Now, you know better than that. I love to talk, especially about running. So, sit back because I fear this could get very long.

I went into the 2013 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon with several different goals I wanted to achieve, and I met all but one. And with a little extra work, I might be able to hit that goal next time if everything else comes together like it did for this year's first.

My goals were: 1. finish (check). 2. sub-5 hour time. (check). 3. PR (check). 4. hit 4:45 (not quite). And 5. have fun and enjoy the fun (double check).

In the end, I posted a time of 4:51:11 - 7:32 faster than last year's race (and my first marathon). While I feel I can improve on this, I know I gave it my all because after I crossed the finish line, collected my medal and running hat, I found my beautiful family in the front row of the stands and just collapsed against the padded wall, lying my head on top of the wall.

I had laid it all out on the course. I had nothing left to give. So no regrets on not getting my ultimate goal time for this race of 4:45.

A Year Later And I Keep Coming Back For More

Yesterday marked the 1-year anniversary of my first full marathon. It's crazy to think that it's been a year since that amazing day, and it's even crazier to think about how far I've come (and gone) since then.

Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined I would be running my third marathon in just over a year after my first. (In case I hadn't mentioned it before, I'm running the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon on Sunday.) Heck, I am still in awe I even ran one marathon!

I remember crossing the finish line of my first half marathon, loving the feeling and already planning to run my next half. But one other thought prevailed: "There's no way I'm ever running a full marathon!"

Funny how things change.

Not only do I love the marathon, I love training for a marathon.

And before all of you question my sanity, in the words of the Big Bang Theory's Sheldon Cooper: "I'm not crazy. My mother had me tested."

OMG! I Did What?!?!

This picture seemed appropriate for this post.

Funny how some things take you by surprise.

As runners, we are notorious for setting goals, giving us things to shoot for and strive for. To make yourself better and stronger, you need to put goals out there to challenge yourself.

I did that last year when I put out there I wanted to post a 175-mile month. It didn't happen last year, but that did not deter me. I simply put on the list again for 2013.

And then without really striving for it, I FREAKING GOT IT!!!

Funny thing is, I didn't really try for this goal. It wasn't something I set out to do this month, but it just happened.

Is It Race Day Yet?

Scenes from my 22-miler this past weekend.

On the one hand, I can't believe I am in week 14 of my marathon training. Yet, on the other hand, I can't believe the Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon is still 17 days away!

As per my normal insanity, I am enjoying marathon training. Call me crazy (FYI, you won't be the first nor the last to do so), but I really do enjoy training. The constant challenge, the upping of the mileage, the tons of miles being logged, hill and tempo workouts.

I mean, what's not to love?

But while I do love training, I am so ready for race day to be here ... LIKE NOW!

StrideBox: The Next Big Thing In Running?

Don't you love contests? I do, especially when it comes to free running gear.

(Hopefully, one day I will be able to hold a contest giveaway or two. I love sharing the wealth, just need to find some of that wealth to share. :) )

A couple weeks ago, I saw a tweet from Rebecca (@complexmomruns) about a giveaway on her blog - Complex Mom. She was giving away one free StrideBox, so my interested was difficult piqued and I entered the fray. Never in my wildest dreams did I really think I'd win.

But I did!

I was pleasantly surprised when I got an email from Rebecca letting me know I had won. I couldn't wait to check out StrideBox. And yesterday, my prize came in the mail.

My Running Love Affair

From the folks at Garmin

It's Valentine's Day, so love is in the air.

With this in mind, I thought I'd share a few of the reasons of why I love running.

I can't take credit for this blog idea being original with me today. I'm sure it's been done hundreds of times over in the past, and I happened to see a post by David H. on his love affair with running this morning. So, a hat tip and a "thank you" to David for this idea.

So without any further ado, here are some of the reasons I love running.

A Fun Time Was Had By All - Strawberry Plains Half & 10K Recap

The t-shirt design for this year's race.

This is a race I had circled on my calendar. I was so looking forward to this year's Strawberry Plains Half Marathon and 10K for a number of reasons.

First, this is my first repeat race. Since I began running in April 2010, I had run 10 races, but all of them different events. This was the first time I had run the same race twice.

Secondly, I really enjoyed this race. It's a small race with a beautiful course. It's a challenging course, but fun nonetheless.

Lastly, my bride was running her first 10K!!!

Yes, I've been a bit geeked up about Genople running, but especially with her pushing herself past the 5K and to attempt a 10K.

Oops! I Did It Again

Road rash is pretty, isn't it?

It's funny how history can repeat itself.

Last time I was marathon training, I hit a little 'bump' on the trial. (OK, it was a root.) So, I was really wanting to avoid a situation like that again.

But yesterday, I took a 'trip' down memory lane.

Set out with the plan to run 5 miles and finish at the rec center to do a spin session before running the mile-plus way home. It was a simple, easy plan. What could possibly go wrong you say?

Well, how about another fall?

Yes, I took another tumble. This time, though, it was on the sidewalk.

How I Saved Myself Hundreds Of Dollars

Did the title catch your eye? Good! It was supposed to.

But I must tell you this is no get-rich-quick scheme nor is it how you can save hundreds off your car insurance. No, this is just a simple running tip I feel the need to share with you.

So, how did I save myself hundreds of dollars? Two words: Ziplock baggies.

Scratching your head yet? Great. Keep reading.

Remember last autumn when I took a great fall while trailing running? Sure, you do. It was epic! I mean, it happened right smack in the middle of my training for the 7 Bridges Marathon. Well, I didn't share every detail about that spill, but now you will get to hear (in the words of the late Paul Harvey) the rest of the story.

5 Weeks Down, 11 More To Go - Training Update

I can't believe how fast time flies. Seems just like yesterday I started my training plan for the 2013 Covenant Health Knoxville Marathon. Yet, here I am with five weeks under my belt already.

Thus far, I am feeling good about things. My approach this time is more focused as I'm looking to find ways to improve my performance, and more importantly to me, my endurance.

Above everything, I want to be able to remain strong throughout the race. This takes place planning, focus and practice. Slowly but surely, I'm coming to understand it is OK to have a slower, consistent pace at the beginning of a run/race in order to have more in the tank at the end of the run/race.

This is not an easy concept for me to put into practice. Being a bit Type A, I want to go all out from the get go. And this approach wears me out, forcing me to take more and more walk breaks during the final stages of the run/race.

My Impromptu Rest Day

I was planning to do my long run this morning. Just a mere 13 miles or so.

I was mentally prepared to do this; after all, I have ran this distance numerous times, so much so I've lost count.

I was going to mix up my route just to spice things up. To better prepare for the Knoxville Marathon, I was going to add hill or two early in the run and then another one or two hills during the end of the run.

But my body had other ideas.

We Were All Once Newbies At One Time

It's the first of the year, the time of renewal and resolutions. And as nearly everyone can easily guess, losing weight and getting fit are among the top if not the top resolutions every single year.

Consequently, gym memberships go up in the month January.

As do the angst from the regulars.

Now before you write this off as a holier-than-thou blog post, let me just say I get the angst. Shoot, I feel and experience the same frustrations for I too am a creature of habit. Don't believe me? Please ask my bride. She will tell you.

Shooting For The Moon In 2013

2012 was a big year for me. Nearly 1,600 miles, two full marathons under my belt and a shiny new PR in the half marathon.

Also, in 2012, my bride started running. Yes, I know I've mentioned several times on this blog about how thrilled I am about this, but I'm very proud of her for running her first 5K and now training for a 10K. Love having my soul mate as my No. 1 running buddy.

I'm really looking forward to bigger and better things in 2013. After all, 13 is my favorite number in the world!

So without a further ado, here are my goals for the new year.