Monday, December 31, 2018

2018 Year in Review


2018 Year in Review
 
The saying “the days are slow...but the years go fast” is so true!  Some days and weeks certainly seem to drag on, but wow, another year has come and gone!  Once again, it’s time to sit down and recapitulate my running year. 
It’s been quite a year and will be memorable to me for a variety of reasons – some positive, some not so.  Even with the passing of so many great people and some alarming global political turn of events throughout the year; in the end, it’s all about what each individual makes of it.
The end of the year also brings an inevitable desire for reflection, introspection, and for looking back to assess the good moments, the not-so-good moments, the direction to take next year and the improvements we need to do to ourselves. 
Runners cannot avoid the countless reminders of the numbers that make up the statistics of how many miles we’ve run, the challenges we’ve faced, where we succeeded and where we’ve been beaten, only to look forward and plan how to turn it around into a positive experience.  That’s how we build resilience, how we remain humble and how we set new challenges to overcome our limits.
If I could sum up my year in a few simple words, what would they be?  Lots of traveling and running, crowded airports, getting outside of my comfort zone and hopefully continuing to learn and grow from it all.
Looking back, I recollect approaching 2018 with an optimistic outlook.  Even while attempting to build a solid foundation on last year’s marathons and half marathons, the desire to pursue the unfulfilled challenge of qualifying for the Boston Marathon still remains to be an intangible objective.
That said, 2018 was a bit of a special year (and a complete game changer) for me in terms of miles run – twelve marathons and four half marathons.  Quantity – yes.  Quality – not so.  So whilst I’d love to try to top it in 2019, I doubt I’ll be able to beat what’s happened!  With four states remaining on my pilgrimage to fifty statehood, maybe the anticipation, excitement and eagerness I possess as I look forward to closing out Marathon Mile 1,310 in 2019 will trump my endeavors of 2018.
If I were to never run again after this year, I would say I went out with a bang.  Everything in life has a season.  If I continue this “hobby” for decades to come, I can point to 2018 as the year in which I realized I was capable of more than I thought possible.  Although I did not get any faster than last year, I became more confident, and sometimes, almost recklessly so.  I broke through some significant barriers, pushed myself farther and reevaluated the idea of improvement.
It is for these reasons and several others that I will have to abandon any humility I may have as I write this tome.  Seriously, if self-congratulatory fist-pumping gives you any kind of allergic reaction, stop reading now or go find an EpiPen because your throat may tighten up from anaphylaxis shock.  I could say I’m sorry; but, I’m not sorry.  I am damn proud of what I have achieved this year.  I put in a ton of time, hammering out gallons of sweat into my running every marathon weekend without fail, dealing with everything from sub-freezing temperatures, wind and rain to sweltering heat and humidity – whatever Mother Nature had in her bag of tricks at the time.
While not every accomplishment can be represented with numbers or shaded states on a map, that’s where I will start.
Basically, 2018 was the year of motivational cartography, with states being added to the list like putting groceries into a shopping cart.  A crazy year?  Yes.  Thanks to miles hoarding, road tripping, doubling-up and a few well-timed airline and hotel deals, I was able to reel in eleven states, a few of which I had never visited in my life.
Weather and climates often and do fluctuate significantly due to changes in latitude, and topographic features, such as mountains and deserts, can also impact meteorological elements.  With the climate of the U.S. becoming warmer and sultry the further south one travels, and drier the further west, until one reaches the Pacific Coast, I can usually predict what kind of weather I can expect as I travel.  However, given the volatility of weather, anything can happen at a moment’s notice.
That unpredictability became evident as 2018 debuted when Baton Rouge “came calling” with the annual Louisiana Marathon.  January’s abnormal sub-freezing temperatures in and around Baton Rouge was just what my old body needed allowing me to run my best time of the year.  However, Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight was only the beginning, and as the year evolved, different sets of circumstances tested and challenged my fitness level and mental toughness.  
I managed to sneak in a discreet birthday celebration marathon through central Indiana’s touted Monon Greenway Trail; jogged the hills of the Ozarks, the Rockies and the Green Mountains of central Vermont; writhed through the humidity of South Carolina, Florida, New York and Kentucky rounding out with a run down Main Street in proximity to the Gateway to the West; concluding with the crustacean leitmotif of Maryland and celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the Atlantic City Marathon on the Jersey Shore.  I ran on school campi, through some backwoods once plagued with shootings and hangings, along golf courses and on a famous boardwalk fronting outsized casinos.  But most notably of all, it was also a year for challenges. 
I’m not just a runner because I like improving my times.  Though few of us like to admit it, there will eventually come a time when we simply can’t get any faster.  Maybe I’ve reached that point, but it’s about self-improvement and simply being the best runner that I can be.  For now, though, despite the dalliances in marathons and running certain races for others, deep down, I still very much possess a competitive spirit and I harbor that inner competiveness – and that means running fast, or at least trying.
So, though it might be tempting to summon up 2018 as the year with trials and tribulations, I’m confident that the history books will direct their attention elsewhere to more important worldly events, such as Eliud Kipchoge cruising through Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate with an impressive 2:01:39, or Desiree Linden’s epic performance bucking some harsh New England weather by being the first to break the tape at the Boston Marathon – with authority.  
I will remember how an otherwise nondescript excursion to Colorado became an opportunity to redeem myself from a previous Colorado marathon.  I will fondly recall the trip to Appalachia and the camaraderie of running Hatfield & McCoy a second time, as well as a double marathon weekend rounding out the year, coloring my thoughts of Maryland and New Jersey.
And so, with my legs recovering from a pretty intense year, it’s time to look ahead to 2019, a year with a singularly momentous goal – finishing the remaining four states, thus completing my long sought after fifty state quest.
Of course, life always seems to throw in some monkey wrenches along the way triggering some kind of disappointment to ruin the day.  What was to be a notable double marathon weekend combining two states (Indoor Insanity Marathon [NC] and Hatfield & McCoy Marathon [KY]), a building’s HVAC system malfunction prompted the cancelation of Indoor Insanity resulting in a long six-hour road trip from Raleigh, NC to Pikeville, KY and, in the end, returning back to Raleigh for seemingly no rhyme or reason besides plunging into some classic television nostalgia – back to the good old days of “Mayberry” North Carolina.  As Mayberry Sheriff Andy Taylor once said, “That’s the main thing, ain’t it?  That’s the goal that every individual is shootin’ for, ain’t it?  It’s kinda the prize of the game – to be happy.”  Perhaps it wasn’t so disappointing after all.
Trailblazing through the fruited plains of our country over this past year has left an indelible imprint on my hippocampus, and can be summed up accordingly:
Louisiana – Louisiana Marathon, Baton Rouge, 4:29:39
 
A cold start leading to a warm finish.  Cajun food and music shaped the state of Louisiana, so it’s only appropriate to stage a marathon inspired by it!  The post-race party included traditional music with multiple food vendors dishing out their local food fare (hats off to the jambalaya, étouffée, alligator sausage and filé gumbo).  With tons of fun, the marathon takes runners through the various neighborhoods of Baton Rouge, the LSU campus and around beautiful lakes and parks while sampling slices of king cake along the way.  In addition to being my best finishing time of the year, it was also one of my most memorable trips.  Son of a gun, I had great fun on the bayou.
 
South Carolina – Hilton Head Island Marathon, Hilton Head, 5:12:47
 
The beauty of South Carolina’s Low Country wasn’t enough to overshadow the dreaded heat, humidity and running the island’s infamous and ill-reputed tollway and bridge – four times!  The region’s attractive stretches of beach may be considered some of the best in the country.  While the marathon course may be flat and fast, I would consider this particular day anything but fast.  The external elements along the highway exhausted my will to give it my all.  However; any off-highway ventures into some scenic and shaded residential areas and manicured golf courses shrouded by trees draped with Spanish moss brightened my outlook.  I learned to keep an eye out for the island’s other residents – alligators.


Florida – 26.2 with Donna Marathon, Jacksonville, 5:38:57

The Donna Marathon Weekend is an official fund raising event for the DONNA Foundation that provides assistance and support for those living with breast cancer and funds research to finish the disease.  Beginning at the PGA’s TPC Sawgrass and concluding at Jacksonville’s Mayo Clinic campus, running this marathon was a difficult endeavor in northeast Florida’s irrefutable heat and humidity, but pales in comparison to those enduring cancer treatments.  My struggles over the punishing final five kilometers were well worth the effort, as I thought of those I know battling the disease.
 
Indiana – Carmel Marathon, Carmel, 4:36:17
 
North of Indianapolis lies the city of Carmel, one of Indiana’s more artsy fartsy musical cities, and the setting for this marathon is pretty cool.  Following a huge snowstorm just days prior, the snow moved eastward, leaving runners with a chilly early spring day.  Cold temperatures and cloudy skies ruled the morning, but warmed somewhat as the day progressed giving way to light rain showers during the final few kilometers.  Runners traverse the popular Monon Greenway Trail through broadleaf woodlands, creeksides and city streets.  Another great aspect of this race is their partnership with the Ronald McDonald House.  


Arkansas – Hogeye Marathon, Springdale, 4:36:45
 
A pig sooie cheer!  The organizers of the Hogeye call runners from all over America to assemble in Northwest Arkansas for some fun and entertainment.  The course leads runners past the city’s major parks and the Naturals baseball park, including a portion of the Lake Fayetteville Trail and crossing the Lake Fayetteville earthen dam.  The course runs primarily on Springdale streets, with sections running through the cities of Johnson and Fayetteville, and a small portion taking place on the Razorback Greenway culminating at the sty in downtown Springdale for BBQ, chicken and hot dogs.
 
Colorado – Colorado Marathon, Ft. Collins, 4:58:28
 
Fort Collins (a Colorado do-over), is a mostly downhill marathon through the scenic Poudre Canyon.  The race compares to the majesty of REVEL races; however, with much less stress and strain on the body.  Runners must not mistake the downhill nature for a new PR.  The flat sections and hills during the last few miles can mollify a runner’s pace, but I managed to step over the finish line ahead of the dreaded five-hour barrier.  With nearly 3000 feet closer to sea level, it felt good to redeem myself from Mt. Sneffels.
 
New York – Buffalo Marathon, Buffalo, 5:11:47
 
Buffalo may be beautiful in the summer, but it certainly can be hell on wheels in the winter.  The course guides runners throughout various historical and highfaluting neighborhoods and regions of Buffalo and along the Lake Erie waterfront with picturesque views of Fort Erie, Ontario on the opposite side of the lake.  With the elevated temperatures and dew points, it was a struggle, but I found some internal fortitude to push through and finish with a smile.  The coolest feature is the finish, where runners concluded their 26.2-mile journey adjacent to the convention center where air conditioned comfort greets those who struggled (like I did) and to partake in post-race food, beer, socializing and entertainment.


Kentucky – Hatfield & McCoy Marathon, South Williamson, 5:52:30

Need a history lesson?  Take a trip to Pike and Mingo Counties.  This great marathon positions itself near the top of my favorites list.  Normally, I don’t repeat marathons, but there are always exceptions.  Besides counting for either of two states, this one deserves repeating.  Yes, the marathon was hot (mid 90s) and humid with the hills taking its toll on my sanity and fitness levels (as evidenced by my finish time), but that didn’t dissuade me from appreciating this marathon.  The course takes place in the region of the Hatfield-McCoy feud, sans any feuding – just running.  It’s an amazing journey through the beautiful rolling hills of coal country.  The second half of the course skirted the turbid waters of the Tug River and looked mighty refreshing on such a hot day.  Remember the local rule, if you see a pig, look the other way.  On the other hand, if you see miniature horses along the way, be sure to stop and pet them.
 
Vermont – Mad Marathon, Waitsfield, 5:17:56
 
Located between Montpelier and Burlington, this charming New England town in central Vermont served as the host to this small but praised race by Maniacs and 50-staters alike.  The course begins in the midst of green rolling pasture lands of the Mad River Valley.  The hills were a little taxing, no question, but after a hard day negotiating substantial inclines and enduring the summer heat, runners get a welcomed hug from the race director upon finishing the race.  The best part – relaxing and delighting in the fruits of your labor with a cup of craft beer and the typical post-race snack food as well as great conversations with fellow runners.  Cool attractions and popular swimming holes abound for those who desire to seek out and discover what the Waitsfield area has to offer.  Post marathon, chow down at the Mad Taco to placate any hankerings for delicious tacos.  My three overstuffed spicy pork chorizo tacos seasoned with a dousing of the house’s habanero sauce, supplemented with an ice cold beverage, suppressed my ravenous internal monster.


Illinois – Belleville Main Street Marathon, Belleville, 4:56:53


When I think running Illinois, the highly touted Chicago Marathon comes to mind, one of the running world’s major events.  Belleville, five hours distant from the windy city, lies in the southeast St. Louis metro area.  This up and coming small marathon (maybe 200 runners) takes runners up, down and all along the lengthiest Main Street in the country, as well as along pedestrian/bicycle trails and some of the region’s parks.  Whether their Main Street is the longest in the U.S., I may never know; but what I do know is that this is a great marathon full of energy, camaraderie and support usually not seen with smaller marathon events.
 
Maryland – Baltimore Marathon, Baltimore, 5:10:34
 
On a cloudy humid Saturday morning, thousands of runners assembled along the north flank of Camden Yards, on a street eerily void of motorized vehicles, waiting for the sound of the starting gun.  Under an archway of red, white and blue balloons and blasts of confetti, runners pushed themselves up Paca Street on their grand journey to compete in the marathon segment of Baltimore’s annual Running Festival.  The challenging and hilly course snakes around a whole host of diverse neighborhoods, parks, lakes and along the shores of the Inner Harbor.  An effort-free downhill gradient is a pleasant surprise as runners conclude their Charm City tour.


New Jersey – Atlantic City Marathon, Atlantic City, 5:32:35


The wind whipped us around the boardwalk.  Sometimes it was a headwind; sometimes a crosswind or a tailwind; but mostly, it was just wind from every direction.

Wind under my feet…
Wind over my feet…
Headwind…
Tailwind…
Even problem winds blowing vertically, too…
 
The historic Atlantic City boardwalk and its abutting casinos or the Atlantic strand may be some of the highlights at this marathon’s sixtieth anniversary, but wind ruled the day.  Along with delightfully chilly running weather, the unrelenting sustained winds exceeding 20 mph, with gale-forced gusts over 40 knots, using a nautical descriptor, made running this marathon a difficult struggle for me.  The flat course was not fast on this particular day, but when blessed with any indication of a tail wind, running became much less formidable.  Even though I considered Atlantic City a sub-par performance, I still measured this as a rewarding example of my mental and physical strength.


Race Stats:
Half Marathons Run: 4 (running as pace leader)
Modesto Half Marathon, Modesto, CA – 2:09:26 (2:10 pace leader)
Humboldt Bay Half Marathon, Eureka, CA – 2:14:45 (2:15 pace leader)
Two Cities Half Marathon (Clovis), Fresno, CA – 2:09:28 (2:10 pace leader)
Bakersfield Half Marathon, Bakersfield, CA – 2:09:12 (2:10 pace leader)

Marathons Run: 12 (Eleven states)
Fastest: 4:29:39 (Louisiana Marathon, Baton Rouge, LA)
Slowest: 5:52:30 (Hatfield & McCoy Marathon, S. Williamson, KY)
Average: 5:07:56    Standard deviation: 0:25:51   Median: 5:11:10
 
Number of fellow marathon runners: 8,274
Largest race: 1,952 (Baltimore Marathon)
Smallest race: 152 (Hatfield & McCoy Marathon)
 
Fifty-state quest average through 46 states:  4:56:10
Standard deviation: 0:26:09
Median finish time: 4:55:24
 
All-time marathon average to date (through 64 races):  4:49:52
Standard deviation: 0:29:18
Median finish time: 4:50:57
 
Number of days since first marathon and final marathon of 2018: 6,566
 
Mileage Stats:
 
Total miles run in 2018: 1028.7
Race miles run in 2018: 366.8 (including marathon and half marathon)
Average half marathon pace: 9:58
Average marathon pace: 11:45
 
Top 3 Half Marathon Medals:


#1 Bakersfield Half Marathon



#2 Humboldt Bay Half Marathon



#3 Two Cities Half Marathon

 
Top 3 Marathon Medals:


#1 Hogeye Marathon
 


#2 Baltimore Marathon



#3 Atlantic City Marathon


Best Medal of 2018:  That’s a tough decision.  I honestly think it was actually a great year for medal designs and appearances.  It essentially boils down to the crustacean design of the Baltimore Marathon, with its shell opening up to expose a panorama of the Inner Harbor in front of Baltimore’s skyline; to the Hogeye and the Ozark charm of northwest Arkansas; and to the sixtieth anniversary of Atlantic City’s wild ride along the Boardwalk and the Jersey Shore.  Drum roll…Hogeye oinks out the others by a swine’s schnozzle.  The featured cool hog, charming people, the course layout and the excellent post-race food, refreshments and finisher’s jacket, tips the balance in its favor. 

For the half marathon, the Bakersfield Half takes the prize, and appears to rival Little Rock, AR in terms of the largest finisher’s medal.  As I course through the Streets of Bakersfield and along the merciless Kern River, this year’s new, improved and huge medal, top my list.  However, I do miss the previous Buck Owens’ signature red, white and blue guitar themed medals. 

“There’s the South San Joaquin / Where the seeds of the dust bowl are found / And there’s a place called Mount Whitney / From where the mighty Kern River comes down / Well, it’s not deep nor wide / But it’s a mean piece of water my friend” – Lyrics from Kern River by Merle Haggard (Lines 16-21).

Worst Medal of 2018:  I can’t really find one that I truly dislike all that much.  Each race garners its own unique and special touches in some fashion.  However, if I had to pick one, it would be Hilton Head, who’s generic and probably recycled design I forgave because of its rather small field, but excellent organization and post-race festivities. 

For the half marathon distance, I would have to give the least amount of acclamation to this years’ Modesto half and full marathon.  In prior years, medal designs were quite attractive designed by a local artisan, but without the artist’s singular eye-catching touches and his distinctive creativity, I unfortunately have to rank the medal low on a runner’s must-have scale.

There you have it, a quick and dirty summary of my year – nothing too special, no records set, no accolades, no prizes or monetary winnings, and certainly not enough to write home about, but enough to keep me busy, feeling good and out of trouble.  My 2018 average marathon finishing time of 5:07:56 was 12:30 slower than 2017s average time.  Fortunately, I survived two double marathon weekends without any serious consequences.

Marathons slated for the 2019 docket*:

27 January – Big Beach Marathon, Gulf Shores, AL

23 March – Savin Rock Marathon, West Haven, CT (State #47)

7 April – Cheap Marathon, Salisbury, MA (State #48)

27 April – Mt. Charleston Marathon, Las Vegas, NV

5 May – Flying Pig Marathon, Cincinnati, OH (State #49)

6 June – Mockingbird Marathon, Erwin, TN

8 June – New River Marathon, Fleetwood, NC (State #50)

* The fine print.  Of course, others may be added.

Final thoughts

I’ve learned to stop being afraid of certain numbers.  I no longer doubt myself when I see a half marathon split pace exceeding ten-minutes.  A five-hour marathon used to be a red flag, a sign that race myopia had taken over and that I’d soon regret it.  Not so much anymore.  Thanks to the lessons I learned in 2017 and throughout 2018, I’ve realized that it’s good to be aggressive sometimes, especially if race conditions are right.  I feel I owe it to myself to go out hard, even if I think I’m exhausting my limits. 

All these statistical data points I’ve amassed over the years are meaningful only to one person – me.  I honestly don’t expect anyone to analyze and digest them or develop any sort of real conclusion from them.  Besides, everyone is different.  A professional marathoner would see my results and pat my back with a mix of encouragement and pity.  On the contrary, there are those who consider me fast.  To them I say, you can definitely catch up to me.  It’s just a matter of gradual progress with a few spikes of reckless speed here and there.  But regardless of whether these “other” people are faster or slower, they really are what make the sport fun for me.

While it’s true that I enjoy running and traveling by themselves, no race trip is ever made worse with company.  Not only did I get to run a ton of races with complete strangers, I met many of those strangers along the way whose racing adventures continue to overlap with mine. 

In the words of JRR Tolkien, “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”  As I continue to move forward in life, it’s never too late to make a difference in our lives.  I am delighted to meet new people and to travel to seemingly places unknown.  I’m thrilled that I can do it all by doing what the human body does best, run.  With every additional mile, I am reminded not only that I am fulfilling a personal goal, but that happiness is a choice and not a consequence.   

At various points in my life, running has served as a meditative, mind-clearing pursuit or a cathartic, productive one, through which I’ve worked on specific problems or decisions.  At times, I turn phrases or fragments of thoughts over and over in my head while I’m running, eventually settling (if I’m lucky) on the best way to express an idea or a blog review format.  For me, what happens in my head and in my psyche when I run is as significant as the physical benefits derived from running. 





"It is said that just enough is best. 
I think just enough is way too little"
Some people run because they feel they have to – to lose weight or to mitigate the effects of unhappiness, despair, depression or downheartedness.  I run because I want to – the runner’s high makes me feel better and mostly because I enjoy every step.  I look at it as my way to cope with stress and the superfluities of life.  In doing so, I must simultaneously strike the perfect balance between daily life and running.  I best associate it with the archetypical Swedish proverb, “Lagom är bäst” or “Just enough is best.”

In 2019, I’m shifting focus away from speed and towards endurance for the final four states looming on the horizon – Ohio, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and North Carolina.  Of course, the count doesn’t include any do-over states I may pursue to enhance my average times.  Though I certainly want to recover quickly and get back into a regular pattern of training, my typical aches and pains of this hectic year aren’t letting me just yet.  I just hope the complacency of rest and recovery doesn’t inhibit my motivation to run.

With that note, I bid ye all a Happy New Year.  May you achieve your goals, learn from your mistakes and keep pressing onwards with an insatiable desire to regain your joie de vivre. Because we must always remember that whatever we do in this sport, we do ourselves.  Sometimes we receive encouragement from others and in certain instances we might get swept up in someone else’s training blueprint.  But at the end of the day, what you do and the choices you make are yours.  You plan, you prepare, you follow through and lastly, you learn.

I’ve learned that from every state I visit, I can write a new story about people, or a new lesson learned, and those who joined the race, offered kind words of support, or simply those I met after the race for a sweaty drink and good conversation.  This countrywide effort would mean nothing were it not for the truly wonderful people whom I met and that have helped me along the way.  Runners sometimes get a bad rap for talking about their sport too much.  But if you felt this much love, I don’t see why you’d want to talk about anything else.

OK, it’s time to go for a run.  NO EXCUSES!

Onward and upward.
 








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