I’ve been certified as an RRCA (Road Runners Club of America) Running Coach since 2021. But here’s my running history from it’s humble beginnings til now!
As a 9th grader, in the autumn of 1983, I ran for my High School Cross Country team. I trained with friends toward the 5k OFSAA regionals in Toronto. I believe I finished in a lackluster 21st place. Once the race was over, I was done with running.
In the summer of 1999, as a busy 30 year old, I commuted by bike to work and school. I was occasionally seen running loops in my local park and on the treadmill 3 times a week to get in better shape. I probably averaged no more than 2 miles per session. But as life got busier, running fell away… again!
By the Spring of 2010 I was 40 years old and 40 pounds overweight. One day, I was leaning into my computer monitor at my office when I experienced an uncomfortable tightness in my chest. My Dr. recommended a regimen of pills to control borderline high blood pressure and pre-diabetes.
That set off an alarm in my head. I refused the treatment and vowed to get the weight off and cure the cause of these issues naturally, through exercise and healthy eating instead of masking the symptoms with drugs.
I joined a lunchtime walking group where I worked, walking 2 to 3 miles per day and obsessed over my caloric intake, replacing junk with fruits, veggies and lean meat.
By spring of 2011, I’d dropped 30 pounds. One day, leaving my office, I wondered if I could run, even slowly, to my car ⅓ of a mile away. Wearing office casuals, wingtip shoes and a computer bag over my shoulder, I covered the distance only mildly winded… I hadn’t run in over a decade and it really got me thinking… I bet I could get the rest of my weight off and get fit a lot faster by running, but I was self-conscious and didn’t like the idea of being outside, while neighbors watched a middle-aged me playing track-star as I fumbled through the neighborhood…
In summer 2011, my wife’s friend put her treadmill up for sale. Though I was still walking daily, I knew this was a golden opportunity to start running without embarrassment. I rented a truck, picked up the treadmill that weekend and dragged it into our living room.
At first I only used the machine twice a week, not daring to push past 5.5mph and unable to stand the tedium for more than 20 minutes. I went so far as draping towels over the display so I couldn’t watch the eternity of each moment ticking by.
Over the next 2 years I gradually increased the number of days on that treadmill, eventually working up to 6 or 7 miles/day on a 6 day/week schedule, and my weekly mileage got up to 35 or 40 miles a week.
I increased my maximum speed by 1/10 of a mile per hour each week, maintaining the pace for each run after a brief ramp up at the start. Before long I sustained speeds over 8mph, which blew my mind.
As my confidence grew, I began mixing in outdoor runs and by spring 2013, running on the roads for half of my mileage.
I began running hills around my area, never really varying my daily training. I just pushed as hard as I could as often as my fitness allowed. I was so proud when I completed my first 10 mile run on the treadmill – I could actually run double-digit mileage.
That gave me courage to sign-up for a race – I wanted a goal to train toward and the chance to see how I compared to other runners. In May 2014 I found a half marathon that was just 7 miles from home. I knew I had 4 months to extend my long runs another 5k so I could actually reach the finishline. It seemed very daunting, but very exciting!
My fastest treadmill time for 13.1 miles at that point was 1:34, so I set my race goal at an audacious 1:29:59. . I wanted to go sub-90 in my first half marathon race…
- September 20, 2014 – Bib #1980 – Run for Green Half Marathon – Davidson, NC – Result: 1:28:37 – 7th place overall and won the male masters category and collected $50 in prize money.
- Saturday, January 17, 2015 – Bib #249 – Charleston Marathon – Charleston, SC – Result: 3:26:37 – placed 62 of 907 entrants – missed BQ by 98 seconds – 8:00/mile
- Sunday, March 15, 2015 – Bib #277 – Tobacco Road Marathon – Cary, NC – Result: 3:16:53 – placed 74 of 1135 entrants – BQ, PR – 7:30/mile
- Saturday, October 24, 2015 – Bib # – Peak to Creek Marathon – Jonas Ridge, NC – Result: 3:03:37 – placed 17 of 329 entrants – BQ, 1st pace in M45-49 age division, PR – 7:00/mile
- Saturday, March 5, 2016 – Bib #1800 – Myrtle Beach Marathon – Myrtle Beach, SC – Result: 3:02:23 – placed 22 of 1804 entrants (1420 finishers) – BQ, PR – 6:57/mile
- Saturday, October 29, 2016 – Bib # – Peak to Creek Marathon – Jonas Ridge, NC – Result: 2:59:28 – placed 7 of 292 entrants – BQ, Male Masters Champion, PR – 6:52/mile
- Saturday, March 3, 2018 – Myrtle Beach Marathon – Myrtle Beach, SC – Result: DNF
- Saturday, October 27, 2018 – Peak to Creek Marathon – Jonas Ridge, NC – Result: 2:57:46 – placed 13 of 312 entrants – BQ, Male Masters Champion – My first finish without PR
- Saturday, December 8, 2018 – Bib #6605 – Huntersville Half Marathon – Huntersville, NC – Result: 1:28:00 – placed 20 of 1065 entrants (884 finishers) – new PR by 37 seconds
- Saturday, March 2, 2019 – Bib #68 – Sprint into Spring 10k – Troutman, NC – Result: 38:41.10 – placed 2 of 36 entrants – 6:14/mile
- Saturday, March 23, 2019 – Bib #72 – Lamb 5k – Mooresville, NC – Result: 18:36 – placed 2 of 115 entrants – 6:00/mile
- Saturday, September 21, 2019 – Bib #1424 – Race 13.1 Half Marathon – Charlotte, NC – Result: 1:22:57 – placed 9 of 1141 entrants (958 finishers) – 6:19/mile
- Saturday, October 26, 2019 – Peak to Creek Marathon – Jonas Ridge, NC – Result: 2:52:24 – placed 4 of 293 entrants – BQ, Male Masters Champion, PR
- Sunday, March 15, 2020 – Tobacco Road Marathon – Cary, NC – Result: Cancelled due to COVID-19