Help The Homeless 5K

On Saturday November 12, 2011, I ran in the Help the Homeless Run and Walk 5K at Fair Park in Dallas, TX. Honoring Dallas Homeless Veterans, the proceeds of this event benefitted The Bridge, and Back on My Feet. The Program Director for Back on My Feet, Lea Velez, led the stretching before race aided by a large number of homeless runners and walkers from the organization and their Run-On! training partners. Race registration started at 2:00 PM, at the race started at 3:30 PM which is later than usual for these types of races. As it turns out, there was an Alzheimer's walk at the same location in the morning. There was a huge amount of sponsor support for this event, including: Orix Foundation, Walmart, Baylor, Fannie Mae, Marianne and Roger Staubach, Run-On!, 103.7 Lite FM, My Fit Foods, Cliff Bars, Poweraide, Community Coffee, and more. The fun walk started at 4:30 PM, and there was live music from a band called Emerald City afterwords. I arrived early, and took my 1 mile slow warm up jog, then took a picture with 103.7 radio and talked to the Run-On! crew. I lined up on the first row along side a few homeless runners to start the race. I took off fast, and after about half a mile I was running at a 7:07 pace. I told myself to  slow down, there was still a long way to go. We started inside of Fair Park, then went on the street outside park, eventually running back into park to the finish line. I crossed the finish line and stopped my watch at 25:07. I later checked the posted race results and it showed that I had finished in 23:31. That seemed way too fast. I asked other runners and they said their times were fast too. I spoke to the Run-On! race timer and he found and corrected the times, and listed them on the websites final results. I knew I didn't run that fast. I only want the results that I earn from my Run-On! training and my own effort. Everyone seemed to have a great time at the race. There was dancing, music, food, and all that good stuff. There were only 157 chip timed finishers but many hundred more ran and walked without the chip. It cost $5.00 more if you wanted to have chip timed, and many opted to run without it.  I finished 1st place in this, my last race in the 55-59 age division and 17th out of 157. My final time 25:06 at 8:06 / mile pace.  Place   Bib #    Men       Overall    Chip Time     Pace 1/4     364     15/71    17/157     25:06        8:06 / M I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The DRC Half Marathon

On sunday, November 6, 2011 I ran in my second half marathon race, the DRC Half at Norbuck Park in White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX. The event benefitted the Tal Morrison Scholarship Fund, and there were many sponsors, including: DRC, Run-On!, New Balance, ESP, Cliff Bar, Muscle Milk, Powerade, and many more. The first 3,500 registered runners received a long sleeve technical shirt; yellow for the men and pink for the women. I volunteered at the Dallas Run-On! store for the first morning of packet pickup, and noticed that there were more runners that registered without getting the shirt. They gave away cash prizes for the top half marathon finishers, totaling $5,000.00. DISD (Dallas Independent School District) had a shuttle service for runners that used DART (Dallas public transportation). At 7:30 AM there was a early marathon start for those that planned on finishing the race in over 3 hours and 15 minutes. The half officially started at at 8:00 and the 5K started at 8:20. There was a large food tent and the Beer Garden opened at 10:00. Looking around, I was proud to see that there was a large turnout of Run-On! runners and volunteers at the event.  Since there was no parking at Norbuck Park, I arrived early and parked across the street at Flagpole Hill. I volunteered to take some pictures for DRC, and wanted to do a good job. I took some pics before I ran my half then had to go back to my truck to get the camera again after the race (since I didn't want to run with it). Usually I like to start at the front, close to the starting line, but for this race everyone was told to line up according to pace group. I got behind the 1:50 / mile pace group which I knew was too fast for me, but I didn't want to start too far behind in such a large crowd of runners. The humidity was high, and there were tons of hills which slowed down most of the runners around me. Thanks to Run-On! Training Coordinator Jennifer Kimble, I had a good plan on how to run this race course. The first 3.5 miles were mostly flat, then there were many hills. I trained with my Run-On! coaches and 10:30 pace members to take these hills a bit more effectively. I was running at a comfortable pace, but every time I came to a hill, my pace started to slow down. The final 3 miles of the race was back to the White Rock Lake trail and then back to the finish line at Norbuck Park. It was mostly flat course but I had exhausted a lot of energy making it over those hills. At about 2 miles left, many runners started to pass me up. In a shorter race, I like to save some energy for the last mile or so but my legs just didn't want to run any faster. I just tried to keep the pace I had, and finish the race. I wanted to finish under 2 hours. Back at Norbuck Park I passed the 13 mile marker, and gave what I had left. When I crossed the finish line, the clock said 2:00:04. I was a little disappointed that I had missed my goal by 4 seconds. Theresa, who I train with at Run-On!, said that since I started further back, behind the pace group, I should have finished under 2 hours. Later, I checked the results and found that I had finished in 1:59:30. Looks like I just made it. This was by far my most challenging race so far. I would like to thank USMD Prostate Cancer Center and everyone who has encouraged me at my Run-On! training. My next half is the Dallas White Rock Half on December 4, 2011. I received my DRC 35 Anniversary Commemorative medal for finishing this half. Place     Bib #       Overall      Chip Time    Pace                25/82     1633      880/2716      1:59:30     9:10 / m I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

Double Trouble 5K and 10K

My race on Saturday, October 22 was the Lake Grapevine Runners and Walkers (LGRAW) Double Trouble 5K and 10K near Oak Grove Park in Grapevine, TX.  The 5K started at 8:00 AM and then after a short rest, the 10K started at about 8:50.  They gave out a great technical T-Shirt with registration. Before the 5K race, I was able to meet Charles Clines. He did a report with pictures and results for his running website (www.clinesrunningcorner.com).  I check his site every weekend for all of the area race results. Thank you Charles.  Kenny Stice, an 18 year old cross country runner at Plano High School, and Laura Nelson, 46, of Grapevine won the RRCA Texas State 10K male and female titles.   I started on the 1st row in 5K.  I planned on running this race a little easier than a normal 5K since I was running the 10K right after.  The temperature was about 70 degrees, and there were many hills on the course.   My mile 1 time was 8:07, and my mile 2 time was 16:43 (8:35 / mile pace).  At this point, I slowed down some, but on the 3rd mile, my competitive spirit kicked in, and I started running faster.  My time was 24:41 (7:58 / mile pace).   I finished the 5K race in the time of 25:59:5, third place out of 7 in my age division, and 33 out of 78 men, and 47 out of 162 overall finishers.  Place   Bib #    Men     Overall    Chip Time     Pace 3/7     276     33/78     47/162     25:59:5      8:23   I rested a little before the 10K start, and then lined up about half way back at the starting line.  We ran some of the same course as the 5K, then got on the Grapevine trail.  These were hilly courses, not ideal for me to run fast.  I just planed on doing my best and to not run too hard.   My 1 mile time was 8:30, and my 2 mile time was 17:21 (8:51 / mile pace).  I started to slow down again, and my 3 mile time was 26:0 (8:58 / mile pace).  I was about halfway there to the finish line.   My mile 4 time was 35:23 (9:03 / mile pace), and my mile 5 time was 44:25 (9:02 / mile pace).  On the last mile, I gave everything that I had left; I even passed a few runners.  My mile 6 time was 52:47 (8:21 / mile pace), and I finished the state championship 10K race in the time of 55:15:3.  My last 10K was on January 15, 2011, the Snowman Shuffle, so it's been a while.  I finished in 4th place out of 9 in my age division, just out of the award group. I finished 32 out of 69 men and 43 out of 145 overall, and I had a new personal best 10K time.  Kenny Gardner of Plano won both the 5K and 10K in the 55-59 age division. Place   Bib #    Men     Overall    Chip Time   Pace 4/9     276     32/69    43/145       55:15:3    8:55 I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

Dallas Running Club: The Loop 5K

On Saturday October 1, 2011 I ran in the last of the 8 free Dallas Running Club races that they offer to members each year, The DRC Loop 15K and 5K. I chose to run in the 5K since I had my long run of 11 miles the next morning with my 10:30 pace Run-On! training group. As usual, this annual event took place at Winfrey Point in White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX, and started at 8:00 AM. The event benefited Texas Scottish Rite Hospital and Back on My Feet. Led by Lea Velez and Run-On! Training Coordinator, Jennifer Kimble, many of the Run-On! team ran with a homeless runner. Some of these team members are in my 10:30 pace group, including Nancy Fallen, Teresa Nichols, and Rebecca Lange. As the DRC photographer, I took a few pictures of the Run-On! group, and runners that finished the 15K after I finished my 5K race. Both races started at the same time together. I lined up late, and got stuck about 25 rows back. There were 632 Run-On! Chip timed finishers, with 223 5K finishers including 45 5K runners and 68 15K runners in the Clydesdale and Athena divisions. I didn't start out running all out, like I usually do, because there was such a crowd. The 5K race had a turnaround, but the 15K did a complete loop around the lake. My 1st mile time was 8:00. I got to the turnaround at about halfway to the 2nd mile. When I crossed the 2 mile marker, my time was 15:54 (a 7:53 / mile pace). My 3 mile time was 23:47 (a 7:53 / mile pace). I finished the race in the time of 25:09, 43rd out of 223 5K finishers, and 4th in my age division. As it turns out, the first place winner in my age group was moved up to a Master's winner, and I was surprised when they called my name at the awards ceremony for the 3rd place award. Because the 1st place winner was moved into the Master's division, I ended up finishing 3rd out of 8 in my age group, and 36 out of 104 men. I received 7 points for the DRC Championship, and finished in the top 10 in Volunteering and Racing combined. You can see other runner's results at the DRC site. During my long run the next morning, both feet swelled up and became numb. Thanks to Jennifer Kimble, who recommended an area foot Doctor, I found out that I had arthritis in both feet, which is probably due to over-training. I listened to the Doctor and stopped running for a couple of weeks, but ran another race on October 22. Place   Bib #    Men     Overall   Chip Time  Pace                                          3/8     897    36/104   43/208     25:09     8:07 I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The 2011 Prarie Man Half Marathon

On September 21, 2011 I ran in my 1st Half Marathon ever, the 2011 Prarie Man Half Marathon, 5K, and 1 Mile Fun Run. I want to thank Jennifer Kimble, the Run-On! Training Class Coordinator and RRCA Certified Coach, Mitch Hayes the Assistant Coordinator, and the training group at Run-on! for preparing me for this event. I've never had a coach or been in a training program before, and I can tell you from personal experience that it makes all the difference. The race took place along the shore of Joe Pool Lake in Lynn Creek Park in Grand Prarie, TX, and benefited the MP Foundation for ALS Awareness (Lou Gehrig's Disease). I dedicate this race in memory of fellow Run-On! runner Diane Proud who passed away from ALS a few weeks ago. Diane was a 2 time national duathlon title holder, an 8 time USA Triathlon All-American, and a world class runner. Longtime coach at the Cooper Fitness Center. She had her own race, ALS Run "Proud for Dessert", which she attended on September 10. She showed tremendous courage by running races the best she could, even with her illness. Thank you for inspiring me Diane! All half marathon and 5K runners received a free Brooks Tech shirt. The race course took runners around a pair of loops along the lake's shoreline and then out of the park to the intersection of Mansfield Road. From there, the course turned right and then followed a long straightaway stretch along the northern shoreline of the lake, leading all the way to the Joe Pool Lake Dam. At the Dam was the half way point of this 13.1 mile course. From the turnaround, we just followed the same course back. Ironhead Race Production promoted the race, led by CEO and Race Director, Jack Weiss, who is a certified USAT Training Coach, USA Cycling Level 3 Elite Coach, and a USA Certified Triathlon Coach. Run Far Racing Services planned the event, and professional photos were conducted by Celebrated Images. There were many sponsors at the event, including Mobility Outfitters, inc, Richardson Bike Mart, Spring Valley Spine and Sportscare, Gatorade, as well as a lot of other food and drink sponsors. To participate in the event, you had to arrive by 6:15 AM, because the park was closed to traffic for race. The half marathon started at 7:00 AM with temperture in the low 70 degrees. About a half a mile after the race started I checked my Garmin timing device, and saw that I was at a 5:40 mile pace. I felt comfortable, so I just kept the pace as best I could. I had planned on starting at a 9:25 / mile pace, but my first mile time was actually 8:39. My 2 mile time was 17:28 (a 8:49 / mile pace), and my 3 mile time was 26:12 (a 8:43 / mile pace). I kept my average pace at about 8:40 / mile. The faster runners were way ahead of me and there were not many runners to follow behind, like a normal 5K race. The water stops were great; they had one every 1 mile or so. At mile 4 my time was 34:50 (a 8:38 / mile pace), and my mile 5 time was 43:31 (a 8:41 / mile pace). The 6th mile was my fastest mile at 52:06 (a 8:34 / mile pace). I finally made it to the the turnaround at the Dam, and made my way back. My mile 7 time was 1:00:47 (a 8:41 / mile pace), and my mile 8 time was 1:09:30 (a 8:43 mile pace). At this point, my average pace started to climb a few seconds. My mile 9 my time 1:18:23 (a 8:53 / mile pace), at my mile 10 time was 1:27:19 (a 8:55 / mile pace). I picked it back up a bit at mile 11 with a time of 1:36:01 ( a 8:42 / mile pace). I made my was back inside the park and finished the 12th mile in 1:44:54 (a 8:52 / mile pace). On about mile 13, we got teased by the finish line in front of us. All that remained was to turn left and loop around the back-way to the finish line. I came to a crossroad, and there were no volunteers to say which way to go to get around the loop and back around the shroeline. There were not any runners to follow, so I got confused and stopped running. I just wanted until the next runner came by, and I followed her to the finish line. My 13 mile time was 1:54:24 (a 9:29 / mile pace). I lost at least 45 seconds due to the confusion. My Garmin finished the race at 13:36 (a 8:56 / mile pace). My Garmin doesn't seem to be 100% accurate, but it does help me keep a good pace and record. My official chip time was 1:57:41. I finished 21 out of only 57 overall finishers, 14 out of 23 men, and won my age group with 2 other men. My official halfway time was 57:30 (a 8:47 / mile pace), and finished the 2nd half in 1:00:11 (a 9:11 / mile pace). My overall pace was 8:59 / mile in my first half marathon. I would have been happy with a 2:09:00 finish. I've been running for almost 2 years, and with alot of help and encouragement, was able to accomplish something I never thought I could do. Thank you USMD Prostate Cancer Center, Jennifer, Mitch, and Run-On! Place   Bib#    Men    Overall   Chip Time   1st Half   2nd Half   Final Pace    1/3    529    14/23    21/57     1:57:41      57:30    1:00:11      8:59 I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The Lewisville Lodge Race for Children

On September 17, 2011, I raced in the Lewisville Lodge Race for Children in Lewisville, TX. The event benefited the Lewisville ISD Education Foundation and the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for children. This is one of those races that I ran in last year, so I had an idea of what to expect. I arrived early and ran a slow jog, then met up with my son, John, and his girlfriend who both live in Lewisville.  Their youngest daughter was interested in signing up as a runner, and I was very proud as she registered for her very first race.  There were a large number of volunteers from Lewisville Lodge no. 201, and many sponsors, led by Napa Auto Parts, Chase, AOJ Bart, Inc (lithographers) and many more who donated door prizes after the awards ceremony. This was a well-run race conducted by Run-On! John took a few pictures of us before at the 1 mile fun run, and then it was time to get serious. The 5k started in front of City Hall, and I lined up in the first row, ready to go all out from start-to-finish. It had rained the night before for the first time in months, and it was very humid by the time the race started. Thankfully, this was a race course with no turnaround. The bad news is that there were several hills and many turns on different streets. During the first mile I was feeling pretty good, and my time was 7:39. I started to struggle going up the hills and my pace slowed down a bit. My 2nd mile time was 15:57 (8:17 mile pace). After the 2nd mile, there was a long straight away then a turn to the finish line. My 3 mile time was 24:19 (8:22 mile pace). I ended up finishing in the time of 25:12.  Finishing about 1 second ahead of me was a 10 year old girl. I wish I had started running when I was her age; she has a great future ahead of her. I finished 35th out of 184 chip time finishers, 3rd place in my age division. As I have said before, my hope is to inspire others to try walking and running as a way to their better health, and so I was very happy to run with my son's girlfriend's daughter who finished 2nd place in her very first race. My next race will be my first half marathon 13.1 miles September 24 (which you'll be able to read about soon!). Place   Bib#    Men    Overall  Chip Time  Gun Time  Pace   3/6    3201   27/93   35/184    25:12      25:13      8:07 I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The 1st Annual Great Prostate Cancer Challenge - DFW

First of all, I want to thank all of the participants of this very special event that I competed in last week, on Saturday September 10, The 1st Annual Great Prostate Cancer Challenge - DFW. Thank you to the walkers, runners, volunteers, and of course, the sponsors. Specifically, I want to thank ZeroCancer, DFW Runs, and all the UANT / USMD staff. The event took place at the Mavericks Activity Center (MAC) at UT Arlington.  Nationwide, a man dies from prostate cancer every 18 minutes, and affects 1 in 6 men. Almost 30,000 men will die this year alone. If those statistics bother you, then please do something about it by getting involved with this event next year. After I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June of 2007, I chose USMD Prostate Cancer Center as the place where I would have have robotic surgery. Now, after a successful surgery, changing my diet, and running, my PSA is still undetectable. Please help support this amazing facility by joining them at their third annual open house on September 24 from 10AM - 2PM. There will be tours, food, exhibitions on leading cancer treatment technologies, and you'll be able to meet Dallas Cowboy Hall of Famer Bob Lilly, and DFW Today personality Jody Dean.  The sponsors of this very important event were ZeroCancer The Project to End Prostate Cancer, Urology Associates of North Texas, USMD Prostate Cancer Center, Abbot, Amgen, Vantos, Hockey Fights Cancer, Cliff Bar, Muscle Milk, Chick-Fil-A, The Runner Shop, Honest Tea, Genghis Grill, Bob Moore Subaru, and many more. The live band sponsor was Sun and Ski Sports. Pam Turner Volunteered and organized an incredible team from USMD and UANT.  Jessica Sixkiller was the team leader for USMD, which included several doctors running with their children. These dedicated individuals included Dr. Rich Bevan-Thomas, Dr. Justin Lee, Dr. Cliff Vestal, and Dr. Scott Thurman. Paul Rothschild attended the USMD tent where he handed out free items to the runners. There was a special room inside the MAC for prostate cancer survivors and their families. USMD's Brenda May was there handing out free t-shirts, food, and drinks. She and the other volunteers also hosted drawings for gifts. There were about 12 different races on Saturday and a few more the next day, on September 11. I trained hard for this race with 25 beautiful ladies in the 10:30 pace half marathon group at Run-On! My 5K race started at 9 AM in front of the MAC, and looped onto the street, off campus, and around the neighborhood. There was no turnaround at this race, which was excellent. There were a few small hills, but I was determined to not allow that to slow me down; I wanted to run a good race so I could give proper thanks to USMD Cancer Center for all that they have done for me and all their other patients. I lined up on the 1st row ready to give all I could for this great cause. While I waited for the start, several prostate cancer survivors talked to me and said they had read my running blog, which made me feel great. Last week, my Garmin timing device didn't work, so I had a lady that I met from LSU reset it for me. Now I know my average pace when I am running, but still can't figure out how to see my per lap pace while I am running. I started out fast. After a long stretch, we turned left, off campus, then ran on a long straightaway. My mile 1 time was 7:56. To my surprise there seemed to not be many runners ahead of me. Most races, there are at least over a hundred that pass me up at the beginning of the race. I guess this motivated me more, as I kept running hard, not letting up. I even passed a few more runners on my way to the next mile marker. My mile 2 time was 15:38 (a 7:42 / mile pace). With about half a mile to go, I could see the finish area up ahead. I knew that my son John and his girlfriend and her children would be at the finish line waiting for me, so I did my best to maintain my pace. My mile 3 time 23:32 (a 7:53 / mile pace). I turned on the straight away back to the finish line at the MAC, and I could see the large Muscle Milk display around the finish line. I never look back in a race, because if you want to beat me to the finish line you are going to have to run past me. Everyone knows who I am because I wear a USMD Prostate Cancer shirt, and a sign in the front of my shirt to promote prostate cancer awareness, prevention, and to show support the organizations that have helped me overcome my cancer.   My final time was 24:04 (7:43 / mile pace), and a new personal best 5K. I finished 13th place overall out of 260 chip timed finishers, 1st out of 14 in my 55-59 age division, and 10th out of 110 men. You can see the full race results at mychiptime.com. There were 150 ladies that participated in the race, which was surprisingly even more than the 110 men. Thanks to you ladies for supporting this important cause. Do it now so you will not have to be a caregiver to your man later. Keep this race open on your calendar for next year and help me spread the word. Remember, September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. There is free prostate cancer screenings at many local hospitals. Thank You. I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The DRC Breakfast Bash 5 Mile

On Saturday September 3rd, I ran in the DRC Breakfast Bash 5 mile at Winfrey Point in White Rock Lake at Dallas, TX. The race and breakfast was free to Dallas Running Club members.  Non-members had to pay $10.00 to register and another $5.00 for breakfast. In addition to the 5 mile event, they also had a kid's 1K race that started at about 9:00 AM. There were 832 DRC members pre registered for this race.    The featured charity was Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA), a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.  Specifically, the DRC supported the CCFA's Team Challenge, which is their endurance training and fundraising program that enables people to train for a half marathon, triathlon, or cycling event while helping to find a cure for those two horrible diseases.   The good news is that after over 2 years my youngest son, who helps me type up this blog and adds the pictures, has found full time work again. The bad news is that his time is limited, so I'm going to try to shorten these posts up a bit. I will keep doing most of the same things, but will try to condense my posts.   For some reason, my Garmin timing device would not record right at this event. Unfortunately, this means that I don't have any mile or pace times. Like all DRC races, Run-On! furnishes the chip timer for each runner free of charge. Their race team does a great job at each race. Thank you Run-On! for your support of the DRC.   I took a lot of pictures before the race. When it got closer to the starting time for the 5 mile, I lined up about 12 rows back. Usually, in a 5K, I run all-out from start to finish. But this was a 5 mile race, and it was a hot morning, and I had to slow my pace during the first half of the race. After the turnaround I started to run a little faster.   When I got to the point where there was only 1/2 mile left, I gave what I had left and finished in the time of 41:12, an 8:15 /mile pace. I finished 134 out of 648 finishers, but there were about 81 finishers in the Clydsdale / Athena division, which is separate from overall total.   To compare, last year my time in this race was 48:00, a 6:48 difference in 1 year.   Also, see the attached .pdf that shows the remaining free prostate cancer screenings in 2011.   Place   Bib#     Overall     Chip Time     Gun Time      Pace  7/23     765     134/648     41:12:00         41:15       8:15 / M I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The 13th annual Vibha Dream Mile 5K and 10K

On Saturday August 20, 2011, I ran in the 13th annual Vibha Dream Mile 5K and 10K at Tee Pee Hill in White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX. I ran in the 5K race this time. The host of the race, Vibha, is a non-profit organization that seeks to restore food, shelter, health and education to underprivileged children, mostly from India. The race benefited City House in Plano, whose mission is to provide emergency shelter and transitional residential services to children and young adults who are in need due to abuse, neglet, or homelessness. The race sponsors were Texas Instruments, Agent Insure, Krypton Solutions, Ecom Consulting Inc, Pepsico, and a few more.   Most of the time, races start at Winfrey Point, but Tee Pee Hill was a new race location at White Rock for me.  Tee Pee Hill. I left the house early and had to stop at a gas station to ask for directions. Despite that, I arrived before 6:00 AM. When I arrived, the large group of race volunteers were already setting up. Since there was no 1 mile race at the event, I found the start / finish line and ran slow 1 mile warm up jog. I always like to do that so I can not only warm up my legs and hips, but also see the race course which helps me finish as best as I can.    I saw many of my running friends out on their long training run around the lake, which is about 15K or 9 miles. Ruben Sayuil and his excellent racing systems ran this race. He is the man who runs the very affordable Carrolton Runners Club races every third Sunday of the month plus a prediction race for only $2.00 (if you pre register online).   Most of the races that I have run with both a 5K and a 10K start at same time. However, for this race the 10K started first at 7:35 AM, then the 5K started off at 7:50 AM. The temprature was 92 degrees, with 38% humidity, 5 mph winds. The course was measured by Ken Ashby, who always does a great job. Here's a pic of Ken, doing his thing...   We started in front of the Pavilion on a narrow trail. After a small loop, we were on the regular White Rock trail. I started on the 1st row, and felt great after a good week of Run-on! training. Recently, I've lost a few more pounds and now I'm back at my high school weight of 155 lbs.   After a quick start, I tried my best to keep my pace up. There were a few of my running friends from the Dallas Running Club in front of me. At mile 1 my pace was 7:44, and at the turnaround, about my time was 12:13. I then made it to the second mile in 15:42 (a 7:58 / mile pace).   About 2 1/2 miles into the race, a younger man that was behind me said "you are sure pushing me." I told him that I was only running my race the best I could. I guess this motivated him since he later passed me up to finish in front of me. My 3 mile time was 23:40 (a 7:57 / mile pace). I tried not to slow down until I crossed the finish line. When I finally got there, my time was 24:33.52 on my Garmin watch.   This was my first race that I can remember where I ran all 3 miles iunder 8 minutes. My final pace for this race was 7:54. Before the races started I ran, like most runners do before each race, in front of the starting line to warm up. I guess my chip timer started early because after the race there was some added time on the preliminary final total. Ruben corrected the mistake, and I placed 1st in the 50-59 age group and 13th out of 106 5K runners.   Place   Bib#    Men   Overall  Finish Time  Age Grade                                          1/5     6552   10/51  13/106    24:33:52      64.7% I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The Carrollton Runners 1 Mile and the 5K

On Sunday July 31 2011, I ran in both the Carrollton Runners 1 Mile and the 5K at Mcinnish Park in Carrollton TX. This event came one day after running a 5K race in Arlington. Registration was only $2.00, and no shirts or awards were given at this club race. I arrived early and practiced the 1 mile at a slow jog, then stretched and ate a protein bar. I've been training at with the Run-On! Dallas training group since January of this year and wanted to try and beat my 1 mile personal best time of 7:26 in a race.  I missed a few Carrollton club races recently, because I run my long runs with my 10:30 pace half marathon group on Sunday mornings, but decided to push myself and run this week. We started the 1 mile race a short distance from the 5K finish line. I started in 1st row and took off very fast. Well, fast for a nearly 60 year old man anyway. I tried to keep up that fast pace the whole 1 mile race.  The mile started at 7:32 AM with 85 degree temperature and 7 mph wind. The mile long course was a loop on the street around the park. At the end of the race, I accomplished my goal and finished with a personal best time of 7:19:32. I won 1st place in my age group, came in 12th out of 24 runners, and had a 62.5% age grade. Place     Men       Overall     Time      Grade  1/3       11/17       12/24    7:19:32    62.5% I was still tired, and trying to recover from the 1 mile before the 5K started at 7:48 AM. There was only 16 minutes rest, and the temperature was getting hotter. Carrollton Running Club Members have their own personal bib # to use each race. Basically, you have to put it on your left side for the 1 mile and change it over to the right side for the 5K. As the 5K race was starting, I was still in the process of  changing my bib # over to the right. Several runners started ahead of me, so I had a bit of a delay getting started.  I didn't feel like running fast after having run the 1 mile, and that late start. My first mile time was 8:54 . There was a time clock at the halfway turnaround area which showed if you had a negative or positive split. At this point, I decided to turn on the speed, and started to run faster. I arrived at the 2nd mile in 17:34 (a 8:39 / mile pace). Then I ran as fast as I could to the finish line.  I made it to the 3rd mile in 25:32:97 (a 7:58 / mile pace), and finished the 5K race in 26:35. This was good enough to win 2nd place out of 4 in my age group, and 28 out of 51 finishers. My first half official time was 14:06, and I was in 32nd place. I ran the 2nd half in the time of 12:29,  and was in 19th place with a 97 second negative split. Only 9 runners had negative splits the second half of the race, so I was proud of that. I was kind of surprised to see that my name was listed along the other 1st place winners in the 1 mile race in the Dallas Morning News the next day. I only took 2 pictures at this event, one of which was with 70 year old Wally Capps and me. Wally is one of the fastest runners in his age group in this area. He has raced in half marathons and full marathons all over Texas and the USA. His time in the 1 mile race was 7:06:12 (71.4 age grade) and ran the 5K in 23:23:57 (75.3 age grade). He was one of the runners up of Clines Running Corner runner of the year award. You can view the complete results here. Place    Men      Overall       Time         Pace      Age Grade  2/4      22/32      28/51     26:35:63      8:33:6         59.8% I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

Summer' Sizzler 5K

I was very sad to hear that a member of the prostate cancer support group at Texas Health Presbyterian, Richard Beadle, passed away from prostate cancer on July 21, 2011. He was a native of Lafayette, Louisiana, which is only 20 miles from my home town. We volunteered together at the Dadfest race several times and also at the free prostate cancer screening events hosted by Presbyterian hospital. I always enjoyed talking to him at our monthly meetings. I will miss you very much my friend. You are  no longer in pain and now you're in God's hands. This week, I ran in the Summer' Sizzler 5K Run / Walk on Saturday July 30 2011 at River Legacy Park in Arlington, TX. The race benefited the Arlington Life Shelter (www. arlingtonlifeshelter . org), which is a compassionate rehabilitation facility for the homeless. Many canned food items were donated by runners. I took off a couple of weeks after running a 15K (9.3 miles) in the Too Hot To Handle Race and 7 weeks of training with the 301 training class at Run-On! in Dallas.  The Race Director was Jeph Abara, who hosts a race almost every month. You can check out his website, www. runningintheusa .com, where you can find race results and news. This race was started in front of Raccoon Run Pavilion, which was a different starting area than the one that we usually start at. The race sponsors were Muscle Milk, Honest Tea, Dr. Michael L. Hughlett D.C., and  pictures were taken by Celebrated Images.  I arrived early and ran my slow 1 mile warm up jog along the trail in the park. Then I stretched and waited to pick up my bib #. The race was to start at 8:00 AM, but didn't start until about 8:15. The  temperature was close to 90 degrees. As usual, I started on the 1st row. After the start, I took off at a fast pace after starting on the street in front of the pavilion. After a short distance, we started running on the paved trail around the park. I've run this course several times before, so I was familiar with the twists and turns.  I finished the 1st mile in 7:50. Then the heat started to get to me, and I slowed down a bit. I got to the turnaround  at about 1.6 miles into the race. At the 2nd  mile, my time was 16:15 (8:25 / mile pace). I tried to pick up my pace at about 2.5 miles.  I was running as fast as I could, but made the mistake of thinking the finish line was at it's usual place. Since we started at a different pavilion, the finish line was   a little farther passed the regular one. I still had to run further to get to the finish line.  My heart monitor said that I was running at more than 100% maximum, so I started to shut down a bit and ran slower. I dropped at least 1 minute off my pace to the finish line, and finished in the time of 25:22.  I placed 46 out of 156 total finishers, and 4th place out of 5 in my age group. I was proud to be awarded one of Jeph Abara's special Souls & Soles awards which Jeph gives out to those that put forth great effort. They had a drawing for prizes after the race, but I didn't win anything this time. Place    Bib #     Men      Overall    Time          Pace  4/5       1795     41/81      46/156    25:22      8:10  /mile I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

Too Hot To Handle 5K and 15K 2011

After training with my Run-On! 301 10:30 Pace Training Class for 7 weeks, I decided to run in  the 2011 Too Hot To Handle 5K and 15K at Norbuck Park, at White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas on Sunday, July 10. In 2010, Competitor Magazine voted The Too Hot To Handle as the best running event in Dallas. The event benefited the Protective Animal League and the Richardson Central Rotary Club.  There were tons of great sponsors, led by New Balance, who make my favorite running shoes.  The folks at New Balance handed out free wet towels, which you could later turn in to a Run-On store to get $10.00 off on New Balance products. They also gave out free sunglasses. Koala  Health and Wellness was also at the event, as was the best running photographer in Dallas, Jerry Glover Photography. Gordon Biersh gave out free beer to runners after the race. Other sponsors were Two men and a Truck, Jason's Delli, and Muscle Milk, as well as many more.  At last year's Too Hot to Handle, I was interviewed by Cure Magazine for their Fall 2010 Issue on energy balance. They also posted a short video of me on their website. At that time, my weight had gone down from 250 lbs in 2007 to 185 lbs, and I ran in the 5k race. I once weighed 345 lbs in my late 40's and now I weigh about 155 lbs. You can see the video on my blog or at curetoday.  This year, I ran in the 15K which I've been training for with Run-On's 10:30 pace team. This race definitely lived up to its name as it was a very hot morning. Jennifer Kimble, the Run-On! Training class Coordinator, helped the Back on My Feet runners stretch before the race, and later, ran with them. I lined up about 6 rows back at the starting line, just like I always do. The 5K and 15K started together, and my 301 Class 10:30 pace team started and ran together with our coaches.  I knew I could not run all out for the full 9.3 miles, so I started at an easy pace, then picked it up. My plan was to run the first 5K fast, before the temperature started to rise. There were many water stops on the course. Also, there were areas where you could cool down by walking under some water sprinklers. About a half a mile into the race, it was decision time. You could turn left to run the 5K or continue on straight to run the 15K. I kept straight, there was no changing my mind. I was in it to finish it.  I arrived at the 1st mile marker in 8:32. I  I don't like to see runners passing me in a race, but I knew that I had to slow down so I could reserve some energy. The first water stop was about 1.2 miles into the race. I planned on skipping it, but changed my mind, and ended up getting my cup of water or Poweraide at most of the many water stops. My 2 mile time was 17:42 (9.10 / mile). My 3 mile time was 26:50 (9:08). They had timers at the 5K at 10K distances so after the race, runners could see their split times on the Run-On! results page. I tried to close faster each 5K, then settle back to my comfortable pace. After the 1st 5K I knew I could not keep up that pace for the whole race so I slowed down a bit.  Many Run-On! runners, as well as others, encouraged me as they passed me up. This is the racing community that I love, where everyone cares about each other. I came to the 4 mile marker in the time of 36:13 (9:22 / mile). Soon after the turnaround, at 4.8 miles, on the other side of the hill was the rest of my 10:30 pacing team. We waved and I heard "go Teddy go". Mile 5 time was 45:43 (59:30 / mile), and was my slowest mile so far. I tried to pick it up some and arrived at mile 6 in 55:04 (9:21 / mile). I finished 10K of this 15K race in about 2 minutes less than 1 hour. Now there was only one 5K more to finish the race.  I could have pushed harder, but in this heat I decided to relax and keep a comfortable pace for as long as I could. I arrived at mile 7 in 1:04:33 (9:28 / mile), my 8 mile time was 1:14:04 (9:31 / mile), and my 9 mile time was 1:23:42 (9:37 / mile). As I said before, my Garmin goes off before I reach each mile marker. As with most runners, I don't run a perfect race and sometimes don't run the corners in the most efficient way. My final distance according to my Garmin was 9.49 miles, not the 9.3 miles. My final time on the Run-On web site was 1:28:06. I finished 7 out of 26 in my age division 236 out of 494 men overall and 340 out of 1017 overall 15K finishers. Some chose not to finish, others didn't like their time and took the time chip off before finishing.  My time was a couple of minutes slower than my personal best 15K time which I got in the cooler month of February. After cooling off with the New Balance towels, I started taking pictures of my Run-On! 10:30 pace training class and other Run-On! runners that I've met and run with, as well as a few at the 15K award ceremony. I want to thank the runners that have encouraged me in my training and racing, including my 301 coach Jessica Stanton, Tom Mason, Scott Morris,  Heather Williams, my speed class coach Daniel Hagelberg and his fast running mother Enid Schanty-Hagelberg, Genevieve Moran, who won her age division, and my friends that ran the 5K Laura Goodin and Hector Hinojosa, and all the others. I apologize for forgetting names, but sometimes my memory is just too bad.  I will be joining the half marathon class at Run-On! next, and am looking forward to completing my first half marathon race some time in the near future. You can see some more pictures on Jerry Glover's site here. You can see the results here. Place     Bib #        Men          Overall       Finish Time        Pace                 7/26      235       236/494      340/1017       1:28:06       9:27 / mile I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The DRC Independence Day 5K Open

After running every week for several months, I decided to take last week off, but this week I ran in the DRC Independence Day 5K Open on Saturday July 2, 2011 at Winfrey Point in White Rock Lake, Dallas, TX. In addition to the 5K there was also a 10K race, both of which started together at 8:00 AM. There was also a kids race that started at 9:00 AM. There were a total of 936 finishers in both races including 98 finishers in the Athena / Clydesdale divisions. 370 finishers were in the 10K and 468 were in 5K race.  I arrived early as usual, ate a protein bar and drank a pre-race drink, then did my slow jog at a 12:00 / mile pace for about 1 mile. I am one of the volunteer DRC Photographers so I took a ton of pictures at the event, both before the race, and afterwards at the award ceremony. You can see and download your pictures for free at the Dallas Running Club site. This was a chip timed Run-On! race which benefited Back On My Feet, an organization that uses running to help build the self esteem and self reliance of the homeless community.  Run-On! accepted donations of lightly used shoes which would be used by the inspiring homeless runners.  I've raced in alot of events at this location, but this race started in the opposite direction from those other events. The good thing is that there were more tall shady trees to help cool us runners in this other direction. I don't know who to thank for this, so I'll give credit to Ken Ashby the who measured the course, and does so for many area running clubs. Thanks Ken! It was a hot morning, almost 90 degrees at the start of the race. The Dallas Running Club races bring out the top runners in each age division. I almost never receive awards at these races, so I just wanted to do my best here. After the start, I took off at a fast but  comfortable pace. The course was mostly flat, with only slight inclines in a few places. My time at the 1 mile marker was 7:58. It's very hard to breath in  the heat for me, and this was a very hot race. The great training and coaching from Run-On! keeps me going strong, not to mention the encouragement from my 301 training class. I made it to the 2 mile marker in 15:58 (8:00 / mile pace). Even though I was really fatigued at this point, I tried to keep up my pace and arrived at the 3rd mile in the time of 23:52 (7:53 / mile pace).  After the race, I cooled down then started taking pictures. After all that, I finally looked at the results right before the awards ceremony was about to get started. My final time was 24:55:58, but I didn't know if I was to receive an award or not. I started taking pictures of the award winners and was both surprised and happy to hear my name called as the 3rd place finisher. Apparently, most of the fastest runners in the 55-59 age division decided to run in the 10K race.  I finished 3rd place out of 9 in my age division, 63 out of 214 men, and 79 out of 468 overall 5K finishers. I received 8 points for the 3rd place finish to go towards the DRC Race Championship. DRC members received 5 points for running in the featured race, but I'm not sure which of the races was the featured one.  My final line.... Place    Bib #       Men       Overall    Chip Time    Gun Time      Pace              3/9      838       63/214     79/468    24:55:58    24:58:00     8:03 / m I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

Dadfest 5K

This week I ran in the very special Fathers Day race, Dadfest 5K, at Galatyn Park in Richardson, TX on Saturday June 18, 2011. I chose to enter the race in the Prostate Cancer Survivor division instead of the age division so that I could honor all my fellow survivors. My oldest son, John, walked in the race, and my younger son, Edward, took pictures of us. This race benefited the Urology Research and Education Foundation. You can read more about them on their website www.diduid.com.   The race was hosted by Mellew Productions, inc. There were many sponsors at the event, including Ford, Texas Health Resources, Urology Clinics of North Texas, Run-On!, Tom Thumb, Radio Disney, CBS 11 HD, TXA 21, and Gilddan, who handed out free socks and underwear for men. A couple of the world champion Dallas Mavericks dancers were also at the event, and I took a few pictures with them.   Quest Diagnostics was there to conduct the free PSA screenings in the Texas Health Resource screening van. Jerry Glover Photography was there to provide official race photos. check out www.jerrygloverphotography.com, and put you bib # in to see your running pictures. Thanks to Jerry and his team for taking some amazing pictures. One of the best online resources for prostate cancer, The North Texas Prostate Coalition (www.ntxpcacoalition.org) was also at the race, handing out fliers with information about prostate cancer.   Like last year, there were many fun activities before and after the race. There was a bean bag throw, a football toss, and even a rock climbing event. The most popular activity for the kids seemed to be running through the water fountain as it sprouted up water on this hot day. The course was very different from last year, as well as the many other races that I have run at this location. This new course included more hills which meant a slower time for me.   My son, Edward, and his wife arrived early. I found the starting line but was unable to find the finish line. I took my 1 mile warm up jog, then went over to the sponsor area. I signed up for a chance to win a Ford vehicle which will be given away in October. Besides the 5K race there was also a kids 50 yard dash. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the volunteers from our prostate cancer support group at Presbyterian Hospital for making this day so special.   There were over 200 father and child team entries in the 5K, and the total gun time finishers numbered 696. Among those runners were about 50 people running in lime green shirts in memory of Agustin Nerio, who died of prostate cancer in 2006. My son John and I lined up on the first row and waited for our Master of Ceremonies, Cliff Couch, to sound the horn. I started out as fast as I could on this hot humid day. The temperature was above 85 degrees to start. We ran uphill to the next block then we turned left still moving up hill. Then we had about 1 mile of flat and downhill running, which meant that after the turnaround we'd need to run up hill.   My 1 mile time was 7:44. The turnaround was about 1.2 miles into the race. It's hard to breathe when its so hot, and many runners started walking. My Run-On! training kept me running at my best, and I arrived at 2nd mile in 15:58 (a 8:13 / mile pace). I had to hold back on the last mile because the heat and hills began to take effect on me. Finally, I made it to the 3 mile in 24:48 (an 8:19 / mile pace), and finished with a gun time of 25:43.   63 year old, Dan Flowers, has won the prostate cancer survivor division several years in a row, and continued his dominance, beating my time by 2 minutes. Great job Dan. I finished 2nd place out of the 11 other prostate cancer survivors. Some of the survivors, like my hero Marty Sisk, who is 75 years young, decided to run in the age division instead of the survivors division. Like me, Marty received a 2nd place award. Great job Marty!   I hope to see you, as well as the other supporters of Dadfest, and the supporters of Agustin Nerio at the Dash for Dad race September 10 2011 at the MAC in Arlington. You can read more information about this event at www.greatprostatecancerchallenge.com.   I'd like to thank all the Dallas Running Club and Run On! members who ran in this race to honor all of the fathers on this day. Everyone has or knows a dad, grandfather, uncle, brother, or friend that could possibly be affected by prostate cancer. I wear my sign on my shirt to try to get the message out there to promote early screenings and / or annual check ups. Those screenings and check ups are very important to beating prostate cancer and living a happier longer life.   Please check out my running blog www.runningforacause.tumblr.com and sing up to follow or bookmark my running journey. One day we may find a cure for Prostate cancer for my 2 sons and yours. It starts now with us!   You can see the results here or here.   My final line in the prostate cancer survivor group...   Place      Men      Overall    Chip Time    Gun Time    Pace                                     2/11   134/425    156/696      25:43         25:43         8:17 I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com