Too Cold to Hold 5K and 15K

This week I chose to run in one of Run-On's biggest races of the year, and my 1st 15K race ever, the Too Cold to Hold 5K and 15K. The event took place on Sunday, January 23, 2011 at Norbuck Park, White Rock Lake, Dallas, Texas. The race benefited the Protective Animal League, which is a great cause. There were many great sponsors that came out in support including Cooper Fitness Center, who awarded gifts at the awards ceremony, Koala Health and Wellness, Jason's Deli, AAA Texas, Two Men and a Truck, and Jerry Glover and the Jerry Glover Photography team, who took beautiful race photos. He is the best photographer in running. I took a picture of his team, which I will put on my blog, and talked with other runners as they arrived to register for the chilly morning race.   Because this was such a cold race morning, Run-On! had heaters at different locations in the sponsor area. Since this was my first 15K attempt, I decided that this race would be all about finding the right pace. On January 4th I started to attend the speed development class at Run-On!, which I hope will improve my running. So far the training has been very useful, and has motivated me to work harder than ever. My coach, Dan Hagelberg, who is the manager of the Richardson location, helped me decide on a finishing goal of 1:30:00.   I started about 15 rows back for this race. I just ran two 10K races recently, so I knew that I just had to mentally add another 5K to finish this race. I didn't want to start out too fast and tire out early, so I didn't push as hard as usual for the first mile. As I hit the first mile marker, my time was 8:40. I reached the 2 mile marker in a time of 17:47 (9:06/m), and the 3rd mile in 26:54 (9:07/m). I kept looking at my GPS watch, just like coach Dan told me, to make sure I was on the correct pace. I got to mile 4 in 36:06 (9:11/m), and mile 5 in 45:30 (9:24).   There were a few small hills, but for the most part, it was a fairly flat race course. Finally, I reached the turnaround, and was happy to see that there were still quite a few runners behind me. I felt pretty good at this point, and just kept running the best I could. I reached the 6th mile marker in 54:34 (9:03/m), and then began to slow down, reaching the 7th mile in 1:03:53 (9:19/m). I arrived at the 8th mile in the time of 1:13:23 (9:29/m), just under my goal pace time. At this point runners started to pass me up, but I just ran my race.   I got to mile 9 in 1:22:58 (9:35/m), and it took me 4:09 to run the last .3 miles to the finish line, completing my first 15K race in the time of 1:27:08. It was great to be able to finish under my target goal. I ran the first 5K in 28:12, the second in 28:55, and the third in 30:01. There were 659 15K finishers and 605 5K finishers. I talked to people after the race and they congratulated me on my first 15K finish. I won a prize from Cooper Fitness Center, and took more pictures, including one with the Hooter girls who were serving the refreshments.   You can view the results here. You can view some pictures here.   Place   Overall Place   Bib   Rank   5K Split   Rank   10K Split   Rank   Finish    Pace  9/18       301/659       242    259    28:12:29   275     57:07:72    300   1:27:08   9:21/m I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

MLK Day & Dream 5K and 1 mile Run

After running Saturday's race I ran in my second MLK Day & Dream 5K and 1 mile Run on Monday, January 17, 2011 (MLK Day) at River Legacy Pavillion Park in Arlington, Texas. The 5K started at 10:00 AM. I was one of the first to arrive to pick up my bib number. I almost always register early for races since you can usually get a nice discount. This race only cost $10.00 (plus the usual online processing fee). There was no free shirt and no chip timing on this race. The race proceeds benefited needy kids at Arlington School Districts Blanton and Crow Elementary Schools. Some of the sponsors of the event were The Runner, Freebirds World Burrito (who handed out burritos and Muscle Milk), and Honest Tea. There were prizes that were handed out. Winners were picked by bib number at the award ceremony.   At the event, I met a guy that told me it was his very first racing event. He asked me for some advice for his first race. I told him that alot of people would be passing him up, and that he shouldn't worry about them. Just do your best, and stay at a comfortable pace, so you can finish strong. This guy was a bit overweight, and it made me feel good to know that he's trying to get into running so he can be more healthy. You have to start somewhere, and it's great to see someone like this, who has excuses not to run, but takes the plunge anyways and works hard to achieve his goal.   There wasn't very many runners at the event, but the runners in my age group were all pretty fast. I knew it would be hard to receive an award today, but wanted to do my best. I took a few pictures before the race and stretched my hips and sore muscles; my knee is feeling a lot better now. We started the race in front of the pavilion in the street. I lined up on the first row. After a prayer for MLK, the race started. After about 200 yards we went on the trail around the park which was flat and wooded. This will be a great place to run when it gets warmer. All the trees make for a very beautiful background. Since this was a 5K I planned to run all out from the start to the finish, and that's exactly what I did.   I arrived at the 1 mile marker in the time of 8:36. There was a turnaround for this race, and I cheered on my friends as they were coming back. On my way back from the turnaround, some lady cheered me on. It kept me motivated to run hard and strong. I arrived at the 2 mile marker with the time of 17:08 (8:32/m). I was now running with a couple of women ahead of me, so I tried to keep up my pace with them. When I arrived at the 3 mile marker my time was 25:41 (8:33/m) and with only 1/10 of a mile to go I ran to the finish line in a final time of 26:26.   Jeph Abara who was the race director, and runs races every month in Arlington (www.runningintheusa/jeph), makes the final results manually and calculates the winners. This is alot of work, but is necessary since the race was not chip timed (like DRC races before Run-On! donated chip time devices). I did not place in the top 3 in my age group, but Jeph always has a special award called Souls & Soles Award, which I and 2 other men were awarded. There were also 3 women that won. I was very thankful on this special day to receive it. Jeph mentioned a quote by MLK in his famous I Have A Dream speech, "I have a dream... that they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." This is something we all should try to do; always try your best to treat others the way you would like to be treated.   After I got home I took a picture with fellow cancer survivor Buster, my son's basset hound who was injured severely a few weeks ago. He is doing alot better now.   You can see the full results here.   Place    Bib    Men Overall     Overall     Time     Pace             Won Special  5/8     2876       45/73          62/155    26:26    8:30/m      Souls and Soles Award   I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

DRC Frigid 10K / 5K

This week, on Saturday January 8, 2011, I ran in my second DRC Frigid 10K / 5K at Winfrey Point in White Rock Lake. Registration and bib pickup started at 7:00AM, and the 5K and 10K races started together at 8:00AM. This race was free all members of the DRC so it was an easy decision to run in the event. Non members had to pay a fee, but could rest easy knowing that the DRC donates a portion of the race proceeds to special needs groups in the area . This is true of all of the free DRC races this year. This particular race benefited CC Young which is a retirement community in Dallas.

The new president of the DRC, Peggy Munroe, started her 2 year volunteer duties and was our starter for the race. Special thanks go to the race time company We Time Races who will be providing chip timing for all of this year's DRC races. Previous DRC races were not chip timed, so this is a really nice gesture by wetimeraces. Not to be outdone, my favorite running store, Run-On! had a booth where they served hot chocolate. Ryan, the store manager of the Dallas location worked the booth, as well as other members of the Run-On! team. Baylor Sports Care was also present at the race to make sure all the runners' health needs were taken care of. Thank you to all of these great race sponsors.

I am one of the DRC volunteer photographers, so I began taking pictures soon after I arrived. There were over 1100 runners signed up for this race, but many either did not show up or forgot about the new chip timing pick up for this race, so in the final count they were listed as DNF (Did Not Finish). I ran into a woman named Joyce who I had met at the Help the Homeless race a few months ago. At that race, we had our picture taken with the mayor of Dallas. She emailed me the picture of us together, so that was cool. Thanks Joyce! I also met other nice men and women at the race; it sure beats staying home sitting in my easy chair. I read a quote online the other day from someone named W. M. Lewis, "the tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it." After 30 years of idle times I am enjoying life again.

I started about 8 or 9 rows back. I ran in the 10K race, and both the 5K and 10K races started together. I used my usual race strategy, which means that I took off as fast as I could. When I reached the 1 mile marker my time was 8:23,then at 2 mile marker it was 17.13 or as I figure it 8:50 for that second mile. This was a little slower than I would like, which means there's plenty of room for improvement in the future. At this point, the turnaround for the 5K runners was coming up. Us 10K runners kept straight to the 3 mile marker where my time was 26:35, a 9:22 mile.

There were hills, and of course the notorious bridge that makes your legs feel like jello when you cross it. My time at 4 miles was 35:32, a 9:03 mile. I began to slow down a bit on the hill, and my 5 mile time was 45:00 or a 10:22 mile, which was alot slower than I wanted. With only 2.4 miles to go, I began to speed up as fast as I could to the finish line at the 6 mile my time was 53:54 which meant that I ran a 8:54 mile. I forgot to stop my watch at the finish line, but my official finishing time was 56:26:00, a personal best 10K time! This was my 5th 10K race, and it felt great to have such a good time. When I ran this race last year, my time was 1:01:34, so I shattered that record.

Place Bib Men Overall Overall Chip Time Gun Time Pace
10/16 876 161/224 210/392 56:26:00 56:29:00 9:06/m


I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community.
www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

Snowman Shuffle 10K and 5K

On January 15 I ran in the Snowman Shuffle 10K and 5K at Winfrey Park in White Rock Lake. Both races started together at 9:00 AM. This was a www.whiterockracing.com event, and there were many great sponsors including Run-On!, Baylor Sports Care, Davis Creative, and Dr. Laura Walker, a chiropractor and massage therapist. As I have said before I have avascular necrosis in both hips and other sore leg muscles. Dr. Walker was very helpful, and gave me a massage to parts that were sore and tight after running. She is very good, and you can check out her website at www.lwalkerdc.wordpress.com/.   There was a light drizzle and some fog the morning of the race, and I could not see very well. My glasses kept getting fogged up, and rained on, which made it kind of difficult to avoid the puddles. On a side note, toward the beginning of the race, I saw Craig Miller of The Ticket, which is a local sports radio station. He finished 9 overall in the 5K race with a time of 19:27 and won his age group. I started about 10 rows back. Since I was entered in the 10K race, I decided after last week to start off a little slower so I would be stronger at the finish.   There were 154 10K finishers and 142 5K finishers. This race started the opposite way around the lake from the last weeks race. There was a training group running around the lake at the same time as our race and they had their own mile markers set up. I became confused at different points in the race because of the different mile markers. When I arrived at the first mile marker, my time was 8:40. I could not see the times on my timer because of the rain, but I collected it after the race. At the 2 mile my time was 17.34 or (8:54/m). My 3 mile time was 26:34 (9:34/m) then I came to the turnaround and headed to the 4 mile marker with a time of 35:29 (8:55/m). My 5 mile time was 44:35 (9:06/m). At this point, I was getting very tired, but I tried to finish a fast as I could. My 6 mile time was 53:32. I forgot to stop my watch at the end of the race again, but my finishing time was 56:10.09, which was a little faster than last weeks PR time.   Place    Bib#     Men Overall     Overall     Pace      Time  6/7      1087         46/82          78/154    9:02/m   56:10:09 I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The New Year's 5 mile run

On the first day of 2011, I ran in the New Year's 5 mile run at Flagpole Hill, which is in White Rock Lake in Dallas Texas. Before I write about the race I want to thank all of you who have followed my blog and answered back with encouraging words this past year. It's what keeps me motivated to keep improving my race times, and my health. After prostate cancer I told God, "I am yours! Whatever You ask of me I will try my best to accomplish." 2010 has been a very blessed year for me personally in the health and fitness department. To review: I had an article written about me in the Dallas Morning News for last June's Dadfest Prostate Cancer race (thanks to Run-On! and Debbie Fetterman). There was an article about me in Cure magazine's Fall issue, and a video on www.curetoday.com. I won several exercise contests at Fitsteps for Life where I have worked out for free for 2 and 1/2 years. I've been taking free yoga classes every week at Cancer Community of North Texas(formerly Gilda's Club) and attend free and informative meetings and dinners. I attend three free prostate cancer support meetings a month at Baylor, Medical City, and Presbyterian Hospitals. I was honored in September (prostate cancer month) at Baylor for my running. I take free Spanish class on Friday's at Methodist Hospital's Senior Access which also provides free prostate cancer screenings and cholesterol checks once every year. I am very thankful to USMD Prostate Cancer Center in Arlington who make it possible for me to run races almost every week. Thank you The race sponsors were Run-On!, Baylor Sports Care, Shepps, Davis Creative, and White Rock Racing. If you have seen my race pictures lately you may have noticed that I lost a few pounds. Well, I started a new eating and training plan on November 1st. Before this new plan, I weighed 186 lbs in shorts and no shoes; now I've gone down to 171 lbs. Instead of running on the treadmill and elliptical machine at Fitsteps for Life, I have been running at the park by my home. The result is that I've started running much better and my time has dropped significantly (probably due to the weight loss). I started the year at 180 lbs and gained 5 lbs over time. In 5 years, my total weight loss is 105 lbs, which shows that it takes time to get the weight off, but ultimately we all can do it. The race started at 10:00 AM. The course was partially on the street and partially on a trail with a turnaround at the halfway point. I started 4 or 5 rows back along side a few local Dallas Running Club runners: Greg, Sam, Ken, Scott, Wally, Walter, and Ed. I took off fast. After a few turn on the street, we moved on to the trail. When I reached the 1 mile marker my time was 8:31. I tried to keep that pace up as long as I could. Greg Hall, last year's president of the DRC, and others encouraged me as they passed me up. This motivated me to keep running as fast as I could. My 2 mile time was 17:20. At this point, runners were coming back from the turnaround. My time at the 3 mile marker was 26:04. Running in last weeks 8K race really prepared me for this 5 mile race I set my pace even faster for this race. My 4 mile time was 34:46. I was getting tired but with only 1 mile to go , I didn't want to slow down. I tried my best to keep up my pace. Finally, I came off the trail and back on to pavement to the finish line. I crossed the line in the time of 43:23 but my official finishing time was 43:37, which was a faster time than the shorter 8K last week which I ran in 44:53. My line in 55-59 male: Place Bib# Men Overall Overall Pace 8/21 698 90/170 126/343 8:43/m I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community. www.runningforacause.tumblr.com

The Plano Pacers' Holiday Hustle 3K, 8K, and Jr 1K

My next race, The Plano Pacers' Holiday Hustle 3K, 8K, and Jr 1K was only 3 days after the December 22 Jingle Bell Run. The race took place at Bob Woodgruff Park in Plano Texas. I chose the 8K since I had never run a 8K before. The distance is about 4.96 miles which means it's comparable to a 5 mile race. My time has been coming down recently, so I decided to join the prestigious Plano Pacers Club which has some of the fastest runners in the area. I should learn a lot from them. The club offers free races every month to their members, but they may have to cut down a bit. They are looking for help running the club this coming year, so if you or someone you know is interested in leading the Plano Pacers team, please let me know. The club has a few big sponsors like Run-On! All of their free races are chip timed, and they offer awards to the winners.

This year, I celebrated Christmas with my two sons on Christmas Eve. For this race, I decided to honor the one who makes it possible for me to be able to run, my Lord and Savior. He has blessed me tremendously this past year and has allowed me to be healthy enough to do what I enjoy the most. As I've said before, I run for my health, and to try to inspire others to try walking and running as a way to better health. Like the organizations that I display on my running sign, which inspired me to begin running, I hope that I can inspire others to begin this wonderful past time.

I arrived early at the event, and waited for registration to get started. I signed up as a new member and picked up a chip timer. I took a few pictures at the starting line, and started stretching. It was a bone chillingly cold 38 degrees so I knew that it was important to warm up properly. I lined up about 2 rows back, and started trying to figure out how to use my new timing device. I bought myself an older model GPS Garmin timer for Christmas, which was on sale for 65% off. I hope it can help me adjust my pace better than the standard stopwatch I've been using lately.

The race started, and I ran on the trail into the park. The 3K runners went left, and the 8K runners went right. Then I ran out of the park in a nice scenic trail run. There weren't very many runners in this race, so it was easy to find my own pace. I started a bit slower than I would have in a 5K since I knew this was going to be a longer race. At the 1 mile marker my time was 8:51, then at the 2 mile marker it was 18:14. I was running in some cold wind, so I was a bit slower, hoping to pick it up after I reached a point where the wind would be on my back instead of blowing in my face.

At the 3 mile marker my time was 27:20. That was when I started to try to pick it up some more. I began running behind two ladies, trying to keep pace with them. I never caught up with them, but stayed just behind them. At the 4 mile marker I caught up with a man in their group who looked like he could be in my age division. I asked him his name (Charlie) before I passed him up. With 1 mile to go in the race, my time was 36:02. I wasn't sure where the finish line was, but I started to give what I had left in that last mile. The final straight away in front of the pavilion was in front of me, and at the end was the finish line. I pushed it as hard as I could.

My time showed 44:23 on my timing device, but my official finish time was 44:53:42 which was good enough to win 3rd place in my division. After the race, I talked with the two ladies that I was running behind. It turns out they were mother and daughter. Both of them won their division, and the guy I passed up at the 4 mile marker (Charlie) turned out to be their husband and father respectively. I barely beat him to place in the top 3. In total, there were 62 8K chip timed finishers, 44 3K chip time finishers, and 6 1K finishers.

After the race, I heard some good news. My son's basset hound Buster started walking, using all of his legs. He is showing some real progress, and I'm very happy to see that he is not paralyzed like we first thought.

You can view the results here.

My line 8K 55 to 59:

Place Bib# Men Overall Overall Finish Time Pace 5K equivalency Score
3/4 6690 35/48 41/62 44:53:42 9:01:8 27:14 65.72

I run to raise awareness for prostate cancer and to benefit my community.
www.runningforacause.tumblr.com