"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail"

Run the Rails 5K

Recent EntriesHomeJoin Fast Running Blog Community!PredictorHealthy RecipesMarcE's RacesFind BlogsMileage BoardTop Ten Excuses for Missing a RunTop Ten Training MistakesDiscussion ForumRace Reports Send A Private MessageWeek ViewMonth ViewYear View
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
20092010201120122013201420152016
15% off for Fast Running Blog members at St. George Running Center!

Location:

Springtown,TX,USA

Member Since:

Feb 02, 2009

Gender:

Male

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

Firsts:

  • First marathon - White Rock, Dallas, December 2005 (4:01)
  • First BQ - St George, 2007 (3:20)
  • First Boston - 2008 (3:30)
  • 1st Place Clydesdale - Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon - 4/2007
  • 1st Place Ultracentric 6-Hour Champ 2007 - 38.75 miles
  • 1st Time Leading Pace Group, Cowtown '09 (3:39:41)
  • 1st Place Overall, Porcupine Promenade 5K (20:10) - 4/2011
  • 1st Trail Race. Grasslands Half Marathon. 1st Overall Masters (1:53) - 3/2013
  • Leadville LT100 MTB '16 - on a mountain bike, but the toughest challenge, so far!

Marathons Run (27):

  • Dallas White Rock ('05, '07,'09,'14)
  • Chicago ('06, '08)
  • OK City Memorial ('07)
  • St George ('07,'09,'11)
  • Waco Miracle Match ('07)
  • Ft Worth, Cowtown ('08, '09,'10,'11,'12,'13,'15**)
  • Boston ('08 '09*, '10, '13)
  • Park City ('08)
  • San Antonio Rock 'n Roll ('08)
  • Steamboat ('09)
  • Utah Valley ('10)
  • Houston ('12)
  • * - PR

Ultras (3):

  • Ultracentric 6-Hours ('07 - 38.75 mi)
  • El Scorcho 50K, Ft Worth (('08, '09)

PRs:

  • 5K - 19:27 (6/2008)
  • 10K - 41:49 (5/2008)
  • 15K - 1:04:14 (9/2011)
  • Half Marathon - 1:33:12 (1/2011)
  • Marathon - 3:19:47 (Boston 4/2009)
  • 50K - 4:35:53 (7/2008)

Short-Term Running Goals:

Keep injury-free.

2016 Races

Ft Worth Cowtown Half Marathon

Long-Term Running Goals:

Be age-group competitive for many years!

Have fun running!

Make some great friends along the way!

Personal:

Married to the same wonderful woman since March 1988. 3 adorable kids.

Look for me at www.facebook.com (I'll be your friend)

Favorite Blogs:

Click to donate
to Ukraine's Armed Forces
Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
Asic Nimbus 8 Lifetime Miles: 502.00
VFF Trek Lifetime Miles: 98.10
Kohls Asics Lifetime Miles: 234.74
Asic Trailshoes Lifetime Miles: 82.36
Nike Air Lifetime Miles: 10.00
Saucony Lifetime Miles: 508.16
Brooks Ravena Lifetime Miles: 117.75
Asic (orange) Lifetime Miles: 83.75
Race: Run the Rails 5K (5 Miles) 00:19:35, Place overall: 6, Place in age division: 1
Slow milesFast milesTotal Distance
0.003.103.10

I've been working on my short game lately. Very few long runs, but added speed work once a week. I've been enjoying running 5Ks this year -- 5Ks are a whole different breed than halfs or full marathons.

My buddy, Darin has been a little faster than me, lately. He beat me in the last 2 races we've run, and I had one goal in mind at this race...to finish ahead of Darin.

I arrived at the schedule 8AM race at about 6:30, as the volunteers were setting up. I paid for my entry, then decided to check out the course. I had plenty of time to walk/jog the course as a warmup, and was pleased to see it was mostly flat. The start is a very gradual uphill for about 1/4 mile, followed by a slight downhill for about 1/8 mile, then completely flat until the last 3/4 mile -- with the 1/8 mile uphill, followed by a 1/4 mile gradual downhill to the finish. I knew if I could somehow be ahead of Darin with 1/4 mile to go, he wouldn't be catching me (I like downhills :))

It was about 75 degrees, and sunny at start time. The race started promptly at 8AM. During the 1st mile I was almost surprised at how good I felt -- 6:05, and I knew Darin was behind me somewhere. At about 1.5 miles a guy passed me, so I kept him in my sights. I crossed the 2nd mile in 6:18 (this mile was flat and a little into a 5-10 MPH breeze, which felt good). Darin was still somewhere behind me (but, I was afraid to look back :)) At about 2.5 miles I caught and passed the guy who had passed me a mile earlier. I was still feeling good...thinking "If Darin catches me, I'll have a little left in the tank to battle back). I turn the corner and headed up the slight incline with about .3 mile to go, then crested the top and saw the finish line..and kicked it up a notch. There was nobody in range to catch, and I still didn't look back. But, I could tell that nobody was close behind (you can usually tell by the people standing on the sides if someone is making a move). I crossed the line in 19:35..my best 5K this year, and only about 8 seconds shy of my all-time PR! Darin finished 9 seconds behind with 19:44 (1st in our AG)...and I regained the top spot of our little running group (Dave, the other member of our lunchtime running club ran a different 5K on Saturday and finished in 20:20...he's still recovering from a calf issue). I ended up 6th overall, winning the Overall Masters' award.

I ended up winning a plaque (for overall masters 1st place), and a $100 gift certificate to the local community pool (which I gave back, as I live about 40 miles away and really couldn't use).

It was a fun morning, and I know Darin will be gunning extra hard for me next race! (I really need to start ramping up for SGM, soon, but am having lots of fun with the short races!)


Asic Speestar - Boston'09 Miles: 3.10
Weight: 188.00
Comments
From timp on Tue, Jun 07, 2011 at 09:52:57 from 144.188.24.27

great race Marc! That sounds like a blast. Maybe PR next race?

From fly on the Wall on Tue, Jun 07, 2011 at 11:15:29 from 204.113.19.47

You are one fast Masters runner! Kudos.

From Kathie on Tue, Jun 07, 2011 at 11:47:59 from 97.126.210.144

Congrats on the win!!! Love the photos of your boys on facebook, what a great day!

From Smooth on Tue, Jun 07, 2011 at 14:25:14 from 67.2.98.167

Marc!!!! HUGE smile on my face!!! :) :) :) :) :)

CONGRATZ on the Masters WIN!!! Sweet to beat Darin too!!!

You're AWESOME and wicked FAST!!!

From Maynard on Wed, Jun 08, 2011 at 00:16:39 from 71.213.7.221

Dang! I'll be happy to get under 24 at my next 5k... Good job, Marc!

Add Your Comment.
  • Keep it family-safe. No vulgar or profane language. To discourage anonymous comments of cowardly nature, your IP address will be logged and posted next to your comment.
  • Do not respond to another person's comment out of context. If he made the original comment on another page/blog entry, go to that entry and respond there.
  • If all you want to do is contact the blogger and your comment is not connected with this entry and has no relevance to others, send a private message instead.
Only registered users with public blogs are allowed to post comments. Log in with your username and password or create an account and set up a blog.
Debt Reduction Calculator
Featured Announcements
Lone Faithfuls
(need a comment):
Recent Comments: