Mid season running report

This running season has been an early success.  I only have had a few minor runs under my belt, but they've been pretty good and I shouldn't take them for granted.  Back in April I did a Relay event with some good guys at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Marathon.  We ended up placing 2nd in the Men's Open Division...our plaque finally came!!!

Several of us from our Race Committee continued involvement within the community and, as mentioned, we ran in the Bookin' It 5K for the Library.  I took second in my division and took 6th overall with a PR of 20:20.

At the end of May, I ran in the Medina Half Marathon.  That didn't go as well as I had hoped but I finished in 1:43:17 which is better than I anticipated.  But I was off to such a positive start and felt like I could set a Personal Record (PR).  Despite the heat, humidity and the hills it was a lot of fun and very well organized.

The Akron Marathon has started the Rubber City Race Series that started on June 27th, 2015.  It is a series of 3 races over the summer finishing at the end of September with the Full Marathon, Half and Relay events.  The initial races were a 1 Mile and 8K.  So I signed up for the 1 Mile.  The second one is in August and they hold a 10K and Half, in which I registered for the 10K. And the September final I'll run the Half Marathon.  Excited to see how it goes.  I've been training for faster times for several weeks now and even after the long day on the 26th for the Matchstick I was excited to see how fast I could go in 1 mile.  The weather did not cooperate at all and it poured all morning long. With about 4 to 5 minutes before the start of the race I was soaked.

In the end, there were 170+ 1 mile participants and 2100+ 8K runners.  I set a new personal record at 5:51 for the 1 mile.  I could kick myself because I got stuck in the middle of the front pack running the 8K and I had to push out to the side and then work my way back to the left for the turns.  After I finished, I didn't realize it but I finished 8th overall, 6th in the Men's division and 1st in my age group.  Never ran that fast before.  But now I know.

In June of 2010 I changed my life spiritually, mentally and physically.  I became dedicated to losing weight and being here for my wife and kids and being a better Christian (I'm not perfect by any means but my faith is what drives me).  I couldn't run a mile without stopping.  I always hated running.  I always thought to myself, "You are either built for running or your not.  You are either built for speed or you are not. You can't teach speed or get faster than you are."  In the last 5 years I've discovered, due to my own ignorance, that the body is an amazing thing and capable of amazing things.

We are capable of amazing things.  If you want to try something but you doubt you're able, don't doubt it.  You want to try running but never felt like you could or can, do it.  Push past that next challenge.  Set an obtainable goal and smash it.  Set another one and SMASH that one too!.  Just keep working, setting new goals and push your body beyond the next challenge and who knows what the rest of this summer or the rest of your fitness goals look like.

Keep working hard and God Bless.

Coach Bill