Will Runs The World!

The next several blog posts will be about my new experiences with running internationally. If find it interesting that running is a global sport and yet there are aspects of running that differ from country to country, some of these differences are major others very minor. I hope you enjoy my “Will runs the world!” posts.

Anything Can Happen on Race Day! (A Recap of the 2018 NJ Marathon)

A week ago, Sunday the 29^th, 2018, I ran the NJ Marathon and the one thing I can say is that I did indeed leave it all on the course. I had trained hard for the race in hopes that I would achieve a Boston Qualifier of a sub 3:05 finish. As I learned training only gives you the foundation to achieve your goals, and anything can happen on race day.

            I woke up early at 3:30am Sunday morning after getting a pretty sound 6 hour of sleep. I felt rested and physically great, I knew that it was going to be a good race and I was going to perform well. Just before the race started around 7:00am I started getting texts from friends and family wishing me a good race. It felt good to have the support and it would be that support that helped me to the finish line.

            I was in the second wave and we started promptly at 7:35am, I was with the sub 3:05 pace group and was holding my own. The group was in a positive mood and we were chatting with each other and the pacers. It felt good running with the pace group, but I did notice that we went out a bit faster then I was expecting. I was not too concerned because I was feeling good and was able to keep up. This continued for some time, as I ticked off the miles. I got to mile 13 and thought, “wow I’m on pace, I’m still feeling good I think I’m going to do this!” Little did I know the entire race would change for me in the next several miles.

            Between mile 16 and 20, as I was running through Asbury Park, I ran into some problems. My legs started going into spasms, and I had an intense burning sensation in my legs. This was not muscle pain, or cramps this was nerve pain, which is not something you can just rub out. I was pushing but the pain and spasm continued. At this point I was physically in pain, mentally unfocused and emotionally very raw. In all my running I have never had thoughts about dropping out of a race, until that moment. I didn’t think I could do it anymore and I was about to tap out.

            I reached into my runner’s belt to take out my phone, which I had placed in airplane mode prior to the race and was about to call my father who was waiting for me at the finish line. I opened my phone and somehow a text message got through with my phone still being in airplane mode. The timing platform for the race is set up where people can receive live text updates on the runner, I had set it up where my family and a few runner friends could get updates. The text message I received was from someone who is very special to me and it said, “Wow Will! I’m getting your updates and you’re doing great!” I will admit I welled up a bit and put my phone back in my belt and made the decision that no matter what I was crossing that finish line.

            From that point on I ran when I could, stopped or walked when I had to. I slowed significantly. I came across other runners in similar pain and we checked in with each other and encouraged each other to keep at it. At mile 22 I was in rough shape and I had to stop. At this moment I was at the same mile marker as a runner Jamie Watts, an amazing endurance athlete who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, who ran and finished the marathon. I had seen her a few times on the course at other mile markers and she was surrounded by an amazing support team, who even came to my aid. I was there standing on the side of the road and three women in pink t-shirts approached me asking “are you alright?”

            I responded, “Kind of my legs are in spasm.”

            “Can you finish?”

            “I’m not sure, I think I can.”

            “You can finish, you’re going to finish, just take a moment and start again.”

            “Yay, I think you’re right.”

I walked about 40 feet and my legs stopped spasming, I started to run, and I heard them call from behind me, “There you go, we knew you could do it, cross that finish.” I ran the last two miles, in pain, put I crossed the finish line with a time of 3:54:50. I was in rough shape, my legs were on fire, I was nauseous and exhausted.

            It took some time to find my dad and we had to sit for awhile before I could move on. The pain was searing, and it would come in waves, at times bringing me to spout an obscenity, or even bring a tear to my eye. I was very emotionally raw and was full of so many different emotions. I was disappointed that I did not achieve my goal I worked hard towards, I was happy I was able to have been able to finish, I was touched that so many people ended up sending me messages of encouragement, before, during, and after the race, I was confused as to why the spasms happened, and I was inspired by all the other runners and the supporters that were out there on the course.

            Every race teaches a runner something, for me I learned that anything, including disappointment can happen. I surprisingly came to peace with the outcome of the race quickly. I realized that for most of the race I was on target for my goal and that I very well might have achieved it if it wasn’t for the legs spasms. I am thinking about hiring a running coach to train with for my next marathon to hopefully achieve that BQ.

            I have not run at all this week, and today, is the first day that my legs feel normal. I know that I will most likely go for a shake out run tomorrow and probably a pyrolites class, which I will discuss more soon. As for the NJ Marathon I have to say it is probably the best organized race I’ve ever done, I have now run the full and half marathon and it is a seamless race, never any delays at the start, well-staffed and a very flat fast course, a must run if you ask me.

Will-Ful Runner, or How I Got Off My Butt and Fell in Love with Running

I find it a fitting coincidence that I am sitting here writing the first post of this blog on the 6^th anniversary of my first half marathon; and the eve of my moonshot attempt of running a Boston Qualifier, a Sub 3:07 finish, at the New Jersey Marathon. In those past 6 years I have ran 12 half marathons in three different countries, 1 full marathon, and many other mid distance races. As I prepared to write this post I started reflecting on why I started running and what has kept me going on the years.

            I have always been a fan of running and was the kid in gym that after running the mile would ask if I could run more while I waited for the other kids to finish. I had tried to join the track team my Freshman year but was turned off by the coach and I had other commitments at the school. Running then became a thing for myself and I became pretty good at it, running my fastest mile at 5:04 my Junior year of high school, the only time I threw up after a run.

            The end of my senior year started my decline in running, I was diagnosed with mono and could not participate in physical activity. It took some time to start gaining my strength back and by that time I was starting college. In college, and after college I was sporadically most active by participating in pick games of touch football. Luckily, I was still in decent shape and maintained my weight. Oh my early twenties, when I could eat 20 tacos and not worry about weight gain.

            Fast forward several years to 2011 when I was 27 years old. I had been working a job where I was in an office or car most of the time and did not realize that my sedentary life style and slowing metabolism was catching up to me. I am fortunate that I know the exact date that I became serious about running, mostly due to knowing the wedding anniversary of my good friends John and Deb. You see on October 22, 2011 I was a groomsman in my friends’ wedding. A joyous fun occasion but I realized that the tux just didn’t feel like it was fitting right and that I was getting easily tired on the dance floor. The next morning at the post wedding brunch I saw photos of myself and it was like getting punched in the face. I realized that I had put on a lot of weight. I had not stepped on a scale in a few years, so when I got home I weighed myself and the scale read 210lbs! I am 5’7” and my weight has always, up until that point hovered between 160 to 175 lbs. I made the decision right then and there to do something about it and decided, well I’m going to go for a run.

            That first run on October 23, 2011 was the most humbling experience of my running life. Here I am, the guy who used to run extra in gym, for fun, barely able to run 0.25 mile at a 11-minute pace. I knew that this was something I needed to keep working at and as the weeks went on I started running further and increasing my pace. I started reading about running and one day decided, I’m going to register for a half marathon. I investigated Half Marathons in New Jersey and found the Runapoloza Half Marathon in Asbury Park, which was raising money for Special Olympics New Jersey. After a few days of hesitation, I decided to sign up.

            By the time I toed the starting line of that race on April 28, 2012 I had lost 35lbs through running and better food choices. It was an intense first race with fog, humidity and high temperatures. I had watched fellow runners pass out during the race and I myself suffered a knee injury that landed me in physical therapy for 3 months. I had learned that I had not trained well, but even ending the race injured, I was hooked and decided that running was going to be a big part of my life.

            Over the last 6 years I have learned how to train better, the importance of cross training, listening to your body, good nutrition and rest. I have learned that not every run has to be a good run and that sometimes cutting a run short or extending a run is necessary for your own health. I have gone through periods where it has been hard to find the motivation to lace up my running shoes, and times when the only thing that made sense was running.

            Running has allowed me to meet amazing people, raise money for charities, see different parts of the world, helped figure out a major health issue and set me on adventures. In future posts I will discuss many of these things, recap races, provide my insight into running, conduct interviews, and discuss running news. I am excited to have you all read along.