Day Fifty Nine - End of Thanksgiving Holiday

I had as many doubts as anyone else. Standing on the starting line, we're all cowards.

-- Alberto Salazar

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, I have been devoid from the blog. With the holidays I focus on family and friends and leave the normal traces of life behind.
Wednesday through Sunday sailed by with the family having a lot of fun along the way.
Tuesday night Sarah and I brought the girls and headed down to Buckhead to the Atlanta Expo to pick up our bib number and shirt. I was also there to have my picture taken for the sponsor that fronted a little cash and a few shirts for me to run the race. The new TV show, “Men of a Certain Age” on TNT was the sponsor. This photo shoot was a little messed up with the picture being taken with the group early making me miss the group shot but I had a picture taken with my youngest daughter with her and I sporting the shirts the TV show gave me. After the expo we headed over to Buckhead Pizza and had an awesome dinner with lively conversation with the girls.
My parents headed down from North Carolina on Wednesday to join us for the festivities.
When my parents come down to our home they easily fold into our lives. Wednesday night was of a course the pre-race dinner prior to the Atlanta Half Marathon. The dinner was loaded with carbs, protein and veggie’s. I always enjoy making the meal of Chicken Alfredo, salad and bread for Sarah and myself, but now I had more company to join us. Not only does the dinner serve as a loading prior to a long run or race, but also it covers the areas of comfort food for guest.
Sarah and I turned in early in order for us to get plenty of sleep for the half marathon. Tomorrow’s annual half marathon is serving two purposes for Sarah and I. For Sarah, at the end of week 14 she had a 13 miler at race pace. The Atlanta Half Marathon is the perfect venue for Sarah to control her pace and achieve her 13-mile training run at race pace. For me, it was a race. I wanted to break the 1:30:00 mark for a half marathon. Since Augusta, I have not had a set training program, but with the workouts I have had, I knew that there was some untapped power in me to achieve this goal.
Turkey Day morning both Sarah and I woke prior to 5AM. Our plan was to pick up Wren at 5:35AM in her neighborhood and head down to the Chamblee MARTA station near the start of the Half Marathon.
We picked Wren up and made a smooth ride down 141 to Chamblee. We unloaded our bags at the transport trucks and I kissed my wife and wished her good luck. I hugged Wren and wished her a good run and I headed off to do a 10-minute warm up prior to the race.
The warm up was uneventful down a side road into a neighborhood where I could not help but thinking that most of these residences of this community are still sleeping while less than quarter mile away from them 10,000 runners were congregating.
As I made my way to the Start Line and Corral #1 I ran into Les. I have known Les for the last 7 years. I met him at the local Y in Alpharetta and have been friends every since. Les is a great guy who in fact was one triathlete who stopped to give me a CO-2 cartridge on the Augusta bike route. Les and I chatted about family and his progress in running. He was looking for a PR on this course (he finished in 1:37:00) and told me his current coach was Kona Jerry. As we made our way to the corrals I saw the 1:30:00 pace group. I wished Les the best of runs and told him I may see him at the finish.
I walked up to Corral #1 there were a number of runners piling into the corral. I found the pace group and hung out with about 8 minutes prior to the start. The coolness of the air settled on the crowd of runners as the runners mostly strangers to all huddled close together to keep the body warmth in the corral.
A few moments later the announcer came over the loud speaker thanking the volunteers, then the Anthem and we were off!
I was about 4 runners deep from the start and with a few steps I was over the start line heading down Peachtree for 13.1 miles. Jamie, our pace group leader had decided to run a positive split on this course. The first 7 miles are downhill with 4.0 miles up then less than 2 miles downhill to Turner Field.
The route was start toward the town of Atlanta. With the 10-minute warm up I was able to settle into a steady pace on the first mile. The group was 6:25 on the first with 6:14 on the second mile. I heard a few complaints from some of the runners but after I explained the plan they settled into the idea and we made our way down PT.
The next 2-3 miles we eased back and had a 10 second per mile cushion going into the middle of the course. I passed under the 6.5 ”Men of a Certain Age” banner draped across the road. I expected to see a large contingency of supporters for the TV Show but it was only two guys. A spotter and a camera guy. The thought that ran through my head was, lame. I expected more, but my goal was not to be greeted by the banner but to finish this race.
As I rounded the 7 mile marker I stripped the Tech Shirt and wore the racing tee I had under the black sponsor shirt. The temp was increasing to the mid-40’s by this point and with a large amount of hill facing me, I wanted to make sure my core was cool and ready for the challenges.
The group at this point started to thin out. A few “runners” moved ahead and more fell behind. I was comfortable in my pace and wanted to attack the hills with Jamie to insure I maintained pace. By the first hill we were 1:40 ahead of total pace which left us a nice reserve for the hills. The hills came fast and steep. For the next 4 miles we lost 20 seconds per mile on grades and averaged 6:50’s. I held back and followed the leader since he knew where the next hill was and when we needed to prepare for it.
After the last of the hills the course gradually changed to a downhill again. At this point I knew I was at mile 11 and started to increase the pace and broke from the group. I followed a few lone runners to Capital Hill here I knew the short steep road would hit the quads hard and furious. The hill was in front of me as I lowered my head leaned into the hill shortened my step and increased the cadence. I could feel gravity slowing me down as I made it up and over the last of the hills before I could see the Olympic Rings leading to Turner Field.
Taking the time to catch my breath I focused on the Rings and increased the pace. There was one small grad up and over 75/85 and took this with no problem. After that it was smooth sailing. The heart rate and breathing increased as the crowds grew closer to Turner Field. On the left a quarter mile from the Finish I saw Susan and Mike taking pictures. Susan yelled and I gave them the thumbs up as I sailed down Hank Aaron to the end. A moment later I passed a runner on the left and I felt him catch my right shoulder to draft off me to the end. 100 meters further I heard a snap and the runner dropping off. He started to scream as I turned to see that he had hit a pot hole and twisted his ankle less than 250 meters from the end of the 13.1 miles. His swearing was loud until the distance took over between us and the loudness of his cursing was muffled by the cheers of the crowd.
I kicked it one more time thinking of the track and the acceleration I do at the last turn of a 400 and crossed the line at 1:28:46. This time gets me an automatic entrance into the New York Marathon.
I had accomplished the goal I had set out. I felt awesome. Was not winded, was not sore, was not in pain, just elated. I saw a few of the group runners I had shared over an hour of my life with. I congratulated them on their accomplishments and headed towards the medal stands. I was adorn in a medal and walked to the water and food stations.
After gathering some post race recovery fuel I got my clothing bag, I had dropped off 2 hours earlier and changed in the parking lot. The next goal was to meet up with my friends then Sarah and Wren.
Here are the shots from the race. Everyone had accomplished their task. With all of the runners actually running faster than the pace they were to hold for this run. Sarah finished at 1:48:46, 3 minutes too fast but she felt fine and looked good. Wren knocked out a 1:48:03, again fast. The bet I had with Ann Marie has made me a rich man. AM finished at 1:41:28, almost 7 minutes excessively fast! AM owes me $42.00. Cha-ching! If I stuck to the original bet AM would be ponying up $425 clams. I couldn't do that to her for a great run even though it was too fast for a training run.

Ann Marie, Michele, Susan, Amy and Amy's Bro

Michele, Seth and Les

Michele, Seth & Me

Sarah and Wren

Sarah & I (I am very proud of her)

Thanksgiving Dinner with my family was very special to us. We are truly thankful for our health, family, friends, jobs, abilities and love we have for each other. My youngest made us Indian hats to celebrate the first Turkey Day in America.

The Family on Turkey Day

The rest of the holiday was spent with the grandparents playing board games, going downtown to Dialogue in the Dark (which I highly recommend) making pizza’s, breakfast and watching a few DVD’s. My parents left on Saturday morning.
Sarah and Wren had left Friday afternoon with Courtney to support her in her first marathon. Courtney ran a trail marathon in Milledgeville, Georgia on Saturday. Courtney accomplished her first marathon in less than 5 hours. It ended up being a tough technical course where the mileage was not correct, but her desire and dedication to accomplishing 26.2 miles was her determination. After the last loop of the course, Courtney headed out for 2 more miles to knock out the FULL MARATHON. We are all very proud of her.

Courtney and her Marathon Prize, yes a Ginger Bread Man, along with the Race Director

The girls and I were on a roll instead of ginger bread on Saturday. We went Christmas shopping and in one trip got 4 out 7 cousin's Christmas presents. Not as tough as a marathon, but I would rather run 26.2 then shop any day!

Sitting here on Sunday evening before the start of a new week, I am reflect on the last 5 days and would not change a thing. The half marathoners had an awesome race, the full “hard core” trail marathoner finished her first long race, we all had a great time with family and my 8 year old is currently making homemade sugar cookies all by herself. Man! “What a great week!”
Tomorrow is a long tempo run and a visit to the cardiologist. As I age, I am getting faster but this comes with more doctors and prescription drugs.
Everyone in my circle had awesome races and runs. None of these athletes are cowards but I understand what Alberto is saying, when we are at the start the nerves kick in and we loose the faith in our abilities. I think this is true, but with the support of family and great friends you overcome this sense of cowardness and we roar like lions.