Running Towards Fitness

Personal Awareness
The ancient Greeks used to believe that a healthy mind and a healthy body not only went together, but were both critical for happiness and a successful life. They were also intertwined, meaning that a weakness in either area would affect the other. When I started this transformation I was overweight and full of excuses. And by overweight I don't mean just a few pounds - I weighed over 70 pounds more than I do now. I finally took my life into my own hands and started exercising. At the time, I had no idea where it would lead - to a stronger body, a happier, more nimble mind, and a chest full of race medals. Healthy mind, healthy body, indeed! It hasn't been easy, or without issues, but I wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

2007 North Trail Half Marathon

I'll start out by saying that this wasn't a PR.  Not even close.  It was, however, a really fun race, taking place in the middle of a fun weekend, surrounded by fun friends. Fun! Going into it I knew that I wasn't going to PR.  To be honest, I was more than ...

2007 BagelFest 5K

I'm very glad that I did this race.  I almost didn't - the idea of doing something where I know that I wasn't going to come close to a PR was not terribly enticing - but I've done it every year since I started running, and its been a whole ...

2006 Fila Relays

What a fun race! This was the first year of the Fila Relays in Zilker park and they were a great hit. The idea was to do a four-person relay, everyone doing a single 2.44 mile lap of the course, in approximately 100 degree weather. What could ...

2006 Moonlight Margarita Run

This is the race that everyone told me I shouldn't do. I haven't been able to run since this past weekend - a combination of a mild sore back and just, quite frankly, a lack of time. I met up with Thon and Mike for a pasta dinner ...

Bun Run

Well, its been about a month since I last updated - I figure its worth a shot. I've been doing some running, probably averaging 25-30 miles per week, although last week I didn't run at all (not since Saturday's 16 miler). Le sigh. But today I decided ...

Blog Spamvertising

Here's a quick hint to anyone who's putting on a race. For example, the upcoming Running of the Horns here in Austin. Using comment spam to get links from people's blogs is not a fantastic way to get the word out. In fact, its downright rude. ...

2006 Freescale Marathon - Technical

My goal for the day was simply to go out with my buds in the 3:45 pace group, with one major proviso. I knew that I wasn't really ready for a marathon today, my training has been spotty since NYC (at most 25 miles a week, and that's on ...

2006 Austin Freescale Marathon (short version)

Chip time: 3:54:07 (8:56) Problems: Carb-unloading issues Feeling: Great. I had a fantastic time and just enjoyed myself. Gun-time splits: First 10K: 53:48 (8:40) Halfway: 1:55:01 (8:47) 30K: 2:44:07 (8:49) 35K: 3:12:51 (8:52) Final: 3:56:42 (9:02) After an unplanned stop around mile 17, when I realized I wasn't going to do the whole race with my 3:45 pacers ...

2005 Thundercloud Turkey Trot

This race was the first race that I ever ran seriously, back in 2003. I know, that's not all that long ago, but it is as far as my running comfort level goes. Back then my goal was to break 45:00, and I didn't quite make it, coming ...

NYC Synopsis

Well, I had previously said that my low-end goal was "at least a sub four." Anything slower than that would be a dissapointment. Turns out that I was wrong. Today was a pretty brutal day, with decent heat, high humidity and what was (to me) a very ...


About

I'm Richard Stanford, a fit, happy runner. Of course, that wasn't always the case. Dip into the archives to follow my progress from couch potato to sub-four hour marathoner.

I also like to cook, write, code, and play with power tools...

Personal Records

DistanceRaceTimePace
Marathon2006 Freescale3:54:078:56
20 Miles2006 RunTex3:00:089:00
30K2005 RunTex2:42:448:45
Half M2006 3M1:42:577:51
20K2005 Decker1:40:428:06
10 Miles2005 Pervasive1:20:138:01
10K2005 Dublin Dr Pepper48:437:51
5 Miles2005 Turkey Trot37:017:24
5K2005 Margarita Run22:327:15
4K2006 Fila Relays17:247:15
1 Mile2006 Congress Ave6:236:23

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May 20th 2007
Tags: Running, Races

One Comment

2007 North Trail Half Marathon

I'll start out by saying that this wasn't a PR.  Not even close.  It was, however, a really fun race, taking place in the middle of a fun weekend, surrounded by fun friends. Fun! Going into it I knew that I wasn't going to PR.  To be honest, I was more than ...
May 19th 2007
Tags: Running

No Comments

Update

Well, so much for keeping the blog current, eh? I've been doing pretty well, most of the time. I'm currently in Dallas just a few hours away from running in a small half marathon (400 people, give or take) - and I've only managed to get up to 10.5 miles ...
April 10th 2007
Tags: Running

No Comments

Lunchtime Ladera

This was my third time to run Ladera Norte, and its actually getting easier.  I walked once, about 3 minutes into the hill, for a minute (timed), then ran the rest of the way.  Not that I was fast - the remainder took me a solid 5 minutes - but I ...
March 4th 2007
Tags: Running, Races

9 Comments

2007 BagelFest 5K

I'm very glad that I did this race.  I almost didn't - the idea of doing something where I know that I wasn't going to come close to a PR was not terribly enticing - but I've done it every year since I started running, and its been a whole ...
March 1st 2007
Tags: Running

One Comment

Unplanned 3 Miler

Well... I know that I said that I wasn't goint to run today... but I did anyway.  You see, at lunch today Thon offered to run his 3 mile hill loop with me this evening.  Naturally I stuck to the gameplan and told him that I wasn't running until Saturday.  ...
February 27th 2007
Tags: Running

One Comment

Rollingwood Revisited

I went to Rollingwood for the second time - or at least the second time since my recovery - and while ended up running a slightly different course due to inattention, it was a fantastic run.  Last time I averaged a 9:41 pace (9:54, 9:30, 9:46) around the hills, and it felt ...

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Famous Marathon Times

RunnerTimePace
Al Gore4:58:2511:23
Oprah4:29:3010:17
P. Diddy4:14:549:43
Will Ferrell3:56:129:01
George W. Bush3:44:528:35
John Edwards3:30:188:01
Carrie Sapp3:29:067:59
Boston Qualifier3:10:597:17
Lance Armstrong2:59:366:51
Gilbert Tuhabonye2:23:075:28
Paula Radcliffe2:15:255:10
Paul Tegat2:04:554:46

People I Train With

Alex - Addicted to Exercise
Carrie - Tri to be Funny
Erine - Thousand Miles
Frank - Running Blog
Gilbert - Gilbert's Gazelles
Jay - Leotian Blog
Mike - BROTH