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.

Mostly Easy

Core today was mostly easy, possibly due to the fact that I didn't run much this morning but more likely because we had a large group and ended up taking lots of transition time. The hardest exercise was a set of four, where we went from doing 50 high ...

Scant 20 miler (15 weeks to go)

Today was supposed to be the first 20 miler of the 2006-07 training season. We all received very clear directions about where to park, near the East entrance to Barton Springs, yet somehow the bulk of the Gazelles ended up about 1/4 mile away at the other end of ...

Simple little loop

Met up with Thon and Mike this morning, 6AM bright and early, down at Barton Springs. This time we just went out and did the Congress Avenue loop, about 5.6 miles in 55 minutes (with waterstops). Nothing earth-shattering, although we did pick it up a bit to about ...

Hills. Why did it have to be hills?

Well, probably because I said to Thon, "Hey, how about meeting at Barton Springs tomorrow morning for a hilly seven miles?" You see, hills are still by far my weakest point. I could use more speed, sure, but while I'm not as weak as I was earlier this ...

Refreshing Recovery

I met up with Thon this morning for an easy seven (or so) miles. Because we wanted to mix things up we actually met over at Barton Springs. Since its free in the morning for a soak (and theoretically for swimming too) I'm going to try to make ...

Double Dipping (*) (T - 16 weeks)

Well, after doing that incredibly hilly 12 1/2 miler yesterday, the plan was to do a back-to-back run and follow it up with 11 1/2 moderately hilly miles today.  Of course, I was the only dupe who actually did it ... d'oh!  Seriously, it was fun.  I met up with ...

Mt. Barker

Today a group of eight of us met up bright and early for another Friday long run. Some folk had places to be, some just wanted to get it over with, and then people like me are just suceptible to peer pressure. One thing that I did notice ...

Eighteen Miles (T - 17 weeks)

With "only" 17 weeks to go, it was time for an eighteen mile run. Actually Gilbert's schedule has us doing a twenty miler on Saturday, but since we're a solid eight weeks behind the Chicago group, we figured that eighteen was enough. And since we also all had ...

Tennisball Diaries

This Saturday started out much like any other. Six AM rolled around and, well, if the sun had been up that early, it would have dawned over a motley collection of runners listening to Gilbert give us our marching orders for the day. Of course, the sun slumbered ...

Recovery Run

My mileage for the week was pretty low, so I met up this morning with Carrie and Thon for a very comfortable seven miles around the trail. We actually ran at a true recovery pace; to be honest I don't think that any of us were in the mood ...


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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November 9th 2008
Tags: Running

One Comment

2008 Marine Corps Marathon (long)

I'll say its long - 26.2 miles when you haven't run more than about 16 all year is way too long! Let me recap my training schedule for the last two months, just in case you haven't been paying attention (or I haven't been posting it): September 6: 60 mile ...
November 9th 2008
Tags: Running, Races

No Comments

2008 Gazelle 10 Miler

It was great getting to see everyone today. I wasn't sure that I would race - hell, I knew I wouldn't race, I wasn't sure I'd even bother to show up. Packet pickup had come and gone without me, and I was out 'til late last night getting ...
October 26th 2008
Tags: Running

3 Comments

2008 Marine Corps Marathon (quick)

Turns out that yes, I was ready. Kinda. This was my first marathon since I started triathlon and the cardio benefits really showed - my breathing was always under control and my HR stayed low. My legs were really feeling the fact that I only ran ~25 miles in the ...
October 25th 2008
Tags: Musings, Running

One Comment

Am I Ready?

Tomorrow morning, at 5AM (EST of all things), my alarm will go off. It will go off again at 5:15, 5:30, and 5:45, just to make sure. And its not just one alarm, its a combination of the hotel clock radio, the wake-up service, and my iPhone. I think that, as ...
October 22nd 2008
Tags: Workouts, Swimming

2 Comments

Swim Clinic

My swim times have been, well, let's be nice and just say "abysmal." That's fine for now - at the beginning of the year I could barely make it to the other end of the pool, and just a couple of weeks ago I did a half Ironman. ...
October 5th 2008
Tags: Races

4 Comments

2008 Longhorn Ironman 70.3

Wow.  That was the hardest thing I think I've done - certainly including my first marathon.  The big difference was that I went into this knowing that - if I made the cutoffs - I was going to finish.  No question. And I did - some 45 minutes slower than I'd ...

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Famous Marathon Times

RunnerTimePace
Al Gore4:58:2511:23
Oprah4:29:3010:17
P. Diddy4:14:549:43
Sarah Palin3:59:369:09
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
Haile Gebrselassie2:03:594:44

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