I decided to keep a running log here on my blog. I’ve been running since I joined my middle school cross country team in 7th grade, but I slowed down in college and essentially gave it up once I had kids. I went from 5’9″, 135 lbs in high school to about 160 lbs now at the same height.
I’m trying to get back into it, so I signed up for a 5k (July 2019), half marathon (September 2019), and marathon (March 2020).
I’m currently following a Hal Higdon training plan. I used a Hal Higdon plan for my first 5k of 2019. I got a Garmin Forerunner 645 watch recently, and there is a Garmin Coach function on the app. They offer 3 coaches, and I am currently using Coach Greg (of McMillan Running). The coaching is adaptive (and free), and it makes the watch well worth the money (almost $300 when on sale) for any half-serious runner.
I once set a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon by 2020. Then, I broke my ankle. I’d still like to do this someday, but I think I’ll be set back a few years. The qualifying cutoffs keep getting faster too, so maybe I can qualify when I’m 40. Right now, I’ll have to run about 3 hours flat (~6:52/mi) to qualify. I’ll turn 35 in September of 2020, which gives me a 5 minute cushion.
Related post: I Will Qualify For The Boston Marathon by 2020
This list isn’t exhaustive. It includes whatever I can dig up right now.
1999
June 6 – Cranston Police 5k – 22:59 (7:23/mi)
1999-2003
I was on my high school cross country team. My average pace per mile in a 5k race ranged from 6:04-6:45 per mile, with most races in the 6:15-6:20/mi range. My twin brother and I usually ran at the bottom of varsity in the 6/7 spots. My fastest race was at a 6:04 pace, with my first 2 mile splits at 5:50 and 5:23. I often started out too fast trying to keep up with those much faster than me and ran out of energy somewhere in the 3rd mile.
My cross country coach, Mr. Bouchard, was an Ironman triathlete, and I was inspired by him to run my first full marathon a month after my 16th birthday in 2001.
2000
November 5 – RI Cross Country State Championships – 20:31 (6:36/mi)
2001
October 8 – Ocean State Marathon – 3:40:40 (8:25/mi)
2002
October 13 – Ocean State Marathon – 3:39:18 (8:22/mi), 10 mi. split – 1:20:58 (8:09.8/mi), 20 mi split – 2:39:52 (7:59.6/mi)
2004
April 25 – Breeze Against Wheeze 5k – 20:59 (6:45/mi)
September 26 – Providence Half Marathon – 1:43:37 (7:55/mi)
2005
April 9 – Running Heritage ‘Guess Your Time’ 5k – 20:42 (6:39/mi)
April 17 – Brown University Charity 10k – 46:19 (7:27/mi)
October 22 – Breakers Marathon – 4:00:46 (9:11/mi)
2006
April 15 – Race for Health 10k – 44:44 (7:11/mi)
September 17 – CVS Downtown 5k – 20:25 (6:34/mi)
October 21 – Nifty Fifty (Breakers) Marathon – 3:49:36 (8:45/mi)
2007
February 25 – Hyannis Half Marathon – 1:41:38 (7:46/mi)
April 16 – Boston Marathon – 3:50:50 (8:49/mi), ran as a “bandit”
April 28 – Breeze Against Wheeze 5k – 20:46 (6:41/mi)
May 5 – Dave Zucconi Memorial 5k – 20:59 (6:45/mi)
October 20 – Kansas City Marathon – 3:58:04 (9:05/mi)
2008
October 18 – Breakers Marathon – 4:31:00 (10:21/mi), ran with brother, I was unregistered
2009
April 5 – Cherry Blossom 10 miler – 1:15:10 (7:31/mi)
2011
November 20 – Philadelphia Marathon – 5:17:37 (12:07/mi) – stayed with wife for half marathon, then finished full marathon
2013
March 16 – Rock n Roll Marathon DC – 4:01:21 (9:12/mi)
2017
January 15 – Celebrate Community 5k – 24:22 (7:50/mi)
July 23 – Birthday Bash 5k – 24:34 (7:54/mi)
October 7 – Glory Days Cross Country 5k – 24:36 (7:55/mi)
November 12 – Veterans Day 5k – 24:05 (7:45/mi)
December 3 – Run with Santa 5k – 23:33 (7:34/mi)
2019 (got back into running on June 10th, ran a 26:20 5k as a baseline)
July 21 – Birthday Bash 5k – 23:49 (7:40/mi); after a month of training, decent improvement
September 2 – Great American 5k – 22:22 (7:07/mi); a little over a month more; a bit more improvement
September 21 – Herndon Half Marathon – 1:46:43 net time (8:08.4/mi); averaging 20-30 miles/week in training; felt good during the half marathon
October 6 – Fall Classic 10k in Ashburn – 46:01 (7:24/mi); trying to move up to 25-35 miles/week in training; felt very good during the 10k.
November 3 – Potomac Heritage Trail 50k – 7:16:03 (12:47/mi); got lost and ran an extra 3 miles but happy to complete my first ultra. Potomac Heritage Trail 50k Race Report.
December 8 – Holiday Half Marathon – 1:39:15 (7:35/mi); averaged 30-40 miles/week but got sick and ran only 15-20 miles for 2 weeks. HALF MARATHON PR. Holiday Half Marathon Race Report
2020
January 18 – Revel Kulia Marathon – 3:31:38 (8:04/mi) MARATHON PR; downhill marathon on Mauna Kea on Big Island in Hawaii. Felt good until mile 20, then struggled through the rest. My wife ran the half marathon and got her HALF MARATHON PR with a time of 2:53:31 (13:14/mi). Revel Kulia Marathon Race Report
March 28 – Rock n’ Roll Marathon – postponed to 2021
2021
July 25 – Birthday Bash 5k – 24:17 (7:40/mi; distance 3.16mi) – Fairfax Corner course; not in the best shape, just establishing a baseline to improve from
October 17 – Fall Classic 10k – 46:57 (7:34/mi) – at One Loudoun; perfect weather and felt pretty good. Fall Classic 10k Race Report.
2023
October 29 – Marine Corps Marathon – 4:22:59 (10:02/mi) – Warmer than usual weather and a shorter training block. I wasn’t prepared enough and fell apart at mile 23.