That's right folks. Paul back as the guest blogger. And as you may have guessed it by the title, it is time to start running again.
Last year I picked up running again after several years off. In my younger days, I was actually quite a good runner. In high school I ran track and cross country (along with playing football at the same time). I shattered several records in the 400m dash at Brunswick and Medina county, and even won a state championship. I went to Kent State on a track scholarship, but only ran one year. See, I didn't like the coaching style of the coach. This may sound weird, but he was too "nice." Yes, in high school I had what you would call a verbally abusive coach. There was not a day that went by that I didn't get yelled at for practicing bad, or running a few tenths of a second off my previous times. I was even called a "See You Next Tuesday" in the middle of the track field at a big event. Strange to say it, but that style of coaching only made me mad, and want to prove him wrong. I grew to like that style of coaching, so when I had a laid back nice coach in college, I had some disagreements. I needed to be challenged in a way my old track coach did. By telling me I suck or couldn't do it, the go out and make him eat his words. Strange way of motivating someone isn't it? Oh, and I forgot to mention, that Kent track coach stripped me of my scholarship after red-shirting me my freshman year then took off to another school.
So as I said before, I started running 5ks last year with a goal of running a marathon and qualifying for Boston in the next few years. My training got de-rerailed a bit when Rylee was born, although it was not a bad thing. I did compete a week after she was born and took 2nd place in the 25-29 age group at the Yates 5k in Solon. I ran another in July, however, due to 95 degree temps and running on blacktop the entire way, I didn't do so good. Not to mention the fact that the course was actually farther than 3.1 miles (5k).
I have been waiting for this time for months now, to be able to once again get outside and run. See, I am not much of an indoor runner. The most running I do is to the fridge and back to get a new beer. I don't do treadmills or ellipticals. Treadmills ruin your knees, and ellipticals don't allow me to open my stride.
I still have a goal of one day running the Boston Marathon, maybe even New York City, but for the time being I am focusing on 5k and 10k races. I am currently on a training program for a marathon, but it is more about speed and tempo work than long miles. Having a wife, 2 kids, and working toward my master's degree, not to mention work, I can't find the time during the week to put in 50-60 miles.
I am also resurrecting my blog over at Wordpress. Check out my blog "without limits" over at Wordpress. I will be documenting my training, but also taking pictures during my runs and posting about them. Oh, and if you thought I did a lot of ranting and raving on Facebook about stuff, I am much more colorful on the blog. without limits doesn't just have to do with my training, it is my way of life. I have no limits and speak what other people think.
Godspeed.
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