Running Shorts

...Okay, now on to the play-by-play of the race. Warm-up Got up crazy early, but at this point I actually feel pretty darn good. Had my Honey Stinger waffles, hydrated with a little water, and just generally tried to stay relaxed. Also, I didn't have my normal pre-race #2 issues, so that was a pleasant surprise. Miles 1-3 Gun goes off, and I feel great. I mean, like perfect. Today's my day. First mile: 5:02. Effortless. Next mile, looking at the clock: 5:00. Third mile: 5:04. I can run this pace all day. Only problem: I'm running this all by myself. The pack of Africans and a few Americans was gone before 2 miles. There are a couple stragglers off the back, focus on getting them. Miles 4-6 Nope. Not my day. I was just kidding with that first 3 miles. The stragglers aren't coming back; actually, they're running away from me. I'm struggling to maintain low-5 pace at this point...it's gonna be a grind the second half of the race. Miles 7-10 The lone...

Before I get to the actual race, let me go through the weekend itself. I chose this race partly because of the American Development Project where they really take care of the runners. And boy did they take care of us. They treated us like athletes, making sure we had everything we needed to focus on race day. The weekend started at the race's host hotel, where the runners received a complementary hotel room. I was sharing the room with another guy doing the same thing as me...of course it was a little awkward sharing a hotel room with someone I'd never met before, but after four years of four-people-to-a-room in college, I was pretty used to it. At the host hotel there was an Athlete Hospitality suite on the top floor, stocked with water and snacks, where the elite contingent could relax and hang out. The race directors had our bib numbers at the suite, saving us the headache of going to the expo and packet pickup. For the marathoners, there was also a place for their pe...

Whenever I tell someone I'm running a half marathon this spring, the response is almost always, "Oh, are you running the Pig?" When I tell them no, I'm actually going to Pittsburgh and doing their half marathon, the next question, invariably, is, "Well why aren't you doing the Pig?" I've explained what Pittsburgh has to offer in my previous post , but I haven't explained what the Flying Pig doesn't have to offer. So here's why not the Pig: But first, let me say this: I want to like the Pig; I really do. Even though I give the race a hard time in this blog, I only do so because I'm passionate about wanting to see it succeed as a race. After all, it is the biggest and most prestigious running event in Cincinnati, and people in the city (beyond just the running community) really care about the event and those participating. I do want to run events that people in my community care about; however, I also want to run events that ma...

So what race am I doing? The UPMC Pittsburgh Half Marathon . When is that? Sunday, May 4th, 2014. Isn't that the same day as the Flying Pig? Yup. So why are you going to Pittsburgh when you could just run at home? Pittsburgh has this  and this . The Pig has neither. Pittsburgh has a commitment to elite and sub-elite runners, they have a commitment to growing the sport from the front, they have a commitment to hosting a highly competitive race. The Pig, as of now, does not. They're comp'ing my entry fee and putting me up in a hotel (with another runner)...while also hosting a race that should have a ton of competition around me with the potential to win prize money by placing high or running a time bonus. Who can turn that down? But seriously, why aren't you doing the Pig? It's your hometown race...  Well, that's a topic for the next post. But for quick reference, see above. So, let's toast with a glass of Yuengling and hope for a fast rac...