Revel Mt. Charleston Race Discount 2018

Join team “Chasing Boston” for a $5 discount for the 2019 race.  Race date is 4/27/19.  Code good for the Half or Full.  Sign up quickly as the marathon is the fastest BQ race in the country and sells out very early.

 

You guessed it!  Registration is about to open on the 3rd Annual Revel Mt. Charleston Marathon & Half in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Beginning 5/11/17, registration opens, and will be the lowest price for this race.  (It can, and will) sell out incredibly fast.

I’ve read article after article since Boston last month, stating that Revel Mt. Charleston qualified more runners for the 2017 Boston Marathon than any other race this past year.  It’s real, my friends.  The course is amazingly beautiful, and incredibly fast!  There is a 5,126 ft descent in the Full, and just over 2,000 ft of descent in the Half.

You’ve got to sign up early to enjoy the lowest pricing, and I feel you want a discount on top of that, just sign up on my team.  My team is open to anyone.  This isn’t a team where we need to run together, or even know each other, it’s just a way for us all to enjoy a discount.  So, when registering, just click on the button “join a team” and enter team name “Chasing Boston” into the search field.  Simple!

Race date for 2018 is April 28th.

I ran this years race about a week ago, so I can tell you first hand, train on some downhills.  This race will hurt you in places you never dreamed possible, if you’re not prepared.  I was gunning for a Boston Qualifier, and although I came short, I ran my fastest marathon in three and a half years.  If you train right, you will PR, you will BQ.  Tons of folks do, and I plan on it next year, after some more appropriate training.

 

If you’re a fan of FAST, you’ve got to run this race.

So, here’s the breakdown…..  joining my team saves you $5 off current registration fees.  “Like” them on Facebook during the checkout process, and that will save you an additional $5.

Sound amazing?  It is, and will be again next year!  After all, it’s Vegas Baby!  It’s beautiful, fast, and your golden ticket to Boston!

Marathon 25 – 5 days away!

When I sit back and think about it, I am truly astonished!

The Quarter Century mark!  I know there are people out there who have run hundreds of marathons.  You know, those 100 marathon clubs, and such.  Well, with my marathon this weekend, I feel like I am really hitting a pretty significant milestone.

The All American Marathon this Sunday will be my 25th marathon.  What began as a simple quest, pushing myself further than I ever thought possible, has turned into quite the passion.  It all began in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in 2012.  My first marathon.  Races, places, I’ve been a few places since that first one.  My journey has taken me to 8 different states.  Of course I’ve run the majority of my marathons in my home state of North Carolina, but I’ve ventured out a few times.  ;). Tackling America’s Toughest Road Marathon in Virginia, enjoying plentiful neon at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas marathon in Nevada, running past Moose at Big Cottonwood in Utah, being cheered on twice by millions of spectators in Illinois at the infamous Bank of America Chicago Marathon, running high up in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, and most recently taking a running bite out of the Big Apple at the TCS New York City Marathon.  Many, many more inbetween.

Yes, the journey continues.  Still loving it, still competing, and doing more pacing.  I’m not shooting for the elusive Boston Qualifier this weekend, I am pacing instead.  I will lead the 4:00:00 group to a fun finish for my 25th this Sunday.  I’m getting very excited!  The All American Marathon this Sunday is a milestone to celebrate for me.  It also kicks off a new chapter.  Where will the next 25 take me?  The possibilities are endless!  Cheers!

Abbott World Marathon Majors

Slowly but surely….

It may take a while, but with conviction and commitment, I will run each of the worlds major marathons.  What an accomplishment that would be!  To get to do what I love and mix in traveling to places I’ve never been would be a huge treat!

As it now stands, at the beginning of 2016, I’ve run two of the six.  What started as a six year plan (when I first learned that I had made it into Chicaco in 2014) I thought about trying to run at least one of the six every year for six straight years.  Of course that plan could change at any time depending on when and if I qualify for Boston.  My best being only 7 minutes shy of my qualifying time, I know I can get to Boston!  When and where that lucky qualifying race will be is still in question.

So, in 2014, I made an epic start to the Six, in Chicago.  I followed that up with another run in Chicago in 2015, along with the second of The Six, in New York City.  My plan for 2016 was Berlin, but that fell through with a disappointing email that stated I didn’t get in through the lottery.  So, what to do now?  Is 2016 lost?  I think not!  My focus for the first part of 2016 will be really finding a routine again.  The last two months of every year are really tough on me work-wise. The holidays are just so tough, and busy it leaves me so little time to really run.  I usually just end up using November and December as full on recovery mode from busy racing years.  It typically works well to my advantage, as in years past when my racing commences the following year, I feel fresh and renewed.  My last few weeks of running have felt really good.

My 2016 plan begins with finding rhythm.  I am pacing three marathons and one half marathon over the next few months, and it all begins this weekend in Charleston, South Carolina.  My reasons for pacing are many.  First and foremost, I find pacing super gratifying because I can give back to my fellow runners.  Using the skills that I have learned through running over the past five years, and completing over 30 Halves and 22 Marathons, I feel very comfortable leading a group of runners to a certain finish time.  It’s a social event, too.  As a manager/director in real life, I am used to leading people.  Being the supporter, and helping people reach goals both personally and professionally.  This flows so naturally into my running, so my comfort level while pacing comes through.  Let’s talk, lets uplift and encourage, and get that PR.  Love it.

I will be pacing the Half and Full in Asheville in March, and then again pacing the Full at the All American Marathon at the beginning of April.  From there I have two more marathons planned before the Summer begins.  I plan on working on speed work, doing 800’s, and hill work during the Summer, and really pushing my own envelope when it comes to speed.  I need to if I want to really concentrate on getting a coveted Boston Qualifyer.  That race will be late summer if all things come together.  My tentative plans for Fall were a hopeful trip to Berlin, so I’ll need to focus on a new plan.  It will come with time.  I do know though, that I will keep focused on my plan of completing each of the Big 6.

Wouldnt it be amazing to be able to say one day that you completed all of the Abbott World Marathon Majors?  Boston, Berlin, London, Tokyo, Chicago, New York.  Wow!  That would be something, wouldn’t it?

Have you completed any of these races?  Would love to hear your stories!

Discount for Revel Mt. Charleston Marathon

It’s hard to believe that the Revel Racing Series could find another perfect location for a downhill marathon and half, but they have done it!

Nestled just north of Las Vegas, NV (my favorite place btw), this coming May 7, 2016 will be the inaugural running of Revel Mt. Charleston.  Get excited!  Another reason to visit Las Vegas!

You can read all of the details on their website.  https://www.runrevel.com.

The main thing is to register while prices are at their lowest.  Under $100 right now til the end of January.  I created a team for the race, which means you can save another $5 if you join, and then another $5 if you “like” them on Facebook during the checkout process.

My team name is Chasing Boston, so search for that name while registering, and you instantly get the discount.  You can run the Half or Full and still be on my team, so choose wisely.  See you in Vegas, baby!

2016 Pace Gigs

Looking ahead to my 2016 racing season, so many things are still up in the air.  I usually have a pretty solid plan by now, and am typically already training for my next race.  Why is this not true this year?  I guess there are many reasons.

Ending the year with the one two punch of Chicago and New York, my body has felt a bit depleted.  When you have no energy, and a lack of desire, it leads me to a oh hum attitude when it comes to getting signed right up for my next race.  I just couldn’t find one that worked for my schedule and budget.  Then I got sick, and have still not fully recovered.  Still having problems and not feeling quite right going on three weeks now.  It has led me to quite the laissez faire attitude.  This is not good when it comes to having a rock solid plan for 2016.

I’m going to just roll with the punches.  I do know this however.  After spending the last five years running various races, I’ve learned a thing or two about myself and my running goals.  Sometimes my goal is to run fast, set a PR, or even try for a Boston Qualifier.  Sometimes not.  Sometimes it’s about the experience.  The race itself.  Getting out there, testing myself, enjoying myself on the run.  It’s not always about how fast you can go, or how far.  I’ve learned I like certain races, and others not so much.  I don’t just sign up for a race because I am a glutton.  I’ve learned to be smart about where I spend my racing dollars.

I’ve also learned through the past couple of years that one of my favorite things to do is be a pacer.  If not Boston material, I am certainly still a pretty fast runner.  What most folks would consider fast anyway.  What I do best I think is have a very consistent pace.  Fast or slow, consistency is key when pacing.  I can offer you that!  Helping others reach a goal before my own goals is something I just never saw coming, but has been a welcome addition to my charitable life.  Giving a bit of myself to others on the race course.  I love it!

This leads me to a few races which are set in stone for next year.  A couple of my favorite races, and races I will be pacing in 2016.  Drum roll please……

In March I will be heading to Asheville, North Carolina to pace two events.  Actually same event, two different races.  The Asheville Marathon and Half at Biltmore Estate is a full on runners challenge this coming year.  You can run the Half on Saturday, the Full on Sunday, or both!  I am running both, and pacing both!  I will be pacing the 2:00 Half, and 4:00 Full.  How much fun does that sound?  Tons!

In April, I will be heading back to one of my favorites to pace for the first time.  The All American Marathon has been a trusted, awesome race experience for me the past two years.  I’ve run the Full both years the race has been in existence, so on its third anniversary, I will be pacing the 4:00 Full.  This will be my first marathon three-peat.

 

I’m sure I will do some more pacing in 2016, but those gigs are what I have lined up so far.  I’m not sure I will even attempt a BQ this coming year.  Right now just not feeling the need to put that kind of pressure on myself.  2016 is going to be about having fun, running consistent, and getting back to basics.  Finding more joy out there on the road.  Listening to my body, and smiling.  If giving back to others through pacing is what gives me joy, I’m going to do even more of it.

What gives you joy this holiday season?

Berlin Marathon

I’ve sort of adopted a new goal over this past year, and it’s a pretty lofty one.  Like many of my readers, I really enjoy traveling.  It’s super fun to be able to travel and to race during the same trip, too.  I’m not altogether sure how realistic this goal is, but I would really love to be able to run each of the six Marathon Majors in the world before I retire from marathoning.

In 2014, with a stroke of good luck, I was able to run the 1st of the Big 6.  Chicago!  Big city marathons are a production.  Thousands of runners, millions of spectators.  I sort of fell in love with the grandeur of it all.  I checked that one off the list.  When I decided to run New York City this year for charity, it meant that I would be running my 2nd of the Big 6.  Again, an epic race and experience.  Finishing NYC a few weeks ago meant that I had completed 1/3 of the Marathon Majors.  I kinda like this gig!

So, it begs to question…. where to next?  There are four remaining races that I need to run to complete this goal.  The last four are London, Tokyo, Berlin and Boston.  All require travel, and trips abroad, to boot.  Expensive!  Then there’s Boston.  Maybe the hardest one for me to achieve.  Those damn qualifying standards!

Recently, on a whim, I decided to enter the Berlin Marathon lottery.  The race isn’t until late September in 2016, so if I get in, there is plenty of time to plan the trip.  An epic trip it would be, too.  I’ve never even been abroad.  Never been to Europe.  Wouldn’t that be just an amazing reason to travel to another continent for the first time?  I should know if I get in or not in another few weeks.  The lottery drawing occurs the first week of December.

Curious to know if anyone out there reading this has run the Berlin Marathon in the past?  What did you think?  Would you run it again?  How about anyone out there that has run Tokyo, or London?  Which was your favorite?

I am excited, and a bit nervous to hear the results of the lottery.  If I’m chosen, the journey continues.  If not, which direction, which race will be next?  I’ll be sure to keep you posted.

BQ Ready

I’ve done all I can.  I’ve run set paces, I’ve run hills, I’ve been eating better.  I’ve been hydrating.  I’ve lost about 7 pounds, and feel good.

That moment of hitting the starting line in hopes of running a Boston Qualifier time is quickly approaching.  I’ve already started doubting myself, but I guess that’s only natural.  If it will be, it will be.

This will not be easy!  Getting a BQ is something I’ve never been able to achieve.  Granted, I’ve really only ever realistically tried to run a BQ only once before.  It’s funny for me to even think of it that way, but it’s true.  I really only tried once before.  Last October at Big Cottonwood.  I went into that race just after being sick with bronchitis, and with aching hamstrings.  This time, no illnesses, fingers crossed.  This time no hamstring issues.  I came away with a 3:41 at that race.  16 minutes too slow.

This time I feel more mentally ready.  Let’s face it though, anything can happen on race day!  Anything!  All of the stars must align just perfectly for me to hit my mark.  My best marathon finish to date is a 3:32 at a City of Oaks a few years ago. Just 7 minutes shy of my mark.  I wasn’t even trying for a BQ.  The course was hard, but the weather was perfectly cooperative.  To this day I don’t know how I managed to run that fast on that course.  Maybe it’s because I wasn’t stressed.  I ran free.  I ran with abandon.

The Revel Rockies Marathon a week from today will be my 20th marathon.  It’s only fitting I make another attempt to qualify for Boston at this race.  It would be so sweet!

I am going to give it my all.  If it all falls into place, then I will be as happy as a clam.  Not sure anyone will be happier than me on that flight from Denver to Raleigh later that evening.  I’m going to take it easy this week.  Yes, I have to work the next three days, but I have Thursday off, and fly to Denver on Friday.  I’m going to do some meditation, and try to keep myself very calm leading up to race day.  I have a few slow pace runs planned over the next few days, and of course, my shake out on Saturday in Aspen.  All the rest I have to leave up to chance, and how my body feels on race day.  I’m not an elite athlete, so it’s going to take the race of my life, but hey, I am an optimist.

Pacing to BQ

So the days of Spring are long gone, and so are the days of being lazy, cooped up and on the couch by 7:30pm.  Summer is here, and a new strategy for fitness and speed has hatched.

Summer is always an interesting season for me running wise.  It’s usually too hot for distance training, but the abundant daylight offers so many more chances for the runs I like to do.  Runs during the evening!  Typically I hate running in the dark, as it is very unmotivating to me.  This time of year I can afford to come home from work, relax for a few hours, and then head out for a run.  It makes me happy to be able to do that.  I hate feeling rushed, and feeling like I need to get in my runs when I am not mentally or physically prepared for them.

Almost four weeks have passed since my last marathon, and I have been busy preparing for what’s next.  I took a week off first of all, and really let my muscles recharge.  I intentionally signed up for a local 10k in the beginning of June so that I would have to start doing some shorter, faster runs to prepare for it.  If you’re anything like me, distance training can become monotonous.  I get into ruts, and feel like I can’t improve my speed. It’s always a given that I race faster than I train, but this idea I had is twofold, and hatched almost three weeks ago.

I was going to train for speed.  Focus on pace, and improving my focus.  My eighth run is today, and the seven runs at the beginning of this plan are leading me in the right direction.  I am trying to mix speed work, with endurance to try to achieve a BQ.  I have been shooting for 8 minute miles, and for me, it has been fun, but not easy.  You see, my normal training runs are on some hills, and I usually end up with an overall pace of somewhere in the 8:40 range.  For this plan I tried to choose the flattest route (it’s not flat) that I could to work on speed.  The first mile is always my slowest, no matter how hard I try.  But my results are becoming more what I need to see to possibly make my dream of a BQ come to fruition.

On 5/13 I paced 7:59 for a 5k.  On 5/15 I paced 7:59 at 3.25 miles.  I slipped a bit on 5/17 with am 8:12 for 3.25 miles, but I had worked all day on my feet and was tired.  On 5/18 I yearned for hills, so mixed those in and ended up at an 8:43 pace for 3.5 miles.  Then, super speedy day on 5/20 with 3.5 miles at 7:51 pace.  Two more runs of 4 and 3.5 miles right near 8:00, and I am pleased with how I am doing.  I will push myself hard on 6/6 during the 10k.  I want to see what’s possible, but with like 20+ turns on a challenging course, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.

Until then, I will keep pushing the pace envelope.  After the race, my focus will be pushing the pace during training runs down to 7:45. I need a pace of 7:49 over the full course of a marathon to BQ, so training for it will be crucial .  The best I’ve done in a marathon thus far is 8:06 pace.  I’ve got work to do!

I will have six weeks after the 10k to be ready for my marathon.  Like I said, I have my work cut out for me, but without a challenge I become complacent, and I do not want that!  I’ve got to see what I am capable of.  Wish me luck!

What are your favorite training go-to’s for increasing speed?  Pleas share!  Happy training yawl!

#BostonStrong

Today is the day!  The biggest Monday in our sport!  Patriots’ Day, the third Monday in April.

A little race known around the world, the Boston Marathon was established in 1897.  Back then, with 18 participants, the event has grown to 30,000 plus.  It’s The Race!  The race we all want to run.  One of the six World Marathon Majors.  The Big Six includes Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York.  To this point I have only run Chicago.  Later this year I will be adding New York City.  Maybe Boston in 2016.

Wouldn’t it be a great goal to run each of these six marathons?  For me, it would include some international travel, but would be so fun to partake in each of these events.

Now two years since the horrific events that marred the marathon with bombs, death and destruction of lives and families, the healing continues.  The focus is what it should be, the runners.  I know I wish I was in Boston this morning.  I will be watching though, via live streaming.  I am hoping for an American sweep, of course.

I would love to see this awesome guy win again!  Who will you be cheering on today during the race?

Boston!

It won’t be long now.  Awesome runners from all over the world will be descending on the city of Boston, Massachusetts.  The cream of the crop.  I’m assuming that all of these runners are suffering from taper madness as the big day approaches.  Man, I wish I was joining them!

Getting into Boston is no small feat.  The standards for qualifying are strict, and it really takes a lot of effort to pull off a qualifying time.  I am currently shooting for a 3:25:00 marathon just to call myself a qualifier.  My age group for the 2016 qualifying period is 45-49.  Yes, I will be 46 years old when Boston 2016 takes place.

My attempt to get into this years Boston Marathon was foiled when at 15 miles into the Big Cottonwood Marathon, I ran out of gas.  I ran out of gas in a big way.  I finished that marathon in 3:41:59, sixteen minutes too slow qualify.  My personal record in a marathon is a 3:32:24 at the Raleigh City of Oaks Marathon.  That race was only seven minutes off the pace I need to get in.

I am getting closer.  Closer to Boston.  I must get to the starting line though, before I can get to the storied finish line.

Here is my plan, and my goal race for this year.

My 2015 has started out pretty well.  I’ve been getting in some really quality runs.  I haven’t burned myself out.  So far this year I’ve run two marathons and one half.  These races were all familiar to me, and races that I could work on mental fitness, and tweak my breathing and pace.  Progress!  I feel good about how my races have gone this far.  I have another Half coming up, and then a hilly marathon in May.  Both of these races will again be tests of fortitude, but will not be attempts to qualify for Boston.

My BQ goal race is in Denver this July.  So, after my marathon the first weekend in May, my training will turn to downhill work, and pacing.  I will be pushing myself more than I have been so far this year.  Getting into Boston is important to me, but not everything.  I need to push myself harder during training than usual though if I plan to have a successful attempt.  No pain, no gain.  Luckily I can say that my running has gotten me close to Boston, but in order to get there, I need to find a way to ramp up my pace.  I need to break another barrier in my running, and that is just not easy.

Boston has only been a dream of mine for about two years now.  I just wasn’t sure that I could run well enough to be among the elite athletes that run that race early on in my marathon career.  Now that I have run 18 marathons, I am convinced that I have what it takes to get there.  Lofty dreams require work and dedication.  I have to find the inner spirit to push through and break that 3:25:00 barrier.  I believe, I believe!

Now comes the harder work to get there!  Boston!  One day you will be mine, and I’m gunning for April 18, 2016.

Are you gunning for, or have been to The Boston Marathon?  Any tips you can provide to push through that final wall to qualify?