On April Fool's Day I thought I was having a heart attack. No joke. I knew I had to make some changes in my life, so I took my dog for a walk around the block. That short walk turned into two blocks, then three, and before I knew it, I was walking 4-5 miles. This lead to a jog, and then a run. That run ultimately lead to a marathon. Bottom line, I got healthy and took control of my life. This blog chronicles my journey. When I run, I feel like a super hero. I AM ENDORPHIN DUDE, SEE ME RUN!
I've always wanted to wake up at 5am on a Sunday morning to run through mud. That has always been my life long dream. NOT! Why oh why do I do this to myself? Do I really love running that much?? I am reluctant to say it, simply because I'm having flashbacks of the cold, rain, and mud as I type this, but the answer is yes. Yes, I really love running so much that I will do stuff like this!
I ran my 35th half marathon today. Well, saying that I "ran" it is a gross exaggeration. I walked it. I walked all of it. The Zombie Runner Bay Trail Half Marathon was nothing like the trail half that I ran the previous week. This one was flat. I walked it because of the rain and mud. I really didn't want to slip and slide into the wet dirt!
About half way through this race, the rain came down hard. Unfortunately, I tried to take some pictures of strutting geese when the downpour happened, and my camera officially died. Hence I have no photos other than the one of my ASICs covered in mud, which I took with my iPhone. This is a shame because I had some great shots with Half Fanatics Mattsaur and Mae Kim, newly minted Marathon Maniac Martha, and the legendary Guinness Book of World Record holder for the most marathons by a female in one calendar year Yolanda Holder. In any case, I walked this whole race with my running partner, Alva Woof. It took us about 4 and half hours to cross that finish line. I'm ok with that. Hey, it's been a long year.
Next up for Endorphin Dude will be the New Year's One Day 12 Hour race. I am so ready to run around a lagoon for 12 hours. This will be final race of 2010.
There have been races where I feared the DNF. For the Summit Rock Half Marathon, I actually feared the DNS. I was very under the weather the day before and I didn't think that I would be able to show up. However, thanks to shot of NyQuil and a good night sleep, I woke up ready to run.
Brazen Racing puts on awesome events. The Summit Half Marathon was very well organized and the people are very friendly. The only issue I had with this race is not the organizer's fault. Damn hills! Also, my inexperience with trails made it very challenging for me. Dude, check out this elevation chart:
Nonetheless, I soldiered through, climbing what felt like Mount Everest minus the altitude. When I reached the top, I took a shot of GU, looked at the trail straight in the eye and said, "I'm going to run you down!" However, my plan got foiled because of my fear of tripping over a twig and falling on my face. So I plugged along alone in the woods, skipping over rocks and dodging poison oak. It took what felt like an eternity, but when I reached the finish line, I cheered!
Trail races are hard for me, and I worked hard to get to the finish line. It took me 4 and half hours, but I did it. I'd like to reiterate that me being sick the day before had nothing to do with me taking this long to finish. Trails are extremely difficult for me and it will take a while before I can complete a sub-4 trail race! I'm happy to be done and I'm happy with my bad ass medal with a bad ass bird ready to attack!
And there it is, the 2011 Endorphin suit, complete with the Marathon Ho utility belt! Not only is it fashionable, but it's functional too!
I came to Las Vegas with one goal in mind: PR. And by PR, I do not mean a personal record but a PARTY RUN! I got exactly that. This is the final Rock 'N' Roll event of the year and a bunch of Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics showed up ready to par-tay!
Being a Marathon Maniac and Half Fanatic is not cheap. I feel like my wallet has gained about 20 pounds because of excessive charges on my credit card! The problem is that my wallet lives in my right butt pocket, so it looks like I've added 20 pounds only to my right butt cheek! But alas, a Marathon Maniac and Half Fanatic has to do what he has to do to get those stars and to the next moon. In any case, because of the butt cheek weight gain, I chose to fly in on Saturday afternoon rather than Friday night so that I would not have to spend on an extra night for a hotel, not that Hooters is that expensive. Yes, I am staying at Hooters. Again.
I arrived in Sin City about 11:30am. I walked out of the airport to catch a shuttle, but the line was so long that I opted for the taxi. Big mistake. It cost me an arm, a leg, and a few internal organs to get to my hotel room! In the future, I will just suck it up and wait in line. The cab driver dropped me off and I proceeded to check in. Shortly after, my running partner and Vegas room mate, Dianasaur, arrived. It was great seeing Ms. Saur, and I'm glad she agreed to bunk with me this weekend. We quickly checked into our room and monorailed it over to the Expo to get our bibs.
Go figure, all this time Dianasaur has been hiding the fact that she is an elite runner! I had no clue she's been running with Kara Goucher, Dean Karanazes, Ryan Hall, and Meb! Too funny. Actually, what really happened is that there was a little snaffoo, and Dianasaur ended up with the full marathon corral one bib. I told Diana that she should just go up to the head of the pack, sprint her way out of the start line, and pretend that she injured herself at the mile 2 mark so that she can just run at her own pace the rest of the way. Everyone would think that she was hurt and that's why she didn't get her elite time in! I am such a genius.
Because we got to the expo late, most Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics had already picked up their bibs. I did get so see my good friends Stephanie Elfman Bradsher and Mohan Dutt. Mohan is now known as "Mattsaur," which is derivative of Dianasaur. Not surprisingly, the latter's maternal unit is appropriately named "Mamasaur." I have been given the task of coming up with a moniker for Ms. Bradsher, and if she's cool with joining the Dinosaur family, then I believe Stephasaurus Wrecks would work, as she is the running beast that wrecks up the competition on the course! But if this doesn't fly, then I'll have to come up with something else. The other Half Fanatic that I got see was Lou-E. Not sure what his moniker is just yet.
After the expo, Dianasaur, Mattsaur, and I headed to the food court for a quick snack and then went back to our hotel rooms to freshen up for the pre-race dinner at the Rio. Later on, the three of us took a cab to the Rio and what a thrill it was to see Maniacs and Half Fanatics everywhere! I got to meet so many whom I am Facebook friends with but have not met in person. I also met some new ones and reunited with others. Dinner at The Rio was one huge party. Even though the hotel could not accommodate us and we had to scatter all about, that did not stop us from having fun!
After dinner, Dianasaur, Mattsaur, and I went for a drink before turning in for the evening. I'm not sure why I ordered a Diet Coke, as my pre-race beverage of choice is the Chamomile tea. The combination of excitement and caffeine, unfortunately, kept me up the whole night. It was a good thing I had adrenaline and endorphins working in my favor at 5am on race day! My marathon twin Dave Mari made sure that all Maniacs and Half Fanatics met at 6:30am for the group photo in front of Mandalay, and sure enough, a whole lot of peeps came out for that photo shoot!
From the beginning, I proclaimed that this was going to be my party race, and indeed it was. I made plenty of stops to dance with the bands, take photos with cheerleaders, and at one point, I even jumped into the casinos for a quick round of slots! This half marathon is my 32nd overall 13.1 miler, and I wanted to have fun!
Now do you see what now what I mean by PR? What a fun weekend. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, here's about a million words about my 2010 Las Vegas Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon.
I am Endorphin Dude, and I will be running 52 marathons this year for all of the Epinephrine Pup's homeless four legged friends. All proceeds from my fundraising will go to the Peninsula Humane Society, the folks who helped me find my side kick. This dog has changed my life for the better, and it is my hope that her furry friends at the Peninsula Humane Society will do the same for another.
Every post race shot you see has me smiling ear to ear. What you don't see is the grimace on my face when I cramp up at mile 11. You don't see the frustration when I wake up at the crack of dawn to train. You don't see the tears of pain as I push to climb those hills. Running is difficult, and I work damn hard. It may seem that I make these races look easy because I do so many of them and have so much fun, but I can assure you that they are not. No false modesty here. Running is hard and I surprise myself every time.
Marathon PR
4:34:46 - California International Marathon, 12/8/13
My first marathon. I have to admit, I don't love this picture, but it has grown on me. I'm not used to seeing myself like this. I'm usually smiling or striking a fun pose. I wasn't going to post this photo, but it really is an accurate and authentic representation of what I was feeling at that moment. What an incredible experience.
26.2 Reasons Why I Run
I was the fat kid who always got picked last in P.E. I grew up and became an obese type two diabetic adult. Exercise was something I knew nothing about. One day, I thought I was having a heart attack as a result of my sedentary and nutritionally reckless lifestyle. I knew I had to make some changes. I started walking my dog around the block. That walk lead to jog, and then a run. Next thing I know, I'm running marathons. These are the 26.2 reasons why I run.
Reason #1.
It's all about being healthy. I value life too much to see it come to a premature end due to unhealthy choices. Every time I run, whether it be a light jog around the block or a marathon, my heart thanks me.
Reason #2.
I am Endorphin Dude! There is definitely an air of invincibility when I'm out there on race day. Nothing can stop me. I am a super hero.
Reason #3.
Two words: INSANE ASYLUM. I am certifiably running crazy, and there’s a whole lot of people out there just like me. We are Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics, and we would run a race every weekend if we could!
Reason #4.
I hate needles. Before I started running, I had to inject insulin into my body every night. I hated being diabetic. Thanks to all these races, I have reversed that awful disease and I am no longer dependent on meds.
Reason #5.
My dog loves it because I have more energy to take her out and about. No longer is the chiweenie sequestered in the apartment.
Reason #6.
I like my bread and spaghetti. I can carb up without guilt!
Reason #7.
I love to travel. Going from city to city and state to state to run a race is pretty awesome.
Reason #8.
A few years ago, I had a hard time walking up a flight of stairs. Now I am able to endure 26.2 miles and 50ks.
Reason #9.
You never know what's going to happen on race day. At one race I fell on both my knee caps and had to wobble to the finish line. At another, I had to take cover because of a hurricane and a tornado watch. Whatever happens, you just have to push through it. It's definitely a test of mental toughness and endurance. Running makes me strong all around.
Reason #10.
Mr. Bubble. I get to spend quality time with Mr. Bubble. I love Mr. Bubble.
Reason #11.
Somewhere along the way, Endorphin Dude became a marathon celebrity. Is it the cape? Is it the Marathon Maniac shirt? Is it all the exposure from The Marathon Show? It’s probably a combination of all of the above. I’m not going to lie, I love the attention.
Reason #12.
Bling Bling! I love the medals!
Reason #13.
Only on the marathon course can I get and give free therapy.
Reason #14.
Before I started running, I thought a marathon was 10 miles, Badwater was a really awful drink, Western States meant CA, WA, and OR, and the IT Band was a group of guys from the IT department getting together to play some tunes for the company Christmas party. I’ve come a long way!
Reason #15.
Even on my bad days, when I am gasping for air trying to run away from the sag wagon, I am still having fun.
Reason #16.
I like that after every race I run, I make at least 25 new Facebook friends and fans.
Reason #17.
Running a half marathon is like one big stage production, and I am the star for 13.1 miles. I love the standing ovation I get when I cross that finish line. The thrill is doubled when I run a full marathon!
Reason #18.
Where else but at a marathon can I put a smile on someone’s tired face by running around in a cape and spraying them with endorphins from my index finger?
Reason #19.
It’s like a video game! The more marathons I run, the more Marathon Maniac stars I get. The more half marathons I run, the more Half Fanatic moons I earn. The more race miles I crank out, the closer I get to my running club's Mongo Trophy.
Reason #20.
When I crossed the finish line of a race in Laguna Hills in the spring, there was a sign that read "athletes only." I looked around for the athletes and then realized that the sign was referring to me! I may not be an athlete in the conventional sense of the word, but I always get out there and do my best. When life dealt me lemons, I squeezed those suckers into a water bottle, mixed them up with Cytomax, took a shot of GU, and ran a marathon!
Reason #21.
Behind every great dude is an awesome dudette. The Endorphin Dudette is a powerful running super chick. Any Dudette who can finish a half or full marathon and still be able sport a big smile and ooze endorphins out of her pores is a winner. This marathon caped crusader is seeking fun, vibrant, endorphin-filled dudettes to help him change the world, one molecule at a time! Every month, a different dudette will be selected to help spread the word of fitness and fun at a marathon. Do you have what it takes to represent the Endorphin Empire as the Dudette of the month?
Reason #22.
Who would have thought that the fat kid who always got picked last in PE would grow up to have friends who are Marathon Maniacs, Guinness world record holders, super star tri-athletes, and Badwater Bad Asses?
Reason #23.
I feel like a winner every time I cross the finish line. I may not be the fastest in the pack, but I always finish, and when I do, I feel like I've won the Boston Marathon.
Reason #24.
I feel like a winner every time I cross the finish line. I may not be the fastest in the pack, but I always finish, and when I do, I feel like I've won the Boston Marathon.
Reason #25.
People tell me that my running inspires them. I like hearing that. I am all about out reach, and if I can inspire one person to get out there and make healthy changes to his or her life, then my job is done.
Reason #26.
My life got exponentially better when I put on my first pair of Mizunos and ran around the block. Running has turned me into someone I really like. A healthy dude is a happy dude.
Reason #26.2.
There's this thing called runner's high. The best way for me to explain this is to show it. Click on the above photo to see what endorphins are all about.
EEK! If you put a magnifying glass on that tape measure, you see that the number is 44. I used to have a 44 inch waist! I am now at a 32.