Men's And Women's Marathon

That's my "Ta-Da!" pose. What am I Ta-Da-ing about? I can finally fit into my Lagoon Valley shirt! It took a few months, but I am now able to get that tech shirt on without showing too much scoops of flesh. I'm tired of things hanging out where they shouldn't, so it's nice to finally be able to comfortably fit into smaller sizes. Ta Da!

I really wanted to wear that Lagoon Valley shirt because I knew it would be foggy out at Lake Merced. I wanted to have that Creature From The Black Lagoon look and feel as I ran the Men's And Women's Marathon. You gotta love these Monday marathons. I love the fact that Tracy's Racing puts on races during the week. What better way to cure the Monday morning blues than to run a marathon? The funny thing is that I was only planning on 13.1 miles, but when Tracy waved the creepy yet wildly creative bling at me, I had to double up the mileage.

What I love about Tracy's Racing is that it's low key and a lot of fun. I come out to chill with the regulars and to welcom the newbies. I don't particularly love Lake Merced, but this course allows runners to see each other every lap, as we have to turn and run the opposite direction for each alternate loop.

We had visitors from Germany and Virginia! Welcome! I had to get my photo with the out of towners before the race. At the Tracy's Quadtoberfest, we had two "fake" Germans. It's nice to have real ones this time around. The added bonus: we also had a Virginian!

The usual suspects.

It took me awhile to get this race done. I was in no hurry. After Saturday's epic 2:07:04 half marathon PR, my legs are beat. Also, there was actually two marathons going on. Along with The Men's And Women's Race, there was also Bill's Birthday Marathon, which happened shortly after. The gentleman in the middle of the back row in the photo above is Bill, and today is his 65th birthday. Here's the kicker: today was also his 65th marathon! Congratulations to you Bill. You rock.

Happy Birthday Bill!

And there's the creepy yet wildly creative bling.

And just like that, I am up to life time marathon #77. I am still on pace to completing my 100th marathon at the 2013 San Francisco Marathon. Now I have to find the perfect spot for my creepy doll bling. Maybe I'll put them right next to my Lagoon Valley Half Marathon medal. Ta Da!

Rockaway Beach 5k

Before heading out to cheer on 25,000 Nike Women, I had to squeeze in a 5k in the morning! After my epic half marathon PR yesterday, I could only muster up a walk with Chewbacca. It's only a 5k, so I know the chiweenie could handle it. Heck, that little mutt handled it better than I did! Chewbacca may have tiny legs, but she can certainly keep up. They say that to determine a dog's age, you multiply the year by seven. Does this work for distance as well? If so, then that would mean that Chewbacca walked a 21.3 miler. Almost a marathon!

Once we finished our 5k, Chewbacca and I headed back to our neck of the woods. Since I live two blocks from the Nike Women's Marathon finish line, I had to get out there to support all the ladies! It was fun standing out there by the Cliff House cheering everyone as they cruised down The Great Highway. I definitely felt that second hand runner's high, and it was pretty darn awesome. The best part of the day was seeing the back of the packers push themselves. Many were participating in their first half marathons. I know that look of determination. To all the first time Nike Women finishers, I am so proud of  you. Thank you for letting me be a part of your incredible experience.

Oktoberun Half Marathon

You gotta love the paparazzi...

My marathon mantra is "always hydrate, GU up when necessary, and never ever forget to smile for the paparazzi." I guess I didn't practice what I preach in the above photo. That horrid picture was taken shortly after I crossed the finish line of the Surf City Half Marathon back in February. That race took me 3 hours and 46 minutes to complete. Yes, nearly four hours to complete 13.1 miles. 

I had just come off my 52 marathons in 52 weeks, and quite frankly, I was burnt out.  I gained about 30 pounds from Halloween up to that point and I simply lost all motivation to run. I couldn't even walk that day! I remember shuffling along and faking a limp so people thought I was injured. That's when I knew I hit rock bottom. How could Endorphin Dude, once a 2:11 half marathon finisher, let himself go like this? It was definitely time for a reboot.

With the support and motivation of my Titanium Brothers, Jonesy and Pete, I went into Beast Mode. I changed my diet, mixed up my work out routine, and got rid of that defeatist attitude. For the next few months, I focused on getting healthy and returning to my pre-Titanium form. Eight months later, I dropped 40 pounds and earned my half marathon PR. It took me 3 years and 76 tries to get that personal record! I must either be really persistent or just plain stubborn. Check out my 2012 progression:

3:46:02 - Surf City (2/6/12)
3:15:28 - Hellyer (2/18/12)

2:53:09 - Oakland (3/25/12)

2:41:31 - US Half (4/8/12)
2:33:23 - Pleasanton (4/29/12)

2:14:49 - Giant Race (9/16/12)
2:07:04 - Oktoberun (10/13/12)

Finally!

I am bouncing off walls. Earning that PR has done wonders for my confidence. After Surf City, I thought my running days were over. I didn't just fall off the wagon, but I had gained so much weight that the passenger side wheel fell off causing me to lose control. My wagon went off the cliff, rolled down the ravine, flipped over a few times, and ended up in the creek. I had to fix that wagon before I could get back on. I am now cruising once again, faster than ever!

Ready for the paparazzi this time!

Quadtoberfest Half Marathon Day 4

When I pulled up to the start line, I saw this chick standing next to a guy I knew. I was thinking to myself, "um, that's Gary Morgan, but who's that chick he's with?" Then I thought to myself, "Damn, that bastard is cheating on his wife with some hot chick. And what an idiot! He's cheating on her with another Half Fanatic!" Talk about Days Of Our Half Fanatic Lives. I then thought to myself, hmm, should I tell his wife Brandi? Or maybe her mom? Her brother? I was in a pickle. What to do what to do. 

So I approached the couple. It turned out it was his wife after all, but she had dropped 62 pounds! Yup, Brandi Pettit Morgan dropped a 100k worth of weight! Congratulations to you, Brandi, on the weight loss and the completion of your first double! Thank you for chaperoning me through this race. I almost didn't make it out of bed, and if you hadn't been there, this race probably would have taken me over 6 hours to complete!

Brandi and I took a picture together one year ago at the Tahoe Triple and one today at the Quadtoberfest Day 4 Half Marathon. What a difference a year makes!

And there it is, four half marathons in four days. I even threw in a 5k so that I could get extra bling! In the past three weeks, I have put 141.2 miles on these legs: 10 half marathons, a 5 miler, and a 5k! Why oh why do I do this? Oh yeah, because I like it. Life time half marathon #77 done! 

Woo Hoo!

2012 San Jose Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon

Ah, the San Jose Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon. Unless you've been living in an Alaskan igloo without internet connection for the past three years, you probably know that this race is very special to me. It was here that I ran my first half marathon back in 2009. That seems like ancient history to me now. You never forget your first, and the San Jose Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon will always have a special place in my heart. In addition, San Jose was where my sister crossed the finish line for the first time one year later. Every year we run this one together.

My sister Diane has really improved over the past two years, and the best part is that she's loving it. She finished her first half marathon in 3 hours and 52 minutes. Her goal was to complete that race within the 4 hour time limit. When her foot hit that timing mat, her smile lit up. That smile lasted only about 13.1 seconds, because right after the paparazzi got her finish line shot, she hunched over like the Elephant Man and cried, "I did it! But it freakin' hurts!" I couldn't help but laugh at her.

In two years, Diane has improved her time dramatically, earning a 3:09 finish at her last race. We were gunning for that sub-3 finish today, but missed that goal. It's fine because we had a great time running together, and she's more motivated than ever to shatter her PR now. Most importantly, she is very aware of her health issues and doing what she can to fix those problems. It's no fun listening to doctors give you that laundry list of health problems. What I tell anyone with a stethoscope around their neck now is that the only way I am going to die is from a bling fatality!

I love running San Jose. I have really made a name for myself in the running community, and it's fun to see all my running friends on this course, my "home town half." Diane and I took it slow and easy, so this gave me the perfect opportunity to socialize with everyone on the course. We may not have had the best finish time, but we certainly had an awesome time.

Met up with Jonesy's sister and her partner in crime before the race!

Group shot! Yeah, I look sexy up front.

Plugging along at mile 3.

Sexy!

Met some very nice peeps at the finish line.

Not really sure what's going on with this one!

Brisbane Scenic Run 5k

I'll get that buckle for you, Chewbacca!

This is the only distance that eludes me. I am so ready to conquer 100 miles next weekend. I am well trained, physically fit, and mentally solid. Most importantly, I WANT THIS. I will bring home that belt buckle for that little dog who got me off that couch and into those running shoes.

First up though is my final race before the big 100 miler. The Brisbane Scenic Run 5k was a good taper run for me. Who am I kidding, I didn't run it. When Chewbacca comes along for the ride, there's a whole lot of stop and go. I did get a good work out in, as there was a huge hill that I had to climb! The Chiweenie didn't get too much exercise though. Due to oncoming traffic, I stashed her in the doggie back pack for safety reasons. Sorry I had to call you out on that, little mutt.

Ha ha, no ribbon for you Chewbacca! You only walked a 1k!

DSE Summer Evening Race Series #10

Lynnard & Bill, two legends!

I got out there on a Thursday after work to run the Summer Evening Race Series #10. 4.5 miles around Lake Merced. I was experimenting with different things in preparation for Run De Vous next week. I ran a very comfortable 12 minute pace. I'm getting really excited for my 100 miler. 

I love the fact that I am surrounded by incredible runners whom I look up to. Lynnard and Bill are two running super stars who earned their belt buckles at Run De Vous last year. Noe is a selfless human being who just wants to see runners succeed. This guy is pretty amazing. I got to pick these three runner's brains on strategy for my 100 miler. These guys have a wealth of experience and knowledge and I have nothing but respect for them. This is what I love about the running community.

Me with the selfless Noe.

On a completely different note, I am happy to say that this vegetarian thing is going pretty well for me. I am about a month into this life style change and all is good. I went to my company picnic today and was surrounded by hot dogs, hamburgers, and bacon, all the carnivorous foods that I love. I walked away from the meat plate and picked up some tofu dogs and veggie skewers. The best part was that it did not bother me at all in the least. I didn't crave the meat and I wasn't salivating and panting like a food deprived chihuahua ready to jump at the plate of flesh! This is a good thing! 

Presidio Cross Country 5k

Word.

Me and my home boy Ace, we be big pimpin' at da S.F.5.K. What do you think, did the two of us pull off that hood rat ghetto toughness? You scared?

After pacing my sister to her whopping 9 minute PR at The Summer Breeze Half Marathon yesterday, I got out there and casually walked the Presidio Cross Country 5k. This is actually a tough course complete with a sandy uphill climb. I'm glad I took this one easy because my quads were still screaming from yesterday's run. It took me awhile to get to that finish line, but that's ok. I had all the time in the world. Taking it easy allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my sister's incredible performance yesterday. She's really motivated now to get even faster. I love that.

San Bruno Mountain 5k

Wow, a 48 minute 5k! It was a jungle out there! Who would have thought that there are treacherous trails in San Bruno? Hey, I got it done. Along the way, I made a documentary!

There were no flock of seagulls chasing me, but I really wanted to get to that finish line before the two 5 year old girls!

 

Almost there. Almost out of the jungle. I made it through the wilderness. Somehow I made it through.

 

Woo Hoo! Yeah, that took forever, but I got it done. I think I may possibly be a victim of poison oak. Next time, I'll have to wear compression pants to protect my legs from these itchers!

Next up for Endorphin Dude? SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON!!! Yup, next Sunday your marathon caped crusader will be running his all time favorite marathon. It'll be a big weekend. For now, it's time to get some poison oak ointment on these legs.

Done!

Coastal Trail Challenge 10k

I knew I couldn't run this one, so I showed up an hour early to take the self-time walk option. Nitro Trail did a number on my body yesterday, so I wanted to take this DSE Coastal Trail Challenge 10k nice and slow. Chewbacca and I had a great time leisurely strolling through 6.2 miles of San Francisco awesomeness. Yes, this was probably the longest 10k of my life, but it certainly was the most scenic and relaxing!

Nitro Trail Half Marathon

The finish line. Finally.

Yeah, this is what I looked like when I inched my way into that finish line. One week has passed and every muscle in my body is still screaming "DAMN YOU NANNY GOAT!" It doesn't help that I have residual blisters at the bottom of both my feet from that 88 miler. On top of all that, I am still suffering from Nanny Goat PTSD. It's not easy knowing that there was only 12 little miles left and your body and mind completely breaks down on you. It's going to take some time for me to fully recover from Nanny Goat. That's why the Nitro Trail Half Marathon is very important to me. I needed to be around my Brazen peeps. I needed to hear, "88 Miles! YOU ROCK!" I needed that It's It. I got all those things and a little more.

Brazen always brings out the good in me. Being around my Brazen family helped me realize how good I have it, and how far I have come. Since flipping the switch to BEAST MODE, I have lost 21 pounds, PR'ed in the marathon after 54 tries, improved my 50k time by two hours and my 50 miler by ten, nailed 88 whopping miles at Nanny Goat, and gained a whole lot of confidence and pride.  I need to remind myself of all this and not be too consumed with not having that belt buckle. If anything, dropping at mile 88 has motivated me even more. I will get that belt buckle, but for now, I will continue to focus on training and fitness. I finished dead last today, and I am totally ok with that. I may be hurting physically, but the pain that I felt inside before the race quickly vanished once I saw all those Brazen smiles.

Happy 50th Race Brazen!!

Trailquake My Heart!

Me and the Doggie Nanny.

Jonesy, Ellen, and me.

Even without the cape, I can fly!

Still running. At least that's why I call it.

Janeth ran 42 miles for her 42nd birthday!

Jonesy got two medals because he ran the 42 miles with Janeth. 

Thanks for being there, Brazen.

Nanny Goat 2012

Yeah, this photo just about sums it up.

I'm just going to cut to the chase. Nanny Goat 2012 did not go quite exactly the way I had planned. I came into this race gunning for that belt buckle. I gave it my best effort, but at the end of the day, my body and mind collapsed and I surrendered at mile 88. I just could not deliver the goods. The worst part was that I completely broke down and publicly unleashed a series of colossal midnight meltdowns so violently guttural and vociferous that it woke up the whole barn. This is something I am not proud of nor is it something want to be remembered by. Live and learn.

My original plan for Nanny Goat was to only hit the 100k. Earlier this year, I made the bold statement that I was going to get my 100 mile belt buckle by the end of this year. My first attempt at this would have been at Rocky Road back in February, but I dropped out due to inadequate training. Who am I kidding, I was way out of shape back then and knew I couldn't muster up a 50 miler, let alone double that distance. My plan was to earn that belt buckle at Across The Years on new year's eve, but my buddy Jonesy convinced me to go for it at Nanny Goat. I had lost about 20 pounds and my running was improving, so I figured I was ready enough. My confidence level certainly wasn't at 100%, and it didn't help knowing that some people within my running circle were taking bets to see where I would fail. Knowing this caused a lot of unneeded stress, especially because these were people whom I thought cared about me. In any case, I tried to keep out of all the drama and run my own race.

The irony behind all this is that I had no problem reaching that 100k mark. In fact, I ran strong up to the first 70 miles or so. Along the way, I earned a sub-6 marathon (only my 4th in 62 tries), a 2 hour PR on my 50k, and a whopping 10 hour PR on my 50 miler. I kept myself disciplined and limited my aid station stops to the bare minimum, but I also allowed myself to opportunity to socialize on the run. How could I not have fun at Nanny Goat? All my running buddies were out there running that one mile loop around the barn with me. Yeah, we're pretty insane.

Everyone is smiling! We should have taken an after shot after the 28th hour.

This is the first of many epic road trips with my buddy Jonesy.

And we're off! I sported my Flying Pigs cape.

I'll let you all caption this one. 

The cape came off after the marathon and I got serious! Ok, I'm still smiling. After this photo was taken, I got serious!

As the day went on, I kept looping that one mile dirt road around the barn. Mother Nature was much kinder to us this year as she didn't turn up the thermostat that much. Don't get me wrong, it did get warm, but nothing like the inferno from the previous year. As I plugged along, I felt good knowing that I was definitely on pace for a 28 hour finish. When I hit the 100k mark, my friend and fellow Marathon Maniac Louie Perez offered to pace me. Louie was supposed to pace our friend Elizabeth, but since she dropped at mile 34, he had time on his hands (and legs). I happily obliged, as I had officially reached unchartered territory and knew that having a pacer through the night would secure that belt buckle. 

And so the melt down begins.

As Louie and I ran through the night, my mind played tricks on me and I slowly unraveled. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and dehydration taunted my dejected psyche. Nothing made sense to me anymore and nothing mattered. I became the one that flew over the cuckoo's nest, but thankfully I had Louie to keep me in line. There really are guardian angels out there, and this guy is truly heaven sent. Louie wasn't just a pacer to me, he was a nurse, a coach, a psychiatrist, a chef, a dad, a brother, a care taker, and a friend. Melt down after melt down, Louie was there by my side, cranking out a 50k of his own in the wee hours of the mornings. 

As the sun came up and the clock continued to tick away, I knew my time was running out. I had to reach 86 miles by 24 hours in order to make the cut off for the 100 miler. I kept pushing hard, but dehydration and lack of nutrition got the best of me. I had to pull over every 5 minutes to vomit in the bushes. Louie held me up and pushed me along, but I was too much to handle. At that point, my buddy Jonesy saw my deteriorating state and stepped in to assist my pacer. Together, these two got me to that cut off time with 5 minutes to spare. 



It wasn't pretty, but I hit 86 miles in 24 hours, and was given an additional four hours to compete 12 little miles. I can easily run a 3 hour half marathon, but after 24 hours and no sleep, my mind, body, and soul just couldn't fathom getting to that finish line. As the thought of that belt buckle slipping away from me became a reality, the break downs got more intense. Louie and Jonesy kept me in the game for then next two miles but I knew that just could not put one foot in front of the other any longer. I thanked Jonesy for sacrificing his sub-24 hundred miler and told him to finish his race. Louie escorted me to that finish line. 

As I approached the barn, my heart sank and my trembling legs lost control. I fell to the ground and released every emotion within my soul in the rawest and most honest form possible. The race director and two fellow Marathon Maniacs came running out of the barn to pick me up. I knew then that it was game over, and nothing mattered anymore. 

At that moment, seconds before surrendering at mile 88, all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock and die. The agony of defeat pumped through every vein in my beat up body. I let it all out. The race director knelt down to console me as I clutched onto his leg and buried my face in his knee. I threw a tantrum the size of the state of Texas. I cried hard, screaming that I wanted that belt buckle and that I worked so hard. He told me over and over that I was a strong runner and that I would get my belt buckle sooner than I think. He also reiterated that only a few people made the cut off and that I had a lot to be proud of. Obviously, I could not believe any of it and all I wanted to do was sulk. The race director and my fellow Marathon Maniacs picked me up and walked me to that finish line. 

No belt buckle.

Ultra events are a physical and emotional roller coaster. I learned quite a bit from my first 100 miler attempt. Key take aways include always hydrating even when I don't think I need to, getting consistent nutrition throughout the event, having a kick butt pacer, and controlling my emotions. I may not have gone home with a belt buckle, but I have a lot to be proud of. I completed a whopping total 88 miles and learned a great deal about myself in the process. As I went through all this, another fellow runner captured it all on film. At first I hated seeing this clip, but it has really grown on me. I'm totally ok with it now because I fought tooth and nail and gave it everything I got. I know what I need to do to get that elusive belt buckle. What an incredible Nanny Goat weekend. 



On a final note, you know who your true friends are when they experience your absolute worst yet they still come back to you. Special shout out to Louie and Jonesy for putting up with every insane melt down that I unleashed during this Nanny Goat torture. These two guys are amazing. I vomited on both of them multiple times. I yelled at them. I cried and complained. I pretty much made their lives miserable, yet they still stuck with it and took care of me. Without Jonesy and Louie, I do not believe I would have made it to 88. THANK YOU, guys. You mean the world to me.

Bay To Breakers 2012

The Bay To Breakers this year was a big let down for me. Last year was the centennial, and all my friends came from near and far to partake in this parade. It was one big party. This year not so much. In fact, it was pretty tepid. So I leave you with a picture of my new socks and the B2B medal. I wish I had more to offer, but this is all I got!

Mother’s Day Marina Green 5K

Ever since the switch was flipped to BEAST MODE, I've been seeing consistent results. I am very excited to announce that I shaved off a whopping 5:43 minutes off my last 5k. I finished the Mother's Day Marina Green 5k in 32:11. I still have a long way to go before I break my 28:53 PR from way back in 2009, but I am certainly going in the right direction. Here is my 5k progress so far this year.

38:50 - Conservatory 5k - 02/19/12
37:54 - St. Patrick's Day 5k - 03/11/12
32:11 - Mother's Day Marina Green 5k - 05/13/12

Not a PR, but getting close!

I am nowhere near my pre-Titanium form, but I have greatly improved since my dismal showing at Surf City. This BEAST MODE thing is really working for me. I've lost a few pounds and I'm getting a little faster. It is my goal to return to pre-Titanium form by the end of this year!