Next Steps

After the first race in Phoenix, I was hooked. Since I knew I could run a 10k and live to tell about it, I set my sights locally - the Bolder Boulder.

I didn't run much after Phoenix...I let the weather talk me out of it. As silly as it seems, I got a charge out of signing up online for the Bolder Boulder. It was a big deal, and I did it about four months before the race - always on Memorial Day - to ensure that I would not talk myself out of it. By the time March rolled around and daylight savings time kicked in, I restarted my running regimen. By the end of the month, I had a Garmin (thanks to my sweetheart, Gabriella!) and the geek factor of being able to track progress and distances online began.

I established a self-imposed program of about three runs per week for around 15 miles per week. As April gave way to May, I kept up the program but didn't ever run over 7 or 8 miles for my longest runs. On Memorial Day, I ran my first Bolder Bolder - the second race of my life - in 46:07 (7:25/mile pace).

I spent much of the summer traveling and let my running drop off. My weight crept up as a result, and I found myself over 200 pounds again. Only as summer gave way to fall did my dad come to the rescue again with an invitation to the Phoenix 10k in November 2009. I started running again - but not with the same frequency I had before the Bolder Boulder - and I paid for it during the race. I fought my way through to a 49:12 time (a 7:44 pace) with my heart and lungs about to blow out of my chest. It was very clear that I was going to (again) eat less and run more if I was going to be able to survive races on a regular basis...and I knew I needed to keep running for my overall health.

Although this was reconfirmed at the Colder Bolder 5k in December 2008, I did not run much at all as the 2009 legislative session wound up and got very busy. By this time, I was 215 pounds - 25 pounds more than the lowest I had achieved, and I was mad at myself. As Gabriella (who was still in Seattle) and I made our plans for our future, I made a commitment to enter my first half-marathon and dedicate myself to a training program to achieve it.

After struggling through the Runnin' of the Green 7k around St. Patick's Day, I knew I had a lot of work to do. By the time the Cherry Creek Sneak 5-mile race at the end of April, I was back up to about 20 miles a week on average and ran that race well. I ran the 2009 Bolder Boulder feeling very strong and finished in 45:44 (7:21 pace).

By the week before the Seattle Rock 'N' Roll Half-Marathon, I had shaved ten pounds and was ready to rock and roll!