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Ryan
226 Posts |
 Posted - June 09 2008 : 08:54:17
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Maybe this can come as inspiration to some of you runners/joggers. Either you care or you don't, but I'd like to introduce myself.
I just want to say that taking time off running the last couple of weeks since the BLO marathon have allowed me to recharge. I believe burnout is the term best utilized here.
I've come along way since January of last year when I purchased a treadmill just to lose some extra weight. Believe it or not, my highest weight was 260 - then:http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t13/rmiller775/ryan.jpg - now:http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t13/rmiller775/32471-204-027f.jpgin Sept'06 and by May'07 I was 155. My Uncle (former Checkers member, Jim Murphy) saw me last summer and said I should run a 5k and see how I would do. 22:34, not bad considering I hated running all through out my military years.
Of course that was not good enough since I'm a bit of a perfectionist. I trained much harder and came back at the Eden 5k with a 20:47. My 5k PR to date. Next stop, FF 15k. 1:14:21. The same week as Fleet Feet I found out my other Uncle Tom was running Erie marathon to qualify for Boston. So I decided to show up and suprise him by running the 1/2. My longest run to that point was 9mi. So I get there at the registration table and find out it only costed $10 more to run the full. Aw what the heck, why not.
So we met up and he was proud to have me there by his side. We ran a 1:45 half together and at mile 16 the legs got me. What was I thinking? Crazy. So anyways I finished with a 4:04, had to take a couple walk breaks, man that sh*t hurt.
Instantly I was hooked. I signed up for Niagara Falls. Trained harder and harder, I think one week I hit high 80's, less than a year running, nuts. Fininshed with a 3:43:50. This being the only marathon out of the 4 i've run that didn't hurt. Hooked on Dean K attitude I decided that 2 weeks later I would run a 50k at Mendon Ponds. Dumb mistake. Managed to make it 25miles before my hands almost froze off and my sinus infection got the best of me.
So this year my new goal is to PR 3 races of different lengths, already Pr'd a marathon at BLO with a 3:38:28. Now I set my sights at 5k, and either 10k or 15k.
I realize that I open myself to criticism here, so I say slag away. Or
maybe you wonder why I chose to burden this upon you? This was originally intended for my speech class, however, I realize that it would have fallen on deaf ears. I like to inspire and be inspired.
I stand merely in awe of those that are Sub-3 marathoner's (i'm not a stalker, I promise), as I hope to one day be that as well. Patience, young Jedi, for the "truth is in the training".
Heckle & Jeckle, I had a great run yesterday. I topped it off with a 10mi ride and a swim at the beach yesterday. Ironman sounds like a great idea. |
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Ryan
226 Posts |
Posted - June 09 2008 : 09:05:47
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| Oh yeah, one last thing. I'm sure you all have some great stories and I know there's some tough SOB's out there that say less talk, more run. But please share away... |
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lonergan09
320 Posts |
Posted - June 09 2008 : 12:39:17
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Being a former 230 pounder myself, .. I am right there with you. Inspire on!!!
I won my first trophy (in my life) last year when I was 36, ...
We can all stand to live and learn a little more about this sport and life.
The future looks good, ... runners are participating and competing in this sport later and later in life, ... and doing great!!!
Age only matters if you are a cheese or a wine.
Our hearts and minds, often disconnected and at odds with each other become unified through the unrelenting tenaciousness of the human spirit. One heart, two feet, fifty states. http://www.myspace.com/seejimrun
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BFTG
58 Posts |
Posted - June 09 2008 : 18:13:07
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Why i run
1. I like it
2. To get away from everyone and everything.
3. If i didn't run i'd be 300lbs, I love beer and food.
4. Because i can, it shocks me how many people can't even run 100 yds.
Ryan, great story and keep up the good work. I hope to see you at more races in the near future, most importantly at the finish line for some drinks.
Shoes? I don't need no stinking shoes! |
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Occhino
1019 Posts |
Posted - June 09 2008 : 18:55:55
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"Our children are only young once"
JECKLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Ryan
226 Posts |
Posted - June 09 2008 : 20:03:29
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JL - great stuff, having meet you I never would have guessed.
BFTG - Hard as nails, hows the feet since the marathon? Brewski's, no doubt.
"Our children are only young once" - no doubt, but I got get some me time since I see them all day. |
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imtricat
88 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 10:53:46
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Anyone that would give you grief for your post would have to an a--hole. That was a great post, thanks for taking the time to share it with us. That Mendon Ponds run is a bitch is'nt it, one of the toughest I have run(DNF). A nice 50k is the Sulphur Springs race, but it is in May so too late for this year. I hope more people will share stories like this. Not all of us are former college runners or elites(although I do find a lot of inspiration from you guys too) so a slug like me can be motivated by a guy like you. Maybe I can someday be an ex-slug. Thanks.
Trail running. |
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dpack61
20 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 15:36:54
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| Ryan- Great post. A lot of people need that kind of inspiration. So many people think they can't lose weight or get in shape. It isn't easy but it can be done. |
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dpack61
20 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 15:41:55
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BFTG- That must've been you I saw near mile 14 during the Buffalo Marathon- of course, I'm assuming you were the only shoeless runner. I was amazed! As I wondered at how your feet got tough enough for that abuse I also wondered about those of us who buy several pairs of $100+ shoes every year....
Congrats |
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imtricat
88 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 16:10:40
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In '96 when UB hosted the World Veterans Games I met Johnnie Walker. He ran all his events barefoot, track and x-country while here. He also walked everywhere barefoot, I saw him walking down Maple Rd. with no shoes.
Trail running. |
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chefdrp
937 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 21:42:19
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great story. I love to read ones like that. Keep up the good work.
Share the road with a runner."Someone may beat me. But they will have to bleed to do it". ...PRE
5K PR- 17:04 8K-28:16 10K-36:32, 15K 55:17 1/2 marathon 1:23, Marathon- 2:51:18
Clint Verran Running,runguru.com. |
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MGZ
97 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 21:52:17
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| Ryan, Inspirational story! I've been running for 30 years and I still can be reminded what a wonderful thing it is to run! You're just lucky that you don't have ChefDRP cooking for you...it would be hard to keep the weight off then! Running helped me through some tough obstacles in life...illness, surgery, treatment...full recovery etc. I still marvel at what it does for the body and mind! Keep up the great work!! |
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Ryan
226 Posts |
Posted - June 10 2008 : 22:01:58
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Thanks, I'm putting in quite the effort this year. Along with high mileage running, I'm also managing to get in high biking mileage too.
The question that remains in my mind is I was just looking up the bios of the Olympic long distance runners and they all seem to be in the same weight category. I'm 5'10' and about 165. Most of those guys are around 130-145.
Does weight really have that much of an affect on speed and time? |
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