DC Marathon 26.2 List

Today was a great day...My 2nd Marathon went so much better than the 1st one..Cutting 38 minutes off of my PB...It was amazing to see the 250,000+ spectators cheer all of us runners along..Definitely recommend putting your name on the front of your shirt like I did today...Cannot tell you how uplifting it was as I ran the streets of DC hearing my name called...Even more inspiring was when spectators called out for Team Hole in the Wall..Everytime this happened I could not help but think of the children that I helped raise money for so that they could go to camp..

A big shout out to my support team here..Tim and Pops...They were able to get to a number of different locations and cheer me on, and it was a huge boost...Also, Tim and Pops provided us with some great pictures from the day that was...

So without further ado the Top 26.2 List from DC..in no particular order..

1. Meeting the Team Hole in the Wall folks was amazing..The participants that raised money through their participation in this race, raised $50,000...Picture below of the Team...

2. Seeing places that I have dreamed of seeing: JFK Gravesite, National Archives, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, just to the name a few..

3. Spending some QT with Pops and Tim..Tim has helped so much with my transformation and it was great having him here to support me in the race...Pops was a trooper as we dragged him all over DC..Thanks Guys..Love yah...

4. The Navy Lodge to Anacostia Bus Ride...Quite the experience, both during the day and late at night...

5. Seeing the Wounded Warriors competing in the marathon...These Heroes are truly that..In a time and age when we call many heroes...these young men and women showed true grit and determination..Anytime that I even considered stopping to walk or pity my own pain, I saw these folks and kept going...Thank you for serving our country..You truly are HEROES!!!

6. Port-A-Potties are my savior...Lets just say that I had some stomach issues during the race..This definately added about 3-5 minutes to my time, however it may have been avoidable...My pre-race dinner on Saturday night was Pasta...Which is good..what may have been the mistake was getting it from Dominoes...

7. The Floor of the Rosslyn Train Station..After the race we headed to the Rosslyn train station so that we could head back to the Navy Lodge..20 minutes later I am standing in line and have a horrible feeling that I am either going to pass out or hurl..Took a straight line to the wall, slid down and planted my ass right there...Good ole' Pops headed out and got me a Soda so I could get some Sugar in my sytem...20 minutes later...Good to go..

8. Marine Corps Marathon Organizers...What a great event...My only heartache..Need more port-a-potties...Long lines that could have been shortened with a few additional here and there..

9. Iwo Jima Memorial...What a great place to finish a race...

10. 4:08...My finishing time...All the way up until 3:45 into the race I thought I had the chance to reach my 4 hour goal...The last 3 miles were pretty brutal, but brutal in a good way..I could not quit..I would not allow myself to quit...

11. The tree outside the Jefferson Memorial..Damn thing almost knocked my ass out...No kidding...If I did not have my hat on, I think you would have seen some stiches in my head for the race..

12. Feeling like I actually belong...At the last marathon I still felt like a chubby guy who did not necessarily fit in with the runners...Now I feel like a runner who used to be heavy...I love it...

13. Seeing my college Buddy Matt Anderson...Had not seen him since Vanessa and I's wedding day...There was a time in college when we did some crazy things..It was great reminiscing on these and sharing our new stories...

14. The Marine Corps Marathon Medal..The thing is huge and FLASHY...My very own Bling...Cannot wait for Emma to put it on..

15. Lincoln Memorial Section of the race...People were ten deep all around the memorial...Folks were screaming and shouting the names of their runners...I saw so many signs...It was absolutely amazing...Also was amazing to see all fo the children cheering on their Moms and Dads..Could not help but think of Emma and Camden and Vanessa everytime I saw this happen.

16. The support of all of my friends either through phone calls, cards or on Face Book wishing me well wishes for the race..It truly meant alot and helped me carry on through the race....Everytime I thought about my time, or stopping etc...you all were on my minds...Felt like if I stopped I would be letting you all down...

17. Other competitors...I met so many cool people the last few days..Either at the race or the expo, or even on the train...I love hearing others stories...It is inspiring helps keep the flame lit to continue to compete and get better...

18. Meeting Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson...We all meet people in life that you hope live up to your expectations...Both not only lived up to my exectation, the actually exceeded them..They were more than willing to share stories, give advise, and sign my copies of their books..If you have not done so already, I highly recommend Kathrine's "Marathon Woman" You will love it...Whether you are a man or woman...

19. DC is an amzing City...So much history...So much to do, and I only touched on a fraction of what I actually hoped to see...Guess you can mark that on the future calendar for a Family Vacation..Though I will tell you...It is a hard city to travel with small children...Understand all of the safety and security measures...actually I encourage them...but they make them tough for families with small children..Just my two cents...Research the places you want to go before going..Can no longer do things on vacation that are spontanious...

20. One of the best conversations of the weekend...We are looking at all of the monuments, and Dad says don't they have one for Washington...Ummm...Dad, the Washington Monument..What he meant was a statue, but it was funny...at least to us it was...

21. Mitch Albom's latest book Have a Little Faith...Like his previous books Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People you Meet in Heaven, and For One More Day...This one is Amazing and like Tuesdays is a True Story...I read it on the plane out here..and highly recommend it...

22. Listening to the Iowa game last night with Pops and Tim...Sure I would have loved to watch it, but we decided it was a better idea to listen to it and hit the hay a little early the night before the Race...Would have loved to had a picture of the three of u jumping into the air when we heard the TD on the last play of the game against MSU...Side note...we are sitting here in the Navy Lodge as I type this and the new BCS rankings just came out...Tim is not a big fan of Jesse Palmer right now...Hahahahaha...

23. It is exactly 1.65 miles from the Navy Lodge to the Front Gate..Why do I know that...Well I did my training runs to the gate after our first night here...Why? Well our first night here the cabbie dropped us off at the front gate and told us he could not drive in...LIAR, LIAR, Pants on Fire....1.65 miles later with our suitcases, we are on the front step of the Navy Lodge...

24. Nip Guards and Glide...This stuff saves nipples and delicate areas...Also...who would of thunk it...Losing weight also cuts down on the chaffing..Going into the shower after the race today I was scared...Usually there are some screams etc. as the water hits the chaffed areas...Not today...TMI? Maybe...but it does work...

25. The next task..Yep, I already have some plans...and yes Vanessa knows...They are: Seattle Half-Marathon..Going for a PB(Officially)....and the Eugene Marathon the first Weekend in May...This was my first marathon...Now it will be my first marathon under 4 hours...

26.2 My wife...Vanessa has been such a huge support in my life and the last 4 months have been no different...I know how lucky that I am to have such an amazing woman in my life to call my wife and more importantly my friend, and the love of my life...The only thing that would have made this weekend better was to have Vanessa and the kids here...Love you babe..

In conclusion a big hsout out to all of you...I love you all and cannot wait to share some of these experiences in person...GO HAWKS....More pictures of the weekend can be found on Facebook..

The Celebratory Beer....Double Dead Guy Ale....

Quite a Journey....

The dictionary defines a journey as "The Act of Traveling from one place to another, a trip...A process or course likened to traveling, a passage..."

Absolutely without a doubt, that is what this has been and will continue to be..

On February 6th, 2006, 3 years and 8 months ago, I started my journey from an overweight, scared that I may die an early death. yet confident person, to one that is now completely comfortable in his own skin, and God willing will live a long and prosperous life both Mentally and Physically...and On October 25th, 2009, I will hit a major milestone on this continuing journey. I will be runnning the Marine Corps Marathon, my 2nd Marathon...but my first with a goal other than finishing, in mind.."To break the 4 hour barrier.."

So why all the deepness for todays Blog..Well, today I completed my last Long run of the training process, and September was the last time I blogged...Have I really been that busy...Yes I have, but for the first time in my life, I stayed on my plans, physically...

So as I was saying today I ran my last distance run before the race next Sunday..It was only an 8 miler..Only an 8 miler, Geez, back when I was training for my 1st marathon even 8 seemed long...Not anymore, and I love that feeling...Finished the run in just under 1 hour and 10 minutes..and felt really good afterwards...My right ankle felt a little weak, however that is ok..becaue I just completed my training plan and got through it with little to no significant injuries...KNOCK ON WOOD...I still have 3 smaller runs this week...

Grand Total for all of my miles since the training began on July 13th....434 miles...Holy S#$%..

There are so many people that have been involved since Day 1.....

My Wife...Vanessa has been my rock throughout all of this...She puts up with alot of shit from me..I cannot be charming all of the time:) She is flexible when I need to run and she always knows what to say, even if it pisses me off to motivate me just a little more...

My Coach...Little Brother Tim...Man this guys is amazing...2 Ironmans down and he is still going...Him and his wife Lori are having their first kid in December, a boy, and I can hardly wait...Why? Because then we can have something else in common...Early in the training process, I gave him a call and said "Tim, I need help with my eating" From then on, he has helped me, supported me, and just listened...and I love him for that...He will be in DC with me this weekend, and I hope I make him half as proud as he has made me...

Co-Workers and Friends: Both in Japan and in Washington...I fully believe that the reason people do not succeed in changing their lifestyles is because they do not get those around them involved..Tell everyone...Ask everyone for help..Shoot...my co-workers and friends would not let me look at a doughnut, let alone eat it..and they would heep praise and compliments on me when I started to drop the pounds...We all need that...IF you say you do not, YOU ARE LYING...We all need a compliment here and there...It motivates us...Be honest, when you start dropping the pounds, and someone says to you, WOW you really look good today...Do you frown and start crying because you hate it...Hell to the no....You smile, say thank you, and in your head say Hell yes I do...

People I do not even know on the street that looked at me funny: I now realize that I was a big man..Really I did not know it when I was...Seriously I did not...and thats scary...I look back at pictures now and am embarrased...Was I athletic..yeah, could I do my job...yes? Did I look like I may have a heart attack when I did do these things...YES I DID...One of my good buddies in Japan once said to Vanessa as he was sitting on the bench during a B-Ball game and I was on the court..."Is Chris supposed to be that color?" Yikes...and yet it took another year before I started to do something about it..

My Grandpa Friedl(who passed a few years ago)-Who I often think about on my long runs, because, though I loved him so much, he used to give me the most crap about my weight..I know he can see me now and is proud of me..but it would feel really good to say.Ha look at me now...I am expecting some special look downs from Heaven Grandpa, and one of your special prayers like at Christmas next week as I get to the Starting line...

and of course my Parents: My work ethic comes from them and they always let me TRY new things..Because of that, I am still trying new things...

So here we are 1 week from the start of another point along this journey...Everyday has new challenges, new barriers to be broken and new temptations on the horizon...Do I eat that candy bar, do I drink that soda....or do I stay on task....I try to stay on task...

Below are some pictures from this continuing Journey...Thank you to all of you who have told me that I inspire you through my work and breakthroughs...You are also my inspiration...