The Right Way!

I know this is a little late, but the saying goes better late then never!  I have two races I want to write about today.  The first was a 10k in Kyle, TX on March 12th.  It was a very small race with about 100 people participating in the event.  After about a half mile in to the race I was all alone.  It was a little windy and some nice rolling hills along the course.  I won with a time of 33:00.   I was pretty happy with that. 
The second race was in Fort Smith, AR on March 19th.  It was a half-marathon.  The night before the race I called up my nephew Jonathon to see if he wanted to run the 5k.  He was down!  So, my mom, Jonathon and I all headed up to the race Saturday morning.  The temperature was great, but the wind made it a little chilly!  The half started 5 minutes before the 5k.  The plan was to just run it at marathon pace, which is 5:40 per mile. I just wanted to use it as a workout, because I was in the middle of a pretty big mileage week.  The gun goes off and I am out to the lead with two other guys about a step or two behind me.  The first turn was about 100 to 150 meters into the race.  There was a man on a bike at the middle of this intersection.  You could only turn right or left, so when I reached him I yelled "which way?".  He didn't respond so I just turned left.  I have run a few other races at this area and they have always went left.  The man on the bike turned and went in front of us.  This made me think that I was going the right way.  I also started noticing blue arrows on the road showing me where to go.  I started to worry a bit when there were no mile markers, but when I looked behind me I saw a long line of runners.  I had about a 200 meter lead when I saw my first mile marker.  It said 4!  I was thinking they only have mile markers every 4 miles?  The next marker I saw said 12.  That's right I was only a mile from the finish, but I shouldn't be!  When I hit mile 13 I was able to get my first mile split, which was a 5:35.  I had only run about 42 minutes so far; so I just ran past the finish line.  I decided I would just keep that pace for 1:14.  When I finished my run I made it back to the finish line and had my chip cut off.  Apparently, we were suppose to turn right at that first turn where we went left.  I was bummed, but not mad.  Some of the runners were pretty ticked off!  There were a couple of dudes that just needed to settle down.  I really felt bad for the race director, because it wasn't her fault.  Anyway, it got me thinking that this race could totally be a sermon.  To many times we go left instead of going right.  To the right were mile markers, signs, people blocking roads, aid stations with food and drinks.  To the right God has all these wonderful things for us, but it is so easy for us to follow the crowd and turn left.  When I made that turn everyone followed me.  I want to make sure that I am making the right turns in my life and not following the crowd, but following God's path for me!

See you on the roads, 

Matt


PS - Jonathon got 3rd overall in the 5k!   

Livestrong Austin Half-Marathon

The Austin Half-Marathon was not very kind to me and I'm the only one to blame.  I'm pretty sure I had the flu all week or if not I had the baddest cold known to man!  I only ran 5 miles Monday and then took 3 days off.   I was pretty beat down but I started feeling better so I thought I would give it a try.
Race morning was fun, because I got to ride to the race with Lorena and Dani, who were both doing their first marathon.  They were both jacked up, but nervous!  lol!  I told them both good luck and headed my own way.  As I headed to the line they started to name some of the favorites for the race over the loud speakers.    It was pretty cool when they announced my name and said I was from southwest Oklahoma!  As, I'm trying to get in to the elite corral; Joan Benoit Samuelson and some other runners were right behind me trying to get in the corral too.  A worker opened up the gate and then this dude ran over and started yelling "hold on this isn't going to happen!".  We told him we were elite and he let us in, but I wanted to be like dude this chick won a gold medal when I was like 4 so you better hold on!  Anyway, Joan wasn't the only star I saw.  Lance Armstrong also ran in the half.  He walked right past me and a couple of other guys and said I better get behind them so I don't get run over.  By the way, I beat Lance.  He ran a 1:22.
As the race started off I felt okay.  It was a little hot at about 62 and pretty humid.  After I hit the first 2 miles in 5:37 and 5:38 I knew I was done, because it felt about like 5 flat pace.  I told myself let's just slow it down to 5:45 which is my marathon pace.  Nope that didn't work next thing I know I'm struggling to hold a 6 min pace!  At mile 6, I wanted to drop out!!!  I almost stopped and waited for Lorena, so I could just run the marathon with her.  The reason I didn't is because at that point I didn't even know if I could make a full marathon.  Then I thought I could just slow down and run with Lance.  HAHA  However, I begin to think he would be coming by me any second.  I went on and finished in 1:18:33, which is 5:59 pace.  I got 12th.  For being sick not bad.  I think I could have been top 3 in better circumstances, maybe even pulled out a victory!
After I finished I took a sec to recover and then ran about 3.5 miles to mile 21.  I got to see my cousin Jennifer run by and she finished in a time of 3:50.   It was pretty cool to sit there and cheer on all these runners running by!  I expected Lorena to come by with the 4:15 pace group but she was about a minute ahead of them at 21.  I ran the last 5 miles with her and it was so fun.  She got faster each mile!  She never hit the wall and ran a marathon the way it is meant to be run!!!  Lorena finished in 4:12:50!  She must have a really good coach lol!

Even if the race didn't go how I wanted it was a lot of fun!!!  Now I'm back at it and getting ready to hit up some crazy mileage to prepare for May!

See you on the roads,

Matt

Athens-Big Fork Trail Marathon

I should have know things were not going to go my way when I work up a few days before the race feeling sick.  It wasn't nothing to bad just a cold, but still!  Don't worry I'm feeling all better now, but that was the first of many things this weekend that went downhill. 

I headed to Poteau Friday and caught a ride with Coach Hall to the race Saturday morning.  There was a good crew from Poteau that competed in the race.   If you don't know much about the Athens-Big Fork Trail Marathon the elevation chart should just about sum it up.  I stole it from Tom Brennen's Blog along with another pic. 

As you can see this is not a race for beginners!  If you go to the race website they actually discourage people from running unless they are experienced runners.  Maybe I should have listened to there warning, haha!  Well, the race plan was to go out hard, because the first couple of miles are paved or dirt roads and flat.  One other runner went with me.  That was Nick Lewis.  I didn't know him before the race, but I did hear someone behind us say that he finished 2nd at the Leadville 100 Mile Run.  I then knew he was good.  Leadville is known as the toughest 100 miler out there.  When we hit the trail I let him take the lead.  I figured I would chill on the uphills and then fly on the downhills.  After the first downhill I realized that this was the wrong strategy.  Nick was like a deer down that hill!  I stayed with him, but I knew I better not let him get away on the uphill if he can run like that downhill.  We then came up to the first creek crossing.  I should have been paying attention to the trail, but instead I wanted to make sure I didn't take a swim in the very chilly water.  As you cross the creek the trail splits and Nick and I both took it the wrong way.  There are white blazes on the trail, so if you go down the wrong trail you will stop seeing blazes and know you need to turn around unless you take the trail that we went down.  We saw blazes for miles!!!  There is an aid station on the trail around the 8.5 mile mark so you would think once we got there we would know we were lost.  The only problem is right around the time we hit the 8.5 mile mark the trail we were on crossed a parking lot.  There were a couple of trucks there and bathrooms, but no people.  Nick turns to me and says man we beat the aid station here.  He also told me about a 50 mile run he ran where he beat the first three aid stations!  So on we went!  Nick had a GPS on so we finally turned around after we had run 14 miles out.  We were having doubts about the trail at around 10 miles because it became pretty flat.  As you can tell by the elevation chart it is never flat!  Anyway, we ran back together and got in a good 28 miler. I wish we would have took the right trail.  I would love to have battled with Nick!  The Poteau crew did great!  Tom Brennen came in first and broke his course record!  Josh Snyder, who is another Poteau guy set a PR for the course and finished 3rd.  I'm proud of those guys, plus Chris, Coach Hall, Kristen, and members of the Poteau XC Team ran the 17 mile fun run.  That's right they call it a fun run!!!

While heading back to Poteau I look in my bag and grab my phone and it will not work.  LOL!  It was gone for good, but I have a new one now.  Then when I need to leave and head back to Lawton on Sunday a snow storm hits!  It wasn't all bad, because I got to spend an extra night in Poteau.  I'm back in Lawton now and ready to start preparing for some spring track meets and the next big marathon in May!

See ya on the roads!

Matt

The Results

Below are the results from the 5k in Poteau last Saturday. 


1   1/3    M3539 Tom Brennan            Poteau          OK  39   17:57  3:36
2   1/15   M1619 Edgar Rosales          Poteau          OK  17   18:20  3:40
3   2/15   M1619 Nico Hall              Poteau          OK  16   19:14  3:51
4   3/15   M1619 Jerrad Badders         Poteau          OK  17   19:48  3:58
5   1/4    M5054 Keith Willsey          Acorn           AR  54   20:08  4:02
6   1/4    M4549 Tim Hall               Poteau          OK  49   20:10  4:02
7   1/6    M3034 Chris Montgomery       Wister          OK  33   20:38  4:08
8   2/6    M3034 Bud Ellis              Wister          OK  33   21:14  4:15
9   3/6    M3034 Jimmy Allmon           Poteau          OK  31   21:40  4:20
10   4/15   M1619 Nick Parker            Poteau          OK  17   21:57  4:24

Well, I was right like always! haha!  Tom pulled off the win.  I heard that Edgar took the race out hard.  Tom and Nico set back the first half of the race.  In the last 1.5k Edgar started to come back to Tom.  Tom went on to win the race by 27 seconds. 

Everybody take a look at who finished 6th.  That's right Coach Hall.  He is making a come back.  Nico better watch out! 

I hope to see everybody at the Jingle Bell 5k Run and Santa Chase this Saturday at Fort Chaffee. 

See you on the roads,

Matt

The Showdown In My Hometown!

Tomorrow is a big running day in my hometown of Poteau.  It's time for the Sleigh Bell 5k!  I wish I could be there to run.  Actually, I am more interested in watching the race.  It should be quite the showdown.  There are several guys that can run in the low to mid 17's.  You have the vet Tom Brennan, who is shooting for a PR.  If he gets one he will be hard to beat.  Then you have the young guns, last years Sleigh Bell Champ Nico Hall and Poteau High School stud senior Edgar Rosales.  If Edgar is in the same kind of shape he was at the end of his cross country season then Tom and Nico could be looking at his back!  Also, I need to mention a new guy named Zach that I have not met yet, but rumor is that he is capable of running with any of the above mentioned guys.  On a sad note I must mention that rumor is that Josh Snyder is not running the race due to having some sweet tickets to the big 12 championship game.  I know Josh is a great Christian man and I hope that he repents for this mistake in judgement at his service on Sunday morning.  I'm kidding.  If Josh is in the race he will be in the mix.  I have been debating on whether I should make a prediction on a winner or not.  I guess I will and I will have to go with the old vet.  That's right look for Tom Brennan to break the tape.  Okay, you other guys don't get mad at me just prove me wrong.  I wish all the runners in the race the best!

See you on the roads,

Matt

Endorphin Nation

Hey folks!

In January of 2009, I was talking with my good buddy Tex and we decided right then and there that we were going to really start living life!!!  Since that day I have traveled to amazing places, such as the Bahamas and the Cayman Islands to name a few, I have set a pr in both the 5k and the marathon, ran in the Boston Marathon, got in the Guinness Book of World Records, been to a World Series, and even made it to Disney World.  So, I said I need to start blogging about these adventures.  Below I will tell you about my trip to San Antonio. 



I had been training pretty hard for the Rock and Roll San Antonio Marathon, which was Nov. 14th.  I headed down a couple of days early and stayed in Austin.  It was fun, because I got to spend time with my friend Lorena.  BTW she ran the half and set a PR!  She must have a good coach!  It was great seeing her; she even took me out for fish tacos.  I wasn't so sure about them at first, but now they are one of my favs.  I met up with Tex at the expo on Saturday.  He had been injured so he decided just do to a long run instead of racing.  Look for him to light up a marathon very soon!  I woke up Sunday morning feeling pretty good and loving the fact that our hotel was so close to the start.  We walked out of our room 15 minutes before the race and walked out of the lobby and got in line about 5 minutes before.  It was pretty nice!  The only way the start could have been closer is if it started in the hotel lobby.

So the race starts and the plan was to come under 1:15 at the halfway mark.  I had a couple of goals that I would have been happy with; a PR, sub 2:30, and a top 20 finish.  I had people to run with up until about 9.5 then the half marathoners turned off.  Then it was just me and it did get a little lonely!  I came through the half in 1:14.51 right where I wanted to be.  The next couple of miles were tough, because there was not much crowd support.  With 10k to go I hit the hills.  They weren't to bad but it was just enough to slow me down about 10 secs per mile.  With a mile to go I knew I was going to be close to sub 2:31.  About that time I saw Tex and his girlfriend Rebecca and they were yelling like crazy!  I needed it because I was about to hit a big hill right before the finish.  At that point my arms started tingling and I was praying that the line would get there fast.  When I turned the corner and had about 50 meters left I could see the clock.  I was going as hard as I could!!!  My official time was 2:31:01.  I wanted to get under that 2:31, but it was a new PR so I was happy.  I guess with all that running that my legs forgot how to walk, because I could barely stay on my feet.  A man came over and helped me make it down he finish line corral.  He told me "you got 5th".  I said "no I didn't".  He said "did you not hear announcer?".  I responded with "he said 15th".  To make a long story short it took him a while to convince me.  So, he was right I did get 5th.  I got so caught up thinking about time those last few miles that it didn't even hit me that I passed several people in the last two miles.  I got to go to the awards ceremony and they game me flowers and a check is in the mail for 500 big ones!  To celebrate we got some great Mexican food on the riverwalk.  Now, to recover and get ready for a spring marathon.  

See you on the roads, 

Matt