Boston 5k in 3 weeks!

Today I got to get online and finally see what all the fuss was about with my hotel room accommodations in Boston. For those of you who do not know, I will be traveling to Boston for 5 days with the purpose of racing the Boston 5K the day prior to the marathon and then pacing my friend Logan to a sub 3 marathon.

Check out these amazing pictures of our hotel!

Goals to Achieve in Life

Yesterday I met with a client whom is new to high school running and seeks guidance from me. After evaluating his goals with running, we began to speak about the possibilities in store for him. He seemed to limit himself with what he was possible of and was seemingly ok with being where he was mostly. This got my mind stirring a bit about a few things that have been going on with my life recently.

I remember back to college when I was running for Pfeiffer University, I was basically scared to step out of the box and do something amazing in a sense. My limitations to running stopped in my head, so I essentially limited my ability to succeed. Over the past 2 years I have pushed forward with some minor athletic goals that have just came along with a consistent fairly focused regimen. This past weekend while at the Cooper River Bridge run, I set a 4-mile and 5-mile PR in route to a 10k road PR. All of this was without any speed training over the past 2 months, which would have scared me normally from going out at a quick pace.

There are humps in the road, this is what I am building up to. I knew my fitness was top notch back at the end of January and after a bad sickness I had a month of basically no training which really set me back especially with my goals. I got to the line at Cooper River and said, "Chris, you are in shape, you can run well, the time was put in months ago, let's do this". I just decided that I didn't want to limit myself to what I was capable of within reasoning. I knew I could run a PR either way and the goal was just to stay relaxed. Things worked out well and it really was because I told my mind and body that it was time.

All of this basically runs parallel with life, why limit your self? Yes, many things take a lot of time to master but with hard work and experiences we all can succeed in so many different ways. Some of us have drastically different goals and the point is just to do it at your best effort thinking about the outcome. It might be to be the best wife or best father that you can be, just make sure you focus and keep that in mind while "living". While speaking with my new client I tried to explain that it all starts with convincing himself that he can be good. Having someone tell "you have potential" doesn't always translate, you HAVE TO BELIEVE.

With all of that said, I don't want to limit myself in what life has in store for me. I want to pursue some lofty goals of mine, both in the professional and athletic field. Hopefully along the way through this blog, I can receive some much appreciated tips and advice from many of you out there who have a wealth of knowledge in so many different facets. "Taking chances" seems like it may be getting closer and closer for me, life seems to get in the way sometimes of taking these chances but luckily I am fortunate to surround myself with some of the most incredible people life has to offer.

Thank you to everyone who is in my life, in whatever aspect it might be, from my closest family member to the running buddy I may see once a month, all of you are factors in my life that I don't take for granted!!!

OH yea check out the new Bike, his name is "Wayne"

Take chances in life

Over my 28 years in life I have received tidbits of advice from tons of people and I like to absorb all the wisdom that I can, sort of like a sponge. I know growing up I always heard, time flys by, make sure you make the most of your time. It seems that we all grow up and are taught to do the most "responsible" thing, get a 9-5 job and do this and that, you know have that cookie cutter life sort of. Over this past past I have seemed to question the meaning of life and lifestyles.

At this point in my life, i like to ask people what makes them happy or what would have made them happy say 5, 10, 20 years ago with their decisions. You live and learn and also make due with what life has in store for you at any given time. Tough times build character and make people so much stronger in the long run often, but at times it can break people down to the bottom of the barrel so to speak.

My question is, "would you take a big risk amongst the trials and tribulations of life to do something that may be a once in a lifetime adventure? Something that could mold you into possibly more than you could ever imagine, while laying it all on the line while the one's close to you may be tentative?"

The Long Run

I found a pretty cool website, that links up a bunch of races so that you can check them out all at one stop. Similar to Letsrun.com I guess

Check it out if you get a chance



www.thelongrun.webs.com

Gratitude

Many of my blogs involve insight into my training and racing, just from my point of view. Today I wanted to write on some pretty cool people locally who have inspired the community of runners who seldom went full circle with meeting others and keeping in contact. This past year the running community has seemed to blossom tremendously thanks to Theoden Janes blogging and the reach of the CRC {Charlotte Running Club} to the people in and around Charlotte.

Theoden has been a HUGE boost to the local running and triathlon community as he took a face first dive into racing in 2009. While competing in numerous local road races, he plunged into the Triathlon scene as well as knocking out the NYC and Thunder Road marathons within a month of each other! He managed to fit all this training and racing in while still writing some kick A** blogs about people and races in our local community. It's simple things such as his post below that has shed light on so much more than simply running but humanity for instance.


TrySports' "Run For Haiti" is likely to be the more organized of the two events. The combination 3 Mile Fun Run and Shoe Donation Drive is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday, and participants are being asked to donate $20 and/or pairs of used or new shoes. All profits will be donated directly to the American Red Cross; the shoes will get to Haiti by way of Deserving Soles. Store is at 9830 Rea Road, Suite H. Details: 704-544-4626

But the Charlotte Running Club's "Dollars for Distance" fundraiser, scheduled for McAlpine Creek Park (8711 Monroe Road), has a more novel concept: Runners will meet at the park's main entrance at 8 a.m., divide up into pace groups, and start running. When you're tired, just stop, tally up your miles, and donate a dollar for every mile you've run (cash or check will be accepted). All proceeds go directly to the Red Cross Relief Fund.
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This leads me to Spot light the Charlotte Running Club and the efforts a few people have made to get people to do what they love or hate the most, together. Running is a passion for many of us and 3 local runners in Charlotte pushed to connect so many of us who were not in touch because we missed some social avenue that united all of us. Aaron Linz pushed to get people together to make this a runner friendly atmosphere in town, so Caitlin Crisman and Jay Holder jumped on board and the 3 together created the Charlotte Running Club.


Between every person blogging and Theoden's Uplifting post, the CRC quickly took off with the clubs members near 200 at this point. Weekly runs are dispersed through a system of emails along with social events that take place frequently to see people without the standard running attire. I am glad that these people have made such a push for the Charlotte Area to be aware of so much that truly goes on. We have been able to see people we may have never seen before and get intriguing stories that we would have never heard from someone we met on a long run on a freezing cold morning.


Thank you, Theoden Janes, Thank you, CRC!!!

Through you guys I haven't had so much fun since college and along the way I have met some outstanding people who each get to share their stories with me as I soak it up like a sponge. Thank you once again, the Charlotte Running Community has been revitalized!!!