The Four Miler Part 2

After my initial success of running the Virginia 4 Miler in 2010, I said to myself "I can't wait 'til the 4 Miler in 2011." After having times where I have stopped running, starting me back, really makes that training hard. But, I was determined to do it and I had set some goals for myself.

1. Finish
2. Don't walk. Jog/run the whole thing
3. Don't finish last (overall or in my age group)
4. Have a time 56:00 or under

I thought these goals were realistic. I had trained and ran the Blackwater Creek Trail with Todd Colinger, Lauren Compton and my running coach for this race, Marissa Wilterink (she was never compensated for having that title, but she was just given that title, because I'd always go to Marissa with my questions and she would never brush me off and always give me advice and answers. I would also run in my neighborhood which had some moderate hills, which I felt would also give me good preparation for the course.

The week of the race, Marissa, Lauren and I ran the course. Todd Densmore joined us, even though he wasn't running in the race, which was a motivating factor to me. This is somebody who hadn't even signed up for the race, who was willing to run, and did a great job on the course and is going to set the world on fire at the 2012 Virginia 4 Miler. The night we ran the course, I somewhat struggled. I don't know if it was the fact that I was confined to the sidewalk (on Saturday, I could have a decent portion of the road to do my running) or what, but I struggled. Marissa, Lauren and Todd outdistanced me quite a bit (which was fine, even when running a race, I treat it like golf. I know I am not the fastest person out there, but I am running against myself and the course) to which Marissa turned around and came back for me on the 3rd mile. I always had them in sight, but her turning around meant a lot to me, because she didn't just become running companion, she became running motivator. So, we made the turn on Rivermont and she said, "We're almost there. The finish is right up here." We were almost there about four times, because each time I knew we had a little bit more to go, but I knew she was pushing me, so I was giving it my all. I forget what my time was that night but I knew I had done pretty good. Also, I learned something when running my first 5K back in August. I ran the course along with Lauren and Todd Colinger a few nights before and I did awful. I probably did worse then awful, and I felt like I was going to run terrible on the race, but I actually ran really well clocking in at 40:01 (for me that was really good). So, I have come to the conclusion, that it is always good for me to try and run the course before the race.

I had planned on eating a good sized pasta meal on Thursday before the race. However, that day I wasn't feeling well, I had fallen asleep at 5:00 and didn't even eat dinner, so I did my pasta dinner with Todd on Friday at Vinny's on Wards Road with a helping of Baked Spaghetti. Todd and I went and road the course, just so he could get familiarized with it again. Friday night, I relaxed at home, while doing the updating of high school football scores for ABC 13's Football Friday facebook page. I got in bed about 11:30 and I would wake up around 6:30, Todd would pick me up at 7:15 and we'd head to the start line at E.C. Glass. Before the race, I chowed down on my breakfast of a granola bar and banana, so I was ready to go. Also, when I went to bed on Friday, I was a little nervous. Last year, there was no nervousness, but I think I was nervous because I really wanted to do better this year then I did last. Todd and I were going to start with Lauren Compton, and we knew we'd see her at the finish line because she was going to have a much better time then us. Well, Lauren and Carly Stephenson (a new friend, who is not only a very good runner, but a very nice person) started with us, but they got separated from us real quick, with the sea of humanity that was at the start line.

As we started, Todd commented how fast I was going, and I really wanted to slow my pace a little bit, because I wanted to stay consistent, because I didn't want to come out of the gate so quick that I wasn't going to be able to have a strong finish. We went down Langhorne and I think we both felt pretty good. Down at the bottom of Langhorne, right past the Farm Basket was the first opportunity for water, but I elected to pass on this, as I felt that it would kind of slow me down and I had practiced running without water, so I didn't need it now. I tried to keep running with Todd to encourage him and have him get a good finish. We were on the same pace for a lot of the time, but there were times where he said, he didn't know if he was going to make it and stuff like that, but my goal was to be like JJ Johnson was to me last year and be there to encourage him just as JJ had done for me the year prior. Anyways, we finally get up the hill and make the turn on Rivermont and I turn around (not stopping running) but just yelling, telling Todd that he's got it, no problems. Then, we are running down Rivermont and all of a sudden, he was next to me. My personal belief system for me is to run that last .1 or .2 miles like I have stolen something, so at that point I kind of took off, trying to pass people along the way. When I crossed the finish line, I didn't know my time because I had forgotten to wear my watch but I figured I got in a little under 56 minutes. When the results were posted on the website later that night, I found my time was 52:25. At this point, I wanted to look up my time from 2010 to see how much I had improved. My 2010 time was 58:37. I was pretty stoked to find my time had improved by 6:12.

I took Sunday off and went back to the Blackwater Creek trail and I decided to run 4 miles again and got in at 48:42. So, now my goal is just keep improving my time and my endurance, and I think as I sit here on September 27th, 2011, my goal for next year's 4 miler is 48 minutes or under.

Now, onto the Thank Yous. My biggest thank you goes to Marissa Wilterink. She was always there to answer my questions, some of them she probably even answered twice! She always was encouraging was always motivating, and never made me feel slow or an inadequate runner. She was my JJ in 2011. Also, big thank yous go out to all those people who ran with me on a consistent basis leading up to the race, Lauren Compton and Todd Colinger. Also, Heather Miller belongs in that class. We ran together one night on the trail as well, and Heather, Lauren, Todd and Marissa all deserve thanks as well for motivating me with their words and conversations as much as they did for their running companionship. Big thanks to my wife Suzanne for coming to the finish line with my 2 daughters, Anna and Katie. I couldn't wait to get across that finish line to see my precious girls (all 3 of them). Also, thanks go out to other people I ran with and people who encouraged me including Todd Densmore, my mother and father, Kyle Hoehne, JJ Johnson, Carly Stephenson and others. Also, big thank you to all those people who I knew or knew of that yelled encouraging things, or gave me a thumbs up while during the race. They include Nate Day and his sister, Elisa, Dr. Scott Garrett, and runners on the course, Jennifer Captain, Danner Morrison, Marissa Wilterink (and I think her sister) and I am sure other people who are just not coming to my mind right now. Also, thank you to Sarah Bloom. I always remember her around race time, because if it weren't for her, Marissa Wilterink and JJ Johnson, I would continue being a lazy, non running, weight gaining slob. But, because of them, I am an active, running, weight losing, stud! Also, thank you to all those all those who liked any status or commented on any status I had to do with running during my whole endeavor on Facebook.

Finally, I don't mean to brag about all my running, which it may seem like I am doing sometime on social media websites, but I do that to encourage. Because, if I can do this, anyone can run a race and I hope more people who don't think they can, will try and run a race. It's an amazing feeling you have about yourself afterwards.