My PR at the Dallas Turkey Trot

A PR is rare these days for me. I think my fastest marathon was only my second marathon back in 2005. Now, two years and 6 marathons later I have not come real close to repeating that. I did have a PR in a 5k this year when I ran the Camper Scamper but, I counted it as disappointment because I probably could have run that faster.

I would not let anything discourage my efforts on Turkey day this year. Previous two 8 mile trots I ran I planned not to run too hard. This year I decided to give it my best effort. That was so much fun. Oh sure, it hurts like heck, those blasted hills work your lungs, but it was well worth it. 64 minutes and some change. I was simply going for the 64 minutes. It is a great feeling when you set out to finish in a time and actually hit it. The funny thing is that there were times during the race when I fooled myself into believing I would come in under 60 minutes. It was mile 3 as I check my Garmin. 7:19 to complete that mile - it must have been all down hill. Reality would soon reemerge as I started making my way up the Houston St. Viaduct. Well, there's always next year, maybe I will finish under 60 minutes then.

20 Miles with Friends

I don't know what the name of this race is. Last year it was called the Texas Stampede. This year I think it's been named the Ascis Texas Twenty. Either way, today was a great day for a race. We started just below the American Airlines Center. Some of my friends were running the 10 mile race but, I ran the 20 mile race. One thing of note is: Most runners are like horses - when they see the finish line they're ready to quit. This race has the ominous reality of having a 20 mile course that is nothing more than 2 loops. Let me tell you passing right by the finish line to start the second loop is such a mind bender.

I committed to myself that when I passed by that finish for the start of my second loop I would do it with style and never look upon the finish or the festivities going on. That's just what I did. As I made my approach to the pseudo-finish someone in a loud speaker barked, "20 milers right, 10 milers left". So, eyes closed tight I dashed over the mat. I would keep them closed for as long as I could until I risked falling over. The next 10 miles would be a mind game of noting all the places I had passed before - a runner's funky deja vu.

The details of the rest of the run are not real exciting. My entry today is to take special note of a few good friends who waited for me at the real finish. They had run only 10 miles, because they're training for the year is at an end. Two of my buddies, however, did run the 20 miler but they were done more than 30 minutes before me. In any event, there they all were right at the end cheering me on. Run, Don! Go, Don! I could hear every single voice. I did not visibly acknowledge the screams though. I think it was my need to not let them down. They were cheering so I had to look my best and run my fastest. Their cheers could not be in vain, so when I saw them I started taking off faster to the finish. My sprint started a little too early because as I passed them my legs were wearing out. Then when their yelling started I was re-energized to run even harder. I pushed to the line with the voices of my friends encouraging me to finish strong. That was a lot of fun. Even though I'm just training for my last marathon of the year in December, I raced to my finish in this no-name 20 mile event.

So they should have left hours ago but, my friends stayed to watch me finish. And I was not going to let them down. Never, never stop running.

USA Olympic Men's Marathon Trials

Wow, what a day in running.

We had a Trials record set today for the men by Mr. Ryan Hall at 2:09:02. Congrats to him. So here is our team for the 2008 Olympic Marathon: 1. Ryan Hall, 2:09:02; Dathan Ritzenhein, 2:11:06(PR) and Hanson's Brian Sell, 2:11:40.

The American running community also suffered tragedy today at the same event. 28 year old Ryan Shay died today at the Men's Marathon Olympic Trials. He collapsed right near the 5 mile marker and was rushed to the hospital. Ryan was the 2003 USA Marathon Champion and was the the 2003 and 2004 USA half-marathon champion. He was a great American Runner and EAS "Work Horse". We will miss him. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and his wife, Alicia.

Before we start speculating or nay saying on running and other related health issues let's wait. There has been no official word on Shay's cause of death.