Brooklyn Half (repeated state)

New Personal Record!  Official Time is 1:51:42 (8:30 min. per mile)

Race:  Brooklyn Marathon & Half Marathon 
Location:  Brooklyn, NY
Bib: 1965 (Corral 'C')Time: 1 Hour, 51 minutes, and 42 seconds /1,297th place (out of 5,123)
Division: M50-59 / 23rd place (out of 81)
Course:  Some elevation changes in first half, then down grade (Out-and-back, with a circle)
Weight:  192 lbs.

Distance Training:
9/28 - 8 miles in 01:05:59 minutes (8:15 pace, Treadmill)
10/5 - 10 miles in 1 hr. 30 minutes (9:00 pace, Street Run)
10/12 - 8 miles in 01:05:33  (8:12 pace, Treadmill)
___________

My Training while doing Intermittent Fasting

These pictures are comparing a pre-fasting race, with my running 6 back-to-back half marathon while fasting (after fasting for a month).  

One of the problems I have with my running is losing weight.  The reality is that my weight has a lot to do with my running times.  Basically you can run a half-marathon 1 minute faster for each pound that you lose - so I am very inspired to lose weight.  But using the old fashion counting of calories in/calories out has only worked so-so with me.   That is why I changed to intermittent fasting to lose weight on August 20th 2019.

Since I run half marathons throughout the year -  I am always in training.  So while I am in training I do a 20:4 fasting window, one meal per day while I am training, and switch to a 16:8 on the day of the race.

What about energy? I don't find fasting makes me drag at all - but instead I feel lighter and energized.  I fast from 7 PM - 3 PM - and my toughest training runs are 11 AM - 1 PM (16-18 hours into my fast).  I believe as your fasting continues, your body becomes very efficient at using body fat to run on.

Since I have been fasting I have lost 20 lbs!  I started my fasting at 215 lbs, and as of yesterday, I am 195 lbs.  My hope is to run my best half marathon in Brooklyn this October.

Center of the Nation: 6 States, 6 Half-Marathons, August 19-24, 2019 (states, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26)

Center of the Nation: August 19-24, 2019

Day 1 (Mon, Aug 19): Sterling, Colorado
Day 2 (Tue, Aug 20): Chadron, Nebraska
Day 3 (Wed, Aug 21): Sundance, Wyoming
Day 4 (Thu, Aug 22): Belle Fourche, South Dakota
Day 5 (Fri, Aug 23): Bowman, North Dakota
Day 6 (Sat, Aug 24): Baker, Montana

Six day, six half-marathons - which includes a 600 mile drive from south to north, from Colorado to Montana. Sounds a little crazy, but there was a time when I though running a marathon was crazy.

For training I did my normal training without doing any speed training.  I figure this is about running the distances - not about breaking any time records.  However, one thing I am doing is trying to lose weight though intermittent fasting (20:4).  A month ago I started at 215 lbs. and as of today, I weigh 201 lbs.!  I continued the 21:3 until the races started and then switch to 16:8 and I am glad I did, my body was screaming for food!  But I was able to continue my fasting non-stop.  My wife joked that I was half the size coming home.  :D

I saw Mount Rushmore, a Cowboy Bar, Carhenge, the town of Deadwood, Boulder Colorado and Westminster Reformed Presbyterian Church in Westminster Colorado. Very exciting!

Each day of running was the same.  I'd finish, and take Advil, soak my legs in the hot tub, and then use my friend's Air Pressure Massage Massager for Legs. And in the evening I'd do the same routine again.  Each day, I thought I couldn't making it and everyday I did.  On the fifth day I slowed down the most (after the 10th mile) to save myself for the last day.  You see I had to get done as close to 2 hours as I can, in order to drive 3.5 miles to the airport in Rapid City.  Well I made it!

Popular Brooklyn Half Marathon (Repeated State, first Time Doing This Race)

This year I ran in the Popular Brooklyn Half Marathon.

The race started at 7:00, my corral did not go until 7:20 in the morning (weather was 56-59 degrees when lining up, then climbed in 70 degrees by the end) and we started at Prospect Park and ended in Coney Island.  This was a huge race with 28,000 runners doing the half marathon.   

Race:  Popular Brooklyn Half Marathon 

Location:  Brooklyn, NY

Bib: 17844 (Corral 'K')

Time: 1 Hour, 59 minutes, and 39 seconds /11,605th place (out of 26,801)

Division: M50-59 / 198th place (out of 522)

Course:  Some elevation changes in first half, then down grade (Point to point race)

Weight:  211 lbs.

Distance Training:
5/4 - 11.5 miles in 1 hr. 42 minutes (8:53 pace)
4/27 - 8 miles in 1 hr. 9 minutes
4/20 - 11 miles in 1 hr. 37 minutes (8:54 pace)
4/13 - 10.5 miles in 1 hr. 28 minutes (8:26 pace)

Speed Training 5/8:
.5 miles @ 7:21 pace
.5 miles @ 7:15 pace
.5 miles @ 7:04 pace

Hill Training 5/8:
.07 @ 7:28 pace
.08 @ 7:43 pace 
.10 @ 7:13 pace 

Road Running:
5/7 -  2 miles
4/6 - 9.7 miles

Georgia (State #20)

Flattest course I've ever ran - only one incline which was a small hill which was near the end.   Well organized, huge metals, and a good bit of fun!   The weather was perfect - over cast with just a small hint of ran - and the temp of 47 - 65 degrees.    

 Race:  Best Damn Race (I really don't like the name with 'Damn' in it)
Location:   Savannah, Georgia
Bib:  225
Time:  1:54.10
Division:  55-60 (7th out of 14)
Course:  Part Loop, part there and back through the city of Savannah. 
Elevation: flat and fast course that starts and finishes at Forsyth Park
Weight:  210 lbs. (put on weight in the last week)
Training: 

Training leading up to the race

Distance Training:
02/02/2019 -  Ran 10 miles in 1:23:42 (8:22/mi)
01/28/2019 - Ran 8 miles in 1:09:03 (8:38/mi)
01/19/2019 - Ran 7.50 miles in 1:03:09 (8:25/mi)

Speed Training:
02/01/2019 - Ran 3.1 miles in 23:55 (7:43/mi)
01/25/2019 - Ran 3.1 miles in 24:25 (7:53/mi)
01/21/2019 - Ran 3.1 miles in 24:14 (7:49/mi)

Massachusetts (State #19) ~ Note: New England is Complete

The race started at 9:00 in the morning (felt like rain, but never did. Instead it was nice and cool) and we started at DCR Myles Standish State Forest (which we had a problem finding on the GPS).  This was a small race with 300 runners doing the half marathon.   

Race:  Run To the Rock, 24th Annual 
Location:  Plymouth, Mass 
Bib: 1292
Time: 1 Hour, 58 minutes, and 10 seconds
Division: M50-59 / 15th place
Course:  Lots of rolling hills, and a couple really tough ones (Point to point race)
Weight:  215 lbs.
Training:
- 11 Miles on 9/1 @ 9:01 per mile
- 8.5 Miles on 8/25 @ 9:13 per mile
- 6.6 Miles on 8/18 @ 9:03 per mile 

TRAINING:  trained up to 11 miles at a 9 minute mile.   Last weight was 210-218 lbs (on the heavy side), did some outside and hill training in the last week.  Also because the gym lost a/c - ran in terrible heat.  Mood:  good, but a little nervous (as always).

Side Note:   Jennifer (wife) and Megan (youngest daughter) came with me to Plymouth - and we had a great time.  We stayed two days in an Airbnb which was perfect for us.  

New Hampshire (State #18)

Went to this race with my daughter Megan, which made it a memorable trip.

Race:  Big Lake Half Marathon, 18th Annual 
Date/Time:  May 18, 2018 @ 8 am
Location:  Alton, New Hampshire
Bib: 345
Time: 1 Hour, 59 minutes, 25 seconds (267 place)
Pace:  9:07
Division: M50-59 / 17th place
Course:  Up and Back, Near a lake
Weight:  209 lbs

Training:
- 5 Miles on 5/12 @ 8:20 per mile 
- 11 Miles on 5/5 @ 9:12 per mile
- 3 Miles on 6/30 @ 9:44 per mile
- 6 Miles on 6/14 @ 9:09 per mile 

About the Race:
I woke up at 5 AM for the race and went to the race location.   It was sunny, but cold.  35 degrees.   I was the first runner there.  I sat in my car until I saw the registration desks open.  I lined up on the front line (because no one else took the spot.   The beginning I did a good pace of 8:30 per mile - and a lot of folks passed me.   As I passed the 1/2 way point - I started passing other and in the end finished with a 1 hour 59 minutes time!   This made me so happy.

The end of the race - they had water, bananas, ice cream, pizza and beer.  I wasn't interested in anything but water - and after seeing my official time, jumped on the shuttle (a school bus) and went back to my car.