MDI Half-Marathon Completion

   A little over a year ago I decided I was tired of weighing 274 pounds as a 54 year old.  That was August 8, 2013.  My son Thomas convinced me it wasn't about weight loss, but rather lifestyle choices.  I could barely walk a few miles on that first walk with my wife Kim.  I started shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store where I could find the least processed foods.  I began to log in everyday to Myfitnesspal app to record what I ate daily and what exercise I completed.  I used MapMyRun an AllTrails apps to record my routes.

274 Pounds

206 Pounds

    I reread Born to Run by Christopher McDougall and found that his coach, Eric Orton, had written a book called The Cool Impossible.  There were many take-aways from his work, but one of the largest action points was to design a workout system around something that you love.  I used to run road races and I love Acadia National Park.  My fitness plan included going to Acadia at least once each month for a full year of runs and hikes.  That is what this blog is about!  
   One of my early goals was to train for and run the MDI Half-Marathon.  It was a "cool-impossible goal".  I walked each day through the year and visited Acadia each month.  I began to drop weight.  It was hard.  My legs hurt a lot.  I started to actually run part of each day's walk in February of 2014. I would walk 300 steps and then run 100.  I increased the run steps and then decreased the walking steps.  Finally I completed the whole 3 mile run!  
I began to run longer distances in the cold of the winter.  
   Part of my fitness plan included "legacy runs" which are routes that I used to do in my 20's.  One favorite route was a rural loop of about 10 miles.  I still live on that loop in the renovated farmhouse of my great-grandparents.  Another route was during my college days at UMF around a loop in the hills of Farmington of 8.4 miles.  I ran the Carriage Paths from Eagle Lake around Sargent Mountain to the Hadlock Pond parking for about 9 miles.  My goal of running the MDI half was beginning to look like it could actually happen.  I completed all of these "Legacy Runs".
   Then I ran into a series of injuries that curtailed consistent training.  In the beginning of September I injured my right calf and took time off.  Whenever I started running again my calf would pull up and stop me.  Time was ticking by.  October 19th was getting closer.  5 weeks out I sought help from Denise Bluhm a Physical Therapist at Greater Brunswick Physical Therapy.  Calf exercises were working but with 2 weeks to go I hadn't run more than 4 miles in 9 weeks.  I bit the bullet a bought a pair of Hoka OneOne Cliftons, and boy did they help out! Kinesio tape on my calves to support them seemed to also prevent more damage.

I ran a tough 8 miles two week before race day, but my calves and hips held up.  I told Denise, "Get me to the stating line and let's see what happens."
   And that is what happened.  

RACE DAY Sunday, October 19, 2014

   We picked up our packets and hustled over to MDI High School after Thomas had run in the KVAC championship race in the afternoon.  We had pasta and Gary Allen was inspirational with infectious enthusiasm.  We listened to an excellent talk by one of our favorite runners and writers, Alexi Pappas.  

The One and Only Gary Allen

Alexi Pappas

    I would later reflect on Alexi's message through difficult portions of the race.  We tried to sleep at the Bar Harbor Atlantic Hotel.  Pretty soon 6:00 came around and we were off.
   The half-marathon started at Mile 13 on a cold and windy morning in Northeast Harbor. 

 After the start I would not see Thomas again for 2 hours. 

The Course 

Hills.  

Somes Sound. 
Hills.

Sargent Drive. 
Hills. 

The weathered pine tree.  
Hills.

The volunteers. 
Hills.

Somesville. 

And finally the descent into Southwest Harbor.  

    With three miles to go I did some math and realized that my original goal of a sub 2 hour half was statistically close.  I put the pedal down in my own version of being a bad ass.

I came up short of that goal by 89 seconds but I completed my goal set a year earlier.  I weighed 206 pounds on the day of the race, 68 pounds lighter that at the start of this adventure. 

Thomas finishing in 1:49 winning his age group.

I am finishing in 2:01:29

After the race I felt a combination of relief and disbelief that I had completed it when two weeks before there had been very little hope for me.  

Thank you Eric Orton, Denise Bluhm, MDI Marathon, Gary Allen, Mary Ropp, and all the volunteers.

Photos from Before and After

August 8, 2013 and August 8, 2014

What's next?

    My next goal is to complete the full marathon distance next May 17th at Sugarloaf.  I will continue to lose weight with a goal of 180 on race day.  I will stretch, drink water, take up yoga, continue my exercise streak which will reach 1 year on Nov. 4, My secret weapon is the use of PT and massage to stay healthy and achieve my next goal.  


My prior marathons:
September 1979, 19 years old, Casco Bay Marathon  4:45  when the wheels came off at 19 miles when I hit the WALL.

May 1982, 23 years old, Maine Coast Marathon 3:05 when I trained with Rich Wells, Mike Jackson, and Diane Fournier with legimate long runs, hill work, speed work on the track.

July 1982 Paul Bunyan Marathon 3:14 when I ran my one and only triathlon two weeks before and had nothing at all until something clicked in at 16 and I ran 6:15 pace the last 8 miles to catch Rich and Diane at the 25th mile with the temperature in the 90's.

Running the Bowdoin and Back 10 miler in cut-off Khakis in 1984

Want to experience the full year-long Acadia adventure?  

Scroll down for other blog entries with pictures and videos of Acadia through the 12+ months. I highly recommend the video of us sledding down South Bubble in February! My next Acadia hike/run visit is scheduled for Thanksgiving Day. Thomas and I are scoping out a multiple hour run along a large loop on the Carriage Paths.