I’d like to start off by saying a huge Congratulations to my fellow runner and friend Wes for completing the Georgia Death Race this weekend. This 70-ish mile Ultra through the Mountains of Georgia is hellish and destructive. My friend threw his Railroad Spike into the Coffin and will not be burdened with the constant reminder of a DNF. Congratulations Wes on a successful completion of a race designed to kill you.
Week 13 was a week full of running with friends, starting at 5am on Monday morning and finishing up with 10-miles on Sunday morning. Of the nine runs completed, seven of them were with friends or in a group. I’m really enjoying the social side of running because in the near future I will be doing a lot of traveling and a lot of running solo.
My weight has now dropped to the lowest it’s been in 15 years. The scale read-out this week was down to 202.6lbs. The elusive goal of breaking the 200lbs mark is near. It feels good to be at this weight as everything is doing better from my blood pressure and glucose to my strength, speed and stamina. My wife is starting to make comments as she hasn’t seen me like this in nearly 15 years; she wants me to gain weight. She’s a chubby chaser!
But really, my wife is giving me compliments and I’ve had a few friends make kind remarks regarding my fitness, running and looks. After nearly four months of hard work, it feels good to know that it’s noticeable.
On Thursday, I set a new PR for a course I’ve been running for six years. It’s a running standard I was once capable of decades ago but lost the ability until this week. It was an exciting run on tired legs.
Lastly, a big “Thank You” to everyone who has run with me over the years. I really do appreciate it and look forward to many more runs in the future.
Monday: 3.24.2025: (JD 83): AM / PM
5 at 5
Was it Monday morning or was it still Sunday night? That was the only thought that crossed my mind when my watch angrily vibrated on my wrist, over and over again until I had the awareness to turn it off. It must be Monday morning. I couldn’t comprehend the fact that it was 0435 and I knew I’d be running in just 30 short minutes. The vibrating computer on my wrist woke me from the midst of a dream. It’s always a jolting feeling to go from the dream-state to wide-awake.
Comfort is a Lie. -Wicked Trail
It’s a thought that seems to have infected my mind from the first time I saw it on a trucker hat in Fleet Feet a few years ago. It just makes sense in my mind. I know that to reach my goals, comfort is not part of the equation. I know that to live a full life, you’ve got to take on challenges and this morning the challenge is waking up early to run.
“The path to what is most real involves confronting the hardest things, embracing personal responsibility, and seeking meaning through challenges and the pursuit of knowledge.” - Jordan Peterson
As the weeks progress, these Monday morning runs are becoming an event I’m looking forward to on Sunday evenings. However, this morning I’m disheveled and surprised I actually have my gear together and enough awareness to have arrived to the start on time.
These people are amazing! Everyone arrives between 4:58am and 5:03am and we are off and running by 5:05am. These morning runs are really turning into a “Run & Done” event with some incredible runners. You don’t hear any complaining or moaning. Everyone is there on their own accord, voluntarily doing the hard things on a Monday morning. Rather that be waking up early, running early or getting in the 5-miles.
I was pleased and relieved to see Maureen back this week and seemingly feeling great after last weeks scare of an ankle injury. Becca returned, this time going for 4-miles despite the early morning discomfort. Andrew was missing, but fully understandable as he completed an overnight 12-hour ultra over the weekend. Again, these runners are incredible.
This was a great way to kick off Monday morning and the run felt good. My legs continue to feel strong and my cardiovascular capacity continues to improve. Had it not been for my planned second run this evening I would have joined two of our runners for an additional two miles.
………………………………………………………………………Oh yeah, I’m also on a Run Streak. Day 50!
5.14 miles | Avg Pace: 9’31” | Avg HR: 122 | Best Mile: 8’41” | 53°F at 81%
Run Club Takeover #1
For our third year in a row, my Run Club is leading up what we call the “Run Club Takeover”. This fun event happens every spring when five local run clubs all surge onto one- clubs location where they host a group run and social. This evening was the first event of five where we’ll get in miles all over the region with new and old friends.
Having already completed five miles this morning, my evening run had no goals except not to get lost! Thankfully at the last minute I figured out how to download the routes GPX file to my COROS app and then upload to my Pace Pro.
With a decent size group of runners who didn’t know the route, I made the decision to go easy and ensure anyone who wanted to follow me for directions could. It was a good run at an easy pace that felt just right. My heart rate barely got above 100 and with the cool temperatures I didn’t even break a sweat during the 5K route.
I was fortunate enough to catch a ride up with Robert and we got to catch up on a few things. After the run we had a good social at the Bearded Bee with some cold beer and a Food Truck that was churning out hot meals that sat just right after a run.
3.19 miles | Avg Pace: 11’35” | Avg HR: 115 | Best Mile: 10’41” | 64°F at 79%
Tuesday: 3.25.2025: (JD 84): Lunch Run & Done
I’ve never been one to run in a tank top and certainly never with my shirt off. My entire life I’ve always carried around enough excess mass that it would make anyone passing me pretty uncomfortable. So when I was driving to the trail head today, I was determined that if the parking lot was empty I’d go shirtless.
Needless to say, it wasn’t empty. So off I went for this quick 5K run on my lunch break.
My goal on this run was to maintain a comfortable pace that was at least 8’00” per mile or faster and enjoy the outdoors on this incredible spring day. The tree’s are still blooming, birds are chirping and you can feel the trail roaring to life. When the slight breeze crossed the trail, it provided the perfect cooling effect to the sun. It was a glorious afternoon to run.
My intent is to normalize an 8’00” minute pace. I want to be mentally comfortable at that pace before I start formal training in October. When I saw my pace was faster than intended, I just went with it because if you feel good, GO!
At the 1.55mi turn around I had a quick contemplation to keep going on for 4-miles but with work requirements pending, I simply didn’t have the time. On the way out to the turn around the trail was rather empty. A few bikes passed me by, but I had the trail to myself.
So I dropped the shirt! Hoping I wouldn’t pass anyone, especially anyone I knew.
The last 1.55 miles back to the start felt incredible. My heart rate never broached above 150bpm and while my breathing was increased, it was never prohibitive or exhaustive. Overall this felt like a great run and is reinforcing my confidence that I’m on the proper trajectory to make a Boston Qualifying run on February 14th, 2026.
Yes, It’s true. Men have body image issues too. As for me, It’s not so much feeling comfortable in my own skin, because at this age and season of my life, I’m more concerned with my athletic performance than aesthetic presence. I’m more concerned with subjecting anyone within eyesight to kinetic movements of my amorphous stature. Nobody should be visually assaulted like that. Hence, all you got above was a photo of my shirtless shadow.
3.11 miles | Avg Pace: 7’38” | Avg HR: 142 | Best Mile: 7’21” | 68°F at 27%
Wednesday: 3.26.2025: (JD 85): Wednesday 5K - Double Down.
It’s a hard-wired habit at this point in my life. Every Wednesday I run a 5K. As I start building up my miles I tend to get in some “early” miles before the club meets up at 6:30pm. So when Mike said he was in for some early miles, I had no hesitation to be there.
Mike’s been running with a weighted vest on all runs 5K and under starting in January. What started out as a fitness tool has morphed into something much more important and meaningful once his young son was diagnosed with cancer. If his young man can bear the weight of cancer treatments, surely Mike can bear the weight of a vest for 30 minutes.
So when Mike said he was in for some early miles, I simply couldn’t just tag along without a vest. I grabbed my gear, kitted up and hit the pavement with him.
Cancer affects everyone and I mean everyone. FUCK Cancer.
It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a weighted vest, at least a year or more. Kitting up felt natural and brought back the faintest memories and recollections of all that time in Iraq and my two rotations through Afghanistan. It was a great reminder of how much I enjoy and appreciate being home!
We knocked out this run around town and tackled a few hills in the process. I was surprised to see our average pace and enjoyed this early 5K before doffing the vest, changing shoes and hitting the trail for another 5K.
3.11 miles | Avg Pace: 10’28” | Avg HR: 127 | Best Mile: 10’12” | 61°F at 26%
After a quick change of shoes, shirt and doffing the weighted vest I was ready to roll with the club for our regularly scheduled Wednesday 5K. Unfortunately our normal route is under construction and thus we all had to make a last minute alteration to our plans. I had no idea what the hell I was doing, so I caught up to Robert, Jon and Ryan and decided I’d just stick with them knowing they’d be getting in a 5K distance.
Then Robert told me what the plan was. We were going to eat hills this evening, one in particular is a nasty piece of work that winds up an 8% incline for roughly 0.25 miles. Never an easy run, even with fresh legs.
In addition to Robert, Jon, Ryan and Myself, we had another cohort of runners who decided to follow Roberts lead. All in all we had 10 people running towards this small, yet mighty incline that is known to break peoples will. Included in that group was Mike, wearing his vest again but this time running a full minute per mile faster!
Overall this was a great run with good people. The weather was as good as it could get for a social run and the hills were challenging.
3.28 miles | Avg Pace: 9’48” | Avg HR: 129 | Best Mile: 8’49” | 61°F at 27%
Thursday: 3.27.2025: (JD 86): Success after SIX YEARS.
The Clayton Area Runners have been running from Deep River Brewing Co since the Brewery first launched back in 2013. At some point, well before I started running with them, someone established the 5-mile route and it became the normal route and distance to complete on a Thursday evening.
When I started running this route six years ago I remember asking if there was a “goal” or “standard” to achieve for this run. In the true, all inclusive and welcoming nature of the Run Club, people would just shrug and give me some iteration of “To finish”, “Do your best”, “Enjoy the run” or “Do better than last time”.
When it comes to running I have a natural inclination to achieve a goal, or have some known standard to measure myself against. With the known 5-mile course the first standard that came to mind was the U.S. Army Ranger School fitness test standard. On March 12th I wrote about “Running Standards and Benchmarks”.
The old Ranger course assessment consisted of 49 push-ups, 59 sit-ups, a 5-mile run within 40 minutes, and six chin-ups. -Task & Purpose
I started floating the idea of having an “Unofficial Goal” of completing this Deep River 5-miler in under 40 minutes. My expectations for civilians to accomplish this feat was pretty low, even without doing the push-ups, sit-ups before hand. This is a standard for young Soldiers going into the military’s Premier Leadership School to earn their Ranger Tab. Surely civilians will struggle with this.
I couldn’t have been more wrong.
My expectations were destroyed, shattered nearly weekly as I watched runners consistently complete this run in under 40-minutes. Time and time again I saw runners of all ages, male and female complete this run in under 40-minutes. My friends like Thomas, Mandy, Anthony, Jon, Scott, Robert, Howard, Michael, Kevin, Christopher and many, many more.
I wasn’t one of those runners.
The last time I met that “Ranger Standard” was 2010, nearly two years before I discharged from the Army. I never came close during my first Marathon build in 2022 or my second Marathon Build in 2023. In the last six years of running the DR 5-miler my average pace was 9’45”. It wasn’t until last month on February 13th that I finished in 40’29”. A mere 30 seconds short of meeting the goal.
I didn’t know today was the day!
My legs were tired from yesterdays weighted 5K run with Mike followed by another 5K of eating hills with Robert and the crew. Nothing hurt and I wasn’t really “sore”, but my legs were lacking and I didn’t feel any “spring” in my step as I started this run. I did however feel light, especially since the morning scale readout stated “203.6”. I haven’t been this light since 2012.
I started this run in the front of the pack next to another young runner who was looking to do a fast 5K, however I was still behind Hank who is an incredible runner. So we took off and I did my best to stick with him and when we clocked Mile 1 at 7’56”, I felt things were going well. The temperature was low at 64℉ and felt even better with humidity at 27%. With virtually no breeze and an overhead blue sky, the ingredients for a great run were coming together.
Mile two was a little slower at 8’07”, but that 11-second increase over mile was was due to standing at the corner waiting for traffic to pass. At this point I wasn’t sure if today was the day for a Sub 40, but I kept the pace comfortable and smooth. My goal was to see what Mile 3 brought and I’d go from there.
I was pleasantly surprised when Mile 3 clocked in at 7’50”! This bumped my overall pace below 8’00”, which means I was back on track for a Sub 40 finish. At the turn around I saw Jackson and Renae were close on my heels with another runner even closer. All three were looking strong and pushing hard.
It was after Mile 3 that I decided to go for it! This would be especially difficult as I still had three more hills to tackle but I was determined not to let that stop me. I maintained a consistent rhythm of the feet, kept pushing and logged Mile 4 with a 7’54” pace. All that was left was a small incline and one mile!
If you feel good, GO! -Anthony
Around the 4-mile Mark I crossed paths with Erika who was crossing over from a side-road. She was looking strong and moving with purpose! I would have slowed my pace and had a conversation, but I was determined to finish this run in a Sub 40-min!
You can deal with anything for another 8-minutes! - Robert
The voices of my friends were loud and clear in my head as I was tackling this Sub-40 minute goal.
While my friends weren’t there with me, their impact on my life and my running was felt throughout.
I just so happened to finish this run exactly when Carrie and Melissa were finishing their run! I stopped my watch, bent over in fatigue, sweat falling off my head when Carrie asked me if I was ok. All I could respond with was “yeah”.
At that point I wasn’t sure if I actually completed the 5-mile segment in under 40 minutes. My watch face had scrolled, I was looking through blurry eyes caused by sweat and wanted to sit down to review the findings. Had I known at that moment, I would have been more excited and animated!
After taking a seat at the picnic tables, I reviewed the data and I had done it!
The Deep River 5-mile Run in under 40-minutes! Official Time: 39:48
I haven’t ran this fast in nearly 15 years.
Post run I enjoyed a beer and talked with friends.
You know what’s better than a great race or setting a new PR.
Having a good group of friends and fellow runners who make life so much better.
5.02 miles | Avg Pace: 7’57” | Avg HR: 152 | Best Mile: 7’47” | 64°F at 27%
Friday: 3.28.2025: (JD 87): Head up, eyes open.
I decided to take a rest day on Friday. My legs were tired and my time was sparse. The day progressed and as the minutes and hours passed me by I decided to continue the run streak. The timing of this last-minute decision to continue this hasty run-streak may have been made by a power higher than me. The alignment of circumstance seemed to be by design.
The sun was setting across my neighborhood, bringing forth the dark oranges and reds across the cloud laced tapestry above. I always find it inspiring and humbling when nature presents itself with such incredible boldness.
As I was turning around at the top of the hill I heard a vehicle honk from the busy road, just as I turned I caught a glimpse of my friend Mike’s truck. Such a coincidence that he’d be passing by just as I was near the road. He later admitted to me that he rarely ever drives that road and just happened to see me.
This run was just over a mile to round out my monthly totals to an even number. My only concerns on this run was to make it 1.2 miles and keep my heart rate low. Two easy tasks accomplished while soaking in the overhead display of perfection.
1.22 miles | Avg Pace: 10’32” | Avg HR: 116 | Best Mile: 10’29” | 73°F at 38%
Saturday: 3.29.2025 (JD 88): F.A.R and Farewell.
We call it “Free Association Running” or FAR. The ongoing play on words is that “You can go FAR with CAR”. A FAR event is when someone posts a weekend long run as an open invitation to all runners in the club to join in. These events bring together runners of varying abilities and aptitudes.
This morning’s event was coordinated by Renae, a strong runner who is preparing for her second Marathon build starting in June. We trained together back in 2023 for the Richmond, VA Marathon and have since logged many runs together.
The goal of this early group was to meet up at 7am, get in an hour of running before meeting up with Cameron for a farewell at 8am.
After taking our obligatory before photo, the group split up into groups of similar paces and distances and we stepped off for our morning run. I linked up with Jim to knock out four or five miles at or around a 9’30” pace. Jim is also leaving the club this summer as the are moving to Arizona. I’ve been lucky enough to get in more than a dozen runs with Jim over the last 18 months or so and it’s always good conversation with this fellow Veteran.
This was a good run! But not for the reasons you may think.
Around mile two, I had to disperse of this excess fluid I was running with in my bladder. Not only was it slowing me down, but it was physically and mentally distracting as I couldn’t even focus on the run or conversation. Fortune greeted me again as we passed another construction zone, so I made my way to the bright red porta-john and handled my business. I guess they didn’t lock them up yet! That’s good.
Our initial goal was to get in five miles, but with a slowdown for the porta-john, I was slowly tearing that goal down.
Then it happened again at mile three, except this time would require more time. Again my fortune aligned with my needs and I was near the parks restrooms when I made the call. This whole process slowed us down by another three minutes.
Running has helped me appreciate the little things and the important things.
Such as finding a toilet as precisely the right time when needed.
I’d take the convenience of a strategically located commode over new running shoes, every day of the week.
With all that stopping, we finished our run at 7:55am and approximately 0.26 miles short of our 5-mile goal. Had I not stopped, we would have achieved the goal at exactly the right time. Sorry Jim!
This morning we were bidding farewell to Cameron, a strong mother-runner who has become a welcome face and consistent presence at our weekly runs. I’ve logged more than a handful of runs with her and gotten to know her over the last couple of years. She found the club after giving birth to her first child and found a place within the club. We got to see her young daughter continue to grow and we got to see Cameron grow from a new runner to completing multiple half-marathons and providing motivation to other young women runners.
I say this often to our runners, because it’s true. Every word.
The club is so great because the people are so great. People like you.
So, Cameron if you are reading this. Thank you for running with us, thank you for the conversations and thank you for being an inspiration to others in the club.
My second run of the morning was a fast-paced movement to go secure the Clayton Area Runners banner for our group photo. Thankfully we store the banner nearby and it was easy to go grab before our farewell photo. Looks like I would break that 5-mile mark after all.
Run 1: 4.74 miles | Avg Pace: 9’24” | Avg HR: 124 | Best Mile: 8’43” | 58°F at 95%
Run 2: 0.56 miles | Avg Pace: 8’12” | Avg HR: 135 | Best Mile: XX | 58°F at 95%
Sunday: 3.30.2025 (JD 89): Run Streak - Day 50.
Always up for a challenge and some miles, Robert never disappoints. After a few late evenings texts the plans were laid for a 10-mile run on Sunday morning before the early spring heat settled in. Yet, our planning couldn’t avoid the ever present, shifting haze of pollen that is coating everything outdoors.
On the drive to the trail head I figured I’d throw a wrench in Roberts morning plans. Usually our weekend long runs are goal-free and just out to complete the requisite miles or time agreed upon. So, when I told him I’d like to get this done in 90-minutes or less, he of course said yes and off we went.
The pace was quick and we were making great headway towards that 90-minute goal. Then the heat, humidity and pollen were cranked up and our pace geared down. Our conversations flowed and the miles ticked away.
That’s what happens when you run with a friend, it truly is better.
10.06 miles | Avg Pace: 9’19” | Avg HR: 127 | Best Mile: 8’46” | 59°F at 90%