PIM - Cinco de Mayo 5K

5K, official = 36:41.34, Garmin: Max HR = 137, Avg HR = 112

Congratulations Batons!

I am so proud of you! I saw many heroes at the Cinco de Mayo 5K!

A hero refuses to give up in the face of potential failure. I saw many of you who refused to quit, despite the internal noises in your head telling you that you couldn't achieve your goals. Some of you even had to overcome the external noises of naysayers in your life that thought you couldn't do it . . . perhaps because the idea was so foreign to them that they were afraid of your transfiguration.

A hero commits to the right thing when the path less taken looks easier. Many of you participated in physical activity for the first time in your life, and all of you made the decision to refuse the sweet allure of the couch and the potato chips.

A hero inspires others toward positive change. Your friends, family and strangers saw what you did today and realize that it's possible for them to turn their lives around.

My friends, life is not always fair . . . but the act of running is your best chance to get a fair shake. The rewards you reap are a direct result of the work you put into training. There are no gifts; there is no cheating; shortcuts don't exist. It looks so easy for those who won today, and I'm just as guilty as the next guy in thinking that they have a talent I don't have. But the reality is that they put in the work to earn their status. I am envious of their willpower and strive to equal it.

That same willpower is deeply rooted within you as well. "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare. (Juma Ikangaa)." You made the decision to prepare, and you will soon decide whether this was a passing phase or a lifestyle decision. I hope you choose the latter, and that we will see you out next Wednesday and plenty of subsequent nights at Memorial Park and elsewhere. You are all champions, but this taste of success is only the beginning of much more to come if you stay the course.

I was excited to hear about many of your future plans and questions . . .about future 5Ks, half-marathons, speed work, taking it to the next level, et cetera. All of your coaches want to encourage your future aspirations by providing advice, support and camaraderie along the way. Please keep in touch with us via email and in person to keep us abreast of your future endeavors.

Coach Jonathan

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Other notes:
* I joined the Tornados last Wednesday after PIM, and therefore this was my club's race (even though I didn't do anything for this race.) I celebrated my membership by going out with the crew afterwards. Coach Manny (from PIM and a key Tornado) treated me to lunch! The Tornados are perhaps the fastest club in town, and a great crew to boot. I'm really hoping that I can improve my marathon time and slide in under three hours when I run Houston next year. They have several sub-3 guys, so hopefully some of that speed will rub off.

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TDLY - 5/1/07: 8.18 miles, 1:17:08, 9:25 pace, Max HR = 167, Avg HR = 158, 77% Zone 4, 21% Zone 3. I'll never forget this run. It's the first time I ran with Cory outside of PIM, and the longest I'd ever run in my life up until that point. The conversation and run was great early on, but I started to fade toward the end and it turned into a difficult run.
5/2/07: PIM Indian Run, 2.87 miles, 25:30, 8:53 pace, Max HR = 179, Avg HR = 156, 17% Z5, 51% Z4 - 24% Z3. As Indian Runs normally go, this one increased in pace the entire time with tehe last mile being 8:26. That was enough to push me into my Zone 5. I can remember finishing this run and being glad it was over because I couldn't run any faster.
5/3/07 - Rest