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I should add, if you're not a runner, that's fine too! 😃 If you're just thinking about it or would like to try it, you're more than welcome here.

As for myself, I'd say I'm somewhere between "beginner" and "experienced," even though I've run more than a dozen halfs and three marathons over the years, including the Richmond Half with a great group of THM subscribers last year. I fall off the wagon from time to time, like earlier this year from injury, and so I find myself starting back at the beginning once again.

But my favorite distance, probably, is the 10K -- it's long enough to be a good distance, but short enough I can throw myself into it without having to worry about my pace or getting too tired. (Plus, where I live -- Atlanta -- has one of the world's greatest 10Ks, the Peachtree Road Race.)

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If runners go through “stages” I think I have “almost” settled in on “joyful acceptance” at age 77. I respect the aging process and realistically understand and appreciate how far I can push myself without sustaining injury while still maintaining fitness and that “joie de vivre” (sp?) that running has never ceased to provide. I know life can be “nasty, brutish and short” and am deeply grateful that I am still reveling in a body that moves without pain and a mind that can appreciate all the awe & wonder of life. Thanks Terrell for motivating me to keep putting one foot in front of the other. My sub 40 minute 10k’s are just a very old memory now but a weekly 60 minute 10k is my current goal. Yes, I am still a bit goal driven otherwise I would succumb to the total convenience of modern living and forsake the joys of fitness. That would be a big mistake for me‼️

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Same here, Clark! I've been giving a lot of thought lately to why I do this too -- I'll have more to say in a newsletter soon -- but I love what you shared here. And a 60-minute 10K is pretty amazing to me!

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I started running at the age of 28 in 1977. I have finished 17 marathons (most after the age of 55) and 20 half marathons and many 5ks and 10ks. I ran the Peachtree Road Race for 15 straight years. I estimated that I have covered over 65,000 miles. I have not run a marathon since my first cancer diagnosis, but ran several half marathons while undergoing chemo. In 2021, I was diagnosed with leukemia and began treatment at the M D Anderson Cancer Center. I was confined to their hospital for 30 days, and walked around the nurses station every day covering 3 miles a day. Ten times around was a mile. I dragged my IV pole (which I named George) along the whole way. I had a stem cell transplant in 2022 and again pulled George around the nurses station for another 3 miles a day.

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Wow, Jim! Your story is amazing and inspirational -- sixty-five THOUSAND miles?!!! I'm seriously in awe here. How are you now, if I may ask? Your motivation to keep going, even while you're at M.D. Anderson, just has my jaw on the floor. I'm blown away.

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In 2014, I was diagnosed with Stage IV mantle cell lymphoma. By late 2015, I was in remission. In 2021, I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia which my doctors feel was a result of the medicines I took to combat the MCL. By the end of 2021, I was in remission of the ALL, but there were mutations that concerned them. In 2022, I had a stem cell transplant that has worked well. However, an immunosuppressive drug I had to take caused squamous cell carcinoma on my head, which is a skin cancer. After 4 surgeries, there does not appear to be any skin caner. I am back to running 2-3 miles a day, and 5Ks. Hopefully all of the cancers are now history. I intend to walk the Camino de Santiago maybe next year. Not bad for someone turning 75 this October.

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You're still going! I was wondering how you were doing!! Congratulations. :)

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Way to go … I turn 75 in December … finally out of the 70-74 age group! Hope you have many more miles.

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Oh my goodness. As an oncology nurse I know what you had to go through those 30 days and I am more than a little impressed. I can also picture you walking around the nurse's station. I've had some patients that walk around and I kid that they are going to wear a gorge into our hallway, but you probably actually did! 3 miles!!!!! Wow! Also, LOVED that you named your IV pole. Most people just call their's "annoying."

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For my ALL treatment at M D Anderson, I had to have an infusion 24/7. My portable infusion meters I named, one month it was Georgia, the next Georgiana, etc. All female versions of George.

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1) new this time around. when younger did 5k, 10k, and even a full marathon. Just did my first 5k in many years last month and want to get back "into it".

2) going to stick to 5k this year but I've got bigger plans

3) Go big or go home! Decided to run the Everest Marathon in 2028 when I turn 70. That gives me 4 years to build up to it. A lot can happen in those 4 years but I'm hoping to just enjoy the journey.

4) still looking for that "happy place". But running more trails than road so I'm just happy to be out in nature at whatever pace I can keep. :)

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Jim, that's AMAZING about your Everest Marathon goal! You might like this story, which Carissa Liebowitz wrote for us a few years ago, about her experience running the race: https://www.thehalfmarathoner.com/p/what-running-the-everest-marathon-aa7

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While doing research, I actually found another 70 year old who did the marathon last year. Here's his race report: https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a44197556/tenzing-hillary-everest-marathon/

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What an amazing goal race for your 70th birthday! I can't wait so see how you do.

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Well, I'm just getting ready to take those first baby steps. I have a Substack to document it but maybe I'll wait a bit before letting everyone else know. But thanks for the encouragement. Just have to train smart and stay healthy. :)

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Awesome goal what an inspiration

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I am training for my dream of all dream races - the Marathon Pour Tous held in Paris this summer during the Olympic Games. 🤯 The mortals take the course in between men’s and women’s events.

It started out a bit challenging but I discovered that a blood donation triggered anemia and uncovered low ferritin. 🙃 I am optimistic that we caught it in time to treat and restore my endurance to normal levels. About 12 weeks to go!

I’m average on my best days. Running for about 5 years with zero cares about pace. Just wanna make the course cutoff time. 😅

Half is really my jam and I found your page, Terrell when researching how to tackle my first. 💕

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Sarah, that is so, so cool about the Marathon Pour Tous -- I had no idea they were doing that. So it will be held during the Olympics themselves? How cool is that?

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It really is an opportunity of a lifetime, especially for a Francophone like me. 💕 The Olympic men run Saturday AM, we get to run Sat overnight (no sunshine, yay!) and then the women run Sunday AM, the final event of the Games.

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This is cool. Good luck!

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Good luck

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Wish you the best Sarah

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I'm an experienced runner who has become out of practice over the last couple of years. So I'm treating myself as a beginner as I work toward my first full marathon in the fall.

When I am running consistently, 10K to Half Marathon is my preferred race distance. I like 15K, but those are harder to come by in the Southeast. For a solid training run, my sweet spot was somewhere between 5-7 miles; that's where I'd hit my groove and the run would feel really good.

One day, I'd like to run the Honolulu Marathon, and I want to do a race in New Orleans.

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Hi Aubrey! 👋 There used to be a great half marathon in New Orleans that ran along the levee there -- I think they moved it to Audubon Park in the years since, but really either location would be cool. And you're right, 15Ks are harder to come by the in Southeast -- there's a few 10-milers here and there, but they're not easy to find.

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Old Man River 1/2 in the Big Easy—great run along the levy—out and back course. Completed several OMR half’s when we lived in New Orleans.

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I'll look into it. Thanks for the recommendation.

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Yes. I did The Gate 15K in Jacksonville a few years ago, and it has been one of my favorite race experiences so far.

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Great goals. I ran the rock and roll New Orleans it’s a great race if they still have it

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As far as I know, it’s still on their race schedule. I planned to run it last year, but moving to a new state and traveling weekly for work delayed that.

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Greetings from Italy. I have been running on and off (mostly on) for about 20 years. My longest runs have been between 10k - 15k. At the moment I am running 6k-7k about 5 times a week (it can be less depending on how the knees are). My dream has always to run a half marathon, and I shall keep working towards that goal. I run both outside and on my treadmill. Running IS my happy place, I love it, it has become just more than a physical activity it has seen me through some stressful, difficult times in my life. Pulling on the shoes to run, 'washing my brain with music or a podcast' is I think the best of worlds.

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Hey there, Ruth! 👋 Where in Italy do you live (and run)?

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I live near Viterbo, Lazio. My favorite running place is Bolsena, around the lake and through the town.

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Hi Ruth - I’ll be in Italy the last 2 weeks in September, looking forward to seeing the beautiful architecture and culture there! Is there a good resource on the internet of good running places there?

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Here’s a quick list I put together of some races there 🇮🇹: https://www.thehalfmarathoner.com/p/8-half-marathons-in-italy-youll-love

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Thank you TH!!!

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http://www.runninginitaly.com/ https://greatruns.com/location/rome-italy/ These may be of some help to you Donna.

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Thank you so much Ruth!

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You are so welcome. I wish you a wonderful holiday and happy running in Italy.

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GA -- Been running regularly since my Mom died in May 2017 -- have done 4 marathons -- slow runner as my best has been 5:22:30 + -- have done 155 Park Runs on Saturday since Dec 2018 -- Will see if I end up doing the donna Foundation marathon again next February -- did it this past February as my friends daughter had died of breast cancer last August -- want to do David Goggins 4X4X48 again -- that will be after we do the Raritan Valley Road Runners "training" run on June 1. -- Thanks

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@Thomas - Let me know if you need a wingman for the 4x4x48. I've done it 3x (the last one solo), and it's always better with company -- even if virtually.

@Terrell - The 4x4x48 is a challenge where you run 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours. The distance is manageable; the hard part is just how persistent it is. And the sleep deprivation is the cherry on top.

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Thanks John

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I’m in awe … way to go.

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What is the David Goggins 4x4x48? (And please know my thoughts are with you re: your friend's daughter -- that has touched people I know as well too.)

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Thank You for your thoughts for my friend's daughter she was 38, believe she had had cancer for 5 years, when she passed away -- running the Donna Foundation marathon was just a little something that I could do that showed support for their family

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GE Terrell -- the 4X4XX48 created by David Goggins is to run 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 miles (so if you start at 8Am/12PM.4PM/8PM/12AM/4AM/8AM/12PM/4PM/8PM/12AM/4AM) -- that will give you 48 miles.

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So sorry about your mom. Good luck to you

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These are fun to answer -- and hopefully my responses are not too obnoxious ...

1) Since fall 2017, I've logged more than 19,000 miles running on Strava.

2) I like to abide by Sage Canaday's philosophy and run any distance, any surface. After feeling somewhat unfilled by the marathon, however, I've switched my focus to ultras. In 2 weeks, I'm taking on my 3rd 100-miler, the San Diego 100.

3) My long-term goal is to run Western States, and possibly UTMB. I'd also like to run R2R2R again, because the Grand Canyon is such a magical place.

4) I loved the intensity required to train for -- and race -- a sub3 marathon. But, for me, there is something truly special about the 100-mile distance. It strips you down to your core, and exposes all of your vulnerabilities. To paraphrase filmmaker Dylan Harris, during these races, you're part of this community that allows you to be you, accepts you at your weakest moments, and encourages you to be your very best.

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John, I'm seriously in awe. I have a friend who does ultras, who I haven't spoken to in a while, but the last time we talked he'd run 50-to-70 mile races; I don't know if he'd tackled 100-milers just yet. That distance just sounds incredible -- what gave you the idea/inspiration to try one the first time?

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Hi Terrell, My inspiration to run an ultra first came from a good friend who ran the Avalon/Catalina 50. I was like, "Wait, what? People run longer than 26.2?!" Then, the YouTube algorithm served up a documentary by Billy Yang called "The Why," which explored the reason why people ran 100-milers. There was this compelling mix of community and suffering and the beauty of the human spirit that piqued my interest. I just had to see what it was all about.

I will say, that mix did not disappoint! During my first 100-miler (SAMO 100 in May 2022), which I ran solo and with no crew or pacer, I experienced existential crisis after crisis -- all the way to the finish. It was AMAZING what the body, mind, and spirit will do if you truly believe in what you're trying to accomplish and accept what unfolds.

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Ultras are on my list too good luck with western states when you get in. Can’t wait to hear about it

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Thank you! It will take several strokes of good luck to get into Western States. After this summer, I should have 8 tickets in the lottery.

If you’re interested in finding your limits — and be part of an incredible community of supportive people — please do give ultras a go. You will learn so much about yourself — and each other.

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I’m definitely interested any recommendations on where to start? Perhaps a good first race? Best of luck on the lottery

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Honestly, don’t overthink it. For me, what drew me in was finding a race and distance that I knew that would scare me — but would still be doable. That meant a trail/mountain(ish) ultra. So, my first ultra was the Leona Divide 100k in 2019 (60 miles, 9.4K ft of vert). Are there any local/localish ultras in your area?

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I am a recreational runner and often feel like a beginner even tho I have been running for more years then I want to admit ( I am 65 YO). I would really like to do more half’s, but I still work full time so training is difficult. I find my body likes running three times a week, 4 times seems to lead to sore knees and an ache joints. I like the idea of 10 k’s and will explore that more. Happy Memorial Day everyone, please give a few minutes thought to the true meaning of this holiday.

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Right back at you, Ken, and so good to hear from you! And, thank you for saying that about Memorial Day -- totally agree, and a good reminder for myself.

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I'm a 50F runner, dabbled a bit in my 20s but really only started running as a serious hobby in my 40s. Bunches of HM, plus one full marathon back in 2019. Now base building for my 2nd marathon (The Detroit Freep!). I'd say I'm an advanced beginner or maybe Bumbling Intermediate runner?

I enjoy 5ks mostly because the ones I run are local races, so I love seeing the community come out in spades ! It's such a nice antidote to the many hours I put in running solo. I don't know if i *love* marathons, but as a planning sort of person, I love the training part of the whole thing, executing each particular run, and just pleasantly zenning out during long runs.

I'd love to BQ, now that I've aged into a slightly more managerable time standard (haha!), but newly diagnosed osteoarthritis in the knees might make this a pipe dream. We shall see!

My happy place: finding that sweet spot in my tempo pace where it feels like I'm flying effortlessly. It a fleeting feeling, but it's the best.

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Love this, HT. Especially the dream about qualifying for Boston -- that would just be amazing. How are your knees feeling?

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After being cleared to wear a knee strap (on the left knee, which is the considerably worse of the two) every time I run, the pain is not so bad during runs, especially after the joints get warmed up. It's mostly post-run when the knees start to speak up! Thankfully I've got a great PT who is helping me round out my strength training with more dedicated single leg exercises to get my quads, hamstrings, and ankles in good order, to give more stability to the whole leg.

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Terrell, I just found THM. Thanks for writing this. I needed it right now. I am an intermediate runner. My brother is the runner in the family (He ran a sub-4 min mile in college and still runs 100 miles a month). I got into running during the pandemic with a group of dads from our elementary school group. We started cycling, and one dad said, "We should run the Long Beach Half Marathon." At this point in my life, I had only completed a 5K. The LB Half was in October 2022, the same month I turned 50. We started talking about it in March, and I said, "Why not? How bad could it be?" I trained, with the help of my brother, and ran the half in 2:15. Before the race, I said this would be my last half, and then the day after the half, I signed up for the 2023 LB Half. I had the goal of running a half in less than 2 hours. I signed up for some 5K and 10K races in preparation for the 2023 LB Half. As I was training, I started thinking about the 2024 LA Marathon. My rationale was that if I could run a half, why not keep going and do a full. I ran the 2023 LB Half in 2:05. The day after, I signed up for the 2024 LB Half and the 2024 LA Marathon. I trained and ran the 2024 LA Marathon in March (5:38:39).

Sorry for the long story, but I want to continue running 1-2 Half Marathons/year along with 3-4 5K and 10K races. I will never run another marathon. It hurts too much, and it is hard to tell my wife and kids, "I am going out for a run. I'll be back in 4 hours." My happy place is running to maintain my weight. When I don't run, I get fat. I want to be here for my family and grandkids. Thanks for reading and I look forward to exploring your SubStack.

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It’s great to have you here, Dave! And thanks for sharing your story—I totally, totally get the reluctance to run 26.2 miles again. It’s too long for me too!

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I just completed my 6 star journey with Berlin ‘23, Tokyo ‘24 and a surprise lottery entry for London ‘24. I neglected the weight room and could see my pace drop off. Goal is to run a half this fall and prioritize lifting workouts.

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How do you approach your lifting? Strength training is something I know I need to do more of.

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I'm in my 30s and I'm completely new to running. I lost some weight last year after a health scare. I started a couch to 5K in September 2023, ran my first continuous mile in October, ran a 5K in November, hope to run a half-marathon in two weeks, and am preparing for a marathon in October.

The most I've ever run in one go is eleven miles. We'll see what the training does to me, but I think six miles is just about the perfect distance, in terms of feeling like I've exerted myself a great deal but without needing to plan my day around it.

You know that saying--"I'm here for a good time, not a long time"? I have a feeling whatever distance I run will be a good time, but also a long time! My only goal right now is to put in a good-faith effort in the training and stay healthy until I get to the starting line of the marathon. Anything after that, we'll see.

I'm weird, but I wish it were always cold when I ran. 25 degrees and maybe a bit of snow would be perfect.

Really enjoy the newsletter!

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Thanks, Ryan! Great to have you here 🙌 My feeling is, if you can run 11 miles, you can certainly run 13 -- it's just two more. You've got this! And, you've made a TON of progress from just having started last September with the Couch to 5K program -- that's seriously awesome.

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I am both a running with moderate experience, and a beginning runner. I've run about a dozen half marathons and one marathon. Also some 5Ks and 10Ks. But I love the half! Some years ago I set the goal of running a half in every state.

After moving from Charleston, SC (12 months of running!) to Asheville, NC (actual winter!), I took the cold weather months of winter 2022-2023 off. Then I started training again too much too quickly, and got injured on July 4, 2023, a classic overuse injury that took me out for the rest of the year.

This year, I went back to the basics (Rocky 3 comes to mind). First, I did a month of walking regularly, at least 20 minutes, 3x/week. Now I'm in week 3 of a Zero to 5K plan, keeping it slow and steady. I plan to run a 5K on July 4, 2024, a 10K in late August, and a half by the end of the year. (And another full by 2030, but I'm not doing any planning for that right now!)

It was big switch to put aside my ego and start from scratch. I had it in my head that I was a "half marathon runner". And I still am ... in my head, at least. The body, however, is not there anymore, and I am now on board with giving it what it needs, which at this season in my life is a more gradual build than I was used to. I'm trying to enjoy the process more and staying away from the "shoulds", which I can do most days.

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This is awesome, Derek! (Especially the Rocky III image that's in my mind now!) How is running in Asheville compared to Charleston? I imagine you can run throughout more of the year there -- though, I also bet it's pretty hilly!

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Actually, I ran all year in Charleston. In the summer, I ran early in the morning, or with the running clubs at 6:30 or 7pm. (Only 3-ish miles for those evening runs!) And in the winter, afternoon runs were generally fine (I work from home with flexible hours). Winters in Asheville are a no go for me. I just don't want to run in sub-40 temps, like, ever (extraordinary situations like marathon training aside).

But yes, I'm still getting used to the hills here! The greenway along the French Broad River is pretty flat, as is the loop around Beaver lake. But practically any route on roads will involve significant hills.

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If you define yourself as between beginner and experienced, I'm definitely a beginner. I started running in June 2023 and quickly got up to 7-10 miles and then ran a half marathon in December (and pulled my hamstring pretty badly right before it, but ran it anyway).

I have been rehabbing it for months and am just now getting back to running decent distances (up to 3.5 miles at a time this week) and working on building my endurance back up. But I'm feeling like having an injury and recovering from it has made me appreciate and understand running even better, if that makes sense. I'm also just enjoying it more now because I've had to take it easy, so every run isn't about me trying to best myself.

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That's much faster progress than I made when I first started running, Chris! Though, I was in my twenties, so injury wasn't much of a concern for me then. You'll get there -- and I'm with you, easy runs are just as good -- no need to push ourselves, especially if doing so means you don't get to run for an extended period of time. What's that saying, "discretion is the better part of valor?" It applies to so much more, doesn't it?

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I’ve been a pretty active runner for my whole adult life, the last 30 years or so. Not competitive, but steady at it with many races under my belt, since having a race on the horizon is what motivates me to get out and run multiple times a week. About a decade ago, I settled into half marathons as the ideal length for me. Challenging and long enough to represent a big commitment for me, but not requiring the kind of training and time that a full marathon does. When I moved back to my home state of Maine in 2014, I set myself a goal to run every half marathon in the state. This has been a great long-term challenge. Since 2015 I’ve run 32 different half marathons in Maine. Looks like I’ve got about five to go to complete the challenge, although of course, races get added and dropped on a regular basis. Three of those remaining races are scheduled for the same weekend in September, so looks like the challenge will continue for at least another year. Also worth noting, that now I’m in my 50s, my pace has really slowed and my recovery time has really increased.

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Reed, this is really cool -- I'd love to know which of those races in Maine were your favorites.

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Almost any run in Maine is amazing, but here are a few of my favorites:

Bar Harbor Trust Half (There are three different half marathons every year in the Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park area and they are all amazing, given they take place in such an iconic location. But this one’s my favorite as it spends much of the time on the famed Carriage Roads of the park.)

Race Through the Woods Half (Not surprisingly, Maine has a bunch of half marathon trail runs, but this one is special to me as it was the first one I ever did. It starts at and benefits Hidden Valley Nature Center, where it feels like you stumbled upon a wonderful little country community festival in the middle of the woods.)

Blueberry Cove 13.1 (I’m partial to the small, community races, and this is the best of the bunch. A spectacular run on the coast of Maine is only heightened by the fact that it’s put on by a small group of locals. The race ends with an amazing community potluck meal and the handmade ceramic medal is one of the best you’ll ever get.)

Millinocket Half (this one, along with the partner full marathon, has gotten national intention, and for a good reason. Such an amazing effort to bring some money and attention to this small town in the shadow of Mount Katahdin. Another total community event and if you’re going to do half marathons in Maine, at least one of them needs to be in the snow.)

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Oh, wait, I forgot an important one. Bay of Fundy Iinternational Half Marathon. The race starts in Canada and finishes in Maine. You cross a time zone and an international border during the 13.1. How cool is that???

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That is a fantastic one! I've heard from past subscribers who've run it that it's absolutely amazing! (It may be on hiatus for now, though; I feel like I remember seeing that somewhere recently.)

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That looks right Terrell. I hadn’t realized but seems like their race director retired and now the race is on hold. Hope they’re able to get it going again. It’s also another reason I try to jump at races when I can because many, especially the smaller runs, can’t be expected to last forever. It’s a lot of work to put on a race.

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That's very, very true -- a lot of these smaller races are simply a labor of love, but it's got to be hard to keep them going decade after decade. An old friend of mine had an uncle who was really involved with the Richmond (Va.) running club, which puts on the marathon and half there every year. He told me that as long as you have a title sponsor for the race, you're all set. But if you lose your sponsor, it's really tough to keep a race going -- the costs are just too high, especially in a larger city.

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Noooop

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This is now officially on my list. Sounds awesome!

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I'd say I'm...a dabbler/curious/novice runner? I've done a few 10ks, which really does feel like the best length for a race, in my opinion. My biggest struggle is chronic pain/injury, and then the frustration that follows falling off the wagon and then restarting feeling like I've never run any distance longer than a quarter mile in my life 😅 (basically my current status)

I've only been running with any consistency for about 2.5-3 years (wow—such a short time, but feels longer!). I would like to get back to running 10Ks by the end of this summer. But I'm not sure my knee can handle it, plus I'm struggling with joint inflammation and fatigue as I'm still adjusting to my new rheumatoid arthritis meds.

How do you long-term runners deal with setbacks? Does it also feel like you've never run before when you get back to it?

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The $64,000 question of all questions. (Does anyone use that phrase anymore, anyway?!) The only thing that's ever worked for me is rest -- and it's really hard to rest for as long as you actually need to rest, because I always find that I think I can come back sooner than I really should, and end up hurting myself again.

I saw this interview with Jerry Seinfeld recently, and he said the same thing about returning to standup comedy after the pandemic. He hadn't worked onstage in over 2 years, and went out to see a comedy show after the world opened back up. He found himself asking, "how does anyone do this?" Even though he'd been a standup comic for decades! It took time for him to find his rhythm again too.

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I’ve been running for over 17 years. Ran more than 20 half marathons, and stop counting while I continue running. I ran 2 marathons: one when I turned 40, and another one when i turned 45. My favorite distance is the half. Enough to be a challenge and feasible to train. I wish I could do a triathlon once, but I never seem to get serious about swimming, and I suck at it.

Since the pandemic I decided I will not pay hundreds of dollars to run, with the only exception being the Miami Marathon, my hometown, my first race who got me into running seriously, and the only one I’ve been running since 2008 without missing it. Even during the pandemic I did their virtual option.

Running is my meditation, it’s where I listened to 70% of the ~60-ish books I read per year. It keeps me humble by showing me my own human limits, but it also makes me feel strong because 90% of the time I tie my running shoes I don’t feel like going out. I just go because I know that feeling is gone the moment I step out of the house.

My only goal is to be able to run until I’m very old.

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Rogerio, so much of your post resonates with me but especially, ESPECIALLY, the part about knowing that feeling of I Don't Feel Like Running today will disappear once you start. Sometimes I go out and tell myself "just one mile" and suddenly I'm in mile 4 and feeling great!

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Good morning … AAU comes to mind … Amateur Athletic Union … I am the prototypical amateur … jogger-walker … started walking/swimming for exercise to get back in shape (round IS a shape - sorry!) and did Disney Half in “08 and have not looked back. Did my 2nd “Great American Bacon Race” 5K last Sunday …. Illustrates that my love of 5Ks, 10Ks and half marathons comes from my desire to stay in shape while sharing dad-joke — level humor during these races. My wife and I live in Coral Springs near Fort Lauderdale so my 131 halves include 16 A1As. COVID introduced me to virtuals so they have become part of my annual mix. I have been blessed with “decent-enough” genes so while heart disease took my dad at 51, I have BP and cholesterol under control with meds. Imelda Marcos did shoes … my wife and I do running shoes, race shirts and race medals.

Local running store has a Thursday night run club so there’s another opportunity to do a 5K and stay socially connected.

My goal … just to continue to stay in shape and provide encouragement to the first timers.

Will close this “mini-biography” with what I like to do during half marathons … when running in neighborhoods, I’m sometimes lucky enough to see families of spectators … high-fiving little kids is in itself, a running high … seeing their smiles is a gift.

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Good morning everyone! Finally getting a chance to dig into this feed so here goes….I would consider myself an intermediate/experienced runner. I began running in junior high school(many moons ago) and focused on track and field. My race then was the 880 or 800 m these days. I ran all thru high school and joined my college team as a walk on. I wasn’t good enough to earn a scholarship but wanted an Avenue to meet new people away from the sorority scene(not my thang). I competed all through college and started running 3-4 miles after I graduated. In 2011 I ran my first half marathon in Phoenix and ran a 2:03. Since then, I have run an additional 12 half’s and 10 miler races, however; age is catching up,and I haven’t been able to get close to that first ever time☹️last year I made the decision to transition to ultra trail races….my first one is this September here in Colorado. I’m excited and nervous at the same time but I know I can do it! My happy place for running is in my neighborhood as we have lots of wildlife, including bears and an occasional bobcat…..I’ve come to love running on dirt trails and will make this my area of focus in the future. I want to be able to run well into my 60’s and 70’s and be healthy along the journey. I’ll leave the speed to the new generation of runners following in all our footsteps!🏃🏼‍♀️‍➡️🏃🏼‍♂️

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How do you deal/prepare for the wildlife encounters, especially bears?

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Best of luck in CO. If you go back to street races, consider GTIS (Georgetown to Idaho Springs) west of Denver. Still time to sign up, it’s in August.

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I’m a heretic. I don’t run for fun. For me, it’s an essential part of my overall approach to fitness, about equally as essential as strength training, with a bit of flexibility and balance work sprinkled liberally. However, I do enjoy the racing dimension of running. That’s the “carrot” part of carrot and stick. The camaraderie of the race, the coolness of locations, supporting a good cause, the feeling of success that comes with an age group award, and many other of the fun aspects of racing keep me on track for training.

I’m about to enter my “fourth quarter” (about to turn 75), and have been running relatively consistently for 50+ years - more than 30 years active duty army where running is an occupational hazard, and racing since my first half marathon in 1985. This year I decided to “retire” from the halfs and focus on a monthly 5 or 8 or 10k and weight the other components of fitness more heavily to maintain muscle mass, bone structure, and mental fitness like improving foreign language skills, creative stuff, and travel to keep the brain working.

By the way - this posing is coming from Wroclaw, Poland (no running involved).

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SO glad to hear from you, David -- especially as you're in Poland! How is the trip, by the way? I love everything you've shared here -- I'm really fascinated by the mental fitness you mention. What foreign language skills are you working on? And what's the "creative stuff"?

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French (conversational) and German (almost conversational). I learned enough Hungarian during a year in Budapest - enough to get into trouble, but not enough to get back out. I can be polite or impolite in Polish from the things I remember my Polish grandmother saying to me 50+ years ago (some of it NSFW). I started community college Spanish a few years ago, but before I could get to sp102 I got sent to Saudi Arabia and it got stepped on by Arabic. I’m now trying to rebuild vocabulary across the set. The trip is great. The Polish people, food, beer and culture are incredible. Next week the Black Forest region of Germany. Creatively working in woos and stained glass.

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I was just getting ready to finish up and post my next essay with some of these answers in it. Here are a few of the things that I put in it:

The first thought that comes to mind is I am an odd type of runner. I enjoy running as part of a group but as a middle to back of the packer I usually end up running with limited partners.

I would call myself an intermediate runner Still learning things but able to pass on my experiences.

I run shorter events but really enjoy running half's, they are long enough to test my endurance but not overly taxing on the old body.

I try to set goals every year this year's goal is advertised as an eight hour run, I put a local'ish 50 miler in ink on the calendar so we will see what happens. I have a test weekend coming up in a few weeks so I am not surprised on event weekend.

Bullied by the atmosphere during events I can be consistent in the 9 to 10 minute range, solo and trail runs are slower more like the 11 to 12 minute range, I will have a better idea after the training event in a few weeks

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A 50-miler! Have you ever run that distance before, Mike? Wow...

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No this will be my first time over marathon distances in a single setting. I have completed the 4x4x48 challenge which I did in 45 hours but there was a lot of space between runs.

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Wow! What was that experience like?

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I actually wrote an essay about the experience and posted here, https://mikechekal.substack.com/p/the-4x4x48-essay?r=2swvz. The hardest part was the mental aspect of the second over the night run. the training was not as bad as I thought it would be just getting used to running multiple time a day

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