ING Miami Marathon and why I love my "job"

I spent time in Miami with my wife and her sisters, built some business relationships, presented on ING's Run for Something Better program Friday, then ran a 3:05:03 in the ING Miami Marathon Sunday. Now that's a great extended weekend!

This was a PR for me by 25 minutes! I ran 7:04 minute/mile averages and even negative split by 1 minute and 30 seconds. 5 gels, lots of gatorade, 4 e-caps and 60 degree weather all helped. I came in 66th place overall and 6th of over 250 in the men's 35-39 age group.

I am not quite certain how training with only 25-35 running miles per week can make for such a solid marathon. I will attribute it to quality of runs versus quantity of runs I guess. The triathlete lifestyle of workout must be making a big difference as well. I've been on the spin bike and in the pool more as my running has been dialed down over 2007 and 2008.

I also had the chance to hang out with Brian Sell, future olympic marathoner for the USA. Brian won the 1/2 marathon in Miami. It was a training day for him but he still beat the course record by 3.5 minutes. I was talking with him after the race and I speculated that he must have been holding back a bit. He claimed it was a "97 or 98% effort". The photo here is of me and Brian at the press conference prior to the marathon. I am all suited up as I was performing my ING duties that day.

Kudos to my wife Heather, her sister Tiffany, and our sister-in-law Stacie who all finished the 1/2 marathon as well. A first for Tiffany and Stacie. Awesome!