Over the past month I have done a lot of thinking about my running and my blog. This morning I decided to change the focus of A Veteran Runnah and updated it to reflect my new focus.
It is now public!
My running goal for 2013 and new blog focus is to:
Finish the Marine Corps Marathon in under 03:30:00
What do I mean by that?
The focus of A Veteran Runnah has been a bit scattered at times, though I write mostly about running, with a bit of technology, healthy living and life adventures thrown in.
Over the past year, I have been yapping about wanting to run the Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in 2013, which just happens to be 30 years after I struggled to finish MCM back in 1983.
My time that day was 03:45:46 (according to my watch, which I started when I crossed the starting line) – my official time was 03:48: – something.
Finishing MCM back in 1983 was great. However, I was very disappointed in my time, for a specific reason – I didn’t qualify for Boston.
That means the other part of this goal AND the part that I have been a lot quieter about – is to run MCM 2013 in under 03:30:00, so I can qualify for the Boston Marathon in 2014. Yes I know that the qualifying standard is 03:40:00 for my age group, but with so many runners meeting that standard, if I run a 03:30 marathon, my chances of getting into Boston in 2014 are that much better.
Is it doable?
I believe that it is.
Is it going to be easy – no.
Training to run a 26.2 miles is tough enough and adding in the goal of a sub 3:30 time (8:00 minute mile pace) makes it even more difficult.
It will require discipline, perseverance, family support and some sacrifices for me to achieve those two goals.
Leading up to this
Since October 2011, my running has been all about seeing what my body can do, experimenting with different equipment, to see what works for me, and building a mileage base.
This past year has exceeded my wildest expectations and that is why I have decided to publicly make the commitment to train for the Marine Corps Marathon in 2013 now.
The reality is that
I have 13 months to train smarter than I ever have, change my eating habits from using the 80/20 rule to 90/10 rule and even to add in weight lifting or yoga to help me accomplish this dream.
As a result of my decision to go public with this goal I have updated “A Veteran Runnah”
- Changed my About Me page
- Cleaned up the header and added in a screenshot from the Marine Corps Marathon website (which will change if they update it for 2013),
- Wrote a new Quick About AVR
- Changed the background color.
- Added a Count Down widget to the sidebar
These to me were more than just simply changing something – yet again in my blog. No these were tangible pieces of changing the focus of A Veteran Runnah and will help me move forward towards this goal.
As the focus of A Veteran Runnah shifts to sharing my journey about preparing for, then running the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C., on October 27, 2013 and qualifying for the 2014 Boston Marathon that day – I hope that you will follow my adventures and misadventures while I train for these marathons.
Did you notice that I didn’t use words like try or attempt at all during this post? I am going into this adventure with the mind-set that I am going to accomplish both goals and am going to do what I can to make sure that I accomplish them.
- Do you have a goal that you want to accomplish over the next year?
- What are you doing to go after that goal?
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Laura @ Mommy Run Fast
September 2, 2012 at 3:38 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Love your new goal and the idea to make it the focus of the blog for this journey. How exciting! Your running has been improving so much, it will be fun to see you go get this. I am in the process of nailing down some of my running goals for the year, too… not announcing yet.
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 3:59 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you – It is exciting and I still have a ways to go in order to get to where I need to be, but that is part of the challenge
. It will be interesting to hear your new goals 
.
Aaron Smith
September 2, 2012 at 5:07 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You will do this man, awesome that you”put it out there” for us all to cheer you on, and perhaps, inspire you to get some!
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 5:09 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Smiddy – you are already inspiring me to run in 2013 by what you have done this year and what you will do at MCM 2012!!! Hopefully, I can inspire others to do something that they have always wanted to do, but just never got around to doing.
Aaron Smith
September 2, 2012 at 10:51 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
BTW, register early man, so as soon as they go live on the internet, you have to get your registration in, it sold out in 2 hours and 40 some minutes. It took me like 6 times before I got through with my registration for this year’s! Just and FYI! May be faster next year!
Harold L. Shaw
September 3, 2012 at 8:44 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I know I watched it this year, it was amazing, but in all likelihood I will be home, so have a small advantage as long as I have internet connection
. I have a feeling within an hour this year
iameatingright
September 2, 2012 at 6:33 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Inspiring post! I appreciate the 100% commitment to your goal. I look forward to your updates!
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 7:26 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you
Runninglovingliving (@tonee78)
September 2, 2012 at 7:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Love it!!! I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that you WILL accomplish this goal!!! You are and absolute inspiration Harold!!!
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 7:27 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you Toni – I appreciate your confidence and will keep using the I will language instead the ‘try’ language
Jill Conyers (@jillconyers)
September 2, 2012 at 7:45 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Great goal with obviously a lot of thought behind it. I’m looking forward to following your training.
My big goals for this year are running 12 half marathons in 2012, a sub-2:00 half and an ultra. Next? More goals! A 50 miler and an endurance relay on an ultra team.
http://jillconyers.com/
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 7:47 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
WOW!!! Jill you are amazing – that is one helluva set of goals and I am very impressed! You will rock those goals and be even more amazing in 2013.
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 7:47 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
WOW!!! Jill you are amazing – that is one helluva set of goals and I am very impressed! You will rock those goals and be even more amazing in 2013.
MCM Mama (@mcmmama)
September 2, 2012 at 8:10 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You will rock it! It’s an awesome marathon and a fun place to go for your Boston qualifier.
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 8:22 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks – It has been many years since I have been down there and it will be 30 years since I ran MCM. I am looking forward to going back and seeing all of the changes that have taken place
.
Christine
September 2, 2012 at 8:35 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I love your new goal too and I’m so excited for you!! I also love that you didn’t use the word try. I have no doubt that you are going to rock this goal. Can’t wait to cheer you on!!
Harold L. Shaw
September 2, 2012 at 9:00 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Christine – thank you – I am trying to avoid all that double-speak that gets in the way of accomplishing something – I am going to do this and that is just something I am going not going to give any negativity or less than I can type of talk that so many of use to give ourselves wiggle room
.
jules1707
September 6, 2012 at 7:58 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I can’t wait to read about your training! Having read your blog for nine months now I know that when you set your mind to something, you do it. With that it mind I look forward to crossing that MCM 2013 line with in your race re-cap.
Harold L. Shaw
September 7, 2012 at 6:42 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you for your confidence! It will an adventure to get to that finish line
and I hope you are there with me when I write that race recap telling how successful I was in meeting my goals. 
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