Picked Last In Gym - The Misadventures of Chuck: January 2019

After the 41st Annual Great Race

Coach Betsy and I ready for the Great Race

I've asked myself that question so many times. I've asked myself that almost every long distance race I've run. I've asked that during any very hot race I've run. I've even asked myself that while walking around a race expo.

It's been a while since I sat down to write anything, and with the 2019 Dick's Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon Kick Off Training Run coming up this weekend (tomorrow in fact), I figured now would be a good time to do just that. We're only a few days into the new year, and I'm sitting here trying to look back on 2018 at not only what I've been able to do, but what we've all been able to accomplish. I've seen friends reach goals they never thought they would. I've seen a lot of friends reach PRs time and again. Overall, 2018 seemed to be a pretty good year for everyone I knew that enjoyed running.

When I look back, it's hard to pinpoint whether or not I had a favorite race. But, what I can tell you is that there were plenty of new races where the only words out of my mouth were, "why the heck did I sign up for this?" Two races that come to mind were The Glacier Ridge 30k and the FAAP Fall Classic. Don't get me wrong, though, because these two trail races are absolutely fantastic! They were a lot of fun, but I know more than once throughout each course I started to question my own sanity.

Holiday Lights Run with a pink nightmare.

The conditions of these races were not the best. For Glacier Ridge, I just remember it being very hot, maybe even a bit unseasonably hot for month. I was going through my water like it was a cold beer on a Saturday night, and I was 22 again. I couldn't drink any of it fast enough to stay hydrated. By the time I was finished, all I wanted to do was say, "I'm not doing this race again. This one was awful." Actually, I did say that and probably at least 10 times on the drive home. I'm such a liar. I'm almost positive I'll end up running the 50k option this year. It's the lies that hurt the most, Chuck.

The conditions of The FAAP Fall Classic were the exact opposite. Instead of heat...we had rain. We had mass quantities of rain. We started the race in a torrential down pour, and we ended the race the same way. I swear it never stopped raining that day. But, at least I was able to break in my new Navy running jacket! I might have been wet, but I was sylin' and profilin'! I actually love running in the rain, especially when I'm in the woods. There's just something about the tranquil sound of the rain hitting the leaves on the trees that is just so calming. I've even ran plenty of races in the rain, but this was nothing I had experienced before. The course itself crosses over a crick approximately 12 times. From what I understand, this crick is normally about ankle deep. Not today! (Err...that day!) We were knee deep in the water on more than one occasion. Quite honestly, I kept asking myself why I was running in what my common sense brain told me were unsafe conditions. Even when I finished, I kept telling myself how dumb I was for going as far as I did. The current of the crick was extremely strong, and no matter how strong I thought I may have been, it was 100 times stronger than me. I knew better. I mean, I was an Eagle Scout for crying out loud! I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't scared at all or worried about falling and getting hurt each time I crossed those waters, because I was. So again, here I was, saying, "never again." And here I am again, completely lying. I darn well know I'd run that race again. If it rained like that again, I'd be playing in the water like a 10 year old kid.

Run bunny, run!

In between those two races, however, seems to be my Achilles heel: Hell Hath No Hurry. Just like last year, I decided to give the 50 mile option another crack. I figured in 2017, I was able to finish 60k, and going into that week, my mind was where it needed to be. I was so confident that I was going to be able to finish this time. However come race day, the temperature was a very high 93 degrees, and the humidity was even worse. I finished my first lap pretty strong, but my second lap took way longer than I thought it would. After the third lap I tapped out. I simply had nothing left in me, no gas left in the tank. No matter how bad I wanted to continue, I knew that it just wasn't smart or wise. So, after 30k, I let the race directors know I finished for the day, and ended up buying a new car instead. Consolation prize, right? (Edyta on the other hand powered through and finished 40k of her 50k. It was her first attempt at a 50k. I was super proud of my gal!)

You said crick, not river! Photo Cred - Mike McNeil

Always awesome to shake this man's hand after

The Penguins 6.6k! Photo Cred: Mike McNeil

Those three races were the hardest courses that I have had to run thus far in my journey. Two of them I finished; one of them I did not. But, at the end of the day, I was still smiling no matter my mind set at the time. I ran those races with friends. I ran them with my fiance. (For those of you that may not know, I got engaged this past October!) And again, I ran them with a smile. (Well, most of the time anyway.)

As the training season kicks off, that's what we always have to remember to do. We have to remember to smile. There will be days that training is going to seem really easy. There will also be days that we are going to want to give up and quit. We might. But, maybe we won't. Not every run is going to be the same, and not every run will go our way. But, as long as we are with our friends and with loved ones, we will all be there running together. We'll get to where we are going, and that's the finish line. And when we get there? We'll all be smiling. (Or, maybe even crying just a little.)

Until next time....let's keep running Pittsburgh. We'll see you out there.

Sinceriously,

Chuck Hull, The Running Jedi

#26miles26dedications #strongerthanhate #teamlemieux #hshive #forphil #fordobe

PS: I am once again raising money for the Mario Lemieux Foundation. The goal is again to raise $2500! Once we do, one of YOU that donate will receive a signed Pens Jersey! (Either Lemieux, Crosby, Guentzel, or Murray!) How will we reach that goal? That's easy! If we raised $1250 by Feb. 14th, I will participate in a Beer Mile! (Look it up.) If we raise $2500 by April 1st, I will run the full marathon in a dress. In order to reach those milestones, all you have to do is click the link:

https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/mario-lemieux-foundation-pittsburgh-marathon-2019/chuckhull

ALSO: If we raised a min. of $250 from now through February 3rd, all fundraisers will be elligible to win a signed JuJu Smith-Schuster jersey! If I am the lucky one, I will raffle that off to one of you! If I don't...a consolation prize from me will be headed your way!

PPS: If you have not signed up for the Full Pittsburgh Marathon or Half Marathon use my discount code: HULLDSGPM19