FAQs

At this point in the training, running has become my life. I'm either recovering from my latest run, preparing for my next run or actually in the act. People have been very kind in feigning showing interest and asking me questions about the only thing I seem to have time for. Here are some of those frequently (and I use that term loosely) asked questions:

Q: How's the training going?
A: It's going surprisingly well. I've only had one or two bad runs where I really struggled. Otherwise, I feel good and am hopeful for a strong race. I am pretty beat up though. I expected to have a few bumps and bruises at this stage of the training, so it's not worrisome. My body is ready for some rest.

Q: Are you tired of running yet?
A: Generally, no. There are some days where I really don't want to put in the miles. This mainly happens on long runs before work. But for the most part, I'm really enjoying the process and putting in the work.

Q: Do you have a certain time goal for the marathon?
A: I do, but I am not sharing this with anyone. I will say that I have to run the race of my life and have a bit of good luck to achieve this goal.

Q: Why won't you tell anyone what your goal is?
A: It's hard to explain. Part of it is superstition. Part of it is that I don't want that information out there as a disappointment in case I don't make it. And part of it is that I want to rely only on myself to achieve this. But mainly I'm just being weird.

Q: What do you think about Paul Ryan lying about his marathon time?
A: I'm not up in arms about it. Still it's pretty sorry for someone to claim an honor that they didn't earn, and breaking 3 hours is most certainly an honor for runners. Most people (myself included) work for months and push their bodies to the absolute limit without even coming close to running a marathon in under 3 hours. (ASIDE: This answer was not given as any type of political statement whatsoever.)

Q: Have you lost a lot of weight?
A: I don't know because I haven't weighed myself. If I'm eating well and running well, that's all that I care about. It's possible that I've actually put on some weight.

Q: Does your dog run with you?
A: He usually does a few miles with me. His limit is about 5 miles though, so I'll drag him along for a while then drop him off at home while I keep running.

Q: Are you getting excited about going to New York?
A: I don't know that I've ever been more excited about anything. It should be a once in a lifetime experience, and I can't wait to see the city in a way that few people do. If everything goes well, it will be a fantastic weekend in a fantastic city.