My garmin is in the shop for repairs, so I ran naked today. This is a relatively up and down course, with some good downhills in the beginning. I had a good first mile split, I believe around 5:55 - similar to last year (and this is a strange course where there are more downhills in the first half and a decent hill climb on the second half, so it is wiser to positive split this race). The difference from last year is that my breathing was much more controlled after the first mile this year. I've been concentrating on Aerobic Running this year. Guessing that my Aerobic Threshold is between 138 and 144 bpm (which feels like a relatively EZ effort for me) I've been running 75 to 80% of my workouts in this Zone. A.) Because I've read it lowers your overall heartrate and B.) Because I believe it has reduced my risk of injury and helped me recovery from a bout with ITBS and Piriformis pain.

The next thing I noticed during mile 1 and 2 is that the climbs felt easier. Last year I was 172 lbs (4.6 pounds heavier). This may not sound like much, but I definitely could tell the difference.

Last year around 2.5 miles I started to slow. This year, with a year-long focus on maintaining form, I did not have that problem. I simply concentrated on my form and maintaining a quick cadence.

Right after mile 3 is a decent, steep hill. Again, compared to last year I was able to zip right up it. A focus in the last 12 months on hill repeats paid off here.

With about a 1/2 mile to go, a group of 4 or 5 guys were slowly passing me. I had the energy to pass them, but was conservative as I knew my mile splits and knew I was headed for a possible PR and I didn't want to blow my kick.

When I rounded the corner and came back into the lake park, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw a 26:XX on the clock. My initial goal was simply to match my time from last year (27:52). I let out everything I had for the last 100 yards and raised my hands in the air as I crossed the finish line stunned by a massive PR. (I never raise my hands when I cross the finish line. Maybe at the NYC Marathon I did, but that was about the only time).

I'll change the question to what I did differently from last year.

I'd read the phrase: Biking will help your Running, but Running will not help your biking. Before I got into triathlon, I was a runner. After a year amd a half of triathlon training my road race times went down due to my focus on Swimming and Biking. Suddenly, I now believe I've gotten my Swimming and Biking up to par with my Running - and the core work from swimming, and the developement of my glutes and quads from biking, are spilling over into my Running.

I know it sounds silly and most people won't make sense of this, but today's 4-mile race gave me a better sense of accomplishment and greater satisfaction than my 5:24 time at Eagleman 2 weeks ago. Why? Not cause I'm crazy, but because at Eagleman I didn't execute like I know I am capabale of. Today I did. The difference also is, I took in zero nutrition on my 4-miler; you can't exactly do that for a 70.3.

Today's Race was also so amazingly satisfying because after last years Race I knew I wasn't at a good wieght, I knew I was always training at to high of a threshold, and I knew I was properly prepared. I focused on diligently changing these things over the last 12 months, and today was a huge Pay Day!

Yes, a 4-mile race made me happier than a sub 5:30 HIM, but it's all about Principles and getting it right and reaching my true potential. Today I did that. Hopefully in two weeks I'll be able to do it at my Rhode Island 70.3

I will be very satisfied with this PR for many months to come.

Kissed the wife and kids who saw daddy cross the finish!! Ate an apple and drank the sweet VICTORY Kool-aid!!


If I continue to train appropriatley, and lose another 5 lbs by next year, I may have another PR waiting for me.

What really helped me perform was my experience running at Eagleman. The run at Eagleman was fairly hot and humid, and many runners were complaining today about the heat and humidity, but compared to Eagleman it was no big deal - atleast to me.


I spent my first year of life in Lake Ronkonkoma. It's a very special place to me and this race holds a very special place in my heart.