Run It Fast®

“You won’t catch me rhapsodizing about running,” I wrote in the first sentence of Going Down Slow. And it’s true. I’ve been the sole runner in my family. Going around preaching about running like a religous fanatic was something I didn’t do. If my feet didn’t express my opinion, no words possibly could. I held my piece. Still do.

Still…I want to admit that nothing connects me to other people like running does. That fact enriches my life.

Just six months ago, I ran a 5K with 95-year-old Isabel Garrett. For her trouble, she claimed a 5K state record. I set a state record for my age in that race, too. Two state records from two old people in one race. That’s pretty unusual.

Read the full story by Dallas Smith by clicking HERE

We asked on Twitter (@runitfast) where you were running this weekend and 55 of you responded!

Good luck to you all this weekend and Run It Fast!

Joshua Holmes – Savage Gulf Trail Marathon. 4,500 ft of climb and put on park rangers that have no clue what they’re doing. Water every 9 miles 😉

Naresh Kumar – Fall Creek Falls 50K 🙂

OnTrack Fitness – 5 miles w our half mary grp at a local park.

Mystic – on the back country roads of fouborg holla

Emily Stacey – first race for the season with #LAC! 5k super excited!

Nicholas L. Norfolk – Running with a friend for his first half. #GermantownHalf

Reggie Dunn – Where are you running/racing this weekend?” L.A Marathon

Sean Lewis – Wabash College!

Katie Grant – I’ll be going for a run in Honolulu. Can’t wait! #girlyfatbet

Scott Stader – youth villages 5k in Jackson, Tn & Germantown, TN half marathon #staderdouble

Mandy F – st pats 5k..!!

Martyn Fisher – Offord, near St Neots, Cambridgeshire. An 18 mile road race.

Diego Eluchans – “Corrida Nocturna Luchetti”, Santiago, Chile.

Yaz – Mmsha Mishrif chinna

Fabrizio Colella – Roma marathon :))

Christy Bowers – Dash Down Greenville in Dallas!

Lynsey Rimmer – Liverpool half marathon!

Rohnny Petitjean – A long the river Meuse in Liège.

Amber Goetz – Beer Run 5 miler in Greensboro NC 🙂 #HappyStPattysDay

Ashley – running by La Tour Eiffel in Paris! #springbreak

Kiki – Three races this weekend – Rhodes City Run 10K in Louisville, KY on Saturday morning, followed by Run for the Gold 3K in Frankfort, KY Saturday evening; then have indoor triathlon on Sunday in Jeffersonville, IN

Mary Jane Schriver – Shamrock Shuffle 1/2 marathon, Harmony PA.

Andy Scott – Rocket Run 10-miler

Stacy L. – #NYCHalf! It’s finally here! Wheeee!

Willie Way – Las Vegas Six Tunnels Half Marathon – Saturday 17th.

Michelle Mitchell – Moscow University Indoor Championships. Speedwork after a high volume block:) 100k Worlds and Euros in a month!

E.B. – Georgia Half Marathon, Atlanta

Sarah Gipe – my family is in the Heart Run/Walk in Cinci, OH in honor of my Mom who is a heart attack survivor. We’re blessed she is with us.

Colene Lord – 8k Shamrock Run in Portland, OR!! After we hit up some college hoops on Saturday, of course!!

Sid Wegener – Wild Goose State Trail in Dodge County, WI.

Kevin Ronayne – Long runs in central MA this weekend

Ms. Swan – 20mi w/ #RunningExcels running grp #Chicago #CARA#marathontraining

Left Hash – Cary March Madness Half Marathon.

telisa – USA marathon in DC

GLITZANDBLITZ – woke up and ran a quick 1.6 miles before work.#babysteps

titeyogarunner – ultrabericus.it 1st #ultratrail of the season. Tomorrow, Vicenza Hills, Italy. 65k, +2550m. In the sun, for once!

Mark Shipley – Running the JC Stone 50K

Freda Miller – Nashville. Springer Mountain Farms 5K.

Ace – Irish Jig 5K in Grand Rapids

kelli – Louisville, KY – Rodes City Run 10k

TriStateSportsNut – NYC 1/2….sunday !!!!

Jason Perdew – Kingdom of Bahrain, around Al Amwaj Islands.

Jared Friesen – 18 mile training run on still very snow packed trails in Anchorage.

Grace Hunsberger – Shamrock 10k in Yorktown, Indiana, to benefit the recent tornado victims in our area. @Ms_Yale

Sambeaux WhoDat – In between kids soccer and baseball games. 2 mile loop around the park of game fields in Lake Charles LA.

Elizabeth Kalifeh – ga Publix 1/2 marathon in Atlanta!

Angie Gerber – Tackling our first 20 mile training run on the Terwiliger hills in Portland, Oregon! Yahoo!

Michael Redlich –  I am #running the @RunRocknRoll #RnRUSA#halfmarathon this weekend in Washington, D.C. with my neighbor, Richard.

Nicole – @lamarathon !! And in the rain again apparently

BeardRunJax – Skipping St. Patty’s 10k on Saturday, for a long run on Sunday. #SundayRunday

Josh Liggett – doing the Portland shamrock run 15k.

Larry Medina – running my first @NYRRLive #NYCHalf. Looking forward to running in the streets of manhattan.

Can’t Stop Endurance – Training in Memphis but cheering #CantStop Endurance runners at Shamrock Marathon, NYC 1/2, Germantown 1/2, RnR USA!

Leah Pate – Through the heart of downtown, along the Sunset Strip, to Santa Monica for the LA MARATHON!!!!!!

Cameron Adamson – shamrock half! 5000 feet up- at the base of the Wasatch mountains, some good hills and a humbling early season tuneup race!

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Charles ‘Charlie’ Reagan, one of the best runners from West Tennessee, was brutally robbed and murdered this afternoon at his muffler shop in Milan, Tennessee.

Reagan was found brutally stabbed to death inside his business, Supreme Muffler Center.  He was pronounced dead at Milan General Hospital.  He was 54 years old.

Milan police have arrested a 17-year old boy on charges of 1st degree murder and especially aggravated robbery according to The Jackson Sun.

Charles is survived by his wife, Trenia, and three daughters.

Charlie was a good running friend and one of my favorite people.  We always knew when Charlie showed up at a 5k or 10k race that we were racing for second place.

Reagan ran mostly 5k and 10k’s of recent but was an accomplished marathon runner as well.

He ran the Rocket City Marathon back in December 2010 in 3 hours and 7 minutes.  Earlier this year he ran the Germantown Half Marathon in 1:24.  His best marathon time I could find was a 2:52 in the 2002 Rocket City Marathon.

He was still knocking off sub 18 minute 5k’s this spring.  I had last run with him at the Medina Hornet 5K back just last month.  That day for some reason he went into great detail about how he ‘got fast’ and shared with me his speed workout that had helped make him speedy.

I had picked up a medal for him from a previous 10k a few weeks before that he had to leave early. I gave it to him that day. He looked at it a couple of times and told me, “This thing is puny!” He then found a small child to give it to.  The little boy lit up!

Charles would often wear all purple for his hometown Milan Bulldogs (high school).  After a win, he would famously shout out “How ’bout them Milan Bulldogs” or “Go Milan Bulldogs!”

A lot of us just run, but Charlie would truly Run It Fast!

He will be missed!

Read More About Charlie Reagan’s Death and Life

Charlie Reagan Memorial Video

Here are few random photos I took during the 39th annual Andrew Jackson Marathon that took place on April 9, 2011 in Jackson, Tennessee.

It was an unseasonably hot day as temperatures started in the high 70’s and reached about 90 degrees for some of the finishers.

The AJM also hosts a half marathon and 5K during the same time.

The 26.2 mile race takes place on gentle rolling hills in the beautiful western Tennessee countryside.

Official Andrew Jackson Marathon Website

Here are the results from the 4th annual H&M 5K Relay for Life Run that took place on April 2, 2011.  The race had 69 finishers.

The overall male winner was Charles Reagan in 18:17, the master winner was Steve Champine in 19:00, the grand master winner was Ted Nelson in 21:52.

Male Age Groups Winners:

10 to 14: Adam Dunlap-19:35, Will Buehler-21:24, Joshua Tabor-25:03.

15 to 19:  Clayton Dyustra-21:16, Shelton Sanders-23:10.

20 to 24: Don Gorside-25:39.

25 to 29: Graham Salonus-24:42, Andrew Simmons-26:02, Barrett Gay-28:48.

30 to 34: Joshua Holmes-20:44, David Greenway-25:19, Lonie Dement-32:00, Anthony Meek-45:13.

35 to 39: Rusty Butcher-21:14, Jason Brambuss-26:31.

40 to 44:  Matt Wallace-21:49, James Krenis-22:09, Rowland Fisher-22:15, Mitch Miller-24:33, Jay Wardlow-28:58.

45 to 49: Terry Taylor-22:33, David Oglesby-24:31, Scott Tabor-27:02.

50 to 54:  Todd Cotton-22:51, Lester Nicholson-??? , Chris Wheeler-25:27.

55 to 59:  Rusty Reviere-23:22, David Kelly-24:36.

60 & UP:  Jim Warmbrod-27:15, Woody Williams-43:26,  Dave Randall-47:56, Gene Walker 48:13 age 79.

The overall female winner was Samantha Jelinek in 22:53. The master winner was Cheryl Tabor in 29:01, the grand master winner was Cindy Kahler in 37:11.

Female Age Groups Winners:

0 to 9:  Savannah Tabor-57:09.

15 to 19:  Allison Bankston-57:48, Anna Feather-57:49.

20 to 24:  Megan Bailey-27:52,  Katie Veach-27:53, Mary Jones-57:50, Haley Feather-58:00.

25 to 29:  Nichole Goel-25:18, Danna Jones-41:40, Amanda Roye-58:05, Katie Childress-58:06.

30 to 34: Carrie Gay-27:20, Myra Krenis-28:22, Graci Helton-28:31, Stephanie Stallings-31:10, Michelle Dement-35:12.

35 to 39:  Angela Box-27:35, Christy Butcher-30:41, Rose Priddy-41:40, Marcy Laxston-42:21,  Colleen Bayliss-45:23.

40 to 44: Lori Brown-43:15.

45 to 49: Sue Hanson-31:05,  Beth Ellis-42:25, Renee Bankston-57:43, Rita Jones-57:45.

50 to 54:  Kathy Slaughter-37:55.

55 to 59:  Jodie Parrish-42:35.

60 & Up: Pat Coffey-58:10.

_______________________________________________________________

H&M Relay for Life 5K Top 25 Finishers

1. Charles Reagan – 18:17
2. Steve Champine – 19:00
3. Adam Dunlap – 19:35
4. Joshua Holmes – 20:44
5. Rusty Butcher – 21:14
6. Clayton Dyustra – 21:16
7. Will Buehler – 21:24
8. Matt Wallace – 21:49
9. Ted Nelson – 21:52
10. James Krenis – 22:09
11. Rowland Fisher – 22:15
12. Terry Taylor – 22:33
13. Todd Cotton – 22:51
14. Samantha Jelinek (F) – 22:53
15. Shelton Sanders – 23:10
16. Rusty Reviere – 23:22
17. David Oglesby – 24:31
18. Mitch Miller – 24:33
19. David Kelly – 24:36
20. Graham Salonus – 24:42
21. Joshua Tabor – 25:03
22. Nichole Goel (F) – 25:18
23. David Greenway – 25:19
24. Chris Wheeler – 25:27
25. Don Gorside – 25:39

Race Director: Jeff Fugate

The 4th annual H&M Relay for Life 5K will be held this Saturday, April 2, 2011, at Pringles Park in Jackson, Tennessee.  The race benefits the American Cancer Society.

View Winners & Results from the 2011 HM RElay for Life 5K

Run It Fast is the finishing line sponsor for the race.  Other sponsors for the race include Hub City Blueprint & Supply, Ashley Furniture, Benefits Consulting Services, 3 Men & a Mop, and Dugger Promotions.

H&M Relay for Life 5K Details:

This fast, flat, marked, manned and timed course begins and ends at the Jackson Generals Baseball Club in Jackson, TN. The final steps will take you around the ballpark’s warning track right to the finish line at home plate. Gift certificates for winners and door prizes will gladly be given away! Age Group Medals, customized for the event, will be awarded for the top three in each male/female age group and Overall, Masters and Grandmasters awards will be given.

This year’s event is in the Go…Series, so series points will be awarded.

T-shirts guaranteed to the first 144 participants this year! Registration fee is $15 if postmarked by March 26, 2011, $20 thereafter and day of race. Day of race registration begins @ 7:15 AM and race begins @ 8:00 AM, April 2, 2011.

Visit www.goseries.org or www.racesonline.com to register online, or download a registration form from www.hmcompany.com/5K. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Please join us for a super-duper start to your Saturday!

If you are in West Tennessee be sure to come out.  The H&M 5K is always one of the best done races in the area. Race Director Jeff Fugate really puts on a first class event.

Plus, how many times do you get to finish a 5K running inside a minor league baseball park around the outfield track before finishing near home plate?

H&M Relay for Life 5K Facebook Page

More sponsors from the race include: AIM, A-Z Office Resources, BancorpSouth, Bell Shirt & Sign, Brooksie’s Barn, Brown & Associates, Chic-fil-A, Concrete Systems Company, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Electrical Systems Company, Express Pros, Gold’s Gym, GoSeries.org, H&M Architects/Engineers, H&M Construction, H&M Industrial Services, Heavenly Ham, Jackson Generals Baseball, Jackson Police Department, Jackson Roadrunners, Madison Men, Panera Bread, Racesonline.com, Runner’s World, Smoothie King, The Kilburn Group, and Wolfgang Computer Services

Results from the race will be published here at Run It Fast.

10K in Knoxville 2010

Most of you may know I am taking a mini-break from running while healing from Plantar Fasciitis in my right foot. I’m almost there, kids ;-). I have been running a little here and there, but I’ve consistently been listening to my foot while running these past few months. I also listen to my foot the days following a run, because it speaks to me and tells me how it’s feeling.

Taking a break from running has helped me look inward with regard to my running. Looking back at 2010, running seemed like such an outward event. I am still every bit the runner I was last year, but probably haven’t even run 20 miles this year. Funny, I’m not too bothered by that.

I firmly believe that listening to your body is the key that will determine the life of your running career (or hobby, or whatever it is). If you don’t take heed and really listen, you may be forced to take a short, or long, or indefinite break from the sport, hobby and passion that you love. I can’t say there was anything in particular that could have led me to believe I would develop Plantar, but I also can’t say I was listening very closely to any issues that may have been developing as they happened.

The injury itself is really not too big of a deal, and as long as I keep up my massages, stretches and icing, I should be back on track to run the Palmetto Half Marathon on April 16^th (one of the best half marathons I’ve ever run … hummm, I think I say that about almost every half marathon I’ve ran, ha, ha, ha)! Seriously, the Palmetto Half is an amazing event.

I truly believe this break from running will make me an even stronger runner when I get back to it. I already know it has made me a smarter runner because now I know how to listen better and what to listen for, and I won’t think twice about taking a week of if I feel I need to. If my body tells me that is what it needs.

It’s not about “racking up the mileage” for me anymore, or seeing how many races I can squeeze into one month, or how many half marathons I can run in a single year. It’s about being a smart runner, a runner who listens, so that I can be a runner for as long as there is breath within me. Or until my legs just give out at 90-something years old ;-).

In the mean time, I have been spending hours at the gym focusing on building muscle and gaining strength. Fitness is a huge part of my life, so if I can’t run I will find something else fitness-related to keep me healthy and active until I return to the pavement. And even then, I think strength-training will be much more a part of my fitness regime than just running alone.

Two women of different generations, different backgrounds, will join in common cause next Sunday when the Upper Cumberland’s second annual Komen Race for the Cure 5K kicks off. Hundreds of runners will join them. The 5K starts at Tucker Stadium at 2:00 p.m., September 26. Race village opens at noon.

Local runner Jill White is half the age of Nashville’s Margie Stoll. Mrs. White was reared in rural Smith County and has always lived in Tennessee, while Mrs. Stoll lists the urban locations of St. Louis, Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. as her past homes. Both women are seasoned athletes. Their paths converge next Sunday.

Mrs. White attended the Komen 5K last year. Her blond hair was just then growing back out, and she wore a baseball cap for cover. Despite her recent bout with breast cancer, she may have won that race. She thought she was the first cancer veteran across the finish line. Then she realized she’d failed to put the timing chip on her shoe. “No chip, no time,” is the warning all racers know. “I was so mad!” she says.

Don’t count on her making that mistake this year.

She learned competition early, when she was growing up on the family farm near Gordonsville. Her father put up a basketball goal. He showed her how to shoot a hook shot. The hook shot didn’t take, but other shots did……

Read the Rest on Dallas Smith’s Running Blog HERE

Millions of Americans love to run for a host of many reasons. There are many more that would love to run but claim they just can’t. That it is too hard.

The video below shows the inspirational story of Ben Davis and his transformation from a 358-lb lazy sofa ornament into a marathon and ultra-athlete one step at a time. He lost over 130-lbs in the process.

Davis started running, very slowly at first, and he kept at it until he did his first 5K, then his first marathon, then his first Ironman.

Watch the video and pass the link along to one of your friends or family members that needs just a little push to get them out there running and on there way to a more healthy lifestyle.

Running is something anyone can do from anywhere. It all starts with a single step.

Watch Ben’s Transformation Below:

Be sure to share with fellow runners and those you want to see running as well!

Ben’s Tumblr Website

Anyone can run a 5K if they are willing to get off their sofa and work towards that goal.  Cool Running (CoolRunning.com) has come up with a widely popular training plan called the ‘Couch-to-5K Running Plan’ to help people get in shape and run their first 5k (3.11 mile) race.

The program starts off with workouts that are easy for first-time runners.  ‘Couch-to-5K’ workouts are three times a week for 25-35 minutes per workout and mixes walking and jogging. There is a lot of walking early on in the program and more jogging mixed in as the weeks unfold.  The program will have you, after 9 weeks of training, in good enough shape to complete your first 5K race.

I usually run a dozen or so 5K races during the year to help work on my speed work. Over the course of the past year, I’ve seen more and more people running 5K’s.  I have talked to several people, at these races, who give credit to the ‘Couch-to-5K Running Plan’ for getting their butt off the sofa and helping them to run their first 5K.

A lot of people are scared to run a 5K.  At a 5K, like most running races, you see people of all running (and walking) levels. If you just get out there and do it, then you’ve accomplished something. You don’t have to set a world record to finish your first 5K. For the most part, runners are often just competing against themselves and their own prior personal records (PR).

Even if you have to walk the entire distance, you’ve still accomplished something really cool. You’ve also improved your health and also likely helped a worthwhile cause or charity with your entry fee for the race.

View the Entire ‘Couch-to-5K Running Plan’ HERE at Cool Running

Have you had success with this program? Leave us a comment below if you have. We’d love to hear your thoughts about it, both positive and negative.