Tag Archive | "garmin"

Cary Morgan and Micah Reagan – Runners – Run It Fast

No PR for Cary Morgan but His ‘Proposal Run’ Earns Him Ultimate Prize

When runner Cary Morgan decided he wanted to propose to his girlfriend, Micah Reagan, he used his legs and modern technology to come up with one of the most unique and romantic ways to propose to a fellow running fanatic.

Last weekend, Cary ran a 7.5 mile route in Birmingham, Alabama.  The distance or his pace that day were nothing spectacular for Morgan who is an accomplished marathoner.

He had Micah, whom he’d been dating for several months, meet him at the local coffee shop at the conclusion of his run.   Cary had his computer with him and was eager to show Micah his Garmin data upload from his satellite watch. A confused Micah soon realized that her boyfriend loves ‘out and backs.’

When Micah saw the route she quickly realized that it wasn’t just an ordinary training run for Cary. It was a ‘Proposal Run’ that would change each of their lives from that day forward.

As the New Kids On The Block so eloquently put it several years ago, “Step by step ooh baby/Gonna get to you girl /Step by step ooh baby /Really want you in my world”

Cary gave me a little bit of insight on the inspiration for his Proposal Run:

“Just hit me all the sudden. Never heard anything like it. I have a couple friends that once suggested we run routes that spelled curse words but that was yrs ago”

So we asked Micah for her version of the events that took place on October 13, 2012.  This is what she had to say:

How did you and Cary meet and what was the courtship like?

“Cary and I are two people that have a passion for running and met about a year ago in a running group in Birmingham, AL.  We have shared countless miles together both in training and races.  When we started running together, we immediately knew this friendship was different.  Cary has always said he wanted to marry his best friend and this was indeed an instant friendship for life.”

The way Cary proposed is such a unique way for a runner to propose to the runner of his dreams. How did he make that happen? What details went into the proposal that the Garmin map doesn’t tell?

“Cary logged on to a route maker website and designed a special course in downtown Birmingham.  It was a 7.5 mile route that spelled out “Will U Marry Me?”  He went out on Saturday morning and prayed his route would record correctly on his Garmin.  He had one shot to get it right.  He ran up and back, one block at a time. Once he finished the question, in typical runner fashion, ran all the way back to his car with the Garmin still on to receive complete credit for his venture.

When Cary logged in to Garmin connect, there it was!  Perfect, minus the U, which he had to make larger because of construction.  It was exactly as he had planned.  He asked me to meet him at a local coffee shop that most runners frequent after Saturday morning long runs. He warned everyone there of what he was about to do.  When I came to the coffee shop he was so excited about his run and wanted to show me.

The only reason I was not running too was an Achilles injury that has me cross training.  He began to want to show me his run and I was so upset that I could not run. My arms were crossed and I was thinking, why is he torturing me like this? Then it all made sense.  Cary said, “look at my route” and when I stared for a minute my mouth dropped as I discovered what it said.

All I could get out was, “are you serious?”  Then he dropped to one knee and began to tell me I was his best friend and that life would be complete if we finished together, still all I could get out was, “are you serious?”  He then pulls out a ring and places it in front of me.  I stared in utter joy and excitement that this IS for real and that here I was with my best friend and person I have grown to love with all my heart. All I could get out was “YES!”

He then shared several  videos with congratulatory messages that he had asked our friends to send.  They were absolutely beautiful and made the moment even more special.  I was in disbelief of how many people showed us love that day, some even showing up to the coffee shop  to congratulate us!  I am a lucky girl who has found her prince charming.  Our road to each other was long, hard and seemed endless, but in perfect timing we were placed in each other’s paths to finish the race together!”

So what do you two have planned for your wedding?

“I have to give the wedding details too, right? We thought nothing else would be more fitting than to have a running wedding at the Seaside, FL half marathon in March. Several of our friends have signed up to share in our special day.  I am going to wear a running dress and Cary is wearing a tuxedo t-shirt.  When the race is over, we will run out on the beach to begin life’s race that is marked before us.  We have trained hard and recovered from numerous injuries and are well prepared to begin our marathon journey as Mr and Mrs Cary Morgan!”

On behalf of runners all over the globe Run It Fast wants to congratulate Cary and Micah and wish them the best as they head towards the starting line of marriage together.

Cary’s ‘Proposal Run’ Garmin Data Upload

RUMOR: If you run Cary’s ‘Proposal Run’ route backwards it spells out “Bart Yasso is the Devil!”

Cary is member RIF #201 in Run It Fast – The Club.

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Blue Ridge Relay

Keepin’ It Real

It's important to take some time for "relaxing" runs in between racing, or even as part of your training.

Racing, Racing, Racing!
It is so easy to get caught up in the world of time, racing, pace, speed, racing, mileage, racing … did I mention racing?

In all seriousness, I am guilty of being a “race addict” myself and ran well over 20 races in 2010. There is the initial goal-setting that keeps you training, the camaraderie that goes a long with training, having a common goal to share with others, keeping yourself accountable, the excitement leading up to the race with packet pick-up, pre-race night jitters and then the high of the race itself.

It can be kind of a “let down” for the race to be over, especially if it is a big one!

Just a Piece of the Running Puzzle
Everyone has their own experience in their running growth and development, and it’s important to remember that racing is just one part of the running picture. Racing puts quite a demand on one’s physical, mental and emotional energy. It can also open opportunities for injury and burn-out.

A Heavy Load
I had a heavy training and racing load in September and October 2010 (well, heavy for me but light compared to some). In September I ran my first 25k (Norris Dam Hard Trail Race) with a finish time of 2:41:39. I also ran the Blue Ridge Relay and was runner #2, with some of the hardest legs to run and the most mileage of the 208 miles. I had a few other small races  at the beginning of October that I used as training, then ran my first marathon, the Spinx RunFest Marathon, in Greenville on October 30 with a finish time of 3:32:10.

Relax and Enjoy
I also ran a half marathon three weeks after the Spinx Marathon (Secret City Half: finish time of 1:39:16) and it was during that race that I realized I needed to just take it easy. So I went “back to the basics” so to speak and decided to not worry about racing or training at least until January. I have been running, but I’ve added a lot of leisurely, relaxing runs into the mix and have, on occasion not even worn my Garmin. Crazy, I know!

Taking some time to just relax and enjoy running without the training or racing part of it has brought me back to reality in a way with regard to running. I love racing and training just as much as the next person, and can’t wait to get started again in a few weeks. But getting back to the basics and “keeping it real” is a good exercise that might remind you it’s not always about racing and training. When you get to the core of it, it’s about running.

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