Name: Zach
City: Washington, DC
Other
activities: I'm a big reader, I still act like a tourist in DC
(going to monuments, museums, etc), and I like to both hike and ride my bike. I have great friends in DC and enjoy hanging
out at happy hours, especially pub trivia nights.
When
did you first start running: January 2007. I'd been active before
then, but had never run for distance until my girlfriend at the time got me started and had me sign up for the Cherry Blossom.
Ten miles seemed like an imposing task at the time, but I finished and below my target for the race.
Goals in 2007: Following the Cherry Blossom, I signed up with DC Running Coach to help me meet my next goal:
running a half marathon in the fall and running it at an 8-minute pace. I trained throughout the spring and summer and ran
the Philly Half Marathon in about a 7:45 pace.
Goals
in 2008: After running two 10-milers in the spring (Cherry Blossom
and GW Parkway), I decided to commit to running my first marathon. My goal is to finish and hopefully finish under 3:30.
What helps motivate you to train/exercise: I'm very goal-oriented and very competitive. If I sign
up for a race, I need to finish it. I was intimidated at running my first 10-miler and first half marathon, but knew I could
finish if I trained hard. That was my first motivation. Beyond that, I really enjoy running. I find it therapeutic (except
when it's hot and humid during the DC summers).
Thoughts
on having a coach: It's been very helpful. The training schedule
is very personalized and specialized and it gives me a structure opposed to just going out and running. I ran my first Cherry
Blossom in 1:30. After a full year of training with DC Running Coach, I ran it in 1:17. The coaching definitely helped me
increase my base and reduce my pace.
2007 Race
Results
*St. Patty's Day 8k (3/18) = 45:30
*Cherry
Blossom 10-miler (4/1) = 1:29:14
*GW Parkway 5k (4/22) = 23:17
*Lawyers Have Heart 10k (6/10) = 48:40
*Philly Half (9/16)
= 1:42:10
*Army 10-miler (10/7) = 1:18:19
