Running Through 2011 - Last Look Back

Despite spending the first four months of 2011 "starting over" as an endurance athlete (due to a nasty foot infection) it was an awesome year.  Personally, there were no great performances or age group awards earned.  2011 was more about rebuilding and getting back to my base level of fitness so that, hopefully, 2012 will be a year of racing and competition!  I learned many lessons from starting over that will help me be a better endurance athlete AND better running coach.  The highlights of 2011?

Country Music Marathon with Team McGraw in April  is always a big party!

Loved moderating the "Ask the Pro" panel at the 5150 Memphis In May Triathlon.  That's Dr. Amanda Stevens (1st OA), Cameron Dye (2nd OA)  and Kris Gemmell (1st OA). Start2Finish Event Mgmt. is one of our great sponsors and they put on first-class events.  

Co-Hosting the Pace Per Mile podcast/ radio show has been such a cool gig.  I love getting to interview the professional athletes, industry leaders and inspirational age-group athletes on the show.  

Another great day with Team McGraw at the Bank of America Chicago Marathon!  Chicago is one of my favorite races.  Super fast course, great town, awesome start and finish in Grant Park.  We had 100% of the team cross the finish line on another hot day in Chicago.

A personal favorite... the "Endurance King", Marshall Ulrich joined us in Chicago as an Honorary Coach for Team McGraw.  He was in town signing his book, "Running On Empty", at the race expo and decided to hang with me & Jeff on race day! Marsh is a great guy and a wealth of endurance knowledge.  Honored to call him friend and mentor.  

ING New York City Marathon with Team McGraw - The 5th anniversary of Team McGraw was spectacular.  NYC is always a special weekend.  Jeff & I were honored to attend the Runners World VIP Party.  We did our "Last Run" on Saturday in Central Park and enjoyed pasta in Little Italy at the Team Dinner. Our friends at the New York Road Runners put on the biggest spectacle in running! 100% of our runners crossed the finish line... again.   

  

Caught up with the "Mayor of Running"
and all around great guy, Bart Yasso, at the Runners World VIP Party

Met one of my fave Runners World tweeters!
It's @RWTish!

              

Working as the "Training Adviser to the St. Jude Heroes Program" was a multi-layered project that included monthly training clinics and online webinars geared towards getting runners prepared for the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend.  The clinic series culminated with a live course preview at the race expo.  Being able to meet so many runners, get involved with St. Jude and contribute to my hometown's premier endurance event was a special project. 

The St. Jude Memphis Marathon & Half-Marathon was a spectacular day for the city of Memphis, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, our local endurance community and the sport of running.  17,000 runners, an inspiring cause, personal achievement and $3.9 million raised for cancer research!

I was thoroughly impressed and inspired by the athletes I get the privilege of coaching.  Here are just a just a few of the "Can't Stop" runners who set big PRs at St Jude!  Way to go Laura J, Aida, Alison, Laura B., Jim, Ward, Katie, Ari, Houston, Darrison, Ted and Joelle!  Hard working, talented runners make a coach look good!   

Got to watch my Los Locos teammates crush the course at St. Jude!  These guys are animals.  Three of them went under 3 hours and five placed in the top 25!   

As a coach, the real highlight of 2011 was watching so many Can't Stop Endurance runners embrace the "Run Smart. Train Hard. Race Fast." mantra and excel.  It is quite gratifying when they "get it" and begin to set bigger goals and push their own personal limitations.  I cannot wait to see what 2012 holds for us all!

Jeff (Road Dog Runner) & I catch up with Marsh in Chicago. 

Ultrarunning legend Scott Jurek in Chicago

Chicago medals!!

Chicago!

NYC Marathon.  Mile 19.

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Run Smart. Train Hard. Race Fast. 

Listen to Coach Kevin each week as he co-hosts Pace Per Mile Radio. Listen online at www.PacePerMile.com and subscribe for free at iTunes!  He also writes the "MEMPHIS FIT" blog for the Greater Memphis Chamber of Commerce.