RWR:MEET BRIAN, DAD, RUNNER & WORLD RECORD HOLDER

"The person who gets the farthest is generally the person who is willing to do & dare."

~ Dale Carnegie

So, there is this guy.  His name is Brian.  Like me, he's married with kids.  Like me, he's trying to break three hours in the marathon.  Like me he works, parents and trains 24/7.  Unlike me he's a world record holder.  Also, unlike me, he doesn't eat sweets.  Oh, and there's one more thing, he happens to be a double amputee.  In his world, and mine, this doesn't seem to be an issue.  It's not a reason or an excuse.  It just is what it is.  I stumbled on Brian's Instagram account this year after he completed the Chicago Marathon, the race where he set his world record.  His grit and determination are immeasurable.  His dreams are big.  And his drive is going to take him to places most of us will never go.  I needed to know this guy.  I wanted to connect with him and learn more about his story, which is pretty mind blowing.  In his own words:

I am a double amputee distance runner.  I hold the world record in the marathon (3 hours 3 minutes 22 sec Chicago 2018) for double below the knee amputees.  Additionally, I am the overall fastest American amputee.  One of my big goals in running is to break 3 hours in the marathon.  I came close to the goal in Chicago but fell at mile 22 and sustained a concussion.  I will most certainly be making another attempt in the future. 

Music has always held a special place in my heart.  My family is full of Irish musicians.  My grandfather was an extremely well renowned Irish fiddler and he passed on his love of music to his children.  My father has played in various bands my entire life.  He is one of the most talented and passionate musicians I know.  Though I listen to many different kinds of music, both recorded and live, to this day I have not found any music more inspiring than listening to him play.  He is a true musical genius and can play any instrument that is handed to him.  His main instrument of choice is the Irish button accordion.  Though I have tried over the years to play various instruments, I have never had the innate talent of my father and in the end I prefer to listen to him play for hours on end.  His recordings take up endless amounts of hours of music on my phone.  Growing up listening to Irish music has left me with a deep love of the Irish genre and it will be something I always come back to.

Running.  Check.  Music.  Check.  Awesome.  Check and check.  This guy is the full package.  I am so excited to follow along as he continues to aim for his goal, which I have absolutely know doubt he will reach and eventually crush.  He is the first of all the people I've profiled here who doesn't eat ice cream.  Like, at all.  For no reason other than he just doesn't like sweets.  Just...crazy!  But then, he'd want to have dinner with Aerosmith and run a marathon with Metallica playing along, so he's clearly not totally nuts.  Kidding, of course.  Huge thanks to Brian for taking the time to share his story with me.  I wish him the best of luck as he continues down this path toward even more greatness.  So, here he is my friends; meet Brian Reynolds, a runner who rocks.

RWR:MEET BRIAN REYNOLDS

Name: Brian Reynolds
Where you're from: Boston MA
Where you reside now: Bloomfield NJ
Age (if you're ok sharing): 30
Occupation: Manager at the Sneaker Factory
Instagram: @brianreynoldsrunner *
*website will be up and running by next week

Brian & his family

ON RUNNING & MUSIC
What do you love most about running? 
Running is time for me to clear my head and meditate.  It helps me de-stress.  I love both the times where I can run in quiet solitude and the times where I run with friends.  Running has taught me discipline, perverseness, and determination.  It has shown me that I can be brave and tough when I need to push through rough patches in races and training.  Most importantly running has given me a freeing sensation that I did not think possible.  The first time I pulled on my running blades I felt like I was flying, even years later I still get that feeling every time I run.

What do you love most about music? 
Music has been a part of my life since a very young age.  With my father playing in bands my entire life, I spent much of the time in my formative years traveling to hear him play.  They are some of my fondest childhood memories and I still cherish the moments I get to hear him play now.  Now, as an adult, music still plays a large roll in my life.  I have wide and varied taste in music. I still spend lots of time listening to Irish music and hope that exposing my children to it will give them a love for it as well.  While running I often listen to Irish music, the meditative rhythm can carry me for hours as the miles slip away.  

at Chicago w/ Jim (aka @stanbluejay on IG)

BRIAN'S FAVORITES
Band (current, all time or both): Tara Hill Band & the Eagles
Album (current, all time or both): Metallica, Master of Puppets & Reload
Race venue: Chicago Marathon
Music venue: the local Irish bar
Race distance: depends on the month & my current mood. Right now I am sick of marathon training so the half is my favorite.
Show you've seen live? Aerosmith, although Metallica is my favorite so far.
Ice cream flavor? I do not eat ice cream.  Favorite post-race treat is watermelon. About the closest I come to dessert is Green and Blacks organic 85% dark chocolate. And after marathons usually beer is a big treat for me seeing as I don't drink any other time.

THIS OR THAT:
Sweet or salty? Neither really. If I had to choose I guess salty. I am not much of a sweets or candy person
Live or recorded? Live 
Coffee or tea? I have a strong Irish upbringing so most certainly Tea, and I have never had a single sip of coffee!
Summer or winter? I love both seasons and couldn't pick one over the other. Cold runs are just as much fun as sweltering runs!


MORE MUSIC INFO:
Which band or artist would you go see tonight if you could? The Eagles 
Which band or artist (wait...but no longer alive or playing together) would you go see tonight if you could? The Tara Hill Band. It was one of the bands my dad was in when I was a child. It also included my grandfather and 2 uncles. Their only cd remains my all time favorite album to this day
Which band or artist would you like to have dinner with tonight if you could? Aerosmith, I bet they all have some crazy and entertaining stories
Which band or artist would you like to be playing alongside you during your
next race (or long run)? Metallica, they all have so much energy. I think it would really give me the energy to grinding through the tough parts in the marathon!

METALLICA

LAST ONE:
Today, I feel like....(fill in the blank)
With 2 kids, full time work and full time training.... I always feel like I need more sleep!

Young Brian

Top 5 Songs for running, dancing or both: 
All running songs, I am not much of a dancer.
Better than You - Metallica
Give Me Fuel Give Me Fire - Metallica
Mi Mi Mi - Serebro
Rooftops - Lost Prophets
Danza Kuduro - Don Omar

Last 5 Songs you listened to today: 
Haven't had a chance to listen to anything today! All work and phone calls!

"The first time I pulled on my running blades I felt like I was flying, even years later I still get that feeling every time I run."
~ Brian Reynolds

Listen to this:

Mi Mi Mi - Serebro

THE JOURNEY

"But of course the race itself is the smallest part of the story.  It is the journey that is important; the everyday, the day in, day out. Start and finish lines are just steps on that journey. The prize is not a position, or a time; instead the getting to know myself, the work and the training must be its own reward." 

~ Lizzy Hawker, 5-time UTMB winner

So next Sunday, October 21st, assuming I don't try any new gymnastics moves or run into any random doors, I'll be lining up for my 22nd marathon, the Baystate in Lowell, MA.  I'm pretty excited for this one for several reasons.  First, it's in my neck of the woods.  It's been a long time since I haven't had to travel via plane or a very long car ride for a marathon, a process that can be both stressful and exhausting.  Second, the weekend and race day logistics will likely be pretty manageable for a change.  I get to sleep in my own bed the night before, eat my own food all weekend, make my pre-race coffee the way I like it; basically many of the variables that can often be a question mark will, for the most part, be under my control.  And finally, I am coming full circle on this one.  Baystate was my first marathon back in 2007.  As far as marathoning goes, I was as green as Kermit.  I took very little fluids during the race, I didn't know what gels were and I'm not even sure I did a 20 miler beforehand.  Needless to say, the final eight miles were excruciating.  Despite the fact that it was eleven years ago, I remember that feeling of "bonking" and then the proverbial wheels falling off like it was yesterday.  I won't deny that anything can happen on race day, but I have to believe this time around will be a little different from my first rodeo.  Knock on wood.  I always train hard for each marathon that I tackle.  Most of us do.  But I definitely took it to a new level for this one.  More miles than ever.  Multiple double sessions every week.  Tougher and longer workouts.  You name it, my coach threw it at me.  Funny story, back on June 8th. I noticed the shift and sent him an email about it:

Hey Lowell,
Just curious....if we're already at 70 miles per week in June, where are we going to be in September??  Not that I'm not up for it.  But still. :)
Thx,
R

His response was this:

Rebecca,
It wasn't so long ago that you came to me peaking at 50mpw and a long 
run of 21 miles.  Despite some injury concerns over the years, for the 
most part you have handled a steady gradual increase in volume.  There 
is work to do and as long as you have time and the physical ability to 
tolerate the miles, I want to continue to nudge them up.  You good with 
that?
~ Lowell

Translation, trust me.  And, yes, we're doing this.  Perhaps he thought it best not to mention how far he planned to take my mileage at that point.  Probably a good call.  I had to laugh a little.  To be honest, though, at the time I wasn't sure if I would be able to get through it.  I did have some bleeps on the radar; some plantar fasciitis flare ups over the summer, a pulled hamstring and a few other, smaller but notable physical and mental hurdles.  But for the most part, I've made it to the end.  I have a little over a week to go.  The hay, as they say, is in the barn.  My friend Clarissa, also a marathoner and a total badass, posted the quote from the top on Instagram about a year ago.  I took a screenshot of it and save it in my photos.  It really resonated with me back then.  But it is hitting home even more so now.  The journey, the training and all that is wrapped up in it, is truly what it's all about.  I know this now.  I thrive on the day to day.  Crave it, actually.  The race will be over.  But the story will never end.  New day.  New chapter.  Same story.

MARATHON 22: THE BREAKDOWN IN NUMBERS

Weeks in this training cycle: 25 (May-October)

Total miles run: 1,611.5

Months w/ mileage over 300: 3* 

*July-September. June was 299 but clearly I didn't care enough to run the extra one.

Number of 20+ mile runs: 9*

*should have been 10 but I stupidly attempted a handstand in August.

Races since May: 5 (2 x 13.1, 1 relay, 2 x 8K)

Number of times it has been hot, rainy and/or humid on workout days: 

I can't remember when it wasn't.

Pairs of running shoes I've gone through: 4

Playlists created: 8* 

*one for each race, one for summer, one for a friend & an epic dance mix 

Tubes of NUUN: 16* 

*saved them for my girls who used them for storage & arts & crafts projects

Ice cream cones: too many to count

Cups of coffee: same as above

Live music shows: 3

*Imagine Dragons, Grace Vanderwaal, Fitness

Successful Handstands: NONE

Listen to this:
It's Just The Start - Royal Teeth

BIKEWAY MAGIC

Nature's gift to us,

Is what we take for granted,

Let us treasure it!

    – Aditi Subramanian, age 8

It's Tuesday at 8:15am.  Yesterday I ran 24 miles, my last long run of this training cycle.  Today, I'm so tired it hurts.  I've had coffee.  Doesn't matter.  My lids are so heavy.  I'm struggling to keep them open.  And my legs.  Oh, my legs.  I text my coach.  Is this normal?  Should I be worried?  I ask.  It's okay he says  Your legs will come back he reminds me.  Will they?  I have a second cup of coffee.  Better.  But still.  I need more help.  I call Kirsten.  She gets it.  She's there, too.  Get in your car and drive to your run today  she says.  You need to change locations, mix it up.  Go over to the bike path in Lexington.  Take the thought out of planning your route.  Put your music on and zone out.  Come on, Bec.  You got this.  Okay.  Yes, I nod in agreement.  I can do this.  One step.  Two steps.  A little more effort.  And a maybe a little magic. 

I am alone with many thoughts.  I take in all the elements.  I can fly, soar through the air.  Nothing can stop me now that I fly.  It's a wonderful break I've found from reality.  I feel good about myself.  I laugh and smile.  Do one more mile.  My forward path narrows.  I turn around.  My end has become my beginning.  This path has granted me peace.  I have caught bikeway magic.  Lucky me.

Listen to this:

Every Step That I Take - Tom Morello (feat. Portugal. The Man)

RACE REVIEW:WILMINGTON 13.1

"Remember this: no one cares about your running as much as you do. The training, the race results, the pressure, the expectation. It's all created within ourselves. I find that a freeing feeling in itself. Do what is needed to find success on your own path, not success as defined by others."

~ Stephanie Rothstein Bruce

Last week I ran 80 miles.  That included a 23 miler on Monday and a double on Wednesday.  Then, on Saturday, I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off at the Ocean State Invitational, borderline giddy as I watched the ladies on my high school XC team, 52 of them split up into three different races, run their hearts out.  Forgive the humble brag here, but when all was said and done, I was both proud to have gotten through it and more exhausted than I've been in a while as a result of it.  So, you can understand why, as I pulled into my driveway around 7pm on Saturday evening, I was feeling pretty anxious about running a half on Sunday morning.  Again, I was physically and mentally wiped.  On top of that, I hadn't raced since July and hadn't raced hard since my last marathon in April and I was almost a little scared to line up again.  My coach always says that fear is a good thing if you can channel it into positive energy on race day.  But, this felt different.  I had some worry and doubt sprinkled in, which is never a good thing.  My family was in CT for my daughter's soccer game on Sunday, so I did my best to relax and remind myself that this was just a tuneup for my upcoming October marathon.  Lots of talking out loud to myself on Saturday night.

On Sunday I woke up to a gorgeous morning; crisp, cool and clear.  It's been hot and humid here in the MA area for weeks, so this was such a pleasant surprise.  I was bright eyed and bushy tailed at 5:00am, not by choice but likely due to my nerves which were already in high gear.  For the first time in...well, maybe ever, I woke my dog up and got her out for a walk.  Not that she minded.  We started in the dark and finished as the sun came up, which I took a moment to appreciate.  The race wasn't starting until 10:07am, so I still had LOTS of time.  Thus, I planted myself on the porch and enjoyed a cup of coffee as Clover stood on squirrel patrol.

After that I had some breakfast, did some laundry, cleaned up the house a bit and then walked Clover over to my neighbors house for a little playdate.  Yes, the one time I had five hours to kill before a race, it was basically happening right next door.  The irony was not lost on me.  Finally, around 8:30 I gathered all my gear and loaded up the car to head over to Wilmington, a quick and easy 15 minute drive.  I parked right next to the start and went to grab my bib before making my way out for a warmup.  It was relatively chilly, so I tacked on an extra mile to make sure I was fully awake and (hopefully) firing on all cylinders by the start of the race.  

After two miles, I got back to my car, took off some layers, had some water, pinned my number on and changed my shoes.  I hadn't laced up in my "fast shoes" in such a long time and, as it usually does, the process got me fired up and helped me mentally shift into race mode, which was good because up until that point I hadn't really been feeling it.  Around 9:45, I walked over to the line and did some last minute dynamics and strides as I waited for the 5K runners to take off.  We would be taking off 7 minutes after them for the half, hence the odd 10:07 start time.  Right around here, I gave myself a little pep talk.  

Okay, Rebecca.  You are ready for this.  Let's run with courage and see what we've got.  Go ahead and take a risk today.  Trust yourself to lock into goal pace from the get go and see if you can hold on.  The only pressure today is your own.  You are running for time, not place.  To test your fitness and have fun.  Don't get caught up in the chaos and stress yourself out any more than you need to.

THE RACE:

By the time we were about to get going, I was excited.  Nervous as hell.  But, really pumped up.  I started my music, got my watch ready and, as promised, at 10:07 we were off.  I have an Apple Watch and it often takes a good half mile, sometimes longer, before I get an accurate read on pace.  Knowing this, I just found a group and settled in while I waited for the pace to sort itself out.  Mile 1 came quickly.  I checked my watch.  6:20.  Oh SHIT.  That was not the plan.  I pulled back from the group I'd been in and tried to reset.  But, my heart was racing and my head immediately started playing games.  Clearly, not a good way to start things off.  I cruised past mile two at 6:35.  Much better.  I was trying to hold steady between 6:30-6:40 for this, so I was back on track.  I calmed down and tried to find a fresh mental groove.  I did not check my watch at mile three.  I was trying to run by feel and wanted to stop stressing about time if I could.  This was a mistake.  At mile four my wheels started to fall off.  Mile FOUR.  What??  I have had plenty of race meltdowns, but it's rare that it happens this early on the course.  Things were bad.  I felt really off and my race demons were telling me to stop.  Literally.  I was thinking things like, I can't do this and I need to drop out and Why do I do this to myself???  Oh, and I'm pretty sure I had the classic I'm never doing another marathon again thought in there, too.  But this was a practice run.  It wasn't even the main rodeo.  I've been training since June for an October marathon.  This was a small piece of the puzzle.  A fitness test.  That was it.  Thankfully, a small part of my brain was still able to process this.  I convinced myself to calm down, which was much harder than it should have been.  Then I told myself that I needed to make it to mile 10.  I could ease up on pace if needed.  But I was not dropping out.  I also reminded myself that I needed a marathon pace workout regardless of the situation I was in so it was pay now or pay later.  I was flustered and my doubt was working against me, but I did not want to start this thing over again the next day.  So, I forged ahead.

Above you can see my splits.  If mile 3 is anywhere near accurate, then it's no wonder that I had a complete meltdown at mile 4.  I honestly didn't feel like I was running a 6:09, but I have no idea and clearly I can't trust my watch on pacing.

Why, you ask?  Because despite the fact that my watch shows an accurate finish time, the distance is completely off.  Which means my average pace is also totally off.  So, who knows what was going on.  I knew none of this at the time, mind you.  And just thought I was running slower than I'd planned given my average pace.  Somehow I was able to fight through my fear and doubt and get through miles 5-10.  But it was touch and go for a while in there.  I did have a gentleman next to me for much of this stretch and we often passed water between us and took turns leading, so that was a huge help.  When I got to mile 10, I knew I could finish.  As I mentioned, I thought my pace had dropped, so by now I had stopped looking at my watch all together.  I was bummed, as I'd really wanted to run well for this race and get a sense of how things stood as I head into my final month of training.  But, I also knew that fighting through that rough patch would serve me well down the line so as I was finishing my final 5K I was telling myself that the effort wasn't a complete throwaway.  Finally, I got to mile 12 and I was so freaking psyched to be done and put this mess behind me.  You can imagine my surprise, then, when I turned the corner and saw the clock at 1:25 and change.  What the HELL???  Yes, I knew that's what my watch said for time, but my distance was wrong and thus I thought for sure the clock time was also wrong.  Not so.  I crossed the line in 1:26:05 and had to double and then triple check the Racewire clocks to make sure I wasn't delusional.  

I was thrilled.  And completely shocked.  It was a great time for me.  And I really had thought I'd blown it.  I was also pissed, because I put myself through some serious torture that probably could have been avoided.  And had I known that I was running a good time all along, I think I would have finished stronger.  What a shit show.  There's no other way to break it down.  I just didn't get it figured out from the get go and never got it back together.  Obvisouly, I'm happy about the time.  But, the fight was so ugly that it's hard to not see it as a bit of a fail, too.  As he always does, my coach gave it to me straight.  First, and foremost, I have got to find a way to settle the nerves for the marathon.  That first mile probably cost me 20-30 seconds.  I won't have that time to spare on game day.  And it's definitely going to cost a lot more with a full 26.2 miles to run.  Second, his words here, I don't think I can let you call a half marathon PR and "off" day.  Yes, it was an awkward battle, but I'd managed to get it together and hold on.  And because of this, I should be confident in knowing I can carry out my goal plan for the marathon.  And last, but definitely not least, he suggested that I might need to get a new watch or borrow one from someone on race day as no pace data at all is better than wrong data.  Okay, so calm down, be sure of myself and get a new watch.  The watch is easy.  The other two are going to take some work.  Any thoughts are suggestions are welcome here.  But please make it quick!  I have less than four weeks to go.  GULP.

Listen to this:

THUNDERCLOUDS - LSD feat. Sia, Diplo, and Labrinth