My Name is David...and I am a Runner

My name is David. I am a proud husband, and father of a toddler. I have few, but very close, friends in my life. I am an only child of parents who are 3,500 miles away yet remain positive and connected through COVID-19. I am a valued part of the professional aviation industry family called ATPCO. I am a member of John Cassidy’s Top Kick Fitness Leesburg gym, where I trained at 5 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I know my why. On March 17th, COVID-related regulation closed the gym. I was not a runner. On Wednesday 18th March, at 5 a.m., I started the journey to become one.

Getting up at 5 a.m. is not a problem. Getting up to run, however, has never stuck for me. The doubts – can I do it, will I stop mid-run, is it too hot, can I get more sleep, why do this at all, will I make my wife and little boy proud – were and are a battle every single time. Clearly, I needed to brush up on my “why”, find some people to keep me positively accountable, and set some stretch goals. 

I’m certain of my “why” – it makes the “what” and “how” much more purposeful – and I have a great supportive village – my wife, Pranam Bai, first and foremost; #ATPCO colleagues Tom and Patrick, dedicated runners and enthusiastic advisors both; and my #tkfitleesburg530crew, for whom I decided to post on social immediately after every run, to give me a sense of accountability. 

As Virginia Governor Ralph Northam had just set a “coming out” date of June 10th, I decided on four stretch targets that I would challenge myself to hit, which I came to have a love/hate relationship with – known as my #northamcomingout goals. If I achieved them in time, I would be a runner. I would also have a story. If not, not a runner, no story. Simple as that. 

1.     Run 10 miles (16.1 kilometers) at any pace

2.     Run 7 miles (11.3 kilometers) in under one hour (7 mph or 11.3 kph)

3.     Run any mile at under 7-minute mile pace (8.5 mph or 13.7 kph)

4.     Run 5 miles (8.0 kilometers) at under 8-minute mile pace (7.5 mph or 12.1 kph)

I jumped out of bed on 18th March, at 5:00 a.m., and put in 3.5 miles at 9:17 pace – far from my goals, but encouraging, nevertheless. It became a three times weekly journey, road distance amongst the social distance; positivity and pushing myself with the support of my personal community, to get out of bed super-early to improve myself mile by painful mile. 

As it turned out, the kick boxing training helped significantly with fitness for running, and goal 2 – 7 miles under an hour - was down by 6th April. I injured my Achilles and was out (walking only) from 14th April to 4th May, but then turned in my first 10-miler on 21st May at a pretty respectable 1 hour and 34 minutes. As the last 10 days approached, I found a good-sized hill outside Leesburg – about 300 feet directly up over a one-mile distance, and then down again. I ran up it in 10 minutes, and down it in 6 minutes 34 seconds to crack goal 3. One to go, with 8 days left.

5 miles at below 8-minute miles – or lower than 40 minutes total - can’t be faked by going slowly or running down a hill. It’s a serious run and I just didn’t feel like I was there. By June 4th I was having serious doubts I’d have a story, and demons questioning my reasons. Going to bed that night, my wife looked me in the eye and said: “you’re going to go out tomorrow and knock that last goal out of the park – really crush it, okay?”. My wife is eminently sensible and knows a lot, so that’s what I did. At Point of Rocks on the C&O trail, with zero elevation up and down and in the pitch dark at 5:04 a.m. and a magical 52 degrees Fahrenheit, I managed an impossible 37 minutes and 41 seconds for an average pace of 7 minutes 32 seconds per mile.

And there it is. A non-runner managing 24 runs in 10 weeks, 16 pounds lost, 107 miles run in just over 15 hours, one amazing partner to support me through it, and the four #northamcomingout goals are done, awaiting the next four #covidemergence goals. 

What did I learn? That difficult things are way worth it if in support of #findyourwhy; that there’s no such thing as a worthy goal if there’s no struggle; that ‘happy people’ have to still make an effort every day to be that way; that humankind can be inherently good; that other people’s support is necessary and quite lovely; and that I’m truly blessed to have Pranam Bai and Ellis so close during this time, and a community of great friends, parents, ATPCO family, and fellow TKFit buddies to hold me up when I really need it.

Today, #northamcomingout day, I got up at 4:50 a.m. and ran a 6 minute 47 second mile.

My name is David…and I am a runner.

#becauseican #findyourwhy #tkfitleesburg530crew #weareatpco #teamsmith