I am sure I missed some of the pax that ran with us so if you know someone who is missing, please comment below.
First and foremost, THANK YOU! I really can't begin to express how much I appreciated the support leading up to Sat and all throughout the run on Sat.
These are my jumbled thoughts from the past few days…
This all started on 11/23 after Fireball. Mort asked who I was training with for Myrtle, I shrugged my shoulders and he said he'd do it. On 11/30 Project T.O.B. was officially launched. If you don't know what T.O.B. stands for, ask Freepass as he came up with the name. The plan called for running 6 days a week, 2 work days, 3 easy days, and one long day. I missed a week over Christmas, and then two days with a minor injury but other than that, I stuck with the plan.
There was the Tues, I received the email saying MBM was being postponed. I was crushed. Honestly, at that point I could have walked away, I would have regretted it but reading that email felt that bad to me. Thankfully, guys reached out and made sure I stayed focused. Then, Mort, had me pick an interim goal. I thought about crushing Grey Rd. but settled on getting a Half PR since I was doing it on some of our training runs. Initially, we were going to do the Lake Norman Half course up in Race City then Mort said he felt some other guys would like to join so let's do the Huntersville Half course. (I should have dogged it more whenever we ran up a hill) . Fenway had too much fun putting together the prize back and came up with the name The Chardonnay 20k…it stuck. Funny thing is, I can't stand white wine.
I knew there would be support based on the chatter in Slack and on Twitter but was overwhelmed by how many pax came out. Heck, we had Incogs and Goatbusters running together!
I know I shouldn't be surprised, after the year we experienced, all of us were itching for something, and we are F3, it's what we do.
So, for those keeping track, my official Half PR was a year ago in Myrtle Beach, the last race before Covid. where I ran a 2:05:23. I beat that on 1/9 when I ran a 1:57:41 during a training run. Then on 2/20, I set another PR, this time it was 1:55:22. The thought of beating that by much seemed a stretch but Mort, PT, 8-Track, Freepass, and a few others knew I could do it.
So, finally believing in myself, listening to Mort, chasing PT, being cheered on by so many HIM, I CRUSHED my Half PR, 1:49:21 on the damn hilly ass course of the Huntersville Half.
Again, I cannot begin to thank all of you enough. Yes, I did the work but you guys really helped me achieve my goal. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
Moleskin:
- Check out #Chardonnay20k on Twitter. Fenway did an amazing job of documenting the fun
- T-claps to Swing State and the crew at Mighty Jungle, you guys made getting up the hill by St. Mark a lot easier. And, yes, Perrier holding the bottle Asti Spumante gave me an extra boost
- Hall Monitor's boys, Sammy and Johnny, ran a block with us. THAT WAS AWESOME
- There were so many wonderful moments for me and there were some dark ones (miles 10 through 12), but when we turned on Birkdale Commons Parkway and the guys formed up in front of me to create a windbreak, that was THE moment. Shit, we cruised that last mile at a 7:59 pace!
- Mort, thank you. You believed in me and did the near impossible, got me to believe in myself
- Prime Time, I could not have had a better training partner. You encouraged me constantly, you got me way outside my comfort zone, let me hang myself, and most of all kept me accountable. Plus, we finished just like we started, me hanging off your right shoulder
- Freepass & 8-Track, you guys were constants
- Everyone else that ran with me on various occasions, you made a difference.
- Finally, F3 LKN, thank you for helping me live my best life. I am a better person because of each and every one of you
Humbly,
Duvall