Universal Advice from an Elite

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Rizzo’s universal advice can be used by every runner

Patrick Rizzo is one of the most decorated and versatile distance runners in the United States. In December 2017, he ran 2:17:27 at the U.S. Marathon Championship in Sacramento, California. This made him a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier in the marathon; a remarkable and almost unprecedented achievement which solidifies his running legacy. To honor this accomplishment, Colorado Running Magazine named Rizzo its runner of the month. Rizzo is competing in the Austin Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program on race day. He’s sharing some tips that have led to his success. His universal advice can be applied to all runners!

An Athlete’s Perspective – Issue 15

by: Patrick Rizzo

Race day for the Austin Marathon (Feb. 17th) is rapidly approaching. We’re in the final month of training now. This is where the fatigue sometimes gets the best of us. The mileage starts to think it’s winning. Nerves start to sneak into our thoughts. Taper madness is trying to set in. All of those things are normal though. It means you’ve been working toward a goal and you care enough to push yourself in order to achieve it.

Congratulations on getting this far! This is the metaphorical peak of the hill and now it’s time to come downhill. With that said, mistakes can still be made. Having covered the marathon distance 20 times myself, I’d like to share some universal advice. This universal advice is applicable to runners of all speeds and experience levels. Implement this universal advice to run your best and have a positive experience at the 2019 Austin Marathon.

One

Decide what you’re eating the night before the race and practice eating that same food before quality days. When a friend asks what you thought of the course, it’s better not to answer in terms of how frequent the port-o-potties were spaced on the course. Especially if it’s within your control to practice.

Two

Sticking with the specifics, have you tried nuun hydration? nuun performance will be the on-course hydration. Same with Gatorade gels and blocks. There will be two stations on the marathon course handing out nutrition. If it doesn’t suit your preference, plan ahead! Experiment with what DOES work and how you can carry that on race day. Gels pinned to the inside of shorts is a great way to carry your calories.

Three

What kind of shape are your shoes in? Will they make it to race day or are you 50/50? Now is the time to plan ahead. Nothing is worse than befriending the medical staff because your forefoot grafted to the insoles of your new shoes (yes, that happened to me at the London Marathon in 2013).

Four

Know your pace and stick to it. You shouldn’t be training more than five seconds faster than race pace and that’s even limited. If your regular runs are faster than goal marathon/half pace, either your goal is too slow or your training is too fast. Also, on race day, it’s easy for emotions to start out high (and take your pacing plan right with it). Prepare ahead of time to start at a pace that you plan to still find achievable in the last 5K.

Five

HAVE FUN! Really. If training has become “work” then you’re doing it wrong! I train 100 miles a week, with a wife, a kid, and a full-time job. It’s still something I “get to do” and not “have to do.” Dads and moms, you can’t be afraid to get that running stroller out for the easy days and chat with the little one while you’re out there. My son and I have solved the world’s problems while we run together. It also gives me time to bond with him and gives my wife a break to do her workout. Fun comes from having balance and perspective.

An Athlete’s Perspective is a blog series of event and/or training experiences written firsthand by the athletes themselves. An Athlete’s Perspective is a completely unscripted and raw look into the mind and daily life of an athlete as they prepare for their next race. Readers will discover training regimens, eating tips, gear recommendations, and an uncut perspective into the lives of people like you and me.

Austin Gives Miles: Where Miles and Meaning Meet

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Introducing Austin Gives Miles

It’s been reported that less than 1% of the world’s population has run a marathon, roughly seven million people (give or take). There’s an even smaller number of people who run marathons that need to be celebrated; those who run their race on behalf of a charity. Enter Austin Gives Miles, the Official Charity Program of the Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour.

Austin Gives Miles gives runners from around the world the opportunity to give back to local and national nonprofits. This is accomplished by fundraising in conjunction with their race. Participants can raise funds while training for the marathon, half marathon, 5K, or Manzano Mile.

The concept isn’t unique to the running world. Charity endurance programs are a popular mechanism for charitable organizations to raise money for their causes. What is unique to Austin Gives Miles is that the program celebrates the local charities that make Austin great. Some of these Austin nonprofits rescue dogs, combat homelessness through running, and tackle cancer. Austin Gives Miles has a mission that will tug at your heartstrings and add even more meaning to your miles.

Lance Armstrong, Charity Chaser

The great part about Austin Gives Miles is that no fundraising effort is too small or large. Austin Gives Miles charities are proud, enthusiastic, and supportive of every runner that runs for their cause. Sure, large donations and lots of fundraising dollars are great, but Austin Gives Miles charities celebrate every runner, every connection, and every contribution to their mission. The program is even more exciting this year with the announcement that Lance Armstrong will run the 2019 Austin Marathon on behalf of Austin Gives Miles.

Lance is an Austinite, philanthropist, cyclist, and an avid runner. He is founder and owner of WEDŪ, a content destination designed to provoke and equip people to embody an endurance lifestyle. Lance is the 2019 Charity Chaser, a program started five years ago to raise awareness for Austin Gives Miles. This year, Lance will start the marathon in last place. He will raise money for every marathoner he passes on his 26.2-mile journey. The money raised will be evenly split between the local charities who work hard to make Austin Gives Miles a huge success.

If you are looking for a way to add even more meaning to your miles this February 17th, check out Austin Gives Miles. You can make a donation, support Lance, or raise funds for one of the 30 Austin charities.

PROfile: Jameson Mora, 2019 Austin Marathon Elite Athlete Program

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Jameson Mora is ready to run the streets of Austin with the Elite Athlete Program

Jameson Mora has been accepted to the Austin Marathon’s Elite Athlete Program. He will compete against other top runners for a prize purse that totals $26,000 on Feb. 17, 2019. Late in 2017, Mora qualified for the 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials. He currently trains in Mammoth Lakes. Run with him on race day, cheer him on, or watch the FloTrack live stream on race day from anywhere in the world.

About Jameson Mora

Jameson is a not just a runner (Marathon PR – 2:15:44), he is a husband, father, and works full time. He has three kids and one more on the way! He loves his wife and appreciates that his family 100% supports his running. Jameson’s first race was a local 5K with his dad when he was 4 years old. He fell in love Jameson Mora will run in the Austin Marathon's Elite Athlete Program.with the sport immediately and has ran competitively ever since. Jameson graduated from Cal Poly SLO with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He lives in Mammoth Lakes where he runs a family business. Jameson provides online running coaching and enjoys helping people attain their running goals. He has qualified for the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Trials Qualifier.

“After almost 30 years I’m as motivated as ever and think my best running is still to come.” – Mora

*Earned “B” standard for 2020 Olympic Marathon Trials at 2017 California International Marathon (2:17:33)

Training tip: Don’t get hung up on the perfect training plan or the details. It all about constancy.

Race day tip: In most races you should listen to your instincts, not in a marathon. Your instincts can be deceptive especially in the early stages. Stick to your game plan through 30k then race.

Social media: Facebook and Instagram

Website: jamesonmoracoaching.com

Prostate Cancer Can’t Keep Chris Hartley from Austin Marathon

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Austin Marathon plays a central role in Chris Hartley’s battle with prostate cancer

Chris Hartley was diagnosed with prostate cancer at the age of 43. An avid runner, Chris delayed surgery long enough to run the 2018 Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour. He will participate in the 2019 Ascension Seton Austin Marathon presented by Under Armour, one year after his radical proctectomy. He hopes to raise awareness of the benefits to early PSA testing. Chris lives in Cedar Park, Texas, with his husband and two children. Follow his journey on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

An Athlete’s Perspective – Issue 14

by: Chris Hartley

On December 18, 2017, I sat hand in hand with my husband waiting to hear if I had prostate cancer. Time was up and we had to face whatever would come next. As we sat in the exam room together we joked about how it had all been a big mistake. After all, I was a very healthy 43-year-old. My elevated PSA level was just going to be “normal” for me or a result of physical activity aggravating my prostate. There was no way that I really had cancer. Right?

Before we get to my diagnosis, I can’t stress enough the importance for men to know their PSA baseline. Through this experience, I have learned that most doctors don’t test a man’s PSA level until the age of 50. This makes sense when you consider that the average age for a prostate cancer diagnosis is somewhere after 60. I only became aware of my elevated PSA level after going in for a testosterone therapy consultation. Regardless of age, the testosterone clinic that I visited verifies every potential patience’s PSA level because testosterone can be a “fuel” for cancer. The thing you need to know is that PSA testing is simple. It can be confirmed by running a simple blood test. If you are like me and get an annual physical, you can have your doctor add PSA level testing to your existing blood panels.

Post-cancer diagnosis

As it turns out, my biopsy confirmed that I do have prostate cancer, but I refuse to allow my diagnosis to define my story. I want my story to be about so much more than just my diagnosis. First, I would have to face the facts of what having cancer meant for me and make some difficult decisions quickly. The truth is I don’t remember much after the doctor came in and spoke the words out loud for the first time. If I am honest with myself, I knew my diagnosis before I ever arrived at that appointment. I had spent the past several months going through multiple tests and reading all about elevated PSA levels. I knew that I should have expected a PSA result of 2 or below. My final PSA reading before the biopsy was 13. Now I could not deny the truth anymore, the words were said out loud – “Your biopsy confirmed that you have prostate cancer.”

The doctor said all the right the things and went through all my options thoroughly, or so I am told. See I don’t remember much after the word “cancer.” I was overcome with fear, anger, confusion. At one point, I left my husband alone in the exam room as the doctor discussed what options were available to me. As you can imagine, they were quite invasive. There are also temporary solutions from prostagenix and brands similar, making me a little more comfortable in my day-to-day life. I walked right out of that room, past the receptionist, and straight out the front door to a bathroom in the attached medical building. All I could think about was getting as far away from that exam room and my diagnosis as I could. I locked myself in the bathroom stall, cried for a minute, and decided this was not how my story would end. I would not only beat cancer, but I would come out the other side stronger.

We left the doctor’s office that day with a lot to think through. I got the debrief from my husband over the next few days and we made a plan. When you considered my age, the various treatment side effects, and the mortality rates associated with each option the decision became clear. I would have my prostate removed and hope that the cancer had not spread. This option gave me the best chance of survival and I had to think of my husband and children. With two boys (ages 10 and 8), I had to fight with everything I had to survive.

Postponing surgery to run the Austin Marathon

With the decision of how I would fight this cancer behind me, I moved on to planning for the surgery. The doctors recommended that I have the surgery in January. They were concerned that I ran the risk of the cancer breaching the prostate due to my elevated PSA level. We talked through the risks and I decided that I would postpone my surgery a few weeks because I wanted to run the 2018 Austin Marathon on February 18, 2018. Running had brought balance to my life and truly love it. I don’t feel like myself if I go too long without lacing up my favorite running shoes and hitting the trail. At this point, I had put in the work to train for the Austin Marathon. I was more determined than ever to complete the race.

I crossed the 2018 Austin Marathon finish line in 3:54:29. Family and friends who had cheered me on met me at the finish. I was not sure what the rest of 2018 would bring, but I felt so strong at that moment. Running had done its job and put me in the right mindset to fight. I had my radical prostatectomy on February 21, 2018, at the age of 43. Just three days after completing the Austin Marathon. It was important for me to run this race at least one more time uncertain of what I would face on the other side of surgery.

The road to recovery

My surgery went well. I was released after a night in the surgical center. The next few weeks were a true test of body and spirit. At times I found myself battling depression. I often wondered if my life would forever be divided into before and after cancer. My comeback started with walks around the block. As soon as I was cleared by my doctor, I started running again. Feeling good about my progress, I signed up for the 2018 Cap 10K in April. On race day I did not feel so confident. The changes to my body felt foreign to me. I stopped at almost every porta potty along the course. I was uncomfortable running in an adult diaper. There were sharp pains in my hips after the first mile. I was at my lowest point in the race and questioned if I could even finish. Then I saw a friend walking the course. She walked with me for the remaining few miles and we finished together. I knew at that moment that with the help of my doctors, friends, and family I would find my way back.

One thing that running has taught me is that you have to take everything one step at a time. That’s exactly what I did. After my disappointing Cap 10K, I started running my daily 6-mile course at home. I also focused on my Kegel exercises and overcame my incontinence. Soon I felt stronger and tackled a 10-mile run. With every running goal achieved, I felt more like myself before cancer. With my new-found confidence, I decided to not only run the 2019 Austin Marathon, but I would run the 2018-2019 Austin Distance Challenge.

Back to running

I have since completed the first two races of the Austin Distance Challenge and continue to train for the 2019 Austin Marathon. The marathon was always intended to be a milestone in my recovery and celebration of being “cancer-free.” I learned in October that I can’t claim to be cancer-free just yet. Within the next month, I will begin radiation and hormone therapy to fight the cancer that remains.

As I continue this fight, I reflect more on what running has taught me over the years. The other day I went for a long run and hit the infamous “wall” around mile 8. It got me thinking about how through training I push that wall out further and further. By February, that “wall” should be pushed so far back that I don’t even feel it during the Austin Marathon. I thought to myself that is exactly what I have to do with my cancer treatment. When I found out that I still had cancer, I did not know if I could continue fighting. Then you take a deep breath and put one foot in front of the other like I have so many times before. If I keep going, the race will be over. I will have proven to myself just how strong I can be when tested. I will cross that finish line this February and with any luck, it will be as a prostate cancer survivor.

An Athlete’s Perspective is a blog series of event and/or training experiences written firsthand by the athletes themselves. An Athlete’s Perspective is a completely unscripted and raw look into the mind and daily life of an athlete as they prepare for their next race. Readers will discover training regimens, eating tips, gear recommendations, and an uncut perspective into the lives of people like you and me.