Orange County Marathon - 2013

Bib: 214
Name: Arthur Laforteza
Gender: M
Age: 71
Hometown: Long Beach, CA

Overall:           1401 out of 1875
Men:               918 out of 1151
M 70-74:        5 out of 14
Age/Grade:     55.10% Place: 590
Finish:             5:11:46 Pace: 11:54
Tag Time:        5:11:46
Gun Time:        5:12:50
 
Split Times:
5 Km:             34:49 Pace: 11:13
10 Km:          1:09:11 Pace: 11:09
11 Mi:            2:04:42 Pace: 11:21
Half:               2:27:48 Pace: 11:17
15.25 Mi:       2:52:26 Pace: 11:19
18.6 Mi:         3:29:13 Pace: 11:15
24 Mi:            4:42:12 Pace: 11:46
26.2:              5:11:46 Pace:  11:54
TARGET:       5:00:00 Pace:  11:29

I started running at age 66. I set my personal best(4:42) when I ran my 1st marathon in Oct 2008 at age 68. Unfortunately, I reached the top of the bell curve at such a young age. At age 69 - 70, I ran 9 marathons and the closest finish time to my PB is 4:52. I am now fading, not fast but gently.  Moving forward, I will add 5 minutes to my most recent finish time as a TARGET.  When we reach a certain age ....... age do matter!

With son Aris who did the HM.

Born to Run

A man reaching age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 83. And those are just averages. About one out of every four 65-year-olds today will live past age 90, and one out of 10 will live past age 95.

 Turned 65 six years ago and according to SSA, expect to live another 12 years...... naaah. I like the one out of 10 odd.

2013 First Race - Race on the Base

Except for some fun runs at the busy street of Metro Manila and at the beach along  Lingayen gulf, today my brother and I, ran a 10k at Los Alamitos Base. My 1st 2013 event. The course is the base runway. During WW2 and Vietnam war it was a busy US military base for fighter and transport planes. Today it is a Joint Forces Training Base.

Race on the Base is the biggest non-marathon event in Southern California in terms of runners, community and vendors participation.

The jet lag must be still on me(just returned from a 6 weeks vacation last Tuesday) because I thought the start time was at 8:00 am.  When I pulled in the parking lot, thousand of runners were already on the runway as the start time was 7:00 am.  My brother and I didn't cross the start line 20 minutes after. Their were few late starters like us. I started running slowly to warm up, then started passing the walkers and joggers and on the last 2 miles speed up to 9 min/mile pace. Ran at this pace till I crossed the finish line. Right after I crossed the finish line both legs cramped and threw up. Waited  for my brother who crossed the finish line 20 minutes later, his first 10k,

 
While in line for free meal, I heard my name called out. With a finish time of 57:12 minutes, I was 1st at my age group (70-74).  I  am happy, I can still do 10K under one hour.

Goodbye 2012 ...... Welcome 2013!!!!!

2012 will soon be a history but what a year it was. I turned 70 but felt younger and stronger since I started running when I was 65.

It's a year I ran six marathons (streak of 9), two half and two 10k. It's a year I ran 1181 miles. It's also a year that I realized and accepted that 70 is not a new 65 or even 69.

After the Long Beach Marathon and 3 months of soul searching, I decided to continue running at a pace that will be most comfortable to me. No more running hurt and crossing the finish line in a verge of asthma episode. No more PR & podium finish. Will stay active running, jogging, walking and working out at the "Y" to make 75 looking great.

Holiday Half Marathon - LA Fairplex

After taking it easy since Long Beach Marathon, I decided to comeback for an easy half mary run yesterday at the Pomona Fairplex.  As it turned out,  there was nothing easy except the consumption of ultra light beer at the end of the run.


Preparations for these race were:
1. Easy 6 to 7 miles  run at the San Gabriel River bike path;
2. 10k turkey trot run with my family;.
3. 15 minutes per day, 6 days per week at the Y spa..

.I thought,  I could finish the race nice and easy with such crappy training. My bad. To start with, there was nothing flat on the course except 2 miles inside the complex. Once the runners leave the complex, the challenge started.

I was sure my heart beat chart look like the above. I struggled from start to finish, but was able to cross the finish line without walking or stopping.  Without proper training, no such thing as nice and easy finish.

Still with smile at the finish line

Photo ops not complete without wife, Lucy

Bib:	4201
Name:	Arthur Laforteza
Gender:	M
Age:	70
Hometown:	Long Beach, CA

Overall:	1971 out of 4851
Men:	1394 out of 2494
M 70-99:	7 out of 17
Age/Grade:	58.32% Place: 619
Finish:	2:18:29 Pace: 10:34
Tag Time:	2:18:29
Gun Time:	2:19:09

Turkey Trot Fun Run ..... Long Beach

Running at the Turkey Trot event is a family tradition. It all started about five years ago with my son, Arturo. Last year, Amy and Drew(Arturo's wife and son) and son Aris joined the run. Today, the entire family were at the start line(except my wife).

After some serious thinking on whether to hang up my running shoes, I decided to continue running half marathons, 10k and maybe 3 marathons in 2013.

  

Long Beach Marathon ......... Last Stage of My Journey!!

Can't overcome the effect of being sick for 3 weeks. Too weak after 16 miles. Walked the last 10 miles to finish @ 5:56:49. Not what I planned to end My Journey but still happy and proud. Nine (9) marathons in one year is something I will always remember.