2015 Race Status Update

Here is an update of all the races for 2015. I'm still trying to find and fit one more marathon in. If anyone has any ideas, please please let me know.....Thanks and if you can please follow my blog. I am really hoping we can get this to explode and I can get more followers and wouldn't it be great if I had Sponsors!!!!!












Race updates that I finished.
DISNEY 1/2 MARATHON 2:47 read the story....1/2 MARATHON
DISNEY FULL MARATHON 5:33:50 PR read the story....FULL MARATHON
ROCK N ROLL NEW ORLEANS 5:42

NEWPORT NEWS ONE MARATHON 5:32:42 PR read the story....FULL MARATHON
SHAMROCK MARATHON 5:09:47 PR read the story....FULL MARATHON
ROCK N ROLL MARATHON RALEIGH 5:35:45 read the story....FULL MARATHON
FLYING PIRATE 1/2 MARATHON 3:12:57 read the story....1/2 MARATHON
ROCK N ROLL MARATHON NASHVILLE 5:57:46 read the story....FULL MARATHON
KALAMAZOO MARATHON 6:01:55 haven't wrote this one yet
 

2015 RACE SCHEDULE UPDATED again as of 6/29/2015

10 January   Disney 1/2 Marathon - Orlando Florida SIGNED UP

11 January   Disney Marathon - Orlando Florida SIGNED UP

25 January   Rock n Roll Marathon - New Orleans LA SIGNED UP

15 March     Newport News One Marathon - Newport News VA SIGNED UP

21 March     Shamrock 8K - VA Beach VA SIGNED UP

22 March     Shamrock Marathon - VA Beach VA SIGNED UP

11 April        Swamp Stomp 1/2 Marathon - Chesapeake VA

12 April        Rock n Roll Marathon - Raleigh NC SIGNED UP

18 April        Flying Pirate 5K - OBX NC SIGNED UP

19 April        Flying Pirate 1/2 Marathon - OBX NC SIGNED UP

25 April        Rock n Roll Marathon - Nashville TN SIGNED UP

3 May           Kalamazoo Marathon - Kalamazoo MI SIGNED UP

31 May         Rock n Roll Marathon - San Diego CA (under consideration)

6 Sept           Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon - VA Beach VA SIGNED UP

3 Oct            Wineglass 5K - Corning NY SIGNED UP

4 Oct            Wineglass Marathon - Corning NY SIGNED UP

18 Oct          Rock n Roll Marathon - Denver CO SIGNED UP

31 Oct          Wicked 10K - VA Beach VA
1 Nov           NYC Marathon - (entered the lottery but didn't make it)

7 Nov           Rock n Roll Marathon - Savannah GA SIGNED UP
22 Nov         Philadelphia Marathon - Philly PA SIGNED UP

14 Nov         Anthem Marathon - Richmond VA SIGNED UP

6 Dec           Rock n Roll Maration - San Antonio TX SIGNED UP

If anyone knows any races that I should consider please send the information and link to me. Thanks again for all the encouragement! I'm two short from completing 14 total

Eugene Thompson

RUN EUGENE RUN gofund.me/idg4vk

ET This I Believe

Push the RESET Button

So we find ourselves at the half way point in 2015.....how have you done on your goals? Yeah, me too.....not as good as I hoped. That honey-do list.....I don't want to talk about it. But that's okay, don't get all stressed out about what you didn't get accomplished. It won't do you any good. Just hit the reset button and get back out there and start again.

So many things I wanted to better at than I have. If I really worry about it I can get all worked up about wasting the last afternoon, the last week, the entire month of June......or WOW! What have I done all year?! Ok....now I am really depressing myself. STOP IT!

I enact the power of the RESET BUTTON. I vow to start over and give myself the opportunity to succeed with the burden of what I didn't accomplish as baggage. That regret will weigh you down and never give you the opportunity to get a fresh start. It will steal today's JOY.

Today's a brand new day my friends......your future is before you.

I'll celebrate with you at the finish line. Have an awesome day.

ET This I Believe

Eugene Thompson

Run Eugene Run

The Last Push in June

What a fantastic morning. Really slept well last night....I'm old and don't stay late much any more. Woke up refreshed pretty much my normal early morning time and enjoyed several cups of coffee in bed chatting with my wife. The run with TNT was cancelled due to the impending rain. So my wife and I had an enjoyable talk about our future and plans for the next steps in our business adventures. She is my best friend so our conversations are always wonderful. I think we encourage each other to do better every day.

She had a busy day selling real estate with some transactions and an open house that was taking her away on our Saturday afternoon. So I decided to get up and go for a run around the neighborhood. I wants again did my 6 1/2 mile route that I've been doing earlier this week. I amaze myself once again by setting another personal record in this distance. The third time in a week. Last Saturday I did my 10th best pace. And then on Monday I did the eighth best pace. This morning I accomplished my seventh best pace and I really didn't feel like I was doing that well. I love it when a plan comes together!

I stepped on the scales when I got back and weighed in at 191.2 pounds. Another record low.

Well I'm worn out now and it's not even noon on Saturday. I really want to get up and do some chores. So I will talk to you all later! Have a fantastic day.

ET this I believe

Eugene Thompson

Run Eugene Run

Getting my Country On! Nashville Rock n Roll Marathon

Hadn't been to Nashville before so this was looking to be an interesting and different trip. Also it was Marathon number six this year, the third race (marathons and halves) in as many weeks. Yep, I know....stupid crazy......or maybe just stupid! Regardless I have to hit many of these while I can so I reach my goal of 12-14 this year. My wife hadn't been to Nashville and I hadn't been there in ages. Probably not since my parents took me as a kid. So we were ready for it.

Honestly we needed a bit of a getaway but the travel was getting a bit much too. I didn't think it should cost too much to fly down to Nashville from Virginia Beach/Norfolk area, boy was I wrong. All the flights were seriously way over what I had planned on spending. I was almost ready to go for a drive.....which would be crazy long and would extend our time away from home even longer. My wife and I were sitting at a restaurant and I started getting stressed because I hadn't bought the airline tickets yet nor reserved a hotel and the race was only a few weeks away. I pulled up my PRICELINE App on my phone and all of a sudden I see a flight that was half the cost of all the other previously. I had to have my wife look really closely at the flight schedule so I didn't do something stupid.......remember I goof in New Orleans in January! You can read that post here.

Anyway, enough about travel.....it worked. We got the tickets. We got the hotel. Neither perfect but satisfactory. We had to fly out to Nashville early Friday morning but that would give us time to chill out and see the sights. No drama on the flight.....yeah! Landed without problems and got our rental car. Off to the convention center to pick up our race packets.

The nice thing about doing multiple Rock N Roll Marathons is that the procedures are all about the same. No figuring new stuff out. The bad thing about doing multiple of the same series is that EVERYTHING is the same. We see the same vendors at each expo. Not necessarily a bad thing. Just not new. 

After checking into the hotel we were off and running to see downtown......and yes we were wearing our cowboy boots! Come on! We had to! We were starving so we hit a simple place on the strip that was pretty packed for the afternoon but had a band playing. As a matter of fact they had a three story building with open balconies and a different country band on each level. We chose level two.....less crowded and pulled us up a seat to listen and grab a quick bite.

It was a fun place. The comparison to New Orleans and Nashville was very similar. Every bar had a band, one was country the other had rock. One served mostly beers and the other Hurricanes.....can you guess which city was which?

Afterwards we went back to the hotel....which unfortunately was fairly far away from the start line. I didn't make reservations quick enough, but it was a nice place. With a big event in town like the Rock N Roll Marthon Series you'd think the people at the front desk would be aware......they had no clue. I guess management had a big MISS on this one.

Anyway we got ready for the evening which entailed dinner and a show......the Grand Ol Opera! This would be something completely different. We hunted around on the Internet and finally selected a place that was in walking distance of the hotel. Sounded nice, it was close and the weather looked like rain. Actually it looked like crazy downpour kind of storms coming in that evening. The race might be cancelled......I had the thought run through my head.....SHAME on me! However I was a bit tired for another long race.

Dinner was nice at J Alexander's. I was tempted to eat rattlesnake that they had on the menu however I didn't know how that would settle on my stomach before running a marathon. Regardless dinner was nice and then off to the show. Great fun.....my wife didn't realize that the Grand Ol Opera was a radio show....she is so funny! Of course I got lots of compliments on my boots!

Unfortunately I was pretty tired and we didn't stay for the whole show. We left early so I could get some sleep since I needed to get up early the morning. Also a storm was coming, we left just in time to avoid all the rain. Back to the hotel to get all my gear ready for the run. There is something about a routine.

My pre-race photo routine as well. However I enjoy taking these with my wife. Alas I'm running the marathon and she is running the 5K. I'm by myself at the starting line. Again the normal eating my snacks to get ready and waiting forever for the porta potties. Routine you know. It's important. I didn't see anything special other than a LOT of people. My wife however saw two of the actors of one of our favorite shows, NASHVILLE. I know you wouldn't guess we would watch a country music show but it's fun.

Ok, ok here we go. marathon number 6 this year and yes I'm tired. I should have given more time in between but there is wasn't the ability. Race started off like any other. I actually felt pretty good and was keeping a 10 minute per mile pace all the way up to mile 13. Yep half way wall and then I met a great friend. Well she wasn't a friend at the moment but she would be over the next 3 hours and 13 miles. We both were struggling and encouraged each other along the race. Not necessarily a great finish....but a finish......and the best part I made a new friend. Here we are finishing the race together.

The best thing about runners and running is that we all have the same goal and destination.

Enjoy your day my friends.....remember to drink your water on a hot day like today!

Run Eugene Run

ET This I Believe

Flying Pirate Half Marathon

So I'm playing a whole lot of catch up here on my blogging. Sorry about that my friends I really did plan on doing a better job. Sometimes life.....and running just get in the way.

So my lovely wife and I decided to take a short break and go down to the outer banks in North Carolina for the weekend. She had asked me ......... long ago to sign her up for some of the races when I was signing up myself. Unfortunately she didn't realize that she had agreed to the half marathon in Raleigh that we ran last week (her first half in since 2008) as well as this one here in the OBX. Back to back half marathons! I was the only one that was supposed to be on this crazy rollercoaster running thing!

We both were sign up for the 5K on the Saturday morning as well. Yep, we're crazy....but you already knew that if you were reading this didn't you? We had hoped to head out of work early on Friday and spend a little time.......of course you know how that goes......it doesn't. We got out of town by 3PM and it was roughly a two hour drive. Fortunately the drive is pretty peaceful and nice. Regardless, we had to race (no pun intended.....yes it was) to the expo to pick up our bags and stuff. I couldn't wait until my wife got her bid that I registered for her.......this was going to be hilarious. You should have seen her face when when she saw it......priceless. 

In case you had to ask, my bib was 4225 and hers was 4697. My intentions were to have a nice run with her......and not leave her in the dust. I know.....I'm nice like that. Especially since we had these bibs.....lol.

So we check into our hotel which is on the beach and nice enough that our room faced the beach. Wasn't planned at all. I tried to spend as little as possible on this one. Too much traveling and expenses were adding up. Funny though that as we are walking up to the registration, so are two bus loads of teenagers........ah great!

We dump our bags and quickly head out to the restaurant for a bite to eat. It has been our plan to find someplace special to eat beforehand. This time we went to the Outer Banks Brewing Station for some tasty scallops. A bit pricey though. We didn't hang around long as we wanted to get back to the room and rest.

But even better was to run down to the waters edge and stick our toes in the water.......yep it was freezing cold! My wife elected not to get cold, but it was still fun.

So we got up early Saturday.....like every race day.....and like every race day I freak out making sure we get to a parking space to get to the start line. Never fails. However as we walk out in the hallway of the hotel we noticed that in front of every door on the floor was either the phone or the phone's receiver from the room. Looks like the chaperones took care of those teenagers. We slept great and didn't hear a peep.

Got to the starting line and was set to do the first run. Pretty much a piece of cake. Nice three mile run with a medal to boot. We ran along a few ladies who chatted with mile wife. They were doing a walk/run combination routine while my wife was just running. I figured the real test would be tomorrow. Anyway, we finished, cleaned up and then headed off to the Weaping Radish to meet our kids. They wanted to celebrate my wife's birthday (a few days late) cause our schedules never really aligned. A fun place and then off to some wine tasting.

After we bid our goodbyes we heading back to the beach area to meet one of my clients. Yep, business and pleasure. He wanted us to do some timeshare work at several of the key tourist spots......like 12 spots! After three hours of driving around we completed this task and headed out for another fun meal before this race.......tradition you know. 

Back to the hotel to get some sleep.......not! We had a bunch of drunks who was yelling up and down the hotel all night long. I even called the front desk and they were sending security. Did no good. Finally I had enough and went out in the hall and yelled back at them. Pretty sure I scared the crap out of them. Oh yeah, I did make sure to put my pants on before I went out in the hall. That might have scarred them for life. I so wanted to know their room number so I could pound on their door at 5AM with a wake up call. Oh well. Soon that was gone and we were getting ready to run the race. We ran across a few familiar faces. Saw some people who ran in the Newport News race. Also (I don't know his name) saw retired military guy who has ran in all the local races. It is a small community.

Nice slow run with my wife but that was my mission.....to help her get thru this run. The second in a week. Third this year. It looked like a storm at first but the clouds lifted quickly and all was clear. We did a little walk run along the way to help conserve some energy and push forward. I know it was tough on her but I was so proud.

Funniest thing is when someone sees my bib and calls out to me, "I chase da booty!"......and then I point back at my wife and they see her bib. Lol lol lol "I'm da booty!" I can't help but laugh.....and my wife can't catch me. 

I almost thought I wasn't get to talk extensively with anyone about running/diabetes but amazingly we were back and forth with two ladies (one dragging the other along) when I hear one say (the one being dragged) that she was struggling because she sat at work gaining weight and was a diabetic. There you go! So over the next few miles we share stories and struggles but more importantly our victories. Best to see those winners out there making a difference.

I'll probably never meet those ladies or will they ever read this but it would be great if we connected once again and I could hear about her continued progress. Those are the stories I'd love to hear every day. Encouragement!

My wife and I finished the race, hand in hand as we ran down the hill to the finish line. This was not my day in the sun.....but rather my wife's. Congrats babe!

Run Eugene Run.

Please me know how I can help.

Eugene Thompson

ET This I Believe

Run Eugene Run

For a bit of clarification for those who have asked about Run Eugene Run: many of you who know me well are aware that I have struggled with diabetes and its effects for a number of years. This new venture is in response to my victories and my struggles. 

About three years ago I was frustrated with the continued decline and failure to make positive progress in managing my diabetes. I had gained weight on the medications, felt terrible, lacked energy and more. The frustration finally reached a level that I refused to continue on the same path. So I made a change. 

I began a diet, lost nearly fifty pounds and then began running. In January of 2014 I completed one of my most important bucket items, running a full marathon. My wife and I joke about the first half marathon I did in 2008. Afterwards I was so pleased with myself I granted myself a week of vacation and no training. That vacation lasted over four years. Well I was bound and determined not to repeat that, so I ran five more marathons before the end of the year. A total of 600 miles with all the training. I recently went back to the doctor and she called me her hero. You don't know how good that made me feel. No only was the weight under control but my blood sugars were all in check and I was able to reduce some of my medication.

The last three marathons in 2014 were performed within six weeks of one another and required travel. New York, Colorado and back in Virginia. I finished it but boy was I tired. I wanted to see how my body held up to the running and travel before I made my 2015 goals. The first was to share my story with others. I wanted to encourage others with the same disease that they too can accomplish great things. There just doesn't seem to be as much awareness regarding diabetes as there are with other causes. I began sharing my story on Facebook and Twitter more recently. I write and repost blogs about food, diet, exercise and ways to help reduce some of the effects that diabetes does to your body.

Oh yeah, and the big 2015 goal? I'm pushing to complete 14 marathons this year and a 1000 miles. This last weekend I completed marathon number six and hope to get number seven this weekend in Michigan. That will get me half way to my goal and over 25% of the mileage. At each race I have been able to share my story and encourage others. Sometimes it's been on the jumbo tron at Disney, or talking to others at the expo before hand. I talked with others at the start line and even had a conversation while running down the road. That is the most important goal I can accomplish.

I have a website currently under construction and continue to write in my blog. I'm behind writing right now since I've done three marathons and one half marathon over the last four weeks. (That's if I'm able to finish the one on May 3rd - 1/2 marathons don't count) I appreciate all the encouragement and support everyone has provided. I started a fund to help support these goals that is posted below if you care to contribute. I hope to make this a national charitable cause and bring awareness and cures to all those seeking.

I'm not fast. I'm not spectacular. I'm just regular ol Eugene trying to make a little bit of difference in someone's life. Thanks again to all my friends. I appreciate everything.

Eugene Thompson

RUN EUGENE RUN gofund.me/idg4vk

Oh HILLS! Raleigh Rick n Roll

Well I just completed my fifth marathon this year. And I must say that it was a little bit rough on the hills of Raleigh North Carolina. I mean there were a lot of hills. They started off immediately but I was prepared. I knew there would be SOME hills but didn't realize the entire course would be full of them. I guess this is the second year for the Rock n Roll here in Raleigh. They changed the course due to the complaints about all the hills. I wonder what last year was like?!

Any way it was a well attended run and of course I got the opportunity to chat with a few people regarding running and diabetes. More about that later. Lots of support along the race from locals. It was a lot of fun hearing all the cheering fans. I intended on pushing up each of the hills. I can usually make some pretty good time by doing that while others mostly walk up the hills. I think running up them is easier.

Unfortunately I began to feel some knee pain earlier on at mile three......yeah, I know mile three. Not good. I thought maybe it would go away after a while and I would run out of it. Not so much, it was there for most of the run. I just gritted my teeth and ran through it. I actually was able to keep up my pace pretty well for the first 20 miles which I somewhat expected I would be able to do. This was not planning on being a PR race. I just intimate on running and having a good time. My wife was running a half marathon at the same time. This was her second of the year.

Over all a decent run. After mile 20 they're just really wasn't a whole lot of energy left in my body to climb anymore hills. I did the best I could and then when I got to mile 23 I decided to push up one of the longer hills that was in front of me. I was determined to beat this particular hill on the race. As I'm chugging up the hill there was a patron sitting in his lawn chair along the side cheering us on. He clapped his hands and yelled out to me telling me that I was doing a great job and keep pushing on and off the top of the hill and leveled off for "a little while". I hollered back, "only a little while?" His response was deflating, "oh yeah dude, you have hills to climb all the way into the finish line."

Well that was just wonderful news. I kept on trucking away. A little running a little walking getting my self a little closer to the finish line with each step. Ultimately that's all that matters anyway. Sure enough I don't think it leveled out until about mile 25.75 maybe. I ran past the Flying Saucer Draft Emporium and as they cheered me on I told them I would be back for a beer, I had my UFO card. That is a whole other story in itself. I turn the last corner and tried to muster up a sprint but there just wasn't that much left inside me. I finished the race in 5 hours 35 minutes. Not my best of course but not bad considering the hills.

Did a little test on this race to check on a few things about how my diabetes was reacting to the running. First of all I checked to see how pasta would do on a pre-race. I don't usually eat pasta and I certainly don't "carb up". I don't react very well to that type of carbs. My blood sugar skyrockets. I was careful not to overdo it the night before but regardless my blood sugar was 147 in the morning before the race. So as soon as I cross the finish line I have my wife bring my glucometer, or to check on my blood sugar. I was 73 at that point. I definitely needed to eat something.

Afterwords I went to grab a quick shower. Took my medicine and then went downstairs to the Jimmy V lounge. It was a neat place and we had a nice late afternoon snack at the bar area. I had burned over 4100 calories during the marathon. I could afford a few bites to eat. However afterwards I really was craving ice cream so we decided to walk around to see if we could find any in downtown Raleigh. No luck but did make it all the way back to the Flying Saucer.

My wife and I were both pretty sore but managed to hobble up-and-down the few streets. We both fell asleep pretty early that evening as I have a morning meeting at a construction site the following day. All in all I was pretty pleased with myself. It wasn't an easy race at all.

Oh yeah, my story about diabetes. It was a couple of guys that I talk to you at the Jimmy V bar that we chatted with regarding diabetes and running. I was pleased that I had the opportunity to share my story and advice. Again that is the reason why I'm doing all of this anyway. To help others. Others so that they can understand the great risk of this disease.

Nothing wild and crazy on this adventure just a pretty decent run and a great success. To all my friends that are out there are you need to do is tell yourself that you can do it. Don't except failure, settle only for success. And in the words of Jimmy V: Don't give up… Don't ever give up!

Till next time my friends, Run Eugene Run.

Please help and support my cause allowing me to continue racing and sharing the word. Here's a link to my funding website. I'm working on a few things that will allow me to expand this past time into more of a foundation agenda. Your support helps this greatly. Thanks again for reading and sharing.