Trifecta: 26+ Years of 26.2: Chronicles of a Marathoner

By David Hamel

This memoir chronicles the life of a runner celebrating the completion of 26+ years of 26.2 mile marathon races. His “Trifecta” comprises over 100 marathons, one in all 50 states, and two finishes in the coveted Boston Marathon. He shares a veteran’s personal journey of overcoming life’s challenges and disasters to achieving daily victories, with a focus on a runner’s WHY.

“You are a runner, a marathoner, the master of time management, meticulous planning, logistics, and travel. You are extremely versatile and adaptable. Somehow you make it all fit. Your WHY drives your WILL . . . it all comes back to your WHY.”—David Hamel

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665558785

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© Revised 2021 and 2022 David Hamel (2018). All rights reserved.

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Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5877-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-5878-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022908355

Published by AuthorHouse 08/08/2022

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CONTENTS

PREFACE

1. IN THE BEGINNING

2. MY FOUNDATIONS

3. EARLY DEVELOPMENT

4. TURNING POINTS

5. FIRST MARATHON

6. QUEST FOR BOSTON

7. MAINTENANCE

8. CALIFORNIA RAMPAGE

9. A NEW LIFE

10. OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING

11. BACK TO WHY

12. A NEW DIRECTION

13. MISSION CREEP

14. FAMILY MATTERS

15. EXTREME BALANCE

16. QUEST FOR 100

17. 50 STATES

18. BOSTON STRONG

19. POST TRIFECTA

20. RETURN TO OKLAHOMA CITY

21. POST RACE II

22. END RUN 2016

23. EPILOGUE 2017

24. AND BEYOND

25: CATCH UP TO COVID

26: COVID YEAR II

27: GLEN BUB DOHERTY

28: LANCE CORPORAL DYLAN MEROLA

29: BOSTON II

30: MY FINISH LINE

PERSONAL BESTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MARATHONS

Dedicated to all runners, past, present, and future ….

‘One foot in front of the other, one step at a time, at your

own pace, running your own race, consistently.’

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Boston Marathon April 19, 2014

Beyond 26 Miles during .2 …

finish line in sight!

PREFACE

My last marathon of the 2016 calendar year was a finish in the Cannonball Marathon in Greensboro, North Carolina in October. December 9th of that same year marked the end of my 26th year of marathon running. Unlike other anniversary celebrations, most notably at 25 years, it would just not be the same as, well, 26 years. And since marathoners go the extra mile it would make sense to go the extra year! As I celebrated that 115th marathon finish, I began to reminisce about all these years of running marathons. By the anniversary date, the idea of writing about the entirety of that journey and how it all began started to sink in.

By this time, I had also wrote a book titled, 4:09 to 9:02 Boston to Oklahoma and New York Cities: Beyond the Bombings. But it focused on a particular marathon journey between three specific events. Thus, it would be impossible to tell my entire running story without revisiting some of those events during this writing, albeit in less detail. But what would I title this new adventure and why? So I asked myself, what are three personal milestones that I could attribute to being a very accomplished marathoner? And so after much thought, I came to the conclusion that completing over 100 marathons, with a finish in all 50 states, and a finish in the Boston Marathon were very high marks of success and of great satisfaction. And so, a trifecta of accomplishment was established … and the title of this book was created.

And so I now begin with, wow! 26 years of 26.2 mile races, all injury free, and completing every race I ever started in, never dropping out or not finishing. My journey from December of 1990 to December of 2016 and beyond is really quite amazing but it does begin with a single step … then many steps, from my base development in childhood, through various life stages, before even arriving at the starting line of my first marathon. To me, understanding that initial journey to the first race is just as important to build upon as it set the foundation to the lifelong races that would follow ... and of being a performer, not a spectator, in life. In addition, my New England sports teams and marathon heroes would also greatly inspire and motivate me when I needed it most.

Running is really about the road of dealing with life and overcoming the hills and sometimes mountains that often come with it … and the enormous feelings of elation after each successful finish line crossing. With camera in hand, come run with me!

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Disclaimer: My memories are imperfect but I am sharing to the best of my knowledge and have changed identities where applicable. This story is a memoir based on my personal experiences from memory, photo albums, scrap books, personal diaries, airman performance reports, and discussions with other friend of the times.

1. IN THE BEGINNING

The lure of the marathon … that 26.2 mile foot race has to begin somewhere (.2 is 385 yards). It is surely something that you don’t just decide to do one day and presto it’s done! To complete such a feat, it really does begin with a first step somewhere … usually walking. Then a buildup to a 1-mile run, eventually to a 5K (3.1 mile), then on to a 10K (6.2 mile). For many, this is as good as it gets. But to make the leap to the half-marathon takes much more dedication, training, and planning. By this time, you usually know if you have reached your greatest plateau or are beginning to really get the runner’s itch. In all cases, it’s really about finding out and being all you can be. One, some, or all of these runner’s milestones are often goals on one’s bucket list of life accomplishments … but ya really gotta want it!

But, ah, the glory of the marathon also begins with the ancient fable of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, making a 25 mile run to Athens in 490 B.C. exclaiming Nike! (Victory!) over the Persians at the battle of Marathon before collapsing to his death ... or so the legend goes. And later the one mile and 385 yards (.2 miles) were added during the 1908 Olympics in London, England to finish in front of the royalty box at White City Stadium, which then became the standard marathon distance we know today. To me, the .2 is the most exhilarating part of the race as the finish line and clock are in sight, the fans are really excited, and you know that you are going to finish. It is often the slow motion memory re-played in one’s mind.

It also begins with a WHY? This is THE biggest factor of any event. It is THE very reason and inspiration of being there. WHY are YOU there? It is the cornerstone of YOUR motivation. YOU MUST have a WHY! Why? Because when your training or race is not going well, that WHY will be the ultimate deciding factor whether YOU quit or press-on. When the chips are down, the weather goes bad, the hills become too much, and everything hurts, you WILL ask yourself WHY are you even there! … YOU’D better have an answer! Your success or failure depends on it. Believe me, running is very much a psychological event as it is a physical one. Unless you are on a relay team, running is very much a solo effort. There is no one to lean on out there, especially in distance running like the marathon. You cannot coast like on a bicycle. Your feet stop, you stop … no wheels! You are often on your own and you will have to dig deep, especially when your fuel tank is running low or an old memory comes back to haunt you. Remember: You are running TO something … not FROM something!

But there are many good and great days when the sun is shining and you feel good and everything feels synchronized. You are a well oiled machine and today is your day! You feel total freedom and are in a sightseeing mood. There are days where you think you feel good only to find you just didn’t have the gusto after all. Then there are the days you simply feel miserable and just getting out the door is a major hurdle as you dread and actually fear the run ... but you somehow eventually make it out the door and you get out there … then everything seems to fall into place. Yeah, that is a very gratifying day … your WHY was strong enough to propel you!

I tend to dwell more on the WHY than HOW I train. I have found that no amount of training will be sufficient for your event if your mind isn’t in the right place. It drives your motivation to train. Want to lose weight, had your heart broken, pissed off at your boss, trying to think things through? … I’ve solved many a problem during these runs and also engineered great ideas. You can too! And sometimes it takes events that are out of your control that drive you in a certain direction ... you don’t know why but you know you must. It’s your gut feeling that’s telling you. Your gut can be your WHY. How much are you willing to listen or ignore it? It’s a compass that you develop over time. I certainly have developed one and I tend to be more aware and respond accordingly as I’ve matured (I try not to say as I’ve gotten older. But at 58 years of age my experience tells me so!)

But you also can’t ignore training. Set realistic expectations otherwise you set yourself up for failure. There are some days I plan for a 6 mile run, then I get out there and it just isn’t there. I re-adjust and re-adapt and maybe eke out a 3 miler. It’s Ok! There were many other days where everything does fall in place and I’d glide to an 8 miler instead! Training has an accumulative affect over time as long as you’re consistent. It’s good to cross train also on a bike or swim ... and yes, yard work counts! Although for me my life didn’t seem to start that way, running did become a lifestyle … and the difference between a jogger and a runner is a registration form and a bib number!

But how can all this be done? There are only 24 hours in a day. You work, have families, maybe go to school at night, are active in your church or scouting, do home and car repairs, etc … and somehow you still make time for a quiet beer late at night to celebrate the completion of each successful day. You are a runner, a marathoner, the master of time management, logistics, and travel. You are extremely versatile and adaptable.

Somehow you make it all fit. The answer is … it all comes back to your reason, or WHY. Your WHY drives your WILL. As I begin to tell my personal story in the following chapters, the common thread throughout the reading will be my WHY. I could have never known the events that would shape my direction in life. Looking back at my many scrap books of photos and bib numbers, I can now see how I evolved as a person. This is very satisfying at this stage in my life … at twilight. Sharing it with you is very much gratifying as well. Thumbs up!

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"So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first."

– John 20:4 King James Bible

2. MY FOUNDATIONS

Ok, so I’m celebrating 26 years of marathon running! But to get to that first marathon the groundwork was set very early … yes, groundwork. I was born in 1959 as a native of Springfield, Massachusetts. I was active in my childhood and walked to school and back every day. I learned to ice skate using my mom’s old figure skates and went sledding across the street at Calhoun Park. The physical nature surrounding all of my activities were key to my WHY development as my physical abilities developed. Though only a quarter of a mile away, I went to Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic School and Church in the 1960s and assisted in over 80 church services and sang on the Christmas choir team. I served as a personal altar server and also as a Chaplain’s Aide for a district boy scout chaplain conducting church services at scout camps throughout Western Massachusetts. My going the distance sports psyche was also developing as the Boston Celtics had won eight straight NBA Championships during this time!

While at St Thomas, I participated in several Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF fund-raising programs for children. Sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), I solicited for monetary donations in small orange boxes from door-to-door house visits. I also served as a Patrol Boy or school crosswalk guard at street crossings. I participated in a Walk for the Zoo, where I requested pledges and did a Springfield 10-mile walk fundraiser … in the rain. It was a cold and nasty day wearing a clear trash bag with cutouts for my head and arms (how useful that concept would be during future races!). I also loved to read and would often chase down the local travelling Bookmobile to sign out books. I rode my bicycle all the time and frequented the Springfield library, museum, planetarium, and historical landmarks (Springfield Armory, Chapin Monument, Old Day House, etc) … a foundation of walking, skating, and bike riding was constant and I later found that most runs or races were fundraisers for charities.

By the 1970s, I was a teenager and got involved with Boy Scouting and was very active in my local Troop 14. I advanced through positions of Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, Senior Patrol Leader, Scribe, and Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. Activities and involvement included Project SOAR (Save Our American Resources) cleaning up polluted riverbanks, community park repairs, and aluminum and newspaper recycling efforts in 1970 and 1971. I was awarded the Gold Quill Award in 1972 for outstanding journalism, reporting, photography, and communication then awarded the Ad Altare Dei Catholic Religious Medal in 1973. I served as a Den Chief for Cub Scout activities in 1973 and 1974 and led troop participation of basketball tournaments with the mentally challenged in Belchertown, Massachusetts in 1974. I completed a Troop Leadership Development Course at Camp Woronoak, Massachusetts in July 1975 and sold chocolate bars to fund and participate in large state scout summer camporees in 1975 and 1976. I completed 33 merit badges and 6 skill awards and earned Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life Scout, culminating with the top rank of Eagle Scout in 1975 with a Bronze Palm in 1976 (for 5 additional merit badges beyond requirements) ... and oh yes, a foundation of lots of hiking, swimming, canoeing, boating, bike riding, and pursuits of personal achievement. I even met my first girlfriend at my Eagle Scout banquet in the food serving