My Race My Pace

By Kevin T. Hodge Sr.

It all started with the first step and a willingness to run. When Kevin Hodge decided he wanted to train for the New York City marathon, he never dreamed that he would eventually participate in four marathons and over ten half-marathons.

In an inspirational retelling of his personal experiences as he trained to do the impossible, Hodge discloses how he, a recovering addict and alcoholic, slowly realized the benefits of running that included relief from stress and anxiety, and endorphins that set a positive tone for each day. While motivating others to walk, run, and eat healthier, Hodge candidly addresses the lies that African Americans are often told about what they ingest and drink, and then discloses the dietary changes he incorporated into his life and the results he attained. Throughout his story, Hodge relays how he received strength from prayer and the beloved memory of his sister to persevere through every race.

My Race, My Pace is the true story of an African American marathoner as he challenged himself to attain better health through running and lifestyle changes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 26, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664273221

Kevin T. Hodge Sr.

Kevin Hodge was born and raised in Harlem, New York. He earned several master’s degrees from Mercy College, and is an ordained Evangelist / Reverend at St. John’s Baptist Church in Harlem. Kevin, an educator and dedicated father of three, has a passion for serving the lost, the incarcerated, and those who suffer from addiction.

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Copyright © 2022 Kevin T. Hodge Sr.

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ISBN: 978-1-6642-7323-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-7321-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-7322-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022913436

WestBow Press rev. date: 9/26/2022

Contents

Foreword

Chapter 1   Just Run

Chapter 2   First Marathon

Chapter 3   Second and Third Marathons

Chapter 4   Fourth Marathon

Chapter 5   The COVID-19 100 Mile Challenge

Foreword

Anyone who has ever registered and completed a running race of any length will find this book inspirational. Faith in yourself is what the human spirit brings out in all of us. If you have run the New York City Marathon, you know how Kevin feels along his journey. How he accomplishes his goal brings real life to the reader.

Many will start, but those of us who finish have the common strength of our faith. Readers will see how this young man’s feelings of desperation at the start of a race evolve into strength as he completes it.

Anyone who has ever doubted themselves will identify with the author by book’s end. The high note is, You can do it.

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Just Run

A wise man named Laozi once said that the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. I believe that those words are true. Why do I say that? Because one day I woke up and just decided that I wanted to run. I didn’t just want to run. I wanted to run in the New York City Marathon—and I did just that! I stepped into the New York City Marathon and just started running.

I was overdressed, improperly trained, and unauthorized to run, but I ran. I ran so hard that by the time I got to Central Park I was done, worn out—just completely wiped out. While some would think what I did was a pointless failure, it turned out to be the best decision I had ever made, because I ended up meeting someone named Pete. He helped me make it all the way to just steps from the finish line. Once there, I was told to exit the race. I was not an official runner, but I ran in my first New York City Marathon. Two years later, I completed my first marathon in five hours and forty-five minutes. What a success!

It all started with the first step and a willingness to run. My friends and I started running as teenagers long before I really knew the benefits of running. My friends and I would jog to the swimming pool at night or jog across the 181st Street Bridge to the Bronx. Some of my friends would hitch a ride on the back of a bus, but to me running proved to be much safer.

People often make resolutions or promises to run and never even get started. When I share with them my successes through running, some make fun of me. Some people can’t seem to believe that I’ve run three marathons and well over ten half-marathons. They can’t conceive of the simple idea that my completed races began with the desire and determination to run, but the truth is anyone can do it. Even if you start with just a block, all it takes is starting. Once you start running, you can set goals to push yourself to do more. If you run a block for two or three days, you will be able to increase your time and speed. You can even increase your distance, but first you must decide to just run. Pick a time and set it aside as your time to run. You can choose morning, noon, or night—but just run.

Run to the store or run to the corner. Run anywhere you feel like running, but please just run. Start wherever you choose and stop as you see fit, but get out there, or in there, and begin to run. Although running can be stressful, it is also a lot of fun. There are so many people running. I didn’t believe how rewarding running could be until I started doing it myself. In 2011, forty-seven thousand people ran the