Half marathon training was in full swing when I challenged myself with a long run a few weeks ago.
I was pushing myself, and everything seemed to be going according to plan, but when I approached the “deep waters” of the final miles, the wheels began to fall off.
My breathing was reduced to gasps, which soon became painful-sounding shouts that accompanied every step. I could feel myself being overwhelmed by the moment, even as I drastically reduced my speed. I thought I was having a panic attack.
This isn’t the first time I’ve bonked out after a run, but something felt different this time: A gripping pain on the left side of my chest that especially stung any time I tried to take deep breaths.
Like I often do with pain, I tried to shake it off, but after a near-sleepless night, I knew it was time to see a doctor.
Expecting to receive the worst of news, I instead got the opposite: My blood tests came back normal and my EKG was just fine. Other than chest pain, I showed no other symptoms that would suggest any kind of heart problems.
We concluded that perhaps I pulled a muscle, but that is just a hypothesis, one that’s hard for me to accept considering my family’s long history with heart disease. It’s a disease that took both my father and grandfather, and also touched my mom. It’s a generational curse I’ve been trying to stay ahead of by running and having an active lifestyle.
The chest pain dissipated after a couple of days, but it’s worth nothing that I’ve been tentative to engage in activities that would bear even moderate strain. Lately, my hardest workouts have come in the form of long walks and light jogging.
I’m now looking ahead to the biggest race of my life: A doctor-ordered stress test in January that should hopefully answer a few of the questions that have been dominating my head space.
Nothing would make me happier than for the test results to show that I’m simply an overweight — and perhaps overdramatic — man approaching middle age. That’s a diagnosis I’d know how to deal with.
Fingers crossed.
1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD
Whether we’re talking about candy canes, gingerbread, or even Santa Claus himself, the holiday season has served as the primary theme of the racing season in recent weeks.
In Hagerstown, Md., 239 runners gathered for the Gingerbread Dash 5K, including four locals who landed Top 10 finishes. Kevin Magno finished third overall in 18:52, while fellow Hagerstown runner Jamie Wisz finished as top female, amd eighth overall, in 21:35. Hagerstown’s Mike Martin (6th in 21:03) and Charlie Eklund (9th in 22:02) also logged top finishes, as did Waynesboro’s Stephen Bui (23:28), Smithsburg’s Aaron Schwarzenegger (24:59), Chambersburg’s Zach Johle (27:47), and Fairfield’s Makinna Wolf (30:07).
The Candy Cane Dash 5K, held in Frederick, Md., drew the attention of several area runners, including Chambersburg’s Johle (28:17) and Hagerstown’s Eloisa Banes (32:33). Staying in Frederick, the YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K was highlighted by the finishes of two Hagerstown runners: Charlie Rubis clocked a 28:58 in the 5K, while Gilbert Crumrine registered a 1:24:17 in the 10K to win the 70 & Over AG.
In Chambersburg, a handful of lucky runners returned home with more money than they arrived with following the running of the Christmas Cash Dash 5K. Smithsburg’s Jonah Smith led all runners from the Local.News coverage area with a sixth-place time of 16:48. Smith was followed by Chambersburg’s Yoel Delessa (18:36), Chase Goshorn (19:31), Lillian Spohn (21:13) and Sarah Boward (21:14), Waynesboro’s Noah Bockstie (19:51) and Ella Swart (23:29), Hagerstown’s Dani Mason (22:25), Greencastle’s Cade McDowell (22:33), and Fayetteville’s Danielle Portier (24:58).
Allie Isaacs, of Hagerstown, logged one of the area’s fastest 13.1-mile times in recent weeks with her performance at the Ninja Half Marathon in Westminster, Md. Isaacs took third overall in 1:37:33. Chambersburg’s Jason Huber was also a distance standout at the New River Gorge Trail Half Marathon in Fayetteville, W.Va., placing ninth overall with a time of 2:10:08. Two other Chambersburg runners also took on half marathons: John Stauffer posted a 1:50:09 at the Jacksonville Half Marathon in Florida, while Cheryl Oyler dropped a 1:57:43 at the Nittany Valley Half Marathon in State College.
A number of others were active in races across the region and beyond, including Waynesboro’s Dodie Moats (26:54 at Glow in the Dark Color Run 5K) and Jesse Whitney (4:09:46 at Rehoboth Seashore Marathon), Greencastle’s Danielle Defelice (1:04:29 at Dallastown 10K), Chambersburg’s Jordan Springer (53:28 at Pirate 10K) and Brooke Bidniuk (2:13:18 at Ninja Half Marathon), Hagerstown’s Anthony Lehman (20:02 at South Berkeley Christmas 5K), Annemarie Merritt (35:01 at Winterfest of Lights Jingle Bell 5K), Mike Stutts (34:58 at Pirate 5K), Sheryl Kennedy (45:21 at Celtic Solstice 5-Miler), and Travis Isaacs (57:49 at Ninja 10K), and Smithsburg’s Ryan Bywaters (2:57:47 at Wilmington Historic Half Marathon).
And finally a shoutout to a pair of Local.News runners who traveled to South Carolina for Kiawah Island Marathon Weekend: Hagerstown’s Patricia Brockway finished the marathon in 6:27:29 to take second in the 70-74 AG, while Chambersburg’s Amber Gillis completed the half marathon in 2:18:17.
And now, a look ahead:
John Rudy 5 Miler: Saturday, Dec. 28, 9 a.m., in Dallastown. The York Road Runners Club Winter Series makes its fourth stop of the season with this race. Learn more on yorkroadrunners.com.
The Last Mile: Saturday, Dec. 28, 10 a.m., in Duncannon. Close out 2024 with a bang in the 41st edition of this five-mile race, put on by the Perry County Road Runners. Find the event on runsignup.com.
New Year 5K/10K/Half: Wednesday, Jan. 1, 11 a.m., in Harrisburg. Ring in the New Year with this race, held on City Island. Check out the race on runsignup.com.
Also: HumBug Hustle 5K (Saturday, in Reading); Pagoda Holiday Run 3.5M (Saturday, in West Reading); Viking 5K/10K (Saturday, in Akron); Holiday 1M/5K/10K (Saturday, Dec. 28, in Manheim); Luau 1M/5K/10K/15K/Half (Saturday, Dec. 28, in Hughesville); Lehigh Valley New Year’s Chaser Half Marathon (Wednesday, Jan. 1, in Coplay); New Year Run Challenge 2.2M/6H (Wednesday, Jan. 1, in Mechanicsburg).
