Welcome to the Half Moon Bay International Marathon Training Blog!

Welcome to the Half Moon Bay International Marathon (HMBIM) Training Blog!

When I joined the race organization team, I envisioned a resource that both provided training information to our runners and seeded the growth of a running community centered around the race. This blog is a step in that direction.  

From now until Sept. 23rd’s race day, I’ll post once a week about a variety of topics centered around training or HMBIM course specific information.

I'll take the opportunity of this first post to introduce myself:
My name is Franz Dill, and I've been running organized races since I was 10 years old primarily in South Carolina where I grew up. My parents recognized my natural talent and signed me up for a local, but very competitive, USATF Junior Olympic track and field team where I ran the mile, the mile relay, and the long jump. Somehow we squeaked into the SC state championships in the relay. Following a long build-up of fund raising and travel time we were promptly embarrassed on the track — that long tear filled walk back to the stands is one I’ll never forget.

Later I cycled through other sports but in high school found myself on the Terra Nova Tigers’ cross country team in Pacifica. I had a clear natural talent to run, but during an early season invitational meet in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park I developed a hip injury that I would battle throughout the season leaving me less than 100% at every race I ran. Absolutely frustrating.

Running faded from my life until I found it again in 2005, significant in that I was turning 30. I don’t know what our society has with big round numbers, getting older, being a new father, and running for 26.2 miles but I was in deep. I picked the Big Sur Marathon (a huge inspiration for the HMBIM by the way) and began training.  I bought a training guide, was following an 18-week plan, and feeling really good.

This is the point where my running career took a turn, unexpected to say the least. Four months before the marathon I was in a severe car accident. As my injury settled it became very clear I was in no condition to run and to my sinking disappointment, I withdrew from the 2005 running. Missing this marathon became a driving focal point to my rehabilitation. Once the shock, anger, and depression subsided I set my mind to run again — it was my purpose. I had to set aside what I was able to do in the past and focus on the present, the now. Successful running was in 5 minute increments in the beginning. I had success and setbacks along the way but eventually hit consistent run times beyond 30 minutes with minimal aggravation of my neck injury.

I then set my goal beyond the marathon. My mantra was, “I won’t build myself back to my pre-injury fitness, I’m going beyond it.” With that, my target race was set as the 2007 Woodside 50k (31.1 miles). Two years I trained starting from nothing and building to an ultramarathon. And, I did it!  In its completion I found much more than running; I found a piece of who I am.

I've since run every race distance from 5k to 100 miles with my single most arduous accomplishment of endurance being the completion of the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning (Four 100 mile races in 12 weeks). I’m a certified RRCA running coach and love sharing my running  enthusiasm and experience, especially for the long run!

If you have any questions please post them as a blog comment or e-mail me at fdill@halfmoonbayim.org. I look forward to helping participants build running memories in Half Moon Bay!

If you have a moment take note of the HMBIM course tour dates (scroll to the bottom of the page). For those new to the course I'd highly recommend saving the date for one or more of the runs. It's simply the best way to get a glimpse of the course, meet some of the staff, and bond with other runners. Running with everyone during last year's course tours was a huge boost of enthusiasm for the group —especially from the first time marathoners! I hope to see you there.

Finally if you'd like to share your story, please do in the blog comments. There were many touching ones in the inaugural HMBIM 2011 running, and I'm certain there will be more in 2012. I'd love to hear them.

This blog post is replicated from the Half Moon Bay International Marathon Training page — a coastal marathon, half marathon, 10k, and 5k to be held on September 23, 2012.  If you're interested sign-up fast; the 5k is sold out and we're over 75% full in all other distances!  Go to http://www.halfmoonbayim.org.