Who Am I?

I am an avid runner and have been running since I was 15 years old. I began running low to medium distances while on my high school track team, running the 800 meter and 1600 meter races (I was a sub 5 miler and a 2 minute 800 runner). In addition to the track team, I also joined the cross country team. After high school I still wanted to run and decided to start doing road races. I have probably ran a couple hundred 5k races (16.29 PR)along with many 10k's as well. In 2009 I decided to step up my game and try to tackle my first marathon. I will be honest; the only reason I did this was because my father ran a few and I wanted to show him that I could do what he did. I trained poorly for my first one and regret it. If you are going to run a race, train like you want to win. I still continue to run marathons and other distances as well, and every race is a chance for me to better myself.
I started this blog to hopefully communicate with other runners and to shed any knowledge I may have about the sport that can help other runners. I believe running is the best sport and can be a great stress reliever. I encourage all runners to spread the word of our sport and show people why running is so good and why the community of runners has such great people. You can follow me on twitter @byrne1324 or find me on facebook- Shaun Byrne

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Throw Back Thursday

      On many social media websites you will see Thursday is "Throw Back Thursday".  People will post an old picture of themselves usually, or in mine and my sisters case we will find the most embarrassing picture of each other and post it.  
      But today while driving to the gym to use the treadmill (I guess mother nature didn't get the memo that today was the start of spring) I started to think about some of my old races and one race that always sticks out in my mind more than any other.  The Navy Fleet Week 5k race in 1996.  My brother and I were running it like we normally would run any 5k together back then.    Before I go on let me give you a little back ground on my brother.  When he and I would run 5k's he would always beat me.  He would finish in the top ten almost every race and I would be a few people behind.

15 6 Patrick Byrne, 19, Swissvale, PA 17:36 5:40
40 14 Shaun Byrne, 17, Pittsburgh, PA 18:51 6:05


4 1 Shaun Byrne, 17, Swissvale, PA 19:09 6:11
42 17 Patrick Burne, 20, Swissvale, PA 25:03 8:05

    The top is a result from another race we did that year.  That is normally  how the races we did would end up.  Now notice the bottom result, see a difference here?  I finished in the top 5 and my brother finished 6 minutes after me.   So let me explain how this one happened.  So this race started at Heinz field and ran down the trail along the river. you then ran up steps onto one of the bridges( not sure which one) then across the bridge and down steps again and you would run along the river again and go to the turn around point and come back.   So there I am running in 3rd place behind my brother and some other kid and at the turn around point I notice they don't turn around.  There was a naval officer who was supposed to tell you to turn around but when the first 2 people got there he was busy talking to some girls.  A few seconds later here comes little old me and I am told to turn around.  Now the good brother would have given a scream and told them to stop and turn around.  But the asshole in me thought "I got this, this is my race to win."  Selfish? yes, but come on, most of you would do the same thing.  So there I am moving my last 1.6 miles and in the last 1/2 mile I get caught and passed by 3 people and finish 4th.  The look on my dads face was priceless when he saw me finish before my brother.  Most dads would say congrats, my dad looked and said what went wrong and were is your brother.  Thanks dad!!!   Eventually my brother and the other runner made their way to the finish and a high ranked Naval Officer gave an apology and even sent a letter joking saying they were the unofficial winners of the 10K if they would of had one.  
    Best thing still is all of the races me and my brother ran together this was the only one I beat him in.  Still counts in my book.
    Sometimes I like to think back to older races and think about my skill level from there till now. I am trying to get back to that point and I have no doubt in my mind I will.  Also on a side note, my brother doesn't run anymore, and I am trying to get him back into it. Actually I just want some rematches of some races.  

Anything crazy ever happen to you in a race?



No comments:

Post a Comment