Profession…I put subtitles into DVDs.
Place of birth…Samoa (my dad was a teacher there.)
Life/sport philosophy…persevere, balance, and treat people good, it’ll all come back to you.
Running history…
When I was in fifth or sixth grade, the local park had a flyer up about a mile race against other kids your same age. So, my friends decided to sign up. I signed up because they were signing up. The first race was at Del Valle Park in Lakewood. I didn't know what to expect because I had never run this distance, but I just went for it. I actually ended up winning it by a decent margin. A friend of mine also got top three in the race, so we qualified for the second race against all the other city parks of the Los Angeles area. In that race I ended up in sixth place overall. Since this was a pretty big race, the top ten from each race qualified for a Southern California race in San Diego a month from this race. How did I do in that race? I'll never know. I got sick five days before the race and my parents were not going to let their boy run a race while suffering with the flu. So ended chapter one of my running career.
Chapter 2 of running began in high school (Pius X High School, Downey CA). My friends said they were going to join the cross-country team, so I decided to join them. All that promise I showed as a youngster did not carry over to high school. Unlike those earlier races, these races were 3 miles. I would struggle in the practices and go home dead tired after each one. Fortunately, there was another runner who was as slow as me and he and I ran most of the races together. We were so slow, the slow girls on our cross country team were beating us regularly. But I stuck with it. Later that year my friends joined the track team, so I joined with them. That was just more of the same for me-- pain and a lot of last places.
Well, over the summer I would run twice a day, figuring I needed to run as much as I damn well could to improve. I also talked my best friend to ride his bike ahead of me on the night runs and make me chase him.
The deal was he was not to let me catch him no matter how hard I tried. Well, imagine two months of doing this. I had to improve, right? Well, I showed some improvement in practices, but we were doing much shorter distances for our workouts, and I was still working out on my own a lot, so no one really timed me on anything. Well, our first race was against a school called Bishop Montgomery. In that race, I remember coming around the corner and seeing the finish line and realizing I was in the top five. I was elated. I also remember the shock on my coach's face. His exact words to me after the race were, "Brian, we need you! Do not get injured!" Nice pep talk, Coach.
From then on throughout high school I was one of the top 2 runners on the team. When track season came around, I had improved vastly on that level. I would now win races instead of finishing last. What a weird feeling that was. Unfortunately, now that I had improved so much, throughout my high school career, I would be put in as many races as my coaches could put me in. I would be told at many meets I would be running in the 880, the mile relay, the mile, the two mile, and I was an alternate on another relay team. When I would finish one race, I had to sometimes get ready for the next race that was about two minutes away. By the time my senior year ended, I was so sick of running, I didn't want any part of it. I was contacted by some colleges about running with them, but I knew I needed a break. I was rundown. I promised myself I would keep running after high school until I won a race and then quit. The first race I entered was 5K in Lakewood. The race began and ended at Del Valle Park, the same park where my running career started. I won my division of 17 and under and that was it, I quit running... for 14 years.
Chapter 3 of running begins here. Now, I did do some jogs with my wife (now ex-wife), but she had to twist my arm to get me to run. My heart still wasn't in it. Running was not a joy anymore. It was a drag. Well, 14 years later, I looked in the mirror and realized I was a 175-pound drunken buffoon who had just broken up with a girl I had dated for three years, I had a certain group of friends who were as negative and go-nowhere as I was, and I was constantly sick and unhealthy and just taking up space. It was here I decided to take more control over my life and turn it all around. I decided to come back to running.
To start running again, it was hell, but I was determined. I changed my diet along with starting my running career again. I gave up red meat for the basic fact that it would stop me from getting burgers at fast food joints. At my worst, I was eating at fast food joints three times a day. But enough of that. I started by just trying to run around the block and that was hell. It took me a while to get my body used to that. I would finish those first runs up and have to come in my house and lay down for a while. Then I was eventually able to go further and further. Eventually, I made it to a mile. Then I made to two miles, then three, then four, then eight, then 10. It was here I decided I wanted to run a marathon and I talked my friend into training with me. He agreed. We printed out Hal Higidon's marathon training schedule off the Internet and followed the long distance days religiously. Since he lived in the Valley and I live down here, we agreed to meet at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. I remember when we got up to 13 miles saying, "This is the furthest I've ran since 1986." Well, we eventually ran the Chicago Marathon and I've just kept it up since. Why, you ask? Because now I weigh 152 pounds, I eat much better and if I do drink a little too much booze one night, I make myself pay for it the next day by making sure I run at least six to eight miles at a good pace.
My running experience with AREC has been…abusive but pleasurable.
I’ve been with AREC…for a year.
The best thing about AREC is…the social atmosphere and sometimes the Treasurer.
I run because…I enjoy it and it helped me turn my life around.
When I’m not running I am…cycling or swimming or sometimes drinking.
My pre-race meal is…before a 5K or 10K: Clif Bar and en e-gel. Before a marathon: pancakes.
After a race I treat myself to…coffee, Frappuccino, It’s a Grind coffee. After a marathon, I treat myself to a burger and fries (that’s the only time I’ll eat red meat.)
My goal is…ultimately to break 3 hours in the marathon. I’d like to do an Ironman and I’d like to inspire some of my friends to run, like a 5K.
I’m inspired by…my parents, some really good runners and people like you (Tam) because you run slower but you’re constantly at races, constantly doing them and there’s something magnificent about that.
When I run I think about…if I’m not listening to the iPOD when I run, I think about stuff that’s bugging me. I’ll try to figure out a solution for it or I’ll try to clear my mind or relax or come up with ideas for stories.
Running heroes…as a kid, when I was in high school, it was Albert Salazar. Nowadays, I’ll be impressed by Deena Kastor.
My dream is…to put my head down on a pillow and not have worries.
My best training tip…run with friends.
The best advice I ever got was…try not to think about it, just enjoy it and it doesn’t matter, your time, just as long as you finish.
I want to improve in…marathons, flexibility (maybe a yoga class), and listening to my body a little more (not running when I’m injured.)
I love…after a long run, knowing the fact that I can eat or drink anything that I want. I love the rewards after running.
I hate…worrying about the clock when I’m running because it’s defeating the purpose of why I’m running. And the President and the Treasurer because they charged me $75 to join AREC and I didn’t even get a shirt!
My biggest pet peeve is…negativity, doesn’t matter who, it’s from me or somebody else.
I wish…I could run injury-free for the rest of my life and replace the President and Treasurer of AREC!
I run marathons because… in 1986, my friend and I had just finished up a track workout at high school and he said the Long Beach Marathon was Sunday and we should run it. Well, needless to say, we did. He picked me up Sunday morning and we got there a little late. We were signing up for the race and they shot the gun off. We finally got signed up and jumped into the race. The furthest we had ever run before was nine miles, so this should be interesting. Well, we felt great for the first 15 miles and then together we met "The Wall." Oh, Lord, did we walk. It was a long walk to the end. We ended up finishing in about 4:50 minutes.
Well, in 2000 my friend and I trained for the Chicago Marathon. I was so nervous and excited about seeing if I could run a marathon now. I knew I was a different runner and there was no guarantee I would finish. Well, five days before the race, I got the flu. I was so worried. I decided to go to Chicago anyway. I was hoping for a miracle. Well, the morning of the marathon I woke up and my fever was gone. I decided I was going to run. Well, my friend and I had trained to run a 4:15 marathon, but in the end I ended up running a 3:57:58 marathon. I was so elated. When I crossed that finish line and looked at my watch, I realized I had turned everything around in my life for the positive. It became more than just finishing a marathon, it became about redemption.
Eventually, I took that marathon time down to 3:14:56 and qualified for the Boston Marathon. The strange and wonderful part about qualifying for the Boston Marathon is my friend and I from high school who I ran the Long Beach Marathon with used to joke about one day qualifying and running in the Boston Marathon. It was a goal we set in high school and I went back and achieved it. When I crossed the finish line in Boston, I thought about what a long and strange trip it was to get to this level and this goal. I was so happy.
I run marathons because of what an achievement it is. I run marathons because of the great friends I have who run them or have run them. I usually have a time goal when I run a marathon but my ultimate goal is to just finish.