Grandmas Marathon by Ralph Breckenridge Jr

         The Grandmas Marathon weekend was like no other I had ever experienced. I heard great reviews about the race from my awesome friend Katie Kramer and signed up for the June 2014 race 11.5 months early after registration opened and post my status on Facebook. It gave me plenty of time to decide what my plans was going to be for that weekend.

         By the end of  the year there were a lot more Landrunners going than originally planned as I added my name to a list of runners on Facebook Running Buddies but I had signed up so early I thought I originally was going with a group of runners in a van and had a place to stay. But you know how that goes when you sign up that early things can change.

         I wanted to make this marathon trip a memorable one by doing something I had never done before was take a plane trip using a rental car after arriving. I knew nothing about flying and it scared me to death. On the days leading up to the marathon I was more nervous about the plane ride than the marathon and was getting all the information I could about getting through the airport and surviving a plane ride on YouTube. I seen a post on Facebook by my friend Darlene Spry who already made it there that it was cold so I packed some arm warmers. 

      My flight was delayed a half hour late that Friday evening before marathon and I was concerned because I didn't want anything to go wrong and get there as soon as possible. Once I got on the plane I thought it was really small and couldn't stretch out and relax. I was okay until the plane took off.  I almost panicked but I closed my eyes and prayed. The landing was rough at St. Paul MN. but was glad to get there. Took rental car 168 miles to Duluth and stayed at a college across the St Louis river in Superior WI.

         The Grandmas Marathon weather the next morning was okay. A little chilly at first but warmed after I started running. I didn't set any PR's in this race but I had a great time. Brian Jacobson told me to look for bacon at mile 23 so when I get to mile 23 of the race I ask these guys. Where's the bacon? And they had a bag of beer and wanted to pour it down my throat. Said no thanks to that stuff but they were trying to help an old guy out a little bit. Surviving a marathon sometimes you need that extra energy even if it means grabbing a beer or something. I seam to struggle in this marathon like I did in OKC marathon but felt in much better shape. 

       Finished my 18th marathon uninjured and no hurt with a time of 5 hrs 57 mins 24 secs. Loved Grandmas marathon and would like to go again but I'm into the 50 states club and would like to do Honolulu HI in the future or just do a  different state. Grandmas is wonderful marathon with great supporters. I can't say if this marathon trip is the best I've ever been on but it ranks way up there. I'll have to think about it. Definitely should try it if you haven't ran it give it a try in the future.

         My first plane ride coming and going sort of overshadowed the whole trip and had an easier time coming back home. Would love another marathon plane trip in the future and take some friends. Going it alone was tough but would have like to have someone to come along with me. 

          Thanks for reading friends and see you at the next race

               God bless

                         Ralph Breckenridge Jr

2011 Dallas White Rock Marathon

Hello family and friends
 
    The Dallas White Rock Marathon was quite an experience and it's taken me almost  a year to get around to this one! I'm a year behind in my blogs so I've got a lot to write and YouTube about in the next few weeks!! I had registered and had this marathon planned with friends 7 months in advance so was I ready to run this marathon? Yes I was but I was not ready for the drive down to Dallas because I had not driven that many miles by myself ever and heard some terrible stuff about the Dallas traffic!! I had not been to Dallas since July 1980 when me and my relatives took a trip to Ft. Lauderdale, Fl where my brother Darrell Turner lived back then!! So I was so scared to death of this drive I took off for Dallas 5:00am that Saturday before the marathon to beat the traffic. And to make matters worse I didn't know my way around Dallas and wasn't sure the maps I googled was actually going to help.
      
      I managed to get there and find the Dallas Fair park marathon expo really surprised the a heck out of me and met up with my running buddies as I was at the marathon expo for 6 drooling hours. Yeah, I know don't ask me why I did that because i still don't know.
      
       After I left the marathon expo to go to hotel I got completely lost for 5 hours and almost was in a car accident. I had to turn off on the side of the rode and do some serious praying because I wasn't sure was going to be healthy and rested enough to run that marathon the next day after all that driving. I missed my friends pasta marathon dinner so I was a little weak. But on a good note I managed to find the hotel when I called them and they directed me. Thank God for cell phones but mine didn't have a GPS on it at the time.
   
      When I got to the hotel I was glad to see my friends and really didn't want to do anything  but go to bed and rest because i wasn't interested in the OU vs OSU game that was on at the time! A friend ask me to watch it with her but she didn't understand I had been lost in the Dallas metro for 5 hours and almost in an accident. I was a very tired man looking for sleep!!
      
         The Dallas marathon was like no other and the people down there was really friendly to Okies, I was really surprised. During the 26.2 miles that I ran the spectators and fans really cheered us on and I got Hi5's!! Even tho it rained like it did in the OKCM marathon 6 months earlier it wasn't nearly as bad as that race!! If you ran both races and only did the half marathon at Okc 2011 and your trying to compare the 2 your only foolin yourself because that was the warm part of the race. I Pr'd in this race with a time of 5 hours 10 mins 23 sec until I broke that time at Prairie Fire marathon last month by 12 minutes. Wouldn't mind running this one in the future again but don't have any plans, who knows!! I actually enjoyed my marathon trip to Dallas as it was my first trip back to Dallas in 31 years. It's a great marathon and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to run it I had a  blast while I was there. Enjoyed my first and only trip to the Cotton Bowl.

             Thank you friends and fans for reading, love u all and keep the faith
              Keep a watch for my YouTube blog and God bless!!
                     
                                           Ralph Breckenridge Jr
                 

2012 Oklahoma City Memorial Memorial Marathon (A Run to Remember)

Hello friends

  The 2012 Okc Memorial Marathon was my 7th time being involved in the event that has touched so many lives and remember the 168 people who were killed April 19, 1995.  In 2005 of the event did the Memorial 5k run/walk which was in it's first year and I hadn't ran any race  longer than a 5k at that time!! Since then I've ran 4 half marathons and 2 full marathons just for the Oklahoma City Memorial marathon, running in memory of friend Randy Guzman, the marine killed on the 6th floor.

I've been a member of the Okc running club since July 1, 2004 who I trained with and met some great everlasting friendships. If you ever need  someone to run with this is a great group. In my training leading up the 2012 Oklahoma City memorial marathon I ran Little Rock marathon on March 4, 2012 and A2A marathon of Ardmore on April 1, 2012 in an attempt to become a Marathon Maniac by running in 3 marathons in 57 days which I became after running the Okc memorial marathon! Marathon Maniac is an online club website which has requirements for membership in certain amount of months or days you do marathons.

  Okc memorial marathon had 25,000 runners this year, many spectators, and volunteers to make this race, one to remember! And starts with 168 seconds of silence for the 168 people killed in the bombing in April 19, 1995 and the National Anthem! I knew I was ready as usual for a race!! For most of the race I ran at a 10 minute per mile pace according to my Garmin watch and tried to keep it at the pace but like my other marathon race I lacked a marathon kick my last 6 miles of the race. My marathon time was 2 mins slower than last year running a time of 2 hours 27 minutes.  I've since talked with a friend about that so I'll have closing speed for next race. Really enjoyed the race and spectators. It rain a little bit but this was nothing like I endured last year rain and hail!! And since I train in the evening heat  after work that marathon day felt cool with misty rain. I take that over tornadoes any old day!!

 Having been involved with my 7th memorial has very special meaning in my heart and as long as I'm living will always run this race!! Even if I have to use a wheelchair, the challenge is there. Looking forward to next year. Thank u all for reading.
                                                     God bless

                                             Ralph Breckenridge jr

My First Ultra Marathon

       About 5 months ago I registered for an Ultra marathon  called 24 the Hard Way.  An Ultra marathon is more than  a full marathon  which is 26.2 miles. I hadn't planned on doing anything like this and just finished only my 2nd marathon running the Oklahoma City Memorial. I had broken most of my personal records in racing times this year after getting back into running shape.  I know 6 months ago that running a 12 hour Ultra would be another challenge and one for the record books.
    
        24 the Hard Way Ultra marathon  took place at Bluff Creek park on October 23, 2011 at 6:00am which consisted of a 6, 12, and 24 hour races on a 1 mile asphalt loop. They had a tent setup for us at the start which all spectators and friends were going to be. They had food and drinks for all runners when we ran under the tent. I ran the 12 hour race that started at 6:00am. It was dark when we all got started and I wore my headlamp for an hour and a half, before I retired it!! 
   There were many friends and supporters out there that were very helpful  and encouraging which was a real blessing while doing a 12 hour race and definitely shouldn't be compared to  any of the shorter distance races!! A mile per pace isn't the same in an Ultra as it is in a 5k or 10k race and is not a speed run. Who ever thinks that, hasn't run one yet or might not ever get there.!! After running the Ultra it seamed like the full marathon was a much shorter race and should be a much easier race next time because of the Ultra!!
    I had running buddies that ran with me that day, Laura Ward and Kevin Lynes ran start to finish and we all got bracelets from the race!! I had no problems during the 1st 8 hrs of the race. I  aggravated an old injury in my right foot that slowed me down to a walk/run. My personal goal for the Ultra was run 60 miles in 12 but I did 46 miles and 48 laps!! Adding an Ultra to my running status has been awesome. Doing 2 marathons and an Ultra as long races within a year has been very intriguing. I actually enjoyed this race and would like to do it again next year. If your looking to do run an Ultra I recommend this race.
  All the volunteers and supporters were awesome in the race. They really took care of me and other runners during the race!! I wanted to say thank you so much if u were reading. My next race is Rt 66 Tulsa half marathon the weekend before Thanksgiving. 
                 God bless u all and  live long and prosper 
                                                 RLBJ

Ralph Breckenridge Jr (The person)

    Hello Everyone!
          I thought I'd do this blog a little different and do it about myself. Some of you who don't know me and know of me as the runner from Facebook and always posting stuff about running I'll have a full story of who I am.
      I'll start with my name which is Ralph Breckenridge Jr. I'm the youngest of 6 kids in our family!! I was born in a little town NW of Okc named Okarche, Ok but raised in Kingfisher, Ok so I'm really a full blooded Okie. I'm an African American male so far as i know though my forefathers was said to have other stuff mixed in. Don't know what but who knows I could be a black Irishman for all I know.lol  I was born with a respiratory lung disease called asthma that I struggled with  most of my childhood and part of my adulthood. I was a quiet kid growing up never bothered anyone unless they bothered me first. My first activity growing up was riding the bike. My step dad bought me a bike when I was 6 years old and I just loved it!! It kept me from running and triggering my asthma at times. The asthma was totally out control and I ended up in the hospital a number of times trying different medications but my asthma was also triggered by allergies too. I felt like I was going to die at times from the respiratory disorder and it didn't seam to be a cure!!
   In elementary school I got to running around on the playground and found out I could run, and very fast too!! A lot of my classmates was calling me the roadrunner and I kinda liked it cause I watched the cartoon on Saturday morning. I was getting so fast one of my school friends called me the Six Million Dollar Man!! I didn't know what that was at the time and he told me about the TV show that just came on TV at the time. I was hooked after I started watching it. That was pretty cool back then the show seamed real!!!
    I started to really love to run even though the asthma kelp me handicapped but I was stubborn and refused to let that stopped me. I rode the bike for so long even though I had a couple of crashes with it but I didn't let a hurt stop me doing what I love to do!! If I got severely  injured in a car accident I'm not going to stop driving the car unless I was dead or paralyzed!
    In 1975 my parents took me to the Okc Allergy clinic to be tested. I took allergy shots in both arms for  14 years and took breathing pills, and used an inhaler for the asthma until 1995!! I stopped taking them thinking I had outgrown it at the age of 29!! I had went to college in Weatherford and the campus nurse gave me my shots at the college. I don't have the asthma attacks anymore unless I'm around cats or hay. I had some really neat friends in school, never had any problems seamed like we all  had great friendships. I took track in high school after running so well in Little Olympics in junior high and didn't do so well!! It seamed like I was getting slower the older I got and I was a sprinter. My muscles were tight cause I didn't like to stretch and it was slowing me down. High school was alright but could have been better. I didn't date anyone at the time but had my eye on a couple that I liked and wanted to ask to the Prom but refused to go. I didn't say a whole lot in school but talked more outside of class and hung out with my classmate and friend Gary Price. Sometimes played volleyball at his relatives house. When I did say something I always like to be a practical joker. Mr. Funny guy hahaha!!
   I have no idea why I've been single all my life and it's a very difficult question for me to answer. One thing I do know is when i became a Christian in the fall of 1984 it changed my whole life including that special someone the good Lord had for me. I've known a lot of women but dated one once in college which only lasted  a day!! I think the lord has something else for me! God is good!! I got back into running later after a 10 year layoff but that's part of another blog I've already done. I'd like to take a vacation soon, always wanted to go to Hawaii to run a marathon.
    Well I'd like to tell more, maybe in another blog. Thanks for reading friends!!
                                                 Love ya   RBJ
    

2011 Okc Memorial Marathon "A Run to Remember"

     The Oklahoma City Memorial  marathon has special meaning in all of Oklahoma's hearts because it's in remembrance of the 168 people who died of a vicious evil act. I had been looking forward to running this race since I ran my first marathon last November at Route 66 in Tulsa. Even though I trained for Route 66 I was completely out of shape and almost let the Tulsa race defeat me. I wasn't going to let that happen again as I started training for the Okc memorial marathon. I was my own coach as always and started my goal to run a 4 hour marathon in 4 months!!
     A change happened in my life first by giving blood after Christmas. I found out I had a very high cholesterol count and I needed to get it down. It was around that time I changed my eating habits and started eating more fruits and veggies to get better control of my cholesterol and at the same time lose some weight!! I quit eating out but when I did eat out with friends I looked for healthy choices.  My goal for my 2nd marathon was to be better, stronger, and faster than my last one, and that's going to continue. After 4 months of training, and reaching my racing weight for the Okc memorial marathon of 160 lbs I was almost ready. I didn't gain the flexible i wanted to get my 4 hour marathon but I was 55 lbs lighter than my last full marathon. 
    On the day of the marathon I felt like I was ready and I was going to run this thing no matter what the weather or anything else. God blessed us with cool weather that day with plenty of hydration falling from the sky and that was enough for me.  I ran in name of Randy Guzman, the marine on the 6th floor, my niece"s fiance. I met up with one of my disciples from my running group at the beginning of the race Sarah Knief who was running her 2nd half marathon! We took off together at the 10 min per mile marker but didn't see her again in the race. The rain and the cold didn't bother me most of the marathon as I made it to the 13.1 mark in 2hrs 14 mins which tied my PR for the half. I kept a 10 mins a mile pace until I got at Lake Hefner and started developing cramps in my calves. I took electrolyte pills and they seem to work and I ran another 10 miles before I got cramps again. No injuries in this race stayed healthy the whole way even tho it hailed. I had no problem with the weather maybe somebody else did but the only thing I was concerned about was cramps and tight muscles. As long as my legs were going I was going to finish in 4 something hours. I was so into the time factor in this race and not just finishing which I did in 5 hrs 25 mins which broke my old record of 6 hrs 51 mins in Route 66. 
     This was a great race and I had a good time met some good people along the way. If  you ever think about doing your first marathon this is a great one.  Never give up on your goals and this was a good one even if you don't run the interest is there. Crossing the finish line in my 2nd marathon was even  more wonderful a feeling and planing to do White Rock Dallas marathon on Dec 4!! Thank u for reading and God bless u all!! See ya on the running trails!!


                                                     Ralph Breckenridge Jr

My First Long Distance Race of 2002

 I just wanted a chance to tell you all about a change in my life that happened nine years ago, this coming March.  How I got started back into running again. In high school I was a short distance runner in track so in school I ran no longer than a 440 dash and my classmates called me roadrunner cause of my speed. And because of my severe case of asthma I didn't perform as well as did the other runners because I got out of breath very easily.  Since that time I got away from running a bit just going jogging occasionally and riding the bike.

 

      Over the years I started gaining weight and developed something call hypoglycemia that kinda gradually came on when I didn't have a good meal.  I  had times when I collapsed and past out in public including church as my health and weight was out of control. At one time I was at a lifetime weight of 220 pounds in May 2001. I didn't do anything about it the rest of that year until the New Year of 2002. I set goals to get better and try to get active.  One day in March 2002, I was listening to the Sports Animal on the radio, mentioning something about a race called the Red Bud Classic. They were giving away free registrations at a cell phone company in Edmond. I got to thinking, oh boy this is a great opportunity to start running again. So I registered for the 2 mile race that they had at that time.

   The day of the Red Bud Classic there was a forecast for rain sometime that day and there was cloud cover. When I got to the race that day I was amazed at how many runners that came to run on that cloudy day, it was incredible. Anyway channel 9 and Gary England was there and said it wouldn't rain until after the race, but guess what. It started as soon as we lined up for the race. I wasn't worried about the rain as long as no tornadoes came about that day.

  

     When the race started it seam like the rain came down a lot faster, and my cotton shirt and shorts were sucking up that rain water like a sponge. A mile into the race I began to wear down a bit from the race and the rain soaked clothes. Someone told me I ran a mile during the race and I was half there but where. I had rain in my eyes and I couldn't see very clearly. So I was just hanging on and trying to follow the other runners. When I finally get to the finish I thought I was going to collapse but  I manged to make  it to the massage table where I almost didn't make it on my feet because of leg cramps. They didn't get really bad until I got in the car and tried to drive home.  I got the worst Charley horse cramp when I tried to push down on the gas pedal.  I ended up getting cramps in both legs and wasn't able to drive for a while.  It was an interesting day indeed but I had fun and met new people.

        My time for the 2 mile race was 26 mins 30sec. Today I look at the time and laugh but didn't go by time back then just effort. I never forgot the older gentleman that pat me on the back during the race and said see you at the finish line. I could of sworn he was in his 70's.

 

   Since then I never missed a Red Bud Classic race I got every metal from 2002 to the present.  I guess you could say that race has sentimental value to me every year in remembering how I turned my life around. It was the only race I ran in until May of 2005 I did Sooner State games and four more races that year. I lost 40 pounds that summer running the lake.  I join the Okc running club in the summer of 2004 when I discovered them at Lake Hefner's Stars and Stripes park.

    Since I've been running I met some wonderful people who I thought help me and pushed me to become better runner.  Even saved my life on a hot summer day one of the times I didn't run alone.  And my health has been much better. My weight has been struggling of late because of the holidays but that's changing.

   

    See you all of you on the trail. And thank you for reading. God bless!!