By: Keith Kilgore (@keith_kilgorejr)
keithkilgoreruncoaching.com
Late Start is a multi-part series by Keith Kilgore, a runner, leader, and coach in the Los Angeles area. The series shares an emotional, relatable glimpse into how he discovered endurance running at age 30 and his inspiring growth in the space since.
2019. I was running 6 days a week and increasing mileage, getting stronger but struggling with my life changes. Cutting out alcohol is no small feat but changing the company that enabled it was even harder.
Some people like the way it feels
– Kendrick Lamar
Some people wanna kill their sorrows
Some people wanna fit in with the popular
That was my problem
I relied on a piece of wisdom Lasana Hotep gave me: “You can’t get off crack in the crack house.” I needed big changes to support my newfound love of running. New habits, new thinking, new job (I’d been a bartender), new environment.
My (now) wife, Crissy, was such a strong support system. In the difficult times, I was brought to tears because going back to bad habits was the easier choice. Her words were my first mantra. “Keep doing what you know is right.” It was some of the most important advice I’ve ever received.
We relocated to Oxnard and I got a new job. I put solid time into training and signed up for my first marathon. Then Covid-19 came hurtling towards us all. I was in the BEST shape of my life but not sure what to do. I still didn’t really know anything about running. I dove into research and was hyped.
One day, I searched “most popular marathon in the US” and the Boston Marathon was at the top of the list. I was born in Massachusetts (hate the Celtics), but I’d never heard of the Boston Marathon. I ate up every article about it. What stood out was that you have to qualify for it. My born-again competitive drive along with my ego jumped at that. I didn’t want to do something that anyone could just sign up for. I needed a real challenge. I needed that sub 3-hour 26 miles.
Boston…yeah, straight like that
– Guru
At the time, it was still a faraway goal since Covid wiped out races, but structuring my training around it was what I needed. With a renewed sense of purpose, I fired up the Nike 16-week marathon plan, signed up for the virtual Ventura Marathon, and trained my ass off.
I set a date for the run. I was fit. The weather was perfect.
October 2020. I set my phone up (still didn’t know about watches) to track my time and set off with Crissy and my first client, AJ McDonald, as crew. I cruised through the first 13 miles. The 6:50 pace felt EASY AS HELL. Everything was feeling butter and they told me I was moving. It was going exactly as I hoped, I was going sub-3.
Come on, Rookie.
– Wolverine
My stomach started to sound off at mile 18. I was hungry but buried that in the back of my mind. It was my first lesson of needing to listen to my body and I paid the price for giving it the silent treatment. I came to a dead stop at mile 23. I was running on fumes and my legs had zero life in them.
You win some. You lose some. But you live…you live to fight another day
– Craig’s Dad aka John Witherspoon RIP
I still didn’t connect the dots about how important fueling during a race was, but I did learn how important having people cheering you on is during those hard efforts. Volunteers, fellow runners, crews—they can make or break it. When I saw a guy running, I joined him. I didn’t realize this cat barely spoke English and didn’t know what the hell I was talking about, but his presence meant everything. I hit mile 26 and looked down at my phone to confirm the marathon was completed. NOPE. I didn’t realize until that point a marathon is 26.2 miles.
This Can’t Be Life
– Hov
I truly have no words for how hard that 0.2 miles was. No mantra worked. There was no positive thinking. It took everything I had to get me through another 1,056 feet.
The moment I finished, my body went into complete shut down mode. I limped to Crissy and the car. I had nothing left but, you know that feeling after your first marathon…my body fought every urge to be still.
What followed was a mess of post-race breakdown. Yacking. Overheating. We WebMD’d it and found eating would probably solve my problem. Syrup with a side of chocolate chip pancakes it was. I passed out until the afternoon. When I woke up I was refreshed and refueled and feeling accomplished as hell! I tried to get up, but my legs said, “Quit playin and sit yo ass back down,” which I obliged for a little longer.
When I eventually walked into the Ventura running shop later that day as an official marathoner, I was proud of my 3:06:18 and was excited for the acknowledgement of my accomplishment (even if it wasn’t that Boston time). What I got was a pro-tip that would change my life.
Congrats. You should try using Strava to record your data. Have a good one.
LA Running Connoisseur 
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