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    Negative Splits: A Middle-Aged, Newbie Runner's Journey to the First Marathon
    Negative Splits: A Middle-Aged, Newbie Runner's Journey to the First Marathon
    Negative Splits: A Middle-Aged, Newbie Runner's Journey to the First Marathon
    Ebook124 pages1 hour

    Negative Splits: A Middle-Aged, Newbie Runner's Journey to the First Marathon

    By David M. White

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    About this ebook

    Not all victories come with medals.

    "Negative Splits: A Middle-Aged, Newbie Runner's Journey to the First Marathon" chronicles the author's emergence from a 20-year period of self-imposed athletic exile to first-time combatant with the "26.2-Mile Monster."

    Employing an engaging "you-are-there" style, David M. White takes readers through the 10 months leading to the 2010 ING NYC Marathon and a finish which challenges the conventional notion of triumph.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateApr 10, 2017
    ISBN9781483598024
    Negative Splits: A Middle-Aged, Newbie Runner's Journey to the First Marathon

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      Book preview

      Negative Splits - David M. White

      Contents

      Copyright

      Praise for Negative Splits

      Permission to Use Copyrighted Material

      Dedication

      Epigraph

      Preface

      Part I: The Journey Begins

      Part II: The Road to Reclamation

      Epilogue

      Photo Section

      Acknowledgements

      About the Author

      Copyright © 2017

      By Magis Media, LLC

      All rights reserved under International and

      Pan-American Copyright Conventions

      The author grants you the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to read the text of this e-book, or an excerpt thereof. 

      No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the author’s express written permission. 

      Any trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for editorial purposes only. Neither the author nor the publisher make any claim of ownership and shall acquire no right, title, or interest in such trademarks by virtue of this publication.

      The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the print edition.  To locate a specific entry, please use your e-book reader’s search tools.

      ISBN: 978-1-48-359802-4

      Praise for Negative Splits

      Gritty, honest, tongue-in-cheek, colorful – this is a story about falling in love with long-distance running, by a now-prominent runner who started out as a confirmed couch potato.

      - Patricia Nell Warren, New York Times Best-Selling Author of The Front Runner

      _________________________

      "David White proves that it’s all about making the decision to put on your shoes, do the work, and go for it.  In the marathon - or in life – it’s the same. Some sit and watch, the others participate. Guess which is transformational?"

      - Kathrine Switzer, Winner, 1974 New York City Marathon, Author of Marathon Woman

      _________________________

      David White’s story of reclamation rings true for any runner who has struggled through injury and defeat and come back strong. His writing is on the mark and will resonant with runners at all levels who realize that running is a gift to be treasured. His story will motivate readers to stay true to their goals and find inspiration to keep putting one foot in front of the other, as he did, to cross the finish line.  

      - Gail Kislevitz, Author of First Marathons: Personal Encounters with the 26.2-Mile Monster

      _________________________

      A setback constitutes a setup for a stronger comeback. David White's inspirational journey exemplifies this concept on many different levels and is transferable to all athletes, especially marathon runners. This is a must read for all runners motivated to reach new levels within their own personal journey. Enjoy the ride!

      - Sid Howard, Winner of 5 Masters World Championships, 50 United States National Championships, Holder of 5 World Records and 6 United States Records

      _________________________

      Wouldn’t it be great if White’s work motivated Americans to get up off the couch?  We all would love to run a negative split again. Just remember what’s important: NEVER STOP RUNNING.  

      -Gary Muhrcke, Winner of the Inaugural New York City Marathon (1970)

      Permission to Use Copyrighted Material

      The publisher and author gratefully acknowledge the copyright holders for granting permission to quote lyrics from the following:

      Dream On by Aerosmith. Written and composed by Steven Tyler ©1973 Music of Stage Three (BMI).  All rights reserved. Used by permission.

      Spies Like Us. Screenplay by Dan Aykroyd, Dave Thomas, Babaloo Mandel, Lowell Ganz © 1985 Warner Bros. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

      The Hunt for Red October. Story by Tom Clancy. Screenplay by Larry Ferguson, Donald E. Stewart © 1990 Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved.  Used by permission. 

      Intergalactic by Beastie Boys. Written and composed by Mario Caldato, Jr. and Michael Louis Diamond © 1998 Hal Leonard (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

      Dedication

      For Jennifer L. White, Esq.:

      Intimior Intimo Meo

      Epigraph

      Negative Splits: 

      (n) To run the second half of a race faster than the first half.

      Preface

      NOT ALL VICTORIES come with medals.

      Prior to my 40th birthday, running a marathon was not a priority for me. In fact, the concept held no charm. 

      Like most Americans, I was indifferent to distance running. As a New Yorker, I had a cursory familiarity with the annual spectacle which snarls our streets on the first Sunday in November. If I serendipitously stumbled upon the event while flipping through television channels from the sedentary comfort of my couch, I watched a few minutes of coverage until I grew bored. 

      What sane person would do that to himself? I momentarily pondered before slathering more hollandaise sauce on my Eggs Benedict and stirring the celery stalk in a spicy Bloody Mary.

      Life has a funny way of changing your perspective. 

      Negative Splits chronicles my conversion from committed couch potato to multi-event USA Track & Field Masters All-American. 

      I invested more than 10 months to prepare for my first marathon. During that period I dropped a significant amount of weight (42lbs) and effectively took on a non-paid, part-time job which materially altered my social life. By Marathon Sunday, I was in peak physical condition. 

      There is a difference between hope and expectation. A pregnant woman expects to deliver a child.  She may harbor a hope that the newborn will be of a particular sex. The distinction is similarly useful when contemplating a marathon.

      I expected to break 4:00:00 in my debut performance at the 2010 ING® NYC Marathon. My hope was to register a finishing time fast enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon®, the world-class event which is every distance runner’s dream.

      Let’s look at this by the numbers. Statistics reveal that less than 0.5% of the United States population has attempted to run a marathon. The overwhelming majority of those athletes will complete the course. 

      Then there are others.

      Before retiring for bed the night before the 2010 ING NYC Marathon, my wife, Jennifer, sought to assuage my anxiety. 

      Regardless of what happens, you’ll forever have a marathon finishing time that begins with a ‘3,’ she opined.

      There are certain outcomes in life which we do not allow for because they are seemingly absurd on their face. Like the unsinkable RMS Titanic not arriving at New York’s Pier 54, the cursed Chicago Cubs winning the World Series, or Keith Richards living to see his 70th Birthday.

      The work you hold in your hands is a first-person account of an anomalous result, the often untold story of a forgotten minority. 

      Sometimes the deity is in the details, and humanity is in the recounting. 

      While the account I share is unique, I am the Everyman, the placeholder for archetypal running experiences. Those who are preparing to compete in their first marathon may profit from the tale.  Seasoned competitors are likely to recognize themselves in the universality of the narrative.

      Thank you for your decision to purchase this work. More poignantly, I appreciate your investment of the most precious non-renewable resource: time. 

      Please enjoy Negative Splits.  I welcome

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