I’m a Carmel Runner: Michael Shirrell
I’m running the Carmel: Marathon
Number of years as a Carmel resident: Six years
Goal for the 2012 Carmel Marathon Championship Weekend: Anything less than 3 hours (marathon personal record is 2:50:30)
Why I started running: To help quit smoking as a New Year’s resolution in 2004. I have never looked back since.
Favorite place to run in Carmel: Monon between 146th and 86th streets, or in the Village of West Clay.
I run with: I usually run alone or with one other person, but I do participate/run with a training group during the spring.
When I’m not running: I work as a project management consultant and am an avid guitarist of 18 years.
One word to describe what running means to me: Enjoyment.
How running/exercise has changed my life: I went from a fairly sedentary lifestyle that included smoking to the complete opposite. Many college friends cannot imagine me as a runner, and many post-college friends cannot imagine me NOT running.
Race day lucky charms: I usually wear the same outfit for every race – Brooks Ravenna (shoes), grey Nike shorts, black and red Nike running singlet (top) and Sugoi sleeves (weather dependent).
Advice for new runners: Keep running! It gets easier with every step you take, every run you complete. Never focus on what other people are doing; run in whatever fashion you are comfortable in terms of stride, pacing, etc. Also, celebrate running milestones (e.g., first 5K, 10K, half, etc., or a new personal record)! Running may be a way to get healthy, but why do something if you don’t enjoy it? So, HAVE FUN!
Why I decided to run a race: Running in my (adopted) hometown and on familiar territory is always advantageous since I know what to expect in terms of terrain. And, I ran the inaugural Carmel Marathon last year … need to keep the streak alive!
For more “I’m a Carmel Runner” features, go to www.facebook.com/CarmelMarathon.
