Racey Runner: Ken Alegre

Ken Alegre, 37, Arlington, VA, Software Tester

In 2014, I went to the doctor to treat poison ivy I had on my face. During my evaluation, he highlighted on a piece a paper that I had high blood pressure and told me that I needed to lower it before a more serious health issue develops. I was very overweight during that time. I feared if I did not change my health and fitness, I would get a heart attack or a stroke. That high blood pressure diagnosis prompted me to make a total lifestyle change. I chose running as my fitness activity, and I never looked back. I made a commitment to complete the 2014 runDisney Happy Haunted 5k Trail Race. After completing that 5k, I caught the running race bug, proceeded to sign, and run in more races!

I run by feel. In longer distances, I will run/walk. In shorter distances, I tend to do more running than walking. I train with tempo runs, hill repeats, and sprints.

5k, 10k, 10 Mile, Half Marathon, and Marathon. I am open to running races at distances between one mile and the marathon (26.2 miles).

I have done two Marathons, four Half Marathons, two 10 Milers, three 10ks, and 5ks.

At this point in time, my greatest race accomplishment has been completing the 40th Marine Corps Marathon in 2015. I trained a year to prepare to run the 26.2 miles. The race has an added challenge because it requires runners to maintain a 14 minute per mile pace. This forced me to train for running the marathon distance at under a 14 minute per mile pace.

My favorite race is the Cherry Blossom Ten Miler in Washington, DC. To be able to run among the bloomed Cherry Blossom trees is a treat. Everyone that runs this race enjoys running on this flat course while enjoying the festivities of the Cherry Blossom Festival.

I have traveled to Orlando to run the runDisney events at Walt Disney World.

Participating in runDisney races is very expensive. Along with the high registration race fees, the costs for race merchandise, hotel rooms, food, park tickets, and air travel can put a big dent in your wallet. I have saved up for years to do these type of expensive activities. Also, I buy things on sale at consignment stores versus buying items at retail price.

I must have a good pair of comfortable, responsive, and lightweight running shoes on race day.

Weirdest place I have chafed would be on my armpits. That was painful every time I moved my arms on the run!

I totally prefer running in the cold weather. I sweat a lot, and I tend to overheat in warm to hot weather. The cold weather gets me super focused in my mind to keep moving forward. I have PR’d all of my races in the cold weather.

I keep it simple. I eat bread and drink hot water before a race.

At the 2015 Cherry Blossom Ten Miler, there were visitors to the Cherry Blossom Festival walking across race course while we were approaching the first mile. What made this weird was that the streets were packed with runners and the visitors were dodging the runners like the video game “Frogger.” Weird and dangerous at the same time!

500 feet from the finish line at the 2015 Rock ‘n’ Roll DC Half Marathon, muscles on both of my legs seized up at the same time. I could not move my legs. The race announcers where cheering me on to keep going. I was nearly in tears and was frustrated that I was stopped so close to the finish line. Eventually, my leg muscles relaxed enough to allow me to run very slowly to the finish line.

My most awesome moment so far has been to “Beat The Bridge” by reaching the 20 mile mark at the 40th Marine Corps Marathon in 2015. Once I reached this part of the race course within the time limit (I had to reach the 20 mile mark by 1:15pm), I realized that my dream of completing the MCM would come true.

I love to cheer on the runners that are at the back of the pack. After running the race, I will often go back to the finish line and encourage all the runners to keep pushing to the finish line. To see the effort on the faces of these runners reminds me that it takes heart to complete a race.

I will wear my first running costumes during the Dark Side Challenge races at the 2016 runDisney Star Wars Dark Side Half Marathon weekend.

The look of a medal does not make it “awesome.” The medal symbolizes all the hours of hard work, dedication, effort, and heart put into completing the race. The recognition given and the respect shown by people of your accomplishment is what makes you “awesome.”

Of all the medals I have earned, the 40th Marine Corps Marathon Medal stands out as the best medal. It was an honor to take part in this anniversary race and to have it as my first marathon.

I prefer to run alone since I run my training runs by myself. Running solo allows me to focus on moving forward at my pace.

I do not run with music. If I did listen to music on my workouts, my favorite song would be “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC.

My mom is not just my race hero, she is my hero. She has shown me that if you believe in yourself, anything is possible. My mom is not the fastest runner. In her second 5k race, she ran her race and placed first in her age division. She believed in herself and never gave up. To me, that is the definition of a hero.

The race on the top of my bucket list is the NYC Marathon.

Running has allowed me to have more energy throughout the day. I have better posture and form when I walk or run. I have stronger muscles and reduced the fat around my body. I’m able to shop for clothes at most stores once again!

The worse thing that can happen at a race is that you do not finish the race. Embrace the challenge of a race, and be open to learn and make mistakes while you train. Every step you take gets you closer to your goal. If you believe in yourself, and are willing to make a commitment to doing everything it takes to accomplish your goal, you will have success. Surround yourself with positive people and positive energy, and you will have positive results.

Do things that you have a passion for. Be proud of whatever you choose to do, and let that passion bring you overall happiness.