Name: John Pescio
I’m running the Carmel: full marathon.
My goal for the 2013 Carmel Marathon weekend: is to finish – this is my second marathon. If I can beat my previous time that would be great.
Why I run: I run for lots of reasons. Running gives me time to myself, time to think. I am in vocational Christian ministry, and some of my best times with God have been during a long run. I love the challenge of distance running, of setting a measurable goal and attaining it.
Favorite place to run in Carmel: In marathon training, I run ever-widening loops around the city, typically involving Main Street, Old Meridian/Pennsylvania, 116th, and Gray or Hazel Dell. I do also enjoy the times I’ve run through Central Park.
Pre-race rituals: Very little. I’m not a speed runner, so I don’t do a lot of warm up other than easing into my run. Small breakfast; I save the big meal for when it’s all done.
If I’m not running, I:lead a nonprofit organization called Tidewind Ministries (www.tidewind.org) that helps people pursue intimacy with God and dependence on Him. I lead extended times of worship and prayer in our Prayer Room in Broad Ripple to give people a place to come to connect personally with God.
I enjoy cooking, particularly trying things that most people tend to buy at the store (homemade breads, jams, bacon, etc.)
My advice for new runners: Don’t get discouraged! Just do a little at a time. I’ve only been running for two years, and I increased my distance fairly quickly just by being consistent. I was a happy couch potato and had no aspirations to run a marathon. I huffed and puffed during a mile on the treadmill. But something changed when I got comfortable running three miles. I warily decided to try four, then wondered if it was possible to run five. When those didn’t kill me, I decided to try just a little more, a little more. I would do a 2-3 mile run during the week and a longer (5, 6, 7, etc.) mile run on the weekend.
I set a goal to run 10 miles by the end of 2011. In October of that year I looked at a bunch of routes and decided where to go for an 8-mile run. But I must have mixed my streets up, because while I was still a good distance from home I checked my GPS and discovered I had already run 9 miles. I completed my first 10 mile run by accident!
Why I like living and running in Carmel: Carmel is a great community with lots of fun places to explore. There are great trails all over the city that are friendly to runners. And while Indiana is fairly flat, there are enough inclines (particularly in the area around Northview Church) that make training challenging enough to get you in good race shape.
For more information on the Carmel Marathon Weekend, visit www.CarmelMarathon.com.
