Here is an update that I sent my crew today:
Hey gang,
I hope this all finds you well. I have been meaning send out an update but I was holding out for news from Philly & Tribeca...
I just received notice that we did not get into Philadelphia Film Festival. We had very high hopes with Philly but for whatever reason it wasn't in the cards. I will be honest... a kick in the dick would have been more welcomed news. But we look forward and still wait to hear from Tribeca, Boston Independent, Santa Monica, and we will be submitting to AFI/Discovery, Austin, and Wilmington Film Festivals.
As with our all our runs together - let's keep moving forward and not worry about the injuries behind us.
Much love,
z
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Production Update: Screening & NFL Films
Roughly 17 years ago, I did something that changed my life.
I did an internship with NFL Films.
The three months that I spent in the Mt. Laurel facility was one of the most amazing times of my life. One of my bosses, Billy D, was one of the biggest ball-breakers that I had ever met but he would always take time to show me how to do something or who I needed to talk to. Billy taught me how to load film mags and that Kenny was the woman that could book you on shoots. So other than my regular duties, I practiced loading mags and bothered Kenny with the weekly calendar to see what shoots I could get on. I am not sure if Kenny liked or hated me but I think after a couple weeks, I wore her down to the point that she would book me as a Production or Camera Assistant on many shoots. These shoots were... magical. During these music and corporate videos, football interviews, and game days - I got to watch Directors of Photography illumination and shape from motivation or mood, I saw Hank McElwee use one of the early Steadicams, found out just how loud a stadium can be... from the field, and how m
uch the crews really loved what they did. I fell in love with it and it guided and influenced my career to this day.
uch the crews really loved what they did. I fell in love with it and it guided and influenced my career to this day. When I say "this day" I mean December 7, 2007. On that Friday night, we had an opportunity to show 3:15 for the first time to crew, family, and friends. At around 8:45p, the lights went down and 3:15 rolled. It was incredible... just incredible to see it on the big screen. When the lights came back up, as I walked from the back of the theater with Michele, I looked at the faces of the crew and they were all smiles. I knew they would be happy with the film but I can not tell you what a relief it was to see this. When we started filming this documentary, I told myself that I would never waste anyone's time and that no matter what - we would finish. Seeing the crew's faces gave me the knowledge that I had not wasted their time and that we had succeeded in finishing 3:15.
As I walked out that night, I looked back at the theater that we had just shown our film - Ed Sabol Theater. If you don't know who Ed Sabol is, you may know his son Steve. If you don't know who Ed or Steve are then you may know where they work... NFL Films. A couple months before the screening, I emailed my old boss Billy D, to see if he knew of any theaters that I could show 3:15. As he did 17 years ago, Billy showed me the way and asked the appropriate people if we could have a showing. A day later, I was able to call Michele and tell her that we were "in" at NFL. I knew this would be great news to Michele because as she had reminded me earlier that week, she had also done her internship 8 years after I had completed my internship at NFL Films.
Even after all this time, I still found the magic at NFL Films but this time it was from seeing and experiencing things for the first time but more about coming home.
Cheers to Billy D and my buddy Bobby C.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Help To Promote 3:15
Add these banners and badges to your site and help to spread the word about 3:15.
Downloads: Desktop Wallpapers
Download: 800 x 600 | 1024 x 720 | 1152 x 768 | 1200 x 800
Download: 800 x 600 | 1024 x 720 | 1152 x 768 | 1200 x 800
Windows
Select the dimensions matching the screen resolution of your monitor (if you don't know, select 800x600) and follow the instructions below:
Internet Explorer 6 and 7
1. Right-click on the image.
2. Select "Set as Background" from the context menu.
Firefox
1. Right-click on the image.
2. Select "Set as Wallpaper" from the context menu.
Mac OSX
Select the dimensions matching the screen resolution of your monitor (if you don't know, select 800x600) and follow the instructions below:
OSX Download
1. Select the image size under the graphic.
2. Click/hold on the image.
3. Select "Save Image As..."
4. Save the image to your hard drive.
5. Follow the directions under OSX Installation below.
OSX Installation
1. In System Preferences, select "Desktop."
2. Under the Collection menu, select "Choose Folder..."
3. Select the downloaded image from your hard drive.
4. Click "Choose," and close the Desktop window.
3:15 Press: Daily Local News (06.29.2006)
West Chester man set to film his attempt to qualify for marathon
By Samuel Narisi (Staff Writer)
Some people may wonder where Mike Zolomij gets all his energy. As a father of four children under the age of 5, he certainly has enough to keep him busy. But in addition to parenting and working full-time, he is also pursuing the difficult goal of qualifying to run in the 2007 Boston Marathon, motivated by a passion for running and a desire to succeed.
"I'm a big believer in goals," said Zolomij, who lives in West Chester with his wife, Carol, and their children. "If you don't have goals, you're not living."
Zolomij, a professional videographer, is also involved in making a documentary chronicling his efforts. The film is titled "3:15", after the minimum time he must run in a marathon before Boston to qualify, and will tell the story of Zolomij's intense training and the effect it has on his roles as a husband and father.
"It's not all about the training," said Mike Kazin, one of the film's production assistants. "It's about the training, and the life and trying to bring everything together."
The film will be built around interviews, shots of Zolomij talking with his wife and playing with his kids, as well as footage of him training. Much of the filming done so far has included shots of him running through West Chester and the surrounding area. One spot in particular where Zolomij trains often is the ironically named Skelp Level Road, which runs through hills he can only describe as "brutal".
"I love it," he said. "I'm a freak."
Zolomij has always run to train for different sports, but did't really get into running for it's own sake until a few years ago, when he ran to lose weight and fell in love with it. He ran his first marathon in the summer of 2004, and first started thinking about Boston about a year later, after he stumbled upon the Boston Athletic's Web site. Zolomij, who is 38, saw that the qualifying time for his males age 35 to 40 was 3:15 - a full 36 minutes lower than his personal record at the time - and knew what his next running goal would be.
"Part of me was like, 'That's the craziest thing I've ever heard," he said. "The other part of me was like, 'That's the craziest thing I've ever heard - I've got to try that."
So now, Zolomij trains six days a week, alternating between days of running and days of weight training. Each week he runs anywhere from 25 to 50 miles. With such a busy household to look after, it can be difficult to find the time to keep up with everything.
"It's always hard," Zolomij said. "Somebody's got to watch the kids."
He often wakes up at 4am so that he can run and be back in time to watch his children when they wake up, so that his wife can sleep in a little more. And when he can't do that, she is willing to sacrifice some of her time to keep an eye on things around the house.
"Carol and I are a great team," he said. "I wouldnn't be able to do it if I didn't have her."
Though she is busy with her own goal of earning a doctorate in psychology, she does what she can to help her husband, and wants to see him succeed. In fact, she was the first to suggest to Zolomij that he make a documentary about the effort.
"The cool thing about Mike is that he's an extremely hard-working person," Carol Zolomij said. "When he puts his mid to something, he follows through, with anything from fixing a light to running a marathon. If I didn't think he could do it, I would never have made the suggestion."
Carol Zolomij's support was particularly helpful last winter when Zolomij over-trained and developed a knee injury that kept him from running for three weeks, which is a major set back in a strenuous training program.
"That was the only point where he just questioned whether or not it was all worth it, and that was the time for me to step in and play the supportive role," Carol said. "Mike's done the same for me numerous times with my school work."
As that injury shows, on any given day, anything can happen to a runner that will put him or her out of commission and take away precious training time. Nonetheless, Zolomij is confident in his abilities as a runner and doesn't plan on letting down anyone who wants to see him reach his goal.
"Too many people have sacrificed too much for me not to do this," he said. "In my mind it's going to happen."
Despite this assurance, though, part of what makes Zolomij's story compelling is that even he doesn't know for sure how it will end.
"When you're doing a documentary, that's part of the fun," he said. "You have to be open to the whole picture to see where the story's going. You have to let the story happen in front of you."
The story will conclude in October when Zolomij runs in the Chicago Marathon, which he must finish in 3:15 in order to qualify for Boston. Once filming is finished and the editing is done, Zolomij and the crew hope to show it at film festivals. Now matter how "3:15" ends, Zolomij hopes that it will inspire the audience to pursue their own goals, whether it's running, or walking or learning to paint.
"I don't want the viewer to see it and feel like they've just run a marathon," he said. "I want them to feel motivated."
More information about the film can be found at www.threefifteenthemovie.com
3:15 Press: Main Line Today (August 2006)
Camera Running
Captured On Film: A Local Marathoner's Unlikely Quest For Boston
By Michael T. Dolan
In the pre-dawn hours of a frigid mid-February morning, the film crew squeezed into a black pickup truck. The cinematographer battled the open air of the cab, fingers too numb to handle the camera.
It was the dark before dawn, and the truck trailed a lone man navigating the rolling hills of West Chester. The streets were quiet this Sunday morning, save for the truck's struggling engine. And fast-paced footsteps.
The crew followed the footsteps for seven miles, and they expected to follow for seven more. Something, however, was awry. The truck was no longer trailing the runner; he came to a halt and walked slowly toward them. No one in the crew could blame him for quitting. It was just too damn cold.
But as he came closer, the crew realized it wasn't the cold that stopped him - the look on his face told them as much. His goatee covered in ice, eyes sunken, he looked broken and tired.
"it's my knees," he said.
Mike Zolomij was never a long-distance runner, which makes his story all the more compelling. In March 2004, he ran in Brian's Run, an annual race through the streets of West Chester benefiting the disabled. He ran the 10K race in a respectable 50:02, placing 165th. He was hooked.
Thinking he had longer races in him, Zolomij began contemplating greater goals, and soon enough his mind turned to the marathon. A 10K was one thing, but 26.2 miles is quiet another.
Two years later, Zolomij, 39, has successfully run four marathons and is training to run another in Chicago this October - all in hopes of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. 3:15 (three hours and 15 minutes) is both the qualifying time for male runners between the ages of 35 and 40 and the title of the documentary chronicling Zolomij's journey to make it to Boston.
A videographer for QVC and founder of his own production company, Big Dumb Monkey Productions, Zolomij has always been the man behind the camera. In 3:15, however, all the equipment is focused on him.
"I never saw myself being in front of the camera," says Zolomij. "I am much more comfortable on the other end - out of sight."
He has his wife, Carol, to thank for the change in view. Zolomij and Carol live on a tree-lined street in the heart of the West Chester borough. With four children ages 5 and under - and two dogs to boot - their household is a busy one.
On this day, Jake, 5, and Cole, 4, discuss the merits of Batman's superhero abilities practicing the ways of "the Force" from Star Wars. Two-year-old Ashe wanders from toy to toy in the lawn while 1-year-old Skye sits perched in her father's arms. How, one wonders, does a father of four with a full-time job and his own production company find the time to train for marathon after marathon, all while making a documentary?
"Carol," Zolomij is quick to say. "Without her, none of this would be possible. We make a good team."
And indeed they are. The couple's relationship is built on supporting each other's pursuits. For Zolomij, it's the Boston Marathon; for Carol, a doctorate in industrial psychology.
"We tag-team with the kids, and somehow we're able to do it. Our support system for one another has always been great - we're very lucky that way."
And it's that support system that planted the seed for 3:15. After running in three marathons in 2004/2005, shaving his time from 3:56:25 to 3:33:41, Zolomij told Carol he was thinking of trying to qualify for Boston. He knew it would be difficult and mean more hours of the streets of West Chester and away from home. He was uncertain.
Carol, however, was certain - and she upped the ante, challenging him not only to train for Boston, but also to make a documentary for the effort.
"You're always saying you want an exciting project to work on," Carol said. "Well, this is it. I'll give you whatever time you need to make this happen, but you need to do this."
The challenge made, Zolomij grabbed hold and ran with it, pulling together a film crew of industry friends.
"I wanted people who believed in this project - people who would put their heart and soul into it," he says. "I'm lucky - that's exactly who I have. This crew believes in me, and each one of them has sacrificed time away from their own families, their own pursuits. They're incredible people."
Nancy Glass Productions' Michele Loschiavo, producer and director of 3:15, recalls her response to Zolomij's pitch: "I'm in. When do we begin?" It's short and it's sweet, but it is exactly the attitude Zolomij has roused from the eight-member, all-volunteer crew.
Filming began a year ago when Zolomij was training for his second try at the Marine Corps Marathon. He had to clips a daunting 41 minutes off of his first time (3:56:25) to qualify for Boston. It's not an impossible task, but damn near to it.
In June 2005, Zolomij and two friends traveled to upstate New York for the Lake Placid Marathon. He placed 48th at the race with a time of 3:51:28 - just five minutes shaved off the needed 41. Running the Marine Corps Marathon again in Ocotber 2005, Zolomij was able to cut his best time by 18 minutes, down to 3:33:41. Suddenly, 3:15 didn't seem all that far out of reach.
Each step of the way, Zolomij is followed by his film crew, from 5am training runs up and down the hills of West Chester to the Washington, D.C. landmarks along the Marine Corps Marathon course.
For Zolomij and the crew, though, 3:15 is about much more than running. It's about the sacrifices people make in pursuit of their dreams. More than that, it's about the sacrifices made by those whose support them. Filming the documentary has captured these sacrifices - the minor family crises, the early-morning crew calls, the bitter-cold shoots, the injuries.
"It's my knees."
When Zolomij came to a stop halfway through that February morning training run, it was evident something was wrong. "I was over-training," Zolomij recalls now, "not giving my body a chance to recover between runs."
Zolomij was doing sub-eight-minute miles on his training runs - pushing himself too hard. And it was beginning to take a toll on his knees.
Hot and cold compresses - and a lot of Motrin - helped Zolomij nurse his knees back to health. Over the next few months, though, the pain occasionally crept back. Training runs were rife with apprehension and anxiety. Would his knees give out? Would this run mean the end of Boston? Would the next?
Zolomij needed another marathon to find out what he - and his knees - were made of.
Fast forward to May 21. It's 4am on a Sunday morning, and anyone in his or her right mind would be sound asleep. Accompanied by his dog, Lobo, Zolomij enters the dark kitchen and flicks on the light. He's tired. He's nervous. He feels alone. Hell, it's 4am.
Sitting on the counter is a flyer that reads: "3rd Annual Delaware Marathon." Zolomij knows the flyer well. The next chance to test himself has arrived, and the starting gun is just hours away. Looking closer, Zolomij sees that the flyer is autographed in elementary-school print: "JAKE. COLE. ASHE. SKYE."
"We love you, Dad,," Carol wrote. "Good luck!"
Zolomij may be alone in his kitchen, but he's not alone - and his eyes begin to well with tears. Then he glances at his cell phone next to the flyer; there's a new message.
Zolomij's first reaction is one of panic. Someone in his crew can't make it. someone is sick. something is wrong! His heart pounding, he dials to retrieve the message. "Hi Daddy, it's Jake. Good luck today. Daddy, it's me - Cole Bear! I miss you. Daddy, love you!" The tears begin to flow, but Zolomij isn't anxious anymore. He's ready to run.
"The message and that flyer meant the world to me," he says. "This has been a stressful time on all of us, and their voices made all that go away. It was their way of letting me know that they're OK, that I'm not spending too much time away from them, that the sacrifices are worth it."
Then, soon enough, his work begins.
5am: The crew begins to arrive. Michele. Paul. Eric. Wes. Derby. Mike. Mark. They greet one another in whispers, careful not to wake the sleeping souls above them.
5.30am: Car doors slam shut in the pre-dawn morning, engines come to life, and four cars begin their trek through the empty streets of West Chester en route to the Wilmington riverfront.
6.25am: The crew arrives at the riverfront and unpacks cameras, tripods, backpacks, digital cassette tapes and bikes. Zolomij, joined by friend and fellow marathoner Mark Goodwin of Exton, rushes to register and pick up a race packet.
6:50am: 10 minutes before the start gun, Zolomij rushes through his pre-race routine and stretches. The crew races to get it all on tape.
7am: To the "pow!" of the starting gun, Zolomij crosses over the line. After capturing the opening sequence, the crew splits up into two groups. Hopping on a laughable assortment of new, used and borrowed bikes, they race ahead of the pack to stage the next shot. Some have backpacks full of tapes and batteries; others have digital film cameras precariously in tow. Still another has a tripod slung over his back. Zolomij spends the next few hours running. The crew spends that time on bikes - tracking and filming him.
10:36am: Zolomij crosses the finish line at 3:36:39, 21 minutes shy of 3:15. He feels good, though. He made it through with his knees intact, and that in itself provides a life. Maybe 3:15 is doable.
Zolomij's next and last attempt at 3:15 comes Ocotber 22 at the Chicago Marathon. Can he do it? With the support of his family, his crew and friends, he believes so.
"I call it the Mike Mulligan effect," Zolomij says, referring to the children's picture book by Virginia Lee Burton, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel. In the book, Mike Mulligan and Mary Anne, his steam shovel, dig the town hall cellar in one day because a crowd gathered to cheer them on. The larger the crowd, the fast they worked. It's the same with Zolomij. He sees himself blessed to be where he is, and credits everyone but himself for what he hopes to accomplish - 3:15.
"Hurry, Mike Mulligan! Hurry! Hurry!" shouted the little boy. "There's not much more time!"
3:15 Press: Philadelphia Inquirer (08.20.2006)
Marathoner turns his goal into documentary
A simple plan to get back in shape led to a quest to qualify for the Boston Marathon
By Art Carey
Michael Zolomij knows about stamina. He is the father of three boys and a girl, all under the age of 5.
He and his wife, Carol, have a motto to describe the merry chaos of their West Chester household: "Always crazy, rarely quiet; only the silence scares us."
Life is a bit more manageable now that he no longer travels for work. A videographer for QVC, he shoots commercials and promos. Some weeks, he works days; some weeks, he works night. He takes it all in stride.
Six years on the road, though, took their toll. Zolomij (pronounced za-LO-mee) ate plenty of fast food. A former high school wrestler and college rugby player, he failed to exercise regularly. His weight climbed to more than 230 pounds.
As he rang in the new year 2004, Zolomij made a resolution: He would return to fighting trim. By adjusting his diet he had already shed 25 pounds. Now he was determined to lose 30 more.
"I began running again and fell back in love with it," says Zolomij, who first began running at age 14 to condition himself for wrestling.
As he became lighter and fleeter, Zolomij could feel the competitive juices percolating. He entered a local 10K and finished in less than an hour.
He was surprised and impressed. So was his father.
"You ought to run a marathon," he told his son.
"Yeah, right," Zolomij thought. But the more he pondered the idea, the more tempting it became. In October 2004, he showed up for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington. He had three goals: to finish, the have fun, and to break four hours. He succeeded. His time: 3:56.
The following spring, Zolomij completed another marathon in Lake Placid, NY. Despite the hilly course, he bettered his time, clocking 3:51.
About this time, while browsing the web site of the storied Boston Marathon, he discovered that the qualifying time for me his age is 3:15.
The Voice of Doubt declared: "There's no way you can do that." The Voice of Zest declared: "You gotta do that!"
Zolomij discussed his ambition with his wife. "Go for it," she said. Then she went a step further. She urged him to make a documentary about his quest. "This is the big project you've been looking for," she said. The title of the proposed documentary: 3:15.
Zolomij assembled a seven-person crew of trusted friends and professional associates.
"It seemed like such an amazing story," says Michele Loschiavo, a television producer whom Zolomij tapped to be director.
Crew members began filming Zolomij as he trained for a Marine Corpss Marathon encore. And last October, they captured him as he crossed the finish line, notching a personal best of 3:33. This February, they recorded his performance in a marathon in Delaware. With his left knee ailing from an overtraining injury, Zolomij struggled. His time slipped to 3:36.
The climax of the documentary is the Chicago Marathon, which takes place Oct. 22. Zolomij must break 3:15 to qualify for Boston in April.
"Some people think it's impossible," Zolomij says, "but I believe I can do it."
Now 39 and a lean 170 pounds, Zolomij rises at 4am and is out the door pounding the pavement by 5:30. He runs three days a week and cross-trains at the gym three days a week. He spends the first running day sprinting up stairs at a nearby parking garage or the steps at West Chester University's football stadium. The second day he goes for a five to eight mile tempo run, alternately accelerating and decelerating. The third day consists of LSD - long, slow distance, maybe a looping 20-miler.
"I like the dedication it takes," Zolomij says. "You can't cram the night before the exam. You have to do all your homework over the entire length of the course. You really find out what you're made of, and that's not a bad thing."
The aim of the documentary is to show that "just about anything is achiveable if you're willing to work for it," Zolomij says. "It's about family and all the support and sacrifice it takes to accomplish something significant."
Because the long weekend runs can take up to three hours, Michael and Carol have to juggle schedules and work to accommodate each other's need for personal time.
"It's been a serious challenge and a hard road in some respects," Carol, 38, says. "We've had to learn how to communicate effectively."
Director Loschiavo says that balance between a passion and family is in the film. "It's also about a man trying to impress his children and be good influences on them."
Whether Zolomij breaks 3:15 or not, the documentary will still go forward. Says Loschiavo: "It's more about the journey."
"If it motivates people to learn a language, paint a picture, or take up photography, that's great," Zolomij says. "It's not just about running. It's about pursuing goals and believing in yourself."
Michele Loschiavo: Professional Biography
In 1998 Michele teamed up with Jennifer again to start their own production company, Alter Idem Productions. The production company completed two short films, “Change” and “My Own Confession”, which she produced and directed. Films completed, Michele once again concentrated on her television career, left QVC and began working as a freelance producer for various production companies within Philadelphia.
She approached her new career choice like she always does, with drive and determination. In a matter of three years she went from associate producer on “Design Invasion” to a co-executive producer of “Spice up my Kitchen” and “Save my Bath” which can be seen on HGTV. But it was a phone call from a friend and former collaborator that brought Michele to her next project, “3:15”. After the pitch, Michael Zolomij simply stated, “I can’t and won’t do it without you.” Michele signed on as Producer, Director, and Editor.
Michele’s experience has taught her not to limit herself to one form of directing, whether it is narratives, documentaries, or TV reality shows. She pursues all areas in an effort to grow in the field that she loves, and hopes to continue the journey as a cinematic storyteller.
Crew
Michele Loschiavo
Michael Zolomij
Paul Schneider
Sean Conte
(Above) All Photography By Wes Weisser
Eric Godfrey
(Above) Photography By Scott Kinkade
Synopsis
For most people it is just a time. For Michael it is a goal that he is determined to make.
A qualifying time for male runners between the ages of 35 to 40.
"I think this was when I knew that I wanted to run the Boston Marathon. Basically, because part of me thought that I couldn't qualify. In the past, my marathon PR (Personal Record) was 3:51 at Lake Placid. I would have to cut thirty-six minutes off my best time… thirty-six minutes off my best marathon time. In roughly the span of one year…"
"I can do this."
Centered on long distance running and the personal goal of qualifying to the 2007 Boston Marathon, 3:15 will show the commitment of a runner and the sacrifices he and his family makes so he may run. This documentary will begin in August of 2005 as Michael Zolomij trains for the 2005 Marine Corps Marathon (MCM). The 2004 MCM was Michael's first marathon in which he finished with a respectable 03:56:25. In 2005, he hopes to finish in 03:30:00, slowly edging his way to achieving a 3:15 at the Chicago Marathon. The Chicago course is known to be fast and flat, making it the perfect race to qualify for Boston. The body of 3:15 will be told through interviews with Michael, family and friends, as well as seen through the training runs and races that Michael tries to accomplish within an already chaotic life. Working fulltime and holding on to some freelance work, Michael trains six days a week for the upcoming marathons. During this time his wife studies for her Doctorate and they both raise their four children (the oldest turning five in January 2006). Together their hard work and love for their children and one another make them an incredible team, able to achieve anything.
After the MCM, Michael plans run the Delaware Marathon and take another step closer to his final goal, October 22, 2006 the Chicago Marathon. For Michael to run a marathon in three hours and fifteen minutes is no joke and he knows this… all too well.
This is a journey through a year of training for that goal and a personal look into Michael's life as husband, father, son, and friend.
"Without fear and uncertainty, life would be a shallow existence. It's one year of hard training for me and Chicago is the end. After Chicago, Boston will just be fun… my goal will have already been met. Chicago is my true challenge. Chicago is what scares me."
A qualifying time for male runners between the ages of 35 to 40.
"I think this was when I knew that I wanted to run the Boston Marathon. Basically, because part of me thought that I couldn't qualify. In the past, my marathon PR (Personal Record) was 3:51 at Lake Placid. I would have to cut thirty-six minutes off my best time… thirty-six minutes off my best marathon time. In roughly the span of one year…"
"I can do this."
Centered on long distance running and the personal goal of qualifying to the 2007 Boston Marathon, 3:15 will show the commitment of a runner and the sacrifices he and his family makes so he may run. This documentary will begin in August of 2005 as Michael Zolomij trains for the 2005 Marine Corps Marathon (MCM). The 2004 MCM was Michael's first marathon in which he finished with a respectable 03:56:25. In 2005, he hopes to finish in 03:30:00, slowly edging his way to achieving a 3:15 at the Chicago Marathon. The Chicago course is known to be fast and flat, making it the perfect race to qualify for Boston. The body of 3:15 will be told through interviews with Michael, family and friends, as well as seen through the training runs and races that Michael tries to accomplish within an already chaotic life. Working fulltime and holding on to some freelance work, Michael trains six days a week for the upcoming marathons. During this time his wife studies for her Doctorate and they both raise their four children (the oldest turning five in January 2006). Together their hard work and love for their children and one another make them an incredible team, able to achieve anything.
After the MCM, Michael plans run the Delaware Marathon and take another step closer to his final goal, October 22, 2006 the Chicago Marathon. For Michael to run a marathon in three hours and fifteen minutes is no joke and he knows this… all too well.
This is a journey through a year of training for that goal and a personal look into Michael's life as husband, father, son, and friend.
"Without fear and uncertainty, life would be a shallow existence. It's one year of hard training for me and Chicago is the end. After Chicago, Boston will just be fun… my goal will have already been met. Chicago is my true challenge. Chicago is what scares me."
Monday, September 17, 2007
Production Update: The Challenge
A long time ago, after running the Lake Placid Marathon, a good friend challenged me with a question, "Have you every laid it all on the line? Run to the point where you have nothing left?"
I answered, "Yeah... I think so."
"Really?!" Mark challenged further.
"I don't know... maybe not. I don't know."
Mark had challenged me after seeing me run past him and our good friend, Kenny, at the thirteen mile mark at Lake Placid and it appeared to them as though I "...was not even sweating".
This challenge stuck with me for some time and it was not until subsequent races (MCM and Chicago Marathons) that I really felt that I had met it. I found it to be an amazing feeling. Mentally and physically you are totally depleted. You are truly running on the edge of succeeding and failing. With every race I run, I can only measure my performance against Mark's Lake Placid challenge.
It has been almost eleven months since the Chicago Marathon and I have been squeezing runs in when I could. My focus has swung from marathons back to family. I have been very hesitant to commit to anything over a 15k. Most of my runs occur during my lunch breaks at work where I will run anywhere from four to seven miles hopefully three days a week. I haven't been as consistant as I would like but I have hit the road hard when I could. Races have been few and far between but when it comes to the Distance Run in Philly - I can't say no.
The Philadelphia Distance Run is a half marathon race (13.1 miles) that I consider to be one of the great races in the area. The night before the race, I re-discovered a feeling that I haven't had in a while... nervous excitement. I was a little worried about the distance and how much training I had been able to do. I found myself checking and double-checking that I have everything that I will for race day. But my outlook was the same as any race that I do, "Have a great time and you will have a great time. Just enjoy it."
Race day was incredilble. Fall-like weather promised that records were here to be broken. I stood in Corral 3 and ripped open a pre-race gel packet promptly gagged/dry heaved three times and then deciding that maybe gels were not a good idea today. With that decision, the gun went off and so did me and 15,000 of my best friends.
I won't break down the entire race mile by mile but I will pass on two things that I kept telling myself.
1. "Relax and go faster." Anytime I would steal and peek at my watch and see that I had began to slow I would mentally repeat this and my body would answer the call. I don't know why but lately this has worked for me.
2. "Don't worry about he/her. Just run your race, Mikey." this is my buddy Kenny in my head. I think Kenny is one of the few people in the world that I would let call me "Mikey". Basically, what Kenny is saying is stay within your limits and not to be tempted to race people that are passing you. Run consist and at your pace and you will catch them at the end. Kenny has run for years and when he gives me advice I always listen.
At mile ten, I looked at my watch and realized that I could PR (get a Personal Record). I just needed to hold on to the pace. I could feel fatigue in my legs but I was not going to slow and I started counting down the miles.
"Relax and go faster. Relax and go faster."
Ten to eleven was no problem. Legs were growing heavier and I could feel my hips start to tighten up... a guy that had to have been 6'5" pasess me... he was hitting the ground so hard that I feel like a little cartoon mouse running in air everytime his foot would hit the ground. So some reason, this pissed me off.
"Don't worry about him. Run your race, Mikey."
Eleven to twelve. The fight starts and I feel my body try to slow down...
"Relax and run faster... don't throw this PR away."
Last mile and in the corner of my eye I see "Superman" (some guy wearing a Superman emblem on his shirt) pull up and pass me. DAMMIT! Superman is passing me?! I past this guy at ten! Damn! I wanted to tell my kids that I beat Superman today! That would have been so cool! Kids don't look at you with that awed look when you tell then you beat Chuck --- Male 25 - 30 from Chesterbrook, PA. Damn...
"Don't worry about him. Run your race, Mikey."
Last turn and I see the Finish Line a hundred yards in front of me. I try to open up and give everything that I have left. I feel my legs pick up the pace slightly.
I cross the Finish Line and I see Superman and smile. He smiles back and I walk away.
The gas tank is empty. Mentally and physically - I have nothing. Upon arriving at home my wife takes one look at me and states, "Are you OK?! You look like you had the the shit beat out of you."
I smile and feel the pain growing in my legs. Exhaustion has settled in and I look at her and say, "I feel great."
Challenge met again, Mark. Thanks for the push.
I answered, "Yeah... I think so."
"Really?!" Mark challenged further.
"I don't know... maybe not. I don't know."
Mark had challenged me after seeing me run past him and our good friend, Kenny, at the thirteen mile mark at Lake Placid and it appeared to them as though I "...was not even sweating".
This challenge stuck with me for some time and it was not until subsequent races (MCM and Chicago Marathons) that I really felt that I had met it. I found it to be an amazing feeling. Mentally and physically you are totally depleted. You are truly running on the edge of succeeding and failing. With every race I run, I can only measure my performance against Mark's Lake Placid challenge.
It has been almost eleven months since the Chicago Marathon and I have been squeezing runs in when I could. My focus has swung from marathons back to family. I have been very hesitant to commit to anything over a 15k. Most of my runs occur during my lunch breaks at work where I will run anywhere from four to seven miles hopefully three days a week. I haven't been as consistant as I would like but I have hit the road hard when I could. Races have been few and far between but when it comes to the Distance Run in Philly - I can't say no.
The Philadelphia Distance Run is a half marathon race (13.1 miles) that I consider to be one of the great races in the area. The night before the race, I re-discovered a feeling that I haven't had in a while... nervous excitement. I was a little worried about the distance and how much training I had been able to do. I found myself checking and double-checking that I have everything that I will for race day. But my outlook was the same as any race that I do, "Have a great time and you will have a great time. Just enjoy it."
Race day was incredilble. Fall-like weather promised that records were here to be broken. I stood in Corral 3 and ripped open a pre-race gel packet promptly gagged/dry heaved three times and then deciding that maybe gels were not a good idea today. With that decision, the gun went off and so did me and 15,000 of my best friends.
I won't break down the entire race mile by mile but I will pass on two things that I kept telling myself.
1. "Relax and go faster." Anytime I would steal and peek at my watch and see that I had began to slow I would mentally repeat this and my body would answer the call. I don't know why but lately this has worked for me.
2. "Don't worry about he/her. Just run your race, Mikey." this is my buddy Kenny in my head. I think Kenny is one of the few people in the world that I would let call me "Mikey". Basically, what Kenny is saying is stay within your limits and not to be tempted to race people that are passing you. Run consist and at your pace and you will catch them at the end. Kenny has run for years and when he gives me advice I always listen.
At mile ten, I looked at my watch and realized that I could PR (get a Personal Record). I just needed to hold on to the pace. I could feel fatigue in my legs but I was not going to slow and I started counting down the miles.
"Relax and go faster. Relax and go faster."
Ten to eleven was no problem. Legs were growing heavier and I could feel my hips start to tighten up... a guy that had to have been 6'5" pasess me... he was hitting the ground so hard that I feel like a little cartoon mouse running in air everytime his foot would hit the ground. So some reason, this pissed me off.
"Don't worry about him. Run your race, Mikey."
Eleven to twelve. The fight starts and I feel my body try to slow down...
"Relax and run faster... don't throw this PR away."
Last mile and in the corner of my eye I see "Superman" (some guy wearing a Superman emblem on his shirt) pull up and pass me. DAMMIT! Superman is passing me?! I past this guy at ten! Damn! I wanted to tell my kids that I beat Superman today! That would have been so cool! Kids don't look at you with that awed look when you tell then you beat Chuck --- Male 25 - 30 from Chesterbrook, PA. Damn...
"Don't worry about him. Run your race, Mikey."
Last turn and I see the Finish Line a hundred yards in front of me. I try to open up and give everything that I have left. I feel my legs pick up the pace slightly.
I cross the Finish Line and I see Superman and smile. He smiles back and I walk away.
The gas tank is empty. Mentally and physically - I have nothing. Upon arriving at home my wife takes one look at me and states, "Are you OK?! You look like you had the the shit beat out of you."
I smile and feel the pain growing in my legs. Exhaustion has settled in and I look at her and say, "I feel great."
Challenge met again, Mark. Thanks for the push.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Production Update: Boston
Yeah... this weekend is Boston.
Recently, during a phone interview, I was asked about how I felt about Boston coming up and what I would be doing that day, etc. I thought about it for a moment and said, "I'll probably go out for a run and try watch parts of it on tv with my family."
"You're not going up?" asked the reporter.
"No. Watching it with my family seems like a better deal."
Upon arriving home from Chicago, my priorities shifted back to really focusing on my family. I knew that my constant training over the past three years had taken a toll on my family and I couldn't ask for another (unless it was Boston, of course) marathon. I knew that I could no longer have my first thoughts in the morning be of the training or rehab that I need to do. I walked out of Chicago knowing that I had given everything I could and I am proud of that. I tell my kids, "If you try your best that's all that matters." Walking out of Chicago, I knew that it wasn't just bullshit that parents tell your kids.
Now I still squeeze in runs. Typically, they occur during my dinner breaks at work. From 7 - 8pm, you can find me running through West Chester. Enjoying and appreciating the time to get what I love to do.
Run.
Recently, during a phone interview, I was asked about how I felt about Boston coming up and what I would be doing that day, etc. I thought about it for a moment and said, "I'll probably go out for a run and try watch parts of it on tv with my family."
"You're not going up?" asked the reporter.
"No. Watching it with my family seems like a better deal."
Upon arriving home from Chicago, my priorities shifted back to really focusing on my family. I knew that my constant training over the past three years had taken a toll on my family and I couldn't ask for another (unless it was Boston, of course) marathon. I knew that I could no longer have my first thoughts in the morning be of the training or rehab that I need to do. I walked out of Chicago knowing that I had given everything I could and I am proud of that. I tell my kids, "If you try your best that's all that matters." Walking out of Chicago, I knew that it wasn't just bullshit that parents tell your kids.
Now I still squeeze in runs. Typically, they occur during my dinner breaks at work. From 7 - 8pm, you can find me running through West Chester. Enjoying and appreciating the time to get what I love to do.
Run.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)