Minnesota Sun TImes Article on Philip Noyed

http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2011/04/18/news/aw/5aw21runn...

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Boston bound for one Deephaven resident

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BY CHRIS DILLMANN • SUN NEWSPAPERS Published: Monday, April 18, 2011 1:39 PM CDT

When Deephaven resident Philip Noyed dropped off his sailboat six years ago to the Shorewood Yacht Club and decided to run home, his turned into a goal. He determined to run one of the most recognized marathons in the world.

Noyed's goal was to qualify for the Boston Marathon before turning 50. He did so October 2009 at the WhistleStop Marathon in Ashland, Wis., with a time of 3:27:39. The time needed to qualify for the Boston Marathon in Noyed's age group is 3:30:00.

The 51-year-old will be running the Boston Marathon April 18. Noyed says even though he has focused on doing well, he doesn't want to lose the importance of the accomplishment.

"I just want to enjoy the experience, and it's something I've wanted to do for a long time," Noyed said. "I'm going to have a lot of fun first of all, then if I could, I'm hoping to run a 3:20:00 marathon."

Philip Noyed gets a morning jog in before work April 13 on a trail in Minnetonka. Noyed was scheduled to run the "Boston Marathon" April 18, a six-year dream in the making. (Photo by Chris Dillmann • Sun Newspapers)

Noyed decided to make running a true passion when he joined a running club at "The Marsh" in Minnetonka. It was there he met his running coach, Mike Bialick from Minnetonka, and started marathon training.

Noyed had a lot to learn.

"He stuck with it though," Bialick said. "Over the years he really started to improve a lot.

His time started to drop, and he got more and more serious with his running."

Noyed trained for only nine weeks for his first marathon, the Twin Cities Marathon.

"I didn't do very well at all," Noyed said. "So I thought if I train harder, I can do better."

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And train he did.

"It became part of my lifestyle to run and do yoga," he said. "It just made me feel good."

Noyed not only trained his body for the physical hardships of marathon running, but also more importantly had to train his mind.

"You have to really be focused on running," Noyed said. "For me, it's like meditation to go out and run. I enjoy that aspect of using my body and getting outside enjoying the weather."

Bialick says so much of running has to do with the mental aspect because a person's mind will send out warning signals before the body physically has to stop.

"It's just a matter of tuning out some of the annoying signs that your mind is sending you to block that out and stay focused," Bialick said. "So much of the sport is definitely mental, and a lot of it for longer races especially is to stay focused through the prolonged periods of pain."

Yet, it's not just the mental pain during running, but the mental fatigue from other aspects that accompany the sport says Noyed.

"The hardest part is the feeling when you don't qualify after putting so much time into it," Noyed said. "So the marathons I didn't make it were pretty tough because you hit something called 'the wall,' and if you hit the wall that's a pretty miserable feeling. But when I did qualify, it was one of the best feelings I've ever had."

Bialick says the huge accomplishment of qualifying for the Boston Marathon is a dream for many who try and never succeed.

"For a lot of people, that's kind of a pinnacle in a runner's life to qualify for Boston's," Bialick said. "The qualification standards are very difficult, and they continue to make them tougher and tougher."

Along with running, running and more running, Noyed has also been a lifelong artist. His work, including a painting inspired by his qualification for the Boston Marathon, is on display at The Marsh through the end of April.

"Art is just something I love to do, and I find I get energized doing art," Noyed said.

Working full time in web design, Noyed says he doesn't watch tv and focuses his energy into creation.

"I like the sense of exploration in creation," Noyed said. "I have a vision, and I like to see

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how far I can take it. While in the pursuit, it's really exciting and challenging of whatever I'm doing."

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