Fast Break's Alan Outlaw Still Looking For Sub-2:40 Marathon

His Marathons Have Only Gotten Faster And Faster In Recent Years

  • Thursday, November 27, 2014
  • John Hunt

Alan Outlaw didn’t exactly set the world on fire with his high school running career, but he’s gotten faster and faster since then.

Outlaw is that 37-year-old co-owner of Fast Break Athletics who graduated from East Ridge in 1996.  He played basketball for several years until finally dedicating his time and effort to track and cross country.

He was the number-one runner for the Pioneers and the late coach Don Waters, but that was about the time that Baylor’s Jamey Gifford, Cleveland’s Ben Phillips and Bradley’s Aaron Baird were the ones to beat.

Outlaw barely qualified for the state cross country meet as he finished 10th in the region before claiming 70th in the final meet of the season.  He then took off the next decade-plus from running.

He had gone to UTC where he graduated in 2001 with a degree in philosophy and religion.  He later went to work at Home Depot where he worked his way up the corporate ladder, but during that 10-year career, he worked a lot of long hours, ate a lot of fast food and gained a bunch of weight.

Then in 2006 he made the decision to change his life.  That’s when he started running again.

“I finally started back in 2006 as I wanted to spend more time with my three-year-old son Grady, but I desperately needed to lose some weight,” he said while relaxing at Fast Break earlier this week before the popular running store opened for the day.

“I had been a customer at Fast Break forever and was doing some remodeling for them when they moved to this current location.  I had gotten hurt and wasn’t running much, but Joey Howe approached me and asked if I’d like to work here about 20 hours a week.  I had never sold shoes before, but I had a background in retail, so I took him up on the offer,” he nodded.

Several years later, Fast Break founder Dick Dillard decided to sell and that’s when Zach Winchester became the new owner.  Zach’s brother had an investment in it, although not active, so Outlaw approached Zach about possibly becoming a partner.  Alan bought out the brother’s part in 2009 and the rest is history.

“We’ve had a record year here at the store as we’ve been really blessed, but we get to talk about running all day long.  What’s better than that?” he asked with a smile on his face.

The Symphony Classic 5K and the Chickamauga Chase 15K were two of the first races he entered after restarting his running career.

“I was nervous when I entered the Symphony Classic and really surprised when I found out I was in second place behind Joey Howe.  He dropped me in the last mile, but I still finished second.

“I was up to about 30 miles a week when I entered the Chase.  I’d lost about 30 pounds by this point and that made running a whole lot easier, but that was the first time I ever finished in the top 10 of a big race.  Again I ran with Joey most of the way and talked his head off the whole time,” Outlaw recalled.

He finally decided to run his first marathon in 2007 at Chickamauga.  His time that day was a very respectable 3:21:30.

“I thought I was doing something really special, but I had to walk the last mile as I was really hurting.  But that was a life-changing day and I’ve been hooked ever since,” he added.

Outlaw now has completed four marathons officially, although he ran as a pacer with his current fiancé at Chickamauga earlier this month.  His times have gotten progressively faster.

“I started running with the Fast Break guys in 2009 as I was trying to break three hours.  I ran with Geno Phillips, Michael Green and a guy from Atlanta that day and we were really rolling until they dropped me at the halfway point.  Michael stayed with me for 18 miles before he dropped out so I was by myself for the last eight miles.

“My hamstrings locked up at mile 23 and those last three miles were a real struggle, but I still managed to finish in 2:51:35 for third place overall.

“I came to work here right after that and started running with the faster guys on the weekend.  I got the bug real bad and that’s when I learned how to really push myself,” he said.

He entered the first running of the Seven Bridges Marathon in 2011.  He ended up being the overall winner in 2:45:03, but it was much tougher than most people realize as he really had a gut check in the final mile.

“Patrick Hall ran the first 15 miles with me as we passed the first half in 1:17.  I was feeling great at that point.  We had to cross Chickamauga Dam, but I knew if I could just get to the crest of the hill that I’d be homefree.  I passed the 20-mile mark right at two hours, so all I had to do was hold a six-minute pace to break 2:40.

“I simply couldn’t do it as it took about 45 minutes to finish that last 10K.  I couldn’t lift my legs when I got to Battery Place and tripped on a curb as I started to climb that hill.  I was really feeling sorry for myself, but that’s where I saw Michael Green and he told me that there were important people like Grady waiting for me at the finish line.  I had to quit feeling sorry for myself and keep going. 

“I hobbled the rest of the way.  It wasn’t a particularly fast time, but that was my first time to win a race and that made it easier for me to relate to the running community.  That was a PR by almost seven minutes,” he remembered proudly.

His fourth attempt to break 2:40 came at Chicago in 2012.  Again he recorded a personal best with a 2:43:33, but he still failed to break that magical 2:40 barrier.

Alan is now engaged to a lovely lady named Kathryn Davis, who is an experienced ultra-trail runner.  She ran her first road marathon at Chickamauga and Alan ran with her unofficially as she finished in 3:37.

That in itself was another learning experience for him.

“We’re planning to get married in March, but I’ve finally learned how to be a support person.  That’s another aspect of running I’ve never done before, but I want to train hard just one more time.

“I still think I can break 2:40 and Chickamauga would be a special place to do it next fall.  I’ve run out there a lot and know the course, so it’s doable,” he added.

Another item on his bucket list would be completing a 100-mile run.  He won the Chattanooga Chase 8K in 2011 with a time of 26 minutes flat and he also won the Black Warrior 50K in Moulton, Alabama the same year with a 3:58.

He knows there are still some fast times somewhere in those legs.

“It’s such a release and a freedom to run and to be self-reliant.  The good news about this sport is there’s a place for you, no matter who you are and what kind of pace you run,” he concluded.

Running has come full circle for Alan Outlaw and he’s to the point in his life where he gets to share some of the expertise he’s gained through his experience.

Will he be able to break 2:40 in the marathon?  Nobody knows for sure, but he’s certainly capable.  Whether he does or he doesn’t won’t define this guy’s running career.  He’s proven that hard work generates positive results and he gets to share those facts with people all day long.

What a great way to make a living.

(This is the 40th in a series of runners in the Chattanooga area.  If you know someone who might make an interesting story, email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@comcast.net)

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