I ran an absolutely asinine race, but had a great time doing it. Don't look for me in the race results, because I won't be there. Here's the long story:
A month ago I went to Bandera and ran more than I usually do, and sure enough I started having IT band problems. I took nearly the entire month off leading up to Sunmart, and stretched my legs everyday. Thursday before Sunmart I decided to run 8-10 miles, and if that felt ok, then I would run 50 miles at Sunmart. After all, I had already paid. If my knee was still hurting, then I would take Sunmart off and hope for a speedy ramp up for Bandera. That Thursday, I ran 4 miles and had to stop because my knee hurt too much. Sunmart was out for me, but I would be going anyways to cheer on my wife, Kara, who was running her first 50K.
We got out to Houston on Friday for packet pickup, and I was so frustrated. Picking up packets was like pouring salt in my wounds. I didn't want to pick anything up since I wasn't running. But Kara talked me into picking up the bag and a few of the goodies. I told her that I would not use them since I wasn't running, but if she wanted 2 of something I would give it to her since I paid for the race anyways. I picked up my number because I thought that maybe I would run a loop or half a loop, and if I had a number on then no one would have a problem with it. I did not pick up a timing chip, because I had no real intentions of running. And I knew if I started the run with a timing chip, it would encourage me to do something stupid like trying to finish the race with an injury.
On the way to Hunstville that evening I decided I would run one loop. Even if I had to walk half of it, I might as well finish a loop (12.5 miles).
The next morning I lined up at the start and started running at 7am. Kara was there, but her 50K didn't start until 7:30. When I was about 6 miles into the run my knee was hurting, so I ran a little faster to get it over with. I was running about a 9 minute pace at that point, which for 12.5 miles is pretty comfortable, but completely stupid if I had any intentions of running 50 miles. Fortunately I had no intentions of running 50 miles that day. As I approached 10 miles, my knee wasn't any worse, so I decided that maybe I should run a second loop. I was hoping to see Kara before I finished the loop, so I could let her know. She would be expecting me at the aid station since I was only running one loop. If she didn't see me, she might get worried. Fortunately I saw her, and told her I would keep running.
By the beginning of the second loop, my legs were burning. No wonder, not only had I not planned on running, but on Thursday, after I decided that I would not run Sunmart, I went to the gym and did a pretty heavy leg workout. On top of this I was running without any Gu's, gels, electrolytes, or anything else. So I was running too fast on weak legs, and a mind made up that I would not run the full 50. A few miles into the second loop I passed Joe P. He said, "I thought you were just going to do one loop?" I responded, "Well, my knee's not getting any worse, so I figured I might as well run until I can't." He laughed and said he knew what that meant... Crap! I was starting to think he was right, I was probably going to try to finish the race.
I caught Kara and her friend Christine soon after that. Kara told me I was a dumbass and that I should have at least worn a timing chip. It didn't really matter, I was just happy to be out there. Getting "credit" for the run didn't really matter to me.
Around the end of the second loop I knew I was committed. I also knew I was about to seriously slow down. I was still under an 8 hour pace and my legs were sludge. But my knee felt OK! Then I started laughing out loud. I was thinking of a conversation that I had with my friend Jim earlier that week. He was having knee problems too and was talking to Joe about it. I wasn't there but here's how it was told to me. It just sounded like two stoners sitting around their dorm rooms:
Joe: How's you knee feelin'?
Jim: Not much better. It still hurts everytime I run.
Joe: You know what you need, man? Maybe you need to just keep runnin'. Maybe it's somethin' you just need to knock loose, and like, once you do that you'll be fine.
Jim: Yeah, sure Joe. maybe...
Not exactly sound medical advice, but I know I'll take advice from a runner sooner than a doctor. Anyways, this advice we had laughed at earlier that week seemed to be dead on for me. So I just kept running. The truth is, it hurt a lot. But as much as it hurt, it never seemed bad enough to stop. I don't know how bad it would have to be, which scares me a little.
The rest of the run is not that interesting. It hurt a lot, a bunch of people passed me, and I stumbled on to finish. Last year I remembered drinking a coke at the very last aid station, and it was so freaking good. When I got to the last aid station I asked for a coke but they were all out. It was sad, was I going so slow that they ran out of refreshments???
I continued on, and I was so happy to see the HCTR crew at the finish line, and Kara with her finishers jacket. I stopped for a second to tell her congratulations, then ran on to the finish line. I had to explain to the people working there that I did not have a timing chip to give them, and they looked at me funny but gave me my jacket anyways.
I've now run several 50 mile runs, but it never gets old. Each one is a challenge, and each has it's own set of rewards. But I think this time I was happier at Kara's accomplishment that my own. We enjoyed a nice Sunmart post-race meal and I had the luxury of driving home that night. We slept very well that night.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Bandera II
I've been to Bandera several times now, but I only consider two of them as battles. The first was a draw, I finished the 50 miles I set out to do, but I could hardly call it a victory. I was happy to be alive in the end, and knew I'd be back for a rematch. Yesterday was the rematch.
For awhile now I've been planning on going out for the unoffical Cactus Rose 100M, where I would run less than 100M, but still get my rematch with the park. On Thursday morning, with work piling up and other things stressing me out, I decided not to go. Then, not more than 10 minutes later I got an email from Joe (the coordinator) asking if I'd be going. "Screw it" I told myself, my wife is out of town, its a long weekend, I might as well go. So I dropped my dog off at a friends house and drove out there Friday afternoon. Got there just before dark, set up my tent, and pretty much crashed, my run would start at 5am.
I set out to do 25 miles, with the intention that if I felt good I would continue on for more. It was not a formal event, and I could pretty much run whatever I wanted. Well, at 5am I felt great. At 11am I still felt pretty good having completed 25 miles. I had not brought any electrolytes, only 64 oz of gatorade, and a bunch of water. Only planning on 25 miles, I figured I could do iut with nothing but a watr bottle. My only food was some potato chips. Unfortunately I decided to go out for more, partially because I felt OK and partially because I was running with a guy who intended to do the full 100M and felt silly stopping at 25. Well, it was a stupid mistake. This was not a fully supported race, Joe did an awesome job setting it up with water and tents, but still we were on our own for food and supplements, and I had brought none. It was nearly 100 degrees, I had lost over 10 pounds in water weight, and I had nothing to consume. After 35 miles, I had almost decided to call it a day. It was more than I had intended to do, yet I kind of wanted to continue. The previous 5 miles had taken 2.5 hours. Yeah, thats right, I was barely walking, yet delirious enough to think I should continue. Later, I met a woman who apparently had seen me from a distance, and told me I didn't look so good. That might explain why, when I hit the 35 mile aid station, the guys at the aid station pretty much told me that I shouldn't go back out. I'll admit, I wasn't planning on going back out anyways, so there was no battle. I didn't feel bad about stopping, I only ever planned on 25 miles. But, with that said, I still have to say that Bandera won. The standings are now Bandera 1, TJ 0, with one draw. I'll be back in the fall, without the hot weather, for another rematch. Then, in January, I'll run the official 100K, where I plan to kick Bandera's ass.
For awhile now I've been planning on going out for the unoffical Cactus Rose 100M, where I would run less than 100M, but still get my rematch with the park. On Thursday morning, with work piling up and other things stressing me out, I decided not to go. Then, not more than 10 minutes later I got an email from Joe (the coordinator) asking if I'd be going. "Screw it" I told myself, my wife is out of town, its a long weekend, I might as well go. So I dropped my dog off at a friends house and drove out there Friday afternoon. Got there just before dark, set up my tent, and pretty much crashed, my run would start at 5am.
I set out to do 25 miles, with the intention that if I felt good I would continue on for more. It was not a formal event, and I could pretty much run whatever I wanted. Well, at 5am I felt great. At 11am I still felt pretty good having completed 25 miles. I had not brought any electrolytes, only 64 oz of gatorade, and a bunch of water. Only planning on 25 miles, I figured I could do iut with nothing but a watr bottle. My only food was some potato chips. Unfortunately I decided to go out for more, partially because I felt OK and partially because I was running with a guy who intended to do the full 100M and felt silly stopping at 25. Well, it was a stupid mistake. This was not a fully supported race, Joe did an awesome job setting it up with water and tents, but still we were on our own for food and supplements, and I had brought none. It was nearly 100 degrees, I had lost over 10 pounds in water weight, and I had nothing to consume. After 35 miles, I had almost decided to call it a day. It was more than I had intended to do, yet I kind of wanted to continue. The previous 5 miles had taken 2.5 hours. Yeah, thats right, I was barely walking, yet delirious enough to think I should continue. Later, I met a woman who apparently had seen me from a distance, and told me I didn't look so good. That might explain why, when I hit the 35 mile aid station, the guys at the aid station pretty much told me that I shouldn't go back out. I'll admit, I wasn't planning on going back out anyways, so there was no battle. I didn't feel bad about stopping, I only ever planned on 25 miles. But, with that said, I still have to say that Bandera won. The standings are now Bandera 1, TJ 0, with one draw. I'll be back in the fall, without the hot weather, for another rematch. Then, in January, I'll run the official 100K, where I plan to kick Bandera's ass.
Pike's Peak Nonreport
I apologize to my few loyal readers, but I have been too busy to write about Pike's Peak, and I wasn't really sure what to write anyways. I don't have a report to share. Here's the short story.
Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs are very cool towns, places I wouldn't mind living some day. There are some seriously good athletes out there, and the mountains are beautiful. But, I have to say, the race itself was a little anti-climactic. I was expecting struggle, pain, nausea, etc. Instead, I had a very easy race. Upon everyone's advice, I took the base of the mountain very conservatively. As I got higher and higher, I felt relaxed and strong and passed people the entire way up. At the top I saw my wife and friend, and they gave me some donuts, which I had requested in advance. I was way ahead of people I am never in front of. I also saw JT near the toip who went on to finish around 50th place I think. I'm expecting a top 20 finish next year, unless he's running Leadville 100 that weekend instead.
The run downhill went very quickly (~2 hours) and then it was over. I've been training for this race by running 12+ hour runs in extreme heat, and this race was over in under 6 hours without a hitch. I guess I just found it a little anti-climactic. That is not to take anything away from the race, it was fun and I was glad I did it. I think I just enjoy longer distances more than anything.
I'm thinking of going back up to CO and/or NM this fall. I have some vacation time and it seems like a fun roadtrip to drive up there and run some of the tough courses out there. We'll see.
Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs are very cool towns, places I wouldn't mind living some day. There are some seriously good athletes out there, and the mountains are beautiful. But, I have to say, the race itself was a little anti-climactic. I was expecting struggle, pain, nausea, etc. Instead, I had a very easy race. Upon everyone's advice, I took the base of the mountain very conservatively. As I got higher and higher, I felt relaxed and strong and passed people the entire way up. At the top I saw my wife and friend, and they gave me some donuts, which I had requested in advance. I was way ahead of people I am never in front of. I also saw JT near the toip who went on to finish around 50th place I think. I'm expecting a top 20 finish next year, unless he's running Leadville 100 that weekend instead.
The run downhill went very quickly (~2 hours) and then it was over. I've been training for this race by running 12+ hour runs in extreme heat, and this race was over in under 6 hours without a hitch. I guess I just found it a little anti-climactic. That is not to take anything away from the race, it was fun and I was glad I did it. I think I just enjoy longer distances more than anything.
I'm thinking of going back up to CO and/or NM this fall. I have some vacation time and it seems like a fun roadtrip to drive up there and run some of the tough courses out there. We'll see.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Finding My Groove
I finally had a good run this morning. I met the Rogue group at the Hill of Life this morning for an "easy" hour of running. Most of them just got back from a trip out to colorado for the Barr Mountain Trail Race, while I was back here at 100 ft elevation running flatlander style. It was recovery for the BMTR runners, and since we are all heading out to Bandera next weekend for some long runs, just taking it easy.
I started off easy, but about 10 minutes into the run I felt good. Really good. It was something I haven't felt in weeks, so I started picking up the pace. It felt so good to be running fast on single track trails, hitting sharp turns, leaping rocks and roots, like I had been doing a month ago. I felt really alive. That feeling is exactly what I love about trail running, and so I took advantage of it. It's the feeling that all of us trail runners seek, the thing we can't describe to our friends and coworkers no matter how hard we try.
I finished the loop in one hour, and stopped with the group. I was tempted to head back out for another hour or two, but knew it was best to stop. I have 40 miles planned for next weekend on some tough Bandera, TX terrain, no sense in wasting it all now. For the first time in awhile, I can't wait to get back out there.
I started off easy, but about 10 minutes into the run I felt good. Really good. It was something I haven't felt in weeks, so I started picking up the pace. It felt so good to be running fast on single track trails, hitting sharp turns, leaping rocks and roots, like I had been doing a month ago. I felt really alive. That feeling is exactly what I love about trail running, and so I took advantage of it. It's the feeling that all of us trail runners seek, the thing we can't describe to our friends and coworkers no matter how hard we try.
I finished the loop in one hour, and stopped with the group. I was tempted to head back out for another hour or two, but knew it was best to stop. I have 40 miles planned for next weekend on some tough Bandera, TX terrain, no sense in wasting it all now. For the first time in awhile, I can't wait to get back out there.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
The Death Run
It's been two weeks since my run out at Inks Lake, where I had a fabulous run and felt great doing it. I was on top of my running world, but since then it's all come crashing down. I've run about 5 times since then, each time feeling worse and worse. Maybe I need some time off, maybe its the 100+ temperatures, or maybe it's mental. Or maybe it's a combination of these things.
This morning I decided to head out for a tough hilly run, to see if I could break out of my funk. I ran Melissa's Davenport Death run. I figured it must be tough if Melissa ran on it. Besides it shares hills with another common running route called "The Inferno" and "The Run From Hell." Words like "death," "inferno," and "hell" sound like too much fun not to do, and I knew I had to push myself through it, or I'd just keep going on with these crappy runs.
The first mile was easy, some tough hills on Austin's scale, but nothing too bad. I picked up the pace for the next 2 miles and the hills got tougher. By 30 minutes in, I was spent. Here we go again, I thought. I slowed down, but not much, and I tried to focus on getting up the hills comfortably and recovering on the downhills. By 60 minutes in, I was good to go. If that wasn't a fluke, then I'd say I'm back to my old self. I sure hope so, Pike's Peak is coming up in less than a month.
I'll be heading out to Bandera next weekend for some more good running. I can't wait to get there, last time was the toughest run I'd ever had, but I had a blast doing it. It's beautiful Texas Hill Country out there.
This morning I decided to head out for a tough hilly run, to see if I could break out of my funk. I ran Melissa's Davenport Death run. I figured it must be tough if Melissa ran on it. Besides it shares hills with another common running route called "The Inferno" and "The Run From Hell." Words like "death," "inferno," and "hell" sound like too much fun not to do, and I knew I had to push myself through it, or I'd just keep going on with these crappy runs.
The first mile was easy, some tough hills on Austin's scale, but nothing too bad. I picked up the pace for the next 2 miles and the hills got tougher. By 30 minutes in, I was spent. Here we go again, I thought. I slowed down, but not much, and I tried to focus on getting up the hills comfortably and recovering on the downhills. By 60 minutes in, I was good to go. If that wasn't a fluke, then I'd say I'm back to my old self. I sure hope so, Pike's Peak is coming up in less than a month.
I'll be heading out to Bandera next weekend for some more good running. I can't wait to get there, last time was the toughest run I'd ever had, but I had a blast doing it. It's beautiful Texas Hill Country out there.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Horrible Running Weekend
I had a terrible running weekend. I got up early on Saturday to meet Jim at the hill of life. About 30 seconds into the run, on the way down the hill, I turned my ankle again. The same one from last weekends run. It hurt, I limped for awhile, and kept going. I should have just turned around right there and ran on the roads.
20 minutes into the run, Jim and I are both exhausted, hot, thirsty, and miserable. He's going really slow because his legs are tired from 2 very tough weeks of running for him. I'm limping behind him because of my annoying ankle. Neither of us are doing much talking, except to complain about the run. Normally whining is not tolerated, but that day it was all we had.
Then came the horseflies. These huge pests were buzzing around us and followed us for miles. We tried everything, but couldn't shake them. At this point it was getting really hot, we were covered in sweat, our bodies exhausted, and now the mental angish of these stupid horseflies. At one point Jim turned to me and said, "this is just plain miserable." He was right.
I let all of this beat me down, and my ankle was killing me. Finally after an hour and a half of pretending to be a runner, I told Jim that I was finished. We had planned on 3 hours, but I couldn't do it. My ankle was not worse than last weekend, where I ran all night on the same injury. It made me realize how mental this whole business is. Last week, I succeeded because I never considered the alternative. This weekend, I was defeated from the beginning. Last weekend I shunned the pain, this time I welcomed it and used it as an excuse to stop. It's OK though, I was fine with stopping. There's no reason to mes up my ankle any worse.
This morning I got up at 5 to try to run on the roads for a few hours. My ankle stil hurt, so I decided not to even go out. Instead I sat around watching live updates at the hardrock 100, where my friend Joe was running. He finished, as I figured he would. This was his 6th finish at hardrock. I don't know much about the course, but he went 47 hours straight with no sleep to finish just before the cutoff, so I know it must be rough.
Tomorrow I'll try to run again. We'll see how it goes.
20 minutes into the run, Jim and I are both exhausted, hot, thirsty, and miserable. He's going really slow because his legs are tired from 2 very tough weeks of running for him. I'm limping behind him because of my annoying ankle. Neither of us are doing much talking, except to complain about the run. Normally whining is not tolerated, but that day it was all we had.
Then came the horseflies. These huge pests were buzzing around us and followed us for miles. We tried everything, but couldn't shake them. At this point it was getting really hot, we were covered in sweat, our bodies exhausted, and now the mental angish of these stupid horseflies. At one point Jim turned to me and said, "this is just plain miserable." He was right.
I let all of this beat me down, and my ankle was killing me. Finally after an hour and a half of pretending to be a runner, I told Jim that I was finished. We had planned on 3 hours, but I couldn't do it. My ankle was not worse than last weekend, where I ran all night on the same injury. It made me realize how mental this whole business is. Last week, I succeeded because I never considered the alternative. This weekend, I was defeated from the beginning. Last weekend I shunned the pain, this time I welcomed it and used it as an excuse to stop. It's OK though, I was fine with stopping. There's no reason to mes up my ankle any worse.
This morning I got up at 5 to try to run on the roads for a few hours. My ankle stil hurt, so I decided not to even go out. Instead I sat around watching live updates at the hardrock 100, where my friend Joe was running. He finished, as I figured he would. This was his 6th finish at hardrock. I don't know much about the course, but he went 47 hours straight with no sleep to finish just before the cutoff, so I know it must be rough.
Tomorrow I'll try to run again. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Night Running Theme Song
Listening to my iPod on shuffle last night, an oldie but goodie came on. It's the perfect theme song for last weekends all night run.
little voice says I'm going crazy
to see all my worlds disappear
vague sketch of a fantasy
laughing at the sunrise
like he's been up all night
ooo slippin and slidin
what a good time but now
I have have to find a bed
that can take this wait
good feeing
won't you say stay with me just a little longer
it always seems like your leaving
when I know the other one
just a little too well
-Violent Femmes
little voice says I'm going crazy
to see all my worlds disappear
vague sketch of a fantasy
laughing at the sunrise
like he's been up all night
ooo slippin and slidin
what a good time but now
I have have to find a bed
that can take this wait
good feeing
won't you say stay with me just a little longer
it always seems like your leaving
when I know the other one
just a little too well
-Violent Femmes
Monday, July 10, 2006
Capt'n Karls Report
I wasn't sure how to write up this race report, as it was not like any other experience I've had on the trails. It was a test of my resolve, my character, and a true showing of my friendships, and had very little to do with my fitness or strength. The results might be shown by my time, distance, or rank at the finish, but the real results were the things I learned during the run, and the knowledge I walked away with at the end.
The event started with a little pre-race speech by Brad and his wife Nyla, the RD couple. The talk was as much about the purpose of the race, raising money for the American Cancer Society, and it was about the run. Brad and Nyla really believed in the cause of this event, and that was cool to see. The inaugeral Capt'n Karl's All Nighter began shortly after this, by none other than Karl, who the race was named after.
I'm not going to write the normal race report. During the race there were 4 things that stuck out to me and they trump anything else that occured during this long night.
1. Jim, Kara, and I drove out to Inks lake in the early afternoon. On the way out there, Jim was talking about hopefully getting in 25 miles in his 6 hour event. I told him that he should be excited, because he was about to run his longest run ever that night. Since he's run a marathon, I was basically telling him that he would exceed his goal of 25 miles. We had agreed to run the first 6 hours together, then I would run the second half alone. At 11:15pm, we realized that we would have to step up the pace to get into the aid station by 12:30. This was the cutoff for the 6 hour guys. If we left the aid station before this, then he was allowed to go back out and get another "official" loop in. This would put him at 30 miles. But it would not be easy, as we hadn't run a loop in under 1:15 in quite awhile, and we had been slowing down. But Jim stepped it up, we pushed the pace the first half of the loop, and the second half he left me. He ran like a crazy man and got back into the aid station at 12:23, just quick enough to head back out. It would have been easy for him to take it easy, finish just after 12:30 and have a good reason to call it a night. A successful night at that, but he wasn't satisfied. He pushed himself, and he was rewarded with his first ultra marathon. He did the 30, plus a one mile loop at the beginning when we were lost, for an unofficial 31 miles, or 50K. Jim is a strong runner, and a great friend, I was happy to be a part of his first ultra. I'm lucky to have a friend like him.
2. Kara, my wife, had come out with us and volunteered at the aid station from 7pm to 1am. This race wouldn't have been the same without her there. I couldn't believe how dependent I was on knowing that she would be there when I got there. At one point, I came in after only 10 miles feeling weak and nautious. I hadn't felt this poor in the early stages of a run before. She told me, "It'll get better, it has to." She said it twice. They were the perfect words for the moment, they helped me get through that first low point that I had, and echoed in my mind the rest of the night. I'm a lucky guy to have her.
3. At mile 28, I sprained my ankle very badly. I screamed like a madman when it happened, and limped for 2 miles back to the aid station. All I could think about was how I had such a long night ahead of me. I still had over 5 hours, and I knew that quitting was not an option. It took Jim and me about an hour to walk that 2 miles. Jim was finishing his run at this point, and could have easily left me to get a better time on his first ultra. But I don't think that ever entered his mind, even when I told him to go on. I was in no danger, and I certainly wasn't pleasant company. When we finished, Jim told me not to do anything stupid, as I hobbled back out onto the course alone. I knew that I would do many stupid things out there, but isn't that the foundation of ultra running? I dug in deep over the next mile or two, working hard to ignore the pain I felt and began running slowly on the smooth parts (which were rare). "It'll get better, it has to," I reminded myself. Adrenaline, endorphins, and the grace of God finally got me running again about 2 miles into that 7th loop. This was a new test of resolve that I had to conquer, and I did.
4. The fourth lesson is the hardest to explain. But I'll try. When I finally started running again on the 8th loop, I passed a few people. Some of them were walking, and I was actually lapping them. Others, I was passing for the first time. When I got to the aid station, I was told that I was now in first place. I can't describe how little this meant to me. Now that I was running again, all I wanted to do was keep running. If I could do that, then this night would be a success. I had battled through some low points, I had been carried by friends, family, and fellow runners, and that was all that mattered. I continued to run as hard as I could for the next 3 hours, and finally finished my last loop, 50 miles, in 11:50. I had won the race. My wife had just woken up, and came over to me. "I think you won," she said. I smiled and said that I did. Surprisingly, it wasn't that exciting to me. I often say that when I race, I'm racing myself, and this was proof to myself that I wasn't just sayinig this for dramatic effect, I really meant it. I had exceeded my expectations on that night, and how I stacked up against the other runners wasn't important. Kara was proud of me, and she called everyone that night to tell them about the night. I think I was happier about her pride than the race itself.
My overall opinion of the race was that it was a huge success. About 25 people were out there for the inaugeral event, most of them doing the 12 hours. It was a great idea for a race, and if it continues, I'm sure it will grow. The fellow runners were great company, as any HCTR get together seems to be. While the execution can get better, and I'm sure it will, it went really well. The volunteers were good and the food was good. The post race breakfast was awesome. I can't wait until next year.
The event started with a little pre-race speech by Brad and his wife Nyla, the RD couple. The talk was as much about the purpose of the race, raising money for the American Cancer Society, and it was about the run. Brad and Nyla really believed in the cause of this event, and that was cool to see. The inaugeral Capt'n Karl's All Nighter began shortly after this, by none other than Karl, who the race was named after.
I'm not going to write the normal race report. During the race there were 4 things that stuck out to me and they trump anything else that occured during this long night.
1. Jim, Kara, and I drove out to Inks lake in the early afternoon. On the way out there, Jim was talking about hopefully getting in 25 miles in his 6 hour event. I told him that he should be excited, because he was about to run his longest run ever that night. Since he's run a marathon, I was basically telling him that he would exceed his goal of 25 miles. We had agreed to run the first 6 hours together, then I would run the second half alone. At 11:15pm, we realized that we would have to step up the pace to get into the aid station by 12:30. This was the cutoff for the 6 hour guys. If we left the aid station before this, then he was allowed to go back out and get another "official" loop in. This would put him at 30 miles. But it would not be easy, as we hadn't run a loop in under 1:15 in quite awhile, and we had been slowing down. But Jim stepped it up, we pushed the pace the first half of the loop, and the second half he left me. He ran like a crazy man and got back into the aid station at 12:23, just quick enough to head back out. It would have been easy for him to take it easy, finish just after 12:30 and have a good reason to call it a night. A successful night at that, but he wasn't satisfied. He pushed himself, and he was rewarded with his first ultra marathon. He did the 30, plus a one mile loop at the beginning when we were lost, for an unofficial 31 miles, or 50K. Jim is a strong runner, and a great friend, I was happy to be a part of his first ultra. I'm lucky to have a friend like him.
2. Kara, my wife, had come out with us and volunteered at the aid station from 7pm to 1am. This race wouldn't have been the same without her there. I couldn't believe how dependent I was on knowing that she would be there when I got there. At one point, I came in after only 10 miles feeling weak and nautious. I hadn't felt this poor in the early stages of a run before. She told me, "It'll get better, it has to." She said it twice. They were the perfect words for the moment, they helped me get through that first low point that I had, and echoed in my mind the rest of the night. I'm a lucky guy to have her.
3. At mile 28, I sprained my ankle very badly. I screamed like a madman when it happened, and limped for 2 miles back to the aid station. All I could think about was how I had such a long night ahead of me. I still had over 5 hours, and I knew that quitting was not an option. It took Jim and me about an hour to walk that 2 miles. Jim was finishing his run at this point, and could have easily left me to get a better time on his first ultra. But I don't think that ever entered his mind, even when I told him to go on. I was in no danger, and I certainly wasn't pleasant company. When we finished, Jim told me not to do anything stupid, as I hobbled back out onto the course alone. I knew that I would do many stupid things out there, but isn't that the foundation of ultra running? I dug in deep over the next mile or two, working hard to ignore the pain I felt and began running slowly on the smooth parts (which were rare). "It'll get better, it has to," I reminded myself. Adrenaline, endorphins, and the grace of God finally got me running again about 2 miles into that 7th loop. This was a new test of resolve that I had to conquer, and I did.
4. The fourth lesson is the hardest to explain. But I'll try. When I finally started running again on the 8th loop, I passed a few people. Some of them were walking, and I was actually lapping them. Others, I was passing for the first time. When I got to the aid station, I was told that I was now in first place. I can't describe how little this meant to me. Now that I was running again, all I wanted to do was keep running. If I could do that, then this night would be a success. I had battled through some low points, I had been carried by friends, family, and fellow runners, and that was all that mattered. I continued to run as hard as I could for the next 3 hours, and finally finished my last loop, 50 miles, in 11:50. I had won the race. My wife had just woken up, and came over to me. "I think you won," she said. I smiled and said that I did. Surprisingly, it wasn't that exciting to me. I often say that when I race, I'm racing myself, and this was proof to myself that I wasn't just sayinig this for dramatic effect, I really meant it. I had exceeded my expectations on that night, and how I stacked up against the other runners wasn't important. Kara was proud of me, and she called everyone that night to tell them about the night. I think I was happier about her pride than the race itself.
My overall opinion of the race was that it was a huge success. About 25 people were out there for the inaugeral event, most of them doing the 12 hours. It was a great idea for a race, and if it continues, I'm sure it will grow. The fellow runners were great company, as any HCTR get together seems to be. While the execution can get better, and I'm sure it will, it went really well. The volunteers were good and the food was good. The post race breakfast was awesome. I can't wait until next year.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
A Marathon Relay
I ran a marathon relay this morning. The race is something I've been anxious to have over with for quite awhile. As the token runner of my group at work, I took the responsibility last year to get a group of my colleagues together. Many of them were either running their first race, or their longest at 5-10K. It was a pain getting it all organized, as it seemed like everyone had to be dragged out there, even though I knew they would enjoy it once they got out there.
The race was over in such a short time. I was running the first leg, which was a 12K. I haven't raced a distance this short in a long time, almost 2 years. I'm not trying to sound facetious by calling it short, but honestly, it is a different kind of race when it's only going to take an hour. I wasn't sure how to pace myself, but I did want to go out hard and try to maintain a quick pace, not knowing whether I could hold it for 7.5 miles. In the long trail runs, you can start slow, and really feel it out and adjust your pace accordingly. Here, I felt like I was just going hard, and hoping it would last.
As it turns out, it almost lasted. I kept a hard pace (for me, anyways) for the first 7 miles. With about .5 miles to go, I was spent. But with a half mile to go, and at that pace, I kept telling myself that it was only 3 more minutes, then 2 more minutes, then 1 and the finish line was in sight. I know I slowed down a little, but I kept the pace up enough to finish strong. Ended up finishing at about 56:30, which was 4 seconds per mile faster than my 10K PR.
I was surprised to say the least. While I've been running consistently for the past 2 years, I never thought I could race that distance faster than I did 2 years ago, when I was more focused on the 10K distance. I even have to admit that I enjoyed running fast. That's not to say I'll make a habit of it, I'm sticking with the trails for now.
I handed off to my partner for the next leg, who happened to be my wife. She also PR'd. She has been gunning for a 10 minute pace on a 10K for awhile, and she almost got it this time. She finished in about 63 minutes. She'll get there soon.
It was weird at the finish line. I'm used to a small crowd, where I know most of the people. I'm used to eating lunch (or dinner) at the end of the race. Here, there were hundreds of people that I didn't know, and donuts to eat. The donuts were good, but nothing like an ice cold Coke and a cheesburger.
The race was over in such a short time. I was running the first leg, which was a 12K. I haven't raced a distance this short in a long time, almost 2 years. I'm not trying to sound facetious by calling it short, but honestly, it is a different kind of race when it's only going to take an hour. I wasn't sure how to pace myself, but I did want to go out hard and try to maintain a quick pace, not knowing whether I could hold it for 7.5 miles. In the long trail runs, you can start slow, and really feel it out and adjust your pace accordingly. Here, I felt like I was just going hard, and hoping it would last.
As it turns out, it almost lasted. I kept a hard pace (for me, anyways) for the first 7 miles. With about .5 miles to go, I was spent. But with a half mile to go, and at that pace, I kept telling myself that it was only 3 more minutes, then 2 more minutes, then 1 and the finish line was in sight. I know I slowed down a little, but I kept the pace up enough to finish strong. Ended up finishing at about 56:30, which was 4 seconds per mile faster than my 10K PR.
I was surprised to say the least. While I've been running consistently for the past 2 years, I never thought I could race that distance faster than I did 2 years ago, when I was more focused on the 10K distance. I even have to admit that I enjoyed running fast. That's not to say I'll make a habit of it, I'm sticking with the trails for now.
I handed off to my partner for the next leg, who happened to be my wife. She also PR'd. She has been gunning for a 10 minute pace on a 10K for awhile, and she almost got it this time. She finished in about 63 minutes. She'll get there soon.
It was weird at the finish line. I'm used to a small crowd, where I know most of the people. I'm used to eating lunch (or dinner) at the end of the race. Here, there were hundreds of people that I didn't know, and donuts to eat. The donuts were good, but nothing like an ice cold Coke and a cheesburger.
Monday, July 03, 2006
A Very Short Run
I have a marathon relay tomorrow, on July 4th. I had to go downtown yesterday to pick up my teams packets, but I got there about 20 minutes early so I decided to run a quick out and back around Town Lake rather than just sitting around and waiting. Besides, I needed to shake out some cobwebs after Saturday's 3 hour run.
So when I took off, I decided I'd run it fast. I mean, really fast, relative to my normal pace. Of course my normal pace is ultra marathon pace, so that's not saying too much. Anyways, I took off at about a 7 minute pace, which I wasn't sure if I could maintain because I never try it. It felt good. Actually, it felt really great. It's been a long time since I ran swiftly like this, and it was refreshing.
I finished close to a 3 mile out and back in 20 minutes, picked up my packet soaking wet in sweat, and went home for a shower. I'm feeling pretty good today, and looking forward to a fast race tomorrow. I'm running a 12K leg of the relay, havent done a distance like that in a while, so we'll see how it goes. I'm running the race with co-workers who all think I'm a running freak, so I can't let them down.
So when I took off, I decided I'd run it fast. I mean, really fast, relative to my normal pace. Of course my normal pace is ultra marathon pace, so that's not saying too much. Anyways, I took off at about a 7 minute pace, which I wasn't sure if I could maintain because I never try it. It felt good. Actually, it felt really great. It's been a long time since I ran swiftly like this, and it was refreshing.
I finished close to a 3 mile out and back in 20 minutes, picked up my packet soaking wet in sweat, and went home for a shower. I'm feeling pretty good today, and looking forward to a fast race tomorrow. I'm running a 12K leg of the relay, havent done a distance like that in a while, so we'll see how it goes. I'm running the race with co-workers who all think I'm a running freak, so I can't let them down.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Crappy Sports Weekend
On a non-running note, what a crappy weekend of sports news.
First, I get to work on Friday and find out that Randy Walker, the head football coach of my alma-mater, Northwestern, died of an apparent heart attack. He became coach when I was a junior in college. He was a good coach, and from what I knew, a great guy.
Then, I get online last night to read some Tour de France previews only to realize that a huge scandal had just broke. It was not a huge surprise, I think a lot of people saw it coming, but I had no clue it would be this big. Basso, out; Ullrich, out; Mancebo, out; Vinikourav, my favorite, is out too because he could not even field a team of 6 (he is not accused, by the way). It's good for some American contendors, but absolutely horrible for the sport. I was happy to see that no Discovery riders, nor top Americans, were involved. Also happy to see Vino was not accused either. But you know what, the TdF people deserved this after the way they treated Lance. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.
Then, today I had to watch France beat Brazil in the World Cup again?!? And while I was not surprised to see Agassi or Roddick lose in Wimbledon, that just topped off a terrible sports weekend. At least I can still root for my girl, Martina Hingis.
Oh, wait....
First, I get to work on Friday and find out that Randy Walker, the head football coach of my alma-mater, Northwestern, died of an apparent heart attack. He became coach when I was a junior in college. He was a good coach, and from what I knew, a great guy.
Then, I get online last night to read some Tour de France previews only to realize that a huge scandal had just broke. It was not a huge surprise, I think a lot of people saw it coming, but I had no clue it would be this big. Basso, out; Ullrich, out; Mancebo, out; Vinikourav, my favorite, is out too because he could not even field a team of 6 (he is not accused, by the way). It's good for some American contendors, but absolutely horrible for the sport. I was happy to see that no Discovery riders, nor top Americans, were involved. Also happy to see Vino was not accused either. But you know what, the TdF people deserved this after the way they treated Lance. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.
Then, today I had to watch France beat Brazil in the World Cup again?!? And while I was not surprised to see Agassi or Roddick lose in Wimbledon, that just topped off a terrible sports weekend. At least I can still root for my girl, Martina Hingis.
Oh, wait....
Greenbelt Run
I got up early this morning to get in an early 3 hour run starting at 6am. Jim met me at the top of the hill of life, and we took off from there. He is running the Capt'n Karl's Night Run with me, he is doing the 6hr option while I'll be doing the 12hr option. I thought today would be a good day to just take it nice and slow, and try to run at the pace we'll do next weekend up at Ink's Lake.
The first hour and a half went pretty easy. We were both feeling great, light feet, wind at our backs, easy effort. It was getting hot already, but not bad. Then I took my first spill of the day. I was cruising on a slightly downhill single track, got lazy, dragged my foot over a stump, and went flying head first. It wasn't that bad, other than I spilled my handheld water bottle. Not only that, but somehow the water/gatorade mix somehow managed to spill by sneaking through a crack in the lid and spray straight up into my eye. Gatorade in your eye is not pleasant.
OK, enough whining. So we kept running, the morning was beautiful and everything went well until about 2.5 hours. At this point, Jim got really tired. I guess it was a little too fast for him. I guess he didn't get the memo that we were going to run at the pace we would uphold next week for 6 and 12 hours. So we slowed down dramatically. I didn't mind, I figure this is something we are doing together, and I have my bad days too.
Side note: Jim and I have agreed to run together for the first 6 hours of the race next week. This isn't the most efficient way to go, but this will be a really long run for both of us, and I want to be there to support him, while I know it will also help me keep a smart pace for the first half of the run.
OK, so right after we had slowed down we started to head down the Hill of Death. Well, it gets that name for a reason. First, Jennifer had apparently fallen on this hill just this morning (surprising I didn't see her out there). Then, as I was running down it today, I managed to slam my face into a tree branch. It's a really technical decent, so you have to focus on the ground. And this was no small branch, this was about 3" in diameter thick. It didn't budge, but my head did. It banged me up a little, and gave me a cut under my eye. So now I was muddy and scraped up.
the rest of the run was fairly uneventful. It was a good morning. Nothing like a 3 hour run, and still home and showered before half the city has even woken up. On my way home I did my usual routine of picking up Rudy's Breakfast Taco's for me and Kara. They love me there... The sweaty, muddy, smelly and sometimes bloody guy that comes in every Saturday morning.
The first hour and a half went pretty easy. We were both feeling great, light feet, wind at our backs, easy effort. It was getting hot already, but not bad. Then I took my first spill of the day. I was cruising on a slightly downhill single track, got lazy, dragged my foot over a stump, and went flying head first. It wasn't that bad, other than I spilled my handheld water bottle. Not only that, but somehow the water/gatorade mix somehow managed to spill by sneaking through a crack in the lid and spray straight up into my eye. Gatorade in your eye is not pleasant.
OK, enough whining. So we kept running, the morning was beautiful and everything went well until about 2.5 hours. At this point, Jim got really tired. I guess it was a little too fast for him. I guess he didn't get the memo that we were going to run at the pace we would uphold next week for 6 and 12 hours. So we slowed down dramatically. I didn't mind, I figure this is something we are doing together, and I have my bad days too.
Side note: Jim and I have agreed to run together for the first 6 hours of the race next week. This isn't the most efficient way to go, but this will be a really long run for both of us, and I want to be there to support him, while I know it will also help me keep a smart pace for the first half of the run.
OK, so right after we had slowed down we started to head down the Hill of Death. Well, it gets that name for a reason. First, Jennifer had apparently fallen on this hill just this morning (surprising I didn't see her out there). Then, as I was running down it today, I managed to slam my face into a tree branch. It's a really technical decent, so you have to focus on the ground. And this was no small branch, this was about 3" in diameter thick. It didn't budge, but my head did. It banged me up a little, and gave me a cut under my eye. So now I was muddy and scraped up.
the rest of the run was fairly uneventful. It was a good morning. Nothing like a 3 hour run, and still home and showered before half the city has even woken up. On my way home I did my usual routine of picking up Rudy's Breakfast Taco's for me and Kara. They love me there... The sweaty, muddy, smelly and sometimes bloody guy that comes in every Saturday morning.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Gotta Love Austin
I woke up this morning at 6am to meet Jim for a run. Rain was sprinkling, but nothing major. Around 7 it started pooring down rain. I mean, it was a serious downpour with thunder and lightning. Jim and I were planning to meet for an easy 10, so I called him to make sure he was still committed, given the weather. He was.
As I was driving into Austin I was thinking to myself that this weather was kind of bad. I was thinking, I like the rain, but is this really worth it? Is this another stupid decision to run in the lightning storm? Will we be the only two fools out there running this morning? And then I pulled up to the the Town Lake Trail (we weren't running there, just meeting there). Sure enough, I saw at least a hundred runners go by. 50 more were getting water under the Mopac bridge. This is Austin, TX, where people love the outdoors and love fitness. This is a city where I don't stick out as the crazy guy that runs all of the time. Gotta love Austin.
PS. Jim and I went on to have a great road run up the Scenic and Mt. Bonnell route. The rain felt good, and conversation was great as usual. It was the first time we had spent on a long road course in months and we confirmed that we prefer the trails. Still, it was a good run. There's no better way to start a weekend.
As I was driving into Austin I was thinking to myself that this weather was kind of bad. I was thinking, I like the rain, but is this really worth it? Is this another stupid decision to run in the lightning storm? Will we be the only two fools out there running this morning? And then I pulled up to the the Town Lake Trail (we weren't running there, just meeting there). Sure enough, I saw at least a hundred runners go by. 50 more were getting water under the Mopac bridge. This is Austin, TX, where people love the outdoors and love fitness. This is a city where I don't stick out as the crazy guy that runs all of the time. Gotta love Austin.
PS. Jim and I went on to have a great road run up the Scenic and Mt. Bonnell route. The rain felt good, and conversation was great as usual. It was the first time we had spent on a long road course in months and we confirmed that we prefer the trails. Still, it was a good run. There's no better way to start a weekend.
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Training and having fun
After my post about taking a day or two off, Matt asked me what my plans were for training the next two weeks until the 12-hour run. I started to respond and then stopped. I realized that I don't know the answer. I could get a good run in this weekend, then start tapering. Or I could start tapering now. Or I could ignore tapering altogether, because this is just another fun training run.
So I choose the last option, I'm just going out there to have fun, and this run is not my main goal. The problem is, I don't know what my main goal is. I don't even know if I have a main goal! First, it was Pike's Peak. But not long into that training, I secretly started planning on the Bandera 100K, so then Bandera became my big goal for the year, but as always, I've also been considering some other things. I don't know where this is all going, but it does make me realize that it's not in my nature as a runner to pick one single goal and focus solely on it. I did this with Sunmart last year, and it worked, but some of the joy I get out of running was lost with this attitude. It might result in a better peak performance and faster times, but what's the point if it's not fun?
I asked a friend of mine once how he trains for 100 milers, as I was challenged so much by a mere 50 miles. His response... he hasn't "trained" in years. He just goes out there to run for fun, and sometimes he gets to have fun for a really long time, like, say, 24+ hours straight for a 100 miler. I guess this is my attitude also, although sometimes I get caught up in the big challenges and times and all that, at the end of the day, I just want to go out there, relax and have fun. Suffer a little, maybe, but always look back knowing that it was a good time.
So, whether it is a 12 hour run in a few weeks, a 100K in a few months, or any other distance at any other time, I don't think I'll change my "training" too much. I figure, if I keep making it more fun, I'll do it more. If I do it more, it'll get easier and more fun. And whether this leads me to 100 milers, or I change directions and decide to start running 10K's, I'll have no regrets.
So I choose the last option, I'm just going out there to have fun, and this run is not my main goal. The problem is, I don't know what my main goal is. I don't even know if I have a main goal! First, it was Pike's Peak. But not long into that training, I secretly started planning on the Bandera 100K, so then Bandera became my big goal for the year, but as always, I've also been considering some other things. I don't know where this is all going, but it does make me realize that it's not in my nature as a runner to pick one single goal and focus solely on it. I did this with Sunmart last year, and it worked, but some of the joy I get out of running was lost with this attitude. It might result in a better peak performance and faster times, but what's the point if it's not fun?
I asked a friend of mine once how he trains for 100 milers, as I was challenged so much by a mere 50 miles. His response... he hasn't "trained" in years. He just goes out there to run for fun, and sometimes he gets to have fun for a really long time, like, say, 24+ hours straight for a 100 miler. I guess this is my attitude also, although sometimes I get caught up in the big challenges and times and all that, at the end of the day, I just want to go out there, relax and have fun. Suffer a little, maybe, but always look back knowing that it was a good time.
So, whether it is a 12 hour run in a few weeks, a 100K in a few months, or any other distance at any other time, I don't think I'll change my "training" too much. I figure, if I keep making it more fun, I'll do it more. If I do it more, it'll get easier and more fun. And whether this leads me to 100 milers, or I change directions and decide to start running 10K's, I'll have no regrets.
Put a fork in me
OK, I'm totally spent. I had a tough week of running last week, then finished it off with a 12% grade treadmill run on Friday, 9 miles of trail course marking on Saturday night, and a few hours later a 30K race on those same trails. I decided I was OK on Monday, so I rode my bike for about an hour and did some hard downhill runs at the Ladera Norte hills on Tuesday.
Tonight I'm supposed to run with my Pike's Peak Rogue group at the greenbelt, but Ive decided to bail. I think this is the first intelligent decision I've made in awhile. My quads are shredded, my calves are sore, and my knee keeps cracking when I walk.
I have the 12-hour run coming up in a few weeks, and I want to make sure I'm ready. The trail is pretty hilly and rough. If all goes well, I'd like to break the 50M barrier which I've done twice but never gone over. So... in light of this, I'm taking a day off, maybe two, and I'll be better than ever by the weekend.
Tonight I'm supposed to run with my Pike's Peak Rogue group at the greenbelt, but Ive decided to bail. I think this is the first intelligent decision I've made in awhile. My quads are shredded, my calves are sore, and my knee keeps cracking when I walk.
I have the 12-hour run coming up in a few weeks, and I want to make sure I'm ready. The trail is pretty hilly and rough. If all goes well, I'd like to break the 50M barrier which I've done twice but never gone over. So... in light of this, I'm taking a day off, maybe two, and I'll be better than ever by the weekend.
Monday, June 19, 2006
The Belt 30K
The running for me actually started at 7:30pm the night before the race. I had volunteered to help mark the course along with a few other people. (Public Service Announcement: For those who have never volunteered for a race, you should really consider doing it. Not only is it a chance to give back for some great races, but I believe you can't fully appreciate the hard work that goes into these things until you've viewed them from the other side).
Abe and I trekked down the Hill of Life at 7:30pm and had 2 miles before we got to the area we would start marking. Abe is a lot faster than me and did not plan to run the race in the morning, so he took off and I tried to follow. I have to admit, it was harder running than I planned to do the night before the race. We marked about 5 miles of the 30K course and had about a 2 mile run back to our cars. We covered about 9 miles and finished around 9:30. I went home and tried to get some sleep.
Race morning I woke up a little sore from the night before. Oops, that wasn't my goal. No big deal though, I'm just running for the mileage and the fun, and although once the race starts I always run as hard as I can, I wasn't worried about my time. I focus on my effort, and starting tired won't affect that. At 6:30am we started.
The first 10 miles were pretty easy. There were a few big climbs like the Hill of Life and the Scenic Overlook climbs, but they didn't hurt. Actually, because we had 2 nights of rainstorms, the trails were a muddy mess. This always makes it more fun, but for me it really hurt on the downhills. Normally, I run down hills pretty well and can recover from the climbs during this time. But the rocks were slippery and the mud was thick, so I had to tip-toe down the hills and this took a lot of effort and really wore down my quads on the downhills. Around 12 miles, my legs were exhausted.
No problem, I've run through much worse exhaustion than this. I was getting a little dehydrated because of the humidity caused by the recent rain. So I chugged a few cokes at the last 2 aid stations. This was a mistake, now my legs were mush and my stomach was sludge. Still, only 4 miles to go at this point, so I knew I could run right through it. And I did, finishing strong and very happy with my effort.
That was the 3rd and final race of the Rogue Trail Series. It was a great series and its a great family of Austin trail runners that show up for it. I can't wait to do it again next year!
Abe and I trekked down the Hill of Life at 7:30pm and had 2 miles before we got to the area we would start marking. Abe is a lot faster than me and did not plan to run the race in the morning, so he took off and I tried to follow. I have to admit, it was harder running than I planned to do the night before the race. We marked about 5 miles of the 30K course and had about a 2 mile run back to our cars. We covered about 9 miles and finished around 9:30. I went home and tried to get some sleep.
Race morning I woke up a little sore from the night before. Oops, that wasn't my goal. No big deal though, I'm just running for the mileage and the fun, and although once the race starts I always run as hard as I can, I wasn't worried about my time. I focus on my effort, and starting tired won't affect that. At 6:30am we started.
The first 10 miles were pretty easy. There were a few big climbs like the Hill of Life and the Scenic Overlook climbs, but they didn't hurt. Actually, because we had 2 nights of rainstorms, the trails were a muddy mess. This always makes it more fun, but for me it really hurt on the downhills. Normally, I run down hills pretty well and can recover from the climbs during this time. But the rocks were slippery and the mud was thick, so I had to tip-toe down the hills and this took a lot of effort and really wore down my quads on the downhills. Around 12 miles, my legs were exhausted.
No problem, I've run through much worse exhaustion than this. I was getting a little dehydrated because of the humidity caused by the recent rain. So I chugged a few cokes at the last 2 aid stations. This was a mistake, now my legs were mush and my stomach was sludge. Still, only 4 miles to go at this point, so I knew I could run right through it. And I did, finishing strong and very happy with my effort.
That was the 3rd and final race of the Rogue Trail Series. It was a great series and its a great family of Austin trail runners that show up for it. I can't wait to do it again next year!
Monday, June 12, 2006
Tragedy strikes Pittsburgh
I got back to work after leaving for a long lunch to watch the US Soccer match, which by the way did not go very well. When I got back to my desk there was a voicemail form my dad, and his voice sounded alarmed. He seemed to be in shock, as if a family member was critically hurt or another 911 had occured.
But then he told me what the emergency was all about. Ben Roethlisberger has been in a motorcycle accident, and because he was not wearing a helmet, is in critical but stable condition. It's crazy how serious us Yinzers (AKA Pittsburghers) take our football.
I like Big Ben a lot, he is a great QB, a real genuine down to earth guy, a family man, and from all things I have heard, just a really good guy. But he's also a rich athlete who thinks he's invincible. Riding without a helmet is a silly thing to do. I really hope he will be OK for the sake of himself, his family, and the entire city that lives through him when he's on the field. I also hope he'll fully recover and stay off of his bike, or at least wear a helmet.
Sorry, this has very little to do with running or being, but since everyone in the office has to come up to me to talk to me about this story, I thought I'd get a little of it off my chest.
But then he told me what the emergency was all about. Ben Roethlisberger has been in a motorcycle accident, and because he was not wearing a helmet, is in critical but stable condition. It's crazy how serious us Yinzers (AKA Pittsburghers) take our football.
I like Big Ben a lot, he is a great QB, a real genuine down to earth guy, a family man, and from all things I have heard, just a really good guy. But he's also a rich athlete who thinks he's invincible. Riding without a helmet is a silly thing to do. I really hope he will be OK for the sake of himself, his family, and the entire city that lives through him when he's on the field. I also hope he'll fully recover and stay off of his bike, or at least wear a helmet.
Sorry, this has very little to do with running or being, but since everyone in the office has to come up to me to talk to me about this story, I thought I'd get a little of it off my chest.
Friday, June 09, 2006
Running and Being
I was running hills on Tuesday with Jim, John, Kara and Stacey, and as we were recoving on a long downhill we were discussing the philosophies of running, in particular the difference of road running and trail running.
It's obvious when you go to a an event or race that the dynamics are different, as are the people who compete. I'm not going to discuss which is better, my race schedule will adequately describe my opinion on that. But we were trying to put into words the difference between the people who run road races (5K's - marathons) and those who run trails at any distance. It could be a trail 10K or a trail 135M run. I tried to put into words the difference, and all I came up with was that when you go to a trail run, you see people who consider running an essential part of their life. I don't know if this is accurate (and I'm not saying road runners don't feel the same way) , but it's my observation, and it certainly is true for me.
Go to a trail run. People there love to run. Ask them why they run, and no one will say "I just wanted to say I could run a marathon." It is a major part of their life, it gives them meaning, it replinishes their soul, it challenges them, rewards them, takes them closer to the beauty of the outdoors. It does all of these things for me. Without running, specifically trail running and ultra distances, I would not be the person that I am. It gives me confidence in all aspects of my life. It removes limits. It cleanses my mind when I need it the most, it challenges me, it's the ultimate vice. It makes me a better friend and husband, but also reminds me how important my friends and family are to me. I couldn't do this without their support. Running is a critical part of my life, and my life is critical to my running.
It's a perfect balance, Bunning And Being.
It's obvious when you go to a an event or race that the dynamics are different, as are the people who compete. I'm not going to discuss which is better, my race schedule will adequately describe my opinion on that. But we were trying to put into words the difference between the people who run road races (5K's - marathons) and those who run trails at any distance. It could be a trail 10K or a trail 135M run. I tried to put into words the difference, and all I came up with was that when you go to a trail run, you see people who consider running an essential part of their life. I don't know if this is accurate (and I'm not saying road runners don't feel the same way) , but it's my observation, and it certainly is true for me.
Go to a trail run. People there love to run. Ask them why they run, and no one will say "I just wanted to say I could run a marathon." It is a major part of their life, it gives them meaning, it replinishes their soul, it challenges them, rewards them, takes them closer to the beauty of the outdoors. It does all of these things for me. Without running, specifically trail running and ultra distances, I would not be the person that I am. It gives me confidence in all aspects of my life. It removes limits. It cleanses my mind when I need it the most, it challenges me, it's the ultimate vice. It makes me a better friend and husband, but also reminds me how important my friends and family are to me. I couldn't do this without their support. Running is a critical part of my life, and my life is critical to my running.
It's a perfect balance, Bunning And Being.
Upcoming Races
OK, After last weekends struggles through Bandera and my eventual success, I've decided I need to figure out my running plans for the next couple of months. I do this every few months, I pick a bunch of races I'm going to do, then I skip them all and do a bunch of other races instead.
But, anyways, I'm going to do it again. Last weekend was encouraging, so (barring injury) I'm ready to commit to running the Bandera 100K in January. So here's what I'm thinking:
6/18 - The Belt 30K
7/8 - Capt'n Karls 12-hour night run
8/20 - Pike Peak Marathon
9/8 - Bandera 50/75/100M Fat Ass (I'll probably do 50M or less, considering its just 2 weeks after Pike's Peak
9/17 - Lake Bryan Fat Ass 50K (It's free!)
10/28 - Rocky Raccoon 50K (I probably won't do this)
11/4 - Rocky Trails 50M
11/18 - Warda Cardiac Run 50M (questionable on this one)
November - Ultra Centric 12/24/48 hour run (thinking 24hr)
December - Sunmart 50M
1/13 - Bandera 100K
My current plan is to do all of this to build up for the Bandera 100K and focus on that run and Pike's Peak. Then there is the Rocky Raccoon 100M in February which I'm not ruling out, but no where close to being ready for. Not physically or mentally. I need to think about that some more.
But, anyways, I'm going to do it again. Last weekend was encouraging, so (barring injury) I'm ready to commit to running the Bandera 100K in January. So here's what I'm thinking:
6/18 - The Belt 30K
7/8 - Capt'n Karls 12-hour night run
8/20 - Pike Peak Marathon
9/8 - Bandera 50/75/100M Fat Ass (I'll probably do 50M or less, considering its just 2 weeks after Pike's Peak
9/17 - Lake Bryan Fat Ass 50K (It's free!)
10/28 - Rocky Raccoon 50K (I probably won't do this)
11/4 - Rocky Trails 50M
11/18 - Warda Cardiac Run 50M (questionable on this one)
November - Ultra Centric 12/24/48 hour run (thinking 24hr)
December - Sunmart 50M
1/13 - Bandera 100K
My current plan is to do all of this to build up for the Bandera 100K and focus on that run and Pike's Peak. Then there is the Rocky Raccoon 100M in February which I'm not ruling out, but no where close to being ready for. Not physically or mentally. I need to think about that some more.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
The Longest Day
First of all, a warning. This post will likely be long and will surely be melodramatic. It's really a post for me to look back on, but all are welcome to read it. You've been warned.
The sun was setting as Joe and I laid our camelbacks down on the top of Cairn's Climb to rest. 45 miles were behind us, the Texas heat was behind us, the hills were behind us. It was just an easy 5 mile coast back to camp at dusk separating us from all of the pizza and gatorade we could get our hands on. We both laid down, flat on our backs for a well deserved rest. It had been the longest day of my life, I had no doubt faced my toughest self-induced physical and mental challenges of my life today and I was victorious! I can not say I did it alone, nor would I want to. I was thrilled! If you looked at me at that moment, you would see an energized human being ready for any challenge the world could throw at him. There was no trace of the days struggles. Joe and I laid there comfortably, in no hurry to finish our run. He said "This is what it's all about." It's an often used phrase, but at this moment, they were the most true words ever spoken to me...
We started our run at 6am. Our crew was made up of me (a young, inexperienced yet ambitious trail runner turned ultra runner), Joe, and Allen. Joe is as experienced as a trail runner can be. He's a race director of several trail runs, inlcuding the Rocky Raccoon 100M and the Bandera 100K, among others. Allen is also quite experienced, and just a few weeks away from his first attempt at Western States. I was out-classed for sure, but I was going to hang with these guys because I'm mentally tough (or so I thought), and I'm ignorant enough
to believe this.
The first 13 miles were uneventful. The air was warm, and a hot day was obviously in front of us. It was humid, and by 9am it was already in the mid-80's. We made our way up and down Ice Cream hill and the three sisters, and I thought to myself that these hills weren't so bad. We stopped at our first home made aid station, refueled and
headed out for the 10-mile lodge loop. Around mile 15 we started seeing the gang from the Rogue Running group. Everyone looked strong and healthy. They were all around 15 miles also, coming in the opposite direction, and they were scheduled for 20. Their day was almost over. As we passed the last of them around mile 20, I started
to get hot. It was well into the 90's at this point, and not yet noon. This is when we started taking occasional breaks under shade trees, to cool off and hydrate, before we got back on the trails. These breaks would get longer and more regular as the day went on.
We finished our first loop of 25 miles and headed back into camp. Most of the Rogue crew was back at camp getting ready to head into Bandera for some food and a swim in the Medina River. I cooled off, ate a slice of pizza and we went back out. As I took my first steps out of camp, I had no clue what I had just gotten myself into.
Mile 27 - I realized I was severely over-heating and knew I better slow down. Joe was getting hot and tired also, and was all about slowing down. But Allen was strong and continued to push the pace. Joe and I are work horses and followed the leader as much as possible. It was as if the heat was not hitting Allen, he ran up to Ice Cream Hill for our second pass, and power walked right up to the top. I could no longer follow. I took about 20 steps up the hill and stopped. The heat was pounding the top of my head, I felt dizzy, I could barely think clearly, and did not even attempt to talk. Joe and Allen disappeared around the corner. I took a few more steps and almost fell backwards. I remember it so clearly... I tried every mind game I could think of. Just one foot in front of the other, I told myself. You can do anything, if you believe in yourself, I tried to convince myself. You are a tough SOB, quit feeling sorry for yourself, I screamed to myself. None of it was working. So I put my head down, emptied my mind, and slowly climbed to the top. I don't know how long it took, it seemed like hours, but I eventually made it to the top. Joe and Allen were resting at the top under a tree, and Joe told me to sit down and rest. I did as I was told, I never said a word. I knew I couldn't speak, I didn't have it in me. I was sure if I tried, I would mumble or slur something that made no sense. I just kept questioning how I would ever get back to Joe's truck, and even if I did, I thought that it was dangerous and stupid to continue. I also thought about how I could not quit, it wasn't in me. Everything that drives me in running and in being was based on the foundation that you have to believe in yourself, and that you can never quit. It was OK to lose, it was OK to fail, but it was not OK to quit. It was my lowest low I've ever reached on the trails. And then I fell asleep. Minutes later I woke up to Joe's voice, "OK Teej, get off your ass. Time to go." I didn't question it, I got up and followed them down the hill.
With 2 miles to go to the truck, I slurped the last drops from my camelback. I was walking already, and my walk was getting slower. I was beaten. Joe and Allen were a hundred yards in front of me, and I occasionally saw them look back to make sure I was still there. They knew my condition, and knew it wouldn't help to wait for me. They had to keep me moving by staying barely in eyes reach, and they did that for 2 miles. I walked most of the way, I jogged occasionally, but it was fruitless. I thought to myself that I had to quit, not for my sake, but for their's. Joe was getting his last tough run before Hard Rock; and Allen, Western States. They didn't need a poser like me slowing them down. When we finally reached the truck, I sat down and apologized for holding them back. I was looking for a response that would indicate they would prefer to go on without me. Instead they said that it was all about time on their feet, and I should continue. So I slammed a 20-oz Coke, a 32-oz Gatorade, and poured ice cold water all over my head, neck and back. I sat under a tree and cooled off. I felt better, but knew there were hours of 100 degree heat in front of me. We were only at mile 35.
After a good 15 minute rest, we got back on our feet and headed out. Allen mentioned that his stomach was upset and Joe and I joked that we kind of hoped he got sick, so he would quit pushing the pace. We got a laugh out of that, not realizing the foreshadowing. We hit the first hill and my body was still cool from the Coke and ice. I climbed the hill at a decent pace and realized at that point that I was getting better. I felt cool and my legs were strong. I waited at the top for Allen and Joe. They both seemed spent. I asked them if it had finally cooled off, because the heat wasn't hurting so bad. They grunted and said that I must be feeling better, because it was hotter than ever. Perfect! That was the sign I needed, I was finally back. I started running the flats and downhills, and swiftly walking the long, steep uphills. I would wait at the top of each hill for Joe and Allen. At the top of the first Sister, I waited a long time. When Joe finally showed up he told me that Allen was puking. I felt bad because we had kind of wished it upon him jokingly, and I felt like I had stolen his energy.
The next several miles went quickly and painlessly, and we got back to the truck at 40 miles. Allen was done, and bowed out. Joe and I were a little disappointed to see him drop, but he said he got what he wanted out of the run. So Joe and I plowed on. We knew we had one serious hill left, Cairn's Climb. It had been many hours since we were there last, and this was the hill that knocked me to the canvas in the first round. When we reached it, I plowed up it, and even ran most of it because I knew we were almost finished and I had so much energy. I waited at the top for Joe, and when he reached the top we sat down, then laid down, as the sun set...
The finsh was uneventful, almost anti-climactic as we headed back to camp for the last 5 miles. We talked a lot about running and life. All of my runs with Joe are like this, he is salt of the earth. In the end, I found an entire pizza saved for me by Jim and Nicole, and a few people that waited up late for us to get back. Most people had gone to sleep, in preparation for a 10 miler in the morning. We talked shortly, before everyone went to bed. It had been a such a long day, and I decided I would not try to describe it that night, because I did not have the words to describe it. Looking back, I realized a few things about this run, and their parallels to all challenges in life:
- No matter how strong you are, you can not get through the toughest challenges alone.
- Despite challenging my mantra at times, we are all capable of amazing things if we believe in ourselves.
- There are many good people in this world, surrounding yourself with them will lead to happiness.
- We are all in need of challenges. Do not try to avoid them, they build strength and character.
Oh, and one more lesson. I'm ready for the Bandera 100K!
The sun was setting as Joe and I laid our camelbacks down on the top of Cairn's Climb to rest. 45 miles were behind us, the Texas heat was behind us, the hills were behind us. It was just an easy 5 mile coast back to camp at dusk separating us from all of the pizza and gatorade we could get our hands on. We both laid down, flat on our backs for a well deserved rest. It had been the longest day of my life, I had no doubt faced my toughest self-induced physical and mental challenges of my life today and I was victorious! I can not say I did it alone, nor would I want to. I was thrilled! If you looked at me at that moment, you would see an energized human being ready for any challenge the world could throw at him. There was no trace of the days struggles. Joe and I laid there comfortably, in no hurry to finish our run. He said "This is what it's all about." It's an often used phrase, but at this moment, they were the most true words ever spoken to me...
We started our run at 6am. Our crew was made up of me (a young, inexperienced yet ambitious trail runner turned ultra runner), Joe, and Allen. Joe is as experienced as a trail runner can be. He's a race director of several trail runs, inlcuding the Rocky Raccoon 100M and the Bandera 100K, among others. Allen is also quite experienced, and just a few weeks away from his first attempt at Western States. I was out-classed for sure, but I was going to hang with these guys because I'm mentally tough (or so I thought), and I'm ignorant enough
to believe this.
The first 13 miles were uneventful. The air was warm, and a hot day was obviously in front of us. It was humid, and by 9am it was already in the mid-80's. We made our way up and down Ice Cream hill and the three sisters, and I thought to myself that these hills weren't so bad. We stopped at our first home made aid station, refueled and
headed out for the 10-mile lodge loop. Around mile 15 we started seeing the gang from the Rogue Running group. Everyone looked strong and healthy. They were all around 15 miles also, coming in the opposite direction, and they were scheduled for 20. Their day was almost over. As we passed the last of them around mile 20, I started
to get hot. It was well into the 90's at this point, and not yet noon. This is when we started taking occasional breaks under shade trees, to cool off and hydrate, before we got back on the trails. These breaks would get longer and more regular as the day went on.
We finished our first loop of 25 miles and headed back into camp. Most of the Rogue crew was back at camp getting ready to head into Bandera for some food and a swim in the Medina River. I cooled off, ate a slice of pizza and we went back out. As I took my first steps out of camp, I had no clue what I had just gotten myself into.
Mile 27 - I realized I was severely over-heating and knew I better slow down. Joe was getting hot and tired also, and was all about slowing down. But Allen was strong and continued to push the pace. Joe and I are work horses and followed the leader as much as possible. It was as if the heat was not hitting Allen, he ran up to Ice Cream Hill for our second pass, and power walked right up to the top. I could no longer follow. I took about 20 steps up the hill and stopped. The heat was pounding the top of my head, I felt dizzy, I could barely think clearly, and did not even attempt to talk. Joe and Allen disappeared around the corner. I took a few more steps and almost fell backwards. I remember it so clearly... I tried every mind game I could think of. Just one foot in front of the other, I told myself. You can do anything, if you believe in yourself, I tried to convince myself. You are a tough SOB, quit feeling sorry for yourself, I screamed to myself. None of it was working. So I put my head down, emptied my mind, and slowly climbed to the top. I don't know how long it took, it seemed like hours, but I eventually made it to the top. Joe and Allen were resting at the top under a tree, and Joe told me to sit down and rest. I did as I was told, I never said a word. I knew I couldn't speak, I didn't have it in me. I was sure if I tried, I would mumble or slur something that made no sense. I just kept questioning how I would ever get back to Joe's truck, and even if I did, I thought that it was dangerous and stupid to continue. I also thought about how I could not quit, it wasn't in me. Everything that drives me in running and in being was based on the foundation that you have to believe in yourself, and that you can never quit. It was OK to lose, it was OK to fail, but it was not OK to quit. It was my lowest low I've ever reached on the trails. And then I fell asleep. Minutes later I woke up to Joe's voice, "OK Teej, get off your ass. Time to go." I didn't question it, I got up and followed them down the hill.
With 2 miles to go to the truck, I slurped the last drops from my camelback. I was walking already, and my walk was getting slower. I was beaten. Joe and Allen were a hundred yards in front of me, and I occasionally saw them look back to make sure I was still there. They knew my condition, and knew it wouldn't help to wait for me. They had to keep me moving by staying barely in eyes reach, and they did that for 2 miles. I walked most of the way, I jogged occasionally, but it was fruitless. I thought to myself that I had to quit, not for my sake, but for their's. Joe was getting his last tough run before Hard Rock; and Allen, Western States. They didn't need a poser like me slowing them down. When we finally reached the truck, I sat down and apologized for holding them back. I was looking for a response that would indicate they would prefer to go on without me. Instead they said that it was all about time on their feet, and I should continue. So I slammed a 20-oz Coke, a 32-oz Gatorade, and poured ice cold water all over my head, neck and back. I sat under a tree and cooled off. I felt better, but knew there were hours of 100 degree heat in front of me. We were only at mile 35.
After a good 15 minute rest, we got back on our feet and headed out. Allen mentioned that his stomach was upset and Joe and I joked that we kind of hoped he got sick, so he would quit pushing the pace. We got a laugh out of that, not realizing the foreshadowing. We hit the first hill and my body was still cool from the Coke and ice. I climbed the hill at a decent pace and realized at that point that I was getting better. I felt cool and my legs were strong. I waited at the top for Allen and Joe. They both seemed spent. I asked them if it had finally cooled off, because the heat wasn't hurting so bad. They grunted and said that I must be feeling better, because it was hotter than ever. Perfect! That was the sign I needed, I was finally back. I started running the flats and downhills, and swiftly walking the long, steep uphills. I would wait at the top of each hill for Joe and Allen. At the top of the first Sister, I waited a long time. When Joe finally showed up he told me that Allen was puking. I felt bad because we had kind of wished it upon him jokingly, and I felt like I had stolen his energy.
The next several miles went quickly and painlessly, and we got back to the truck at 40 miles. Allen was done, and bowed out. Joe and I were a little disappointed to see him drop, but he said he got what he wanted out of the run. So Joe and I plowed on. We knew we had one serious hill left, Cairn's Climb. It had been many hours since we were there last, and this was the hill that knocked me to the canvas in the first round. When we reached it, I plowed up it, and even ran most of it because I knew we were almost finished and I had so much energy. I waited at the top for Joe, and when he reached the top we sat down, then laid down, as the sun set...
The finsh was uneventful, almost anti-climactic as we headed back to camp for the last 5 miles. We talked a lot about running and life. All of my runs with Joe are like this, he is salt of the earth. In the end, I found an entire pizza saved for me by Jim and Nicole, and a few people that waited up late for us to get back. Most people had gone to sleep, in preparation for a 10 miler in the morning. We talked shortly, before everyone went to bed. It had been a such a long day, and I decided I would not try to describe it that night, because I did not have the words to describe it. Looking back, I realized a few things about this run, and their parallels to all challenges in life:
- No matter how strong you are, you can not get through the toughest challenges alone.
- Despite challenging my mantra at times, we are all capable of amazing things if we believe in ourselves.
- There are many good people in this world, surrounding yourself with them will lead to happiness.
- We are all in need of challenges. Do not try to avoid them, they build strength and character.
Oh, and one more lesson. I'm ready for the Bandera 100K!
Friday, June 02, 2006
Bandera
I'm heading out to Bandera around 3pm today and starting to get really nervous. This isn't a race, its just a fun run, and I do plan to have a lot of fun. However, I also plan to finish the 50M. I've run one 50 miler before, but it was in the flats of east Texas. This will be in the Texas hill country, a whole different challenge.
Right now it looks like it will be about 3-5 of us starting the run, although I got an email from Joe last night and he said that it will "likely be just the two of us for the full 50." I'll have to hang with him or drop out, because I don't know these trails at all. He also said "the map will do you very little good." Super...
The rest of the Rogue Pike's Peak training group will be out there too, but only running 20 miles. There are about 20 or so of them going. For Sunday, the plan is to run between 10-20 miles, although if I finish the 50, then walking 1 mile on Sunday might be good enough for me.
On a side note, some co-workers and I went to Wendy's yesterday for a Frosty eating challenge. I ate two large Frosty's. This was a speed competition, and I finished the second Frosty in 1:59. That's what I call carbo-loading. I'm hoping those extra carbs will carry me through the last few miles this weekend.
Right now it looks like it will be about 3-5 of us starting the run, although I got an email from Joe last night and he said that it will "likely be just the two of us for the full 50." I'll have to hang with him or drop out, because I don't know these trails at all. He also said "the map will do you very little good." Super...
The rest of the Rogue Pike's Peak training group will be out there too, but only running 20 miles. There are about 20 or so of them going. For Sunday, the plan is to run between 10-20 miles, although if I finish the 50, then walking 1 mile on Sunday might be good enough for me.
On a side note, some co-workers and I went to Wendy's yesterday for a Frosty eating challenge. I ate two large Frosty's. This was a speed competition, and I finished the second Frosty in 1:59. That's what I call carbo-loading. I'm hoping those extra carbs will carry me through the last few miles this weekend.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
12hr Run At Inks Lake
I got an email today on the HCTR email list about a 12hr night run out at Inks Lake. I've never run a 12hr run, but this sounds like a good first-time experience. It's at a great park (home of the Rocky Trails Marathon), it's at night, there's gonna be a bonfire and grill, and they'll make us breakfast in the morning. It's also for a good cause, the American Cancer Society. Oh, and we get to run for 12 straight hours in big circles. Does it get any better than this?
Here's the information I got. If anyone wants more information, you can contact Brad Quinn at bradtquinn@hotmail.com. Hope to see you all out there. I'll post more info when I see it.
Hey TJ,
It was good to get your email. The event will be held at Inks Lake State Park, which is approx. 10 miles outside of Burnet. It will be a charity event will all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. This will be a 12 hour trail run/walk starting at 730 pm, Saturday July 8th and ending 730 am Sunday July 9th. The course consists of rocky hill climbs and run-able forest trail (single track), approx. 7.0 miles with two main aid stations 3.5 miles apart (with a possible un-staffed station at mile 5).
They will be fully stocked with the usual ultra food and beverages. The start/finish is located at the youth camping area (off Hover Valley road; approx. 2 miles from the park entrance) which has ample parking and over-night camping available (no additional charge; no utilities). The camping area has a brand new bathroom facility, a large bon-fire ring, picnic tables, and grills. This area will also serve as the First Aid station and for personal drop bags. Staff will be cooking breakfast Sunday morning. This new and secluded youth area should be ideal for our over night race time needs. The cost will be $60 with any additional donations appreciated. Awards will be given for the most laps/mileage completed by 730 am (3 deep male/female and masters). Our website and registration form should be up in the next 2-3 days, including additional information.
Our main goal for putting on a race like this is too raise awareness and funds on a local level for cancer research and prevention, while participating in a fun and healthy event with family and friends. Please feel free to pass on this race information to anyone who might enjoy participating or volunteering in an event like ours. I will email you a link to our website by the end of the week and/or check Hillcountrytrailrunners.com for further information. TJ, thanks for your interest and support. Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Best regards,
Brad Quinn
ps 7/10 will be a full moon, should be fun!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
The Loop 30K
On Sunday I ran the Rogue Loop 30K at Emma Long Park. It's a great trail generally only for motorbikes, but once a year it is opened up to runners for this race. It turned out to be a great day. I've mentioned before that I'm searching for The Perfect Race, and this was almost it... Almost.
I started in the back, which was a huge mistake. I was busy talking to some friends when the gun went off, and I was stuck in the back. The course is almost entirely single track, so the first mile ended up being a single file line where I was doing more walking than running. Some people like to go out slow, but I don't, so this was really annoying. I should know better than to get stuck in the back, but I slowly made my way through and after about 15 minutes I was free to run my own pace.
The first two loops went by very quickly and I felt really good. I finished the first loop at about 60 minutes, mostly due to the slow first mile, but the second loop took about 53 minutes so that was a lot better. I tried running with a group of 3 runners for awhile, but they were faster than me on the uphills and gawd-awful slow on the down hills, so I eventually left them. It was too hard to adjust my running style for them. g
The third loop went great for 5 miles. Right around mile 5 there is a downhill and I was flying down it like I usually do. Then, my left foot stuck to a rock. There was no time to catch myself, my body just went horizontal and I flew. When I hit the ground, everything stopped. I hit it completely flat. I actually cut up both knees, thighs, elbows, hands and even my stomach. I have no idea how I managed to land completely flat and cut myself in all of those locations but I did. I layed there for a minute, then got up to one knee. Just then a runner came up right behind me and ran by. He didn't say a freaking word to me. Not a "are you ok?" or "need some help?" or anything. I would have told him I was fine anyways, but I couldn't believe he just ran by. So I decided I was going to catch the bastard and beat him to the finish line... Just as soon as I caught my breath and walked off the pain a little. After about 2 minutes, I was off.
I spent the next 10 minutes trying to catch him, but just when I finally saw him in the distance, I heard the crowd at the finish line. It was too late, and I finished 20 seconds behind him. But I should thank him, had he not pissed me off, I probably would have just shuffled to the finish line after the fall, and not pushed it to the end. I'm still gonna burn him on the next race though.
I started in the back, which was a huge mistake. I was busy talking to some friends when the gun went off, and I was stuck in the back. The course is almost entirely single track, so the first mile ended up being a single file line where I was doing more walking than running. Some people like to go out slow, but I don't, so this was really annoying. I should know better than to get stuck in the back, but I slowly made my way through and after about 15 minutes I was free to run my own pace.
The first two loops went by very quickly and I felt really good. I finished the first loop at about 60 minutes, mostly due to the slow first mile, but the second loop took about 53 minutes so that was a lot better. I tried running with a group of 3 runners for awhile, but they were faster than me on the uphills and gawd-awful slow on the down hills, so I eventually left them. It was too hard to adjust my running style for them. g
The third loop went great for 5 miles. Right around mile 5 there is a downhill and I was flying down it like I usually do. Then, my left foot stuck to a rock. There was no time to catch myself, my body just went horizontal and I flew. When I hit the ground, everything stopped. I hit it completely flat. I actually cut up both knees, thighs, elbows, hands and even my stomach. I have no idea how I managed to land completely flat and cut myself in all of those locations but I did. I layed there for a minute, then got up to one knee. Just then a runner came up right behind me and ran by. He didn't say a freaking word to me. Not a "are you ok?" or "need some help?" or anything. I would have told him I was fine anyways, but I couldn't believe he just ran by. So I decided I was going to catch the bastard and beat him to the finish line... Just as soon as I caught my breath and walked off the pain a little. After about 2 minutes, I was off.
I spent the next 10 minutes trying to catch him, but just when I finally saw him in the distance, I heard the crowd at the finish line. It was too late, and I finished 20 seconds behind him. But I should thank him, had he not pissed me off, I probably would have just shuffled to the finish line after the fall, and not pushed it to the end. I'm still gonna burn him on the next race though.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Hills
I got a new workout from Joe P, so Jim and I decided to make a weekly workout out of it... It was really tough hill repeats. I'd compare each hill to running up Jester, just a little longer. My legs were destroyed at the top of each hill, which I attempted to run hard. But walking/jogging back down allowed for a quick recovery before the next hill.
All you Austin runners out there, you need to check this out. The course starts at Valburn and Ladera Norte. Head down the steep hill on Ladera Norte to Far West. Run up the hill on Far West to North Hills. Now turn around and run back to the beginning. Repeat until your legs fall off.
We'll do this for a few more weeks, then change it up by easing the uphills and focusing on down hills. I don't lilke speed work, but I love hill workouts. My lungs were heaving, my legs were burning, and we had a ton of fun. Effort-wise, I'd say it was a little tougher than Hill of Life repeats, but without the technical parts since its on the road. Anyone out there interested in trying it out? Let me know, we're gonna do it every Tuesday for the next 3 months.
All you Austin runners out there, you need to check this out. The course starts at Valburn and Ladera Norte. Head down the steep hill on Ladera Norte to Far West. Run up the hill on Far West to North Hills. Now turn around and run back to the beginning. Repeat until your legs fall off.
We'll do this for a few more weeks, then change it up by easing the uphills and focusing on down hills. I don't lilke speed work, but I love hill workouts. My lungs were heaving, my legs were burning, and we had a ton of fun. Effort-wise, I'd say it was a little tougher than Hill of Life repeats, but without the technical parts since its on the road. Anyone out there interested in trying it out? Let me know, we're gonna do it every Tuesday for the next 3 months.
Friday, May 12, 2006
Matt's Questionaire...
A fellow runner, Matt, has published a questionaire on his blog. I read it and realized I don't think about a lot of his questions very often, so I thought I'd give it a shot and try to answer them. My answers, opinions, and straight up questionable advice is below. But first, let me warn, I am not an old veteran of the sport. I've run a few ultras now, and I see a lot more in my future, but I'm still learning everyday. The only thing I'll say is that my running is very Zen like. If you are into numbers, metrics, and performance, then you'll find my opinions frustrating and perhaps facetious.
Your First Ultra
First off, I consider my 50 miler run at Sunmart as my first ultramarathon. I ran a couple of shorter races before this (50K, 44M), but I always considered Sunmart as the real goal. So my answers will be for Sunmart.
· How long did you train for your first ultra?
I never considered it training… But if I had to bound it, I’d say it was about 4 months from the time I decided to run my first ultra, to the time I actually ran it. I had already run a couple of marathons, though, so it wasn’t as large of a jump as some people.
· How many weekly miles did you run (peak, tapering)?
About 60 miles peak, 45 of those on back to back weekend runs. It’s all about the back to back runs. Those miles are far more important for the beginner ultra runner compared to the weekly miles. And if you work hours like I do, this is your only choice anyways.
· Did you train with anyone else?
I ran my Sunday runs with a group most of the time. It was the Rogue Sunmart group. My Saturday runs were usually alone, although sometimes I would run the first half by myself, then meet up with my friend Jim who was doing Freescale Marathon training.
· What distance did you run in your first race?
50 miles
· Was it trail/road/track ultra?
Trail. Soft, rolling terrain, about as easy as it gets for an ultra.
· How much did you walk during the race?
Not much. The first half I ran the entire time except for very brief stops at the aid station. The second half I used walking for uphills only. The hills were small, but after 6 hours or so, they seemed a lot bigger. I had not planned to walk at all, which was a serious miscalculation.
· Did you include walking as part of your training?
No, but I should have.
· Did you use a pacer during the race?
Nope. But I did run the entire last loop with a friend of mine who happened to be at the same pace. He wasn’t a pacer, but he helped me a lot. You can see my very first post on this blog to see how much I appreciated it.
· Were you satisfied with your experience at the end of the race?
More than I can describe.
· What would you have done differently during your training?
A little more walking, now that I know it’s importance. Not much else, though. I had a great time.
· What would you have done differently during your race?
Nothing. I enjoyed every second.
· What kind of advice can you give for dealing with emotional/mental hurdles during the race?
CFM and PMA. Constant Forward Motion and Positive Mental Attitude. It’s going to hurt, so accept it. Embrace it. But more important than the hurdles during the race, it’s the challenges leading up to it that make it hard. Once you’ve made it to the starting line, its time just to enjoy yourself. I’ve said it before, and I know its cliché, but trail running is about the journey, not the destination. Once you realize this, the joy of running takes over, runs are no longer training runs . Rather, they become cleansing experiences no different than yoga or meditation.
· How many ultras have you run since your first race?
None. I've run many runs over 26.2, but no races.
General Questions about Training/Racing
· During your training runs, do you concentrate mostly on your pace or total time on your feet running?
Neither. I think about how I feel and run until I am finished. The exception to this is when I have things I need to do, which cuts me short. Generally, when I run alone, I focus only on how I feel. With a group, its different. Most people run for a given time/distance, and I’ll just run until they say we are finished. Then again, sometimes I’ll add a little distance if I’m up for it. If you run for enjoyment and health, then why mix metrics like time and distance into the equation? I can't speak for those people out there fast enough to compete for awards, they have other goals, and nothing I would look down on. I admire them. But for me, I run for the sake of running.
· What kind of cross training do you do, if any?
I mountain bike. I’d like to swim also, but never have the time.
· How do you prepare for river/creek crossings? Extra/Special shoes? Extra socks?
I jump in and splash as many people as possible.
· Do you have a favorite piece of gear/clothing that you would recommend to someone new?
Nope. I keep it simple, but others like fancy gear and technical clothing. To each his own.
· What kind of hydration system do you use?
Hand held water bottles from Ultimate Direction
· How much fluid do you take in during an hour/race?
I have no idea. In a race I usually try to empty my bottle before the next aid station, but most runs I just sip at it until its finished. It’s not very scientific for me. I’d probably be better off if I paid attention to it, but that wouldn’t be as fun.
· How many calories do you take in during an hour/race?
Again, I have no clue. I mostly just eat gummy bears. On my 50 miler, I drank a couple of SlimFasts also. My belly just won't take in real food during runs, which is something I'm working on for 50+ mile runs.
· What kind of food works best for you?
Gummy bears, slimfast, and oreo’s. All of the basic food groups.
· What do you typically put in your drop bag?
I usually have a spare pair of shoes and socks, but I never end up changing them. I did change them once on a trail marathon because they had so much mud in them that it was caking up under my toes. And beer, of course, it really can calm your stomach when its upset. J
· Do you carry any first aid items? If so, what do you carry?
Nothing
· Do you typically use a pacer during your events?
No, but my longest is a 50 miler. I could see using a pacer for 100 miles, maybe.
· Is it better to use a friend versus a family member as a pacer?
I don’t know. I would think a friend because you aren’t always coherent and sometimes you might not be yourself after a long day of running. Better to take it out on a friend who will more easily forgive you. Better yet, use someone who has done this before, so that they can empathize with you and offer advice. I paced my wife, sort of, in her first marathon. I think that worked out well because she respected me as a runner and took my advice, when her head wasn't really screwed on right those last few miles.
My recovery week...
The last couple days have been all about not recovering. After a long tough weekend at the Guads, I was supposed to take a few easy days to recover. But I've found that the only days I recover are the days where I'm injured... Maybe that's why I'm always injured. In fact, maybe that's why my entire athletic life has been filled with pain and injuries. But that's the way I like it, and I don't plan to change anytime soon. So I went out on Tuesday to St Ed's for some hilly, rocky terrain, but mostly just to beat myself up in the heat. It was only about an hour, but it was clear I hadn't yet recovered.
So out of respect for that, I decided to spend Wednesday evening running Hill of Life repeats at the greenbelt. That's always good for rubbery legs. Actually it went pretty well, I ran 5 of them focusing on the downhills (proprioception as Sisson and Joe call it, but I try to avoid the technical terms). The uphills were slow and mostly about recovery. I didn't crash head first so I'd consider it a success.
Before the run on Tuesday, and before I realized I hadn't recovered from the Guads, I also managed ot talk Joe P into coming out with me on Thursday to try out Ken's Loop at Bull Creek. It's right near my house, yet I'd never actually run it. So Joe and I met after work and ran it. It's a beautiful trail, I really enjoyed it. I can't wait until the whole Bull Creek trail opens back up in August so that I can run a 15 mile loop from my house to St Ed's, through Bull Creek, around Ken's loop, then back the way I came. It'll be about as tough of a 15 mile trail as I can get around here, and pretty much out my front door.
So all of this adds up to a pretty good week, but the real prize was Thursday night. After our run at Bull Creek, Joe showed me the hills he used to train on to build up speed and endurance for both uphills and downhills. Joe is a veteran of many mountainous 100 milers, and is about as good of a downhill runner as anyone I've seen or heard of, so I'm gonna take that little secret and start hitting those hills regularly. I've also decided that next month I'll be heading out to Bandera for an attempt at a 50 mile run. It'll tie my longest run ever, and will be a hell of a lot tougher than the previous 50 miler (Sunmart) considering the terrain and the fact that this is not a supported race, only a couple of morons dumb enough to go run 50 miles in the summer heat of central Texas.
I'll keep you updated on my plans for that trip. I might end up running less than 50, but thats my goal right now if the next month keeps me injury free. Gambatte.
So out of respect for that, I decided to spend Wednesday evening running Hill of Life repeats at the greenbelt. That's always good for rubbery legs. Actually it went pretty well, I ran 5 of them focusing on the downhills (proprioception as Sisson and Joe call it, but I try to avoid the technical terms). The uphills were slow and mostly about recovery. I didn't crash head first so I'd consider it a success.
Before the run on Tuesday, and before I realized I hadn't recovered from the Guads, I also managed ot talk Joe P into coming out with me on Thursday to try out Ken's Loop at Bull Creek. It's right near my house, yet I'd never actually run it. So Joe and I met after work and ran it. It's a beautiful trail, I really enjoyed it. I can't wait until the whole Bull Creek trail opens back up in August so that I can run a 15 mile loop from my house to St Ed's, through Bull Creek, around Ken's loop, then back the way I came. It'll be about as tough of a 15 mile trail as I can get around here, and pretty much out my front door.
So all of this adds up to a pretty good week, but the real prize was Thursday night. After our run at Bull Creek, Joe showed me the hills he used to train on to build up speed and endurance for both uphills and downhills. Joe is a veteran of many mountainous 100 milers, and is about as good of a downhill runner as anyone I've seen or heard of, so I'm gonna take that little secret and start hitting those hills regularly. I've also decided that next month I'll be heading out to Bandera for an attempt at a 50 mile run. It'll tie my longest run ever, and will be a hell of a lot tougher than the previous 50 miler (Sunmart) considering the terrain and the fact that this is not a supported race, only a couple of morons dumb enough to go run 50 miles in the summer heat of central Texas.
I'll keep you updated on my plans for that trip. I might end up running less than 50, but thats my goal right now if the next month keeps me injury free. Gambatte.
Monday, May 08, 2006
The Guads
I went out to the guadalupe mountains this weekend... It was a good series of runs. It reminded me how much I was capable of if I would just quit whining and start running through some pain. About 25 miles into a hardcore mountain run I passed a turn and turned my ankle once again. Instead of limping home like usual I turned around and ran a mile backwards to get to the extra loop I intended to run (Bush Mountain). I stumbled through it at about 2 miles an hour average, but I made it!
By the end it reminded me that we are capable of amazing things if we just suck it up and keep going. The injury didn't slow me down much, and I had a great weekend at the guads. Check out the pictures here.
By the end it reminded me that we are capable of amazing things if we just suck it up and keep going. The injury didn't slow me down much, and I had a great weekend at the guads. Check out the pictures here.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Slacker
I'm a slacker, pure and simple. No, I've been running plenty, hitting the weights at the gym, eating right, and all of that. I'm a slacker because I haven't taken any time to write about my progress over the past 2 months or so. And it's been a very productive 2 months...
My Pike's Peak training started a couple of weeks ago, and so far its going great. My feet have mostly healed from all of the problems I had. I can honestly say that they haven't bothered me in weeks. I'm recovering from a badly twisted ankle going down the Hill of Life, but I haven't let it slow me down much.
I've lost about 20 pounds in the past couple of months (from 200lbs o 180lbs). No, I'm not on the Atkins Diet or South Beach Diet or anything like that, but I started eating more reasonably (no half gallons of ice cream 30 minutes before I go to bed), and my strength training at the gym pretty much took care of it. This has lead me to get faster and feel better on my long runs. Overall, it's been great progress.
Tomorrow morning at 5am we head out to the Guadalupe mountains for several days of some extreme running. I can't wait. We have a short run tomorrow evening, then 25 and 22 miles in the mountains on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we'll climb to the highest peak in Texas, Guadalupe Peak (over 8000 ft), for one final journey before heading back to civilization. I'm really anxious to get out of here and hit those hills.
My Pike's Peak training started a couple of weeks ago, and so far its going great. My feet have mostly healed from all of the problems I had. I can honestly say that they haven't bothered me in weeks. I'm recovering from a badly twisted ankle going down the Hill of Life, but I haven't let it slow me down much.
I've lost about 20 pounds in the past couple of months (from 200lbs o 180lbs). No, I'm not on the Atkins Diet or South Beach Diet or anything like that, but I started eating more reasonably (no half gallons of ice cream 30 minutes before I go to bed), and my strength training at the gym pretty much took care of it. This has lead me to get faster and feel better on my long runs. Overall, it's been great progress.
Tomorrow morning at 5am we head out to the Guadalupe mountains for several days of some extreme running. I can't wait. We have a short run tomorrow evening, then 25 and 22 miles in the mountains on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, we'll climb to the highest peak in Texas, Guadalupe Peak (over 8000 ft), for one final journey before heading back to civilization. I'm really anxious to get out of here and hit those hills.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Ramping Up
I've had a great week of running. My ramp back into heavy running started shortly after my podiatrist appointment last week. I've been doing the stretches and exerises she gave me (and dropping the pills she gave me too) and my feet feel pretty good. So I've been running a ton.
Last Wednesday I went out and did about 10 at the green belt with Joe P and company. The run was good, and fast, and I was dead tired when I finished. Then I hit the same trails on Saturday and Sunday for a total of about 25 more miles. I was lost most of the time but it didn't matter. I knew I was spent when I took a nasty fall and slammed my collar bone into a tree. No major damage, but I knew I was done for the day.
Again, this Wednesday I went out with the HCTR crew and did about 8-9 miles. We went a lot slower this week, and it was easy. It's a good thing too because I forgot to bring water. 10 miles without water is OK for me, I'm a little dehydrated when I'm done, but it was fine.
My feet are still feeling good, and I'm ready to ramp up with Pike's Peak training starting next Wednesday. I had been frustrated with all of my time away from heavy running, but I think it's paying off. I feel good, and the shorter faster running I had been doing seems to have helped. I feel faster and stronger on the hills. Maybe it's just an illusion, I won't be winning any races anytime soon, but I'm happy with my progress.
Last Wednesday I went out and did about 10 at the green belt with Joe P and company. The run was good, and fast, and I was dead tired when I finished. Then I hit the same trails on Saturday and Sunday for a total of about 25 more miles. I was lost most of the time but it didn't matter. I knew I was spent when I took a nasty fall and slammed my collar bone into a tree. No major damage, but I knew I was done for the day.
Again, this Wednesday I went out with the HCTR crew and did about 8-9 miles. We went a lot slower this week, and it was easy. It's a good thing too because I forgot to bring water. 10 miles without water is OK for me, I'm a little dehydrated when I'm done, but it was fine.
My feet are still feeling good, and I'm ready to ramp up with Pike's Peak training starting next Wednesday. I had been frustrated with all of my time away from heavy running, but I think it's paying off. I feel good, and the shorter faster running I had been doing seems to have helped. I feel faster and stronger on the hills. Maybe it's just an illusion, I won't be winning any races anytime soon, but I'm happy with my progress.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
What's New?
I haven't posted anything in a while, so figured I'd give an update. My running has been pretty good, I've been running descent (boring) miles most of the week, just squeezing in miles as my schedule allows. Went out to Bastrop last weekend with Jim for a longer run, but it was hot and he got pretty tired, so we cut the run a bit short. No big deal, I didn't want to push it that day, and he's still recovering from Freescale.
The biggest news is from yesterday when I went to the podiatrist, finally, for my foot injury. I was reluctant to go, but the doc is a runner, so I figured I'd trust her. She diagnosed me with about 5 injuries, all stemming from an initial case of plantar fasciitis. That came form the Warda 44 miler in Novermber. After that, when I finished training for Sunmart and ran that, I eventually developed several forms of tendonitis in just about every tendon in my leg.
I knew I could trust the doctor when she asked me how much I ran. I told her a lot, and she asked, "marathons?" I told her that I did those and some longer runs, and she excitingly replied "Ultramarathons!?! Cool!" She then taped up my feet, gave me some stretches and exercises, and told me to run a LOT this week. To keep a "pain log" and give her all the details in 2 weeks when I go back. Any doctor that doesn't tell me to rest is a doctor for me. So now I'm running all out for the next two weeks with no excuses. I ran 5 last night at St Ed's when I got home from the doctor. The tape job she gave me seemed to help. It simulates an orthodic, and if it continues to work, then I'll be a candidate for that.
Tomorrow I'm heading to the HOL to run some trails with Joe and some other HCTR folks. I've been a member for a few months now, and yet never ran with any of them. So this should be a good time.
Happy trails.
The biggest news is from yesterday when I went to the podiatrist, finally, for my foot injury. I was reluctant to go, but the doc is a runner, so I figured I'd trust her. She diagnosed me with about 5 injuries, all stemming from an initial case of plantar fasciitis. That came form the Warda 44 miler in Novermber. After that, when I finished training for Sunmart and ran that, I eventually developed several forms of tendonitis in just about every tendon in my leg.
I knew I could trust the doctor when she asked me how much I ran. I told her a lot, and she asked, "marathons?" I told her that I did those and some longer runs, and she excitingly replied "Ultramarathons!?! Cool!" She then taped up my feet, gave me some stretches and exercises, and told me to run a LOT this week. To keep a "pain log" and give her all the details in 2 weeks when I go back. Any doctor that doesn't tell me to rest is a doctor for me. So now I'm running all out for the next two weeks with no excuses. I ran 5 last night at St Ed's when I got home from the doctor. The tape job she gave me seemed to help. It simulates an orthodic, and if it continues to work, then I'll be a candidate for that.
Tomorrow I'm heading to the HOL to run some trails with Joe and some other HCTR folks. I've been a member for a few months now, and yet never ran with any of them. So this should be a good time.
Happy trails.
Thursday, March 09, 2006
No Five-0 for me...
I've decided not to go up to Waco this weekend for the Waco Five-0 50K. I'm sure it will be a great race, and I think I'm ready for it, but I run plenty of races and I'm going to take this weekend and just get some long easy runs in for fun. Jim and I have discussed going out to Bastrop State Park for a couple of loops. It's a great trail that I've only been to once. And I want him to get some trail experience since he's signed up for his second marathon, Pike's Peak. Not a bad second marathon. Gambatte!
In other news, I finally got a podiatrist appointment for my feet. With Pike's Peak training starting up soon, I just need to hurry up and heal. My legs are strong right now, and mentally I'm ready. If my feet were better, I'd venture to say I'd be as healthy as I've ever been.
In other news, I finally got a podiatrist appointment for my feet. With Pike's Peak training starting up soon, I just need to hurry up and heal. My legs are strong right now, and mentally I'm ready. If my feet were better, I'd venture to say I'd be as healthy as I've ever been.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
A few xTimbers pics
I don't think I did a very good job describing the muddy chaos at Cross Timbers last weekend, so I've added a few pictures. The first is me bathing in the cold waters of Lake Texoma after the race. The second is after the bath. My clothes were still pretty muddy, but I got enough off of my legs that I could get in my car and drive home.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Pike's Peak
Alright, I'm officially signed up for the Pike's Peak marathon. I also signed up for the Rogue training program.
The hard part is done, now for the fun stuff.
The hard part is done, now for the fun stuff.
Saturday, February 25, 2006
My Kind Of Morning
Saturday was my 28th birthday and I decided to celebrate it at Lake Texoma and the Cross Timbers Trail Marathon. And what a birthday present it was.
We got into Whitesboro around 6pm Friday night. We went straight to the registration/packet-pickup/dinner at the marina. I got my packet, met a few cool people including the guy who would go on to win the race, and had some good spaghetti. Afterwards we went back to our hotel and got some sleep. It had rained all day, and continued to rain all night. I woke up at 4:30 to thunder and heavy rain. It would continue to rain the entire day. Many of you have not run with me and don't even know me very well. I hate running in cold and hate heat even more. But I love hills, love mud, and I especially love rain. This was my kind of morning.
At 7am the race started. I felt kind of stupid because I had not even brought a jacket. I had a long sleeve shirt and shorts on. It was good enough for now, but I new it would get heavy as the rain continued to drop. That wasn't my biggest concern. I had signed up for this race because I hadn't run a trail race since Sunmart, and hadn't run hard since then either. I felt out of practice and out of shape. This was my test to see if I could still run well, and my first good run before I started ramping back up. It was my litmus test. For me the race started slow, I tucked in behind a guy that was running his first trail marathon, and a woman running the half marathon. They were running slow 12 minute miles, but given the muddy terrain, that was fine with me. I wanted to start slow, and kick it up after 10 miles if it felt right.
At 7 miles, we hit an aid station and I decided it was too slow, so I took off. I ran the next 3 miles very hard (sub 10 minute miles sliding on mud up and down hills). I swung from tree branches to hold my balance, and passed a bunch of people. There must have been about 10-15 marathoners ahead of me as I approached the turn-around at Paw Paw Point. I didn't really think twice about it, I figured I'd catch a few of them, but most would continue along ahead of me.
At Paw Paw Point, I filled up my water bottle, declined any food because it was far too soggy to look appetizing, and I took off. The next hour I passed a lot of people. I wasn't sure how many people were marathoners and how many were 50 milers, but I knew I passed most of them. Guys that were over 10 minutes ahead of me were struggling up muddy mountains, sliding backwards on their hands and feet. I just grabbed onto trees, took advantage of my 200 lbs. sinking into the mud, and kept on up the hills. I reached the marina (20 miles) at 3:45 and found out I was in 4th place!. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am not fast, and I don't run against anyone but myself. But I've also never been in this position before where I was amongst the leaders. I also knew this may never happen again, so I went out as fast as I could.
I passed a few more people, but learned they were 50 milers. Where was the third place guy??? Just before I reached Juniper Point, (0.6 miles short of the turnaround) I saw the 1st place runner, Matt. He told me to keep on running, that I could catch the guy in third if I kept it up. That got my adreneline going, and I scurried up the muddy hill. I hit Juniper Point, but had to continue another 0.6 miles to a turn-around. That distance was on the road, and it felt so good to feel traction again on my feet that I just ran a sub-8 minute pace despite the burning in my legs. I spotted the 3rd place runner and chased him down. Around the turnaround I passed him, talked to him for a minute and realized I would not see him again. He was beaten. I told him good luck, and went on ahead. When I reached Juniper Point again, I saw the 5th place runner. I was over a mile ahead of him and realized that I would finish in 3rd! This would be the first and only time I'll ever finish in 3rd place of a marathon. It's not like winning a road marathon, I know, but it's still really cool to think about. My elation carried me the rest of the way, and I slalomed down the muddy hills like Bode Miller. (Actually, better that Bode since I won a bronze). I fell once about 0.5 miles short of the finish line, but I was so caked in mud that it made no difference.
At the finish it I was happy. Not because I had come in third (which is cool, but I'm over it) but because I ran a smart race, ran as hard as I could, and had my favorite birthday present ever. I took a bath in the 45 degree waters of Lake Texoma, changed in a Port-a-Potty, and enjoyed cheering on some runners back to the finish line. They were serving burgers, beer, soda, and lots of other calories. The food was good, just like the course, and just like the company.
Anyone that hasn't run Cross Timbers should think about it. It is a beautiful course along the lake. The RD puts on a good race, the people are good people, and it's very challenging. It was a long trek for me to get up there from Austin, but I'm glad I did it. Like I said, it was my kind of morning.
We got into Whitesboro around 6pm Friday night. We went straight to the registration/packet-pickup/dinner at the marina. I got my packet, met a few cool people including the guy who would go on to win the race, and had some good spaghetti. Afterwards we went back to our hotel and got some sleep. It had rained all day, and continued to rain all night. I woke up at 4:30 to thunder and heavy rain. It would continue to rain the entire day. Many of you have not run with me and don't even know me very well. I hate running in cold and hate heat even more. But I love hills, love mud, and I especially love rain. This was my kind of morning.
At 7am the race started. I felt kind of stupid because I had not even brought a jacket. I had a long sleeve shirt and shorts on. It was good enough for now, but I new it would get heavy as the rain continued to drop. That wasn't my biggest concern. I had signed up for this race because I hadn't run a trail race since Sunmart, and hadn't run hard since then either. I felt out of practice and out of shape. This was my test to see if I could still run well, and my first good run before I started ramping back up. It was my litmus test. For me the race started slow, I tucked in behind a guy that was running his first trail marathon, and a woman running the half marathon. They were running slow 12 minute miles, but given the muddy terrain, that was fine with me. I wanted to start slow, and kick it up after 10 miles if it felt right.
At 7 miles, we hit an aid station and I decided it was too slow, so I took off. I ran the next 3 miles very hard (sub 10 minute miles sliding on mud up and down hills). I swung from tree branches to hold my balance, and passed a bunch of people. There must have been about 10-15 marathoners ahead of me as I approached the turn-around at Paw Paw Point. I didn't really think twice about it, I figured I'd catch a few of them, but most would continue along ahead of me.
At Paw Paw Point, I filled up my water bottle, declined any food because it was far too soggy to look appetizing, and I took off. The next hour I passed a lot of people. I wasn't sure how many people were marathoners and how many were 50 milers, but I knew I passed most of them. Guys that were over 10 minutes ahead of me were struggling up muddy mountains, sliding backwards on their hands and feet. I just grabbed onto trees, took advantage of my 200 lbs. sinking into the mud, and kept on up the hills. I reached the marina (20 miles) at 3:45 and found out I was in 4th place!. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I am not fast, and I don't run against anyone but myself. But I've also never been in this position before where I was amongst the leaders. I also knew this may never happen again, so I went out as fast as I could.
I passed a few more people, but learned they were 50 milers. Where was the third place guy??? Just before I reached Juniper Point, (0.6 miles short of the turnaround) I saw the 1st place runner, Matt. He told me to keep on running, that I could catch the guy in third if I kept it up. That got my adreneline going, and I scurried up the muddy hill. I hit Juniper Point, but had to continue another 0.6 miles to a turn-around. That distance was on the road, and it felt so good to feel traction again on my feet that I just ran a sub-8 minute pace despite the burning in my legs. I spotted the 3rd place runner and chased him down. Around the turnaround I passed him, talked to him for a minute and realized I would not see him again. He was beaten. I told him good luck, and went on ahead. When I reached Juniper Point again, I saw the 5th place runner. I was over a mile ahead of him and realized that I would finish in 3rd! This would be the first and only time I'll ever finish in 3rd place of a marathon. It's not like winning a road marathon, I know, but it's still really cool to think about. My elation carried me the rest of the way, and I slalomed down the muddy hills like Bode Miller. (Actually, better that Bode since I won a bronze). I fell once about 0.5 miles short of the finish line, but I was so caked in mud that it made no difference.
At the finish it I was happy. Not because I had come in third (which is cool, but I'm over it) but because I ran a smart race, ran as hard as I could, and had my favorite birthday present ever. I took a bath in the 45 degree waters of Lake Texoma, changed in a Port-a-Potty, and enjoyed cheering on some runners back to the finish line. They were serving burgers, beer, soda, and lots of other calories. The food was good, just like the course, and just like the company.
Anyone that hasn't run Cross Timbers should think about it. It is a beautiful course along the lake. The RD puts on a good race, the people are good people, and it's very challenging. It was a long trek for me to get up there from Austin, but I'm glad I did it. Like I said, it was my kind of morning.
Monday, February 20, 2006
In Search of a Hero
I'm always in search for a new hero, and yesterday I found one. It came from the most unlikely of places just when I least expected it, but I knew I had found one in a single moment. My new hero is my wife, Kara.
Yesterday, she ran her first marathon in 5 hours and 37 minutes. But it wasn't just that she crossed the finish line, and it wasn't her finishing time that made me realize how amazing she is. It was how she did it. She started training 18 months ago for the 2005 Freescale marathon, but after her long training run of 18 miles, she came down with a bad case of tendonitis, and missed a critical 3 weeks of training. The idea of running that race was lost, and I expected that the desire to run a marathon at all would be lost with it. That year, I don't think she was training for the race for herself, I think it was something that she wanted to do for me. And anyone who has run this race knows, this is not something you can do for someone else. It takes too much commitment and discipline, and there are so many obstacles to overcome, that a desire to run is not enough. You have to have a NEED to finish.
When the time came to train for the 2006 Freescale marathon, she signed up for the AustinFit training program, and began her training. She had her good days and her bad days, but this time I could see a difference. When she talked about it, she didn't say "if I run" the marathon, she talked about it as something that she was definitely going to do. Her training went well, and after the RunTex 20 miler, she had a great time and felt really good. It looked like she was prepared and ready to go. Then, while doing one final 21 mile training run, things fell apart. She came down with a nasty case of IT band syndrome, which I know all too well. It hurt, and she limped the final mile to her car. She had no idea what the injury was, but I knew right away. I diagnosed her (I'm not a doctor, but this is an injury you don't soon forget) and told her to go see a physical therapist. It was only 3 weeks before the marathon, and it looked like deja vu from last year.
After 10 days off, she started up her runs slowly. She had missed a few runs, but this was the tapering period anyways. As long as her leg stayed strong, I knew she could do it. And more importantly, she knew she could do it. And now we cut to the day before the race.
It's 30 degrees outside, and the forecast for tomorrow is high 20's and freezing rain. Or, as wunderground.com put it, "ice pellets." But she never complained. Sure, she worried and checked the forecast every hour to see if it would change, but she didnt complain. She never once mentioned that it wasn't fair, or that it would ruin her chances of her first marathon finish. An IT band problem is worst under cold temperatures, but she didn't flinch. And on race morning, she put on several layers of clothes, and we headed out.
That morning was freezing as expected. We walked around to find the bathrooms, and then walked about a mile and a half searching for our car, which we had lost. Wasting miles on your feet is not something you want to do before a marathon, but she was not deterred. And at 7:30 am, she took off on her adventure.
I didn't see her again until mile 11, where she looked tired and cold. Her stomach was a little upset, which I did not expect. I tried to get her to take some food, but she wasn't really interested. She walked for a minute with me, then started off again. I was already sensing something special in her, but I knew she was in for an experience that she has never felt before, and would never forget.
The next time I saw her was at 19 miles. My dad and another friend were running ahead of her, so I gave my mom the car keys and told her to go to the finish line. We knew we would never make it to the finish line to see them, if we waited around for Kara. I was going to run the rest of the way with Kara. She hadn't asked me to run with her, but I knew she would need it. And even if she didn't want it, I was going to do it anyways. When I found her, she was struggling. In her words at 19.5 miles, "I hit the wall around 14, and now I just keep banging my head against it." It was one of the few things she said for the next hour and a half. I spent that time doing all of the talking, trying to keep her mind off of the run. I encouraged her to keep moving forward, just like I've been encouraged in the past. But the truth was, she didn't need me there. She was now on a personal mission, and I was just a spectator. During the next hour, I ran with a cell phone. I called people that had already finished, so I could give Kara the update. I called her sister, to tell her how she was doing. I wanted everyone to know that she was still strong. I knew she was feeling a lot of pain, but she never complained. I know I would have complained, I know I have complained in similar situations. Maybe she was too tired to complain, but I don't think so. I think she just isn't any good at it.
At about 25.75 miles, I let her go. I told her to run alone, enjoy the experience, and think about what an amazing accomplishment she was now acheiving. She had worked hard for so long, and now she needed to just reap the rewards. I walked off the course, and ran along the sidelines behind her, so I could be a real spectator. I made it to the finish line just in time to see her finish. It was an amazing accomplishment. I hadn't felt so proud in a long time.
After the race, I finally heard her complain. They gave her a banana, some gatorade, and a cup of chili. "This is stupid. Who would eat chili after a marathon?" That's all she had to complain about. And I ate her chili.
Before we went to sleep last night, she called me an inspiration. But I was the one that was inspired that day.
Yesterday, she ran her first marathon in 5 hours and 37 minutes. But it wasn't just that she crossed the finish line, and it wasn't her finishing time that made me realize how amazing she is. It was how she did it. She started training 18 months ago for the 2005 Freescale marathon, but after her long training run of 18 miles, she came down with a bad case of tendonitis, and missed a critical 3 weeks of training. The idea of running that race was lost, and I expected that the desire to run a marathon at all would be lost with it. That year, I don't think she was training for the race for herself, I think it was something that she wanted to do for me. And anyone who has run this race knows, this is not something you can do for someone else. It takes too much commitment and discipline, and there are so many obstacles to overcome, that a desire to run is not enough. You have to have a NEED to finish.
When the time came to train for the 2006 Freescale marathon, she signed up for the AustinFit training program, and began her training. She had her good days and her bad days, but this time I could see a difference. When she talked about it, she didn't say "if I run" the marathon, she talked about it as something that she was definitely going to do. Her training went well, and after the RunTex 20 miler, she had a great time and felt really good. It looked like she was prepared and ready to go. Then, while doing one final 21 mile training run, things fell apart. She came down with a nasty case of IT band syndrome, which I know all too well. It hurt, and she limped the final mile to her car. She had no idea what the injury was, but I knew right away. I diagnosed her (I'm not a doctor, but this is an injury you don't soon forget) and told her to go see a physical therapist. It was only 3 weeks before the marathon, and it looked like deja vu from last year.
After 10 days off, she started up her runs slowly. She had missed a few runs, but this was the tapering period anyways. As long as her leg stayed strong, I knew she could do it. And more importantly, she knew she could do it. And now we cut to the day before the race.
It's 30 degrees outside, and the forecast for tomorrow is high 20's and freezing rain. Or, as wunderground.com put it, "ice pellets." But she never complained. Sure, she worried and checked the forecast every hour to see if it would change, but she didnt complain. She never once mentioned that it wasn't fair, or that it would ruin her chances of her first marathon finish. An IT band problem is worst under cold temperatures, but she didn't flinch. And on race morning, she put on several layers of clothes, and we headed out.
That morning was freezing as expected. We walked around to find the bathrooms, and then walked about a mile and a half searching for our car, which we had lost. Wasting miles on your feet is not something you want to do before a marathon, but she was not deterred. And at 7:30 am, she took off on her adventure.
I didn't see her again until mile 11, where she looked tired and cold. Her stomach was a little upset, which I did not expect. I tried to get her to take some food, but she wasn't really interested. She walked for a minute with me, then started off again. I was already sensing something special in her, but I knew she was in for an experience that she has never felt before, and would never forget.
The next time I saw her was at 19 miles. My dad and another friend were running ahead of her, so I gave my mom the car keys and told her to go to the finish line. We knew we would never make it to the finish line to see them, if we waited around for Kara. I was going to run the rest of the way with Kara. She hadn't asked me to run with her, but I knew she would need it. And even if she didn't want it, I was going to do it anyways. When I found her, she was struggling. In her words at 19.5 miles, "I hit the wall around 14, and now I just keep banging my head against it." It was one of the few things she said for the next hour and a half. I spent that time doing all of the talking, trying to keep her mind off of the run. I encouraged her to keep moving forward, just like I've been encouraged in the past. But the truth was, she didn't need me there. She was now on a personal mission, and I was just a spectator. During the next hour, I ran with a cell phone. I called people that had already finished, so I could give Kara the update. I called her sister, to tell her how she was doing. I wanted everyone to know that she was still strong. I knew she was feeling a lot of pain, but she never complained. I know I would have complained, I know I have complained in similar situations. Maybe she was too tired to complain, but I don't think so. I think she just isn't any good at it.
At about 25.75 miles, I let her go. I told her to run alone, enjoy the experience, and think about what an amazing accomplishment she was now acheiving. She had worked hard for so long, and now she needed to just reap the rewards. I walked off the course, and ran along the sidelines behind her, so I could be a real spectator. I made it to the finish line just in time to see her finish. It was an amazing accomplishment. I hadn't felt so proud in a long time.
After the race, I finally heard her complain. They gave her a banana, some gatorade, and a cup of chili. "This is stupid. Who would eat chili after a marathon?" That's all she had to complain about. And I ate her chili.
Before we went to sleep last night, she called me an inspiration. But I was the one that was inspired that day.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
2006 Race Plan
I finally took some time to figure out my race plan for the coming year. Well, atleast the next several months, anyways. Here's what I have:
25-Feb Cross Timbers 50M/25M
11-Mar Waco FIVE-0 50K
25-Mar Do the Ultra Canyon 47K or 15K
or...
25-Mar Grasslands 50M/26.2M
1-Apr Hog's Hunt 50K
23-Apr The Maze 30K
30-Apr Rocky Hill Ranch 50K
6-May Prickly Pear 50K
21-May The Loop 30K
18-Jun The Belt 30K
19-Aug Pikes Peak 26.2
Obviously I'm not going to do Graslands and Ultra Canyon. I'll probably see how Waco goes and decide if I can do 50M. If not, I'll do the 47K. I haven't been to either place, so both should be fun.
My two long shot goals are Zane Grey and San Juan Solstice. Right now I don't think either are going to happen with my work schedule and my lack of training over the past 2 months. But now I'm ramping up again and ready to get going with a lot of the Texas races. Once things get rolling, we'll see how things go. I've been known to do a lot of dumb things, so running a crazy race I'm not ready for isn't out of reach.
25-Feb Cross Timbers 50M/25M
11-Mar Waco FIVE-0 50K
25-Mar Do the Ultra Canyon 47K or 15K
or...
25-Mar Grasslands 50M/26.2M
1-Apr Hog's Hunt 50K
23-Apr The Maze 30K
30-Apr Rocky Hill Ranch 50K
6-May Prickly Pear 50K
21-May The Loop 30K
18-Jun The Belt 30K
19-Aug Pikes Peak 26.2
Obviously I'm not going to do Graslands and Ultra Canyon. I'll probably see how Waco goes and decide if I can do 50M. If not, I'll do the 47K. I haven't been to either place, so both should be fun.
My two long shot goals are Zane Grey and San Juan Solstice. Right now I don't think either are going to happen with my work schedule and my lack of training over the past 2 months. But now I'm ramping up again and ready to get going with a lot of the Texas races. Once things get rolling, we'll see how things go. I've been known to do a lot of dumb things, so running a crazy race I'm not ready for isn't out of reach.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Champions
I'm tired and don't have time to write much, but I have to say...
We got one for the thumb!!!!! I love yinz guys!!!!!
We got one for the thumb!!!!! I love yinz guys!!!!!
Friday, February 03, 2006
Take the Big Ben Pledge
Want the Steelers to win? Then take some responsibility and click on the picture below:
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Reasons why I run
I put together 12 reasons why I run. There are plenty more, but these are the ones on my mind these days. I'm sure every runner has a different list, but this is mine.
12. It gives me more energy
I didn’t realize it at the time, but before I started running I was drained of energy. I worked (and still do) 60-70 hours per week usually. When I finished the day I came home, ate dinner, watched too much TV, and was drained and ready for bed. Then one day I started running, and all of that changed. I still work, I still watch too much TV, but now I have energy all day long. I don't have days where I have no energy. Sure, after a very long run I get tired, and I don't have any immediate energy. But after a shower and a snack, I'm ready to go. It's a small difference in my day to day environment, but I go through the day feeling great. I've seen the top of the mountain, and I can never go back down.
11. To control my weight.
When I started running, I weighed about 230 lbs. I wasn't extremely fat, I'm 6'0" and it was spread pretty evenly. But I wanted to lose some weight, and I like eating too much to stop. 6 months later I was training for a marathon, and I weighed under 200. Now, if you like this reason, then you really need to get into trail running and ultramarathons. There is nothing you can't eat in your peak milage while training for a 50-miler. I'm not saying you should, Im just simply saying you can.
10. To constanly challenge myself.
For me, the challenge is within. I don't have too many races where I have a specific time goal. I've had a few and I usually end up disappointed. But for me, the challenge is to have fun while I train, see new things and meet new people, and when the times comes for a race, I don't need a watch. My challenege is to run as hard as I can and to push things as far as they can go. When my race is over, I don't need to see the time. I know whether I had a good race because I gave it everything I had and ignored the pain in my legs, the struggle in my lungs, and the pounding of my heart. One of my friends makes fun of me because, whenever I have a slow race, it's always because I went out too fast. And I aways say, "I felt good early, so I stepped it up." Well, to me, there is no other way to race. If I conserve, and finish strong, I'll never kow what could have happened if I went out hard. But if I go hard, and I have that rare day where eveything goes great, I can finish hard and honestly say that I could not have run better. Sure, for many people that would lead to some seriously disappointing times. But for me, it's the only way to challenge myself.
9. You get to meet good people. Especially on the trails
I've met a lot of good people out running, and I've turned some friends into runners. Overall, I'd say I like the running community and would prefer to spend time with them (even if it's just saying "hi" while passing them on the road) than with co-workers or other random people. They are good people, with good spirits. But I have to say, when I started running trails and meeting people in training groups and at the trail running events, I really found my niche. These places are filled with runners that share my motives, my desires. They understand the reasons to run. They all have interesting stories, and they all love the feel of the trail beneath their feet. They don't worry so much about time, as they do about the experience. They understand that running, like life, is about the journey and not the destination.
8. It's a cheap hobby. All I need is a pair of shoes.
I love that I can run at a moments notice. When I get out of work early, I head to a trail and strap on my shoes. And I'm off. Or if I'm travelling to a new place and see some cool hills or hear of some tough trails, I strap on my shoes and I'm off. When I started running I bought a $40 pair of shoes and never had a blister. It doesn't take much to get out there. There are no good excuses.
7. It's dependable
Running is always there for me. It's a relationship that always forgives. I can ignore it for awhile, but when I come crawling back, it's there for me. Sure, it might punish me with some sore legs and some heavy lungs, but it takes me in. It abuses me at times, but also gives me some of my biggest rewards. It comes with me wherever I go, and gives me confidence. It's there to listen when I'm stressed out with work, or mad at life. It's there to celebrate with me when I'm excited and want to enjoy the outdoors. It will go with me in the heat, the snow, the rain… Running will stay with me until my legs give out, and even then I'll have the memories.
6. It's better than other addictions
Smoking and drinking might work for some, but they are expensive and/or time consuming. Some people depend on drugs or gambling. For me, I would prefer to run.
5. To enjoy the outdoors
Before I started running, I never understood environmentalists (AKA tree-huggers). I didn’t get it. I thought it was stupid to worry more about parks, trees, and grass compared to the advancement of society (technology, parking lots, new buldings, etc). Now, when I go out to St. Edwards or Barton Creek, and I find the rare spots where you can't hear a single car, or you see some wildlife nearby, I get it. I love the rush of being outside, alone in the wild, at dusk or at dawn. I never got excited about a walk in the park, but now I love those perfect weather days where I sneak out of work early to get on the trails all alone.
4. Escape from the rest of life's complications
Like everyone else, I have a job, a family, a house, and all the rest. Which means responsibilites, deadlines, mortgage payments, stress, and all the rest. Some people use time running to organize their lives, and figure things out. To prioritize commitments, or to solve problems. Not me. I use it as a time to clear my mind. Stress and worries disappear during those hours, and even if they return when I'm finished, things just aren't as urgent. I feel better the rest of the day.
3. It cleanses my soul
I don’t know what I think about during most of my runs. Sometimes I finish a 2-3 hour run and I can't remember a darn thing. All I know is I feel very spiritual during the run, and afterwards. Some people are more comfortable in a church praying, others use yoga and meditation. For me, my soul is cleansed when I run. I can use the time to talk to God, to give thanks for my blessings in life. Or I can use it to complain about things that are going wrong. But this is a personal time that is just impossible to get in any other environment without a serious amount of commitment and discipline.
2. Because I have to
Sometimes there is no explanation. I do it because I have to.
1. No matter my mood, I've never NOT felt better after a run, than I did before the run
Sure, sometimes my feet hurt or my knees hurt. Sometimes I'm sore for a day or two, and I've had a few injuries along the way. But I can say, without exception, that regardless of how I felt as I put on my shoes before a run, I always feel better when taking them off. Physically, mentally, spiritually. I've never had a run I regretted, I've never caught myself saying I should have run less.
12. It gives me more energy
I didn’t realize it at the time, but before I started running I was drained of energy. I worked (and still do) 60-70 hours per week usually. When I finished the day I came home, ate dinner, watched too much TV, and was drained and ready for bed. Then one day I started running, and all of that changed. I still work, I still watch too much TV, but now I have energy all day long. I don't have days where I have no energy. Sure, after a very long run I get tired, and I don't have any immediate energy. But after a shower and a snack, I'm ready to go. It's a small difference in my day to day environment, but I go through the day feeling great. I've seen the top of the mountain, and I can never go back down.
11. To control my weight.
When I started running, I weighed about 230 lbs. I wasn't extremely fat, I'm 6'0" and it was spread pretty evenly. But I wanted to lose some weight, and I like eating too much to stop. 6 months later I was training for a marathon, and I weighed under 200. Now, if you like this reason, then you really need to get into trail running and ultramarathons. There is nothing you can't eat in your peak milage while training for a 50-miler. I'm not saying you should, Im just simply saying you can.
10. To constanly challenge myself.
For me, the challenge is within. I don't have too many races where I have a specific time goal. I've had a few and I usually end up disappointed. But for me, the challenge is to have fun while I train, see new things and meet new people, and when the times comes for a race, I don't need a watch. My challenege is to run as hard as I can and to push things as far as they can go. When my race is over, I don't need to see the time. I know whether I had a good race because I gave it everything I had and ignored the pain in my legs, the struggle in my lungs, and the pounding of my heart. One of my friends makes fun of me because, whenever I have a slow race, it's always because I went out too fast. And I aways say, "I felt good early, so I stepped it up." Well, to me, there is no other way to race. If I conserve, and finish strong, I'll never kow what could have happened if I went out hard. But if I go hard, and I have that rare day where eveything goes great, I can finish hard and honestly say that I could not have run better. Sure, for many people that would lead to some seriously disappointing times. But for me, it's the only way to challenge myself.
9. You get to meet good people. Especially on the trails
I've met a lot of good people out running, and I've turned some friends into runners. Overall, I'd say I like the running community and would prefer to spend time with them (even if it's just saying "hi" while passing them on the road) than with co-workers or other random people. They are good people, with good spirits. But I have to say, when I started running trails and meeting people in training groups and at the trail running events, I really found my niche. These places are filled with runners that share my motives, my desires. They understand the reasons to run. They all have interesting stories, and they all love the feel of the trail beneath their feet. They don't worry so much about time, as they do about the experience. They understand that running, like life, is about the journey and not the destination.
8. It's a cheap hobby. All I need is a pair of shoes.
I love that I can run at a moments notice. When I get out of work early, I head to a trail and strap on my shoes. And I'm off. Or if I'm travelling to a new place and see some cool hills or hear of some tough trails, I strap on my shoes and I'm off. When I started running I bought a $40 pair of shoes and never had a blister. It doesn't take much to get out there. There are no good excuses.
7. It's dependable
Running is always there for me. It's a relationship that always forgives. I can ignore it for awhile, but when I come crawling back, it's there for me. Sure, it might punish me with some sore legs and some heavy lungs, but it takes me in. It abuses me at times, but also gives me some of my biggest rewards. It comes with me wherever I go, and gives me confidence. It's there to listen when I'm stressed out with work, or mad at life. It's there to celebrate with me when I'm excited and want to enjoy the outdoors. It will go with me in the heat, the snow, the rain… Running will stay with me until my legs give out, and even then I'll have the memories.
6. It's better than other addictions
Smoking and drinking might work for some, but they are expensive and/or time consuming. Some people depend on drugs or gambling. For me, I would prefer to run.
5. To enjoy the outdoors
Before I started running, I never understood environmentalists (AKA tree-huggers). I didn’t get it. I thought it was stupid to worry more about parks, trees, and grass compared to the advancement of society (technology, parking lots, new buldings, etc). Now, when I go out to St. Edwards or Barton Creek, and I find the rare spots where you can't hear a single car, or you see some wildlife nearby, I get it. I love the rush of being outside, alone in the wild, at dusk or at dawn. I never got excited about a walk in the park, but now I love those perfect weather days where I sneak out of work early to get on the trails all alone.
4. Escape from the rest of life's complications
Like everyone else, I have a job, a family, a house, and all the rest. Which means responsibilites, deadlines, mortgage payments, stress, and all the rest. Some people use time running to organize their lives, and figure things out. To prioritize commitments, or to solve problems. Not me. I use it as a time to clear my mind. Stress and worries disappear during those hours, and even if they return when I'm finished, things just aren't as urgent. I feel better the rest of the day.
3. It cleanses my soul
I don’t know what I think about during most of my runs. Sometimes I finish a 2-3 hour run and I can't remember a darn thing. All I know is I feel very spiritual during the run, and afterwards. Some people are more comfortable in a church praying, others use yoga and meditation. For me, my soul is cleansed when I run. I can use the time to talk to God, to give thanks for my blessings in life. Or I can use it to complain about things that are going wrong. But this is a personal time that is just impossible to get in any other environment without a serious amount of commitment and discipline.
2. Because I have to
Sometimes there is no explanation. I do it because I have to.
1. No matter my mood, I've never NOT felt better after a run, than I did before the run
Sure, sometimes my feet hurt or my knees hurt. Sometimes I'm sore for a day or two, and I've had a few injuries along the way. But I can say, without exception, that regardless of how I felt as I put on my shoes before a run, I always feel better when taking them off. Physically, mentally, spiritually. I've never had a run I regretted, I've never caught myself saying I should have run less.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
