tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48131404854249069032024-02-22T04:30:29.426-08:00crazy side of runningT-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-14542863170336020032014-06-20T13:05:00.004-07:002014-06-20T13:05:57.146-07:00Laurel Highlands - The Adventure<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Laurel Highlands - </span><span style="font-family: Arial;">Member of the old and tough trail series<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Be a kind runner and Karma will take care of you – for a price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karma decided I needed a little kindness at Laurel Highlands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figure it’s because I came back to erase the DNF from 2007.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">At the pre-race dinner I joined a random table of runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While waiting for the official start of the feeding window we discussed our running exploits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out the runners at the table were a relay team and one of the guys lives in Keller TX and another is a nuclear engineer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None had run an ultra-marathon and they were genuinely fascinated by my running tales.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Years ago they had hiked the Laurel Highlands Trail on a 7 day scouting trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now they were back to run the trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have to say these guys bailed my ass out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might have finished the event, but I should have packed my bags at the 50K mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The relay team stayed about 45 minutes behind me for most of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At each aid station the rest of the team would be there to greet me, tell me I was great, that I looked good, and fetch items for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were the third best crew ever (Lean Horse and VT crews were way better</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;">).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must say it is remarkable how things worked out for this race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Laurel Highlands area is beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The area is about as mountainous as it can get for the Eastern US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trail is heavily treed with numerous babbling brooks and plenty of scenic views.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you see it you just want to go run it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t take long to figure out that what is nice on the outside isn’t so nice on the inside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The race starts near a picturesque waterfall in Ohiopyle PA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After ½ a mile of easy road running you make a sharp left turn and almost immediately say “damn”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With less than a mile of running I realized a long legged flatlander from TX was going to have a tough day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The downpours in the preceding days made for slippery and muddy footing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The climb at mile 2 (one of about 20 significant climbs) put the hurt on a bunch of runners, me included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the downhill, but the past couple of trail events have soured my perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m beginning to dislike downhills because they now represent an upcoming make you want to cry uphill. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Laurel Highlands added a new dimension of the “Rock Experience.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought the Catoctin 50K had a bad case of rockitis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone must have sprinkled magic water over Eastern PA because these rocks are ridiculous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vast majority of the trail is strewn with every size, shape, and orientation of jagged rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On rare occasions you have the opportunity to attempt running on slippery flat stone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The constant twisting from uneven foot plants led to very painful feet, ankles, knees, and hips.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By mile 60 I didn’t have enough leg left in me to be able to run over the rock encrusted mine fields with confidence and eventually walked in the final miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking was the safe and right choice for me even if it resulted in a couple of extra hours on the trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I was exhausted by mile 46.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the point I DNF’d in 2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran a very conservative pace and maintained good hydration, but I was whooped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think a lack of sleep during the week took a significant toll on my performance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On Wednesday work issues resulted in 2 hours of sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the race, I had to be up at 2:00AM in order to make the 3:30AM bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The combination of 2 days of minimal sleep was too much to overcome, especially on a “Kick your ass while you’re down trail.” I’m thankful (I think) the new-found crew kept me in the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had I been solo, I likely would have dropped.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’ve been wearing Hoka Stinsons for a little over a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not once have I had a significant issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this run I had issues with heel rubbing along the back and inside of the foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rubbing led to a half dollar sized blister and loss of skin on the left foot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figure the uneven footing from the rocks combined with the wet conditions were the major contributors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That, and Karma decided this was the price I needed to pay for providing me with a 5 person crew</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I finished without a single fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stumbled all over PA – but no falls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I toed a rock, jumped into the air with the right foot, and stuck the landing with both feet facing the opposite direction!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood there for a few seconds, swiveled my head in circles, and thought, “What the hell just happened?!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Laurel Highlands is in the category of the “old and tough trail series.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been around for 35 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the beginning there were no aid stations and the trail was not maintained.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t imagine a self-supported run on this trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Race entry is still done in the old-school way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You mail in the form with a check.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First come first served based on the postmark date on the envelope. The event is super organized with a very friendly race director and supportive volunteers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, three of the aide stations are a haul (about 13 miles) over very tough terrain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of planning and thought is needed by each runner when deciding what gear and hydration system to use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are looking for a challenging trail event give either the 50K or 70.5 mile Laurel Highlands run a try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-6455530681707741282014-05-13T12:21:00.000-07:002014-05-13T12:21:58.288-07:00Toughies<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Toughies<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lost Lake 50K is a TOUGHIE!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Einstein said, “Insanity is repeating the same mistake and expecting a different result.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course Plato said, “There is no harm in repeating a good thing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trouble is I’m not sure which of the above is the more accurate statement.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">When I’m in a training work-up I try to match business travel to running events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I frequently end up with TOUGHIE events added to my calendar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Insanity or a good thing – you be the judge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would think the running gods would smile down on me and offer up a string of EASY run events to go with my business travel plans!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Lost Lake had several memorable moments:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Larabee State Park:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each description of the trail network from the various narratives for Larabee State Park in Washington begins with, “A very steep climb from…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Chinscraper:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This section is about a 1 to 1.5 mile, average 17% grade (ridiculous), rock and root filled trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even better when wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Raptor Ridge:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A snaky, twisty, surrounded by prehistoric foliage, very steep up and down trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rollercoaster makes for several periods of interrupted running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I wanted was quarter mile of trail that could be run nonstop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Stinging Nettle:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The race director warned folks about this plant and frequently repeated that contact should be avoided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had never heard of stinging nettle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I asked what it looked like the response was, “Green and Leafy.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me remind you that Lost Lake is in the Pacific Northwest – everything you see is green and leafy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plant is covered with hypodermic like needles that inject histamine and other chemicals into the skin that produce a stinging sensation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Elevation Gain:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 50K has 8000 feet of gain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of this occurs during 4 climbs over the first 20 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of my training is done in TX.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On most 20 mile runs I might experience 100 feet of elevation gain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hurts” is the only word a flatlander needs to answer any assortment of “How do you feel” questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Descents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the descents were too steep to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself trying to pick my way around rocks and roots as a crept down the mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the downhill, but falling off this trail meant a nasty tumble down several hundred feet of mountain side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted for caution, managed to stay on the trail in an upright position, and finished nettle free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Jumping:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter how short the drop looks – do not jump!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Confronted with backtracking 20 yards or jumping off a boulder, I chose to jump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It looked like a 2-3 foot drop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However; given the amount of air time and my ability to think through the 20 reasons why I made a mistake, it must have been more like 4-6 feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence the “thud” sound I made when landing and the jamming of both knees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Howdy:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People in Washington have no idea what Howdy means</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rainbow shorts coupled with a friendly Howdy resulted in quite a few odd looks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham, WA, proved to be a good post-race choice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ESB was especially delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The Skagit Runners did a mighty fine job putting on the event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trails were well marked and the aid stations had all of the essentials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Which 50K is my Toughest Toughie?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My top three TOUGHIES are Jemez, Catoctin, and Lost Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jemez has about 6600 feet of gain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the combination of elevation gain and sustained running at altitudes above 7000 feet gives Jemez the edge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Catoctin has about 7500 feet of gain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the combination of July heat, with more rocks than dirt on the trail give it a solid second place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interestingly enough, my finish times for these TOUGHIE events were 8:27 (J), 7:17 (C), and 7:09 (LL).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-55971135935717467022014-04-24T11:52:00.000-07:002014-04-24T11:52:22.008-07:002014 Boston Recap<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">No More Hurting People - Peace<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">“No more hurting people - Peace”, Martin Richard. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Countries at war, squabbling politicians, terrorist acts, school shootings and stabbings, road rage, bullying…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have become an increasingly intolerant and violent society where the acceptable norm is to place value on hate and finding what is wrong; rather than seeking good and finding peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Since the 2013 Boston Marathon I can remember seeing posters with Martin Richards’ photo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t connect the dots until late in the marathon this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the run this very young victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon and his photo with the poster, “No more hurting people - Peace,” came to be my most rewarding experience and completely unexpected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I wore my customary race day colors for the 2014 Boston Marathon - obnoxiously bright rainbow shorts and fluorescent green singlet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in typical form, when one of the many thousands of spectators shouted “Nice shorts” “Go Rainbow Guy” or other appropriate compliment, I almost always responded with a peace sign wave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The amazing part is that when I flashed the peace sign many spectators would shout back “Peace” or flash the peace sign back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would peace-sign them back and before long both arms hurt like hell from holding one or both arms up in the air while running</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around mile 20 I finally understood the connection:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">“No more hurting people – Peace”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Martin Richard<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I thought my 2005 Boston experience could never be outdone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 2014 experience proved to be better than I could have imagined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2005 I didn’t have enough running experience to appreciate the meaning and importance of the race to other runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running comes easily to me and over the past 10 years I have come to appreciate the effort expended by many fellow runners for what I took for granted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For 2014 I wanted to enjoy the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wanted to be a small piece of a much bigger day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">I didn’t do any special training this year for Boston.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just ran more days than not and didn’t spend time worrying about the miles per day/week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I knew it the Cowtown Marathon (February) and the Crazy Desert 50K (March) had come and gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boston was now sandwiched in the middle of a very full event calendar lasting until late September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What a beautiful day for a marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clear blue skies and relatively mild temperatures for a Texan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the sun rose the layers of clothing started to peel from one runner after another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine the piles of clothes being discarded from 30 plus thousand runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I certainly hope the jackets and sweatshirts donated by the runners find a good home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The security was intense!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even remember seeing a police officer in 2005.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2014 I can’t remember not seeing an armed and uniformed person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest, the level of police presence leaves me feeling sad to think this is what we have become.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 1984 I visited my first country outside of the United States.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very first thing I noticed was the number of armed and uniformed military/police in Israel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember thinking how terrible it must be to live in a place where everyone feared for their safety.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thirty years later I now live in a country where people fear for their safety when going to school, the mall, the theater, work, a funeral….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">There were over one million spectators along the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, because I think I high fived or low fived all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I say low five, I mean low five.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did my best to spot the young’uns that were as tall as my knees and get low enough to slap a hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many times I crisscrossed the road to low five an aspiring marathoner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Boston College I encountered my longest ever high five slap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to stop after about 100 yards of sustained slap slap slap slap slap slap slap slap slap slap slap slap slap….. to keep from getting spun around in a circle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine the sound of a baseball card clipped to a bike wheel</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The best kiss of the day came at mile 17.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweetie beat the train system and managed to find a spot along the barricades in her brightest PINK attire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says she was surprised I stopped to give her a kiss – but in reality she knows I stopped for her to kiss me</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best kiss of the day you ask?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I did get a few other kisses in the scream tunnel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2005 I ran past the Wellesley College girls without stopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2014 I visited with the girls for a little while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slowest mile of the day</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Arial; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Arial; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Boston was also a time for Laura and me to look back on our first year of marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Endurance events are inextricably intertwined with our life together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to change the day of our first date so I could volunteer at IMAZ, I proposed a year later during IMAZ, our wedding was scheduled between two trail events, and our first anniversary was spent at the Boston Marathon expo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laura, I love you sweetie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">If I get a say in the matter, when the day comes to hang up the marathon shoes, I hope I hang them in Boston.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-38709173423539348532014-02-26T16:15:00.003-08:002014-02-26T16:15:56.515-08:00The Big Five-O (Marathons that is)
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Big Five-O (Marathons that is)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many of the RAW tribe are probably tired of hearing that my
first marathon (or official road race for that matter) was the 2004
Cowtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the ten years that
followed Cowtown 2004 I zigzagged across the U.S. running in spectacular
locations doing routine and strange events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the early days I never imagined I would be running my 50<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
marathon at the 2014 Cowtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
a ton of fond memories and some I would just as soon forget.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plenty of lessons learned and friendships
made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are lots of stories to tell
and I’ll try stay with the ones that impacted me the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can find my running stories at my blog
site:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://troyscrazysideofrunning.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #0563c1; font-family: Calibri;">http://troyscrazysideofrunning.blogspot.com/</span></a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I was six I ran a 6-ish minute mile on a hilly out and
back course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My older three brothers
were arguing over bragging rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were
all the fastest milers in the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t even know what a mile was and I definitely wanted in on the
action.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course I wasn’t invited to
the mile challenge and in younger sibling fashion, I took off after the 3 big
brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess who didn’t finish last?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I never was much of a team sports kind of guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an eleven year old malcontent I started
playing soccer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sport I loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From age 11 to 48 I played soccer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I moved from LA to TX in 2001 I took a break
from soccer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I resumed I started
running to get back in shape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a
horrific start (see the blog).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept at
it knowing I needed to be ready for the upcoming season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A half mile turned into 2, 2 into 5, 5 into
10, and then I was at 14.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It occurred to
me that if someone can run 14 miles they can certainly run 26.2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so I ran the 2004 Cowtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Barney – this is what it means when my answer
to, “What made you start running?” is, “It was accidental.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve never been much of a joiner, especially in 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did several solo runs by the club on
Saturdays and Sundays but never ventured into the RAW club house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably a good thing because in those days
good beer consisted of Natural Light and Michelob Ultra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember Fireman Ken and Henry sitting out
front as I would run by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s funny what
you remember.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My daughter asked me within minutes of finishing the 2004
Cowtown if I would run another marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I replied with two words: “F… N.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>2004 Cowtown was a great and miserable experience all rolled up
together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve come to realize that many
running events are great and miserable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe it’s the extremes that are the real allure to running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The 2004 Cowtown had no electrolytes on the
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I ran through one of the aid
stations there were volunteers frantically mixing Gatorade.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners were dipping cups into the jugs as
the volunteers were trying to stir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
few years later I found out it was the RAW aid station and I believe the last
time RAW has supported a Cowtown event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the bus ride to the start for the 2006 Austin marathon I
met a RAW member.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark convinced me to
try the club out instead of just running by the club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Austin was freezing cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rumor was no one wanted to go outside to the
start because of the suicide deer prowling the area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure enough, the suicide deer took out several
runners near the start.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several
overpasses were iced over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 10 I
hit a slippery patch and fell on my hip and knee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of the race I had a 1 inch wide
blood trail from the knee to my shoe and a nice collection of blood on my sock
and shoe laces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is called “bad-ass”
running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had several cheers of
“Looking-Good” immediately followed by “Oh no – he’s hurt!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some perverted reason the “He’s Hurt”
comments motivated me to keep running strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By mile 22 I hurt badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hip
was pounding, the quads were burning, and my stomach was upset.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a long out and back just before the finish
a race official looked me straight in the eye and said, “Pick your head
up.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe there is power in telling
it like it is (see the blog on spectators).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was down for the count and yet revived thanks to the honesty of a
stranger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went on to finish the great
and miserable experience in just under 3 hours (first time under 3:00).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not long after Austin I joined RAW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been a great experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while I might tell it like it is a little
too often, I only do it out of love and respect for all you joggers</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first event with RAW was Grasslands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the first time I meet K2 and all her
frizzy hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To think she would later
become Reverend K2 and marry off the Sweeties on a warm spring day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also remember Susan Barnett applying
sunscreen to my neck and shoulders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
said I didn’t need any on my neck because my hair was so long and lovely (well
that’s how I remember it…).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know it’s a stretch but I like to think I’m responsible
for introducing RAW to beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weekend
after weekend the RAW faithful did their very best to get me to drink water
after a run (by water I mean the aforementioned Michelob Ultra, Bud Light,
Natural Light, etc…).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was even a
throw down after the 2006 July 4<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> cookout involving a taste test
between the best “light beers”,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just ask
K2 and Brad</span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple months of turning down RAW’s
version of beer (aka water) I signed up for water duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In typical Wussie Judge style, this also
included a chest full of craft and premium beers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rest of the story is - well history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lean Horse 2011 was my first 100 miler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This trip is incredibly important to me
personally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was at the end of my first
marriage searching for meaning in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can’t do the story justice in a single paragraph – you’ll just have to
read the blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The event was dreadfully
miserable for several hours. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let it be
known that if the Texas Gang had not been in SD that day I would have dropped well
before mile 50 and never experienced a fantastically great day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The challenge within was by far more
difficult to accept and overcome than the physical challenge of the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m a better person for having survived the
experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lean Horse was a turning
point in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">IronMan AZ (IMAZ) is big on the list of marathons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started multisport because of a life
change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I found myself saying “Hell
No!” to something I had to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IMAZ
is the result of one to many Hell-No’s</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(So is eating raw fish and taking dance
lessons). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prior to IMAZ 2011 I had been
stalking (well, more like being very aware) of Sweetie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our first date was the night before I left to
volunteer at IMAZ 2011.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The swim start at
IMAZ 2011 is thrilling and terrifying and all I needed to see to know IMAZ 2012
would be mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I registered I didn’t
have a bike, apparel, or wetsuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had
baggy swim trunks, leaky goggles, and feared the donning of the all too
revealing multisport attire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d rather have
manly parts hang out from under my running shorts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In March I started biking and swimming in
earnest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the course of the next 7
months I managed to work up to 3 mile swims and 100 mile bike rides.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IMAZ 2012 training is unreal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a 100 mile run event I might log 10-11
training hours in a peak week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For IMAZ
2012 I logged an endless string of 16-18 hour training weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucky for me Sweetie was there the entire way
to support and encourage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IMAZ 2012 goes
smoothly and Sweetie says “yes” (It’s a great blog story).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2014 Cowtown is reverential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I appreciate all the good jobs and congrats from
everyone on reaching the milestone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature
really crept-up on me and several other runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By mile 20 I was pretty much done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ironically enough I found myself struggling
to get through Trinity Park – just like 2004.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not liking to be “chicked,” I did get irritated by the 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
place female and her two pacers/mules.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For miles they discussed her desire to beat me to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end she did beat me to the finish
line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Karma is a Bitch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My chip time was exactly 1 second
faster!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I might dish it out before and
after a race; but, I’ve learned to respect other runners during a race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have to say that the best parts of the day
are Sweetie kisses before and after the race and the post-race gathering for
beer and burgers at Rodeo Goat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I am frequently asked, “Which marathon do you recommend?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That question is difficult to answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For road surfaces these are my top five:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eugene, OR; NYC, NY; Steamtown, PA, Boston,
MA; St. George, UT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For trails my top 5:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Palo Duro, TX; Jemez, NM; Sylamore, AR,
Chattanooga 3-Day, TN; and Catoctin, MD.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">10 Years and 50 Marathons/Ultras<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feb04 Cowtown (M)3:57<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mar04 Big D (M)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3:56<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dec04 White Rock (M) 3:14<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apr05 Boston (M) 3:15<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feb06 Austin (M) 2:57<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mar06 Grasslands (50M)7:57<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dec06 Tuscon(M) 3:15<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apr07 Triple Crown (M) 3:58<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apr07 Long Branch (M)3:26<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May07 Capon Valley (50K) 5:01<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dec07 Baton Rouge (M) 3:13<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jan08 Callaway (M) 3:18<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feb08 Sylamore (50k) 5:12<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apr08 OK City (M) 3:02<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nov08 San Antonio (M) 2:59 <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jan09 MS Blues (M) 3:08<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mar10 Gasparilla (M) 3:10<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apr09 Eisenhower (M) 3:13<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May09 Brookings 3:29<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oct09 St. George (M) 2:48<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nov09 NY (M) 3:07<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dec09 Tashka (50k) 4:42<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oct10 Steamtown (M) 2:57<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May11 Eugene (M) 2:57<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May11 Jemez (50k) 8:27<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jun11 Bernhiem (M) 4:51<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jul11 Dawg Gone (50M) 9:52<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 130.5pt;" valign="top" width="174">
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jul11 El Schorcho (50k) 4:41<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jul11 Catoctin (50K) 7:15<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aug11 Dahlgren (50k) 4:25<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aug11 Lean Horse 100 21:39<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oct11 NH (M) 3:16<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oct11 ME (M) 3:32<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oct11 Palo Duro (50k) 4:38<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May12 Ft Collins (M) 3:19<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May12 Wobegon (M) 5:35<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nov12 IMAZ 4:09<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dec12 Isle Du Bios (54k) 6:02<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<td style="background-color: transparent; border-color: rgb(0, 0, 0) windowtext windowtext rgb(0, 0, 0); border-style: none solid solid none; border-width: 0px 1pt 1pt 0px; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid windowtext .5pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 121.5pt;" valign="top" width="162">
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feb13 PsychoWyco (50k) 5:55<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feb13 CrossTimber (M) 4:20<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mar13 Grasslands (M) 4:02<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Apr13 HellsHills (50M) 8:52<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">May13 Pandora (M) 3:52<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jun13 WhisperPine (50k) 5:11<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jun13 Tarc (50M) 8:54<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jun13 SumSolstice (40M) 5:50<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aug13 VT100 22:55<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sep13 VIA (M) 3:11<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oct13 Palo Duro (50k) 4:38<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Feb14 Cowtown (M) 3:14<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 9pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Events by year:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2004:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>2005:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>2006:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>2007:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>2008:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>2009:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>6<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">2010:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2011:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2012:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4<span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>2013:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>2014:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Done
and 3 planned<o:p></o:p></span></div>
T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-47530412465751143992013-07-26T17:10:00.000-07:002013-07-26T17:10:54.579-07:00Vermont 100
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vermont 100 mile endurance run</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sweetie, aka, Laura is quite the special gal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her support during my period of crazy keeps me going through the tough training days and the heartbreaking race days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is always there to let me know I’m ok, to pick me up from my low points, and celebrate our finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweetie I love you</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjVzHkVWbbdH3mcVdag3r4xyZahR-MzBFCgk9J3I2LC_XbY3h4LtJl-N5_vmX1DiWBB9wUHl2kCV-zQi94yRjyqaTZMjgNQakZm2A978wQZanirarbv4P7ysoqiD4i-WxPr0_R5aTszo/s1600/vt+lt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjVzHkVWbbdH3mcVdag3r4xyZahR-MzBFCgk9J3I2LC_XbY3h4LtJl-N5_vmX1DiWBB9wUHl2kCV-zQi94yRjyqaTZMjgNQakZm2A978wQZanirarbv4P7ysoqiD4i-WxPr0_R5aTszo/s1600/vt+lt.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">The Sweeties before the VT 100 race start.<o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">On the other hand, I have unwantingly come to accept my pesky little sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aka Anne (with an E).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anne refers to me as the big brother she never had and never really wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can I say….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without any apparent thought she held my feet, removed smelly wet rainbow toe socks, and helped clean my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t believe an adoring little sister would ever do that for a big brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anne, I appreciate the support you gave me and Sweetie in Vermont.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re an OK little sister – for a jogger that is</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Chris, you rock!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Grand Slam is such an incredible journey and you are definitely going to kill it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span> Troy and Chris at the VT 100 start. All fun now!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I learned to appreciate a few more things during this 100 mile event:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">PAIN:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain, it is a good thing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain is there to tell you when you have gone too far or done too much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain lets you know it is time to stop the nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you enter the period of crazy, like I seem to have done, you tell yourself pain has no business interfering with the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So when you are at mile 40 and the legs burn; the shoulders ache; the feet sting; and you have taken your last gasping breath of air; you tell pain to, “Go the Hell.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You persevere and keep taking one step after another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You celebrate each and every milestone you can imagine:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>reaching an aid station, running the first 10 yards of a hill, walking a hill without stopping, finding Sweetie for a kiss, drinking an ice cold coke, and being thankful you don’t have the Ultra-Lean yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain can have her turn after you reach the 100 mile finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">On approach to mile 70 on a painful leg killing down hill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Expanding on the period of crazy, one of the runners was participating in his 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> Grand Slam.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s four 100 mile runs (Western States, Vermont, Leadville, and Wasatch) between late June and early September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dude was 62 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think he is experiencing an exceptionally long period of crazy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">CRYING CHAIRS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s better – a long cry or several mini cries?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At lean Horse in 2011 I spent roughly 2 hours in crying chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the VT 100 I committed to myself that I would stay out of the crying chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Anne and Sweetie tag team enabled me to use the chair to my advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d flop into the chair as the tag team went into action bringing coke, water, and supplies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stayed just long enough to drink a bottle of coke and get a quick rub down on the legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I complained a few times about the never-ending hills but evidently my little sister lacks empathy and compassion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On one occasion she smiled sweetly, as only a little sister can do, and replied, “Vermont is no joke huh?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think I understood the message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quit whining and get your ass back on the trail. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You will get no sympathy from me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">HORSES:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>VT 100 also includes an endurance race for horses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the runner brief the race director says, “The horse will not run you over, but the rider might have a different idea.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m thinking someone in the past must have been trampled by a horse stampede.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The experience is a little surreal when you hear a horse, I mean freight train, running at you from behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My reaction was to get off the trail and hide behind a tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My technique must have worked because I’m still alive. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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VT 100 includes a horse endurance ride!</div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">NAMES YOU LOVE AND HATE:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One location on the course is known as Sound of Music Hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure enough, we ran across a high meadow with grass blowing in the wind and surrounded by spectacular views of the VT Mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How could anyone not sing the Do-Re-Me tune while crossing this meadow?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I came to realize that many of the uphills had sadistic street names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just knew it was going to be bad when you read Hill Avenue or any other name with Mountain, Peak, Pain, or Agony in the title. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using the picture below (the left axis is 200 feet per line) can you guess how many times I regretted reading the street sign?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I told you there was a combined total of no more than 1 mile of flat running surface I would be lying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">WHATS TOUGHER:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get asked this question frequently:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s harder, the 100 mile run or the Ironman?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No offense to my Ironman friends, but the 100 mile run (and for some courses the 50 mile run) is a significantly more demanding event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, I also believe the training for a hundred mile event is significantly easier than the training for an Ironman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t say I should be proud of the realization that I have it covered either way:)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">TIMBER:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a tree falls in the VT Mountains do you hear it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, especially when it falls on the 4x4 you are driving (Pictures to follow one day).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> VT 100 was number 9 of 11 for 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished 67<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> in a field of 325.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>200 completed the event with 97 beating the 24 hour buckle clock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I humbly accept the many chickings I received.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next up is the Allentown Marathon followed by Palo Duro.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Troy and Chris - Buckle Winners! Hey, where is the hair?</div>
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T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-30201045082366125502013-05-10T11:39:00.000-07:002013-05-10T11:39:26.611-07:00High Bucks-to-Mile = Low Runner-Return <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">High Bucks-to-Mile = Low Runner-Return<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Is it only me or do you also believe race entry fees increased without any real justification or benefit to the runner?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recently ran in two events sponsored by Tejas Trails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be honest I think an early entry fee of $80/70/50 for a trail 50K/25K/10K is excessive (add another $20 for late entry fees).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the fee covered some decent swag then maybe the millage would be justified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out I was wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Maybe there are not any other fees?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition to the “Registration Fee” the Tejas Trails events also tacked on a few other fees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you arrive you get to pay the Private Owner’s daily use fee of $10/person – even if you are a spectator and not running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You also get to buy your own food pre/post race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anyone reading this really think a 10K trail run should cost $60 plus food?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Maybe the race aide stations will be every 2 miles?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You still need to carry your own hydration system.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I’m at it, I’m growing very tired of hearing race directors for trail races state, “Aide stations are limited – after all it is a trail race and you should be self sufficient.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, that sentiment by trail running gray-hairs is bull shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Participation in trail running events over the past few years has soared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Race directors need to recognize that many unprepared participants will attempt to complete the race and compensate with more frequently placed manned and unmanned aide stations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The swag was really great?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ill fitting cheap-o tech shirts with sponsor advertising all over the back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were nicer shirts for sale if you wanted one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No finisher hat, shirt, mug, nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait, I did get a generic finishers medal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The same one that is handed out every year for every event distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I bet the post race cookout and beer was fun?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hungry-I hope you brought cash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thirsty- I hope you like BYOB (which I typically do anyway).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever do a Rock-N-Roll event?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did you like buying the $5 cans of MichUltra (aka-water) when you finished? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">At least some of the millage went to charity?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it did, I was certainly not aware of the charity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I understand that without race directors we would all be forced to find places to run on our own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine groups of people getting together to run on public and private lands all over the U.S. for a few bucks each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many ways race directors have a thankless job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, there ought to be a bucks-to-mileage ratio of some sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for me, I believe high dollar events should provide more runner amenities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too many times I find that as the fees go up the overall attention to the runner goes down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve done some recent non-Tejas events that cost a third to half less and been amazed by the attention the runners receive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pre-race meals, nice tech shirts, loot in the race pick-up bags, random door prizes, lots of portapotties, finisher apparel, post race meals, and beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">So how is it one organization/group is able to fully support their runners for 40 bucks while other organizers can’t seem to be minimally attentive for a 100 bucks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When did running events become more about the take at the end of the day and less about the runner?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why do I/we continue to support organizers that over-charge runners that participate in their events?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is a fair price and why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s time to boycott organizers with a high bucks-to-mile ratio and a low runner return. </span>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-50573588200293351422013-03-10T08:00:00.001-07:002013-03-10T08:00:08.508-07:00From Great, to Good, to Bad, to Horrible
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Crazy Desert in San Angelo is a very fast trail course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The local running club (San Angelo Road
Lizards) do a good job with the event. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weekend between Cross Timbers and Crazy Desert I started
having IT Band issues with the left leg at the end of a long mileage
weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finished the training run and
the left leg was in poor condition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
week before Crazy Desert I drastically cut back on the weekly mileage in an
effort to rest the leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crazy Desert 50K
was the test.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started out great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the half way point (about mile 16) I was running in first and was on
my way to setting a new course record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was running comfortably with no issues whatsoever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had about a 1.5 mile lead on number 2 and 2
miles on number 3. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 20 I checked
by pace and was pleased to see I was still easily hitting 8 minute miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At mile 22 things dropped to good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature was in the low-80’s range and
the 20-25 mph wind was relentless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An occasional
twinge along the IT Band had begun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was still running well, albeit a little slower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At mile 24 things dropped to bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began having difficulty sustaining any run
pace (even my old man shuffle) for more than a few minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The IT Band pain was soaring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I unsuccessfully tried mixing up the run/walk
stride to compensate for the IT Band.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This only succeeded in wearing a half-dollar sized blister on the left
foot and aggravating a very old and sometimes cranky groin injury.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By mile 26 bad had become horrible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I would not complete the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was unable to walk more than 50-100 yards
without having to stop and attempt to rub down the left leg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I really needed was a little “Massage By
Erin</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still in first, when I reached mile 27 I sat
down, called for the SAG wagon, ordered a beer and popped two painkillers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I might have been able to walk out the final 4 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have taken about 2 hours and I very
likely would have trashed the leg and potentially initiated damage to other
body parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve run with severe pain
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow the body just knows when
you can run in pain and when you are supposed to cease and desist all
activity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a cease and desist
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end I worked in a solid long
trail run and I’m still able to continue training for VT100.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though I know dropping out is the right
call, every part of me is disappointed with a DNF while leading the race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There’s always next year – right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-7362656494988156062013-02-20T08:50:00.000-08:002013-02-20T08:50:44.597-08:00What have you done for me now?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">“He used to be a runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he is old, slow and fat.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the sharp comment directed at me by a soon to be former trackie as I rounded the corner is mostly in jest with a pinch of reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it true that you are only as good as last week’s mileage total?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why does our small band of runners consistently evaluate each other in terms of, “What have you done for me now?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We all have running accomplishments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We retell running exploits while sitting around the beer chest and crowding each other’s kitchens during parties devouring deserts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually the questions become, “How much did you run this week or what is your next event?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A piercing reminder of that was before – not now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">And so, it was during a break in training (some may say lapse in training) that I had to once again pull it together and muster the confidence to start anew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to find the will to do what is natural – run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I struggle with getting my mind right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel the need to watch, “Cool Hand Luke,” right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The joy of running, without purpose, isn’t very joyful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The first thing I need to do is simple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just go run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few miles is better than no miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>3 days per week is better than no days per week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every week in a month is better than no weeks a month…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The second thing I need to do is painless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just commit to something - anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pick an event and put down the money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here in lies my weakness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t “just commit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I go big.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, commitment is a toss-up between ambitious goal setting and complete stupidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time around I went for complete stupidity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The third thing I need to do will physically hurt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get serious about your commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Money is involved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Missing an event due to a self induced lack of training from an apathetic attitude isn’t going to happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scott Hamilton once said, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is time for me to choose my attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is time to run with a purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is time to embrace the pain (there will be pain) and joy (there will be joy) of another training cycle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The fourth thing I need to do is mentally tough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Accept the kind words and motivation from others along the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Return the favor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What we do as a runner-in-training is a significant undertaking, both personally and for those nearby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">It’s all paid in advance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now to implement my 2013 Plan of Complete Stupidity in order to accomplish my ridiculously ambitious 2014 goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ultimate goal is to run my 50<sup>th</sup> marathon/ultramarathon at the 2014 Cowtown Marathon at least one hour faster than my first marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My first Marathon was at the 2004 Cowtown Marathon in just under 4 hours. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">To meet the goal I need to complete a crazy number of events in 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are more than welcome to share some or all of the pain along the way (Psycho 50K, Cross Timbers Marathon, Crazy Desert Marathon, Grasslands Marathon, Hell’s Hills 50M, Pandora’s Box of Rocks Marathon, Whispering Pines 50K, Abilene Summer Solstice 6HR, Vermont 100M, Palo Duro 50K and one other TBD event).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">For 2013 I think I will have a response for, “What have you done for me now?”</span>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-82494266580955024162012-11-27T11:43:00.000-08:002012-11-27T11:43:22.833-08:00A Man of Iron<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A Man of Iron<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">My Sherpa-Sweetie is fabulous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is unbelievably supportive and gets most of the credit for my Ironman success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laura, I love you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Many more need to be thanked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The RAW and Trackie families were always there to listen, support, and encourage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m grateful and thankful to each of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Life can be cruel and unmerciful...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Many of us, myself included, have made resolutions that were never fulfilled, simply ignored, or contained loopholes to numerous to give meaning to the desired change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why I chose to stick to a particular resolution some 18 months ago remains a mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose that deep down a meaningful desire for change had taken root. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I swore to myself that if I ever said, “Oh Hell No!” in response to an untried activity, I must accomplish the task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself eating sushi, taking dance lessons, and rather regretting my prior stupidity and enjoying new-found interests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was until I made the inevitable wrong response to the question, “Do you think you will do an Ironman?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did my soul have conviction?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely this warrants a free pass?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chose to fulfill my commitment to a new life and commence the one year plus journey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I didn’t swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I possessed no swim gear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only had a rusted commuter bike with big fat rotting tires and a frozen chain. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A rather cocky smartass runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As my co-Ironman Michelle says, “You are one cocky m-f’er!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A kind soul – Dan, helped me with the selection and build of a bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lady Gold-Digger is an engineering beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After eight months of riding we have come to accept our love-hate relationship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>LA Fitness did all they could, but to this day I still hate swimming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of each swim event at every triathlon I have done (there were four) I shout, “I HATE SWIMMING!!!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I need to move this story along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My blog, http://www.troyscrazysideofrunning.blogspot.com/ has a couple of road to Ironman stories that are worth reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m moving the story line to Arizona!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Emotions and second guessing filled the week before AZ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was plenty of self doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trained to hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t train enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The swim is going to kill me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The constant pedaling on the bike will trash the legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The run will be my downfall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">On Friday I arrive at Ironman Central for registration and the commencement of long waiting lines for everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is too much free time for more second guessing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What have I done?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look at the distance of the swim!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh no, there is a crack in the road my tire is bound to hit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Honestly, between Sherpa-Sweetie and the volunteers, there is a bunch a reassuring going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The volunteers, to a person, were there to ensure success for all athletes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is amazing how well they provided one-on-one personal support for each encounter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The Friday night athlete dinner and briefing turned out to be a little bit terrifying for the virgin Ironman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some perverted reason, the race officials thought it would be fun to show the swim start over and over and over…..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not something I wanted to revisit every 30 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me, the swim represents 1.75 hours of terror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every second of swim video depicts a slug fest in the making.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than once Sherpa-Sweetie senses my self doubt and turns to ask if I’m alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knows why I’m so quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a year I’ve said I can do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All I have to do is, “Get out of the water.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Saturday morning is the practice swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m consumed with fear and nervous energy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who am I to be swimming with all these other athletes? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting in the water is a little unnerving and not something I fully appreciated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine a herd of wilder beasts being chased by a pack of lions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lions have the herd pinned on a cliff above a river.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of a sudden the beasts all start jumping from the cliff into the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you fail to freely jump in, the mass behind you shoves you in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is <u>exactly</u> what occurred for the practice swim and race day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water is soooooooo cold (62-63 degrees).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needles are being jabbed into every millimeter of exposed skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within seconds I’m being pummeled by other swimmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Panic starts to set in and I have to force myself to get the arms swinging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By-Run’s Lean Horse mantra sets in, “Keep moving – forward progress.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, I’m pulled from the water onto the exit stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next day’s morning swim is weighing heavily on my thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just get out of the water, hopefully at the swim exit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Next up is TriBike Transport.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These guys are everything they advertised.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are located beside bike transition; and are helpful, friendly, responsive, timely…. the whole package.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well worth the money spent to ship Lady Gold-Digger and a gear bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bike is in great shape for Saturday’s 10-15 minute joy ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s a thoroughbred in need of an expert rider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll just have to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Race day starts early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>4 a.m. came mighty fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Breakfast, final gear check, and head out to the transition area with my Sherpa-Sweetie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a little extra planning I had to complete without Laura noticing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You see, Ironman day was also our one year of dating anniversary and deserved special treatment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wrapped a ring in tissue, placed the ring in a plastic sleeve, duct taped the plastic, and slipped the package into my morning gear bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is going to be a big day:)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Transition is wild!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are going crazy everywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I make my way to the run and bike gear bags.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything is where it should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I slid the package into a running shoe and headed for Lady Gold-Digger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bikes are jammed into racks like sardines in a can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stock my bike nutrition bag with shot blocks and peanut butter sandwiches, fill the bottles with coke and Ironman Perform, check the air pressure, and say goodbye to Lady Gold-Digger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walk around the transition area in circles for a few minutes trying to comprehend the chaos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherpa-Sweetie calls out from the railing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A friendly face and a calming presence!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perfect!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Soon enough Michelle, Jason, and the Drum Squad appear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s good to see so many friendly’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many hugs, kisses, pictures, hand slaps, and good wishes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the things you want to set you on your way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The athlete crowd begins moving towards the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear seeps its way into the belly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Just get out of the water.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I’m glad I did the practice swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The second jump into the soooooo cold water goes well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the short swim to the start I’m pummeled by surrounding swimmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped swimming and the pummeling gets worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, I’ve finally had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My inner voice says, “Do not be a victim!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dish it out!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Be aggressive!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This turns out to be a significant turn of events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Swimmers are bobbing all around me like apples at a Halloween party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know what everyone is doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all literally peeing in our pants (wetsuits).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s disgusting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the worse sensations I can now remember is urine bubbles trickling out of my wetsuit around the neckline of my wetsuit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forget swim training, this is what it takes to become an Ironman:) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">We’re off!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Complete and total mass chaos has ensued.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within seconds I have been punched, kicked, swam over, grabbed, and rammed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t even made it to the start line yet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do not be a victim!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I start swimming defensively.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Long reaches with the hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Searching for contact with the body parts of others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This helps, but it’s not enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are too many swim bullies in the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Dish it out!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Be aggressive!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within a few minutes I begin to take a new tact to group swimming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You grab my right foot more than once – expect the left foot in your face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I make contact with your torso, expect to be pushed to the side with an elbow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feel like holding an arm or leg, expect a few frog kicks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I did get hit in the face I found myself saying, “Damn, that was a good one!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">As fate would have it, my swim time coincided with a large mass of swimmers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For 2.4 miles I never had a clear swim lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of the tight swim pack I rarely had to spot and swam the straightest line ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even swam head-on into 3 buoys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I had been dealt a bad hand, only to discover I was holding four aces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With my first step on dry land I faced the crowd and proclaimed, “I HATE SWIMMING!!!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This brings a cheer:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few feet away Sherpa-Sweetie is on the rail with a pep-kiss for luck:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On race morning I predicted 1:40-1:45 would be a great time for me and my 7 months of swim experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On race day, for no good reason whatsoever, I turned in a 1:28.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am amazed and astonished at the result.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Swim to bike transition goes well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are great volunteers at the stripper station, with the gear bags, and with the bike!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I avoided the changing tent altogether by wearing my trisuit during the swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I put on my bike gear outside the tent and avoided the mass of male hormones inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A quick stop with the sunscreeners and off to find Lady Gold-Digger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the way, the sunscreen stop is also disgusting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Volunteers with rubber gloves dip their hands into vats of sunscreen lotion and rub one athlete after another down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not something I would do any other day of the year:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forget bike training, this is what it takes to be an Ironman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A volunteer brings Lady Gold-Digger to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made it out of the water, now she’s ready to roll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherpa-Sweetie is on the bike-shoot rail to cheer me on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is an amazing woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first part of the bike is fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flat and smooth roads combined with an adrenaline rush from the crowd sets me off on a 19-20 mph pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pace slowly fades as the course makes its way out of town and onto the Bee Line Highway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Initially it’s a low grade incline (false flat) into a slight head wind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The incline slowly increases, as does the wind speed, and I slowly decrease to 14-15 mph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the top of the hill I spot Michelle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s having a tough go right now and makes an amazing recovery during the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half of me wants to ride with her and the other half is saying it’s time to move on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We talk for a few seconds and then I pull away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever bug she had I managed to have right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me, it must have totally sucked to do an Ironman event, and makes her finish even more incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">It’s a free ride at the turn on the first loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the downhill, tailwind, and smooth road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In an instant I’m doing 32-34 mph and loving the bike!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the approach for loop two the Drum Squad and my Sherpa-Sweetie are whooping it up!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a rush!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back to the Bee Line Highway, Part 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something’s different this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m holding 18-20 mph?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn I’m better than I thought!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I make the turn on Loop 2 and ut-oh, something’s wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should be doing 33 mph but I’m only doing 23-24 mph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it hits me, WIND SHIFT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wonder I made it up the hill so fast:) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s ok, I’d rather have a tailwind uphill any day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the approach for loop three the Drum Squad and my Sherpa-Sweetie are being persistent cheerleaders!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still a rush!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back to the Bee Line Highway, Part 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a slower go this time and I’m ready for the bike event to be over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 95 miles in I suck down 20 ounces of cola (magic in a bottle) and endure the remaining 17 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My goal heading into race day was for me and my 7 months of cycling experience to break 6 hours (2 hours per loop).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a close call, my actual race day performance was 6:00:48.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Bike to run transition also goes well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terrific volunteers at every step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bacteria laden sunscreen tubs are still there and used for a second time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The package was where I left it in my running shoe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I placed it in my trisuit and headed down the path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During a pep-kiss from Sherpa-Sweetie a nearby course official made a joking remark about receiving an unfair aid advantage:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel good and have a positive outlook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Off I go for the first of three loops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first mile went well, sub 8 minute mile, and then I settled into a comfortable 8:15ish mile pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the end of loop one I was beginning to struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dehydration, the sun, and heat were gaining an advantage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the beginning of Loop 2 Sherpa-Sweetie gives me another pep-kiss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could since a change in attitude and asked how I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My response, “It’s getting really hard to do this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started a slow run down the path and in a mile began to walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I commenced a rapid decline between miles 9-13.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily, I have visited the “Land of Suckney” on more than one ultramarathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I needed to treat the remainder of the run as though it were a 50 mile event (walk every up no matter how small).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I needed cola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started with the cola, only I didn’t take in enough and I ended up run-walking each mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally I realized I needed a LARGE QUANTITY of the magic potion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 12 I stopped at the cola table and drank cup after cup after cup of cola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to run all the way to the mile 13 aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped at the cola table and drank cup after cup after cup of cola.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had become a runner again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only slowing down to walk each aid station and two hills on the back side of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">While on Loop 2 another twist of fate, a flashing, and a third disgusting practice occur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around mile 13 my Garmin died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Initially I was pissed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In retrospect the absence of a watch proved to be fortuitous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I focused on effort based running, whatever the pace, and didn’t have to worry about hitting my mile splits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karma soon rewarded my change in attitude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple feet in front of me a cheering squad decided their athlete needed positive reinforcement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the gals decided to go topless (massive hooters) and jog 30-40 yards with her athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only I had remembered to wear my glasses:).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever wonder what happens to aid station sponges?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s disgusting!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runner 1 grabs a sponge and rubs their self down (head, neck, face, pits, chest, crotch…) and tosses sponge on the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Volunteer 1 places used sponge back into the issue can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Volunteer 2 hands used sponge to Runner 2 and the cycle repeats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Arizona there are 8 run aid stations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each aid station is passed 3 times by 2900 athletes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are 50 sponges per issue bucket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Care to guess how many athletes used the same sponge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Forget run training, this is what it takes to be an Ironman. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I was in grand form at the beginning of Loop 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sherpa-Sweetie recognized the change right away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reads me like a well read novel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I handed off the defunct Garmin and my visor, received another pep-kiss, and I’m on my last loop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran a terrific Loop 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stuck with the walk the aid stations, drink the magic potion, and walk the two hills on the back side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also quit using the recycled sponges:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My post race review of the Facebook posts were fun to read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TX trackers had counted me out during Loop 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was exciting to relive the experience through reading their change in attitude during the recovery:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How awesome is it to find out folks were huddled in Joe and Evelyn’s bedroom to watch the race results on a computer monitor?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or that many others are tracking you online and making commentary on how you are doing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some even refused to conduct all their bathroom business because they might miss the finish (a true fan:))<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">On the back side of Loop 3, By-Run and the Ninja leaped out from behind a cactus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I had the excess energy to be scared:) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran with me for a short while, whooping and hollering the whole time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fun to have the company while it lasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By-Run’s appearance also solved a problem I was having with delivery of the package.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was worried I would not be able to reach her down finisher’s lane or that she might be in the bleachers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I asked, and By-Run ensured, Sherpa-Sweetie would be properly positioned at the finish area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not an easy feat given Sherpa-Sweetie’s best efforts to ignore By-Run’s pleadings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With the logistics solved, all I had left to do was enjoy the final few miles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">The final mile goes by in a flash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hand slapping, waving arms, and all smiles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped at the turn for finisher’s lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took the package out of my trisuit (I only checked to make sure it was there a 1000 times on the run).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had expertly sealed the package and could not remove the duct tape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a course marshal remove the tape for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I started fumbling with the contents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unwrapping the package was proving to be a challenge as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a couple spectators help me with the wrapping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were very excited to see the contents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">I moved quickly down finisher’s lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I almost ran right by Sherpa-Sweetie and the Drum Squad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laura reached out and grabbed me before I missed her completely:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stopped and said, “Laura, there’s something I need you to do before I become an Ironman.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I dropped to one knee and asked her to marry me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How Laura was able to laugh, cry, drop to her knees, nod her head, and say yes all at once is impressive:)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her happiness means everything to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love us and I love you Laura:) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">After 11 hours and 51 minutes, amidst the crowd of screaming and shouting fans, I hear the words, “Troy Pruett – You… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IRONMAN!!!!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">You know, sometimes life can be pretty darn good.</span>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-9999575942208197672012-10-22T08:02:00.001-07:002012-10-22T08:02:25.764-07:00How Difficult Can This Be?
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">Once upon a time there was this good-looking over-confident
guy who thought he could run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How
difficult can this (running) be?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
quickly discovered the best that could be done was a few hundred measly meters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The handsome gent hid away for several
months, self confidence shattered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere
deep inside he found his heart and eventually mastered the marathon, the 50K,
the 50 mile, and even the 100 mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now
what was this gorgeous man to do?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The man with lovely locks of hair thought he could do an
Iron Man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Easy enough,” he says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“After all, I am an accomplished endurance
runner,” he comments with a smug tone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How
difficult can this (Iron Man) be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
run 21 plus hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Iron Man is only
a 10-12 hour event – half the time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
one ever said this alluring gent had any brains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">One would think the tall and increasingly well tanned
phenom, would have learned a lesson or two after many failed trail-and-error
episodes of, “How difficult can this be,” statements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would think Mr. Beautiful’s every dream
turns into a haunting nightmare of, “How difficult can this be,” replays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of these days the pretty-boy might learn his
lesson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I’m sure this sweet man will never forget his first
swim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How difficult can this be?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says, “It’s only 25 meters to the end and
I am wearing the best form fitting swim attire on the market.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you look good, you will swim good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why I bet I can swim a mile without any
difficulty whatsoever.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In yet another
self confidence shattering attempt, the sleek man propelled himself to the far
end of the pool and back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 50
meters he stood in the pool with his slim upper body flayed on the pool deck
like a beached whale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With his chin on
his fury chest and his long arms dragging behind him, he slowly got out of the
pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I heard the self-defeated
man say to himself, “How difficult can this be?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did the jack-wagon expect to
happen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">You would think the pulchritudinous <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(I had to look it up in Webster’s myself, it means physical comeliness)</i>
man would learn a lesson wouldn’t you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not a chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The resplendent man
still regrets his first bike ride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“How
difficult can this be?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says, “I have
consulted with experts, found the perfect machine, and emptied my bank
account.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have acquired stunning
attire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I look good, I will ride
far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why I bet I can ride 100 miles
without any difficulty whatsoever.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What
followed was yet another self confidence shattering attempt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dazzling man barley fit his feet into the
pedals, spun the wheels feverously for 5 miles, and disgracefully dismounted from
the machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out the exquisite
man’s buns of steel were, quite sadly, not made of steel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His delicate shoulders slumped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he loaded the machine into the car I
thought I heard the dejected man say to himself, “How difficult can this
be?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What an idiot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">The fairy tale is not all bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ravishing man has managed to make
remarkable progress in a relatively short time span.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With a lot of heart and effort, sprinkled
with the love a Sweetie, the statuesque man has managed to conquer the swim and
be the master of his machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A 2 mile
swim is becoming a matter of routine and a 100 mile ride is almost boring (well
it is boring).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Arial;"> </span></o:p></div>
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">How difficult can
this be?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plenty!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-29090328656124906292012-07-24T16:46:00.000-07:002012-07-24T16:46:51.031-07:00Shower Rules<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shower Rules<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Iron man training has provided me with yet another
assessment of life’s mysteries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Given my
great disdain for weight training, it never occurred to me that fitness centers
(in this case LA Fitness) needed to develop “Shower Rules.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During a recent visit I observed numerous
disgusting and maybe perverted practices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You must cover yourself when walking to the
showers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially parts that flap in
the breeze.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">LA Fitness has 10 showers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Five on one side and 5 on the other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When entering the shower area it is
unacceptable to use a shower directly across from an occupied shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially when 9 of 10 showers are vacant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When using a shower you must pull the curtain
closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially if you occupy a
shower directly across from someone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really don’t want to see you rubbing yourself down with soap.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When you have finished your shower you must
towel off in the shower, preferably with the curtain closed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Air drying by walking nude around the locker
room is strictly prohibited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is important, no bending over with your naked
backside facing the aisle to put your socks on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sit on the bench like all the others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is especially true if near the entrance or exit doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one wants an uninvited face full of
ass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-1662587462164793992012-07-12T16:06:00.002-07:002012-07-12T16:06:30.547-07:00Remember Your First Time?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m a few days from my first triathlon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing I trained too much or not
enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing and not knowing, all at
the same time, what I can expect and what I can accomplish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The anticipation of something new makes me
think back on my first race.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I ran track for two weeks my freshman year in high
school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, I’d like that opportunity
again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not all the other crap, but the
opportunity to replay running as a 13 year old athlete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My school had one distance runner on the
track team – a Junior (Paul).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like many
schools in my area, the track team was a way for football coaches to keep their
players fit in the off season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners
were an unnecessary distraction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul
was not a football player, he was a runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I didn’t know this for a long time, but during Paul’s Sophomore year he
ran under well under 5 minute miles and was truly feared by area distance
runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first day of track the football coach spots this tall,
130 pound when wet, scrawny-ass punk hanging around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure he rapidly deduced I was not
football material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t ask my name
or why I was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said, “Go with
Paul.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In less than 30 seconds I had
become the Number 2 man on the “Distance Team.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What did I do on Day 1 with Paul?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We ran 10 miles. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul took it
easy on me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never said a word, but I
ran the distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No watches, no cares,
no worries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just Paul, me, and my black
high top Converse shoes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul and I
repeated this run over the next 4 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During Week two we had 2 track meets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the mile event came up during the first
meet the coached told me to, “Go with Paul.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So, I ran with Paul – like always, not knowing Paul was a running super
star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Either I hung with Paul for two
laps or he was taunting me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still
don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do know I worked on my
“fading with grace” techniques for the final two laps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My high tops and I ran a 5:04 on a dirt track
that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I gave up running that week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No one ever said if I did well or sucked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The football coach was really pissed when I
didn’t show for week three of track. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
was more determined than ever to not run because of the football ass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was years before I realized that I had
missed what may have very well been a golden opportunity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
funny and a little sad how we look at opportunity when revealed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-36041527620579111282012-06-25T11:05:00.002-07:002012-06-25T11:05:46.864-07:00IM Training Part 1 - The Bike<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">IM Training Part 1 – The Bike</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">I have been somewhat bored after completing quite a few crazy runner stunts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started thinking, “What other crazy-stupid things are out there for me to complete?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know, “An Ironman!”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial;">As luck would have it, an IM is turning out to be a really crazy-stupid thing to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I selected IM Arizona.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is in November when it is cool in AZ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smart thinking – right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WRONG!!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trouble with fall endurance events is the training occurs in hottest possible time of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>T-minus 20 training week starts July 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh my…., I didn’t think about that…,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How stupid could I be….<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figure I’m about as stupid as a barefoot runner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t understand why these freaks of nature have such a strong desire to revisit caveman days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only did barefoot cavemen run barefoot, they also ate raw and decaying meat off mammoth carcasses because they didn’t have fire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After they discovered how to use fire do you think they ever thought, “To hell with fire, me like raw red meat?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Since beginning the IM bike training adventure I have discovered a few things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some hazardous, some humorous, and some just so stupid you have to laugh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s begin:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Butterflies:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Butterflies are beautiful as you run through a green meadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may have even commented on how pretty they are to nearby runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Butterflies take on a whole new meaning at 20-30 mph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Butterflies are like bullets zooming past your head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly dislike pulling butterfly parts out of my fleshy checks after a ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Bottles:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am certain the bottle companies have conspired to only manufacture bottle holders that will not hold a bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The number of bottles on the side of the road during a bike rally is incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That said, bikers manage to pull off two really stupid maneuvers during a “dropped bottle event.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First is the biker that immediately hits the brakes, coming to a screeching halt in the middle of a pack of riders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know who you are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Holy crap, will you please not do this anymore!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember the Frogger arcade game?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the other stupid maneuver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You must be a complete idiot to drop your bike on the side of the road and then attempt to avoid speeding cyclists in your haphazard dash across the road to fetch your dropped bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Idiot!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Pedal Clips:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pedal clips are some sadistic bastard’s way of inflicting pain on the innocent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember when you were a kid learning to ride a bike?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were a little off balance or needed real braking power you just put your foot (feet) down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now you just fall over and break a collar bone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Heat Stroke:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s worse, passing out a Chipotle after a 20 mile run (see “score one for the heat” blog) with a 105 degree heat index or passing out while riding your bike in 100 degree weather?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hmmm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Slow Bike Pace:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now have an understanding of my “slow bike pace.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slow is anything below my half marathon PR pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Essentially, anything below 10 miles per hour is a complete disgrace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can’t stay above 10 miles per hour then my advice is to stay home and drink beer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do us all a favor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Sun Screen:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think you put on enough sun screen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You didn’t. Think you can trust others to properly apply sun screen to places you cannot reach?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My advice is that bike events should have a play-pool full of sun screen for participants to roll around in before starting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Calories:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think a woman developed the calories burned scale to discriminate against males (I’m sure my friend CC will agree with this comment).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finish a 100 mile ride and Daily Mile indicates I burned 4200 calories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My sweetie finishes a 40 mile ride (using less effort) and Daily Mile indicates she burned 2600 calories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sweetie’s equivalent for a 100 mile ride would be 6200 calories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ladies, you are only deceiving yourselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Karma:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the finish of my first century ride in Wax-a-hoocie, two soon-to-be acquaintances sprinted by me in the final 20 yards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drum and Ninja, Karma is a bitch and she just wrote your names down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-20934274134156464782011-10-24T18:09:00.000-07:002011-10-24T18:09:22.568-07:00Bikers Have Nothing On RunnersOK, so it's only been a week. It didn't take long to determine bikers have nothing on runners.<br />
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Bike pants vs running shorts. The use of the word "pant" is an immediate clue that bikers don't have any sense of fashion or practical wear. The "pant" comes with fitted a giant KOTEX pad. The pad is sooooo large it makes you walk bow-legged. Not to mention everything, and I mean everything the "pant" is supposed to "cover" is visible. Nothing left to the imagination at all. <br />
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Snot rockets. I'll admit they are gross either way. That said, a 25 mile per hour snot rocket is way more significant than one at 6-10 miles an hour. Can you imagine getting hit by one of these?<br />
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Bank accounts: Let's face it, bikers are always begging beers off runners. Now I know why. They have no money after buying the bike, bike "pants", liability insurance for their snot rockets, and a wide and diverse range of other assorted expenses.<br />
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Injuries: Runners have real injuries. They break bones, skin the knees, tear muscles, all the good injuries. What is the number one biker injury? I'll tell you, it's "SORE ASS SYNDROM." Must be hard, setting on your ass for a couple hours. And to think bikers call this "exercise." <br />
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Crazy.T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-10306571233591576662011-09-14T18:19:00.000-07:002011-09-14T18:19:24.806-07:00I am a Rain Runner<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My favorite time to run is while it is raining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the windblown needles in your face rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The straight down run through the curtain – rain.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sensations are amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Droplets dripping from the end of my nose, hair matted to the neck, clothes clinging to skin, clean air in the lungs, thumping of rain drops on pavement, and puddles parting on the foot strike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let it rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC0Q111jFy1cTse5NmQl2EeKDnlA8ZMU-kZqYAJBH28ISjpGEz_zDfSS69XfYUWqkOcNaa8fuBTz9agCgeKs5sU554lmg-T6m6H0KnmlRxwDRdfobSapwTXau6abgV3cv3fRij7J2VUs/s1600/rahr+5k+rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjC0Q111jFy1cTse5NmQl2EeKDnlA8ZMU-kZqYAJBH28ISjpGEz_zDfSS69XfYUWqkOcNaa8fuBTz9agCgeKs5sU554lmg-T6m6H0KnmlRxwDRdfobSapwTXau6abgV3cv3fRij7J2VUs/s320/rahr+5k+rain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">September 2010 Rahr 5K (18:15)</div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-10401650949283994132011-09-10T17:29:00.000-07:002011-09-14T18:15:37.470-07:00Score One for the HeatFrom July 2012<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well there always has to be a first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The DC area is finally having their</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">heat wave (Late July 2012).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thursday through Sunday the heat index is projected to be in the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">105-115 range.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately this overlapped my final long mileage training</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Undeterred or exceedingly careless, take your pick, I decided to forge</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ahead with the plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Friday afternoon schedule:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>20 miles - 25 if I felt</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">good.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's just before 3pm, hot and humid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm having second thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cut it</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">short.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only do 10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do I do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Put a smile on my face, try to be positive,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">tell myself my TX buddies have been doing this all summer, you can handle the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So off I go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running on as much shaded trail as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinking</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">plenty of fluids (more than ever).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running slow (slower than ever).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Taking</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">electrolyte caps every 30 minutes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4 miles in and a bee stings my right calf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not one to complain, I shooed the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">beast away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It only served to piss the little bugger off as it nailed my right</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">thigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still smiling with a little teeth grinding and a SOB whisper, I swatted</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">at the creature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I swear the thing was six inches long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it's really</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">unhappy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I managed to whack it with the water bottle and sprint ahead, damage</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">to right leg done. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Still undeterred I finished the full 20 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plenty of fluid (90-100</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ounces and 4-5 full body rinse downs at water fountains).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Felt fine at the car</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and headed out to find something to eat. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I settled on a Chipotle near the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm standing in line and getting really</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">annoyed at this lady that keeps adding on to her order and correcting items -</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">it's taking forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as I order my mind is telling me to, "Go sit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">down!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm like why, I need to get my food first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady is still getting</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">extra chips and salsa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I start to feel my body temp go up, head is burning hot,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and I'm getting a cold sweat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear the voice again, "You better go sit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">down!!!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, I'm like you are almost there, pay, get a drink, then sit</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pay for the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I reach out for the tray I notice a little bit of</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">light headiness and my hands are trembling just a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first available</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">table is open and I do my best to steer myself in that direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I'm going to</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">make the table!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I fainted (first time ever).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fell towards and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">over a half wall right before the table.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next thing I know there is a worker on each arm helping me to a chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">asking if I need an ambulance and what they can get me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got to say there was</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">about a 30 second window where in spite of the fainting I felt pretty good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">really nice relaxed feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The feeling quickly changed to unberable heat and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">exhaustion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself sitting in a pool of sweat sipping on a coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">about ten minutes I found myself shaking from the cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about 45 minutes</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I finally managed to eat some food, finish a couple drinks, and make my way back</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">to the hotel. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">As for now, I'm planning on skipping the two Saturday 20 milers and only doing 1</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Sunday 20 miler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm really disappointed because the run part of the Friday</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">afternoon run went well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's what happened 20 minutes later that spoiled all</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">the fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh well, it's what running is all about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finding new and improved</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">ways to mistreat the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I ever mention runners are nuts?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-53129926322328097342011-09-06T16:34:00.000-07:002011-09-06T16:34:20.694-07:00Let Your Heart Play!Every once in a while you get lucky as a runner. For no particular reason the heart beats out the brain. There are so many days I get caught up in work, commitments, or personal trauma. The brain kicks into high gear and directs heart and legs on what to do (10 miles easy, forced tempo, hills). Of course I encourage my brain's bossy behavior by developing detailed training plans. Monday off, Tuesday track, Wednesday easy... I wonder, when do we allow the heart to direct the legs and tell the brain to shut the F up?<br />
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The Fort Worth Labor Day 15/5K is a great event. It is the only event I try to repeat from year to year. This year the brain directed the body to go easy and have fun. Leading up to the run I teased everyone I would start from the back and slap all the RAW asses I passed. When I arrived I laced up the shoes and headed out on a 2 mile jog. During the jog I got the "feeling." My heart wanted to play. I found myself shifting from a jog to 100 meter strides. My heart and legs dancing with joy.<br />
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At the start line the brain kept saying - only 7 minute miles, no more. At the gun the heart said - <u>move your ass.</u> And for no particular reason, one week after completing a 100 mile ultramarathon, my heart wanted to play. So play we did <3. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5IeZfo5SJqAu7zWJ9SLGj9ybe5JbtHj7B13-eYH9ED2djoOadGP6bg4vyO2fDYwmydHo074_rAVDJmQhYCPK61DKVaPHhjYDJMekQW20LE11Lsv93z2CygHHB_WdK6o7exotxTP0KLg/s1600/fwrc+ld+trophy+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix5IeZfo5SJqAu7zWJ9SLGj9ybe5JbtHj7B13-eYH9ED2djoOadGP6bg4vyO2fDYwmydHo074_rAVDJmQhYCPK61DKVaPHhjYDJMekQW20LE11Lsv93z2CygHHB_WdK6o7exotxTP0KLg/s320/fwrc+ld+trophy+2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div align="center">1st Grand Master 18:40 5K</div><div align="center">Thanks for the pic's Trackie's</div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-79325668665745146182011-09-04T12:54:00.000-07:002011-09-04T17:29:38.196-07:00It is not about the finish, it is all about the struggle September 2011<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is not about the finish, it is all about the struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>W.J.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOfHrhPQJlmqZA4iVdIm1qvrd0mufEFkF6uqMnANjpOAet7YGvVdY3fpGVStcqc1kPvpCaE-p9B4EOWYRJyyFuQg6ZQdoXn4ocDqtMF7CMGEgdRZ7YiPZPV107uZmadDund05ro8IZAs/s1600/lh+with+b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOfHrhPQJlmqZA4iVdIm1qvrd0mufEFkF6uqMnANjpOAet7YGvVdY3fpGVStcqc1kPvpCaE-p9B4EOWYRJyyFuQg6ZQdoXn4ocDqtMF7CMGEgdRZ7YiPZPV107uZmadDund05ro8IZAs/s320/lh+with+b.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">Talking Man - Byron</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">Half of the Best Crew Ever</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRtIkhMuURl75s2uD_F_8OV8JU6t-CdwWwr393nifHdtTDEvJfdCpPkJTjYBZVo6UGjZmqGigo7cNwd7WYH33ac0CYLYGViWeDkVSe1UBXhTGXw5RbxpkYfa-iAqh_YaU8BwBnYt7M9M/s1600/lh+massage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRtIkhMuURl75s2uD_F_8OV8JU6t-CdwWwr393nifHdtTDEvJfdCpPkJTjYBZVo6UGjZmqGigo7cNwd7WYH33ac0CYLYGViWeDkVSe1UBXhTGXw5RbxpkYfa-iAqh_YaU8BwBnYt7M9M/s320/lh+massage.jpg" width="320" xaa="true" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Awesome Erin</div><div style="text-align: center;">Other half of Best Crew Ever</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All bad things begin with Drum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every once in a while they turn out good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I admire Drum for her infectious spirit more than she can possibly imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she found out I was going to do Lean Horse she offered to be a pacer for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told her I appreciated the offer but I didn’t think I could bear the guilt of having her travel to South Dakota if I dropped from the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In true Drum form she signed up for the 50 mile, gets Greg and Kevin to sign up for the event, and somehow convinces Erin and Byron to crew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The TX gang is all here on Friday afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is HOT in Hot Springs, South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a HOT bed of a metropolis, just big blue sky hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all pushed our limits by training in the heat and humidity during the summer and think we are prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s only 100 miles for me, 50 miles for the dynamic duo (Greg and Drum), and an easy 50 kilometer fun run Kevin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m in bed by 8:30 p.m.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This has to be the quietest hotel I’ve ever stayed in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It helps when all of the guests are running an ultramarathon the next morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m up at 3 a.m. for the pre-race rituals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eat, lite stretch, and coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I turn on the TV and the movie Jerry McGuire is playing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the scene where Tom Cruise is on the phone shouting “Show me the money!” and “I love the black man!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s one of my favorite movie scenes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m thinking it’s going to be a great day for a 100 mile run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I walk next door to the convention center to catch the bus to the start line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TX gang is all smiles and happy faced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slapping hands and hugging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are actually looking forward to getting our respective event started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All thinking happy thoughts, “Did you hear it might rain this afternoon?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It will not be so HOT after all.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kevin says it’s time to get on the bus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the race director really said is, “Sorry folks, the busses are not coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every one find a ride to the start line.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully we have a two member crew (the fantastic Byron and Erin) and cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We find a pair of stray runners, load them into the car, and head out to the start line at mile 16 of the Mickelson Trail. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I find myself in the <u>middle of nowhere</u> on a rails to trails course at sunrise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I stand in the middle of the nervous energy of the runners I’m thinking, “What have I done to myself now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The landscape is beautiful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rolling prairie leading to the pine covered Black Hills of South Dakota.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The temperature is cool, there is a slight breeze, and not a cloud in the sky. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My head is in the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have done my part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trained hard, I did my homework, and I have a great running plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s get it on!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is a no frills start as almost all trail runs are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10-9-8…2, 1 GO!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like that a long line of runners heads out on the White Line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Runners are chatting about where they are from, goals for the race, all the training they have done, and the weather.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first few aid stations are quick in and outs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Top off the water bottle, grab some food for the trail, and thank the volunteers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The volunteers and assorted crews at the aid stations did a fantastic job throughout the day, night, and following morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow they just seemed to know what I needed before I could even think of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One runner’s support crew adopted me and took to calling me NEON.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How awesome is that!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At the Pringle aid station I make my second tragic mistake (the first was waking up).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had placed several post-it notes with Erin’s cell number in a Zip-lock bag with my I-pod.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The notes were pre-printed with, “The WJ is at mile ….”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I handed one of the notes to a nice lady and asked her to text Erin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is how I communicated my initial update at Pringle Station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stupidly, I placed the notes back into the Zip-lock bag and into my drop bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No more updates would be made and the use of tunes for a distraction forever lost. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While departing Harbach Park aid station (mile 28ish) I am stilling running well and feeling great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Consistent 9:15 to 9:30 miles, exactly what my running plan called for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A half mile out from Harbach Park I turn onto a short 1.5 mile out and back spur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In less than 3 miles I’m out of water and the first wave of nausea sets in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully the race director has set out a self-service water only aid station when I return to the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I take 3 papaya tablets and chase them with water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have 5 miles to the Mountain aid station.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s called Mountain aid station for a reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a 5 mile climb to the high point of the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a little after noon and the never ending hill is killing me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No shade and the temperature feels like it’s rising 10 degrees for every mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nausea sets back in, I start walking, and start conserving water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just before reaching Mountain I see several teenagers walking down the hill carrying water and cups.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes small miracles have major impacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By the time I reach Mountain I’m convinced my day is over and I will not have even finished half the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a brief delusional moment I hope I might see Byron or Erin, knowing good and well that it’s not my turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sometimes the best race day plan is not good enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best ever training program is all for naught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The endless miles and miles of running day after day after day comes down to a pivotal decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do I quit or do I continue?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a big mental challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One I believe you must experience and overcome in training to know if, when, or how to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I opted to sit it out for a while and take in as much fluid as possible before heading back out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 30 minutes I pulled myself together and got my ass back on the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two things got me going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, from that moment forward I no longer tried to go 100 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only wanted to go from one aid station to another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each aid station became a small victory and many small victories ultimately became a monumental accomplishment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, I had people waiting for me and I could not let them down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For some crazy reason that I don’t truly understand, the gang from Texas had become one with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Had I been there alone I would have hitched a ride back to town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I left Mountain feeling better about my condition and disappointed that the original 20 hour goal had become a lost cause.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The run to the next aid station was mostly downhill and I regretted deeply that I must face the return to Mountain later in the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>5 miles later at the next aid station I found a chair in the shade and sat it out for another 30 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought if I stayed there long enough Byron and Erin would eventually find me and take me home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept muttering, “It is still not your turn for help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greg and Drum haven’t finished.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wasn’t angry at them, just trying to come to terms with the hard reality that I would be on my own for a lot longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next aid station was the turn and a chance for another small victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can make the turn, all I have to do is get on the trail.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whatever is worse than extreme nausea – I have it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way to the turn the sun and heat are brutal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I agonize between walking and a slow jog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The whole time a refreshing creek mocks me as it flows alongside the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept looking for a place where I could get back out if I managed to haphazardly fall in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anything to cool myself down and get off my feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can sense when a runner is hurting before you ever reach them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard finding myself on the receiving end of, “Hang in there man,” and “Do you need anything,” and “Are you ok?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than any other group of runners it is the ultrarunner that truly understands the physical and mental anguish the trail can deliver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The high level of camaraderie and compassion within this group is remarkable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I reached the turn at mile 48.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m certain if the turn had been at mile 50 I would have quit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to make it at least half way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am exhausted and opt for another sit-down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An elderly lady waiting on her son asks me why someone would choose to run 100 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Because it was the stupidest thing I could think of.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She laughed and walked away shaking her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 20 minutes, two salt caps, and a few more papaya tabs I’m back in business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way out an incoming runner asked how I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jokingly I replied, “Dead man running.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Little did I know that I would be starting the worst 5 mile experience of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The memory alone is painful and difficult to put down in words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karma is a bitch.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I managed to make a half mile before I started walking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could not think of enough good thoughts to run another step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt bad for myself and worse for the TX gang I carried inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had let them all down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun, dehydration, and altitude were winning and the WJ was losing badly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I had a Post-It note the message to Erin would have been, “WJ is at mile 50 – SEND HELP!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just past mile 50 I bent over a fence railing and started the first of many dry heaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would walk a 100 yards, double over, and heave.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each episode more heart wrenching than the last.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was rapidly disintegrating without any hope of recovery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking a straight line became an enormous challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was determined not to pass-out in the middle of nowhere on a sun baked trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I devoted every last ounce of energy and mental ability I had left on trying to walk in a straight line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In retrospect I’m convinced this extreme focus on one task and only one task broke the cycle of dry heaves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, a small miracle having a major impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As I turned into the Oreville aid station my adopted cheering squad was there, “Hey NEON – how’s it going!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sadly, it was the last time I would see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think their runner eventually dropped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never had the chance to say thanks for their kindness and generosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat down in the same crying chair as before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately upon sitting both legs (calves, hams, quads) and the right bicep severely cramped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst pain you can imagine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slightest movement created one spasm after another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A volunteer brought me some coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as the coke touched my mouth the tongue started to cramp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sat in the crying chair too tired to swat away the flies and watched runner after runner come and go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was devastated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next aid station is Mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get there I will have to climb a 3 mile hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Victory, if it came at all, would not come easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was absolutely certain the 24 hour cutoff could not be reached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>40 minutes went by faster than Mr. Bolt runs the 100 meters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the 40 minutes I drank 60 ounces of coke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember this really irritating lady telling everyone to eat bananas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told me 2 or 3 times while I sat in the crying chair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I finally stood up she started yapping at me again about bananas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked over to the table, filled my water bottle, and grabbed a banana for the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ate that damn banana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turns out bananas have magical powers – I WAS RUNNING!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I soon as I swallowed the last bite of banana the nausea was gone and the cramping never returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt energized for the first time in a long while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An irritating banana lady and a coke - both small miracles with a major impact.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I reached Mountain I felt like a super star.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was standing – not sitting at the aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talking to the volunteers, and wishing runners well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A complete and total transformation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Guess who was at Mountain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That damn banana lady.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made her day when I thanked her for the banana advice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never did see her again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While at Mountain I stuck with the miracle cure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>20 ounces of coke, fill the bottle with water, and a banana for the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a recipe I stuck with for the next 43 miles.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I left Mountain running as well as I did in the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only happy thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>5 downhill miles to Harbach Park (Custer SD).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely Byron and Erin will be there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cruised into the aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two ladies said people were looking for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More happy thoughts – help is nearby!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will not be defeated at Custer’s Last Stand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sun was beginning to set at Harbach Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was way behind the planned schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an afterthought I had placed a flashlight in the Harbach Park drop bag, knowing I would not use it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was the flashlight a crazy idea with no purpose or another small miracle?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I left Harbach Park with my banana and flashlight in hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believed I would crush the 24 hour cut-off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trail is meant for night running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is smooth, wide, no rocks, no roots, no ruts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While there was no moon to be seen the stars were magnificent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Several times I was compelled to stop running and gaze upward at the wonderment of the universe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the longest time I thought there was a patch of light cloud cover.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally realized what I had mistaken for clouds was actually the Milky Way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This moment on the trail was worth all of the afternoon’s the pain and suffering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Somewhere on a lonely stretch of dark trail I see a headlamp coming towards me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must be delirious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear a lunatic riding a bicycle shouting T-Roy!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where in the hell did he get a bike?!<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Byron you will never know how awesome a feeling it was to see a happy face and hear a friendly voice.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Byron filled me with great stories on how well Kevin, Greg, and Drum did and told me about all the folks in TX following the gang’s progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was truly an inspirational moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few minutes of running Byron and I made it to the Carroll Creek aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Erin is standing there with a big happy face smile, gives me a giant hug, and asks how I’m doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Erin, “I would be crying right now if I had any fluid left in my body.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Erin, as I’m writing this on the flight back to DC I’m actually shedding tears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you so very much for being there.</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For a blonde – Erin has some brains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She snatched my drop bag from Pringle and brought it with them during their search for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My head lamp and FRESH SHOES!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Major league happy thoughts now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While I was hugging Erin, Byron is running around getting me a chair, telling me to sit down, pulling of the shoes, and getting the FRESH SHOES on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How great is that for a crew?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After another 20 ounces of coke and an I love you to Erin and Byron, I was back on the trail – banana in hand!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmSQG2wYA7HoOjve3VapHCLjAuurQRywNQBNxjepuGbPGdtpf5NPQAHN2AiDL_NG9x5y9kjiE52lwrC8rHfQJY10Vr_Eq2QsgFIZeDNo6p__j_EurUcZEbRhmmnn4_wSVOzPcnKzfaWE/s1600/lh+night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAmSQG2wYA7HoOjve3VapHCLjAuurQRywNQBNxjepuGbPGdtpf5NPQAHN2AiDL_NG9x5y9kjiE52lwrC8rHfQJY10Vr_Eq2QsgFIZeDNo6p__j_EurUcZEbRhmmnn4_wSVOzPcnKzfaWE/s320/lh+night.jpg" width="240" xaa="true" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;">Only 30 or more miles to go.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are no witnesses and I’ve been told that somewhere between Carroll and Pringle I saw two full moons on a moonless night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Small miracle or emerging porn star?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next stop is Pringle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have been doing really well for the past 20 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel like the pace has picked up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m actually going by road kill instead of being run over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mindful of my earlier lesson I do my best to make sure the other runners in the brotherhood are OK before moving on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Erin and Byron have the routine down pat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fill bottle with ice and coke, when empty fill with water, lift ass out of chair, place banana in hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Byron tells me the rest of the TX gang will be waiting for me at Argyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another emotional boost!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I now know I own this race, I will finish, and I will damn well do it RUNNING!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This time when I see the headlamp I know Byron has found another bike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very exciting to have company again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I let him know I need my stash of Icy Hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The knees and legs have finally had enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just need to coax a little more work out of the toothpicks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Byron rides ahead and has a chair waiting with the Icy Hot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away he starts rubbing down the legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A coke magically appears in my hands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Byron looks at Erin and says, “You’re the massage therapist you should be doing this.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In an instant Erin is on her knees working my legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Do your legs always feel like this?” she asks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The best response I can manage after 76 miles is a palms up - dumb ass grin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t even remember what happened two minutes earlier let alone what lumps and bumps might exist in muscle tissue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The quick leg massage lessened the oncoming pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next thing I know I’m on my feet with banana in hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The next two stops are under 4 miles each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why I find this motivating is beyond me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nevertheless I take off and run some of the fastest miles of the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I over thought the short distance to the Lime Kiln (a.k.a Key Lime Pie by Byron and Erin) aid station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started to worry about what a large consumption of bananas was going to do to my intestines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many bananas can a person eat and still survive?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At Key Lime Pie I decided to forgo the banana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I chugged a coke, drank some chicken broth and headed out to Argyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Passing on the banana turned out to be a mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t take long for the stomach to start turning over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I reached for my supply of papaya tabs and kept moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By now Byron’s mantra, “Forward progress, keep moving!” is forever imprinted on my brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just kept saying forward progress keep moving over and over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually I made it to Argyle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Just before Argyle the legs were beginning to revolt for a second time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Erin jumped in again and rubbed down the legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood up and the legs felt much better. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Erin’s magic hands made sure this massage treatment would last to the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dreaded Argyle road was next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A twisty, hilly, gravel coated monster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left the aid station in good spirits.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only 16ish miles remained, I was certain the TX gang would arrive soon, and I had a banana in hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As soon as I turned onto Argyle road guess who I found?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The TX gang!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More motivation, more pep talks, happy faces, and picture taking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m going to kill this road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is my last trek to run solo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the Morph station Byron joins me for the final 10ish miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man can talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only had to be with him for 10 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t imagine 58 hours in a car with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Erin, how did you do it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People will want to know your secret!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truthfully, the constant positive banter and conversation took my mind off the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was able to maintain forward progress and keep moving without having to concentrate on running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like I was on an easy Saturday morning run from the club with a couple of RAW runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One aid station left before the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am running out of my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must have been because I just kept running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I blew through the Coldbrook stop with the TX gang just standing there watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Byron stopped to fill my water bottle, ran back to join me and we knocked out the final 4 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a great feeling knowing the end was at hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Erin jumped down on the bike path for the final 50 yards to the finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having Byron and Erin finish with me was important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had sacrificed in order for me to succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do not believe it is a debt that I can ever repay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfj2rz0Li1loFKN7ShoXhTmLdchonDLpF89f3PhCI4ybKXospOfuVYUPj-w4hWM2Ndz8bFx7UH7G2Z2r7BP5OKLwZJnLGtKzVJh3OgYcovTc1ew9MmIHGvBe134_VzboeQj9PZrEzOVA/s1600/lh+finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimfj2rz0Li1loFKN7ShoXhTmLdchonDLpF89f3PhCI4ybKXospOfuVYUPj-w4hWM2Ndz8bFx7UH7G2Z2r7BP5OKLwZJnLGtKzVJh3OgYcovTc1ew9MmIHGvBe134_VzboeQj9PZrEzOVA/s320/lh+finish.jpg" width="240" xaa="true" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the finish. It's all good now.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While I am thrilled to have finished, it is not the finish I care about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somewhere out there on a desolate trail in South Dakota I found a lost piece of myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The struggle had to be so great that it forced me to look deeper into my soul than ever before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The challenge within was by far more difficult to accept and overcome than the physical challenge of the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully I’m a better person for having survived the experience.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-37780413205947748902011-09-04T12:52:00.000-07:002011-09-04T12:52:33.230-07:00Head - Personality - Heart October 2010<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Head, Personality, and Heart</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By T-Roy “Trackie/Tadpole” Pruett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">From time to time I like to spend time considering running quotations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are several funny, inspirational, and contemplative favorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like this one from Hal Higdon when I’m asked what it is like to go from a 5K to a marathon, "The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can relate to this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Question is why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the realist approach provided by Gene Thibeault, "If you start to feel good don't worry, you will get over it." I’ve been there a few times myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also think Rod Dixon would have been a perfect fit for RAW, “I just want to drink beer and train like an animal.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think of Rod about half way through any track session. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the Steamtown Marathon in October I found myself at the start line thinking about head, personality, and heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mike Fanelli’s quote, "Divide the race into thirds. Run the first part with your head, the middle part with your personality, and the last part with your heart," is a longtime favorite.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I set my sights on a marathon PR at Steamtown after an awesome half marathon performance at Fontana CA in May.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right after registration I rolled my left ankle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The injury coupled with already worsening pain in the heel resulted in terrible summer training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a marathon PR attempt I would need to run 80-90 miles a week and several two-a-days during the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Week after week I cycled up and down the mileage chart trying to find the sweet spot for my ankle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end I averaged about 40 miles per week with long runs ending at or before 18. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each run became a tutorial in pain management.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain scale of 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great run, 5-6:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OK run and glad to have been able to finish, 8:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope I don’t have to far to walk back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Many thought I was nuts (myself included) for going to Steamtown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew it would hurt at some point but hoped the down time during the taper would give me a few extra not so painful miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So there I am at the start line on a beautiful running day, pain level 3, and I hear someone a couple rows back say, “It’s all about heart at the finish.” I stopped thinking about how much this is going to hurt and started thinking about head, personality, and heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I needed a smart 10-11 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Steamtown is a net downhill course and I was concerned the stress from the downgrade would wreak ankle havoc early.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beveled road edges were a problem so running near the center and missing the tangents would help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally I hoped that altering stride length and foot strikes would buy me a couple of miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plan worked until the half and the pain scale started to rise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew I looked like crap, it was a long way to go, and there really were some long climbs at the end. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Telling it like it is just wasn’t going to cut it this time (Note to reader:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still enjoy the verbal harassment by the RAW Nation).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luckily Steamtown has really great crowd support and I was smart enough to wear my tie-dye outfit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I truly appreciated the smiles, cheers, and “love the outfit” comments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found myself drifting towards the edges, making eye contact, smiling, hand slapping, and waving at the spectators.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I even barked at a few dogs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, for more times than I can remember, these brief personal connections were enough to let me forget about the pain and keep running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In spite of the positive outreach effort, the pain just kept coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At mile 20 the pain scale was up to 7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes there just are not enough “looking goods” to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s all about heart for the final marathon miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking deep inside to find yourself and what you can give.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Understanding you have been there before during many days of training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing you have the ability and will to survive the worst.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishing this marathon without walking now meant more to me than completing any event I have ever done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I climbed the last set of hills in agony, grimacing with every step.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ran across the finish line a teary eyed snot dripping mouth drooling hobbling goblin of a freak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Proud to know I ran with my head, ran with personality, and emptied my heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">(PS:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tired of limping through runs, I finally went to a surgeon in late November.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While cutting maybe the eventual solution the doctor and I agreed to non-blood generating treatments first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No running then reduced running, wearing a splint several hours a day, custom inserts, stretching plans, and magic pills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the meantime this rather long tadpole is learning to become one with the water. ) </span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-25761676026100480302011-09-04T12:50:00.001-07:002011-09-04T12:50:43.261-07:00Ultra-ROCK-thon August 2011<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ultra-ROCK-Thon</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Troy “WJ” Pruett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Catoctin 50K in Frederick MD is TOUGH!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I apologize for the quality of the document; I’m still seeing ROCKS everywhere! Let’s set aside the upper 90’s temperature and the ridiculous humidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s say I ran this ROCK ball buster on a cool 45 degree day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still a bruiser!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All this time I thought the race director was being dramatic, just like the trackie book club ROCK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought the website’s half-truths were funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t take long to figure out he ROCK writes with a poison quill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a big sign when you arrive, “No hydration pack – No number.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uh-oh, sounds like trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I get the shirt, “Rock the Rocks.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uh-oh, why does the shirt glorify rocks?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before the race I have a nice chat with a guy running the event for the 12th time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He says, “Be very cautious and conservative until you finish the ROCK climb after the turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a very difficult course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Add at least 2 hours to your best 50K time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey, this is Maryland, how hard can it be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all I did ROCK Jemez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 180.75pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 343.5pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\Troy\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\04\clip_image001.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></imagedata></shape></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Can you find a ROCK in this picture?</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of the 31 plus miles, I’d put money on 25 of it being run on ROCKS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocks of every shape, size, and sharpness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many many many rocks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rocks to the left, right, top, and bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before I left I grabbed a rock from the mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If anyone decides they want to do this event come get my rock and beat yourself in the head with the darn thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then stand on the rock in a sauna for 7 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only then should you register for the event.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some advice to friends and enemies:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(1) If I’m doing an event under no ROCK circumstance should you register until you have fully researched the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m notorious for registering simply because, “I don’t have the state yet.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result ROCK I’ve done a few really nasty trail runs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2) Never do a marathon in the summer, unless it is in the Arctic ROCK Circle or Antarctica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(3) Do not make Catoctin your 3<sup>rd</sup> ultra of the month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When will I learn?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I must give props to the race director and support teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ROCK They were fantastic in all respects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the ROCK race fee is only $25 without the shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So ROCK cheap I donated the normal fee difference to a local charity sponsored by the race.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These folks were truly appreciative of the runners and treated us like royalty ROCK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You also get this cool card for officially approved bragging rights!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 317.25pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 273.75pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\Troy\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\04\clip_image003.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></imagedata></shape></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You can start admiring me anytime now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ROCK!</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently started ROCK posting runs on Daily Mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a really supportive online ROCK runner’s community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found a couple other runners that were doing the Catoctin 50K and we started posting encouraging feedback several times a week ROCK (I know, not like the WJ at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it helps, the trackies that are on Daily Mile are not spared.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a riot finally meeting<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lara and Erika ROCK at the race.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I can’t say where I placed and I really don’t care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The time was 7 hours 15 minutes ROCK, give or take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The vast amount of rocks makes the course <u>extremely</u> technical and challenging.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The heat, humidity and elevation changes (over 5200 feet of gain) add difficulty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Easily a 9 on the hardness scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the ROCK summer I’ve improved greatly on my trail running skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple years ago I would slow at every challenging section and chop my stride.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unsure of the best way to get past an obstacle or tricky passage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These days I take a much ROCK more aggressive approach and speed through some of the toughest trail sections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the out-bound run at Catoctin I easily maneuvered over very difficult trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the effects of heat and dehydration kicked in on the return my mind would see the path but the legs could just not react quickly enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being fatigued compounded the level of difficulty because I kept missing foot placements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end I mostly walked the final 5-6 miles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This flatlander finished very satisfied with his ROCK performance and pleased to add another confidence booster to the list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-89351478751849017902011-09-04T12:49:00.001-07:002011-09-04T12:49:31.315-07:00Runners R Nuts - July 2011<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Runners R Nuts!</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Troy Pruett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the Bernheim Marathon it came to me that runners, especially marathon runners, are absolutely nuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I used to think those that sat on their ass eating fried chicken and ice cream; adding a pound a week to the waistline, were deficient.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If only they became one with the joy of running then somehow all would be right with the world. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Insanity is characterized by abnormal mental or behavioral patterns and may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to oneself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A person suffers from idiocy if they are mentally deficient or act in a self-defeating or counterproductive way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any of this ringing your bell?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">About 0.15% (0.0015) of the U.S. population has finished a marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine 100% of the population has chowed-down on a piece of KFC and more importantly, experienced brain freeze from eating ice cream too fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clearly running a marathon is a violation of societal norms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who are the crazies?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m still looking for the stats, but I’m wondering how many folks regained their sanity and never ran another marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m guessing about 99.99% of those that finished one marathon never considered a second marathon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You belong in the Saturday morning line-up to run three or more (keep with me people – loony tunes).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shouldn’t you be embarrassed to admit double-digit marathons?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No wonder so many “non-runners” start looking for exit signs when anyone mentions they have run several marathons – they’re in the company of a psychopath and are afraid for their lives!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Good news is that you can find a list of the worst insane-o-macs for free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just check out the 50 states or marathon maniacs’ websites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Full of nut jobs too far gone to realize they have a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine how the normal people feel to find out a running club exists in their community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An actual gang of loonie-tunes running through their neighborhoods and parks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone needs to think of the children!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not so fast you say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfair treatment?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where is my sense of acceptance in the diversity of others?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, all I ask is that you ponder your reality:</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who in their right mind decides to run a marathon in 100 degree weather? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll tell you, people acting in counterproductive ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever wonder why you fade during a hot run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s you being a danger to yourself. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who gets back from a run and says it sure is hot, or cold, or windy out there today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you have to run to figure this out?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turn on the Weather Channel for Pete’s sake!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first time you complete a marathon it hurts for days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t walk, can’t squat on the toilet, and can’t go down stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do you do – another marathon because you think it must get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NEWS ALERT:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It doesn’t!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are addicted to pain there are many short-cuts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shake a bee hive, kick a rabid dog, jump in the lion’s den at the zoo, all are good. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s only street runners that are insane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trail running is so much better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean REALLY?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trip, fall, break a leg (better?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trip, fall, scrape both knees and suffer through clothes sticking on oozing scabs for weeks (better?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tick bite leads to spotted fever (better?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tree limb pokes out eye (better?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Impaled on tree stump (better?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there is the whole arachnid issue – YIKES!</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Trail running is better because some events are at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trail running at night leads to:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>making love to a tree, free falling off the ridge, swimming in the river, and lots of “walking” at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Who collects lost toe nails for jewelry?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s what’s wrong with America, runners placing their trust in a necklace made of nasty torn-off toe nails and not their elected officials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take your nasty nails to the voter’s booth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe we will have better representatives.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you will not wear it to the mall then why do you wear it on a public sidewalk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll tell you:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mental deficiency.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Better yet, just wear more of something… please.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t need to repeat the muscular-skeletal biology lecture every weekend.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What’s better than an insane runner?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An insane running alcoholic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know who you are and I’m tired of your lameness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drinking club with a running problem my ass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Run to the point of severe dehydration and chug three beers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s an acceptable societal norm?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Four beers in ten minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, you did run a mile, so that makes it completely acceptable!?</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">9.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Any idea how many beers you can buy for the price of a pair of shoes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What normal person spends $500 on running shoes each year?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why that’s almost 370 bottles of beer (1 for each day).</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t drink beer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Throw in all the crazy entry fees, electrolytes, GU’s, massages, running clothes, transportation, reading material, and pain killers and that makes for about 370 bottles of wine (1 for each day).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quit running and drink more, the world will be a happier place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">11.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Only a bipolar numb-skull gets up before 5 a.m. to run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running in the middle of the night screws up the body’s natural bio-rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A word of advice:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>SLEEP, it’s what a person is meant to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are getting up before 5 a.m. make it worthwhile and burn calories between the sheets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">12.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The only thing that violates societal norms more than running a marathon is the triathlete (aka sadist).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only gratification they can achieve is through their perversion of self-inflicted physical and mental pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There should be a special island for these beyond treatment nut jobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">13.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The true measure of how crazy you are is the ability to convince others to do equally stupid stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drum must be at the extreme edge, after all she managed to get way to many idiots to run 3 mountains in 3 days and run a perfectly good trail, wait for it, in the dark.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">14.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How about the trackies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A whole crew of insane people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This one is really too easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only lunatics wait until it’s 100 degrees (120 at track level) to run as many laps as they can as fast as they can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">15.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What about the wussie judge (WJ)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mastermind or Charles Manson?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This running lunatic managed to get dozens of mentally challenged people to walk away from the true path and into schizophrenia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1o-Kers and joggers are so easy to manipulate.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">16.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ultrarunner equals ULTRASTUPID. </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">17.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Run more miles in a day than your commute to work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a crazy person warning sign.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">18.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are several obsessive compulsive crazies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have elaborate spreadsheets to track the exact number of miles run in their last 100 pairs of running shoes.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">19.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Find yourself smiling to see a porta-john on a long run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember when you thought porta-johns were nasty and avoided them like the plague?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">20.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ever spend hours listening to a self-defeating runner describe every injury they have (tendonitis, fasciitis, broken bone, sprains, torn muscles, etc…)?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What did you see them doing 10 minutes later?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why were they running?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because they are an idiot! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All normalcies aside, I love running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running fills my inner strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running puts my soul at peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running makes me one with my surroundings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And yes, running makes me crazy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-39388946583251347562011-09-04T12:48:00.001-07:002011-09-04T12:48:32.542-07:00Trail PHD - May 2011<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How to Earn a Trail Runner PhD</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Troy Pruett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are three parts to the Trailer Runner PhD:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pain, humiliation and determination.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not too long ago Drum (aka Michelle) sent me an e-mail asking about which events I planned to do over the late spring and summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I innocently responded that I was <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>“CONSIDERING”</u></b> the Jemez New Mexico 50k and the Chattanooga 3-day mountain stage run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away she sends a text, “I’m registered for Jemez.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warning to self and others: Drum does not consider anything, is very impulsive, and will say yes to anything involving a mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to be out done by a wussie judge in training (WJIT), I reluctantly registered for Jemez.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What do we all do “after” registering for an event?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read about the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anyone really do homework before committing funds?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Jemez race reports and blogs are terrifying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The course is compared to the big hitters Leadville, Bandera, Western States and a couple other nightmares.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phrases like extremely technical, aggressive elevation gains, high altitude, poisonous snakes and animals that will eat you are frequently mentioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drum tells me the next week that she convinced Beth to register and they are both really excited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me, I’m thinking dumb blondes don’t know any better and I’m old enough to know better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How does a flatlander train for Jemez?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trick question, you can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead I did an eight-week work-up for Eugene and ran the marathon in under 3 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I then put in two 40-plus mile weeks and went to Jemez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stupidly thought I could run the course in 6 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In retrospect there is a way for a flatlander to train for Jemez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step 1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>put two cinder blocks under the front end of the treadmill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step 2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Increase the grade to the maximum setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have now equaled the easiest mountain on the course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step 3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set the speed for 15 minutes/mile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step 4:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Insert snorkel into mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Step 5:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go for 90 minutes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think you can beat Jemez?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I earned my “P in pain” about 5 miles into the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I broke a couple of cardinal rules of trail running.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always stay focused on the trail and never cross your legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m positive I crossed my left leg over the right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The left knee hit the rocks first, followed by my torso and hands in a desert thorn bush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood trickled from at least a dozen locations and my right thumb had turned purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I approached each aid station the very supportive volunteers always asked, “Are you alright?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you still run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you like us to clean up your knee?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each time I responded, “No way, I look like a bad-ass now!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One volunteer responded, “Yes, your tye-dye shorts really support the bad-ass look!” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><shapetype coordsize="21600,21600" filled="f" id="_x0000_t75" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_i1026" style="height: 148.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; rotation: -90; visibility: visible; width: 159pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\Troy\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\03\clip_image001.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></imagedata></shape></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The high altitude causes delirium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the only reason I can explain the picture demonstrating that alternate universes exist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How else can you explain the Future Troy and Today Troy together at the same point in time?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-no-proof: yes;"><shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_i1025" style="height: 238.5pt; mso-wrap-style: square; visibility: visible; width: 318pt;" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:title="" src="file:///C:\Users\Troy\AppData\Local\Temp\msohtmlclip1\03\clip_image003.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></imagedata></shape></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It didn’t take much longer to lose my bad-assedness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I earned my “H in humility” around mile 20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After going up three mountains and with a couple major climbs left to go I became reverential and submitted to the mountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this very moment I saw Beth and Drum smiling at me as we crossed paths on the trail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing I could think to say was, “I am soooooo sorry.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As dumb blondes would have it, they both appeared happy and were still excited about finishing the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After three more solid climbs I reached the beginning of the desolation zone, a five mile downhill trek through a waste land of fallen trees and rubble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I earned my “D in determination” about two miles in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My quads were shot, the sun beat down on my head, my stomach ached, I was all alone and I kept hearing rattlesnakes (well at least one).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was the longest run/walk to the finish I have ever experienced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After 29 miles there was no way this course would win.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Is Jemez really that hard?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>YES!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not that I’m a proficient trail runner (just a PhD), but I have done trail marathons or better in Wilmington Delaware, Capon Valley West Virginia, Tuscaloosa Alabama, Huntsville Park in Texas, Sylamore in Arkansas, and the Laurel Highlands in Pennsylvania.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jemez easily scores a 10 for the extreme technical surface, altitude, elevation gains and miles of half-track course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By comparison, the North Shore trail ranks about a 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What are you waiting for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Register today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-50836865040707726692011-09-04T12:44:00.001-07:002011-09-04T12:44:14.055-07:00Why We Run<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Why I Run</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">T-Roy Pruett</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Thanks to all those that responded to my request.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike Ribs, I never ever consult with those mentioned or referenced in an article.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please excuse me if I took the liberty to embellish or fabricate your response and you were somehow offended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it makes you feel better I did it out of pure love.)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ever get up on a cold, breezy, winter morning and grumble, “What am I doing?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I could stay in this nice warm house, sipping coffee, and really enjoy the start of this glorious day.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s times like these when we need to draw on people and memories that inspire us to lace-up the shoes for another day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this in mind I reached out to several club members to see what has inspired them to trudge along on the worst of days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for myself, there have been many inspirational moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two are at the top of my list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After about 20 miles of a beat-you-down dreary forest run in PA the trail opened up into a beautiful ridge run above the clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood there basking in the warmth of sun and blue sky for several minutes, completely amazed by the circumstances that led me to that point in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">An unexpected moment is why I run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></b>I am inspired by those that manage to remain up-beat no matter the circumstance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They always seem to put a smile on their face and look forward to the next challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy people is why I run</i></b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Crisann makes note of folks right here in DFW, Patrick Finney and Paula Robertson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both have MS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick is almost complete with marathons in 50 states, running doubles on most weekends with negative times on day 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paula is the founder of <u>Hills and Heels</u> and completed a daily running streak this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crisann says, “They are inspirations to me because I have no excuse to not get my fat ass out the door.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Because I can and should is why I run</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Helene started running <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>after having spent eighteen months going to races to cheer Alan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like many of us, she did not know anything about the athletic world; thought that participants would all be lean, thin, fast, and “Out of my league.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She realized athletes came in all speeds, shapes, and ages, and that no matter how fast or how slow they finished, they all were achieving something special, competing against others, but mainly competing against themselves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were all bettering themselves and becoming stronger physically and mentally. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had suffered from, “I Cannot Do That!” Syndrome that had been hammered in so many women her age and older, (no) thanks to the way they were raised. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So one day she bought a pair of running shoes and off she went … “And I haven’t stopped running since.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is also a fair amount of inspiration on the lite side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An anonymous member provided this, “<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There are lots of reasons like the thrill of competition and camaraderie with friends, but I am too busy with the chocolate and wine thing to care about the other reasons right now.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Wine is why I run.”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Hey what ever gets you out of bed in the morning!)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Janet had me laughing out of the chair, “I run because I suck at it…and that’s the best part.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another anonymous member quipped, “My really awesome boyfriend dumped me out of the blue so now I run to make sure I can kick his ass any day of the week at any and every distance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh wait, I could kick his ass before he dumped me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Revenge is why I run</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mindi “Vanilla” Rice did say, “Looking at the Wussie Judge’s butt inspires me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Funny, I always thought I had a flat-ass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Didn’t realize it had grown</i>.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The WJ’s butt is why I run</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>BG Kelly says, “I run to eat, I eat to run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(I knew the Big Girl tag had nothing to do with the size of her heart.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Eating is why I run</b></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Alan should have been a time management specialist, “Maybe running is simply my lack of patience - it takes too long to get there if I walk.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Getting there faster is why I run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></i>In true Beer Girl spirit, Randa came through with, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Running is a necessary evil to support my drinking habit.”<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beer is why I run</b></i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t get around to asking Ribs, but I’m sure his response would have been, “I am inspired by well-dressed runners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is why I am consistently voted the best dressed runner in America.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pretty clothes is why I run. </i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To paraphrase a couple of respondents, “I run for sanity.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(If it takes having a baby to figure this out KK then so be it.)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One anonymous person chimed that when asked if they needed meds to cope, the response provided was, “No, I run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Great answer!)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is curious is that only female respondents used the, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Sanity is why I run,”</i></b> line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any ideas as to what that means?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Notwithstanding the psychological nut cases, there were those that focused on the physical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take Tom Shetina’s reason, “Looking at my 310 pound picture from 2006.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(I’ve seen the picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might scare me into running, but inspire?) </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Randa couldn’t let her Beer Girl status stand alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also likes to get physical, “Running makes me feel strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My body can take much more punishment than my mind tells it, and I love the high of finishing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Olivia would be so proud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait a sec., Beer Girls have minds?)</i> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Health and fitness is why I run</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Spousal support works it charms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just ask Marty, “Tia kept trying to get my attention from over the short fence, ‘Psssst!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey, 2 guys in your bike rack have their age on their calf as 71 and 73!’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the event, I felt pretty bad to find out that the 73 year old beat me in the swim, and the bike, AND the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then it occurred to me that I might be able to continue improving for another 20+ years.”</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">To beat a 70 year old is why I run</i>. </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The non-believers can work their magic as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marty also relayed the following, “When word got back to me that so and so told others that there was no way I’d meet my goal, it really fired me up and kept me from quitting.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sticking it to others is why I run</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The question kept some good natured folks awake at night, prompting them to send in multiple answers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>K2 provided a prophetic response, “I’ve never really needed the motivation to keep running just the inspiration to get my ass up off the couch for that first run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This could be the beginnings of a topic for another article, “What crazy-ass idea prompted you to start running?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two things inspired K2’s first run. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first was seeing friends who took up running and at age 30 looked better than they did at age 20. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second was reading about women who made up the inaugural teams of the WNBA. These were American women, athletes, who had to live in Europe and Asia to follow their dreams and play ball. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning about the sacrifices they were making to do something they loved inspired me to get out and try something new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Looking better than a 20 year old is why I run</i></b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beth obviously lost sleep over her many choices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the end I think she exceeded the maximum size for any one email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were all good answers so here goes her ramblings:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doing something good for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I like to eat! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Love that one)</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s empowering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Excuse to be outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has given me the strength and enjoyment of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because it's fun, duh! <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(I remember when I used to think that)</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much better than meds or a therapist <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(There’s the sanity thing again)</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Awesome running friends!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a role model to my, “Girls on the Run.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staying physically fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I'm not coordinated enough for other sports.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some prefer not to be inspired and rely on science, biology, and the gene pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leana believes, “All humans are designed to run, we have LONG LEGS compared to other primates <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(well that is all of us except By-Run and Mindi)</i>, we have an ACHILLES TENDON that works like a spring and propels us upwards and forwards <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(mine used to spring),</i> a CALCANEUS combined with the Achilles tendon that acts as a shock absorber and spring, and HUMAN SKIN to release heat and prevent overheating for long periods of exercise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Evolution is why I run</i></b>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One person managed to type out her inspirations and motivations even with tears streaming down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course she has been known to water a tree here and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After being tormented by the Trackies for several months, Michelle (Drum), says this is what gets her out the door, “First, people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm motivated by the strangers in the gym at 5:30 a.m. who are just as tired as I am, by my very active parents, and because of the motivation of LGRAW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, I love having a goal every day that is just mine and knowing at the end of the day that I achieved that goal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lastly, I love being outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Running down Hope Pass breathing in mountain air on day two of TransRockies was the most fulfilling moment of my life.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(Can you believe it, not even her wedding day beats running, poor Evan.)</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Former President Joe is inspired by, “Being a RAW member and hanging out with the Trackies.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">He might not know it, but the Elder Trackie (ET), is greatly appreciated by all of the Trackies . We love ya ET!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Trackies is why I run</b></i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Those of you that know Nick also know that if you draw a face on a rock he will stand there and talk to it for hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is truly a stranger to no one or any inanimate object.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s no wonder he sent in a 10,000 word dissertation on why nothing inspires him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He just had lots of reasons to run <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(whatever!)</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such as, “I run to hear my thoughts more clearly in the quiet of the morning, I run to feel terrible then alive again five minutes after I stop, I run to see firsthand the grace of Colleen running <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(ain’t that sweet!), </i>I run to share a moment with a friend and hopefully a beer afterwards, I run so I don’t ever get left behind, I run to say, see that wasn’t so hard, I run to see places I would have never seen had I not ventured out, most of all I run to see people’s faces and emotions as they reach their goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I’m not sure why I run</i>.</b></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-73405372888969714212011-09-04T12:40:00.001-07:002011-09-04T12:40:22.007-07:00Get Over the Hill<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's a Hill. Get Over It!</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 12pt 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">T-Roy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, well, well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s a person to do with this prophetic saying from the back of a running shirt?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose it could be a motivational quip inspiring one and all to rise above the crest of the hill in victorious elation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then again, inspiring others to do well just isn’t my style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the spirit of just tell it like it is, I’m inclined to believe the message, “Get over it!” has more to do with being annoyed from listening to your whiney commentary about how much you are dreading the next “Big Hill.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Conquering the hill is a combination of physical and mental acumen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since you are reading this article, you probably lack both the physical ability and mental acuity to make the climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can blame me for highlighting your misgivings, be a whining wussie, or do something to get better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first step is admitting you have a problem!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some runners don't like hill running because “It's hard.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Poor baby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s “hard,” because you don’t train “hard enough.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ask Michelle B. where the crying tree is located.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You might need one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Are you tired of being the only one walking the up hills?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you answered<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO, then flip the page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This article is not for you and I don’t want you misrepresenting the facts at a later date.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you answered YES, then I have a few thoughts for you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Suggestions for the physical component</u>: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When going up:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lean forward</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not talking sit-ups, just a slight lean into the hill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want to face plant while others are watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Use your arms</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would think this should be easy for the push-up freaks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Problem is the freaks over work the arms, the muscles get tight and can’t be straightened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever see a weight lifter walk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Arm motion is a big problem for a lot of runners on hills and when doing speed work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep the arms low and forward of the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are thumping your chest or protecting your boobs, then your form is working against you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Checking your hand to the hip every once in a while is an easy way to maintain an awareness of your arm position.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Pay attention to the foot-strike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Shorten the stride and step lightly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If done correctly, the flat surface long stride and uphill short stride count rate should be close. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you can’t count past 10 you might be in trouble or a Texas A&M grad. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When going down:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Stay perpendicular or forward</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most hill whiners are afraid of the speed and "lean back."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two words, “BIG MISTAKE.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leaning back causes you to brake and jamb your feet to the front of your shoes (Ever have black toe nails?).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “I’m Afraid,” position also causes a hard heel strike (ouch!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t beat gravity, so be one of the few runners that can take advantage of the extra boost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Amazingly enough, your legs will find a way to stay in front and keep you from breaking your neck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Control your speed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Speed is maintained with a mix of stride length and the degree of forward lean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u>Suggestions for the mental cases</u>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Call the RAW Runner Assistance Program (RAP) hotline</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The line is staffed by Trackies and Hillbillies who never answer the phone or return a call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one-on-one therapy sessions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Don’t look at the top of the hill</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The view is always better from the top than at the bottom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Keep your eyes 15-20 yards in front of you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pick a pace you can maintain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a big confidence boost as you master the incline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">If you do find yourself slowing down, switch to hill intervals </b>(20 seconds fast, 5 seconds slow).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will also maintain your confidence and give you several brief rests on the way to the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Intervals will also keep you focused on your watch and not looking at the top of the beast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Run thorough the crest of the hill</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll gain speed at the top and get another confidence boost for having aced the test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now that you know the secrets to unlock the mystery, you should start practicing with the Hillbillies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They meet every ODD THURSDAY at 6:00PM for a 6 mile hill course at Parr Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember, Walking Hills is for Wussies! </span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4813140485424906903.post-25314348765759545092011-09-04T12:39:00.001-07:002011-09-04T12:39:08.185-07:00Embracing a Butt Whooping<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Embracing the Butt-Whooping by T-Roy</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not too long ago I ventured out on a long run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t feel well, wanted to try-out a hydro-pack full of water, wore my heavy trainers, and the wind was blowing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why is it Dylan believed answers were blowing in the wind?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ask and ask and never get a reply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I laced my shoes I knew success for the run would be marginal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had the feeling that the butt-whooping was coming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I began thinking of times I grabbed the ankles for my junior high PE coach and his beating stick.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weren’t those the good ole days?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parents sent their kids to school so teachers and coaches could hit them with inanimate objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My third grade teacher called her stick Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your name is Rachel I probably don’t like you.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yes, you’re right; this is supposed to be a running column.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s a person to do on butt-whooping day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Endure, cut it short, or skip the run?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a fan of misery, skipping the run altogether is simply not an option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes just getting started is enough to avoid the butt-whooping altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s amazing how many times you feel lousy getting out of the car and feel great about a mile in to the run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Note to joggers:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This method of avoiding the butt-whooping only works for runners</span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One way to fully appreciate the butt-whooping is to intentionally run a long out and back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why run a short loop that provides multiple opportunities to quit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are much better off if you head out 7-10 miles in one desolate direction (Trinity Park going anywhere North).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s even better if you decide to run with the wind on the way out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though you can feel the legs getting heavy and the fuel in the belly heading towards empty, just keep going another mile or two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What would we think if your daily mile posting is in the single digits?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you reach the water mirage it’s safe to turn around, head back, and take the butt-whooping with pride.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now what, walk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking is for wussies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, yeah, yeah, the “W” stands for “WALKERS.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get over it already, Eat It, whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you choose not to embrace your wussie, what do you do, jog?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no “J” in RAW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you add “J” then you must add S, K, C and B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What clever quip does RAWSBJC make? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think of “jogging” as ultraRUNNING-training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know a lot ultraRUNNING-trainees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all suffer from a common disorder, ultra-registration phobia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Option 1 on butt-whooping day is to practice your “ultraRUNNING-training.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will all be impressed and understand why your run took half the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not an ultraRUNNER-trainer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too bad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your day is about to get real ugly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You decide to suck it up and keep going. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seriously, were you dropped on your head as an infant?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First, if the stomach is ok during the butt-whooping then use Cheat 1 by gu/geling-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the alternative runner, try Powershots. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully you are packing water and can perform Cheat 2. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Splash water on your face and legs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Electrolytes burn the eyes something fierce and the sugar makes for a sticky mess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, this might be ok if you find someone willing to lick your face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still in butt-whooping mode?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try Cheat 3, out run the butt-whooping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quarter mile pick-ups with a 30 second float is actually crazy enough to work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite, Cheat 4 (scientifically proven to never fail), is to pass a slower runner and smack their butt as you go by.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pick someone able to deliver a real butt-whooping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That way you can take full advantage of your sympathetic nervous system’s “flight” response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When all the cheats fail, fully embrace your butt-whooping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call a taxi, buy an extra-large strawberry milkshake, and dump it on your head; you namby pamby jack wagon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>T-Royhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17668174926066592387noreply@blogger.com0