Crazy Stupid

As an utra-runner, I've been known to do some stupid shit. Running in extreme weather. Going extreme distances. Testing my body and mind. Well today was a bit different because I think many people would think what I did was just stupid. Many would think it's weird. Some would think it's nice or sweet or some variation of that. But I'm going to leave you guessing. Sort of.

Suffice it to say, I went a little longer today than my body wanted to go but I made it back just fine. I didn't have coffee before the start so I pretty much stumbled out the door and caught my dad walking around the neighborhood. He said he was up since 0200 and had already gone out for breakfast. I just chuckled on the inside because that's about as tired as I felt. Minus the breakfast. Wife's alarm went off, again, at 0510, way before my 0600 wake up time.

So I stumbled out the door and went down the road. I was exhausted. I went down the road, fought off a few horseflies, and made it to the future home of hundreds. Stupid developers are going to force us to live in cities if we're not careful. From there I crossed the major highway and ran down the shoulder. I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people that would move to the left lane to give me space and by the wonderful breeze I'd get from the passing traffic. Sure as hell kept the flies away from me.

Once I reached the cemetery, it took me a few minutes of walking around before I found the grave. I paid my respects, then headed back home. Made the stupid mistake of not really watching the traffic and cut between some cars. Lack of coffee and heat was getting to me. Thankfully that was the last dangerous roadway I needed to worry about on the way back home.

And that was pretty much it in a nutshell.

Podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/neil-richard/mile-96

Photos:

I like big bacon butts.

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Humidity was moderate. Sun was out but due to my early start it didn't really impact me until the return leg. That's when the temps started to go up. No breeze (except from traffic).

Fluids and Fuel:
Nothing before the run. Plain water and GenUCAN Hydrate during the run. Recovery was two slices of toast, two egg whites, two sausage patties, and coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Pretty much everything hurt. Spent a solid 5 hours walking on Sunday. Then yesterday's walk, bike, and strength training. That left me feeling stiff and sore today. I think it was the lunges and squats. Oh, and the right forearm is sore from using the weedeater on Saturday. Also had some sore feet, likely caused by the loose sand on the shoulders of the road and the wet grass in between the graves. So the wet socks and odd twisting motion gave me a hot spot.

Gear:
No special gear. Just shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
Guilt mostly. I knew I needed some miles in and I knew I'd hear about it if I didn't. The goal of making it to the cemetery helped me find enough motivation to actually get up out of bed. But I still laid there for a minute or two doing a cost benefit analysis of waking up or staying in bed.

Naughty Neil:
I skipped breakfast yesterday. Something I rarely do. Which meant I over-ate at dinner a bit too much.

Splits:
Outbound - 56:00
Inbound - 52:59
Finish - 1:49:00

Lollipop

Was today another flash in the pan or is this the birth of a new runner? Only time will tell. While I gave my daughter a pass yesterday, I was prepared to lay down the law this morning if she didn't get up to go run like she said she would. Thankfully she was feeling excited about it last night and even got her clothes out before bed. So waking her up this morning was not that big of a deal.

Once we were ready to go, we headed out the door. I knew the dead-ends in the hood were home to horseflies and expected them today. I smacked one on her head as we got started but aside from that one, the rest only buzzed us a bit.

Since the flies were buzzing, we did two lollipop routes instead of the full neighborhood loop. That left us with a good two and a half miles which was more than she wanted but easily within her abilities. And mine. Just not within my abilities when going at her pace. She seemed a little surprised when I told her this and said she was running slow.

The time flew as we flew around the lollipop route twice. When she bailed I snapped a quick selfie because, well, because I'm a dork. It was nice to capture the joy of spending time with her. I feel bad sometimes that I don't spend time with her like I do my son. But she doesn't really like G.I. Joe or Star Wars like we do so sometimes it's hard to find a common interest. That's why I'm so excited she's talking about running, actually running, and planning on running next year. I can only hope the trend continues.

Photo:
Post run selfie.

Video:

Weather:
Temps were much lower at 70F to 75F. Humidity was much, much lower. Sun was out in full. Light breeze.

Fluids and Fuel:
Sipped a little water before the run. Bottle of plain water during the run. Recovery was yogurt, coffee, and two slices of toast.

Aches and Pains:
My ass, specifically my gut, was paying me back for some poor food choices yesterday. Felt like I ate 10 pounds of extra food yesterday with that giant burrito thing only to shit out 20 pounds last night. At least it curbed my appetite at dinner and after dinner.

Gear:
Just shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
It was a struggle to not jump up and down like a teenage girl from the 80s in the front row of a New Kids concert. I'm just so excited my little girl, well, not so little any more, wants to run with me. And she started talking about swimming next summer on the swim team and running before practice and my head was past cloud nine.

Naughty Neil:
Yesterday's lunch was brutal. It tasted divine when I ate it but it quickly turned hellish. Payback is a bitch.

Splits:
Loop 1 - 13:42
Loop 2 - 14:36
Loop 3 - 14:41
Loop 4 - 14:09
Finish - 57:10

Unexpected Substitution

I had hoped this morning would be a repeat of my great run last week with my daughter. She surprised me again last night with the request to run with me this morning. But when I went in to wake her up, it was pretty clear she wasn't coming. So I headed out the door anyway.

And promptly ran into my dad out for a walk. So I walked for him for a bit. Nothing exciting but it made some of the miles go by fairly easy. After he was done walking for the day, I headed back out for more miles and found myself walking and swatting at flies. I pulled the old bait-and-switch on them and managed to kill four of them in less than a quarter of a mile. I came across the scam by accident but I've used it a few times and find that it works pretty well. Just stick one elbow in the air and rest your forearm on your head. The flies attack at the highest point so they simply land on your arm. Where your other hand can beat them to a pulp.

So that's what I did. After I killed the four, I was out of their little zone so I didn't have to put my arm up like an idiot.

And that was about it for the run. Had way more miles on the schedule but I knew with the heat and humidity that I was lucky to get what I got. So I quit there.

Podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/neil-richard/mile-95

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Humidity was about 90%. Sky was overcast. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Half a coffee before the run. Plain water during the run. Recovery was two egg whites, a few ham slices, coffee, and three slices of toast. The extra slice of toast was just because it was the end of the loaf.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing really. Right hip did feel a little tight but it was okay.

Gear:
Just shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
My running partner. Even though she didn't get out of bed, she still got me excited enough to wake up at 6am and go for a run.

Naughty Neil:
I had a beer last night. Then a bowl of cereal. Not too bad but I ate the cereal way later than my normal night-time snacking routine.

Splits:
Partial Loop 1 - 24:01 (includes coffee-induced bowel movement)
Full Loop 2 - 24:11
Partial Loop 3 - 20:02
Finish - 1:08:14

Letting Go of Guilt

My coach said something wonderful yesterday. I didn't read it until this morning but it worked for me. I can't tell you how many times I've completely ignored a coach and just went and did my own damn thing. It's not that I'm necessarily openly defiant, or at least I don't think that way. Maybe my coaches see it differently though. Anyway, I tend to do my own thing but still try to stay within the guidelines set before me. So I try to stay in the lines when I color but sometimes I like to add a little flair. Or something like that.

So what were these words of wisdom from my coach? "Tomorrow is your day to put the guilt behind...it is the day." It was one of those little epiphanies you have in life and you just kind of go "well damn, what the hell was I thinking? of course! duh!"

So yeah, I went out the door this morning and did my best to let go of my guilt. It's not easy. I've struggled with guilt and shame for a long time and the only thing that made today different was that simple line from my coach. Just a few words that spun my mind the right way and set me down the positive path instead of negative thoughts.

With good vibes moving me along, I headed down the road. I did a few hills walking, did some time running, took a break for work, and then went back out for a few more miles. My first round was walking the hills in the newer section of the neighborhood. It felt okay, nothing fancy. My second round was running a couple of loops in the neighborhood. I managed to rescue a shoe that the neighbor's toddler dropped during their walk. After my break for work, I wanted to go out for two more loops but only managed one. Better than nothing.

Photo:
The rescued shoe.

Weather:
Temps were about 70F to 75F. Humidity was moderate. Sky was mostly clear but got a little overcast during the day. Wind was light.

Fluids and Fuel:
Half a coffee before my first foray. Bottle of water during the run/walk. Recovery was two egg whites, two pieces of ham, three slices of toast, and the rest of my coffee. My last round I just took water with me and ate lunch when I finished.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing major. Had some quirkyness in my ankles and knees but no real pain.

Gear:
Nothing fancy. T-shirt and shorts.

Splits:
New Section - (2.83 miles) - 51:41
Loop 1 - 20:50
Loop 2 - 17:23 (speedy running to return the lost shoe)
Loop 3 - 21:48
Finish - 1:51:44

Mixed Bag

Today's mixed bag of tricks was brought to you by guilt. I felt a little guilty in switching up my days yesterday and today but I knew yesterday that I wouldn't be running so pushing the run to today just felt like the right thing to do. But the heavy guilt kicked in around 6am when I promptly rolled over and went back to sleep. Instead of running. In perfect weather. I repeated the process a few times before finally getting up. I just felt sick of feeling down and used that to actually get up.

Once I was up, I ate breakfast then went for a walk. With the internet down, I figured I didn't have to rush to work. It came back online by the time I got back home but I ran into some momma drama as my wife discovered my son peed on the floor in our daughter's room. I found him in there last night but didn't know he was going to the bathroom. She was livid. He was ashamed. So I got to mediate.

After chugging along at work a bit, I headed back outside for more miles. I managed a little more before wimping out and hopping on the bike. At least on wheels I got a little bit more of a decent workout.

Weather:
Temps were 60F to 65F this morning. I missed the opportunity. Instead I had to deal with 75F temps. At least there was very little humidity and the wind was cool. Sky was sunny with a few clouds.

Fluids and Fuel:
Breakfast was two egg whites, two slices of toast, and two sausage patties. And coffee. During the run and ride I had plain water. Right before my ride I downed an applesauce. Recovery was leftover hamburger, mac and cheese, and broccoli.

Aches and Pains:
Shins were hurting on the run. Outside of that, I was fine physically.

Gear:
Shorts and t-shirt. Nothing special. Although I did skip my watch. Didn't feel like watching how slow I was today.

Today's Motivation:
Guilt. Plain and simple. And I think this will be the key source behind my game-changing plan post-Oil Creek.

Naughty Neil:
I didn't snack as much as I wanted to last night but I still had a bowl of chips. I skipped the beer because I'm starting to wonder if that's another trigger. Still need to do some further testing on that.

Splits:
Loop 1 - ~20:00 (walk)
Loop 2 - ~15:00 (run)
Loops 3-8 - ~60:00 (bike)
Finish - ~1:35:00

Best Run In Years

Last night as I was tucking my daughter into bed, she hit me right in the feels by saying she wanted to go run with me in the morning. I was so shocked I barely knew what to say. She saved me by saying that she wanted to get up at 7am. Totally as much of a shock as her wanting to go run. This is the girl that takes after her own father and could easily sleep until noon. Unfortunately there are two other people in the house that are quite the early bird so that'll never happen.

Anyway, once I finally found my tongue, I said 7am might not be early enough and asked if she would be willing to get up at 6am. She scoffed at that but we eventually compromised with 6:30am. So I could barely sleep this morning and tossed and turned until my alarm finally went off. Once I got up, I patiently waited for the appointed hour.

I woke her up, she got dressed, ate breakfast, and we were out the door. While we eased our way around the neighborhood, we chatted about everything and nothing. She said she only wanted to do a mile and a half so we did our one loop together and went back home. She stayed inside while I went to the bathroom and headed back out for more miles.

So that totally made my day. And it helped that it's also my 15th wedding anniversary too. Sure, we've had our problems, but we continue to work through them and end up a stronger couple every time.

Photo:
Sometimes the path to enlightenment is hidden.

Weather:
Temps were about 75F to 80F. Humidity was high. Sky was overcast. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Before the run was just half a cup of coffee. During the run was plain water. Recovery was the rest of my coffee, yogurt, two slices of toast, and two eggs.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing major but my left knee has been janky for a few days. Started feeling it this past weekend but it doesn't seem to hurt when I run, only walking or sitting. Right armpit is also continuing to chafe more than normal.

Gear:
Nothing major, just shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
I had a running partner.

Naughty Neil:
Had a small serving of ice cream last night. That part was fine but it was the bowl of chips after that that I really should have skipped.

Splits:
Loop 1 - 17:49
Aid Station - 3:27 (needed to take a dump after the coffee kicked in - and yes, I can poop faster than I can run)
Loop 2 - 18:32
Loop 3 - 18:13
Loop 4 - 22:21 (mostly walking)
Finish - 1:20:24

Lost My Will?

No, I don't think I lost my will to run. And I don't think I've lost my motivation to run. I think I've lost my confidence. The confidence I used to have in myself and my ability to push myself into uncomfortable places to see what I can make of it. Kind of like a lump of coal getting into the back of a Volkswagen to come out of it as a diamond.

That was my epiphany as I ran, and walked, today. I think my latest bout of issues with running have stemmed from a lack of confidence. I'm sure I can get it back and plans are ruminating in my head about what to do after Oil Creek in October. But until then, I need to deal with what I have. Which doesn't feel like much.

I did my out and back for 5ish miles and then walked a loop for an extra mile around the hood. The walking mile felt kind of nice physically but the mental side was tough. Almost as tough as the 5 miles before hand where I struggled to put one foot in front of the other.

But I'll get there. As some would say, this too shall pass.

Photos:
Some weeds/flowers along the way.

Weather:
Temps were about 80F. Sun was out but skies were partly overcast. Almost no wind. Humidity was high.

Fluids and Fuel:
Pretty much nothing before the run. Bottle of plain water during the run. Recovery was coffee and two slices of toast. I've been feeling bloated lately so I eased off the food this morning. Felt good but still a little hungry.

Aches and Pains:
Right calf felt a little tweaky towards the end of the run. Nothing major but okay.

Gear:
Tested out my merino wool shirt from Pulse. If fits nice, doesn't chafe, has a half-zip top, and it's wool. Which meant it was a little itchy. But I haven't washed it yet so maybe that's it. Plus, it's wool. Which meant it was warmer than I had hoped. Which meant I pretty much overheated within the first 10 minutes or so. But I stuck with it and made it to the end. Oh, and did I mention it's wool? That meant it was a little heavier than when I first started because it soaked up all that sweat. So I guess that makes it a mixed review. I'm thinking it would be a perfect fall/winter/spring shirt though.

Today's Motivation:
I wanted to get my run in early before the kids woke up. I didn't quite make it back before they got up but it was close. The kids that stayed over I'm sure were afraid of me. Not surprising since many assume I suffer from Bitchy Resting Face. I don't. I'm just a man who doesn't smile.

Naughty Neil:
I had hummus and pita chips last night. Really should have skipped them but I didn't. Felt the need to snack on something.

Splits:
Outbound - 37:03
Inbound - 36:23
Extra Loop - 17:07
Finish - 1:30:35

Moldy Grass, Moldy Ass

Damn near forgot to write this up. Guess it was pretty forgettable. Brought back some memories though as I cruised around the neighborhood like a sloth on a skateboard. I was huffing and puffing and inhaled the strong odor of moldy grass. I was instantly taken back to my early years of spending my summers on the road with my dad. Now, I didn't spend all summer with him, it was actually just a week or two. Most of my summer vacation was spent with my mother.

But those summer trips with my dad were memorable. And that moldy grass smell took me back to the time I'd spend on the family farm in Nebraska. I was never a fan of getting up early and I'm still not. But I didn't have much of a choice as a kid and I can remember some early mornings on the farm walking along the road or path or field and smelling the freshly cut grass that was wet from the previous night's rain. The grass had been cut, started to dry, then got wet, and started to stink. Sometimes you'd get the same smell from a bale of hay or straw but most of the time it was the fresh stench of the fields that caught your nose.

Anyway, I walked past a yard in the neighborhood that reminded me of those carefree moments and I began to wonder, will my kids ever get to experience as much as I have at the same age? Probably not but their life can't be perfect. Mine certainly never was. All I can do is my best to be the best parent I can be.

Podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/neil-richard/mile-93

Photos:
I've been watching a lot of THE WIRE lately. So now I've taken to looking at, well, wires.

Getting things done, sort of, at sunrise makes for some neat shots.

Weather:
Temps were about 70F to 75F. Sun was out. No wind. Humidity was high.

Fluids and Fuel:
Had a few sips of coffee before the run. Had a bottle of plain water during the run. Recovery was two slices of toast, a left over brat, and two eggs. And the rest of my coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Left ankle and both knees were a bit creaky from the start. Ankle worked itself out but the knees were still feeling it at the end. Biggest issue was my gut. I was halfway through eating a slice of apple pie with whipped cream yesterday at lunch when I found mold. As I sat there seriously considering finishing the slice, I poked around the pie to see if there was any more mold before I dove back in. You see, I'd been waiting patiently before having more pie. All damn week I was waiting. When I found more mold I realized I wasn't so hungry and that I shouldn't have waited so long. So my moldy ass was feeling it this morning. Not to mention that I didn't wait for the coffee to kick in, if you know what I mean. If you don't, I mean that I didn't wait to take a shit before I left for my run.

Gear:
Nothing special, just shorts and a t-shirt.

Today's Motivation:
I was awake, again, at 0600. I swear if I keep this up it might be a habit by the time school is back in session. Aside from getting up, I didn't have much motivation to run. Didn't feel right the whole time I was out there. That's mostly why I walked the second loop.

Naughty Neil:
Stupid fucking moldy apple pie. So much for delayed gratification.

Splits:
Loop 1 - 20:06
Loop 2 - 18:53 (not quite a full loop)
Finish - 38:59

Hills Hell

Today was full of hills. It was hell. But it was worth it. I had a rude awakening when I went for my on-course training run in Oil Creek. It became plainly clear that I didn't have enough hill work in the bag. For days I could barely go down the steps in the house. So today I set about to at least put something down to make me feel better.

Truth is, I had the brainstorm last night to run the route. But this morning I nearly quit and stayed in bed. I eventually dragged my rear out of bed and headed down the road. I went into the "new" section of the neighborhood and from the main street, started doing repeats on the hills. Since my side of the street is pretty flat, I knew I'd get at least some elevation in over there. So I went in and out of the neighborhood seven times, once for each dead end. It was tiring and I wanted to quit after five or so but I kept at it because I wanted to make a bit of a stand with my brain. And I felt good when I finished. Tired, but in a good way.

The most depressing part of it all? Only 650 feet of elevation gain over seven miles.

Then I headed home and hopped on my bike for a few more miles. It's not the same as running but it still gave me a workout that I needed. So a solid reverse brick was in the books.

Podcast:
https://soundcloud.com/neil-richard/mile-92

Photos:
Doesn't do it justice but this is the big hill.

And this was me getting ready to bike.

Weather:
Temps were about 75F. Humidity was moderate. Sun was out with only a few clouds. Wind was light.

Fluids and Fuel:
Had a full breakfast of coffee, two slices of toast, two eggs, and two sausage patties. I waited a full hour before starting my run. During my run I had a bottle of plain water. That was a personal record for the longest run on a single bottle of water. I did run out with about a half mile or so to go. Recovery was half a roast beef sandwich followed by a serving of Hammer Recoverite.

Aches and Pains:
Nothing really hurt during the run. Legs were tired but I managed.

Gear:
Wore shorts and a cycling jersey. Phone flopped around in the pocket but it was nice to unzip it and a breeze to blow through my chest hair.

Today's Motivation:
16 miles was daunting on the schedule. But I was feeling decent. In fact, I'd say it's been the best run I've had in a month. Even though it was mediocre, it felt good. But I knew I wouldn't be able to get more miles in on foot so I hatched the plan to do some miles on wheels instead.

Naughty Neil:
Dinner was stuffing. Ate too much but didn't much care, I had a good day in the books. One hamburger, two brats, corn, potato salad, and apple pie.

Splits:
Running - 1:41:37 (7.18 miles)
Biking - 57:47 (10 miles)
Finish - 2:39:25

Where's Will?

I seem to have lost my will to run. I can barely force myself to get out of bed in the morning. Today I slept through two alarms and only got up because my wife said I needed to and because I knew we were having company come first thing this morning. But it was still a struggle. Once I was up, I moped around trying to get motivated to run my planned 6 miles. Instead I found myself fighting to convince my brain that 3 miles was just fine. There was a ton of walking and very little energy.

The odd thing is that walking felt fine. It felt normal and for a few brief moments, I felt normal. But I'd start running again and the arm on the suck-o-meter started going up again. I haven't figured it out and I think that's just adding to the whatever the hell it is that's going on. Anyway, the run was pretty uneventful.

Weather:
Temps were around 70F. Sky was clear. Humidity was high from last night's rain. No wind.

Fluids and Fuel:
Nothing before the run. Plain water during the run. Recovery was two egg whites, two slices of toast, and four pieces of sausage. And coffee.

Aches and Pains:
Quads were pretty much on fire the whole time. Hurt the most when going down hills. Calves were a little tight but bearable. Aside from that, things were fine.

Gear:
Shorts and a t-shirt. And I think my hat was the source of my headache over the weekend. Felt it come back a bit today.

Today's Motivation:
I knew I'd be disappointed in myself if I didn't get out there and do something.

Naughty Neil:
No snacks last night and a decently healthy dinner.

Splits:
Loop 1 - 19:16
Loop 2 - 24:41
Finish - 43:58