The Richmond Marathon

An in-depth analysis of a first-timers marathon.

First, this report (and the one I link to in a moment) isn't for normal human consumption. If blood, sweat, tears, chafing, and swearing aren't for you, leave now. If they are for you, then you're just as messed up as every other runner I know, including myself.

Second, let me link to my race report over on DailyMile. It's a long read but it will give you my initial impression of the race and how I did. Once you've read that, then come back here to read more about those topics I forgot to mention or needed more room to talk about.

My DailyMile race report.

Okay, now that you've read that long, beast of a report, here's everything else.

VENUE

Aside from this being my first marathon, this is also my first race in Richmond. Living close to the city, roughly an hour north, meant I could have stayed at home in my own bed. I opted to make it a weekend event and instead booked a hotel for both the night before and the night after. Based on a poor experience earlier this year running a half marathon in Williamsburg, I knew this would be a great chance to enjoy the moment.

The city of Richmond came across as fairly unique in my eyes. I've been through, into, and around the city nearly my entire life. But I never saw this much of it. And for the most part I liked it. There were many times where I felt like a country-bumpkin, especially with the number of homeless people and my lack of skills at city driving. But overall I liked the city. There were a ton of bikes on the road and most cars respected them, despite my disdain for a good 80% of them not using protective gear like helmets, lights, bright colors, etc.

I picked the Hilton Garden Hotel since it was close to the race start and since it had better reviews than the race hotel, the Omni. When race morning came, it was a short 2 or 3 block walk to the start line. By race morning there were already a steady stream of runners moving in that direction so it was easy to just join the crowd and enjoy the walk. Despite it being cold as all hell. Even after a few years in the Snow Belt of north-western Pennsylvania, I still don't like the cold that much. Although when it comes to running, I'd rather it be cold than hot. Anyway, it was easily in the low 30s and there was a steady wind that made it even colder. Not fun but I knew it would shape up nicely. Plus you can't really change the weather, only endure it.

With the finish line only an extra 4 or 5 blocks from the hotel, I knew it would be an easy walk back when I was done. I was half right. The distance was easy but there was a steady uphill to fight. I didn't know that until race day when I ran down to the finish to see how far it was. Things look a lot closer when you look at a map than they do in person.

One of my biggest complaints about the venue was the location of the expo. Having little experience in big races like this, I just assumed the expo and packet pick-up were close to the start/finish area. They aren't. You could get there by bike, but it would be a while. Even driving took longer than I would have liked but I managed. The expo was the typical race expo I've seen at other half marathons before. Lots of vendors selling their junk. Some of it is funny, some of it catches your eye, but as a whole it looked like junk. The only exception were the other races advertising and the local running store. You can always count on those to put out some quality stuff. I did like that there was a bib check system that let you walk across a timing mat to make sure your timing chips worked. I did not like that said timing chip was on my bib, but I'm just weird like that.

Another complaint was the lack of amenities after the race. Yes, they had water, my medal, a foil cape, and food, but I expected a little more. Maybe I'm spoiled by our local half marathon that dishes out hot soup and hot food along with the rest of the fancy swag. Oh well. Oh, and my first medal was losing the ribbon. The seams were coming out so I promptly went back for a replacement. Thankfully the 12 year old kid didn't give me any grief. Guess that thousand-yard stare makes people think you're crazy.

They also had no finish-line photo opportunities that I could see. There were a few spots on the course where you could tell photographers were set up, but none were labeled. Again, I must be spoiled by other races because the Marine Corps Historic Half Marathon does that. They label their photographers on the course and give you a chance to pose for photos after you've finished.

EQUIPMENT

From head to toe, I had the following gear:
- Saucony beanie hat
- Under Armour visor
- Switch sunglasses
- #DoEpicShit tech shirt
- Saucony arm sleeves
- Saucony gloves
- Generic tech jacket from Kohls
- 3 hand warmers (1 in each glove, 1 in my shorts)
- 2 Amphipod handheld bottles (large)
- 2 Amphipod flasks (small)
- chapstick
- RoadID
- Timex watch
- whistle
- Gatorade drink mix
- Nathan Catalyst drink mix
- BodyGlide
- North Face shorts
- Saucony calf sleeves
- Saucony socks
- Altra Instincts (shoes)

Overall, everything performed great. I pre-treated my feet with some Mission anti-chafe cream and that helped. I didn't feel any chafing on my feet until the last 5 miles or so, but by that point everything was hurting. I did end up with a blister on the tip of my left toe (the one next to my big toe) but I always have issues with that toe on both feet. And it was a small blister that was easily treated after the race and barely felt during the race.

I also pre-treated my primary chafe zone (my crotch) with BodyGlide as well as my armpits (a new chafing point in the past few months) and my nipples. Thankfully nothing really chafed that bad during the race. I reapplied BodyGlide to my nipples once around Mile 10 and my crotch about 3 times at various points. I also did not dump water on myself until very late in the race and did so sparingly to my head and neck. I knew from past races that this was a great way to cool my body off but also a great way to inflict serious pain from chafing.

My shoes worked out great. They're fairly new to me and only had a few miles on them but they have a wonderfully wide toe box. And for longer races where my feet swell, this is exactly what I needed. The minimal cushion was a bit hard on my knees but I expected that. My shorts weren't an issue, nor my shirt, hat, etc.

With the temperature starting out so cold, about 35F or so at the start, and ending so high, about 60F by the time I finished, I knew I would need to dress in layers. In fact, that's how I knew the race had started because there was suddenly a strip show taking place in front of me as people were suddenly flinging clothes to the side. Sure enough, I ditched my cheap and old jacket before the first half mile. Next came my beanie hat around Mile 5 or so. The bad news is it developed a hole at some point in the past month or so. The good news is I had no qualms in ditching it because of the hole. The ugly news is that I have yet to find a company that produces quality running hats that fit people with giant fucking heads like mine. At Mile 10 I was noticing that my sleeves were accumulating sweat. Which means my body is warming up and I need to ditch them. So I stripped them off. I was sad to see them go but I wore my old ones just for this scenario. Last to go were my gloves. I tossed those around Mile 14 I think. My hands are always cold so when they started warming up I knew it was warm enough to lose them. Again, these were older gloves so I was okay to see them go.

A bit of advice for those running their first marathon. Be prepared to ditch clothes at some point. Most marathons don't have the option of a drop bag like you'll find at ultras. So be prepared to lose your clothes. Dress accordingly. And cheaply.

Another bit of advice for your first marathon. You can show up in just your shoes, shorts, and shirt, and run without any other equipment. Richmond provided water every two miles and then every mile after Mile 20. That's plenty of water stops for most people. And each water stop also had Powerade (which I can't drink, but that's another story). They also had two gel stations. Not enough to run a marathon but I could have easily started a running store with the amount of clothes and gels I found on the road. Yes, many were squished or empty, but many gels were unopened (and un-stepped on). There were enough there to run the whole race without bringing any of your own. I never expected that. And while I expected to see clothes ditched here and there, I didn't expect the sheer number of items. Enough that it looked like empty cups at a water stop at times. And speaking of water stops, in the later ones be prepared to have sticky shoes for a bit. Some people can't run and drink.

REGRETS

Another thing for first-timers to look at is the course and the amenities provided. While I was disappointed to know where I was on the course when I got to Mile 22, it was an even trade with knowing where I was at Mile 10. But knowing what the race will provide for fluids and fuel was vital to me in this race. Had I gone and drank their Powerade, I would have barfed and likely not finished. Thankfully I took the time to test Powerade on my own and found that I didn't like it. Thus my need to carry Nathan Catalyst and Gatorade. The Catalyst was easy to use although it takes practice taking a tablet out of the tube and dropping it in the bottle without making a giant mess. I'd suggest you take the tablet out of the tube, close the tube, then put the tablet into an empty bottle. That way you won't splash and if you do, it won't ruin the rest of your tube. And if you use tablets like that, expect the shaking to produce a lot of gas in your bottle which may cause it to squirt out. Be careful. Also wait until all the fizz is gone or that gas will end up in your gut. Trust me, you don't want that.

The same tests took place with the fuel offered on course, Accel Gel. Thankfully I could stomach it. And thankfully I brought my own. I split my fuel between PowerBar gels and Hammer gels and they both worked. I wish I had taken more though. As I got into Mile 20 through Mile 26, I could tell I was running low on fuel. I did my best to take as much as I could but I didn't plan well enough for the later part. In fact, I had to take an extra gel on course and some beer and some pretzels to help close the gap in fueling. It helped but it wasn't enough. I also wish I had consumed more electrolytes during the race. As the temperatures rose and my body began to overheat, I could cool down some but I was still losing too much salt. While I could feel it on my face and could feel my pace drop, I think if I had pushed more fluids as soon as I noticed this, I might have done better.

Aside from the fluid and fuel deficit, my next biggest regret was music. I should have taken some but I didn't want to carry the weight of an old-school iPod or my phone. Plus, messing with earphones isn't something I want to worry about at Mile 20. But I think I could have pushed through those tough moments if I had my music with me. I'm a firm believer that music makes me run better, especially later. Same goes for flat Coke, but I can only do so much.

Other regrets include not taking in my surroundings more. There were a lot of wonderful views that I missed because I was so focused on running by them. For me, the best way to do a marathon is to do it two or three times. This way the first time you can focus on finishing and the other times you can focus on the view. I also wish I had exchanged more info with other runners. Which means I also wish I had simply talked to other runners more. A few exchanges here and there just weren't enough to replace the lack of music.

RECOVERY

My recovery was way different than expected. I fully intended to be in so much pain I could barely walk the next day. Or even later the same day. It turns out I recovered just fine. My old high school cross country coach warned us to never get into a hot tub after a race. Apparently he knew some students that did and they turned themselves into limp noodles that could barely walk. And I'll agree with him, but only to a point. I think they likely overstayed the suggested time in the hot tub. A friend of my wife's ran with me a bit the week before the race and suggested my wife and I sleep in different beds the night before and that I should get into the hot tub after the race. I followed both suggestions and came out the other side much better. Not only did I have a good night's sleep (not really but at least I didn't toss and turn so much that I kept my wife awake) but I also had a faster recovery.

After the race, I went back to the hotel and loaded up on salty foods. I knew I was low so I recovered as best as I could. I put my legs up for 10 minutes or so, then rinsed in the shower before getting into the hot tub. The hot tub felt great but I kept my session to only about 10 minutes. I stretched some, then got back into the hot tub later that night after dinner. And dinner, by the way, was wonderful. Best damn burger ever. Do not overdo it on soda though, it'll keep you up when you need to be sleeping.

The next morning I was stiff and sore, but easily back to 80% health. My run that morning was short and slow but it felt great. I could feel all the kinks working themselves out and the muscles warming up. I should have gone longer but figured some down-time was well deserved. Now that I'm a couple days beyond the marathon, I still feel good. A bit stiff when I wake up, but easily moving like normal soon enough.

THE SECRET TO MY SUCCESS

In my full race report, you'll see that I ran pretty even splits through the entire race. My second half was only about 5 minutes slower than my first half, and that's after a PR on the first half. And if you want to crunch numbers and do research, you'll see that I've been getting faster. How is that possible? Easy. I have a secret. The most well-known secret there is. I trained and I lost weight.

My training was pretty simple but haphazard at times. I tried to focus on my long runs and did my best to not skip them. If I had to skip a run, I'd try to skip the shorter ones. I did no pace work, no repeats, no speed work, no hill work, no fartleks, nothing. Yes, some of the routes I ran were hillier. Yes, some of the routes I ran were on trails. Yes, some of my runs were with faster people. But nothing was organized or planned. I just trained naturally and went with what felt right at the time. I listened to my body.

My weight loss is another well-known secret. I watched what I ate and exercised. All those fancy books out there with diets, revolutions, and everything else is a bunch of shit. You want to lose weight? Eat right and exercise. And by the way, eating right includes eating healthy foods and controlling your portions. I simply cut calories and lost the weight. And that weight loss helped me get faster. I never thought I could run as fast as I have in the past two months. And that confidence boost feeds even more weight loss. I guess another way to explain it is to think of it this way. Imagine running a marathon with a 5 pound dumbbell in each hand. It's going to hurt like a bitch and you'll be slow. Drop those weights and that's how I ran faster.

CONCLUSION

I thought I yapped long enough it would probably make all those English teachers out there happy if I put a Conclusion in here to let you know I'm done. Richmond was fun and I'd easily suggest it to anyone looking for their first marathon. The venue was nice and the route was scenic. People were pleasant and I had a great time. Focus on your training, gear, and weight. The training will teach your body what to do in the race. Dropping weight will help you go faster. And the gear will make things easier for you. And don't forget to have a recovery plan in place. Know what you're doing when you finish or you'll stand there with an addled mind until they close up shop. It helped that my wife was there to guide me back to the hotel but it was also nice to know that I could make it back if I needed to. And have fun. For crying out loud you're running a marathon. It shouldn't be work, it should be fun. So have fun! And try not to have any regrets. But if you do, use them to put forth a better effort in your next marathon.

New Followers

I understand there may be some new followers out there, and I'd like to take a moment to say welcome. I don't post here as much as I'd like to but if you take a gander over in the side bar, you'll see that I can also be found on Twitter (@thetk42one) and Dailymile (tk42one). I frequent many other sites but these two are the most likely to produce results. Or drop me a comment or email or text or whatever you'd like. I'm sure I'll find out about it.

The Marathon Family

This past weekend, our family ran a marathon. No, we didn't each run 26.2 miles. We ran, combined, over 26.2 miles. So I guess that makes us an UltraMarathon family.

To start the adventure off, I ran a 20 mile race. It was my first time at this specific distance (automatic PR!) but I've run over 20 miles in the past. I wasn't terribly worried about the distance but I was more than worried about the cut-off. The forms said 14 minute miles. And I think last year it was 12 minute miles. While I'll spare you the gory details, I will share the fact that I was happy to finish. Before the cut-off. And before a few people. Yeah for me not being last! Oh, and if you want to know the gory details, go here. But be warned. There's poop talk involved.

That was Saturday. The next day, we all carted ourselves to the local YMCA for another string of races. This time I was the head crew, cheer, and pace person for the rest of the family. Yvonne and Elizabeth took off for their 5k race. Both were decked out in some bright colors and both did an awesome job. Yvonne scored a new PR by running sub-40 (and nearly taking my head off when she chucked her water bottle at me at the finish - no worries, I had a good laugh over it). Elizabeth scored third place in her age group and she was only 15 seconds slower than her first 5k race. Both did a great job and were happy with the end result. I had a great time cheering them on as they started and neared the finish and had a blast cheering for a few other local runners I know.

Then it was William's turn. He ran the kid's 1 mile race. As expected, he came in last but he has consistently shown that he doesn't enjoy the longer distances much. And that's fine with me. I'm pretty sure he'll be a wrestler or football player anyway. And like I do with Elizabeth, I try not to push him too much and instead try to focus on the fun aspect. Well, he was sad when he didn't get a prize like his sister. And that's what I'd expect a 4 year old kid to do.

So, with my 20 mile race, Yvonne and Elizabeth doing a 5k, and William doing a 1 mile race (with me pacing), we racked up 27.2 miles over the weekend. As a family of course. Pretty damn nice.

My Rebirth

I'm in a fog. A deep fog. I haven't run in days and I feel like I'm slowly approaching death waiting for the Reaper to swing his scythe around and end it all. But through the fog, I hear the horn. I hear the horn of Dailymile calling to me. My pores scream out in pain from not breaking a sweat. My body craves the endorphins of a long run. My mind needs, absolutely needs, to go for a run.

And so today I'm hoping to make it through the frog in the coming days. I've had good news, even though I'm still overloaded by the bad. To start with, you'll notice that big fat zero over there for my training. That's because I fell. When my exercise ball burst. With me on it. So I fell a solid 2 feet to the floor. On my ass. Without catching myself or rolling away. Which has left me in some pretty damn good pain. Like up to a 9 out of 10 when it happened. Thinking I broke my tail bone, I went to the doctor. After a solid round of x-rays, the results are in. No break. The only anomalies were a button from my shirt and "minimal anterior endplate osteophyte formation at the inferior endplates of L1." Whatever the hell that means. So even though the pain has dropped down to a 3 out of 10, there's no break. Good news out of the bad news.

In other good news, my wife will be teacher to Stephanie B.'s youngster (from Dailymile). Not sure I like having people know me (long story), but I'm glad they can all talk about me and how crazy I am. My wife will also be teaching the son of an old childhood friend. I started kindergarten with him and now his son is in my wife's 1st grade class. Neat that we live in such a small world.

Back to more bad news, my injury has left me without the drive to run. Instead, I'm confused about everything. But I'm making headway into my own head and hoping to get back in the saddle. But without sitting down because my ass still hurts like hell.

So I'm hoping this is a bit of a re-birth of sorts. I've gotten rid of the mohawk and I'm hoping to make this my new start. A rebirth if you will. I've been trying and trying to make so many changes for the better and I can only hope this will be my launching point for getting things nailed down and focused on where I need and want to be.

I have a lot of big races on my calendar and I may have to drop them. Once I was able to come to terms with that, I was able to move on to the next step of recovering. I don't want to drop from these races, but I think I can live with myself if I had to.

Thank You

I'd like to take a few lines here and send out a thank you to all the sponsors of my recent 50k. But keep in mind that these are not sponsors that pay me to speak on their behalf. In fact, most of these have gotten money from me. That's right, I get no monetary gain from their support and often have less money because of them. Not that I'm faulting them for anything, I'm just telling you that I support these individuals and companies freely.

Family
I wouldn't have been able to do this race with out my family. My wife, my kids, my father, even my mother who was miles away. Everyone helped push me, cheer for me, and love me. It was a long race but without them I would have had nobody to share it with.

Friends
I have very few friends in the real world. It's sad but true. Most of my friends are virtual and I remember them mostly by their avatar pictures or their online handles. Even those I've met in real life I still struggle to use their real name (I'm talking about you Melli and KL). But there are a few friends I'd like to call out specifically. Not because I like them more than somebody else but because they helped me during this race. Logan, thank you for inspiring me to do epic shit. I don't think I'd have continued down the dark path of ultras without you and your adventures. Andrea, thank you for the gift. Rarely do I get real mail and even more rare are gifts from the heart. Because of you I will know it is always inside me.

FIT for This World
Stephanie was my personal trainer leading up to this insane adventure. Without her I would have been a weak blob of fat. But thanks to her I'm a strong blob of fat and muscle. I've had 24 sessions with her (23 were before the race) and I can honestly say that her contribution to my performance has been immense. I can feel core muscles work when I run, I can feel the legs flex and power through tough trails, and I can move logs like they were twigs with my upper body.

Saucony
I'm a self-labeled Saucony Snob. I love their shoes and their gear. So my shoe of choice during my race was the Saucony Exodus 2.0 (in black and orange). I also wore my Saucony calf sleeves. Both helped me survive the long run by saving my feet and my calves.

The North Face
I debated long and hard about what shorts to wear during my race before I finally settled on my North Face Cardiac shorts. They don't chafe and they have pockets. Two key points for me during long runs. I loved how they performed and would choose them in a minute if I had the choice. Unfortunately I only have two pair.

Drymax
I've long been skeptical of any company that guarantees anything. So when I read that this sock company could prevent blisters, I wasn't buying it. Even after reading reports from many other runners, I still wasn't willing to buy them. But I eventually caved in and got a few pair. They feel funny with their odd texture but sure enough, I have had no blisters. Even when my feet felt horrible and I was sure I had blisters, I had nothing but some chafing. No blisters at all and I loved it.

BodyGlide
BodyGlide is one of the best tools you need in your gym bag. It works for so much it's scary. I've used it in some pretty dark places and it has saved my ass many times (literally and figuratively). I've even used it on my hands when I work outside. Simply the best. If you don't have it, get it.

Crank Sports
Like everything else, I had to be patient and find the right gel for my long runs. I've used GU in the past and like many of their flavors. Even recently discovered 2nd Surge from PacificHealth Labs has been great. But so far, nothing quite tops the e-Gel by Crank Sports. Not even the Hammer Perpeteum could keep me going quite the same.

Mission Skincare and King of Shaves
Like BodyGlide, my Mission products save my skin. From their sun block to their muscle rub, I love it. And while Mission saves my skin, King of Shaves makes me look good while I run. Well, as good as possible with this ugly mug. But their razors and after shave at least make me feel like I look good.

Shear Elegance Hair Studio
Pam was nice enough to dye my hair. And even though I was hoping for an orange so bright it would peel paint, the ginger color I ended up with is just as much fun. I got a few stair from my mohawk before the race but with the red mohawk I got even more. I loved that my family could eaisly keep tabs on my through the race as I was the only fool out there with a gingerhawk. Thanks to Pam for making it so easy.

2011 DRHT 50k - Take Two

This time last year, I was gearing up for my first ultra marathon ever. And like most virgins, I had no idea what I was in for. There was much pain, fear, emotional lows and highs, and in the end tears of joy. I was seriously under-trained, under-prepared, and under-informed. But I learned.

This year I go into things with more training. Still not as much as I want but certainly more than last year. I even ramped things up a bit and got a personal trainer to beat me into shape. I've trained on the course at least twice a month all year long as well as logged a few miles on other trails on the In the end, I'm going into this year's race feeling much better about my training and my overall knowledge of the course and distance.

There are certain things I'll be doing differently for this year's race in an effort to keep my head in the game and to keep my load light. First among them, I'm going to try to keep things brief so you can go about your merry way.

- Last week I got a mohawk. This afternoon I get it dyed orange. As in Saucony ViZi-PRO orange. Or DailyMile orange.
- Tonight I go to packet pick-up at VA Runner.
- Tomorrow I may run a mile or two at the most. My training plan has me down for a rest day but I think I'm going to be very jittery.
- Tomorrow night, I'll be attending a DailyMile meetup for dinner at the local Vinny's. I doubt anyone will show so it'll likely be my family and myself.
- After dinner tomorrow night, it's off to the trail meeting. As in the volunteers that take care of the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT). Bedtime will be whenever I can convince my brain to shut up enough to go to sleep.
- Race day, Saturday, will be me driving by myself to the race. There will be NO live updates from the race. I might get a tweet out (http://twitter.com/#!/thetk42one) but nothing is certain. I will NOT have my phone with me on the course. If I need music, I'll listen to my iPod. I will be running shirtless and will only feel slightly sorry for those running slower than me (my back is pretty hairy). My shoes, shorts, and socks have already been picked out. My drop bag and gear is nearly ready to go.
- I will NOT have a crew. The race is two out-and-back sections and has plenty of aid stations (about every 4 miles). This should meet my water needs and I'll have plenty of gels and other stuff to choose from. I'll be able to go past my drop bag twice so I'll be able to take/leave what I need.
- My cheering section will be my wife and two kids. I specifically asked for them to be at this race since they weren't there last year. They'll try to catch me a few times on the course then at the finish. The course isn't terribly safe or easy for two young kids to watch the runners.
- My father will play the role of my official race photographer. He was there for me last year and did a great job.
- If you want to come cheer for me (or the other runners), go to the race website for details on where and when to be (http://www.racetimingunlimited.org/raceinfo/DU11Info.aspx).

Goals - This list is mostly for me, but feel free to keep reading.

1. Finish.
2. Set a PR (faster than 8:52:42 - set last year).
3. Run under 8 hours (15:30 pace).
4. Run under 7:30 hours (14:30 pace).
5. Run under 7 hours (13:30 pace).
6. Fly through the aid stations and don't waste time.
7. Keep steady, consistent pace.
8. Keep hydrated and fueled (don't bonk).
9. Have fun.
10. Finish.

Egg Shell Syndrome

As you may have read earlier, I hate the taper. Just like most runners, tapering is one of the hardest things to do leading up to a race. You've trained and trained and now you suddenly feel like you're stuck in mud. Personally, I think I'll be skipping the whole taper thing after my next race. It just doesn't sit well with me and it makes me go a bit mental. And I don't think it will help me that much. However, I do think a recovery week will help me rest a bit and heal a bit before a race. But that's a future experiment.

Today's post is about the odd phenomenon I've discovered that I go through in the days leading up to a race. Especially a big race or one that I'm very nervous about. It's the Egg Shell Syndrome (ESS). ESS is nothing more than the sudden increase in paranoia that anything and everything you do could injure you in some way. An injury to your feet, legs, toes, or something along those lines that will take you out of the race. With ESS, everything becomes a potential landmine. Legos on the floor. Socks on the kitchen linoleum. A careless kid that steps on your toes. A hidden divot in the yard. Any sort of cough or sniffle or sneeze.

ESS almost entirely mental. Yes, there are certain hazards that we are required to deal with in our daily lives. Some deal with more, some with less, but they are always there. That hose waiting to trip you on the sidewalk has been there for a month. But in the days before a race, ESS makes that hose look like a military obstacle course.

Unfortunately, I've found no treatment for ESS. Just like tapering, it happens. There's no way I have found to conquer the sudden change in mental state. No medications, no therapy, no treatment. You just have to deal with it and push through. It's just part of training.

Treg loper

I'll be using the #tregloper tag on my tweets between now and my 50k. Maybe longer. But the real reason for this post is because of my mother. It seems she wants a picture of her son. Specifically, her son's haircut. Because I told her what I did this past weekend. Because my wife blabbed.

Not that I was keeping it a secret or anything. In fact, it's rather difficult to keep it a secret. Hell, I got stares left and right everywhere I went this weekend. I got a few comments about losing a bet (including from my barber). My barber even asked if my wife knew what I was doing when I went in for my do. Amazingly she not only approved, she even gave me the green light to allow William the same should he want to be like dad (he declined).

The real reason for the new style is to do something wild. Something that will keep me sane while I struggle through my taper. Something so shocking that those working the aid stations will remember me as I pass through. Oh, did I mention that I'm getting it dyed bright orange next week? Yeah. I'm going for that level of shocking.

So here you have it. My new haircut. And yes, I know my head looks a bit pink. I'm working on my tan and got a bit too carried away yesterday.



PS - That's all you get to see for now.

Mid Year Review

No, not the dreaded mid-year review you get at work. I'm talking about a mid-year review of my running goals. Or just goals period. What ever you want to call it, I think it's time to review and reassess where I stand and what I want to accomplish. You can see my original list of goals here. Updates below are in Red.

My running goals included:

• run 1 marathon (already registered for Richmond in November) - Still the only full marathon I have on my calendar.
  
• run 2 half marathons (already registered for DRHT half in February, MCHH in May, and Williamsburg half in May) - Done. And then some. Ran the DRHT Half, the MCHH, and the Williamsburg Half. I also have the VA Runner Half in December that I'll run. I also have several 13 mile+ training runs that I've finished.
  
• run 1 sprint triathlon (this will likely be in February) - Nope. Not going to happen. Triathlons are officially off my radar.
  
• run 1 50k ultra marathon (this will be the DRHT 50k in August) - Just a few weeks away!
  
• run 35 miles by my 35th birthday (October 3rd) (this is my #run35 and #tregløper project) - Not sure about this. The fundraising portion isn't going to work and the whole 35 mile run may not work since I'm on a wait list for a 100k the week after.
  
• raise money for the Friends of the DRHT (Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail) - Seriously slacking on this but I have been volunteering and attending meetings.
  
• run on the DRHT (or any trail) once a week - Pretty good on this. Maybe 80% completion.
  
• set a half marathon PR (2:35:06 set on 12/12/2010) - Did this twice. My trail half time was 2:33:35. My MCHH time was 2:30:55. Sweet!
  
• set a 50k PR (8:42:52 set on 8/8/2010) - Hopefully this will still happen.
  
• lose 5 pounds (231 pounds on 12/22/2010) - Really struggling with this. My food consumption hasn't changed too much.
  

Other goals included:

• improve core strength - Thanks to my trainer, I'm doing well.
  
• run more on trails and uneven surfaces - About once a week I'll hit the trails.
  
• avoid the treadmill at all costs - Going strong!
  
• shop for and maybe buy a road bike (assuming triathlons are in the mix for 2012) - Nope. All triathlon stuff is gone, so no new bike.
  
• do more stability/balance work - Again, thanks to my trainer, I'm doing well.
  
• adhere to the cross-training in my training plan instead of sleeping in - Once again, the trainer has been helping. I still slack on doing some of the cross-training on my own, but I'm still hovering around 60% on that.
  

Tip Tap Taper

I hate the taper.

It leaves me feeling weak and slow. It's purpose is to rest your body before the big race. The big race may be a 5k or a 100k. For me, it's my second ultramarathon. My second 50k. My second time running the Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail race. I ran it last year and finished. Last. But I finished. My pacing was way off. My training was way off. My respect for the distance was completely missing.

So this year I took things more seriously. I hired a personal trainer. Twice. I trained with higher mileage. Both longer runs and more miles per week. I've done well so far but I fear I've over-trained a bit. My left calf has been bugging me for weeks now and I'm starting to get nervous. I have roughly 3 weeks left to prep for my race and I've bitten the bullet to begin my taper.

And I hate it.

But I'm hoping the extra rest will heal my calf and heal my mind a bit. I'll continue to run during my taper but will ease off my LSD (Long Slow Distance) runs and ease off my overall mileage. Right now it sucks. I hate it. I want to go run. I have trails I want to explore, I have routes I want to test, I have fuel and fluids that need to be worked out. Instead I'm stuffed inside. At least I'm missing a lot of the heat.

Meanwhile, I'll continue to prep for my 50k. Mapping out the route. Planning my drop bag. Doling out my fuel and fluid needs. We'll see how it goes.

Run For The Dream Half Marathon

I'll warn all the readers up front, this will not only be a detailed review of the entire race weekend, but it will also be long-winded and potentially graphic.

Friday
Friday morning was spent paying my debts. In other words, I had to clean the bathrooms before I could go out to play. Once that was done, I packed up my gear, loaded the car, and went on my merry way. About an hour or two down the road, I realized I had forgotten my gels. Feeling like a dunce, I nearly turned around but decided to just go with the flow and pick up some gels at REI, the race expo, or a local running store.

As I headed south towards Williamsburg, I made a pit stop in Richmond to shop at REI. I think the biggest think I don't like about the company is they don't have a store close enough for me to shop there more often. But then again, that probably saves me some money. Needless to say, it was very difficult to NOT buy all sorts of little gadgets and equipment while I was there. I stuck with what I originally went for, another Amphipod hand held bottle. Amphipod is currently my default bottle now when running. Mostly because it's lid is easy to take on and off. I'm still not 100% satisfied with it, but it's the best I've found out there (and yes, I tried the others that REI had and didn't much like any of them).

After REI, I made another stop at Panera for lunch, then headed to Williamsburg. Check-in at the hotel was 4 pm so I cruised around a bit before parking in the Visitor Center lot. They were having a car show so I walked through on my way to the race expo. Nothing too exciting to see since most were street rod customs.



The race expo was a serious disappointment. I know this is the first year for the race and I can only compare this expo to the Marine Corps Historic Half (MCHH) expo from this year and last year. Both MCHH expos were quite large, although this year felt smaller for some reason. The Race For The Dream (RFTD) expo was exponentially smaller than expected. As in maybe ten vendors. At most ten vendors. And the area reserved for the expo was just as large as the area reserved for packet pick-up and race information. Yeah, small. But I got a Fuel Belt pouch for my wife and the gels I'd need for the race as well as all the other goodies I could manage to scrounge.

I went back to my car to paw through my freebies and discovered I didn't get my Colonial Williamsburg ticket as promised. So I headed back over to the expo, got my ticket, and signed up for the shuttle that would take us to the starting line. By the time I finished I was able to check into my hotel room. I unloaded all my junk and headed to the Market Square area to find some grub. The desk clerk at the hotel suggested the Retro's Good Eats as a good place for a burger and fries. Turns out, it was the best meal I had while I was there.



After dinner, I went back to my room and chilled out. There wasn't much to see in the historic area since nearly everything shuts down at 5 or 6 pm. But the crowds were light so that gave it a nice atmosphere. The downside was my hotel room wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Granted, it was one of the preferred hotels for the race, but I was hoping for a bit higher class. Guess I should have opted for the other hotel that cost more.

That's not to say the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotel wasn't a nice place because it was. It just wasn't as fancy as I wanted it to be. The beds were okay, the sheets were clean, the bathroom was clean, and the customer service was great. They even let me stay an hour after check-out just so I could shower after my race. But the room wasn't terribly fancy. So I guess staying on a budget meant nothing fancy. Including just basic cable on TV and hardly any open plugs to charge your cell phone. Nothing fancy also meant a shower curtain that took a shower with you unless you pushed it outside of the tub to drip water on the floor. But there were no roaches or bugs and the A/C worked and everything looked clean.

Saturday
Saturday morning I woke up early to head out for a run before cheering on those running in the 8k race. So I made it up and out the door super-early and managed to find a very nice trail to run on. My only issue with the trail was that it was well hidden and I took the wrong shoes. I didn't expect to have a dirt, single-track trail to run on so I took road shoes. Turns out I should have brought my trail shoes and gaiters. Lesson learned.



The trail itself was quite nice. Plenty of hills in both directions, steps, bridges, and nearly all single-track. Finding it is a trick though. If you can find the Williamsburg Inn, you're very close. Go to the end of Basset Hall Road and you'll see a tiny sign for the trail. It's about a mile and a half long (one way) and was a ton of fun to run on.

After my jaunt in the woods, I headed back to the hotel for a shower and breakfast before heading over to the Palace Green to cheer on the 8k runners. I knew a few of the people running so it was nice to ring the cowbell and take some pictures as they went by. And if you don't know about Steve Speirs and his running exploits, you need to. He's a pretty damn amazing athlete and has inspired me to think about doing some crazy stuff. Imagine running a seriously fast race just two weeks after a 24 hour ultra.



After watching them go by I hoofed it to the finish line and got to catch the finish. This was also the Masters race so a ton of the top finishers were over 40. Astounding. I got to meet some new people from DailyMile which was awesome. From there, I went back to the hotel to drop off the cowbell before meandering around the historic section of town again. Managed to see a few things here and there but nothing terribly exciting. I think if they did more living history stuff I might enjoy it more.

There was a smallish parade of sorts which was a Call to Arms I think. Basically a bunch of fife and drum crews came from across the country and Canada and marched down the street. It was a lot of fun to listen to and watch but a lot of people kept jumping out to take there pictures, thus blocking my view. And there were no bagpipes. I like bagpipes.



Lots of walking later, I grabbed some lunch at Seasons Restaurant which was just okay. The burger there was bigger and more expensive than the one at Retros but not as good. Then it was back to the hotel for a nap. Getting up so damn early plus all that walking took a toll on me. Once I got up I poked around a bit in the hotel room before heading to breakfast. I was going to stay close to the hotel and eat at Huzzah Pizza until I saw there menu. Just pizza. Boring.

So I managed to grab a spot at the bar at the Blue Talon Bistro. It was decent food but a bit overpriced. Not as overpriced as Trellis (which was $20 to $50 a plate) but enough to make it more worth while to go back to Retros. Seeing a trend? Yeah. Next door was Baskin-Robbins so I splurged and had a milk shake. Then it was back to the room for some sleep.

Sunday
Race day. I rarely sleep well the night before a race and this race was no different. So getting up early didn't really matter much at this point. I took a shower and grabbed a couple of bananas and coffee before heading to the shuttle. I learned a valuable lesson here, don't eat two bananas before a race. It doesn't agree with the stomach and I should have known that. Luckily the eggs weren't ready yet or things may have been worse.



Heading to the shuttle, I realized it wasn't where I thought it would be. Instead of leaving from the normal shuttle spot, it left from the group drop off area in the parking lot. I was afraid I'd be late for my scheduled shuttle but they didn't bother checking your wrist bands at this early in the day there were plenty of spots on the bus.

During our ride to the start line, the driver told us where to pick up the bus going back. Then he dropped us off a good two or three blocks from the start line. I was thinking we'd be closer but after I thought about it a bit, it was just like they do at the MCHH. I walked over to the start area and meandered around a bit. Met another person from DailyMile and made several trips to the bathroom thanks to my two bananas.

The runners were led into the starting corral (which was labeled and organized based on your bib number - fast runners up front, slower runners in the rear) by a fife and drum corps. We listened to the announcements, heard the starting horn, and were on our way. The first two miles or so went through the historic district which was nice. You were still fresh and had plenty of time to look around. Thankfully there was a bathroom at the end of mile one (thanks again to the bananas) and thankfully that was the end of my GI issues. You can read a full race report here.

After the race, I promptly headed through the finish area, the after-race party, and made a bee-line to the bus back to the Visitor Center. The best part of the after-race party was the chocolate milk. Awesomeness. And everyone was super-polite and great at cheering for you well after you finished. But the bus wasn't coming as quickly as I wanted and there was a huge line, so I walked (and jogged a bit) back to the hotel. I asked politely (and was granted) a few extra minutes to shower after the race so I could smell nice as I drove home.

The drive home was long. Way long. Like I just wanted to stay in the cold shower and put my legs up. And maybe take a nap. And maybe take another cold shower. It was so damn hot. Thankfully the race had aid stations every two miles or so with water and Gatorade but both liquids were rarely as cold as you wanted and some of the aid station workers were surprised when I'd show up and want my hand held bottle refilled. I was also surprised that they had no fuel of any sort on the course. No pretzels, no gels, nothing. The course was very well marked though and the course marshals were great. Finishing in the stadium was awesome. It felt great to cruise through the finish with people cheering you on in the stadium.

Bottom Line
Overall, this was a decent race. Not great, but by no means horrible. I went into this really unprepared but survived. Running the MCHH the week before took a lot out of me but the worst part was not knowing about all the hills and getting over heated on the course. There's only so many variables you can control in a race and the rest is just something to deal with. There were some things I wish that were done better, some things that were awesome, and everything else was just fine.

I haven't decided if I'm going to run this next year. My thinking right now is that running the 8k race is the better thing to do so you have plenty of time to walk around and sight see for the rest of the weekend. But I think I'll reserve my final decision for when it's closer to race day.

Chasing The White Rabbit

Today I had yet another epiphany while I was running. Slogging my fat butt down the road has quickly become the primary source of wondrous thoughts and flights of fancy. It used to be the shower but I'm now spending more time in my running shoes than I do lathering up. Although the shower still offers a bit of a refuge from the crazy world of real life.

Today's run was no different than any other except for the epiphany. Just an easy 5 miles on my usual stomping ground. The epiphany was based on my previous run, a 12 mile jaunt through the woods on the local trail that's a former railroad bed. The epiphany was that I live for LSD and continually chase after the high I get before, during, and after. For you non-runner types out there, LSD is what us nerdy runners call a Long Slow Distance run. In other words, our long run of the week. The exact distance isn't so much a factor as much as the effort for each individual. Your LSD may be longer or shorter than mine. You may take yours in the morning or overnight. None of those factors matter. What matters is the high you get.

Yes, many of us have heard of the proverbial runner's high. It's just as common as people saying "you're almost there" or "it's all downhill from here" when you're running a race. But unlike those annoying phrases, the high is real. Just like hitting the wall, these token phrases have real weight out there for the runner. And like a drug addict, I feel like I can only keep my life together long enough for my next high, for my next hit of LSD.

Having never done drugs and being a very, very light drinker (as in a 6-pack of beer will last 6 months in my house), I can't relate to drug users. I don't know what it's like to snort, smoke, or inject anything illegal into my body. But I can tell you what it's like to go for a long run and feel the high you get. The excitement you feel before the run, the jitters that are nearly as bad as pre-race jitters, the excitement of spending hours in the woods with only yourself and the talking trees. I can tell you what it feels like to suffer through the long run, to feel the pain in your feet, your knees, your hips. To break through that pain and suddenly feel the rush of owning your body and owning the run. To feel the power of the dirt beneath your feet coursing through your body. And I can tell you how wonderful it feels to finally put an end to the pain and suffering at the end of a run. To throw your hands in the air even though there isn't a finish line. To feel the rush of emotions in knowing that you have conquered a distance that seems to far, even driving a car. To feel the aches and pains the next day that speak volumes about the effort you put forth.

All of this went through my head during today's run. A measly 5 mile run that just couldn't match the high I just had from a 12 mile run. I can only imagine it's like a whiff of cigarette smoke to somebody that's just quit smoking. You just can't resist the pull. And so I wanted to push through, to go further than my plan, to throw everything away just to get that LSD high again.

I was finally able to reel myself in and stick to what my training plan called for. I just broke the 30 mile per week barrier and I didn't want to put my goals at risk. I knew if I pushed too hard I would eventually score an injury instead of a high and wind up on the sidelines with no chance of running for weeks (or longer). That fear of losing the runner's high kept me cautious. It kept me sane, though barely. It kept me focused on the long term goals I have set. Some are firm, some are soft. Some are just so insane I'm afraid to even think about them. But I know that with each of these goals, comes a high twice as strong as the LSD high. You see, there's another level of runner's high when you run races. And when you combine a race with an LSD high it's triple strength. And since many of these goals are races AND long runs, you can imagine the excitement I have. And best of all, even if I completely fail at the race, even if I don't finish, I know I'll have a ton of LSD runs under my belt. All those weeks of getting high every weekend as I run down the road or through the woods. All those weeks of chasing that white rabbit.

One final note. I had a second, smaller, epiphany during my run today. So I'll leave you with a new slogan. Bask in the glow of a mind addled by coming down from an LSD high:

No Run
No High
Know Run
Know High

Minimalism Cynicism

People have long seen me as a pessimistic person but I prefer to think of myself as more of a realistic person. Why plan to win a million dollars when you only play the lottery once a year? Be realistic and plan to never win the million and instead hope to win the million. Better yet, hope to win two bucks, that's even more realistic.

So my motto of sorts has always been "hope for the best but plan for the worst."

And that's what I used when I jumped onto the minimalism bandwagon last year. Saucony came out with a super-cool shoe called the Kinvara and not only did it get rave reviews from runners, it simply looked cool. I mean, bright orange shoes, how can you beat that? Anyway, I read BORN TO RUN by Chris McDougall and loved the book. It transformed me into the runner I am today. And while many people, both fans and critics, say the book is nothing more than a veiled advertisement for minimalistic shoes, I saw it more as a man on a journey. His journey just happened to take him down the path of running on shoes with little or no sole (but plenty of soul).

After reading the book, I knew about Vibram Five Fingers and the various other shoes that have little to no heel-toe drop. I knew about the various injuries that have been caused by running on shoes with a very large heel-toe drop. But seeing as am a bit of a skeptic, I didn't believe everything I read. You see, being skeptical is part of being realistic. You've seen those emails before that you've won the lottery for a million dollars and all you need to do to claim your prize is send your credit card info to a Nigerian prince. That's something we're all skeptical about because we're all realistic in knowing we didn't win the Nigerian lottery.

And that's how I felt about the whole minimalism movement. I mean, running in shoes with barely any cushion can't be good for you, right? After all, we all have tender feet, so let's protect them from all the harm that's out there by wearing shoes with plenty of cushion. Sure, there's scientific data that supports minimalist shoes, but there's scientific data that supports super-cushiony shoes too.

So where is this all going? My back injury from last month. As I was watching the HAT50k race in Maryland (which ironically Chris McDougall ran in), I was having a normal day. I watched the start, walked around to watch some more runners, and in the mid-stride WHAM! I doubled-over in pain. I felt like I got stabbed in the back. For days I wondered if I had gotten shot but the lack of blood convinced me I hadn't. It took me a week to recover and another week of running with a sore back before I was back to where I was before the injury.

From the date of the back injury up to yesterday, I've been racking my brain about what caused the injury. I didn't do anything special when it happened. I wasn't running, jumping, twisting, or moving in any abnormal manner. I was carrying a bottle of water and nothing else. I didn't step in a hole or trip or anything. Just walking and BAM! As I made my way down the road to recovery, I had tons of advice from my friends at the local YMCA as well as my faithful training partners on DailyMile. Everything from baseball bats to chiropractors to space aliens was suggested as the cause or remedy. Nothing worked beyond some muscle relaxers and pain pills and lots of rest. And the mystery cause was still unknown.

Until yesterday. During an 8 mile run I started to feel some mild discomfort in my back again. Something I hadn't felt in weeks. I nearly panicked. But I managed to keep my cool and went through a self-systems check to see what was different. I had just run a 9 mile race a few days before so the surface and distance weren't the problem. I was well hydrated and well fueled. Clothes were fine. Stride felt a little off. Foot strike felt a little off. So I played around a bit and nothing felt right. I finished my run, stretched and noticed (after having worn these shoes for many miles) I had them laced wrong. Hmm, shoes. I wonder if my shoes are giving me problems.

In the past I've run into (no pun intended) injury problems when my shoes get worn out. Many people claim the magic number is 300 to 500 miles on a pair of shoes before you need to replace them. Well, it's more like 250 or less for me. But it got me thinking about my shoes. In the past when I've had an odd injury, new shoes have helped. I checked my records on DailyMile and sure enough, my 9 mile race was in my Kinvaras while my 8 mile training run was in my Ride 3s. What was the difference?

The Saucony Ride 3 is a great shoe. I've been in Rides since the Ride 1. But they have about a 14mm heel-toe drop and weigh about 11.5 ounces. The Kinvaras sport about a 4mm heel-toe drop and weigh only 7 or so ounces. And even though I laced my Ride 3s incorrectly, my other Ride 2s are laced correctly and mimic the same specs as the Ride 3. So the big difference between them is the weight and the heel-toe drop. In other words, the minimalist shoe worked better.

That's right, anecdotal proof that minimalist shoes work. But I'm still a skeptic. I still find it hard to believe that just my shoes can cause pain. I know I've changed over the past year or so. I've gradually gone from a heavy heel strike to a midfoot strike. I've lost weight and improved my running economy. I'm better able to handle the strain of longer runs and have more experience on the road, on the trail, and in the weight room.

What does all of this mean? It means my next pair of shoes will be Kinvaras. They arrive today. And until I see proof otherwise, proof that I can see and feel with my own body, I will continue to run in minimalist shoes.

A little humor

From yesterday's race, I thought I'd be "creative" with some captions. I know I surprised them a bit when I passed them, but it's a race and I'll pass you if I can.

The Unexpected Rest Day

As any parent knows, when your child gets sick, they don't do it when it's convenient. Rarely do they get sick when they're off from school and if they do it's during some other important event. Obviously there are exceptions, but you know what I mean. It just seems such a hassle to adjust your schedule but at the same time you love them so much you'd jump off a cliff if that's what it took to keep them safe.

So when Elizabeth developed a fever last night, along with a sore throat and loss of appetite, I knew my run today would likely be postponed. I read about a fellow runner's 14 mile run and felt the urge to "one-up" them with a 15 mile run. As usual, my desire to talk smack ended up badly. Instead of a 15 mile run, I ended up driving a sick kid to the doctor. Turns out she caught the strep throat going around school, scored some meds, a day off school, and lots of rest time.

In the end, 15 miles versus caring for your sick kid is always going to end with me hoping my kid gets better. I don't care if it's the most important race in the world, family comes first. I might do my best to get somebody to help out if the event I may miss is important enough, but my family always wins when it gets to the bottom line of the tally sheet.

So today I didn't much care that I missed my long run. I was more worried about her feeling better than I was getting my miles in. Besides, there's a lesson to learn here as a runner besides being a good parent.

That lesson is adaptability. You can call it flexibility or going with the flow, but in the end, it's how you adapt to what life tosses your way that will define who you are and how well you survive life. And this applies to your life as a runner too. Having a mental meltdown because you forgot gloves or a hat to a race could leave you with a less than stellar performance or, even worse, a DNF or DNS. Break a shoelace? Lose your Body Glide? Any and all of these may seem like events that would end or seriously hamper your race, but they are all scenarios that can be overcome.

That's where adaptability comes in. I know, doesn't sound like a cool word to remember and repeat to yourself as a mantra when you're 20 miles into a 50 mile race. So why not think about MacGyver?

As in, What Would MacGyver Do?

That's right, thinking like MacGyver could save your race and your mind. Those gloves you forgot? No worries if you have a spare set of socks. No Gatorade or liquid carbs to take in during a long run? No worries if you have access to a coffee stand (no, don't drink the coffee, instead add some sugar and salt to your water). Get the idea? It's all in how well you can adapt to the situation that will determine how well you survive your run and life in general.

So today, when life tossed a curve ball, I adapted and moved my long run to Friday. And if I can't get it in then, no worries, I can do it Sunday. Or next week. Missing a long run won't hurt, but how I adjust to the change can help later on in my training.

Why and How Did You Run A 50k?

I was recently asked "omg how on earth (not to mention WHY) do you run 50k????" by Amy. My answer of "Why/How a 50k? Not enough room to answer that in full. But it's a great experience, regardless of the pain" just didn't carry enough weight behind it to make others understand why I would attempt something so insane.



Let's define a few things first, namely what a "50k" is and what an "ultra" is.

A "50k" is 50 kilometers or 31.0685596 miles. Or just 31.1 miles. It is ten times longer than the standard 5k (3.1 miles) race that many communities have. So imagine doing a simple 5k race ten times and that should give you a bit of insight as to how long it is. Or, if you prefer, it is 4.9 miles longer than a marathon. The marathon is 26.2 miles, so run another 5 miles beyond that and you have a 50k.

An "ultra" is short-hand for an ultra marathon or an ultra distance race. It is commonly defined as being any race longer than a marathon. And while I guess a 27 mile race would technically fall into that category, most races go from the 26.2 distance to the 50k distance. Ultras come in many shapes and sizes, but most are run on trails. Ultras are usually broken up into distance races and timed races. The most common distances are 50k (31.1 miles), 50M (50 miles), 100k (62.1), and 100M (100 miles). Common timed events will run 12 hours, 24 hours, and even 36 or 48 hours. These timed events are just to see how far you can run in the allotted time.



So, now you know what a 50k is and what an ultra is. But those are just basic definitions. Each of these has a life of its own and will suck you deep into a dark place if you're not careful. Yes, it's a dark place that these races take you to, but only because you suffer through the event and have such a blast you want to do it again, thus sacrificing hours of your life training for another one. And it's all worth it.

Now let's get into the how and why behind my running ultras. My first 50k (and only ultra so far) went horribly wonderful. That's right, it was both horrible and wonderful. As for this particular 50k, I went into it way under-trained. I had been running low mileage for the weeks and months leading up to the race and I had recently taken a week off from running. Not a good combination. Add to this the fact that I had the wrong shoes and the wrong socks and it was a disaster for my time and my feet. I had huge blisters, sore legs, and I limped for many days after it.

That was the horrible part. The wonderful part was finishing. I may have been last, I may have limped to the end, I may have gone over the unenforced time limit, but I finished. I was in tears at the end because I was so happy. Sure, my feet hurt, but at the moment I crossed the line, I didn't feel the pain, I only felt the glory of finishing.



And as many people that have run before will tell you, they either love it or hate it. Those that love it, continue to run and continue to strive for something new, something challenging. As we all have different limits, your challenge may be running for 3 miles in under an hour while somebody else may find the challenge in running a 5k in under 15 minutes. Just like we all have different fingerprints and DNA, we all have different skill levels when we run. The big difference though is that our skill levels can change over time. Which means with enough training, you may be able to run that 5k or 50k in the time you want.

Aside from all of this is the primal feeling you get when you run an ultra. I'm not sure if it's there in a marathon (haven't done one yet), but I know I felt it in my 50k race. And it's hard to describe. It's you, your body, and your mind out there on the trail and each one is battling it out over who is in control. There were times that I nearly had a mental break down and stopped running just to cry on the side of the trail. There were other times where I felt so happy that I wanted to jump for joy. There were times where I wanted to give up and scurry away like a weakling. So many thoughts, so many actions, so much STUFF goes through your head it gets a little scary. And that's where the primal feeling comes in. You want to leave those demons behind you and just run free. You want to connect with that paleolithic Neanderthal and just run.



So where foes all of this leave you? Probably confused with a side of "this guy is CRAZY." And I don't blame you. An ultra race is not something you can just sign up for at the last minute. You need to plan for it physically and mentally. It's not a joke race and needs to be taken seriously. But with enough training and planning, you CAN finish one. And if you're even thinking about running one, I strongly suggest you pick a race that's far enough out to train for. Then sign up and start training. And while you train, study the sport, follow the athletes that run ultras, and learn everything you can about them. Then you'll understand what I mean when I tell you to "pack some TP in your drop bag in case that walkie-talkie turns into a full blown GI incident."

And while you ponder that one, here are a few links to check out that may help you learn more about the sport and maybe inspire you to run an ultra.

- Anton (Tony) Krupicka - I have a man-crush on Tony despite the beard.
- Dakota Jones - A great ultra runner that is young enough to have quite a future ahead of him.
- Thomas Kennedy - A novice ultra runner that is miles ahead of me in physical and mental strength.
- Davy Crockett - I'm inspired by every race report he gives. Such an amazing athlete.
- Brittany Zale - Yes, even though many are faster than me, women still inspire me to run.
- Ultra Signup - THE place to go to find an ultra race.
- Ultra Running Magazine - A great magazine that's hard to find by gives you a taste of just how popular ultras can be.
- iRunFar, Real Endurance, Run 100s, and UltRunR - A mix of sites that have a bit more info on training, races, etc.
- DailyMile - THE place to go for anything related to running and socializing (think Facebook + Twitter + Running = DailyMile).

Save the Drama for your Momma

My mom and I have a running joke (one of many) that we both dislike excitement. Why? Because it usually means something bad is happening. Case in point, the past few days and weeks.

- My uncle (my mom's twin brother) has been diagnosed with cancer and the prognosis doesn't look good. I guess cancer is bad any way you look at it, but you get the idea.
- My family history shows some bad signs when looking at my mom's side of the family. Her sister, brother, and father have all suffered from and died from cancer. All in their early to mid 50s. Yeah, not promising.
- My mother doesn't want to go to her brother's funeral. I don't blame her. Funerals suck. If you've ever been to one, I'm sure you'd agree. But I think some effort should be made to do something. Me, well, I don't think I'll go. I want to but I'm not sure it would help anybody and I'm not sure the funding is there.
- And finally, while we're speaking of death, I want to be buried after I die in the Oconto Cemetery in Oconto, Nebraska alongside the rest of the Richard family. But I don't want any services until the following July. Had some relatives do that when they passed and I like the idea. Most everyone can get time off in the summer and by having it planned out in advance, people don't need to worry about making last-minute dashes to the airport. I'll be dead after all, so when you come to see me doesn't matter.
- Moving on, I was working on some laundry on Sunday and heard a crash. Yvonne and I both thought it was the other or the kids or just something that the kids left out. Turns out it was a bottle of laundry soap. A full bottle. And it fell on the cap. And the cap broke. And the soap spilled on the floor. Under the washer. And dryer. Yeah, you get the idea. We spent 2 hours cleaning it up. Thankfully it wasn't this Sunday because we would have left it on the floor instead of missing the Superbowl.
- A few weeks back, Yvonne told me that her new truck was "jumping" when she drove it. I didn't really believe her until it happened to me too. So it's now at the dealer getting the planetary gear replaced. Luckily it's under the manufacturer's warranty. And CarMax was nice enough to give us a loaner while it got fixed.
- The weather has played havoc on all of our schedules. From 2 hour delays to closures to work days to just plain insanity. Sometimes the closures were warranted, but on days like today, they weren't. Not even any rain and we have a delay. Oh well, better safe than sorry.

I'm sure you can see a trend. Lots of drama means a high chance of whining about the bad stuff in life. We all have crap to deal with. It's how we go through life and helps define who we are as people.

But with each low is a high. I think we can find balance in life, but sometimes it's harder to find those positive tidbits to make up for the crap. So in an effort to make up for my whine above, here are some positive pieces of news.

- I think I lost another 5 pounds. I stepped on the scale the other day and came in at 224. Easily 4 to 6 pounds lower than my previous 231. Which is on top of my weigh-in of 235 in early 2010. So I'm happy about that.
- Part of my weight drop is likely due to eating less for breakfast. And working out more. I'm happy to have a trainer that can beat me into submission once a week. I've noticed an improvement in all those odd muscles that I rarely use.
- I'm super-happy to be running on the local rail-to-trail once a week. Sometimes it's a struggle to get there, but it's fun to see something new every time.
- I'm even more excited that Yvonne is going to the same trainer next week. It'll mean more adjustments to our schedule, but I think she'll have fun. All while getting her butt kicked.
- While tax season is crazy for me at work, I'm happy to report that most of my late nights are done and I have a lovely wife that is willing to bring me food when I'm trapped in my "office."
- William had a wonderful visit to the dentist. That pretty much says it all.
- Elizabeth had a wonderful report card. Again, that speaks for itself.

So. Drama. Not for me and not for my momma. I once thought I wanted to live an exciting life. Now that I'm older and a little wiser, I've decided a boring life is just fine. Meanwhile, I'll try to find those positive things to balance out the negatives.

How to Screw Your Shoes

This post has two meanings. I'll be starting with the homemade ice spikes first before getting to the retirement of the shoes.

Homemade Ice Spikes

Not to be confused with the official Icespikes or Yaktrax or even Microspikes. No, these are spike that you do yourself. But before we get to that, let's back up a bit.



Some of those products above look quite lovely. And I'm sure if I lived in an area that got enough snow to warrant their purchase, I'd have a fair collection of them (along with some snow shoes). But seeing as I live in the south and snow is rare enough that an inch will close schools, I don't see the point in spending that much money on a product that I'll use once or twice a year.

So once I got a feel for what I was looking for and how little I wanted to spend, I stumbled across a great site that gave some steps on how to make your own spiked shoes for running in the snow. I won't post the link because I can't remember where I found it. And because it's enough to do on your own.

The steps are pretty simple. Get an awl (or ice pick), some small screws, and something to put the screws in with. Mark where you want the screws to go. Poke a hole in the sole. Put the screws in. Go run.



Yes, it's that simple. But there are some words of caution. Like, don't get a three inch long screw to put in the bottom of your shoe. I mean, seriously, use some brains. Mine are short and have a hex head on them so I didn't have to fiddle with a screw driver. They're about half an inch in length (total) and are machine screws I believe. Check the pictures and you'll see what kind I got.



Anyway, you prime the spot with the awl (like pre-drilling a hole) and screw them in. I put them on the higher spots so they'd give me the best traction and kept them evenly placed so I wouldn't have too many in one spot. I also kept them as symmetrical as possible on both feet to avoid any lopsided running. All in all, it went smoothly.



Now, for the running on snow part. I've worn them twice on what artists like to call "mixed media" for a total of about 17 miles. Not quite enough to be a definitive answer on how they work, but certainly enough to form a solid opinion. I'll break down each surface below and give you a run down (pun intended) of how the spike worked.

Asphalt - It felt like and sounded like I was running in track shoes. No, those have spikes in the toes. More like golf cleats. Click clack click clack. No loss of traction, but the feeling of the road was off a bit. It felt just like you would think, like you're running on spikes. The upside was the people in front of me heard me coming and moved out of my way.



Slush - Very hard to run in slush. I think this is mostly because you don't know if the slush is soft, hard, or somewhere in between. The slush itself is a challenging surface and the spikes help. But I did notice this was one of the few surfaces that I would lose a lot of traction on. Not enough to slip, stumble, or fall, but enough to move my arms to balance myself.

Ice - You notice the grip the most on ice. You know the ice is slick and you know you should be falling. Instead your foot slips just a little as you push off with each stride. I think this is mostly because you have less weight over your toes as you push off the ice. Combined with fewer spikes to grip and you have a bit of a slip.



Snow (loose) - Piece of cake. The hardest part was lifting your feet over the top of the snow, but with 4 to 6 inches of loose powder, it was easy enough to run through. No slipping at all.

Snow (packed) - This is where it got a little tricky. Packed snow that's smooth was no problem. It felt and acted very much like ice. However when the snow was packed by a tire, it could result in some slipping. This was especially true with tractor tires that have a very wide and open tread. Smaller car tires (and even truck tires) would pack the snow enough to make for a smooth foot plant. But tractor tires left tracks that would make for a foot plant that had to deal with a high and low every 2 inches. The end result was some slipping, but mostly due to the odd angle on which your foot could land and push off from.



Dirt - Just like snow, very easy to run on. No slipping and no noticeable clogging of the spikes.

Gravel - Just like the dirt, easy to run on but your hear a click or clack every now and then from the spikes hitting a rock.

Mud - Light mud was no issue. There was no slipping and very little build-up on the spikes. Thick mud though was another problem. Not only would I slip worse than the slush, it would cake up your spikes like mad and take several strides before it came off. Assuming you could get out of the thick mud to begin with.

Water - I didn't run in a river, but ran through plenty of puddles and such from the melting snow. The biggest thing I noticed was how the water would freeze or stick to the strides in the snow and ice. In other words, getting your shoes wet may result in them freezing. Having been around snow long enough, I should have expected the reaction, but it was still odd to feel it as I ran. Some strides felt like having Velcro on the bottom of my feet, but the spikes didn't seem to add to or take away from this reaction. If anything, they helped get a better grip on the next stride in the snow and ice.



Overall, this was a cheap and easy solution (about $2 and a couple of minutes work) to running in the snow and ice. I can see no short term impact on my shoes from having them spiked and they run almost like a normal shoe would. I would recommend using a cordless drill for installation and removal since it'll save some time and muscle power. Beyond that, they worked great and I'll certainly be using them again.

Retirement of the Shoes
I have long been a Saucony fan. In fact, I often refer to myself as a Saucony Snob. Their gear is great and I've been running in their shoes for years without complaint.

Until now.

Back in August of 2010 I ran a 50k and totally trashed my feet. I used BodyGlide, changed socks, and even changed shoes. It took some time to finally realize that the shoes were too small. Instead of a size 10 Wide, I should have been in a 10.5 Wide. That extra half a size makes a difference. Since it took so long to realize the source of my foot issues, I still have some size 10s that I run in. Namely my Ride 2s (two pair) for the road and my Exodus 2.0s for the trail.

But my pair of TR 4 that I used as guinea pigs for my spikes just don't cut it anymore and I'm sad to see them go. I ran nearly 20 miles of my 50k in them before switching to my Brooks Cascadias (my only non-Saucony shoe). But after several longish runs in my TR 4s, I have to say that the toe box is just too small. I know the shoe is a half-size too small and that's a large contributing factor. But compared to the Rides or the Exodus or even the Kinvara, the toe box is even smaller than I'd expect. This leads to some toe pains (and sometimes blisters) on the middle toe of each foot. I've experimented with these shoes since the 50k and socks, terrain, speed, etc. don't matter. It's the shoe. And aside form the toe box, the soles just aren't thick enough or sturdy enough for me on the trail. Thankfully the Exodus fills my needs for trail running (and I'm hoping the Peregrine will when it's released).

Which means I now need to decide if my TR 4s will end up as my casual shoes or if they'll end up in the trash. I hate to give up on a shoe, especially from my favorite company, but my toes just can't take it anymore.

MEASUREMENTS:
You can see my measurements in this gallery if you'd like.

My Forrest Gump Run

This past summer, Yvonne and I visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. She did a wonderful job picking our cabins through Asheville Cottages. So wonderful, we wanted to go back again.

The Biltmore House in the snow:


With Martin Luther King weekend looking like the best bet for everyone, we booked our cabin and made our plans. The weather was a bit scary leading up to the trip, but we dodged a few major storms and ended up with cold but sunny days. There was snow on the ground just about everywhere you looked, but the roads were clear enough to be easily passable.

The kids had a great time (so did we) and we enjoyed walking through the house, around the estate, and around the barns in Antler Hill Village (formerly the Winery). I was recovering form a sinus infection that kept me away from running for the week, so I was itching to get out there and get a few miles in. But being on vacation, sleeping in, herding kids, and enjoying the hot tub meant I didn't have much motivation to get out the door in the freezing temps to go run.

Fortunately Yvonne found a way to occupy the kids on a tour, giving me a couple of hours to run around the estate. So I took what I could get and ran with it. Literally.

My run started in the B-1 Parking Lot where I headed up to the Statue of Diana. From there I ran down the open area to the Ramp Douce, across the end of the front yard, and into the gardens. I ran through the gardens, but stuck to the icy trails as much as I could. So I avoided pavement and ended up missing my target trail twice. Oh well. The spring garden had a fun switchback that was fast and slick and I got to run under and across the exit road a few times.

Me at the Statue of Diana looking towards the house:


The garden trails lead to a Bass Pond below the house and I was hoping to take the upper trail that sits on the opposite side of the road from the Pond, but I missed that trail too and ended up running down the paths next to the Pond and nearly took a swim as the path got super-muddy and super-slippery near the edge a few times.

At the end of the Pond is a very pretty water fall that I ran across (on a bridge, not the falls itself) and ended up stuck on the road for a bit. I did my best to avoid the roads since I wasn't really allowed to run on the roads, but it was all I had to run on. I tromped across the cattle guard (actually a deer guard) and made it into an open field where I ran through about four to six inches of fresh and slightly melted snow.

I continued next to the road in the grass (and near a ditch that made me cautious) to the trail that I missed near the Bass Pond before. Along the way I stuck to the game trail that was there and did my best to avoid the acorns and hazelnuts on the ground. No sense rolling an ankle this early into my trek.

Once I made it onto the trail, I got a chance to see the open field where Forrest Gump ran in the movie. It's just a couple of seconds, but if you watch the movie close enough you'll see young Forrest going through that same field. Although his didn't have snow in it. Or a snowman. So as I slogged through the gravel, mud, and slush, I did my best to have fun. But being under a strict time limit, it was hard to unwind enough to enjoy myself as much as I had hoped.

Run Forrest! Run!


I made it to the Lagoon in decent time and enjoyed seeing the bamboo stand there. I don't know why, but I love the stands of bamboo on the estate. Something about them just strikes me as peaceful and beautiful. Once past the Lagoon, I was on a stretch of uncleared but packed snow. Which made for a great test section for my spiked shoes. They held up great on every surface except the slush and the mud. Fresh snow, packed snow, ice, pavement, gravel, water, puddles, and everything else I through at it wasn't an issue. The slush was an issue because it's hard to see if it's slush (and thus soft) or ice (and thus hard) so you're not really sure how you're foot will land. So there's some slop there in your stride as you go through. The mud though, that was just plain slick in some spots. Felt like I was wearing socks on a freshly Pledged hardwood floor.

The trail between the Lagoon and the Outdoor Center in Antler Hill was clear and heavily traveled. The temps were nearing 50 so a lot of people were enjoying the sun and the snow while they could. Fortunately my spikes made enough noise that people heard me coming and moved out of my way.

The clear path near Antler Hill:


The Outdoor Center was my half-way point and an adventure in itself. I ate a banana and took an e-Gel right before I started so it had expended itself once I got to the halfway point. It took me 56 minutes to get from Parking Lot B-1 to Antler Hill with only one bathroom break. I know I went out way fast but it was mostly downhill. Next time I'll run it the other way so my second half is downhill.

The adventure of Antler Hill was two fold. One, I was taking way too long to get going on my return route and two, I had no source of additional fuel. I had to ask directions for the Deer Park Trail (the one I missed back by the Bass Pond and Garden area). I got solid directions and then I asked about Gatorade. None was to be found so I had to add sugar (both raw and refined) to my water (which I had to fill in the bathroom sink - so it was warm). That's right, I ran the second half of this with just two bottles of sugar water. It worked, but wasn't ideal for damn sure.

Once I killed about 13 minutes getting my sugar water, making water, and getting directions, I headed back. At the Lagoon again I saw the wonderful view of the House in the distance and tried to focus on the route directions. I crossed the road and passed two old ladies walking a dog (mind you this was a gravel/snow/ice/slush covered single-track trail). I was impressed with their skill and speed.

At the Lagoon headed back to that big house in the distance:


Once I made it onto the Deer Park Trail (and passed the old ladies) I hit some tough trails. The uphill was hard, the larger rocks made it hard, and the mud made it extremely hard. After a couple switchbacks, I made it to the top of the hill and noticed the little old ladies moving right along on the trail below me. Very impressive.

On I went through a deer gate, across some fields, and to a trail head where I realized my error. In avoiding the Meadow Trail that makes a loop near the Bass Pond, I missed the Deer Park Trail, the one I wanted so I could avoid the roads. Anyway, I nearly skipped across the Meadow Trail and down to the Bass Pond to hit the trail on the other side of the road from the Gardens but realized I would likely miss my time cut-off so I stuck to the Deer Park Trail.

From that trail head, it was a pretty straight shot to the house. Through another deer gate, another clearing, more odd looks from people walking, and I was at the end of the South Terrace. From there it was a short jaunt in front of the house and back to the parking lot where I wiped down with baby wipes and sprayed myself not once, not twice, but thrice with some body spray. You see, my time cutoff was to be back in time to clean up for lunch with the family when they got back from their tour.

Safe, sound, and smelling like Old Spice, I waited a few minutes for them to return and away we went to lunch at Cedric's in Antler Hill where I seriously thought about ordering two courses because I was running on fumes. Literally.

Fluids and Fuel:
I had one banana and one e-Gel right before my run. I also took two bottles of plain water with me. At the halfway point I refilled my bottles with water and added plain, refined sugar as well as raw sugar to them (I used those Sugar in the Raw packs and plain sugar from the coffee condiment area).

Weather:
Clear and sunny. Little to no wind. Most of the wind was confined to the areas around the open fields and near the river. Temps ranged between 30F and 50F.

Splits:
Outbound - 56:00 (approximate time - includes one bathroom break)
Aid Station - 13:00 (approximate time - includes bathroom break, water refill, sugar water mixing, and direction getting)
Inbound - 47:59 (approximate time)
Finish - 1:53:59 (about a 15:00 pace with my break and about 2:00 faster without it)

The Route:
Length - 7.62 miles (approximate)
Elevation - about 2,000 feet above sea level (compared to my home turf of about 200 feet)
Route Gain/Loss - about 350 foot drop going out and 350 foot incline coming back

At the end of our trip, this is the beautiful sunrise I got to see coming over the mountains in the distance: