Youth vs. Experience

I don't normally compose 'race reports', but the races the last two weeks have been very well ran, and I felt compelled to tell someone, even if that someone is simply my computer.  Posting on Facebook would do no good, most people don't have the attention span.  I'm going to assume that if you are here, you are probably a runner, so you will stick around a bit, and even relate to what I'm saying.

Hospital Hill Half Marathon -- 6/7/2014

I really enjoy Hospital Hill and don't necessarily find the hills that hard.  I enjoy the jaunt thru Brookside, the Plaza area, and Crown Center.  If there's a list of 'must-do' races for runners in Kansas City, Hospital Hill is definitely on that list, if not the top of it.

This year, however, was about helping my running partner through her first half marathon, and doing it with a fairly aggressive goal of sub-2hrs.  We've ran enough times together to know that we had the pace and endurance for the race, we just needed to show up on race day.

Show up we did.....and so did Mother Nature.  The skies opened up and started dumping water on KC at about 6AM.  It NEVER relented until well after the finish of the race.  I've never been so utterly soaked in my lifetime.  Every step of the race was a 'squish-squish'.

We started off faster than our anticipated pace, but I intentionally did that with the knowledge of the hills later to come.  We worked our way through beautiful Brookside, made the halfway turn and found ourselves back at the Plaza.  Mile #10 is an uphill grind from the Plaza, up Broadway, for nearly 1.5miles.  It's not a terribly steep hill, but after putting in ten solid miles prior to that, in the pouring rain, it can be a shocker.  This is where my calves seized up on me a year ago.  This year, I didn't let that happen.  And my running partner didn't waiver at the sight or length of the hill.  We cruised through it.

We checked our watches with two miles to go, and we had 21minutes to our goal.  At that point, it was never in doubt.  But, really, all day long, it was never in doubt.  We ran our race.  We ran with what I considered quite the technical/tactical approach to Hospital Hill and a sub-2hr goal.

The finish was a bit bitter-sweet, as I stopped to help a wheelchair athlete who had lost control and wiped out.  But, we still finished strong, broke our goal --1:57:40--, received our gargantuan medals, and had ourselves a nice plate of pancakes.

Watkins Mill Get Outdoors 5K -- 6/14/2014

Many of you know I was a sprinter in high school and college.  Running 'fast' for more than a quarter-mile, really takes it out of me.  I can pace myself and run all day long.....but asking me to pick it up and run/sprint, usually doesn't happen anymore....that's for the youth.

Watkins Mill State Park is one of my 'stomping grounds', if you will.  Of the 2000+ miles I've ran in the past 18 months, 30-40% probably came from making laps around Watkins Mill.  It's a 3.75mile paved trail with rolling hills.  There really isn't much elevation change to speak of.  Still, many runners have spoken about how we'd like to have a 5K out there.  Well, this year, the Watkins Mill Association made it happen for us trail enthusiasts.  I wanted to win this race, or at the very least, run hard for my running club and for myself.

I know what you're thinking......how hard can it be?  It's only 3.125miles, and it's relatively flat!  This is all true.  But, we had some really good runners show up today.  A 5K might be a 'short' race, but there's still time for a little strategy and a plan of attack.

While we all consider Watkins Mill trail to be 'flat', it really isn't when you start running it.  The hills are short, maybe 10-30seconds each, but the downhills are even shorter, and you immediately bounce back up another incline.  It's quite a lot of work on your quads and calves.

There's something about starting lines.  It's the sprinter in me.  I can toe the line at any race, and when I hear the gun.....the 'start'.......the 'GO!'.....it triggers something in my brain that just shoots thru my body.  I tear away from every start line with reckless, Prefontaine-style, abandon.  Today was no different.  The lady at the start said 'GO!' and I tore out of there.  For almost a half-mile, I led the race (this is nothing new, just seems to happen to me a lot).

I could hear someone behind me, and I'm not one who likes to let people saddle in behind me and draft me, if you will.  I slowed my pace a bit, and two high-school aged kids ran past me.  I settle into a three-way tie for 3rd with another high-schooler and a man near my age.

For nearly two miles, we talked.  Yeah!  Right in the middle of a race, we had a discussion of our weekly, yearly, etc running goals and accomplishments.  Mind you, this was probably about 6:20/mile pace we were having a conversation at.  But, around mile 2.25, we lost our high-schooler and our threesome became a twosome in 3rd place.


Nicholas was his name.  Nicholas and I ran fairly quietly, but very confidently from that point on.  We spent the next half mile chewing up the distance between us and the high-schooler in 2nd place, eventually overtaking him.

Nicholas and I both knew this trail/course VERY well.  We said to each other, "You go catch that kid, there's one more hill left to get him....we can't let a kid beat us!"  Neither of us took each other up on the offer, but instead, we ran together.  We reached the final hill, and sure enough, the high-schooler in 1st was hurting, and we used the hill to blow by him.

With no more hills left, we approached the dam.  Our pace picked up a bit, but neither runner really committing to the finish.  With about 1/3mile to go, I saw a group of people and decided that was the finish line and went into 'kick mode'.  When I reached those people, it was NOT the finish line.  I continued along the path for another 200meters or so, made a hard left to see the 'FINISH' balloon and the timer......still under 20:00.  I sprinted up that final incline to a surprising First-Place finish and another sub-20minute 5K on the year!  The strategy was to run hard today, but not out of control.  Let someone else lead the way, just keep them in sight.  Let the rolling hills of Watkins Mill take their toll on the leader and be ready to strike while the iron was hot.

Strike we did.

Today, the winner was Experience.

Perspiration & Inspiration

“I’m not train­ing to be skinny. I’m train­ing to be bad ass.” --anonymous

I'm a sucker for a good quote.  Luckily, I'm not a Pinterest person, or I'd probably spend valuable minutes each night looking thru endless images of mountains, flowers, sky and other scenic venues with bold, inspirational text sprawled across it.  I love hearing a quote that makes me think a bit, and then working thru how it applies to my own life.

“It’s much eas­ier to get over pain than regrets.” --anonymous

This is one of my favorite quotes when the alarm goes off at 4:15AM.  Or when the hill in front of me is begging me to walk.  Or when my mind is trying to justify a 'day off' because my muscles are sore from Lisa's morning Spartacus class.  I'm not gonna lie, sometimes those outside forces win the conversation.....and, sure enough, the regret sinks in later.

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough.” --anonymous

 I recently undertook a 50K race.  It was scary to think I was going to have to eclipse my best day running by nearly 30% in one single, cold, snow-fallen February day.  Since then, I have taken to planning much more ambitious runs.  Everything from a day of trails (not just a couple hours, or just doing them all, but spending a DAY running them) at Wallace State Park, to the Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim challenge of running the Grand Canyon from South to North and back again in the same day (~45miles), to pushing myself harder than I ever have during a 5K.  I plan to run a 100K and a 100Mile race, and I want to partake in the Western States Endurance Run someday.  I'm starting to think I need to add the Boston Marathon to my wish list.  I want to find new ways to push my body that might not always be successful on the day of the event/race.

"If we all did the things we are capa­ble of, we would astound our­selves." --Thomas Edison

I hear so many people tell me they "can't".  My children tell me they can't do something.  People I meet tell me they can't run.  People who talk with me about my running tell me they can't run that far.  I see people saying they can't, all the time.  I tell myself I can't do double-unders (I need to stop using "can't", because by summer's end, I'm gonna master them).  What I've started to notice, though, is that those who say they "can't"......are often the ones who haven't tried.  In middle- and high-school, I told myself I couldn't run long distances.  I told my coach I couldn't run long distances.  I stuck to running everything less than 200meters.  Man, if I could go back and slap that stupid kid for thinking like that....
  
“I run because some­how com­pletely exhaust­ing myself is the most relax­ing part of my day.”

This one is funny, and relevant to me......and really, to everyone.  In this day and age of instant information, technological advances, etc....we are more stressed as a population than ever before.  Isn't it a bit ironic that a 10.5mile run this afternoon will be the relaxing part of my day?  Maybe the effort we put into the rest of our lives should equal that of our pavement pounding time?  Or, perhaps, it's the sheer love of running that keeps a person from recognizing exhaustion?  Maybe it's a good night's sleep after a long, slow run that tempts us back each morning?  Whatever it is, I wake up each day looking forward to pushing myself to exhaustion.

“I don’t stop when I’m tired. I stop when I’m done.” --anonymous

At first glance, this one might seem to contradict the previous quote.  But, there's a difference between 'tired' and 'exhausted'.  Tired can be corrected with a few moments of rest.  I get tired during many of my runs, and I simply back off the pace a bit.  Exhaustion means there's nothing left in the tank.  I can run myself to exhaustion doing just a 5K.  But, I would say neither exhaustion nor tiredness causes me to stop my run each day.  I quite literally stop when I want to (or if one of the ladies at running club has brought cookies).  I like to expand this quote to life in general.  I undertake each task I begin with the same goal in mind.....being done.

"The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." --Juma Ikangaa

Be it victory or defeat, those moments are fleeting and rare.  They are sensationalized moments in life that come and pass too quickly.  If we only lived in those moments, our lives would be drastically shorter.  Every accomplishment is only made better by the preparation that went into it.

Lastly, speaking of victory & defeat, I recently had some success running 5Ks.  Admittedly, this is a bit of a 'chest thumping' moment, but here goes......In two consecutive weekends, I managed to win a 5K.  Neither one was a spectacular accomplishment, but neither one was by accident either.  I run hard when I'm alone.  I put the miles in each week.  I've learned to run farther than ever before in my life.  Winning was awesome, I won't deny that, and it was a good validation of the hours I've put in.  But, after the race, a good friend (who wasn't at the race) sent me the following text:

That was me!  I stood very near the finish line and clapped and cheered for every 5K finisher for the next hour and a half.  Just knowing someone saw me and noticed my efforts, was better than winning.  Quite literally, the only moment of joy from winning was crossing the finish line with arms raised high.....but it's still a 'chest thumping' moment to be able to say that I stayed to cheer on everyone else.  This is a trait you will find unique to ultra distance runners.  It's not about the winner.....it's about finishing what you started, and finishing it on your terms.

"If at first you don't succeed........so much for skydiving!!!" --anonymous

 

Euphoria

"Occasionally in life there are those moments of unutterable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those symbols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart."--Martin Lither King Jr.

At some point each week, during random conversations with people,  I am inevitably confronted with the standard, "Well, how far did you run last night/week?"  That answer can vary, anywhere from 4 to 50 miles. But the retort never varies, "You're crazy!  How can you run that far?  I hate running."   I'm not gonna lie, I just might be crazy.  On the other hand, the smile that raises the corners of my mouth when someone calls my running 'crazy' usually provides me with enough energy and motivation to power thru the next outing.

People ask, "How can you run that far?" ........ I ask, "How can you not?"  I question how a person can run one mile and stop. Didn't that mile.....a mere 6-15 minutes......give you a sense of accomplishment?  Wouldn't another 6-15 minutes only double the pleasure?!  Did you not feel more in tune with the world around you?  A feeling of being closer to Mother Nature?  Wasn't it great to remove yourself from the daily hustle, shuffle, busy-as-a-bee lifestyle and just slow down without all the distractions?  I don't enjoy running......I LOVE it.

 

You know that cup of coffee you have to have to wake up to each morning?  You know that feeling of taking off your ski boots after a day on the slopes?  You know the fulfillment you get from whatever your chosen vice is?  That's running for me.  I'm not me without my daily run anymore.  It's not something I do when I 'have the time'.  It's not something I schedule into my day when my schedule permits it. It's part of my daily routine. Like showering, brushing teeth, putting in contacts, etc.....the day is just missing something without it.  And any day a friend calls and wants to run, I'll gladly put in a second run, just to have the pleasure of another run.

Too often, I think running is used as a punishment. A coach making you take laps; a warm-up to a rigorous workout; a demanding race; or, most often, a tool for weight loss. In those instances, a person isn't running for the enjoyment......it's only a means to an end.   When was the last time you just took off down the street, the trail, the track, etc and just enjoyed the breeze in your face?  The only runs I regret are the ones I don't take.

 

Throw aside your 21st century gadgetry and run in quiet, peaceful, bliss. Let your mind wander while your legs explore.   Don't restrict yourself with time, distance, or even route limits. Slow down.....you aren't winning any medals for practicing.  Run like there's no finish line.  Running shouldn't be effort......it should be euphoric.

Adversity

"Adversity introduces a man to himself"--H.L. Mencken

February 8th, 2014 is a day that has been burned into my memory for all time.  I'm not gonna lie, this post is mostly going to be me thumping my chest, hoping to give everyone a small glimmer of what today's 'adversity' was.

Today was the "Psycho Wyco 50K Run Toto Run" trail race around Wyandotte County lake.  If you've never ran that trail, I HIGHLY suggest it.....just not in the conditions it was today.  It's a beautiful, challenging, technical 10.3mile loop.  Today's race was 3 of those loops for you non-metric folks (There was also a 10mile and 20mile race).

Without further ado, here goes:

I ran this trail last week for my birthday, and managed 1 loop (10.3miles) in about 1:45.  This past week it snowed about 8".  Not a nice snowman-making snow, either, but dry, powdered snow.  This snow never packed down today.  It would fill your shoe track the moment you picked your foot up.  Every step was effort.  The only good thing was that the rocks in the trail were covered in snow for the first lap atleast.

7:55 --The race director calls for everyone to line up at the start.  Little did I realize I was basically standing at the starting line.  So, I got a front row seat.  We took off at a very conservative pace (trail runs aren't about speed, they are about conserving energy).  I hung with the top 15 runners for almost 6miles.  At approx. mile 2 we crossed a stream....you couldn't hurdle it...you had to navigate it.  EVERYONE's shoes got wet....with 29miles to go.  At first, I felt like I'd made a mistake by running with that top 15-25....as we ran the whole time.  At about mile 7-8, we began to break apart into 3-somes and 4-somes and the walking of the hills began.  See, in long trail races, you walk the uphills, run the downhills (at breakneck speed sometimes) and run/jog the flats.  My first mistake came at mile 9....I stepped on one of the many, many, many rocks and rolled my ankle.....POOF!!....faceplant into the snow.  My first fall of the day, and not my last.  I got right up and by mile 10, I couldn't feel it.  RUN IT OFF!

First loop complete in about 2:10.33.  Now, the important thing about 'ultra' marathons is hydration and food.  Aid stations.  Stop at them.  Stop at every, single, one.  You know what the best food was at each station today?  Ice-cold Coke and Peanut M&Ms.  I planned for this day beyond aid stations, too.  I carried with me my Shaklee performance powder to add to my drink.  I carried Shaklee's energy chews.  I made PB&J sandwiches.  More important than running, is to keep the body fed.  I finished this massive run today....with absolutely no weight loss.  I worked my nutritional input to perfection most of the day.

Loop #2 starts and I noticed the trail has not improved....no packed snow....nothing.  Just endless hills of powder.  And, my mistake #2 came right after completing the half marathon (13.1miles).  I got a cramp in my right calf muscle.  DAMMIT!  I was so angry with myself.  I knew this has been a problem in my races in the past, and I just didn't stave it off.  I don't know what the numbers are, but for me, once cramping starts....it's about 75% chance it will plague you for the rest of your race.  In today's case....that would be another 18miles. :(  It wasn't more than 2miles later, and mistake #3....my left calf cramped.  I was beyond angry with myself.  I trudged my way to the nearest aid station, and began to try to reconcile the problem.  From that point on (about mile-15), I pounded bananas and S-caps (sodium replacement) at EVERY SINGLE aid station.  To my amazement, my cramping never came back.  This was such a huge win for me.

Unfortunately, at the same time, my mind was beginning to quit on me.  You see, I think the hardest part of this 'ultra' racing is your mind.  And, at mile 16 thru 20, I wanted to quit.  I was noticeably slower....walking most hills...worrying about cramping up again.  I made it thru loop #2 in 2:40.45...and I was emotional beaten.  I was 90% sure I would drop down to the 20mile race and quit (and 38 people did just that).  I sat at the aid station/start/finish line and just moped.  I was torn about continuing, worried about making cut-off times, and just ..... beaten.  At that point, I remembered something I read in 'Born to Run' about how ultra-runners LOVE their PB&J sandwiches during a race.  I reached for my bag, withdrew one of the 3 sandwiches I had made, stood up, started walking, and dug in.  I walked a full mile while eating that sandwich.  Every bite was work, each step was work, it was lonely.  But, after finishing that sandwich, I had really no choice.....I was 21miles in....and the start/finish was behind me.  I was totally energized!  I was gonna do this.

Loop #3 was the most technical for me.  The snow was finally parting some, but it was still deep.  I walked EVERY hill.  It's amazing....you run for 10-15seconds, and then  you go straight up another hill....for a 4-5minute walk.  I was determined to make the half-way aid station before the cut-off.  I did, with more than 3hrs to spare.  That really lifted my spirits.  Little did I know the race was really about to show it's bite.

At mile #26, I stopped to take a picture and pat my back for my first marathon.  Less than a quarter-mile later, I passed a man who was pissing blood.  Yes, blood.  I stopped no more than half a mile later to do the same and make sure I wasn't bloody.  At mile 27, I passed a man dry-heaving.  The hills of the west side of Wyandotte Lake were breaking people left and right.

At mile 29, I could hear no one.  I had left the last aid station, with 3 gargantuan hills to summit.  I have never in my life been so at peace with myself.  I knew I would finish.  I knew I had worked the nutrition almost perfect.  I could hear no one.  I could see no one.  It was a moment of introspection that lasted the final 2miles.  I won't comment on the specifics of my thoughts, but my children were the main focus.  I wanted to do something to make them proud.

DJ music!  I could hear it.  Cowbells!  The finish had to be near.  I plummeted down the final hill with reckless abandon.  I crossed the finish line, arms raised, and a HUGE smile on my face.

I found out that 145~ people signed up for the 50K.  Only 69 finished.  I was 37th.  But, place didn't matter, just finishing did.  Many people were out with ankle sprains, or just beaten physically.  It was truly an accomplishment to everyone who finish 1, 2 or 3 laps today.  It took 7hours......36minutes....and 48seconds....but I beat everything thrown at me today.  My legs are fine, my ankle is fine, only minor bumps and scratches, and most importantly, no cramping.  I cannot wait for my next trail race.  I cannot wait to find a race longer than 50K and push the physical limits of my body.  My mind was pushed today....and I found a new me with resolve and determination.........or maybe stupidity............

Beginnings.....

"Russell, you'll never be more than a 'shot put catcher'..."

That was the advice from my 7th grade track & field coach.  I don't think I ever had a teacher/coach impart such blunt worldly wisdom on me than Mr. Aden.

I wish I could say I took his 'advice' to heart.  That I worked out tirelessly and endlessly to better myself.  But, my attitude in life at that age just didn't bear that kind of effort.  Instead, I went about my ways.

Something changed over that following summer....call it genetics if you want, but I credit my father for making me push mow an acre+ lawn each and every week, all summer long.......and I hit the track running(pardon the pun) in my 8th grade year.  I broke records all year long, every meet....even in events where I had no form, I just had natural speed.  I took home handfuls of ribbons/medals at every meet.  It was a successful transformation that lasted all thru high school and resulted in a shoebox full of medals stashed away in my basement somewhere nowadays.

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"Run with your legs, not your mouth"

My attitude, and especially my mouth, had caught up to me in high school.  One teacher, Mrs. Martin, the high school media specialist, allowed me to be her student assistant.  She seemed to take it upon herself to change me, and imparted those words of wisdom on me.........and took a sharpie and put them on the back of my track spikes, too!

My final two years of high school track were more of the same -- winning-- but with a different approach & attitude.  It was a life adjustment that had come a few years too late, but at least someone had taken the time to make the adjustment at all.

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 "God gave you an all-weather body, the boosters gave you an all-weather track."

College track was an eye-opener.  You think you are good in high school (and maybe you are), but when you get to college, even at the D2 level, EVERYONE was good in high school.

I was nowhere near the best runner on the team.  Heck, I probably didn't belong there at all.  But, the attitude change Mrs. Martin imparted on me told me to 'stick with it'.  Coach Al(sup) took no pity on runners who couldn't keep up; runners who gave up; or runners that whined.  It was Coach Al that recognized I would not continue much farther with a career in sprinting (much to my disappointment).  He almost immediately moved me up the ladder to "long sprints" (400m, 800m, etc).  He had me train with the XC team in preparation for the Winter(indoor)/Spring(Outdoor) track seasons.  I only now wish he would have pushed me just a bit harder to leap into the distance events.

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 "Citius. Altius.  Fortius."

After a decade layoff from any real physical activity intended to keep me in shape, my weight surged and I was driven to a grand maul seizure.  Thru a weight loss competition, I lost most of the weight and regained my love of exercise, and more importantly, running.  Running is a priority in my life now.....like sleeping, eating better, breathing, etc.  I can do things at (nearly) age 35 that I couldn't have done at 21.  I spend time at the gym and even more time running, all in the pursuit of 'Faster.  Higher.  Stronger.'....the Olympic motto.  This is the story of my beginning.........but trust me, it's only the beginning.