I'm in love. There you go, I said it. It's out there now. No more sneaking around. I can now embrace the forest with my head held high. I love trail running. Wow, that's a weight off my chest. Go figure. I knew I was in love before but today sealed the deal. Sharon, Jen, Robin, and I arrived at the Redmond Watershed around 9:00 and after a short warm up, disappeared into the forest. It was my longest trail run at 90 minutes but it certainly didn't feel like it. That's the magic of the trail.
I should back up and say that the drive to the trail was amazing. Trees are embracing Fall and Fall is doing her best to strut her stuff. I use "her" because a man would simply have no patience for changing colors. We'd cut to the chase, drop our leaves, and hunker down for the winter. Now we all appreciate Fall colors but Sharon...Sharon nearly slips into a trance with each and every tree. She sees the sheer beauty of each and appreciates them for what they each have to offer up, almost as if they had a personality of their own. The rest of us enjoy them as well however we found our job being more of a "hey the lights red"...."we should drive in only one lane at a time"....you get the picture.
The trail. We started out on a skinny trail covered with hundreds of beautiful leaves, piles of them. It was fun to run through them. I always think of those car commercials where the car drives though leaves and they fly up as the car rushes by. I looked behind me as I ran and saw very little movement....The down side to the leaves is that they cover up rocks, twigs, and the ever frightening pile of horse poop. Yes, you know you're in trouble when the leaf pile squashes down a little too far. That's why I don't drive to the trail - my car and 'squishy' don't do well together.
It was an incredible experience switching from one trail to the next, around corners, up and down, as the trail wound throughout. Everyone did great. Jen and Sharon pushed the pace from time to time as Jen is working on building her 5k speed. She did really well. Robin set a PR today, running for the longest time ever! She did great. Robin has a way of finding her pace and pushing forward. Determination is a mainstay on her face - love it! Jen ran a couple weeks ago and today was night and day - she rocked it. Sharon ran a zillion miles as she would run back and forth to make sure everyone was staying together and no one got lost. She had me pick up the pace with her for a short stretch and I was right there with her. For a minute anyway. Then she does whatever it is she does and with little apparent effort she was soon well ahead of me. Note how I like to phrase it that she is fast so I can avoid the nasty thought that I might be slow...I am not! Just not as fast as some...
After the run we headed to Starbucks for our post run treat and consumed our rewards on the drive back home. We laughed so hard that I nearly had a 180 degree, non-fat, no foam latte find it's way through and out of my nose. Robin and her "Mr Hankey and the Christmas Poo" started us off and it never stopped. It's clear that we are very funny people! I won't even start with the fake accents.....I had a great time on the run and great people make all the difference in the world. Today was definitely a good day and I look forward to many more. Right now though I need to find a shower and scrub the trail off my body, clean some very dirty clothes, and sooner or later spray off the bottom of my running shoes. Seems that I landed in more than one "squashy" pile of leaves today.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Dawg Bite
It's Dawg Dash weekend! The 25th annual Dawg Dash that is. Super if you're a runner or a Huskie fan, not such a big deal if your loyalties fall with Washington State. I've never been one to even come close to understanding why alumni become so freakin passionate about their teams. I mean crap, most people never played a sport in college and they graduated decades ago, let it go....Maybe I don't "get it" because I didn't have the opportunity to live that college life. I spent years earning my degree by going to school at night. Working all day, school for 4 hours a day until 10:00pm, study, homework, wake up and do it again. That's a long haul...more years then I care to remember. All I know is that I had long hair when I started and couldn't find my hair by the time I finished. I'm glad I did it and I value the time spent and the knowledge earned.
My 5K weekend started Saturday night with Albert as we got together for some pizza and catching up. It had been too long (my fault) and it was good to kick back and shoot the shit. "Shoot the shit" - where did that phrase come from? I don't really want to know but farms and cow pies come to mind. Anyone reading this not familiar with a cow pie, just know it isn't something you can order at Sharie's or the French Bakery...
Our conversation flowed and the pizza was fantastic. We also had a couple suicide blondes. I know what you're thinking, a suicide blonde sounds a lot like a $20 hooker. Rest assured that while that may be true, in our case it was a type of beer. Not being a big drinker I quickly downed the first one and moved to the second. Yes, by now my second blonde was much more attractive than her younger and now forgotten sister. I was however a complete gentleman, sipped rather than gulped, made no promises, and might have even used my real name. I got home and maybe, just maybe stumbled across a bit of rum. How it got there I do not know. What I do know is that Sunday morning came quick...too quick. Thought I might need a bit of the "hair of the dog" - defined as a measure of drink intended to cure a hangover. Thankfully I didn't really have a hangover. My head hurt a bit but I have been spending an awful lot of time thinking these days - that can do it you know. My tummy was whispering to me in an outside voice but then again, now that I have a couple abs, maybe it was just wanting a little attention.
We had quite the racing crew. Albert running the 10K, Heather, Iain, Jen, Robin, Sharon, and myself tackling the 5K (note how everyone is in alphabetical order - very tidy). We noticed the moon which seemed to be full - I love a full moon, so cool and the Fall foliage was beautiful. Sharon commented that every Fall should be this beautiful. She's right, the colors were amazing. The weather on the other hand was terrible. Rain....rain....did I mention rain? Had a dash of wind pop through from time to time just to say hi. When race time approached we had to climb out of the car - had I mentioned that we were piled in the car trying to stay warm and dry? 9:00 comes as we decide to get out and warm up. No sooner did we step out and the big guy upstairs opened the heavens and down came the buckets of rain. It was so stupid it was funny.
Now by the time we hit the bathrooms to ah, let's just say it, pee and get warm (Ok, satisfied now?), the rain stopped. We all slid into our personal warm up routines to get ready for our race. Some do more than others. Sharon and Albert knock out what seems a mile or two. I simply jog around, do a couple strides (strictly to intimidate the competition), and save my juice for the race. It's limited and I hate to spend it early as the recovery time is a good 20 minutes.
The race itself was fairly uneventful. We all run at different paces so other than seeing Sharon disappear in front of me early on (same play, different race), I ran my race the best I could. The first half of the course is all incline and I do my best running downhill. A week ago I had tossed out there that I would finish in the top 10 in my age division. That's saying something for this race because with a couple thousand runners, it's pretty competitive. I don't do it to be cocky I do it to put competitive pressure on myself. For that extra push. I'm glad I did because I wasn't feeling 100% but knew that I better push past the side ache and queasiness. Turns out that I finished 5th in my age division and 76th out of 1205. You can read that again if you want.
Our rockstar today was Sharon. Though she lied about her age, er, I mean accidentally wrote the wrong number down - I too have always thought 3's and 4's looked a lot alike. I might have to have a talk with her parents about this as I've seen this before and we may need an intervention before a pattern develops. Regardless, she came in 1st in the age divisions 30-39 and 40-49 which are the two most competitive. She was 3rd overall for woman and finished 40th out of 1205 runners. Too bad she had to leave right after the race because there's a medal with her name on it.
Everyone had a great race. Albert came through the 10K finished 14 of 110 in his division and 83 of 1077! Iain and Heather - our husband and wife team - hit paces of 13:09 and 11:39 respectively. It was Iain's first 5K! It's so cool because he's been walking while the Tri group ran and has worked his way to a 5K. I hope he's hooked because it was so sweet to see the two of them celebrate and congratulate each other - lot's of love there. Jen smoked a 9:23 pace and finished 16th of 140 in her division - way to go Jen, you are getting faster!!! Maybe Devil Hill is your friend after all! Though Robin has completed several Tri's, this was her first standalone 5K. She kicked a 10:32 pace and was 48th in her division of 156. Coincidence that everyone did so well AND are members of the now world famous Tri team? I think not!
Race complete and freebies consumed, it was time to go. Sharon had already left as Little T was having his birthday party today. That kid is such a crackup, but I'll leave that for another blog. Which by the way I may do. I've been told that I should blog more often which means I'll have to share my thoughts on more than just a race experience. I like to write and if you can stomach them, I invite you to come around from time to time and give me a read. Oh, back to my original line of thinking. We were leaving...Yes, leaving. Well wouldn't you know it, the heavens opened up once again and it was a down pour. We got to the car soaked to the skin and cold. Funny thing is, I wouldn't have changed a thing. That's a lie. I would have changed a couple things - one being my time :)
You may have noticed that this blog is not as dark as a few of my most recent. While not every day is a great one, they are getting better. Friends can make such an amazing difference and they should never be taken for granted but instead embraced and thanked for what they give, who they are. Many of the Tri team are running the Pineapple Classic in a couple of weeks. I look forward to that and the training that will take place between now and then. Multi-Sports is around the corner and that excites me too. If it delivers half of what the Tri program did, it'll be a home run. Until the next time, do your best at whatever you do, forgive when you can, hug often, and know that hearts don't change, people do. If in doubt, Run...don't jog.
My 5K weekend started Saturday night with Albert as we got together for some pizza and catching up. It had been too long (my fault) and it was good to kick back and shoot the shit. "Shoot the shit" - where did that phrase come from? I don't really want to know but farms and cow pies come to mind. Anyone reading this not familiar with a cow pie, just know it isn't something you can order at Sharie's or the French Bakery...
Our conversation flowed and the pizza was fantastic. We also had a couple suicide blondes. I know what you're thinking, a suicide blonde sounds a lot like a $20 hooker. Rest assured that while that may be true, in our case it was a type of beer. Not being a big drinker I quickly downed the first one and moved to the second. Yes, by now my second blonde was much more attractive than her younger and now forgotten sister. I was however a complete gentleman, sipped rather than gulped, made no promises, and might have even used my real name. I got home and maybe, just maybe stumbled across a bit of rum. How it got there I do not know. What I do know is that Sunday morning came quick...too quick. Thought I might need a bit of the "hair of the dog" - defined as a measure of drink intended to cure a hangover. Thankfully I didn't really have a hangover. My head hurt a bit but I have been spending an awful lot of time thinking these days - that can do it you know. My tummy was whispering to me in an outside voice but then again, now that I have a couple abs, maybe it was just wanting a little attention.
We had quite the racing crew. Albert running the 10K, Heather, Iain, Jen, Robin, Sharon, and myself tackling the 5K (note how everyone is in alphabetical order - very tidy). We noticed the moon which seemed to be full - I love a full moon, so cool and the Fall foliage was beautiful. Sharon commented that every Fall should be this beautiful. She's right, the colors were amazing. The weather on the other hand was terrible. Rain....rain....did I mention rain? Had a dash of wind pop through from time to time just to say hi. When race time approached we had to climb out of the car - had I mentioned that we were piled in the car trying to stay warm and dry? 9:00 comes as we decide to get out and warm up. No sooner did we step out and the big guy upstairs opened the heavens and down came the buckets of rain. It was so stupid it was funny.
Now by the time we hit the bathrooms to ah, let's just say it, pee and get warm (Ok, satisfied now?), the rain stopped. We all slid into our personal warm up routines to get ready for our race. Some do more than others. Sharon and Albert knock out what seems a mile or two. I simply jog around, do a couple strides (strictly to intimidate the competition), and save my juice for the race. It's limited and I hate to spend it early as the recovery time is a good 20 minutes.
The race itself was fairly uneventful. We all run at different paces so other than seeing Sharon disappear in front of me early on (same play, different race), I ran my race the best I could. The first half of the course is all incline and I do my best running downhill. A week ago I had tossed out there that I would finish in the top 10 in my age division. That's saying something for this race because with a couple thousand runners, it's pretty competitive. I don't do it to be cocky I do it to put competitive pressure on myself. For that extra push. I'm glad I did because I wasn't feeling 100% but knew that I better push past the side ache and queasiness. Turns out that I finished 5th in my age division and 76th out of 1205. You can read that again if you want.
Our rockstar today was Sharon. Though she lied about her age, er, I mean accidentally wrote the wrong number down - I too have always thought 3's and 4's looked a lot alike. I might have to have a talk with her parents about this as I've seen this before and we may need an intervention before a pattern develops. Regardless, she came in 1st in the age divisions 30-39 and 40-49 which are the two most competitive. She was 3rd overall for woman and finished 40th out of 1205 runners. Too bad she had to leave right after the race because there's a medal with her name on it.
Everyone had a great race. Albert came through the 10K finished 14 of 110 in his division and 83 of 1077! Iain and Heather - our husband and wife team - hit paces of 13:09 and 11:39 respectively. It was Iain's first 5K! It's so cool because he's been walking while the Tri group ran and has worked his way to a 5K. I hope he's hooked because it was so sweet to see the two of them celebrate and congratulate each other - lot's of love there. Jen smoked a 9:23 pace and finished 16th of 140 in her division - way to go Jen, you are getting faster!!! Maybe Devil Hill is your friend after all! Though Robin has completed several Tri's, this was her first standalone 5K. She kicked a 10:32 pace and was 48th in her division of 156. Coincidence that everyone did so well AND are members of the now world famous Tri team? I think not!
Race complete and freebies consumed, it was time to go. Sharon had already left as Little T was having his birthday party today. That kid is such a crackup, but I'll leave that for another blog. Which by the way I may do. I've been told that I should blog more often which means I'll have to share my thoughts on more than just a race experience. I like to write and if you can stomach them, I invite you to come around from time to time and give me a read. Oh, back to my original line of thinking. We were leaving...Yes, leaving. Well wouldn't you know it, the heavens opened up once again and it was a down pour. We got to the car soaked to the skin and cold. Funny thing is, I wouldn't have changed a thing. That's a lie. I would have changed a couple things - one being my time :)
You may have noticed that this blog is not as dark as a few of my most recent. While not every day is a great one, they are getting better. Friends can make such an amazing difference and they should never be taken for granted but instead embraced and thanked for what they give, who they are. Many of the Tri team are running the Pineapple Classic in a couple of weeks. I look forward to that and the training that will take place between now and then. Multi-Sports is around the corner and that excites me too. If it delivers half of what the Tri program did, it'll be a home run. Until the next time, do your best at whatever you do, forgive when you can, hug often, and know that hearts don't change, people do. If in doubt, Run...don't jog.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Olive Branch
I admit it. The past two months have been shit. Decisions made created a new world for me. A roller coaster of emotion - feelings hit me from every angle and I didn't know how to react. Felt like I was in a boxing ring with my arms tied behind my back. I always try and live in my "happy place" where life is good and evil doesn't exist. So when things go bad I struggle to figure out how to dig out. Let's be clear before anyone feels sorry for me - the decisions made were mine. If you want to place blame - I'm your man. Some decisions were the right ones, others simply fucked the world up. Most created ripples, splashing onto the innocent. It would be easy to say I don't care, but I do. I burned trust and still can't find my way back. If you know me you know I'm already directionally challenged so this journey is like racing with a blindfold on - you want to go fast, fix it fast, but all you do is run off course.
What helps me is running. If you follow me on Facebook you'll see that I have been running a lot. It gives one time to think, to inflect some personal pain, to test yourself. Racing intensifies this. So I heard about a 5k and decided to race. I got lucky and Sharon decided to run too. Upside: she's a blast. Downside: I would place one spot further back in the standings. Her slow day is quicker than my fast day. Anyway, we arrived at the race and each dropped $40 for same day registration - $40....that's almost $13 a mile. It wasn't easy but I managed to hand over a couple twenties. "Sir...sir...you need to let go of the money now..."
Before we knew it we were at the start line. It wasn't a huge race but it seemed well organized - we were starting on time! Sharon was up near the start line, I was back a little. Just before the race started a couple women pulled forward up with Sharon, maybe a tad in front. I chuckled to myself knowing what they didn't know. Sharon's fast. More important though was that I knew she wouldn't appreciate their move. She didn't. The gun when off and in short order our speedster was out in front and the women were fading fast. I passed them with a smile. It was all I could manage because I was determined to keep Sharon in sight - that red/orange sports bra would be easy to spot. Right there next to me was this 12 year old kid that hung in front for about a quarter mile. He was flying but soon spent his gas and slowed.
I was fast out of the gate as well. My first mile was 6:54 and I felt pretty good. It was a wonky course. Lots of turns and it wasn't always clear where you should go. Sharon was well ahead of me and I saw her coming back from the turn. Sweet, half way done! Not so fast.....I kept running...and running....I knew something was wrong. Before I knew it Sharon was flying by me. F'd City. A volunteer sent her the wrong way and she had to rerun a section of the course. I saw her gaining ground on the guys that had been behind her. She was able to pass them as the race went on. Turns out that she was misdirected not once, not twice, but three times. I was nearly sent the wrong direction but the volunteer switched his arms at the last moment and sent me the right direction.
Even with the extra mileage Sharon ran, she had an amazing race. Her time was 20:43 -nice! If you factor in the extra mileage it's safe to subtract a minute, maybe a minute twenty. It's clear she was a 19 something 5k. Her best ever. Smokin boys, smokin. She still managed to win her division, was the overall women's first place finisher, and finished 3rd overall. She walked away with a nice trophy. Me? I got a ribbon...which they will mail to me....Ran a 22:30 which was 14 seconds off my best ever. Won my age division, 5th overall men, and finished 6th overall. All this cross training has been helping me. I'm back down to my racing weight and I know that helps too. I thought I saw an ab in the mirror yesterday....I was afraid to look again.....maybe next week.
As we were walking to the car, a guy drives by, slows down and tells Sharon how impressed he was with her attitude about being misdirected during the race. Class guy. He didn't have to do that but he did - he took the time to make a day better. It put a smile on our racer. I thought about what he said and he was right. She could have flipped but didn't. Good for him, good for her. People can surprise you. Not everyone likes surprises and I can understand that. Me? I would like to be surprised. Maybe I have been lately. An unexpected olive branch can change your day, your outlook. It doesn't have to come with promises or forgiveness. It doesn't have the power to build trust. But if given from the heart, it opens a door. From there, who knows. I know I've not been a good friend lately. I've been all about my world, fixing the fuck. I'm trying to change that and will change that. I'll keep running....racing....swimming. I'll be back, maybe a little different than I was before but at the center, I will be the guy you can count on. Keep the olive branches coming, give everyday the best you have, smile at a stranger, run naked. MYLACM.
What helps me is running. If you follow me on Facebook you'll see that I have been running a lot. It gives one time to think, to inflect some personal pain, to test yourself. Racing intensifies this. So I heard about a 5k and decided to race. I got lucky and Sharon decided to run too. Upside: she's a blast. Downside: I would place one spot further back in the standings. Her slow day is quicker than my fast day. Anyway, we arrived at the race and each dropped $40 for same day registration - $40....that's almost $13 a mile. It wasn't easy but I managed to hand over a couple twenties. "Sir...sir...you need to let go of the money now..."
Before we knew it we were at the start line. It wasn't a huge race but it seemed well organized - we were starting on time! Sharon was up near the start line, I was back a little. Just before the race started a couple women pulled forward up with Sharon, maybe a tad in front. I chuckled to myself knowing what they didn't know. Sharon's fast. More important though was that I knew she wouldn't appreciate their move. She didn't. The gun when off and in short order our speedster was out in front and the women were fading fast. I passed them with a smile. It was all I could manage because I was determined to keep Sharon in sight - that red/orange sports bra would be easy to spot. Right there next to me was this 12 year old kid that hung in front for about a quarter mile. He was flying but soon spent his gas and slowed.
I was fast out of the gate as well. My first mile was 6:54 and I felt pretty good. It was a wonky course. Lots of turns and it wasn't always clear where you should go. Sharon was well ahead of me and I saw her coming back from the turn. Sweet, half way done! Not so fast.....I kept running...and running....I knew something was wrong. Before I knew it Sharon was flying by me. F'd City. A volunteer sent her the wrong way and she had to rerun a section of the course. I saw her gaining ground on the guys that had been behind her. She was able to pass them as the race went on. Turns out that she was misdirected not once, not twice, but three times. I was nearly sent the wrong direction but the volunteer switched his arms at the last moment and sent me the right direction.
Even with the extra mileage Sharon ran, she had an amazing race. Her time was 20:43 -nice! If you factor in the extra mileage it's safe to subtract a minute, maybe a minute twenty. It's clear she was a 19 something 5k. Her best ever. Smokin boys, smokin. She still managed to win her division, was the overall women's first place finisher, and finished 3rd overall. She walked away with a nice trophy. Me? I got a ribbon...which they will mail to me....Ran a 22:30 which was 14 seconds off my best ever. Won my age division, 5th overall men, and finished 6th overall. All this cross training has been helping me. I'm back down to my racing weight and I know that helps too. I thought I saw an ab in the mirror yesterday....I was afraid to look again.....maybe next week.
As we were walking to the car, a guy drives by, slows down and tells Sharon how impressed he was with her attitude about being misdirected during the race. Class guy. He didn't have to do that but he did - he took the time to make a day better. It put a smile on our racer. I thought about what he said and he was right. She could have flipped but didn't. Good for him, good for her. People can surprise you. Not everyone likes surprises and I can understand that. Me? I would like to be surprised. Maybe I have been lately. An unexpected olive branch can change your day, your outlook. It doesn't have to come with promises or forgiveness. It doesn't have the power to build trust. But if given from the heart, it opens a door. From there, who knows. I know I've not been a good friend lately. I've been all about my world, fixing the fuck. I'm trying to change that and will change that. I'll keep running....racing....swimming. I'll be back, maybe a little different than I was before but at the center, I will be the guy you can count on. Keep the olive branches coming, give everyday the best you have, smile at a stranger, run naked. MYLACM.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Paths of Choice
What a beautiful day it was. After a very difficult Friday night, Saturday embraced me as a new day should. Like a deep fresh breath, relaxing, calming, and energizing all at the same time. Today was destined to be a better day, a good day, and yes, a race day. Sharon and Heather were running a 5K in Mukilteo and invited me along. How can a guy say no to that? Maybe it was the need to run that made me agree to go with them. Maybe it was the chance to hang with them. The friendship I've seen grow between them has been very special, they click, they don't judge, they just have fun together. Shouldn't all relationships be like that?
We took off early in the morning, lattes in hand and time on our side. I like to get where I'm going early. It reduces stress and allows me to relax and enjoy the moment. Early doesn't work for everyone and I appreciated the girls accommodating me. We saw the most beautiful sunrise. The clouds were billowing with fire and the mountains had this incredible silhouette against the rising sun - the beauty of it made everything else disappear. God knocked it out of the ballpark with that one, I could have stopped and watched it forever.
We did however have a race to run and it would be interesting on two counts. The first being that I needed to run. I didn't feel like I could run hard, I just needed to run. To get lost in myself. To disappear to that place that only a runner knows. The world is gone, noises exist but aren't heard. You feel your heart beating and you become aware of every motion your body takes. It's one stride at a time, focusing on one point on the course and just prior to reaching it, quickly looking and landing on the next point. Those points you use to pull yourself forward while at the same time pushing yourself harder when you already feel taxed, strained, uncomfortable. These moments speak to you. Your brain tells you to slow and rest so your heart won't explode. Your lungs beg for oxygen. It's at this moment you succeed or fail. I've failed more often than I like to admit. Success changes you. Once you realize you didn't actually meet your maker, it becomes easier to do it the next time. Never easy, but mentally it's easier.
The other reason was that today Sharon was going to pace Heather to a personal PR. A sub 34 minute 5K. Sharon shared her plan with me - she would lie to Heather along the course, telling her she was running her target pace when in fact she would be pacing her much faster. Fool the brain and the body will follow. Lock and load baby, this was going to be fun! Maybe not for Heather but when it worked, the PR would be met. Sharon has trained me for some time now and I have learned to shut up and listen. She knows what she's talking about - even when I have to pull out the dictionary to understand exactly what she's said. She's freakin smart and doesn't forget anything....so be careful what you say! Think Einstein meets Rain man.
Between chit chat, potty breaks, and more chit chat, the next thing we knew the race was about to begin. What!?!?! I hadn't warmed up. No jog, strides, sprints. I zipped to the start line and hung up toward the front. I could see the course stretched out in front of me, the first half mile or so. I stared at it knowing that at that very moment I wasn't going to take my time, run at a semi relaxed 8:30 pace and enjoy it. I was going to run hard. Ok, so this run wouldn't feel good, it was going to hurt some. Then bam, we were off. I was sub 8:00 and feeling ok. Pushed it and soon was passing the one mile mark. Hit the turnaround for the out and back and pushed harder. It was no longer a choice, it was necessary to run harder, I had to run harder. Mile 3 was flat to slight decline and I managed a 7:03 pace. The final stretch had another in my age group hanging with me. He'd been slightly ahead the whole time but there was no way he'd finish ahead of me. I got shoulder to shoulder with him and picked it up. Sprint time. Everything in the tank had to go and the tank was low. I moved forward and never looked back. Hey, there's nothing wrong with small victories - we should all have more of them. I finished in 22:36, not my best but within 20 seconds of a PR.
I grabbed some water and moved back to the watch runners come in the final stretch. Figured I had 3-4 minutes before Sharon and Heather would run by. I figured wrong, there they were. I could hear the announcer calling out the time. Heather is pushing it now and I can see by her face that she is in the pain zone, the anaerobic zone. That wonderful place where you feel like crap and continue to ask your body for a little more. The announcer is speaking the impossible....29 minutes and change. Heather comes across UNDER 30 minutes, shattering her PR by over five minutes - incredible! That girl has guts and she showed them today. She was sweat drenched, spent, and the smile on her face reflected her success and sacrifice.
Our coach had done it again, helped another person cross over to a new plane with new expectations and promises of chasing dreams that weren't possible just minutes before. With that we grabbed a few freebies and headed off to Starbucks for the usual. We all felt great. Heather locked in her fastest run ever, Sharon's plan worked out as perfectly as she had planned it, and I ran fast and mentally I was feeling better. We got to Starbucks and Sharon's phone rang. It was Shelby from Run26. Turns out that I took first place in my age division and he had picked up my medal for me. Frickin A, what a surprise that was. The latte would taste even better now.
Today had become a very good day. Racing aside, I had the choice to struggle and let life pull me down or use today as an opportunity to make it a better day. I chose the better day. Heather had a choice to run her normal race or find something inside her that she wasn't sure existed - she dug deep. Sharon chose to help a friend reach a dream - her heart is massive. Maybe all the choices we make aren't the right ones. Sometimes they hurt others. Sometimes they seem selfish. Some may question your choices. Sometimes they put you on a path you didn't expect. At the same time those choices may be exactly the right ones. Listen to your heart, trust in yourself. Surround yourself with friends that won't judge but will support you. I'm lucky. Lucky to have people in my life that I can turn too, that turn to me. There are things I wouldn't change, things that I can say from the bottom of my heart that I'm all in. Today is a good day. Tomorrow will bring another choice. Whether you race or not, make your decisions and move forward, don't press the pause button and hope something happens. Run...don't jog.
We took off early in the morning, lattes in hand and time on our side. I like to get where I'm going early. It reduces stress and allows me to relax and enjoy the moment. Early doesn't work for everyone and I appreciated the girls accommodating me. We saw the most beautiful sunrise. The clouds were billowing with fire and the mountains had this incredible silhouette against the rising sun - the beauty of it made everything else disappear. God knocked it out of the ballpark with that one, I could have stopped and watched it forever.
We did however have a race to run and it would be interesting on two counts. The first being that I needed to run. I didn't feel like I could run hard, I just needed to run. To get lost in myself. To disappear to that place that only a runner knows. The world is gone, noises exist but aren't heard. You feel your heart beating and you become aware of every motion your body takes. It's one stride at a time, focusing on one point on the course and just prior to reaching it, quickly looking and landing on the next point. Those points you use to pull yourself forward while at the same time pushing yourself harder when you already feel taxed, strained, uncomfortable. These moments speak to you. Your brain tells you to slow and rest so your heart won't explode. Your lungs beg for oxygen. It's at this moment you succeed or fail. I've failed more often than I like to admit. Success changes you. Once you realize you didn't actually meet your maker, it becomes easier to do it the next time. Never easy, but mentally it's easier.
The other reason was that today Sharon was going to pace Heather to a personal PR. A sub 34 minute 5K. Sharon shared her plan with me - she would lie to Heather along the course, telling her she was running her target pace when in fact she would be pacing her much faster. Fool the brain and the body will follow. Lock and load baby, this was going to be fun! Maybe not for Heather but when it worked, the PR would be met. Sharon has trained me for some time now and I have learned to shut up and listen. She knows what she's talking about - even when I have to pull out the dictionary to understand exactly what she's said. She's freakin smart and doesn't forget anything....so be careful what you say! Think Einstein meets Rain man.
Between chit chat, potty breaks, and more chit chat, the next thing we knew the race was about to begin. What!?!?! I hadn't warmed up. No jog, strides, sprints. I zipped to the start line and hung up toward the front. I could see the course stretched out in front of me, the first half mile or so. I stared at it knowing that at that very moment I wasn't going to take my time, run at a semi relaxed 8:30 pace and enjoy it. I was going to run hard. Ok, so this run wouldn't feel good, it was going to hurt some. Then bam, we were off. I was sub 8:00 and feeling ok. Pushed it and soon was passing the one mile mark. Hit the turnaround for the out and back and pushed harder. It was no longer a choice, it was necessary to run harder, I had to run harder. Mile 3 was flat to slight decline and I managed a 7:03 pace. The final stretch had another in my age group hanging with me. He'd been slightly ahead the whole time but there was no way he'd finish ahead of me. I got shoulder to shoulder with him and picked it up. Sprint time. Everything in the tank had to go and the tank was low. I moved forward and never looked back. Hey, there's nothing wrong with small victories - we should all have more of them. I finished in 22:36, not my best but within 20 seconds of a PR.
I grabbed some water and moved back to the watch runners come in the final stretch. Figured I had 3-4 minutes before Sharon and Heather would run by. I figured wrong, there they were. I could hear the announcer calling out the time. Heather is pushing it now and I can see by her face that she is in the pain zone, the anaerobic zone. That wonderful place where you feel like crap and continue to ask your body for a little more. The announcer is speaking the impossible....29 minutes and change. Heather comes across UNDER 30 minutes, shattering her PR by over five minutes - incredible! That girl has guts and she showed them today. She was sweat drenched, spent, and the smile on her face reflected her success and sacrifice.
Our coach had done it again, helped another person cross over to a new plane with new expectations and promises of chasing dreams that weren't possible just minutes before. With that we grabbed a few freebies and headed off to Starbucks for the usual. We all felt great. Heather locked in her fastest run ever, Sharon's plan worked out as perfectly as she had planned it, and I ran fast and mentally I was feeling better. We got to Starbucks and Sharon's phone rang. It was Shelby from Run26. Turns out that I took first place in my age division and he had picked up my medal for me. Frickin A, what a surprise that was. The latte would taste even better now.
Today had become a very good day. Racing aside, I had the choice to struggle and let life pull me down or use today as an opportunity to make it a better day. I chose the better day. Heather had a choice to run her normal race or find something inside her that she wasn't sure existed - she dug deep. Sharon chose to help a friend reach a dream - her heart is massive. Maybe all the choices we make aren't the right ones. Sometimes they hurt others. Sometimes they seem selfish. Some may question your choices. Sometimes they put you on a path you didn't expect. At the same time those choices may be exactly the right ones. Listen to your heart, trust in yourself. Surround yourself with friends that won't judge but will support you. I'm lucky. Lucky to have people in my life that I can turn too, that turn to me. There are things I wouldn't change, things that I can say from the bottom of my heart that I'm all in. Today is a good day. Tomorrow will bring another choice. Whether you race or not, make your decisions and move forward, don't press the pause button and hope something happens. Run...don't jog.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Vision, Journey, and the Triple Threat
Saturday's Triathlon marked the end of our journey. A journey that started with a vision, determination, and a passion for helping others. It started with what became the soul, the heart, and the personality of the program - Sharon. It ended 16 weeks later with strangers who became friends, individuals who not only became athletes but became triathletes, and heart, compassion, and support woven into each and every success and struggle.
Sharon was our maverick - as defined by Webster as "an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party". She was exactly what the doctor ordered. You've heard the phrase "thinking outside the box", well Sharon doesn't even know where the box is - and thank goodness for that! Her drive, enthusiasm, personality, and unfiltered view on life began to slowly break down barriers between a group of people, most who had never met before, and set the stage for us to become a team - each one looking out for the other, caring about one another.
The first week seems like yesterday. Albert and I helped coach the running portion of the program. There was a lot of walking - which was fine. Run...walk...jog...walk. I remember running at the track a few weeks later and seeing these same people run without stopping to walk or rest. I know it was hard for them - their breathing was rough and their form a little off. But the day was bigger than that. What I saw that day was the heart and guts that would define this team. They dug deep, hurt, but no one quit. It hit me so hard seeing them overcome that barrier that at that moment I decided to overcome one of my own. Water. Swimming. My success in the water came as a direct result of that day, those people, this program.
I began to change. Running wasn't just about going as fast I could any more. Slipping from one event to the next, one training plan after another. A sea of 400's, 800's, tempos, and long runs. It was about helping others. Realizing how great it felt to see the success of others. Watching them run a little further, shave a few seconds off their time, getting excited about a new pair of running shoes. At the same time I was learning from them. I believe I will be a stronger runner - stronger person because of them. How do you thank someone for that? I guess I'd start with Sharon and work my way through the entire team. There wasn't a single person who didn't have an impact on me. So to those who may read this, I thank you from the deepest part of my heart.
Flash forward 16 weeks to Saturday. 16 weeks of hard work, tears, sore bones and bodies. Workouts that sucked. Workouts that started so early no one has slept in on a weekend for four months. 16 weeks that shaped bodies, minds, and taught us that stretching and rest days were just as important as the workout itself. Some of us (me) still can't touch their toes but all of us can reach further than before. I think I'm limber but simply have been cursed with short arms.
Saturday morning we met at the Y where it all started. A chilly morning. Sleepy and nervous we almost didn't think about it being 5:00am. We approached Monroe and the site of the triathlon. There was a fog over the lake so thick you couldn't see more than 10-15 feet. Over time it dissipated though it did delay the start. Bikes were racked, transition areas set up, and the day old race tradition - having to use the bathroom a billion times begun. What is it about a race that causes your bladder to work overtime and your ah, other function to post an out of order sign on your butt? Think what you will but both end up impacting your race one way or the other. Many of the team simply peed in their wetsuit - you could always tell because of the peaceful calming look that came over them.
I was lucky to participate in this triathlon. While my swimming had greatly improved, the distance was too much for me at this point. The solution - a relay team. Steve had trained hard but ended up with a foot issue that prevented him from running. Kerrie having knocked off her first Tri the weekend prior wasn't ready to do another one. Triple Threat was born. Steve would swim, Kerrie on the bike, and I would run. Perfect. What was also cool about doing the relay was that I was able to watch most of the team swim and take off on their bike.
One by one out of the water they came. Smiling, tired, and focused on getting to the transition area. The mix of fatigue, numb fingers, and feet make for an interesting transition. Change clothes, put on socks and running shoes (try to tie shoes with numb fingers) and strap on the helmet. I didn't see to many transitions but I was able to witness Sharon. Somehow during her transition her timing chip shot off like a rubber band - no timing chip, no time. No time, you are DQ'd. I should mention she also had an infected thumb that had swelled to something from a horror movie. Maybe not that bad. Anyway, our unfiltered leader shot off some colorful words until it was located and then she was off. She did have the help of our cheerleader and her personal porter - Albert. Albert is well on track for the Portland marathon and cheered everyone on and today is running 20 miles....wow!
Steve came in from the swim and looked great. Handed off to Kerrie who grabbed her bike and tore out of there. It was a first for Steve and he did great! I loved the look on this face and hearing him talk about the swim. I look forward to doing a full Tri with him next year. Next thing I knew Kerrie was coming into the transition area and it was my turn. She was barreling in and yelled out a "MOVE!" to the person standing in her way. I loved it! We put the timing chip on my ankle and I was off. I'd struggled with a sore back and thought I'd go slow. But the BioFreeze I had applied numbed my back and half a mile down the road my trusty Garmin told me I was hitting a 7:35 pace. I felt good so kept it up. Finished my run in 22:36 (one of my fastest). We finished 7 of 12 relay teams. Not last but if we'd been last, so what. We had a blast. Thank you Triple Threat partners!
Three of the Tri team took home a medal! Sharon took 3rd in her division, 20th overall, and 5th of all women!! Wow! Paula took 2nd in her division, and David took 1st in his. It was so cool seeing each of them go up for their medal - we couldn't have clapped any harder. Through the celebration there was the reality that the end had arrived. 16 weeks in the blink of an eye. I have come to respect each of them and celebrate in their individual victories. 20 or so weeks ago Sharon approached me about helping with this then soon to be pilot program. I'm glad she asked - I'm glad I accepted. I received more than I gave. Have new friends I don't want to lose. Experiences I won't forget. Next on the docket is Sharon's next vision - Multisports. I'm sure she knows this by now but I'll say it again. I'm all in. Until that time I will continue to train and push myself hard. If Multisports delivers half of what the Tri program did, I will be a lucky man, a better man. This goes out to all of you and you know who you are - Thank you!
Sharon was our maverick - as defined by Webster as "an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party". She was exactly what the doctor ordered. You've heard the phrase "thinking outside the box", well Sharon doesn't even know where the box is - and thank goodness for that! Her drive, enthusiasm, personality, and unfiltered view on life began to slowly break down barriers between a group of people, most who had never met before, and set the stage for us to become a team - each one looking out for the other, caring about one another.
The first week seems like yesterday. Albert and I helped coach the running portion of the program. There was a lot of walking - which was fine. Run...walk...jog...walk. I remember running at the track a few weeks later and seeing these same people run without stopping to walk or rest. I know it was hard for them - their breathing was rough and their form a little off. But the day was bigger than that. What I saw that day was the heart and guts that would define this team. They dug deep, hurt, but no one quit. It hit me so hard seeing them overcome that barrier that at that moment I decided to overcome one of my own. Water. Swimming. My success in the water came as a direct result of that day, those people, this program.
I began to change. Running wasn't just about going as fast I could any more. Slipping from one event to the next, one training plan after another. A sea of 400's, 800's, tempos, and long runs. It was about helping others. Realizing how great it felt to see the success of others. Watching them run a little further, shave a few seconds off their time, getting excited about a new pair of running shoes. At the same time I was learning from them. I believe I will be a stronger runner - stronger person because of them. How do you thank someone for that? I guess I'd start with Sharon and work my way through the entire team. There wasn't a single person who didn't have an impact on me. So to those who may read this, I thank you from the deepest part of my heart.
Flash forward 16 weeks to Saturday. 16 weeks of hard work, tears, sore bones and bodies. Workouts that sucked. Workouts that started so early no one has slept in on a weekend for four months. 16 weeks that shaped bodies, minds, and taught us that stretching and rest days were just as important as the workout itself. Some of us (me) still can't touch their toes but all of us can reach further than before. I think I'm limber but simply have been cursed with short arms.
Saturday morning we met at the Y where it all started. A chilly morning. Sleepy and nervous we almost didn't think about it being 5:00am. We approached Monroe and the site of the triathlon. There was a fog over the lake so thick you couldn't see more than 10-15 feet. Over time it dissipated though it did delay the start. Bikes were racked, transition areas set up, and the day old race tradition - having to use the bathroom a billion times begun. What is it about a race that causes your bladder to work overtime and your ah, other function to post an out of order sign on your butt? Think what you will but both end up impacting your race one way or the other. Many of the team simply peed in their wetsuit - you could always tell because of the peaceful calming look that came over them.
I was lucky to participate in this triathlon. While my swimming had greatly improved, the distance was too much for me at this point. The solution - a relay team. Steve had trained hard but ended up with a foot issue that prevented him from running. Kerrie having knocked off her first Tri the weekend prior wasn't ready to do another one. Triple Threat was born. Steve would swim, Kerrie on the bike, and I would run. Perfect. What was also cool about doing the relay was that I was able to watch most of the team swim and take off on their bike.
One by one out of the water they came. Smiling, tired, and focused on getting to the transition area. The mix of fatigue, numb fingers, and feet make for an interesting transition. Change clothes, put on socks and running shoes (try to tie shoes with numb fingers) and strap on the helmet. I didn't see to many transitions but I was able to witness Sharon. Somehow during her transition her timing chip shot off like a rubber band - no timing chip, no time. No time, you are DQ'd. I should mention she also had an infected thumb that had swelled to something from a horror movie. Maybe not that bad. Anyway, our unfiltered leader shot off some colorful words until it was located and then she was off. She did have the help of our cheerleader and her personal porter - Albert. Albert is well on track for the Portland marathon and cheered everyone on and today is running 20 miles....wow!
Steve came in from the swim and looked great. Handed off to Kerrie who grabbed her bike and tore out of there. It was a first for Steve and he did great! I loved the look on this face and hearing him talk about the swim. I look forward to doing a full Tri with him next year. Next thing I knew Kerrie was coming into the transition area and it was my turn. She was barreling in and yelled out a "MOVE!" to the person standing in her way. I loved it! We put the timing chip on my ankle and I was off. I'd struggled with a sore back and thought I'd go slow. But the BioFreeze I had applied numbed my back and half a mile down the road my trusty Garmin told me I was hitting a 7:35 pace. I felt good so kept it up. Finished my run in 22:36 (one of my fastest). We finished 7 of 12 relay teams. Not last but if we'd been last, so what. We had a blast. Thank you Triple Threat partners!
Three of the Tri team took home a medal! Sharon took 3rd in her division, 20th overall, and 5th of all women!! Wow! Paula took 2nd in her division, and David took 1st in his. It was so cool seeing each of them go up for their medal - we couldn't have clapped any harder. Through the celebration there was the reality that the end had arrived. 16 weeks in the blink of an eye. I have come to respect each of them and celebrate in their individual victories. 20 or so weeks ago Sharon approached me about helping with this then soon to be pilot program. I'm glad she asked - I'm glad I accepted. I received more than I gave. Have new friends I don't want to lose. Experiences I won't forget. Next on the docket is Sharon's next vision - Multisports. I'm sure she knows this by now but I'll say it again. I'm all in. Until that time I will continue to train and push myself hard. If Multisports delivers half of what the Tri program did, I will be a lucky man, a better man. This goes out to all of you and you know who you are - Thank you!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Ragnar 187.1
Thank you. That's the only way to start this blog. It's only appropriate. Thank you. First of all a monster thanks to the team - Albert (my running angel), Don (the strongman), Jerry (super human volunteer), Kathy (best navigator ever), Shelly (the jack rabbit), Stephanie (my checkpoint angel and cruiser - yes, she gets two names), and Susan (the warrior). More on them later.... Thanks to Sharon who I believe was texting us while hanging from rock ledges in Arizona to make sure we were being safe - that meant more than you know. To family and friends your support was fantastic and so appreciated. So for everyone listed here, a huge THANKS for being in my corner and supporting me through this adventure instead of calling the funny farm and having me carted away and tossed in a padded room.
I didn't train properly for this run. I ran 400 meter sprints to gain speed. Many a day I ran them until I was going to puke. Then we decided to do something crazy - read the rules. Turns out Ultra teams run doubles which means the training should have been endurance and hills vs speed. No big deal, I had three weeks to transition my body from speed to more mileage than I ever dreamed of. Not so much. I entered this run trained for a different run. My longest run over the past 3 months had been 9 miles and most averaged 6. Now I was off to run between 28-30 (ended with a mileage count of 31.5 miles). Was I nervous? Maybe a little on the inside.
Around 7:00am Friday morning we jumped into the van that would be our home for the next 30 or so hours. Tight fit, no toilet, tires in need of air, and a rattle that sounded as if something was going to fall off but nothing ever did. We used the drive to Blaine to start getting to know each other - some of us had never met other than Facebook. We connected fast. Maybe because we were runners. Maybe it was the nervous jitters for the unknown adventure we were about to embark on. Regardless of the reason we were becoming friends by the time we hit Blaine. While it might not have seemed that important at the time, it would end up making the difference as the relay progressed.
Jerry. We had to produce three volunteers or pay $300. Jerry stepped up as a super volunteer and bailed us out. He was stationed in Coupeville from 2:00am - 1:00pm. Eleven hours, no sleep. Thank you Jerry. You're an amazing person.
We arrived in Blaine, checked in, and attended the safety briefing. This race is all about safety. There were more places on the course where you could be hit and seriously injured than you can imagine. Blind corners, cars flying by 55 mph, little or no running room on the road so you were in the street. Factor in running in the dark and you have the ingredients for disaster. We exited the briefing and began to soak in the excitement. Booths, teams, rock n roll music, energy. It was like a drug. I started to feel like anything was possible, my running shoes had magical powers that would carry me to the finish. Let's get this relay started!
Don. Our strongman. He ran the first leg, got us started out of the gate. It had to be nerve racking to go first. He took it in stride. He took the nervousness off our shoulders and placed it firmly on his own. His first double leg would tell us all something about what was ahead. He was out of the gate and running strong. We jumped in the van to begin our leapfrog approach - drive ahead, let the runner catch up to check on them, and drive further up and wait. Don was strong. Mile after mile he looked like an ironman. Just watching him run built confidence in me. Later in the relay after his second double Don was done. His hip said no more. I know it was hard for him to listen but he did the right thing and did not run his last double. It was smart. No run is worth the possible permanent damage an injury can cause. That decision spoke volumes about Don and I for one was impressed by it.
My first double. Ok, this looks to be a long blog so if you need to pee or get a drink of water go ahead, I'll wait. I learned a lesson about fueling on this leg - and maybe a bit about smart running. It was my first and worse leg. I woke at 5:30am and had a bowl of cereal. Snacked on the drive. Had a 6 inch sub and a couple bottles of water. At 5:30pm I started my first run. 80+ degrees, sun beating down, 9.3 miles, and Michael. I was ready. Go slow it's not a race. Take it easy you have a lot of miles before this relay is done. Got it. Lost it. Ran the first mile in 7:24, second in 7:45, third and fourth close to 8:00. I was spent. Had no juice, no energy. Spent it all on the first four frickin miles and had five to go. Stupid. I couldn't get out of the sun and my legs were heavy and didn't want to move. Albert got me water and told me to slow and take it easy. Around mile 7 he was waiting for me with some G2. I knew something was up the way he was looking at me. "Are you ok" "Are you dizzy" "How do you feel" "You back is clammy". Turns out I had a bit of heat exhaustion. The final couple of miles were painful. It's hard to describe. It was so hot I couldn't stand it yet I was cold at the same time. My magical running shoes had become cement. More than once I was ready for Jesus to take me. What the fuck was wrong with me, I'm a runner. I wasn't a smart runner. Then I saw her. Stephanie. She became my checkpoint angel. She would always run after me. She was always there ready to take the handoff and allow my pain to subside. I would have hugged her but I couldn't lift my arms - in fact I wasn't sure I still had them. Albert helped me to the van for G2, a banana, and my trusty Muscle Milk. He described my last couple of miles being like a punch drunk fighter who went 15 rounds, staggering and wobbling, like Rocky screaming for Adrian..."Yo Adrian get me the hell out of here"...
Albert. My running angel. Now you know why. He looked after me as he often does. I remember giving him water as he ran through his checkpoint (Ultra teams handoff every other checkpoint whereas the "normal" teams do it every time). I asked him how he was doing and he replied "Doing fine, make sure you're hydrating". Middle of a frickin hard run and he's making sure I'll be ok on mine. He was always checking on me - he knew I wasn't trained for this and I think he had a mission to make sure I didn't hurt myself. Now Albert was beginning to get a reputation on the course. Maybe it was because he ran in nothing but skimpy shorts and the girls from many teams took notice. I always ran after Albert. On more than one occasion while waiting for him, teams would ask about him - girls would ask about him. I should make note that there were very few Ultra teams and our running bibs were green not orange like everyone else - so the Ultras stuck out. Teams were amazed with his running. Same perfect form regardless of terrain. "Who is that guy", "He looks so strong", "Never looks tired". Albert had lots of nasty legs. Hills that the van had trouble going up he had to run. He pounded them out. He ran 16.7 miles in the middle of the night. He ran strong.
Kathy. She was our driver. She was really more than that. She drove the entire time less maybe two hours for a short nap. We never got lost, our runners were always there to take the handoff. A lot of teams can't say that. Runners hit the checkpoint and their van and next runner wasn't there. The van is your lifeline. Food, drink, and your support are all there. Without it you are done for. Thank you Kathy for navigating a difficult course and allowing us to recover without worry of taking a turn driving. I cannot imagine how I would have driven if I had too. It would have been impossible.
My second double. 3:00am. 7 miles. I was wearing the same clothes I ran my first double in. Never changed. If you're thinking gross you are right, I was one stinky boy. I was well hydrated and fueled. The night was beautiful. Nearly a full moon, not a cloud in the sky, and stars everywhere. I took the handoff as was off. I was alone running through a small town and neighborhood. Once in a while a car would drive by and I only saw one runner. I ran without music. Something clicked and I ran with ease. Strong but not stupid pace. I felt as if I was the only one on earth. It was so peaceful, just me and my headlamp. I only turned it off once when I had to pee like crazy and decided to pee on a fire hydrant. As silly as it sounds that was fun too. Hey, I had been up since 5:30am, it was now 22 hours later, one crappy leg down, and I had not slept a wink. I'm lucky I didn't pee on myself! I cruised to the checkpoint ahead of schedule, felt like I could run more, and handed off to Stephanie.
Shelly. The jack rabbit. Our crazy team captain that made all this happen. Thanks Shelly (I think)! This girl has a tremendous amount of energy. I need to mention that she had strep throat as well! She ran great legs - and she only trains on a treadmill. Shelly would run to music. But not with those little earphones you stick in your ear. No. She wore these huge headphones that looked like something from the 80's. Picture Princess Leia (Star Wars). That's it. Everyone noticed...it was funny. But it worked. Proof was found during her night time run. Shelly and her headset zipping along with quick little steps. We watched her coming up to some runners and bam, like a jack rabbit she picked up the pace and flew by them. It was so funny to watch. Her legs moved like those of a cartoon character when they would fly forward and then zip, the rest of the body would snap forward with a whoosh. I was laughing out loud. She never complained and ran hard.
Susan. The warrior. The power of this woman is amazing. She runs and runs. Never a complaint. Hardly a word. Beats the dickins out of every mile and keeps on going. I don't know how she does it. I would go into battle with her and she would lead the charge, taking out the enemy with each swing of the sword. She loves her grapes. Susan - I would run with you any time. Your approach to each leg, each mile was simply to knock them out. Get them down. And you did. You did it in such an impressive and quiet manner. Girl, you can kick some serious ass.
Bonus run. Don made the right decision with his hip and his double was up in 15 minutes. Shelly and I were awake so we were making plans. We decided to break it up and I would start and the team would catch up and we'd trade off. I got out to warm up and saw Stephanie come down to Deception State Park. I took a quick hit of my inhaler, tossed the water and jacket and ran over. I think she was surprised to see me. I took the handoff and started to run - only to get called back by the race official. He said to put on safety gear of wait 10 minutes (at 7:15am you no longer have to wear it). Screw waiting, Stephanie stopped and as she took stuff off I slammed on and off I went. It was painful. It had only been 90 minutes since my last run. I admit that my ankles were sore and quads burned with every step. As my feet hit the road I felt pain from my calf to my quad. It was almost funny. Why am I out here? Four miles later the van arrived and I was ready to rest.
Third and final double. 11.2 miles. The sun was back and I had a long one in front of me. Again I was pretty rested and fueled. Still no more than 30 minutes of sleep and it'd been about 27 hours since I slept and had three runs locked down. Learning a lesson from the first run, Susan gave me her pink top and they tied it on my head. I tossed on my shades and looked a bit like a gay pirate. Who cares...I'm a flippin Ultra running on my last double...I'm an athlete. Laugh if you will but I really didn't care what anyone thought. I saw my reflection in the window and loved the look. You'll see it on the picture I'll post with this. I took off slow but strong. The first 6 miles or so weren't bad. Long stretches of pavement. Passed the checkpoint and continued on for the second half of the double. Within a quarter mile I was running a steep hill. A half mile later I was at the top - tired. Running. Other vans were driving by yelling encouragement - that was great! Then I saw it. Yikes. On the horizon I saw the steepest hill ever. It was like a stairway to heaven. Maybe a mile in front of me. As I got closer I was sure that there would be a turn before the hill started and I would be saved. Then I saw our van. Parked a third of the way up. I saw Albert and yelled out something like "Who the fuck put that there". I knew I had to tackle it. It was crap. I ran/walked. Quads burned like hot coals had been jammed in them. The team cheered me on and I needed it. Cresting the top was amazing. I was sure God would be there but that wasn't the case. The rest of the run was good and the final one mile marker was in sight. All was good until I saw the last hill. Short but steep. Felt like I wasn't moving and the volunteer at the top yelled out "only 150 yards left". Inspiration. Better yet it was downhill. I handed off to Stephanie and I was done. Spent, relieved, proud, wiped. I sat and Stephanie took off on the last double our team had - the end was in sight.
Stephanie. Checkpoint angel and cruiser. I think you know now why she gets two names. She was the angel that told me without words that I would be ok. That it was ok to stop. That she would take it from here. The hug at the end of my last leg let me know my relay was over. It was ok to rest. Thanks Stephanie. She is a cruiser. Takes off and runs. Simply runs. Runs strong and focused. We usually didn't see her right away because the team would allow me time to recover before driving off. Then we'd hit the road and she'd be miles up the road. Her attitude was great and she is very funny. We hit it off. Sometimes you simply have to be silly to get through. Silly worked and we got through. She came in on the final stretch looking strong and we all felt this incredible joy, having completed the relay.
We smelled. We laughed. We hurt. There was support from each other, support from other teams. I know that this relay changed me a little. It wasn't easy and I struggled, struggled more that I ever have, more than I thought I would. It was more guts than training. Looking back I don't know how I managed all those miles. 31.5. More hills than I can remember. 30 plus hours without sleep. 50 plus honey bucket visits. I pushed through when I wanted to stop, when I thought I would throw up, when I hurt so bad I became numb, when I didn't know how my leg was taking another stride forward. It seemed more of a life test than a relay. Often alone. I'm glad I did it. Maybe you'll see something different in me, maybe not. My life has been different since my running started. It continues to evolve. To change. It doesn't work for everyone but it does for me. Maybe I'm selfish. I can't change who I am or am becoming. Push yourself. Don't settle. Expect a lot from yourself and you can expect it from others. Have fun. Be silly. Run...don't jog.
I didn't train properly for this run. I ran 400 meter sprints to gain speed. Many a day I ran them until I was going to puke. Then we decided to do something crazy - read the rules. Turns out Ultra teams run doubles which means the training should have been endurance and hills vs speed. No big deal, I had three weeks to transition my body from speed to more mileage than I ever dreamed of. Not so much. I entered this run trained for a different run. My longest run over the past 3 months had been 9 miles and most averaged 6. Now I was off to run between 28-30 (ended with a mileage count of 31.5 miles). Was I nervous? Maybe a little on the inside.
Around 7:00am Friday morning we jumped into the van that would be our home for the next 30 or so hours. Tight fit, no toilet, tires in need of air, and a rattle that sounded as if something was going to fall off but nothing ever did. We used the drive to Blaine to start getting to know each other - some of us had never met other than Facebook. We connected fast. Maybe because we were runners. Maybe it was the nervous jitters for the unknown adventure we were about to embark on. Regardless of the reason we were becoming friends by the time we hit Blaine. While it might not have seemed that important at the time, it would end up making the difference as the relay progressed.
Jerry. We had to produce three volunteers or pay $300. Jerry stepped up as a super volunteer and bailed us out. He was stationed in Coupeville from 2:00am - 1:00pm. Eleven hours, no sleep. Thank you Jerry. You're an amazing person.
We arrived in Blaine, checked in, and attended the safety briefing. This race is all about safety. There were more places on the course where you could be hit and seriously injured than you can imagine. Blind corners, cars flying by 55 mph, little or no running room on the road so you were in the street. Factor in running in the dark and you have the ingredients for disaster. We exited the briefing and began to soak in the excitement. Booths, teams, rock n roll music, energy. It was like a drug. I started to feel like anything was possible, my running shoes had magical powers that would carry me to the finish. Let's get this relay started!
Don. Our strongman. He ran the first leg, got us started out of the gate. It had to be nerve racking to go first. He took it in stride. He took the nervousness off our shoulders and placed it firmly on his own. His first double leg would tell us all something about what was ahead. He was out of the gate and running strong. We jumped in the van to begin our leapfrog approach - drive ahead, let the runner catch up to check on them, and drive further up and wait. Don was strong. Mile after mile he looked like an ironman. Just watching him run built confidence in me. Later in the relay after his second double Don was done. His hip said no more. I know it was hard for him to listen but he did the right thing and did not run his last double. It was smart. No run is worth the possible permanent damage an injury can cause. That decision spoke volumes about Don and I for one was impressed by it.
My first double. Ok, this looks to be a long blog so if you need to pee or get a drink of water go ahead, I'll wait. I learned a lesson about fueling on this leg - and maybe a bit about smart running. It was my first and worse leg. I woke at 5:30am and had a bowl of cereal. Snacked on the drive. Had a 6 inch sub and a couple bottles of water. At 5:30pm I started my first run. 80+ degrees, sun beating down, 9.3 miles, and Michael. I was ready. Go slow it's not a race. Take it easy you have a lot of miles before this relay is done. Got it. Lost it. Ran the first mile in 7:24, second in 7:45, third and fourth close to 8:00. I was spent. Had no juice, no energy. Spent it all on the first four frickin miles and had five to go. Stupid. I couldn't get out of the sun and my legs were heavy and didn't want to move. Albert got me water and told me to slow and take it easy. Around mile 7 he was waiting for me with some G2. I knew something was up the way he was looking at me. "Are you ok" "Are you dizzy" "How do you feel" "You back is clammy". Turns out I had a bit of heat exhaustion. The final couple of miles were painful. It's hard to describe. It was so hot I couldn't stand it yet I was cold at the same time. My magical running shoes had become cement. More than once I was ready for Jesus to take me. What the fuck was wrong with me, I'm a runner. I wasn't a smart runner. Then I saw her. Stephanie. She became my checkpoint angel. She would always run after me. She was always there ready to take the handoff and allow my pain to subside. I would have hugged her but I couldn't lift my arms - in fact I wasn't sure I still had them. Albert helped me to the van for G2, a banana, and my trusty Muscle Milk. He described my last couple of miles being like a punch drunk fighter who went 15 rounds, staggering and wobbling, like Rocky screaming for Adrian..."Yo Adrian get me the hell out of here"...
Albert. My running angel. Now you know why. He looked after me as he often does. I remember giving him water as he ran through his checkpoint (Ultra teams handoff every other checkpoint whereas the "normal" teams do it every time). I asked him how he was doing and he replied "Doing fine, make sure you're hydrating". Middle of a frickin hard run and he's making sure I'll be ok on mine. He was always checking on me - he knew I wasn't trained for this and I think he had a mission to make sure I didn't hurt myself. Now Albert was beginning to get a reputation on the course. Maybe it was because he ran in nothing but skimpy shorts and the girls from many teams took notice. I always ran after Albert. On more than one occasion while waiting for him, teams would ask about him - girls would ask about him. I should make note that there were very few Ultra teams and our running bibs were green not orange like everyone else - so the Ultras stuck out. Teams were amazed with his running. Same perfect form regardless of terrain. "Who is that guy", "He looks so strong", "Never looks tired". Albert had lots of nasty legs. Hills that the van had trouble going up he had to run. He pounded them out. He ran 16.7 miles in the middle of the night. He ran strong.
Kathy. She was our driver. She was really more than that. She drove the entire time less maybe two hours for a short nap. We never got lost, our runners were always there to take the handoff. A lot of teams can't say that. Runners hit the checkpoint and their van and next runner wasn't there. The van is your lifeline. Food, drink, and your support are all there. Without it you are done for. Thank you Kathy for navigating a difficult course and allowing us to recover without worry of taking a turn driving. I cannot imagine how I would have driven if I had too. It would have been impossible.
My second double. 3:00am. 7 miles. I was wearing the same clothes I ran my first double in. Never changed. If you're thinking gross you are right, I was one stinky boy. I was well hydrated and fueled. The night was beautiful. Nearly a full moon, not a cloud in the sky, and stars everywhere. I took the handoff as was off. I was alone running through a small town and neighborhood. Once in a while a car would drive by and I only saw one runner. I ran without music. Something clicked and I ran with ease. Strong but not stupid pace. I felt as if I was the only one on earth. It was so peaceful, just me and my headlamp. I only turned it off once when I had to pee like crazy and decided to pee on a fire hydrant. As silly as it sounds that was fun too. Hey, I had been up since 5:30am, it was now 22 hours later, one crappy leg down, and I had not slept a wink. I'm lucky I didn't pee on myself! I cruised to the checkpoint ahead of schedule, felt like I could run more, and handed off to Stephanie.
Shelly. The jack rabbit. Our crazy team captain that made all this happen. Thanks Shelly (I think)! This girl has a tremendous amount of energy. I need to mention that she had strep throat as well! She ran great legs - and she only trains on a treadmill. Shelly would run to music. But not with those little earphones you stick in your ear. No. She wore these huge headphones that looked like something from the 80's. Picture Princess Leia (Star Wars). That's it. Everyone noticed...it was funny. But it worked. Proof was found during her night time run. Shelly and her headset zipping along with quick little steps. We watched her coming up to some runners and bam, like a jack rabbit she picked up the pace and flew by them. It was so funny to watch. Her legs moved like those of a cartoon character when they would fly forward and then zip, the rest of the body would snap forward with a whoosh. I was laughing out loud. She never complained and ran hard.
Susan. The warrior. The power of this woman is amazing. She runs and runs. Never a complaint. Hardly a word. Beats the dickins out of every mile and keeps on going. I don't know how she does it. I would go into battle with her and she would lead the charge, taking out the enemy with each swing of the sword. She loves her grapes. Susan - I would run with you any time. Your approach to each leg, each mile was simply to knock them out. Get them down. And you did. You did it in such an impressive and quiet manner. Girl, you can kick some serious ass.
Bonus run. Don made the right decision with his hip and his double was up in 15 minutes. Shelly and I were awake so we were making plans. We decided to break it up and I would start and the team would catch up and we'd trade off. I got out to warm up and saw Stephanie come down to Deception State Park. I took a quick hit of my inhaler, tossed the water and jacket and ran over. I think she was surprised to see me. I took the handoff and started to run - only to get called back by the race official. He said to put on safety gear of wait 10 minutes (at 7:15am you no longer have to wear it). Screw waiting, Stephanie stopped and as she took stuff off I slammed on and off I went. It was painful. It had only been 90 minutes since my last run. I admit that my ankles were sore and quads burned with every step. As my feet hit the road I felt pain from my calf to my quad. It was almost funny. Why am I out here? Four miles later the van arrived and I was ready to rest.
Third and final double. 11.2 miles. The sun was back and I had a long one in front of me. Again I was pretty rested and fueled. Still no more than 30 minutes of sleep and it'd been about 27 hours since I slept and had three runs locked down. Learning a lesson from the first run, Susan gave me her pink top and they tied it on my head. I tossed on my shades and looked a bit like a gay pirate. Who cares...I'm a flippin Ultra running on my last double...I'm an athlete. Laugh if you will but I really didn't care what anyone thought. I saw my reflection in the window and loved the look. You'll see it on the picture I'll post with this. I took off slow but strong. The first 6 miles or so weren't bad. Long stretches of pavement. Passed the checkpoint and continued on for the second half of the double. Within a quarter mile I was running a steep hill. A half mile later I was at the top - tired. Running. Other vans were driving by yelling encouragement - that was great! Then I saw it. Yikes. On the horizon I saw the steepest hill ever. It was like a stairway to heaven. Maybe a mile in front of me. As I got closer I was sure that there would be a turn before the hill started and I would be saved. Then I saw our van. Parked a third of the way up. I saw Albert and yelled out something like "Who the fuck put that there". I knew I had to tackle it. It was crap. I ran/walked. Quads burned like hot coals had been jammed in them. The team cheered me on and I needed it. Cresting the top was amazing. I was sure God would be there but that wasn't the case. The rest of the run was good and the final one mile marker was in sight. All was good until I saw the last hill. Short but steep. Felt like I wasn't moving and the volunteer at the top yelled out "only 150 yards left". Inspiration. Better yet it was downhill. I handed off to Stephanie and I was done. Spent, relieved, proud, wiped. I sat and Stephanie took off on the last double our team had - the end was in sight.
Stephanie. Checkpoint angel and cruiser. I think you know now why she gets two names. She was the angel that told me without words that I would be ok. That it was ok to stop. That she would take it from here. The hug at the end of my last leg let me know my relay was over. It was ok to rest. Thanks Stephanie. She is a cruiser. Takes off and runs. Simply runs. Runs strong and focused. We usually didn't see her right away because the team would allow me time to recover before driving off. Then we'd hit the road and she'd be miles up the road. Her attitude was great and she is very funny. We hit it off. Sometimes you simply have to be silly to get through. Silly worked and we got through. She came in on the final stretch looking strong and we all felt this incredible joy, having completed the relay.
We smelled. We laughed. We hurt. There was support from each other, support from other teams. I know that this relay changed me a little. It wasn't easy and I struggled, struggled more that I ever have, more than I thought I would. It was more guts than training. Looking back I don't know how I managed all those miles. 31.5. More hills than I can remember. 30 plus hours without sleep. 50 plus honey bucket visits. I pushed through when I wanted to stop, when I thought I would throw up, when I hurt so bad I became numb, when I didn't know how my leg was taking another stride forward. It seemed more of a life test than a relay. Often alone. I'm glad I did it. Maybe you'll see something different in me, maybe not. My life has been different since my running started. It continues to evolve. To change. It doesn't work for everyone but it does for me. Maybe I'm selfish. I can't change who I am or am becoming. Push yourself. Don't settle. Expect a lot from yourself and you can expect it from others. Have fun. Be silly. Run...don't jog.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Like a bottle rocket
That was the plan. Run like a bottle rocket. Illegal, fast, and somewhat out of control. Reality - not so much. I paid to run so the illegal angle was shot right off the bat. My 7:28 pace felt fast but I was a few seconds slower than last year and my age division kicked my butt. I was however out of control. I had to fight through this one. The first two miles were ok but mile three was an awkward pace - up and down, form good and bad. If I was in a zone it was the Twilight Zone. My mind wandered. Poor focus equals poor results. Finally I zeroed in on an old guy in front of me. Clearly in my age division. I closed in behind him and attempted to "draft". After a couple of minutes he turned his head and said "I can hear you back there" and he slid over to the side. I let out a soft whimpered "sorry" and slowed a bit. I knew my time wouldn't rock the world and decided that what was important now was to finished before this guy. I matched my pace with his and once we made the final turn toward the finish I lit my bottle rocket - lit my bottle rocket, that doesn't sound right does it? Anyway, it was lit and I took off. I hurt, my legs hurt, my lungs hurt. He finished behind me. I have a picture that I will post. Small victories...nothing wrong with that. If there was a first place medal for finding one's happy place, it would be mine.
Enough about me. Today some of the Tri team ran. Let me start by saying that some days are simply better than others. Other days surprise you. Today it was both. Today I saw heart and determination. Love and support. A couple months ago most of us were strangers. Today we're just strange. Not really....ok, maybe a little - but somehow it works for us and that's what matters. It was incredible to see everyone coming down the home stretch, running their hearts out, pushing their limits. As they came down the home stretch I was thinking about our first team run. It seemed so long ago and these now familiar faces weren't newbies anymore - they were runners. Hitting their stride, pumping their arms, driving to the finish. Each one cheering for the next runner coming in. Time meant zip. Support meant everything. You guys are unbelievable. Shawnte and Melanie - wowza! I think you've been holding back on us, great run today! I think the Tuesday and Saturday runs will be turned up a notch or two.
Strange. Unique. Tri-team. Let's see. Albert and I were in the men's room hoping to drop our running weight by a pound or two (with no success). I'm finishing my task at hand and I hear this very familiar feminine voice - Sharon. Once again she's in the men's room. Moves right to the front of the line asking the line if they mind. What would you say? She pops into a stall and the guy who had just stepped out of it looks at me and says "Tell her it wasn't me, it was the guy who was in there before me"....yup, that's our world.
Then we had the naked brothers. David and Albert. You would have thought they were at the Bare Buns Run, not the wholesome YMCA. They both kicked my ass today - Albert recorded at PR, nearly breaking the 20 minute mark. David just ran. He's a runner. I don't believe he thinks about it, just runs. Fast. Speaking of nearly naked, Sharon had a new running bra which we all had the opportunity to ah, review. I kept eye contact. Eye contact only. Look at her eyes Michael. I might have failed a few times. For the first time ever - first time ever - Sharon lied about her age. In her "new" age division she came in second. Had she put down her real age she would have walked away with a first place medal. Go figure.
Heather surprised me the most. Talk about grit. That girl doesn't give up. We have run together many times, often in the back of the pack. But each time she gets better. Each time she gives it everything. Today was no different and she looked great crossing the finish line. Her hubby Iain (rocket scientist) worked out formulas to determine where she would be at various points so he could take pictures. He was spot on. Wow. We looked like a cult in our yellow Tri shirts. I didn't wear mine because I have a shirt I like to run in. Received the stink eye for not wearing it but I like to think I was forgiven as the day progressed. After running his fastest 5K, Albert ran back to support others and ran them in to the finish. Heart. He's a good man.
Had lunch with Sharon's parents - had a blast. Her dad is battling health issues and I wish him the best - pulling for him. He's a tough guy who I respect and he'll come out of this strong. He quizzed me on World Cup history and for once I think I held my own. Funny guy. Smart guy. Her mom is always fun to hang around. She'll make you laugh and when you sit back and just listen to her you quickly see the depth of a person who has experienced so much, both good and bad, and enjoys every day.
I find myself to be lucky. Lucky to know the people I do. Lucky that they look past my faults and accept me for me. The not so perfect. I can only be who I am. Do what I do. Feel how I feel. I forgive and am forgiven. Nothing is too serious nor too silly. Life isn't easy but each day is replaced with another. Another opportunity. Make the most of yours. Be silly. Love. Run naked.
Enough about me. Today some of the Tri team ran. Let me start by saying that some days are simply better than others. Other days surprise you. Today it was both. Today I saw heart and determination. Love and support. A couple months ago most of us were strangers. Today we're just strange. Not really....ok, maybe a little - but somehow it works for us and that's what matters. It was incredible to see everyone coming down the home stretch, running their hearts out, pushing their limits. As they came down the home stretch I was thinking about our first team run. It seemed so long ago and these now familiar faces weren't newbies anymore - they were runners. Hitting their stride, pumping their arms, driving to the finish. Each one cheering for the next runner coming in. Time meant zip. Support meant everything. You guys are unbelievable. Shawnte and Melanie - wowza! I think you've been holding back on us, great run today! I think the Tuesday and Saturday runs will be turned up a notch or two.
Strange. Unique. Tri-team. Let's see. Albert and I were in the men's room hoping to drop our running weight by a pound or two (with no success). I'm finishing my task at hand and I hear this very familiar feminine voice - Sharon. Once again she's in the men's room. Moves right to the front of the line asking the line if they mind. What would you say? She pops into a stall and the guy who had just stepped out of it looks at me and says "Tell her it wasn't me, it was the guy who was in there before me"....yup, that's our world.
Then we had the naked brothers. David and Albert. You would have thought they were at the Bare Buns Run, not the wholesome YMCA. They both kicked my ass today - Albert recorded at PR, nearly breaking the 20 minute mark. David just ran. He's a runner. I don't believe he thinks about it, just runs. Fast. Speaking of nearly naked, Sharon had a new running bra which we all had the opportunity to ah, review. I kept eye contact. Eye contact only. Look at her eyes Michael. I might have failed a few times. For the first time ever - first time ever - Sharon lied about her age. In her "new" age division she came in second. Had she put down her real age she would have walked away with a first place medal. Go figure.
Heather surprised me the most. Talk about grit. That girl doesn't give up. We have run together many times, often in the back of the pack. But each time she gets better. Each time she gives it everything. Today was no different and she looked great crossing the finish line. Her hubby Iain (rocket scientist) worked out formulas to determine where she would be at various points so he could take pictures. He was spot on. Wow. We looked like a cult in our yellow Tri shirts. I didn't wear mine because I have a shirt I like to run in. Received the stink eye for not wearing it but I like to think I was forgiven as the day progressed. After running his fastest 5K, Albert ran back to support others and ran them in to the finish. Heart. He's a good man.
Had lunch with Sharon's parents - had a blast. Her dad is battling health issues and I wish him the best - pulling for him. He's a tough guy who I respect and he'll come out of this strong. He quizzed me on World Cup history and for once I think I held my own. Funny guy. Smart guy. Her mom is always fun to hang around. She'll make you laugh and when you sit back and just listen to her you quickly see the depth of a person who has experienced so much, both good and bad, and enjoys every day.
I find myself to be lucky. Lucky to know the people I do. Lucky that they look past my faults and accept me for me. The not so perfect. I can only be who I am. Do what I do. Feel how I feel. I forgive and am forgiven. Nothing is too serious nor too silly. Life isn't easy but each day is replaced with another. Another opportunity. Make the most of yours. Be silly. Love. Run naked.
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