This was a pretty awesome event. It wasn't on my schedule or radar until my coach mentioned that it'd be a great training run for me. I've already entered Possum Kingdom 52 miler on April 11 to get a long run in for Cruel Jewel 100. I thought why not? Go and try a few things and take care of the legs plus it was a qualifier to get me in the lotto for Leadville 100. They were giving out 25 slots for this year but I really just wanted a quality run and get out unscathed. I tried recruiting some local runners to enter but no one would so I headed out Saturday am. They had a qualifying race for the mountain bike race in Leadville and I got to watch that. My coach hooked me up with Brian who had a camper for me to crash in. Thanks Brian!!!
Race morning started at 5 with packet pickup. Afterwards I kinda browsed through the entrants trying to find someone I knew but most were from out of state. This was the only race I've ran that I didn't know anyone competing at my distance but it was cool meeting runners from all across the United States. It was a great group of athletes assembled. The race started at 6am and I ran my zone 1 & 2 pace. In preparing for Cruel Jewel 100 I kept the same pace regardless of hills or flat. Just a nice easy run enjoying bluebonnets and pine trees. 1st loop was very uneventful running with a lady from Golden,Co who had rode the 100k the day before. I finished in 3:10 and was spot on with my pace and decided to drop my vest and run loop 2 with just a handheld. I know- DUMB!! Loop 2 started out perfect. I put my nutrition in my pockets and just rocked along. It was great until between mile 6 & 12 and I ran out of water. At that point I had 3 miles to the next aid station and it got hot. Tailwind is a great product but if I don't have water it gets bitter fast to me. I pushed on and after passing a couple of people suffering I backed off and finished the loop running the downhills and hiking the uphills. That little episode cost me 40 minutes on my lap time and I finished in like 4. As I came into the start line I saw a few people suffering so I made a quick decision to load my vest with water and power hike loop 3. I know at Cruel there will be plenty of hiking and if you don't practice it, you will suffer later so off I went. Vest,Salt tabs, some Gu and a handheld water bottle. By now it was close to 85 with a strong wind. Wind dries me out so I just tried to maintain a 16:30 pace. I really thought my chances for a Leadville slot were long gone and I just was trying to get done without a setback in my training. Nothing was to be gained by pushing hard. I hiked on and at aid stations I used my handheld to soak myself with water. My clothes would dry out in 15 minutes but it was sure nice. I kept moving and finished in 11:28. 1/2 mile from the finish a spectator told me a Leadville slot was waiting on me so I sprinted in and was just overwhelmed. The founder of the Leadville series- Ken Chlouber was waiting with my coin and envelope to this years race. Wow is all I can say today.
My journey running has been short compared to so many people I know. I'm not a super strong runner and somewhat know my limitations. The people who have came into my life during this journey are just awesome. One day I will sit down and name every one but there is just so many. I appreciate each and every one of them and without them I wouldn't be writing this today. Sometimes it seems like yesterday that I was on cloud 9 when I ran 10 miles in a week. I guess what I take away from it all right now is that if you put in the work, try to be a better person, remember who you are, be thankful everyday and never say you can't then good things will happen to you. I personally Thank God every day for the new lease on life he has given me. Leadville100 isn't until August and I've got to get back to work on Cruel Jewel 100 asap 1st. Til next time- Run Strong
Monday, March 30, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
Random Training Thoughts & Guys Running Down the Road
It's been 6 weeks since Rocky Raccoon100. Heck yea I'm still stewing over that but like life, I need things like that to push me on to other adventures. I did quite a bit of self evaluation and decided that I'd best train harder for my next race- Go big or stay home.. That being said, my core and upper body strength really blows. Jennifer -my coach- told me to get in a gym. Well heck Ive never gone to a gym on a regular basis so it's a steep learning curve but after a month of going 3 to 5 days a week I can start to tell a real difference. At 1st I told myself I couldn't afford it but then got to adding up the few beers I did drink every week and heck I could do that plus some if I quit that. I can't finish my next race if I'm drinking every day or every week anyway. People that don't drink always tell me just to stop. Sometimes I wish I could but it's more complex than that. I do enjoy a beer with pizza or with the guys and a glass of wine or stiff drink after a beat down of a run. Anyway- got off the booze and have been going at it hard. Gym in the mornings & run after work. Some say it's over the top but I say it's more commitment and keeping my word that I'll finish. When you have a coach helping you improve, you gotta put out max effort. My best friend Steven will travel with me to Georgia. We will run seperate but he can't worry about me. Pompy may go and he can't either. Last but definitely not least- my pacer and crewperson- Kerri will put that foot up my butt if I falter so needless to say, it's just non stop work.
On to my epic weekend. My friend and someone I consider a mentor- John Sharp messaged me and asked me to run with these guys crossing the USA. It had rained all week & I knew trails were out so I was going to join him on Saturday. After committing I had forgotten I had promised a friend Id help her move that day. Needless to say, John had to wait a day so I could help with the move. Going from a 3rd floor apt to a 1st floor is work! Fortunately Jorge Gonzalez showed up & we got it all loaded. Once we got to her new apartment a couple showed up like angels and with their help we got it off in no time! Its a real joy in life helping others out so it was a great day seeing her kids in their new room!
Sunday- I talked to John Saturday night and they were just outside of Jacksboro,Tx. John Sharp is a ultra beast - he's ran the Texas Indepence Relay 200 solo, Hardrock 100 a few times, a 333k in India, some crazy race in South America as well as many other races. His side kick Gina was going to be there so I was pretty pumped to share some miles with these 2. She acts like a sweet little girly girl but she's a great ultra runner as well. Just the kind of people I can learn more from. These 2 guys crossing the country I knew nothing about but if John knows them then they gotta be pretty hardcore. I meet up with them in Jacksboro,Tx and another guy,Eric, shows up fromArlington to run as well. These 2 guys Jup & Pat are just great individuals. They are running coast to coast to promote the 100 Mile Club. It's a program in schools to get kids active and hopefully fight childhood obesity. Currently the program is in 8 states and needs to be in all 50. Jup is from New Zealand and lately from Japan and Pat hailed from Hunington Beach,Ca. They have a 2 person crew in a RV - Vanessa and Shaky who drives ahead and waits on them so Pat & Jup can refuel and get another 5 or 10 miles down the road. We left Jacksboro and we ran and talked and ran and talked. After about 1/2 mile I soon found out if we ran harder John is less likely to sing and that's a plus. Both Jup & Pat spent time with everyone telling us their stories and wanting to hear ours. When we got close to Bridgeport we decided to run a Beer Mile. Back when I drank a lot I could down a beer pretty quick but after 18 miles before starting it was a little tough but Myself, Gina- The Legend and Pat got it done. Pat in like 7:05 and of course I brought up the rear!! After that we had to run a few more miles on into town where they spent the night. I thought about Sunday all day today and what I learned from it. I think what made it epic for me is what I think I took away from the entire weekend. Commit to helping your fellow man and follow through with it. Personal Records and however many marathons you run will not matter once you are gone. Jup & Pat and many others do so much more with their running to impact others and hopefully will have a lasting effect on real lives. Heck yes I still have personal goals with finishing Cruel Jewel 100 in May being my next one but along my journey what can I do to help others? I'm active with Team RWB but are there other avenues I can help others as well? I'll be looking for that. Til next time #RunStrong
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Rocky Raccoon 100- going off the reservation.
What a weekend! This all started with conversations after Bandera. At Brazos Bend100 I met a lady-Rachel that ran the race but got to 55 n had to drop. Went out to fast and that magnifies other issues. If you have never ran a ultra- n I've ran just a few- it's tough to explain. It's pace, nutrition, hydration and unless you are a superb runner (I'm not) it's also time management. Anyway- we met at Brazos and when Bandera rolled around she asked me to pace her the last 20 or 40. I was like sure! A week or so later, her friend wanted to pace her so I thought, well I'll just jump in the race n hold her back til 60 when her friend steps in. Most of my close runner friends are people who run ultra's n most choose the 100 mile distance without much difficulty. I wouldn't trade my friends for anything but it's easy as a new runner to lose respect for the distance. I have a great coach who has shown me so much about running. I honestly think she is the best around and I hope she will guide me for as long as I run. During my conversations about Rocky, I didn't say anything to her. Actually I didn't about Bandera either. Epic fail on my part and it was a total lack of respect on my part. We had a plan after Brazos and I've really butchered that. Hopefully it'll be mended and we can get on to the business of making me a better runner.
On to Rocky Raccoon 100- me & Monte drove down to Huntsville and camped out. Dale Cougat, Kerri and Rachel fixed us a great dinner and we went back to our tent and crashed. Race morning we arrive 4 minutes before the start and I find Rachel just as we start. I knew timewise where we needed to be in order for her to have enough stamina to run 100 miles if she had the heart to suffer through it. We started loop 1 and 2 miles in I faceplant in the ground #stupidroots so we just slow it up and feel our way through the dark waiting on sunlight. Loop 1 (20 miles) was uneventful and we finish in 4:57. I knew Loop 2 would be a tad slower but again uneventful. It's fun running these events and seeing all my friends and making new ones. Sure enough Loop 2 was 5:27 and Rachel was as strong as ever. Loop 3 was more of the same. Run the downhills, walk the ups and walk/run the flats. We picked up another friend-Yvonne at about mile 53. She was fun to have along and another ear to hear me mouthing off. Mile 55 I lost Rachel at a aid station so I pushed on to the start line to begin the 60 to 80 mile loop. I knew Rachel had her regular pacer there and would be fine til mile 100. I started the 4th loop feeling strong so I thought heck, Id push the pace and see if I can get my loop times back in the 5's. Along about then is when light rain began but I tried hauling the mail when I was able to. The cutoff time to begin loop 5 was 6am n I was looking at a 4:30am. I was in great shape until I hit a #stupidroot and went flying. I tried running but could barely walk. It's very humbling going from something epic to walking a 25 minute mile. The leg never got better so at about mile76 I caught a ride to the start line to throw in the towel.
Takeaways from this race? While in a aid tent, my friend John Sharp was trying to get my shins loose. That was great but our conversation about my awesome coach & listening to your coach resonated louder. I had a plan for 2015 and I've ran 2 races that she was not privy too. Total lack of regard and disrespect for her. John, thanks for reminding me of that. Hopefully I can learn to be a better client to her from my shortcomings. I've always said that life is a journey and we must learn lessons along the way. I think I did this today about 5am.
Rachel and her pacer went on and finished the run and she earned her 1st buckle. I'm proud to know Rachel and hopefully she will keep on doing ultra's. For me? I think I need about a month off and go to a gym to make my core stronger and be kind to my legs. This and hopefully learn to be a better person through this. Til next time RunStrong!
PS- MANY friends of mine earned their 1st 100 mile buckle and many of my veteran friends got them another!
On to Rocky Raccoon 100- me & Monte drove down to Huntsville and camped out. Dale Cougat, Kerri and Rachel fixed us a great dinner and we went back to our tent and crashed. Race morning we arrive 4 minutes before the start and I find Rachel just as we start. I knew timewise where we needed to be in order for her to have enough stamina to run 100 miles if she had the heart to suffer through it. We started loop 1 and 2 miles in I faceplant in the ground #stupidroots so we just slow it up and feel our way through the dark waiting on sunlight. Loop 1 (20 miles) was uneventful and we finish in 4:57. I knew Loop 2 would be a tad slower but again uneventful. It's fun running these events and seeing all my friends and making new ones. Sure enough Loop 2 was 5:27 and Rachel was as strong as ever. Loop 3 was more of the same. Run the downhills, walk the ups and walk/run the flats. We picked up another friend-Yvonne at about mile 53. She was fun to have along and another ear to hear me mouthing off. Mile 55 I lost Rachel at a aid station so I pushed on to the start line to begin the 60 to 80 mile loop. I knew Rachel had her regular pacer there and would be fine til mile 100. I started the 4th loop feeling strong so I thought heck, Id push the pace and see if I can get my loop times back in the 5's. Along about then is when light rain began but I tried hauling the mail when I was able to. The cutoff time to begin loop 5 was 6am n I was looking at a 4:30am. I was in great shape until I hit a #stupidroot and went flying. I tried running but could barely walk. It's very humbling going from something epic to walking a 25 minute mile. The leg never got better so at about mile76 I caught a ride to the start line to throw in the towel.
Takeaways from this race? While in a aid tent, my friend John Sharp was trying to get my shins loose. That was great but our conversation about my awesome coach & listening to your coach resonated louder. I had a plan for 2015 and I've ran 2 races that she was not privy too. Total lack of regard and disrespect for her. John, thanks for reminding me of that. Hopefully I can learn to be a better client to her from my shortcomings. I've always said that life is a journey and we must learn lessons along the way. I think I did this today about 5am.
Rachel and her pacer went on and finished the run and she earned her 1st buckle. I'm proud to know Rachel and hopefully she will keep on doing ultra's. For me? I think I need about a month off and go to a gym to make my core stronger and be kind to my legs. This and hopefully learn to be a better person through this. Til next time RunStrong!
PS- MANY friends of mine earned their 1st 100 mile buckle and many of my veteran friends got them another!
Monday, January 12, 2015
Bandera 100k - What would it prove?
Recently someone asked me what I had to prove after I signed up for Bandera 100k. I think I responded something about just to myself but I've really been contemplating what's driving me right now. I truly love going to the dark places mentally that I experience during an Ultra. The euphoric feeling I get after finishing a race is a high for me that I've never experienced but there is more to it than that. All my life I've never been good at finishing anything. Hobbies, Marriages,Fatherhood,etc. I feel amazing after I finish a run. Some run to win, set personal records,etc. I run for myself and to hopefully help others struggling. Yea I have personal goals. Tejas 300-finish Cactus,Bandera & Rocky was one. I faltered at Cactus but felt I needed a Bandera finish.
Friday I got Monte & Pompillo picked up and away we went to Bandera and to find our friend we were staying with. Saturday AM came early and we had grits waiting on us. I'm not a grits eater so they were great! Thanks John! I planned on running the race with another friend-Dale. If you run ultra's near Texas you may not know him but I know you have heard his Yeti calls during a race. Kinda makes you smile. At the start I bounce around the rear chatting with friends I only see at races and trying to listen for Dale. Sure enough I found him and we went to work on Loop 1-31 miles. There was ice on my truck that morning but the temps felt great. We hooked up with 2 of Dales friends- Kerri&Brittany and shared a few miles. At about mile 10 I left them at a aid station and just enjoyed the rocks,hills and just sticky mud between Chapas & Crossroads aid station. Crossroads I met a guy named Allen and we swapped stories til Last Chance aid station. He's ex USAF & works with vets now. Awesome guy! After Last Chance I was going up Cairn's Climb and ran into a older gentleman and hearing his ultra stories those 5 miles was cool. Everything from Barkley to Hardrock to the races he directs in New Mexico. Loop 1 was done in 9:15 and there was Pompillo waiting to get me fueled up and Dale with the girls ready to go.
Loop 2 started great. The girls dumped us on the 1st climb but we soon caught them right after dark when the rain started. Everyone took turns leading our train as Kerri made the train whistles. It was almost closer to a fun social event than a ultra until about mile 43. I was having a hard time keeping up and finally resigned myself to gutting it out alone. That lasted til the next aid station and Dale was waiting to push me. After Crossroads Aid we picked up a friend from Fort Worth,Ray, and the 5 of us battled on staying within earshot until Lucky's Peak. This little hill is relentless and the rocks just bite you. After that climb I was spent and the girls pushed on without us. The last 5 miles were dang tough. Id get to a low point, eat Gu's n be okay in a few minutes. The sticky mud turned to muddy soup and we gave up trying to dodge standing water. We rolled into the start line about 6am Sunday am. I was battered and bruised but on an emotional high of course!! 62 miles done and Joe P was handing out the buckles. What did I prove to myself? I can fight back everything that tells me to quit. Did I prove anything to anyone else? That's not even on my radar. My race- My pace.....
Short version- loop 1- cold,wet,rocks,hills,mud
loop 2-repeat but colder wetter & more sloppy mud
#RunStrong
Friday I got Monte & Pompillo picked up and away we went to Bandera and to find our friend we were staying with. Saturday AM came early and we had grits waiting on us. I'm not a grits eater so they were great! Thanks John! I planned on running the race with another friend-Dale. If you run ultra's near Texas you may not know him but I know you have heard his Yeti calls during a race. Kinda makes you smile. At the start I bounce around the rear chatting with friends I only see at races and trying to listen for Dale. Sure enough I found him and we went to work on Loop 1-31 miles. There was ice on my truck that morning but the temps felt great. We hooked up with 2 of Dales friends- Kerri&Brittany and shared a few miles. At about mile 10 I left them at a aid station and just enjoyed the rocks,hills and just sticky mud between Chapas & Crossroads aid station. Crossroads I met a guy named Allen and we swapped stories til Last Chance aid station. He's ex USAF & works with vets now. Awesome guy! After Last Chance I was going up Cairn's Climb and ran into a older gentleman and hearing his ultra stories those 5 miles was cool. Everything from Barkley to Hardrock to the races he directs in New Mexico. Loop 1 was done in 9:15 and there was Pompillo waiting to get me fueled up and Dale with the girls ready to go.
Loop 2 started great. The girls dumped us on the 1st climb but we soon caught them right after dark when the rain started. Everyone took turns leading our train as Kerri made the train whistles. It was almost closer to a fun social event than a ultra until about mile 43. I was having a hard time keeping up and finally resigned myself to gutting it out alone. That lasted til the next aid station and Dale was waiting to push me. After Crossroads Aid we picked up a friend from Fort Worth,Ray, and the 5 of us battled on staying within earshot until Lucky's Peak. This little hill is relentless and the rocks just bite you. After that climb I was spent and the girls pushed on without us. The last 5 miles were dang tough. Id get to a low point, eat Gu's n be okay in a few minutes. The sticky mud turned to muddy soup and we gave up trying to dodge standing water. We rolled into the start line about 6am Sunday am. I was battered and bruised but on an emotional high of course!! 62 miles done and Joe P was handing out the buckles. What did I prove to myself? I can fight back everything that tells me to quit. Did I prove anything to anyone else? That's not even on my radar. My race- My pace.....
Short version- loop 1- cold,wet,rocks,hills,mud
loop 2-repeat but colder wetter & more sloppy mud
#RunStrong
Friday, December 26, 2014
A New Year....
2014- where do I began or end? I have no clue! Looking back to the last week of 2013 the one thing that sort of sticks out in my mind is just really wanting 2014 to be better than 2013. I'm far from perfect but I wanted to avoid going totally off the rails and doing dumb stuff...... 2013 was just craziness with people left hurt and my life pretty much in shambles. If I could get through the year without cratering I was going to be golden! The last 12 months have been pretty even keel personally for me and that's a huge improvement. Had love, lost love,etc but no major hiccups and I've gained a coupla personal friends through that. Running has been the one thing thats been consistent. I wish I knew how many miles I ran this year..... I know its over 2000. 2015 I am logging every one just to push myself. The people I've met through running have just been incredible. Life changing to say the least. Sure the running exploits are cool and I conquered some things that many will never do in a lifetime but going into 2014 it wasn't about that and still isn't. I just wanted control of my life and my behaviors. That's still a work in progress.
Career wise- I couldn't be happier. I left a industry I still love but needed to grow as a person and am now in one that's real parallel to what I was doing but with new challenges. I'm very blessed! I hope people who read this can take away that anything they choose to do in life is possible. Everyone has their excuses for not taking control of their destiny but if one really has the desire and the fire in their soul than anything is possible. I've learned that the human spirit is tough. The body is simply a tool for the mind. I've let go of many fears in 2014 and its helped me grow as a person. During a race- no matter the distance- my focus is getting to the next aid station. I dId this during my 1st and only marathon (I sucked) and every race including my 100 mile finish. Life is like that. Sure huge goals are great but in order to reach them I have to focus on the next leg of my journey to my ultimate goal. It's taken me 47years to figure this thing called life out and I'm still working at it but it's really simple once I found a system that works for me.
2015- man o man- I cannot wait to do this in all facets of my life. One of my biggest priorities is working with a couch to 5k group. More details later but I want to encourage others to take a chance and see if a running group will impact their life as it has mine. I don't know enough to coach nor do I have the desire to but I do plan on mentoring people who want to try running a 5 or 10k and doing things that just a small fraction of our country does. My running- I've already signed up for Bandera 100k and plan on dropping at the 1/2 way mark but we will see... No promises! On the advice of my coach and another mentor I'm sitting out Rocky Raccoon 100 but will be there to probably pace someone 20 miles and help them get their 1st 100 mile finish. The last loop is slow n I could use the time on my feet. I'll run Possum Kingdom 52 miler and train hard all spring for a 100 miler in May. My long term goal is to run Hardrock 100 and a finish in May would get me in the lottery for The Rock. September- another 100 in Arizona that finishes on my birthday. A buckle for my 48th would be kinda cool. October- I have a rematch with Cactus Rose and I hope to be done under 26 hours. As you can see, I want to spend less time in races and more time training, helping others and of course volunteering. I've been a taker for many years and 2015 I plan on giving more than I take. Personally just a balanced life as I have now is great. Life has its ups and downs but if you keep moving forward it gets easier.
Thanks to everyone who had a part in making 2014 a success. Many people I see on a regular basis and others inspire me at races as they blow past smiling. Some people I follow on social media but we've never met but your desire to succeed does help others and I thank you for sharing. There are people from my past - some I've hurt- but they have a part in making me push hard to be a better person and I thank them as well. Things happen in life that put us at certain places in certain times and it's up to us to seize that moment. May your 2015 be better than your 2014. Go be Awesome!
http://youtu.be/WO0keYA21oI
Career wise- I couldn't be happier. I left a industry I still love but needed to grow as a person and am now in one that's real parallel to what I was doing but with new challenges. I'm very blessed! I hope people who read this can take away that anything they choose to do in life is possible. Everyone has their excuses for not taking control of their destiny but if one really has the desire and the fire in their soul than anything is possible. I've learned that the human spirit is tough. The body is simply a tool for the mind. I've let go of many fears in 2014 and its helped me grow as a person. During a race- no matter the distance- my focus is getting to the next aid station. I dId this during my 1st and only marathon (I sucked) and every race including my 100 mile finish. Life is like that. Sure huge goals are great but in order to reach them I have to focus on the next leg of my journey to my ultimate goal. It's taken me 47years to figure this thing called life out and I'm still working at it but it's really simple once I found a system that works for me.
2015- man o man- I cannot wait to do this in all facets of my life. One of my biggest priorities is working with a couch to 5k group. More details later but I want to encourage others to take a chance and see if a running group will impact their life as it has mine. I don't know enough to coach nor do I have the desire to but I do plan on mentoring people who want to try running a 5 or 10k and doing things that just a small fraction of our country does. My running- I've already signed up for Bandera 100k and plan on dropping at the 1/2 way mark but we will see... No promises! On the advice of my coach and another mentor I'm sitting out Rocky Raccoon 100 but will be there to probably pace someone 20 miles and help them get their 1st 100 mile finish. The last loop is slow n I could use the time on my feet. I'll run Possum Kingdom 52 miler and train hard all spring for a 100 miler in May. My long term goal is to run Hardrock 100 and a finish in May would get me in the lottery for The Rock. September- another 100 in Arizona that finishes on my birthday. A buckle for my 48th would be kinda cool. October- I have a rematch with Cactus Rose and I hope to be done under 26 hours. As you can see, I want to spend less time in races and more time training, helping others and of course volunteering. I've been a taker for many years and 2015 I plan on giving more than I take. Personally just a balanced life as I have now is great. Life has its ups and downs but if you keep moving forward it gets easier.
Thanks to everyone who had a part in making 2014 a success. Many people I see on a regular basis and others inspire me at races as they blow past smiling. Some people I follow on social media but we've never met but your desire to succeed does help others and I thank you for sharing. There are people from my past - some I've hurt- but they have a part in making me push hard to be a better person and I thank them as well. Things happen in life that put us at certain places in certain times and it's up to us to seize that moment. May your 2015 be better than your 2014. Go be Awesome!
http://youtu.be/WO0keYA21oI
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Brazos Bend 100
WOW! I'm not sure where to start putting my emotions and feelings in words on completing my 1st 100 mile race. I keep going back to a conversation I had with Janet in January when she said I had told her I ran but she hadn't seen it. I didn't want to be "that guy." She didn't run but wanted to try it. Together we ran our 1st 5k the next month with my sister Paula. It was cold & crowded and lasted forever. My 3/3 walk run strategy got us through in like :43 or so but we had just conquered the world! 25k at A-OK a month later was colder n icy but me and Janet trudged through it. ALL of the Dallas Dirt Runners pushed me on to higher goals through the spring. I heard of people running 100 miles in March this year and secretly I knew I had to do it. I creeped on FB following Jason B & Aaron C finish their 1st 100 milers and one of Janets co-workers also ran a couple as well. At Possum Kingdom I met my future coach- Jennifer as well as Matt Crownover. Matt said something about a card carrying badass Steven Moore that ran 100's. I knew then if there is another Steven Moore doing it then I could sometime. At Jemez I was blessed to become friends with Steven Monte and I set my sights on Cactus Rose 100 as my goal. Jenn wrote the schedule and I put in tons of miles. Monte was my sounding board all year when I wanted to complain. Cactus was a DNF due to a few mistakes on my part. It dang sure wasn't running the Hot Chocolate 5k! 65 mile training run was good and so the next day I entered Brazos Bend 100. Coach Jenn probably wasn't happy but Monte was willing to pace for 50 so I thought why not? After Big Cedar 100 Monte was eligible for the Texas MegaSlam (run 3 100's & Bandera 100k) so he had to enter the race as a competitor but he insisted on us running the entire race together. What a gift he gave me! Jeopardize his chances at a huge goal to help some guy that just started running......
Loop 1
After giving my front running friend Pompy a quick hug I went to the back and we were off. My strategy was just to grind it out and finish. We ran near Dale the first few miles at a steady pace laughing at his jokes. Well that and giving nicknames to people to identify them later. I had a 6hr goal for the 1st loop. There was 12 water stops so I handcarried water and used my gear for nutrition. The loop was great until 17 and the water stops were empty..... Monte spotted me water until we could get back to the start line.
Loop 2
I was afraid of going too fast after having 8 miles without water so we settled into a 3/3 walk run. Mile 27 stomach issues hit me hard. The Tailwind I drink for calories as well as the Cliff Bars wreaked havoc on my stomach and I was off in the woods before continuing commando. Near mile 37 we picked up a older lady to run with us. She was doing her 1st 50 miler and just wasn't sure. It was awesome having her. I'm sure my stomach issues will make her stay off trails in the future but we got her to the finish. We laughed a ton and just made the best of a crappy situation. Embrace The Suck! That's all you can do and keep running.
Loop 3
We wasted alotta time. Changing clothes, aid stations, etc. my stomach was wrecked and all I could eat was Gu's,a little coke and water. Every aid station Id just load up on Gu's and try not to throw up whatever food I tried. In spite of all this we were still laughing.... We finished that loop at 3am.
Loop 4
The 1st 3 miles I could still walk/run and maintain a decent pace. After that we were just waiting on the dawn of a new day and walking. It was Steven's fathers birthday and we were finishing this race. We laughed and cried a lot during these 25 miles. LOTSA stuff is between us but I'll take this loop to my grave. Just a real emotional gut check. Mile 87 aid- we were told we were in last place and might not make it. I called BS and started back running. I think we made up close to a hour until mile 98 and I got in a dark place. Monte was patient and let me sort it out and we pushed to the finish. He wanted me to cross 1st and I wanted to cross together but he won that arguement.
This year has been a crazy ride. Dallas Dirt Runners have helped me soooo much. There is just too many to name individually. Everyone I met at a race this year had a hand in this. Janet got me going. Jennifer Kimble & Steven Monte believed in me 110%. I had a few naysayers along the way. I didn't have a running base, blah blah blah. They were probably right but I pushed on. A lady named Chris told me in March that you have to want to run a 100. You can't do it for anything else. Dang she was right! It's hard and not something you can push people to do. Everyone who has been a part of this journey I thank you. God has blessed me with great friends and supporters and all of you were on my mind during this run. Runners & Non Runners alike. What's next? Ehhh I dunno yet but it'll be a distance with 3 digits. I guess I really like to suffer as John Sharp would say. LOL I want to help others. Not just to run 100 or even a 5k but to help them take control of their lives. 5k to 100 miles in 11 months has shown me that the human spirit is capable of anything it wants to do. Til next time- Run Strong
Loop 1
After giving my front running friend Pompy a quick hug I went to the back and we were off. My strategy was just to grind it out and finish. We ran near Dale the first few miles at a steady pace laughing at his jokes. Well that and giving nicknames to people to identify them later. I had a 6hr goal for the 1st loop. There was 12 water stops so I handcarried water and used my gear for nutrition. The loop was great until 17 and the water stops were empty..... Monte spotted me water until we could get back to the start line.
Loop 2
I was afraid of going too fast after having 8 miles without water so we settled into a 3/3 walk run. Mile 27 stomach issues hit me hard. The Tailwind I drink for calories as well as the Cliff Bars wreaked havoc on my stomach and I was off in the woods before continuing commando. Near mile 37 we picked up a older lady to run with us. She was doing her 1st 50 miler and just wasn't sure. It was awesome having her. I'm sure my stomach issues will make her stay off trails in the future but we got her to the finish. We laughed a ton and just made the best of a crappy situation. Embrace The Suck! That's all you can do and keep running.
Loop 3
We wasted alotta time. Changing clothes, aid stations, etc. my stomach was wrecked and all I could eat was Gu's,a little coke and water. Every aid station Id just load up on Gu's and try not to throw up whatever food I tried. In spite of all this we were still laughing.... We finished that loop at 3am.
Loop 4
The 1st 3 miles I could still walk/run and maintain a decent pace. After that we were just waiting on the dawn of a new day and walking. It was Steven's fathers birthday and we were finishing this race. We laughed and cried a lot during these 25 miles. LOTSA stuff is between us but I'll take this loop to my grave. Just a real emotional gut check. Mile 87 aid- we were told we were in last place and might not make it. I called BS and started back running. I think we made up close to a hour until mile 98 and I got in a dark place. Monte was patient and let me sort it out and we pushed to the finish. He wanted me to cross 1st and I wanted to cross together but he won that arguement.
This year has been a crazy ride. Dallas Dirt Runners have helped me soooo much. There is just too many to name individually. Everyone I met at a race this year had a hand in this. Janet got me going. Jennifer Kimble & Steven Monte believed in me 110%. I had a few naysayers along the way. I didn't have a running base, blah blah blah. They were probably right but I pushed on. A lady named Chris told me in March that you have to want to run a 100. You can't do it for anything else. Dang she was right! It's hard and not something you can push people to do. Everyone who has been a part of this journey I thank you. God has blessed me with great friends and supporters and all of you were on my mind during this run. Runners & Non Runners alike. What's next? Ehhh I dunno yet but it'll be a distance with 3 digits. I guess I really like to suffer as John Sharp would say. LOL I want to help others. Not just to run 100 or even a 5k but to help them take control of their lives. 5k to 100 miles in 11 months has shown me that the human spirit is capable of anything it wants to do. Til next time- Run Strong
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Out of the Darkness
Why do I try and run ultra's? People ask me that constantly and the only simple anwser I can give them to avoid a weird long conversation is to simply tell them it's the journey I'm on right now in life. This weekend I was blessed to be asked to help a guy Id never met before on his 1st attempt at a 100 miler.
Flashback to last month at Cactus Rose 100- The night before the race, the eventual winner, B Jones gave me some advice. When you want to quit, go 5 more miles before making that decision. Well I heard him but still dropped just 10 miles before finishing my 3rd loop. Yea I hurt bad for 3 days afterwards but the hurt to my pride still lingers. I was ready for that race and when my mind got dark and I struggled I wasn't strong enough to survive. My coach told me later that I should have made them pull me instead of dropping and damn she was right....
Back to Sat night/Sunday am. I drove out to Big Cedar in boots n jeans but packed my run gear in case my friend Steven struggled. If he was ok then maybe I could help someone else. At 3am my coach called the start line looking for me to help out a guy that was sleepy. It had been raining and the trail was in horrible shape. At that point less than 1/2 the field was still out there battling. I met my runner, Servando at mile 59 and was asked to get him to 75 by 9am. We started out at 5am n I thought 4 hrs, 16 miles. We got this and he has another pacer waiting for the last 25. I've ran this course many times but never in ankle deep muck and never with another runner. I run alone 99% of the time. Soon the battle with the mud became 2nd place and the battle of the mind started. By 7:30am I knew the 9am cutoff was not in reach but I didn't want to see him quit. We talked and talked and talked. Fortunately I have a sales background and he does too so we chatted quite a bit. We had 7 miles to the next aid station and it was tough. Pretty soon my runner started seeing benches and just wanted to sit. After the rain and both of us soaked I knew if he sat he wouldn't get up and then the shivering sets in. I finally just started ignoring all the benches he was "seeing" and told him they were bitches. Yea sorry but we are on a trail and the political correctness and everything is out the window. Walking sticks I helped him find helped more than anything I think. I dunno if it helped him walk or just got his mind off his legs screaming and being tired. I finally relented after he took a hard fall on a bridge but caught himself from falling 6 feet into the water and after I caught him from tumbling down some rocks. Yea I let him nap for 5 minutes and of course I timed it. That 5 minutes made Servando into a new man and the dude still had some run in those legs. He thought he had a rock in his shoe so I took it off and after seeing his feet I quickly put the shoe back on before he saw it. Yea I told him I got the rock out. Blisters heal in a few days but healing your pride takes longer. We continued and the aid station volunteers were incredible getting him in and out quickly. Not once after his nap did he sit down again. We finished the 3rd loop around 3pm and he was I think 18th overall. Sure it shows a DNF but the man was pulled from the course. He never quit. I learned so much from this experience. I had 18 miles on my schedule and I got it but I also walk away from this with a true anwser to why I run ultra's. I run to bear my soul and to push myself to the breaking point mentally and when I get there, the wall comes down and I am a stronger person because of it...... 22 days til Brazos Bend 100 and Servando taught me so much yesterday about how to be a stronger person and I am grateful for that.
Flashback to last month at Cactus Rose 100- The night before the race, the eventual winner, B Jones gave me some advice. When you want to quit, go 5 more miles before making that decision. Well I heard him but still dropped just 10 miles before finishing my 3rd loop. Yea I hurt bad for 3 days afterwards but the hurt to my pride still lingers. I was ready for that race and when my mind got dark and I struggled I wasn't strong enough to survive. My coach told me later that I should have made them pull me instead of dropping and damn she was right....
Back to Sat night/Sunday am. I drove out to Big Cedar in boots n jeans but packed my run gear in case my friend Steven struggled. If he was ok then maybe I could help someone else. At 3am my coach called the start line looking for me to help out a guy that was sleepy. It had been raining and the trail was in horrible shape. At that point less than 1/2 the field was still out there battling. I met my runner, Servando at mile 59 and was asked to get him to 75 by 9am. We started out at 5am n I thought 4 hrs, 16 miles. We got this and he has another pacer waiting for the last 25. I've ran this course many times but never in ankle deep muck and never with another runner. I run alone 99% of the time. Soon the battle with the mud became 2nd place and the battle of the mind started. By 7:30am I knew the 9am cutoff was not in reach but I didn't want to see him quit. We talked and talked and talked. Fortunately I have a sales background and he does too so we chatted quite a bit. We had 7 miles to the next aid station and it was tough. Pretty soon my runner started seeing benches and just wanted to sit. After the rain and both of us soaked I knew if he sat he wouldn't get up and then the shivering sets in. I finally just started ignoring all the benches he was "seeing" and told him they were bitches. Yea sorry but we are on a trail and the political correctness and everything is out the window. Walking sticks I helped him find helped more than anything I think. I dunno if it helped him walk or just got his mind off his legs screaming and being tired. I finally relented after he took a hard fall on a bridge but caught himself from falling 6 feet into the water and after I caught him from tumbling down some rocks. Yea I let him nap for 5 minutes and of course I timed it. That 5 minutes made Servando into a new man and the dude still had some run in those legs. He thought he had a rock in his shoe so I took it off and after seeing his feet I quickly put the shoe back on before he saw it. Yea I told him I got the rock out. Blisters heal in a few days but healing your pride takes longer. We continued and the aid station volunteers were incredible getting him in and out quickly. Not once after his nap did he sit down again. We finished the 3rd loop around 3pm and he was I think 18th overall. Sure it shows a DNF but the man was pulled from the course. He never quit. I learned so much from this experience. I had 18 miles on my schedule and I got it but I also walk away from this with a true anwser to why I run ultra's. I run to bear my soul and to push myself to the breaking point mentally and when I get there, the wall comes down and I am a stronger person because of it...... 22 days til Brazos Bend 100 and Servando taught me so much yesterday about how to be a stronger person and I am grateful for that.
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