The Naked Runner

A Change of Pace

2010-06-01T16:05:00.003-05:00

Ok, some of you may have already read on my Facebook page what my next adventure is. While I was in the Thinker's pose trying to muddle my way through Jemez, I just got to thinking, ironically enough. My mind really hasn't been into racing this year, like, at all really. My performance has been what I consider to be abysmal and I don't like it. I needed something to excite me again, something different. So I decided to do something that I never thought that I would do. I'm gonna run fast. I've decided to try and qualify for Boston. Being 39, I will have to run a 3:15 marathon and for me that's WAY fast!! My best time in a marathon, thus far, is 4:09 with no speed training. So maybe with the right training I can succeed. I've set my sights on the Duke City Marathon in Albuquerque to be my qualifying race. It's flat and fast, so I may have a good chance of getting it done. I've got til October to get ready. I've even been talking to a running coach since I've no idea what to do for speed training. I hear people talk about doing 4x800's and crap like that and have NO clue what they are talking about. My running, up til now, has been putting on a pair of shorts and shoes and then putting one foot in front of the other til I get to the finish line. ha This should be interesting!!

2010 Jemez Race Report, Short and Sweet

2010-05-23T17:21:00.005-05:00

This race report is going to be short and sweet, cuz that's how the race was for me. I had no way of training for the aspect that kicked my ass, and that was the altitude.
Let's start at the beginning. Aubrey and I got to Los Alamos Friday around 2pm, got checked into the hotel, and went to China Palace for some lunch. After that, we hung out at the hotel until time for packet pickup at 5pm. While grabbing my packet, we got to see Micah True, aka "Caballo Blanco", hanging out in line as well. Seemed like a really nice guy. Anyway, back to the hotel afterwards and an early bedtime.
We got up at 3am, I ate a bowl of oatmeal, and we headed to the Posse Shack, and waited for the start. We started right on time, 5am. We had to use headlamps for the first 30 minutes or so but after that, you could see with no problem. The course is simply gorgeous with amazing, sweeping vistas of the sleeping city below. I started off nice and slow and felt really, really good going out. The first seven miles were very uneventful, just cruising along, enjoying the scenery. The first big climb was fairly easy for me as well. I remember absolutely HURTING on that climb two years ago. However, my strength training in preparation for this year really made a difference. My legs would recover VERY quickly. However, once I started to climb Caballo, my heart would start trying to beat out of my chest and I would get short of breath. I was having to stop and rest every couple hundred feet. I muddled my way to the top finally, and then on the way back down I felt really strong again, running the downhills really easily. I slipped in some scree on a switchback and went down on my right side, sliding off the trail into the woods. I cut my finger, my right elbow, and my left shin. haha I'm starting to get used to falling, since it seems to happen to me at least once per race. What a loser! ha Anyway, once I made it down Caballo, you have to climb out to the Pipeline Aid Station. This is where things got worse for me. I was really struggling on the ascent, trying to catch my breath. I was yawning constantly, trying to get more air. Every time I'd find a fallen log or tree stump, I'd sit down to let my heart rate drop back down and my breathing settle. I know that several times, sitting on those tree logs and stumps, I had to have looked like Rodin's Thinker, or even more apropos, Rodin's Pouter. My thoughts ranged from "F**K this!" to "Come on, you can do this!" back to "F**K this!" Eventually, even walking became too hard, so I just decided no more. There would be no way I would make the cutoff at the Ski Lodge, even if I could have made it there at all. I dropped at the Pipeline Aid Station, the same place I dropped 2 years ago. This is the second DNF that Jemez has dealt me and I'm not sure exactly what to do about it. How do I, living in the Panhandle, train for the altitude without spending $4000 on an altitude tent. To be honest, right now, I don't even care about training for it again, but we all know how it goes. Eventually the urge will win out and I'll try it again. But for right now, I'm changing venues. (Another post will follow, outlining my new adventure.)
So two things that worked REALLY well for this race were 1. My strength training- my legs never hurt at any time and they recovered really quickly after reaching the tops of climbs 2. I used Vespa for this race- This stuff is the shizz!!! Over the twenty total miles that I traveled, I used only 2 Vespas with nothing else to eat but 4 Peanut M&M's and felt NO energy lags AT ALL!!
As I work with the Vespa more, I will post more about them and the results that I'm getting from them.
So anyway, Jemez was a flop for me..........once again. However, I still have to say that they put on an amazing race, and I highly recommend it if you can get ready for it! If you are a fairly low altitude flatlander then just be careful! One of these days, maybe, I'll go back but for right now, the two ass-whuppins I've received are more than enough. Thank you, please, drive through.

A Day of Hell for the Hamstrings

2010-05-08T19:46:00.003-05:00

I was invited for a 4-6 hour run at Palo Duro Canyon by David Steadman. My wife has known David forever but today was the first time I've ever met him. I picked him up at his house and we made the 1 1/2 hour trip to the canyon. We hit it off pretty quickly, talking about past endeavors and races we've had in common. He's been racing in marathons and triathlons for years but just broke into ultras last year with Jemez as his first, the brave soul! Anyway, once we made it to the canyon we found the Juniper picnic area which is the race start for the trail run in October and we took off. We spent a good 4 1/2 hours just cruising the trails and chatting the whole time and at one point we took a trail that went from the bottom of the canyon straight up to the top. Good stuff! All in all, we had a great day of training and the way I felt on the inclines and declines really made me realize that my strength training is paying off! A few more runs this week with another 3 hour run next Saturday and I'll be ready...............I think!

Under the Weather

2010-04-29T20:41:00.003-05:00

For the first time in a couple of years, I've got a cold! I've felt bad for the last 2-3 days, just real cloudy-headed and stuffy. I ran a low-grade fever last night but Advil made short work of it. I think I'm on the uphill swing though so I should be able to go ahead and get a good run in this weekend. I went on to the the gym last night for some strength training even though I felt like hammered shit. I'm not real sure if that was a good idea or not but I survived and now I'm stronger. Ha. Training all in all has been going really well except for needing to get some more good long runs in. If I can shake this cold pretty quickly then I'll be set.

And the Training Continues

2010-04-10T15:22:00.006-05:00

With all of the strength training I've been doing, I'm becoming much more solid. I'm looking more toned as well since I've dropped about 4lbs in the last week or so. I like it!! I've been alternating traveling lunges at the gym with 30-40lb dumbbells in each hand, and doing squats with one of my kids (~80lbs) on my back and having them hold two 10lb medicine balls. ha I'm hitting the gym at least 3 nights a week for about 30-45 minutes of good full body circuit training on the Nautilus equipment. On top of all that, I've been getting in some good runs of 10-12 miles. I need to get in some tough hill repeats out at the lake pretty soon too. I've been running 30 minute interval runs on the treadmill at 10% grade as well. At this point in time, I am really encouraged that I'll be able to finish Jemez with some left in the tank, especially since I've still got over a month to get ready. I'll keep ya posted.

Jemez Bound

2010-03-27T21:28:00.003-05:00

As a lot of you already know, I ran Jemez (or at least 17 miles of it) in 2008. The race report is here. Anyway, I've thrown myself, once again, into the fray. Training commences tomorrow on a whole new level simply because flatlanders are at such a disadvantage when it comes to mountain racing. The altitude doesn't seem to bug me but the inclines and declines just fry my quads, so I'll be hitting the gym at least 3-4 times a week, working on lunges and so forth and hopefully I will have the time to get out to Horseshoe Bend for some good hill repeats as well. I'm really looking forward to getting focused again. My racing season has been, so far, a big letdown due to time constraints and absolute lack of discipline in training. Gotta bring the heat now.

Ummmmm, The Grasslands, yeah, ok

2010-03-23T19:18:00.002-05:00

Like the title suggests...................ummmmmm, yeah, what can ya say? I got to the race start with my windshield wipers on high, it was starting to sleet, there were wind gusts up to 30mph, and it was 30 degrees not substracting the wind chill. I didn't get out of the car! The people that actually ran this race are simply the bravest souls I know. I do NOT like cold weather!! I put the Xterra in reverse and pulled outta there.
There's a half marathon about 50 miles from Lubbock in the town of Lamesa and I'm gonna run that this Saturday. I'm on the lookout for something fun in April so we'll see what I can cook up.
Also, a major congrats is in order for Dave Elliott and Sonia Burdett for running the Bataan Memorial Death March last Sunday, both with 44 pound packs on their backs! Hoorah! Way to go, you two!

Got the Grasslands coming up!!

2010-03-11T15:16:00.004-06:00

With the weather becoming warmer and warmer, the training is coming easier and easier. Thank goodness! The wind the last couple of days has been pretty obnoxious so I've done some intervals on the treadmill instead of getting blown to the Texas border. I will head out this weekend for a final LONG run before the marathon a week from this Saturday. The Grasslands is a great course, very runnable! Also you get to see a lot of people since you loop back to the race start/finish several times. Last year, I ran the 50 miler as part of the 50 Mile Grand Slam, and just didn't perform the way I wanted to. While I was running this race last year it was like my "Give-a-Shit-ometer" was busted. You can read the race report here.
Anyway, I'm looking forward to hitting this course again with a little more vim and vigor in my step! I'll let ya know how it goes!

2/25/2010 Cross Timbers Trail Runs Race Report

2010-02-25T11:59:00.004-06:00

Zach and I arrived at Lake Texoma around 1400 on Friday. We easily found a place to set up camp at Juniper Point Camping Area. Juniper Point was much, much nicer than Cedar Bayou Marina last year. The campground offered amazing, sweeping vistas of the lake and surrounding hills! The race headquarters/start/finish was all just across a small cove from our camp, easily walkable, even after the race. The weather was overcast and slightly cool, and it would stay that way for race day as well! Who can forget that wind from last year?? Zach and I made a quick trip to a local grocery store and picked up a few supplies including hot dogs, buns, marshmallows, firewood, and some lighter fluid. Once we got back to camp, we attempted to start a little fire in our camp’s fire pit but I think our wood was too moist. We expended the entire bottle of lighter fluid just trying to get our hot dogs done and toast a couple of marshmallows. Haha Apparently, we suck at wilderness survival. Oh, well! We headed over to packet pickup and met up with Teresa McCoul, the race director, and also Laurie Underwood was there volunteering! Amazingly awesome ladies, both of them! This year, the headquarters was just fantastic! Teresa had somehow obtained a huge circus tent that housed everything! Very cool! A circus tent……………how apropos for us running freaks! Ha Anyway, Zach and I forewent the prerace dinner in lieu of our hot dog supper and we headed to the back of the Xterra for an evening movie and then an early bedtime. I slept fairly decent considering I was stuck in the back of the Xterra with Zach.

My alarm went off, quite loudly, at 0530. Up and at’em! A breakfast of two oatmeal crème pies and a Chocolate Muscle Milk got me up and running. Zach and I headed over to the race start to see the 50 milers off at 0630 and then waited another 30 minutes for my race time. We were given our race briefing (if your eyes were shut) by actor Norm McDonald! I swear the guy sounded EXACTLY like him! Haha Anyway, 0700 came around and we were off. We ran a brief out and back on the road and then headed out onto the fantastic singletrack trail. Now then, due to the snow melt and rain from previous weeks, the trails were a little more difficult this year, I thought. The areas that were relatively dry were VERY sticky, like clay. Nothing really stuck to your shoe but your shoe wanted to stay stuck to the ground longer than you wanted it to. Does that make sense? Anyway, in some of the low-lying areas, there was standing water and deeper mud that could be sidestepped if need be but traversing those areas wore you out while you did it. On another note, I felt like the course was actually more beautiful than last year. The moss covering the rocks was a brilliant green this year where it was a lighter yellow last year. Gorgeous! I really love this trail even if it does make you cry a little. The course was one big out and back this year for the marathoners and done twice by the 50 milers. The aid stations were very well stocked, and staffed by awesome, helpful volunteers as usual! With the weather being cooler, I didn’t really feel the need to fuel as much, and ended up taking a total of 2 Gu-Roctanes and a couple of handfuls of M&M’s over the course of the day. I kept my hand bottle filled with HEED and made sure to take at least a bottle an hour. About 5 or 6 miles in, a guy named Dennis caught up to me. We stayed together at a fairly decent pace, and talked for a good 12 or 13 miles. Good company on the trails makes it so much better! He eventually dropped the hammer and went on ahead. I ran in silence for several miles and finally made it to the last aid station before the finish. Here, I met up with Nancy! We hit it off quickly, and laughed and talked for the last 2.5 miles which, as far as I’m concerned, are the most difficult part of the course. The uphills are absolutely ass-whipping! At this point of the race, my legs were mega-sore and my ass was draggin’! However, laughing with Nancy made it so much easier. Finally as we were almost to the top of a long (and final) incline, I hear a familiar voice say, “There you are!” Zach was at the top of the hill to let us know that the finish was just on the other side. What a relief! I could hear the cowbell calling us in and I finished in 5:53 or something like that. Not the best time but with the trail conditions and the lack of training on my part, I was pretty happy! Of course, Teresa was at the finish, cooking up burgers and veggie burgers for everyone! She does such an amazing job with this race! She and her team deserve a major round of applause! Thanks, Teresa!

Now, if you’ve never run this race before, you need to know that it really is a gorgeous, yet very difficult course! Over the course of the marathon, there is a 5,510 ft elevation gain/loss. In other words, when you get done with the race, if you look in the mirror at your hindquarters it may look as if you have the ass of a dancer in a rap video! Your butt is gonna be sore! There were several brave souls that ran this as their first marathon. Although it's probably not the smartest idea, I think they did well! The race headquarters was much better this year and Teresa was able to bring in some regular port-a-potties instead of only having that scary outhouse thing from last year! That made me pretty happy! Haha In fact, I think it was the first thing Teresa mentioned to me when she saw me! Ha

I ran the 50 miler here last year and was very glad not to have to run it this year in those trail conditions. The folks that completed the 50 need to know that my hat is off to them this year! Maybe next year I’ll be trained up again and ready to give it another whirl.

See my report from last year with more pics HERE.

Training for Cross Timbers Trail Marathon

2010-02-07T13:09:00.004-06:00

Well, training is a little slow going actually. I've been putting in loads and loads of interval training sessions on the treadmill set on a pretty decent incline, but not too much running outside. I just can't get into a long run mentally when I spend the entire time freezing my ass off! I am such a flipping pansy when it comes to cold weather!! For all you guys that ran and actually finished Bandera this year in those conditions........MY HAT'S OFF TO YOU!! I mean, dude, it was freaking cold out there! Anyway, hopefully next weekend will be warmer and I can get in a good long run. I've realized that it really doesn't take much training to just finish a marathon so I should be good. I'm not looking to place or anything, just enjoy the trail since it's so amazing!

Wee-Chi-Tah Trail Run Race Report

2010-01-23T15:27:00.004-06:00

First off, let me say, I really think that I headed to this race completely undertrained! Zach and I made it to Wichita Falls and the Hotter'n Hell Hundred Clubhouse yesterday afternoon about 45 minutes before packet pickup started. It gave us a chance to look around the area and check out the race start/finish. It was a beautiful park with a small river flowing through it. Very nice. I got my packet with no problem and we headed to Stanton's house after he got his packet. I met Stanton last year at Cross Timbers as you may remember and he stayed with us during the Buffalo Springs 70.3. It was great to get to meet his wife, Amy, and his two beautiful little girls. Amy made a Spaghetti with Zucchini carb load that was really delicious! Complete with garlic bread and a good beer! Good night!
The next morning, Zach and I were up by 0600 and noticed that..........IT WAS RAINING! Dammit!!
We headed to the race with Stanton driving (they have really weird traffic lights/stops in Wichita Falls).
So just a little after 0800, we took off! And even though it stopped raining prior to race start, the trails were incredibly muddy! Not the "deep, gloppy, soul-sucking type mud," but the "slippery as Hell, make ya look like Wile E. Coyote trying to take off running when the road is covered with ball bearings type mud!" And on the inclines you had to make very sure that you had enough momentum to make it up...........or you were going back down! FUN STUFF!! The course itself was absolutely phenomenal! Everything you look for in a trail run! Beautiful scenery, lots of wooded areas, inclines, declines, stream crossings, switchbacks, and jumping fallen logs. Just awesome! At one really steep short downhill to a stream crossing, and then up a steep uphill, there were two guys directing "traffic." I stopped to assess the situation and figure out how best to traverse it and they hollered, "Just bomb through it! It's just shit water!!" Oh.........good! Thanks guys! HAHA
The course was one loop for us half marathoners, and two loops for the full. I was really happy that I didn't go ahead and register for the full, because after I finished slipping and slogging my way around the course and crossed the finish line......I was done! I felt pretty decent afterwards too which really gave me back my thunder. I finished in 2:15, exactly the time that I told Zach to expect me in. They had a water hose at the finish for us to spray off our legs and shoes which was nice too. I got that done, and Zach and I hit the road back to Lubbock. Stanton called me a little later and said that he'd finished the full in 5 hours, a very good time considering those conditions. I'm just really glad the temps were great and that it had stopped raining. I would very much like to run this course again in better trail conditions but this was, overall, a very fun and very well run race and I will definitely do it again!

Wee-Chi-Tah

2010-01-15T16:12:00.003-06:00

I'm heading out next Friday to Wichita Falls for the Wee-Chi-Tah Trail Races. I'll be doing the half marathon distance. It'll be great training for Cross Timbers Full in February. I'll be interested to see how I feel after this half since I tend to push harder on the shorter distances. I haven't run beyond 8 miles in over a month which is sad to say but.............oh, well.

I'm also anxious to see several of my running buddies there since I know Teresa McCoul and Stanton Porter will be there running the full! Best of luck to both of them and best of luck to the rest of us that the weather won't be shitty!

FOMO Syndrome

2010-01-12T17:59:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I'm not dealing well with my "realization." I'm looking at going ahead and running Cross Timbers marathon in February and that will get me trained for The Grasslands 50 instead of running Bataan. I was looking ahead too and found the Leadville Silver Rush 50 that I REALLY want to do in July.............but it's on Kelli's birthday and she said "NO!" It's killin me though!! Maybe I can talk her into a roadtrip for her birthday?? I also saw that Joe Prusaitis has a new race in the works for 9/11, The Gila Gundred in Western New Mexico. They also have a 50 mile distance so that's a big possibility! Winter's gotta go away now! I got shit to do!!

Realization

2010-01-09T11:36:00.003-06:00

Well, as the title suggests, I've come to a realization about racing ultras early this year. It just ain't gonna happen. Since I took on the Nurse Manager position at Grace Medical, I've been busy non-stop, trying to get the hospital to run the way it needs to. I've had NO time to train the way I NEED to, in order to perform the way I WANT to in an ultra. I've been running some but the distances have been shorter due to time constraints and stupid cold weather. I believe that once I get the hospital running the way I want it then I'll have more time. Right now I am going to focus on fitness and losing some weight by strength training and running intervals and such so I can be ready to rock and roll when the weather starts warming up a little. I was thinking that I could just get up early and run before work like I do in the summer but we're having one of the coldest winters on record since the 80's. I'm miserable the entire time I'm out there in that frigid atmosphere and if I ain't enjoying myself then what AM I doing? I still plan on running Bataan in March since I don't think training for a marathon is that difficult and once I've put in a couple of marathons, I will be ready to run longer and longer. Maybe the Grasslands 50 in March too? So for now, fitness and weight loss, progressing back towards ultras later in the spring. That's the plan.

MT100's

2009-12-31T16:30:00.004-06:00

I got the MT100's in yesterday and have worn them around today. I'm not saying too much yet, but so far they are pretty damn nice. They are very much what I look for in a shoe. Majorly lightweight, flexible, no extra cushioning, or other crap that we don't need. So far, so good!
So on a training note, I'm out and about doing a little running here and there and feeling pretty good, so I'm gonna pick up the mileage this weekend and see how I'm feeling. Like I said before, it's gonna take me busting my hump to get ready for Rocky. Six 50 milers this year was a rockin year for me and I'm hopin my body will remember. Of course, it may remember, and then say, "Oh, HELL NO!" ha

Am I a Scrooge?

2009-12-26T17:14:00.005-06:00

I have to honestly say that I am so glad the Holidays are over! They wear me the Hell out!
Maybe I can focus now. I'm seriously wondering if I will be able to get ready for a 50 miler in 5 weeks. I think I may be really cutting it close. I'll really need to bust my ass! Anybody have thoughts on that? If not Rocky Raccoon then maybe Cross Timbers?
I've been training a lot in my Fivefingers, however, I went ahead and ordered a new pair of the MT100's by New Balance. I just don't think that you should skimp on the rock protection offered by a good trail shoe during an ultra. I think that running Rocky in the Fivefingers would be a blast simply because that course is so amazingly soft!
Ok, so it'll be interesting to see what my body can do within five weeks. The race is on!

Howdy Again

2009-12-23T21:19:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I've been told that my blog is sucking. Point well taken.
I am, believe it or not, still alive and kicking! I was out of running for most of November due to an old back injury flare up but I'm back in the saddle and ramping up for Rocky Raccoon 50 in February. Following that I have plans to race Bataan in March. Dave "I'm Your Huckleberry" Elliott invited me to go and I thought "Hell yeah!" Bataan is an amazing race, and I highly recommend it. Dave will be going heavy, carrying a 35 lb rucksack on his back. That scares me, quite frankly. I prefer running 26.2, rather than slogging along with a big pack on my back, so KUDOS to you, Dave! Hoorah!
I am still trying to wrap my brain around a 100 miler for this next year but haven't decided which one as of yet. Anyone know of a good 100 miler out there that feels more like 50? ha
Anyway, I will be back on board with the blog thing more often and keep ya all posted!
Peace!

9/24/09 What's UP???

2009-09-24T17:32:00.002-05:00

Hey all! Thought I'd better post something before my blog gets deleted. Obviously I haven't been keeping up with it for the last couple of months. I've definitely been running though! Ran Lean Horse a month ago and now am ramping up for Palo Duro. I'm trying to find the time to get back on here and start putting back in some reports and training posts............or I may give up the blogging business all together. Facebook has become a little more my speed and I've enjoyed keeping tabs on my running buddies on there! So in the meantime if your curious about what I'm up to, just click on my Facebook link. I'd be happy to add ya as a friend if you're not there already! Peace!

7/27/09 Where I need to be!

2009-07-27T15:25:00.002-05:00

Ok, guys, so I am finally getting back into the groove of things. My mileage is looking much better and things are starting to look pretty good for Lean Horse. I went ahead and got registered too so that keeps me honest in my training. Yesterday brought a gorgeous sunset and a nice, steady 20 mile run with Aubrey. I am feeling stronger and stronger. Such a difference from earlier this year. But as my friend, Dave, told me, "Mark, you're running 50 milers like most people run 5k's." No wonder I was feeling a little tired. Anyway, I've had a nice break but now it's time to get back into the racing. I've dropped abut 10 lbs over the last couple of months down to about 165 too. I think that's made a pretty significant difference in how I feel out there too. I would like to, honestly, take off another 5-10 lbs but I have a feeling it's going to be easier said than done. I really do like FOOD!! Ok, so another cool thing is that Aubrey is finally getting back into the swing of things as well. He is running the 50 miler with me at Lean Horse so it should be a good trip. I'll try and keep ya posted. Peace!

7/17/09 Gross Blog Negligence

2009-07-17T20:48:00.002-05:00

Oops! I keep forgetting to post for some reason. Actually I know the reason...........Farm Town and Vampire Wars on Facebook or "Crack"Book, whichever you want to call it! Crazy addicting stuff! I'm in here screaming, "I CAN SEND A CHICKEN NOW!!" Ridonkulous!!
My running on the other foot is going very, very well! I'm putting in some good mileage! Last week held about 30 or so miles, and as a matter of fact, next week I am looking at a 50-60 mile week! I'm feeling great and moving well. Most of my training is done at about an 8 to 8.5 min pace. Pretty steady for me. Lean Horse is looking good right now and I'm hoping to pick up the pace there as well. The course itself makes for a good chance for a PR. I'm not sure that I want to post a goal time or not since it kind of locks ya in! ha I may and I may not! I'll try and keep ya posted. In the meantime, if you need me to send you a goat or a donkey for your Farm, let me know!! Peace!

7/3/2009 Three Cheers for Ebay!!

2009-07-03T10:35:00.006-05:00

Alright now, I've been running pretty consistently for the last couple of weeks and have really noticed a difference in how I'm feeling! I really think that my "rediscovered" need to run has to do with ONE thing! The La Sportiva Slingshot! As I've mentioned before, these are my favorite shoes of all time and the company discontinued them a couple of years ago. Anyway, I did some searching and found a total of 3 pairs in my size on Ebay (by luck alone!). I went for my first run in them almost two weeks ago and just felt like I was really connected to the Earth again. I know it all sounds weird and corny but I've been hopping from shoe to shoe to shoe since they discontinued the Slingshot, trying to find one that would make me happy and just haven't found "The One." I really, really cannot stand a heavy or clunky/bulky shoe and so many trail shoes are that way. The Slingshot is so light and form-fitting, and so minimal, that it is exactly what I like. I can feel the ground beneath my feet, the little pebbles and subtle imperfections in the dirt that go unnoticed in traditional trail shoes. Anyway, I am going to use up these three pairs and then figure out what to do from there. I am seriously considering running permanently in Fivefingers KSO's or Sprints. But until these Slingshots are worn out, I am going to rock it out! I've lost about 7 pounds in the last couple of weeks so now I'm down to about 166! On the right path, I think. I'll post a little bit in the next couple of days about my Tabata's that I'm doing! They are freaking painful but MAN, do they get results! Peace!

6/28/2009 Here we go again!

2009-06-28T19:31:00.004-05:00

Ok, back on track! Obviously I've been out of pocket for the last couple of weeks but things are being put back in order. I've been able to get out and run pretty much every morning before work and have been feeling pretty terrific. My mileage for week before last was about 25 miles and then last week was about 20. I took this weekend off to watch friends rock it out at the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3. My friend, Stanton, came up from Wichita Falls and stayed the weekend with us. This was his first half Ironman and he really did well, finishing in 6:18. Aubrey set a PR for his 70.3, finishing in 6:44. The weather was really perfect I thought. It rained for a good part of the bike leg which kept the temps down. One poor kid, about 16 years old, bit it hard right at the entrance to T2. He took the turn too sharp on the slick asphalt and went elbows and assholes over the handle bars. I felt sorry for him cuz he did get pretty banged up with road rash but he went on to finish his race since he was only doing the sprint distance.
Aubrey hosted a couple of pro guys and one pro girl at his house this year. Both guys are Australian and one of them, Leon Griffin, won the 70.3 last year in a time of 3:58!! Freaking crazy! Today, he took second in 4:03 and the other guy, Simon Thompson, took 3rd! It was really cool hanging out with those guys! They were interesting, funny, and just downright cool to talk to! The girl, Uli Bromme, was born in Germany and then raised in Canada. She's only run a couple of races as a pro and she finished this race in 4:55, a fantastic time! And to top the day off, Aubrey's stepson, Geoff, ran the sprint and finished 46th out of 211 finishers! Kickin some ass!!

So it was a fun, fun weekend but the work will start again tomorrow. I am picking up the mileage a little this week and also plan on incorporating the Tabata Method into my workouts a couple of times a week. That should be pretty interesting........and painful! I'll keep ya posted!

6/11/2009 Sabbatical!

2009-06-11T20:05:00.005-05:00

Ok, everyone! Hear ye, Hear ye! I am making the official announcement that I am going to take a short sabbatical from LOOOOOONG distance running for a couple of months! My body be tired and used up and I am wanting to rest for a bit! I am taking a week or so off from running completely and then I will pick it back up again pretty quick cuz otherwise I'll go crazy! I am still thinking about the Lean Horse 100 in August so we'll see what happens. Anyway, til then, PEACE!

5/31/2009 Time to Taper

2009-05-31T15:14:00.002-05:00

I got in a 20 mile training run today before noon luckily. It was hot, hot, hot! I felt freaking slow! Not sure why. My times weren't that bad but I guess I just felt sluggish. Kelli had to bring me some more water about 15 miles in due to the heat. I was really putting down the fluids. I also had her bring me a Coke and man, it was good! I just love that rocket fuel while on long runs.
So I will run a couple more times before Wednesday and then nothing til Saturday. I was contemplating bumping back to the 50K but it wasn't in my heart to do so. I'm just going to let chips lay and see what happens. Wish me luck! Peace!

5/25/2009 Quick update

2009-05-25T16:12:00.002-05:00

Ok, so 10 miles out on 1585 rounded out my 3 day weekend. I felt really good out there despite the wind and heat. Heading into the west I had a 20mph sandblaster in my face and then with the wind at my back on the way back east, I got toasted by the sun. I love to run in the heat! That way I don't have to wear long sleeve shirts all the damn time. ha Alright, let's see what kind of mileage I can get out of this week. May the motivation be with me!

5/23/2009 Actually Did Something Today!!

2009-05-23T16:05:00.005-05:00

First off, THANK YOU to everyone who wished me a happy birthday yesterday!! I really appreciate it! I had a nice evening with Kelli and the kids. We went to Abuelo's and stuffed ourselves with fantastic Tex-Mex then came home, ate chocolate cake, and watched Rise of the Lycans. Nice and relaxing! Just the way I like it!

I actually hit the road today and really felt good. I ran a simple little 6 miles out on 1585. It was overcast and cool with some sprinkling rain mixed in. Fantastic running weather!! All in all, like I said, I felt really good and strong. I need to get some distance in over the next week to get ready for Hell's Hills but I really do think that my base will carry me through. If not........c'est la vie! It'll be fun anyway!

5/21/2009 Offer Me Some Motivation...........please!

2009-05-21T20:39:00.002-05:00

Hey, guys! Ok, so what's up???? I CANNOT get myself motivated this week! I am eating crap, crap, and more crap! I haven't run since last Sunday! I've done a "little" strength training but that's it! I'm gonna turn into a fat ass if I don't get going! Hell's Hills is in 2 weeks!! Someone out there has the right kind of motivational speech to offer me! I just know they do! Lay it on me! Come on, Tony? Dave? Rick? PJ? Someone help a brutha out! Peace!

5/17/2009 Lazy SOB

2009-05-17T13:38:00.005-05:00

Dudes and dudettes, I've been mega-lazy this last week. I ran the Horseshoe Bend 11 miler last Saturday and then an 8 miler on Monday then nothing else until today! I DID do some strength training but nothing exceptional. Not sure what the deal was other than maybe I just needed a break. I had planned on running a long run yesterday back out at the canyon but it was chilly and raining throughout the day. At least that's my excuse. ha Today brought beautiful weather so I headed out to 1585 for some speedwork. I ran a simple little 5 miles in really fast interval bursts. Those kinds of workouts just kill me! At times I would glance at my Garmin and during my bursts I was actually running a 5:30 pace. WHOA! Maybe I DID need the week break afterall!! Watch out, Rick, I may actually catch your speedy ass someday!! haha
Hopefully I can dig deep and drag my ass out of bed earlier this week so I can pick up the mileage again. Hell's Hills is less than 3 weeks out!

5/9/2009 Horseshoe Bend Canyon.......Revisited

2009-05-09T14:45:00.006-05:00

This morning the kids and I ran the Horseshoe Bend Canyon Run with the WTRC. Zach, Makenzie, and one of Zach's baseball buddies, KC, ran the two miler and all medaled. The boys ran a 9:03 pace and finished 1 second of each other. Makenzie ran a 10:56 pace and finished as the first girl in her age group. I think she needs to push herself a little harder next time. She's a more natural runner than Zach but I think she got a little lazy today. However, they all had a blast! This was KC's first time to run a race and he really enjoyed himself! KC is FAST when it comes to running bases so I would like to see him drop the hammer at one of these races next time as well! Also one of my friends from work, Robert, ran the 11 miler and rocked it! He took first in his age group, running an 8:08 pace!
I had a fantastic race myself! I ran the 11 miler and finished in 1:38. Not bad for me, an 8:55 pace over 11 miles. I felt really good out there and again enjoyed the hell out of the scenery. It's so gorgeous out there! There was a really good turnout for all of the races too which always makes it fun.

Ok, on to more training! PEACE!

5/2/2009 A Morning Run with Huckleberry

2009-05-02T18:40:00.003-05:00

My friend, Dave Elliott, came to town today for a nice morning run. His cousin is getting married this evening in Levelland and we took the opportunity to meet up and run a fun-filled, misty morning 15 mile hill workout. He showed up at my house around 8am and we took my Xterra out to Horseshoe Bend Canyon, just east of Buffalo Spring Lake. Horseshoe Bend is really a nice place to run, being a large part of the bike course for the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3. The traffic is very minimal and the scenery is nice, nice, nice. There are 3 significant, long hills out there and we hit them all, including the steepest north one twice. All in all we had a fantastic time talking and just enjoying the views and the nice cool weather. The time passed relatively quickly and the 15 miles was done before we knew it. Dave said that he had pushed himself a little harder than he normally does which is fantastic! It's always motivating to run with new people that can inspire you and push you a little more. Hopefully I was able to do both! ha Dave got some good pics of the scenery and should post them to his blog as soon as he gets home. I had a great time and can't wait to meet up with him on the trail again sometime soon!

4/24/2009

2009-04-24T11:42:00.002-05:00

Howdy everyone! Ok, so I finished up my last night in the ER on Wednesday night! I'll still work little 4 hr shifts there from time to time to keep my skills sharp and also to remind me why I left. ha I haven't run at all since Rocky Hill and that's no good. I feel like I needed the break but it's time to start getting busy again. I am definitely planning on heading back down there for the inaugural (and free) running of Hell's Hills 50. The course from what I could tell is a lot of fun and I think I'll have a good time running it. Hopefully I can coerce Aubrey into joining me for this trip and he can run the 25K. I'll keep ya posted and let ya know what's up.
I'm headed to Dallas this weekend for my cousin's wedding and then I'll hit the road hard come Monday. Peace!

4/19/2009 Rocky Hill Ranch is a Washout this year!

2009-04-19T12:13:00.004-05:00

Zach and I headed towards Smithville around 6am. We made good time and got there around 1:30pm. On the way, Matt Crownover called me and warned me that if I was bringing Kelli and Makenzie along for their first camping trip.........it would be their last! He said that they, the Crownovers, had made it down there the night before and the rains had soaked everything. It had also been hailing some. Once Zach and I got there the rains had picked back up again and it was just a sloggy mess! The saloon at Rocky Hill Ranch was flooded and the electricity was off for a bit as well. My plan was to pitch the tent as usual but the ground was so wet that I knew it would make for an absolutely miserable night. We decided to just sleep in the Xterra. It was pretty cramped with all the camping gear in there but we did ok. I had supper with the Crownovers and the Teasters and had a really great time. The food was fantastic and so was the company. Zach and I headed to the car and got settled in and watched a movie before we retired. We all still had hopes that the race would go off as scheduled but we just weren't sure. Matt had decided to drop down to the 50K since he is in for Western States this year and didn't want to chance an injury in the mud and slop going the full 50 miles. I got up around 4am and got myself ready. The rains had stopped pretty much for the night but you could tell the weather was pretty ominous, even in the dark. Buddy and I met up and walked the mile to the race start. People were showing up late, including Joe and Joyce. So weird for one of their races to be like that! But with the weather the way it was, it was understandable. They had had a really hard time the day before because their truck got stuck in the mud and they had to have a tow truck pull them out! Anyway, before he started the race he let us know that, if there was ANY lightning, he would be cancelling the race. The safety of the runners and his volunteers is definitely the most important thing. So a little after 5am we took off! The first 50 feet or so were ok and then we hit the mud! Sloppy, sticky, and soul-sucking! ha My feet were each about 10lbs heavier! Then the rain started and the whole loop, which I felt was about 12 miles long, was like running in a stream the whole time! It rained, it poured, it was dark, and it was FUN!! It was a lot like being a kid again and not worrying about getting dirty or wet cuz you had NO CHOICE! There were a couple of steep areas where you just had to "ski" down and then spin your way to the top on the other side! It was terrific fun! However, all fun must come to an end! The lightning started about 15 minutes into the loop and we knew that he would be calling us off. It was pretty impressive, the lightning. Striking the ground in some areas and lighting up the course. Some of the 50 milers actually turned around and just headed back. I never even thought of that! Most of us just kept plugging around the loop enjoying ourselves and acting like kids. We knew he had called it when the two aid stations we ran through were like ghost towns! Anyway, I made it back around to the race start and found out for sure that it had been cancelled. I made it back to the Xterra and accidentally scared Zach who had just started watching a movie in the front seat! ha It was only 8am at that time and he hadn't been awake for more than 10 minutes! Boy, did HE miss all the fun! I headed to the shower, ironically, to rinse off and get the mud off of my shoes and legs and then I got back to the car and dried off (which is hard to do in the rain) and we headed out! I was so ready to be warm and dry! The trip home took a helluva lot longer than the trip down I thought.
I never saw Teresa after the race to ask about the Grand Slam and what we needed to do about it but I suspect she'll be in touch. We got to see our awards on Friday night and they are pretty dang cool! Once I got home, there was an email from Joe explaining his decision to cancel, which really didn't need explaining. However, the cool part of the email was that we can all head back down there on June 6th and give it another whirl! He is offering all of the distances, a start/finish, minimal aid, and awards for people to come back. And in light of this catastrophic weekend, he has changed the name of the race to Hell's Hills! Very cool! We can even invite our friends and we all get to run FOR FREE! So if you read this and you want to head down to Smithville, you have an opportunity to enjoy a great run and great company! So come one and come all, let's have some FUN!
So I've got to decide what to do now. I will probably head back down there and run the 50 miler again! I am leaning toward running the Lean Horse 100 this August instead of volunteering at TransRockies. So Hell's Hills will be a great training run for Lean Horse!

No Running for ME today......even if I wanted to!

2009-04-16T16:36:00.002-05:00

This post is happening about 4:36pm and it started raining and hailing about 15 minutes ago. The hail is not huge but sounds like cannons going off inside the house! Both of my kids are wigging out, thinking they aren't gonna make it through this HELL! ha I told them to sit down and shut up. It's still hailing while I write so I figure if I still have an internet connection, the world isn't coming to an end! Enjoy the pics! Peace!

4/15/2009 Rocky Hill ready!

2009-04-15T16:49:00.002-05:00

The last one in the bunch coming up! I am ready to git er done! It'll just be Zach and I again, camping out at the race start. Also the Crownovers will be close at hand and that will be great for Zach. He loves spending time hanging out with Noah and Micah just romping through the woods and fields. Good times! This course should prove to be a little bit more diverse than the Grasslands and hopefully I will be a little more engaged. I feel pretty well trained up and am feeling pretty good physically.........at the moment. ha Teresa McCoul sent out an email and she is giving the Grand Slam finishers a spaghetti dinner on Friday night and a barbecue Saturday evening after the race. I, personally, think that's pretty cool. She's even offering veggie options for us weirdo veggie-people there. ha Alright, so, let's see how it goes!
I'm ready for a couple months of rest and relaxation. Also getting settled into the new job, starting Monday, April 27th. I can't wait for that! Peace!

4/9/2009 New Outlook!!

2009-04-09T14:42:00.006-05:00

Alright, so the last few days have brought a total of 15 miles or so out on 1585. I'm feeling strong and ready to go. I plan on running another 10 miler tomorrow, wind-allowing, and then taper from there. I'm looking forward to the completion of Rocky Hill and then a couple of months of no racing. It'll be good to just rest without having to worry about getting ready for another long distance.
Ok, so in other news, I just found out yesterday that I got the new job that I put in for!! I am really excited about it! It'll introduce me to a whole new world of my profession. I am the new Case Manager for MICU/SICU!! My hours will be more "normal", being 8 to 5, Monday thru Friday, and I will have more flexibility as well. I will be so glad to finally get out of the ER! After almost 13 years it has really taken a toll on me. I am ready to settle in to something new and exciting! I'll keep ya posted as to how it's going. I won't start for a couple of weeks yet but I AM READY!! Peace!

4/3/2009 Gotta Run!

2009-04-03T10:44:00.004-05:00

Man, it's been a busy week! I worked Saturday-Wednesday, all 12 hr shifts and I am beat! I was off yesterday but didn't do anything but sleep. I plan on doing a nice little interval workout on the elliptical later today and some strength training and then hopefully tomorrow morning will bring a good 10-15 miles out on 1585. I GOTTA RUN! I'm getting cabin fever big time. Rocky Hill is only 2 weeks away so I need to get in a few good runs before then.
Ok, so new subject..........I have been going through withdrawal from my La Sportiva Slingshots ever since the company discontinued them. I have been hopping from shoe to shoe trying to find something that I like just as well. When the Slingshots went the way of the dinosaur I decided that I would try to find something with more cushioning and support. I went with the Salomon Speedcross 2's and I like them but I don't LOVE them. However.....I've been really happy with the way the Salomon's fit my foot and they ARE comfortable, so I am going to give the Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra's a try. They have been around for a long time and have lots of great reviews. They've got a nice low profile which I really like and they are a lighter shoe. Not lighter than the Speedcross but light enough. They should be here in a couple of days and I'll let ya know what I think. I wish we had a damn running store here in Lubbock!

3/27/2009

2009-03-27T12:34:00.005-05:00

My legs were ready to go by Monday, I was impressed! However, two toes on my left foot weren't feeling up to the challenge. ha My second and fourth toenails were really inflamed and painful. During the race, around mile 43 or so, I felt the toenail on my fourth toe lift up like the hood of a car in my shoe. I stopped, sat down in the middle of the trail, took off my shoe and nasty sock, and smashed it back down. I was able to keep running with no problem but man, have they been sore this week. As of yesterday they were finally feeling good enough to wear a shoe without pain. So my plan was to get out this morning and put in a short run, but I guess the wonderful weather of the Texas plains had other plans. It's been in the 70's and 80's this week but a cold front blew in last night and dropped the temp to 28 degrees and left a thin dusting of snow everywhere. Nuts! I did an interval workout on the elliptical yesterday and also did some strength training so I'm still on track, but I'm really itching to get out the door and put in a few miles. I'm off today but then work the next 5 nights so not much running then either. Damn!

3/22/2009 The Grasslands Race Report

2009-03-22T16:28:00.007-05:00

I got home around 1145 this am, tired and ready to just sit. This weekend was really great! The race, for me, was kind of weird though. I got to the Bluebonnet Resort around noon on Friday and got checked in and got my tent set up. I was really close to the bathrooms, the showers, the pool, and the hot tub. So nice! After I got set up I headed to the hotel where they were having packet pickup. Teresa McCoul, the race director from Cross Timbers, was there handing out packets. It was really good to see her again. She would be running the half marathon. Laurie Underwood was also there. It's always nice to see her, she is so sweet! Anyway, after that I had an early supper at Chili's and then headed back to the resort. I relaxed in the hot tub and enjoyed the company of some of the other campers for a bit and then I headed to bed so I could make sure to get up early. I made it to the race start around 0615 so I had plenty of time to set up. I put my drop bag pretty close to the start and then found the coffee. They had Starbuck's!! A big plus! The race this year was headed up by a new RD, Kevin Boudreaux. He really did a fantastic job!! I got to meet up with Dave Elliott before we got started as well. Very nice to finally meet him in person! We started promptly at 0700. First things first, the 50 milers had to do a simple little out and back as a "distance corrector." It was about 4.8 miles and I finished it in about 47 minutes. I felt ok but my legs were just kind of fatigued. I picked up the pace to see if I could wake them up a little but it never really happened for me. Once back at the start we took off for Loop 1, the blue loop. About 13.5 miles, this loop was pretty uneventful. Several people got off course though! The course, I thought, was well marked but you did have to pay attention in a few areas, especially on that first loop. Two of my friends got a little off course at this point, Matt Crownover and Shanna Armstrong both. ha It did not, however, impede their race. Matt would go on to drop the hammer and take second overall! Fantastic race, Matt! Shanna would end up finishing about 22 minutes ahead of me. Anyway, my legs continued to feel fatigued and just didn't want to go. At the start of the second loop, the yellow one, which was 10.4 miles, I became very apathetic about the whole thing. Very strange for me. I absolutely could NOT force myself to run much. I just felt like crap and didn't want to do anything. I can only assume that since this was my third 50 miler in the last month and a half, it had finally taken somewhat of a toll on me. I guess that's understandable! So I continued to plod along and made it back around to the main headquarters again. I fueled up with an oatmeal creme pie and a chocolate Boost and headed out again. The third loop, or white one was the longest for me! It was 12.8 miles and it just seemed to drag on and on and on. Once I was about 5 miles from making it back around to the headquarters on the white loop Matt came up on me while running the last part of his last loop. I couldn't believe how far he had moved ahead of me! I finally started getting a little spring in my step thanks to some good music on my Ipod. I never listen to the damn thing but decided to later in the day because I was still so bummed out. I made it back to the start and again drank a Boost and ate an oatmeal creme pie. The last loop, the red one, was 8.9 miles. I was actually able to run most of this loop which helped make up a little lost time. I crossed the finish line at 10:37. Not a bad time, just not the best for me. Kevin was standing at the finish line with my buckle and a firm handshake. I really enjoyed watching him in action. He seemed to take a very active role in everything and made the race his own. I was really happy with everything.
So in summary........it was a really good race. I am still a little aggravated with the amount of apathy that I had but was glad to have forced myself to get it done. The last three races that I have done have been pretty technical and have kept my mind really engaged. This race, while beautiful and diverse scenery-wise, had no technical aspect to it at all. It was flat dirt trails and some areas with fairly deep sand. Each one of the loops had something different to offer though which was pretty cool. One loop boasted scrub trees and sand, while the next offered a gorgeous wooded area with cedar trees and fine dirt, then another was through some tall, waving, grassy fields. I was really surprised at the amount of soft, deep sand out there. I did not expect that. I think overall that the lack of any technical trails was what contributed to my lack of interest. I do, however, want people to know that the race was really, really well run though. The aid stations were top notch with friendly, helpful people and...........they had BROWNIES! Always one of my favorites! Kevin Boudreaux, again, did a really fantastic job running the whole thing! Thanks again to everyone that helped out!
And a big shout out to Dave who got his first 50 mile finish! Congrats, Dave on a job well done!
Matt, congrats on second place! Way to kick some trail!!
Ok, so 26 days until Rocky Hill Ranch! 4 down, 1 to go! Peace!

3/18/2009 Sorry, Guys......... A RANT!

2009-03-18T16:15:00.004-05:00

It's not been too bad of a stretch at work over the last few days. It's been busy but nothing outrageous. Maybe with the warmer weather, people will actually do something with their time other than spending it in the freaking ER. After almost 13 years, it still amazes me every day what people come to the ER for. I mean, seriously, who the hell taught them to go to an ER if you have a sore throat, toothache, or you puked one time. Apparently, you're just never supposed to have to suffer in life. They want the "wonder pill" that fixes everything instantaneously. Many of the people we see are rude, crude, and hostile towards the nurses and the doctors. They check in to the ER at triage and we become "Enemy Number One." It makes no sense to me. They act like we're all stupid, nurses and doctors alike. If we're that stupid, why come to us in the first place??? If they don't get what they want or we tell them something they don't want to hear, ie "Everything looks ok on your labs" or "You just have a virus/cold", it pisses them off and they want another doctor. It's ridiculous! I mean, I DON'T CARE IF YOU READ ABOUT SOME STUPID DISEASE IN EFFING READER'S DIGEST! You DO NOT know more than we do about medicine and healthcare because you watched every episode of 20/20 with Barbara WaWa!! Obviously we see A LOT of low class, uninsured pieces of crap who think that the ER is free healthcare because due to governmental restraints we can't ask for a copay until after they are seen. We HAVE to see everything that comes in the door whether it's bull shit or not. Then once they are medically cleared, we are STILL unable to collect any money. If they would just make all non-urgent visits an automatic 35 bucks before they are treated, it would make all the difference in the world. That's what it costs to go to an Urgent Care Center! They have to pay up front at those clinics and that's why they don't go to them. It should be the same for the ER. If it's a true emergency then WELCOME! We'll settle the bill at a later time. If it's your cough/cold/puked once/my vagina hurts type of visit then pony up, brutha/sistah!! This shit ain't free!

Ok, like I said, Sorry about that! Be glad that it wasn't in all caps! Back to running! So, I've tapered down and I'm ready to run this weekend. More than anything I'm just ready to get out of town and spend some relaxing time on the trails. Peace!

3/13/2009 Shouldn't have Bragged!

2009-03-13T15:36:00.003-05:00

Well, sometimes when we boast about things.........the opposite happens! I've been bragging about the great temperatures we've been having here lately and it's bitten me in the ass the last couple of days. It's only been in the 30-40 degree range with rain and snow mix yesterday and today. Not very good for a long run, that's for sure! Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 50's and clear so hopefully, if the wind doesn't pick up, I can get in a nice 10-15 miles before I head back to work tomorrow night. I'm off tonight and then on for 5 nights.
After that, it'll be time to head to Decatur for The Grasslands. I'm excited about this race, hoping to bring my PR down even more. If I could hit 9:30 or less I would be in hog heaven! Plus I am getting to stay at Bluebonnet, where they have the Bare As You Dare XC 5k! It's a beautiful, wooded, and serene resort with showers, two swimming pools, a sauna, and a huge hot tub. Oh, and it's au naturel! Total relaxation and comfort! Hell, yeah!

3/9/2009 Strength Training is doing it's job!

2009-03-09T17:40:00.003-05:00

So yesterday brought a fantastic 6 miles out on 1585! It was a little gusty but my legs felt incredible! I have really been hitting the strength training and I can tell a difference big time. I just feel stronger, my legs more solid! My body is also starting to lean up which is a HUGE accomplishment for me! It seems that no matter how much I ran I always looked a little "soft" in the upper body and abs. Just a layer of fat that wouldn't go away, but with the strength training I can see it starting to come off! Very exciting! Also I've been really strict on my vegetarian diet which means I've lost about 6 lbs in the last couple of weeks. So I'm stoked! I guess if I did more speed work like wind sprints and intervals, it would make a difference too but I hate those more than strength training! ha Maybe in the future if I want to get faster. Right now I'm content to be a middle-of-the-pack'er!

3/7/2009 The Wind is Killing Me!

2009-03-07T16:53:00.003-06:00

Man, the wind the last couple of days has been horrendous, gusting up to 30mph at times! I got in a nice 10 miler yesterday morning before it hit, thank goodness! I felt really good afterwards and was happy to be able to get back into some longer runs. I did strength training in the afternoon, including 90 body weight squats which kind of made my legs a little jello-like today. I love that feeling though, that you've done something! I had planned on putting in a shorter run this afternoon but with the wind blowing the way it is and no shelter of trees or anything, chances are I would end up in Oz! So I talked to Aubrey and we'll probably hit the road in the morning around 8:30 or so. If you wait too long then you'll get blown cross country! Stupid plains of Texas! ha

3/5/2009

2009-03-05T15:35:00.002-06:00

In the last week or so I've only put in 10 miles. ha It took a little longer to fully recover from Cross Timbers than I anticipated. Again, it was just a tough course! I'm off for the next 4 days and I should be able to put in some good miles. I had applied for a job at the hospital that I thought would be a great way to get out of the hustle and bustle of the ER so I wouldn't be so damn tired all the time but it didn't pan out. Oh, well. I'll keep my eyes and ears open for something else. Anyway, The Grasslands is about 2 weeks away and I need to be focusing on that.
Zach's baseball season has started back up too and that always keeps us busy. Kenzie is planning on playing soccer this spring and summer too so that should be interesting. Does anyone have a cloning device that I could borrow?

2/28/2009 Back to Work

2009-02-28T16:41:00.002-06:00

I head back to work tonight for the next 4 nights. Yuck! That damn "needing money" thing is always getting in my way! It's hard to live life when you are stuck at work all the time. ha It's not that bad in all actuality. I get the days off that I need for my races and I really do like my job, believe it or not.
So Aubrey and I got out and ran a little 4 miler yesterday just to loosen the ol' legs up a bit. I'm still a little stiff after Cross Timbers but I felt decent. I took today off except for a good strength training workout and I plan on running a little in the morning if I don't get my ass kicked tonight. There's always a chance that will happen on a Saturday night. We'll see what happens. Peace!

2/25/2009 Ready to start Ramping.......again.

2009-02-25T14:44:00.003-06:00

Ok, the legs are pretty much back to normal after the beating they took at Cross Timbers! I've had to work the last two nights and it was tough getting around that ER in a "timely manner," believe me! ha By the end of each night I could really tell that I had run one helluva tough course . I am off for the next 3 days so I'm anxious to actually get out and do a little bit of leisurely, relaxing, Zen running. Not worrying about anything else, just putting in some mileage and enjoying myself. That's the plan!
I got a call yesterday from Shanna and she is still wanting me to go and run the Jemez Mountain 50k with her in May. We decided last year that we would go back and attempt the shorter distance since we FUBAR'd the 50 mile so badly. I was hoping she'd forget! ha I'll let ya know how that's going to progress. Wish me luck!

2/22/2009 Cross Timbers Race Report

2009-02-22T13:59:00.015-06:00

The Cross Timbers Trail Run can be summed up in just a few words. Very TOUGH, very TECHNICAL, and..............wait for it............very OUCH, Baby, YEAH! I had a blast!
I got there Friday and got the tent set up despite the 20mph winds coming off the lake. The race start/finish was at the Cedar Bayou Resort and I camped just down the hill from it. I checked in and met Teresa McCoul, the race director. I found her to be an organized, high energy woman who really knows how to put on a good race! The only down part of the whole thing was the lack of porta-potties. There were "pit toilets" and that was it. I've included a couple of pics of those nasty, primitive crapholes and I think it beats Tony's "toilet on a pedestal" anyday! ha Okay, so they made a really good spaghetti and salad supper, and I drank a couple of Shiners to cap it off. I met a couple of guys that I really enjoyed talking with the whole evening as well. Michael and Stanton were their names. Michael was slated to run the 50 mile while Stanton was there for the 1/2 marathon. Stanton is training for Buffalo Springs Ironman 70.3 here in Lubbock and Michael is an experienced adventure racer and ex-Army. Ok, so I hit the hay around 10pm. Around midnight or 1 the wind HIT! It was so noisy in the tent that I was awake every 30 minutes or so. That part sucked! I went ahead and got up around 5am and started getting ready. The race also includes a 5 mile, a 1/2 marathon, and a full marathon, not to mention the 50 mile. The 50 milers started first at 6:30am. It was cold and windy from Hell at race time and would stay that way! Anytime you came close to the lake shore the wind would try to take your head off! Anyway we took off right on time and that's when the fun began!
I really didn't know what to expect from the course itself but had been told that it is the "Toughest Little Trail in Texas." I haven't run ALL the trails in Texas but I would have to agree that it is one tough, freaking trail! The trails boasts 10,900 ft of elevation gain/loss. Lots and lots and lots of climbs, and I don't just mean inclines! I mean leaning forward, hiking-type climbs up rocks and roots. I remember looking up several times after a grueling climb and having another one looming straight ahead. I also remember growling every time I saw one, especially towards the end of the day. haha I think there were more roots out there than at Rocky Raccoon and that's saying something. In some of the gullies, as you traveled downhill, you would have rocks covered with fallen leaves that you had to find and navigate. Really tough, guys!! The course is set up so you run 10 miles out and 10 miles back from one side of the start and then 2.5 miles out and 2.5 miles back from the other side. You do this twice so you know that all the hills that you just busted your ass climbing would be waiting for you to do it all over again!
I kept my fueling very even throughout the day, drinking Clip2 and using gels every couple of hours. I also tried some Sport Beans which I really enjoyed and will probably use them again. Also since it was cooler, my stomach wanted something more solid from time to time and I kind of picked at stuff at the aid stations. The aid stations were phenomenal and the volunteers more than ready for you. Fantastic job on that part! Back to the course, there is an area where you come out into the open right by the beach and have to run about 50 yards through deep sand. Gaiters would have been nice at that point but oh, well. On the other side of the lake on the 2.5 mile out and back, the vistas of the lake are spectacular! You are running right along the bluffs and cliffs of the lake! It's really special, just make sure you watch where the Hell you're going! Along this route I ran into Michael who had taken off like a shot from the very beginning! He was having some ITB issues and had decided to drop once back at the start/finish. I hated that cuz he was smoking that course!
So one weird thing for me was that my legs actually woke up and felt BETTER during the second time around. I felt like I was able to run more than I did during the first go around. Not sure why and I can't prove that in my splits since I didn't pay attention to them that much. Also, my calf never even once gave me any issues! I wore the Zensah sleeves and I really think that they made a difference. I ended up running it in like 12:13 or so. A decent time from what I heard and I think once again that it will land me pretty squarely in the middle of the pack. Results aren't posted as of yet. Even after the race my legs felt ok. I was tired for sure and was REALLY happy to get off of that course.
I had planned on drinking a couple more Shiners at supper but ate 3 veggie burgers that Teresa grilled for me and some cheese puffs instead. The burgers and cheese puffs were, I swear, made in Shangri-La! After supper I retired early. I decided to put my mattress and sleeping bag in the back of the Xterra cuz I was NOT going to deal with the wind in that tent again. I slept like a baby from 8:30pm to 3am! I woke straight up, broke camp, and hit the road. I made it home by 9:30am and was able to have breakfast with Kelli and the kids who were just getting their lazy asses out of bed. ha
Ok, so in essence, the Cross Timbers Trail Run is phenomenal and it's everything that a seasoned trail runner would expect from a course. It can and will chew you up and spit you out if you let it! Teresa did an amazing job directing it and the volunteers were all fantastic! And I so loved those veggie burgers!! And I think she is going to get us some porta-potties for next year!! Yeah!

Ok, guys, so 3 of my 5 on the Grand Slam done! Party on! Peace!

2/18/2009 Getting packed

2009-02-18T16:59:00.003-06:00

Alrighty then, I think I'm ready. My calf seems to be doing good. There's no pain or anything and the swelling is gone. Just in time too since I head out Friday morning to Lake Texoma for the Cross Timbers Trail Run. I've heard that the course is very Bandera-like which means tough and gritty! I'm up for it! I'm in the best shape I've been in since doing these ultras or at least I think I am! ha I feel good and that's what counts, right? I've been doing lots of strength training over the last couple of weeks to make up for no running since Rocky and it's amazing how much different you feel afterwards. The body makes changes so quickly! I hate doing it but it's what needs to be done. Anyway, I am planning for a little slower time for this race due to the terrain and the "iffy-ness" of my calf. I will be wearing Zensah sleeves just for support. Hopefully I won't look like a big ol' dork!
I, once again, plan on pitching the tent at the race start. It's so much cheaper than getting a hotel. They don't have showers there either which kind of sucks but c'est la vie. I'll just take plenty of wet wipes again. ha Ok, so I'll post a report when I get home. Wish me luck! Peace!

2/13/2009 On the Mend

2009-02-13T16:33:00.002-06:00

Alright, it's been a few days now and I've been off of work the whole time, resting. I've kept my leg compressed and elevated and haven't done ANYTHING all week. My leg actually feels pretty decent! I'm surprised, yet happy! I can still feel where it ruptured when I stand up but it doesn't hurt like it did. I've trotted around in the house with it and strangely enough..........it doesn't really even hurt when I run! Hopefully it won't develop into my Achille's Heel.........literally! I ordered some Zensah sleeves to run in for Cross Timbers and I'm hoping that will be enough support. I think it will be. I'm still flabbergasted as to why this happened. I've never had anything like this before. I do, however, plan on continuing on my merry little way to the Texas Grand Slam finish.

Rocky Raccoon Race Report or Whoo Hoo! 50 mile PR!

2009-02-09T16:57:00.014-06:00

Zach and I hit the road about 5am and arrived at Huntsville State Park around 12:45pm or so. We got checked into the park and headed to our campsite. We shared a site with the Crownover family and had a fantastic time. Zach's one mile race was to start at 4pm so we headed over to packet pickup after we got our tent set up and squared away. We got our packets and headed over to the kids' race start where they took off and ran a half mile out and back. One kid was trained for this and he meant business. He was a tad older than Zach and man, could that kid run! He finished in 7:26 and Zach came in behind him, taking second with a time of 8:15, a one mile PR for him! Way to go, Zach!
Later that evening we met Tony, Sergio and his wife, Rick, Wayne, and Kira at Chili's for a nice, gentle supper. Just a caesar salad and potato soup for me, oh, and a big glass of Shiner Bock! Yum! We didn't stay too long and headed back to camp for an early night.
The race, as usual, started promptly at 7am. It was a new course for this year as well so it didn't feel like the same race at all. I felt really good heading out since it was nice and cool with a breeze coming off the lake from time to time. I wore shorts and a long sleeve North Face technical shirt and was fine all day, even in the heat. Once again, the course was absolutely beautiful and serene. I, myself, didn't feel like the roots were as bad this year. Others would disagree! ha Oh, well. I saw Andy Jones-Wilkins and Jamie Donaldson several times throughout the day as well. It's always really cool to be able to run on the same course with such talented individuals! Anyway, around mile 8, I felt like someone kicked me in my left calf with a pointy-toed boot! I walked for a minute trying to figure out what the hell had happened since it was still hurting like crazy. I finally decided, "Screw it!," and took off running again. After a little bit the pain disappeared completely and I ran the rest of the race in relative comfort. I guess I was just able to run through it. My left calf is bruised and swollen now but hopefully on the mend already. I still don't know what it was.
Anyway, I ran the first loop in about 2:55 and still had a lot left in the tank. My mental game was stronger this year I think and that's what made the difference for me. I didn't spend any time at all at the aid stations, just grabbing a fresh bottle of water to mix with my Clip2 and then heading out. I only used Gu this race, no solid foods, save for a few M&M's. I just wasn't hungry out there. The second loop was completely uneventful except I was able to see Zach and my other friends at some of the aid stations. Julie, Becca, and the kids were making their rounds to all the aid stations since they were crewing their husbands in the 100. Their cheering for me was always the extra energy in my step for a couple of miles after I passed them! Thank you guys so much for being there! I love you all! I believe I finished the second loop in about 3:25 or so. When I took off on the third loop, I realized that I had the opportunity to set a 50 mile PR even if I ran the last loop in 4 hours. I was stoked! Amazingly enough I was able to run most of the third loop. I made sure to walk the uphills (of which there were more this year) and then run all downhills and flats. I really felt pretty good! Anyway, I crossed the finish line in 9:50, shaving 35 minutes off of my previous 50 mile PR! After the race I headed back to camp and hit the showers. I stayed in there forever! I had to chuckle too cuz while I was in there Noah and Micah came in with their Grandad Doug for a shower because they were swinging on some poison ivy vines! haha Hopefully the shower worked and they won't be miserable! After my life-giving shower I headed back to the finish line and found Rick there waiting for Tony to come in. Rick had some pizza at his table that he offered so I swiped a slice. Thanks, Rick!! It was the first solid food I'd had all day and it was majorly yummy! Later on that evening we had taco soup at the Crownover's camper again which was just AMAZING! That stuff is like ambrosia after a long race! I headed to bed early and got up early to see some friends after they completed the 100 miler! Before I left camp I talked to Matt who had run an amazing race and finished in 21:22! He was really sore, and his foot was as red as my calf was. He had to use a makeshift cane to get around camp. I also saw Brett who had finished in just under 24 hrs. At the race finish I ran into Tony, his pacer Rick, and Sergio while they waited for Wayne. They had all come in under 24 hours, so big congrats to all those guys! I love how publicly posting your goals on your blog puts so much pressure on you! ha Great job you guys! As soon as I get some pics I will post them but for now this is all there is. Thanks to every one out there, all the volunteers, and a big thanks to Joe and Joyce for another race well run! Peace!

Addendum 7:34pm
I went to work as scheduled at 6:45pm and by the time I got there my left calf and ankle was already double in size. ha I had one of my Doctor friends check it out (in case you didn't know, I work in an ER) and he said that it looks like I ruptured the "muscle belly" of my left calf. He was concerned that I could develop rhabdomyolysis from it if I didn't drink enough water. Luckily, that's all I've done since finishing the race! I'm not worried about it at all. They had me come home tonight and marked me off the schedule for tomorrow night as well so I don't go back to work until Saturday night. I will keep my leg compressed with ice and elevate all week! I plan on running Cross Timbers in two weeks as planned but I'm not running a step until then! Wish me luck!

2/9/2009 Short Update

2009-02-09T08:05:00.003-06:00

Ok, back from Rocky where EVERYONE I talked to had an amazing, goal-realizing race! The whole group that I knew that was doing the 100 miler came in under 24 hrs, except for Wayne, but from what I heard he still set a PR! So congrats are in order all around! Good job everyone! It was a fantastic weekend of meeting up with older friends and making some new ones! I'll post a full report in the next day or so, once I can wake up good! Oh, and I set a new PR for myself! I ran this year's Rocky in 9:50, beating my old PR by 35 minutes! Whoo hoo!!

2/4/2009 Ready to Go!

2009-02-04T15:50:00.004-06:00

Ok, so yesterday was Makenzie's 10th birthday! Yay! She wanted to go to our favorite Mexican food place so we went to Mi Tio's! It was delicious as always! Thank God I was able to get out and run a little today since I WAY overindulged last night! Everything seems to be a go for this weekend. I am going to run out to Academy tomorrow and pick up some bottles of propane for our lantern and heater in case we need them. I also need to hit the grocery store and grab a few staples! I have to have Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies and Haribo Cola Bottles or it's just not an ultra! ha I am also picking up some veggie stuff for supper with the Crownover's on Saturday night as well as breakfast on Sunday morning! I'm really looking forward to seeing all the friends again that I have met at various races as well! I'd like to wish Tony, of irunultras.com, the best of luck as he strives to go sub-24 in the 100 mile race! I think he'll do fantastic! He's also got one helluva pacer in Rick Gaston, who should be able to keep him moving and motivated. Also good luck to Jamie Donaldson as she runs her first 100 with Drymax as her sponsor! And to anyone else that has specific goals for this race, GOOD LUCK! Peace!

1/30/2009 New Plan..........for now.

2009-01-30T14:59:00.003-06:00

Not much running over the last few days due to work but I got out for about 30 minutes today and put in some intervals. I don't really care for speedwork and it's never really been that important to me but I do think that it burns a lot of calories. Calories...........something I definitely need less of. I haven't started my strength training with the kettlebells yet because the money I was going to buy them with is going to all of my race entry fees. My running is much more important to me than the other. In the meantime I think I am going to do this. It's cheap and efficient. Once I get some of my races done then I can spend a little extra money on the kettlebells.
Ok, so I am going to put in a nice long run tomorrow before work and then slow it down big time for Rocky. Also I've been trying to get Zach to get out and run a little but he ain't done it yet. Oh, well, he'll just have to deal with his side stitches again! ha

1/25/2009 "I'm Board Man!"

2009-01-25T17:54:00.004-06:00

This weekend brought some fantastic running weather along with it! Today was amazing! I put in a little over 10 miles out on 1585 with 68 degree temps with no wind. I really feel for the people that don't get out and experience that kind of bliss. In retrospect I probably should have put in about 20 miles since it was so gorgeous! Oh, well! I felt really good after the 10 and I'll put in another long run towards the end of this week then taper for Rocky.

Ok, so I know you're wondering why I titled this entry "Board Man," so here ya go. BOARD MAN, Defender of all that is Inflexible, Stiff, and ummmm, un-yogalike! That's me! My secret identity is blown! For the love of all that is pliable, would someone help me?? haha I really need to start doing some kind of stretching routine or yoga or something! If any of you know of a good program or video for runners, please, let me in on the secret! I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks, and Peace for now!

1/22/2009

2009-01-22T14:01:00.003-06:00

Alrighty then, I didn't run at all while I worked, just too busy. I did, however, get out today and run an easy 8. The weather is just downright fantastic! A slight breeze and the temp is around 75 degrees right now. Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer! Crazy! Not supposed to be able to run shirtless in January.

So Rocky is coming up pretty quick. I am borrowing Aubrey's big tent for this run so Zach and I can be a little more comfortable. Plus we'll have running water there too which will be soooo nice compared to the wet wipe route. ha They've put in another one mile kid's run so Zach is entered in it again. He's ready to go. I'll post more about our plans as it draws nearer. Gotta put in a couple more long runs over the next week too so I need to get busy.

1/16/2009 Big Miles..........NOT!

2009-01-16T21:21:00.002-06:00

Okay, so I ran a little 4 mile recovery run on Wednesday and then another 4 miler today. Yeah, yeah, I know, big miles!! I hopefully will be able to put in a longer run in the morning. I will get my run done early in the morning since I have to take a nap in the afternoon and work tomorrow night.

Man, I really need to get focused on my diet! I am wanting to really lean up this year but I am eating all kinds of crap lately, like craving Blizzards from DQ and that kind of stuff. That's really weird for me cuz I just don't really crave that kind of junk food. Just gotta get some more self discipline. Hopefully on this next paycheck I will be able to buy the kettlebells I want too, so that will help. Ok, so now you're updated! Have a great day! Peace!

1/13/2009 The 50 Mile Texas Style Grand Slam

2009-01-13T16:19:00.005-06:00

Well, it's official..........I'm a freak! I've decided to commit proverbial hari kiri and get into the mix with the 50 Mile Texas Style Grand Slam. I was flipping through races yesterday and came across this thing. It starts with the Palo Duro 50 miler which I've already completed and then the Rocky Raccoon 50 is coming up next. Two of the other races on it were also on my agenda for this year so the only thing extra I have to add is the Cross Timbers 50 miler. The tough part about that is that Cross Timbers is only 2 weeks after Rocky Raccoon!! I think it'll be an absolute rockin good time! I will have to run The Grasslands 50 in March and then the Rocky Hill Ranch 50 in April. The awards for completing the Grand Slam will be presented at Rocky Hill which is obviously the last race in the series. Pretty cool that I happened upon it and that I had already completed the first one in the series and had 3 others from it on my list to do in 2009. Fate, ya know?

Okay, so on another note, I received my new copy of Ultrarunning Magazine in the mail today. It has the story and results from the Javelina Jundred in it and I'M ON PAGE 10!! Of course, I'm in the middle of a pack of runners, but still, it's cool! My kids looked at me like I was famous! haha

1/12/2009 Bandera 50K Race Report

2009-01-12T08:12:00.016-06:00

Zach and I had a fantastic weekend! The Hill Country State Natural Area was absolutely beautiful and robust with trees, cactus, yucca, and various wildlife. We got there around 2pm and found a good parking/camping place close to the main lodge aid station. We just slept in the back of the Xterra. At 4pm Friday afternoon we sent the kids off on the inaugural One Mile Kids Run! There were 11 participants of various ages and Zach broke the tape first! He was completely winded but stoked! They had really cool awards for the kids, kind of a pewter iguana with a plaquard saying Bandera Endurance Run 1st place! Very cool! After the race we had a delicious dinner catered by a local restaurant. Spaghetti and Tortellini plus a salad. Pretty tasty! After a brief prerace meeting Zach and I headed off to bed. We watched 10,000 BC on the portable DVD player and then crashed for the night. Around 4am a strong wind started blowing and would continue to wreak havoc all day. The temp for the day was in the 50's but felt cooler than that due to the wind. Anyway, the race started promptly at 7:30am and the 100K, 50K, and 25K runners would all head off in different directions. It was so nice to not have to fight the cattle chute. Ok, so, the first 10 miles of the 50K course were the toughest by far. There was a lot of climbing and neverending rocks. Apparently they don't believe in switchbacks down there either. If you came to a huge hill you just had to go straight up over the top and then dodge rocks on the way down the other side. At this point I was thankful for the small amount of time I devoted to getting on the elliptical at a higher setting. I got to chuckling when Chris, a 6'8" runner from San Antonio, asked me how I liked the scenery and I told him that all I could see was rocks and horse shit! You really did not want to take your eyes of the trail for a second due to all the rocks. After the first 10 miles it leveled off and most of the course was on nice soft dirt trails and some beautiful wooded paths. However, one mile from the 50K finish, Joe put in a monstrous uphill battle with loose rocks thrown in. I heard several people cursing his name. I told him such and he just said, "Good!" haha Overall an absolutely beautiful and diverse place to run in. The aid stations, as usual with Joe and Joyce's races, were well stocked and manned by fun, helpful people. They had everything you might need! I felt pretty good for the whole race, and never had any ITB issues which was amazing! Yay! I finished the race in 6:37. Not the fastest time but good enough to land me right square in the middle of the pack. I was pleased with my performance. After I finished I went back to the Xterra and had to use wet wipes for my shower. No running water at the park! That part sucked but c'est la vie. Hopefully no one saw me in the front seat. ha After I got "sparkling clean" I headed back to the Lodge aid station so I could help out for awhile with the 100K runners and so forth. Also, once again, I got to meet some amazing new friends and catch up with some older ones. I saw Chris Harrison from San Diego whom I ran with at Javelina. She was doing the 100K. Dan Brenden was there for the 100K as well. I also met Matt Crownover and his wonderful family. Apparently, Zach and Makenzie had met his kids at the Palo Duro Trail Run and become friends with them. The Crownover's and their friends, the Teaster's, invited Zach and I over to their camp site for Taco Soup after the race. It was delicious and I also got to drink a Shiner. So good after running! Matt ran the 100K and bested his PR by over 2 hours! Awesome! He felt like he really nailed his fueling that day. That makes a huge difference. I also got to meet a fellow Lubbock runner, Jeff Key. A great guy who I hope to get to know better here in Lubbock. He had some Land Shark beers and I snagged two of them off of him while we chilled out and talked. Next time I need to take a cooler of my own! ha Zach and I headed to bed around 9pm or so and I was wide awake by 3am because the air mattress we were sleeping on decided to deflate in the night and I was sleeping on the hard floor of the car. It was freezing cold and windy and I didn't want to have to get Zach out of the car and then freeze my ass off waiting for it to air up so I decided to go ahead and git on home. I got up and shoved a sleepy Zach into the front seat and we took off. ha I hated to miss the breakfast but we would have had to wait around for several more hours in the cold and I am a puss when it comes to cold. Anyway, we got home around 10am yesterday morning. I went to see Hunter, my massage therapist, yesterday afternoon and I feel pretty good today. So, all in all, I am very pleased with this race, the course, the people, and my performance! I will definitely be back next year!

1/8/2009 Bandera 50K this weekend

2009-01-08T15:07:00.005-06:00

Ok, so I head out for the Bandera 50K in the morning. My son, Zach, is going along with me. I think we are just going to sleep in the back of the Xterra instead of pitching a tent since I just don't feel like setting one up. ha I just got back from the store, picking up snacks for us and I have some new movies to take to play on the portable DVD. This is Zach's first time to work an aid station so he should have a lot of fun. He'll be working at the Lodge aid station while I run. I also volunteered to help out after I'm done running since there will still be lots of 100K runners on the course still. There is also a one mile kids run tomorrow afternoon so that should be a lot of fun. I'm hoping my base will carry me through this since I haven't been running a whole helluva lot lately. Work has been killer and I've been completely exhausted. The course is supposed to be tough too! Yay! ha I think we'll have a good time. I'll let ya know!

1/2/2009 My New Fat Loss Plan

2009-01-02T13:54:00.004-06:00

Ok, so, I find it amazing that with as much time as ultrarunners spend on the road and trails training that we would have any fat at all, but some of us do. Having said that, being the age of 37, I do have some extra around my middle that I just cannot seem to get rid of! I have some friends that have been using kettlebells to their great advantage over the last year or so and I guess I am going to have to buy into it. They really work! I bought a highly suggested DVD that shows the appropriate workouts for building better muscle and burning fat! Next thing I need to do is buy some kettlebells. ha It is suggested that a typical male of decent fitness should start out with a pair of 35lb kettlebells, each of which cost around 48 bucks. Not too bad. The program is lined out so that you work a different area each day of the week starting out with 4 days a week progressing to 6 days a week. He suggests not doing any other cardio work AT ALL! Ok, he lost me there, cuz obviously I am going to be running a lot with all my races on the horizon. I do, however, think that they will complement each other nicely. I'll buy my kettlebells sometime in the next week or two and get started. Let'er rip! (Not literally, of course!)

12/31/2008 Last entry for 2008!

2008-12-31T12:09:00.002-06:00

The weather around here is freaking nuts! Yesterday we ran in the afternoon and I started out in shorts and a long sleeve technical shirt. We only ran 6 miles but by mile 2 I was hot as hell! It was 79 freaking degrees out there! I ran the last 4 miles shirtless. Crazy! Today I had to wear pants, a jacket, gloves, and a beanie cuz it was only TWENTY NINE DEGREES!! Ridiculous! Oh, well. I got in a beautiful 12 miles this morning which was just fantastic! I work the next two nights and then off for one day. I will try to get in about 16-18 miles on Friday. At least that's the plan.
Ok, so everyone have a great New Year's Eve and be careful out there! I'm on duty tonight but don't really want to have to do anything! Peace and I'll talk to ya in 2009!

12/28/2008 On the Horizon

2008-12-28T18:03:00.004-06:00

Today brought warmer weather with less wind so it was perfect out there. I may have dressed a little warmer than I needed but I felt okay. We ran a 10 mile out and back on 1585 and I am feeling strong and painfree. Good news since the Bandera 50K is less than 2 weeks away. I haven't had any ITB issues either which makes me extremely happy!! Thank the Gods for the discovery of the foam roller. Something so simple yet so effective! I'll probably run a little shorter tomorrow and then longer on Tuesday and Wednesday.
On another note, I have registered as a volunteer for the Gore-Tex TransRockies Run in August up in Colorado. Chris, one of the gals I ran with at Javelina, said that she had done it this last summer and it was loads of fun. So I will be hanging out in the Colorado Rockies for 6 days getting cool stuff from Salomon and Windstopper! Oh, and manning aid stations and such for a bunch of cool runners as well. They said that it will be hard work but lots of fun. Sounds great to me! I'm a little torn because the Lean Horse 100 is on August 22-23 and the TransRockies starts on the 23rd so I won't be able to run it like I'd originally planned. I figure the TransRockies Run will be a really good trade off though and I'm looking forward to it!

12/27/2008 Let's Get It Going!

2008-12-27T15:26:00.003-06:00

Ok, so.........WOW.........thank the stars that all of that is over!! I feel like a fat freaking pig! Time to get busy now. I hit the elliptical yesterday for about 30 minutes on an easy setting and did a little bit of strength training and that was about it. Today Aubrey and I got out there and put in an easy 5 miles. I definitely could have gone longer but thought 5 was a nice number to start with. I have a few days off and the kids are with my parents until next Saturday so I can really focus on my running and my stupid weight. My "resolution" is to make my body weight 155 lbs a reality for this year, in which case I would have to lose about 15 lbs. Shouldn't be too hard. I am going to buy some kettle bells and get a training DVD and see if they are all they are cracked up to be. I hope so. Plus I plan on doing a LOT of racing this year.

12/25/2008 MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-25T11:55:00.003-06:00

For today that's all there is to say. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS from Me and Mine!! I love you all!

12/23/2008

2008-12-23T16:32:00.003-06:00

Work has had me by the tail the last few days. Tonight is my last night of five and it's gonna be tough to make myself go in. I've not gone and run at all the last few days simply because I've been exhausted (and it's been pretty fricking cold!). Hopefully tomorrow morning will see a little 5 miler or something but I doubt it. We have to travel to Amarillo for Christmas Eve with my family and then drive back home the same night. Anyway, I have a few days off coming up this weekend and I can put in some time running. I'm ready. My brain is really needing it. Running is to my brain as Roto-Rooter is to a stopped up toilet. It flushes the shit out!

12/18/2008 Spurring in the New Year

2008-12-18T12:32:00.003-06:00

I thought about making this post a recap of the last year and as I was typing...........I got hand cramps. A LOT has happened this year! I'm just going to let the previous sentence suffice for all I have (or had) to say! I have even MORE stuff planned for '09 so I am primed and ready to go. Aubrey and I put in a nice, easy 8 miles this morning and had a great time. The weather was perfect! I head back to work tomorrow for a 5 night workfest which sucks big time. Again, I really hate work.
It's obviously the Christmas season so it will be busy for the next week and a half or so but I am hoping to keep the miles coming on a pretty regular basis. With Bandera looming on the horizon I feel that I need to put on the proverbial spurs and kick myself into a higher gear. YEE HAW, 2009, HERE I COME!!

I cannot wait to see this!

2008-12-16T21:24:00.003-06:00

This movie comes out on May 1st! I am a huge superhero movie freak! I love seeing the characters that I read about as a kid come to life on the big screen! They are way too much fun! Luckily my wife and kids feel the same way. Nothing like a family of freaks!!

Oh, and no running today. Maybe tomorrow before work.

Don't I Wish!?!?!?

2008-12-15T19:52:00.006-06:00

I always love having a little fun with Photo Shop! I got to playing around with it tonight and came up with this little farce! Cool, huh?

12/15/2008 Brrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!

2008-12-15T18:52:00.002-06:00

The high was only like 32 today. We waited until this afternoon to get in a little 6 mile run. The wind was out of the northeast around 5-10mph so a big improvement from yesterday. It wasn't too bad once we got started since the winter clothes they make nowadays are just soooo good! You can be VERY lightweight but incredibly warm at the same time. So we're planning on a little further distance tomorrow. It's supposed to be a tad warmer so we'll see.

12/14/2008

2008-12-14T18:30:00.004-06:00

I really wish that I could have gotten a picture of the wind today. It was gusting up into the 40+ mph range. The sand and dirt that were blowing would have given you a facial that Joan Rivers would be proud of! Anyway, Aubrey and I figured we would wait until the wind laid just a little. So around 5pm or so we headed out to 1585 and the wind was still about 20mph. But it wasn't too cold........yet. We planned on doing the same thing as yesterday by parking our cars 5 miles apart and then just running with the wind at our backs. However, my Xterra's battery cable had other ideas. It just didn't want to start once we got our there so we just called off the run for tonight. Also, about the same time, the cold front from up north blew in and we felt the temperature drop about 20 degrees while we were working on the car. We'll see what we can do tomorrow after I put in a new battery cable.

12/13/2008 Whoo Hoo

2008-12-13T20:17:00.003-06:00

Ok, so Aubrey joined me this afternoon and we ran a fantastic 5 miles out on 1585. The wind was pretty outrageous so we parked his car at the first mile and then ran east to my car 5 miles down the road with the wind at our backs. It was really nice! My legs felt really good and so did everything else. I was actually able to kick it up for the last 200 yards to a 5:03 pace! Anyway, we are heading back out tomorrow for a little longer run for me and then Aubrey will catch on to the back side of my run. Hopefully 8 or 10 miles will happen for me. I'll let ya know. Hopefully I've beaten the African Sleeping Sickness! We shall see!

12/12/2008 Lazy Man Sittin!

2008-12-12T12:32:00.004-06:00

I've had the last two days off................and haven't done shit but sleep! I've been completely exhausted! I'm wondering if we've had an outbreak of African Sleeping Sickness here in Lubbock!?!? Today marks the one week point since I've run. Last Friday I ran the 10 miler and then I went back to work. It's been really busy and I guess it's just worn me out! I am sitting here trying to kind of force myself out the door for a few miles before work tonight but it just ain't happening. I am just going to put it down to a "well deserved break" and not sweat it. I have Bandera coming up in a month!! I think that my base is good enough to handle any mileage jumps I may have to make in the next couple of weeks, which is good, because I am going to HAVE to make those mileage jumps. Aubrey says that he wants to run tomorrow so that will be a good motivator. He can meet me for the back half of my run, that way I can go longer. Anyway, the plan is to get back into it tomorrow! I have 6 days off after tonight so it should be doable. Now if I can just get over this damn guilt!

12/9/2008 Zach's Big Band Concert

2008-12-09T16:49:00.002-06:00

Tonight is Zach's first band concert. Obviously it will be Christmas music that is played, among other things. He's in the 6th grade and it's his first year in band. He's a percussionist and he's actually pretty good. I don't get to go to the damn thing cuz I gotta work ,which sucks big-time!! Kelli is going to video it for me so I WILL actually get to see it in some form or fashion. Sometimes I really hate working!

12/8/2008 Rainy days and Mondays

2008-12-08T15:23:00.002-06:00

Rainy days and Monday always get me down! That's actually a bunch of bullshit but I liked the song growing up. LOL It definitely is Monday today and it definitely IS raining but I be feelin ok. No running today simply because I'm tired from working last night. It was busy again, as usual. I thought I would get up a little earlier this afternoon and plod out a few miles but with the rain I am going to have to pick the kids up at school. They don't have far to walk but Zach has percussion equipment and I don't want it to get wet. Costs too much! Aubrey and I will try again in the am to see if we can get out there but Mondays are usually hell at work so I will have to play it by ear. Bandera's not too far away so I need to get some good runs in.

12/5/2008

2008-12-05T15:22:00.002-06:00

Well, Christmas is just around the corner so I am trying to get as many runs in as I can before the holidays take their usual toll. I always try to keep running but sometimes the snacks and goodies get a little too enticing! Today's run was fantastic! I ran a nice, simple 10 miler with my Ipod out on 1585. The temperature was pretty cold but I made short work of that with my North Face pullover. I love that damn thing! So glad it was on sale that day. haha Anyway, I seem to have completely recovered from the leg "thing." I just keep using the roller and it seems to keep my troubles at bay. I am going to start strength training the legs big time and hitting the hills out at the lake. I think some hill repeats would do my legs some good.

12/4/2008

2008-12-04T15:42:00.002-06:00

MAN, IT'S CHILLY OUT THERE!! About 39 degrees minus some for wind chill. I bundled up (cuz I'm a puss when it comes to cold) and headed out to 1585. I had originally planned to just put in about 4 miles again and ended up running 6 instead. I just felt pretty good so I kept going. I hit the foam roller before AND after my run and my ITB's are feeling ok. I plan on getting out a little earlier tomorrow and running but I'm not sure what kind of mileage I am going to put in. I guess I'll figure it out while I'm out there.

Okay, so Kelli and I want to go tomorrow night and see the movie, Twilight! We've been wanting to go since it came out but haven't had the time. If you haven't read the books, you need to! They're really amazing. They are actually written for older teens and younger adults but Kelli and I both have read the entire series and thoroughly enjoyed them.

12/01/2008

2008-12-01T10:07:00.002-06:00

I got the 4 miles in this morning. The weather is better than yesterday, that's for sure. It is, however, still freaking cold. It's about 25 with the wind chill which made for a very brisk run. This was only the second run for Aubrey in a month so he is just now getting back into it. Depending on how work goes tonight we'll put in some more miles in the morning. I still need to figure out what my next race will be. I think I am going to take December off and start looking at January for my next one. Maybe Ghost Town 38.5 in January and then Rocky in February. Are there any other good races out there in January?? If you guys have any ideas, let me know!

11/30/2008

2008-11-30T12:58:00.003-06:00

So.........I don't mind running in the cold and I don't mind running in the rain. I do, however, mind running in the cold AND the rain. I planned on putting in a few miles this am with Aubrey but by the time he got to the house there was a pretty steady rain coming down.........and it was 39 degrees. Hell no! I've got to make a quick road trip to pick up the kids from my parents and if the weather is better when I get home I'll run but I may have to wait til tomorrow am.

11/27/2008 Happy Thanksgiving/Turkey Trot

2008-11-27T11:34:00.009-06:00

Race time was 0900 this morning. It was absolutely gorgeous outside, about 45 degrees with no wind. There was a SHITLOAD of people out there! I love how no one really runs at all during the year but then the whole family comes out to run the Turkey Trot. Weird! Oh, well. Anyway, I actually felt pretty good out there today. I ran the 12K or 7.5 miles, whichever way you want to look at it. I really didn't have any issues with pain at all. I got kind of tired towards the end of it but I expected that. Overall, I kept an 8:50 pace so not too terribly fast but once again, that's not what I am out there for. I ran with a friend from work, a little bitty pharmacist named Kimberli, for the first 3 miles of the race and then she left my ass in the dust when I stopped for a drink at an aid station. She is going to run Whiterock in Dallas on 12/14 and is totally stoked. It will be her first marathon. Her longest run so far is 11 miles and man, can she run. I wish her the best of luck and I know that she'll have a phenomenal time there. Whiterock is a fantastic race with all the bells and whistles. Anyway, everyone have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Peace!

11/23/2008 Madeleine Diva

2008-11-23T12:40:00.002-06:00

Not sure if I'm going to run today. I have been advised that maybe some rest will do me good and I tend to agree. On a lighter note, we have a new family friend. We picked her up yesterday afternoon late. Her name is Madeleine Diva, she's a dachshund puppy born on 9/24/2008. Cute as hell! Enjoy the video!

11/22/2008

2008-11-22T12:38:00.003-06:00

After a nice breakfast of homemade French Toast, Lite Syrup, and Turkey sausage I headed out to 1585. Before I went out though I made sure to hammer my ITB's with the roller. It didn't help too much. ha The lateral aspect of my right knee, which is the insertion point of the ITB, was pretty sore after about 2.5 miles and I had to take it pretty easy the last mile and a half. All in all it was a good 4 mile run but I wished I could have gone farther. It is absolutely gorgeous outside too which didn't make going home any easier. Anyway, obviously, I have more work to do on the ol' IT bands. That which does not kill us, makes us stronger. Toes felt good though. haha

11/21/2008

2008-11-21T15:49:00.002-06:00

Alllllllllrighty then. The toes are almost back to being pain free but the nails have yet to fall off. I am ready for that. I wish I could go and have them fixed so they never grow back again. They just get in the way anyway. ha Ok, so my legs have been back to normal for the last 3 days or so which is fantastic and more than I could have hoped for considering how they felt during my last loop of the race and the next day. I am rolling them out at least twice a day so I guess that's what's helping the most. I plan on a nice little recovery run tomorrow, not sure how long yet. Also I signed up for the 12K at the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. I'll keep ya posted.

11/18/2008 Getting better...........physically.

2008-11-18T12:31:00.002-06:00

Ok, so this morning I got up and there was pus under two of my toenails on my left foot and then both of my big toenails had large amounts of serous fluid under them. So I used an 18g needle to make short work of all the problem areas. They definitely don't have the pressure under them that they did have! My shoes are extremely comfortable so I don't know exactly what caused this major nail issue but oh, well. I will survive. So still trying to figure out exactly what happened at the race for me not to finish other than the fact of being a big wuss. I really don't think of myself as a wuss but I really do wonder what would have happened if I had actually gone back out on the course with my legs, ankle, and foot feeling the way they did. Would they have perked up and felt better or have disintegrated even further?? I will never know. I guess I am upset that I didn't summon the gumption to find out. That won't happen again.

WTF!! Ork feet!!

2008-11-17T20:02:00.005-06:00

If there is ever any question as to how nasty runners can be..........just check these bad boys out!! SEXY!!!

2008-11-17T19:58:00.002-06:00

Let's start this off by saying, first and foremost, that I had a wonderful time. Both running in beautiful country and also getting to meet so many good friends. Aubrey and I headed out on Friday morning around 0200 and drove to Arizona in my Xterra. It took us about 11 hours and 15 minutes. Not too bad. We actually got there early enough that we got to set up our tent right beside the headquarters. I was able to pick up my packet around 5pm and I was really pleased with the bag o' stuff. I got a really nice tech shirt from North Face and a set of black fleece Moeben sleeves, plus lots of other cool stuff. The pasta dinner hit the spot too and I got to meet a bunch of other runners which is always fun. I finally got to meet Tony of irunultras.com, one of my friends from the blogging world. It was really nice to meet him in person finally. Congrats on your finish, Tony, you are one tough mofo!
So anyway, Aubrey and I headed to bed pretty early that evening and slept really well. I was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 0400 and they had coffee for us to drink too, which was straight from the gods! After slamming a couple of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme pies and washing it down with coffee, I was ready to go. The race started at 0600. We were pre-warned to not go out too fast on the first loop. So I didn't............I thought. I really felt great going out, enjoying the company of the different people on the course and just stretching out my legs in such gorgeous terrain. I loved the saguaros! They were really cool! Anyway, I made it around the 15.3 mile loop in 2:59. I grabbed a chocolate Boost and refilled my hand bottle and took off again. On the second loop I was able to catch up with Tony and his gang. We played leap frog for awhile and then I finally pulled ahead and would stay that way until the 4th loop. Also on the second loop I caught up with a fellow nurse from San Diego. Her name was Chris and we got to gabbing since we were running pretty much the same pace at that time. She got to talking about her friend that was running up ahead and we figured out that her friend was Jill, the gal that I ran with quite a bit at Rocky Raccoon. I caught up to her and we enjoyed catching up on our races and such. So on and on I went, finishing the second loop in around 3:09. Another Boost and a bottle refill and I was off again. I also stopped at the aid station and grabbed a couple of bean roll-ups. I really did a good job of fueling I think. I used the new GU Roctane as my primary fuel source and really liked them. I also changed clothes before I took off which seemed to help revitalize me a little. The third loop was fairly uneventful. I did run into a baby tarantula and thought he was pretty cool. Some other runners said that they had seen a rattlesnake and a coyote. I think I would rather deal with the baby tarantula. ha Anyway, at the end of the third loop I still felt pretty good, finishing it in about 3:40 or so. I was getting excited about finishing the 4th loop so I could have Aubrey out on the course with me as my pacer. It gets pretty lonely out there after awhile. About a third of the way into the 4th loop it started getting dark so I turned on my headlamp and listened to my Ipod for the first time during the race. This, however, is the loop where "it all went to hell in a handbasket" for me. I wish I could figure out what happened. I felt really good going into it but about halfway through the lap my right ITB just absolutely seized up on me. It was really, really tight. Then my left one started up. I really don't know what happened. My legs were absolutely gone. Even my right Achille's was starting to freak out. I was able to continue walking at a decent pace but it hurt like freaking HELL. The only thing I could think about was getting back to headquarters and using the foam roller on my ITB's and getting some Advil into me and see if that would help. The people that I had passed quite a bit earlier were catching up and passing me. That never really bothers me in a race cuz I ain't in it to win but it was really disheartening because it let me know that I wasn't moving very well. Tony caught up to me and we talked for a minute and then he was gone again, looking strong. He had had some heat issues earlier on but after the sun went down he was all over it. Anyway, I plodded along and eventually made it back to the headquarters. Aubrey and I talked about my predicament and decided that rather than really risk serious injury, I would call it quits and take the 100K buckle. Not at all how I planned it and I'm still not sure what I would have done if they wouldn't have had the 100K buckle option. This was my first stab at this distance and I decided out on the course that 100 miles is "a long fucking way to run!" I will definitely give it another whirl in the near future though. I have so many mixed emotions about the decision that I made too. I had so many friends really encouraging me to continue on and wanting to see me do well that it really made dropping at 100K difficult. However, considering how fucked up my feet are right now, I think I made the right decision. My feet are swollen double and my toes look like vienna sausages. I am fixing to lose about 8 toenails too. My ITB's don't feel too horribly bad today but are definitely fatigued. I will take about a week off and then pick it back up again.

For anyone wanting to consider Javelina as a race for 2009 I can highly recommend it. The aid stations and volunteers were top notch! The course is gorgeous and not too terribly tough. Make sure to do your heat training though. The heat wasn't really a factor for me, it felt just like home.

Ok, so, my plans for my next attempt at a hundred miler (don't know which one yet).
1. I guess go out slower. I thought I did but I guess it was just a little too fast.
2. I am going to start doing lots of strength training for my legs. I'm really tired of my fucking ITB's going crazy on me.
3. Continue to fuel and drink appropriately. This was one of my strongest points during Javelina. No stomach upset or bonking, energy-wise, at all!
4. If you have any other ideas of what I could do.....LET ME KNOW!!!

11/10/2008

2008-11-10T17:10:00.003-06:00

Man, this month is really slipping by. Craziness!! I got up early this morning and helped get the kids off to school then hit the road for an easy 6 miles. The weather was perfect and my legs felt great. I thought about going further but decided it wouldn't be beneficial OR detrimental so I just packed it in at 6. I may or may not run in the morning, depending on how my night at work goes. I work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights and then off for 5 nights. Ready to rock and roll in Arizona!

11/8/2008 Buffalo Wallow

2008-11-08T13:19:00.003-06:00

A 9am start brought cooler temperatures but it warmed up pretty quickly. A little too quickly actually. I wore a North Face pullover and a pair of CW-X tights and it was too much. Oh, well. Overall it was a good run. I finished in 2:09 so not the fastest but that's not what I was out there for. Just getting some more miles under the ol' belt before Javelina next Saturday. The hills, as usual, were pretty intense so I walked most of the long uphills. It's so hard to incorporate a walk/run with everyone around you "racing" to the finish. You can easily get caught up in the throng and take off way too quickly. I did well, I think, hanging back and taking my time. I'm not sure what kind of mileage I am going to put in tomorrow but I don't think it needs to be very far. I am really going to hit the foam roller this week too so I am nice and "kneaded" for next weekend. Anyway, more later. Ciao!

11/7/2008

2008-11-07T21:20:00.003-06:00

I got off my ass this morning and Aubrey and I ran a nice little fast-paced 5 miles. I felt great, the weather was absolutely gorgeous. It was only about 30 degrees but no wind. Tomorrow morning is the Buffalo Wallow out at the lake. A very hilly half marathon. I believe it's touted as the "Most Challenging Half In The State!" Not sure how they qualify that but oh, well. It definitely IS a tough course. Some of the hills that we will be running on are part of the bike course and running course of the Buffalo Springs Lake Ironman 70.3. Should be a nice run though. I'll let ya know.

11/3/2008

2008-11-03T16:59:00.002-06:00

Another 6 miles covered this morning after work. Probably 8 tomorrow morning if I have a good night at work. The Buffalo Wallow is this weekend out at Buffalo Springs Lake. It's a half marathon with the West Texas Running Club and it's a really nice hilly run so I definitely plan on doing it. I think that will be the longest run I will go for at this point in time. I am totally stoked about Javelina coming up. Aubrey will be going with me and both crew and pace me later in the race. Should be some kinda fun! The race director has created a blog to keep everyone updated which is VERY cool! The site is javelinajundred.blogspot.com. Check it out.

10/31/2008

2008-10-31T17:28:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween, everyone!
Aubrey and I have gotten out the last two days and put in 6 mile runs both days. Feeling pretty good out there but need to go a little further in the next week or so. If I can get myself motivated tomorrow I will put in a longer run. Aubrey has to work tonight so that counts him out. I may actually use my Ipod for once. We shall see! Peace, guys, and have a "scary" evening!!

10/27/2008

2008-10-27T16:42:00.003-05:00

After work this morning I hit the road and ran an easy 8 miles out on 1585. It was colder than I'd expected and wished that I had worn my gloves. It warmed up a little on the way back though so it made for a nice morning. Anyway, back to work tonight..............again. Man, I gotta win the lottery.

10/24/2008

2008-10-24T20:15:00.002-05:00

Finally.........I was able to get out today and run a little. I've been working every freaking night since Monday. I really hate working that much. My legs were back to normal by Wednesday morning, no soreness at all. I had thought about running that morning after work but I had to get up early to pick up Zach from school. So today, being my only day off, I got to put in a nice 5 miles with Aubrey. I felt really good out there too, which is good cuz now I need to start building my mileage again so I can be ready for Javelina in less than a month. Well, I am going to go finish enjoying my one freaking day off. More later.

10/18/2008 Palo Duro Trail Run Race Report

2008-10-18T23:23:00.004-05:00

We made it to Canyon around 5pm or so on Friday. Kelli, Zach, Kenzie, Aubrey, and I had all crammed into my Xterra for the trip. We checked in at race headquarters and picked up our race packets then headed to the hotel to meet my parents. We obviously had pasta on the brain so we headed to Olive Garden for a gentle carb load. You can't beat Olive Garden's Alfredo to dip your bread sticks in. Hello!! I had a bowl of Zuppa Tuscano soup and then my main meal was the Ravioli di Portobello! Hell yeah, it was good!!
Ok, so the next morning we got up and headed to the canyon. It was pretty chilly to start off. We started on the dot at 7am. It was dark still so we had to use head lamps for the first 45 minutes or so. Aubrey was running the 50k while I ran the 50 mile but we all started together. I really got aggravated that we started so far back in the queue. It was like a cattle chute for the first 3 miles and really effed up my first loop time. Anyway, at the 3.5 mile aid station Aubrey and the rest of the 50K'ers peeled off to the right and the 50 milers headed left. Each loop was 12.5 miles long. It was much hillier than I had expected. (A pattern that I've started to notice) The first loop was really easy after I finally broke free from the cattle chute. I finished it in 2:38. Aggravating. Once back at the main aid station I just refilled my bottle and then headed on. My family hadn't made it to the race yet so I didn't have to worry about them. The second loop was much better than the first. The trail was absolutely gorgeous. It had nice soft dirt on the majority of it all but there were definitely some areas that were pretty rocky and the hills were steep. I ran a negative split on my second loop at around 2:20 or so. Kelli and the rest of the family was there rooting for me which put a little extra energy in my step. I hit the ice chest and grabbed a chocolate Boost and took off again. The third loop was a little more difficult. Duh! I hit a rock with the ball of my foot halfway through the third loop. I would find out the next day that I had a 1 1/2 x 3/4 inch blood blister on the ball of my right foot. ha Good thing Kelli and I are both nurses. We made short work of it. So after the third loop I grabbed another Boost and headed out for the final lap. I had heard that lots of people had DNF'd due to the heat. From what I heard, it was around 83 degrees. It felt hot to me but not THAT bad. I just stayed hydrated and felt ok. So I finally made it in at about 11 hours and 16 seconds. Pretty good, I thought for the hills and heat I stayed pretty tough. I am posting this now on Monday night/Tuesday morning and my legs are feeling fine. My right foot is just a little sore but not bad. All in all, it was a great run and I will definitely give it another go next year.

10/14/2008

2008-10-14T08:23:00.005-05:00

Fall is definitely here! Today it's about 50 degrees, cloudy, and raining. No running today. I may get on the elliptical if I feel industrious but more than likely I will just do some pushups and stuff like that. Aubrey and I ran a really nice 9 miles yesterday. The weather was perfect yesterday being a little overcast and cool. I love running in the fall weather, sans rain. Anyway, I may get a couple more shorter runs in before Palo Duro but all in all I feel that I am ready for the 50 miler. Mom and Dad, my nieces, and my wife and kids will all be there for this run so that makes it even more special. Mom and Dad haven't been to one of my races since I bumbled my way through the Buffalo Springs Lake Half Ironman almost 3 years ago. This should prove to be some kind of fun!

10/11/2008

2008-10-11T11:13:00.003-05:00

I've only been able to get a couple of runs in this week since I've been at work ALL freaking week. I signed up for an extra shift on Thursday for extra money and it really took it's toll. I'm exhausted! Monday, before I went back to work, Aubrey and I ran a little 4 mile recovery run and felt fantastic. We were going to run 10 miles on Wednesday but we were both worn out from working all night and I knew that I had to get up early to go pick up Zach after his robotic's class after school too. We decided to wait until today to get a little more distance in. Today's run, however, was pretty shitty. It's cloudy and it rained on us a little and neither one of us felt that into it. We just plodded along for 8 miles. We had originally planned to put in 15 today but just couldn't bring ourselves to do it. I will try and get at least 10 miles done on Monday. I don't think that's too close to Palo Duro, especially since it's just 10 miles. We shall see. Keep your fingers crossed!

10/4/2008 Crossroads Marathon Report

2008-10-04T21:36:00.004-05:00

Today was the inaugaral Crossroads Marathon and it went off without a hitch! The race started pretty much right on time, the course was beautiful, the aid stations were great, and the start/finish area was really cool. Aubrey and I stayed very true to our normal pace and walk/run ratio and ran it in just about the same time as Albuquerque. We finished in 4:30-something, feeling strong at the end. The only bad part of it all was the 15-20 mph wind directly in our face for the last 10 miles of the run. That was NO FUN! However, I have absolutely no soreness in my legs so I am really pleased even though I did the stupid thing and wore my new Speed Cross 2's. Of course that was a gamble but they're new shoes and I HAD to try them out, ya know! I really like them. I think they will be an excellent replacement for my New Balance mr790's. Still light but more cushioning. Anway, all in all, a GREAT day!! Ready for Palo Duro in two weeks!

10/1/2008

2008-10-01T17:18:00.003-05:00

Okay, so Crossroads being in a couple of days, we got out and put in 6 miles this morning after work. Feeling good and ready to go!
I haven't received my new shoes yet but they should be here before too long. I don't think it would be a smart idea to wear them for the marathon anyway. Ok, I'll post in a couple of days and let ya know what's up.

9/28/2008

2008-09-28T17:17:00.002-05:00

We put in a nice, easy 16 miles out on 1585. Around 0830 we hit the road so it was calm and cool out there. As the run wore on, the heat picked up and there was not a breeze to be had. Weird for the Plains of Texas! We did pretty good though, still feeling strong. I head back to work tonight for the next 4 days. I have GOT to win the lottery! Work gets in the way of life, ya know? I will probably take the next couple of days off from running and then put in 6-8 miles on Wednesday. I have Crossroads on Saturday so I definitely won't run on Thursday or Friday. Anyway, I guess I had better get ready for work. Damn!

9/27/2008

2008-09-27T19:14:00.004-05:00

This morning's run wasn't as incredible as yesterday's. ha We just ran a little 4 mile recovery run and felt like shit the whole time. Man, you just gotta love running!! Yesterday we were on top of the world and today we were under it. In all honesty, it wasn't THAT bad but we were still chuckling that our legs felt a little fatigued. We did really push ourselves pretty hard yesterday on the 10 miler and really kicked it out at the end. We ran a 7:30 pace the last mile and I actually pushed it up to 5:30 pace the last 50 yards. Anyway, we just did the 4 miles today so we'll have some left in the tank for tomorrow.
I went ahead and ordered a pair of Speedcross 2's and they should be here on Tuesday or Wednesday. Looking forward to that! I love getting new stuff! I also need a new headlamp. Jemez did my last one in! Seems like Jemez was just out to get me.

9/26/2008

2008-09-26T21:05:00.003-05:00

My runs are just getting better and better. Aubrey and I put in a nice, easy 10 miler today and my legs were just absolutely HUMMING with energy. Man, I love that feeling!! It is so nice when your training takes you to where you need to be. I am soooo ready for Palo Duro and Javelina. Javelina will be my first attempt at a hundred miler so I have no idea what to expect, other than a lot of pain towards the end.
On the shoe subject, I am looking at the Salomon Speedcross 2's. They have more support and more cushioning while only adding a couple of three ounces to the shoe. I am going to keep my eye out and see what I can come up with.

9/25/2008

2008-09-25T19:17:00.005-05:00

Another nice, round 6 miler for today. It's getting a little repetitive I know but while we're working, it's all we can muster. ha On our next few days off we'll go longer. We're both feeling really strong out there so it won't be difficult. We have Crossroads coming up a week from Saturday and we're looking forward to that. On another note, I am kind of wanting to find a new trail shoe to start wearing. I have been running the last several months in the New Balance mr790's (the yellow ones cuz they make me feel fast!!). I really like them but I am wanting a little more cushioning and support without getting a heavy shoe. I am really, really fond of the mr790's simply because they are sooooo light and minimal but I think my feet and legs would benefit from more support and cushioning. Any suggestions for good shoes or comments would be appreciated. I have also thought about just getting some really good, cushioned insoles and sticking those in my 790's. I still REALLY miss my old La Sportiva Slingshots!! They were PERFECT!!