Moderately Hellacious Slacker

2011-05-08T00:43:00.001-05:00

Test # 1

Moving!!!

2010-03-01T19:46:00.005-06:00

Bear with me while I try to streamline the technology side of my life. Google seems to offer most of the services I use therefore I’m trying to ensure everything is Google friendly.

With that being said, I have made lots of changes. My blog is staying with blogspot, but I have changed the address. You can now find my blog at:

http://www.trailheadendurance.blogspot.com/

I no longer use my yahoo email account either. It's so nice to finally have a shorter email address after years of my old LONG (williamwaynecox@yahoo.com) address. My new email address is:

run.wwc@gmail.com

My Google group is still the same, although it's become recently dormant. :-(

Trailhead Endurance Sports

I hope to see you at the new blog and email!

Don't Look

2010-02-26T15:26:00.006-06:00

It’s been a beautiful morning, with the exception of a couple isolated thunderstorms.

Small miscommunication with a client left me short a couple miles on my schedule.

When the skies turned dark I laced up my shoes and ran a couple miles on the bayou. I like running in the elements.

I restrained myself from looking at my watch until the last quarter-mile. I didn't look at my watch because I wanted to predict my pace. On roads I’m fairly accurate at pace prediction, but I'm still learning to dial-in my pace on trails. In the end, I was within 45 seconds of my predicted pace.

Run:
1.94 miles
18:54
9:45 pace

Walk:
0.26 mile
4:22
16:48 pace

Push-up challenge has improved since the week three reset. I finished the workout as prescribed. I even had enough juice left to gut out a few extra push-ups on the last set.

Push-ups: 86

I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my weight loss this week, especially while being on Taper. It will be hard to monitor my caloric intake while in New Orleans this weekend, so I’m going to exercise a bit of flexibility. I’ll leave the food scale at home, but I want to continue with two guidelines; NO meat and NO calorie dense drinks (sodas, alcohol, sweet tea, etc). Hopefully, this will keep everything in check.

Weight:
194.5

Spring PIM meeting

2010-02-25T14:54:00.004-06:00

Today marks the start of my third session as a Power in Motion Coach. I attended the Spring 2010 coaches meeting today.

The program is SOLID as a rock, so there are minimal changes. There were a few new faces and of course, the usual PIM veterans.

Lisa made an official announcement that Coach Vic will be taking over as the program director starting in the Fall. I’m very excited for Vic. His passion for running makes him the ideal candidate for the position.

Speaking of people, I was amazed at the weight loss by several people. Vic and Will don't even look like the same people. Up to this point, I've been proud of my weight loss. I was taken down a couple pegs after seeing the transformations from those men.

June is coaching her first session and is doing great things. I look forward to talking with her. I believe she is eating a more vegetarian diet and she's interested in running an ultra. We will have LOTS to talk about!

Earlier in the day I got a surprise visit from Josh. He has a contract on his house and is looking at homes in the Kingwood area. I wanted to show Josh a part of Kingwood you can’t see from your car, so I put him on Andrea's bike and we went riding. I think our six mile bike ride showed him why so many people love Kingwood.

Trail Bike:
6.45 miles
37:00
10.46 mph

No running today, so that I can run with a client tomorrow.

Weight:
196.0 lbs

A little here, a little there...

2010-02-24T21:49:00.001-06:00

As a coach, my mileage now comes in small spurts here and there. In fact, I’m on NOLA taper and I have already met my mileage for the week, yet committed myself to another run Friday. I have no intentions of pushing this marathon, so I’m choosing to listen to my body and giving myself the green light for extra mileage. Everything feels good.

I met with two clients today. The first appointment started at noon. It was a great session and it provided me with a lot of useful information for our future workouts. Today’s sessions looked like this:
• 0.5 mile run to meet the client
• 1.5 mile warm-up
• Dynamic stretching program
• 10 x 30/30’s at 1-mile race pace
• 0.25 mile cool-down walk
• Static stretches
• 0.5 mile cool-down run
• 0.5 mile run home

Later in the evening I meet with Shaina. Her schedule consisted of 2 x 10-minute run/2-minute walk.

I’m proud of both these runners and I’m confident they will meet their goals. Shaina is at the halfway point and has quickly learned how to balance work & family with running. Even though she finds each week’s workout a challenge, she is already “hooked” on running.

All the different numbers complicate matters, so I added everything together.

Run:
4.28 miles
58:15
12:08 pace

Walk:
1.01 miles
17:21
17:10 pace

Weight:
196.5

Multi-tasking

2010-02-23T16:56:00.002-06:00

Being on taper makes me feel lazy. My body doesn't know how to react with so little running. Four more days till the New Orleans Marathon.

Once Andrea got home we took an easy stroll to a local deli for dinner, then back home. It's bitterly cold with a light drizzle of rain in the air. Even with the shift in weather we still had an enjoyable run.

Run:
2.5 miles
26:58
10:47 pace

I'm not sure what is going on with the push-up challenge. I reset the program back to week 3, day 1. I was able to complete the program as scheduled, but it was harder than expected.

Push-ups: 72

Weight:
197.0

Life is Good

2010-02-22T17:14:00.000-06:00

I started the day with a light one-mile run to meet with a new client. The client is preparing for a job agility test and has requested my assistance.

After a quick introduction we started the session with a quarter-mile warm up walk, dynamic stretches, one-mile time trial run, static stretches, and finally a half mile cool down walk.

Once the session was complete I jogged half a mile home. To finish my daily running I went for a two mile run with Andrea.

I had a great day. My body feels good, the weather has been delightful, and Karma has perfectly aligned my life to appreciate those things which I have a passion for.

All the running times have been combined below.

Run:
4.23 miles
47:00
11:07 pace

Walk:
1.06 miles
17:06
16:07 pace

Weight:
197.25

Outta Gas....

2010-02-21T17:48:00.003-06:00

At work today

I ran two miles on the treadmill. I was running a decent pace, but the unit said I was nearly walking. I know it’s not correct, but I use those numbers anyways.

Run:
2.0 miles
30:04
15:04 pace

Once I finished running I transitioned to the recumbent bike for thirty-minutes.

Recumbent Bike:
7.98 miles
30:00
15.96 mph

I started the push-up challenge only to discover I was out of gas. I reset to week-3, day-3, but I was still too lethargic to complete the workout. In a final attempt to finish some kind of strength training I tried a pull-up. Much like the push-ups, they were unsuccessful as well.

It is time to rest my body. I’ve been pushing the upper limits of my general fitness.

Push-ups: 57

Weight:
199.75

It's My Heart 5k, plus 6-miles

2010-02-20T20:49:00.003-06:00

Early last week I made plans for the family to attend a fund raising 5k to benefit a heart disorder which has affected Steve and Dolan's children.

Yesterday I started thinking about my ability to challenge a three-year old 5k PR time of 23:51. In 2006 I spent a fair amount of time doing speed work, but I also lived with lots of aches and pains. Currently, I’m running lots of mileage without any chronic discomfort. I’ve always wondered which of the two would prevail. I’m confident injury-free mileage would win in a longer race, but there’s a fair amount of essential speed work needed to perform at a shorter distance.

Let me start with the top news. Andrea finished THIRD OVERALL FEMALE with an incredible pace of 7:50. I’m unable to find the official results. I didn’t show her total time because the course measured a lot longer than 5k. Three different Garmin’s recorded a reliable 3.31 mile course.

Personally, I dreamed of a PR for myself, but I did very little to make it a reality. I had a good run, but far from a PR.

We didn’t have anyone to watch Preston, so I was forced to push Preston in his jogging stroller. The four underpasses along the Allen Parkway route proved to be a significant challenge. I was on 7:40 pace during the first mile, but watched the pace slip away with each and every climb. My final overall pace was 8:09.

This isn’t my typical race report, but this wasn’t a planned race like most. I’ll concede to bulleted tidbits about the race:

-Great party
-Happy to see a chip timed race, but can’t find the results
-No overall awards
-Large, odd age brackets. Andrea was in Female 19-54
-Course was inaccurate (nearly ¼-mile long)
-Kid friendly event and great cause

Once we got home we put the kids on their bikes and went for a six mile run. It was an enjoyable run. Still lots of noise, but it was a beautiful day to be outdoors. The warm-up, race, and post run mileage were combined below:

Run:
10.01 miles
1:47:20
10:43 pace

Walk:
1.55 miles
25:04
16:10 pace

Push-ups

2010-02-18T19:19:00.001-06:00

At work today

I ran two miles around the station followed by 41-minutes on the recumbent bike. The run pace was much faster than it felt. Other than the pace, both events were uneventful.

While riding the bike I listened to another episode from Endurance Planet. I’ve quickly become addicted to Endurance Planet podcast. It’s an online newscast for MY SPORT’S.

Run:
2.1 miles
20:39
9:50 pace

Recumbent Bike:
10.3 miles
41:00
15.07 mph

I going to re-do week four of the push-up challenge. Today I was only able to complete the first set. I continued the workout with as many push-ups as possible, followed by modified push-ups. The workout is below. The first column is the scheduled number of push-ups, column two is the amount of normal push-ups I completed, and the third column is the number of modified push-ups.
25-25-0
29-18-11
25-10-15
25-10-15
36-10-26

An hour later, I completed the sets that I wasn't able to complete without modified push-ups. During those last four sets I had to incorporate 20-30 minute recovery breaks in between sets.
29
25
25
36

The total number of push-ups was rather impressive.

Push-ups: 188 plus 67 assisted

Weight:
198.75

Damn Dirt Bikes

2010-02-17T20:52:00.001-06:00

I’d be in paradise if the weather was this beautiful every day. The last two days have been amazing. Morning lows have been in the upper 30’s with the afternoon highs resting in the upper 50’s.

The small nagging discomfort in my right knee doesn’t seem to want to go away. With five miles on the schedule, I’ve been concerned about the benefits of running at all today. Before starting the afternoon run I decided to wrap a compression wrap around the troublesome knee.

From the minute I wrapped my knee, I noticed a remarkable difference. Andrea and I ran the bayou rim and I had zero pain or discomfort. This has been my best run since running RR50 eleven days prior. With a road marathon less than ten days away, this is promising news.

The run was great until a couple kids buzzed by us on dirt bikes. Motorized vehicles are not allowed anywhere on Kingwood trails, but it’s hard for the officers to police them, since they are usually small which makes it easy for them to evade a full-size police car.

At one time there was an older man with two very young kids behind us and a woman with a three-year old ahead of us. As the bikes approached at high speeds I stopped and stood in their way trying to stop them. The first bike passed within 12-inches of me and without any regard to my attempts to stop him. The second bike slowed down. When I told him to stop (I planned to scare the kids), he simply yelled, “I can’t stop” and he too went around me. Needless to say the event ruined an otherwise spectacular run. My attempts to stop the kids kept them away for 30-minutes, but later I heard the dirt bikes riding on the bayou once again.

These kinds of incidents are progressively stressing me. I’m grumpy enough as it is, I can only imagine what I will be like when I’m older!!!

Run:
5.1 miles
52:52
10:22 pace

Walk:
1.16
19:09
16:31 pace

I FINALLY had a good day on the pull-up bar. Over the duration of the day I was able to complete eight complete pull-ups during six attempts. Five of the sets also included what I call “half pull-up”, which simply means I pull my body up most of the way, but can’t quite get my chin above the bar. I’m only counting the full pull-ups, but I know there is a lot gained with all attempts. The sets looked like this:
2.5
1.5
2.5
1.5
1.5
1

Pulls: 8

Weight:
196.5

Noise

2010-02-16T20:08:00.003-06:00

Noise is everywhere around me. I yearn for the silence of the country.

Andrea and I walked for one-hour. Earlier in the week I downloaded several Endurance Planet podcast onto my iPhone. Since we were walking together I decided to play the podcast on the external phone speaker. I was amazed how much noise surrounded me. The player was drown out by the barking dogs, cars, leaf blowers, and overhead airplanes.

For the last several months I’ve hungered for a simpler life. The noise around me only promotes these feelings.

Walk:
4.15 miles
1:07:01
16:09 pace

Push-up challenge is sucking! I had to perform modified push-ups on the last two sets. Thirty minutes later I repeated those last two sets with “normal” push-ups. I tried to do a pull-up without success. Very weird

Push-ups: 120 (+52 assisted)
Pull-ups: 0

Weight:
198.75

Early Run

2010-02-15T19:47:00.001-06:00

I met Tom at 4:45 am for a five mile run before going to work. Temperatures measured 35 degrees, but felt much colder due to a brisk north wind. My right knee is bothering me, which has become a concern. The smart thing to do is discontinue running for a week, but I’m hopeful this is not serious.

Run:
5.08 miles
57:25
11:26 pace

Walk:
0.17 mile
3:11
18:44 pace

Non-eventful Engine 2 workout at work. I almost skipped the workout, but I’m glad I made the time.

Strength Training:
Engine 2 Basic

Weight:
200.5 lbs

Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T19:53:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine’s Day. I'm still smiling, having spent my Valentine’s Day with the people I love most!

I gorged myself at a Mexican Brunch buffet. Ate entirely too much and I’ve been paying for it all day. Karma found it proper to supply me with six hours of nausea for embracing my gluttonous behavior.

Andrea joined me for a two mile run along the bayou. Nice easy pace. Afterwards we cycled for forty minutes, which was enough time to complete our scheduled one-hour of cardio time.

Run:
2.08 miles
22:37
10:52 pace

Trail Bike:
8.22 miles
39:20
12.54 mph

Shaina and Andrea were introduced to their first Engine 2 workout. Neither of them had any issues with the workout at the basic level.

Strength Training:
Engine 2 Basic

I’m still struggling with the push-up challenge. Once again, I had to take longer than prescribed recovery breaks and had to divide the last set in half. I’m improving with the pull-ups. I did two pull ups during two different attempts.

Push-ups: 120
Pull-ups: 4

Weight:
197.25

Family

2010-02-13T20:01:00.002-06:00

Pleasurable eight-mile run with the family.

I wasn’t the only person to appreciate the two-hour workout. Preston enjoyed the scenery from the comfort of his stroller, while I pushed him through the greenbelts. Alison did a remarkable job of maintaining our pace on her bicycle. Andrea spent a majority of the session running in the grass alongside the pathway. Her first 50k will be here before she knows it; therefore she is transitioning several of her usual road runs for bouts on similar race terrain.

Run:
8.0 miles
1:31:11
11:24 pace

Walk:
1.65 miles
27:45
16:50 pace

Weight:
196.75

Cold Rain

2010-02-11T15:55:00.004-06:00

I’m always amazed how fast the weather changes in Texas. Yesterday was sunny and cool, absolutely beautiful. Today it has been raining all freaking day and it’s bitterly cold. Fifty miles north of Kingwood, they are reporting sleet and occasional snow flurries. Needless to say, this is not my favorite running conditions.

The wish list of ultra-running gear continues to grow. During a one-hour session in the cold rain I found myself yearning for a breathable outer rain shell. I don’t mind running in rain, which I do often. Running in COLD rain is a whole different story. Brrrr…

The run itself was peachy. No aches or pains during the run. Perhaps I was numb to any discomfort. I feel good about my recovery progression.

I was glad to see that running through the water cleaned most of the Huntsville State Park trail mud off my Brook Cascadia shoes. Woo-hoo, one less thing to do!

Run:
2.25 miles
22:35
10:02

Walk:
1.77 miles
29:19
16:34 pace

Today's push-up challenge was tough. I struggled with the last two sets and had to take longer than prescribed recovery breaks. Ultimately I finished the quantity of push-up with the addition of 3-4 minutes of recovery.

Push-ups: 100

Pull-ups:1

Weight:
197.25

First Recovery Run

2010-02-10T19:39:00.004-06:00

Shortly after moving to Kingwood I started a secretive relationship with one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful creatures, a local red-tailed hawk. Seldom does a week go by without us crossing paths. This week has been no exception; I've seen my friend at least twice every day since Sunday.

For whatever reason, I primary view this bird while running. I spend countless hours walking, cycling, and driving in the area, yet I seldom see him unless I’m in stride. The initial greeting between us has remained the same, he emerges from the depths of a nearby tree and glides fifty yards in front of me . It is obvious he wants his appearance known. Within five feet from the ground he powers upward and perches himself on a nearby tree limb or power line. After his impressive showing of grace and authority he always places himself in open view, as to be admired.

Today this majestic bird kept a close eye over me while I ran the bayou loop. I found myself concerned about the general health of my friend. He seemed a bit tattered, possibly the result of a fight.

The mere sight of the magnificent animal has turned many stale runs into ventures of great enjoyment. Today was no different. This was my first run since my fifty-miler. The hawk made his appearance a half mile into my run. I was so engulfed by his presence that I didn’t worry much about how tired my legs were.

I planned to go out slow and take a quarter-mile walk break between mile one and two. For awhile I was lost in thought and didn't realize I was nearly none. To better the deal I had run at a remarkable pace. Once I reached the scheduled two miles I started walking and as usual, my friend flew back into the forest. I’m not sure how old this hawk is, but I hope we continue our mysterious relationship for years to come…

Run:
2.0 miles
19:56
9:57 pace

Walk:
2.45 miles
40:13
16:25 pace

Andrea and I decided to be a little silly with our tax refund. Me made a list of all the things we wanted and tried to get as much as we could with the money. We divided the funds into thirds; I got a third, Andrea got a third, and the final third was household and stuff for the kids. Nearly all my portion was spent on my truck. I had a small lift kit installed in addition to new wheels and tires. I know it’s not for everyone, but this is something I wanted. I loved my truck before, but now… WOW, it looks so freaking awesome!

Anyways, the truck as been in the shop all day and I forgot about my promise to run with Shaina tonight. Luckily, she had enough time to wait for me to get home. I didn’t want to tell her, but I had concerns about running again. She doesn’t understand that I am still in recovery mode and have already logged my miles for the day. Shaina's been a trooper, plus I didn't want to let her down, so I kept my commitment to run with her this evening.

The run turned out to be quite pleasant. Truth be known, I think she needed me more today than any other day. She started a new interval schedule of; 4 x 5run/2walk. On top of that it is cold outside and she wasn’t feeling well. As usual, I talked non-stop and kept her mind off the task at hand. She did a remarkable job and I was able to log extra cardio time.

It’s a win-win situation, although I plan to subtract this mileage from tomorrows run. No matter what, I HAVE TO BE SAFE and keep myself injury free.

Run:
1.34 miles
20:00
14:54

Walk:
0.93
15:31
16:41 pace

Weight:
198.25

Recovery Continues

2010-02-09T14:34:00.003-06:00

At work today

I spent thirty minutes on the recumbent bike, followed by thirty minutes walking on the treadmill. I felt a slight twinge on the inside of my right knee. The discomfort was mirrored on the left side, albeit considerably less on the opposite knee. Having similar ache’s in both knees tells me it’s probably just post long run soreness.

Recumbent Bike:
7.66 miles
30:00
15.32 mph

Walk:
1.55
30:00
19:21 pace

When I opened today’s 100 pushup challenge it asked for a three-week “test”. I surprised myself with 30 non-stop pushups. A mere three weeks ago I only managed to complete 17. I’m unsure if I read the workout correctly, but it asked for the full workout after the maximum test. I waited an hour between the two sessions and was able to complete all of the pushups except the last seven. I completed the session with seven modified pushups. Later this evening I completed another seven normal pushups.

Push-ups: 110 (plus 7 assisted)

Pull-ups: 1

Weight: 201.25

Recovery day 2

2010-02-08T18:02:00.004-06:00

I'm mobile again. As a percentage, I'd say I have recovered 80%.

I rode the trail bike along the greenbelts. Once again I was measuring different routes. Sitting in the seat was a bit uncomfortable due to the chafing issues from Saturdays run. My legs felt ok, yet my knees were sore when I finished.

Trail Bike:
10.55 miles
58:58
10.73 mph

No strength training, but I completed my push-up challenge workout. I also tried the pull-ups. For whatever reason I couldn't manage to pull myself up for a single repetition.

Pull-ups: 0

Push-ups: 81

Weight: 200.75 lbs

Rocky Raccoon 50 mile race report

2010-02-06T01:22:00.000-06:00

Awake by 4:30 in preparation of today’s battle. Nothing like a little Nyquil to ensure I get good night’s sleep.

Odd as it may seem, two egg and cheese biscuits have become my pre-race meal of choice. After driving through a nearby McDonalds we ate breakfast on our way to the park, arriving at 5:30am. Andrea had enough foresight to rent a shelter for Friday and Saturday. Not only did it serve as a home base for our gear, but it ensured us a convenient parking spot close to the start line.

First on the list of things to do was check in with the volunteers. As I stood there among the runners who were about to start a 100 mile foot race I wondered what must be going through their heads. It seemed like everyone knew each other. With the exception of Andrea, I was there alone. I also considered this a benefit. Without friends around me, I couldn't be sucked into any bad vibes. Most runners are positive in nature, but as a group we seem to confess all our aches and pains to anyone willing to listen.

The temperature was a pleasant 38-ish degrees, which is perfect for running yet too cold to stand around in shorts and a technical shirt. With the truck parked only a hundred yards away we decided to spend the next 30-45 minutes in the protected shelter of our vehicle. I set my alarm to wake up fifteen-minutes before the race, but I was too anxious to sleep.

A weird feeling crossed over me as I heard the hoopla of the 100-milers starting their race. It felt like someone punched me in the stomach, but without the pain. Very odd!

With 20-minutes to the start I finally walked back to the starting line. Once there I became extremely selfish. Deep inside me the mental preparation had begun. This fight would be a long battle in which I planned to win. Andrea was energized and probably expected more from me, but I blocked everything out during those final minutes. Today was about me and those fifty miles ahead.

If there were pre-race instructions I didn’t hear them. Maybe the self-induced trance I placed myself in was too deep. I had not noticed the start of the race until the runners in front of me started moving. I hadn’t looked at my watch, but it would appear we started on time.

The night before the race I preloaded a workout in my Garmin forerunner. Having never run this far, there was uncertainty if the watch battery would last the entire race. To manage battery life I kept the workout simplistic. I loaded time goals for each loop which were; 4:00, 4:30, and 5:00 for laps 1, 2, and 3 respectively. What I should have skipped was the upper pace parameters. During the first tenth of a mile the pace alert was beeping and buzzing non-stop. I knew if this pattern continued the battery life would not last the entire race. I made a quick decision to stop the workout, reset, and restart the watch in its normal mode.

My only strategy for this run was to walk every incline, no matter how insignificant. Everything else was left loose, but obviously I wanted to run as much as possible. The first mile went by smoothly. I was caught off guard by the route. This park isn’t huge, but it’s amazing how many different large loops can be configured. The last two 50k’s I ran in this park made a complete loop around the outer parameters of the property. This route is hard to explain, but it did not completely loop Lake Raven. I think that is what confused me the most, especially since I didn’t view a map beforehand.

My plan was to start loop one without a lot of gear. With me I carried only two Gu’s, an Ultimate Direction 20 oz water bottle, and a small baggie of s-caps. The Gu and S-caps were neatly tucked into my Race Ready short pockets.

Everything was going a lot better than planned, until mile five. It was at that point my legs started feeling tired. This struck me odd because I was moving at a pedestrian 12:30 pace and I only had five miles under my belt.

The discomfort progressed with each mile. In the area of ten miles the issue had isolated itself to my right leg. There were times when the pain was sharp at the top of my right hip, the lateral side of my right knee, and less frequently the lateral side of my right calf.

All kinds of thoughts ran through my head while I was trying to determine the root cause of the problem. I rested most of the blame on the massage I received Thursday. The therapist was being rough on my ITB and had me fidgeting in pain. I’ve had a great training season and remarkably very few injuries leading up to this race. I know it’s a long stretch to link the two, but I was also wondering if my lack of S-caps was to blame. Anytime I run more than 10-miles I take one cap every 30-minute’s. I had forgotten to order more and found myself with only nine caps to last the entire race.

Once I reached ten miles I was running with an obvious limp. The change in gait seemed to compound matters and at mile twelve I was reduced to a fast walk. I’d walk for five minutes and the discomfort would dissipate, only to return with an attempt at running.

Surprisingly, I stayed in good spirits through it all. Thoughts ran wildly though my head. Mostly I thought about my endless chatter regarding this race. I’ve mentioned my fifty mile race so many times at the fire station they’ve been teasing me about it. I wondered what I would say to them if I quit.

Each of the three loops measured 16.67 miles. I gained enough time in the first ten miles it didn’t matter that I walked the last four miles. I crossed the first loop timing pad at 3:42:xx, forty-eight minutes ahead of schedule.

Andrea did a superb job as my crew chief. She found prime real estate for my gear and chair near the timing pad. As orchestrated, she handed me PB&J sandwiches along with a glass of unsweetened green tea and a Payday candy bar. From my medication box I took four ibuprofen and one muscle relaxer. I didn’t plan to take any medications, but I’m glad I brought them.

The mud wasn’t as bad as I expected so we skipped the change of shoes. As intended I dropped off the handheld water bottle in exchange for my Nathan hydration vest. Andrea reloaded my supply of Gu’s and captured pictures when she had the opportunity. I was carrying my Flip camcorder, but it went haywire and completely froze up. Since it was dead weight I left it behind as well.

As I stood up out of my chair I sensed the end was near. The angle at which I could move my knee without pain was less than 10%. I made a small attempt to stretch, but it only seemed to aggravate the injury. With a heavy heart, I told Andrea it was going to be a long day if I had to walk the remaining distance. I was back on the course in eleven minutes.

The pain was unbearable. My knee was giving out in a manner that I was worried about falling. With the finish line still in sight I turned around. Andrea was still there watching the agony unfold before her. As I limped in I told her I’m done. The first volunteer I crossed asked me if I was quitting. I didn’t say yes, but I didn’t say no either. This same volunteer pointed to another volunteer and told me, “If you’re going to quit give your bib to her”. There was an indescribable sense of shame I felt as I limped those twenty feet to surrender my bib.

I had one hand releasinf a pin holding my bib on when I reached the person who would document my DNF. Thankfully, this person didn’t accept my surrender as easily as I did. She asked, “Have you been to medical yet?”. When I replied, “No”, she told me, “Go see what they say. You have thirty hours, maybe you’ll feel better in a little while”.

Once I arrived at the medical shelter, I joined another runner with the exact same issue. The medical officer in charge took us inside and showed us how to use a foam roller. We took turns lying on the floor trying to stretch our ITB’s. There was a significant amount of pain when the roller crossed the top of my hip and knee. We went through three full rotations, which took about fifteen minutes. There was a considerable increase in the mobility of my right leg, so I thanked the staff and made another attempt to get back on course.

From the time I initially stopped till the next attempt at loop two was exactly 30-minutes. I told Andrea that I would re-evaluate everything in two miles and if it wasn’t any better I’d turn back.

Within minutes of starting the second loop I was joined by Kyle, the runner with me in medical. We held a respectable 17:40 walk pace while comparing the similarities of our injury. Together we agreed to make another attempt at running once we passed the first aid station. Kyle would later stop to urinate, never to be seen again.

Most of the discomfort in my leg was nearly gone once I reached the aid station. As intended I made the turn behind the station and took off jogging. It was a great feeling to be running again. It was a far cry from a graceful pain-free stride, but I was willing to accept anything at this point. Without any rhyme or reason I started a regimen of run ten-minutes followed by a five minute walk, which I continued for the majority of loop two.

Near mile 27 the pain was creeping back into my leg. I asked the Dam Road aid station volunteers if they had a roller, but I was out of luck. Trying to be helpful, they handed me an empty bottle of Heed. It was similar in size and shape to a foam roller. Hoping the container would work, I found an empty spot out of everyone’s way. Instantly the container failed. The weight of my body crushed the container. After a few stretches I thanked the volunteers for their help and I was back on the trail.

Loop two was interesting. It went by in a blur. I remember worrying about my time more than my leg. I was crunching numbers in my head and realized I was back on my target pace and this included the extended stop at medical. I also ran alone more during this loop. Everyone was spread out and those runners that passed me seemed to be in small pods.

I think I did well in the aid stations. At each aid station I grabbed a cup of Heed and Gatorade. With the one exception listed above, I never spent more than 30-seconds in an aid station. The third loop was the only loop where I ate food from the aid station. I tried a cheese quesada, which didn’t work for me. It tasted good, but the cheese stuck to the top of my mouth. I also tried M&M’s and Pringles chips. Pringles worked very well. They were easy to grab and walk away with and they helped with my salt craving. I also picked up a quarter PB&J, well I thought it was a PB&J. After putting it in my mouth I realized it was peanut butter and banana. For some reason I had one hell of a time trying to chew it. There were several runners around me and I didn’t want to seem rude by spitting the food out on the trail.

I finished loop two strong. Before the timing mat I saw Jon Walk on the course. Jon had told me earlier in the week he might be out there, but was unsure. In and around Houston, I generally know several people. At this race I didn’t see anyone I knew from my normal circle of runners. With that being said, it was a pleasant surprise to see Jon. He’s always a smiling face offering words of encouragement.

Once I crossed the timing mat Andrea was waiting for me once again. I exclaimed, “I feel good. I don’t know what we did that worked, so let’s repeat everything we did the first time”. While I was running the second loop, Andrea was in pursuit of S-caps, but wasn’t able to locate any. In addition to the gear I already had I donned a running cap with a bib light, handheld flash light, extra Gu’s, and I changed shoes and socks. I had several hot-spots, but nothing visible during the exchange. While Andrea changed out my socks and shoes I ate my PB&J’s as fast as I could. As before; I had my Payday candy bar, ibuprofen, and one muscle relaxer.

What would later turn out to be a bad idea, I asked Andrea to dump the water in my hydration back and fill it with the remaining green tea. I was hoping the caffeine would keep me alert since the sun was already setting. The tea tasted great, but left me with a thirsty feeling. Andrea took care filling my hydration back while I asked the medical personal to use the foam roller again. Not only were they willing to let me use the roller, they seemed overly excited to know I was still running.

Thanks to Andrea I felt like my time off the course went efficiently without any unnecessary loss of time. The off-course time between loop two and three was just under fifteen minutes. Once I got back on course Jon walked with me for a couple minutes. Jon stated, “If I can run a fifty, I know you can”. I did not know this, but Jon ran the RR50 two-years ago. He also said he would try to be here to see me finish. For many, many miles I thought about that last comment. To be frank, I have family that wouldn’t wait 4-5 hours to see me finish, yet Jon would. I can only hope to return such a gesture. Knowing Jon would unselfishly wait in the cold dark to see me finish gave me a huge burst of encouragement.

I wanted loop three to mirror loop two, but I got inpatient and started running well before the first aid station. On this loop I walked ten minutes and ran five minutes. The pattern yielded a 16:45 pace. Again, I was back on schedule, even with the extended time spent at medical. I noticed my leg felt better when I ran a faster pace, so obliged my legs with some impressive five minute burst. The pattern of fast running followed by a walk was embarrassing at times.

On that final loop I saw something I thought I would never see. Just ten feet ahead of me I watched an older man pull his shorts to the side and start urinating without ever losing his stride. I’ve read about people doing this in books and magazines, but it blew my mind to see it in person. If you’re wondering, it was quite messy. He pissed all over his leg and his shoes, but you got to love his dedication to conserve time.

I made it half way through the third loop before I needed a light. The small LED hat light I wear on the greenbelts did little good on the trails. Luckily I had my flashlight, although it wasn’t much brighter. In the near future I plan to invest in a better light. Some of those runners looked like a freight train coming down the track. The only problem arose when people tried to look at your face, because their light would temporarily blind you. For that reason I reduced the quantity of “Good Job” comments I threw out.

Once it turned dark I had a massive burst of energy. There are a number of reasons to account for this, but it boils down to my joy of running in the dark. I’ve acknowledged this several times while night trail training for this race. I ran for at least four miles continuous, including the less aggressive inclines. In the dark you don’t notice inclines till your legs start burning. I stayed less tuned to my watch on the last loop, yet I knew a sub 13-hour finish was possible.

There is always a point in every race when my legs get tired. During this race my legs felt ok till mile 43. Of course I’m not talking about the ITB issues mentioned earlier.Thi slets me know my base is solid. I know there was a lot of walking but 50 miles is 50 miles. With the right training, there is no telling what I might be able to run.

The running burst stopped a few miles short of the finish line. I wanted to run the remaining three miles, but I was out of gas. I tried returning to my run/walk pattern, but I couldn’t seem to find anything I was comfortable with. I walked 90% of those last three miles without any regrets. I conceded the sub 13-hour finish knowing I would finish faster than my goal of 13:30.

Once I saw the bright lights of the finish line I sprung back to life. I felt like I was running a 40-yards dash as I finished, although the spectators would probably tell a different story. As I crossed the timing pad they yelled for my number. I proudly returned “626”. During my scan of the crowd for Andrea and yelling my number I missed the time on the clock.

I came to a stop in front of Jon, who was the first person to congratulate me. In my peripheral vision I saw Andrea walking up from the side. True to her usual self, she had a smile from ear to ear. Her first words were, “I can’t believe you finished this soon!”. Once she said that I thought to myself, “On no! I forgot to look at the clock”. When we actually looked, the clock read 13:00:27.

There was a small piece of me that wished I would have tried harder for a few seconds, but I was happy to finish my first 50 mile trail run. Jon directed me to the finishers table. Unfortunately, I didn’t see Jon after that. I wanted to share with him my appreciation for his time and kind words.

In what I hoped was a joke, they told me they couldn’t find the finisher medals. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. This has been the most monumental thing I have ever done in my life. And yes, that silly little medal proves it to everyone. The volunteer took my bib number and told me they will mail it to me when they find them. I also thought we received a finisher’s shirt, but apparently we don’t. Sigh…

I sat down for awhile to rest my weary body. Next time I plan to walk to my truck before stopping. After I sat down and took my gear off, I couldn’t gather the strength to get out of the chair much less walk to the truck.

True with all my races, I learn from them and become a better athlete. The most valuable lesson today was how to run through pain. I was hurting for the majority of this race, but never stopped making forward progression. I’m a little closer to understanding the mental aspect of running.

Now for my general review of the race:

Damage:
The overall damage wasn’t too bad with all things considered. Both legs are sore, which is typical of a long race. Other than the sore legs I have four blisters on my feet, both knees appear swollen and I have a chafed butt crack. Yeah, you read that right. That’s a first for me and it not comfortable!

Pre-Race:
The meeting was informative and the meal was GREAT, although a little on the expensive side ($15/person). Glad to see they offered a vegetarian option. The facility accommodated the runners comfortably.

Weather:
The weather was beautiful today. I wish the camera hadn’t died so I could have caught the sun rising over Raven Lake with the sound of water flowing over the spillway. The view was breath taking. I don’t know the exact temperature, but I think we started around 38 and the high was mid 50’s.

Timing:
As always, I like to see chip timed races.

Route/ Course:
This was a pleasant and interesting route through HSP. Not that I wanted any, but I was expecting more mud due to all the recent rain.

Race/RD/Aid stations:
I cherished the aid stations. The volunteers provided an upbeat environment. RD seemed to manage the large number of runners well. When deciding if I wanted to run RR50, I sent Joe two emails. Both messages returned with a single word response. Hard to explain, but it seemed very impersonal to me. As I mentioned, I’m bummed about walking away empty handed. Maybe I’m hard to please, but I really don’t like the cheap, ill fitting pull-over. I’d much rather a technical shirt. No swag in the packet, just a bare bones race. Those darn road races have spoiled me forever!

Gear:
The only issues with my gear were in the light department. The hat light was not bright enough to see anything and the handheld light is cumbersome because you need to minimize arm swing to see well. Garmin forerunner held out the entire race. Dirty girl gaiters ROCK. I didn’t have any issues with rocks, dirt, or leaves in my shoes. Both the handheld Ultimate direction water bottle and Nathan Hydration vest worked as expected. I also ran the last loop with my iPod. It’s not my style to run with an iPod on the trails, but I was looking for energy anywhere and everywhere. My running cap was comfy. I wore my compression sleeves on the final loop as well. Not sure they yielded any results.

Fuel/Hydrations/Supplements:
I needed my S-caps. This was the first time to run 15+ miles without them and also first time to have muscle issues. There might not be an association, but I don’t care to try again. I’m not sure if Gu is helping anymore. I use to notice a big improvement minutes after a gel shot. Now they merely make me hungry. Even though the PB&J sandwiches worked well, I learned to cut the crust off my bread. The crust is too dry. I’m also going to add Pringles chips to my list of foods. The Payday candy bars still work well.

Weight:
204.2

Alison the GREAT!

2010-02-05T17:26:00.000-06:00

I had a lot to do today. The main objective was to finish preparing my drop bag in preparation of my 50-mile run. I found a drop bag ‘master list’ online, which was a huge help. Preparing my gear for each loop was fun as much as it was motivating.

Andrea and I left the house at 1pm. I made last minute plans to pick up Alison in Trinity and take her the Rocky Raccoon 1-miler kid’s race. Once we picked up Alison we stopped by the Walker County Storm shelter to pick up my race packet hoping to beat the crowds that would be there closer to the pre-race meeting.

We arrived at Huntsville State park thirty minutes before Alison’s 4 pm race. When Alison and I talk on the phone she is always telling me about her “training”. Each week she reports how many times she ran up and down the road or loops around the house, and she tells me how many jump ropes she completed. I usually tell her what a great athlete she is, but inside I chuckle at her because she takes her fitness so serious at the ripe old age of eight.

While registering for the race we sized up the competitors. Two girls there were older than Alison, one of the girls was easily 12-years old and towered over Alison by more than a foot. There was also a boy the same age, yet larger than Alison. Everyone else was younger than her, yet deserved equal respect. In the minutes leading up to the race I kept whispering to Alison, “Today is your day. You’ve trained hard and I know you will do GREAT”.

At the start there were 10-12 kids. For the first time, Alison lined up at the front. Usually she is content with being in the back of the pack, so I was surprised to see her on the line. Andrea offered to run with her, but she refused any help. The course was an out and back one-mile trail run. Once the race started I was only able to keep Alison in sight for a tenth of a mile. For the short time I could see the runners, the leaders were four strong, with Alison leading the way.

We waited for what seemed like an eternity. About eight minutes into the run we spotted the first runners on their way back. The runners were too far down the trail to determine who they were. As the runners approached I noticed the leader was wearing a black shirt. Overwhelmed with emotion I thought to myself… Alison was wearing a black shirt, I think that’s Alison! Within seconds I was able to confirm the front runner was indeed Alison. Following closely was a boy of similar age. The crowd exploded in excitement. Not only because it was the kids race, but there was a serious battle to the finish.

From the look on Alison’s face, she was clearly tired. The other runner was on her heals, so I cheered as loud as I could to make sure she held her lead. As I had mentioned to Alison before the race, TODAY WAS HER DAY. Alison crossed the finish line first OVERALL in a mind boggling 8:31.

The swag was nice and I mean really nice. She received a red golf shirt with the race name printed on it, an engraved finisher’s medal, and the first place prize, which was a large hand crafted gecko lizard. The first place prize was triple the size of the other awards, which were hand crafted horned toads. Before the race started she had seen the frogs and instantly fell in love with them. She had told me, “I hope I win one of those frogs”.

Alison left everything on the course. She didn’t hold anything back and was rewarded for her effort. Even while holding her larger first place medal, she admired the smaller trophy. Not only did I notice this, but so did the Race Director. Without a second thought they allowed Alison to trade her larger first place award for the trophy she really wanted.

Then came one of those moments every parent dreams of; There was one very young boy out on the course who had not finished yet. Even though Alison had finished long before the last runner came in, she met him at the finish line and gave him her original first place award.

I cannot think of another moment when I’ve been more touched. I was so overcome with emotion I found it difficult to hold back tears of pride. The entire time I overheard people talking about Alison. At least a dozen times I heard people comment among themselves saying, “That’s the girl that won the kids race in EIGHT minutes”.

WHAT A DAY! It doesn’t get any better than this.

Once we finished at the park we went back to the Walker County Storm shelter for the pre-race meeting and dinner. Alison proudly wore her finisher’s medal among the 700 ultra-marathon runners.

The meeting went as I expected. I was in awe at the vast number of runners. The one thought that kept crossing my mind was; what are the trails going to look like with this many people on them at one time?

Alison was starving and I made plans for her to eat with us, but Erin arrived minutes before the food was served. I felt bad because I wanted Alison to eat amongst her fellow runners. As for the food, it was AWESOME. On my first round at the self serve buffet I had salad, pasta, veggie marinara sauce, garlic bread, and a piece of chocolate cake. I couldn’t resist over indulging in a second serving of spaghetti, using tomorrow’s 50-mile race as an excuse.

Andrea and I stopped by Wal-Mart for a couple last minute race supplies. Up to this point everything was going perfect. Things took a different tone when Andrea noticed a voicemail from our hotel. Once she got a hold of the hotel we learned they had over-booked their rooms and needed to move us to another hotel. If that wasn’t bad enough the hotel they moved us to was also full, so they had to move us a second time. Somehow we ended up at the Econo Lodge.

I’ve never been a fan of hotels. Call me a germ freak, but it just makes my skin crawl thinking about the nasty people that might have been sleeping in that bed or walking around barefooted in the room. YUCK! Knowing that my options were limited, I tried to subdue my frustration.

We arrived at the Econo Lodge, which was next door to the La Quita. We had stayed there before and were totally grossed out. The girl at the desk pf the Econo Lodge was friendly and aware of our situation, which was a huge help. I had assumed it would get confusing trying to explain everything. Unfortunately, one of her first comments was, “They told you it’s a smoking room, right?” After she said that I had had enough. I was considering driving back home. After pleading my case for a NON-smoking room she made a phone call to the manager and got permission to release a room that was on hold for the manager himself.

All at once, everything turned around, but this time in a positive manner. We were given the managers non-smoking room and since it was the mistake of the original hotel, they paid for our room! Truth be known, the property and our room were both in pretty good condition.

Andrea had two vital roles during the race. She was attending the race to support me and more importantly she was my one and only crew member. I spent a couple hours diligently discussing my race strategy with her. We went through my drop bag, so she knew where everything was and when I would need certain items. Everything seemed in order and I was in bed by ten pm.

As I posted on my Facebook;

DEATH before DNF.
Tomorrow I’m going into battle and I shall return victorious!

T-minus; 36 hours

2010-02-04T18:21:00.005-06:00

I cycled the new greenbelt extension I discovered Tuesday. As expected my 5.25 mile loop was lengthened one mile. The new distance from my driveway and back is 6.30 miles. It's a nice addition, with the exception of crossing Woodland Hills Drive and Tree Lane. Unfortunately, both of these roads are relatively busy.

From time to time I run another extension to the South of my five mile loop. With any luck I will have a nice seven mile loop with both extensions. Seven is the magic number I’ve been looking for.

Trail Bike:
6.29 miles
33:58
11.11 mph

The push-up challenge went well today. For the first time I was able to do more than the minimum on the last set.

Push-ups:
74

Pull-ups:
2

Out of the clear blue sky my weight started dramatically dropping. This shocks me, because I'm eating "heavy" in preparation of my goal race. My intake is BMR + 200. This equals 2670 calories per day.

Weight:
198.25

The final race preparation was a one-hour massage. They accidentally scheduled me with the wrong therapist, so I was concerned about the actual benefits of the session. After explaining exactly what I wanted the therapist did a respectable job.

My usual request is a sports massage to my neck, back, legs, and feet. Most therapist are scared they might hurt their client and generally take it too easy to get any real benefit. I gave the therapist detailed instructions to treat the session as a deep-tissue massage, but STOP if they see my squirming. Two muscle groups seemed to be exceptionally sore... bilateral iliotibal bands and distal portion of my trapezius or possibly my erector spinae. Fortunately, the therapist also commented about the symmetrical balance of my muscles.

I spent the better part of 5-6 hours working on my 2010 race schedule yesterday. I'm REALLY excited about these races. This schedule was not built for the weak at heart! Everything is confirmed and on my calendar, I've even requested off for the out of town races. I also spent a few extra minutes and downloaded all the registration forms. I'm hoping to save a few dollars by avoiding online registration fees. All that is left is to train and run the race. Sounds easy enough... right!?!?!

Final tapper run

2010-02-03T19:13:00.006-06:00

At work.

Final run of the week. I couldn't bare the idea of another treadmill run, so I ran circles around the fire station, which was the lesser of the two evils. The overcast skies dropped their rain on me once I decided to run. I maintained a decent pace, simply to get out of the cold rain.

Run:
2.08 miles
19:35
9:25 pace

Strength Training:
Mid-body

Weight:
199.75 lbs

I'm already looking for my next big race. Online searches for a 100k run didn't yield anything fruitful. Well, no races within a reasonable driving distance. Maybe I should put a hundred on my schedule.

Let me make it through my first fifty. Baby steps, Bill.... baby steps.

Pull-ups

2010-02-02T22:41:00.004-06:00

What gives? I'm tired, almost to the point of being exhausted.

I ran a new greenbelt route today, which I plan to add to my five mile loop. Not sure what the new mileage will be, but I guess it will be close to six miles. Even though I have a general feeling of lethargy, the run was refreshing.

I opted to jog on the grass next to the greenbelt. The rock, dirt, and grass under my feet make me feel like I'm on the trails. There is nothing better than the inner peace I feel while running on the trails.

Run:
3.0 miles
31:19
10:26 pace

Walk:
1.0 mile
16:00
16:00 pace

This afternoon I spent thirty minutes in my personal gym lifting weights. Maybe it's a "man thing", but I enjoy throwing iron around.

Strength Training:
Upper body

After a visit to the hardware store and $28 later, I now have a pull-up bar. I simply added it to the end of the kids play set. Nothing fancy, but it's plenty durable. As soon as I can do five unassisted pull-ups in one day I plan to start the iPullups application on my iPhone.

The last set of push-ups was hard. In fact, they were so difficult I had to switch to modified push-ups for the last seven of 15.

Pull-ups:
4 full and 3 half (over several hours)

Push-ups:
63

Weight:
200.25 lbs

DOMS is here...

2010-02-01T16:29:00.001-06:00

Happy February!

DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, has caught up with me. No running for me today, yet my legs feel like they have hundred-pound weights attached to them.

Sore legs was a worry I had when deciding to run Piney Woods 10-mile trail race the week before my goal run. Not a great idea, but I have no regrets. At least I have plenty of time to recoup.

This evening I went for a short walk. I'm hoping to reap the rewards of flushing some residual lactic acid out of my legs.

Thirty minutes on the treadmill. I moved the unit in front of the television to reduce the boredom associated with a treadmill workout. It's interesting that I've NOT been on a treadmill in months, but all of the sudden I've been on a treadmill three times in the last week.

Walk:
1.62 miles
30:00 minutes
18:31 pace

Weight:
201.5

Piney Woods 10-mile trail run VIDEO

2010-02-01T01:04:00.000-06:00

Piney Woods 10-mile Trail Run from Bill Cox on Vimeo.

Good Workout at Work

2010-01-31T20:15:00.008-06:00

At work.

I spent thirty minutes on the recumbent bike. The normally boring workout wasn't too bad. Josh was in the gym circuit training, so I had someone to talk with. Followed the session with a treadmill run. Nice and easy pace. My legs feel surprisingly fresh.

Run:
2.51 mile
34:51
13:54 pace

Recumbent Bike:
7.64 miles
30:00
15.28 mph

Strength Training:
Engine 2 Basic workout

Push-ups:
59

Pull-ups:
1 and 3 assisted

I'm embarrassed to admit my inadequacies with pull-ups. Hope to change this predicament soon!

Yesterdays "free-meal" turned into a full blown "free day", which was evident on the scale.

Weight:
204.25

Piney Woods 10-mile race report

2010-01-30T21:34:00.004-06:00

This morning’s race was by far the best running experience I’ve ever had. No PR’s. No hardware. This was merely an enjoyable and exciting time out on the trails.

Race Director Bill Gardner has his thumb on the pulse of trail runners. Without hesitation I would be happy to register for any race he directed. The parts of the race that should be simplistic were, and the usually neglected items were diligently managed. Great job, Bill!

A general sense of concern loomed over me running this morning, because we have all three kids with us this weekend. Having the kids aren’t the issue, but taking them out in 33 degree weather IS AN ISSUE. The kids showed an authentic interest in attending my run, so we kept our plans and prepared accordingly. Andrea went to great length to dress everyone in multiple layers of clothing for maximum warmth, which worked perfectly.

I was shocked to realize we were loaded and actually on our way a few minutes BEFORE schedule. Being early or even on time is a rarity. Maybe that single act set this perfect day in motion.

We arrived at Lake Houston Park about 45-minutes before the 9am start. Registration and packet pick-up was easy to find. The volunteers were as friendly as much as they were efficient. Earlier in the week I had corresponded via email with Bill Gardner about my returned race registration, so I needed to explain my case to them. Even with my little issue, I was completely done in less than five minutes.

Once we left registration we walked a quarter-mile to the race start/finish line. The first thing I noticed was the huge camp fire, complete with benches around all four sides. The radiant heat from the fire was greatly adored by the race participants. Initially, there weren’t many runners congregating around the fire, but as the race time neared the real estate closest to the fire became extremely valuable.

Between the camp fire and the start line was a nice looking jeep, which was the power source for a simple, yet impressive music/PA system. When we first arrived most of the runners were happily listening to the music, while only a few people were socializing.

As I was warming up next to the fire, I also attempted to “warm-up” to the other participants. I asked the group a series of questions, which included; “Have you ever run in this park before?” I felt somewhat special, because I have run here on plenty of occasions, most recently earlier this week. For those willing to listen, I gave information how the trails were holding water BEFORE the last big rain. I also gave them a brief insight to the ownership of the park (LHP was a State park before being purchased by the City of Houston), and why they should try to avoid the low ground bridges. Most of those bridges are in dire need of repair and I find it safer to run next to them rather than risk injury by running on them.

Several people were talking about this being their first trail run. I offered tidbits of information on what to expect at this particular park. It’s a neat feeling to finally be the one with a little experience. Again, this added to my feeling of being both “at home” and confident.

In the pre-race announcement the RD warned of two-three cumulative miles of ankle deep water and mud. I knew we’d see water, but I assumed his wording of “ankle deep water” was an exaggeration. I didn’t let the fear of running in water bother me, because honestly, I didn’t believe it would be as bad as stated.

I’ve never understood why so many races are unable to start on time, but that wasn’t an issue today. We heard what Bill called his, “Cold weather National anthem”, which was a beautiful and respectful 1:45 minute version of the US national anthem. At 9:00 sharp we were on our way.

The first thing I noticed was the sharp left turn once we left the starting area. I imagined the race to take place in the back of the park, which would have required a right hand turn. With all the running I’ve done in this park, very few miles have been west of the power line easement.

Before the race started I was standing around the camp fire with a great deal of confidence and probably acting a bit cocky, because I knew the layout of the park. One mile later I found myself running a section I’ve never seen before. I love karma and how it always has a way of bringing me back to reality.

Miles one and two were fun and fast. My pace was hovering around 10:00/mile. I felt smooth as I glided through those first miles, but I wondered how long I could hold the pace. My question should have been how long the trails will allow me to hold the pace. By the time I reached the second mile I was running in cold muddy sloop. The trails were holding an abundance of water, much like Bill Gardner warned us of. The runners before us had tried to run to either side of the water only to turn the entire section into a swamp land.

For the first hundred yards I was able to keep my feet dry. I knew it wouldn’t last and it didn’t. The water was so cold my toes were almost immediately numb. I remind you, it’s still 35 degrees in the park and now I’m wet. There were stretches of water and mud that lasted for a mile. Okay, maybe not a mile, but a long damn way. As soon as I left the water behind I’d make a turn on the trail and see another long stretch of what I just left. I watched a couple women lose their footing and take a nose dive into the water. There is no way for me to image how cold or disheartening that must have been. After seeming Karen’s friend fall in a pool of water, I made my number one goal to stay upright at any cost.

The bulk of the mud and water was behind us as we approached the five mile mark. By this time we were finally in a section of the park I was familiar with. I was running alone as well. No complaints from me though, I like running solo on the trails.

I ran long enough on high ground that my feet were starting to dry. I joked with the aid station volunteers and asked for directions to the next mud hole, because my feet were getting too dry. Over the next couple miles we saw small patches of water. Most of these were easy to navigate around.

The seven mile marker was located in an area familiar to me. From that point I was able to predict the last few miles. The start line was 2-3 miles away, which was consistent with the remaining mileage. Again, I assumed we would run along the power line easement then turn on the main camp road towards the finish line.

I struggled with ideas regarding how to finish the race. I had run continuous and a lot faster than expected. This doesn’t take into account I was running on muddy trails! If we followed the roads I mentioned above it would be a fast finish. I had 4-5 runners ahead of me and I eagerly wanted to reel them in. As well, I tried to remind myself that I have a HUGE race next weekend and this might be a foolish move. During the half-mile spent thinking about my options I never thought we would enter the west end trails again. To my surprise we made the dreadful right hand turn for another round of mud and fun.

There was enough mud to last any runner a lifetime. With a smile on my face I ran straight down the middle of the trail splashing water several feet in the air. I didn’t make a single attempt to dodge anything. Quickly I learned the areas with the most water had a solid bottom. Everyone else was still slipping and sliding while trying to avoid the large bodies of water. During this time I was able to maintain my pace and I actually caught all but one of the runners I had in my sights.

Those last couple miles went fast. There was a part of me thinking something was wrong. This race was going all too well. I figured my Garmin was fowling up, resulting in a faster pace than I actually was running.

The course was beautifully marked. There was one small turn at the end I was not sure about. With only half a mile to go I simply turned in the direction of the music. Ahead of me in the last half-mile was a runner who followed me for a couple mid-course miles and eventually passed me. Once I caught up with him, I made the generic comment of “good job” to which he replied, “You caught back up!?!”. In all honestly, it was a combination of his slowing pace and my increasing pace. We were side by side with the finish line in sight 150-yards ahead. He said something similar to; “Let’s kick it in”. I cranked the pace a little and quickly put him behind me.

With a mere ten feet before entering the finishers shoot I could hear Andrea and the kids yelling in excitement. I had assumed the excitement was for me, and only me. What I didn’t know, as I slowed to enter the shoot the other runner was on my heel and was coming around me. I had already stepped on the first timing mat as he passed me, but he passed me fair and square. Of course if I had known he was there I could have easily prevented it, but it’s not like I was fighting for hardware.

Once it was all said and done, I was glad to finish a wonderful experience in such a dramatic fashion. We both congratulated each other as runners always do. That is what I love about running trails; there are never any bad feelings.

The post race party was phenomenal. They kept the campfire burning hot, while the caterer filled the air with delicious aromas. The music was playing, the beer was cold and everyone was congratulating each other and telling their personal stories of THE MUD.

Simply because I’m a vegetarian, doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy the smell of grilled meat. When I walked up to the caterer I told him I’m probably the pickiest fat guy you will ever meet. We both had a chuckle and I proceeded to ask about the ingredients of his foods. After a series of questions I was able to feast on sweet corn, a fresh roll, and a rice medley that was to die for!

I saw a lot more people than expected. Most notable was Karen. It’s always great visiting her and I feel faster just knowing her! Sabra and Yong were in attendance as well as numerous familiar faces from Kingwood FIT. I mentioned to them how I’d like to see Kingwood FIT start a trail program much like the Woodlands FIT has. If they are inclined enough to enter a trail race on their own, maybe this will help support my ideas of a trail marathon group with KWFIT.

All morning I carried my Flip camcorder and captured several videos of before, during, and after the race. I’m getting better at recording while running, narrating, and picking parts of my race worthy of capturing.

My chip time was 1:43:15, which was good enough for 13th place in my age bracket. Unfortunately, my knee ached for a couple hours after the run. This is most likely due the down hill kick into the finish. Once again, this was apparently a bitch slap from Karma to keep me in check.

For the first time ever, I wore “dirty girl” gaiters I received for Christmas. I’m not sure they help when running in water, but I know there are comfortable and don’t bother me. This was a test run before running in them next weekends 50-miler. I started the run with a couple s-caps and only used a single Gu during the run. I didn’t stop at any of the aid stations, but I made it a point to thank them for their time.

Of the forty plus races I’ve run, this has been my best overall experience.

I love me some trail running!!!

Run:
10.0 miles
1:43:15
10:20 pace

On last thing; this is the first race I've started under 200 lbs!

Weight:
199.25

Treadmill

2010-01-28T19:14:00.003-06:00

At work.

Ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill followed by thirty-minutes on the recumbent bike.

I'm tired and hungry. My weight bounced back quickly, but at what cost? I'm in need of more energy. Beginnings are always tough, especially this time.

Next week I'll increase the calories in preparation of my big race. Most likely my BMR + 200.

Weight:
200.25

Run:
2.5 miles
34:45
13:54 Pace

Recumbent Bike:
7.24 miles
30:00
14.48 mph

Preston and Dad

2010-01-27T18:20:00.005-06:00

Its been a delight to watch and play with Preston all day. We started our morning with a mid-week long run.

As usual Preston hitched a ride in the jogging stroller. For some unknown reason, he LOVES the jogging stroller. Preston brought a few of his favorite toys and I cranked up the music loaded on my iPhone so we could both hear the tunes. We had us a rolling party!!!

This mornings run was very leisure without any formal structure. The first leg of our run was a four mile stroll to Subway at Town Center. I finally used the last of a Christmas gift card. Lunch cost me a whooping 0.30 cents. Thanks Marty for the Christmas gift!

We ran three miles to Kingwood Park High school on the second leg. Andrea seemed happy about our surprise visit at work.

On our final four miles home we stopped at a playground. Preston saw an airplane ride on the playground and nearly jumped out of the moving stroller to get to it. On that final stop I allowed Preston to play for awhile before finding our way home.

Run:
10.0 miles
1:52:11
11:13 pace

Walk:
1.92 miles
29:52
15:33 pace

This evening I did another Engine 2 Basic workout, push-ups, and pull-ups. It's embarrassing not being able to do a single pull-up. I want to build a pull-up bar at the house so I can practice. Today I used the kids' play set.

The E2 workout seemed too easy. I probably should be lifting weights, but with my goal race on the horizon I'm playing it safe.

Strength Training:
Engine 2 BASIC workout

Push-ups:
60

Pull-ups:
3 (assisted)

Weight:
202.25

The diet has been on track for three days. I've been sub 2,100 calories all three days. That's the magic number where I see decent weight loss.

My body weight has been the same for two days. The damage of the last month was not as bad as I had expected.

I'm hungry right now, but I'm tougher than a few hunger pangs.

Unexpected Company

2010-01-26T15:50:00.000-06:00

Back on my trail bike for a mini tour of Kingwood. Unlike my last bike ride, today I felt more comfortable in the saddle.

I've changed my recording device. The bike computer and GPS greatly differ in the total distance. And honestly, I trust the GPS more.... even if it consistently shows a shorter distance. On today's ride the difference was nearly 1/3 of a mile.

Trail Bike:
8.93 miles
45:06
11.88 mph

My run was a short two-miles, yet I gassed out.

I was wearing a pair of shoes that are well beyond their running mileage. In fact, I retired them months ago. Most of the shoes I retire are still in decent condition, so I use them for other activities like cycling. About a quarter-mile into the run I realized I forgot to change shoes from the bike ride I had just finished. As a safety precaution I ran on the grass next to the greenbelt to minimize any unwanted pounding.

Half a mile into the run I came across a large dog without his owner in sight. He was a huge and gnarly mixed breed dog, but it was obvious he was friendly. I tried shooing him away, but he refused and ran right next to me. I've never been the type that "has to have a dog", which is why I don't understand people and their obsessions with their canine pets.

I'll be the first to admit, it was kind of cool running with a well-behaved dog.

Not sure why, but he had a stub of a tail, maybe 2-inches long. The entire time his little stubby tail was wagging so fast you could almost hear it moving in the air. As he ran next to me he was sticking his chest out, as if he was strutting and proud to be "runner".

Every couple minutes the dog would look up at me for validation. And EVERY time he took his eyes off the trail we bumped into each other. Any other time I would have been frustrated that a dog was interfering with my run, yet I found it comical when our legs got entangled.

Our route was an out and back, so after 1.3 miles I turned around. Interestingly, he stopped running with me at nearly the same spot he joined me. I wonder how far he would have followed me?

My legs were totally dead and I didn't want to run, but my new friend surely kept me entertained.

Unknown dog, "Thank You, it was fun".

Run:
2.21 miles
25:09
11:23 pace

Walk:
0.43 mile
7:06
16:31 pace

Weight:
202.25

Tonight I made the nearly two-hour drive to attend "Math Game Night" at Alison's school. I barely made it in time due to traffic. We had a lot of fun being together, but I'm reminded that I'm likely to miss a lot of school activities due to the distance barrier.

Erin, Andrea, and I worked out the logistics for me to bring Preston home with me. This is going to be a great week!

Consistency Needed

2010-01-25T20:45:00.005-06:00

I've been in a funk since Christmas.

With the exception of not running while in Colorado, I've maintained a respectable amount of running. Unfortunately my cycling, strength training, and dieting have been "On & Off" at best. I'm in dire need of some consistency.

After a glutenous, albeit fun weekend, I'm trying to get back to my strict, consistent regimen of fitness and dieting.

Even though I'm at work, the day has gone as planned. Work days are often the most challenging.

Strength Training:
Engine 2 basic workout

Weight:
205.75

Push-ups:
45

Pull-ups:
3 (assisted)

Ran around the station with part-time employee Calvin. Earlier in the day he told me, "I can't imagine running six miles". Calvin has been consistently running three milers and has never run more than five. Today he ran with me for a mind-numbing 20-laps around the Fire Station complex. I talked the entire time and ran Calvin straight to a distance PR of six miles. He was really excited when I told him how far we had run. Admittedly, I was excited for him as well.

Great little run for me. My legs were sore in the beginning, but quickly settled into a nice mid-ten minute pace. We ran the entire distance without any stops or changes in pace.

Run:
6.04 miles
1:03:07
10:27 pace

Long Run in the Dark

2010-01-24T23:46:00.005-06:00

Training for RR50 continues. With a projected finish time of 14-15 hours, the last few hours running will be in the dark.

Andrea and I just finished our third night time run. Eleven miles on the trails, with nothing more than a small LED light clipped to our hats.

Finally.... a nice slow pace. Lately I've been pushing my long run pace with exhausting results. Tonight's run was AWESOME!!!

Andreas right knee is bothering her. I hope she heeds my advice and learns from the mistakes I made. My stubbornness resulted in knee surgery as a result of an overuse injury.
Stretch often
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation
Stop wearing HIGH HEELS to work

Run:
10.0 miles
2:08:14
12:49 pace

Walk:
1.2 miles
19:22
16:08 pace

Back on the bike

2010-01-23T11:32:00.001-06:00

Andrea and I rode our trail bikes to the back of Kingwood. While in the area we stopped by Shaina's house for a quick visit. From there we returned home for a total of thirteen miles.

The ride was tougher than it should have been. I've lost a bit of cycling fitness. The fitness loss is the direct result of not riding since December 27, 2009. This time last year I had already rode 121 miles. I need to get on the bike and start logging some miles!

Trail Bike:
13.2 miles
1:13:25
10.79 mph

20 miles in Kingwood

2010-01-21T21:43:00.003-06:00

If I were to follow my schedule, I should have run long Tuesday, but I worked. Without hesitation I moved the run to Wednesday. Unfortunately, we had a small automotive emergency Wednesday morning and the run was pushed back to this morning. THANKFULLY, Bob was gracious enough to join me and I finally got it over with.

For some reason I thought we were meeting at my house at 8am, but I actually had told Bob 7am. I was awake, albeit barely, when Bob showed up. Within a few minutes I was dressed and ready to run, but I skipped breakfast.

From my house we ran to East End Park. After two laps in the park, we made our way back home for an even 20-miles.

The first 10-12 miles were smooth and went by fast. After those first twelve "easy miles" I hit a rough spot. I had lots of energy, yet every inch of my legs was aching. It's the same achenes I get on distances over 20-miles and it is the same issue that slowed me down last Sunday. I need to learn to run through this discomfort, but today was not the day. In the last five days I've logged 54 miles, so my legs have a legitimate reason for being sore.

I didn't actually run 20 miles today. Per the training strategy from Rick Cook, I'm trying to concentrate on spending "time on my feet". We ran intervals, which consisted of; one-mile run followed by quarter-mile walks. We did this for the first 15 miles, then we reversed the order because my legs were trashed.

Once I reviewed all the data from my garmin, I see we held decent paces for both the walk and the run. I'm always looking for the good in every run. And as I often say, I learned a lot from this run.

It's unseasonable warm this week. Our 7am departure and route kept us in the shade. The entire run was nice and cool even though the temperature was near 70 when we finished. I always enjoy cooler running weather, but the heat was not a negative factor.

I really appreciate Bob running with me. Not only did his attendance help get me out the door, but he kept me from walking more than I did. Bob is an incredible athlete. At the end he told me he only planned to run three miles, yet he ended up running the entire distance with me. If that's not awesome enough, he did it without a single drink of water. He's a machine!

Run:
13.27 miles
2:30:21
11:19 pace

Walk:
6.74 miles
1:52:18
16:39 pace

Still in a diet funk and the scale is showing it. I'm on and off right now. Not sure what the deal is. I'm always hungry and nothing seems to satisfy my urges. I need to find a way back to managed weight loss and soon!

Shaina's Running

2010-01-20T21:37:00.002-06:00

This evening I started training Shaina for her first 5k. She's super excited, which is contagious . I can honestly say that helping new runners gets me all pumped up as well. I'm coaching her under the Power in Motion training schedule. I also asked her to make a commitment by registering for the Bellaire Trolley 5k on April 10, 2010. An hour after the run she called and said she was officially registered.

Tonight she ran 8 x 1 minute run followed by 2 minute walk. She did a lot better than I expected. She's off to a good start.

Run:
0.66 mile
8:00
12:08 pace

Walk:
1.28 mile
21:20
16:40 pace

The Day After

2010-01-18T20:58:00.004-06:00

Who knew a five-mile run the day after a road marathon would be the best run of 2010!?!?

Like everyone else who ran yesterday, I'm sore and achy all over. For me, it is a result of all the concrete. I've said it a hundred times before, Concrete Will Rattle Your Bones!!!

My "big" race is in a mere three weeks, so I don't have a lot of time to sit around and wait for my body to stop aching before I start running again. Today's schedule called for a 4-6 mile walk. The wooded trails of Lake Houston Park released something inside me. I ran half-mile intervals followed by quarter-mile recovery walks.

Trail running has found a special spot in my life. Trails are where I truly feel like I belong.

On today's run the single track trails were muddy, the blisters from yesterdays race were screaming at me, and it was warm enough that I was drenched in sweat. But even with those factors, I was at total peace on the trails.

Andrea joined me, but we parted ways within the first quarter-mile. She chose to walk leisurely around the front of the park, while I took off towards the hiking trails. I love Andreas company, but I'm glad today's run was a solo jaunt. There's something about trails that I can't explain in words. It's something magical that needs to be experienced, because it can never be expressed in words or photographs.

Run:
5.3 miles
57:04
10:46 pace

Walk:
2.63 miles
45:21
17:14 pace

Weight:
202.0 lbs

Even though my weight is over 200, I'm at peace with it. My clothes still fit the same and I feel healthy. I'm going to shift the weight loss goals to something less aggressive. It's hard to be a serious "dieter" and a serious runner. Trust me, its not easy.

I think it's best to limit the number of road races I run per year. On February 28th Andrea and I are running a marathon in New Orleans, but that will probably be the last long road race this season. This is probably a wise decision for me, especially since I'm eager to pursue my new love for trails and the idea of ultras.

I found a new iPhone app, which is from a web site I've known about for awhile. It's called 100 push-ups (.com). The app makes it easier to record, time, and track progress. I've attempted this a couple times prior, but I've never made it past a couple weeks. Maybe this time!?!?

Push Ups: 60

I'll start my Houston Marathon recap tomorrow. This weekend has been busy and blogging wasn't at the top of my list.

I bought a new pair of shoes today. I'm returning to regular running shoes and sticking with Asics. I'm tired of all the blisters.

Pre-race excitement

2010-01-15T23:07:00.007-06:00

Fun, yet busy day.

I had plans to sleep late, but my cell phone started ringing before 8am. By 9:30 I had already picked up Wyatt. Earlier in the week I talked Wyatt into going to the Houston Boat and RV show. Part of my New Year's resolution is to start engaging in more family activities, so I'm looking for a small bumper tow RV.

Unknown by us until we arrived at Reliant Stadium, but the expo didn't open till 1:00pm. Both of us had a full schedule and couldn't wait around that long. Since we were in the South part of Houston we met Shaina and had lunch at Cafe Express.

Today was the first of my "Vegan Friday's". Even though Cafe Express is a healthier restaurant, I found it a challenge to find full "vegan" options. It would have been easy to order a vegetarian meal. Eating only vegan foods left me with two side dishes; roasted artichoke hearts & tomatoes and sweet potato fries. My selections we delicious, but left me hungry.

On the way back home we stopped at a couple RV stores. I found the particular RV I've been looking for and it's actually cheaper than I expected. Now that I know the available options and prices, I'll start a hunt for a used unit.

Once I finally got back home I ran three miles. It was amazing how strong my legs felt. I honestly thought I was running a ~12:00 pace, but it was actually in the low ten minute range. Those three glorious miles will be the last till Sunday's marathon.

Run:
3.01 miles
30:05
10:00 pace

Weight:
199.25

I had just enough time to get a haircut and shower before Tom and Andrea made it to the house. From here we headed to the GRB to pick up our race packets at the Houston Marathon Expo. This years expo was by far the best I've been too. Lots of useful booth's and it wasn't too crowded. I would have liked to look around longer, but they closed at 6pm.

The energy of the expo has me fired up for the marathon. It's also a great feeling to be around Tom and Andrea as they prepare for their first marathon. Their pre-race nervousness is sandwiched by the excitement of the "unknown" and it is contagious! I'm so proud of these two. They've both worked hard day-in and day-out and deserve this monumental achievement. Their first marathon is something they will never forget and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to be a part of it.

As for me, I'm ready and a PR seems within reach. I'm lighter than I was in 2006 (199.25 versus 218.5lbs) and I'm in better shape. The only difference is, I was "faster" back then. As I look through my training log I clearly see a significant difference in my training paces. In the months leading up to the 2007 marathon, most of my runs were in the low 9:00 range. Currently I train at a leisure 11:00 pace. There's one big difference I'm counting on; in 2006-2007 I was always hurting and today I'm happy and healthy.

My race strategy is to run a safe, consistent pace. My ultimate goal is run sub 4:30:00. If that doesn't happen I'll be content with a new marathon PR (sub 4:39:01), but I really need to focus on getting Andrea and Tom through THEIR run. I've run hundreds of miles with these two athletes and I don't want to abandon them now. On the other hand, if one drops we have already agreed I will stay with the front runner. Our plan is to run together and finish together. I truly believe we've trained smart enough to cross the finish line together.

After the Expo, we found a great Vegan restaurant in uptown called, The Pepper Tree. Great food and reasonable prices. I only wish it was closer to home!

Even though I should be in bed, I'm still busy. I work tomorrow till 8pm, so I'm getting all my race stuff together tonight. I've already programmed my garmin, selected my clothes, pinned my bib, attached my chip, gathered my GU/S-caps, and even packed my drop bag.

All I have left to do is wait for the start gun to go off. I'm keeping my fingers crossed my shift at work is easy. I have the night part off, but that won't matter if we make a house fire or something even bigger.

The run that kept growing....

2010-01-14T19:42:00.005-06:00

Tom and I started the morning with a run once we got off duty. We choose Schott Park because we are trying to avoid concrete and this park has a forgiving crushed concrete surface. Plus this park is only a couple miles from the station, which was very convenient.

Schott park is a hidden gem I often forget about.

We started the session with an extended warm-up with stretches and maintained a leisure 11:30 pace. I started with a slight tightness in my legs, but they feel a lot better now that I've run.

The schedule called for two miles. Earlier in the week, Tom and I decided to run three miles. Once we completed three miles we elected to run one more mile. At the four mile mark Tom departed, but I kept running to complete an even five miles. Then finally, at five miles I convinced myself to run the seven miler I skipped yesterday.

Run:
7.0 miles
1:20:13
11:28 pace

Weight:
199.5 lbs

The diet is on track and my weight is back under 200. I've maintained my pre-scheduled caloric intake since Monday. I'm VERY excited to be back on the wagon. The combination of Christmas, New Years Eve, and the wedding-honeymoon played havoc on my diet. I don't have any regrets. I'll make a conscious attempt to learn from those behaviors and move forward.

Post Tempo Run Soreness

2010-01-12T16:51:00.004-06:00

I'm paying the price for unscheduled tempo runs. The majority of my lower body is sore... in a good way!

Tom and I met at East End Park for a sloooow three-mile run. Toms knee is bothering him, so we spent an extended amount of time warming up and stretching. The late morning run was as enjoyable as it was peaceful.

Just minutes upon completion of our run, we saw Steve entering the park. Steve was in the middle of a nine mile run. It would have been fun for all of us to run together, had we known he was running in the same area. Running socially in a group is as beneficial as any training program I've ever seen.

Run:
3.0 miles
36:07 miles
12:02 pace

Walk:
0.20 mile
3:38
18:10 pace

Weight:
201.25 lbs

ON FIRE!!!

2010-01-11T19:07:00.007-06:00

Although it's only been one day, I'm back on track.

The OCD inside me considered being extreme in an attempt to make up lost ground, but I decided to simply start back on my pre-scheduled diet & running plan. The transition back to weight loss and running should be easy. This week's caloric intake is equal to my RMR + 200, which is a generous amount of calories.

Not sure why, but I felt like running near the top of my ability. Andrea matched me stride for stride while Taylor followed closely on her bicycle. Nice little family outing. I felt selfish, but I wore my ipod. While I was running hard I cranked up the tones and "went to work".

Run:
4.0 miles
35:22
8:50 pace

Walk:
1.25 miles
20:01
16:01 pace

Bill the Runner

2010-01-10T20:46:00.006-06:00

At work today.

I wasn't in the mood to run and had to force myself to exercise. Looking back now, I'm really glad I made myself lace'em up!

I started running solo. My plan was to run 5 x 1-mile intervals followed by 0.15 mile recoveries. Shortly after completing the first interval Steve joined me. The original plan was altered upon Steve's arrival. I ran through the remaining recoveries and improved the pace to an impressive 9:30 pace.

For the first time in a couple weeks I felt good while I was running.

The area surrounding the blister on my right foot is bright red. I tended to the issue after running. Hopefully there's still enough time to heal before the marathon.

Run:
6.16 miles
1:00:01
9:45 pace

Final Long Run with KWFIT

2010-01-09T23:09:00.006-06:00

Final long run with KW FIT. My personal schedule called for ten miles, but Tom and I were content to run six miles with the half marathoners. I'm still in a post-holiday running and dieting slump.

The temperature at the start of our run was 20 degrees. As usual I quickly warmed up and within two miles I had removed my hat. For the first time this winter I wore tights. It was nice at first, but I didn't feel the need for them once I started running.

Ran the entire route without any stops and we held a consistent pace. At no time did I see more than an eight second swing, which I found impressive.

Unfortunately I developed a blister on the arch of my right foot during this mornings run. I'll pop it at work tomorrow, using sterile equipment. Not sure why this happened!?!?!

Still not monitoring my diet. I'm looking for motivation to restart my regimen. I'm desperately looking for that "one thing" that stokes my fire. Any suggestions?

My nervousness about the 50-miler is growing at an alarming pace. I have convinced myself I am not ready.

Run:
6.37 miles
1:12:10
11:20 pace

Wedding Day

2010-01-02T20:22:00.004-06:00

In an attempt to settle my nerves I hiked up to Gem Lake. It was a beautiful 1.7 mile hike to the lake with 1,096 feet of elevation gain. Three-quarters of the way into the hike the weather changed. We had a panoramic view that went for miles and within minutes it started snowing and turned dark.

With the wedding a mere three always, I was nervous about getting lost on the mountain. Luckily, the weather improved, which enabled us to speed up to our destination. The rock formations were striking. Wish I was a better photographer and could capture what my eyes witnessed.

I don’t have the words to describe the wedding ceremony. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever been a part of. The scenery was breathing taking, but it didn’t stand a chance when compared to Andrea in her wedding gown. She was so beautiful I had to pinch myself to determine if it was reality or a dream.

For the first time since October I ate meat. Andrea and I’ve been craving chicken, so we figured there wasn’t a better reason than our wedding reception dinner. The scenery at Twin Oaks Restaurant was picturesque, but in my honest opinion, the food was subpar. Eating meat felt heavy. At least it didn’t upset our stomachs as EVERYONE predicted.

End of Year 2009 recap

2010-01-01T13:12:00.002-06:00

I didn’t have time to do an “End of Year” recap, so I’m doing it now (January 11th) and dating it back to January 1st.

2009 started a bit rocky, but in the end it turned out to be a good year. I spent a blissful year with the woman I would marry the second day of 2010. And while I had two major knee surgeries, I bounced right back into running and cycling. Below are some tidbits about my 2009:

*Ran my first ultra marathon (Rocky Raccoon 50k) in Huntsville State Park
*My only “PR” of the year was also my second ultra; Texas Trails Endurance Run 50k in Huntsville State Park
*Coached Kingwood FIT this year with mixed emotions whether to do it again
*Coached Power in Motion in both the Spring and Fall sessions. I really enjoy this, but it’s a burden for me to take off work and drive all the way to Memorial Park every week.
*Set the foundation for my own running club, but there hasn’t been any consistent interest.
*Erin and the kids moved to Trinity TX, which was emotionally tough for me.
*I learned who my real friends are and that I need to be more like them.
*Near the end of the year my weight was at a 15-year low of 194
*Ran 697 miles
*Walked 646 miles
*Cycled 1817 miles
*Average body weight: 228 lbs

Goals for 2010:
*Build a closer relationship with my kids and wife, utilizing outdoor activities as the foundation.
*Volunteer at an endurance race
*Attempt my first Triathlon
*Run 1500 miles
>>Every month over 100 miles
*Cycle 2500 miles
*FINALLY reach my goal weight of 175 lbs
*Fridays will be completely Vegan. No meat, egg, or milk products at all.

Stressed

2009-12-28T18:02:00.005-06:00

Running with the weight of the world on my shoulders is always evident in my pace.

I felt smooth and efficient till a young boy passed me like I was standing still. The boy and his blazing pace didn't bother me much. My pace dropped significantly lower at every mile split.

Run:
4.0 miles
37:02
9:15 pace

Walk:
1.26 miles
19:47
15:42 pace

Body Weight:
195.25 lbs

Bike

2009-12-27T18:12:00.002-06:00

Body Weight:
196.0 lbs

Andrea and I biked to and from lunch. Andrea hasn't been on her bike in a couple months and struggled today. I hope this is a wake up call for her to spend some time in the saddle.

Trail Bike:
11.35 miles
1:02:10
10.95 mph

Video of Kingwood Lake

2009-12-26T19:30:00.004-06:00

Long Run at Marathon Pace

2009-12-26T17:41:00.004-06:00

After two days of eating crap I'm ready to get back to a normal routine. The nutritional value of my diet has been so bad I'm craving fresh fruit and veggies. I felt ill last night due to all the sweets.

This morning I barely squeezed under 200 lbs, which was a HUGE wake up call.

Body Weight:
199.25 lbs

Tom, Andrea, and I ran with KWFIT this morning. KWFIT had a visitor from Austin, who is visiting family in the Kingwood area while on school break. It was nice to have another runner match us step for step and contribute to the effort. The visiting runner (I forgot her name) ran the first nine miles with us. Once she left we ran another six miles for a total of 15 miles.

Our average pace was within 15-seconds of marathon pace. Whats even more important, the run felt good. My last couple long runs have been less than stellar. Today's run was a reminder that a 4:30 marathon is still within reach.

Run:
15.03 miles
2:28:51
10:34 pace

Walk:
1.0 mile
17:01
17:01 pace

Running with a Stick

2009-12-24T18:13:00.004-06:00

Nice little run with Tom and Andrea. We started at Town Center and ran to East End Loop. Once we arrived at the park we ran the outer loop and returned back. Nice run.

I've finally found a way to enjoy East End Park. Once I enter the park I find a two-foot stick and run with it. It's a shame it has come to that, but I'm reclaiming my park. The unleashed dogs will not stop me anymore. Interesting how the dogs stay away from a runner with a large stick. The friendly curious dogs aren't too worried about me and my stick, but I'm still forced to give them a gentle nudge with the stick so that they don't interfere with my running. I've actually been tripped several times by dogs wanting attention.

East End Park is mine again!

Run:
8.1 miles
1:29:45
11:04 pace

Walk:
1.0 mile
16:39
16:39 pace

Rain on Last Mile

2009-12-23T20:11:00.004-06:00

At work.

First three miles were nice and dry, then out of no where the skies opened up on me. No worries, I've grown to like rainy runs.

Run:
4.0 miles
45:27
11:21 pace

Walk:
0.95 mile
15:26
16:14 pace

Body Weight:
196.5

Party

2009-12-22T23:06:00.002-06:00

I have a small group of friends and every one of them are truly good people. I’m lucky to say I know them and consider these guys, GREAT friends.

Last night Josh, Wyatt, Tom, and Westin treated me to a bachelor party, which was both wickedly fun and adventurous. Even though I drank enough liquor for ten people, I managed to keep the food in check. As expected, I woke up with a massive headache and tired (didn’t get home till well after 3am).

I didn’t let last nights shenanigans stop me from running. Andrea and I ran eight miles through the greenbelts. It was raining and it was dark, but it was also an amazing run!

Night time has become my favorite time to run. Normally the greenbelts are pitch black, but the trees have lost most of their leaves, which has yielded way to nearby light sources. I also assume the moon is nearly full because the overcast skies seemed oddly bright. We ran the entire eight miles without the use of our headlamps. Actually, I turned my light on for a few seconds when we entered the pedestrian tunnel. There was water and I didn’t want to get any wetter than necessary.

My fitness level and legs felt good. I had an odd feeling in my right hamstring. I’m not sure how to describe it, as I’ve never had this issue before. It feels sore, similar to the soreness I experience when lifting heavy weights after a long time off. I’m not too worried about it, but I’ll keep an watchful eye on the area.

Run:
8.0 miles
1:33:54
11:44 pace

Walk:
1.2 miles
20:13
16:51 pace

Body Weight:
194.5 lbs

As you can see, my body weight has been steady at 194-195. As usual, Vic’s last comment was very insightful. I’m not ready to push the panic button nor will I ever throw in the towel. I simply need to make better choices! Now I just need to survive Christmas, my wedding, and a week of vacation. After that I’ll be out of excuses.

Road to Recovery

2009-12-21T23:04:00.001-06:00

My body has responded nicely to the added recovery days. Today I enjoyed another thirty-minute stroll along the greenbelts.

I’ll be glad when the holidays and wedding are over. The struggles of social eating have proven difficult.

Body Weight:
194.25

Walk:
1.87 miles
30:54
16:31 pace

Back to the Basic's

2009-12-20T16:55:00.002-06:00

It's time to pull back on the reins before I lose control. I've been at this exact spot before and watched all the hard work slip away. I'm taking a step back mentally, physically, and behaviorally. With my typical mindset it is not easy for me to ‘Go with the flow’. I’m a creature of habit that thrives on consistency, patterns, and schedules.

Today and tomorrow is all about feeling better with no regard to my original training/dieting schedule.

No running for the next two days and I’ve increased my calories equal to my BMR at a factor rating of 1.375. In other words, I'm allotting myself 2600 calories which was derived from my age, gender, weight, and light activity factor.

I enjoyed a relaxing walk along the greenbelts. It is absolutely beautiful outside and would have been a nice day to run.

Walk:
2.0 miles
32:47
16:25 pace

No strength training today, but I’m considering the E2 workout tomorrow.

Body Weight:
194.75 lbs

What Was I Thinking?!?!

2009-12-19T21:46:00.003-06:00

Today is the third day I've been sick. I had no business trying to run, much less 19+ miles. I ran ten miles before I crumbled. Truth be known, I'm surprised I made it that far. I toughed out another eight miles running, which was followed by three miles of walking.

Tough day.

At least the run gave me time to think about my plans for this week. I've decided to do the smart thing and listen to my body. Listening to my body means taking a couple days off. I'll try to walk or cycle 30 minutes each day, but that is it. I'm also going to increase my calories equal to my BMR. Hopefully I'll be back on the wagon in a few days.

Run:
18.18 miles
3:40:49
12:08 pace

Walk:
3.35 miles
1:01:14
18:16 pace

Body Weight:
195.0 lbs

Damn. Not again...

2009-12-17T20:57:00.002-06:00

The scale wasn't as hard on me as expected. It’s a new day with new beginnings.

Body Weight:
194.5 lbs

I’m at work today. Still have the overall feeling of lethargy. I’m not sure if I’m on the verge of getting sick or if I’m not fueling my body correctly. Maybe a combination of the two?

At work today and it has been a busy day. At least I’m working with my good friend, Josh.

Started the days workout at 7pm and didn’t finish for nearly three hours. Very glad to complete the entire session without being interrupted by an emergency response. I ran three miles around the fire station, followed by a small cool-down walk. Good temperatures resulted in a good run. My pace felt like a crawl, but I was pleasantly surprised at the sub-11 pace.

After the run I finished the mid-body workout that did NOT get done yesterday.

I rode the recumbent bike for the better part of 1.5 hours. Sitting on the bike gives me an opportunity to read. Tonight I read a couple chapters in my newest book called, “Vegetarian Eating for Endurance Athletes”. It’s been a good read thus far, although it is mostly science based.

I finished the session with an uneventful lower body workout.

Run:
3.0 miles
32:47
10:56 pace

Walk:
0.29 mile
5:00
17:14 pace

Recumbent Bike:
21.0 miles
1:27:00
14.48 mph

Strength Training:
Mid-body and Lower Body

The second I finished showering we made an EMS call, which we transported to Hermann Hospital-downtown. I was hungry before working out and that was hours ago. We returned to the station around 2am in the morning. I was going to make a large glass of green tea to fill my stomach. As luck would have it there was a plate of cookies on the counter.

And it happened... again. Although not as bad as last night’s binge, I didn’t have the willpower to stop myself. I ate about five small cookies. The label said they were 120 calories each.

I’m letting myself get too hungry. I would have been fine if I would have gone to bed at a reasonable hour, but it’s not that easy when you’re a fireman. When I ate the cookies at 2am, it had been nine hours since my last meal.

I need a new direction before I lose my way. These are minor occurrences as compared to years past, but this is how it starts. I got to find help somewhere, somehow….

Where Did I Go Wrong?

2009-12-16T19:22:00.002-06:00

I’m stuck deciding whether I should stick to a training schedule and diet, or listen to my body. Today, I tried to do both and it was a complete flop.

All day my energy levels have felt depleted. Truth be known, its been an issue all week. For the last two days I thought I was getting sick. Either way, I lounged around the house all day, pushing my cardio workout later and later.

When Andrea got home she helped me get out the door. Even though I felt crappy the run felt GREAT. We ran 5 x 1-mile intervals at marathon race pace. My legs were heavy on the first interval, but the following four intervals felt like butter. The quarter-mile recovery walks were longer than usual. I was trying to accumulate cardio time during the run, so I wouldn’t have a lot to do later.

Run:
5.0 miles
52:21
10:28 pace (actual marathon pace is 10:21)

After the run I was excited to FINALLY feel energized, but it was short lived. Within minutes I was back to feeling like a slug. The only thing I “wanted” to do was sit on the couch. Once the run was done it was 6pm and I was starting to get hungry, which didn’t help matters whatsoever.

It took a lot of gumption, but I finally got on the treadmill and started walking. I needed 45 additional minutes of cardio to complete the scheduled two-hours. At 30-minutes I abruptly stopped the treadmill. I couldn’t take it anymore. I sat there on the couch and had a small pity party for myself.

At this point I decided to lift weights and get the strength training over with. As you can guess, that didn’t go well either. I completed two exercises and once again…. found myself back on the couch. Finally, I got back on the treadmill and finished the last fifteen minutes of cardio. I also convinced myself I was skipping weight training for the day.

My periodization schedule has me doing two hours of cardio and I’m also on my high end of my allowable caloric intake, which is 2400/day. I was out of calories for the day, yet I felt completely depleted. Somehow I persuaded myself it was okay to eat something small, to help me feel better fueled.

The first option was a small portion of left over vegan chili mac (noodles, tomatoes, beans, chili powder). Within seconds I devoured the chili and was rooting around the kitchen for more.

This is the exact point when the day turned ugly.

It’s the holidays, so there are cookies and cakes everywhere around me. On the counter I found a container with ten or so homemade cookies, which I consumed in seconds. I thought that would be the end, but I transformed into some kind of non-human eating machine. The next victim was a bag of sweet potato fries. The sweet potato fries took 25-minutes to cook. I can honestly say I hoped the cook-time would help me feel full and release this demon inside me.

I showered while the fries where in the oven. The moment the timer went off I was in the kitchen ready to demolish another 650 calories. To my surprise I still didn’t feel satisfied. I finished the binge with a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich. I felt better mentally, but it came at a price... guilt.

I’m trying not to dwell on the episode, but rather learn and move forward. The total estimated calories was approximately 2500, which is in addition to the 2400 daily max. It hurts just to type that number. After all my hard work it is disappointing to realize how fast things can change. I don’t consider this a step backwards, but I certainly didn’t gain any ground today.

Better luck tomorrow. I’m officially calling this a binge, which is the first one in a really long time. I take ownership of my actions and I'm not looking to make excuses, but I think I’m pushing my body pretty hard. Over the last few months I have gone to new limits with my running.

Eating extra and adding calories isn’t a big deal, but the foods I chose and the manner in which I ate them was not a normal thought process. That was purely impulsive overeating.

I forgot to mention, this morning’s weight was the lowest I’ve been in 15-years. I really, really, REALLY hope this is not some type of subconscious self-destructive behavior.

Walk:
3.86 miles
1:09:00
17:53 pace

Body Weight:
192.75

No Time For Feeling Puny

2009-12-15T22:25:00.008-06:00

The moment the alarm clock woke me up I felt a significant loss of energy. I don't really feel sick, just puny. As soon as I got home I had breakfast and went back to sleep. I only slept a couple hours and I still didn't feel much better. Hunger pangs were in full effect, so I rode my bike to grab a sandwich.

Once I ate lunch my energy level received a much needed boast. I'm glad it was a fuel issue, because I don't have time to be sick.

Trail Bike:
5.77 miles
33:26
10.35 mph

Tom and I made plans to meet at East Park at 4pm for a small three-mile loop. Before driving to the park I walked on the treadmill to 'knock-out' the bulk of my cardio. During the treadmill walk I found a show called Grizzly Man Diaries. It's really interesting, albeit sad. The "grizzly man" spent 13-years in Alaska watching, studying, and documenting the behaviors of bears, foxes, and other wildlife. The project ended at 13-years because he was killed by one of the bears. The series is a compilation of his actual pictures, videos, and written diary entries. I found the show very interesting, even though I know how it will end....

Walk:
2.94 miles
53:20
19:08 pace

The run in the park went well. I still feel tired and fatigued. I'm growing worrisome that I might be getting sick. Preston had a runny nose and cough last weekend. On Monday he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection, which was way after he gave me a few dozen 'snotty-nose-kisses'. Since I'm not feeling 100% I chose to run a pedestrian pace. I appreciate Tom and Andrea slowing down, so we could all run together. It's hard to have a bad run when the weather, scenery, and camaraderie are near-perfect.

Run:
3.09 miles
37:18
12:04 pace

At 6pm I had to go back to the fire station and work a few hours for Wyatt. Wyatt worked for me Saturday morning and now it's time to repay the debt. At work I lifted weights and caught up on some reading. It was nice to work for Wyatt and not make any calls. It has become normal for me to make a couple responses while he is out.

Strength Training:
Upper-body

Body Weight:
193.5 lbs

5-miles at 5am and 1 Hypocrit

2009-12-14T19:58:00.006-06:00

Started the day with a five-mile run at 5am. Tom and I met at Town Center and ran 2.5 miles South on West Lake Houston Parkway before returning to our trucks. We finished with a 10:50 pace and both of us had a good run. I'm not an early morning runner, but it's nice when the daily run is over before the day starts.

Run:
5.0 miles
54:10
10:50 pace

Warm-up Walk:
0.80 miles
13:12
16:30 pace

At work today.

The majority of the day was productive and fun, but the hypocritical behaviors of one person has me bothered. I blew off a little steam in the weight room with a recumbent bike ride and strength training session.

Recumbent Bike:
14.4 miles
60:00
14.4 miles

Strength Training:
Lower Body

Body Weight:
196.25

Proud of my Girls!

2009-12-13T20:09:00.002-06:00

Andrea was scheduled to run the FLS 30k this morning. When the alarm went off at 4am she didn't seem enthused about an event that was an hour away. After laying in bed for a couple minutes Andrea told me, "I'd rather sleep a little longer and run around Kingwood later".

Admittedly, I was concerned about Andreas ability to cover 18-miles unsupported. The facts are this, her knee pain still surfaces from time to time and she has never run more than 15-miles.

In the end, she ran the miles like a CHAMP! She ran the entire distance, maintained a respectable pace, and her knee pain was minimal.

Way to go, Andrea! You're a great runner and will be ready for your marathon debut next month...

While Andrea was out running, I took Alison and Preston bicycling. Alison biked the five-mile loop like an athlete. Preston enjoyed his ride with me. He has nearly outgrown his bike seat, so I'll have to find a bike trailer soon. The kids also "worked-out with dad" in the gym. The entertainment they provided me was priceless. Alison's strength is amazing. At one time I heard Alison say, "Look how strong I am, dad". When I looked over she had both hands on a 50-lb dumbbell, which she had lifted a foot off the floor. Seriously, her arms are so tiny.... how can she lift that much weight!?!?

Trail Bike:
5.5 miles
43:12

Strength Training:
Upper-Body and Mid-Body

The kids and I also went for a walk to encourage Andrea on the final mile of her run.

After a yummy lunch at Schlotzski's I walked on the treadmill to complete two-hours of cardio for the day.

Walk:
4.31 miles
1:15:49
17:35 pace

Body Weight:
195.5 lbs

Only 12-miles...

2009-12-12T19:31:00.005-06:00

Tom and I got off work just in time to run with KW FIT. I was glad to see more runners out this morning, as compared to the last couple long runs. My group ran seven strong!

With a 5:30am start the KWFIT head coaches tend to keep the routes on lighted streets, which does not appeal to me. I'd rather run in the trails with head lamps. Of course I know we have to do what is safe for the runners. The route took use directly in front of my house. The temperature was perfect. Unfortunately, the humidity was 100% and the roads/pathways held ankle deep water in many areas.

Hopefully, I'm not peaking too early, because I feel good.... really good. There isn't any evidence that I even ran this morning. I'm feeling extremely confident about my fitness level. I ran 23-miles the five-days after completing a 50k. This morning I ran 12 miles on concrete at a decent pace (for me) and it was like a leisure walk.

Who would have known trail running and ultras would be the key to unlock running bliss!?!?

Run:
12.28 miles
2:21:13
11:30 pace

Body Weight:
195.0

With the kids at home this weekend, I got lazy and didn't lift weights. I'll try to find time tomorrow after Andrea's 30k race.

What time is it?

2009-12-10T17:16:00.006-06:00

Bob and I drove to Lake Houston Park for a run-hike.

For the first time in years, I ran without any form of technology. Trust me, this was NOT a planned idea. My OCD went into hyper-drive, because it drives me NUTS running without my Garmin. If that wasn't bad enough, neither of us had a watch.

I explained to Bob that my selective OCD weighs heavy on parts of my life, which includes running. If Bob would not been there I would have drove home and retrieved my watch before running.

As tough as it was for me, I ran anyways. I TRY not to let my OCD effect other people.

About a third of a mile into the run we stopped at the nature center to glance at the clock. At a minimum, we would know the total time for the workout.

As for the run, it was another great day in the forest. The trails were muddy and holding water, yet we managed to navigate through the trails without getting wet. Bob spotted a pack of wild hogs twice, which was truly a delight. On the drive to the park I mentioned the lack of wildlife in this park, then we spot a pack of wild hogs. Too cool!

We ran what we assumed was four miles out and walked the same route back. With the assumption we were running an 11:00/minute pace that would have been 44-minutes. The walk felt like a 16:00 minute pace, which would yield 1:04:00. If you add in 15-minutes to and from the nature center we should have been close to two-hours.

Once we reached the nature center the clock showed we had been out for 1:45:00 minutes. Add the other 15-minutes and we were DEADLY ACCURATE with a total time of two-hours. Needless to say I was impressed with our estimates.

At home I crunched the numbers and it looks like we ran a little longer than four-miles.

Run:
4.4 miles
47:40
10:50 pace

Walk:
4.4 miles
1:12:20
16:25 pace

Body Weight:
194.75

Struggled in the gym. Everything that was easy last week seemed really heavy today.

Strength Training:
Mid-body and Lower body

Three's Good Company

2009-12-09T20:53:00.003-06:00

What a great day to run at East End Park. The tranquility of the San Jacinto River, the winter foliage, and the lack of urban life was exactly what I needed.

I’ve not been in a talkative mood today, which is often mistaken for being in a ‘bad mood’. Seven magical miles through the forest squeezed the silence out of me. Before the run was over I found myself being chatty. I love the way running always heightens my mood in a positive way.

Tonight’s crew included me, Tom, and Andrea. The 40-degree temperatures kept most of the dog owners at home, but a few still made their way to the park to let their dogs roam free without a leash. Early in the run I saw four large dogs ahead of us. In a last minute decision, I picked up a long four-foot stick… just in case the dogs were not friendly. Two dogs were off leash, but they were friendly, although they wanted us to stop and pet them. Tom nearly tripped as one of the dogs was looking for his attention. When the dog came to me, I GENTALLY used to stick to push him aside. The stick worked well and I ended up running with it the entire time. I probably looked like a weirdo, but I don’t care anymore. It didn’t bother me to run with the stick and I felt safe.

We started at 4:30 and enjoyed the opportunity to log some quality nighttime trail running. This will come in handily in future races.

Andrea and I left the park and grabbed a sandwich a few miles from the house. Thirty-minutes of cardio still remained to be completed, so I decided to run home and let her drive the truck.

It’s been a good day to be a runner. I ran three more miles than scheduled and I would have liked to done more.

Run:
9.05 miles
1:38:04
10:50 pace

Walk:
1.16 miles
20:29
17:39 pace

Body Weight:
196.0

I skipped the gym workout. I’ll double up tomorrow, because I want to add more back exercises. Yes, my back still aches when I run.

I’m not sure what I was thinking, but today I registered for the Rocky Raccoon 50-miler. I’ve been contemplating my ability to cover the distance for a few days. Instead of fretting over it for days, I decided to treat the registration like a band-aid and “just do it real quick”.

Wish me luck. I’ll need it, plus some!

Devoted, without being a Slave

2009-12-08T23:37:00.006-06:00

I'm at work today.

I had an incredible run around the main fire station. Unfortunately, it was cut a half-mile short when we got an EMS call. After the call I finished the run and lifted weights. Not sure why, but I lacked any form of energy in the gym.

Once we returned to station two I watched the Biggest Loser finale. I was bothered by the bias "offer" made to Shay by Subway and Biggest Loser. As the heaviest person on the ranch, she should have lost more weight. Seriously, did you see her percentage of weight loss? It was not in line with the other participants. I also remember the first couple episodes where they showed a glimpse of her personality, which was shitty. I understand she's had a hard life, but that's life. Lots of people experience similar obstacles. Some experiences worst than hers, some less. I just think there are more deserving people and or organizations for the money. Shay did nothing to deserve this kind of "surprise". For crying out loud.... she didn't even act grateful by the offer.

When the show was over I set up my bike trainer for 1.5 hours of cardio. Before I had a chance to start cycling we got another EMS call. We returned from this call at 10:30 pm and I still found the devotion to complete my workout.

I'm not happy about my lack of weight loss. Therefore, now is not the time to slack off or make excuses. When times get tough, I'll adjust and get tougher!!!

I'm glad it's all done. Heck, I'm even proud of myself. Its after 1am and I could have been asleep hours ago. Maybe the scale will be nice to me tomorrow...

Run:
3.08 miles
32:10
10:27 pace

Bike Trainer:
22.63 miles
1:28:04
15.42 mph

Strength Training:
Upper Body

Weight:
199.0

I'm a Runner

2009-12-07T20:34:00.006-06:00

Only two days after an ultra run and I'm on the road again. And boy did it feel good! The knees were slow to respond, but after half a mile my legs were ready to blaze a trail. I ran a comfortable effort with little regard to pace.

The weather sucked, so you would think. It's cold, gloomy, and raining. A lot like my knees, the first half mile was spent adjusting to the rain. During that short time I embraced the weather. The change in mindset made for a wonderful run!

Andrea and I ran together. We ran six miles to Schlotzsky's for dinner. The store was empty. As we approached the store clerk watched us running across the parking lot. When we walked in the store soaking wet he said, "That's impressive". Moments like these fuel my life!

Earlier in the day I made an attempt to ride my bike. It was cold and wet, which I don't enjoy when cycling. I scrubbed the ride before the odometer reached two-miles.

Lifted weights in the gym. Uneventful workout.

Run:
7.0 miles
1:19:53
11:24 pace

Walk:
1.65 miles
28:25
17:13 pace

Trail Bike:
1.87 miles
12:44
8.97 mph

Body Weight:
198.0

Texas Trail Run 50k review has been posted. Back dated to 12/05/2009 (race date)

Recovering Nicely

2009-12-06T22:45:00.005-06:00

Still sore. Still recovering.

In an attempt to loosen my aching knees, I went for a two-hour walk. The walk fixed my knees, but now my back is starting to ache... again.

No weight training today. I'll lift and try to run tomorrow.

VERY happy to report my body weight stayed under 200. After yesterdays free-meal, I was worried my weight would sneak above 200 lbs for one last sucker-punch.

Walk:
6.97 miles
2:02:25
17:34 pace

Body Weight:
199.0

Working on my Texas Trail Run 50k report. I should have something posted tomorrow.

Texas Trail Run 50k

2009-12-05T23:27:00.002-06:00

When I’m running an endurance event I think of hundreds of great topics to discuss on my blog. Somewhere between the trails and my computer something happens. It’s almost like I have too much to talk about. There’s a virtual bottle neck of thoughts that can’t make it to the keyboard. How can I have so much to say, yet not sure where to start?

I’m searching for a standard format for race review’s and recap. Awww, the beauty of having selective OCD, everything has to be standardized or at least organized. With that said, here’s the Texas Trails 50k race review:

Pre-race:
For nearly three-weeks I’ve been telling everyone I have my sights on a 50-miler. To be completely honest, I have a specific race in mind, the Rocky Raccoon 50-miler on February 10, 2010. My objective was simple. Finish the Rocky Raccoon 50k and Texas Trails 50k without any serious complications and I’ll register for RR50 miler. Well, both of those runs are now complete, but I’m not sure where I stand…

I assumed the second 50k would be easier than the first. The distance and the course were the same, but this was not an easy run. In fact, I found this run more mentally demanding than the first. RR50k was my first ultra, so there was a fair amount of hype and “the unknown” encompassing the run. While running TT50k, I knew the distance “could” be done, yet thoughts of failure tirelessly flooded my mind.

Weather:
Over the last week I’ve been nervously watching the weather. The forecast varied daily, depending on which television news channel I watched. The one thing they all had in common was a unified forecast of freezing temperatures with snow, ice, and/or sleet. Without stressing too much, I made a few purchases to ensure sufficient warmth during the run.

There was a chance of icy roads, so Kevin was hospitable enough to allow Andrea and I stay at his house in Conroe. Kevin’s home is 45-minutes closer to Huntsville State Park than Kingwood, which was safer and enabled us to sleep later. If that’s not enough, we saved $75 by not staying in a hotel. Thanks Kevin, you ROCK!!!

On race morning we were out the door by 5am. The morning temperatures were in the low 20’s. I knew it had been freezing all night by the crunching sound I heard as I walked across Kevin's lawn. It was so cold my truck door was stuck closed. Of course I pulled at the door till I freed it loose.

We arrived at the park 1.5 hours early, partly because we left a safe drive-time margin and we also thought the race started at 7am. We spent a lot of time meandering around the lodge and starting line. We got a true feel for how cold it was walking between the lodge and our truck. I tried acclimating to the temperatures, but it was not possible to keep warm while standing still.

Don’t allow me to paint the wrong picture. It was a beautiful morning. The temperature at the Lodge was 23 degrees with clear blue skies. The forest canopy was still covered in snow from the prior night’s winter storm and for those first few hours the sun glistening off the ice and snow was absolutely surreal. I wonder how many people know what it feels like to run in a forest while the sun melts the snow over your head, allowing smaller pieces of ice to fall all around you? If only I could run with a camera to capture these divine portraits, I’m sure I could sell them for thousands of dollars. I made time for a couple mental snap shots. These virtual snapshots will forever be personal treasures.

Timing:
The first three hours of running went great. I took my first walk break at nine miles. The pace was 11:30 for the first two hours, much faster than planned. I took two more walk breaks on the third hour, which only slowed my pace to 11:45. From that point forward I ran 15-minutes, followed by a 5-minute walk. This was all part of a master plan to run a sub-seven hour 50k.

As I mentioned above, I struggled mentally with staying in motion during the later parts of this race. Once I hit the marathon distance I walked all the hills. I was surprised how much walking the inclines helped. I continued my walk/run regimen with a bit more confidence. Walking the hills enabled me to greatly improve my overall pace, which was the result of running the flats and downhills faster.

At one time I thought a 6:30 finish was a real possibility. My original goal was to run a sub-seven hour 50k and I thought I would smash my first 50k time. In the end, I stopped the clock at 6:55:38, which was good enough for an 11-minute PR. It wasn’t pretty, but I’ll take it! A PR is a PR, right?

Route/Course:
I thought I saw everything Huntsville State Park had to offer on the last run. I was wrong. The first 6.5 mile loop took us along the North side of the Park, which was not part of the RR50k route. The second and third 12.5 mile loops took us atop of the dam, which was scenic and also new to me.

For the most part, terrain and surface was the same. There’s not a bad run in Huntsville State Park. The entire place is a trail runners paradise.

As I approached the FINAL aid station, my Garmin 310 showed 29.1 miles. Knowing 50k is 31 miles, I was happy to know the pain would end in less than two miles. That was before the final aid station volunteer yelled out, "only 2.8 miles to the finish". The extra distance completely took the wind out of my sail.

I wasn’t the only one struggling, so I had a chance to talk with other runners over those final miles. Most of these runners had GPS watches too and we were all showing the course anywhere from 0.75-0.90 mile longer than 50k.

I have to realize trail races are an entirely different creature. Very few trail races are “certified” and I need to learn to be okay with that. An older runner said it best… “I like getting more than I paid for”. What a great point of view! In an attempt to cheer myself up I kept silently repeating, “It’s a good feeling to PR on a longer course”.

Damage Control:
I’m tired and I’m sore, but I’m NOT broken. My back bothered me a lot during this run. The issue started as early as the second hour of running. I went through multiple stretches trying to mitigate the pain. Nothing made the discomfort go away. On the other hand, the pain remained a constant and was never severe enough to stop me.

The big toe on my left foot was rubbing against my shoe. It was annoying in the beginning, yet never caused any real issues after the halfway mark. I also found a small blister on the bottom on my right foot.

As with most distances over 15 miles, my knees became extremely sore once I stopped running.

It sounds like a lot, but I fared well on the run.

Race/RD/Aid Stations:
One of the coolest features was the use of chip timing. I don’t hide the fact that I’m a total nerd for the numbers. The chip enabled me to see my time at each loop, pace, and place. Very cool!

Months ago I read somewhere that this race was the resurrection of the old Sunmart Race. I wasn’t expecting a lot, but I was a tiny bit disappointed at the price point in relationship to what I received. I’m not trying to sound stingy; I’ve just come to except swag from long distance races. I received two items for my endurance run. One was a nice technical shirt. The second item was a very inexpensive white hoodie. Those who run a lot of races get tired of useless medals and ask for more useful items, such as the hoodie. Because I’m still a newbie, I cherish ribbons and medals. These are tokens of my accomplishments. Call me shallow, but I also wish they would print the distance larger on the shirts. Seriously, I just ran 31 miles and I want everyone around me to know it! It’s difficult to see the distance on either shirt, especially the RR50k.

The aid stations were very well stocked, which you’ll read about under “Fuel”. At the finish line they provided warm food in the form of pizza and soup. Both had meat, so I chose to pass. Andrea said they had veggie pizzas at one time, but they went fast.

Gear:
I broke a cardinal running rule. I started the race with several new items. One was a Nathan Hydration Race Vest. I wore it on last week’s 18-miler and it rubbed a large raw spot on my back. I still have a 2-inch x 5-inch scab from last week’s run. I called Nathan and they talked me though the proper adjustments and assured me the rubbing issue would not happen again. Indeed they were correct. The vest fit well and didn’t cause any issues on today’s run.

As I went for my first drink I realized a major problem that was not a manufacturer’s defect. The freezing temperatures froze the water inside the hose and valve. When I realized this problem I blurted out loud, “You gotta be kidding me!!!” followed by a devilish laugh. A couple runners nearby looked at me with a puzzled look before I explained my problem to them. I stuck the hose in my shirt and within half a mile I was able to take my first drink. I assumed everything was in good order, so I decided to leave to hose on the clip. But once again, the water in the hose froze. Now that is cold!

Another new item I wore was calf compression sleeves. I’ve been reading about the benefits and seen lots of runners with them, so I figured I’d give them a try. I was hoping they would help with recovery. An added bonus was a smidge of heat retention for my lower legs.

I’m still not sure if they were a wise investment. They did well at keeping my legs warm, but that’s not entirely why I bought them. My shins are sore, yet my calves feel good. I’ve not run enough endurance runs to be able to feel the difference with and without the compression sleeves.

As important as what I wore is what I did NOT wear. I skipped the compression cycling-style shorts. They help me with thigh chaffing and I usually wear them when I run over 12 miles. It’s been a while since I’ve had any chaffing issues; therefore I skipped the compression shorts. A couple small areas chaffed, but everything was minor.

For 20 degree weather I wore: head band to keep my ears warm, long sleeve shirt, short sleeve technical shirt, race ready shorts, calf compression sleeves, Brooks Cascadia shoes, and gloves. Within three miles I was 100% comfortable.

Fuel/Hydration/Supplements:
As mentioned under ‘Gear’, I wore a hydration backpack. I took water at every aid station and conserved the water I carried with me. I refilled the pack on the start of the final loop, although I think I could have made it without refilling. I need to work of refilling the back in a race. It felt like I wasted a couple minutes trying to get the bladder out, filled, and secured.

I’ve continued with my regimen of one S-cap every thirty minutes and Gu every hour. They say there is a first time for everything. Well today was the first time I had to “chew” Gu. The freezing temperatures turned the gel into a solid.

After the first hour of running I noticed I was extremely hungry. I fought the urges to eat at the aid stations for a few hours, but then I could fight no more. By then I wasn’t thinking logical and I walked out of an aid station with a Payday candy bar (240 calories). And that’s not the worst of it… I did the exact same thing for the next two aid stations. I finished the candy binge with a hand full of M&M’s. The abundance of simple carbohydrates played havoc on my stomach. I was nauseated and felt horrible. During the last two hours I skipped my Gu’s and fought the urge to throw up.

I knew better than to eat candy, but I couldn’t resist. I consumed nearly 1500 calories during the run. Once again, valuable lessons learned about fueling during endurance events.

Runners/Friends:
I saw several runners I knew in the crowd; Karen, who is also a blogger and placed SECOND in her age bracket (Congrats!), Helen Grant, Roger Boak, Yong Collins, and few other people whom I don’t know their names.

We were warned of the ice on the wood bridges, but surprisingly, I didn’t see anyone fall today. It would appear that everyone was extra carefully. As for me, I only stumbled once. Thankfully I didn’t fall. Being cold and striking the ground would have been atrocious.

Andrea ran the 12.5 mile race. Everyone was amused by the Race Director and how he repeatedly referred to the 12.5 mile route as the “Fun Run”.

We picked up our race packets last night and all the runners were divided by gender into 5-year age brackets. Andrea and I looked over the list and counted seven other women in her age group. Within minutes of this information her race strategy changed. Andrea decided she was in pursuit of hardware.

Andrea had a solid effort and ran an impressive 2:00:13. Her route was long too, which measured nearly 13 miles on a trail! Unfortunately, they only awarded the top three in ten-year brackets. She came in sixth place, but would have won third with five-year age brackets. I felt bad for Andrea. She put it all on the line and walked away empty handed. At a minimum, I would have liked to seen the 12.5 mile runners receive a token finisher’s item.

No need to worry too much. Andrea is only getting faster, so hardware is in her future.

Well, there’s my Texas Trails 50k race review. We forgot the battery to our camera, so I only have a few phone pictures to share. I’m leaving lots of small details out, but for the true experience you need to lace up your shoes and leave a little sweat on the trails. It’s the only way to really experience endurance trail running!

Cycling with Friends

2009-12-03T22:19:00.003-06:00

Today was a flex day built into my schedule. The flexibility enables me to take the day off if I am tired & sore or go crazy if I feel good. I fell somewhere in the middle.

I ran two and a half miles in the cold. It was hard to get out the door, but I felt better once I started.

At noon Bob, Eric, Steve, and I met near Duessin Park for a bike ride. I was worried about the cooler temperatures, because I don't like cycling in the cold. I bundled up with several layers, including tights. The other guys were aggressive with the pace, so I end up getting warm. I dressed appropriately, had it been a leisure ride.

We had a good ride. When it comes to endurance events I feel strong, but of the four of us, I was the weakest link. It's good to ride and run with stronger athletes. By chasing faster people, I reap the benefits of becoming faster and stronger myself. On the final two mile stretch they put the hammer down, but I had to let them go. With a 31 mile run less than two days away, I had to show some restraint.

After the ride I started 48-hours of recovery with a GREAT sports massage. I asked the therapist to work on my legs and back only. She did wonders with her hands, but ran out of time before letting me flip over and work the front side of my legs (Quads & shins). My right ITB was clearly tight. I broke out in a sweat a couple times due to the pain. She also found several "knots" in my calves. It hurt like hell, but it will pay off in the end.

Skipped strength training. I don't want to take a chance of being sore Saturday.

Run:
2.75 miles
28:58
10:32 pace

Walk:
0.6 mile
9:54
16:30 pace

Road Bike:
17.89 miles
1:01:40
17.41 mph

Body Weight:
196.5

Better Forecast.... PLEASE

2009-12-02T13:53:00.002-06:00

I'm at work today.

Thankfully Tom joined me for a run around the station. It is brutal running small circles at work, which is only tolerable with a running partner.

It was cold outside, but as usual we warmed up within a half mile.

Run:
5.75 miles
1:02:00
10:47 pace

Walk:
0.6 mile
9:25
15:42 pace

Finished the day by lifting weights.

Strength Training:
Upper Body

The forecast for Saturday's run is starting to make me nervous. I don't mind the cold temperatures, but sleet and ice worries me.

Body Weight:
198.75

Life is Good

2009-12-01T22:17:00.006-06:00

Nasty weather killed my evening run. I was hoping to run hills tonight, but it's 40 degrees outside and raining. If I was a tough man I would run in the cold rain, but I'm not! Plus, Taylor is home this week and she is still too young to stay home alone.

No problem... time to execute plan "B". I have a big race this weekend and a build-in 'flex' day. The last minute change of plans will not be a problem on the schedule.

I set up the bike trainer and rode for an hour while watching the Biggest Loser. Whenever I skip a run I don't truly feel like I worked hard enough to burn significant calories. Not to discredit cycling, but cycling seems too easy. Tonight I cranked the resistance waaaay up for the last ten minutes. When I finished riding my thighs were HUGE from all the blood in the muscle. It was kind of cool looking.

After the ride I completed a lower body workout, which felt great. As an added bonus, Andrea joined me in the gym. Its been months since she lifted weights, yet she did really well. I was out of the gym for a couple months myself, but I'm officially back. This week I've resumed all my prior weights from where I left off.

I feel strong, both mentally and physically. More importantly... I'm happy.

Bike Trainer:
17.64 miles
1:00:04
17.61 mph

Strength Training:
Lower Body

Weight:
197.75

Aching Legs

2009-11-30T19:41:00.007-06:00

From the moment I woke up, my legs have been aching endlessly.

I usually log a couple miles the day after a long, but this week I didn't run the day after. I assume my aching legs are the end result of changing routine.

Once Andrea got home we ran half mile intervals with a long recovery (0.15). The pace was quick and now my legs feel great! Had I run a couple miles yesterday I wouldn't have had all the dull pain today. Once again, lesson learned.

Run:
5.34 miles
52:23
9:49 pace

Walk:
1.64 miles
26:06
15:49

Lifted some "big weights" in my home gym. It always makes me feel good to throw around some heavy iron.

Workout:
Mid-body

Weight:
198.75

I attached a few pictures from our photo shoot. I'm really proud of them.

Recovery Needed...

2009-11-29T19:05:00.004-06:00

At work today and I'm tired.

With Saturdays 50k quickly approaching, I'm growing concerned about the heaviness of my legs and lack of energy. I'll make a few changes in my training and schedule a massage.

One-hour on the recumbent bike followed by an upper body workout.

Recumbent Bike:
15 miles
60:00
15.0 mph

Strength Training:
Upper Body

Body Weight:
202.75

Bad Run

2009-11-28T22:06:00.003-06:00

Ran eighteen miles with Kevin and Tom this morning. I remember why I love running trails, because the concrete is b-r-u-t-a-l.

Not a lot went right on today's run. The morning started with me waking up late and skipping breakfast. If I knew then what I know now, I would have stayed in bed.

We ran the first nine miles with four other Kingwood FIT half-marathoners. The KWFIT-half group was scheduled to run 11 miles, but Kevin, Tom, and I decided to run the entire 30k distance.

This morning I wore a new Nathan HPL 020 hydration pack for the first time. The fit was nice, but I struggled to get water out of the bite value. The water was there, but I had to work hard to get a nominal amount of water. For this reason I didn't drink as much as I wanted or needed too.

Around 13 miles I ran out of gas. I took S-caps every 30 minutes and Gu every hour, but neither of these items stopped me from falling apart. It was a hard week, so there are a number of reasons why I bonked. These excuses can include all or any mixture of:
-Limited water intake due to the hydration pack value
-Hard mileage this week
-New E2 workout
-No breakfast
-No dynamic stretches before the run
-CONCRETE surface
-Tiny bit faster on the first ten miles

On the last water stop I drank several cups of Gatorade and noticed a significant improvement. Unfortunately, the feeling was short lived... very short. We took 0.10 mile walk breaks on miles 15, 16, and 17. Some how I finished. I'm really glad I had the guys there to support me, because I would have done a lot more walking if they weren't right beside me.

When I finished I realized a bigger issue. I hadn't urinated since I left the house 5 hours ago, nor did I have an urge. I was dehydrated. I weighed myself at home, which revealed a four pound weight loss during the run. This week I need to work hard to rehydrate. I've read that it can take upwards of one-week to rehydrate once you've been truly dehydrated.

I sat in a tub of cold water for a 30-minute soak and realized the new hydration pack rubbed a raw spot on my back. Needless to say, I'm not happy at the moment. This run beat me up. On the bright side... it's DONE.

Run:
18.28 miles
3:42:43
12:10 pace

We had a tasty and "somewhat" healthy lunch at New York Pizzeria. Once we got home, Preston and I took a nap while Andrea ran.

This evening we attended a Couples Bridal Shower that was thrown for us by Heather. The event turned out to be no more than dinner with a few friends. I think Andrea's feeling were hurt. Andrea has lots of friends that she would do anything for, yet only a few took the time to attend her shower. I feel her pain, because I've been there. At one time I had a lot of people around me that I called friends. It didn't take a rocket scientist to realize they were only my friend when it was convenient to them or when they needed something of me. A few years back I axed all those people from my life and I don't have a single regret. She has to find a path that makes her happy. Tonight she learned that most of the people she loves are merely Fair Weather Friends. Sad to admit, but true.

Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-26T21:17:00.005-06:00

At work today, on Thanksgiving.

From this point forward I will post my weight. Typing and reading my weight everyday will surely act as another form of accountability.

Rode the recumbent bike, ran on the treadmill, and completed another E2 workout.

Recumbent Bike:
14.44 miles
57:00
15.2 mph

Run:
2.5 miles
34:39
13:52 pace

Workout:
Engine 2 Beginner

Weight:
198.5

I don't typically talk about work, but we just got back from a weird call and I'm bored enough to share. Apparently a driver crashed into a wrought iron fence that borders Rosewood Cemetery. During the collision the driver ruptured a gas line and water line. When we pulled up, the roadway was blocked off by the police department due to the overwhelming smell of gas. We found a large one-inch line flooding the area with natural gas due to the meter being seared off. Todd brought me a tool from the truck and I shut the gas line off, followed by the water line. Then the call got weird... We could tell by the tracks in the graveyard that the driver was still inside the fenced property. Not knowing if there was any more property damage or if the driver/occupants were injured we decided to walk through the 40-acre facility. Let me paint a picture for you; we were walking around a cemetery, at night, on Thanksgiving, looking for a truck. We never found the vehicle, but the police found an open gate which they escaped. Even so, it gave me the heebie-jeebies walking through a graveyard in the darkness of night.

Weird, even by my standards.

SCORE!

2009-11-25T22:44:00.000-06:00

Ask and you shall receive. This mornings weight came in at exactly 199.0. The long wait proved to be a challenging test of my discipline. I thought my weight shouldn't dropped below 200 a week ago. Everything happens for a reason. Now I've found myself more appreciative of the miniature goal.

Arrived back in Kingwood at 3pm. After 5 hours of driving I was ready to workout. No one showed up for the group run, but Andrea and I completed the workout as scheduled. An hour before starting I cycled a couple miles while measuring a route for the speed workout.

Trail Bike:
2.16 miles
14:07
9.18 mph

Started the session with a one-mile warm up run and core strengthening exercises. Speed training consisted of 10 x 30/30's at 8-9 RPE. Andrea and I struggled with the first couple intervals, but settled into a consistent rhythm shortly thereafter. Average run pace was ~7:00 and the average recovery pace was ~10:30. Total speed workout pace was 8:20/mile. I'm a bit disappointed and would have liked to see the total average under 8:00. Slow 2.9 mile cool down run after speed work. All times combined below.

Run:
5.06 miles
54:50
10:50 pace

CORE

Rode my bike trainer while watching Biggest Loser.

Trail Bike:
11.95 miles
50:04
14.32 mph

Ready To Be In Control Again...

2009-11-24T19:22:00.004-06:00

Frustration is setting in. I can't seem to get under 200 pounds. The scale is taunting me. I'm staying true to my diet and fitness, but my patience is dissipating. Don't worry, I've made a promise to Stay the Course. Unfortunately, my mind is playing tricks on me and its growing like cancer. All day I've had an internal struggle and privately made comments such as; "I'll add extra calories this week, because it's Thanksgiving" and "I'll move my free meal earlier"... etc. I've had to dig deep in order to fight this tough mental battle. The last few days have not been easy, PERIOD. As I'm typing this, a group of my friends are eating at a steak house and going out on the town. Instead I chose to workout in the gym for three-hours.

I need validation.

The awards luncheon at the conference was difficult to say the least. They started the meal with an attractive, albeit dry salad of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and celery. The salad was good, but they only provided ONE salad dressing, which was creamy bacon ranch. The dressing looked like it was half bacon and half ranch. Needless to say I ate a dry salad. The entree wasn't much better. The green beans were grossly bathed in butter and the cheesy noodles were floating in gravy from a slab of rump roast. The meal was completed with an over sized individual apple pie. I ate the a dinner roll, salad, green beans, the noodles NOT covered in gravy, and the desert. I walked away hungry and consumed a whopping 1435 calories (estimated).

I've been reflecting on the last two day's. Clearly I still posses old behaviors that need to be addressed. There's a mental health glitch that says I HAVE to eat, especially if it's free. This same glitch assumes something horrible will happen if I don't eat. I need the ability to walk away from a meal if it's not appropriate for me. An easy solution would have been to pack small snacks and find a healthy vegetarian meal for dinner.

Lessons learned! Changes will be made. I am strong.

Skipped the last conference session to workout early. One hour on the recumbent bike, three mile treadmill run, E-2 beginner workout, and twenty minute treadmill walk.

My legs are getting progressively fatigued. After tomorrows speed work I plan to take it easy in preparation of this weekends 30k and next weeks 50k.

Run:
3.0 miles
40:33
13:31 pace

Walk:
1.08 mile
20:01
18:32 pace

Recumbent Bike:
14.41 miles
1:00:00
14.41 mph

Tasty Temptations

2009-11-23T22:30:00.004-06:00

EMS Conference has proven to be my greatest challenge. Temptations in the form of food, beer, and parties are everywhere!!!

I've had to estimate the caloric values of my first two meals of the day. I'm confident in my ability to estimate food values, but my choices were limited. The selections were high-calorie foods, resulting in higher than usual numbers.

After classes I found my way to the hotel gym. The hotel gym is INCREDIBLE. There are numerous cardiovascular machines with televisions, free weights, Smith machines, yoga space-equipment, and lots of other cool stuff.

I rode a recumbent bike for an hour and ran on the treadmill for an hour.

Run:
5.0 miles
1:00:03
12:01 pace

Recumbent Bike:
13.65 miles
1:00:00
13.65 mph

I completed the Engine 2 Beginner workout for the first time. I enjoyed the workout and I look forward to incorporating these exercises into my regimen. The exercises include:

Warm-up:
Sun Salutations (10)
Kicking Toe Touches (10 each side)
Side Stretches (10)
Trunk Twist (10)
Barrel Rolls (10 each direction)
Arm Circles (10 each direction)

Round 1:
Body Weight Air Squats (15)
Incline Push-ups (10)
Flutter Kicks (20)
Squat Thrust (10)

Round 2:
Lunges (5 each leg)
Seated Chair Dips (10)
Plank Pose (30 seconds)
Jumping Jacks (20)

Round 3:
Step-ups (10 each leg)
Downward Dogs into Child's Pose (5)
V-ups (10)
Incline Mountain Climbers (20)

If my math is correct, I stayed UNDER my allotted daily calories. The scale has not been kind the last two days. Maybe tomorrows weight will confirm my ability to estimate calories and workout when faced with temptations.

Leaving for Fort Worth

2009-11-22T22:14:00.000-06:00

I'm leaving for Fort Worth later today. I'll be attending the Texas EMS Conference till Wednesday. I have so much to do today that I don't know where to start. Originally I planned to leave Kingwood before noon, but there wasn't enough hours in the day.

Even though it was only 9am, it felt nice to sleep late this morning. When I finally drug my ass out of bed I went to the store for a few essentials and grabbed lunch. Once I was back home I cycled six miles on the greenbelts. Immediately afterwards Andrea and I ran 3.5 miles which was mixed with nearly 2 miles of walking. And last, but not least, I lifted weights.

Trail Bike:
6.09 miles
31:55
11.45 mph

Run:
3.51 miles
39:34
11:16 pace

Walk:
1.75 miles
28:26
16:15 pace

Even though it's five hours later than my original plans, I'm glad to know my exercise regimen was not neglected!

Tom's New Distance PR

2009-11-21T21:12:00.001-06:00

Tom, Andrea, and I started the process of planning a long run yesterday evening. Our plans changed several times due to inviting other runners on short notice, rain, and availability of babysitters. In the end, we ran at 9am.

It rained all night and continued through this morning. I desperately wanted to cancel, yet I didn't because other people were involved. There was a feeling of gloom about the run, which I was not looking forward too. I assume it had a lot to do with the dreary weather. It was cold, raining, and I simply didn't feel my typical motivation.

Once we got started my head was free of all the prior negativity. Fifteen miles would be a distance PR for Tom, so we kept the pace nice and easy. The route was not planned beforehand. Armed with my Garmin, we simply ran around Kingwood. Nothing spectacular or scenic, just the usual roads and greenbelts in the 'hood.

The run turned out to be quite pleasant. The rain reduced to a slight drizzle, after ten miles the rain completely ceased. The sky was overcast and the temperatures were cool, which was ideal for a long run. Andrea and Tom talked most of the time. I merely pounded out the mileage. I've not been in a talkative mood and often to flows over into my running.

In the end, it turned out to be a great run. Tom has a new distance PR and I'm really proud of him. The only bad news to report is; Andreas knee is bothering her. I'm reducing her mileage this week in lieu of cycling. With any luck the knee will behave itself.

In non-running news... I almost went under the 200 lb mark this morning. I weighed 200.5!!! The post long run "free-meal" will surly delay going under 200 lbs for a few days. I'm okay with that, but I'll be glad when the "200's" are in my rear-view mirror. FYI: I weighed myself AFTER the run and weighed 199, but it doesn't count.

Run:
15.11 miles
3:02:32
12:05 pace

Walk (cool-down):
0.22 mile
4:03
18:25 pace

Sticks & Stones Won't Break My Bones

2009-11-19T21:47:00.006-06:00

The saga of unleashed dogs in East End Park continues. Nothing quite like a sunny, cool morning trail run to be interrupted by irresponsible dog owners. It amazes me how defensive people are of their damn dogs. Admittedly, I tell everyone I see who has their dog off-leash, "Your dog is suppose to be on a leash inside the park". This morning one guy took it to another level by yelling and cussing. He told me, "Just go run the god-damn greenbelts and stay off the nature trails you stupid fuckin' wetback!!". All this after HIS dog came at ME with the hair on his neck standing up. The verbal assault came after my generic comment, "Your dog is suppose to be on a leash inside the park".

I love East End Park, but I think my days of running there are done. The beauty of the trails is beyond belief, but the tension between runners and idiot dog owners is too much for me!

Anyways I digress...
Tom and I ran three miles at the park this morning. For the first time in a really long time, my legs were D.E.A.D. Over the final mile it was a mental challenge to keep moving. The dead leg feeling is probably the result of adding weight training and two tempo runs this week. After the run I followed Tom on my bike, while he ran a second three mile loop.

Once home I biked for another 30-minutes and lifted weights in the gym.

Foot pain is gone... again. Now I need to make plans for a solo 15-miler Saturday morning. Anyone interested?

Run:
3.0 miles
33:43
11:14 pace

Trail Bike:
9.32 miles
1:06:17
8.44 mph

Workout:
Mid-Body

I Found the Pulprit!

2009-11-18T20:19:00.003-06:00

Less than 24-hours ago I was bragging about the absence of foot pain. Unfortunately, the pain has returned...

I ran two miles along the Bayou Rim this morning in my Patagonia Release Trail shoes. I'll be damn if the foot pain didn't come back. It sucks having the pain again, yet I'm glad to know the reason. I'll see if Luke's will entertain a return. The Patagonia's have a little more than 70-miles on them and I'm not sure of the cut-off parameters for exchanges.

The run itself was good. Nice and sunny with a cool breeze. As soon as the run was over I changed shoes and went to the gym

Run:
2.0 miles
21:44
10:52 pace

Walk:
1.99 miles
40:21
20:47

Workout:
Upper-Body + Core

This evenings speed workout went exceptionally well. I was expecting a lot more people to attend from the emails I received. We had a total of four, two of which were Andrea and I. Although, I had the privilege of meeting two incredible runners, which had inspiring stories of massive weight loss and distinguished running credentials.

One mile warm up, core strengthening workout, four Yasso's, followed by a one mile cool down. I ran at a comfortable pace, because I was engulfed in the dialog with Chris and Bob. I probably should have pushed harder, but I had an "enjoyable" workout.

My Yasso 800 average was 4:29. I started the session by stating I'm on schedule to run a 4:30 marathon. Even though this is only a Half-Yasso workout, it's interesting to have an average time of 4:29. My Garmin measured the course a little longer (0.53), so the time might have been less on a true 800-meter track.

I spent the better part of 30-minutes measuring 0.25 mile in the open parking lot. Unfortunately, a student driver decided to take my cones and use them to practice parallel parking.

All the times are combined below.

Run:
5.25 miles
51:29
9:48 pace

Stressed

2009-11-17T21:37:00.005-06:00

There's nothing greater than the joy I receive from being a firefighter/paramedic. On the other hand, there are fewer things more stressful than some of the people I work with. Since this is an open and public blog, I won't go into detail. But trust me; there are some weird personalities up here. Some people are incompetent, a few are lazy & rude, and my personal favorite are those who manipulate their position for personal benefits.

Needless to say I'm at work and I've been in a bad mood all day.

Glad to report everything is better now. All it took was a three mile run on the treadmill, 13-miles on recumbent bike, a lower body workout, and a phone call to my sweet-heart.

Run:
3.0 miles
40:25
13:28 pace

Recumbent Bike:
13.2 miles
50:00
15.84 mph

Workout:
Lower-body

By the way, today was the first day without any foot pain whatsoever. That alone is enough to make me happy!

Low Blood Sugar

2009-11-16T20:01:00.005-06:00

We’ve seen several “cool fronts” over the last month, but today we were treating to the season’s first COLD front. Once the rain stopped, it turned out being a beautiful day. Seriously, I love this weather!

Andrea and I ran a weird route through Kingwood to get our seven miles. The cooler weather yielded a swift pace. Not only were we running fast, but I ran comfortable with energy to spare!

Run:
7.0 miles
1:09:17
9:53 pace

Walk:
1.18 miles
19:04
16:09 pace

Upper body workout in the gym. It's funny how much Texas weather changes in 24-hours. Yesterday I had to turn on the gym fans because I was getting warm. Today I had to close the big door to keep the cold breeze from blowing inside.

Workout went as planned, although I started feeling bad near the end. I needed a mere five extra minutes of cardio, so I rode my trail bike around the block.

Once I completed my workout I rapidly became ill. I felt nauseated and my stomach was in knots. I sat my desk for 20-30 minutes hoping the feeling would pass, but it didn't. After taking a warm shower I made an attempt to eat the meal Andrea prepared. Miraculously, I felt better within 3-4 bites of food. Apparently my blood sugar dropped, even though I had consumed ~1400 Kcals before dinner.

I'm glad I'm feeling better, but I can't help from wondering why I had an acute drop in energy. Hypoglycemia most often has a gradual onset. I felt awesome all day and the crappy feeling hit me like a brick wall, all at once. I'll check my blood sugar at work tomorrow. Maybe that will give me piece of mind.

An hour after dinner I had enough energy to complete a Core Workout. It's sad how weak my core has become. Lucky for me, core workouts are quick to improve with a little attention.

Workout:
Mid-Body + Core

Trail Bike:
1.17 miles
6:10
11.38 mph

Running is the Answer

2009-11-15T13:12:00.004-06:00

Rushed home from work, so I could keep my promise to Alison. I told Alison we would go fishing this weekend, but ran out of time on Friday. I worked all day Saturday and Erin wanted to pick up the kids this morning at 9am, hence my rush.

The water was clear and we saw a million fish, but we were not able to hook a single fish. We still had fun. Any time with my kids is a good time.

Andrea and I rode our bikes on the greenbelts after the kids left. We scouted out a new bayou extension. Other than that, it was an uneventful ride.

Trail Bike:
9.93 miles
11.1 mph

Like many things in my life, running seems to answer or solve most of my problems. For example, today my foot felt better than it has all week. Who said rest is the smartest thing to do!?!? ...crap, I said that. LOL

I ran three miles along the bayou rim. Ran a new section, which is AWESOME. The newest route is scenic and has a decent amount of distance (3.5 miles).

A cold front was blowing through during my run. I ran through a couple small, isolated clouds dropping rain and easily noticed the change in temperatures. All and all, it was a good run at a respectable pace.

Run:
3.14 miles
33:17
10:36 pace

Walk:
0.75 mile
12:40
16:58 pace

While waiting for Andrea to finish her 10-miler I hit the gym and had a great workout. I've lost a lot of strength, but I still enjoy my time lifting weights.

The first thing I noticed this morning was how sore my legs were. It's doubtful the ten mile long run made them this sore. Most likely it's a result of yesterday's lower body workout. I would assume my legs are in good shape, but that goes to show you the benefits of cross training and lifting weights. There are numerous other muscles that get neglected when you stick to a single sport/activity. Point dooley noted.

Workout:
Upper Body

Ten speedy miles with foot pain

2009-11-14T20:06:00.005-06:00

Out of bed and running by 5:30am. Tom joined my Kingwood FIT group again for a pre-work run. Kingwood FIT members have dwindled to nothing. There was 80-100 runners during the first couple weeks. Today the half-marathon head count was less than 20.

Most of my usual runners were NOT in attendance, so it was just Tom and I. We followed Coach Jenny and her group, which was 50-yards ahead of us. Before the first mile we dropped the hammer and caught up with them. They were running a respectable 11:30 pace, which is faster than my typical long run pace. We both easily settled in their rhythm without any issues. The group of eight runners stopped for a re-fuel break at 3 miles. With energy to spare, we continued ahead of the group and intentionally dropped the pace to 11:15 miles.

The mid-point water cooler was located exactly at five miles. We refilled our water bottles and took at off at our prior pace. When we reached six miles we realized we were running out of time, no pun intended. I had someone holding over for me at work, but Tom still needed to be there by 8am. Our current pace would leave Tom with a mere 15 minutes to get to Humble. Nothing we could do would create significant additional time, but we continued to better the pace every mile.

On West Lake Houston Parkway we started picking off returning marathon group runners and improving our own effort in the process. In the end we finished ten miles with an overall pace of 10:50. Tom and I talked the entire time and ran at a comfortable effort level of seven on a a 1-10 scale.

My foot is still bothering me. It started feeling a little better yesterday, but I'm back to square one. My foot hurts either way, so why not run, right? I plan on running through the pain this week and see where that takes me...

Run:
10.03 miles
1:48:40
10:50 pace

Once I got to work I finished the fitness regimen with a lower body workout.

Workout:
Lower Body

On Showtime (cable channel), I watched the last 30-minutes of "Running the Sahara". It was an amazing documentary and I really want to see it in its entirety now. I searched endlessly, but it would appear this was a one time showing. If anyone else knows when it comes on again, PLEASE let me know.

Recovery Day 2

2009-11-12T20:37:00.002-06:00

Hour long bike ride on the greenbelts. Almost too cold to ride my bike. Before I reached the end of the street I turned around and grabbed a thick sweatshirt for the ride.

Trail Bike:
12.06 miles
60:09
12.03 mph

Workout:
Mid-body

Started "core conditioning" tonight, in preparation of the upcoming speed work. I've noticed my back muscles are fatiguing on long runs, which is sure sign of a weak core.

Recovery Day 1

2009-11-11T18:53:00.004-06:00

At work today.

Foot pain isn't better, but at least it's not worse.

Recumbent Bike:
14.3 miles
60:00
14.3 mph

Workout:
Upper-Body

Yeah, you read that right... I lifted weights today! Felt good to lift, although I need to find a consistent rhythm in the gym.

Every dark cloud has a silver lining. I've been bummed about the weight gain, but it has motivated me to get my ass back in the gym.

Daily Grind, DENIED

2009-11-10T15:07:00.007-06:00

The weight gain I expected over the weekend did not disappoint. I gained nearly eight pounds in 4 days. Even I didn't expect that much, but I'm learning to take it in stride. I'm eager to get back to the grind and get under 200 lbs, but I don't think it will be this week.

The foot pain is still bothering me. In a lapse of intelligence, I decided to push through the pain and run 7 miles on the bayou rim. I enjoyed my run greatly, but it came at an expensive cost. My left foot feels exactly like it did when I finished the 50k.

It's time to take my own advice and try a couple days off. I don't want to rest for weight loss reasons, yet I know it is the smart thing to do. I'll cycle Wednesday and Thursday and take a complete day off Friday. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I can run 10-miles on Saturday morning with the Kingwood FIT gang.

I explored a couple new trails this afternoon. They weren't as long as I had expected, yet I'm sure I will use them again. BEAUTIFUL day outside. It's sunny and cool. Everything is near perfect, with the exception of this damn foot pain.

Run:
7.0 miles
1:17:34
11:04 pace

Walk:
1.44 miles
24:07
16:45 pace

Ten push-ups during each commercial break of Biggest Loser. So glad to see Shay go home on BL. I've watched the entire season and seen tid-bits of her crappy personality. I was tired of her endless, "I'm the victim" pleas when it benefited her.

Push-ups: 120

Pictures from RR50k

2009-11-09T21:16:00.005-06:00

Left Foot Pain

2009-11-09T14:08:00.003-06:00

Race report complete and now published. I back dated it to Saturday's race date.

Tom meet me at the house for a recovery run. We ran 1-mile intervals along my 5 mile loop. My legs feel great, but something on the top of my left foot is hurting. Not sure what it is.

Run:
4.59 miles
53:11
11:35 pace

Walk:
0.65 mile
11:30
17:46 pace

Biked along side of Andrea while she ran the same 5 mile loop.

Trail Bike:
6.0 miles
1:06:08
5.44 mph

Recovery

2009-11-08T20:01:00.003-06:00

At work today and I feel surprisingly good. Andrea took good care of me yesterday, which helped tremendously. I'm pretty damn lucky to have such a great woman.

Only two minor race related issues left to deal with. The top of my left foot is aching and I have some minor transient soreness on the lateral aspect of my left knee.

I took today off from both exercise and calorie counting. I might regret the decision when I see the scale for a few days, but I think my decision was justified.

I've set two realistic goals for the next 4-weeks;

1. Average weight of 196 or less BEFORE the Texas Trails 50k on December 05, 2009. That will be 60-pound weight loss!
2. A sub 7-hour finish at the Texas Trails 50k.

Rocky Raccoon 50k race report

2009-11-07T20:53:00.005-06:00

I saw and experienced so many new things in the last 24 hours that I don’t know where to start.

Let me write what I’m able to recall in chronological order, starting yesterday afternoon. I spent most of the day taking care of little errands and chores that needed to be done around the house. The only reason I mention this is because I was on my feet all day. I was so busy I neglected my pre-race hydration regimen and didn’t “truly” rest my legs like I wanted.

As soon as Andrea got off work we drove to Trinity to drop Taylor off at Erin’s house. The traffic through Conroe cost us an additional hour, which I wasn’t expecting. On the trip North we made a quick stop into Luke’s Locker for a new hydration belt and then to the Lodge in Huntsville State Park for our race packets. From there we meet Erin in Trinity at Roma’s Mexican restaurant for dinner. We didn’t get there till 6:30, which is 2.5 hours past my usual dinner time, so I was starving. I devoured a basket of chips before my food arrived. A small voice in the back of my head kept telling me it wasn’t smart to do this, but I did anyways. For dinner I had veggie tacos and rice. Not bad, but not great either.

With Taylor now at Erin’s we took off towards Huntsville in pursuit of a hotel for the night. I was so sleepy the drive was a complete blur. We had called a few hotels on the way to Trinity and all the rates were about the same, so we pulled into La Quinta. I have a serious phobia of hotel germs and general yuckiness. I’ve had good luck in the past with this hotel chain… until now. This place was nasty, but I was so tired it didn’t matter.

I took a quick shower and was in bed by 10pm, two hours later than my original plan. Alarms went off at 4:30 am. I found myself tired and wishing for another hour of sleep, but sleep deprivation has become a norm for me. Another shower, got dressed for the big show, and then checked-out of the hotel on schedule. We stopped at McDonalds for an egg biscuit, but they were having issues (drive-thru speaker was not working and doors were locked), so we drove off hoping to find something else to eat. The only place we found open between Huntsville and the State Park was a gas station. I know better than to eat new or different foods before a race, but it didn’t stop me from walking out of the gas station with an apple fritter, banana, and juice. I don’t think I’ve ever ate so much sugar for breakfast. Well, I’m only human and allowed to make stupid decisions too.

Andrea and I arrived at the starting area by 5:30am with time for a bathroom break and stretches. Weather was a comfortable 58-ish, but far from my ideal running temperature of 40-45 degrees. I’m not complaining, because the humidity was tolerable and the trails were nice and dry. While waiting for the start Andrea and I struck up a conversation with another female runner who was also running her first 50k. You could easy sense the nervous excitement between all of us. Then a HUGE shock came to me when another woman walked up and asked me if my name was Bill. After a quick introduction she introduced herself and told me that she reads and follows my blog. How cool is that!?!? This has happened several times, but it never ceases to amaze me. Too freakin’ cool!!

The 50k race started a few minutes past 6am, about 30-minutes before sunrise. The first section was on the roadway, which was well lit. I spent the first few minutes of the race trying to get my hydration belt positioned. During the process I lost a water bottle among the runners, which I had to run back and retrieve. By the time I picked-up the bottle I was at the very back with the speed walkers, who, by the way are super fast!

We ran nearly one mile before turning onto the trailhead, which required lighting. Many people were running without lights. It was comical listening to people trip without actually falling. I don’t know how many times I heard the sound of someone tripping over a root and hearing them yell out; “Shit”, “Son of a bitch”, and “god damn”. I tried not to laugh, because karma would certainly deliver me a fall. One of many goals I established before the race was to run the first loop without falling down. I purposely spent time training on trails, which I hoped would prepare me for this race. On Rick’s last email he reminded me to pick up my feet to avoid the 8 million roots. Looking back I think his number of 8 million was a low conservative estimate of roots.

Once we turned into the woods, I glanced at my watch several times, like I always do and noticed my pace was 14:23. Something didn’t seem right because I felt like I was moving faster than that. I knew I had a long time to go and blamed it on a poor satellite signal. On the fourth glance of my watch I realized I must have stopped my watch when I went back for the water bottle that had fallen.

I love knowing all the “numbers” when I run, so this error quickly got in my head as bad mojo. To make matters worse I didn’t feel like I was moving effortlessly in relationship to the pace. There again, I didn’t know my pace, but I knew I was at the back of the pack.

There was a huge mental boost when we turned left on the jeep road. I studied the map and didn’t expect to see it this soon. By this time the sun was peaking over the horizon and there wasn’t a need for our lights. With the addition of the mornings light and a wider, straighter path I could see other runners, which helped take my mind off the task at hand. As I was watching the other runners I finally found my “go-forever pace” and started feeling good. Although, I had one issue, I needed to pee. Over the first 5 miles I stopped and pissed at least 3 times. I don’t know what was acting as a diuretic, but I had the urge time and time again.

The first aid station at 4.5 miles was awesome. There was no shortage of smiling faces and helpful volunteers at all the stops. I stayed true to my original plan and did not waste valuable time at the aid stations. I left aid station 1 with another runner who was eager to talk. He told me how this was a training run in preparation of his first 100-miler. He gave me lots of encouragement and during the dialogue I asked him how long we had been running. There was an eleven minute difference between our watches, so that helped me better distinguish my overall time… although it didn’t change anything!

About half a mile outside of the first aid station I heard a soft footed runner coming from behind me. As he approached and passed me I was struck in awe. This man is what I consider a true “runner”. Let me try and explain what I saw. First of all, he was a tall, skinny male and probably in his late fifties or maybe early sixties. He was wearing shorts than appeared to be swimming trunks and they were torn so bad that he had duck tap all over, holding them together. He had taken his shirt off and it was tucked into his belt. I didn’t notice a watch of any type and he wasn’t wearing running shoes, he was actually running in a pair of Merrell hiking boots. All this and he moved effortlessly through the trails, almost too quietly to notice. No digital watches, no technical clothing, no shoes MADE for running, yet this man probably knows more about the love of running than I ever will understand. I mumbled, “good morning” as he passed by and I felt privileged to receive a “thumbs up” from him as he ran deeper into the forest.

On Friday I set up an interval workout on my Garmin for the race. The plan was to run for 1-hour, and then run intervals of 15-minute run/5-minute walk. I started the walk-breaks about 6.5 miles into the race. This is also about the time we left the jeep trail and entered the real beauty of the park. Very few people were within sight of me in either direction, so it was just me and the trails. Regrettably, I spent the majority of my time watching the five-feet of trail surface ahead of me, but from time-to-time I looked up in amazement of the beauty that surrounded me.

About a mile before aid station 2 the leaders of the 25k flew blast me in a blaze of fire. It was amazing watching those guys run, even though I only saw them for a VERY short time. Over the years I’ve learned the leaders seldom, if ever talk when they are running. It was refreshing to have several of the top ten guys tell me, “Good job” and “Looking good”. As sappy as it may seem, their encouragement lifted my spirits.

I stumbled a few times, yet somehow I never fell. On the far side of the Seven Hill Running Club aid station I watched a woman take a wicked fall. I asked if I could help her, but she said she was ok. We ran together for a couple minutes. She explained that she lives in Corpus Christi and they don’t have roots like these. She also confessed that she had already fallen twice before. This was evident, because her extremities were covered in dirt and debris. I felt so bad for her and wanted to help, but there wasn’t anything for me to do. Before we lost sight of each other she fell once more and it seemed rather traumatic, but once again, she stood up and started running. Watching her struggling in frustration taught me to be more careful for my own footing and to be appreciative that I had not fallen.

My scheduled intake regimen was one S-cap every 30-minutes and one Gu every 45-minutes. Around ten miles I started feeling the ill effects of the sugary breakfast in conjunction with Gu gel and S-caps. At one point I was so nauseated that I actually started gagging. Luckily, the feeling was short-lived and the gagging was the worst of it. It was easy to keep track of the S-caps, but I was getting confused about the Gu timing. Several times I resorted to counting old packages and looking at my time to determine when the next one was due.

There was a large 5-6 mile gap between aid stations 2 and 3. I ran out of water at the same spot on both loops, which was mentally tough. On the first loop I had no idea where to expect aid station number 3. At every turn I was hoping to see a table with water. This is also the same time a “hotspot” developed on the outside of my right foot. With no water, I started to tire and found myself being overly concerned about the hotspot on my foot.

I finally found my oasis a couple miles past the boardwalks. The volunteers filled both water bottles, while I gulped several cups of water. With a little water in my system all was well again, except the blister forming on my right foot.

The trail was perfectly marked, but near the end of the first loop I didn’t have a good bearing of where I was in relationship to the lodge. Aid station 3 volunteers said it was only a few more miles to the end. My legs still felt relatively good, but those final miles felt like the longest three miles I’ve ever run. Within a mile of the start line there was a plethora of 25k runners passing me and 50k runners starting their second loop. I must have received a hundred “good job” comments on that last mile. It was a great feeling running into aid station 4 with all the cheering spectators.

As I ran around the mid-way cone I looked and the clock, which read: 3:17:09. Even though my number one goal was to merely finish the race, I couldn’t help but realize a 7-hour finish was plausible. Kevin parked his truck close to the start, so it was exciting to see his truck, even though I didn’t see him. I also thought there might be an outside chance I would see Andrea before I ducked back into the woods for my second loop. Even though she started an hour later, she’s a little speed demon, so seeing her was a reasonable expectation. Unfortunately, I never saw Andrea or Kevin.

Going into the half way mark I had to piss… again. I planned on waiting till I found some thick woods when I broke clear of the other runners on the second loop. As luck would have it, I caught up to two female runners. I tried passing them, but my walk/run regimen kept them within sight for several miles. Mid-way down jeep road I finally passed the girls far enough to enable me to piss without being a total weirdo. I’m actually happy it worked out the way it did, because it took my mind off the run.

Most of the second loop was run in a mental haze. I found it amusing trying to relate my perceived effort to that of my Garmin pace. Sometimes my pace felt speedy, yet the watch told a completely different story. There was a direct correlation between the slowing of my pace when compared to total mileage run. At twenty miles I found myself hurting. Everything hurt, with emphasis to my back and bottom of both feet. For the duration of the race I maintained a regimen of stretching every couple miles, which I contribute to my success.

I spent a lot of time thinking and talking to myself. There was times when I said I would walk the remainder of the route. Luckily, the intervals were spaced with enough time to bargain with myself. I agreed to start each run interval and if it got too bad I “could” walk if needed. The pain was the same both walking and running. The way I saw it, the more I could run, the sooner I would end the pain. Any expectations of a respectable pace were conceded to a mere finish, which was my goal to begin with.

The toughest part of my run was on the second loop, between aid station 2 and 3. Once again I ran out of water. I was hurting all over, but even worse, I was mentally fatigued. My run turned into something that resembled a death march. I didn’t think I would ever find the aid station. I was so thirty I considered asking another runner for a drink of water. While running on the boardwalks I must have looked bad because a female runner with a hydration pack asked me if I needed some water. I seriously thought about accepting the offer, but I didn’t want to foul her run. I did accept the fact that an extra 5-minutes of walking was needed until I found water. After the unscheduled walk the landscape started looking familiar, so I continued my running program.

I was so excited to find the final aid station. Part of me wanted to stop and take a break, but I didn’t want to take a chance of cramping. The volunteers helped me refill my water bottles and I was on my way in less than one minute. I doubled-up on S-caps and continued my shuffle to the finish line.

I don’t remember much about those last miles. Probably not my best idea, but I kept a close eye on my watch. Literally, I looked at my watch every minute… hoping to see a magical number. The trail leading to the finish is a mixture of crushed asphalt, roots, and some dirt. I recall the surface feeling so much harder than the previous trails that were primarily dirt, roots, and sand. I guess this is one more reason why I’ve made the big shift from concrete to trails.

In the final 200-yards I could see the finish line. As I approached the photographer I held up a “5” on one hand and a “zero” with the other hand to represent my first 50k. Behind the photographer I could see a young girl, which turned out to be Taylor. When I heard her yell out, “GO, BILL!” it was music to my ears. Then I saw Andrea running up with her camera. I was so overwhelmed with emotion I couldn’t think of anything to say or do, except run.

Even though there were less than 100 spectators, the cheering of the crowd was amazingly loud. One of my final thoughts while running was the lack of pain on the last mile. A man with a PA yelled out my bib number as I entered the pathway lined with cones and flags. The RD instructed me to run past the last cone, which was near the clock that read; 7:06:32 as I passed it. Andrea and Taylor ran along the outside of the course and were right there when I finished.

I did it. I finished my first 50k. I’m finally an Ultra-runner! I was handed my 50k finisher trophy and found a comfy spot in the grass to sit down. The first thing I wanted to do was take my shoes off. I had no idea what to expect of my feet from my first ultra. Damage control didn’t reveal anything serious other than a one-inch blood blister on the side of my right foot. Everything else looked good.

When I stood up, everything had tightened and hurt ten times more than when I had been running. With a 1.5 hour drive home I decided to take advantage of the “free” massage. I had to wait about 30-minutes, but the massage was well worth it.

On the way home we picked up a bag of ice for our cold bath soaks. Thirty minutes in a tub of cold water and half a bag of ice left both of us shivering most of the night. We finished the day with a mediocre meal at Jason’s Deli and we were in bed, sound asleep by 8pm.

There’s something astonishing about pushing your mental and physical abilities beyond the norm. I don’t think the average person understands what the human body is capable of. There’s a lot more will power left inside of me and I look forward to the challenges pursuing who I really am.

Another amazing day of my life, which I'm living to the fullest!

Countdown Is Nearing The End

2009-11-05T23:30:00.002-06:00

I'm at work today and its been really busy. Most of the crew has been testing fire hose, while I've been running medical calls on medic one. Not sure who has it worse.

A small break this evening allowed me to use the recumbent bike for 1-hour, walk on the treadmill for 1-hour, and back to the recumbent bike for 20-minutes.

Recumbent Bike:
20.1 miles
1:20:00
15.08 mph

Walk:
3.26 miles
1:00:00
18:24 pace

Time to put my game face on... only one more full day till the 50k.

Overage

2009-11-04T20:42:00.004-06:00

I wasn't keeping a close eye on my caloric intake and accidentally went over. I'm sitting her frustrated by the mistake. It's especially hard knowing I did a solid THREE hours of cardio. I'm going to learn from my mistake and never estimate my calories and eat my last meal without knowing the exact number.

Rode my trail bike to Wyatt's house. From there we rode to Subway for a quick sandwich. After riding back to his house I rode to the barber, then home. It was a great day for a bike ride. I'm loving this weather!

Trail Bike:
16.3 miles
1:28:27
11.06 mph

Arrived early for PIM and ran two loops around Memorial Park before the session started. Great run and surprisingly fast pace. I didn't try to slow myself down, instead I simply ran at a comfortable pace.

Tonight is PIM's last session before their goal race this Saturday. For their last run they are running for 30 minutes running. Also for the first time they will run all the way around Memorial Park. I ran with one of the faster runners in our group, Sara. We finished an entire loop plus a little extra, which totalled exactly 5k. Now she can officially say she has run 3.1 miles (in 35:01)!

I don't want to leave out the rest of the group, becasue they were right on our tail. All the runners I talked to said they ran the entire 30-minutes without stopping. They have been a great group and I wish them the best of luck this weekend.

I combined all the numbers below.

Run:
8.1 miles
1:27:51
10:50 pace

Walk:
1.57 miles
25:44
16:23 pace

Live Fire Training

2009-11-04T00:19:00.003-06:00

What an exhausting day.

The Captain asked us to wake up at 6:30am to prepare for mandatory Live Fire training. It's been on the schedule for a couple months, so it wasn't a surprise to us. As one of the shift instructors, I've been helping establish training evolution scenarios and logistics for the last couple shifts. It's was fun, but I'm glad it is over. Everything went well and the weather couldn't have been better. Lots of quality teaching and a small bit of exercise also!

I only had a small 1.5 hour break between the end of the live fire training and going BACK to the station for Wyatt. Within 15 minutes of arriving, the alarms went off for our first EMS call, which is typical when I work on medic 1 for Wyatt. Afterwards I spent some time in the gym. I rode the recumbent bike for 45 minutes, ran 2.5 miles on the treadmill, then rode the recumbent bike again for 36 minutes. The run felt great, which is a huge mental boost for my 50k this weekend. The foot pain I experienced late last week had me worried. Now I'm feeling better prepared and I'm starting to show small signs of... excitement!!

Alison was sick Saturday night threw Sunday. Now it seems Andrea has caught the same 'bug'. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to help her from work so she toughed it out on her own. Good news is she is feeling better tonight. Hopefully, I can survive a few more days without catching the virus myself.

Recumbent Bike:
20.7 miles
1:21:00
15.33 mph

Run:
3.0 miles
40:18
13:26 pace

Finally got home at 10:30 pm. Couldn't resist the temptation to watch tonight's DVR'd episode of The Biggest Loser. At each commercial break I did push-ups. I like the results I see in my upper body with push-ups, so I want to start a consistent regimen.

Push-ups: 100

Early Morning Run

2009-11-02T20:46:00.003-06:00

Met Tom at 4:45 am for a 7-mile run. Started in Town Center and ran along West Lake Houston Parkway towards Atascocita. Quite, brisk, beautiful morning. While running on the bridge that crosses Lake Houston, we witnessed a boat shinning a light along the shorelines. After 5-10 minutes the would-be poachers apparently found what they were looking for. The morning silence was broken by the sound of five gun shot blast.

Run:
7.45 miles
1:25:22
11:28 pace

I'm at work now. Sat on the recumbent bike for thirty-five minutes and read Skinny Bastard by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin. It's generally the same as the best-seller female version, which I've already read. Good to re-read the information, which will help me stay true to my diet.

Recumbent Bike:
8.85 miles
35:00
15.17 mph

I'm tired and hungry with a lot on my schedule for tomorrow. Time to get some shut eye.

Brooks Cascadia

2009-11-01T21:29:00.005-06:00

Recovery intervals along the bayou rim:
5 x 0.50 run/0.20 walk
The late start enabled us to use our LED lights, which is additional trail training. Non-eventful run. It was easy and I feel good... nothing less to report.

Run:
2.5 miles
26:18
10:31 pace

Walk:
1.19 miles
20:18
17:03 pace

Before the run, Andrea and I visited Luke's Locker. She has had some isolated hip pain, so I always consider shoes first. She doesn't keep super accurate records, but I estimated she has run 350-400 miles on the current shoes. With a small nudge from me, Andrea purchased a pair of Brooks Cascadia. I've been tempted to buy a pair for myself, but I'm leery to try Brooks again. I tried Brooks a few years ago and didn't like them. The Cascadia model is getting great reviews from both road and trail runners alike. If Andrea likes them, I want to give Books another try and the Cascadia will probably be my next shoe.

Sat on the boring bike trainer this evening to get my full 2-hours of cardio. I need to start walking or something, because I don't feel like I'm doing anything just sitting there mindlessly spinning.

Bike Trainer:
18.65 miles
1:16:04
14.71 mph

Hope my weight loss continues. The scale was rough on me the last couple days. Usually my weight increases Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, then it drops Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. This is the result of my weekend "free-meal" and I'm learning to not be too shocked when I see 2-4 pound weight shifts. I pay a lot of attention to the 7-day average, which has been 3-4 pounds per week.

Glad to see an American win the New York City Marathon this morning. Way to go Meb!!! I was hoping to see Ryan Hall take it, but any USA runner is fine with me!!!

Halloween Long Run(s)

2009-10-31T21:07:00.004-05:00

Late yesterday afternoon Wyatt confirmed he would work for me, which allowed me to run with Kingwood FIT. As an added bonus, Tom wanted to run with my group and was able to find someone to work for him as well.

Probably the coldest weather run this year, yet it was only in the upper 40's. Initially I slipped on a long sleeve tech shirt, then I thought it over and knew I would warm up and regret the decision. Fifteen minutes into the run I was glad to be in a sleeveless shirt!

The route was an easy stroll through Kingwood. The group was scheduled for 9 miles. There must have been a mistake, because the route was one mile short. A little out and back was an easy fix for the extra distance. Once I got the group to nine miles, Tom and I took off for another 3 miles.

This was the first time Tom has run further than 10 miles. He was excited to run a new longer distance and I'm happy to help. While running with KWFIT, I ran BESIDE the concrete pathway when I could. I spent a lot of time talking to everyone about the beating our body takes when we run on concrete day after day. When I took Tom out for the extra 3 miles, most of it was along a trail on the bayou. Once we got back on the street, I think he was convinced that concrete truly "rattles your bones".

It was a good easy run. I'm finally in a nice pattern of running. Not to brag, but today's 12-miler simply seemed like "another run".

Run:
12.2 miles
2:24:40
11:51 pace

Once I got home Andrea took off for her scheduled 14-mile run. Once she completed the first 7-miles the kids and I joined her on our bikes. Alison did great and Preston enjoyed sitting behind me in his bike car seat.

Andrea is on track for a great marathon debut and I couldn't be more proud! AGAIN, I spent a lot of time trying to get her off the concrete. Hopefully Andrea and my other runners will train smarter and learn from my mistakes.

Trail Bike:
6.41 miles
1:20:43
4.76 mph

Finished the day by taking the kids trick or treating.... pictures to follow shortly

Rain will NOT stop me

2009-10-29T21:34:00.007-05:00

Rode my bike in pouring rain for more than one-hour. I'm not talking about a little drizzle, this was a full blown storm. It was hard to see and it even hurt my eyes to look ahead while riding. Either way, I got an hour done.

Trail Bike:
13.68 miles
1:08:33
11.97 mph

Skipped my 2 mile run to allow my foot to recover. So far, so good. It's not bothering me much. I've had ice on it a couple times and I've kept my shoes on. I'm worried it could be peroneus longus inflammation. We'll see how it feels when I run Saturday morning.

I couldn't manage a second hour of cycling in the rain, so I changed into dry clothes and jumped on my bike trainer. The time went by fast as I watched a little television.

Bike Trainer:
13.28 miles
1:00:04
13.27 mph

I've had great weight loss numbers this week. I'm sooooo close to 50 lbs of weight loss. As of this morning I have lost 49.75 pounds in three months and three days. With a little luck I will see the 50-lb mark this week. Only 30 more pounds to go, which seems totally doable!

Today Hank the Hawk arrived. Hank is a small plush Red-tailed Hawk puppet. He is going to be the mascot of my future running club and my own personal "Flat Stanley Project". Today Hank rode on the dashboard of my truck while I gave him a brief tour of Kingwood. We went to the grocery store, post office, Sonic (for an unsweet tea), and back home. Now he is sitting next to my computer watching me type...

W3 and Hardcore

2009-10-28T21:41:00.004-05:00

Windy Wednesday Workout.

Rode my trail bike around Kingwood. Beautiful day, albeit windy. I actually saw "white-caps" on Kingwood Lakes, which is something I have never seen before at this small lake. It was serene cycling along the lake, listening to the wind howl and watching the water crash against the bulk headed shorelines of the lake.

Trail Bike:
11.03 miles
54:45
12.09 mph

Rocky Raccoon trail race is quickly approaching and I'm getting a tiny bit apprehensive. Andrea and I decided to run tonight at East End Park, where the terrain is similar to that at Huntsville State Park. We even started later hoping to run in the dark. My RR 50k run starts at 6am and the RD sent an email making us aware that the 50k'ers need to be prepared to run one hour before sunrise. Today's run was exciting and tons of fun!! We measured out a 3-mile outside perimeter loop (we ran 2.5 times). Our daylight timing was a success. As we started the second loop we ran in complete darkness.

It has been overcast with a few small rain showers most of the afternoon, but 45-minutes into the run it started raining hard. So, there we were running trails, at night, in the dark with a tiny LED hat light, and all this while enduring a significant rain storm. Oh yeah... it fuckin' rocked! I enjoyed myself so much I felt like giggling. I kept thinking to myself.... This is HARDCORE running at it's best. I didn't want to stop, but I'm trying to train smarter and take care of the aching right foot.

The session was mixed with 0.15-mile walk intervals every mile. Cool side story: Shortly after the rain started something caught my eye. I happen to look down, because whatever it was didn't seem right. The object was different and shinny, so I felt the need to stop and look. As my eyes focused in near my feet I saw it was a copperhead snake. He was laying across the trail soaking up the residual heat from the pathway and he scarred the bejesus out of me. We stood there for a second in shock and saw that he had his big arrow-shaped head in the air looking around. And I was about 18-inches away! I don't like snakes whatsoever, so it creeped me out. Andrea and I went around the snake without incident and I was a lot more alert after seeing a snake. Makes the hair on my neck stick up just thinking about it.

Glad to report, no negative dog experiences at East End Park. Today I was armed with a small handheld mase canister. The days of letting aggressive dogs threaten me are OVER! I'm glad I didn't have to use it and find it every sad I have to "arm" myself to run at this BEAUTIFUL park, because lousy pet owners can't control their animals.

Run:
6.15 miles
1:13:49
12:00 pace

Walk:
1.1 miles
19:32
17:45 pace