NOT a great run, but on to the next one...

So, a little over a week ago I ventured out to run another marathon (QC Marathon); my second one in the midst of my ultra's. I had high hopes for this run to be a great one and to use my performance to gauge my abilitiy for my 50 miler at the end of October. I knew that my training had been a little more sporadic and fitting in my good runs were not as easy as I was hoping, but I also knew I could run the distance. I started the race with a few thousand others with a smile on my face and began noticing grimaces and frowns in the early stages. Personally I was feeling great, that was until mile 14 hit and my leg left hamstring tightened like a rusty spring that wouldnt recoil. I have never had major hamstring issues until this day. I knew I had to walk and start rubbing it out in order to run the next 12 miles. As I began to loosen up, the rain began to fall. This only started to add to my frustration, and the frustration of many more. Miles 14 to 20 were not fun and helped me scratch the idea of having an impressive race. I was able to man up and continue that relentless forward motion for the last 10k and finishing the race. Although I was not able to reach my goal time, or use this race for a solid mark to jump off of for my 50 miler in the near future, I am proud of myself for completing the race; especially all of the other great competitors.  It makes me smile and feel good about the midwest when we have so many eager and driven people show up to such an event and take on the challenge. I hope everyone who completed and competed in the QC Marathon continues their passion for running and to see them on the roads or trails in the near future. A special congrats to all of my friends whom I know personally that participated in the run! It was truly great seeing many of you out on the course, whether it was the half or full marathon. Congrats again and keep putting one foot in front of the other!

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." -John Bingham

An Incredible Two Years!

As the end of August came to a close so did my second year of running. Over the course of the past two years I have become more passionate about the sport of running through the new and exciting challenges and experiences it has had to offer. Along the way my life has been touched by so many incredible people, their stories, experiences, and most of all guidance.
Since that first (and near death, jk) run of mine in August of 2009, I thought that this was one of the most ridiculous things that I have ever done. I was running. What in the hell would someone want to do this for? This is painful, exhausting and yet exhilarating. I don’t know if it was the way it lifted the stress off my shoulders or the excitement of working so hard at something I have never 'truly' done before, but I was hooked.
I began to change my purpose for running from using it to escape life's troubles to embracing the challenges and opportunities that existed. Since that first step I have completed races of varying distances and difficulties. I have run and completed 5k's, 10k's, 1/2 Marathons, Marathons, 50k's, 50 Milers, and a 100k. I have also dabbled in triathlons with competing in and completing two sprint triathlons and one Olympic distance triathlon. I have not completed or achieved the goals I have set for myself in the world of running and I will continue to relentlessly pursue my dreams. I say this not to boast my accomplishments, but more to express that idea that anyone can run and participate in this sport; it all starts with putting one foot in front of the other.
I have learned more about my personal will power and drive to push my body’s limits than I ever have. This sport has so much to offer through a variety of ways. I raised money for great causes, traveled to amazing places, and run through more terrain than I ever thought imaginable.
For whatever reason it may be, I encourage all of you to get and give it a chance. Set a goal to complete your first 5k, or challenge yourself to complete an ultra! Whatever you decide, I know that crossing that finish line, whether it be first, last or middle of the pack, no one can take away the fact that you did it, and you accomplished it! Thank you all for following along in my journey and please join me for a run or race at anytime, I may not be too fast, but I promise we will have fun!

"I run because it's so symbolic of life. You have to drive yourself to overcome the obstacles. You might feel that you can't. But then you find your inner strength, and realize you're capable of so much more than you thought."
--Arthur Blank

Good Try @ My 1st Tri!

Last weekend I entered my first sprint-triathlon in Sigourney, IA. I was a bit apprehensive to say the least as I woke up Sunday morning as I drove to the race start. I had no clue on how clustered it would be to get my stuff to the appropriate transition areas, as it turned out it was pretty easy (I think just because it was a smaller race). I spent ample time setting up everything just right so I would not waste too much time in the transitions. Then I took a short warm up bike ride and run to ensure I was going to feel comfortable in each different leg. As the time drew near I was getting anxious and excited.

3…2…1… Go! I heard as I dove into the pool and began my lap swims. My heart was racing and my breathing was erratic! I had to slow myself down and get into a rhythm as I continued swimming, otherwise I thought would surely drown the last lap! I thank the good Lord that it was in the pool because I am not positive I am ready for an open water swim with a swarm of other swimmers. I finally made it to the end wall of my last lap and hopped out of the pool, gasping for air and running to my bike (a quick realization that I am not in as good of shape as I thought).

I slapped my bike shoes and helmet on, grabbed my bike, and headed for the road. I learned from the leaders to clip my shoes in pre-race and just jump into them- something that definitely needs to be practiced by me. I spent the entire 1^st mile catching my breath from the swim and finally got into a groove on the bike. As I felt like I was cooking along I had two other cyclists fly by me, pretty sure I need to work on my biking skills too :). I rode up the last hill to the transition area, tirelessly down shifting due to the lack of speed coming into the hill, and almost flawlessly unclipped from the bike & running to my running shoes.

I slipped on my shoes and headed for the road again, knowing this should be my strong point I tried to give it hell right away. One problem exists at this point- my legs felt like jell-o and were not ready for sprint! After the first quarter mile I was able to regain my running form and prove a fairly strong run to the finish passing six people along the way.

Since we had a staggered start I was unsure on where I actually finished up and decided to wait around for the awards and results. Much to my surprise I competed fairly well; finishing 14^th overall and 4^th in my age group. I know that with some extra training and speed work in all categories I can have a better try at the next tri, but I am happy with the initial results. :)

“Never be afraid to try something new – remember amateurs built the Ark and professionals built the Titanic.”

Running on Fumes in the Heat

As the 4th of July weekend approached us I was getting the itch to race so I found a 5k to run on Saturday in Williamsburg and a 10k to run on Monday in Sigourney. Since I have not been able to run a couple of my ultra-marathons that I wanted to, I decided to begin working on speed in hopes of setting some PR's and build up to a what will (hopefully) be a phenomenal 50 miler this fall in Chicago.

I was able to wake up in the muggy early morning Iowa summer and set one foot in front of the other faster than I have done before. Each race had its own twist, one with so many turns I had to go fast to keep up for fear of getting lost and the other with several little hills and one long gradual incline. I approached the 5k with the mindset of keeping good form and pushing it all the way to the end, especially because it is much shorter than my usually race. Long behold- I surprised the hell out of myself and finish 10^th overall and 5^th in my age group.

After a great 5k and a PR I was a little hesitant on how well I would do at my 10k. I knew that I had consumed a few too many adult beverages the night before while in good company and that the weather was going to be a bit humid at the start of this race. I drove to Sigourney in the a.m. and though that I was just gonna log 6+ miles, but yet again I surprised the hell out of myself. It was a looped course & it started with the 5k and 10k runners at the same time, no big deal you think, until you are about to run another 5k PR because your following the leaders & you still have another 5k to go! Needless to say, when the 5k runners stopped and the rest continued I found myself among one other runner! As I cut tight to curbs and around cars; we were rapidly approaching another racer. Not knowing who the leader was I continued to push hard. The weekend festivities began to hit me with 1.5 miles to go and I knew that the rest of the race was up to my head because the tank was empty and I was on fumes. I was able to pull off 4^th place overall and 2^nd in my age group. Although my competition throughout the weekend was not as tough as it could have been I was able to hang on to the lead groups in both races and let them help pull me to the finish line. I am loving running faster and will carry this speed-work to the next level. I am shooting for a sub-7hr 50 miler in October! (An intense goal I know, but why not go for it!)

"Whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you're probably right."
-Henry Ford

Optimistically Failing… Moving On…

A quick recap of my most recent events… I ran 50 miles down in California, meaning that yet again I did not reach my goal of 100 miles. I know that in my heart, head, and legs that I can and will run 100 miles and much more in my future, but nutrition has been my largest opponent. Once you are not able to get food/fuel into your body, it of course does not want to move any more. The conditions were right, but I was unable to deliver. I had an amazing support crew (Megan Gayman), beautiful weather, and legs that were willing to travel the distance. I just didn’t have the next most important thing figured out, and that was/is maintaining nutrition levels. I will continue to read, research, try, and train, using multiple methods and fuels to supply my body until I figure it out. I am determined to reach my personal goals and become a successful ultra-marathoner.

The weekend following my 100 mile flop, I ran a fairly successful 20k @ Dam to Dam in Des Moines with the Miles for Muscles Team. It was a blast being a part of such a large group of runners (16 on our team I believe and 8000 others) who came together to raise $ and run for a great cause! I truly enjoyed trying a little speed work the day after a few drinks with the team at dinner. I get inspired to keep placing one foot in front of the other after such an event of this magnitude. Those running with speed, others with determination to reach a goal, and even more just running with their hearts and love for the sport. Thank you Miles for Muscles for letting me take part in this event with you!

Where I am heading from here… I am taking off for Wisconsin this weekend to run a 200 mile relay race from Madison to Chicago with another group of runners (which I know only 2 members personally). It should be a great weekend to run through two states and witness again how a group pulls together to complete a challenging task! After this race I take a few weekends off before I enter my 1^st true sprint triathlon that will lead to a couple others. Please follow along with me on my personal journey to push my body, mind, and spirit to new heights!

Side note~ I usually update my training schedule weekly, so if you see a run, swim, bike, or race you would like to join me on just leave a comment, call, or message me!

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine

Gearing up for 100 miles!

As the week winds down, I am anxiously awaiting another opportunity to attempt 100 miles in one run this weekend. I just got news at the end of last week that I will not be able to attempt my 200 miler this year due to the revised schedule of my graduate classes and theses are the last classes of my graduate career so I CANNOT SKIP. Since I will have to wait another year to attempt the 200 (which probably a good thing), I really want & need to make this a successful 100 miler. I am going to finish packing tonight and I will be ready to fly out on Friday as soon as my last work day is over! I will face several challenges during my run as it will be in the mid 80’s throughout the day and the California sun will be beating down on me. Aside from that, I fear that my legs will hit the wall many more times throughout the race because the last three weeks of training have not been tip top. I will keep relentless forward motion, push through the pain, and stay focused on the end goal, no matter if I have to finish by running, walking, or crawling to the finish line. As I say every time, but have not really done yet, I will provide pics and videos when complete. I have a lot of pics and some video from other races that need to be uploaded as soon as possible. Hope to see you all on the roads or trails, good luck to everyone in their own personal endeavors!

The only tactics I admire are do-or-die
--Herb Elliott

Sneaking in miles...

Since my latest injury, and slow but productive recovery, I feel as though I have only been able to sneak in my weekly miles. I look forward to another attempt to run 100 miles in less than 10 days from now! I am a little bit nervous about the condition my body will be in. I know that my base miles are built up enough to run a 50 miler with this rest and recovery period I have been on, but to double that is almost nerve racking! I know in my head and in my heart that I will push my body to its limits and give another solid attempt at the 100 mile mark, but I pray the sun, stars, wind, and moon align to help me complete this challenge (& any other signs of good luck and well-being) :). With all apprehensions aside, as I pack and prepare over the this next week I am anxious and excited to relentlessly run for hours on end in the California sunshine with my head, heart, legs, and support crew! I will give you updates as the day draws nearer and the link with live updates throughout the race.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good News & In Need of a Support Crew

I received some good news on Friday afternoon form my doctor telling me that I could take off my dang walking boot, suck it up, push through the pain, and run! Thankfully all injuries in my ankle are not too serious, or at least I will not further damage anything if I continue to run. So, I decided to lace up that night and run through the pain. Most importantly I wanted to see how painful it would be and how far I could go on it until I hit a breaking point, so I decided to run to my friend’s house in Davenport J, literally. I loaded up my camelback, grabbed my phone, food, and credit card (not knowing if I might need something else along the way). The first several miles were considerably painful, but mostly due to the lack of stretching and flexing of my foot, ankle, and calf throughout the week. On my travels through Durant and towards Walcott the pain began to subside and I was able to run with relative ease. I finally ran past Walcott, but only to lose two of my red flashers along the way. I thought about turning back for safety reasons, but thankfully I packed another head light and put it on. I am pretty sure I looked something like an alien ship hovering close to the ground, but I knew people could see me! The rain began to fall, as my spirits began to fall around mile 18~ thinking I might be pushing a little too hard at this point. Knowing that I probably would not do too much further damage I just slowed my pace and continued on. Finally seeing the glow of the stop lights ahead I gained strength in my head, heart, and legs. At this point I only had a mile and half to go! I finally made it to my destination around 1 a.m. only to be cold, in a moderate amount of pain, and smiling ~ gotta love running!

On another note, I am in desperate need of some sort of support crew for the 100 miler that I am still going to attempt at the end of the month in California (5/27-5/30- we will fly out that Friday night). I really only need 1 person, but more are welcome and I will assist with any monetary expenses that will occur (as much as I can). Your duties as a support crew would include following my hourly schedule and ensuring that I get the proper nutritional supplements along with keeping me hydrated. You would also have to enjoy the California sun and some cold drinks with me when it is completed. If you are at all interested or think you might be able to help me out, please email me at Gabriel.boorn@hotmail.com or call me at 563-210-0872. Thank you!!

"Man imposes his own limitations, don't set any"

-Anthony Bailey

Accidents, Delays, Injuries, Mountains, & Sunshine!

What a hell of a weekend! Everything started off great until I was in my rental car 13 or so miles away from my hotel on Friday night. Some dumb-a**'s got into an accident on the freeway and it took me another hour to get to my hotel. All was good and I was in bed by 1 am, just in time to wake up at 4 am and head to race start! It was a beautiful crisp morning at the base of the mountains as everyone was prepared to begin the journey for the day. We began with an uphill climb at a mediocre grade throughout the first ten miles or so. The sun was out by now and shining bright, providing an amazing view of the valleys and mountain tops as we continued our ascent. From miles 15-20 we were on a single track trail with 2,500' or so climb to the top. Finally we reached near the peak and traversed around the ridge to what I thought was our downhill descent, but only to find another mountain to run the ridge to. The sight was so beautiful and breathtaking that I all but forgot about the calf, quad, and hamstring destructing climb (around 5,000 of elevation gain at this point). As we finally began our descent and passed through an aid station (which amazed me on how they got there) I took a misguided step and pulled the same thing in my right ankle and knee as I did in Arkansas. Pain was sent searing up and down my leg and nearly dropped me to the ground. I was already too far from the last aid station to turn around, and I thought that I might be able to out "run" the pain as we continued on. I meagerly ran towards the next aid station around mile 30 in which I was hoping to get some ice. The last 2 miles before the aid station were dropping at a rate so fast that I actually ran backwards for awhile to try to ease the pain (then considered it to be a little too dangerous, so I turned around). I made it to station 6 and about 30 miles and received the necessary support. As I began to lace up and head out again, I was informed that it was not going to be an option- they were kindly informing me that I would not be able to continue to run based on the condition I was in (in hindsight a good idea). So, I had to end the race early with my tail tucked between my legs as I was swallowed up by another true ultra-runners course. (I will wrap this story up quickly) Post-race festivities proceeded and a couple drinks were consumed and then it was off to the airport in the morning. My flight in the am was delayed, then flew to another airport and had mechanical issues so delayed again, and finally made it to DFW in which my connection home was cancelled! Got stuck in Texas for the night, caught 2 different flights to get to Moline, finally home and to the physical therapist by 4 Monday afternoon! No work, hey not a bad thing, unless you have no more personal days and don’t get paid! Left the therapist in a walking boot and set up an MRI for right ankle. Not the best weekend for this wanna-be ultra-runner, but trying to focus on the chance that nothing major is wrong and I can continue on my path to 200 miles, but beginning to look bleak. I have pictures and videos to upload this week & I will keep you informed on my condition as I clip off each successive doctor’s appointment.

“After all, pain is inevitable. Suffering, however, is optional. Instead of seeking comfort, runners approach the very edge of chaos. As the ravages of potentially debilitating pain take hold, the runner fights to overcome and command the very force that threatens to bring him to his knees. ‘The obsession with running is really and obsession with the potential for more and more life,’ the great runner-philosopher George Sheehan once wrote.”

– Excerpt from RUN! by Dean Karnazes

Traversing the Mountains...

I am heading out to California tomorrow for a 50 mile run through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Although it sounds like a daunting task, it should be a blast as I am hooking up with some fellow runners from my ultra-running team (Team INKnBURN). I will be dawned in my new apparel in which I received from Aquaphor as I proudly promote my sponsorJ. This Course appears to be moderately difficult with almost 9,000 feet of elevation gain, but the trail will be dry and have relatively good footing. I am excited to return to Cali for the first time in 17 years, especially because I will be running through some breath taking country side, fire roads, and mountains. This is one of the many reasons I truly enjoy trail running and would encourage every one of you to find the trail nearest you. It does not have to be extremely difficult one, but just running through nature itself will make it that much more of a wonderful experience. I will give you all updates upon my return & I have scores of pics I need to post sometime next week.

"A race is a work of art that people can look at and be affected in as many ways they’re capable of understanding."

A Rejuvenating Weekend

As I feel this ultra season has been off to a rocky start with many learning experiences along the way, this past weekend’s race was what I needed to remember why I love to run. I picked up a 10k this weekend in Iowa City knowing full well that I would not be able to fly through the course based on my lack of speed training for the last few months, but it sounded like a nice pick me up… and that is just what it was. I was able to run with a few friends and one of which was running his 1^st 10k.  He asked what pace I was going to run at, and he thought he might just try to tag along with me. I told him that would be great and I welcomed the thought of me being the experienced runner in this scenario (not that I truly feel that way). As we weaved through people for the 1^st 5k he was hanging on strong, but we were going a little slower than I liked. People began to string out along the course and it made it easier to maneuver together, so I picked up the pace. Fearing I might lose him and not wanting to leave him behind I was constantly looking over my shoulder to make sure he was there. With less than 2 miles left he tried to let me go, but I yelled out his name and made him stretch his long legs out to catch up. At this point we were moving at about a 7:45 pace (he wanted to run around a 9 min pace). I did not know if I was going to be able to push/pull him to the finish at this pace, but with some encouragement along the way he held on tight and finished strong. I truly enjoyed seeing the smiles on his face through the exhaustion as he was happy to have accomplished this race with a solid effort. It reminded me of why I love pushing my body to its limits and the feeling that overwhelms you when you achieve new goals. I will complete another 50 miler in two weeks and then my sights are set back on a 100 miler at the end of May. Thank you Jared!

Another congrats goes out to my other friends who ran Boston today showing their dedication, heart, and hard work pay off: David Cook, Kandice Tjebkes (RP), and Terry Curry (GG)

There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life.  But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint.  So, too, are you.  Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be.  ~George Sheehan

Highs & Lows

I entered this last race with high hopes, but unfortunately didn’t reach my goals yet again. I “ran” into some nutritional issues along the way that caused me to decide to pull out midway through. I was immediately frustrated with receiving another DNF at first, but then I thought about what I had gained from the experience and the positives that came from the race. My legs felt fantastic during the fifty plus miles that I did complete and I learned that I need to increase my intake earlier in a race when the difficulty is that high. With all of that said, the part I did run during the race was another exhilarating experience with the rains early, humidity rising late morning, and the sweltering heat from the sun during the afternoon! My attack on the course went like this early on; run the flats, walk the insanely steep inclines, and slide down the downhill’s using the mud. As the course dried out it was easier to navigate, but I was expending more energy than I knew and this began to show between miles 35-45. I finally opted for the safer route on stopping rather than another hospital visit, but this will not hold me back and I will continue on my mission to reach the goals I have set for myself. Another positive note that came after the race is that I am now sponsored by Aquaphor! We had a conference call on Monday night and discussed the conditions of our working relationship; this will mainly come with free running gear and some smaller cash incentives along the way, but hey it’s a start! I hope to see you all outdoors as the weather begins to turn nice enjoying life~ live it to the fullest!

"We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort."

You Never Really Lose Until You Stop Trying!

As I am preparing to embark on another journey and milestone I have contemplated many different thoughts over the last two weeks. I was in real pain after running on pavement for the 100k, three weeks ago, which required me to take more recovery time. This played on my mental game as this 100 miler was just around the corner. I thought about and researched this hundred miler several times (probably 30 or so) in the last two weeks thinking about everything. I could have (and did) come up with many reasons on why not to run this race. It will be the toughest course I have ever run on. The weather is supposed to be terrible (rainy and windy). On top of that, it is 100 miles and I have not come close to running that far! Then as the end of this week drew near I got excited! I thought, well hell yes I have not run this far, so why not now? Why shouldn’t I put my body to the test and see if it can handle this surface and terrain (1600 ft of elevation gain per 10 miles)? Who cares about the weather- I will be sweaty, tired, and in pain anyways, why not add a couple other elements to the challenge? J  I have already set my goals for the year and the only thing that will stop me from achieving them is me! I am off to Pekin, IL to achieve personal success, test my mental toughness, and relentlessly run. See you on the road, trails, or at the pool when I get back; either way I hope to see you all out there doing something that you love to do- just be active and enjoy the lives that God gave us!

Ability is what you are capable of doing.
Motivation determines what you do.
Attitude determines how well you do it.
--Lou Holtz

Wind, Rain, & Falling Short...

Okay, I am sorry for the late post, but I have been busy with work, school work, and wrestling since I have been back home from MO. First off, I have to give kudos to my Mother for the amazing job she did for me during the race- this was the best I have felt nutritionally ever during a race. With that being the most positive aspect of the race I will let you know how I did... I started the race with the goals of reaching 80-100 miles, but ended up falling short. The first four to five hours weren't too bad and went relatively well until the wind started to pick up and rain started to fall around 11:30 pm. The next several hours sucked with the on again off again rain and the high winds, along from being exhausted. Then I took a quick cat nap before the sunrise and once that happened I felt rejuvenated and ready to roll again.  With the sun shining (finally) I was able to keep that relentless forward motion until I decided that it was enough. I hit 50 miles in the morning and quickly decided that running on pavement much longer than that was truly taxing on the joints and feet. I decided to reach a distance that I have yet to make and that was 100k (62 Mi.).  I continued on for another 12 miles and actually ran my last mile @ an 8:45 pace- not too fast but fast enough after 61 miles :). Overall, I am disappointed in myself for not reaching my goals, but I know that 100 miles is in my future and I will reach that goal which began as mere figment of my imagination. I am posting a video of the race and I promise to keep relentlessly running and sharing thoughts, experiences, aches, pains, and enjoyment from an inexperienced ultrarunners’ trail through this crazy journey called life J.

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."

Heading to MO with my "Crew"

     I am up and moving around getting the last minute items together before I take off for Cape Girardeau, MO. Since the course is a looped course and I will have a support crew (okay just my Mother, but I will get into that in a bit), I have spoiled myself I am bringing everything I could possibly need on a run because I will not have to carry my pack.  This will prove to be very nice when I am exhausted and unwilling to continue, on the other hand there is my support “crew”. I use this term loosely not only because it is one person, but especially because it is my Mother. This will be the first race that she has ever watched of mine, better yet the time that I am pushing myself through the 24 hrs pleasant pain that I will endure.  I rarely if ever have any support crew, but I am really not sure about having my Mother there… not only will it cramp my style if there are some beautiful ladies there (okay, we all know I have no style), but I know she will begin to freak out when I look like crap, feel like crap, and start just shuffling my feet until I catch my next wind.  Needless to say this is going to be an interesting ultra in many ways. There may be many new factors involved in today’s race, but one factor will stay the same- I am the one running and I will control myself, persevere when times get tough, and accomplish the goals that I have set for me. I have placed a link at the bottom of my blog that will give you live updates of my race if your bored between watching the National Wrestling meet or National Basketball gamesJ. Thanks for following and I will post some post-race pics and a video documentary afterwards.

How many miles are in 24 hrs??

It is the beginning of another week of “training” and I am looking forward to the challenge ahead of me. As many of you may know I am heading to Missouri on Friday for my first 24 hr Ultra ~ just how many miles are in 24 hrs? I will be happy with reaching the 80 mile mark, but 100 miles is my true goal. I will use this weekend to figure out how my mind and body feel and/or react to the different, new, and exciting challenges that I will endure throughout this time frame. I need to learn what it is like to push myself through complete exhaustion, severe aches, pains, and cramps, and how to control my caloric intake to sustain a healthy body for that amount of time. As I put training in quotes earlier, this is just that, a training run and an opportunity to strengthen and build my endurance prior to my 100 and 200 mile events that are further down the road. Over the past two weeks I have not had the best training runs to date, but I cannot dread on the thoughts of injuries I have sustained or whether or not I am prepared. I want to become the best runner I can be and it is time to start now. I will not spend the rest of my life wondering if I can do this, run this far, or overcome the obstacles I will face. Please follow my blog as I continue down this path in life with relentless forward motion. I will blog pre and post race with pictures and a video documentary of the 24 hr run.

"Mental will is a muscle that needs exercise, just like the muscles of the body."
-Lynn Jennings

Life’s battles...

Throughout the previous week I had battled injuries and illness. I have been able to lace up and hit that road to two hundred again and I'm not looking back. As I am preparing for my first 24 hour ultra in less than two weeks I think about the battles that I have faced before this momentous occasion and the ones I will face throughout the long day on my feet. In the sport of ultrarunning you are faced with multiple challenges, but most of which are presented again and again (sore legs, cramps, tired feet, blisters, aches & pains, etc), so you learn how to be mentally tough in those situations and push through them. I am also motivated to keep that relentless forward motion when I think about the battles that others face in their daily lives. I have a choice and I choose to put myself through that pain and mental challenge, but there are many more unfortunate persons out there that struggle with more severe pain, heartache, and health problems daily.  As I have said before, I love to run for organizations and races that are raising money for a good cause and now it is my turn to raise money myself for those dealing with one of life’s unique and very challenging battles.  If you would please read through my previous post and the Miles for Muscles campaign, I would greatly appreciate it. Our friend and community member is in need and I would love for us to support him in any way we can in his current life battle.

“Life’s battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man,
But sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can.”

Miles for Muscles~ A Worthy Cause

This June 4th I will be running the Dam To Dam 20K in Des Moines, Iowa for a very special friend and cause.

My friend and high school cross country coach, David Cook, is asking my help to raise funds to donate to Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy (MMD) research at the University of Virginia. Both David and his niece have been diagnosed with this crippling illness and as of now there is no treatment or cure. I am hoping that you will sponsor my run by making a donation to the research. Your tax deductible donation goes directly to a lab at UVA to fund preliminary experiments, purchase lab equipment and pay for PhD team members. Dr. Mahadevan can now reverse the illness in his mouse model taking it completely away.  David and his family are working closely with the Stone family, who created a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization to assist in raising funds to find a cure for MMD.

To learn more about the Stone organization, please visit www.StoneCircleofFriends.com.

To sponsor me please go to www.MilesforMuscles.com/damtodam/runners.html

and click the donate button by my name. I am grateful for any amount that you can donate.

A step in the wrong direction...

This past weekend was a humbling experience. I was running through a beautiful course along cliffs, through trees and smaller mountains, and with some amazing ultrarunners. Along the way I was on pace to set a personal record (PR) in the 50k when I took yet another wrong step with my right foot. This time instead of finding a cactus it rolled off of a rock causing my right ankle and knee to buckle in the wrong direction. This would not have been too big of a concern, but with my prior knee surgeries the searing pain that shot down my leg from my knee to my ankle scared the hell out of me.  This all occurred around the 23rd mile mark. I managed to hobble/walk/run to the next aide station where I was better able to assess the damage. When walking was getting too tough, I had to make the toughest decision I have ever made in a race so far and that was to drop out and accept my first true DNF. I would have pushed on and completed the race if it was the one I was training for, but it is not. I want and will complete my 1st 100mile race in two months, better yet my 200 miler in 5 months, and I really didn’t want to further jeopardize those opportunities.  I am sorry for not only disappointing myself, but also those who support me along this crazy adventure I call life. I have visited with my physical therapist and she did give me good news that nothing serious should be torn/damaged. I will do some rest and rehab throughout the remainder of this week and then get back on the training routine that will take me on that journey to 200 miles!
"What distinguishes those of us at the starting line from those of us on the couch is that we learn through running to take what the days gives us, what our body will allow us, and what our will can tolerate."

50k (31 Mile) in Arkansas

We have finally reached the end of our work weeks hump day and I am gearing up to hit another trail run in another state. My training has not gone as I would have liked... to many things going on and causing broken up runs to get mileage in, but I will complete the task at hand.  I will be heading South Friday after work to pound my feet on another new trail that will present a different setting and obstacles to push my body through- a couple creek crossings and larger hills (1600 ft of elevation change).  I will have a support crew, okay one person (Ryan), but that is more than I usually have. This will allow me to think, prepare, and run the race and not have to worry about all of the other logistics involved with traveling across the country. There are far more runners at this one, so I plan to tag along in the back of the lead pack and let them carry me to finish- but I will run my race and finish strong. Thankfully there will not be any cactus' on this trail so I don’t fear those prickly little boogers. I will have more pictures and an update by Monday. Talk to you all after the race!

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”

Its a tough love...

As I continue to set one foot in front of the other on my own path I am inspired by the youth and others surrounding me. As a wrestling fan, coach, and ex-athlete I have witnessed some triumphant bouts over the past weekend. As I coached my Lil' Beavers on Friday and watched the high school boys on Saturday my spirits lifted with every match won and lost. The smiles and tears after each battle reminded me that everything tough in life takes heart and that is why it feels so damn good when you accomplish something tough. I will remain steadfast in my own personal challenges and dig deep when the tough makes me want to quit, but my heart will keep me going strong. Thank you to those peewee and adolescent wrestlers that keep an aging man youthful in the mind and heart.

Coldwater Rumble 50K~ Complete

I arrived in AZ on Friday thankful for the warm weather (a cool 60 degrees as I stepped off the plane), and I drove to my family friends Bess and Larry Ruess' house. We stayed up catching up as I prepared all of my gear for race day. The next morning I made it to race start and was prepared for a 50k (31 mile) run through AZ. I had taken the time to look over the elevation changes in the course and determine where I knew I was going have some tough sections, needless to say~ it was all tough as hell! I started off in the lead group until about mile 3 and a cute little cactus decided to jump out and bite me in the foot! I spent 10-15 minutes with my right shoe off pulling cactus needles out of the side of my foot. Got over it and started to run again, with a little effort I was catching back up with a many of the runners that had passed me as I sat on the sideline. Once we were through the mountains (about 5 miles) and into the desert I pushed pretty hard.  I ended up taking a wrong turn and getting lost in the desert. Needless to say I made it back to the correct trail with the help of a fellow ultra runner who also got lost. As we proceeded to complete the course we ran through soft wash rock, more mountains, and more sand. It was an amazing challenging course that pushed my mind, body, and spirit to new heights. I am now getting prepared for my next ultra scheduled for February 19th in Lake Texoma, TX.  I will get pictures on and more updates as soon as possible!

Coldwater Rumble 50k, Goodyear, AZ

I am done packing and ready to head to Arizona for my first 50k of the year 2011! The course is supposed to be a little bit challenging, but I think the weather will help me forget about that :). It is supposed to be around 70 degrees by midday, but lets hope I have prepared well enough to complete the course. I do have a goal time in mind, but I wont share it just in case I am way off for some unknown reason. I will update with photos and finishes when I get home! See you all on road, trails, or adjoining treadmills when I get back!

Just Starting the Road to 200!

As I continue to figure out how I want to manage my blog and for what purposes I will be maintaining it, the start to a new year of running is well underway. I have already completed my first race of the year up in Wisconsin on January 8th. There were a little over 700 runners braving the cold and wind on that winter day, but we all had an enjoyable run and the opportunity to start off the new year on the right foot (I was 3rd in my age group and 140th overall). I am preparing to fly out to Arizona this Friday to run my first ultra for the year. The Coldwater Rumble 50k in Goodyear, AZ will start my epic journey through the trials and tribulations that lay before me as I train to run 200 miles this July in Pennsylvania. I will keep you posted on my progress with pictures, hopefully video, and blog posts. I am also in the process of trying to connect with a couple charities to raise some money while I endure the elements and each mile along the way. I will keep you posted on which charities I will be running for. I have also most recently joined the UltraRunning Team: Ink n' Burn, through which I hope gain some valuable insight, knowledge, support, and camaraderie as I travel across the US to run different courses.