Go West young (old) man!!

So, I had some extra vacation days at work that I needed to burn before the end of the year and I needed to find a somewhat cheap "vacation".  I had never been out to visit my uncle in Arizona so that seemed like a good choice.  And it was! It's a short stay, but very nice.  My uncle lives in Scottsdale, which is a very nice suburb of Phoenix.  We had plans for dinner, and then a day up to visit my cousin at Northern Arizona University and then to continue on up to the Grand Canyon.

Friday morning we left the house at 8am and took the scenic route up to Flagstaff.  The direct drive is usually only about 2 hours, especially with a 75 MPH speed limit!!  NICE!  Except we took the scenic route, and I'm so glad that we did.  The landscape and vegetation changed as we gained altitude, eventually reaching 8,000 feet.  Along the way we stopped in Jerome for coffee, and took a quick drive through Sedona which is known for its "new age" vibe with all the crystals and incense.  We picked up my cousin, and headed straight to the Grand Canyon, about an hour away.  I haven't been to the Canyon since I was about 14, and I know the whole experience back then did not have the same impact as it did this time.  I won't go into further detail, but it was just magnificent.  Check out this picture that I took!

Annnnnnd this one that my cousin took.

If you haven't been, and you're contemplating... just go. 

Now on to the fun stuff!  ;-)
When I booked the trip, of course I had to check to see if there were any local races going on over the weekend of my stay.  A road race would be good, but a trail race is always preferable for me.  Whaddyaknow, a trail race in the Sonoran Desert and it's only 30 minutes away!! Winner!  the McDowell Mountain Frenzy is part of the Aravaipa Running Club's DRT Series and offers distances of 5M, 10M, 25k, 50k, and 50M.  Something for everyone.  I signed up for the 25k as a "sightseeing" race since I'm still not 100% after the Philadelphia debacle.  I'm almost there, but I certainly was NOT prepared for a 50k. 

Up before the sun and over to McDowell Mountain for the 8am start.  I'm there with plenty of time to spare and I get to watch the 50k start at 7:30a.  It's about 50 degrees, but as the sun creeps higher in the sky it will land around 65 degrees by the time I finish.  At 8a I'm off with about 150 or so other runners.  We're in a pretty tight group for the first 2 or 3 miles, with a few people already trying to make moves by passing "on your left".

About the trail...  the terrain is mostly single track, hard packed dirt that is very dusty, and loose rocks about the size of golf ball strewn throughout.  The other added bonus is cactus... everywhere... and not just off in the distance but literally right next to the trail itself.  If you're not paying attention you're gonna be pulling needles out of your shin, or possibly your arm!  It's not a very technical course, I would give it 2.5 stars out of 5.  The elevation also is not too difficult as the trail pretty much rolls up and down for the entire loop.  Climbs of only 30 to 40 feet, but they are constant!  Everything is runnable so there's no opportunity to walk unless you just decide "I need a break"... and I did.  :-)  I would also give the elevation 2.5 stars out 5 just for the constant up and down, but they did manage to stick in one serious climb around mile 12 or 13 which sucked because I was NOT expecting this at all.  The silver lining is that once I got to the top of the ridge I could see the start finish area and it was all downhill from there, literally. I bombed down the descent, as I love to do, and enjoyed the quick pace and the zig zag lines around the switchbacks. 

The desert is, well... a desert.  There are no trees, and because the course is rolling hills the whole way, you can see other runners way ahead (or behind) for almost the entire race.  During the times that I walked for a bit, I took the opportunity to actually look up and soak in the surroundings.  That's a drawback when you're trail running.  You're so focused on where your foot is going that you don't see the majesty that's around you.  The saguaro cactus that dotted the landscape set against the mountains in the distance were gorgeous.  Much different than the trail races I'm used to in the East where everything is in a forest with single track trail and big climbs.  I think I like the trails back home better, but this was definitely an enjoyable experience.  Because the terrain was so odd, or foreign, it felt at times as though I was running on the moon.  The moon has cacti, right?!

I finished in 2:58:10, unofficial.  This is actually my first 25k sooooooo PR!!!  Winner!  The photo on the left was taken right after the race.  It was pretty dusty out there.  Also, I wore a pair gaiters for the first time, and I'm glad I did.  The dust was everywhere, obviously, but a lot of runners were complaining about tiny rocks in their shoes.  These worked great, and I actually forgot that I had them on after a while. 

So in summation, the race was great and the trail was beautiful.  I had a great time with my uncle and my cousin and I'd love to come back out here again soon.  Maybe I can give the 50k a go next time?

To DNF or not to DNF?

That is the question!  Indeed.

Finishing MoMa 50k with Ninja

I have a relatively short running career of only 4 years, which makes my racing career a bit shorter at 3 1/2 years.  Not a long time to be pounding the pavement and trails, but i have managed to squeeze in about 20 half marathons, and 5 marathons.  Two of the marathons were trail races, one of which was my first ultra distance at 50k.  Of course you have to sprinkle in 5ks, 10ks, and every other "k" you can think of...
In all the races that I have participated in, there wasn't one time, one moment, or one instance where i ever thought that I should DNF (Did Not Finish).  I know that even the elites will DNF in some races, but never fully understood how or why someone would choose that fate unless they were injured?

Before the start at Philly with Molly

Well, I had what I hope will be my first and only experience with the threat of a DNF.  The 2012 Philadelphia Marathon was supposed to be a PR race for me with the goal of finishing somewhere between 3:45 and 3:50.  That would have been a 3-8 minute PR.  An aggressive goal, but definitely within reach.  Well the plan didn't work out that way, and for a number of reasons (none of which are excusable) I hit race day undertrained. Well rested, but undertrained.  You can't reap the reward without putting in the work folks!

This is what it looks like to "hit the wall".  Not fun.

I made it through the first half of the race right on my goal pace and actually felt comfortable.  That only lasted until mile 14 where I began to feel tired.  That's too early for me, especially for a marathon.  I took a walk break somewhere around mile 15 and I knew then that the second half would take some work just to finish.  I don't walk during road races of any distance, unless there's an injury or illness, and I wasn't sure how to deal with this mentally.  I decided that I would just run until I felt that I needed to walk, and then continue that way until the finish.  Readjusting goals, never once contemplating a DNF.  Then I hit mile 17... and I hit the wall in a big way, head on.  This is all foreign to me.  I never hit the wall!!!  It was physical, and it was mental.  It could have gotten emotional but i kept readjusting goals and pressing on.  I wanted to quit soooooo bad.  So bad.  I thought about how easy it would be to just stop.  So simple, right?  Just stop, turn around and walk back to the finish area.  Wait!  Walk back to the finish?  I may as well just walk the last 9 miles, right?  Plus, what do I say to everyone back at the post race celebration?  "Um, yeah... I don't have a medal because I gave up.  No, no... I'm not injured, I just quit."  I can't do that.  So ultimately my decision to keep going and NOT DNF was due to two main factors... convenience and ego.  It was not convenient for me to quit, and I would have a hard time looking people in the eye and telling them I quit.  The satisfaction and determination to continue to run when I could and walk when I couldn't was an afterthought.  I just wanted to finish.  I enjoyed the beer and brownies in Manayunk, and why not... I wasn't really pushing myself at that point.  I got to see (and cheer) my fellow RVRR members as they caught and passed me on the final stretch.  Many of whom were first time marathoners with such determination (and pain) on their faces.  that was an unexpected bonus for me. :-)

Soooo happy to finish!

I finally finished in 4:27, too tired to smile at the finish line, but ever so grateful for having crossed it.  The smiles came later when I could step back and bask in the glow of finishing another marathon, regardless of the time.  Not every race is a PR, and sometimes we need days like this to remind us of the importance of putting in the required work and the discipline and sacrifice that go along with it.  Now I know what the threat of a DNF feels like.  I also know how great it is to ignore that threat and to push through and complete the task.  A DFL trumps a DNF any day in my book.

Just keep moving forward and the finish will greet you soon enough.

All is forgotten with a medal around your neck and few lagers in your belly!
When's the next race!!!!

Is That Really a Sport?

I found myself asking this question a number of times over the past two weeks. I watched, as much as I could, with great awe and wonderment at most of the athletes on display at the recent XXX Olympic Games in London.  I say "most of the athletes" because there are a few sketchy "sports" out there these days.  Somehow, BMX biking is now an olympic sport but baseball/softball were voted out?!!  Now, now, now... before you start layin' in to me about how tough BMX biking is I will agree that there is definitely a level of athleticism required to compete in that event.  I'm just trying to make a point.

I would like to specifically address a number of events that are more of a skill than a sport.  Rhythmic gymnastics, synchronized swimming, archery, shooting, and of course hot dog eating.  Ok... I made that last one up.  BUT, the other events don't qualify as a sport in my mind.  You're not directly competing against someone or some team... and there's no defense!  They are nice to watch and those rhythmic gymnastics girls are verrrrrry bendy... but it seems more like artistry or a "show".  Ballet is extremely difficult, and you better believe that those dancers are in phenomenal shape... but would you ever consider that an olympic sport??  Or any artistic endeavor as a sport?  Why don't we have olympic sculpting and watercolor?  I would love to see the orchestral chamber quarter gold medal match up between Austria and Hungary.

Could it be that any event that has a judge should NOT be an olympic sport?  That would mean gymnastics, diving, and the winter showcase event of figure skating would be out.  What other events have so called objective third parties to decide which "performance" is the best?  Performance is the key word there.  It's a show.  It's pretty.  It's riveting.  But is it a sport?  I don't doubt, or diminish, for one second the level of commitment that these athletes give or the sacrifices that they have made over the years.  I think I would just like to see people winning medals because they were better, faster, higher, longer, stronger, or quicker than the person/team directly across from them.

More team handball.  More fencing.  More water polo.  More pentathlon. More kayaking.

Keep the basketball on the shelf though.  Enough already!  We get it, you guys are awesome but I can see you all year long in the NBA.  That stuff I mentioned in the line above... not so much.

What do you think?  What is your definition of Sport?

Shout out to Allyson Felix  ;-)

Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run

So let me start by saying that I did NOT run this amazing race.  And amazing it is... awe-inspiring in fact.  I did have the pleasure of crewing for my good friend Mike Dixon, who eventually finished in 94th place with a time of 22 hours, 38 minutes, 56 seconds.  That's 13:35 pace... over 100 miles.  100 MILES PEOPLE!

The race took place on June 23rd.... and a little bit of June 24th.  I wanted to write a concise recap of my crewing experience, and the fulfillment that I got from volunteering and being a part of a coordinated team effort.  Planning for this day(s) began months in advance, but like most plans we found ourselves hurrying in the last few days to tie up loose ends and nail down all boards.  Not that we weren't organized, it was just more... I don't know... we didn't know what to expect and yet we wanted to be prepared for any eventuality.  In the end, I strongly believe that we did a great job but we'll let Dixon give his opinion on that since it's the only one that truly matters here. I can only really give my perspective of the events as they played out in front of my crew vehicle.  The other crew was headed up by Kelly with fantastic assistance from Dave, Bill,  Mary, and Sally.  My car was rockin' with Lianne, Shannon, and Jayson.  We all left the sweet condo in Zephyr Cove, NV at 2:30am and headed north around Lake Tahoe up to the Olympic Village at Squaw Valley, CA.  It took about an hour and we all made the best of the early morning dark daze, thinking about what would transpire over the next 24 hours or so.

5am

Shotgun start... literally!  And they're off!!  The race immediately begins with a relentless 4 mile climb.  We see Dixon pass as the mass of runners make their way to the summit.  We say a silent goodbye, knowing that we will not see him for another 5 hours!  We head out and start making our way to our  first aid station at MILE 30, Rascal Robinson Flats.

8:30am

It takes us about 3 hours to get to Robinson Flats because we literally had to drive around the mountain range on one side, and then drive allllll the way back on the other side.  Haven't you people ever heard of tunnels?!!  It is raining, and very very foggy.  We're curling up the side of the mountain but we have zero views to "ooh and ahh" over.  We know you're out there beautiful vistas!!!  We get to the parking area for the aid station, it's raining harder now.  Dixon isn't expected to roll through until around 10:30am so we all catch up on some z's.  Well... at least I do.  Lianne and Jayson stay up to play Words With Friends, Shannon passes out.  Apparently I sleep like a baby, according to Jayson.  I didn't budge until my alarm went off at 9:30am signaling that it was GO TIME!!

10:30am

We finally get to the aid station after waiting on line for the bus, and the short 3 mile drive.  It's still raining, and quite cold actually.  We should have prepared better for the cold, but we made the best of it.  As we set up our mini-camp waiting for Dixon, we were able to see some of the elite women roll through, and got to see eventual winner Ellie Greenwood and runner-up Rory Bosio.  Runners come and go, and then we see Dixon sauntering through the fueling area.  We are happy to see that he has about 4 layers on to ward off the cold, thanks to Crew B and Dave & Bill specifically.  Some quick chit chat, a change of dry shirt and the Albino Kenyan is off in to the wild wilderness of the Sierras again.  It would be another 5 hours for us until we see him again.

We make it back to the Buick Enclave, get everything packed, and start to head out to the next stop.  BAM!!!  Whaaaaaat was that?!  Apparently it was a tree stump, and it jumped out right in front of the car... honest!!!  No major damage, but definitely some cosmetic bruising to the air dam along the bottom of the front bumper.  Maybe Hertz won't notice it?  The drive back from the shuttle lot is soooo much nicer.  Clouds and fog have burned off now and we have spectacular views of the valley and canyons below.  Windows are open as the temps start to creep up to comfortable levels.

12:30pm
Our crew decides to have our own refueling session back up near the interstate.  We were lucky enough to stop for lunch at a fine California establishment called Jacques Dans La Zone.  It was quite good and definitely hit the spot.  We represented Jersey well and decided to eat in the parking lot while we dried out our chairs, blankets, towels, and clothes...  stay classy Jersey.

3:30pm

After the grub we make our way back down the twisty and turny Foresthill Road.  Lianne is driving now (thank you!) and doing a fine job... even though this vehicle is four times the size of her Honda Fit!! We park near the Foresthill Elementary school, which is MILE 62 on the course.  This will be the first available opportunity to have a pacer join the race with their runner.  Jayson will be first up to pace Dixon, followed by David at around MILE 78, then Baron Bill Hulbert will bring him home for the last 7 miles or so.  Lianne, Shannon, and I leave Jayson with Crew B while we board yet another shuttle bus to the Michigan Bluff aid station about 4 miles away.  It's hot now... or at least it's hot relative to what the weather was like in the morning at Robinson Flats.  It's close to 80 degrees which is fine for us as we sit back and soak up some rays.  I can't help but think that Dixon is feeling like a dry sponge in the sun.  Dixon appears in the distance and we give a loud cheer as he approaches the aid station at MILE 55.  He goes through some mandatory medical checks, and his weight is 145lbs... unchanged from the weigh-in the day before.  Quite amazing considering that he is just over half way done on this epic journey.  He fuels up, and we switch out a dry shirt, new hat, and I give his sunglasses a spit shine... and then he's off again.  It's 5:20pm at this point.

6:45pm

We make our way back to Foresthill Elementary School where Dixon will roll in and pick up Jayson to begin the "pacing" legs of the race.  The rest of the RVRR crew (traveling in RVs) meet Dixon at the Bath Road aid station and walk/run with him up to our location at the school.  We have this pit crew stuff down to a science now.  We take turns with the bag of tricks with gels, protein bars, eye drops, hats, shirts, circus clowns...  We're all providing the comfort and moral support (and sunscreen-put-er-on-ers) and providing the focus, the drive, and the sensibility to balance Dixon's insanity!  6.2 miles until your next aid station.  Whatever, it works and we're going with it.  Whoosh, the boys head out west in to the glorious, golden sunset with headlamps ready to blaze as the dusky night descends upon the Sierras.  How wild that must be to run through mountains and canyons with little more than a flashlight taped your head?... in essence anyway.

7:30pm
We mosey on over to where the RVs are parked, and hang for a bit with the total group before pushing on to get dinner and then to the next aid station at Greengate.  We'd not see the RV folks again until the finish line in the wee hours of the morning.  Jayson is pacing Dixon at this point so Crew A now consists of Lianne, Shannon, David, and myself.  Lianne bravely barrels the Enclave back toward the interstate for a quick bite to eat.  Bellies now full, or almost anyway, we make our way back down the curving road that we know all too well at this point.  I ride shotgun and navigate while Lianne handles the switchbacks with flair and panache... basically not killing us.  We make our way to the church in the town of Cool.  Seriously... the town of Cool, CA.  at 9:30p we start to queue up for the shuttle bus... AGAIN!!  What gives, man?!  This shuttle is a short bus but a long ride to the drop point.  We realize as we're waiting on line for the short bus that there is a very real possibility that we will miss Dixon at the next aid station.  This will be the aid station AFTER the Rucky Chucky crossing of the American River.  Dixon and Jayson will be wet and we can't afford to miss him and send him into the darkness with everything soaking wet.  We finally get on the bus and make our way to the drop area.  From here it is another 1.5 miles DOWN a rocky dirt road.  We have to run if we're going to make it.  Shannon is the only one with a headlamp so she runs between Lianne and myself... sort of a modern day Rudolph, if you will.  The temperature has dropped back down to 45 degrees or so, and the three of us are layered up good.  I'm carrying two backpacks, running down a dark road, trying not to catch a toe on the odd protruding rock.  We make it, safe and sound, down to the checkpoint and wait expectantly for the boys.  The three of us are sweating from the quick huff down the mountain side, and Lianne takes this wonderful photo of me.

Ok... I was tired, I was sweaty, and I wasn't thinking clearly.  Hahaaaa!  Oh man...as Lianne would say, possibly the sketchiest photo of me ever taken.  Well played.
Very soon after, we see a number of headlamps bobbing and weaving up the river crossing.  We are happy to see that Dixon and Jayson have successfully crossed the Rucky Chucky, and were met by David and Bill who were waiting with dry towels.  The reunion is the briefest of visits as Dixon and Dave wave off the crew and let us know that they have everything they need.  We're a bit confused until we find out from bill that the true aid station was 100 yards down the dirt road.  Ugggggghhhhh.... well, at least we were prepared for all eventualities, and that's what a crew is for.

12:00am - Sunday
The next time we see Dixon will be at MILE 99 when we all run the last mile in with him.  We get back to the car, and discover that we have 3 hours until we need to pick up David at MILE 92.  Time for a serious nap.  We're able to get a solid 2 hours of sleep until we meet the shuttle bus in some random parking lot to pick up David, and have a quick reunion with Crew B.  David is tired, but quietly energized from the experience of running the trail at night.  At one point he comments that Dixon was feeling so good at times that David had to work to keep pace with him.  Pretty amazing after powering through 80 miles of mountains, sleet, hail, dust, canyons, burning sun, no sleep, gel after gel after gel...

3:00am
We come around the corner and see the blazing lights of the football stadium.  Almost there.  We make our way to Placer High School where the race will finish on the track.  We meet up with the RV crew, and Crew B and start making our way back up the course to MILE 99.  This is exciting!!  It's the middle of the night, we are tired, but we know that one of our own is out there somewhere... thoroughly exhausted, spent, delirious, and just wanting to get to the dang finish line!  Lindsay, Lianne, Anis and myself run back all the way to MILE 99 while the rest of the gang waits at the half mile mark. We aren't at the mile marker for more than 3 minutes when we see Dixon and Bill emerge out of the enveloping darkness with a single headlamp meekly casting its light ahead.  I wish that I could have taken a picture of Dixon's face when he saw us... the smile, the joy, the excitement, and the relief produced such an amazing glow.  I gave him a huge hug and realized that the boy was bone dry!  He had nothing left to sweat out, like that sponge left out in the sun.  We ran back down the course toward the high school.  Along the way we picked up the rest of the gang and there was a great cheer as we approached.  I think it would be hard to verify, but I would venture to guess that Dixon had the largest entourage of any participant at Western States.  That is NOT an exaggeration!!  Dixon quickens his pace, knowing that the journey is a mere 400 meters away from being over, and he can finally stop... and stop for good.  We all run around the track with him on the final lap and a rousing cheer goes up as they announce over the stadium p.a. system "Michael Dixon - Fanwood, NJ"!!!  He did it, he actually did it.  Official finish time of 22 hours, 38 minutes, 56 seconds... that's a long time folks.  Lots of hugs from everyone, a ton of smiles, and a silent understanding that we have all participated, in some way, in a most amazing day.

p.s.  Hertz never said anything about the damage to the Enclave.  :-)

New Car Smell

Tahoe Rim Trail... sooooo choice.

So I bought a new pair of trail shoes last night!!  Asics Gel Fuji Racers will be propelling me over rocks and roots, and barreling through mud and water crossings at the Mountain Madness 50k in September... I can't wait!  I don't know about you, but I always get a little excited when I get a new pair of running shoes.  It's almost like getting a new car every 500 miles or so.... almost.  But if you think about it, shoes are like cars for runners so I'm going with it!  The good thing is that you're not tied in to one set of shoes for 3-5 years until you pay them off.  AND you get to try a variety of styles to see what works best for you.

 I just got a new pair of road shoes about a month ago, and I'm scheduled to get a new pair of Mizunos in the next week or so through the Mezamashii Run Project.  The Mizuno Mezamashii Run Project is an innovative marketing campaign from Mizuno that gets their new products onto the collective feet of lucky runners...  for FREE!!  You can "Apply for an Invite" to get involved in the test market, and try out a new pair of Mizuno shoes.  Your review and response is critical in helping Mizuno to craft their products and designs to meet the needs of the consumer... that's you.  Not a bad trade for a new pair of shoes.

not so new trail shoes

So for me, that will be 3 new cars in roughly two months time!  That new car smell when you open the shoe box is so divine, don't you agree?

<=== These puppies don't smell so good though...

Phoenix from the flame

I'm back, and better than ever!

Baron, T-Bone, White Kenyan, Boogz

So, it's been way way too long since I have written here, and I'm not about to pick up where I left off last.  A few of you have commented that I should really post again so here I am.  The final bit of inspiration has come from the Western States 100.2 Mile Endurance Run.  As I write this it is the day after the race, and I have just finished crewing for Mike Dixon with some fellow RVRR members.  Specifically Lianne, Jayson, Dave and Shannon.  We had a total of 16 people out to California to cheer, pace,and crew for Dixon.  The amazing level of dedication and focus really hit me.  I don't know that I will ever attempt a 100 mile race, but I'm anxious to tackle the ultra world. I have had a wonderful year of running thus far, so I thought I would write a recap; a sort of year in review, if you will.

My RVRR runolutions for the year weren't anything ridiculous, just an incentive to do things differently this year.  I planned to run 5 races that I've never done before, and also to run more trails.  Although I submitted my runalution with a typo saying I wanted to run more "tails"....  ;-)
For me, 2012 actually started on New Year's eve day... Does that make sense?  A very nice trail run at Watchung Reservation was the perfect way to kick everything off!  Trail running would fast become my new love and would provide an invigorating shot in the arm for me.

Febapple 21 Miler

2012 would also be a year of constant PRs!  I have PR'd in every distance this year and it's been amazing!  The first race of the year for me was the Naples Half Marathon down in FL.  I went down to Naples with Lindsay, Dixon, Lesley, Shannon, and Nick.  We stayed with my parents for the long weekend and really enjoyed the mid-winter getaway.  I was just planning to run a comfortable race, until the night before when I decided to go for it and finished in 1:42:10!  PR number 1. BOOM!!   The next race was the Febapple Frozen 50.  This event had distances of 50M, 50k, 21M, and 10M.  I ran the 21 mile trail race at South Mountain with Shannon.  Trail + new race = runolutions win.  Another PR... A bit of cheat as this was my first race at this distance, but still a PR!  4:30.  My first real trail race.

My greatest discovery of the year has to be Sourland Mountain.  I could probably write an entire essay on this trail alone.  For the sake of brevity (you're welcome) I will just say that this very technical 5 mile loop has contributed so much to my improvement as a runner as well as my ever increasing love of running in general.  This trail would become part of my weekly regimen and I love love love introducing people to "my trail".

Sourland, O Sourland

Race #3 was the Princeton 6k trail run.  This was a very small, local race through the woods near Princeton.  Nothing exciting here except that it was another opportunity to run a new trail.  New race #2 + trail = runolutions win.  The following day would be race #4 on the year.  The RVRR Chimney Rock 5 miler is a great event that I have only volunteered for in prior years, but have never actually run the race.  Guess what... It's a trail race so you know that I was running it this year!  This was such a challenging and fun experience, and I was eager to push myself a bit more now that I was quite comfortable on trails.  New race #3 + trail = runolutions win!  Do you see what I'm doing here?  :-)

All throughout the year I continue to run Sourland on a regular basis, and begin branching out to Watchung, Manasaquan, Round Valley, and Washington's Crossing.  The dense wood has a compact and lonely sound.  Often times I find myself alone on some trail, no sound anywhere save for running water in the distance maybe, and my own breathing and heartbeat.  Peace... Absolute peace.  You can't buy that, or manufacture it... But you can take full advantage of it when it is presented in such a welcoming fashion.  You focus on your feet, you look for danger at every step, and you sharpen the keen sense of understanding your body mechanics.  The subconscious seems to love when the brain is so focused because I worked out a lot of things in my head on that trail.  So refreshing and invigorating... my heart and soul are overjoyed.

New race #4 was Stomp the Monster 5k.  This was a chilly and wet day, and nothing spectacular was really expected from me.  However, my brain and my legs didn't get the same message on the whole "nothing spectacular" thing because I ran another PR!  21:45 over the distance and my first sub 22:00!  Watch your head... KA-BOOM!!!  What's going on here?!  I'm not really training for races or doing speed work, but I just keep knocking my times down.  It's gotta be the trails, right?! :-)

The Clinton 15k was next on the calendar the following weekend.  Again, just looking to run well and keep improving.  Surely I can't run a 15k PR after having just PR'd the prior week in the 5k.  Wrong, wrong, wrong.  1:10:14... KA-FRIGGIN-BOOM!  It's gotta be the trails.  The confidence coursing through me increases on a weekly basis.  I ask questions, I see what experienced runners are doing, I try to emulate.  Jayson, Dixon, and Allara are very inspirational to me... In different ways.  Dixon is the technician always learning, getting faster and smarter.  Jayson is the newborn horse that just wants to run.  Ever improving and working on control.  Allara is like the soul surfer to me.  Not so much a zen runner, because he does like to compete, but I just get the sense from him that he would rather spend every opportunity in the woods rather than pounding the pavement.  That's my opinion anyway, but that's exactly where my focus and desired future are hopefully heading. 

26.2 miles at Bear Mountain, NY!  YES!!

Their inspiration and my growing confidence landed me at my biggest race of the year so far, the Northface Endurance Challenge at Bear Mountain, NY.  Jayson, Laura and Dixon would tackle the 50 mile distance while Allara joined me at the marathon distance. Dagfinn Fang and Super Ninja would beat up the 50k course.  Dave would finish in 5th place, about an hour and a half in front of me.  I played a little mind game with myself, thinking of how much earlier Dave had run in the very spot that I was at the time.  This was easily the most difficult race that I have ever done... period.  Lonely stretches, questioning my decision to do this race, exhaustion beyond exhaustion.  Yet, at the same time, I loved every agonizing second of it.  The stillness, the mud, the rocks and roots... everything.  The race had been categorized as 5 stars for elevation and difficulty and a truer assessment could not have been made.  My weeks and months of enjoying the technically challenging loop at Sourland were now paying huge dividends.  I would have been toast if not for the unknowing preparation there.  I finished in 6:08.  Trail marathon PR!  Ill take it.  I was hoping to break 6 hours, but I realized with about 3 miles to go that I just didn't have the gas to make up the eventual 8 minute balance.  Still, absolutely thrilled about the experience and monumentally stoked about finishing!  I CAN NOT WAIT TO RUN THIS AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!
New race #5 + the most epic trail ever = major runolutions win!

Awww yeah!!!!  Get some!!

A month goes by with no races or organized events, which is fine with me.  My body enjoyed a bit  of the step down in mileage, and I was able correct some very minor/nagging trouble spots.  June 2nd was the annual RVRR "Train"ing run on National Trails Day.  This is my favorite club event.  The perfect opportunity to log some serious miles at a comfortable pace with a large group.  I ran 20 miles at 9:30 pace with stops along the way to pick up additional runners at aid stations.  The event takes place entirely on the old towpath along the Delaware & Raritan canal from Trenton to New Brunswick.  Those brave souls running the full course would complete 34.2 miles on the day.  Most impressive!  The picnic that follows the event every year is a great party with such a fantastic feeling of camaraderie and bonding.  I love it, and all the stories that come out of that day.

I thought I lost some weight???  Hmmm...

The last race of the first half of the year (got that?) is the President's Cup 5k in Millburn.  This is a night race starting at 8p.  It's a pretty fast course, but there is an incline that you hit twice.  If you can just power through the climb then you're rewarded with a smooth and gradual descent on the return.  I tried to catch Ninja and her flying ponytail but she was just too fast for me over the final mile, and she beat me by about 8 seconds or so.  No PR on the night, 22:25, but there's free beer flowing at the post race party.  How can you beat that?!!

So there it is.  I have already met my runolutions goal of 5 new races, and I've been living to hit the trails at any possible opportunity.  So what's in store for the remainder of the year?  More trails, of course, and more races.  I will be running the Philly marathon in late November, but the big date on my calendar is the Mountain Madness 50k in late September.  My first ultra for sure, and I get so excited just thinking about it!  I will begin training in earnest on July 1st.  I think I'll hit up Sourland because it's gotta be the trails, right?

"Run more tails!!!" ;-)

Dragon
Car Back!

Dragging Some Girl Around Asbury Park

So, I've been having an internal debate about whether or not I should write a post about my experience at the Asbury Park Half Marathon, which took place on March 13th.  Obviously, I decided to write.  Seeing as how this was the weekend before St. Patrick's Day, I was wearing a kilt.  Cheap knock-off from Spencer's, but it looks good.  I was also sporting my Manchester United tech shirt.  MUFC All Day!!

If I haven't said it before, my favorite distance is the half marathon.  For the average runner (me), this distance requires some level of training and commitment.  Most people can't just roll out of bed and run 13.1 miles.  I'm happy to say that I can do that at this point in my running career infancy.  This distance is long enough that you must take it seriously, but not so long that you have to be maniacal about training. 

THEN

I was looking forward to this race, and hoping to post a solid time... not a PR, just a respectable time for the average mid-pack dude (me again).  For those that don't know, Asbury Park, NJ is "shore town" that has seen better days.  It's quite a wasteland at the present time, but they're always threatening to make a come back.  Still, there are some pretty sketchy areas if you stray too far from the boardwalk.  For this reason, we're sure, the race consists of 4 loops (YES 4) of approximately 3.25 miles... check my math.  It's basically up and down the boardwalk along the beach with a quick loop inland for about a mile.  Beach = Water = Wind.  Good Lord, the wind!!!  Constant throughout the morning blowing from west to east, as we ran north/south... uuggghhhh.  We were treated to the wind at our backs on each loop for about a quarter mile.
Thanks???


NOW

Lianne and I went down to the race with about 10 others from RVRR, and were then plannning to get breakfast afterward.  Always much more fun to race with other club members and hang out for a bit.
I'm the slowest in the group.  I know this... I own this... I don't mind this.  The race goes off and everyone trots out.  The first loop is spent weaving in and around slower runners, and trying to find some kind "wind shadow" that would offer some respit from the invisible force knocking me about.  No such luck.

At the start of the second loop, I noticed that a woman was on my right butt cheek, staying close as we headed north on the boardwarlk for the first hairpin turn on the loop.  I figured that she was just locking in to my mediocre pace, and trying to hang with me.  As we turned around the orange cone, she immediately shifted over to my left butt cheek.  Ahhhhhhh.... I get it now.  I am HER "wind shadow".  Big dudes cut big holes in the wind.  I turned to her, smiled and said "You've done this before".  She looked at me sheepishly and replied "Yeah... you don't mind if I draft off of you, do you?".  I didn't mind... I mean, I still have to run through the wind anyway.  Who cares if she's stays right behind me?  We chatted for a bit initially, trading race stories and discovering that we both ran the NYC Marathon last year.  Pleasant chit-chat, and then back to business.

We (I) slogged through the wind for the next 3 laps, not more than a foot apart at any given time.  As we hit the boardwalk for that last out & back to the finish line, she took off...  Okay, I did my "job".  I was happy with my pace up to that point, especially considering the wind.  At the last hairpin turn before the final mile to the finish, I saw her... about 20 seconds ahead of me.  No acknowledgement.  Eh, ok.  She's in the zone, I get it.  Strong finish for me, and a final time of 1:49:25... better than I was expecting or hoping for.  I was quite happy I must say.  This wasn't a big race, in terms of participants, so the finisher's chute was quite empty... maybe 2 other people finishing near me with a lot more to follow.  I saw this girl, but did not go out of my way to approach her.  I was waiting for her to come over and say "thank you" or "great race" or "how about that wind? wink wink".  Nothing... not even a wave, a smile, or a thumbs up.  I was disappointed, honestly.  I was looking forward to a little acknowledgement... something.

It wasn't until we all met for breakfast after the race, and I was boring everyone with my race story, that I started to get upset about what this girl "didn't" do.  I pulled her around that course for 3 laps, probably helped her PR, and then I get stuck with the check!  WTF!!!  So you know what I did?  Nothing.
What can I do?  People are selfish some times, not realizing that others are working just as hard, if not harder, than they are.  This is true of life in general, and not just running. 

Make sure you thank people when they help you... even if it's just someone holding a door for you.
I hold the car door for Lianne every time she gets in, and every time she says "thanks".  Two seemingly unnecessary gestures that just feel good, and lets the other person know that you appreciate them.
So, ask your waiter/waitress their name, thank the cab driver, hold the door for someone.  It doesn't take much, but the message is huge.

Car Back!
Dragon