Running Stories – Page 2

Runner Reinvention

I ran and walked through a 10-mile run the other day in just under two hours. I looked at my watch and remarked that I used to be able to run 10 miles in 70 minutes. I haven’t done a lot of half-marathons, but all of them have been 1:40 or less. Both of those efforts seem like an impossibility now. And I don’t even want to race a 5K anymore for fear of my finish time showing how slow I have become. I have become older and slower and it bugs me.

It is probably no surprise to most people that aging will cause you to slow down, making once easy things seem difficult at times in your older years. Except for runners, runners think that they will continue to run in their 50+ years just like they did in their 20s. But eventually runner me has to at least acknowledge the red flags my aging body is waving emphatically in my face. I’m slowing down, I’m struggling with muscle soreness, I take forever to recover, injuries linger, and it seems like I redline my heart rate on the easiest of runs. I guess I expected to slow down as I aged, but I was expecting it to be more gradual, not a sudden fall off just because the age odometer hit the big 6-0.

It hasn’t been easy for me to admit that I’m not the runner I used to be, not that I was anything great but I always tried to push myself to my greatest potential and the younger me benchmark can no longer be met. Once you hit 35-40 years old, the sport labels you as a “masters” runner, which allows you to compete against older runners instead of just the younger athletes, but I was still doing quite well at that age. Masters shmasters. As I got into my 50s, I was on another level, competing well, beating 30-somethings in the local road races, accomplishing five Ironman finishes, qualifying for the Boston Marathon, and setting new personal bests. I set my marathon PR of 3:25 just before turning 53 years old. I’m not sure that I could hold that average marathon pace of 7:52 min/mile for even a 5K right now.

Doom and gloom are starting to set in. But I don’t want running to end for me. Some can let it go quite easily. They tire of their bodies hurting, other endeavors have replaced running, or just maybe the flame of interest has flickered and died out. It isn’t that easy for me. I’ve kept track of every run since 1989. Memories of all those training runs and races are very special to me. Running has been my thing for 35 years. I want to keep that going. It seems that I need to reinvent myself and set new expectations and goals. I can’t run in the past, I have to run in the now and look to the future because I refuse to let my running life die.

So how do I create a new runner me? Other than running just for the sake of running, there are really two things about running that one can pursue – running fast and running far. I think that the running fast portion is the one I will struggle with the most now. The past couple of years have shown that I’m slowing down, but I have set new distance personal bests and I enjoy seeking that distance potential. It’s pretty clear to me that going far outweighs going fast at this point. Here are some things I need to consider and change:

Stop focusing on what you can’t do, and focus on what you can. – It’s pretty obvious that I’m slowing down, and trying to run faster has only proven to make me sore and cause injuries. But since I started running ultra-distance events, slow running is the recipe for going far. Maybe running fast is in the rearview mirror, but I’m just now tapping into how far I can go. My max has been 76 miles, maybe I can exceed that. And since I have fallen in love with the Backyard Ultra/Last Runner Standing format, maybe seeing how many “yards” I can accomplish can be a new goal.
Embrace walking. – Walking saved my season last year when I struggled with my knee injury. I had already built walking into my running and was fine with using that pacing method training for ultras, but now I had an injury that made running hurt. Walking kept the mileage up, kept my other muscles working, and kept me moving forward without further damaging my knee. I was able to get back to running by the fall and participate in my final two ultras. The plan for this year will include a run/walk pacing plan for most longer runs, say 8 miles and above. I still get the work in, still get my heart rate going, and still get to be out there running.
Take care of the other things I have neglected. – I am not a limber man. I have gotten by in the past, but muscle tightness has a lot to do with why I’m sore and prone to injury. I’ve got to include some stretching and massaging to keep me fresh.
Cross-train more. – I admit that I miss triathlon. It was really a great cross-training sport. While triathlon training you have to make time for swimming and cycling, which means taking time away from running. I found this to be a good thing when I trained for Ironman. My running was actually at its best when I was doing triathlons. I’m going to add more cycling and swimming back into the mix, and maybe toss in a few sprint races too.
Stop being so negative. – Things are going to happen, and when they do I need to adjust and not get so down on myself. Winter is a motivation killer for me. I dislike being cold, and indoor workouts suck the life out of me. But the weather will get better, and doing less actually means that I am inadvertently allowing myself to have a recovery portion of the season, which is sorely needed. My wife rolls her eyes when I claim to be an optimist, as she knows that I am pessimistic to no end, but maybe a little optimism is what I need.

Reinventing myself as a runner may just be what I need. And maybe just making some small and smart changes could be the key to keeping running in my life.

I’d love to hear how other older runners have dealt with age-related performance decline. Drop a note in the comments.

Off-Season Thoughts

I shut myself down from running in mid-November, after attempting Tunnel Hill 100 for the third time, only running occasionally and only short-distance stuff. Doing nothing but running long and slow had been a blessing initially because speed was causing me some issues. But now, after three years, long and slow is wearing me down too.

I’ve spent some time this fall thinking about what I want to do next year. I like to find races and set goals, and I really miss riding my bikes and doing triathlons. I was pondering whether to keep running ultra-distance runs. I have really grown to like the challenge, and the backyard/last runner standing events are so enjoyable to do. I know one thing for certain – I’m done chasing the 100-mile finisher goal for a while. I’ve had three shots at it, and I’m not sure that distance is for me, an aging runner who should have attempted that distance earlier in life. I’m not saying I’m done, I just don’t want to put myself through that again right now. I already have the Chicago Marathon on my calendar, and I believe that is more than I should tackle.

I recently came across a new race format that I found very interesting. It’s an ultra-distance event (50K) that has an element of the backyard/last runner standing format to it but adds a speed challenge. It’s called the “Trail Golf Endurance Challenge” and is local to me, located in Valparaiso, Indiana. The format is runners will run nine “holes” starting on the hour. The distance of each hole is a little under 4 miles of technical trail terrain. If you can average an 8 min/mile or under for the hole, you get an “eagle,” worth two points. A sub-1o min/mile is a birdie-3, a sub-12 min/mile is a par-4, a sub-15 min/mile is a bogey-5 and anything over a 15 min/mile is a double bogey-6. So if you run an average of 10 min/miles for each of the nine holes, you will end up with a score of 27. The runner with the lowest score will be the winner. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.

But there are two things that stand in the way of me signing up for it. First, my daughter will be starting a new job and may have to move to another area on that weekend, which will require dad to assist. And secondly, I KEEP TRIPPING AND FALLING DOWN!

The crack, the shoe, and me wondering what the hell happened.

I really don’t understand how a simple trip to put the garbage bins to the curb and to grab the mail can be a tricky endeavor for me, but on this cold day I decided to pick up the pace a little to get back up the driveway and into the house and my foot got caught on the lowest of low trip hazards ever – the small little gap between sections of my concrete driveway. It’s barely 2mm high! My legs were doing a cartoon spin trying to catch myself, but I went down anyway. Fortunately I had time to get my hands under me to prevent a face plant, but my shoe went flying and so did the mail. Fortunately, my dog Murphy was the only witness to this craziness.

So, maybe I should stop thinking about trail running altogether because my past history has shown that a fall is certainly a high probability.

If you are less of a klutz and would like more info about the Trail Golf Endurance Challenge, here’s the link: Trail Golf

I Have Heard That Before

I’ve been running for a long time and occasionally the topic of running will come up in conversation with non-running friends. I love those conversations because I love talking about running. But there will be a point where I can almost predict what they will say next. And then I chuckle at it, not because I’m laughing with them, but rather at them. Because it’s something I’ve heard numerous times before. Here are the most common things I’ve heard over the years.

“WHEN IS YOUR MARATHON?” Somehow it became the norm for non-runners to think that any running race is called a marathon. If my friends remember that I have a race on the weekend, they will wish me luck with my marathon, even if I’m just running the local 5K. The term “5K Marathon” has become a joke with us runners, as if the two distances will be forever linked.

“SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO BE CHASING ME TO GET ME TO RUN THAT FAR.” Or, “I’d probably be on fire if I’m running!” are common statements. I guess I would also be running if someone was chasing me or if I was on fire too. That’s actually pretty sound advice.

“WHAT ARE YOU RUNNING FROM?” I heard this twice at a backyard ultra I did a couple of years ago from a kid who was camping nearby and not aware of what was going on. It was puzzling to me. The guy I was running with brushed it off as a kid just trying to be funny, but I spent the next two loops thinking about what I was running from. I eventually turned it around and decided I wasn’t running from anything, I was running to something – a greater personal good.

“EVER GET RUNNER’S HIGH?” Sometimes I think they ask this to determine if running is something they would endure to get high. I guess that exercise can release endorphins that make you feel good, but in all honesty, I’ve never really felt “high” from running. So, no I have never had runner’s high. Sorry to disappoint you.

“DON’T YOUR KNEES HURT?” My neighbor says this to me every time I come back from a run. Recently I had to confess that yes, they actually do hurt as I have been doing a lot of long-slow distance running pursuing ultra-distance runs. But in general, running is beneficial to your joint health, as long as you don’t overdo it. And for me to have very few issues of knee or other joint pain over 30+ years of running is pretty strong evidence that I’m doing my body good.

“HOW CAN YOU RUN THAT FAST?” This one I actually find a little bit insulting, especially when it is specifically directed at me! Listen, I realize I’m lacking the slim figure of most high-level runners, but I worked my butt off to run as fast as I do. One year I was issued a “B” corral bib number for the Chicago Marathon, which puts me near the front of Wave 1 of the race. As I got into the elevator to head to the start corral, another runner took one look at the bib and then looked at me and said “Wow! You’re in the B corral?!” like I somehow didn’t belong. There are certainly lots of runners gifted with speed, but almost all of us who run fast (which is relative) have something in common – we worked at it.

“YOU KNOW THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT.” A coworker laid this gem on me once, after I was complaining about having to do a 6-hour bike ride and a 3-hour run on the weekend for the Ironman I was training for. She’s right, I don’t have to do it, and sometimes I don’t like to do it, but I achieved some personal greatness because of it. Don’t we all complain about the things we don’t have to do, but do anyway? My friend Jodi is running a 50-miler today – in the cold and rain. She doesn’t have to do that. But she will, and she will have a pretty special memory from it when she crosses the finish tonight.

“I COULD NEVER DO THAT.” When I say that I’ve finished numerous marathons and Ironmans, I can pretty much expect them to say that they could never do that. My response to that is that there is a difference between could and would. What you are really saying is that you would never do that. You definitely could do it if you tried. You just don’t want to do it, which I totally get.

“I JUST DON’T LIKE RUNNING.” A friend uttered this to me this week. He is attempting to get into a training class for law enforcement that requires that they pass a physical fitness test first. The running requirement is one 10-minute mile. I’ve been trying to help him with it and told him he just needs to run more. That’s when the “I just don’t like running” statement was made. I get that, I didn’t like it at first either. But somehow I tolerated a jog around the neighborhood and then turned that into running a couple of miles and then much more. I have always said that the first step of any run for me is the hardest, after that you just keep going and pat yourself on the back when you are done. You just need to take that first step. It will lead to many more.

And finally, the most common thing that I hear non-runners say…

“I DON’T EVEN LIKE TO DRIVE THAT FAR!” Neither do I.

Radio Ga-Ga

Hey! I was on the radio! It was my first time and I had a great experience. I know you are probably wondering why this dummy was on the radio, and I am right there with you. But sometimes an opportunity to do something new and exciting plops onto your lap and you say “Why not?”.

Brian Swift is an acquaintance who has a radio program on a local AM radio station called “All Things Inspirational Show” on Wednesdays at noon. Brian is a quadriplegic but has not let that slow him down at all. Brian has some use of his arms, and can often be found woodworking, pumping iron, and generally keeping busy around his home. Brian is an inspirational guy himself, working as a success coach and public speaker, has written books, and runs a nonprofit organization called SOAR, which provides accessible outdoor recreational opportunities for people with disabilities. Brian finds inspiration from others and feeds off of it. And being Facebook friends, Brian thought that I might be a great guest to have on his show.

Brian was impressed with my running and triathlon adventures and asked me to come on his show to discuss how I use determination and grit to accomplish my endurance goals. My first thought was that there had to be a lot more local athletes more interesting than me, but Brian knows me, and that was enough for him to ask me to join him this week.

We talked about what it takes to go from being a beginner runner to running marathons and beyond. We chatted about how special it feels to accomplish goals, such as finishing a special race or becoming an Ironman, and how that changed my life. We also chatted about the challenges that an older athlete (I’m almost 60 – *gasp*) faces and how I approach those issues.

I was amazed at how fast the hour went, as his questions were very thought-provoking, and I tended to ramble on until I forgot what the question was. Anyway, my first time as a guest on a radio program was a total blast, I’m glad I didn’t swear, and another special experience in this life of mine. Another chapter in “an amazing run” for sure.

For more info on Brian and his work, please see the below links.

The Brian P. Swift All Things Inspirational Show

Swift Outdoor Accessible Recreation SOAR

“The Quadfather” book by Brian Swift

A Serial Pooper In Our Midst

If you have been a runner for any length of time you probably have experienced the dreaded “runner’s trots.” It happens to all of us, and fortunately for me, I run on trails and areas around town where there are plenty of toilets on my route. But eventually, you might have to find a place to go – like immediately. Been there, done that. You would think most people would be discreet about having to drop a load outdoors, but in the last few weeks, I have come across three very indiscreet piles of excrement – human excrement! WE HAVE A SERIAL POOPER ON THE LOOSE! And I’m on the case.

I encountered the first pile as I crossed a small dirt path that leads to the nature preserve trail. It was right in the middle of the trail, covered with a light blue running shirt. At first, I thought that maybe someone accidentally dropped their shirt, but when I saw the flies buzzing around it I quickly figured out what had gone down. I guess I shook my head and had some empathy for the pooper, but then I was a little miffed that this person dropped their load right in the middle of the trail. Couldn’t you have moved off the path to do that?! Also, this person seemed to care enough to cover the pile with a shirt that he/she obviously used to wipe their ass with. If you cared enough to do that, wouldn’t you also take a few more steps off the trail so people wouldn’t have to step around it? Seems whacky to me.

The next day I found the shirt-covered poop still there and decided to use a stick (a really long one) to move the shirt and push the pile off the trail. It was disgusting, but it had to be done. About a week later I was on a walk and took a separate little access trail and to my surprise, I found another pile of crap in the middle of the trail again! WTF?! This time it was covered with napkins. So now I’m thinking this isn’t someone out for a run with a sour stomach, this is starting to look like a weirdo is on the loose.

My third and most recent encounter happened last weekend while on the main path in our area, just off of the trail, once again covered in napkins. Now this person is getting bold by pooping right next to a heavily traveled trail.

This isn’t the first time a serial pooper has terrorized a community, (see below for links) but it’s a first for my area. The reasons for doing this type of thing are puzzling to me. Are they just looking for the thrill? Are they being vindictive? Do they have health issues? Whatever the reason, I hope it stops soon. Until then, I’m on the lookout for more malicious activity!

Police catch ‘serial pooper’ after wrong woman gets a bum rap in Indiana

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/mad-pooper-colorado-jogger-apologizes-for-pooping-on-familys-lawn

https://www.nj.com/monmouth/2018/05/superintendent_out_out_for_job_relieved_himself_un.html

Jogger Judgement

I was running on Tuesday and encountered a young kid (25 or so) who looked like he was out for a walk through the woods on a cool and very windy day. I turned around and found myself catching him and passing him, but it wasn’t long until I heard someone running behind me. I turned to look and it was the sweater-clad kid. I stopped and asked him if he was trying to mess with me because I was trying to figure out why he was now running right behind me when he was just walking beforehand. I think he quickly saw my concern and advised that he was just trying to see if he could keep up with me. He apologized for freaking me out, and I chuckled and said let’s go. I dropped the hammer down and was quickly running 5K race pace. He kept up for a bit, but when we got to the uphills I ended up dropping him. By a mile later I couldn’t see him behind me any longer. I guess he learned if he could keep up with me.

I was lucky enough to have a weekday off from work today (Good Friday) and decided to join in on a group run that I usually miss out on. I don’t often join group runs because they always tend to fracture and then I end up running solo anyway. Plus, I have a part-time job and miss the morning run stuff. But four of us showed up today and it wasn’t long before I found myself thinking about who had assembled here for this run.

Just like the kid earlier in the week, it’s pretty common for me to judge other runners when I’m out running. I’m sure I’m wrong about them, and if I take some time to actually converse with someone I see regularly, I’m often impressed. And what do they think of me? I crossed paths with a teenage girl once and she looked at me and said “Oh man, you go sir!” like I was some old-timer huffing and puffing my way through a couple miles. If she only knew.

Today’s running group – Jodi, me, Dan, and April. Picture credit: Jodi – stolen from Facebook without permission.

So here is a picture of the group today. If you were judging this group of runners what would you conclude? Old and slow? Out for a mile or two and then have coffee? Three Boomers and a Gen Xer trying to stay healthy? Let’s run it down:

Jodi is a multi-time marathoner, and multi-time ultramarathon finisher, including numerous 100-mile finishes to her credit. I don’t know a lot about Dan’s resume, but I do know this: he’s an experienced adventure racer, multi-time marathoner and ultramarathoner, and an accomplished triathlete who is competing at the Multisport World Championships in a month. I’m sure there is much more to his resume. And April just added her sixth World Marathon Majors star in Tokyo this year. To put that in perspective, I have two of the six stars and it took me a long time to get that second one! I toot my own horn on this page enough for you to know that I have accomplished some stuff – marathons, Ironmans, and a handful of ultra finishes, with that elusive 100-mile finish still being actively pursued.

That’s a pretty amazing group of locals out for a run if I do say so myself. So if you see someone out running and start wondering what their deal is, don’t be surprised if you are actually seeing some pretty accomplished people. And feel free to join in! Catch us if you can!

Top 5 Best Running Days Ever!

I was reading a race report in which the blogger talked about a race being in her top-five favorites of all time, and it got me thinking about what my top-five races would be. I call my blog “an amazing run” because most of my runs are pretty amazing, but if I could choose my favorites (oh boy, this will be difficult!) here they are:

NUMBER 5 – WINNING MY FIRST-EVER TROPHY

I grew up in an era that didn’t give out participation trophies, you had to earn them. Now, I’m not against participation awards, medals, or trophies, especially when it comes to running and triathlon. I’ve got dozens of them proudly hanging on my wall. I appreciate them for what they represent to me – a reminder and reward for the effort I gave to be handed one. Those that say that anyone can have one are simply mistaken. You have to at least get off your butt and complete the task. But when I was a kid, I never earned a trophy. But on July 4, 1993, I ran a 5K in a local race and decided to hang around for the post-race award ceremony. I don’t remember much about the race other than it was hot, and my wife and in-laws were there. But my name was called as the 2nd place winner in the Male, 25-30 age group category. I was 29 years old when I earned my first-ever trophy.

NUMBER 4 – THE DAY I RAN 5 MILES

I had toyed with running for a few years, but it was hit or miss for me. Like everyone else who tries running for the first time, it can suck, and I was no different. I just never stuck with it. After graduating college and finding a job, I relocated about 75 minutes north of my hometown and found myself living in an apartment bored out of my mind. My friends were back home or away at college, and I was too broke to afford golf or bowling. I bought a pair of cheap Macgregor running shoes at Kmart (remember, I was broke) and decided to try running again. The first few efforts were around the apartment complex. I was a fair-weather runner and my runs were typically after work and not any longer than a mile or two. But one lap turned into two and I also was getting a little faster. One day I decided to branch out into the neighboring subdivision and meander around. I felt great and I knew that I was going farther than I had before. When I got back, I jumped in my car and retraced my route, and I was excited to see that I had gone 5 miles! But the most exciting feeling was not just covering 5 miles, it was knowing that I could have run farther. I look back at this day as the day I became a true runner.

NUMBER 3 – WINNING A 5K RACE

You really never know what can happen unless you show up and give it your best. The Lindenhurst Police and Park District 5K was being held for the first time in Lindenhurst, Illinois, the town in which my new bride Kari and I had bought our first home, and was being held along with a little fall festival the town was having. I found this race listed in the local weekly newspaper, as the internet hadn’t really taken the world over yet. Most local racing was listed in the local papers. Since it was being held in our town, I figured why not run it?

When I got to the start line I could sense that not many people had seen the race listing in the paper, with only about a dozen runners nervously pacing around. I started to wonder if I had any competition. The girl in her twenties looked pretty fast, and so did the guy in his thirties. There were a few others, but I keyed on these two for some reason. We toed the line and off we sped, following the police chief in a police car. A weightlifter-type dude shot out to the lead like a rocket, which was somewhat surprising, as I had written him off prerace. But by a quarter-mile into the race, the girl, the guy, and I had reeled him in. My plan was to pace with them for a little while and it wasn’t long before I realized the pace was too slow. I hit the gas around mile one and took off. As I ran I actually overtook the chief in the pace car and I got a little nervous because I had no idea where the course was heading. No worries though, as he quickly got ahead and stayed there. There was a left turn about a quarter-mile from the finish and I took one quick glance back and saw no one within a distance that could catch me. I glided downhill, turned right, and broke my first finish line tape in first place overall. Show up and race all-comers, you might find that you are the best of the field that day.

NUMBER 2 – QUALIFYING FOR BOSTON

Early in my running days, I knew what a marathon was but it was never on my radar. I was happy to get around the block a few times. Marathons seemed impossible. But I finally got the urge and ran my first marathon in 1991. The Lake County Races Marathon ran from Zion to Highland Park, Illinois and it was very local for me, seeing that I worked and lived in Highland Park at the time. When I finished that first one, my reaction wasn’t the euphoria that I had anticipated, I can clearly remember thinking “That’s it? Where’s the fanfare?” I was handed a medal, which I have since misplaced (I’ve looked everywhere!), and ended up in the medical tent getting an IV.

The finish didn’t kill my enthusiasm for marathons, and I ran many more. But there was one that I wanted to do but figured I would never be able to, and that was Boston. Boston has a qualifying time requirement, and I was more than a half-hour away from it in my 30s. It seemed unreachable. But I got older, faster, and wiser, all of which would lead to me getting within striking distance of getting that elusive Boston Marathon qualifying time.

In 2015, I qualified by just a few minutes, but it wasn’t enough. When I crossed the finish line I was elated and deflated at the same time, because even though I had just run a personal best of 3:28, I knew that my cushion time might not make the cut. I missed it by 28 seconds. You can read about it here: 28 Seconds…

The following year I was much better prepared and had an awesome weather day. I cruised to a 3:25:08 finish and felt pretty good about my performance. Now the wait began.

After applying the following year, I got notice that I was in! That’s when the run became special. It took a while to get it validated.

You might ask why isn’t running Boston the high point? The 2018 Boston Marathon was miserable – I was overtrained, and it was a day of constant rain, wind, and cold temperatures. All of that makes for a great memory, but what I cherish most was accomplishing the hard part – qualifying.

Enjoying the latter miles of the race, kind of knowing I was doing well.

NUMBER 1 – CHRIS HEDGES – YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!

I had watched the network coverage of Ironman for many years and was always in awe. I couldn’t even imagine what it took to do what they did. My experience taught me that marathons were hard, how do you do that after swimming 2.4 miles and biking 112 miles?! Fortunately for me, I have friends who pushed me into it. It’s easy to say that you can’t do it when you have never even tried. So I tried. Swimming was hard, but I eventually got it down. Biking had its own struggles, but I became a better rider. And running just had to be adjusted to make sure I didn’t push too hard.

I had no idea what crossing that Ironman finish line would do to me. It was empowering. Ironman’s motto is “Anything Is Possible” and that is a sentence not lost on me. After finishing an Ironman you do feel like anything is possible.

Each of my five Ironman finishes are special, but I will always remember that first Ironman in Madison, Wisconsin in 2013. It sent me on a path of new adventures and gave me a feeling that I could do anything.

The Pavlonian Runner

My running routes are mostly paved trails near my home. My main route takes me through a nearby nature preserve that is always enjoyable. And fortunately for me as an aging runner, there are a few toilet facilities located along the route. And today, without fail, I came upon the first one at roughly 2.5 miles and had to pee. It wasn’t a pressing need beforehand, but I stopped and went in once I got to it. It’s almost like I have become conditioned to stop and pee when I get to places in which I see a port-o-let. And it doesn’t have to be a toilet there for this to happen. Occasionally, I have stopped at some more “private” areas of the route because of a pressing need, and even though I could have been running along just fine, once I see the spot, the urge takes over.

Further up the route, I came upon a port-o-potty at a house being built. There was nobody around, so I used it. This is a mile and a half past the first one! At this point, I recognized the pattern and thought I would fight it the next time I got the urge. There’s a group of trees off the road next to the sidewalk I was running on and I have stopped there plenty of times before. This time I skipped it. But as I pressed on I found that I once again had to go, but now I was in a very open area and had to hold it. I made it back to the next spot along the trail that I typically utilize, looked around to make sure nobody was around, and relieved myself by a tree. I guess I am hydrating well.

Stopping to pee when I see a toilet isn’t the only Pavlovian response that I have when I’m out for a run. If there is a runner ahead of me, my pace picks up and the chase is on. I can’t have someone running ahead of me without trying to catch them! Maybe that is due to my running race tactics. I’ve always tried to settle into a comfortably hard race pace and then start trying to catch others. But it definitely happens out on a simple training run as well. And if I get passed by someone, well that just means that person will have a shadow for a while until I realize how dumb I’m being, or I can no longer keep up their pace.

I tend to run in the middle of the day, skipping lunch for the run. There will be a point later in the run when something triggers me to think about what I will eat when I get back. Maybe my stomach is telling my brain “Dude, c’mon! Let’s eat!” or something, but there will be a brief moment in which I’m planning my post-run meal. Maybe it’s just giving me the motivation to get back home quicker.

Do you have any weird running habits or responses to things while out on a run? I’d love to hear them.

My Covid Marathon

We started to hear about this Covid thing in 2019 and I figured I wouldn’t really have to worry about it. Previous viral events never became an issue for me, so why worry about this one. Well, it quickly became a pandemic and virtually shut down the world. I took it seriously from the beginning, wearing a mask, washing my hands more frequently, cleaning and disinfecting surfaces, and avoiding social gatherings. When the vaccine became available, I got the two doses and followed up with the two boosters. For two years we lived our lives around this thing. Eventually, the vaccine had an impact, the virus became weaker in its variants, and we all started to let our guard down and move on with our lives. My wife and I decided that we could actually travel for our 30th wedding anniversary, so off we flew to join a hiking tour of the amazing Cinque Terre area of Italy. Even Italy, which had somewhat strict Covid policies, would remove the requirement of wearing masks on public transportation while we were there. The trip was awesome, and I was starting to believe that I had some special anti-Covid avoidance ability. Three days after getting back home, I developed a tickle in my throat. “Oh, I must be getting a cold,” I thought. I was planning to pick up my packet for the Chicago Marathon on Friday, but I just wanted to rule out that I had Covid instead of just a simple cold. The rapid at-home test was very definitive – I had Covid.

I have to say I wasn’t surprised, but I was a little pissed off. I had managed to avoid it for so long, but it eventually got me. I wondered where I might have been exposed. No one in our tour group really seemed sick at all. On the flight back home, Kari said there was a guy sitting behind me coughing quite a bit. I hadn’t noticed as I wore headphones while watching a couple of movies and was also sleeping for a while. I guess maybe it could have been there, not sure but it doesn’t matter. I now had it and there was no way that I was going to go get my marathon race packet, nor was I going to run the Chicago Marathon.

Within an hour I made the decision to pack my things and go quarantine at our lake home in northern Wisconsin. If I had to be in solitary confinement, why not pick a beautiful place to do it.

The drive up north was no big deal. Other than the slightly scratchy throat, I felt pretty good. But the next two days were the worst of it. I describe it as having a mild case of the flu, or a mild-moderate cold. I would get a mild fever, some congestion, a dry cough, and some chills, all of which were dealt with by taking some over-the-counter severe cold and flu medication. By day four, I felt okay. Did some yard work, finished winterizing the boat and wave runner, and even went for a five-mile, easy-paced jog. On day five, I decided to head home. According to the CDC, I was done with my quarantine and could head back to work as long as I followed some protocols. My job keeps me separated from my coworkers for the most part. As I left, my son Ben said that he was also Covid positive now, and was heading to the “safe house” as he put it.

A week after testing positive I must say that I felt pretty good. There was some lingering congestion, especially in the evening. I had done a couple little runs just to see how I felt, and they went fine. After missing out on training for ten days in Italy, and also during my quarantine, I was starting to get a little concerned about my conditioning for the Tunnel Hill 100, which is only three weeks away. I checked my training plan and it showed that I needed to run 24-26 miles. I kind of dreaded that proposal, but on Saturday morning I packed up my running vest with supplies and headed out the door on a cool but beautiful morning. I planned the route to the west on the trail, as eastbound was being repaved, and I needed to make sure I could refill my water. I ran my usual 4 min. run/2 min. walk pace strategy and it was going well. I turned around where the trail ended at 11.5 miles and started heading back. Somewhere along the way, I decided that since Covid stole the Chicago Marathon away from me, I might want to steal it back. Getting back home would net 23 miles, a distance that I could be happy with, but I figured that if I felt good enough, I would add an extra 3.2 miles at the end and that is just what I did.

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I ended up with a marathon in five hours and twenty-four minutes. Nice and slow ultra-pace. I joked with a friend that all five of my Ironman marathon splits were faster than that. But it did wear me out. My joints were pretty sore afterward, and even though I thought I managed the nutrition side well, I felt wiped out. My wife reminded me that I was sick, and I’m sure that is a contributing factor. But the run was not the confidence builder that the 54-mile run I had done in September was. I think I will have to adjust my pace plan and run a 2-minute run/2-minute walk for Tunnel Hill. It worked very well at the Broken Anvil event, and the goal of Tunnel Hill is to travel 100 miles, not do it in record time.

I’m going to be pretty cautious with the final three weeks of training. I’m relying heavily on Kari being healthy in order to assist me during the hundred miler, so I don’t want her to get sick. I’m glad to see that Covid was mild for me, it could have been worse. We don’t seem to be done with this pandemic yet.

When Running Clicks

I started running in the late 1980s and like most, I was just dabbling with it. I was a recent college grad in a new job, living away from family and friends and pretty much bored. I was also gaining weight and couldn’t afford to buy new pants, so running became my interest. It was never easy at first. A few trips around the apartment complex were all I could do initially. But I stuck with it somehow.

One day I decided to attempt to go further than I had gone previously, and before I knew it I was at five miles before stopping. But when I got to that mark I had a feeling that I could keep going. It was at that moment that running seemed to click with me. I could and would keep going. Within a year or two of starting those laps around the apartment complex, I set a goal of running a marathon.

I started doing local races and marathons. I was just winging it. How complex could running be? You just run, right? There was no internet during this time for me. It may have existed, but it was in its infancy, and I didn’t have a computer to even do any sort of research into how to train for a marathon. The first couple of marathons went okay. I ran 3:50 in the first one and followed it up with another 3:50 a year later. I really thought that I would demolish that 3:50, but a lack of knowledge about fueling and hydration was my downfall.

It would be a couple of decades later that I would become a triathlete with the goal of completing an Ironman, and that is where my mindset changed. I followed a plan for the first time and learned a ton about how to fuel for the race. Successfully training for and completing that first Ironman was a big deal. It taught me loads about how to train and I applied that to my running goals as well. Although I feel that it took me three Ironman races before I finally dialed it in and set a personal best, it did finally click with me and I found personal success.

Not long after that, I applied what I had learned from the triathlon training to running and I found myself setting new personal bests in the marathon, and getting that once elusive Boston Marathon qualifier was now in reach. I set new personal bests in the marathon distance, all in my 50s. I have now achieved three BQs and run the race in 2018, CLICK!

For the past few years, I have set my sights on becoming an ultra-distance runner. Something that I hadn’t done in the previous thirty years of running, and I had to learn to apply what I knew from my triathlon and marathon running experiences to running stupid far. I basically had to learn to run slower and pace myself. It clicked for me when I started applying walk breaks into my runs. I had more energy to run farther. Even with four ultra-distance finishes completed, I still am adapting and learning about how I manage the run. Last weekend I ran my fourth last-runner standing format ultra and went farther than I have ever run – 54 miles. I was shooting for 50, but knowing one more 4.16-mile loop would benefit me mentally, I pushed on and it helped me understand that I could get past that 50-mile mark and keep going. CLICK!

Yesterday, I ended my recovery week with a run that I was planning to last about ten miles. But as I meandered my way around the community, I started thinking about doing more. I felt really good. I ended up playing it safe, finishing with twelve total miles. When you find yourself thinking that ten miles are just okay and want to do more, then I think that the work that I have been doing to get me to the finish line of Tunnel Hill 100 in November might just be clicking with me.

CLICK! CLICK! CLICK!

When did running click with you? What was your a-ha! moment?