running – Page 2 – an amazing run

2023 Running Year In Review

2023 Running Year In Review

Walking saved my season. Old me would have thrown in the towel if I had to resort to walking, but as I became a more experienced and seasoned ultra-distance runner, I found walking to be not only necessary but enjoyable. This year though, without walking I might not have accomplished much.

In May I developed knee pain that would later turn out to be patellofemoral pain syndrome, also known as “runner’s knee.” This knee injury was a bear and the most difficult of running-related injuries I have ever had to get over. It took rest and some physical therapy to get a handle on it. But what salvaged my season was walking. Walking wasn’t making my knee hurt, and when the plan called for miles of running I substituted walking. Most walks were in the 4, 5, and 6-mile range, but I eventually reached 10 miles and more. Time on my feet was important, whether I walked or ran.

May, June, and July took the biggest hits as far as running goes, but I was back to getting my training runs in by August. A little knee brace I bought on Amazon was a gizmo that I thought was a waste of money, but whether it was a physical positive or a mental one, it seemed to help me run without hurting my knee. I used it up through September and during the Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra, until I decided to take it off in the late portion of the race. I stopped wearing it altogether after that.

By November and Tunnel Hill 100, I felt pretty good. I amazed myself by getting through 76 miles of that run, knowing full well that walking was the reason I got that far.

So when I look at the total running mileage of 1214 for this year, I’m pretty surprised that I amassed that much. Add in the 522 walking miles and it adds up (1736 miles!) to be a pretty good year!

2023 RACES

The racing season was held to just four events, which were eventful for sure.

First up was the Paleozoic Trail Runs – Devonian Spring II 25K, a local trail race that I’ve done twice and really enjoyed. The 2022 race was a complete mud-fest, but 2023 would be bone-chilling cold. I felt pretty good condition-wise for this race, but it really did paint a picture of what was to come for me. Once the race started I felt sluggish and didn’t have any speed. I tripped over a hidden tree root on the trail about halfway through and landed on my face. I pushed on but finished missing out on the podium. Race recap: Paleozoic Trail Runs – Devonian Spring II – 25K Race Report

I think I immediately stopped bleeding when the blood flash-froze on my face.

Next up was a return to the WausaUltra Backyard Ultra in Wausau, Wisconsin. I really enjoy the backyard/last runner standing format and WausaUltra really puts on a good event. The weather was a little better this year and not as warm, but seeing how I tripped and fell at this highly technical trail course in 2022, I managed six 4.16-mile loops before I pulled the plug on it before I tripped on something significant – i.e. a jagged rock. Of the backyarders I have done, this one is the most technical and toughest. Race recap: 2023 WausaUltra Backyard Ultra Race Report

Totally beat after one loop. It’s a tough course.

After suffering through the knee pain earlier in the year and learning to train around it through walking, I was elated to even be able to show up for the BROKEN ANVIL BACKYARD ULTRA, in West Point, Iowa in September. Another second year in a row race for me, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect or even if I would get more than a couple of loops run. Kari joined me for this race and ran a personal best farthest distance, before dropping out to help crew me. She’s the best crew/sherpa ever. I managed to get through 9 yards and 37.5 miles before deciding that I had had enough. I was tired, starting to chafe, and did not want to overdo it and jeopardize the looming third attempt at Tunnel Hill 100. I could have run up to 50 miles, but I was being cautious. I was also starting to have a Forrest Gump moment, that point when I was kind of sick of running. Race recap: 2023 Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

Kari and I wrapping up her last yard together.

I ended the year in Vienna, IL to attempt running the Tunnel Hill 100 for the third time. Honestly, I couldn’t believe that I had gotten enough training done to even show up prepared to run. The first 50 miles went pretty well, and I looked forward to pressing on for the second half. Kari and Ben had joined me to crew and pace for me. Kari joined me for the trip from Heron Pond to the turn-around, and back toward Vienna, slogging through 21 miles with me – a new personal best distance for her. But as we pressed on, it was clear that I was starting to struggle, with cramps popping up here and there in my feet and calf muscles, as well as being just generally worn out. For the second year in a row, I happily pulled the plug at 76 miles in Vienna, with no regrets at all. I’m not sure a 100-mile finish is in the cards for me, but I won’t say I’m done trying. I just need the perfect training season, and 2023 was not it. Race recap: 2023 Tunnel Hill Race Report

Some day I hope to finish the race with this pose.

2024 GOALS

I’m not really sure about what to plan for 2024. I decided after Tunnel Hill to put ultras on the shelf for a while and focus instead on rebuilding some speed and getting back to triathlon. But I did something dumb and signed up for the Chicago Marathon, something I claimed that I would never do again. And trying to reclaim some of the speed I have lost doing nothing but long, slow distance running is not going so well. I may have to come to grips that I am an old guy and those days of running fast are fading behind me. That’s okay, I’m really enjoying setting new distance records, running backyard races, and experiencing new types of events. One on my radar is a trail race in June in Valparaiso, IN called Trail Golf Endurance Challenge. It’s a trail run, covering nine “holes” of distances of about 3.5 miles each. The faster you run, the lower your score. I may have a conflict that weekend, but if not, I will show up and give it a go. Here’s the link if you are interested: Trail Golf Endurance Challenge

So there you have it. A season that clearly had no business turning out the way it did, and I’m so glad that walking was an option to keep me moving forward. On to 2024!

RUNNING STATS

JANUARY – 15 Runs / 96.5 Miles / 24 Miles per week
FEBRUARY – 13 Runs / 83 Miles / 21 Miles per week
MARCH – 15 Runs / 136 Miles / 34 Miles per week
APRIL – 14 Runs / 145 Miles / 36 Miles per week
MAY – 14 Runs / 114 Miles / 28 Miles per week
JUNE – 4 Runs / 28 Miles / 7 Miles per week (Injury impacted)
JULY – 6 Runs / 42 Miles / 10 Miles per week (Injury impacted)
AUGUST – 12 Runs / 111 Miles / 28 Miles per week
SEPTEMBER – 11 Runs / 151 Miles / 37 Miles per week
OCTOBER – 13 Runs / 141 Miles / 35 Miles per week
NOVEMBER – 6 Runs / 101 Miles / 25 Miles per week
DECEMBER – 16 Runs / 88 Miles / 22 Miles per week
2023 TOTALS – 135 Runs / 1214 Miles / 23 Miles per week

LIFETIME RUNNING TOTAL

31903 Total Lifetime Miles / 5522 Total Lifetime Runs / 35th Year of Running

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

My Dumb Running Injury

Doctor, it hurts when I do this! Then don’t do that. – Henny Youngman

I’ve been running a long time, consistently since the late 1980s. Over the course of those 30+ years I have had mostly pain-free miles, but I think I have had just about every type of common running injury there is – iliotibial band issues, plantar fasciitis, piriformis, bruised toenails, and Achilles tendonitis just to name a few. Sometimes they seem serious and take a while to heal, while others I just train through them. Now I think I might be experiencing the dreaded Runner’s Knee. I say “I think” because I tend to self-diagnose, and I don’t really know for sure. Plus, the term “Runner’s Knee” doesn’t seem to be specific to one condition. So here’s what I found out about the condition.

Runner’s Knee is probably something that I have had in the past, but it wasn’t enough of an issue that I remember it specifically. There are a handful of causes but I think my issue is due to overdoing it for the past three years as I have stepped up my mileage training for ultras, being an older runner, and lack of flexibility in my leg muscles. Basically, I’m wearing out my already worn-out legs and I don’t stretch. Running injuries really all stem from overtraining or overexertion.

There are two types of injuries that are sometimes called Runner’s Knee, Chondromalacia Patella (CMP), and Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). Both deal with knee pain, with Chondromalacia Patella dealing more with pain in the knee cap and degradation of the knee cap cartilage. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome is more generalized to the muscles and area around the knee. Symptoms of Runner’s Knee that I am experiencing include pain while sitting with my leg bent, especially in the evening, knee pain while using the stairs, and pain while bending the knee. I do not have any grinding or unusual sensations while bending my knee, so therefore, I think my type of Runner’s Knee is more in line with the broader PFPS condition.

Either way, both conditions tend to respond to rest, OTC pain meds, stretching, and physical therapy if needed. There are plentiful videos online in which physical therapists describe stretches and exercises for the condition, so I think I’ll skip the hassle of seeing my doctor for a referral for PT. So far, I have found some relief just from the quadriceps, hamstrings, iliotibial band, and Achilles tendon stretches that I have done. This may be one of those short layoffs from running and I can get back to the long and slow training that is needed to prepare for the three ultras I have in the fall.

‘Tis but a scratch. Just a flesh wound. – The Black Knight

Have you ever dealt with Runner’s Knee? How did you handle it? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

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.

2022 Running Year in Review

2022 Running Year in Review

It’s time to wrap up another year of this crazy running journey that I have been on. 34 years and counting! And what a year it was. I decided to stick with ultra running as my focus and for the first time in the last several years the word “triathlon” does not appear in the title of this blog post. I did very little biking this year, and any swimming I did was from a post-run, cool-down standpoint. I miss cycling a little bit, but I had my hands full with training for another attempt at a 100-mile finish. I came up a little short, but I’m getting closer! Is next year the year I finish? Hopefully, I will conquer that distance before age makes it too difficult.

The spring started off with a fun trail race called “Paleozoic Trail Runs – Carboniferous Spring II 25K” which was a very fun mud-fest. First time racing a trail race, and I think I did pretty well with my 12th place overall and 2nd place age group finish. Race report: Paleozoic Trail Runs – Carboniferous Spring II – 25K Race Report

Got a little dirty running this very muddy trail run. It was surprisingly fun.

The Big Hill Bonk became a favorite race for me after getting my first 50K distance run there in 2021, so naturally, I made a return to it in 2022. It was moved from August to April this year, which meant less heat to deal with but now we dealt with some snow and cold. In the end, it turned out to be a pretty good day. I ended up running 10 yards, 41.6 miles, a new distance record for me. Race report: Big Hill Bonk 2022 – Wisconsin’s Backyard Ultra Race Report

At the top of the stairs and making my way down.

In the early part of May, I decided to try another backyard ultra in Wausau, Wisconsin called the “WausaUltra Backyard Ultra.” I did this race without my race crew (my wife Kari) and when I fell on the fifth lap and banged up my arm and leg, I decided that I better call it a day. This course was really technical and challenging, and that made for a fun time. It kept me engaged, that is for sure. I’d like to do this one again in 2023 if the calendar allows it. Race report: WausaUltra Backyard Ultra Race Report

Me and my one-man tent near the start/finish area.

At the end of May, I joined the local running club and did a marathon relay race called “Attack The Track.” It was my first time doing an event like this for me and I really enjoyed it. I ran the anchor leg, so my “mile” leg of it had an extra lap, but I huffed and puffed my way through it. I wasn’t quite prepared to run a fast mile, but I had fun. Race report: Attack The Track! Race Report

Bringing up the rear of a 26.2-mile relay.

July and August were race free, but after a family wedding, and a vacation I was ready to race again in September. I needed to do a 50-mile training run, and I found the perfect opportunity in Iowa at the “Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra.” This backyard race was nowhere near as technical as Big Hill Bonk and WausaUltra, but challenging nonetheless. The main issue here was thunderstorms and rain, but I was dialed in with help from Kari. I managed 54.1 miles and could have run more if it wasn’t for the chafing I was experiencing. I’ll be back at this one next year. Race report: Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra Race Report

Ringing the bell – making it official that I was done after 54.1 miles.

I was registered for and planned to run the Chicago Marathon, but I came home from my anniversary trip to Italy (Hiking in Cinque Terre Italy) with Covid-19. That is not what I was hoping for, but I had a mild case thanks to being healthy and vaccinated. Since being sick with Covid took away the Chicago Marathon for me, I decided to run a marathon on my own, seeing that my training plan for the hundred miler called for 24 miles anyway. I took it very slow and got the miles in. (My Covid Marathon)

November brought my “A” race: Tunnel Hill 100. This was my second attempt at the 100-mile distance, and I trained accordingly and gave it my best shot. I really thought I had it in the bag after heading out for the second 50, but things turned on me coming in at 76 miles, and I just didn’t feel comfortable continuing on. In retrospect, I wish I had but that is hindsight for you. I’m still pretty proud of what I accomplished at Tunnel Hill, but I’m not going to quit on this yet. That 100-mile finish will happen. Race report: 2022 Tunnel Hill Race Report

What’s on tap for 2023? I was planning to return to Ironman and do IM Couer d’Alene in Idaho, but that was assuming that I’d have finished the goal of running a 100-mile ultra. So I think I will continue to focus on the 100-mile goal and maybe return to Ironman in 2024 unless my Gunner teammates do something to change my mind.

I’ve already signed up for Broken Anvil and it will be my “A” race, with a goal of running 100 miles there. I think there’s a good chance to accomplish that at a backyard ultra event. I added the 25K trail race to the calendar again, as that was a lot of fun. I just learned that the Big Hill Bonk has been canceled, which I had also signed up for, so that is a little disappointing. WausaUltra is a big maybe because we’ll be spectating Ben & Emily at the Boston Marathon the Monday before, so we’ll see. I don’t want to make my crew chief angry with me! She’s a big part of my success!

The running stats below were a little surprising to me this year, as I somewhat had it in my mind that I would be closer to 2000 miles for the year. In 2015, I ran a total of 2112 miles and I would have thought that I had easily done that much this year.

1600+ miles is nothing to scoff at, though. I’m pretty proud of that total. The amazing part of training for ultras for me is that it is far less abusive to my muscles. Other than the three times I fell down this year (I Be Trippin’), I didn’t have many (if any) running-related overuse injuries. Running slow, and adding walking to the pace plan sure has made a difference in how I feel. I might have discovered a secret to running in my old age.

And although I may have been surprised at the yearly mile total being lower than expected, the lifetime miles run total was a nice surprise – I have officially gone over 30,000-lifetime miles! I’m on my second virtual trip around the world!

So, I tip my hat to another great year of running, being thankful for the great experiences it has given my life, and look forward to another year of my running journey.

RUNNING STATS

JANUARY – 18 Runs / 79 Miles / 20 Miles per week
FEBRUARY – 17 Runs / 86 Miles / 22 Miles per week
MARCH – 17 Runs / 147 Miles / 37 Miles per week
APRIL – 13 Runs / 152 Miles / 38 Miles per week
MAY – 16 Runs / 90 Miles / 22 Miles per week
JUNE – 20 Runs / 149 Miles / 37 Miles per week
JULY – 18 Runs / 182 Miles / 45 Miles per week
AUGUST – 19 Runs / 206 Miles / 52 Miles per week
SEPTEMBER – 13 Runs / 170 Miles / 42 Miles per week
OCTOBER – 14 Runs / 137 Miles / 34 Miles per week
NOVEMBER – 16 Runs / 155 Miles / 39 Miles per week
DECEMBER – 16 Runs / 88 Miles / 22 Miles per week
2022 TOTALS – 197 Runs / 1640 Miles / 32 Miles per week

LIFETIME RUNNING TOTAL

30689 Total Lifetime Miles / 5387 Total Lifetime Runs / 34th Year of Running

BIKING STATS

30 Total Rides / 493 Total Miles

SWIMMING STATS

1 Total Swim / 1410 Total Yards

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?

What’s My Running Thing?

Sometimes I find myself wondering about people who are highly skilled at something and how they discovered that they were good at it. Maybe more importantly what if they weren’t exposed to the thing that they had become highly skilled at. Would they have been successful at something else? What if Michael Jordan had decided to focus on baseball after being cut from his high school basketball team? What if Yo-Yo Ma had been given a trumpet instead of a cello as a child? What if Eddie Van Halen hadn’t switched from piano and drums to guitar?

I was thinking about my running history the other day and was thinking about how I have found that I am really enjoying running trails and ultra-distance events. These are a new frontier for me and have certainly become a joy of late. Not that I’m any good at either, but it made me wonder what type of runner I really am. I regret that I didn’t have running in my life as a youth. I didn’t run track or cross country, but looking back on those types of running I wish I had experienced some of it. I have tried my hand at many types of running in my adult life and found that I love it all. But what am I best at? What distance or event do I perform best at? I’m not really sure.

Looking at my race results over the years I can see that I’m slightly faster than the average runners, usually placing in the top half of finishers or higher. In races, I almost always find myself alone chasing the faster runners ahead of me and yet gapping the rest of the field. I find that very interesting. It happens in almost every race, including the 25K trail race I did last month. From 5K’s to marathons, that is where I fall.

But of the races I have done, which distance is the one I perform best at? I don’t feel like I have blazing fast 5K speed, yet I can usually win an age group award at it and finish in the top 10% or so in the local races. That’s pretty good I think. My 5K PR is 19:29, which isn’t all that quick. My current average 5K time is over 22 minutes, thanks to getting older. I’ve been fast enough at marathons to qualify for the Boston Marathon three times now. And the nine half-marathons that I have done, all have been 1:40 or under, and I have always thought that to be pretty good. I like to keep the challenge of being under 1:40 going, but as I get older that is going to be difficult. I can’t imagine trying to average 7:30 per mile for 13.1 miles right now.

Maybe short-distance running is my thing. I ran a 5:44 min/mile a couple of years ago. That was an all-out effort and I spent a good chunk of summer and fall prepping myself for that. Or maybe it isn’t a speed thing, but rather a distance challenge that I may personally excel at. I’m currently discovering pushing myself to go farther than I have ever run before and I keep surprising myself each time. Maybe long and slow is the way!

I have heard the term “jack of all trades, master of none” before and maybe that’s the type of runner I am. Maybe I’m just good enough at a variety of distances, but just not ever going to be the top dog at any one of them. I guess there’s some fulfillment in that as a running journey.

What is your best event or distance? Did you know it right away or did it eventually come to you?

(un)Welcome Back!

After giving myself a brief few days to recover from running 41 miles at the Big Hill Bonk event last week, I felt like I was ready to start getting at it again. The weather was not cooperating, however, so I opted for a bike spin on Tuesday. That went okay and seeing that Wednesday was looking good to get outside, I planned a longer ride.

It felt great to toss my leg over the bike again. I hadn’t ridden a bike since Ironman Chattanooga last September, so I was looking forward to spinning the wheels for a while. It didn’t take long to see how out of cycling shape I was. Although I was just trying to take it easy, I was working pretty hard at it. Then my foot started having nerve pain that was very problematic last year. And then the calf cramps kicked in. I pulled the plug and cut the ride short. Not quite the welcome back to cycling that I was hoping for.

The first run after my ultra was a quick 3-miler on the dreadmill. Also not quite the welcome back to running that I had hoped for, but probably the best for me. The weekend came along with some decent enough weather to get outside. I ran eight miles on Saturday with no problems and then ran 11.5 miles on Sunday. Nice and slow and no eagerness to rush anything.

Sunday actually felt like a nice spring day. I can almost feel like winter is finally dying and I might even mow the grass this week. Warm weather would definitely be welcomed back.

Now that the first event of the season is out of the way, it’s time to start thinking about the remainder of running year. I’ll probably dial back the cycling. I’m a little worried about the nerve pain coming back, and once it is there it takes a while to go away. I handled it last year by making some alterations to my insert, adding some padding and loosening my shoe up a bit. I received some gravel-style cycling shoes over Christmas for my gravel bike, which might be more comfortable to use. I just haven’t switched out the pedals for them yet.

The only other races I have on the calendar are the Chicago Marathon in October, and Tunnel Hill 100 in November. Tunnel Hill is my “A” race and the focus. I want to check that 100-mile finish off of the list of running things I have yet to accomplish. Last year I was a little bit undertrained, both physically and mentally. I’ll be putting in some longer miles and spend more time on my feet for it this time. I’ll probably use Chicago for a training run, but I may also give using a run/walk method of running it a try and see if I can fine tune it to get me close to another Boston Marathon qualifier.

Kari and I booked an anniversary trip to Italy at the end of September, early October. It’s a hiking tour and there will be a lot of hiking/walking involved. It comes two weeks before Chicago, but I think it will provide a good taper for me.

I finally feel like I can start building a good base and enjoy a season of running. Welcome back!

Running Stories: My Obsession With Numbers

When I run I have a habit that I think a lot of other runners may share – I have to make sure that it ends on a mile exactly, or the quarter, half, or three-quarter of a mile. A 5K, or 3.1 miles has always made me uneasy. 26.2? Couldn’t they have made it 26.25, or just plain old 26?

When I started training for Ironman the plan I followed had built the cycling and running workouts around time, not distance. That was very tough for me to get used to because I always went for an even-mile run, not a 45-minute or an hour-long run. Fortunately for me, my easier Zone 2 pace is at about a 9 minute/mile, so I would get 5 miles done in 45-minutes. But a 30-minute run would push me over 3 miles. I would usually quit three minutes early, or push a little more to get that extra quarter mile. I never wanted it to be a 2.68-mile run. And if do a run in some unfamiliar place and I get back to where I started on some weird number, you can bet that I would do a little more to get the number I want.

I don’t think I would call myself obsessive about it, it’s just that I used to handwrite my mileage into my running log, and to have those nice numbers made it easier for me to add up at the end of the year. I just got used to it and stuck with running distances ending in x.0, x.25., x.5, or x.75.

The 2010 Chicago Marathon had something going for it in addition to being a world-class marathon. People were excited to be in the field and run through the city. But I think that they were more excited about it being run on October 10. Yes, 10-10-10. I found myself also thinking that it was kind of cool, even though the year was 2010, not 0010. I’m a nitpicker. 10-10-10 was plastered all over the event that year. People were enamored by it, so much so that I remember one person suggesting the marathon for 2011 to be moved from October to September so that the date would read 9-10-11. That didn’t happen. Anyway, I have to admit that running the 10-10-10 Chicago made it a little more memorable for me than any of the other years that I did it.

But this year I am trying to change my old ways. I no longer personally log my mileage into a running log, I let my much smarter Garmin watch and app do all that logging and adding work for me. I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions, but this year I decided not to obsess over a run ending in zero-point-nine. So far, I have had a 7.16-mile run and one 4.24 miler. Baby steps.

Do you have a weird running thing? Maybe you’re a streaker, running every day? Or maybe your normal looped run route is always done counter-clockwise? I’d love to know.