The book Born to Run inspired me greatly. But it was more than just the book. It was the people in the book; real life people; that I found so genuine and inspirational. I met Caballo Blanco in 2009, and I met Ann Trason and Jenn Shelton in 2010. And yesterday, I was privileged to meet another legend from the book - Scott Jurek, himself, in the flesh. And he did not disappoint, with his kindness and sincerity.
We went on a nice 4.25 mile fun run along the beach that felt simply magical. The weather was perfect and the scenery of the beach, the ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance was just fabulous. I was able to run alongside Scott and chat with him about Caballo Blanco, and the Copper
Canyons Ultra. It all felt surreal. But I have pictures to prove it all wasn't just a dream!
We started taking pictures with Scott the moment he showed up.
The fun run came first around 7:15pm
Most of the miles were done at an easy pace of 10 minutes/mile, although a few of us were running backwards to take pictures.
We had a lovely view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the beach!
Some of us took turns running next to Scott and chatting with him.
Here we are at the turnaround point in the run, where we decide to take a few group pictures.
Beautiful, isn't it?
Before the book signing, Scott talks about his book and then answers a few questions from the crowd.
And here is me with Scott Jurek himself, after my books are signed.
I have only run two organized road marathons (October and December, 2009), with my fastest being a 3:30 at the California International Marathon (CIM). Since then I've devoted myself to trail running and focused on going further rather than faster.
Yesterday, I ran a marathon. It wasn't an organized road race. It was just an out and back course from my house. The course is run mostly on an asphalt bike trail with a few rolling hills. My plan was to walk about 1 minute for every mile (also known as Gallowalking). I started with my trusty Nathan HPL 020 Hydration Pack filled to the top (about 70 ounces of water). I also took one serving of Vespa before the run. During the run, I used only one pack of Honey Stinger Chews (which in hindsight, wasn't enough). Even though the Vespa reduces the need for fuel, I probably could have used at least another half of a packet (each packet contains 160 calories/ 10 chews).
I hit the turnaround point (13.1 miles) in 1:58, which felt reasonably easy. And in the next 7 miles, I actually sped up a little, with most of my miles in the 8:50-8:55 range (the Galloway website estimates that a brisk walking break only adds about 15 seconds to your pace/mile). Everything felt really smooth. But then it started to warm up. And then at mile 20, I ran out of water! One of my biggest problems is not drinking enough water so I was trying to drink more in this training run. I guess I executed that plan too well! I had no idea that I would run out of water so soon! And I was not expecting it to get so warm. Luckily, there were two water fountains in the last 6 miles of my marathon route (one 20.5 and another at 23 miles into my run). Even though I had begun to suffer a bit from the heat (I needed more water), I was still on pace to run a sub 4 marathon at mile 23. Shortly after gulping down some water from the water fountain, I felt pretty miserable (I had Saltstick Capsules, but forgot to take one at the fountain). Running became much more difficult. This was just a training run, so I simply abandoned the sub-4 attempt and took more walking breaks.
I finally made it home, at the 26.2 mile mark in 4:02:40. That was tough! If I had more water (maybe an extra handheld), I would probably have been able to run that sub-4 marathon. And a few more long, flat training runs would have helped. If I had started earlier, it would also have been cooler (I started at 6:52AM). And next time, I'll be stopping at the water fountain to refill my hydration pack, even if it means giving up a a couple minutes.
To prepare for the Rocky Raccoon 100 in February 2013, I hope to be doing more training runs like this - long flat runs with walking breaks worked in. Maybe the long flat runs will also help me build up some marathon speed. I'll be tempted to test out the speed (conservatively) at an organized marathon in the fall/ winter (maybe CIM). And in a race, I won't be walking so often!
The Miwok 100K is a popular ultra in the ultra world. It attracts some of the top ultra runners in the nation. A lottery is held in December to select the race entrants, since only a limited number of runners can participate in the trail race. I was really happy to get in! And I knew I had a lot of work to do to prepare myself for the brutality of 62+ miles in the Marin Headlands. This was my Boston Marathon, and my plan was to train as well as I could for it, without sacrificing too much family time in the process. After all, I still have a little baby and a toddler to help care for!
When it came to race day, I was happy with my preparations. Under my training belt, I had two training runs of 30+ miles, three 20+ mile runs, and a lot of hilly trail miles! I felt confident in my abilities to finish. If all went well, I honestly believed that I could finish the course in 15 hours. I also knew that if anything bad happened, I would need to refocus my efforts to simply finish before the time cutoffs and complete the race within the allotted 16.5 hours. This was all based on my previous ultra experiences in the Marin Headlands, and an analysis of previous Miwok race reports and runners' finishing times. The Miwok 100K course was changed this year, and it ended up a lot more difficult than any of us imagined.
In the first 2.5 miles, we get to climb our first mountain! 1800 feet,
straight up. I've hiked tougher hills, but hiking up a tough hill right
at the start of a race put some extra strain on the body! If you
got in line to go up the mountain with the fast crowd, you might find
yourself climbing at even a greater effort. Thankfully, I fell in with
the slower crowd, and climbed up the mountain at a slug's pace (about
20-22 minute miles). But even at the slow pace, my legs were feeling some
stress, mainly because they weren't properly warmed up!
The
moon was beautiful over the breathtaking sea. The moon was a shade of
orange-red, like a giant blood orange hanging in the sky. The morning
couldn't have been any more beautiful. My camera's battery died after a few pictures. With the tough course, I probably needed to focus on the race
anyway, so I put my camera away and just took mental snapshots of all the beautiful sights and sounds the day had to offer. The pictures included here were taken by Brett Rivers and Irving Bennett, who graciously posted their pictures on Facebook.
With the Hoka One One shoes, I felt confident
that I could bomb down a few hills and be fine. After all, I had a
successful 35 mile training run in them, and my legs felt great
afterward. Then again, my 35 mile training run wasn't as brutal as this
Miwok course! I bombed down a few hills and felt really good, but I
could tell by some slight cramping in my calves and quads that I needed
to tone down my little wild downhill escapades. I was also convinced
that the first climb had caused some leg problems that only began to surface
later in the race.
There was also a camber to a
section of trail that caused a few ankle rolls, that because an
unsettling theme to my race. I had rolled my ankles a few times in my
training, so I knew they were a bit weak to begin with. I lost count of
how many times I rolled my ankles at Miwok.
I was
hiking the ups and running the downs strongly up until mile 20, when my
legs started cramping a little. I switched to a run-walking strategy
that has worked well for me in the past. I simply took walking breaks
whenever my legs felt tired, even on the downhills. It kept my legs
fresh, and I ran well, when I did run. Despite the tough hills, I was still smiling, and having a blast after 35 miles.
It
was the upcoming hills that took the wind out of my sails. Mentally, I was
not prepared for the brutality of this set of hills (after the Muir Beach Aid Station at mile 35) in the open
heat of the day. If you think any hills are bad, try hiking up the same
hills in the heat of the day, after logging 35 miles. Even small hills
will turn into mountains. And one of the worst parts of these hills
were how they teased you with their false summits!
The
next aid station, at Tennessee Valley (~Mile 39), I felt totally beat up and
demoralized. Just the thought of another hill scared the crap out of
me. I didn't feel like eating or drinking. I sat down trying figure out
what to do next. I must have looked terrible too. The volunteers took
turns trying to help me. One volunteer gave me some ginger pills. When I tried washing them down
with water, I gagged and threw up. I felt horrible. I asked the volunteers to drop there, in a half-hearted whiny way, but the volunteers didn't
let me. They convinced me to eat something and just keep moving. After
all, you never know when you might get a second wind. I was grateful for all their help and
attention. When I felt well enough to walk again, I walked out of the
aid station.
I prayed for a miracle. I
prayed for a second wind. But my second wind never came. I had to take
breaks even from walking, and slowly trudged to the next aid station,
where I knew I would have to drop. Each time I sat down runners would
pass me. And every one of them encouraged me to keep going. I was very
moved by every runner that lent me a hand and encouraged me to "keep on,
keeping on". I had some really negative thoughts during these 5 miles. I was ready to quit running. My faith in God wavered. I felt lost and forsaken.
A
volunteer (aid station captain) came out on the trails to walk me in to
the aid station. I sat there for quite a while, waiting for ride back
to the finish line area.
I found out that a lot of
people struggled in this race, and that the race had closer to 13000
feet of elevation gain, and measured a bit long at 63.6 miles. Of the
354 runners that started the race, 90 runners did not finish. Many of
the runners who did not finish were faster and more consistent than I
am. Surprisingly, no one really complained. We all
knew we were lucky to be a part of this epic race, whether we finished
or not.
Its been hard for me these last two weeks. I feel lost. And it was extremely difficult to compose this race report. The Miwok 100K is like a cool girl I fell in love with, who broke my heart. And even though I know deep down, that it wasn't meant to be, it's still so hard to let go. Okay, so maybe its not that dramatic, but I'm sure you get the picture. I think I need a new sweetheart race to focus on. And Miwok 100K, I know you didn't mean to break my heart. Can we at least be friends?
The 2012 Miwok 100K turned out to be an EPIC experience for all the runners who ran it this year, whether or not they finished it. And 25 percent of the 354 runners that started did not finish. I was one of those 90 runners who did not finish. It'll take at least a few days for me to complete my full race report, but here is a short update.
The race course was "reconfigured" this year, due to permit problems, from what I remember hearing. Regardless of the reason, it was a much tougher course than in previous years. Dave Mackey won the race last year in 8:03. He also won the race this year, but it took him an extra 1:11 to finish. For the back of the pack, runners could expect to be 1.5-2 hours slower on the new course.
It was a beautiful day, filled will good people and gorgeous views. I called it quits after 43 miles, with some severe cramping and nausea. My arms were crusted with salt and I was probably a little dehydrated. I was ahead of the trail sweeper, but my legs had not been cooperating for the last 5 miles. I was no longer having fun, and I knew I had no chance making the cutoffs anyway with the state of my cramping legs.
It is said that you learn more from a loss than you do from a win. This was a loss. And it stings a bit. But I'll be back. And I'll be stronger. I may still fail to finish next time. But I will be back. It's okay to fail. Its okay to fall down. But you have to get back up. You have to believe in yourself.
In two weeks, I'll be running in my first 62 mile race. And no, I am not a dyslexic marathoner. This will be my first 100 kilometer race. The Miwok 100K is a very popular trail race in the Marin Headlands, just north of San Francisco. Most people will think this is insane, especially people who have trouble driving 62 miles. When you add in the fact that the race has 12,000 feet of total elevation gain, some people may just stop talking to me altogether! I usually have to explain to people that I'm not running the whole time. Running up all those monstrous hills are reserved for the elite runners. "Back of the pack" runners like me will be walking most of the uphill portions (unless I'm still feeling frisky near the end). My primary goal will be to finish the race within the 16.5 hours I am given.
I have completed 5 50 mile races, 8 50K races, and 2 marathons, so I'm no stranger to the running gig. And for the past 10 weeks, I've put in some relatively solid training miles. I am more prepared for this race than I have been for any other race. So why am I having moments of complete terror? It must be the taper madness I hear so much about. Normally I am so terribly under trained that I can go out there without any expectations and have fun! Now that I am prepared, anything less than a finish would feel like a complete failure! I know this moment of negativity and fear will pass. Anyone have a magic pill that cures taper madness?
If I could create a pill to cure taper madness, it would have to contain special drugs to remind me of all my blessings. The drugs will have to also give me a photographic memory of all the things and people that inspire, support, and believe in me. It will remind me that no matter what happens at this race, I am still an amazingly blessed human being. My beautiful daughters could care less about how well their daddy does. And even though my wife is not a runner, she supports and believes in me. If she thinks I'm crazy, she sure doesn't show it!
And lets not forget about my running friends, both old and new. Not all of my running friends are amazing ultra runners, but almost all of them have amazing ultra hearts (sorry to get all mushy on you). So many of you inspire me simply with your love of running. It shows in your blogs and your comments. Mother Theresa once said, "We cannot all do great things, but we can all do small things, with great heart." Likewise, we cannot all run at super speeds or super distances, but we can all run at our own speeds and distances with gratitude, respectful humility and grace.
I'd like to thank all of you that have inspired me and have supported me over the years. In two weeks, I'll be at the edge of another epic adventure; one whose outcome is still very much unknown. I know that regardless of how well or poorly I do, all of you that matter, will still support and believe in me. For that, I am truly blessed.
And a big congratulations to all you Boston Marathoners for your epic races! Your speed and toughness is very inspiring! And good luck to all of you with your upcoming races! I know a lot of us are currently residing in Taper Town!
Here is a breakdown of my training mileage in the last 11 weeks:
Week 1 34.5 miles
Week 2 30.1 miles
Week 3 25.3 miles
Week 4 36.1 miles
Week 5 28.2 miles
Week 6 39.1 miles (Way Too Cool 50K)
Week 7 34.4 miles (20.25 mile trail run)
Week 8 50.2 miles (24 mile road run)
Week 9 38.0 miles (21mile trail run)
Week 10 45.0 miles (35 mile trail run)
Week 11 28.2 miles
I know many runners who run a lot more than I do, but with 2 young children, this was about all I could muster. I took off two days of work to get in my last two long trail runs that took practically all day. Leaving my kids all day for training runs makes me feel pretty guilty. Taking off work to run all day made me feel only a little less guilty. Once Grace (my 1 year old) gets a little older and less dependent, it'll be easier for me to go on these little training runs.
Grace turned one only 3 weeks ago. Here is a picture of her on her first birthday. She is about to chase me down and tackle me, while growling like a tiger or giggling like only an excited, cheerful baby can.
On Friday, 4/6/2012, there was a Memorial for Caballo Blanco in Boulder, Colorado. I wish I could have been there. Friends and family that could not attend were encouraged to go on a memorial run for Caballo at 4:00PM. I had already been planning on doing a long run on Friday, so it became my memorial run for Caballo Blanco. I was hoping to get in between 30 and 40 miles as my longest training run before the Miwok 100K (in 4 weeks). I took the day off from work and planned to hit the trails for the whole day. Having it coincide with Caballo's memorial turned out to be perfect timing. I'd run all day as a tribute the man who inspired me to run long and free.
I began my run at Alum Rock Park in San Jose at 9:00AM. My original route had to be modified due to some closed trail sections, so I ended up doing (approximately) 7 mile loops up the tallest summit in the park, 5 times. It was also my maiden voyage in a new pair of shoes - the Hoka One One Stinson B Evo. The Hoka shoes may look a bit ridiculous, but they're supposed to encourage natural running form with their zero-drop between the forefoot and the heel. And the excessive cushioning allows runners to bomb the downhills without trashing their legs (a huge plus for ultra runners). I know most runners who enjoy their minimalist running shoes would be skeptical of these shoes (like me), but if you plan on running a lot of downhills in a long ultra, I think you should set aside your skepticism and try this shoes (and suck up the high cost!). The 7 mile loop gave me an aid station every 7 miles if I needed it. The first 3 miles of the loop is mostly uphill (steep at times) up to a summit where the view of San Jose is pretty sweet. The next 3 miles are mostly downhill (mostly consistent, runnable downhills), followed by one flat (very slightly downhill) mile. After 4 miles, I decided to test the shoes to see how they feel on a nice downhill stretch. I pulled off a 6:38 mile and it felt pretty good! Still I knew I had a long day ahead of me so I slowed down for the next few miles (and still ran 8 minute miles - still too fast, but it felt really easy). My second 7-mile loop felt the best, even if it was slightly slower. I was fully warmed up and feeling good. I did have some tightness in my right arch, but it cleared up after a few more miles. Then with each passing loop, I got slower and slower. Nothing hurt and I had no problems with cramping, but I just got more progressively tired as the day wore on.
When you're out there for so long, it helps to have a lot to think about. I thought about people in my life who passed away most recently. It made me a bit upset, because I felt as though my cousin and Caballo were short changed! Why do good people have to die young! And I told all my friends and family (especially my running friends) aloud that you all had better live long, healthy lives! Don't any of you go dying on me!
I thought about directing a race in San Jose someday. It would be a tribute race to Caballo, and the race entry would be ridiculously cheap, with all the proceeds going to Caballo's adopted people, the Raramuri. I'd run the race on a Friday. I'd have a 47 mile option, a 50K, and a 25K. He'd like that wouldn't he? Maybe next year.
The miles quickly passed. At mile 30, I hit a real low in energy, while hiking up to my last summit. I felt beat up. The negative thoughts crept in like vultures over my dead carc-ass. How the heck was I going to finish a 62 mile race, if I'm already struggling after 30 miles! I called out to Caballo to lend me some strength. I told myself to just keep moving forward. I've hit similar lows many times before, and they always passed. I drank a little more and ate some more of my Honey Stinger energy chews (pink lemonade flavored). They still tasted yummy which was a good sign. The negative thoughts went away as I made it up to the summit one last time. I ran well back to my car at mile 34, and felt good enough to tack on one extra mile to make it an even 35. Total time running: 7:32:30. Mission accomplished. I might do one last long run (20-24 miles) next weekend, and then begin a three week taper to heal some of these niggling pains (thankfully nothing major).
Dear friends and family, please be careful and stay safe out there. Drive carefully, and run safely. I've had enough memorial runs this year to last me a lifetime.
These are my training grounds. This is also where we ran most of our cross country meets in high school. This is a picture of the dreaded "hill" during our 2.85 mile cross country race that haunted me during my early running years. It also made me a lot stronger. Now, its the baby hill on my long run. Its family lay ahead! And what you see is only part of "the hill".
There is a nice bench at the peak where you easily lose yourself in. "Beware the chair!"
A rare self portrait.
This little weed stuck out of the hillside like a sore thumb. It reminded me of Caballo.
