Bronze Buckle

I've occasionally claimed that certain races tried to break me; Western States is the one that finally did it.

This race absolutely wrecked me, in about 20 different ways, including some that I didn't even know existed. I somehow managed to finish in 27:52, but that outcome was in doubt for about 95% of the duration of the event.

Some of you know that I was aiming for a sub-24-hour finish, and that clearly didn't happen. Very early, this race hammered me with worst-case scenarios in almost every manner you can think of, which continued throughout the day and night. In that regard, this was one of the most disappointing days I've ever experienced, but also one of the most rewarding. If that doesn't make sense, I guess you'll have to wait for the race report.

On that note ... I'm hoping to have a report posted by Tuesday night, but I'm in seriously bad shape right now, and it could take some time for me to lick my wounds enough to sit down and write a report. Plus, my calendar's pretty jammed for the week, which may cause a further delay. I'll get to it as soon as possible, I promise.

But for now, I'm going to try and get a quick nap in before picking up my bronze Western States buckle.

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Go Time!

“Got your mind set on a dream -
You can get it, though hard it may seem now …

You can get it if you really want –
You can get it if you really want –
You can get it if you really want –
But you must try, try and try, try and try –
You'll succeed at last.”
- Jimmy Cliff, “You Can Get It If You Really Want” (video after post)
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It seems only fitting that as I’m gearing up to spend an entire day dancing under the scorching sun, a classic reggae song should serve as my sendoff.

Western States, here I come.

Obviously, I have no clue what lies in store for me over the 24 (or more) hours of race weekend. It could be epic, it could be crazy … or it could be epically crazy. I might have a fantastic day and night, or I might come completely unraveled (have I mentioned my lack of heat training?) far sooner than I anticipate. Surprises may lurk around every bend in the trail, and I have no idea what my reaction will be.

What I do know is that I’m looking forward to every minute of it.

There’s simply no way you can anticipate a race for almost two full years and feel anything but excitement when the time finally comes. I’m not scared, or anxious, or nervous … just bouncing off the walls ready to actually DO this thing. Whatever happens, happens – but I’ll be grateful to finally experience race day instead of just carrying the idea of it in my head every single day.

On a related note: whatever does happen to me out there, you can follow along in something fairly close to real time on the Western States 100 webcast. Each runner has his or her own page, and mine is right here. You can also check out the main webcast page to get updates on the race that develops in the front of the pack while the majority of us are struggling just to stay upright and maintain forward motion.

The race starts at 5AM on Saturday. If you drop in on me online, send some good vibes my way through the computer screen – because I might need every manner of assistance I can get.

I want this race. I really really want it. I’ll try and try and try to make it as great an experience as possible. By Sunday morning, we’ll find out if I succeed at last.

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Jimmy Cliff, “You Can Get It If You Really Want” (click to play):

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On Inspiration

(Admin note: I’ll have one final post on Thursday with a link to the WS webcast and other final details for this weekend. As for today’s post, it’s on the theme of motivation … )

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I’ve never been one to need much of a pep talk before races. When it comes to rising to the occasion for a big event, I tend to be fairly self-reliant.

From my experience - in both the endurance sports I currently enjoy, and the team sports of my youth – if you have to rely on a motivational speech to accomplish the result you’re looking for, your chances of actually attaining it are probably pretty slim. Rather, the confidence that emboldens me on the starting line comes from the body of training I’ve done in the months leading up to the event.

I’ve put myself through enough difficult miles, and tapped into my inner reservoir of resolve enough times this spring to know that I’m ready to roll at Western States this weekend. Whether or not I actually make it to the finish, or whether I finish anywhere near my goal time remain to be seen. But if for some reason I don’t make it to Auburn, it’s certainly not going to be for lack of resolve.

That’s not to say that it’s going to be easy – in fact, I’m on record describing the race as a 100-mile tightrope walk. Or, as I wrote last year:
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There are certain to be times when my body feels battered, my spirit feels broken, and I’ll question both the sanity and the necessity of doing the task I’ve given myself. Hard times are as much a part of the race as good ones – in fact, if those difficulties weren’t encountered along the way, the whole process wouldn’t mean nearly as much.

What I’m counting on to pull me through is a positive mindset, and a resolve to deal with whatever hardships come my way. There will be a thousand little things that could potentially discourage me – but somehow, I’ll figure out a way to get through every last one of them.
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Thankfully, after an extended period of questioning and wondering in the wake of 2008’s cancellation, I can honestly say that I’ve forged the same mindset now as I did before last year’s race.

So it was more amusing than inspirational when I stumbled across the following video of “40 inspirational speeches in two minutes” – it’s a clever assortment of film snippets that are equal parts somber and humorous, compiled into one contiguous speech that actually flows together surprisingly well. If you’re in the mood for an unorthodox pep talk, click and enjoy:


One final note: just because I don’t need an inspirational speech to keep me motivated, that doesn’t mean I don’t carry inspiring thoughts along the way with me during events like this. One of my favorites, which I have a feeling I’ll be reciting to myself many times on Saturday, is the following:

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
- Isaiah 40:31, NIV

Really now … what more reassurance do I need?

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Book Review: Born to Run

One of the nice things about tapering is that decreasing your activity and increasing your rest for several days leaves you with time to catch up on some reading. It’s a great opportunity to get lost in a book that might quell some nervous energy, and perhaps take your mind off of the fact that very soon you’ll attempt to run 100 miles.

Of course, I had to go and pick up a book about ultrarunning.

The advance buzz for Christopher McDougall’s Born to Run was unlike any other running book since Dean Karnazes’ Ultramarathon Man, and the folklore surrounding the Tarahumara Indians of the Copper Canyons of Mexico is almost mystical in ultra circles – so I grabbed a copy of this book thinking that it would be one for the ages.

In most respects, I was correct. The first 100 pages or so read like the greatest running story ever told. There are vivid descriptions of the notorious Copper Canyons, a detailed primer on the Tarahumara culture, and a stirring account of the three years that the Tarahumara participated in (and dominated) the Leadville 100. It’s also something of a who’s who of the ultrarunning community, with in-depth biographies of Ann Trason and Scott Jurek, shout outs to “Young Guns” such as the Skaggs brothers and Anton Krupicka, and even a mention of a noteworthy blogger or two. If you make it through the first half of the book without itching to lace up your running shoes and disappear into the wilderness, someone might have to check you for a pulse.

The narrative revolves around one Anglo - nicknamed Caballo Blanco by the locals - who assimilated into the Tarahumara culture, and his desire to stage a 50-mile race in the Copper Canyons between the top ultrarunners of all time and the best Tarahumara runners. His efforts are largely futile, with one notable exception: Scott Jurek was all for it. Soon thereafter, a handful of Americans (including Jenn Shelton, one of the best young runners around) make their way south of the border, and the game is on.

For the most part, the account is a gripping one, culminating in a race that justifies the 250-page buildup to it. The primary drawback I found was that along the way to telling us about the race, McDougall takes several very looooong tangents to discuss all manner of things only peripherally related to the event at hand. Many of these detours crop up right as the action is getting good – in the middle of the Leadville reports, or right as the gun’s about to go off for the final race.

Granted, some of the tangents will change the way you perceive the simple activity of running: whether it’s understanding man’s anthropological origin as a species engineered to run just as often and efficiently as deer or coyotes, eliminating the modern-day distractions that hold our inner (and super-athletic) souls captive, or improving your speed by adopting a philosophy of love and acceptance (yes, really). There’s also an extended treatise about the evils of running shoes, with a very convincing argument that we should be asking for less from our running gear instead of more.

The side dissertations are very interesting (I’m actually quite intrigued by the notion of barefoot trail running), and McDougall is an excellent writer, so they are generally a smooth read – but the placement became a bit frustrating after a while. I finally decided to read this book in pieces: I tore through the narrative that built to the climactic race first, then backtracked and took my time with the biomechanics and anthropology lessons. This way, I satisfied my impatience with wanting to know how the race came out, but still absorbed the larger lessons that I would have otherwise hurried past.

One other minor quibble is that there aren't any pictures included. Most hardbacks will include a few glossy black and white pages with photos of the characters involved; this book doesn't, and it's a glaring omission. Although McDougall's writing is very descriptive, I found myself craving a real-life glimpse of Caballo Blanco, or the Tarahumara tribal robes, or even the Copper Canyon terrain that figures so prominently in the story.

All in all though, Born to Run is a very solid book. I anticipate that it's going to be one of those that carry well through the years; one you can read several times and still pull some new insight from each time. (Of all the running books I’ve read, there are perhaps two or three about which I’d claim that.) It will engage your spirit of adventure, compel you to push your physical boundaries, and – in the same way that the American runners are given Tarahumara monikers prior to the final race – it might even make you want to have a nickname (I’m thinking of Caballo Gordo for myself). If you’re looking to inspire your training or just searching for some smooth summer reading, put this book towards the top of your list.

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*update 8/21/09: Christopher McDougall was on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart recently; the interview is embedded below.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Christopher McDougall
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Healthcare Protests

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Subject D

(Admin note: the Western States 100 is practically here, which means that my nerves are so frazzled that I can barely think in coherent sentences, let alone string multiple paragraphs together for a respectable blog post. So this week will feature a few quick entries, with some final race details [including my bib number for the webcast] on Wednesday or Thursday before I head to the hills for the big show.

As for that noise you may be hearing in the background … that would be my heart pounding away like a sledgehammer. I’m trying not to let it distract me.)

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Most ultrarunners will tell you that our activity is an inherently self-centered one. We constantly steal time away from friends, families and jobs in pursuit of goals that are significant to only us; we spend countless hours chasing dreams of individual meaning and questionable importance to the larger world we inhabit.

That’s why many of us like to seize opportunities to share the experience, or to somehow help others benefit from this obsessive passion of ours. We volunteer at races, we invite pacers to participate in events with us, and we return the favors as pacers and/or crew for those who have served us.

And at the Western States 100, we subject ourselves to medical studies.

I’ve written before – quite extensively, in fact – about the symbiotic relationship between ultrarunners and medical researchers. Since much of my professional life has revolved around clinical healthcare, I’m especially sympathetic to the plight of desperate scientists in search of test subjects within a very narrow set of criteria.

That’s why I’m always willing to subject myself to whatever poking and prodding and body analysis that researchers want to inflict upon me. This weekend, I’ll be a participant in two studies: one looking at exercise-associated hyponatremia, and another examining the impacts of a 100-mile run on cardiac function. At various times on race weekend, I’ll give blood samples, have EKGs and a body composition scan, and possibly, um … pee in a Ziploc bag. Don’t ever say I’m not committed to science.

It actually feels kind of cool to participate in medical research during Western States weekend. It’s another small opportunity for all my years of compulsive quirkiness to actually provide some value to someone other than myself.

Besides, I long ago accepted the fact that – like most other ultrarunners - I’m something of a freak; however, if I’m a freak that contributes to the advancement of medical knowledge, that makes my condition feel a little more justified.

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Through a Child's Eyes

For the first time in the history of this website, I'm handing a post over to a guest blogger.

Technically, that statement may not be 100% accurate, since I'm still the one whose fingers are working the keyboard - but given the occasion of this weekend, I figured I'd turn to my 5-year-old daughter for some thoughts about Father's Day. The best part is, I didn't even have to ask her; her kindergarten teacher did the heavy lifting for me, resulting in a card that I received at the end of my daughter's school year last week.

The inside inscription reads:

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My daddy's name is Donald. Sometimes I call him funny names. He has brown hair. He just got a haircut. He's taller than Mom. He looks good. My daddy is nice and fun. He likes to run, to get the exercise. I don't know why. When I'm in school he misses me and I misses him. He makes me happy. I like best to play with him and be with him. When I'm in his arms it feels good and happy. He loves me because I'm special. I am special. Thanks daddy for everything you have done. He's the best daddy. I love him.

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If there's anyone out there who questions why having kids is the greatest experience in the world, what you read above is probably the best answer I can give. And if that still doesn't make sense ... I guess nothing else will.

Have a good weekend everybody. Remember to call your dad.

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Hydration 101

I know, I know … you thought I was finished talking about hydration packs.

One final stipulation of this whole hydration pack series was that I would incorporate some of the information into my Monterey Herald column, which often targets a different audience than this website does. The companies would benefit from the variety of public forums, and it was also an opportunity for me to do a little cross-promotion from the newspaper to the Internet.

It didn’t exactly play out the way I originally intended, however. When I approached my editor about doing a two-part, 2500-word piece on hydration, he (somewhat predictably) replied with something along the lines of “You’ve got to be kidding me.” The compromise we settled on was that I’d do a very basic, very general review of hydration devices for the paper, then refer readers to part 2 – my summary review of all the hydration packs – on the Herald site and my own websites.

So what you see below amounts to a prequel of sorts; it’s an introductory piece that explains the fundamentals of hydration for runners, and explains the difference between various means of transporting fluid. It appears in Thursday’s Monterey Herald.

Additionally, I’ve adapted this online version to include examples of each of the products I’m referring to, plus links to product pages for anyone interested in shopping. Most of the links are from Wilderness Running Company, with whom I’m starting to forge something of a working relationship. I’ve talked them up before, and I'm really impressed with some of the steps they’re taking to become involved in the trail running community.

If you decide to buy from them, remember to use the coupon code on my left sidebar to get a 10% discount on all orders. You also get free shipping on orders over $50, so you can potentially save a decent amount of money.

Sorry if I’m starting to sound like a QVC host; today’s Herald article is below.
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Running Life 6/18/09 "Hydration Pack Basics"

Summer is nearly upon us, which means that runners need to pay attention to hydration needs when exercising in warm weather. In recent years, hydration devices have become a multidisciplinary science, with several options available. We’re reviewing the most common types here, along with recommendations for use of each kind.

As a general rule, unless you’re exposed to extreme heat or humidity (upper 90s for either category), you probably don’t need to take in fluids during your workout if you’re exercising for 30 minutes or less. If you are exercising for less than an hour, you can probably do just fine with water instead of sports drink.

When your body is working for more than one hour, make sure that you drink small amounts of fluid on a regular basis during the activity. There are a few different ways to carry fluids on the go:

Hand held bottle carriers: of course, before hydration accessories were invented, everybody did it the old fashioned way: by carrying a bottle of water in your hand while you run. Hand-held bottle carriers are little more than a comfortable elastic strap that fits around the bottle and the back of your hand; this way, you don’t have to grip the bottle to keep it in contact with your palm.

Most hand-held carriers support a 20-oz bottle, and many have small pockets on the backside to stash things like keys or an ATM card. Some runners find it awkward to carry bottle holders at first, but before long you’ll hardly notice a difference.

(For web readers: some examples are the GoLite HydroClutch and the slightly more advanced Nathan QuickDraw Elite)

Waist packs: These are probably the most common option, and come in several varieties. Most packs hold a 20- or 24-oz bottle on your backside, often angled one way or the other for easier access. Waist packs also have larger pockets with storage space for cell phones or energy bars.

(Web readers: two very good models are the Ultimate Direction Uno and the GoLite HydroDash, which comes in both a men's and women's version.)

Variations on this design include packs that hold two full-size bottles, and others with several smaller bottles distributed all the way around your waist. In my opinion, the single bottle option is the simplest and most convenient, and should suffice for activity in the one to two hour range.

If you are running or hiking for more than two hours, a single bottle won’t be enough to sustain you – and that’s where the next category comes in.


Hydration packs: These lightweight packs are typically worn like a backpack, but contain a fluid reservoir that can hold up to 100oz of fluid. Models that are marketed towards runners typically hold about 70 oz.

Since they are designed for longer activity, hydration packs also feature a lot more storage space for food, clothing, or other gear. Modern materials and designs make these packs quite comfortable to wear, even when running at high speed.

Fluid reservoirs are slightly more high-maintenance than a typical water bottle - they’re a bit more difficult to clean and dry after each use – but they’re generally very easy to use, and the benefit of having adequate fluids during a long run is usually worth a little inconvenience afterwards.

Hand held bottle carriers and waist packs can be found in both of our local running stores. If you’d like more information about hydration packs, I did an extensive review of five different models this spring; check them out here.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to take care of your hydration needs so you can enjoy a healthy and safe summer of running.

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