Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Other Voices : While I'm Running

John Sharp - runner, philosopher, good friend

If I had to think of one word to describe John Sharp, that word would be "genuine". He's just a larger than life character - a big, affable, generous, funny guy with a big heart. If John is around and you can't see him, you will definitely hear him. People like him are the reason I enjoy trail running.

I first met John during the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile race in February 2008. We exchanged some friendly smack talk in the last few miles and finished within a minute of each other, enjoying a good laugh about it at the finish line. It's a trick we repeated at the Austin marathon two weeks later, despite not having seen each other once during the race. Our friendship grew from there - we've run a few races, relays and training runs together, and I had the honor of pacing him at one of his 100 mile finishes at Cactus Rose last year.

John's writing is very open, up-front and challenging. Knowing him, I expected nothing less.

Oh, and good luck at Hardrock Sharpie - go get 'em boy.

When I'm Running
by John Sharp
You know how, sometimes, you have things on your mind that you just need to work out? Recently, a friend and running buddy of mine asked for guest writers to contribute to his blog for his “Other Voices” series. He asked for volunteers to write about running and fitness and how those things had made an impact on their lives, etc… It just so happens that for the last few months I felt I wanted to write a little on running and what it means to me. Like a sort of, “WHY or WHAT FOR”, so to speak. I couldn’t really discern an exact "why" or "what for" as I thought about what I would say. So my approach in this essay is to talk about what goes through my mind when I run. When you start thinking about something, ideas flood at you all at once, and it’s hard to make heads or tails out of it. But, sometimes there is a singular moment of clarity which comes at you, and in a flash it’s gone. For that instant you are at peace with yourself and with your surroundings.

In August of 2007 I was unhappy with myself. I finally came to the realization, that I was an alcoholic. Yea, I went to work on time, I had recently finished a BA in management, owned my own home, etc… But, alcohol, I could do that, and I liked it, a lot. Eighteen liters of single malt in 3 weeks once. I never really investigated what it means to be an alcoholic or how you come to be one, or what distinguishes one from some intermediate state. But, what I did know is that I was not happy with the kind of person that I was. We were in D.C., my sister and I, we were doing morning jogs around the capital mall, and I decided that I would run a marathon before I turned 30. That is when I started on the road to recovery, the road I am still on.

Theory of Forms: One of my hobbies is reading western philosophy, particularly classical philosophy. Yea, that probably sounds pretty boring to most folks, but I picked up my first book of philosophy when I was fifteen. Do I know a whole lot? Not really, but it’s enjoyable. On a run one day I was started thinking about Plato’s theory of forms. Like there is a perfect triangle, but when you draw one, it’s never perfect. Or a circle or any other geometrical shape. The form though, is perfect. That got me to thinking about myself. If we are unique in the eyes of God and we are created in his image, then we have a perfect form. But, when you look at yourself or others around you, you notice blemishes. I noticed plenty of blemishes about myself, how I am selfish, narcissistic, and who knows what else. I felt that there was a better me inside, but I was hiding it, to my own detriment. Why? Not sure, but it probably has a lot to do with ego. When I run far enough for long enough, the ego goes away and what’s left is something that is closer to my true form. That me that wants to cry when I am sad, instead of hold it in. That me that wants to help my fellow man. Not because of what I get from it, but from a true sense of compassion. That me that can let another runner finish a race ahead of me and not try to belittle his accomplishment. Some may say, “Well that isn’t what a man does.” Humm, maybe. But, I think “What is a man who can not allow himself the full range of his own emotions?” That is the me that I want to be every day, the me that lives up to the virtues of fidelity, truth, courage and magnanimity.

Choices and Opportunity Costs: Over a series of runs, I started kicking around this idea of choices and opportunity costs. In life, sometimes it’s the choices you make, and sometimes it’s the choices you don’t make. I was trying to talk a friend of mine into signing up for a half-marathon. He was undecided, saying things like “Jeez, its like $80!” Yea, sure it is, but when you cross that finish line for the first time, the feeling you get, you’d pay $1,000 for. Because it’s not the $80, it’s all the things you had to give up to get to the finish line. You know, with the training you have to do, the lifestyle choices you have to make which will allow you to get to that finish line. You have to train, maybe not eat that greasy food when you really want it. All the sacrifices you make leading up to the point where you cross that finish line, that is what makes it worth it. Maybe it’s not the finish line you cross, maybe it's the new car you forego, so that you can save for your kids college. When they cross that stage, you cross your finish line.

Hero: Everybody wants to be that Hero that saves the world. Not many of us get the opportunity where circumstances put us in that place that we can “save the world”. I thought about this one time while I was running. But you have the opportunity to be a hero everyday. I think that for each one of us, we are a hero to someone. Whether it be to a friend, a child, a neighbor, niece, nephew or maybe a complete stranger. One of my heroes or, rather, heroine is a lady from California named Catra Corbett. She is now fifteen years clean and sober. She is an ultra runner. I have only met her twice, but what an example. Or Dick Beardsley, give his book a read. What an inspiration. For me, both of these folks were complete strangers but they have made a huge impact on my life. Other heroes are Joe Prusiatis and Allen Wrinkle. Joe is my coach, he ran Hardrock and Badwater (these are ultramarathons, the hardest, toughest 100 and 135 miles races, respectively) in the same week! Allen ran 203 miles in 68 hours once! Wow!!!

Other heroes for me are 1st Sergeant Jacob Walls. He was my first team chief back in ’96 when I was in the Army. I looked up to Sergeant Walls. We used to have pushup competitions in the motor pool in Germany. I think we did 150 consecutive pushups one day, a challenge. Or Coach Pensik, he gave us a speech once during half-time at a football game which we were losing, against a town called East Bernard. He talked about, effort and hustle. He said, “What, do you think Earl is gonna make the tackle?” Who the hell Earl was, I still don’t know (maybe Earl Campbell) but what we realized is, if we don’t hustle we aint gonna win. We each have an opportunity to change the world, one person at a time, by our example. By our zest for life, our desire to seek out the best of every situation and make the most of it.

Validation and Self-Confidence: I have thought about this idea quite a bit while running. My conclusions may or may not be valid but I have hit upon a few ideas that seem to resonate with me. I think that what drives a large majority of human behavior is the seeking of validation due to a lack of self confidence. We choose to do some things like college, career, or relationships, not because it’s what is true to our own nature, but because we are seeking validation. Validation from a significant other, a mother, a father, or some idol that we choose which we think will validate us. What does validate mean in this sense? To me it means, if I do this thing then I will earn respect, acceptance, etc… Then I will be complete as a human being. We seek this validation because we are not sure who we are, what we mean, and what our significance is in this world. We feel that if someone can just tell us, then all will be well. Maybe so, maybe not so. For me, the biggest thing is the recognition of what underlying desires drives my action? Have you given any thought to this? Try it sometime, you may be surprised as to the answers you come up with.

For a long time, and sometimes still, what drives my actions, whether it is power lifting, body building (back in the old days), drinking, dancing or running is validation. I was seeking validation because of low self-confidence. Through running I was able to find self confidence, maybe it was the self-confidence I lost, or the self-confidence I never had. It happened to me at about mile 87 of my third attempt at a 100 mile run. I sat in the aid-station tent for two hours wanting to quit. I didn’t give up, even though I had already given up in my mind. I finished that run that day, and a good friend, Mark Richards, ran about 45 miles with me. Another good friend, Bill Johnson, came to watch me finish. I am glad I didn’t quit. A month later, that’s when I realized how important that day was for me. I was at the same place, Hill Country State Natural Area, and I had an epiphany while running. Funny, now that I try to recall it I don’t remember a damn thing about what I was thinking. But life was simple, clear, I finally understood. I was confident in myself and who I am for the first time in my life. It was during a training run, and after 15 miles I had to quit and walk 5 miles back to my truck because of my hip flexors and I was okay with it. I didn’t feel like a puss. It was the best 1.5 hours of my life and I was all alone. What a beautiful day.

Courage: Courage is a word of French origin. Something about the heart, I am not sure exactly and I don’t feel like looking it up just now. What is courage? It is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, or pain without fear. I went out to Lake Tahoe in July of 2008 for my second attempt at a 100 mile run, a run that I didn’t finish. A month before this run, I had just run my first 100 miler. Running a 100 miler is crazy, that’s all I can say. But I wish everyone could do it, so that one could experience the life changing experiences one has when one runs one. The two weeks after my first 100 I got drunk everyday and smoked cigarettes. Yea, I know, you are thinking, “This guy is a freaking douchebag!” But, drinking was/is how I cope, it’s what I know can “fix” it. Well, I was sitting at work on a Saturday and started thinking about courage and what it means to me. Courage is one of my four “cardinal virtues”. I thought, I have to run this thing. I signed up for it, I know now how bad it’s gonna hurt, but I gotta do it. So, I bought my plane ticket finally. I was sitting at a restaurant in Carson City, Nevada the day before the race and decided to call my friend Bill Conway. We have been friends since ’97, and have grown a lot together over the years. He is like my older brother. He had recently become a Christian, which he still is, and I noticed a change in his approach to life. Some things I agreed with, some not. But, he was better for it, not only as a friend but as a person in general. I wanted to discuss with him this idea of courage. I says, “I think that if there is a God, then he favors courage over obedience.” Maybe I was coming out of left field, but it made sense to me. Courage, as we defined earlier, is a quality which allows one to face pain without fear. So, take for example, Jesus. Much courage he possessed as he drug his own cross to his own crucifixion. Obedience will not get you there, but I think courage will. I don’t remember what he said in response. But, I think about courage a lot. It takes courage to make a change in ones own behavior. To be able to step outside of yourself and ask tough questions. Who am I? Do I matter? What do my actions say about me? In what context am I making these decisions? It takes the most courage to give reasoned responses, and in most circumstances being honest with yourself.

My old boss, Brad Cooper, told me about the Mobile Theory. It’s a theory about a mobile, you know, the one above a baby’s crib with the little horses or whatever hanging from it. When you move one out of balance, all the rest of them try to put the protagonist back into its place. It’s what happens when you try to make some change in your life which makes those around you uncomfortable - they try to put you into the place where they recognize you. It takes courage not to be put back, to stay on your path and become the person you can be. The person that, in your heart, you know you can become.

These are the things I think about when I run. Among a whole host of others, but these are the leit motifs of my running thoughts. Do I have any answers? Probably not, but for me the most important thing is that slowly, surely I am on the road of self-discovery. Will I be a better person for it? Yea, I think so. I don’t drink as much now. I am more empathetic and compassionate. I value people now as an end of themselves, as opposed to a means of a selfish end. I have more patience now. I believe in the value of others and that everyone has something to offer. I talk less and listen more.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Lack of Motivation

I ran 5 miles tonight on some pretty rough trail to test my ankle. It's still swollen and I was real careful to not be my usual clumsy self, but it was all good. My main problem right now is lack of motivation - I'm in a trough. I just have no desire to get out there and run, and it feels like my running has gone to hell - I feel slow, tired and useless. 5 miles was enough for me tonight - I had no desire to extend and just wanted to be done.

On the other hand it was 106F when I started running. And I've run 185 miles in a month that's set numerous heat records. I'm taking Gavin swimming tomorrow night and I'm not running in the morning, so I'll miss the 200 mile mark but that's fine. July may be a pull back month (running-wise at least), and that's probably just what I need right now.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Relaxed Weekend

Hello, you all look a little different today. Maybe that's because I'm writing this from Nancy's new netbook. It's a pretty cool little machine with a fantastic battery life - great for travel, movies, music, or surfing the web at coffee shops and wifi hotspots. I guess I could even do some work on it if I really had to!!!

I do love to tinker with stuff and I spent a large part of yesterday customizing and configuring it. I repartitioned the hard drive and installed a linux version nicely customized for netbooks as a dual boot.

I figured I'd give my ankle a rest and didn't run much this weekend. I didn't run at all yesterday, and did just 7 miles this morning. It was a nice change, but it leaves me at 180 miles for the month. There are 2 days remaining in June - can I bag the 20 extra miles I need to hit that 200 mile mark for the second month in a row? I'd like to - with the baby due next month I doubt I'm going to get anywhere close in July.

We'll see how it goes.

Friday, June 26, 2009

I Hate my Ankles

I really can be a clumsy doofus. This morning I was running up the bike lane on Shoal Creek in the dark and stepped into what must be the only pothole on the entire road. I was doing about a 7:50 pace at the time and all my weight went onto the outside of my left ankle which crumpled, leaving me on the floor feeling ever so slightly embarrassed.

Now I don't mind so much rolling my ankle on the trail (if you're me, that tends to come with the territory), but when I start doing it on the road that sucks (I guess my clumsiness knows no bounds).

The frustrating thing is that I'm 27 miles shy of 200 for the month, 18 short of 1000 for the year, and had a nice 20 miler planned for tomorrow. I didn't have time to ice the ankle this morning and I've been hobbling around a bit this afternoon. I'm going to stick it in a bucket of ice tonight (oh joy) and hope for the best. I may be running much shorter and a lot slower tomorrow.

The bottom line is I hate my ankles. They are my Achilles heal and I need to do something about them. When I'm doing yoga, I'm ok on most of the more advanced poses, but child's pose - one of the "easiest" of all yoga poses? Forget it - my ankles just aren't that flexible.

Can anyone recommend any good ankle strengthening or flexibility exercises?

Oh, and many thanks to David for agreeing to shortcut across White Rock and cut this morning's run down to 7 miles. Also for slowing down to an 8:30-9 minute pace for those last 4 miles.

And no, before you ask it's nothing to do with my 700 mile road shoes!!!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

The Shoe Scrooge

I have about 700 miles on my road shoes. Usually a running shoe gets retired after about 300-400 miles, so I'm blatantly ignoring one of running's cardinal rules (but since when has that ever stopped me). And it's not that I don't have replacements lined up. On the contrary, I have one pair of Asics 2120s and two pair of 2130s sitting in their boxes waiting to report for duty. Nope, it's just me - I'm a shoe scrooge. I simply hate to put miles on a new pair of shoes when I have no road races anywhere on the horizon.

At least my trail shoes are a little better. Depending on terrain and distance I currently rotate between Montrail Hardrocks, Vasque Velocities, Asics 2120 trail hybrids and a new pair of Montrail Streaks I got a great deal on. I also have a couple pairs of Hardrocks sitting in their boxes waiting for Cactus Rose.

Maybe I need the ghosts of marathons past, present and yet-to-come to visit and make me see the error of my ways.

Until then I'll just say "bah humbug".

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Still Got It

Yesterday evening I got wolf whistled at by two college girls while running past a swimming hole at Bull Creek.

Admittedly they were two drunken college girls, but it still put a spring in the step of this prancing old peacock :-)

And poor Nancy had to endure my Errol Flynn impersonations for the rest of the evening.

Good times!!!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Growing an Avocado Tree

Avocado is a great food for ultrarunners, and I happen to be on an avocado kick at the moment. I don't know why but I'm suddenly addicted to the feisty green fruit and have been finding ways to include it on virtually everything I'm cooking - sandwiches, hamburgers, salad, pizza, even mixed with lemon juice and spread on toast - hell, I would add it to my beer if I could figure out how. Maybe it's a pregnancy thing (I can see Nancy roll her eyes when she reads this)?!!! Creamy, yummy and delicious - what's there not to like?

So when I came across a great little website that shows you how to grow an avocado tree from the pit I was absurdly excited. What a fun experiment for me and Gavin to do together.

And that is why I have an avocado pit suspended by toothpicks over a glass of water on the windowsill. Gavin keeps coming by to check on it - I think he's expecting it to sprout immediately.

Maybe I'll go make some guacamole while we wait :-)

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Run, Sun and Sleeping In

Myself, Allen Wrinkle and Erin at Bull Creek.
Photo courtesy of John Sharp

I must be an idiot. At 5am on Friday morning the temperature was 78F, humidity was 90%, I had the day off work, yet I wasn't tucked up in bed. Instead I was meeting a fast road friend for a run. Last Wednesday I ran a new route called the "Danish run" with Steve, Meghan and Clea. It was a really nice run, and I wanted to try it again. What with the humidity, we didn't push it as fast as I would have liked - barely under an 8 minute mile - but it was a good workout nonetheless and I finished up soaked to the skin. I also finished with a slight calf strain, which was very annoying.

And the reason I started so early was that I wanted to get home before Nancy left for work so Gavin could stay home with me. We went swimming again and had a great time - we were in the pool for over 2 hours, and it helped my calf settle down. Gavin did really well and managed to swim across the pool and back - I was so proud of him. We got home, cuddled up together watching home movies and then took a nap. It was a great day.

Yesterday I met up with John Sharp, his friend Erin and Allen Wrinkle to guide them around some of Austin's best hills. John is training for the Hardrock 100 and this was his last weekend of big runs, while Allen is training for the Tahoe Rim 100. We started off with a 10 mile loop around Jester, Beauford and Courtyard and then moved on to the 10 mile loop around Ladera Norte. It got pretty warm by the end, and we were glad to be done, but it was a fun run with some great company. I hardly noticed my calf, so that was good.

Myself and John Sharp at Bull Creek.
Photo courtesy of John Sharp

This morning was Father's day, so I decided to take the day off running and slept in instead. Of course, that left me with no excuse not to mow the yard. I've neglected our back yard for at least a month and it was like a jungle. I think it was easier to run the 20 miles of hills yesterday than it was to force the mower over that - I sweated like a pig, swore like a sailor and pushed the mower to its limits!!! I promise with as much honest intention as possible that I will never let it get that bad between mows ever again.

And finally, we have a new toy. Nancy's been wanting a new netbook for a while, so I've been researching them, and this morning I picked up a sweet deal on this one. It's tiny, the battery lasts for hours and it has a built-in webcam so when the baby is born my parents can see him over Skype (that's assuming I have the patience to guide my "technologically challenged" dad through the setup).

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Swimming Lessons

Tonight was a special night. When I first became a dad there were several things that I was really looking forward to doing. One of those was teaching my boy to swim, and it became especially important once he discovered he loved the water and had absolutely no fear of it. So imagine how proud I was when he managed to swim all the way across the pool for the first time ever tonight.

I know it was only a small step, but it's one I will remember fondly when he's doing the same thing with his kids.

Other Voices : Trail Markers

Alan Tanner : trail convert

Do you remember what it was like when you ran trail for the first time, and everything was new and strange? There is a big difference between road and trail, and things that I now do by second nature all had to be learned somewhere (and continue to be learned). I always thought that if I could go back to my first ever trail race and analyze myself it would make an interesting article. So when Alan Tanner asked me to help a group of road runners (including himself) prepare for the Rogue Trail series, I asked in return that he record his thoughts and experiences on making the shift from road to trail.

Alan is a real character and probably the biggest smack talker I know - he's the only guy I know who can match me at stirring the pot!!! He doesn't realize this, but for the first few weeks of the group runs (until I figured out the pace of the group) I used him as a gauge for how hard to push them. I would run the hills and stand at the top chuckling. If he had enough energy to punch me and enough breath to curse me ("you Welsh f&*#er" seemed to be the metaphor of choice) then I would simply increase the pace until he stopped. If he didn't have the energy to even give me the finger then I was going too fast and would ease off a little.

Yeah, he's a character. But he's also a top guy and a good buddy (and not just because he's written some nice things about me). I also suspect that he may be getting hooked on trail running - I wonder if there's an ultra in his future?

Trail Markers
by Alan Tanner
So I’m guest writing….this usually evokes an image of the host sipping rum on the beach while someone else takes over writing an article, but in Mark’s case its more likely that he’s either
a.) out running,
b.) looking for a new place to run, or
c.) stashing pizza behind rocks on the route of his run.
Knowing this fellow is all about running helps one understand where I get reeled in. I’m not a terribly good runner or even a fast runner, in all honesty. I enjoy the endorphins, the clean air, the exercise, and sometimes the company – so when Mark offered to coach a beginner’s trail session for a rag tag crew of not-too-fit road guys, I jumped at the opportunity. It has been an incredible learning experience with a dozen training sessions and the Austin-based Rogue Series races under our belts – and which I’m grateful having had the opportunity to be coached by someone of Mark’s caliber.

Mark asked that I compile a few odds and ends regarding what I experienced during my first two months of trail running. Readily coming to mind is the renewed sense of things hurting – body parts I didn’t know I had, a few odd creaks and pops afterward, soreness where it usually isn’t, and learning all over which gear works and what doesn’t.

First few runs: Finding that nice set rhythm one gets on the road when I can switch on auto pilot, zone out, occasionally check heart rate and distance while pounding the road for 90 minutes isn’t a done deal on trails. I actually had to pay attention, watch where I planted my feet, twist my oversize load between trees, avoid branches and stumps and generally figure why my HR is spiking 30 minutes into a run. At the top of every hill, I kept thinking, “Dammit, I’m supposed to be in better shape than this!” It was a rude awakening – and the creeping humidity levels here during June raised the bar considerably. I’m learning to pace better, learning to scan the trail and anticipate how I will clear obstacles, seeing creeks as a means to cool down, utilizing new stretching techniques, and changing my gear as I discover what simply doesn’t work.

Shoes and socks seem to be the first order of business. After a few dozen miles, it became apparent that old road shoes were not making the cut. Thick cotton socks I thought would be better for cushioning were getting soaked in the creek and creating chaff issues which tended to become blisters without changing over to a dry wick type sock – not to mention the extra weight from water being held by cotton fibers. Solomons and black Belagas from Running Warehouse solved that initial problem. Aside from shoes and socks, all my other gear seems to translate well enough to this brand of running.

Staying hydrated and powering through bursts that aren’t usually encountered on my road runs became the next order of business. At present, carrying a water bottle on trail runs and chewing a couple of the Shot Blocks usually gets my 180lb rig through a 6 mile run. I hardly ever worry about hydrating while on the road out to 8-9 miles, but I have found it advantageous to carry at least a pint of water per hour of trail running. With the temp creeping to triple digit here in Austin, I’m exploring the various electrolyte replenishment drinks since I’m not yet confident enough to trail run at night when the temps are more bearable. I still run with plain water bottles, since I have so many gimmes, but investing in Amphipods will be the next order of business as I start to carry two bottles for longer runs .

New stretches were necessary after we graduated from easy trails to more technical trails. Evidently, the twists, turns, lose rocks, and different manner of landing, along with shorter strides can wreck ankles and hip joints. I simply could not figure where these new aches were derived and my usual stretches were not helping. A brand new game was being played on my body and it hurt! Fortunately, Mark knew every ache from experience and had a specific stretch to get me through yet another week and gradually things came back to order. Words of caution: Mark cannot tolerate complacency, as he has now added another few miles of hill work after the trail routines…fortunately, this component is optional, but I’m certain David will be writing soon enough on his hill experiences with our Welsh guru.

Race Days: Its awfully nice to show up to a trail run and actually find parking within 300 yards of the start line….no more than 4 people stacked in line for a port-a-pot, and no queuing before the start. 200 or so folks to a category and that’s it. The trails are sometimes single track, which makes for interesting passing, and I can’t say enough about running under trees….from the stand point of shade and the ready availability in case one hydrates a bit extra – a luxury not always prevalent on a road race. Folks are polite and most seem to be fellow outdoorsmen/women who respect their environment and one another. These races were actually fun!

All said, this has been an enjoyable diversion from standard running, and one that I hope to continue exploring and gaining new friendships. Thanks for leading the way, Mark!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Summer Running

Triple digit heat + humidity + hills = running sucks!!!

Summer running is like walking a tightrope. On the one hand I need to keep my mileage up (and I may still be on track for another 200 mile month), but on the other running in this heat takes a lot out of you, and staggering from one soaking run to another just leaves you drained. I'm trying to be smart about my runs and build enough recovery time between them, but it's not always easy. Yesterday was a case in point - I'd planned on getting up to go run, but I felt so exhausted that I just stayed in bed. And I think it did me the world of good.

Every year it's the same. During the winter I work on speed and stuff my belt full of fast runs and PRs. Come the summer, pace is out the window and my runs are reduced to survival. Where did all my speed and fitness go? Did I really run 100 miles a few months back? Of course I know the answer, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

I did 10 miles of hills tonight - half on trail and half on road. I had planned to do 10 on the road, but cut it down to 5 because it was hot as hell and I didn't think I had enough water to get me through (and what I did have was warm by the time I'd run a mile). I'd like to think I'm getting smarter in my old age, but I suspect the reality is that I was just tired.

Still, at least I'm not as bad as last year when I went several weeks dreaming about drinking icy water every night.

Well, not yet anyway!!!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Greek Hamburgers

I didn't run today. I did 25 miles on the greenbelt yesterday in the full heat and humidity of a Texas summer. And last Saturday I did 50 miles in the same heat, so I figured I deserved the day off. Instead I slept in and enjoyed a relaxed trip to the grocery store with Nancy and Gavin.

And since most of our evenings this week are taken up with one thing or another, I spent an enjoyable part of today preparing some meals we can make quickly during the week. I made a big bowl of potato salad, another bowl of fruit salad (is there any better summer dish), some Greek salad (red leaf lettuce, tomato, red onion, feta, croutons and your dressing of choice) and for tonight's supper I experimented with a "concept dish" - Greek hamburgers.

I don't like to eat meals high in saturated fat, but hamburgers made with lean beef or turkey tend to be dry, so how to get around that? Well, while forming the patties I sandwiched a layer of creamed butter, feta and herbs in the middle of them. It worked great - keeping the burger moist while cooking and also giving a double layer of Greek flavor.

Tzatziki is a great Greek yogurt-cucumber dip (usually served with gyros) that I used here to spread on the bun in place of mayo or mustard. It keeps for a few days in the fridge and is delicious with any kind of grilled meat (hint: try it with Fajita meat wrapped in tortillas or pita breads - that's tomorrow night's meal).

Greek Hamburgers
Patties (makes 3 good-sized burgers)
1lb extra lean sirloin
Handful of diced red onion
Salt and pepper

Filling (enough for 3 burgers)
2 Tbsp butter/margarine
2 Tbsp crumbled feta
1 tsp mixed diced herbs (such as oregano and parsley)

Ideas for Toppings
Shredded lettuce (romaine/red leaf/green leaf)
Red onion (raw and thinly sliced)
Tomato
Sliced mushrooms (quickly sauteed)
Tzatziki (recipe follows)
Sliced avocado
Sliced cheese/crumbled feta

Tzatziki (makes about 2 cups)
32oz pot of Dannon fat free plain yogurt
2 coffee machine paper filters
1 cucumber
Juice of 1 lemon
1 garlic clove, finely diced
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a ramekin, cream together the butter, feta and mixed herbs. Cover with clear plastic and refrigerate until needed.
2. To make the patties, mix together the sirloin, diced onion, salt and pepper. Split into 3 portions and form each portion into a flat ball.
3. Make a depression in the middle of each ball, fill with the creamed butter mix, form the burger around the filling to cover and form into a burger. Refrigerate until needed.
4. To make the Tzatziki, we need Greek yogurt. If you don't have any, line a sieve with 2 coffee machine paper filters (for extra strength) and set it over a bowl. Empty the pot of Dannon plain yogurt into the filters and leave it for a few hours for the liquid to drain out.
5. Peel and de-seed the cucumber. Finely dice it and add to the Greek yogurt, along with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.

Many folks like to sear their burgers and cook them quickly, but I prefer to grill them covered over charcoal with some wood chips thrown on the coals for flavor - generally about 25 minutes (I'll turn them at 7.5, 15 and 20 minutes).

You can use a regular hamburger bun (toasted or not), or go the whole hog and make some pita breads instead (these are great - use half wholewheat flour for better texture).

I topped mine with lettuce, provolone, tomato, red onion, sliced avocado and tzatziki, and paired it with potato salad, Greek salad and stir fried veggies. It was good.

Opa!!!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Wherever I Hang my Hats.....

I found a great use for my Texas Trilogy award. I think Meghan or Clea suggested I display my running medals on it, and it was a super idea. So I finally dragged it out last night, dusted it off and put it up in a corner of the dining room. It's a strangely angled corner, but it fit perfectly. I then scoured the backs of drawers and rounded up some of my medals (I love "the big one") - there are about 15 of them hanging off it.

I think it looks good - very runner chic :-)

Thursday, June 11, 2009

True Blood

I'm looking forward to the start of the second season of True Blood on HBO this Sunday. It's a really quirky show that we started watching last year - mostly to laugh at the awful accents - but we got hooked. Of course, the books are a lot better and written with great humor. But the plot of the tv series is different enough to keep it interesting.

Naughty redneck vampires, hillbilly werewolves and shape shifters, Southern humor, great music and lots of weirdness - I think I may be Wales' biggest fan of Louisiana swamp music!!!

Here's the trailer for the second season.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Other Voices : Cult of Opportunity

Shawn at the Silicon Labs relays

I've known Shawn for a number of years and I consider him a good friend - he's quietly spoken, very humble, and (despite what he claims) a naturally gifted all-round athlete. We've run on a few successful relay teams together, and he's a good guy to hang out with over a few beers. He also laughs at (most of) my jokes!!!

He's been the driving force behind the establishment of a health and wellness program at our workplace with a particular interest in finding ways to encourage sedentary folks to get off the couch and exercise. He's recently quit the traditional run, bike and swim in favor of seeking out alternative fitness methods (though I still suspect he's training in secret - dang hustler).

Swimmer, triathlete, spin bike coach, all-round good guy - here's Shawn in his own words.

Cult of Opportunity
by Shawn Thomas
After my older sister received an invitation to be on the local swim team, I became a competitive swimmer. When I started, I was not the fastest swimmer in the pool, in fact, more often than not, I was literally the slowest. I had never been the healthiest or strongest kid in school and was generally unremarkable as an athlete, but somehow, because of the grace of good people, I was lucky enough to be accepted as a part of a team that pushed me to overcome my challenges and eventually excel. I started swimming competitively at age 11, and I ended my career a full ten years later as a fairly successful athlete following my last year in college.

For a few years after college, while I was in grad school I worked out only sporadically and stayed thin largely due to genes and a lack of funding. I knew I wanted to get back to fitness, but whatever it was that I needed to get me going again wasn’t there. It finally came in the form of a triathlete girlfriend who made me run, and got me back in the pool and on a bike. I still remember not so fondly the first mile I ran and my first 7 mile trek on a bike. Both experiences were filled with thoughts of how much farther I had to go, plenty of glances at my watch, and complete amazement that 30 seconds could take so long.

Though that girlfriend is no longer a part of my life, the athleticism she turned me back onto is. The point of this long introduction to my experience with fitness is that I would not have done it without the influence and support of others. And I’m pretty sure that literally every other healthy and fit person on this planet can describe similar situations. What I’m talking about boils down to the existence of opportunity. In his most recent book "Outliers", Malcolm Gladwell shows readers that opportunity is an absolutely necessary ingredient for success in any endeavor.

At the Texas Education Agency, a handful of very special people came together last year to find ways to create opportunities, such as the ones I was the benefactor of, for our coworkers to improve the quality of their health and fitness. We created a wellness program with the goal of establishing at the agency a culture of wellness that would influence and support all employees of the agency in their efforts to get and/or stay on the path to improved wellness. Through my involvement in this effort, I’ve learned that wellness is a multifaceted process that can challenge even the most successful athletes. It involves not only fitness, but also nutrition, health behaviors such as maintaining relationships with health care providers, addiction management, stress reduction, and mental health maintenance. I’ve also learned that the opportunities that worked for me will not work for all others. Every individual faces unique challenges and subsequently needs a unique set of opportunities.

No one in this world can claim that they have the perfect set of behaviors and know everything there is to know about being healthy and fit, so absolutely everyone can benefit from being part of a group that endeavors to share their experiences and support. As I mentioned before, the primary goal of the TEA wellness program is to create a culture of wellness. A culture is defined as the attitudes and behaviors characteristic of a particular social, ethnic, or age group. The culture we wish to create is described in terms of the attitudes and behaviors characteristic of a group of individuals that are engaged in the process of becoming aware of and practicing healthy choices to create more successful and balanced lifestyles. The creation of this culture is our primary goal because it will lay a foundation that will allow all of the agency’s employees to tap into the incredible power that is found in the unique experiences of a group of individuals, experiences that will help us create the opportunities through which a wide range of people who are facing a wide range of challenges may succeed.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

My Cheesecake Masterpiece

To celebrate my 250th post, here's one about something near and dear to my heart. I love cheesecake, and one of the advantages to running so much is that I can indulge now and again without feeling the least bit guilty - excellent!!! I've been craving some turtle cheesecake for a while, and this is one that I made a few nights ago that tastes as good as it looks - it was super yummy, and I enjoyed doing artistic swirls with the caramel and chocolate toppings. I would love to take the credit for it, but I got the recipe from blogchef - a really cool foodie blog. I did make a few changes - the biggest ones being swapping out cinnamon graham crackers for the chocolate ones and using low fat cream cheese. You may be able to improve it a little by cooking it in a water bath a la Tyler Florence (which is also an amazing recipe), but it tasted bloody good just as it was.

Long live cheesecake!!!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Feeling the Heat at Hells Hills 50

Getting the boot : my trophy from Hell's Hills

I spent all week wondering why I signed up for this race - I am not a good hot weather runner and was not looking forward to it. So when my alarm clock went off at 2am on Saturday morning I was really not in the right frame of mind for a hard 50 miler.

My goal races over the past year have been built on pre-defined race goals and strategies, nutrition plans and a lot of mental preparation. All three were absent from this race, and the extent of my preparation was deciding to run in my Asics trail shoes to give me a little weight advantage in the heat. Of course, this was not a goal race - I had earmarked it as nothing more than a training run - but it's still a 50 miler. I really shouldn't take these things so lightly.

Anyway, to the race - it consisted of three 16.7 mile loops of the "tough and rugged" mountain bike trails at the Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville. There were also 25k and 50k races being run.

I hung around chatting to Alan Wrinkle before the 5am start, and once we got going it was cool but humid. I hadn't bothered to change the batteries in my headlamp from Rocky Raccoon because I knew it would only be dark for an hour or so, but it made the footing in the first few miles a little tricky. "I mostly disappeared into my head" I figured I would try to get some fast miles under my belt early before the heat descended, and so I found a little niche for myself near the front of the pack. Meredith had a small group of runners who had started running at 2am - they were doing 2 loops as a training run, and started their second with us. I loosely attached myself to them, but generally ran by myself. I was in a funny little mood - not very talkative - and mostly just disappeared into my head. Despite myself, I started to enjoy the run - savoring the smell of the pine and the beautiful full moon. I flip-flopped with Meredith's group for most of the loop - they would catch me and we'd run together for a while, then I would do a quick in-and-out at the aid stations and see if I could get to the next one before they caught me again. Such are the silly games by which I amuse myself at these long races!!!

But it worked. God bless 'em, they towed me to a nice 2:50 first loop. I dumped my headlamp in my drop bag, refilled my water and Gatorade and headed back out for loop number 2. I knew that I hadn't been drinking enough on that first loop, and it was a mistake that would come back to haunt me.

Loop number 2 was when things started going to hell. It was getting hot and my motivation levels kept dropping. I've run virtually all of my ultras with two handheld bottles - my two amphipods are great, but they are not insulated which means the liquid does not stay cold during the summer. I would put iced water in them, but within a mile all the ice would be gone and the water would be hot. In retrospect I should have taken my camelbak.

I ran for a while with a real nice guy from Waco called Paul, and it turns out we were both using this race as an early training run for Cactus Rose. "I want Gavin to be proud of his dad too" We chatted for a bit about the reasons we run these races, and he told me he had four daughters at home who were all at the stage where they thought daddy was the greatest, and were so proud of his running. So his motivation was that he had to make the most of it while it lasted, and he couldn't go home and tell them he hadn't finished a race. That struck a chord with me because I want Gavin to be proud of his dad too. Right now my running doesn't mean anything to him, but at some point it will.

By midway through the loop, I was draining both bottles well before I reached the next aid station, which meant I was getting into hydration deficit. Not good, and this resulted in some none-too-pleasant mild dehydration side effects (no, I'm not going to elaborate). When I left the tunnel of pines aid station, I had already started mostly walking. This meant it would take that much longer to get from aid station to aid station, so I had to start rationing the water I was carrying. This was a catch-22 which put me further and further behind the hydration 8-ball. At one point I was passed by a guy wearing a martial arts vest, then about half an hour later I was passed by what looked like the same guy. Surely I'm not that dehydrated that I'm imagining things?

I finished out the loop in around 6:40, and by now it was seriously hot - about 94F. "I teetered on the edge a few times" I spent a bit more time at my drop bag and cooler sucking down fluids, and popped a few salt caps before heading back out. I also figured out the "martial arts" puzzle - there were two guys running in the same martial arts vest, and the three of us set out together on the final loop. I was reduced to a walk interspersed with some run/shuffle while they ploughed ahead. I continued to plod forward, and tried to figure out why I wasn't running more. I came to the conclusion that it was partly mental - in my goal races, when I was tired I was always able to mentally override my body and push it. Here I just didn't care enough. But that wasn't the whole story - I was also trying not to overheat, and I know I teetered on the edge a few times. After all, I had to run a smart race in the heat just to finish the thing.

It seemed that the aid station would never appear, and I started to feel a little lightheaded - my water long since gone. Until thankfully, gloriously there it was. And there were the two martial arts guys - and they looked a lot worse than I did!!! The aid station really saved me - I filled one of my bottles with ice cold water and poured the whole thing over my head. The shock of the icy water really woke me up and invigorated me. I refilled my bottles with water, heed and as much ice as I could cram in, and downed a few cups of de-fizzed coke. Then I got ready to head out again. The martial arts #1 guy had already gone, and the other one left just behind me.

Then my competitive side kicked in - I told myself I was not going to be passed again so I took off running and put some distance between myself and martial arts #2 guy. I think martial arts #1 guy had the same idea about me because he was gone (he confirmed this when we laughed about it after the race). I had enough energy to run fairly hard for about 1.5 miles, though this wasn't all bravado - I knew that the more distance I could cover running, the less time I would have to spend without water.

Early in the day I had enjoyed the smell of pine, but it was now getting a bit nauseating. And I discovered that as the day had heated up, the heat was being absorbed by the trees and reflected down onto us runners - bugger.

I kept praying for the meadow. Although it is really exposed and crossing it would be brutally hot, it would mean I was close to the final aid station and only about 6 miles from the finish.

I felt that if martial arts #1 guy was anywhere in sight when I got to the aid station I had enough in the tank to take him on the last stretch. But he wasn't, so I guess we'll never know. I was now in that strange buffer zone where I probably wouldn't be able to catch anyone ahead of me, but nobody behind me was anywhere close enough to worry me. The only other thing I could aim for was a sub-11 hour finish. So I set off with that in mind.

Those last few miles were pure misery. The heat was getting to me, my water was quickly gone and the clock seemed to be working against me. I pushed a slow run where I could (mostly any shady section I could find), and was glad when I popped out onto the jeep road. The last portion of the run is completely unshaded, but when you're virtually at the finish line that doesn't matter so much. I sucked it up and jogged up the gravel road until I made the turn into the field and toward the finish line. I beat the 11 hour goal with about 2 minutes to spare - yes (in all the "thank god I'm done" excitement I forgot to stop my watch).

Once I finished I realized I was feeling surprisingly good, especially when I saw the state of some of the other runners. A whole bunch of friends came over to congratulate and hug me - Cheri, Joyce, Diana, Robert, Joe and several others. They were all insistent that I move into the shade and a lady came over with an ice pack which felt wonderful. Joe gave me the finisher's medal and a trophy for finishing 6th overall - something that really surprised me because I'd run horribly and really struggled. But I guess so did everyone else. I joked that it was a triumph for stubbornness over common sense, and there is more than a grain of truth to that.

Things I learned from this run
I am very stubborn, which helps compensate for my lack of natural running ability. After a tough second loop I never considered not going out for the final one. It's always good to reaffirm I can "gut it out" - good old British stiff upper lip!!!

I am not a hot weather runner - give me a frosty morning any day. This run in the heat felt harder than both the Bandera 100k and the Rocky Raccoon 100 miler. I do have a nice tan though.

I recover quickly because I am not sore at all today, though I was definitely feeling the effects of the heat and dehydration last night. Apparently I had a long conversation with Nancy that I have absolutely no recollection of. But I seem to be back to normal today. I did consider getting up early to go run hills with John and Roger, but laziness got the better of me and I slept in instead.

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Zero DNF Record Still Intact

I really struggled at the Hells Hills 50 miler today, but with the temperature in the 90s so did everyone else. I finished in 10:58 and came away with a nice trophy for taking 6th place overall.

Report is pending.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Other Voices

Over the next few months I will be doing an occasional series of posts called "Other Voices". The series will involve guest bloggers detailing their alternative viewpoints and experiences with fitness and wellness. The scope is not limited to trail running, and I think we can all learn things from other sports and perspectives. If you would like to participate, let me know.

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Pumpkin Ravioli


Pumpkin, for me, equals Autumn. Pair it with cinnamon and nutmeg and it reminds me of red-leafed trees and Halloween. When the temperatures are up in the 90s, and we're looking at several months of heat and humidity, that's sometimes a good image to hold onto. Hence this yummy recipe for pumpkin ravioli.

Filling (makes enough for 60 raviolis)
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup pumpkin puree
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pasta Dough (makes enough for the filling and then some)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups wholewheat flour
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs

Sauce (enough for 4 generous servings)
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup romano cheese
sage, salt and pepper (to taste)
Parmesan and parsley to sprinkle

1. To make the filling, mix all ingredients in a bowl, mix well, cover and refrigerate until ready

2. To make the dough, combine the flours and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, tomato paste and olive oil. Add to the dry ingredients and mix until it comes together. Continue to knead until it's smooth and elastic. Divide into 2 balls and cover with plastic wrap. Leave for 30 minutes to relax.

3. Tear off pieces of the ball to make your raviolis and roll them flat or put them through a pasta machine (hint : these are a godsend). Wet a finger and run around the edges to ensure a good seal. With a tsp of filling in each, this makes about 60 raviolis.

4. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until hard, then store in a ziplock bag. You will probably need to do this in batches.

5. To cook from frozen, boil in salted water for about 5-7 minutes (until they float).

6. To make the sauce, mix the ingredients and simmer until sauce thickens. Pour over raviolis and sprinkle with parmesan and parsley to garnish.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Forecast for Hell

I am signed up for the 50 miler at Hell's Hills this coming Saturday. The temperature is forecast to be 97F - should be interesting.