Life is an ULTRAMarathon

Magic Eye?

2009-06-17T12:45:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought that you could experience the perfect trail run in Oklahoma City? Maybe in the Rocky Mountains or something like that, but Oklahoma? Well, lets just say, it worked for me.

If I had been born into an Eastern religious culture, I might have thought I could have closed my eyes and became one with nature the other day. Of course I wouldn't try that because I know that closing my eyes on the trail would mean...Thud!...Collision with a tree, falling off a cliff, or tripping on a root and my face becoming one with the trail (that's about as close to being one with nature as I will ever be, and believe me it has happened a few times). But I have just been having the best trail runs ever lately, and the other day's run was worthy of a description.

Remember "Magic Eye" images where if you stare at the blob long enough, and focus (or un-focus, whatever the case may be), you begin to see a three-dimensional image. You finally see it, just for a moment, and then lose it again. Well, it was almost like that as I ran the other day, except it was all my senses at the same time merging together to form some sort of "sixth sense". Now I know I'm freaking someone out, so before it gets worse, let me just try to describe the run.

Obviously I have started running again, and I have been running almost entirely at Bluff Creek Trails behind Hefner Lake. Bluff Creek is a 3.5 mile trail. It was primarily designed for mountain biking it appears, but there are quite a few joggers and hikers who use the trails. In fact, I have posted about races I have ran at Bluff Creek. My first race after becoming a "serious runner" took place there (picture below)in the winter time, so it has been rather special to me.

It is almost hidden and unknown by most, but with all the new construction going on, it is sure to become more advertised and more frequented very soon. Regrettably, this is an unfortunate fate for the trails as I have already seen a fluctuation in the amount of trash on the trail. I filled up a bag of trash on one of my runs last week. Of course this got me a very strange look from a mountain biker on the trail as I ran along with my bag of trash flapping behind me. I was, however, rewarded with a "Coffee Slingers" coffee mug that I found on the trail. I don't know what it was doing there, but I had passed it many times and figured since I was picking up trash, it would be my reward.

Anyways, in this little "World inside the World" one can escape the monotonous city life and have a little "mini vacation" any time they want. I feel so refreshed and revived and alive after a brisk run or even a slow jog through those woods.
But the other day's run there was arguably the best run I have ever had. I didn't time it and have know idea how fast I was running, but that wasn't important.

I jogged from the car to the start of the trail. As I entered the canopy of trees, I realized how refreshingly cool the air was inside. Then I almost jumped out of my shoes when the lime-green vine that I almost stepped on started to slither across the trail. Surprisingly, that was the first snake I have ever seen at Bluff Creek.

It wasn't long before I has gotten into a rhythm. My feet crunching on the twigs, leaves, and pine needles; my breathing matching those crunches. The occasional squirrel or rabbit would scurry away from the trail and distract me for a moment, but mostly I stayed focused on the sounds, the smells, etc.

I didn't see any deer on this particular run which is usually the highlight of my outing. And I didn't search the sides of the trail for the various species of mushrooms. (Not that I could name even one of the species since I barely passed Biology class. In fact, if I remember right, the only reason I passed was because I made a poster or chart or something for extra credit, but I digress). So what was it that made this experience so unique? I can't really say.

All I know is that the singing and calling of the birds was so majestic That I began to focus deeply on those sounds. It began to sprinkle, and as the occasional drop of moisture rolled from the leaves above and landed on my skin, the cool on my body was so vivid that I focused heavily on that sensation as well. Then there was the smells of pine needles, honey sickles, and even the rotting wood. It was so wonderful that I seemed to breathed in deeper and deeper each breath trying to take it all in. Perhaps I was breathing in too deeply and began hyperventilating. Or perhaps, due to my heavy breathing, I was sucking in particles of the wrong type of mushrooms...I don't know, but the experience was crazy and surreal!

No, I didn't become one with nature, and I wasn't carried off by the Angels to Nirvana. However, along with the heightened senses and almost hallucination of an experience, I couldn't help but to think about the Creator of all that is in this tiny "world inside a world". The Creator of my senses that could take it all in and experience it all in this way. The world outside this world, and on and on...

I couldn't help but to remember this verse from the Bible:
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? Psalm 8:4

The Bus Ministry

2009-05-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

I often talk about being involved with the bus ministry at our church, and people don't seem to understand. Here is a little video that was viewed at Southwest Baptist Church on Bus Day. These kids are the reason My Saturdays are shot. They are why I never get to sleep in on weekends and why I am at church by 7:15 each Sunday morning and don't get home til 2:00 AM that afternoon. They are why my shirts and ties are always stained and why I'm sweaty and my hair is messed up on Sundays.

They are also why I can't get away on the weekends to visit family very often. But I hope you can see through this video that it is a vital ministry, and we need a lot more people like the workers in this video to reach America's youth before it is too late.

Watch more YouTube videos on AOL Video

A Couple days in Kansas

2009-05-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

Monday and Tuesday I was in Kansas to attend a Kansas Baptist Fellowship Meeting that New Life Baptist Church (the church my dad pastors)was hosting. I took my 9 year old, Zachary. The time spent with my son was, of course, a real blessing.

I enjoyed Mom, too, and her cooking as usual. And I got to spend time with my sister whom I rarely get to see. Yes, I even enjoyed visiting with my in-laws whom I also love dearly.

Of course, raising a significant amount of money to go toward the missions trip I am taking in November was awesome!--it was after all the purpose of the trip.

But, I have to say, the highlight for me was running four miles with my dad. I haven't been running much and neither has he, but the run was almost effortless as we chatted and enjoyed the typically beautiful, panoramic, Kansas scenery.

We ran up to a baby calf that was on the road (she had gotten out of the fence, but returned quickly when she saw us running up to her). We were nearly attacked by a guard dog. And of course there were llamas (not something you run pass everyday--actually there are some llamas right down the street from me in Oklahoma City...but those are city llamas!).

Anyway, it was good to run again. And it was good to raise some money and all that. But running with Dad was what really made the trip worth it to me. We shall do it again sometime, hopefully soon!

Now I am glad to get back to my wife and kids and back into the swing of things.

Thanks for taking the time to read what probably wasn't very important to you. I tell you what! You tell me what's going on with you and I promise to read yours too--Rocky

Kids these days!

2009-04-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

They say kids these days are getting fat, lazy, and stupid. I can't do anything about stupid, but here is a good idea for fighting against the obesity. Watch this video, I think these guys are on to something.

Besides this, what's going on during P.E.(pysical education--are they even using this term anymore). I'm all for changing our diets, Lord knows I need to work on that again, but it seems like there are lots of people fighting against junk food in the schools, but not as many fighting for better P.E.

There use to be rope climbing, push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, running timed miles, jump roping...oh yeah that brings me to another video.

I have jumped rope before for exercise, but never like this.

Baby Rebekah

2009-04-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

I love nature, I truly do. But I am not a tree hugger or an anti-hunting activist, or anything like that, by any means. However, I recently have been telling my kids this story (they like me to make up stories at bed time. They usually become mini-series and I make them all up as I go--the kids have the power to change the story from time to time, and they frequently practice their right). This particular series is about a baby bird, Baby Rebekah, she is all alone in her nest because she lost her mother. An adult, male bird; "Big-Bird" James, finds Baby Rebekah and takes pity on her, keeping her warm in her nest. As the story goes, "Big-Bird" James risks his life for baby Rebekah. In return, she has a chance to give herself to taking care of him when he is deathly ill... so are you bored yet?

Anyway, the kids have been talking about this story a lot. So I don't think I want to tell them what happened today. As I was cleaning this house, I went outside to clean the sliding glass doors. On the porch light fixture there was a nest that I assumed was abandoned. When I went to remove it, two or three eggs fell out and onto the concrete ground and went Splat! I felt terrible.

One managed to be saved, but I doubt it's mother will return. Perhaps it will be a Baby Rebekah...but I don't have the heart to tell the kids I killed Baby Rebekah's sisters.

Baby Rebekah......I'm sorry!!!

HBBC Fundraiser went well!

2009-03-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the concern about the shin. The bruise is just about gone, and there is only minor pain when my shin bone is pressed. Maybe the bone was bruised, I don't know, but it is just about gone so I am thankful.

The HBBC Walk(Jog)athon went well. I think 10 laps equalled 1 mile--I jogged 101 laps(Someone else did 100 so I had to do 101. Unfortunately, I told him as I was leaving the campus, so he went back and did 2 more--rats!). It turned out to be a gorgeous day, and I felt great the whole time. Considering I hadn't really ran for 2weeks prior and no more than 6 miles at one time for the previous month, I was happy with 10 miles.

I could have kept going for several more miles I am sure, but seing that every one else was gone after the 2 hours I was out there, I felt kind of awkward running laps out there all alone. Anyway, I didn't raise much (just over $100) dollars, but it was a blast--and the peanut butter cookies I ate when I was done were to die for!!!

A Few Days Off

2009-03-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

A week ago Saturday I played football with the guys in my Sunday School class. It was a good turn out and everything went well. Of course, as always, there were a few minor injuries, including mine. It didn't show up until sometime on Sunday. I could still run on it as long as I didn't jar it too hard, so on Monday I ran 2 miles with a running partner at about 9.2 minute/mile pace on a relatively flat trail. I felt good and the leg felt fine. However, in the following days, a spot in the middle went numb and the leg started to swell. Since I had a busy week ahead of me anyway, I just decided to give it some rest--just in case running might making it worse.

Right now there is a little bit of a shooting pain when I step (I think maybe the numbness is going away) but I think I can still jog some. This weekend is the fundraiser at the Bible College, and I don't see any reason I should cancel, but I may end up going for three hours and doing a lot more walking than running--we'll just see how the week goes.

HBBC Fundraiser

2009-02-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Heartland Baptist Bible College is putting on another Walkathon. Last year brought in a significant amount of money to go toward the building of the new Chapel, but wasn't nearly enough. I personally ran thirty miles (at HBBC and the Oklahoma River Trail) and hoped to bring in $3000--I fell a little short at about $600. I guess it was better than the amount I had donated by myself. Thanks for the help if you contributed!

I love to run for a cause, and though I am not ready to run 30 miles again yet (I went almost the entire month of January without running) I am ready to take the challenge to go as far as I can in a two hour period. I think 12 miles should be easily within reach.

Instead of asking for a dollar amount, I am just going to ask for any donations I can get. Please consider helping the College and supporting the Walk(run)athon on March 14th. E-mail me for more info. at randallscleaning@yahoo.com.

It's Mom and Dad's Fault !

2009-02-23T08:26:00.000-08:00

This morning, parking my car before going into the bank, I had an epiphany. I started to take the last parking spot in front of the bank, but instead decided to park a little farther away so an older person could have the spot (sure enough an old lady who couldn't get around very well took the spot and I felt good about myself). Then I began to realize something...

It's just the way I was raised: the elderly, ladies, and children all get to go first. And that is why I am blaming my parents for my placing 18th out of about 40 who ran the 10k Sooner State Trail Run this past Saturday. Sure, I was 1st in my age group, but for some reason I was the only male in my age group.

Why did so many ladies, younger people, and older people come in before me? I'm blaming my parents!

I'm back--I hope

2009-02-03T09:42:00.000-08:00

Evidence of how long it has been since I gave an update, the clips on the sidebar are from the day after Christmas. I went for a run through my folk's neighborhood in Kansas (we were there to celebrate the season with my folks). As you can see, there wasn't a lot out there, but I sure enjoyed the run (despite fighting the wind for the 8 miles or whatever it was).

But on a discouraging note, It was the last time I ran for over a month--save a couple warm-up jogs before some of the few workouts I did at the gym. This is the longest I had been without running in over 3 years.

I have, however, managed to start back up, and surprisingly, my time off didn't hurt my speed too much--just my endurance. I am only running about four miles at a time (maintaining anywhere from an 8 min/mi. to a 9 1/2 min/mi pace).

I am thinking about running in the Sooner State Games trail run in a couple of weeks (it looks like there will be a 15 miler this year) But unfortunately Rocky Raccoon 100 miler is off. I have been too busy with my business to train. And besides, I have been eating myself into a much flabbier figure--yes, ever since the holidays my diet had gone out the window with my running. Worst yet, I now have to admit that the Mother Road 100 was not a training run but a failure (still now discouraged though, there is always next time).

Update coming soon!

2008-12-16T13:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been updating. I will be posting soon--For one thing, I am not yet sure what I will be doing next. But until then, enjoy this little Christmas tune:

Mother Road behind me--No looking back

2008-11-11T10:01:00.000-08:00

Well, it turns out I have to chalk the Mother Road 100 up as a training run. I dropped at at about 65 miles. Instead of listing a bunch of excuses and whining about how I should have done this and I should have done that...I will just say, I dropped!

But I have been very positive about the whole thing. I have no injuries from those 65 miles. In fact I am almost completely recovered just 2 and 1/2 days later (plan on going jogging tonight). I think I can keep training and have not only another
100-mile race in me, but maybe even a respectable time if all goes well.

So I will begin training for the Rocky Raccoon (always wanted to run it because of the name) which is a 100-mile trail run in--February!!! Cold, I know, but I will prepare for it. I will give more details about it later, but for now, thanks for your support.

Live Updates

2008-11-06T07:59:00.000-08:00

From what I understand, anyone can go to www.dgroadracing.com for live updates during the race on Saturday. Check it out. If I'm somewhere in the back of the pack, don't worry--that's the plan! Now don't miss the excitement...er, okay, it will probably be rather boring for you, but check it out just the same.

Rocky

Predictions for the Race

2008-10-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

One more ten-miler, a little cross training, and some rest is about all I have planned for training during the rest of this week and next. Never did get that 40-miler in--let alone the two 50-milers I had hoped to do. I did a 20-miler last weekend (a little faster than my normal pace), and a 10-miler this week. Saturday I will do the final 10-miler at race pace (SLOW!), and then that's about it save a couple little jogs next week. But mostly there will be just rest and mental preparation for the beating I am going to take.

I am planning on finishing in under 24 hours despite my low mileage training (or lack thereof), but here are my realistic predictions for the race:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mile 1-10: Get to know people (supposing there are still people around)and enjoy the morning.

Mile 11-20: Feet start hurting and hunger kicks in.

Mile 21-30: Feel nauseous because I ate to much around the 20 mile mark. Feet really hurt now.

Mile 31-40: Quads get very tired. Family gets very bored. Try to keep a smile on my face.

Mile 41-50: Quads will give up and the rest of my legs will carry the pain. Family starts falling asleep. Feet are gone. Start denying that I can go another 50 miles.

Mile 51-70: A blur.

Mile 80-90: Hate myself and say I will never do this again!!!

Mile 91-99: Feels like another 50-miles, but this time with broken ankles. Start thinking up excuses for why I have to quit even though I am so close.

Mile 100: Start planning for the next 100 miler.

Life IS an Ultramarathon!

2008-10-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

I am going for another 30 miler this weekend before tapering. Part will be ran with a buddy who is doing 50--I don't know that I recommend that so close to the race, but he knows his body I guess.

Mostly though, I am getting excited and doing a lot of mental focusing: reading all the info on the Mother Road page, going through the logistics, and looking at pictures of the course. I think this kind of mental focus was a big factor in me finishing the first 100 miler. I just hope I don't go crazy over thinking everything.

You know, I wish I put this much mental effort into other areas of my life: My Spirituality, Family Relationships, Finances... If I was as heavily focused on those things, I would be able to get through the most challenging endurance event of all--life!

Just another 30 miler

2008-10-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

Ran another 30-miler. If you can really call it running 30 miles. Here is how it went:

I started early as usual (about 2:30am) and jogged 3 miles to an apartment complex where I clean. I quickly finished cleaning an apartment I had been working on the night before and moved my stuff to the next apartment. Then I went back out to the streets.

Then I jogged to the gym that I clean, quickly cleaned it and then went to the treadmill. For 10 miles on the treadmill I followed the 10 mile plan I want to use for my race: walk 2.5 miles, run 5 miles, walk .5 miles, and then run 2 miles. It breaks up the monotony and gives my legs plenty of rest.

The last ten miles were a "run for a while/jog for a while" method with no real structure. It was run partly on lake Hefner. The heat of the sun had come and it felt good after the cool night. The run went well, but I ran out of Shaklee Cinch bars to eat and Shaklee Performance to drink, and only had water for the last 5-miles. Needless to say, I was starving when I got home and for the rest of the day easily ate all the calories I had burned during my run--In answer to all my friends' questions, that's how I can run so much and still weigh 225lbs!

Aaaah! It's Almost Here!

2008-10-06T10:28:00.000-07:00

Good night, this event sure krept up on me! I finally got in a thirty-miler in last week (and surprisingly didn't walk much and felt pretty good afterwards). But I never got up to a 50-60 miler like i wanted to. Besides that, my total weekly mileage barely ever got over 40 miles.

I wouldn't write a book on this training method, but I really think I can still do it. I think I can run a 40-miler sometime this week, but I am afraid if I go beyond that I might do some damage that won't heal fast enough.

Anyway, If you are running the Mother Road 100, I hope your training went better than mine. Please let me know,

Rocky

Hanging in There

2008-09-15T12:43:00.000-07:00

Training is still by no means what it should be. But the twenty-mile runs are being run more consistently and getting easier. I wish I was running more thirty-milers. i have only ran one thirty-miler and it was three months ago. I am averaging about 25-30 miles per week with my twenty-mile long runs (which means typically besides a twenty-miler I will get one ten-miler or two five-milers--besides that, just lots of rest for my legs). Not the typical ultramarathoners training plan, but I guess its working. We shall see!

I am at the gym about every day (I clean it so I don't have a choice) so I do get in some weight training and a little boxing or some other cardio pretty regularly. Still, I am hoping to get in a 30-40 miler and a 50 before the race, but I am not sure how that is going to happen so close to the race.

Saturday's Run Anything But Boring!

2008-09-03T11:17:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday I had to bail out on the guys who were running a 30-mile training run on the MR2 route. I really would have enjoyed it, but I had some responsibilities I could not justify ignoring. So, that evening, around 6:30 PM, I left my house into the beautiful setting sun to embark upon my own training run--didn't quite go as planned!

First off, when I left I could feel something wasn't right. I just didn't feel good. I figured it was because I haven't been running like I should, so I just decided to ignore it and tough it out.

I have read that if you run for 10 minutes and still don't feel any better, turn around and go home--you are probably sick and need to rest. I should have obeyed that 10-minute rule, because the next day I found out I was sick--fever, achy body, etc. My kids got sick too, so I can't blame it on the run itself.

But there is another reason I should have turned around and went home. As I said, it was beautiful when I left the house, but I should have watched the news because when I reached Hefner Lake about an hour later, the few people that were at the lake were looking off in the distance at the coming storm. Lightning was flashing like crazy and it seemed to be coming to the lake. I called my wife at home and she said at that time she couldn't find anything on TV about it.

I wrapped my phone in a plastic bag I found so it wouldn't be ruined, and I decided to go for it. By the time I got to the back of the lake, about 8:30, it was dark and the rain started coming down fast and hard. It stung as the huge drops of rain hit against my skin and I just put my head down and picked up the pace to reach shelter. For the next 20 minutes I watched lightning flash all around. I came to a point of the lake where I could stay on the road or go down to a lower level and I chose the latter to avoid being the highest point out there (which I would have been for a quarter-mile or so). Boy am I glad I did!

I don't know much about lightning, but I have heard if the hairs on your body start standing up, you need to get down. I think I felt it, but if not then, I know I felt it for the next few hours.

Every thing happened backwards it seemed. I heard electricity pass through the cable fence that runs along the lake, then I saw sparks flying like fireworks about 20 yards away (still no noise). Then I saw a lightning bolt come down and join the sparks, adding to the fireworks display, and for a grand finale a loud Crack! Boom!Sizzle!

I literally checked myself to make sure I was okay. Then I looked around in vain for shelter, and instead of running like I was, I started tip towing around, afraid to generate too much energy, waiting for the next one to strike.

It continued to flash all around me, hitting trees and such, but thankfully the storm moved on and I was able to jog/walk my drenched, shaken-up body back home to enjoy a nice hot bath. Shew! What a run!

Low mileage training...Ok?

2008-08-22T12:53:00.001-07:00

I have been doing some reading that has made me feel a bit better about my training:Click here to find out more.

This advice is quite contradictory to some of the young fireballs that are out there today. Anton Krupicka logged in some 200+ mile weeks training for Western States (unfortunately it was cancelled, and in some regards, all that training was wasted). I admire such training and wish I had the time and the motivation to do it, but with my busy schedule and a family who needs my attention, I have found that the importance of the weekly long run far exceeds the total weekly mileage.

Also, I don't feel so bad about having a 10-mile week after a 30 mile run--it keeps the injuries down-- just as long as I get right back to the 30-mile long run, or even more, in the following week. Anyway, this is going to have to be the way I train for this 100-miler because the time just isn't there.

Thank you Jeff for your comment on my last post. I have been able to keep my head up, and after a 30-mile run tonight, i just might have my confidence back. I still plan on doing a 50-miler before November, and on at least one occasion I would like to do back to back 20-milers.

You Play Like You Practice

2008-08-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my dad use to always tell me, "You play like you practice." So in the sports I played, such as soccer or baseball, I always wanted to push myself. This is always true. If I have not trained hard before any event in my life I can pretty much predict the outcome of the event.

That being said, I am beginning to worry a little about my next 100 miler. Work, family, and...well, life have caused me to be so inconsistent in my training. I keep hoping for the best and telling myself that next week will be better, but the truth is training has not been a priority. I'm not saying that it should be a priority, but if I expect to finish this race with any decent time, I have to train harder. So, if that means no sleep, no TV watching, etc. So be it!

I've got priorities, yes, but that doesn't mean I can't make some other sacrifices to be able to train harder. There is less than three months to go--enough time if I crack down now. Stay tuned to see how and if I do it!

Making the best of it!

2008-08-01T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have been too busy to write since my last post. I had a good training week last week, starting with two 10-milers and ending with a 30 mile run that went quite well. The only problem was that I hadn't packed any food, so I ran the whole thing on some Performance drink, some coffee, and a couple Little Debbie snacks that I picked up at the gas station with the change in my pocket.

This week I knew I wouldn't have much time to run everyday, so I decided to rest several days and then try to run two back-to-back 20 milers. I will run one a little later this evening and one tomorrow nightif all goes well. I'll let you know what happens.

Even though this will total only 40 miles for the whole week, I think it will be very good training. Getting through the week on very little sleep will also help my prepare for the endurance needed for the 100-miler.

Back to Work!

2008-07-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

Coming off of a busy week of Vacation Bible School at the church, a full load of apartments, houses, etc. to clean, and then getting out of town for a couple days to celebrate my wife's and my 10th anniversary, it's easy to see why I didn't get much running in last week. In fact, I averaged about 2 hours of sleep per day that whole week--until our vacation that is. Putting in the miles I wanted to would have probably killed my immune system and I would have gotten quite sick.

So when I got back in town, I was ready to get back to work. No, not my job (not that I mind working), I mean what my daughter use to call my "running job." And though I don't get paid for it, I can understand why she thinks it is my job. I change clothes, kiss everyone good bye, and then I am gone for 2 or more hours before I come home sweaty and smelly--seems like a work to her!

I was able to run a 10-miler on Monday and a 10-miler on Wednesday. However, I was quite busy with my real job this week, and not wanting to take from the little time we get together as a family, I saved my longest run for EARLY This morning--a 20-miler.

4:00 this morning, I set my stop watch. I had 4 hours to run 20 miles before going to Saturday church bus visitation, and I took the whole time. Nice and easy I enjoyed the whole run. I was passed by Richard (a fellow ultra runner also training for the second Mother Road 100) and his running partner, Dave, so I sped up to their pace for most of the Lake Hefner part of my run to have a little company.

It was my best long run so far this training period. There was no pain, save for the normal foot-aching. My breathing was good, perfect temperature (Nice cool breeze came off Lake Hefner). If all goes well next week I would like to get in two 10-milers and two 20-milers. I will feel good about my progress then.

Yeah, about last week...

2008-07-03T08:29:00.000-07:00

A whopping 8 miles when I should be running about 50 miles per week now! Well, let me explain, and surprisingly I feel like it was a good training week:

Monday

I felt a little ambitious and decided to do some weight lifting with a friend of mine. We did some heavy leg work, and since I'm use to lighter weights and more reps, I overdid it a little.

Tuesday
Limping from Monday's work out, I took another friend of mine (a young man who has been doing some running with me to stay in shape for sports)to run some stadium stairs. After 3 repeats up and down the stairs (little stairs/big stairs/little stairs), we jogged it off around the track. Then we did 2 more sets the same way. Ordinarily, I could have handled this, but after Mondays heavy weights, this hurt pretty bad.

Wednesday
Forget about running! Instead, I killed my biceps with the same friend I worked out with on Monday--He is a monster!

Thursday
I took the same young man I ran stadium stairs with on a 4 mile trail run. Yes, I was still hurting!

Friday

Wanted to get a long run in, but it hurt too bad. I only did a couple miles on the treadmill.

Saturday

I felt like I could get in a good long run, but I opted out when some guys were meeting together for a basketball game. Why not! I played hard and soon felt like I tore a muscle in my quads.

Sunday my quad muscle still hurt pretty bad and I was worried about my training, but by Monday this week, I felt great and got 12 miles easy miles in with little effort and no soreness to follow. More details on this week to come.

Running Fat!

2008-06-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, enough of Dean and enough of Shaklee. I want to write more about the status of my training for the 100-miler. I am glad to write that I have had NO injuries this training period. Several days ago I ran 14 miles and my hip bothered me a little. I got worried, but it was completely better the next day. That and a little pain in the heel every now and then is about the best I could ask for as far as injuries go.

I am very surprised that running has been so easy lately considering I am training at about 226 lbs right now. I got down to 205 lbs two years ago when I ran the first Mother Road 100. My goal this time was to get down to 190 lbs. Typically it makes since that less weight helps you to run better. But the fact is, I have had very little, if any, restrictions on my diet and have gained weight in the last few months until now when I am seeing a plateau at about 224-226 lbs--and my running seems to be as effortless as ever! I feel like I am ready to start doing a couple 20milers a week now along with my typical 4-8 mile daily runs (5-6 days a week).

Granted, I gained a few pounds of muscle during weight training in the previous couple months, but I have got to admit that junk food, sweets, sodas, etc. has contributed the greatest to the amount of body weight I am presently carrying.

I think I sweat a little more than I use to, but at 90 degrees I am drinking a lot of fluids and need to sweat a lot to stay cool. My heart feels strong, my legs feel strong, I am not crashing much during my long runs, I can still get by on very little sleep, and my body is not getting sick or run down...Man! As much as I want to get down to 190 lbs. I have to ask myself "Why change my diet?"

I think the advantages of not restricting my diet are obvious. I am getting plenty of calories from each food group to sustain my muscles. Besides this, I take my vitamins regularly (at least every other day--Shaklee, of course)and I get plenty of protein (including Shaklee Physique as a supplement after workouts--also great for muscle recovery). But I am not saying that limiting my simple sugars and bad fats wouldn't benefit me, I am just saying that they haven't seemed to hurt much so far--to my surprise.