A good week this week. I didn't quite follow my training schedule this week. Since starting up again after my surgery, I noticed that my heart rate is up a bit, which means it's harder to maintain my old pace. But I've been trying and so I wanted to run everyday this week instead of having my usual Thursday off. So here's what I did:
Monday - 3 miles
Tuesday - 4 miles
Wednesday - 6 miles
Thursday - 4 miles
Friday - 10 miles
I wanted to push myself a little bit today so that I can whip my leg muscles back in shape. Now, after sitting down for an hour after my run, my legs are a little stiff and sore, but not too bad. It's the kind of stiff and sore that feels good after a hard workout. So I'll take the weekend to recover and try to get back to my normal schedule next week.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Back To It
Yesterday was my first day running since surgery. It was 2 weeks since the last time I ran. I was a little worried that some of my muscles would have weakened and that I'd be in some serious pain if I ran to far (remember that first trek out in my Vibram's?) So I had planned on walking a bit and then just pounding out 1 mile and calling it a day. But I felt so good after 1 mile, I kept going for another 2. So 3 miles yesterday and it felt pretty good. I wasn't wearing my heart rate monitor, but I think my heart rate might have been slightly elevated for the pace that I was running, but I know that won't take long to come back down, so I'm not worried about it.
So I'll take it easy this week and next week, then try to figure out where in my training schedule to jump back in for the new year.
So I'll take it easy this week and next week, then try to figure out where in my training schedule to jump back in for the new year.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Repeat...
I'm repeating last weeks' training this week because I missed my long run last week. I'm grateful for the 8 extra weeks padded into my training schedule between now and April 9. It gives me a little bit more flexibility. Plus I'm having sinus surgery this Friday, so I'm going to be down and out for at least a week.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Yup...Still My Least Favorite Part
My least favorite part of training has been and probably will always be interval training. I don't know why, I just don't like it. That was confirmed again today. But I press on, hoping that it does some good.
On another note, I ran 14.5 miles last Friday. Not bad since I was only able to get out one other time last week for a 5 mile run. I felt pretty good afterwards. I was a little sore on Saturday and Sunday, but by the time it came to run again yesterday, I felt fine. Easy week this week before next week's 16 mile run.
On another note, I ran 14.5 miles last Friday. Not bad since I was only able to get out one other time last week for a 5 mile run. I felt pretty good afterwards. I was a little sore on Saturday and Sunday, but by the time it came to run again yesterday, I felt fine. Easy week this week before next week's 16 mile run.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The Finish Line
(For those of you who have already read my post-race post, this is a more organized post with complete thoughts rather than random ramblings. This one is a bit long but much better!)
I'm not going to lie. The best part of running the Amish Half-Marathon was the finish line! Here are my official results:
But I've gotten ahead of myself. It all began at 5:00am...
At 5am I woke up and took a long, hot shower. I did that to loosen up my muscles because I'm not used to running first thing in the morning. Then I did a nice little 1 mile warm up run around my neighborhood. Nothing too strenuous, just something to get me going.
Then it's back inside to warm up. After all, it's almost 5:30am Saturday morning and 30 degrees outside. I have my typical breakfast of baked oatmeal (April's homemade...the best!) and Tazo Zen Green Tea with lemongrass and spearmint.
At 7:15am, my friend Dwayne Lapp picked me up to take me to the race. Meanwhile, April is scurrying around the house waking the kids and getting ready to head out the door herself. Apparently, the only way to Bird-In-Hand is route 340 coming from Lancaster. Traffic was backed up about 3 miles, so we took a detour and didn't run into any traffic.
When Dwayne and I arrived the parking and waiting area was in a frost laden field. Now, if you remember, all of my training had been in my Vibram's, so I certainly wasn't going to tie on a normal pair of running shoes. Well, I probably should have had something to cover my feet with while walking through the fields, because they got really cold really fast.
A little before 8am, the starting line was opened up and the crowd moved over there. I made sure I squeezed my way through to get a spot on the road to get my cold feet out of the wet grass. I never heard the official start, but around 8:20, the crowd started running, so I followed. It had begun! A hundred yards or so from the starting line were April and the kids waving and smiling and holding their signs. Lane's sign said "Go Daddy Go, Your a dragon" and had a picture of me breathing fire. Ava's said "Go Dad" and had her signature smiley sunshine drawn on it. I waved and smiled back and continued on my way, while they headed back to the car to turn the heat on, eat breakfast and watch a movie. Thanks April for making that all happen, it was great to be able to see all of you cheering me on as the race started!
It took about 2 miles until my toes and the rest of me had thawed out. I was trying to keep an easy pace to start out, but my heart rate indicated otherwise. I really don't feel that I was running too hard. I think it was just the pure adrenaline that had my heart rate slightly elevated before. I was listening to my music and on my way. The crowd slowly thinned out after the first few miles and was much easier to pass those going slower than my pace (as well as letting those faster pass me).
Overall, it was a very nice course. There were a few hills, but I don't feel that they slowed me down too much. And I didn't feel that they were anything beyond what I had experienced in training. As far as my mind games go, I only thought about looking for trash once or twice during the race. I didn't feel the need to play any mind games. Just focusing on the task at hand was enough. There was just something about the adrenaline I had from actually running in the race, and that was enough to occupy my mind. Plus the unfamiliar territory actually helped because I didn't know what to expect after the next turn.
Despite the cold, it really was a beautiful day. The sun was shinning and there wasn't any wind, something I was extremely thankful for. I personally think running into the wind is tougher than running up hills. There's just something annoying about a force pushing against me as I run that is very unpleasant.
I don't remember a lot about various mile markers along the way. I was just trying to do my best and enjoy the run. My right ear bud fell kept falling out of my ear, so I just left it out and continued running. There were some people talking, but mostly I heard the sound of footsteps all around me.
At mile 8 Dwayne Lapp joined me to pace me the rest of the way. He was originally going to run the whole thing but decided not too because of some knee problems he had been having. I was extremely thankful to have him join me for the last stretch. It was good to be able to talk to someone to take my mind off of the race and just to have him push me a bit. There was a part along the last mile that got a little windy. And there was Dwayne running in front of me to break the wind (not to be confused with breaking wind) for me.
Somewhere around mile 10 or 11 my calves started tightening up pretty bad. I'm not sure if it was the cold weather or if I wasn't hydrated enough or if I was pushing myself too hard that caused it. Whatever, I knew I still had 2-3 miles to push through to the end. My pace had slowed down to almost a 10 minute mile and I even had stopped to walk a bit near the end.
Ok, half a mile to go. My calves are still hurting but the end is so close. I can see April's white coat standing at the finish line. Still coming in slow, but as I made the final turn, I picked up the pace, smiled and waved at April and the kids, and the Miranda's (Noah & Edwin ran the 5k that day).
Yeah, crossing the finish line was a good feeling. Half-marathon...done! I'm amazed at how the training has progressed and how I actually have this God-given ability to do something like this. I remember seeing several signs along the way. The "13.1 miles = 5.5 donuts" was a good one, but I liked the one that said "If it were easy, everybody would do it". A simple statement that puts it all into perspective. It's painful and hard at times, but I challenged myself to something that I never really thought was possible before a few months ago.
Thanks to everyone who was there to cheer me on at the end, especially April, who had to wake all the kids and drag them out into the cold so early in the morning. Thanks for being my biggest fan. And thanks to Dwayne Lapp for jumping in near the end to push me through to the end. I'd love to be able to get up to your pace so we could run a few races together!
And now...the training continues. Only 141 days until the full marathon!
I'm not going to lie. The best part of running the Amish Half-Marathon was the finish line! Here are my official results:
| Overall Place: | 434 out of 995 | Division (35-39) Place: | 35 out of 55 | Gender Place: | 262 out of 440 | Time: | 1:59:54 | Pace: | 9:10 |
But I've gotten ahead of myself. It all began at 5:00am...
At 5am I woke up and took a long, hot shower. I did that to loosen up my muscles because I'm not used to running first thing in the morning. Then I did a nice little 1 mile warm up run around my neighborhood. Nothing too strenuous, just something to get me going.
Then it's back inside to warm up. After all, it's almost 5:30am Saturday morning and 30 degrees outside. I have my typical breakfast of baked oatmeal (April's homemade...the best!) and Tazo Zen Green Tea with lemongrass and spearmint.
At 7:15am, my friend Dwayne Lapp picked me up to take me to the race. Meanwhile, April is scurrying around the house waking the kids and getting ready to head out the door herself. Apparently, the only way to Bird-In-Hand is route 340 coming from Lancaster. Traffic was backed up about 3 miles, so we took a detour and didn't run into any traffic.
When Dwayne and I arrived the parking and waiting area was in a frost laden field. Now, if you remember, all of my training had been in my Vibram's, so I certainly wasn't going to tie on a normal pair of running shoes. Well, I probably should have had something to cover my feet with while walking through the fields, because they got really cold really fast.
A little before 8am, the starting line was opened up and the crowd moved over there. I made sure I squeezed my way through to get a spot on the road to get my cold feet out of the wet grass. I never heard the official start, but around 8:20, the crowd started running, so I followed. It had begun! A hundred yards or so from the starting line were April and the kids waving and smiling and holding their signs. Lane's sign said "Go Daddy Go, Your a dragon" and had a picture of me breathing fire. Ava's said "Go Dad" and had her signature smiley sunshine drawn on it. I waved and smiled back and continued on my way, while they headed back to the car to turn the heat on, eat breakfast and watch a movie. Thanks April for making that all happen, it was great to be able to see all of you cheering me on as the race started!
It took about 2 miles until my toes and the rest of me had thawed out. I was trying to keep an easy pace to start out, but my heart rate indicated otherwise. I really don't feel that I was running too hard. I think it was just the pure adrenaline that had my heart rate slightly elevated before. I was listening to my music and on my way. The crowd slowly thinned out after the first few miles and was much easier to pass those going slower than my pace (as well as letting those faster pass me).
Overall, it was a very nice course. There were a few hills, but I don't feel that they slowed me down too much. And I didn't feel that they were anything beyond what I had experienced in training. As far as my mind games go, I only thought about looking for trash once or twice during the race. I didn't feel the need to play any mind games. Just focusing on the task at hand was enough. There was just something about the adrenaline I had from actually running in the race, and that was enough to occupy my mind. Plus the unfamiliar territory actually helped because I didn't know what to expect after the next turn.
Despite the cold, it really was a beautiful day. The sun was shinning and there wasn't any wind, something I was extremely thankful for. I personally think running into the wind is tougher than running up hills. There's just something annoying about a force pushing against me as I run that is very unpleasant.
I don't remember a lot about various mile markers along the way. I was just trying to do my best and enjoy the run. My right ear bud fell kept falling out of my ear, so I just left it out and continued running. There were some people talking, but mostly I heard the sound of footsteps all around me.
At mile 8 Dwayne Lapp joined me to pace me the rest of the way. He was originally going to run the whole thing but decided not too because of some knee problems he had been having. I was extremely thankful to have him join me for the last stretch. It was good to be able to talk to someone to take my mind off of the race and just to have him push me a bit. There was a part along the last mile that got a little windy. And there was Dwayne running in front of me to break the wind (not to be confused with breaking wind) for me.
Somewhere around mile 10 or 11 my calves started tightening up pretty bad. I'm not sure if it was the cold weather or if I wasn't hydrated enough or if I was pushing myself too hard that caused it. Whatever, I knew I still had 2-3 miles to push through to the end. My pace had slowed down to almost a 10 minute mile and I even had stopped to walk a bit near the end.
Ok, half a mile to go. My calves are still hurting but the end is so close. I can see April's white coat standing at the finish line. Still coming in slow, but as I made the final turn, I picked up the pace, smiled and waved at April and the kids, and the Miranda's (Noah & Edwin ran the 5k that day).
Yeah, crossing the finish line was a good feeling. Half-marathon...done! I'm amazed at how the training has progressed and how I actually have this God-given ability to do something like this. I remember seeing several signs along the way. The "13.1 miles = 5.5 donuts" was a good one, but I liked the one that said "If it were easy, everybody would do it". A simple statement that puts it all into perspective. It's painful and hard at times, but I challenged myself to something that I never really thought was possible before a few months ago.
Thanks to everyone who was there to cheer me on at the end, especially April, who had to wake all the kids and drag them out into the cold so early in the morning. Thanks for being my biggest fan. And thanks to Dwayne Lapp for jumping in near the end to push me through to the end. I'd love to be able to get up to your pace so we could run a few races together!
And now...the training continues. Only 141 days until the full marathon!
Monday, November 8, 2010
Half-Marathon? Check.
I did it! I completed the half-marathon. Official results:
I came in (just barely) under my goal of 2 hours which made me happy. I was a little bummed because my calves tightened up somewhere between 10 and 11 miles which made the last stretch pretty painful and slowed me down a good bit. I probably lost about 3 or 4 minutes because of it, but I was still happy that I made my goal. Plus, it was my first race ever, so there was a lot to learn by actually competing in a race as opposed to just doing a training run on my own.
In addition to meeting my goal, I did better than the average time which makes me feel good since I've only been seriously training for a few months. And I finished in the top 43rd percentile. Obviously, there is a competitive side to official races. But as long as I keep it in perspective and just try to improve on myself, I won't be disappointed. It's so easy to get caught up in the competitive nature of the event. One of the signs I saw along the race said "If it were easy, everybody would do it". A simple statement, but it really does put everything into perspective. I'm challenging myself to something I never before thought was possible and to something that not a lot of people even attempt. And it's a good feeling to know that I did actually run the face and finish.
As far as my mind games go, I only thought about looking for trash once or twice during the race. I didn't feel the need to play any mind games on Saturday. Just focusing on the task at hand was enough. There is just something about the adrenaline I had from actually running in the race, and that was enough to occupy my mind. Plus the unfamiliar territory actually helped because I didn't know what to expect after the next turn.
Overall, it was a very nice course. There were a few hills, but I don't feel that they slowed me down. The weather was a bit cold to start, but I was thawed out by the end of mile 2. My feet probably felt it the most while walking through the frost in my Vibrams. My toes were pretty cold at the start of the race, but I figured they would warm up once my blood started pumping. After those first couple of miles, I was warmed up and felt good. I am extremely thankful that it wasn't windy on Saturday.
I definitely enjoyed it and will keep going with my training for the full marathon. I'm taking a break today but tomorrow it's back to training...only 151 days until the marathon!
| Overall Place: | 434 out of 995 | Division (35-39) Place: | 35 out of 55 | Gender Place: | 262 out of 440 | Time: | 1:59:54 | Pace: | 9:10 |
I came in (just barely) under my goal of 2 hours which made me happy. I was a little bummed because my calves tightened up somewhere between 10 and 11 miles which made the last stretch pretty painful and slowed me down a good bit. I probably lost about 3 or 4 minutes because of it, but I was still happy that I made my goal. Plus, it was my first race ever, so there was a lot to learn by actually competing in a race as opposed to just doing a training run on my own.
In addition to meeting my goal, I did better than the average time which makes me feel good since I've only been seriously training for a few months. And I finished in the top 43rd percentile. Obviously, there is a competitive side to official races. But as long as I keep it in perspective and just try to improve on myself, I won't be disappointed. It's so easy to get caught up in the competitive nature of the event. One of the signs I saw along the race said "If it were easy, everybody would do it". A simple statement, but it really does put everything into perspective. I'm challenging myself to something I never before thought was possible and to something that not a lot of people even attempt. And it's a good feeling to know that I did actually run the face and finish.
As far as my mind games go, I only thought about looking for trash once or twice during the race. I didn't feel the need to play any mind games on Saturday. Just focusing on the task at hand was enough. There is just something about the adrenaline I had from actually running in the race, and that was enough to occupy my mind. Plus the unfamiliar territory actually helped because I didn't know what to expect after the next turn.
Overall, it was a very nice course. There were a few hills, but I don't feel that they slowed me down. The weather was a bit cold to start, but I was thawed out by the end of mile 2. My feet probably felt it the most while walking through the frost in my Vibrams. My toes were pretty cold at the start of the race, but I figured they would warm up once my blood started pumping. After those first couple of miles, I was warmed up and felt good. I am extremely thankful that it wasn't windy on Saturday.
I definitely enjoyed it and will keep going with my training for the full marathon. I'm taking a break today but tomorrow it's back to training...only 151 days until the marathon!
Friday, October 29, 2010
One More Week
One week until the big race! I ran 8 miles today and managed to push myself pretty hard. I brought my pace down from a 9 minute mile to a 8.5 minute mile! And the best part? It felt really good to open it up a bit more. There were a couple of spots along my run that I was running uphill and head on into the wind, and I know that affected my performance. I know that I may have those things to deal with on race day, but it's still nice to start to feel and see the effects of my training.
On a side note, I really need to figure out something with my ear buds I use to listen to music. I fight with them a lot on my run, trying to keep them in my ears. I may just ditch them on race day unless I can figure out something during next week's short runs.
On a side note, I really need to figure out something with my ear buds I use to listen to music. I fight with them a lot on my run, trying to keep them in my ears. I may just ditch them on race day unless I can figure out something during next week's short runs.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Where Is My Trash?
Running long distances is almost as much a mind game as it is a physical challenge. Finding ways to occupy your mind while running for long periods of time can be quite difficult. For me, I have found "little landmarks". And by little landmarks, I mean pieces of trash laying along the side of the road.
I have a basic loop that I run almost every time I'm outside. It gets modified slightly and repeated depending on the distance I need to cover that day. Along my route, I have found 6-pack carriers, combs, cigar tubes, beer cans, gatorade bottles (not mine, I promise) and various other "landmarks". So it's almost like a scavenger hunt when I go running. Can I check off all the items on my list? Or will I run right past without taking notice?
I'm not sure how I'll be able to handle my actual race day when I'm on completely different territory. Maybe I should just keep a mental list as I'm running and see how many items I can remember when I finish. I'll try to post them here after the half-marathon in 2 weeks!
On another note, I ended up running 5 miles today. I was only supposed to run 3, but I don't have a 3 mile loop mapped out yet. And since it is so nice outside today, I just had to run outside instead of on the treadmill. The warm sun and little to no wind made today a very good day to be running outside.
I have a basic loop that I run almost every time I'm outside. It gets modified slightly and repeated depending on the distance I need to cover that day. Along my route, I have found 6-pack carriers, combs, cigar tubes, beer cans, gatorade bottles (not mine, I promise) and various other "landmarks". So it's almost like a scavenger hunt when I go running. Can I check off all the items on my list? Or will I run right past without taking notice?
I'm not sure how I'll be able to handle my actual race day when I'm on completely different territory. Maybe I should just keep a mental list as I'm running and see how many items I can remember when I finish. I'll try to post them here after the half-marathon in 2 weeks!
On another note, I ended up running 5 miles today. I was only supposed to run 3, but I don't have a 3 mile loop mapped out yet. And since it is so nice outside today, I just had to run outside instead of on the treadmill. The warm sun and little to no wind made today a very good day to be running outside.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Two Weeks!
Only 2 more weeks until the Amish Half Marathon! I feel ready for it. I ran 12 miles today and felt good during the run. Now, two hours after finishing, I'm feeling a bit tired and slightly sick in the stomach. I didn't post this last week after finishing, but I think I had a case of hyponatremia set in. That's when your body is depleted of electrolytes. I got pretty sick. Today, I feel slightly sick, but nowhere close to what I felt last week. I've been pumping the electroyltes, just not enough I guess. I need to make sure I tank up before and after running.
Next week I'll drop back to 8 miles for my long run. That should seem easy compared to what I did today. I'm just amazed that I've been able to run these long distances. A year ago, I never would have guessed that I'd be running like I am today.
I've also noticed that as I'm increasing the mileage of my long runs, my feet are getting a few more blisters. Nothing too bad, and the ones I got last week have toughened up, so I'm sure the ones I got today will do the same. And since I'm only doing 8 miles next week, I shouldn't get any new ones. Now off to enjoy the weekend and my recovery days!
Next week I'll drop back to 8 miles for my long run. That should seem easy compared to what I did today. I'm just amazed that I've been able to run these long distances. A year ago, I never would have guessed that I'd be running like I am today.
I've also noticed that as I'm increasing the mileage of my long runs, my feet are getting a few more blisters. Nothing too bad, and the ones I got last week have toughened up, so I'm sure the ones I got today will do the same. And since I'm only doing 8 miles next week, I shouldn't get any new ones. Now off to enjoy the weekend and my recovery days!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Double Digits
I have made it into double digits for my running distance. I ran 10 miles on Friday and it felt good! Aside from a slight hydration/electrolyte imbalance afterwards, I felt great. A lot of it is a mental thing. But knowing I have the ability to run 10 miles sure encourages me to keep going.
When I started this blog, I did so because I wanted to document the whole barefoot running experience. And I realize that I haven't written much about actually running barefoot. I think that's just because I don't think about it. It just seems natural. I don't have any problems with my feet (other than some muscle soreness), knees, legs or back. I've been focused on the thrill of running long distances and the fact that I can do it!
Running has lots of other benefits as well. Weight loss for one. I started exercising at the beginning of this year just with a goal of losing some weight and becoming healthier. I set a weight goal for myself. I reached that goal several months ago and have just kept going. Since the beginning of the year I have lost of total of 40 pounds (my goal was to lose 25)!
I'm grateful that God has given me the ability to do that and for my wife who has helped by supporting me in my running adventures and is cooking me healthy and yummy meals! Thanks, April, you're the best!
Another big week this week...less than 3 weeks until the half-marathon!
When I started this blog, I did so because I wanted to document the whole barefoot running experience. And I realize that I haven't written much about actually running barefoot. I think that's just because I don't think about it. It just seems natural. I don't have any problems with my feet (other than some muscle soreness), knees, legs or back. I've been focused on the thrill of running long distances and the fact that I can do it!
Running has lots of other benefits as well. Weight loss for one. I started exercising at the beginning of this year just with a goal of losing some weight and becoming healthier. I set a weight goal for myself. I reached that goal several months ago and have just kept going. Since the beginning of the year I have lost of total of 40 pounds (my goal was to lose 25)!
I'm grateful that God has given me the ability to do that and for my wife who has helped by supporting me in my running adventures and is cooking me healthy and yummy meals! Thanks, April, you're the best!
Another big week this week...less than 3 weeks until the half-marathon!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Oops...I Did It Again...
Ok, so my 8 mile run turned into a 9 mile run. An interesting fact about Hershey, PA and Google Maps. Not all of the roads on Google Maps actually exist in the real world. Not a big deal, I just need to do a bit of verification of my long runs before I actually do them. Since I don't run on Thursdays, I can take some time over lunch to drive my route for the next day.
As far as my run last Friday, it felt really good. I was able to keep a slower pace (9 minute miles) and by the end of the run felt great. I have a few more weeks before my half marathon, 24 days to be exact, and I feel like I will be ready for it.
For my long run this week, I could do exactly what I did this past Friday, or I could do my 5 mile loop twice. Not sure yet what I'll do. I may just bump up my long runs between now and the half by an extra mile since I know I can do it and it will put me more on par for the half. If so, then it's 10 miles this Friday!
I've had a few people ask me about the weather and what I'll do if it's bad. As long as it's not blistery cold (I've run in 35 degree weather already), I'll keep running outside. I got some warmer weather gear that I'm sure I'll be able to test out soon enough. For now, I'm enjoying the nice fall weather I've been getting. Forecast for Friday: Chance of rain, high of 60. Sounds good to me.
As far as my run last Friday, it felt really good. I was able to keep a slower pace (9 minute miles) and by the end of the run felt great. I have a few more weeks before my half marathon, 24 days to be exact, and I feel like I will be ready for it.
For my long run this week, I could do exactly what I did this past Friday, or I could do my 5 mile loop twice. Not sure yet what I'll do. I may just bump up my long runs between now and the half by an extra mile since I know I can do it and it will put me more on par for the half. If so, then it's 10 miles this Friday!
I've had a few people ask me about the weather and what I'll do if it's bad. As long as it's not blistery cold (I've run in 35 degree weather already), I'll keep running outside. I got some warmer weather gear that I'm sure I'll be able to test out soon enough. For now, I'm enjoying the nice fall weather I've been getting. Forecast for Friday: Chance of rain, high of 60. Sounds good to me.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Warm Up
Big 8 mile run today. Hopefully I won't miss my turn today.
I feel pretty good, hopefully I'm ready to go. Considering I did an 8.5 mile run/walk a couple of weeks ago, I should be able to handle this. It's supposed to be really nice today, but I'm running a little earlier, so it will probably still be in the 50's when I head out.
Today I want to try to back down my pace a little bit. I've been doing the shorter runs at a faster pace, hopefully I can hold back a little bit today to run the whole distance.
I feel pretty good, hopefully I'm ready to go. Considering I did an 8.5 mile run/walk a couple of weeks ago, I should be able to handle this. It's supposed to be really nice today, but I'm running a little earlier, so it will probably still be in the 50's when I head out.
Today I want to try to back down my pace a little bit. I've been doing the shorter runs at a faster pace, hopefully I can hold back a little bit today to run the whole distance.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
An Easy Week
My training schedule is pretty easy this week. It's nice, yet it's hard to resist the temptation to keep going because I know I can. But I've been good and managed to stick to my schedule. I know in the long run it will help me.
For today's short run I bumped up my pace a good bit. I have been running my long runs at a 9 minute mile pace. It was nice to know that I could bump that up and sustain it for the short distance. I know that will help train my muscles and make me faster. For most of my run today, I ran at an 8.5 minutes per mile pace. Then for the last half of a mile I bumped it up to a 7.5 minute mile. It felt good to open it up at the end. Hopefully it's doing some good and I'll be able to improve my long run pace over time.
For today's short run I bumped up my pace a good bit. I have been running my long runs at a 9 minute mile pace. It was nice to know that I could bump that up and sustain it for the short distance. I know that will help train my muscles and make me faster. For most of my run today, I ran at an 8.5 minutes per mile pace. Then for the last half of a mile I bumped it up to a 7.5 minute mile. It felt good to open it up at the end. Hopefully it's doing some good and I'll be able to improve my long run pace over time.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Oops...
So I learned something today on my long run. Not all of the roads in and around Hershey have street signs. That was true of the one street that I was supposed to turn on. A wrong turn today took me on a 8.5 mile run instead of just 7. Not too bad. I didn't run the whole thing. After about 4 miles in I knew I had missed my turn, so I took a brief walking break. Not because I couldn't keep running (although it was pretty hot today), but because I didn't know how far I was going to end up going, so I wanted to try to conserve a bit of energy and not overdo it.
I always have my cell phone with me for my music and I was about ready to call somebody. But then I got back on track and just kept going. So next week's 5 mile run should seem easy compared to today!
I always have my cell phone with me for my music and I was about ready to call somebody. But then I got back on track and just kept going. So next week's 5 mile run should seem easy compared to today!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
I Must Be Crazy
Someone suggested that I look into the Amish Half Marathon in Lancaster this fall. It includes a half-marathon, 5k and 1 mile run. A few weeks ago, I thought that I'd probably just do the 5k. When I actually looked into it to see when it is, I saw that it is November 6th. According to my training schedule my long run is supposed to be 11 miles that week.
So I did what any crazy person would do. I said, "what's another 2 miles?" and signed up for the half marathon. It's Saturday, November 6th at 8am in Bird-In-Hand, PA.
http://www.usrahm.com/Events/amish.htm
So if anyone wants to come out and watch (although there's not a whole lot to watch other than the start and finish), I'd appreciate it. Thanks to my wonderful wife April for changing her weekend plans so that I could do this! It's a little scary to think that I'll be running a half-marathon in 6 weeks, yet kind of exciting at the same time! So I've added another countdown for this one as well. Hope to see you there!
So I did what any crazy person would do. I said, "what's another 2 miles?" and signed up for the half marathon. It's Saturday, November 6th at 8am in Bird-In-Hand, PA.
http://www.usrahm.com/Events/amish.htm
So if anyone wants to come out and watch (although there's not a whole lot to watch other than the start and finish), I'd appreciate it. Thanks to my wonderful wife April for changing her weekend plans so that I could do this! It's a little scary to think that I'll be running a half-marathon in 6 weeks, yet kind of exciting at the same time! So I've added another countdown for this one as well. Hope to see you there!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
I've Got It...
I think I have the runner's bug. My training today had me run 3 miles. By the time I hit 3 miles, I wasn't ready to stop. I wanted to keep running. But I didn't. I didn't want to overdo it and not have enough for my 7 mile run on Friday. But it sure is a good feeling knowing that running 3 miles isn't enough!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I'm Gonna Do It
Ok, so I'm following an official training schedule and I've been rather non-committal about actually saying that I will run a marathon. So now I'm officially announcing that I am planning to run the Garden Spot Village Marathon in Lancaster near New Holland. The date is tentatively set for April 9, 2011.
http://www.gardenspotvillagemarathon.org/
So that's it. I have a countdown posted in the side bar as well as my maximum training distance and training schedule for the current week. I have a feeling this winter is going to go by really fast.
http://www.gardenspotvillagemarathon.org/
So that's it. I have a countdown posted in the side bar as well as my maximum training distance and training schedule for the current week. I have a feeling this winter is going to go by really fast.
Friday, September 17, 2010
The Real Training Has Begun
I didn't post last Friday, so here's a quick recap of last week:
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Friday: 5 miles
This week was the official start to my marathon training schedule. And I really think that I'm going to run the Lancaster marathon next April. So the official training has begun. Basically, a week consists of 2 short runs, 1 day of either cross training or interval training, and 1 long run. The day after the long run is a recovery day (a nice walk just to keep the muscles loose). And then of course 2 days of rest. Here's the recap from this week:
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 25 mins interval training (which ended up being 4 miles)
Thursday: REST (Thursday and Sunday will be my rest days)
Friday: 6 miles
The goal of the interval training is to get your heart rate lower so your normal pace can be faster without increasing your heart rate. So I bought a heart rate monitor to wear while I'm running. For my long run today, I ran outside (which I'm going to be doing for my long runs from now on). It's nice to know my heart rate while I'm running so I stay in the zone that's comfortable to me. That way I can keep running. Today's run felt really good. I definitely think that running a marathon is within my reach.
Oh, and that little pain that I was having in my right foot? Well, I was pretty sure that it was just the muscles in my foot behaving very similar to how my calf muscles were at first. During the past several runs, my foot would hurt at first, then after about 2 or 3 miles, it wouldn't bother me anymore. So today I used a foot massager (nothing more than a roller with bumps on it) for about a half hour before I went running. Loosening up the muscles was all that it took. My foot didn't bother me today.
So I'm going to stick to my training schedule now and post my weekly recaps here. I'm excited about all of this and am actually looking forward to the marathon. Ok, I'm really looking forward to running across the finish line, but I guess I'll have to work for it first.
Tuesday: 6 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Friday: 5 miles
This week was the official start to my marathon training schedule. And I really think that I'm going to run the Lancaster marathon next April. So the official training has begun. Basically, a week consists of 2 short runs, 1 day of either cross training or interval training, and 1 long run. The day after the long run is a recovery day (a nice walk just to keep the muscles loose). And then of course 2 days of rest. Here's the recap from this week:
Monday: 3 miles
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 25 mins interval training (which ended up being 4 miles)
Thursday: REST (Thursday and Sunday will be my rest days)
Friday: 6 miles
The goal of the interval training is to get your heart rate lower so your normal pace can be faster without increasing your heart rate. So I bought a heart rate monitor to wear while I'm running. For my long run today, I ran outside (which I'm going to be doing for my long runs from now on). It's nice to know my heart rate while I'm running so I stay in the zone that's comfortable to me. That way I can keep running. Today's run felt really good. I definitely think that running a marathon is within my reach.
Oh, and that little pain that I was having in my right foot? Well, I was pretty sure that it was just the muscles in my foot behaving very similar to how my calf muscles were at first. During the past several runs, my foot would hurt at first, then after about 2 or 3 miles, it wouldn't bother me anymore. So today I used a foot massager (nothing more than a roller with bumps on it) for about a half hour before I went running. Loosening up the muscles was all that it took. My foot didn't bother me today.
So I'm going to stick to my training schedule now and post my weekly recaps here. I'm excited about all of this and am actually looking forward to the marathon. Ok, I'm really looking forward to running across the finish line, but I guess I'll have to work for it first.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Catch Up Time
I didn't run on Monday, just a little too busy that day. So I guess I made up for it yesterday when I ran 6 miles. I don't think I'll do that all week. I did feel pretty good by the end of the run. It's nice to know I can push myself a little bit.
I found a beginners marathon training schedule online and will be using that as a training guide. It's a 25 week schedule which would put me at a marathon by February. I don't know of too many marathons in February, so I'll just have to keep up the distance before tapering off. That's assuming I get up enough nerve to run a marathon next spring. I guess I should start looking for local ones. I think most are in the fall around here, so maybe that's what I'll shoot for. I'm really just putting it off. The thought of running a marathon to me right now is a bit unnerving, but maybe that will change in another couple of months.
I found a beginners marathon training schedule online and will be using that as a training guide. It's a 25 week schedule which would put me at a marathon by February. I don't know of too many marathons in February, so I'll just have to keep up the distance before tapering off. That's assuming I get up enough nerve to run a marathon next spring. I guess I should start looking for local ones. I think most are in the fall around here, so maybe that's what I'll shoot for. I'm really just putting it off. The thought of running a marathon to me right now is a bit unnerving, but maybe that will change in another couple of months.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Week In Review
Here's the summary for this past week:
Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: 5 miles
Cool. A total of 22 miles. Calves feel fine. I ran all week at the 6.5 pace, which still feels really good to me right now. My right foot is still a little sore. I'm pretty sure it's the muscles around my arch strengthening. I didn't think about it at all today until just now writing this post. Monday is Labor Day and I have off work, so I'll be running outside again. It will be good to do some hills again.
Monday: 5 miles
Tuesday: 5 miles
Wednesday: 3 miles
Thursday: 4 miles
Friday: 5 miles
Cool. A total of 22 miles. Calves feel fine. I ran all week at the 6.5 pace, which still feels really good to me right now. My right foot is still a little sore. I'm pretty sure it's the muscles around my arch strengthening. I didn't think about it at all today until just now writing this post. Monday is Labor Day and I have off work, so I'll be running outside again. It will be good to do some hills again.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Off To A Good Start
First run of the week today: 5 miles! I probably could have kept going, but I have too much to do at work and needed to get back to my desk. And I didn't want to push it either. But my leg muscles are getting the hang of what's going on and don't really bother me anymore. I feel a little bit of soreness in my feet, but I think that will also diminish over time as the muscles in my foot continue to get stronger. It will be interesting to see what I can do the rest of this week since I found my comfortable pace. I'd like to get my distance up a bit more, then I'll do some interval training to increase my speed. But I'll stick with the 6.5 pace for a while.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
A Good Week
Here's the summary from this week:
Monday: 3.5 miles
Tuesday: 3.5 miles
Wednesday: 2 miles
Thursday: 2.5 miles
Friday: 4.5 miles
That's a total of 16 miles. My calves don't hurt anymore and my toes have toughened up a bit now, so they don't bother me anymore. Friday I was feeling tired and almost didn't run. But I did anyway, and I'm glad I did. All week I was pushing my pace a little bit and got tired sooner.
Friday, I bumped my pace back down just a bit. I was on the treadmill and just decided to keep running without looking at the panel to see how long or how far I had run. I had glanced at the clock every once in a while, but only a few times. By the time I looked at the panel on the treadmill, 38 minutes had gone by and I had run just over 4 miles. I knew I had been running for about that amount of time since the album I was listening to was almost over. So I decided to go to 4.5 miles and call it a day.
Just by bumping my pace down by 0.2 mph, I was able to keep running without feeling tired or having to think about my breathing. It just felt natural. And slowing my pace down just a little bit also kept my heart rate just a little lower, which is important to be able to run long distances. So, 6.5 mph will be my pace for now. Not bad, that's a 9.5 minute mile. If I can sustain that for a long distance, I should be in good shape.
So my goal for next week is to do at least 3 miles a day at that pace. But for now, two days of rest!
Monday: 3.5 miles
Tuesday: 3.5 miles
Wednesday: 2 miles
Thursday: 2.5 miles
Friday: 4.5 miles
That's a total of 16 miles. My calves don't hurt anymore and my toes have toughened up a bit now, so they don't bother me anymore. Friday I was feeling tired and almost didn't run. But I did anyway, and I'm glad I did. All week I was pushing my pace a little bit and got tired sooner.
Friday, I bumped my pace back down just a bit. I was on the treadmill and just decided to keep running without looking at the panel to see how long or how far I had run. I had glanced at the clock every once in a while, but only a few times. By the time I looked at the panel on the treadmill, 38 minutes had gone by and I had run just over 4 miles. I knew I had been running for about that amount of time since the album I was listening to was almost over. So I decided to go to 4.5 miles and call it a day.
Just by bumping my pace down by 0.2 mph, I was able to keep running without feeling tired or having to think about my breathing. It just felt natural. And slowing my pace down just a little bit also kept my heart rate just a little lower, which is important to be able to run long distances. So, 6.5 mph will be my pace for now. Not bad, that's a 9.5 minute mile. If I can sustain that for a long distance, I should be in good shape.
So my goal for next week is to do at least 3 miles a day at that pace. But for now, two days of rest!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Fresh Start
After not running for 4 days, it felt good to run again today. I bumped up to 3.5 miles today. I could have gone further, but opted not to since I was starting to feel it a bit in my calves. Not right away, though. For the first 2 miles my run felt really good. And even after that it felt fine, I just knew that I didn't want to cripple myself again. I heard somewhere that the best training coach is yourself. Just listen to what your body is telling you. When it really starts to hurt, just go a little further, then be done. I don't know if I was at the point of it really hurting, but better safe than sorry.
So we'll see how I feel tomorrow and go from there. Two of my toes have fresh blisters, but the others have calluses on them now and don't bother me at all. Last week, when I ran two days in a row, the blisters didn't bother me at all on the second day, so hopefully I'll be able to do another 3.5 miles tomorrow.
So we'll see how I feel tomorrow and go from there. Two of my toes have fresh blisters, but the others have calluses on them now and don't bother me at all. Last week, when I ran two days in a row, the blisters didn't bother me at all on the second day, so hopefully I'll be able to do another 3.5 miles tomorrow.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Last Week In Review
Last week I ran 3 times. Monday I ran 3 miles. Tuesday I thought I was only going to run 2 miles, but since I felt pretty good as I was nearing mile 2, I decided to do another. My calves hurt a bit when I was done, but nothing more than just a little soreness. Stuff at work prevented me from running on Wednesday and Thursday I had the day off. But I still managed to get 2 miles in by 7:30am.
So three runs last week for a total of 8 miles. Not bad, but I hope to do a little better this week. Hopefully I can get at least 4 days of running in this week. I'm almost back to running what I was before the Vibram's, so hopefully this week I can get closer to that
On a side note, I just finished Born To Run. I'll try to post a book review sometime this week.
So three runs last week for a total of 8 miles. Not bad, but I hope to do a little better this week. Hopefully I can get at least 4 days of running in this week. I'm almost back to running what I was before the Vibram's, so hopefully this week I can get closer to that
On a side note, I just finished Born To Run. I'll try to post a book review sometime this week.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Back From The Montains
After a week at the mountains, it's good to be back to civilization. We had a great time, but now it's back to work. I managed to get 4 runs in last week. I haven't done much hill running so last week was a bit challenging because of that. But by the end of the week, I could notice an improvement.
The first day, I took Molly (our dog) with me. She keep running in and out of the woods, so I had to keep stopping and making sure she was still following me. At one point she just sat along side the road and stared at me as I kept running. As soon as I couldn't see her, I turned around.
The second day, Molly followed me again, but I just left her do her thing. By the time I turned around to head back to the cabin she had already went back. Both days the hills were a little tough, but my calves were not feeling anything any more. I can already tell that my legs and feet are strengthening.
The third and forth run last week felt good. I felt better on the hills and the downhill sprint at the end of my run felt good. Thank goodness the uphill part is the first half of the run. I had hoped to get in a 5th run while there, but that didn't happen. I never exceeded 1.5 miles. I'm hoping to up my distance this week. Since I don't really have any soreness in my legs or feet now, I might try bumping back up to 3 miles today.
My last post I had mentioned about how I thought it was easier to maintain the toe to heel method of running on the treadmill. Well, I can confirm that it was just getting used to running in the Vibrams. All last week I was either running on grass or a stone road and it was just as easy to run that way as it was on the treadmill the week before. Today I will be back on the treadmill, so we'll see how that goes.
Update: I ran 3 miles today. Aside from the small blisters on my toes (guess I need to build up some callouses), I feel great.
The first day, I took Molly (our dog) with me. She keep running in and out of the woods, so I had to keep stopping and making sure she was still following me. At one point she just sat along side the road and stared at me as I kept running. As soon as I couldn't see her, I turned around.
The second day, Molly followed me again, but I just left her do her thing. By the time I turned around to head back to the cabin she had already went back. Both days the hills were a little tough, but my calves were not feeling anything any more. I can already tell that my legs and feet are strengthening.
The third and forth run last week felt good. I felt better on the hills and the downhill sprint at the end of my run felt good. Thank goodness the uphill part is the first half of the run. I had hoped to get in a 5th run while there, but that didn't happen. I never exceeded 1.5 miles. I'm hoping to up my distance this week. Since I don't really have any soreness in my legs or feet now, I might try bumping back up to 3 miles today.
My last post I had mentioned about how I thought it was easier to maintain the toe to heel method of running on the treadmill. Well, I can confirm that it was just getting used to running in the Vibrams. All last week I was either running on grass or a stone road and it was just as easy to run that way as it was on the treadmill the week before. Today I will be back on the treadmill, so we'll see how that goes.
Update: I ran 3 miles today. Aside from the small blisters on my toes (guess I need to build up some callouses), I feel great.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Run #2
So as of yesterday, my legs still hurt, but I felt I was up for the challenge of running again. This time I thought I'd try the treadmill and limit myself to 1.5 miles. Before the Vibram's, I had been running at about 6 miles an hour. Not a fast pace by any means, but I was just trying to get a good cardio workout in. When I hopped on the treadmill with the Vibram's, the 6 mph pace was too slow. So I bumped it up to 6.5 mph. That felt pretty good, so I just left it there.
After my mile and a half I still felt pretty good and very briefly thought about running a little more. Then I quickly remembered the pain I was in on Tuesday and thought I better not. When I was done, my legs felt sore, but not anything like they did on Monday.
Running on the treadmill is obviously different then running outside, but I felt like I was able to maintain the toe to heal method of running. I don't know if it was because of the treadmill or because I'm just getting used to the Vibram's or a combination of both.
Waking up today, my legs feel sore, but again, not anything like Monday. They feel about the same as they did yesterday. So hopefully limiting myself to 1.5 miles was the right thing and now I can slowly build up from there.
Next week we leave for the mountains for a week, so I'll be running outside again. And new posts will have to wait until I get back.
After my mile and a half I still felt pretty good and very briefly thought about running a little more. Then I quickly remembered the pain I was in on Tuesday and thought I better not. When I was done, my legs felt sore, but not anything like they did on Monday.
Running on the treadmill is obviously different then running outside, but I felt like I was able to maintain the toe to heal method of running. I don't know if it was because of the treadmill or because I'm just getting used to the Vibram's or a combination of both.
Waking up today, my legs feel sore, but again, not anything like Monday. They feel about the same as they did yesterday. So hopefully limiting myself to 1.5 miles was the right thing and now I can slowly build up from there.
Next week we leave for the mountains for a week, so I'll be running outside again. And new posts will have to wait until I get back.
Ready To Run
So when we got home from the beach this past Saturday, my new Vibram's were waiting for me. I had hoped to take them for a spin around the block sometime during the weekend, but I couldn't squeeze a run in. So I took them to work with me Monday morning (August 2) to try them out over lunch (which is when I usually go to the gym).
It was only about 75 degrees on Monday, so I thought I'd try them outside first. I wanted to be able to run on the grass and pavement to feel if one way felt better than the other. Now, the tag on the shoes said to ease yourself into using them. So I thought that I'd run on Monday and either Wednesday or Thursday.
I ran about 3 miles on Monday. It felt pretty good. I could definitely tell that I had to run a bit faster to find a more comfortable stride. And I knew that it would take a few times to get used to them. I found myself landing heal first sometimes, which did not feel good at all. By the end of the 3 miles, my calves were hurting pretty bad, which was no surprise. Running barefoot and toe to heal uses different muscles that running heal to toe. But it was a good hurt, so I still felt pretty good.
Well, hindsight is always 20/20 and this was no exception. Not being a distance runner (yet!), I probably should have limited myself to 1 mile in them for my trial run. After sitting at my desk for the rest of the afternoon, my leg muscles had tightened up a good bit. When I left work, my legs were pretty stiff, but not too bad.
The next morning, however, was a different story. I got out of bed and could barely walk! My calf muscles in my legs were so incredibly sore and painful! After a hot shower and some stretching, walking was bearable. By Tuesday evening walking down steps was almost impossible.
Yikes, I guess I went a little too far.
It was only about 75 degrees on Monday, so I thought I'd try them outside first. I wanted to be able to run on the grass and pavement to feel if one way felt better than the other. Now, the tag on the shoes said to ease yourself into using them. So I thought that I'd run on Monday and either Wednesday or Thursday.
I ran about 3 miles on Monday. It felt pretty good. I could definitely tell that I had to run a bit faster to find a more comfortable stride. And I knew that it would take a few times to get used to them. I found myself landing heal first sometimes, which did not feel good at all. By the end of the 3 miles, my calves were hurting pretty bad, which was no surprise. Running barefoot and toe to heal uses different muscles that running heal to toe. But it was a good hurt, so I still felt pretty good.
Well, hindsight is always 20/20 and this was no exception. Not being a distance runner (yet!), I probably should have limited myself to 1 mile in them for my trial run. After sitting at my desk for the rest of the afternoon, my leg muscles had tightened up a good bit. When I left work, my legs were pretty stiff, but not too bad.
The next morning, however, was a different story. I got out of bed and could barely walk! My calf muscles in my legs were so incredibly sore and painful! After a hot shower and some stretching, walking was bearable. By Tuesday evening walking down steps was almost impossible.
Yikes, I guess I went a little too far.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Inspired
In December of 2009, I made a goal to eat better, exercise more and loose weight. Whenever I would exercise in the past, I usually included running in my workout. Never a lot, just enough to get a good cardio workout. This time was no exception. Over the past few months (as the weight started coming off), I felt better when I ran and that I was able to run longer and faster. As of July 2010, I was up to running 3-5 miles, 3 to 5 days a week.
A month or two ago I heard about a book called "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall. I didn't give it much thought until a recent vacation to the beach. Having forgot my running shoes, I decided to go running barefoot on the beach the first day. It felt strange and very different from my usual running experience...but it was a very good experience.
I knew that "Born To Run" had something to say about a different way to run. So while on vacation, I bought a copy of the book and began reading it. As I was reading it, I kept thinking, "this makes a lot of sense". So I did some quick research and found the Vibram FiveFingers running shoes.
They really aren't so much of a shoe as they are a glorified sock with some extra protection for the bottom of your foot. But no padding. I knew the basic concept was to run from toe to heal instead of heal to toe, and from all the reviews I read about the shoes, it seemed like these forced you to run that way. Being the impulse person that I am, I ordered a pair (I needed new running shoes anyway, and these are about the same price as a new pair of sneakers).
So now, with new Vibrams on my feet, I thought I would document my running journey. I have to admit that the book has inspired me. I don't know that I want to be an ultra-marathon runner, but I think I would like to run a regular marathon someday. For anybody who hasn't heard of an ultra-marathon (I hadn't until I started reading the book), they are crazy races, usually about 100 miles in length, that vary from running through woods and mountains to running on pavement to running through death valley (which by the way, that one is 120 miles long) or any combination of those!
On your mark...get set...GO!
A month or two ago I heard about a book called "Born To Run" by Christopher McDougall. I didn't give it much thought until a recent vacation to the beach. Having forgot my running shoes, I decided to go running barefoot on the beach the first day. It felt strange and very different from my usual running experience...but it was a very good experience.
I knew that "Born To Run" had something to say about a different way to run. So while on vacation, I bought a copy of the book and began reading it. As I was reading it, I kept thinking, "this makes a lot of sense". So I did some quick research and found the Vibram FiveFingers running shoes.
So now, with new Vibrams on my feet, I thought I would document my running journey. I have to admit that the book has inspired me. I don't know that I want to be an ultra-marathon runner, but I think I would like to run a regular marathon someday. For anybody who hasn't heard of an ultra-marathon (I hadn't until I started reading the book), they are crazy races, usually about 100 miles in length, that vary from running through woods and mountains to running on pavement to running through death valley (which by the way, that one is 120 miles long) or any combination of those!
On your mark...get set...GO!
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