This weekend, I ran my 10th full Three Days of Syllamo stage race in north Arkansas.
A beautiful location and special event that’s more like a running family reunion.
In fact, one of my goals was to spend more time with friends than I managed to last year. The other was to run it strong, since it’s my only race of the month.
But races don’t always go as planned.
Read MoreHere I was at Bigfoot 200, facing another steep climb.
Each step above me was two or three times the height of a stair step.
On each step up, I could feel the separate fibers of glute muscle strain to point of failing.
Read MoreMy awesome client was at the start of a 100-mile race.
The situation wasn’t perfect.
She hadn’t trained for this race.
Read MoreIn junior high school, I started reading fashion magazines.
It’s an awkward time and the magazines defined what and who we were supposed to be.
I loved the thick fall editions that arrived in mid-August.
Read MoreBy the time this is posted, I will have aged up a year.
It’s odd to find this number is now my age. I don’t feel connected to it. Or at least, I don’t feel how I expect to feel at it.
This number takes me beyond the early 50s, where the “old” is newly empowering into unknown territory - toward 60.
Read MoreWhen you’re first - when you win a 100-mile race overall - life will change.
Then you'll really feel confident and happy about your running.
Right?
Read MoreIn the dark, early hours of the morning at Rocky Raccoon 100, I started my fourth and last “lap” of out-and-back segments.
After three laps with great company, I was on my own. Plenty of 100-milers had finished or dropped, the 100k runners were wrapping up their race too, and the trail felt empty.
Read MoreIn my first ultra, a 50k, I felt like I’d opened the door to a secret world - I wanted more.
In my first 100-miler - limping, dirty, exhausted, yet exhilarated - I fell in love before I even crossed the finish line.
I’d found my home.No wonder I wasn’t great at shorter distances. This is where I belonged!
But as with many love stories, the initial infatuation wore off. The more ultras I ran, especially 100s, the more time I spent battling negative thoughts of one kind or another.
Read MoreYesterday, the magazine for the New York City Marathon in the mail.
(Did you know there's a magazine? With the thousands of finishers' names in it? Pretty awesome!)
And two emails have arrived in the last week announcing that this year’s entry application is open.
Read MoreAfter I finished my 100th 100-miler, people asked an odd question:
“Are you going to quit now?”
In their minds, I’d achieved my goal, I’d proven what I needed to prove, and I’d achieved a nice round number. Whatever drove me to do that, I could relax now.
Read MoreOn Tuesday evenings, I used to run with a bunch of trail running friends.
We started the same 8-mile route together as a group, and slowly scattered over the first mile or so into faster and slower groupings. We all rejoined in the parking lot and hung out after. It was great fun.
I could always keep up, usually in the lead bunch if I wanted to.
Read MoreIt costs.
Training takes time every day.
50ks take the better part of a weekend day.
100-mile races consume the entire weekend. Plus.
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