The Boy Who Loves to Run

My 100 Mile Adventure in the Cayman Islands

2011-12-01T12:05:00.001-08:00

I had the opportunity to run 100 miles in theCayman Islands and to meet some extraordinary people. The experience is one I will treasure for the rest of my life. The man who organized this event, James Murray, and his girlfriend, Lauren, are among the nicest, most gracious people I have ever met. They showed me around their beautiful island, from it's crystal clear blue waters and white-as-snow sand to it's delectable cuisine.

My first impression of Cayman was that it was alive, full of gusto and energy. Cars were honking, the sun was ablaze in the blemishless eternity-blue sky, tourists were going this way and that. The place had a musical pulse, a syncopated rhythm of time and energy where even the most mundane things - a wall, a corner building, the lamp post - came to life in unexpected ways. A splash of color here, movement there. Oh, look an iguana crossing the road! And is that a parrot in the trees? My heart skipped a beat faster just to keep up.

To run in the Cayman Islands was a joy. Even more than that, it was life-changing (that's no exaggeration). But, when you attempt something of this magnitude, the results usually are life-changing. Not that I haven't run 100 miles before. I've stabbed at the distance five times before, and each time has been meaningful, shaping me little by little and helping me grow more and more. But, I've never done anything on this level before. The purpose behind A Crazy Idea - as the project was lovingly called - was to benefit the Cayman Island Diabetes Association.

Diabetes runs in my family. My dad has it. My aunt has it. I am at risk for diabetes. It is sort of the unspoken epidemic in Cayman, and indeed, the United States as well. There is no cure for diabetes, but there is certainly hope for management of it. Through patient education, the appropriate use of medications, and lifestyle alterations, including the incorporation of sensible exercise and a balanced diet, diabetes can be managed effectively. Our goal was to be a part of that education process, to bring diabetes to the public consciousness and get people on the island thinking and talking about their health. No one wants to be told they are eating the wrong foods and that their lack of exercises is killing them. But, these are truths we cannot afford to ignore.

Our message had to be bold. Running 100 miles is pretty bold, I think. And we got the attention of the local media - the newspaper, social media, and radio stations. Dozens of people came out to see us off. It was quite an event! Some people stayed up with us all through the night, pacing us, getting us food and drink and anything else we needed during the run. As for myself, I had a blast. I ran with Steve, a lawyer in Cayman who offered to write a letter of commendation to the dean of my law school. Steve ran by my side in flip flops into the wee hours of the night. A spectacular guy!

I ran with Sarah, a tough and energetic woman who kept me going through the most trying parts of the journey. We sang the entire soundtrack to "Sister Act" before moving on to Disney songs. She would make a strong, strong ultrarunner herself. She has the right stuff. There was also Adam, who came on the scene with a smile and energy that proved infectious. He ran by my side through the night and I felt good just having him with me.

Not once did I feel any negative energy out there. All good vibes, baby! People were cheering along the route. Cars were honking. It was a big party! When the run did get tough - and it did get tough - I was able to look to my companions for strength. At certain points in the run, the heat got to me. Temperatures reached into the 100s and the humidity was near 80%. But, the overall experience was never unpleasant. Even though I was having a hard time, I thought about all the people that were counting on me. I thought about James, who was just ahead of me, fighting his own battle. I continued on.

The final miles were a frenzied blur of excitement. It seemed as if the whole community had come out to see us finish. The cheering carried me through to the finish line, despite my aching legs. I hugged James and my entire crew. It was an awesome feeling. I can't help but feel that we made a real difference out there, that we inspired people to take up their own physical challenge. If we inspired just one person to come up with their own "crazy idea" then it was all worth it. After wards, person after person came up to tell me thank you and that they felt if we could run 100 miles, they could at least do a few themselves.

Inventor helps long distance runners g-ear up!

2011-10-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, when you are logging in those long miles, it helps to have some tunes to groove to. When you are as avid a runner as Terry Madl, you know how important choosing the right headphones can be. "Every time I wore earbuds, they kept slipping out of my ears when I ran," recalls Madl. No matter which brand he tried, Madl could not find headphones that worked for him. None of the products on the market were very runner friendly. Thus, G-ear was born.

The device is quite simple, a cross between a bandanna and a pair of headphones. The silky-soft, moisture-wicking, antimicrobial fabric adjusts to fit around your head and then ties snugly in at the back. On either side are two slots to fit in the custom-built flat headphones that fit comfortably over your ears. The wire from the headphones goes through the fabric so it does not get in the way when you are running.

Simple. And it works. Many runners find traditional earbuds too invasive to be comfortable, and wraparounds are not everybody's cup of tea, so they turn to more complicated systems. Usually, these elaborate designs compromise sound quality or they cost an arm and a leg. Sony MDR-Q23LPPS w.ear headphones are the perfect example of such a complex system. The cushioned clip-ons are comfortable enough, but the sound is one-dimensional and the cushions get sweaty during workouts.

The G-ear system not only feels good around your head, it also sounds good. The dynamic audio is crisp and clear. The headband, if not fashionable (it actually is quite fashionable and it comes in three distinct styles: jam, a continuous headband look, flō, a headband style that ties, and hȳp, a bandanna style that ties in the back) is completely functional. It wicks sweat and cools the head on hot days. If you don't get to washing the fabric after a couple of runs, the antimicrobial fabric will prevent germs and harmful bacteria from forming.

Madl is a 57 year old ultramarathoner whose list of accomplishments include finishing the infamous Badwater race through Death Valley and completing the Marathon des Sables in the Moroccan Sahara. If anyone knows what it takes to endure those seemingly endless workouts, it's him. “There are times when I choose to immerse myself in the environment when I am running, but there are also times when I absolutely need music. During races, I always bring music or books with me.”

With research and planning of his product ongoing, Madl is optimistic about the future of G-ear. If you would like more information about how you can purchase this product, feel free to contact Terry Madl at terry@getintog-ear.com.

Running with the Buffaloes 100 Race Report

2011-10-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

When Walt Whitman wrote of the public road that "I am not afraid to leave you, yet I love you, you express me better than I can express myself," he pretty much summed up my feelings about this race. The inaugural Running with the Buffaloes 100 Mile Run took place on Saturday, October 16, 2011, and as with all of my big races, I have fond memories of every step, yet in the end, I was glad to be done with the whole damn thing.

The race embodied what I love most about ultras: that low-key atmosphere of casual athleticism. No one here is a braggart. No one here is prideful. The feel in the air is chill. Attending one of these events, as opposed to, say, a big city marathon, is the difference between nestling in at your friendly neighborhood coffee joint and going to a Starbucks.

There were twelve of us doing the 100 miler. We met in West Yellowstone, the start of the race. The little town of hotels, gift shops, and restaurants sits at the entrance of America's premier National Park. All the runners stayed at the Gray Wolf Inn. After checking in and unloading our bags, we all went to Wild West Pizzaria for a hot meal. Some familiar faces sat around the table that night - like Pam Reed, the petite-sized female endurance warrior whose record-setting accomplishments have paved the way for other runners around the world. There was George Velasco, the seasoned ultra veteran who refuses to let the limitations of age, and even injury, come between him and his goals. There was also Bill McCarty, a man celebrating his 64th birthday by running 100 miles, proving that you are only as old as you choose to be. We lit a candle on a cake and sang "Happy Birthday" to him, then, we headed for bed.

Running with the Buffaloes was different from every ultra I've done. For one, it was all on the road (but, to call this a road race is somewhat misleading. Along every stretch, is a shoulder of soft gravel and dirt that mimics a trail). Secondly, there were no aid stations. We were crewed for the entire 100 by race directors Lisa Smith-Batchen and Dave Carder out of vans. They had everything from baby wipes to Red Bull to cheese sticks, candy, and boiled potatoes.

If you've ever crewed for an ultra, you know the hard work that goes into it. In some ways, crewing is harder than running. When you run, you at least get to zone out and concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. With crewing, not only do you have to stay up for as long as the runner, but you also have to remain mentally alert throughout the whole ordeal. Multiply the experience by twelve runners and you get some idea of what it was like for Lisa and her volunteers.

By the start of the race and up until about mile 30, I managed to keep up with the lead pack. That may have been a mistake to go out so fast. I hit mile 50 in eleven hours. But, I felt good and the general trend of the first half of the course profile was downhill. Eventually, the pain in my legs became more evident and I slowed down. But, pain is inevitable in a 100 mile run, and so far, there was nothing out of the ordinary going on with my body, so I pressed onward.

To take my mind off the pain, I focused on the beauty of my surroundings. Running through the National Forest in mid-October is a blessing of colors. The day was a perfect mix of sky blue and deep green, leaves of brilliant reds and yellows. The weather was sunny and cool. I grooved to the tunes of TLC, Ace of Base, Miles Davis, Eminem, Johnny Cash, and John Coltrane on my iPod. I drank steadily and consistently, ate plenty. Life couldn't have been any better.

By nightfall, things got a little dicey, but my spirits stayed high. Despite feeling a sleepy, I kept moving forward. In any case, rest was not an option - at one point, I asked Lisa if she would let me in the van to close my eyes and sleep for five minutes. Her response: "So sorry, dude," and she drove away. Sleepiness was, I think, my number one enemy during this race. To battle it, I chugged anything with caffeine, including Mountain Dew and coffee.

I experienced surges of energy throughout the race and allowed myself to be swept up by them. By mile 70, I was powering up all the hills and running for miles at a time. My goal was to catch the next runner in front of me. "He's only half a mile ahead," Lisa told me. I pressed on. After hours of running, I still hadn't caught him. Later, I found out that Lisa had lied to keep me motivated. He was actually about three or four miles ahead. In the middle of the night, I eventually caught up with him and passed him. I put about five miles distance between us. Then, I lost motivation to run hard. My only goal at that point became to no get passed up.

And I didn't get passed. When the sun came up, it was a blessing. The majesty of that red glow rising slowly over the Tetons is something you must see to believe. It gave me a boost of energy and I pressed onward.

We finished in the little town of Driggs, Idaho (the race actually went through three states - Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho), right in front of the Dreamchasers store, owned by Lisa and her husband, Jay. At the finish, I collected my buckle, ate some pizza, and drank some coconut water. Then, I waited for the other runners to come in. George came in beaming. After years of trying to successfully finish a 100 miler, he finally earned his buckle.

But, the star of the race was Bill. Bill had been having trouble for a while before the finish. By mile 70, he had developed a curious lean. From what I heard, his hamstrings were shot. His pacer had to hold him up and support him. But, he made it in with time to spare and with a big grin on his face. According to Lisa, he never complained once during the run. He always kept chugging along.

Thus marked the end of the inaugural Running with the Buffaloes 100 Mile Run. I can't wait to go back next year. In short, it was the best race I've ever done.

Grizzly Country: The Value of Running the Trails of Teton Valley

2011-10-06T17:00:00.000-07:00

"Lions, and tigers, and bears! Oh my!" -Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Anyone who has ever hiked the trails of Teton Valley is familiar with the sense of fear inspired by knowing they are walking in the land of the grizzlies. The awareness that there are creatures out there in the woods that are bigger than you, creatures that are physically capable of killing and eating you, is enough to instill within trail enthusiasts a sense of complete and utter humility. Out there, you are not top of the food chain. You become aware of your own fleshy vulnerability. The effect is almost primal. It awakens within you a long-dormant state of consciousness. It was this very brand of consciousness that early humans lived with.

Man's evolutionary history is very much tied with that of the Great Bear. Both men and grizzlies, for instance, crossed over the land bridge from Siberia to Pleistocene Alaska at about the same time in history. Archeological records suggest that man might even have traveled the same southern route into the continental United States as grizzlies. If this is true, then man's consciousness might very well have been directly shaped by coexistence with grizzlies and like creatures - the man-eaters.

I remember one run in particular: a group of us went hiking and about 50 yards up ahead, a big grizzly crossed our path. It didn't look our way. It didn't stop. It's just ambled on. I was stunned. Our group stopped dead in our tracks and slowly backed away. My heart was pounding. My senses were alert like never before. I was alive, such a wonderful feeling! In that one instance, when that grizzly crossed my path (although just briefly and without incidence), I began my fascination and obsession with the Great Bear. I bought books about the beast. I read all about bear attacks. I poured over the story of pioneer Hugh Glass and his famous encounter with a grizzly that would leave him mauled and stranded in the wilderness. And in all my research, I have come to several conclusions about the relationship between man and bear.

In Teton Valley, much is made of this relationship. The front page headlines of The Teton Valley News or even The Jackson Hole Daily are occasionally preoccupied with the latest bear attack. Almost always, the victim is to blame. Still, the authorities must decide whether to issue a death sentence for the offending bear or to relocate her (it usually is a female who attacks because she is protecting her young from a perceived threat). It's is a hotly political issue. We have all the rules in place: habituated bears are dangerous bears are dead bears and so forth. We force order and logic on a situation and relationship that is very often not governable by order or logic. Still, we don't want more people to get hurt, so some action is necessary.

But the possibility of death is always present despite governance. You can feel it out there. It's part of the allure of the trail. We live in a highly "civilized" world, though I know the word is a bloated one. What I mean is, urbanization and the destruction of the last vestiges of wilderness have made it near impossible for everyday people like you and me to have real contact with nature and the primal elements. Most of us will never see a bear in its natural habitat because we have destroyed that possibility for ourselves. This is why Teton Valley and the greater Yellowstone region is such a valuable, sacred place. It is a pocket ecosystem, a last remnant of a wild, scary, exhilarating world.

It is our link to the past and our key to understanding our place in the world. Places like Teton Valley - to the extent that they offer excellent hiking, mountain biking, skiing and running opportunities - are invaluable on a psychological level as well. The humility that is forced upon us on the trails, in the land of the grizzlies, is the very antithesis of human pride and greed, those traits that have lead to genocide, war, and death.

We should all be concerned with the preservation of such ecosystems and with the protection of grizzlies. We should hike intelligently and cautiously because, it is true that a habituated bear is a dead bear. We should cherish the mountains and trails because they remind us who we are at the core. They remind us we are alive.

Philosophies from the Tetons (Part 2)

2011-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

1) There's a difference between being fit and being healthy - I've met a number of fit people that aren't exactly healthy. They are slaves to whatever drives them to push their bodies to extremes. There is nothing wrong with pushing yourself, but there is a line. Ultrarunners edge very close to crossing that line at times. Running 100 miles is not a healthy endeavor. Being healthy means looking after your mind and spirit as much as your body. It also means maintaining healthy, loving relationships with those around you.

2) Fear is your friend - When you're out for a run or hike in bear country, you quickly gain a sense of humility. You instinctively know that you are not top of the food chain out there. A grizzly bear could be - probably is - lurking somewhere not too far away. The fear that builds in the back of your mind is a healthy and quite sane response! Fear entails respect which entails humility and caution.

3) Suffering is weakness - It shows weakness of mind. It shows that you choose to spend your time in a self-made hell rather than a blissful heaven. It shows lack of skill. If you are suffering in a race, you are doing something wrong. I know ultrarunners like to brag about their suffering because they think it makes them look tougher or more of a badass. Dean Karnazes says, "I love the pain." I know a guy who likes to show off the fact that he "shredded his tendons" (his words) during a 100 mile race and had to wear compression boots for a time after. This is nothing to boast about. Suffering is not a sign of strength. He either did not train properly or had a very poor race plan. Probably both. Ultramarathons offer you the unique opportunity to create a relationship with your body. Why choose to spend your time in misery?

Grand Teton 50 Miler Race Report

2011-09-08T09:24:00.000-07:00

It was an intimidating start. I wasn't feeling 100%, the field was small, and the course was tough. I dreaded finishing in last place, or worse yet, not finishing at all. Both were distinct possibilities in my mind as I stood with the small crowd at the start line at 6:29 am, waiting for the race director to countdown to "1... and then, GO!" Fifty miles can seem like an eternity when you're in a bad frame of mind. But my coach, Lisa Smith-Batchen, was at the finish line, and I could not envision quitting in her presence. The woman would kill me.

"3...2...1..." And we were off. The course is comprised of two identical 25-mile loops. The first part of the course goes up what is called Fred's Mountain. It's a doozy of a climb up steep, rocky single-track trail. But, it was a beautiful morning and the views were gorgeous. Once I got into the race, all my anxiety melted away. The runners around me were chatting away about this and that. I cheerfully listened on as I ran.

After Fred's, it's pretty much all downhill. You work your way to the bottom of the canyon and then you make your way back up to the top for the next 25 miles. I made the big mistake of hammering the first part. The course is very runable, but, you need to pace yourself if you're going to hold out for the second loop. But, I wasn't thinking about things like that. I was having fun. Eventually, I put my iPod on and was grooving to some tunes. I was passing people. Life was good.

By the time I got to mile 25, I was in the lead pack. Not good. Lisa screamed at me to "slow down!" By that time, my quads were kind of shot. And all I could think about was going up that damn mountain again. Slowing down would not be an issue. I was deflated.

The second climb up Fred's was grueling. The trail going up seemed never-ending. My brain kept going, "This is brutal." I kept saying that over and over in my mind: "this is brutal... this is brutal." Then, I realized how negative up my thinking was. If you think something is going to be awful, it probably will be awful. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, I changed my thinking. Trite as it may sound, I instead repeated the words, "This is beautiful." And, dammit, it worked. I got over the mountain.

The rest of the run is sort of a blur. I fell down a couple of times and skinned my finger. That hurt. I got nipple chaffing. (NOTE TO SELF: duct tape is not the answer to this particular issue). But, overall I was satisfied with my performance. I finished in 13 hours and change. Not a PR, but I'll take it. When I reached that finish line, it was - as is the case with most of my big race finishes - all I could do from gobbling down every and any food item in sight!

My First Pair of Hokas - The Marshmallow Shoe

2011-08-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

They look so weird. Marshmallow shoes - that's what we called them. With their absurdly thick soles and bright neon colors, they look like great big clown shoes. And they seem to go against the current trend of minimalist running. Kind of the antithesis to that movement, really. But, they seem to work for a lot of people. Karl Meltzer is a fan. Catra Corbett is hooked. Lisa Smith-Batchen is a recent convert.

And these things are popping up everywhere. At your next trail ultra, take a look around at people's feet. Odds are, you will spot more than a few marshmallow shoes. Runners who own a pair swear by them and proclaim them to be some sort of magic shoe. "Love my Hokas," they will say. "Makes downhill running so much fun!" "I'm never going back to my old shoes."

With my 50 miler in the Tetons right around the corner, and with no other shoes to wear for it other than road racing flats (can we say "ouch!"), I decided to buy a pair and try them out for myself. See what all the fuss is about.

Turns out, they aren't so bad. They are actually minimalist in some ways. To begin, they are incredibly light, although they appear bulky. The heel-to-toe drop is pretty minimal. Where Hokas stand out, it seems, is in the cushioning. The thick sole makes roots and rocks almost nonexistant. You can glide over the trail. Downhill running becomes a breeze because all the shock is absorbed by the sole, which is made of a very soft EVA.

It's kind of weird at first to wear something so bulky-looking yet so light-feeling. You are high off the ground with them which may turn off purist runners who want to "feel" the earth beneath their feet.

Philosophies from the Tetons (Part 1)

2011-08-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

While I've been living here in the Tetons, training with my friend Lisa Smith-Batchen, certain philosophies and ideas have come up that have really challenged the way I think about running, training, nutrition, and life in general. I've consolidated a few of these life philosophies into a list. A lot of these philosophies are Lisa's own. Others I have gathered from people I have met in the area. Still others are ones I have formulated on my own. I am conflicted on some of these ideas. I want to believe they hold true, but a part of me doesn't fully buy into them. I turn these ideas over and over in my head. I debate them. I question the truth of them. Whether they are true or not is almost beside the point, though. They are meant to challenge you and your perceptions. They have certainly challenged my own.

1) Live for the moment - I have heard this one several times from several people, and I'm not sure I buy it. Living for the moment is a wonderful concept, but it can lead to selfishness and recklessness. If you only live for the moment, you can end up neglecting so many important aspects of life. As such, I think the phrase "live for the moment" is incomplete. It should be: "live for the moment; plan for the future; and never forget your past."

2) Live a minimalistic life - At least one person here in the Tetons likes to expound on the virtues of living a minimalistic life. That is, consolidating all materialistic belongings to the bare essentials. As it was explained to me, this philosophy revolves around a denial of materialistic gratification and instead embraces nature and the primal instincts of man. Physical exertion, food, and sex are key tenants apparently. It goes even beyond that, though. The goal is to get rid of all the clutter in your life, psychological, spiritual, or otherwise. Theoretically, this is all probably a good idea, but when carried to its logical extreme, this concept rings of a kind of philosophical elitist separatism. A person cannot divorce themselves completely from all social responsibilities. We can't all retreat into the woods and live the simple life. The man who does so runs the risk of leading a very selfish life.

3) Meat and dairy are essential - A lot of people here eat meat. And dairy is huge here. Elk and bison burgers are in abundance in this part of the world. Milkshakes are big. It's very hard to be a vegan in Teton Valley (but I am managing just fine). Athletes here rely on animal products for protein, calcium, etc. Of course, the quality of the food is much better here. We are surrounded by farms. These farms treat their animals very well. Cows roam the fields happily. The farm animals lead relatively stress-free lives. As such, the milk and meat they yield is not contaminated with stress chemicals or other harmful substances. I've heard athletes say they "need" animal protein. This may be true. I've always assumed that because the essential amino acids to form protein are found in plants, humans don't "need" to eat meat to get protein. In fact, the only reason animal meat has protein in it is because they consume plants with the essential amino acids to form protein. But, maybe some people assimilate and use animal protein more efficiently than they do plant-derived protein. In any case, I don't think being vegan is an ethical or nutritional imperative. I think that as long as people are conscientious about what they eat and where their food comes from, that is big step in the right direction.

4) Run with your core, not your legs - Your core should be engaged when you run. Focus on your core when you run. Keep your core strong. If you don't have a strong core, you will tire out your legs very quickly. Say to yourself, "Core, core, core..." with each step. You shouldn't hear your feet slapping down on the ground. Silent feet are best. Focus on your breathing. Concentrate on your form.

A Glimpse into the Life of Elite Ultrarunner Lisa Smith-Batchen

2011-07-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

I recently had the opportunity to live for two weeks with Lisa Smith-Batchen, her wonderful husband, Jay, and their two adopted daughters, Anabella and Gabriella, and their dog, Skip. I witnessed her family and professional life as she prepared for the grueling Badwater Ultramarathon. The following are my observations of this time period.

“Do you feel like an elite athlete?”

“No.” It was quiet for a moment as Lisa Smith-Batchen thought out her next words. “I feel like a busy mom,” she said.

She resumed packing her kids’ lunches, a ham and cheese sandwich, pretzels, an apple, a bag of orange slices, and a bag of baby carrots. We were standing in the kitchen of her home in Alta. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, casting a warm glow on the Tetons.

“It’s going to be a beautiful day,” she said, looking out the window. Lisa had been awake since five o’clock. She had taken the dog out for a walk, showered, and dressed for work. Her husband, Jay, was already at their store in Driggs. In a few minutes, the girls would need to wake up. Right next their lunch boxes on the kitchen counter, stood a big jar of money – mostly pennies – that Lisa found on her training runs. Pennies from Heaven she liked to call them. They were all to be donated to AIDS Orphans Rising, a charity very dear to Lisa’s heart and the focus of her life’s work.

“You can feed a child in some countries for six pennies. Just six cents can save someone’s life,” she told me. I wondered if perhaps she thought about her daughters when she talked about orphans. Did the love she feels for her own children fuel her zeal for helping the less fortunate, those children in the world without food, shelter, or loved ones to care for them?

When Gabby and Annie woke up, it was a mad rush to the door. Lisa was already running late to her morning class at Dreamchasers. She put Skip in his kennel in the back of the van, along with food, water, and his leash. As soon as they arrived at the store on Main Street, Lisa hopped out, helped her kids out of their car seats, and dashed into the doors. She glowed with energy.

“Hey everybody,” she called out. “Let’s get moving!”

Music blared from the speakers. She picked up the medicine ball and began her cardio core instruction.

“Get those knees up,” she yelled. “Move it! Keep those abs tight!” By the end of the session her students were drenched in sweat, their breaths coming in short, fast bursts. Everyone seemed content with their morning workout. But, Lisa didn’t stick around to chat. She got the girls together and drove to the Sports Club at Teton Springs, where she would work until closing time.

“When do you find time to train,” I asked her on the ride to the Club. “I don’t have time for that,” she replied.

It was true. In all the time I spent with her, she only did a handful of training sessions. Badwater was fast approaching. This was Lisa’s tenth and final go at the 135-mile run in Death Valley, dubbed “the toughest footrace on the planet.” The race is the final part of her Running Hope to America mission, her way of raising money for and awareness of orphaned children around the world who have lost their parents to AIDS.

Even with Badwater around the corner, Lisa didn’t get in any distance longer than twelve miles prior to the race. There was always too much going on. Kids. Work. Coaching. When she finally got home at night, she would sit with Jay in their living room and they would talk about their day. Sometimes they would just sit silent and be together, loving partners supporting each other through the hectic hubbub of everyday life.

After the girls went to bed, Lisa would get on her computer and sort through hundreds of e-mails, letters from students around the world who sought advice from their coach. Late into the night she worked, sometimes staying up until midnight.

Lisa is many things to many people – a mother, wife, sister, and friend. She is an inspiration and a teacher. She brings hope to many people with her charitable acts of kindness. Her seemingly inexhaustible amount of energy is astonishing to behold. If she spreads herself too thin sometimes, it is because her very nature is selfless.

Even though she didn’t get in what might be considered optimal training for an event like Badwater, her will power alone, her passion for running for charity - running for a purpose, she calls it - will undoubtedly carry her through to a glorious finish, whatever that finish may be.

By the time you read this article, the race will be finished. While I can’t say for sure whether or not she will make it to the finish since nothing is certain in a race like Badwater, I can promise you that Lisa will have given it her all. She will not give up her fight to help the children. Never.

As she shut down her computer for the night, she looked at me and said, “Be ready to wake up early tomorrow, kiddo. We’re going walking before work to look for pennies to put in the jar.” With that, she went to bed.

The Master Cleanser - Tell Me What You Think!

2011-06-22T09:41:00.000-07:00

What are your thoughts on this...

Book Review: Hillenbrand's "Unbroken" reveals real-life heroism

2011-06-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Louis Zamperini would swipe the food, stealthily, and then run like hell. He ran from the cops; he ran from the store owners; he ran from angry residents brandishing guns. The notorious street tough outran them all. He'd steal any food he could get his hands on; he was always staging pranks and getting into fistfights. Friends and neighbors didn't expect him to live beyond his childhood years. And on numerous occasions, they were almost right.

The son of Italian immigrants growing up in Torrance, California, Zamperini was perpetually in hot water with authority. He was often escorted home late evenings by the police. Probably few, if any, of those who knew him expected the delinquent to grow up to become an Olympic athlete and one of America's greatest distance runners. Certainly, no one expected him to become a WWII bombardier, plane crash survivor, POW, and survivor of post-war turmoil.

But, that's exactly what happened. Laura Hillenbrand's extraordinary book, "Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption," chronicles the incredible life story of a man who lived through one catastrophe after another and still emerged with his dignity and humanity intact.

It all started when his brother made him join the high school track team. Zamperini hated running, but after rigorous training, he soon realized he had the gift of speed. Running provided him the perfect outlet for his aggression; instead of using his fleet feet for mischief, he was now setting national and world records in the sport. He ran the mile in 4 minutes and 21.2 seconds. Everyone expected him to be the first person to break the 4-minute mile.

In 1936, he ran for U.S. Olympic team in the 5000 meters in Berlin. Although he finished in eighth place, his final lap time of 56 seconds, an unprecedented time for a final lap of that distance, caught the attention of many people, including that of Adolf Hitler, who watched in his stadium balcony. The two met face-to-face. "You're the boy with the fast finish," Hitler told him while shaking his hand.

War ended his running career. Zamperini enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1941. One day, his plane experienced mechanical difficulties and it crashed into the ocean. He and his crew spent 47 days adrift at sea. They lived off albatross and fish they caught; they were shot at from above by Japanese bomber planes; they were hunted from below by sharks; they were nearly swallowed whole by a sea storm. By the time the Japanese Navy found them and took them to their prison camps, the men were emaciated shells of their former selves.

All of this is told in remarkably fast-paced and thrilling way. Hillenbrand, who also wrote "Seabiscuit," manages to give her readers the hard facts of history while fleshing out an absorbing and entertaining story. She avoids embellishing the facts and getting too carried away with the poetic license that biographers sometimes take when filling in the gaps of historical records. Nothing that is written in this book, she tells us in the introduction, is unsupported by historical evidence. She didn't make it up.

She didn't need to. The truth is incredible enough. Not many could endure what Zamperini did and even live to tell the tale. He is a shining example of true heroism. His is a story of how an ordinary kid from a troubled background can grow up to achieve extraordinary things. A tough and resilient man, Zamperini is still going strong. At 93 years-old, today he travels around the world giving lectures. The fast kid from Torrance is still as spry as ever.

A Life Lesson from Bruce Lee

2011-06-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

My New Inov-8 Running Shoes

2011-06-04T14:10:00.000-07:00

Today I got a new pair of Inov-8 Roclite 295s. The goal is to gradually progress towards a natural running form. My old pair of Asics turned out to be a joke. I found that out very quick after a few runs here in the Grand Tetons. Hopefully, these shoes will help me take my running to new levels.

The Lonely Trail

2011-06-03T20:25:00.001-07:00

When I see a runner gliding down the side of the street or up a winding trail, I can't help but imagine what might be going on in his head - what thoughts are churning through; what problems being worked out? Are there demons he can't quite shrug off (and don't we all have demons of one variety or another)? What worlds does he haul the weight of on his shoulders?

The solitary nature of the sport of long distance running seems to attract the most introspective athletes - people who are unafraid of spending long hours with their thoughts, however troubled those thoughts may be. Non-runners often ask, "Doesn't it get boring running for hours on end?" What they don't understand is that clearing the mind can be good for the soul, and it often encourages creative thinking. While we run, we come up with solutions to the various problems in our lives. We seek answers and we find them.

But, in a society where being alone is often mischaracterized as being "weird," or even worse, "sick," it's hard to explain the seductiveness of the lonely trail. Being alone takes courage. When I ran my first trail ultramarathon, I was struck by how psychologically invigorating it was spending hours alone with your thoughts. The task was daunting, at first. Only the most courageous souls dare to look beyond the dark alcove of their weaknesses to find the light that makes them whole.

It's a dangerous place to be - a shadowy wasteland of broken promises, unrealized dreams, painful secrets and sins for which we whisper for forgiveness in quiet rooms or over the golden glow of a candle. It's a place not even the sacred materials of religious ceremony can provide access to because in and of themselves, those materials are dead.

Do not get lost, and do not despair. It's easy to be overwhelmed by your shortcomings. Always remember that the dark side of the humanity is overpowered by the luminosity of human goodness. Let the unification of body and soul through the rhythm of running - legs pumping, lungs working, heart racing - be the shining blade that pierces through the dark. Give form to your religion. Motion is your prayer. Sweat, your sacrificial offering. Allow your hopes to take flight; make mistakes and grow from them. Never regret the process. Every misstep is essential to the journey.

The next time someone criticizes you for wanting to be alone, just remember that happiness is destined for him who knows himself best. A quiet, reflective soul is the path to enlightenment. Take time during your run to stop and just be still. Be still. Listen. Take in the solitude. Let it hold you. Allow yourself to feel alone. Get to that special place where nothing else matters but the vibrancy of the life that flows through your veins and fills the canvas of your mind.

New Trailer for Western States 100 Documentary

2011-06-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

"Walking the Gobi," A Fascinating Portrait of a Land, Its People, and the Power of Human Determination

2011-05-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

Helen Thayer was 64 years-old when she and her husband Bill set out to walk 1,600 miles across the Mongolian Gobi Desert in the middle of summer. He was 74. They battled scorching 126-degree heat, ferocious sand storms, deadly scorpions, dehydration, and dangerous drug smugglers.

With no support team, sponsors, or radio contact, theirs is a story of pure adventure. Traversing the hostile Mongolia-China border, leading two charismatic camels named Tom and Jerry, the Thayers could not have imagine the magnitude of the beauty they would encounter on their epic journey.

Helen was no stranger to hostile natural environments. At the age of 50, she became the first woman to solo trek to the magnetic North Pole, pulling her own sled without resupply. Born in New Zealand, she has become a world-reknowned explorer and motivational speaker.

Twice she has kayaked 2,200 miles in the Amazon. She walked 4,000 miles along an ancient trade route in the Sahara. She has lived alogside and studied the Canadian wild wolves of the polar sea and has been named “One of the Great Explorers of the 20th Century” by National Geographic Society and NPR.

Despite her long list of accomplishments, there had always been one dream Helen never gave up on. When she was in grade school, her teacher fascinated her with stories of the Gobi. She imagined the rugged bueaty of the land and its people. Instantly, she knew she had to go there.

That she held on to that dream for so long speaks to her determination and indomitable spirit. Just a year before their scheduled trek, Helen was involved in a serious car accident. The doctors told her she might never walk again. But, this did not stop her. Still recovering from her injuries, she set out to realize her goal of crossing the desert on foot.

"Walking the Gobi" is an absorbing book. It works on a couple of different levels. On the one hand, it is a wonderful introduction to the cultures of the Gobi. In the fashion of all good travel writing, Helen's observations of the land and the people who inhabit it are insightful; they instill within the reader a deep sense of appreciation for the power of the natural elements.

She does not condescend or pretend to fully understand the ways of the desert or its nomadic peoples. Rather, she approaches her subject matter with a genuine sense of awe and interest. Her prose is clear and precise, but still infused with passion. Readers sense in her a great, wise old teacher.

The book also works as an example of human determination. Here is a woman who has defied preconcived limits of age and physical endurance. She also defied what is traditionally expected of her gender - border patrol authorities in Mongolia were frequently hesitant to deal with a woman and rape was a major concern if she was impriosned for crossing ilegally into China. But, Helen Thayer accomplished her lifelong dream and now we are givin a invaluable glimpse of a land and people we know little about.

Courage in the Face of Adversity: The Story of America's First Openly Gay High School Track Coach

2011-05-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

Eric Anderson knows the meaning of the word courage. In 1993, at the age of 25, he came out to his high school track team and the community of Huntington Beach High School in Orange County, California. In doing so, he became the first openly gay high school coach in America. His book, "Trailblazing," chronicles the often painful and devastating ordeals he faced in coming out. It's a remarkable story about courage in the face of adversity.

Coming out is a affirmative act of self-proclamation. It's a conscious step towards living life on one's own terms. When someone come's out of the closet, they are saying to a heteronormative and homophobic society, "I am here and I am not ashamed of who I am." Gay and lesbian men and women need to come out if they hope to achieve a higher level of personal and spiritual fulfillment. This is important to remember when reading Anderson's story.

Before he came out, he was plagued with headaches. The stress of keeping his secret hidden caused him severe migraines and ulcers. He worried constantly that friends and family members might perceive him as gay. Some straight people might not understand this. Social norms allow them to express their sexuality freely without fear of backlash. Gay people don't always have this luxury.

Sometimes coming out can mean being socially ostracized, getting fired from your job, being teased and made fun of, and in some cases, even killed. Imagine for a moment the pain and anguish of having to conceal something so innate and fundamental as your own sexuality - having to be constantly aware of who you look at, how you look at them, what you say, and the way you say it.

Anderson knew he would face backlash. But, he came out for a couple of reasons: first, he couldn't continue to live a lie, and second, he wanted to help closeted students not feel so alone.

It is touching that those who supported and stood by him most were his track team members. They accepted the news of his homosexuality as a non-issue, and thus, they had the most mature reaction out of anyone in the community. Even the parents of his students stood by him.

But, in the homophobic world of high school athletics, Anderson's happiness was short-lived. People keyed his car. Students tagged the word "faggot" on his team's bus. They harassed and bullied his straight team members for being on the "gay team." On one occasion they even assaulted and broke the jaw of a team member. All the while, the school administrators turned a blind eye to these injustices. It's telling that before allowing a new member to join his team, Anderson had to make sure to warn the prospective runner and his parents that daily harassment was almost inevitable.

"Trailblazing" is a thrilling and inspiring book and one of the best running books ever written, not least because it's more about courage than it is about running. Eric Anderson led his team to victory on the track, but their real victory was off the track. They proved that courage, friendship, intelligence, and humor can overcome hatred.

The Great Abs Competition

2011-05-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

I just finished a late night chat with Abdullah Elgabrowny, my best friend Aleia's brother. He was telling me about his fitness goals this year and he mentioned he wanted abs. I perked up at the mention of abs because for the past few weeks, I have been working on my core. I want a six pack very badly - I always have!

We came up with a plan: for the next few months he and I will work towards building defined abs, separately, and then on October 30th, we will compare pictures of our finished products. This will be a friendly competition to see who can get the most dramatic results. In October, we will post photos on this blog and on Facebook and have people vote on who has the best abs. People will vote in two categories: best abs and most dramatic change.

We mean this to be a motivational tool. A little competition can bring out the best in us. We start today, Friday, May 30, 2011. Let the workouts begin!

Goodbye Lubbock, Hello World!

2011-05-17T22:04:00.000-07:00

Three years ago, I was an entering first-year student at Texas Tech School of Law in Lubbock, Texas. I weighed over 300-lbs. I was introverted and unsure of myself.

Upon moving into my new apartment, I was disheartened to find that I was situated on the third floor of a run-down, smelly piece of property. The rent was only $260, all bills paid and fully-furnished, and let me tell you, you get what you pay for. When I walked in my efficiency studio, I was greeted with the smell of mothballs! I don't know who invented mothballs, but I for one would rather be infested with moths than have to endure such a foul stench!

Here I was 400 miles away from home, lonely and depressed. School hadn't even started and already my mind was plagued with doubts. Was moving a smart thing to do? Was law school meant for me? I must have spent that first week crying my eyes out! I called my friends back home nearly every day. "I made a big mistake," I lamented.

My time in Lubbock was tedious and difficult. Not that law school is difficult - the workload is actually not that bad. It's just that I didn't enjoy the material. I got no joy out of studying contract law or civil procedure.

I met some terrible people in Lubbock, too. If you've been to law school, you know that the classes are filled with liars, backstabbers, and the most heinous gossips you could ever encounter. I lost several would-be friends to their prejudices, racism, and spitefulness.

Fortunately, I also met some wonderful people who got me through the rough patches. Without them, I don't think I would have kept my sanity. In them, I found companionship. I found a confidant - someone who shared my interests in the arts and with whom I could share dreams and secrets.

Maybe law school really was a mistake. It's certainly possible that I will live to regret my decision to go. Now that I have finished my three years in Lubbock, I can't say for sure whether, if I could go back in time, I would do it again. A part of me wishes I had had the guts to drop out my first year. But, fear and pride kept me going.

But, in a way, I am glad I didn't quit. Because then I never would have met my friends. And I never would have discovered my love of running. I mentioned that when I moved to law school, I weighed about 300 lbs. Although I started losing weight the summer before I moved to Lubbock, I started running seriously while I was in Lubbock.

Every night after class, I would go for a run at the track around the Student Rec Center. As the stars twinkled in the night sky, I exorcised all that pain, confusion, and frustration. Before long, I was dropping weight and found myself signing up for my first marathon, and a week later, my first 50-mile ultramarathon.

Auguste Rodin wrote that "nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely." Law school taught me that there is no difficult situation that I can't endure. I will endure it. And in the process, I will pull out from it any and every benefit I can. I have learned to have a sense of humor in all situations, especially the worst of the worst. I have learned to smile and make the best of a shitty set of circumstances. I have learned to make do with the bad and be grateful for the good. I have learned to be wary of bad people and to treasure an honest friend. And I have learned that I am stronger than I think.

Updates on the Melissa Villapando Memorial Scholarship

2011-05-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

Just today I received an e-mail from the scholarship committee regarding the Melissa Villapando Memorial Scholarship, for which I raised over $1000 running Cactus Rose 100. Here is the letter I received:

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Dear Gerard,

I just wanted to thank you again for all your help in raising the money for my mother's scholarship. This scholarship means so much to me and my family and is the best way we know to keep my mother's memory alive in the catholic community. I do apologize for not providing information on the candidates who applied. There were only two and the names were Jose Castillas and Maria Fernandez. Both were very good candidates but the winner was obvious due to presentation of application, grades, and amount of service and involvement.

I have been in contact with St. Gerard since the scheduled ring mass. The ring mass was canceled and I was given another date to present the award. Then I was given another date for tomorrow, May 11 at 9:30 am. It would be great if you could make it but I do understand it is really short notice. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask.

Thank you again,

Kimberly Villapando

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Unfortunately, I cannot make the mass since I am stuck in Lubbock taking law school final exams. So I won't be able to meet the recipient. However, I asked Kimberly if she could tell the kids something for me. Here was my response to Kimberly's note:

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Kimberly,

I'm so glad you found some awesome student to receive the scholarship! It was my pleasure to give back to the community. Unfortunately, I cannot make it to the mass. I am in Lubbock right now taking law school finals. But, if you can, would you make an announcement for me? Please tell the kids to hold on to their dreams and to work hard towards their goals - whatever those goals may be. Tell them to dream big and to never give up on those dreams!

I ran 100 miles at Rocky Raccoon 100 on February 5. I am currently training for a 200 mile run in Yellowstone on October 15. Tell them that the sky is the limit and to never forget to give back to their community.

-Gerry

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So there it is. Thank you to those of you who donated to my run. You have helped one special student and their family! I asked Kimberly to update me on who receives the scholarship. I will post updates as I receive them.

A good reason to go vegan...

2011-04-25T22:42:00.000-07:00

Watch this. Do you think this is an isolated incident? If you feel compelled to look away or close your eyes, ask yourself this question: if it's not good enough for my eyes, why then is it good enough for my stomach?

Updates: "The Women of Badwater," final exams, DNF, and 200 mile runs

2011-04-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

Sorry I have not posted in a while. I knew this month would be difficult. Law school final exams are right around the corner. It is hard to blog on a regular basis during this time. But, I've got some exciting blog projects lined up. I am working on an article called "The Women of Badwater," covering the stories of such runners as Connie Dockendorf, Cheryl Zwarkowski, Jamie Donaldson, Mimi Anderson, and Catra Corbett. Should be fun!

In terms or racing, I just got back from Arkansas from the Ouachita Trail 50 Miler. I ended up with a DNF at mile 30-something. I ran out of time and missed the cutoff after being forced to walk due to a crappy knee (fell and banged my knee at mile 17). But, it was a beautiful course. This ended up being a lousy race, but an okay training run. Race report to come.

I am now training, with the help of Lisa Smith-Batchen, for a 200-mile run in October in Yellowstone. I am very excited about this project and will use the run to raise money for charity.

So, times may be tough, but the future holds a lot of promise. Keep strong, run your heart out, and stay healthy!

Gerard Martinez

Inspiring Weight Loss Story

2011-04-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

Here is a video that a Facebook friend directed me to. It is quite something. What is holding you back from your dreams?

If you would like to learn more about Ben and his 120 pound weight loss journey, visit his website by clicking here or going to bendoeslife.com.

Fun Ideas for Adopting a Vegan Lifestyle

2011-04-03T20:16:00.000-07:00

The options for living a vegan lifestyle are really quite limitless. Here is a compilation of videos to give you an idea of what you can do to live a 100% animal-friendly lifestyle.

In this video, Natalie Portman talks about vegan footwear and her store, Te Casan, which sells vegan shoes.

In this video, prominent vegan athlete Brendan Brazier talks about his decision to go vegan.

In this video, we get a recipe for vegan soap.

In this video, Ellen DeGeneres discusses her decision to become a vegan.

In this video, we take a little tour of Held, a vegan belt store in Portland.

Breaking Ground: An Interview with Humanitarian and Endurance Athlete Jason Lester

2011-03-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

This interview was originally published on Lisa Smith-Batchen's blog - www.lisasmithbatchen.blogspot.com. Click here to go to the original post.

Jason Lester, 37, is the 2009 ESPY Winner for Best Male Athlete with a Disability. At the age of twelve, he was in a car accident which left his right arm paralyzed. Since then, Jason has excelled in the realms of triathlon and biathlon, competing in Iron distance triathlons and Ultraman competitions around the globe. He is a firm believer in using his athletic abilities to raise money for worthy causes. His book, "Running on Faith: The Principles, Passion, and Pursuit of a Winning Life," has been hailed by The Christian Critic as "truly remarkable, proof of what dedication, heart, and a never-say-quit attitude can create.” I had the opportunity to interview Jason about his upcoming charity run in August, entitled H2OPE 2011: Badwater for Clean Water. The 306 mile course will start in Las Vegas, make its way to Badwater in Death Valley, and then wind up to the top of Mount Whitney. Jason will be the second person to ever run the course. Lisa Smith-Batchen made the grueling journey in 2008. All donations Jason receives will go towards building clean water wells and cisterns in rural areas and villages in the Philippines, China, Africa, and India. Jason lives and trains in Hawaii.

Jason, what got you into ultrarunning?

I did the whole Iron distance triathlon circuit a few years ago when I started doing long distance triathlons. Living in Kona, Hawaii, I kept thinking to myself, “There’s got to be something longer than the Iron distance,” and sure enough, right in my backyard was the Ultraman. I dove into that in 2008. I did the Ultraman Canada and then I did the Ultraman Hawaii, which is the World Championship race. I ended up doing about five of those. Then, I just started trying to step it up with stuff that was a little longer, a little more challenging mentally and physically. Last year in May, I did five Iron distance triathlons on five of the Hawaiian Islands in five days: the EPIC5. We are actually getting ready to do it again this May. I did the HURT 100K in January. I don’t call myself an ultrarunner. I call myself an ultra endurance athlete because, for me, it is all about the challenge as opposed to any set distance.

How did you do at the HURT 100K?

It was, mentally, one of the most challenging events that I’ve ever done. And this is coming from someone who has done several Ultramans and back-to-back Iron distance triathlons. With 20,000 feet of elevation gain and loss, it was absolutely grueling. I think 120 people toed the start line and something like 30 people finished. I had some knee problems in the beginning. I think it was just the ups and downs on the trail that did it. It had rained for like three days straight. The trails were really muddy, so I was just slipping and sliding all over the place. They even had ropes hanging off the side of the mountain so you could pull yourself up. It was like the world’s toughest trail hike. It wasn’t really a run. But, I wanted to see what it’s like to be on your feet for 24 hours, to get a feel for some of the pain I will be going through doing the Badwater course. It was a test run. Mental preparation. I definitely got a feel for what it is like to be out there all day and all night.

Were you athletic as a kid?

I grew up playing baseball and football, starting at five or six years old. I didn’t get into running until I was 15 years old. I had lost my father to a major heart attack. He was 39. I really freaked out. I remember thinking to myself, “That’s probably the route I am going to go down if I don’t change my lifestyle.” When I got into high school, I played baseball and football, and every time we got in trouble, our coach would make us run. But, I hated running so much. I just hated it. I hated being out there. Little did I know, I had a gift for it. In my sophomore year, my baseball coach told me, “You should probably go try out for cross country.” In my junior year, I tried out for the team and I carried it on into college. I ran my freshman year of college. I wasn’t the best runner. I wasn’t the fastest. But, I stuck with it. That’s when I found the sports of biathlon and triathlon. I shifted over from running into the tri world.

How old were you when your arm was paralyzed?

I was twelve years old. It was 1986, Halloween night. We had just finished trick-or-treating and a lady ran a red light. I suffered 21 broken bones, a collapsed lung, and my right arm was paralyzed. The very next year was when I lost my father. It was a very trying time in my life. Running was actually my savior. As a runner, you have a lot of time to think. A lot of time to be by yourself. Running afforded me time to try and solve this puzzle, this life puzzle.

Talk about what it was like being the ESPY Winner for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.

Every year, ESPN selects the top athletes in a given category. Then, it’s up to the fans to go online and vote for them. It’s sort of like the Grammy Awards or the Oscars for sports. When I saw my picture on the website, I kind of freaked out a little. What got me nominated was doing the Ultraman World Championship the year before. I couldn't believe I was nominated. Here I was, just doing something I had a passion for. I had no idea that the whole world was watching this accomplishment and had voted me in. It was such an honor to be selected and to get to go to Los Angeles and be among the top athletes. On top of that, to not only be nominated, but to win, was a very humbling experience.

The title of your book is “Running on Faith.” Faith and God obviously play a big role in your life and in your athletic endeavors. How does running play a role in your spiritual life?

I always say that I feel connected to God the most when I am running. A lot of people think that the title of my book means that it is a running book. It really isn’t. All my life, ever since I was a young child, my fuel, my desire, my energy has been my faith; it comes from my personal relationship with God. I have faith that I was put on this earth for a purpose. I have faith that when I get to the start line, I will make it to the finish line. We all have the opportunity to pull from whatever sources we want to pull from. A lot of times when I am out there running, I honestly don’t understand how the human body is able to accomplish what it does. But, it’s my faith that God is using me as a vessel when I am running to accomplish good things for good causes. That’s what gets me up every single morning, gets me out there to train for four or five hours a day: knowing that I have been called as an athlete to share the love that God has for us, knowing that I am doing this to help other people.

Do you profess a particular religion?

My belief is the Christian belief system. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. But, I try not to structure my life around organized religion. I am very open-minded to all beliefs and to all religions. I love everybody. Whether you are Mormon, Jewish, Buddhist, or whatever, I want to learn about you, I want to love you, I want to meet you to eye to eye; I want you to accept my belief system just as I accept your belief system. I honestly believe that we are all searching for the same thing. I believe that we are all trying to find peace and understanding of why things like Japan happen and where we go when we die, things like that. That is something we all have in common, regardless of the differences in belief systems.

You’ve stated before in interviews that you didn’t create your own testimony, that it was something that was given to you. What do you mean when you say you don’t create your own testimony?

I am a firm believer that we have complete control over our destiny. That is by choice. The choices we make in life. But, if you look back at my childhood and my teenage years, whether it’s losing my mom and dad or suffering through the accident, a lot of people look at that and say, “You got dealt a really hard deck.” But, I wouldn’t have it any other way. All that made me the man I am today. I didn’t create my testimony. It was something that God gave me, so that I could go back out into the world and give back to others. That is why we have a testimony: so that we can share with others what we’ve been through and how we’ve been able to persevere.

How did you come up with the idea of running 306 miles, from Las Vegas, through Death Valley, and on to Mount Whitney?

My coordinator for my Never Stop Foundation, Amanda, and I had been brainstorming for ideas for my next run. We decided I would do Badwater in July to raise awareness of the water crisis. Amanda reached out to Lisa [Smith-Batchen] as a crew leader. Lisa told her, “I know all about Jason; he is amazing.” I told Amanda to get us on the phone together so we could talk. Within the first five minutes of that conversation, you could just feel God’s presence. She said, “You know, a lot of people do Badwater. I don't want to take anything away from their accomplishment; I am going for my tenth Badwater. But, why don’t you do something that is amazing, something most people don't do. That’s who you are, Jason. Everything you do is epic. You don’t do what others do. You’re a leader. You’re not doing things for yourself. You have no ego attached to these things you do.” She was taking the words right out of my mouth. I don’t have any ego attached to anything that I do, whether it is writing books, finishing races, or making public appearances. My ego is totally detached from everything that I do. My goal is to give back. If I can do something amazing in order to bring awareness to a worthy cause, I will run a 1000 miles if I have to. I don’t care how far I have to go. That is when Lisa told me, “Let me tell you about something that I did, I am the only person in the world to have accomplished it.” That’s when she told me about the 306. She said, “If my ego were attached, I wouldn’t want you to do this because I am the only person to ever do it. Why would I want another athlete to do it? But I really believe in who you are and what your cause is. I really believe this will bring a lot more attention to your cause than just doing Badwater.” It was just clear as day for me. I didn’t even question it. I was set.

Lisa’s work with charity seems to fit very nicely with your own charity initiatives.

One of the great things about teaming up with Lisa is that her charitable commitment involves helping orphans by building schools and houses. This allows us to go back into the areas where she’s built these schools and bring clean water to those locations. It really excites me. We are doing this work for something she has already laid the groundwork for. All this effort is really for something Lisa has already started. I am helping Lisa, my fellow sister and athlete, on something she has already started. We are actually continuing her mission. We are finding more ways to help her help these kids. I am not doing this by myself. We’re a team and we’re going to do an amazing job together.

306 miles is a long way to go. How do you conceptualize the distance prior to starting a run? Do you think about stuff like that?

In my head, it’s never been about the distance. You can say, “You have to go out and run 100 miles,” and I wouldn’t look at it as 100 miles. I would look at it as Point A and Point B. As far as I am concerned, I have to get from Las Vegas to the top of Mount Whitney. It doesn’t matter if it is 306 miles or 806 miles. I never focus on the distance. I never go to the starting line and think to myself, “This is going to take me 12 hours or 24 hours.” I don’t do that in any event. I think that is one of my strengths, mentally.

How did you become involved with Operation Blessing International?

I did an interview for the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) for The 700 Club. They came out to the Ultraman I was competing in. I had already been thinking about doing Badwater for my next run. CBN is partners with Operation Blessing International. One of the guys with CBN was telling me all about what they do and the water wells they are drilling. It really spoke to my heart, how much we take for granted to be able to bathe and drink clean water. I remember looking down at my water bottle and thinking, “I am so blessed.” I immediately started thinking, “I’ve got to help these people who don’t have what I have.” Then, I got introduced to Operation Blessing International. We started developing that relationship.

How long have you been planning this project?

We’ve been working on this project since September of last year. It’s been a long road. And we still have a long way to go. We’re going to get getting a lot of attention for what we’re doing. We need to spread the word and educate people about these issues.

Tell me a little about the clean water crisis and why it is important that people be aware of the issues surrounding the lack of potable water in rural areas in places like India, Africa, China, and the Philippines.

When we started putting this project together, I had been invited to the Philippines to do an appearance for an organization. I was really excited about going over there. One of the things that kept coming up in our discussions before leaving was problems with their water systems. My heart is with the youth in these situations. I think it goes back to my childhood. I think to myself, “Here I am. All the struggles and challenges I went through are nothing compared to the challenges that these kids go through.” Anybody who looks at my life says, “Man, you really had it rough.” But, when I think about what is going on in the Philippines and other places, I realize these kids really have it rough. When I asked Operation Blessing International where they need the most attention, they told me they need help everywhere. The problem is that big.

Your goal is to raise $1 million. How will this money be used by Operation Blessing International?

All the money that goes to Operation Blessing International is used to bring clean water to these areas of the world. They build wells in these villages and the money goes directly to these places that need it most. If everyone does their part and gives just a little, we can all come together and build an $1,800 well for these people. That can take care of a whole village.

How are you training for the run?

I’ve been training whole life, since I was 15 years old. I just did an Ultraman in November. I built a running base doing HURT. I am up to about 30 hours a week training for EPIC5 that’s in May. I am not concerned about the distance that I have to cover. Not at all. What I am concerned about is the conditions, the weather I will be facing in Death Valley. We are going to go back to Hawaii and do some high altitude training there. We’re going to go out on the Badwater course at least a couple of times between now and August to do some training out in the heat. I’m going to crew for Lisa this year at her Badwater run. That’s going to give me a feel for the course as well. I picture myself very soon in the future on a treadmill with the heat cranked up.

Anything else specifically in terms of heat training?

I’ve been doing sauna training for years. I try to do 10 to 15 minutes to get my body ready for heat conditions. I grew up in Arizona, where running in 120 degree weather was norm. I am not saying I know exactly what it feels like running at Badwater, but I definitely know what it feels like running in an oven with the dry heat. I am sure Lisa is going to be able to give me more ideas on what I can do to get my body ready.

How has your family supported your athletic endeavors, particularly this upcoming run?

I never had a relationship with my mom. I got taken away from her when I was two years old. And I lost my dad at twelve. I don’t have any parents. I have a grandmother that lives back in Arizona. My cousins, aunts, and uncles have all been really supportive throughout my career. I don’t really invite anybody to my races. I am the kind of person that just likes to show up and get it done. I don’t need pom-poms and cheerleaders on the sidelines. I am an actions-speak-louder-than-words kind of guy. I really like to try and stay out of the limelight as much as possible. But, I do have a small-knit, close group of friends, my support system, and they are going to be at my run.

What do you think the most challenging aspect of this project will be?

Sleep deprivation. That will probably be the most challenging aspect of it. I am not too concerned about it, though. But, I do think it will be challenging. I will train to meet that challenge. It’s all about preparing and staying healthy. I have to stay healthy between now and August. Not just physically healthy, but spiritually and mentally healthy, too.

Do you have any doubts or fears?

Well, fear drives us all. Fear is good. Of course, there are question marks, but my heart is so set on this. I feel so honored and blessed that I have been chosen to do something like this. I really feel that Lisa and I are being called to do this, and when you are called to do a mission, there is no failure. There is absolutely no failure. There is nothing that can get in our way to stop us from accomplishing this. So, when you ask me if there is fear, I say, yes. Of course. Fear drives the mind. But, am I worried or concerned? No. Absolutely not. I feel very much at peace. I am happy. I am excited. I am smiling.

When you get to the finish at the top of Mount Whitney, how do you think your life is going to be changed? What will be different?

Nothing is going to change. The only thing that will change is that we will have accomplished what we set out to accomplish. But, that finish line is actually the starting line. Nike has a great motto: “there is no finish line in life.” I’m going to take finishing the 306 as a chance to start another 306 and then another 306. We have a lot of work to do. I am very passionate and my heart is filled with so much joy at the chance to help people. We aren’t just cutting a check to Operation Blessing International. We are actually going over to these countries and we are going to get hands-on experience at building some of these wells. We are actually going to build a well. That is what is going to be the pinnacle. The pinnacle is not going to be the top of Mount Whitney. The pinnacle is going be able to go over to Haiti, or to be able to go over to the Philippines and grab that shovel and break ground with those engineers and help them to drill wells. That’s where we actually get to see the money put to use. And even that will be just a start. We have an opportunity to build hundreds of wells.

Jason, thank you so much for talking with me today. Best of luck as you train for the run. I look forward to hearing about your epic journey as you fight for this worthy cause.

If you would like to learn more about Jason Lester or make a donation to his run, visit his website at www.jasonplester.com, or click here.

If you would like to purchase Jason's book, "Running on Faith," click here.

The H2OPE Project is managed by Jason's Never Stop Foundation. They are currently seeking sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring Project H2OPE, please visit www.neverstopfoundation.org or click here.

Bondage, Spankings, and Leather... Oh My!

2011-03-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I posted a blog entry on careers and finding passion in what you do for a living, and I reviewed a documentary by Nick Broomfield entitled "Fetishes." The movie was really kind of fascinating for a number of reasons, one being how passionate the dominatrixes were about their work. They took their job seriously and were very open and articulate about what they do for a living. I found that zeal to be quite admirable. Of particular interest was the owner, Mistress Raven, the famed New York dominatrix. I found an old article from 1998 about her online and have decided to post it here. The article is called "Who's Serving Whom? A Chat with Mistress Raven of Pandora's Box." In the piece, author Otto Luck interviews the Mistress about her line of work and asks her opinions on what S&M is and why it exists. For a link to the actual article, click here.

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I admit I was a bit apprehensive about visiting Mistress Raven, the proprietor of Pandora's Box, "New York City's most elite and upscale S&M dungeon." After all, my foremost memory of Raven was watching her pop a lit cigarette into some slave's mouth, in Nick Broomfield's documentary Fetishes, as if she were throwing the doggy a bone. Incredibly, she didn't bat an eye during the process -- nor did the human ashtray, for that matter, which was a pretty impressive feat, in and of itself, come to think of it.

Nevertheless, I found myself shouldering some pretty heavy baggage in my preconception of what Pandora's Box would be like. I had never been to a dungeon before and I envisioned people dangling from the ceilings via hooks through their flesh, a stray man or two crawling about clad in nothing but a dog collar, and an obligatory whip ready to work its wonders on yours truly, whether I liked it or not.

Needless to say, my stereotypes were quickly banished soon upon my arrival at Pandora's Box. Mistress Raven met me at the door. Elegant and courteous, showing surprising signs of matronly warmth, she led me, that is, showed me to her office where we chatted for the better part of an hour. One of the first things that strikes you about Raven is her piercing good looks, accented by a mane of long jet black hair, large breasts, and full lips well-painted with blood-red lipstick. Put simply, she was clearly born to be a dominatrix. We somehow got started on the subject of the English...

"They're the kinkiest people in the world," said Raven, "you know what goes on in the Parliament. Come on. It nearly collapsed a couple of years ago, with that whole Christine Keeler thing. I just saw something the other day, one of the ministers came out that he was gay, and that was on the heels of three other sex scandals. Forget Clinton, we're moderate compared to them. Over there, they have what they call public schools, which are in our parlance, private schools. They're very disciplinary. Nannies, governesses, spankings, rulers -- this is what they're raised on."

Mistress Raven emphasized her point by clapping her hands in a mock spanking. Apparently, she hadn't lost her touch, although, as owner of Pandora's, she had long ago ceased to actively engage in sessions. I asked her about the clientele. Were they all male?

"Ninety-nine percent male. The reason why..." She leaned forward and whispered, "Women don't have to pay for it. Men, on the other hand... "

Mistress Raven leaned back and continued, "Most of our clients, I'm sure you are aware, are upscale. Businessmen, doctors, lawyers, politicians, and entertainers. And many, many of them are married people who care for their partners but their partners don't want to get involved in their fetishes, so they go to a professional service."

She turned to gaze out of her 18th Street window. "Men aren't allowed to show emotion," she said as a few car horns blared below. "They keep being told they have to be the strong ones. They are the ones that are always in charge, who are running the businesses, who are running their families, who are paying the bills. And that pressure, that responsibility is foreboding. They need to lose that pressure, that control. And this is what the dominatrix does for them."

Generally speaking, I wondered, do the dominatrixes enjoy their work?

"Being dominant is a very hard job," Raven explained. "You're creating the scenario. You're writing the entire script. You're doing all the labor. You know, submissives, they have it easy. They're not so stupid. They're very smart. Who's doing all the work? The mistress is supposedly in charge. But she's doing the lighting, the music. She's doing all the physical tying up and whatever the punishment is. She's wearing the high heels and the corset, while he's sitting there nice and cozy and comfy and just responding. So who's really serving whom?"

"But he's gotta wear the rubber suit, right?" I interjected.

"Only if he's into rubber. Usually he's just wearing a little g-string and that's about it."

"Speaking of which," I said. "There's obviously a sexual element to all this. How does that work?"

"Most of the clients, believe it or not, are not interested in release. If they are, the dominatrix points them into some nice little corner somewhere and they relieve themselves."
I thought about this for a second and said, "I wanted to ask you more about the actual profession. I guess a good place to start would be --"

"Are you interested?"

"Me?"

Mistress Raven nodded. I yanked at my collar and mumbled something about not wanting to pollute my fantasies with reality, about being true to my wife and my psychotherapist, and then quickly forged ahead with a less subjective topic of conversation, the obligatory question: "How does a women become a dominatrix?"

"Most of the women I know --" here, Raven went back into a whisper -- "generally were introduced to it by men." She paused and resumed her natural voice. "Now, I can't say there wasn't some sort of hidden something going on already that perhaps attracted the men initially to them. In my particular case, it was my husband, and as it is with everything in my life, I became more and more intrigued by it."

Eventually, it was time for a tour of the facilities. Mistress Raven brought me upstairs and showed me the various rooms in which sessions take place, including the school room (aka Ravenswood University), the Versailles Room (a French Gothic looking sort of place), and the Role Play Room (which looked to be straight out of 42nd Street). My easy favorite was the Medical Room, complete with gleaming white tiles, mirrors, a bondage bed, and a white leather arm harness in which one could be suspended from the ceiling, should he so desire. Mistress Raven pointed to a slight blemish in the otherwise immaculate room, a small gash in the padding of the bondage table. "I tell them a million times to keep off the table with their high heels," she said with dismay. "But do they listen?"

I commiserated by shaking my head and then commented about what a clean establishment Pandora's was. "I hire a cleaning person," Mistress Raven responded. "You can't rely on slaves."

We headed to the elevator where she introduced me to Mistress Maxim (pronounced MAX-EEM), a beautiful brunette who showed me some nice snapshots of her inserting pins into a man's chest. (Judging by the photos, her mood brightened considerably as the process wore on.) The mistresses then accompanied me to the street where we said our good-byes. Mistress Maxim suggested that I "write something nice about us or we'll come after you." I think I've pretty much complied with her orders. After all, that's what you're supposed to do in these places, isn't it?

Vegan Whole Food Energy Bars

2011-03-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

When I'm on the go and I need a quick food source that is both delicious and healthy, it is sometimes helpful to turn to energy and whole food bars. I have tried a wide variety of the different bars available and have made a list of some of my favorites. Here they are, listed in no particular order:

1. Vega Whole Food Vibrancy Bars - The Vibrancy Bars come in three different flavors, Chocolate Decadence, Green Synergy, and Wholesome Original. I have not tried the Wholsome Original, but I have tried the other two. I like these bars very much. Made from all-natural, raw, organic, and enzymatically-active plant-based superfoods including sprouted buckwheat, sprouted almonds, white chia seeds and hemp seeds, the bars certainly pack a nutritional punch. Not only are they Vegan, but they also are gluten-free, alkaline-forming, and rich in Omega-3. They taste earthy, especially the Green Synergy Bar. It is a pleasantly mild taste, very natural and wholesome. My favorite, being a chocolate fan, is the Chocolate Decadence bar.

Click here to go to the company website.

2. Pure Bar Chocolate Brownie - This bar is delicious. It is a bit sweeter than some of the other whole food chocolate bars (much sweeter than Vega's Chocolate Decadence Vibrancy Bar, for instance), which is fine by me. The rich creaminess of the chocolate contrasts nicely with the crunch of the nuts. It is made with organic dates, organic walnuts, organic agave nectar, organic almonds, organic cashews, organic brown rice protein, organic cocoa.

Click here to go to the company website.

3. Pure Bar Apple Cinnamon - This is my favorite of the Pure Bar flavors. The taste is light and refreshing. I am a big fan of the apple-cinnamon combo. The two ingredients just naturally go well together. Here is a sweet and simple flavored bar, made from organic Dates, organic apples, organic agave nectar, organic walnuts, organic cashews, organic almonds, organic rice protein concentrate, organic cinnamon.

Click here to go to the company website.

4. Pure Bar Cranberry Orange - This bar is quite tangy and rich. It tastes like a tart desert - very good. The nuts in the bar give it a nice texture. The orange flavor is bright and clear! It is made from organic dates, organic cranberries (with organic apple juice concentrate and organic sunflower oil), organic walnuts, organic cashews, organic brown rice protein organic almonds, organic agave nectar, organic orange peel, organic orange oil.

Click here to go to the company website.

5. Goraw Spirulina Energy Bar - Now for a seriously weird looking bar. The Goraw Bar is green as can be and it's hard like brittle. It doesn't look appetizing, but it is actually quite tasty. The predominant flavor is banana, with a hint of coconut. It is sweet, but not very. I like it a lot. Goraw products are typically a little pricier than some of the other bars, but sometimes it might be worth it to splurge a little. This bar is made from sprouted organic sesame seeds, organic banana, organic coconut (unsulphured), organic date, and of course, organic spirulina.

Click here to go to the company website.

6. NuGo Organic Dark Chocolate Almond Bar - Here is where I go for my chocolate fix. The chocolate coating contrasts nicely with the crunchy soy and rice crisp center. It tastes kind of like a chocolate-covered Rice Krispie. The chocolate coating may be a little too on the sweet side, but for the most part, this bar is a decadent treat. The Mocha Chocolate flavor is also quite good. It has a strong dose of coffee flavor, if that's what you crave. This bar seems more like a vegan treat than a wholesome nutrition bar.

Click here to go to the company website.

7. 22 Days Enlightened Pumpkinseed Vegan Protein Bar - I like this bar very much for its smooth and nutty taste. The seeds in the bar provide a good source of protein.

Click here to go to the company website.

Tales from the Sandpit: Photos from the 2011 Bataan Memorial Death March

2011-03-28T17:25:00.000-07:00

When we got to The White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico at 4:30 am, the first thing we noticed was the wind. The intense blasts made our car sway. Andy was the first to mention it. I was half-asleep in the backseat. Partly delirious from the constant pain of an upset stomach (I accidentally ingested Teflon after cooking my food the night before in an old pot, the lining of which was rubbing off). Andy and his brother Patrick lamented over the fact that we would have to run in such conditions. This was their first ever marathon, and they were nervous. I assured them the winds would probably die down and then resumed nursing my aches.

The walk to the start line was long and treacherous as we fought the wind and huddled from the cold. Every year, the organizers of the Bataan Memorial Death March hold a simple and touching ceremony before the start of the run in which the colors are presented and an introductory speech is read aloud by the General on base. Then, they have the roll call, where they call out the names of the veterans who marched in the actual Death March in the Philippines in 1942. The old men loudly proclaim "HERE!" We are reminded of those hundreds of men who never made it, who aren't here to answer the call.

When the race commenced, I quickly made my way through the crowd to find a clear running path. There were over 6,000 marchers in this year's event - the largest showing ever. Eventually I found my pace and was able to converse with several runners along the way. I made friends with a woman (whose name escapes me) who did Badwater in 2008. We talked about ultrarunning and dream races. She told me about her life and how she got into running. Turns out, she has been running for over eleven years!

Eventually, we parted ways and I was on my own again. By mile eight, I was heading up the mountain that is on the course and battling what we eventually found out were 50 mph headwinds. This was not fun. The loose sand that covers parts of the course was difficult to trudge through. Thankfully, I came across another fellow ultrarunner. We talked about everything - her shoes (Hokas), ultras, school, work, family, etc. The Bataan Memorial Death March, although it is a marathon, feels more like an ultra - a very big ultra. The people are all very friendly and talkative. It doesn't feel as corporate as a lot of the big city marathons. I saw a lot of 100-miler shirts out there (Javelina Jundred, Oil Creek 100, and a few others).

The last few miles were difficult (mostly because of the sand and my stomach) but tolerable. I was glad to cross the finish line. I waited at the finish line to watch for Andy and his brother. When they came through, I gave them each a high five. They finished their first marathon! We went out to the lawn area and relaxed our legs for a bit and soaked in the beauty of the surrounding mountain range. Here are some pictures from the event:

My Abs Workout Program (Week 3, Days 1 and 2)

2011-03-23T22:57:00.000-07:00

This week is all about patience, as far as I can tell. Sometimes it feels as if I'm hardly making any progress at all. Some days I get very discouraged. But, I have to believe that I am following a good workout plan and that good things are soon to come.

Here is the first part of week three:

Description of exercises:

Reverse crunches: Lie on the floor on your back, head up and chin to chest. Legs up so thighs are perpendicular to body, calves parallel to floor. Picture a chair-sitting position, only on your back. Hands on sides or behind your head. Use lower abs to raise hips off floor toward rib cage, arching knees toward forehead. Then lower hips in controlled motion. When hips lightly touch floor, bring them back up again. Remember, keep constant tension in your abs. Repeat.

Crossovers: Lie on your back, knees up and both feet on the floor. Cross your left leg over the right leg. Rest your ankle just below the knee, making a triangle with your legs. Right hand goes behind your ear, elbow straight out. Rest head and elbow on floor. Place your left hand on your right side (over your abs). From this position, use your abs to raise and twist your right shoulder toward your opposite knee. Then, lower your torso back towards the floor. Repeat. Reverse the procedure for the opposite side.

Crunches: Knees up: Lie on back and raise legs so your thighs are perpendicular to your body, placing your calves and feet parallel to the floor and hands in position of choice. From this position, use your upper abs to raise your shoulders and back off the floor in a forward-curling motion. Then, lower your torso to the starting position, lightly touching your shoulder blades to the floor. Repeat.

Week 3
(Days 1 and 2)

1. Reverse crunches----10 reps----45 sec. rest
2. Crossovers-----20 reps----45 sec. rest
3. Crunches: Knees up----20 reps----45 sec. rest

My Trip to Big Bend (Video)

2011-03-20T23:28:00.000-07:00

Here is a video, shot and edited by the amazing Pete Cawthon, of our Big Bend adventure:

Trail Running at Big Bend National Park

2011-03-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

Over Spring Break, I camped out with my friends at Big Bend National Park. What a wonderful place it is! My friends Clarissa Fernandez, Pete Cawthon, his wife Ana, their little dog Nezza, and myself got to soak in the beauty of this expansive wilderness. I did a lot of training while I was there. There are some great trails, with steep hills and scenic overlooks. Pete, who is an amazing photographer, took the following photos. I will let the images speak for themselves:

2011 North Texas Spring Running Camp w/ Lisa Smith-Batchen

2011-03-19T19:24:00.000-07:00

North Texas Spring Running Camp Weekend: April 15-17 2011

When: Friday, April 15 at 12:00pm - April 17 at 3:00pm

Where: Collin County Adventure Camp

This camp is designed for beginner to advanced runners. Participants will be divided into groups based on ability during training sessions with the camp tailored and designed so that each runner can meet their personal needs and goals.

Taking place on the 427 acres of the Collin County Adventure Camp just 30 minutes from Plano, TX, the camp will be hosted by one of North America’s greatest women’s running and fitness instructors and coach, Lisa Smith-Batchen. She is also one of the most recognized ultra-marathoners and top endurance athletes in the world and for years has successfully facilitated running and training camps in the Teton Mountains and other locations around the world.

A “sampling” of Lisa Smith Batchen’s professional accomplishments includes:

• Two 1st place finished in the Badwater Ultra marathon (competed in 9)
• First and only American female to win Marathon des Sables Ultra marathon.
• 1st person to ever run from Las Vegas to Mt. Whitney (306 miles)
• Hawaiian Ironman Championships
• Created the Dreamchasers Foundation – Dreamchasers is dedicated to raising funds to help needy women and children around the world to survive and succeed.
• Created the Dreamchasers Outdoor Adventure Club - A personal trainer since 1982, the club now hosts multiple running camps, organized race events, fitness classes, training and coaching.
• “Running Hope Through America” – in 2010 completed a 2,500 mile run in two months raising over $700,000 so far for orphans.

Weekend Overview/What’s Included: $349 includes all food and lodging

• Bunkhouse lodging and all meals.
• Aid station-style support for all running sessions.
• Swag bag including a technical running shirt and other related goodies.
• 2 daily coach-led running sessions
• Gait analysis and Natural Running Form instruction by guest coach Patton Gleason.
• Injury prevention/biomechanics session with other technical experts.
• Nutritional and hydration counseling.
• Yoga and other core fitness sessions specific for runners.
• Night trail running session. Bring headlamps and a handheld flashlight!
• Training plan consultation.
• Loads of fun and camaraderie with other inspired running friends!

There will be a drawing on Sat. night for a pair of NEWTON trail shoes! $140.00 value.
The first 10 registrants get $25 off the camp and an extra entry for the drawing.

Registration/Questions Contact: Dave Carder 469-667-7025 davecarder@gmail.com

More good running songs to get you pumped

2011-03-17T14:07:00.001-07:00

My Abs Workout Program (Week 2)

2011-03-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

I have completed the first two weeks of my abs workout program. As I mentioned before, this initial phase is all about strengthening the abdominal wall and building a solid foundation for future abs workouts. Indeed, I do feel a difference. There is a pleasant soreness in my abs almost every morning. And I feel like my core is getting stronger.

Some notations on the program: during the first two weeks, I incorporated three exercises with the medicine ball. I have since discovered that those exercises are beyond my capabilities at this time. Thus, I have taken them out of the program. I will incorporate them back in when I feel ready for the challenge.

Here is week two:

Description of exercises:

Modified knee raises: Lie on the floor on your back, hands under your butt (palms down), elbows out (so small of your back is pressed against the floor), head up (chin to chest), shoulder blades off the floor. Bend your knees, resting your feet flat on the floor. From this modified position, use your lower abs to draw your knees to your chest. Then lower your legs until your heels lightly touch the floor. Repeat.

Crossovers: Lie on your back, knees up and both feet on the floor. Cross your left leg over the right leg. Rest your ankle just below the knee, making a triangle with your legs. Right hand goes behind your ear, elbow straight out. Rest head and elbow on floor. Place your left hand on your right side (over your abs). From this position, use your abs to raise and twist your right shoulder toward your opposite knee. Then, lower your torso back towards the floor. Repeat. Reverse the procedure for the opposite side.

Crunches: Knees up: Lie on back and raise legs so your thighs are perpendicular to your body, placing your calves and feet parallel to the floor and hands in position of choice. From this position, use your upper abs to raise your shoulders and back off the floor in a forward-curling motion. Then, lower your torso to the starting position, lightly touching your shoulder blades to the floor. Repeat.

Week 2
(Days 1 and 2)

1. Modified knee raises----15 reps----45 sec. rest
2. Crossovers-----15 reps----45 sec. rest
3. Crunches: Knees up----15 reps----45 sec. rest

(Days 3 and 4)

1. Modified knee raises----20 reps----45 sec. rest
2. Crossovers-----20 reps----45 sec. rest
3. Crunches: Knees up----20 reps----45 sec. rest

Medicine Ball Abs Workout

2011-03-09T20:36:00.000-08:00

My Abs Workout Program (Week 1)

2011-03-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I started my Abs Workout Routine. I developed this program after reading a couple of books on the subject of abs and core development and from speaking with Lisa Smith-Batchen, who has agreed to coach me towards a strong and well-developed six-pack.

As you probably already know, six-packs are built both in the gym and in the kitchen. That is, they are the result of both a smart, total workout routine and good nutrition. That said, I want to talk here solely about the routine.

Here is what I have devised: the program is about 18 weeks long. The weeks are broken up into levels. The first level, the one I am on right now, is all about building a foundation by developing a strong and muscularly balanced abdominal wall. This level is six weeks long. All you need to do is devote five minutes a day, four times a week. The exercises in this program emphasize quality over quantity, proper technique, and slow, controlled movements, keeping constant tension on your abs.

This base is essential for good posture, taking pressure off the lower back. Good posture will help the body function at a more efficient level.

I would post before photos of my stomach, but I am a little embarrassed. Maybe I will feel better about posting them - I do have photos - when I have some nicely sculpted abs to show in an after picture (if this program produces results). Here goes nothing!

Description of exercises:

Modified knee raises: Lie on the floor on your back, hands under your butt (palms down), elbows out (so small of your back is pressed against the floor), head up (chin to chest), shoulder blades off the floor. Bend your knees, resting your feet flat on the floor. From this modified position, use your lower abs to draw your knees to your chest. Then lower your legs until your heels lightly touch the floor. Repeat.

Crossovers: Lie on your back, knees up and both feet on the floor. Cross your left leg over the right leg. Rest your ankle just below the knee, making a triangle with your legs. Right hand goes behind your ear, elbow straight out. Rest head and elbow on floor. Place your left hand on your right side (over your abs). From this position, use your abs to raise and twist your right shoulder toward your opposite knee. Then, lower your torso back towards the floor. Repeat. Reverse the procedure for the opposite side.

Crunches: Knees up: Lie on back and raise legs so your thighs are perpendicular to your body, placing your calves and feet parallel to the floor and hands in position of choice. From this position, use your upper abs to raise your shoulders and back off the floor in a forward-curling motion. Then, lower your torso to the starting position, lightly touching your shoulder blades to the floor. Repeat.

Medicine ball arm swing: Stand up with your feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, looking straight forward. Hold the ball at hip level. Move the ball from side to side, hip to hip in a slow, controlled motion.

Medicine ball knee swing: Lie on the floor with the ball between your knees. Cross your right ankle over your left ankle and squeeze the ball between your knees so that it doesn't slip. Face up to the ceiling, arms out to your sides, and palms down on the ground. From this position, move the ball from side to side. Switch your left ankle over your right ankle and repeat.

Medicine ball sit up: Lie on your back, face up. Knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms over your head with the ball secure in your grip. Rest the ball on the floor. From this position, come up straight up into a sitting position, using your abs to lift your upper body. Keep your arms straight and the ball firm in your grasp as you do so. Roll back down with the ball one vertebrae at a time. Repeat.

Here is the first week of the program:

Week 1
(Days 1 and 2)

1. Modified knee raises----10 reps----60 sec. rest
2. Crossovers-----10 reps----60 sec. rest
3. Crunches: Knees up----10 reps----60 sec. rest
4. Medicine ball arm swing----3 x 1 min----60 sec. rest
5. Medicine ball knee swing----3 x 30 sec. for each side----60 sec. rest
6. Medicine ball sit up----5 reps----60 sec. rest

(Days 3 and 4)

1. Same exercises

Award Winning Documentary “My Run” Sprints to San Antonio and 500 Movie Theaters Nationwide on March 31, One Night Only!

2011-03-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

WHEN: March 31, 2011, ONE NIGHT ONLY!
WHERE: Check here or go to www.fathomevents.com to find where this movie is playing near you!

“MY RUN” is the award-winning inspirational documentary, narrated by Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton. About a real life Forrest Gump, Terry Hitchcock, a modern day super hero who ran 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days to bring awareness to the struggles faced by single parent families and their children. See what’s possible when physical endurance and the will of the human spirit unite in MY RUN.

Seats are limited, so purchase your tickets today at www.FathomEvents.com/MyRun and ensure that your group will be able to sit together on the event night.

*Following the feature, audiences will take a deeper look into the story through Q&A and interviews with the star Terry Hitchcock and his son, support team member Chris Hitchcock. A portion of proceeds from the MY RUN Premiere event will benefit the Livestrong Foundation.

“THIS INSPIRING DOCUMENTARY SHOWS US HOW POWERFUL THE HUMAN SPIRIT IS AND HOW AFTER IMMENSE STRUGGLE COMES AN EVEN GREATER ELATION.” -Deena Kastor-- Olympic Medalist and American Record Holder

“It’s truly a story and endurance and faith” -The Dove Foundation

The Pilgrimage: A Vision of the Father on the Path of Faith

2011-03-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

When Jarom Thurston looked up, he saw someone ahead of him on the trail. A tall, thin, white man whose bald head glistened in the afternoon sun. The man was running, fading into the distance with every passing second. Immediately, Jarom thought of his father. For just a moment, Jarom couldn't be sure that it really wasn't his father. He had the same assertive stride, a burst of energy that came from a deep well of resolve. A strong and indefatigable family man, athlete, and pharmacist from Payson, Utah, Gary Thurston had always been a hero to his son.

Jarom closed his eyes. He was in the family living room, just a child playing with his toys on the carpet floor. His dad was sitting on the couch, slipping on his running shoes. The beat up pair of old Nike flats were treated almost reverentially. Jarom watched with fascination as his dad tied the laces. Can I come with you, he wanted to ask. What adventures did Gary Thurston have when he went out the front door? Sometimes Jarom would scramble to the window to catch a glimpse of his dad rounding the corner of the street and out of sight, his legs pumping rhythmically like poetry.

When Jarom reopened his eyes, he was back on the trail. The man that looked so much like his father was gone. He squinted into the horizon, which went on forever, but could see no sign of another human being. Jarom rubbed his eyes. His thoughts were getting fuzzy. The world drifted in and out of focus. An undulating pain that echoed through his body brought him back to and made him acutely aware of his surroundings. The heat of the afternoon sun was slowly pounding him into submission. Rivulets of stinging sweat cascaded down his forehead and into his eyes.

And even though Jarom knew that the old man he had just seen on the trail probably was an apparition, a trick of the mind brought on by the heat or by getting caught up in the surreal beauty of the countryside - such things happened out here in the expansive seclusion of southeastern Brazil - even though he knew that the real Gary Thurston was thousands of miles away, Jarom couldn't help but wish that his dad was in fact nearby, maybe waiting just around those trees up ahead, where he could ask him, Can I come with you?

"How you doing, man," came Tony's voice. Jarom turned around. His friends Tony Portera and Chris Roman were just a few feet behind him. They were both walking with a limp. Chris had his head down and was concentrating on the trail, which was covered with large rocks. The trail was actually a stretch of old railroad tracks and the rocks underfoot were dangerous enough to invite a twisted ankle if one didn't watch their step.

"I'm okay," came Jarom's reply. His voice sounded foreign even to himself.

"You're swerving," said Tony.

"Huh?"

"You're swerving off the trail."

"Oh. Just a little tired I guess."

"Well, watch your feet," warned Tony.

In the past seven days, Jarom and his friends had slept just a few hours total. They had since traveled a distance of over 300 miles through one of the most breathtaking landscapes in all of Brazil. They crossed mountains and passed through woods of eucalyptus, fields of banana trees, sugarcane, corn, and coffee beans, making their way from city to city to get to to get to Aparecida. The route they were on was the Caminho da Fé, or the Path of Faith. It was created in 2003 as a pilgrimage route to the Nossa Senhora Aparecida Basilica, a magnificent sacred temple.

Accounts of the history of Our Lady of Aparecida date back to the year 1717, when three fishermen set out near the Port of Itaguaçu to catch fish for their village. After hours of scouring the river for a catch, the men came up with nothing. Eventually, they turned their eyes to the heavens and offered up their prayers to God. When they cast their net again, they pulled up a dark brown statute sculpted from clay. It appeared to have been underwater for years. The three-foot tall statute presented an image of the black version of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. After the men hauled the clay figure aboard their vessel, they cast their nets once more into the river. The weight of their catch that day was so great that they returned to port overloaded, in danger of their craft sinking. This is the first miracle attributed to the Virgin. The image is now housed in the Basilica, one of the largest churches in the world.

Every year millions of people make their way to Aparecida to catch a glimpse of the holy image of the Virgin Mary. For many, the journey is as significant as the destination. Each person makes the trip for his own personal reason: to pray for a dying loved one, to be cured of a terrible illness, to offer thanks for the many blessings of life. Each person's journey is special. For those who travel the Caminho da Fé, every step is a sacrifice, a little holy act of endurance offered up to the ultimate goal of the pilgrimage. Some might not even realize the goal until they finally arrive at it. The journey is one of discovery.

It had only been a few hours since Jarom and his friends left the posada in Campos do Jordão. Their legs were still stiff from the rest. Starting back up again had been a struggle, but it was nice to have gotten a few hours of sleep and some good food down. The taste of hot Brazilian pizza still lingered on Jarom's palette. If he closed his eyes, he could almost taste the thin, crispy crust, the creamy, thick melted cheese topped with salty olives, slices of fresh ham, and other lovely toppings. The proprietor of the posada had introduced all three of them to a drink called cachaça (pronounced "ka-SHA-sa"), a hearty liquor made from fermented sugarcane. Cachaça was becoming all the rage in Brazilian bars and eateries. It formed the base of caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil. Mixed with lime wedges, sugar, and ice, the drink was a samba that danced on the tongue.

But now the samba was over and silence took its place. An oppressive silence, weighed down by the humidity of a slow-roast Brazilian summer. Even though Jarom loved this country, loved everything about it - the culture, the food, the language, the people, the natural beauty of the landscape - he couldn't be drawn out of his trance. All he could do was count the planks of the tracks underfoot. One, two, three. They went by with each agonizing footfall. 84, 85, 86... Soon, he lost count.

He found himself thinking back over the past seven days. The flight to Brazil. Meeting with Tony and Chris at the airport in São Paulo. The rain. The mountains. Blisters and falls. The Hill of the Broken Leg. Jarom had been ready to call it quits. But, Tony insisted he push on. "We came here together. We're going to finish together," he said.

Jarom felt like he did during his very first race. Ten years ago, he was running the Hobble Creek Half Marathon. Having never run more than three miles in his life, Jarom entered the race to be like his dad. Ever since he could remember, his father had been a runner, competing in marathons and triathlons. There was a mixture of awe and respect in his heart when he saw his dad lacing up his shoes to head out for a run. How Jarom wanted so badly to join him, to have the cool air rushing against his skin, filling his lungs as he raced side by side with his father. For the first six miles of Hobble Creek, all Jarom could see was the back of his father's head, just a hundred yards up. Pride welled up inside. He wanted desperately to catch up to show him how far he'd made it, to tell him he was still in it, still running. Always, always running. Never mind the pain in his legs or the light-headed feeling that swept over him like a blanket in the wind. Jarom felt alive. He was his own man. And he felt closer to his dad than ever before.

By the time Jarom, Tony, and Chris got to the street that leads to Aparecida, it started to rain. In a matter of minutes, the winds gathered enough strength to blow them off course. The roar of the water pouring down in sheets was deafening. Cars were pulling off to the side of the road to wait out the storm. Jarom and his friends looked around for shelter, anything to shield them from the force of the downpour, but none was to be found. In other circumstances, the storm might have been welcome, beautiful even. Instead, it made the weary travelers shiver with cold as they struggled against nature. In a sense, this was the essence of Brazil, the very heart of that old and mystical land, delicate as a flower, lovely as the promise of new life, cruel as the inevitability of death.

"We might as well keep going," Tony yelled.

With just two kilometers to go, they made their way to the church. A profound quiet filled the air, even deeper than the silence on the tracks. Each man was lost in his thoughts. With every footstep, they drew closer and closer to the end of their journey. Jarom looked around. The sun had set and the streets were like black glass after the rain. There were no cars out. No people cheering them to the finish. The world was motionless. Jarom could hear his breathing in the still air. Their footsteps clapped and echoed throughout the city. For all they knew, the world did not exist. The only thing that was real was the certainty of their pace, that relentless march to get to the end.

"We're here," said Tony.

They walked through the parking lot of the church. Designed in the form of a Greek cross, the massive architecture lay sprawled before them, a mecca of the soul. The dome of the building towered over them as they approached. The large blue and gold clock adorning the steeple read 8:30 pm. The place was empty. Our Lady of Aparecida, that small statute that symbolized for so many the end of a life-changing odyssey, waited inside on a gilded throne. Jarom looked at his friends, wanting to say something, anything, but couldn't find the words to convey what he was feeling. After a full seven days and fourteen hours of constant forward motion, the men had made it. Three hundred and forty miles. They were pilgrims. And their pilgrimage was now complete. Jarom turned and walked back towards the truck, ready to go home, eager to rest his tired legs, anxious to call his dad and tell him that he made it.

In the picture above, from left to right: Chris Roman, Tony Portera, and Jarom Thurston.

Click here to read Jarom's interview.

Running the Caminho da Fé: An Interview with Jarom Thurston

2011-03-06T02:06:00.000-08:00

On January 18, 2011, Jarom Thurston, Chris Roman, and Tony Portera embarked on a journey to run the entire length of the Caminho da Fé in the heart of Brazil. The Path of Faith is used as a pilgrimage route to the city of Aparecida, where the National Basilica houses the holy figure of Our Lady of Aparecida. The group of friends finished the 340 mile journey in 7 days and 14 hours.

How long have you been running?

Ten years.

What got you into it?

I grew up as a swimmer; me and my brother and two sisters, that’s all we did growing up. We swam. I’ve always liked the individual sport, where you’re just worried about your own performance, your own workout and training. Not depending on others, like you do in team sports to win a game. I hated running, though. I did like soccer. I remember trying out for soccer. We had to run laps. I didn’t like it that much. But, I’ve always looked up to my dad. He’s always been into running and triathlons for as long as I can remember. I really started getting into running when I was twenty-six years old. I ran my first marathon. My younger brother decided to see if he could run a marathon with my dad. My dad had run several when we were little. For whatever reason, my brother wanted to see if he could do it. I thought he was crazy. He trained for a year and ran the St. George Marathon. I thought, If my little brother can do it, I wonder if I can 26.2 miles. That’s how it started. I just wanted to do a marathon like my little brother and my dad did. I remember trying to get into shape and running a mile or two. It was hard. I could barely do it. At that time, I was over 220 pounds. I wasn’t fat, but I was heavier than I am now. I would try to run two or three miles at least a couple times a week. It took a good five months to get to the point where I actually enjoyed running. That year, when my little brother was getting close to running his first marathon, he signed up to do a half marathon as a training run with my dad. At the last minute, there was a change of plans and he had to travel somewhere with some friends. A few days before the race, he told me as a joke, “I already signed up for this race. Just take my number and go run it with dad.” I’m thinking, Yeah right – a half marathon! I can’t even run three miles. But, I thought about it for a while and I decided to go for it. I thought, Maybe I’ll just walk the whole thing. I ran the Hobble Creek Half Marathon in Springville with my dad.

How did it go?

The first mile or so went by pretty easy. Then, by the third mile, I thought, I better slow down and walk or I’m going to kill myself. But, nobody else was walking. I didn’t want to be the first one to start walking! So, I just kept running, hoping other people would start walking and then I could just join them. I got to mile six and I could still see my dad about a hundred yards ahead of me. I thought, I’ll run up to him and let him know I’ve made it this far. When I caught up to him at the water stop, he was surprised to see me. My legs hurt so badly at that point, but I thought, If I walk, they are still going to hurt, so I might as well run and get this thing over with. So, I kept running with my dad and finished the whole thing in about two hours. All I really remember is crossing the finish line and wanting to die. I got tunnel vision; I had this head rush, a light-headed feeling, and I couldn’t see for about three minutes. That scared me. I laid down and waited for all my senses to come back. After that, I was sore like I’d never been in my whole life. I couldn’t walk for almost a month. But, I promised myself that if my legs got better and if I could start running again, I was going to continue training and eventually do the marathon. And that’s what I did. I trained for a year, incorporating more mileage into my training. Finally, I ran the St. George Marathon in 4:07. I saw for the first time what the marathon really was. I knew my dad had done them when I was little, but it never really meant that much to me until I did it myself. It was grueling. After St. George, I swore that I was done. I told myself, never again. But, a few weeks went by and I forgot about all the pain and misery; I found myself signed up for the marathon again, with a goal of shaving seven minutes off my time to break the four hour mark.

Tell me about your first ultra.

When I went back for my second marathon, I finished five seconds slower than the year before. That drove me crazy! But, I refused to quit. I went back again the next year and ran a 3:42. By then, I realized I was really addicted to running. I enjoyed it. I knew I wasn’t the best. I knew I wasn’t going to win any races, but I just fell in love with the sport. I worked with my younger sister for the fire department, and I met an ultrarunner, Mike Sanderson. He had done Badwater. When he heard I ran marathons, he told me, “Why don’t you come run the Squaw Peak 50 Miler?” It’s know to be the third hardest 50 miler in the country. But, I just told myself: “It’s only two marathons. I can do that!” All my training up to that point had been on road. I had never once set foot on trails. By mile seven of the race, I just wanted to die. I was sweating like crazy; my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. And I wasn’t even running. I was hiking! I thought to myself, What is going on here? I’ve still got forty-something miles left and I don’t think I can even go a mile farther. But, I shrugged it off and eventually got to a downhill and felt better. By the time I hit mile 20, I realized I had not urinated yet. All day long, I was seeing everyone else jumping off the trail now and then to go into the bushes, and here I hadn’t gone once. My pacer got a little concerned. He asked me if I was drinking enough and I told him I was drinking all I could. He asked if I hydro-loaded the day before. I told him I hadn’t. Right before I hit the 25 mile mark, I finally felt like I had to pee. When I tried, it was red. Literally, I was urinating blood! It scared me to death. I thought, Well, maybe I’m bleeding internally. But, aside from being dehydrated, I felt okay. At the next aid station, there was a nurse volunteer. I asked her what was going on. She told me that I was so dehydrated that my bladder was empty and that the walls of my bladder were rubbing together to the point that they were bleeding. They made me sit there for half an hour to drink water. Eventually I got up and set out for the next aid station, carrying as much water as I could with me. By mile 33, I still had not urinated. That was a tough call. At the Squaw Peak 50, the aid station at mile 33 is really a critical point. It is about a 9 mile stretch between it and the next aid station. It’s also the hottest part of the afternoon and it has the highest, hardest climb at 9,300 feet. Most people get dehydrated in this stretch. The people at the aid station did not want to let me go. So I was forced to withdraw from the race. When I got to the finish line, I was really bummed. But, I knew I had probably done the safest thing. That was my first experience at an ultramarathon – a DNF at mile 33 and urinating blood.

It’s interesting that that was your first experience with ultras because, where something like that would happen and most people would never think to try something like it again, that was really your launching pad. What is it that pushes you to put your body through those kinds of experiences?

I get asked that a lot. I really don’t know the answer. I know it can be done. I know the mind and the body are powerful and I’ve seen others do it. That’s kind of what motivates me: seeing someone else I know who has done something. I get to thinking, Why can’t I do that, too? I’ve never been a quitter. Even when I fail at something, I keep trying. After that first attempt at the Squaw Peak 50, I went and trained for a year, came back, and finished it.

How many times have you run the Brazil 135?

This year was my fourth time running the race – 2008, 2009, 2010, and this year.

What is it about Brazil that holds your fascination?

I lived in Brazil a number of years ago as a missionary. I fell in love with the culture, the people, and the language. I’ve always felt a connection with the country. A few years ago, Mario Lacerda, director of the Brazil 135, put me in contact with a Brazilian woman who was going to run Badwater - a 51 year-old cancer survivor named Monica Otero. Monica needed another person on her support crew. Before the race, I got to fly to Brazil to meet Monica to discuss the plans for Badwater. The year she ran it was the same year [Valmir] Nunes broke the Scott Jurek’s course record, and Nunes’ record still stands to this day. That was a cool experience, to be able to be there for that. It got me thinking, I wonder if I can do this race?

What was your first 100 miler experience?

Well, my first two attempts at the 100 miler, I DNF’d. Then, I did a training run out on the old Pony Express route in Utah. A group of people go every year and they get some friends to crew for them. It’s kind of becoming a race now, but years ago it was just a few people doing it. I thought, If I’m going to try a 100 miles, I’d rather do it in this kind of circumstance where it’s not a real race and there’s not a whole lot of pressure. I ran 93 miles in 21 hours and then I just stopped. I sat down on a rock and said, “I can’t go on anymore.” Later that day, I found out my liver was starting to fail, so it’s a good thing I stopped. Six months later, I tried the same course and I got to 72 miles. I got so sick. I was throwing up. My nutrition was just completely off. I walked for six hours that night and I never got better. So I DNF’d again. My next attempt at a 100 was the Brazil 135 in January of 2008.

You’re kidding me.

(Laughs). No joke. I had been friends with Mario [Lacerda] since Badwater with Monica. He accepted me into the race even though he knew I hadn’t finished a 100 miler yet. I had a lot of friends telling me, “You’re crazy! You’re going to attempt 135 miles in a foreign country and you haven’t even finished 100 miles?” I just told them, “Yeah.” I didn’t even take a support crew with me. I ran it solo. Mario set up the course on the Caminho da Fé. There are enough little towns – approximately every 12 or 13 miles – along the way so that you can restock your backpack if you speak the language and have some money. I felt comfortable doing that. And the reason I felt okay doing it was that I changed my whole mindset about racing. I thought of the run as an expedition, a journey, rather than as a race. I just wanted to finish it. I took my camera; I took videos and pictures. And I suffered a lot. It rained a lot. My feet were really bad. I got like 45 minutes of sleep. In the end, I ended up finishing in about 45 hours, placing seventh overall out of 41 that started that year. I had such a great experience that I’ve been back every year. Mario has kind of dubbed me as the U.S. Ambassador for the Brazil 135 race. Now I help other Americans and other foreigners outside of Brazil who want to get information on getting accepted into the race, getting hotel accommodations or translators.

How many Americans went this year?

We had more last year than there were this year. We had about 9 or 10 Americans last year, including Brian Krogmann, Tom Sperduto, and Brian Recore. This year, we had Cheryl Zwarkowski, Marty, Razy Sanchez, Tony Portera, Chris Roman, Lynne Hewett and myself. Lynne was set to support Tony, Chris, and I for the first three days and then run the whole 135 with us, and then support us the last two days of our Caminho da Fé journey.

How did Lynne do in her race? I crewed with her at Badwater and she is a hell of a runner.

Yeah, she’s awesome. Lynne got a little past 50 miles and then she had to drop out. Her knee went out after the first two or three hours of the race. She had a really hard time on the downhills. She was limping, gutting it out, but decided to drop before she caused too much damage. After dropping, she continued to crew for us. She was incredible.

Now, explain the project you embarked on with Tony and Chris. What was your goal?

It was Tony Portera’s idea. I ran the Brazil 135 with him last year along with Ken Posner. Tony enjoyed the whole thing so much that he decided he wanted to go back to Brazil and run the entire Path of Faith. The Brazil 135 runs along this pilgrimage path that Brazilians have developed over the past eight or nine years. There are different starting points, but they all meet up in one town called Águas da Prata and then its becomes a single trail system leading all the way to Aparecida church in São Paulo. Tony decided he wanted to do the longest possible course of the whole Path of Faith, which is 530 km. The Brazil 135 takes place almost in the middle of the whole Path of Faith, but it is the hardest 217 km of the 530. That’s where the biggest mountain climbs are. Eventually, we coordinated with Mario to do the project during the week of the Brazil 135, starting a few days before the official race, planning how far we would go each day, and making our way to São João da Boa Vista, which is where the race starts. We would then start the race with everybody else who was running it, finish the Brazil 135 in the 60 hour cutoff, like everyone else, and then continue for another two or three days to Aparecida. So, Tony got me involved. We got a tour guide who spoke the language and made a lot of contacts. We then got Chris involved, who was a good friend. Charlie Engle was going to run the whole thing with us, too, but he couldn’t come.

How long have you three been friends?

I met Tony a few months before last year’s Brazil 135. He e-mailed me, saying that he wanted to run the race and asking for more information. Prior to running with him in Brazil, we had only communicated via e-mail. It was kind of the same thing with Chris Roman. I had heard of him. I knew he ran the Erie Canal 363 Mile Run. We e-mailed back and forth, but the first time I met him was in São Paulo, the day before we started. Tony has known Lynne for a while; he’s run several races with her. He brought her along for support.

How did you train for the run?

(Laughs). Honestly – and I told this to Tony and Chris – I didn’t really train for this any differently than I do for a 100 mile race or a 135 mile race. You just get in a lot of mileage and then taper off. When you get to the start of a multi-day event, you have to know that the first few days are going to be about getting yourself into shape for the second half of however many miles you have left.

How was the weather?

Hot! The first three days were tough for me because I got behind in hydration. The first day I got sick and vomited after just six hours of running because it was just so hot. Summertime in that region of Brazil means a lot of rain. There had been a lot of flooding going on in different parts of Brazil. And when it wasn’t raining, it was hot.

How did the heat affect the field?

It caught a lot of people off guard. There’s a guy who has won the Brazil 135 twice. I think both years he’s won were cooler, rainy years. This year, he took third place, and he had bad stomach issues twice during the race and almost had to drop out. Ray Sanchez also had a tough time with the heat. On the mountains, it just gets so humid. You are always wet. You never have a chance to dry off. When the sun comes out and the clouds dissipate, you feel like you’re baking. Some days, it was in the high 90’s with high humidity. There were times when I felt like I was running across Death Valley, it was so hot. We couldn’t wait for the sun to go down. My bottom lip got sunburned really bad. Some of the blisters still haven’t healed. The backs of legs got fried. Tony and I got a lot of water blisters on the backs of our calves.

What is a water blister?

Your legs look like they are wet, like drops of water are running down them. And then you go to wipe it off and you realize it’s just a really thin layer of skin. It’s got a puss in it that’s really clear. You can just touch it and it will burst. Then the skin dries and peels off.

How did you handle the heat?

We got our driver to get ice whenever he could and put it in the cooler, keep all the drinks cold. We used ice handkerchiefs around our necks and in our hats.

Aside from the heat sickness, did everything go as planned? Did you hit your daily mileage goals?

Yes. The first day we ran 90 km. The second day we ran 75 km. The third day, we only did about a marathon, but that’s when we hit the mountains. It rained the entire third day. We ran the mountain in the mud. We made it a shorter day because we wanted to get to the start city of the pre-race meeting and have enough time to rest. Each night, we stayed in a little posada like the other pilgrims who run the Path of Faith. What most people do is they plan for 15 or 20 days to complete the whole 530 km course to Aparecida. Tony wanted to do it in 8 or 9 days. We ended up finishing the whole thing in 7 days and 14 hours, a little ahead of schedule.

What was the lowest you ever felt during this journey?

By day three, I was so out of it. Mentally and physically, I felt that there was no way I could finish the 135 miles, let alone the two or three days after that. It just hit me so hard. I sat down with the guys and Lynne at dinner the night before the Brazil 135. I wanted to find an excuse to stop but not give up on the team. I knew it was Tony’s dream to do this thing, and I wanted to be there for him, but I really didn’t think I was going to be able to finish. So, I said “What if I just drop out now and help our driver and crew?” Tony and Chris said, “It’s your decision, but we came here to do this together and we want to do anything to help get you there. We know you’re having a hard time because you got behind on your nutrition and hydration.” I had lost about 12 or 13 pounds since the start of the journey. I could feel it.

What motivated you to keep going?

Tony said, “Eat and drink all you can tonight; get all the sleep you can get. Let’s show up to the starting line tomorrow and we can just decide what we’re going to do.” He talked me into making it to the starting line and just going as far as I could. I said, “Okay.” Well, I don’t know what happened, but I think I ate all ten pounds that I lost in one evening! I ate rice and beans and potatoes. I got up in the morning and I felt so fresh. I felt great. I was resurrected. I felt better than Tony and Chris!

What things did you eat during the run?

We ate rice, beans, steak, and spaghetti. I ate a lot of Brazilian pizza.

What is Brazilian pizza?

Usually, it comes with ham and green olives, which are really salty. It’s made with a kind of cream cheese, a really moist, warm cheese.

It sounds wonderful.

Oh! It was so good! We all fell in love with it. We ate it with hard-boiled eggs. We also had these little sandwiches made of cheese, ham, and tomato. They would warm them up for us at the posada. We ate fruit, too.

Were you keeping track of your caloric intake?

No, not really. We just kind of went by how we felt. We tried to help each other. For example, I would know if Tony hadn’t eaten enough if we had a whole pizza and Chris and I ate half of it and Tony only had one piece. We would tell him, “You got to eat something.” Lynne was really good about keeping track of who ate what. She was always on top of it. She and Glauber would have all kinds of food options ready for us at the truck.

Lynne is so great at planning ahead for things to come. I know she is also a great medical expert to have on a crew. Talk about how important it was to have someone there with you guys who was familiar with the medical aspects of distance running.

It was so important. Lynne was such a tremendous part of this project. Chris Roman is a doctor, too. Anyone in the medical field is absolutely instrumental in these kinds of runs. If something goes wrong, whether it’s your feet or your stomach, you need to have someone to go to for answers. Lynne had all kinds of medication and equipment. Maybe half the time they were feeding me a bunch of bull so that I wouldn’t worry, telling me that I was fine when I really wasn’t. I don’t know. But, it was just nice to know that if they weren’t worried then I didn’t have to worry.

Did you ever have to stop for first aid?

Yes. Lynne bandaged up my feet several times. At one point, the second night into the Brazil 135, which was day five of our entire journey, I got a really bad blister on the ball of my foot. It developed within just half a mile. It brought me to a halt. I told Chris and Tony, “Something is wrong. My foot hurts really bad.” We stopped and I sat on the back of the truck. Lynne got her flashlight out and just started jabbing at it, poking at it, trying to puncture it somehow. It hurt. She had me biting down on stuff. She called me a “big boy.” (Laughs). That’s about all I remember from that episode. But, whatever she did, it relieved the pressure, and by the time she bandaged me up and got my socks and shoes back on, I was able to run again.

One of the purposes for this run was to raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Tell me a bit about the Foundation and what got you interested in running for that particular cause.

The CAF raises money for challenged athletes, athletes that have a hard time competing in any sport because they use prosthetic limbs; they are missing a leg or an arm. I wasn’t really that involved in it. Tony is really involved in it. Chris is on the board for the CAF branch in Florida. They are the ones that brought that aspect into the whole scheme of this expedition. We set up a page for donations and we set our goal at $40,000. I haven’t looked at it recently, but before we started the run, we had raised over $25,000. We are hoping to still promote that, now that we’ve done our part, other people can do theirs by making a donation to the cause.

How did it feel to finish the Brazil 135 leg?

Well, we finished in about 55 hours and 24 minutes. By the end of the second night, we knew we were going to make 60 hours. We wanted to finish officially, get our medal, and continue on to Aparecida. We finished in the afternoon. By the time we got to the finish line, most of the other runners were gone. There weren’t a whole lot of people behind us. Everyone knew what we looked like when we went to the pre-race meeting. We had already been running for two days and we looked like death. And we still had the Brazil 135 to run! It was so emotional when we got to the finish line. When Mario stood in front of us all and handed us our medals, I just broke down. I said, “Mario, this is my fourth Brazil 135, and it has been the hardest one to finish because I was ready to give up after day three, right before I started.”

What did you do when you finished?

I took a two hour nap. Then, we had to go to the post-race party and awards ceremony. We stayed there for a little while and then went back to the hotel and got a full night’s sleep. We got up in the morning, while most of the other runners were getting up for breakfast, and walked over to the town square, where the finish was, put on our sunscreen, and set out for the next leg of the Path of Faith.

How did your family support you throughout this journey?

My dad and my brother wanted to come with me. They both crewed me at Badwater. My brother does Ironman, and whenever I can, I go support him. My family was always waiting to hear from me, hoping to catch updates online. We had the GPS SPOT tracker that Tony brought, so we were constantly putting up links so people could follow us. I know my family was following everyday to see how far we had gone and where we had stopped. It was just so cool to be able finish and talk to my family, tell them “I’m still alive and I finished.” It’s a really good feeling when you know they are worried about you and they know what’s going on all the time and are waiting for pictures and updates. You really feel loved.

Describe coming into Aparecida, the final destination on the Caminho da Fé.

After we left for the final leg of the journey, we traveled another 60 km to a place called Campos do Jordão, one of the premier cities along the Path of Faith. The city is full of German influences and beautiful architecture. We made it there and stayed at another posada. We got to bed late. Every night, Tony and Chris got on Skype to talk to their families. We tried to make as much contact with family and friends. We updated our statuses on Facebook and kept up with our e-mail. So we were always getting to bed late. We got four hours of sleep that night, and that was a lot. The next day we set out again. The trail of the Path of Faith has its own markings and signs so you don’t get lost, little yellow arrows painted everywhere – on trees and mailboxes and walls. Almost every two kilometers, they have little kilometer signs, so you know how far you’ve gone. We started at the 530 marker and slowly made our way to 528, 526, 524 and so on. Everyday, we were counting down those kilometers. When we got to the 10k mark, the weather changed. This freak hurricane storm came out of nowhere and hit us. The winds reached about 60 miles per hours. The rain was coming down like buckets of water. It was blowing us off the road. Cars that were on the road we were running on were pulling over and stopping. We put our rain ponchos on, but it was pointless. We were trying to find a little bit of cover somewhere but we couldn’t find much. Tony said, “Let’s just keep marching through. It will blow over eventually.” It kept coming down for a good half hour. Finally, it cleared up. And we got a phone call from Mario. He and his brother were at the church in Aparecida, waiting for us. Glauber, our driver, went and picked them up and brought them to us. Mario did the last two kilometers with us. We took a picture at the last two kilometers sign and then walked up to the Basilica. It was around 8:30 pm when we finished. The church itself is massive. It’s just huge. We walked all the way inside. There was a mass session going on. Inside, there is a little office with a walk-up window. You go there and show your credentials. We had little pamphlets that we got stamped along the whole Path of Faith, in various towns that we passed. You turn that pamphlet in at the window inside the Basilica and you get a certificate. The whole process was very quite and emotional. It was all kind of surreal. We were all lost in our own thoughts, thinking back on what we had accomplished. The certificate has your name on it. It has the date. Basically, what it signifies is that you are a true pilgrim.

Jarom, thank you so much for sharing with me your incredible journey. I look forward to hearing more great things about you in the future.

Click here to read the feature story about Jarom's pilgrimage.

Bondage, Fetishes, and Cream Puffs: Finding a Job in Your Passion

2011-03-03T04:19:00.000-08:00

I am at a point in my life right now, where I have to start thinking about what I'm going to do to make money. Law school was supposed to provide me with a sure path towards economic stability. But, things don't always turn out as planned. Do I really want to spend the rest of my life as an attorney? I'm afraid my heart is just not in it. I want to be passionate about what I do for a living. I want to love my job. That puts me in a pickle. I've spent the last three years doing something I really find no joy in. Where does that leave me? Well... I'll set that aside for now and get to the point of this post: job passion.

Needless to say, passion is a vital ingredient in any person's life. You have to have it. It's the thing that keeps you going. Without it, there would be no point in going on. Your job should make you money, yes, but it should also provide personal fulfillment. So what turns you on? What lights you up and gets you going? For me, the answer is pretty clear. Running. I love running, and I love health and fitness. I love writing. If there was some way to merge these interests in a way that was profitable and in a way that I could make a living off of, well then, I'd be set for the long haul.

Just recently, I watched two astonishing documentaries that deeply affected me. At first I couldn't figure out why I found them so touching, but then I realized the common thread running through both films: they were each about people that had such passion for their line of work. These people don't find passion in their careers so much as they find careers in their passion.

The first documentary is called "Kings of Pastry" (2009). It follows pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer as he competes in a grueling three-day competition to be named Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman in France). The film shows the painstaking labor that goes into creating intricately detailed, three-feet high sugar sculptures, delicate cakes, and precious cream puffs. This is hard work. And I mean hard! The chefs that take part in this competition work round the clock to ensure perfection in their creations. They work until they are on the verge of a nervous breakdown. One of the competitors says during a break "If I don't win this year, I will not be coming back. I'm done. This is too difficult."

"Kings of Pastry" conveys the drama of the passion that these men feel for what they do for a living. In one astonishing scene, a chef has his sugar sculpture collapse while he moves it from one table to another. This is the same sculpture that has taken him hours upon hours to create. Now destroyed. The man breaks down. It is an emotional moment for him and for us, as the audience. You sense the magnitude of the sacrifices these men have made to be where they are; you feel their disappointment and you feel their joy.

The second documentary is called "Fetishes" (1996). This movie takes us behind closed doors into the little-understood world of S&M and bondage. We spend time at a place called Pandora's Box, a very high-scale dungeon in Manhattan, where clients pay upwards of $1,000 for an hour long session with one of Mistress Raven's dominatrices. Most people who have no experience with bondage, including myself, pass judgment on those who are "into" that kind of thing. There is the mistaken belief that S&M always involves pain, which it doesn't. The heart of this lifestyle is the transfer of power and control. It is all psychological, a fantasy. Finally, here is an unblinking look at the S&M lifestyle that does not make you feel icky while watching it. It looks at the subject matter with genuine curiosity.

The best part of the movie is listening to the girls who work in the dungeon. They are all fascinating, articulate, intelligent women. They are serious about the work they do. One dominatrix says, "We provide an outlet that our clients aren't getting anywhere else in society." This is true. It is not pretentious to claim that these exercises in bondage and S&M are quite therapeutic for the clients of Pandora's Box. And at the heart of this movie is the passion with which the dominatrices perform their work, and make no mistake about it, that is what they do: they perform. Like actresses, they play out the desires of their clients. To do this work on a daily basis takes a lot of dedication. They must believe in the significance of their work, and they must enjoy their work. At one point, one dominatrix says, "You have to love people to do this job."

Two documentaries. Both about people who are passionate about what they do for a living. Both represent the kind of attitude I hope to approach life with, now and until the day I die, and that is an attitude of complete devotion. Maybe we are all here on Earth for a purpose. Finding that purpose is probably a life-long journey. I have some major thinking to do. The future is uncertain. I don't know what I am going to do or where I am going to end up. It's really frightening. But, I will always stay true to my heart and heed my passions rather than neglect them.

Guaranteed to give you chills and get you going...

2011-02-26T17:59:00.000-08:00

Brought to my attention by Ann Parrott, this video will send chills down your spine and motivate you to get your butt out the door and do something.

"4 Hour Body" Book Review

2011-02-24T08:36:00.000-08:00

This book is all the rage, apparently. Walk into any Barnes & Noble and it is right there with Stieg Larsson and other bestsellers. So, I decided to pick it up and see what all the fuss is about.

This isn't your typical fad diet book. It wants to be more than that. Described as an "uncommon guide to rapid fat-loss, incredible sex, and becoming superhuman," author Tim Ferriss has some real ambition here. He aims to show you how to do the following and more:

* How to prevent fat gain while bingeing (X-mas, holidays, weekends)
* How to increase fat-loss 300% with a few bags of ice
* How Tim gained 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days, without steroids, and in four hours of total gym time
* How to sleep 2 hours per day and feel fully rested
* How to produce 15-minute female orgasms
* How to triple testosterone and double sperm count
* How to go from running 5 kilometers to 50 kilometers in 12 weeks
* How to reverse “permanent” injuries
* How to add 150+ pounds to your lifts in 6 months

Ferriss is not a doctor, but he has experimented extensively on himself to arrive at the prescriptions detailed in this book. A human guinea pig, so to speak. Do the programs work?

I was unable to test every program, but I did try the diet (lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise), so I will speak exclusively of that. Yes, I did lose some weight while on the diet. But, I suspected I was also losing muscle mass and I felt undernourished while on it. This diet is not really intended for endurance athletes in training, to say the least. It certainly isn't very vegan friendly. So, I had to stop the program.

But, for the average person, it probably would be effective. Although, I have serious concerns about what happens after the 30 days are up. The dieter runs a risk of putting all the weight back on because he or she has not learned to make healthy food decisions for themselves, but has rather just been following a rigid set of restrictions for a month. The dieter also hasn't learned the value and joy of exercise. Effective, long-term weight loss requires that your change your entire frame of mind regarding food and exercise. You don't get that with this program.

And to be honest, there's nothing really very revolutionary about the diet anyway. It merely reiterates principles that have been expounded upon by health professionals for years: a low carb, low fat, high protein diet.

The writing itself is fun, fresh, and interesting. The science here is speculative, but compelling. Ferriss takes liberties where few scientists or doctors would (or could).

I'm fine with that. It's all very fascinating. But, here is my biggest problem with the book: it seems tailored for that specific attitude that demands fast results with the least amount of work put in. It's an obsession of the American public to want things done now and to not have to break a sweat for it. The world doesn't work that way. The best things in life are never easy. That's my problem with fad diets. They are in it for the short-haul. People follow them for a month or two and then things fall to pieces. Yo-yo dieting becomes the trend. I said this book wants to be more than your typical diet book. But, I fear it may be just that.

A Few Lessons from Rocky Raccoon 100

2011-02-20T15:04:00.001-08:00

1. Attitude adjustment - At a certain point, I just stopped talking to my pacer. Every step was a struggle. Things were kind of miserable, but I made things worse by dwelling on the misery. I need to learn to take my mind off the pain, to focus on the positive rather than focus on the negative.

2. Don't resist the pain - There were times when I could have pushed harder, but I didn't because my legs hurt. In retrospect, I was resisting the pain. I was holding back because I was afraid of the pain. Recently, I came across a quote by Ann Trason (I think it was Ann who said this) that went like this: "it hurts up to a certain point and then it doesn't get any worse." Next time I run a 100 miler, I need to keep this mantra in mind. Just push through the pain. It ain't gonna to kill ya. (There is such a thing as bad pain, but that's a horse of a different color). Just when you feel that you can't push any harder, that is precisely when you need to push harder.

3. Stay on top of fueling from the beginning. Don't fall behind. You will regret it.

4. Tylenol can be your friend in cases of emergency. You can pop some every 3 to 4 hours if absolutely needed.

5. Keep the breaks to a minimum - the longer you stop, the harder it will be to start back up again. You leg muscles will seize up and it will take you longer to loosen back up again. Also, in the cold, the longer you stay still, the lower your core temperature will drop and your run a greater risk of hypothermia. Keep moving.

What I need...

2011-02-16T14:11:00.001-08:00

I need to start doing mountain running. Pikes Peak Marathon seems pretty extreme.

On the road to Badwater

2011-02-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

"Now what shall seem the hill but a moment of surmounting, the height but a place to dream of something higher!"
-The Climb, Winifred Welles

I'm having a reality check. After successfully completing Rocky Raccoon 100 last week, I felt a surge of pride. I immediately wanted to sign up for other races. Big mountain races. I felt invincible. Now, I'm deflated. I realize that I am not yet ready for these bigger races that are out there. Rocky Raccoon was just one of many steps needed to get to where I want to be. I recognize my accomplishment in finishing, but I also recognize that there is still so much work to be done.

I have certain goals (Badwater). In order to achieve those goals, I have to be at a certain level. I have to be good enough. Right now, I am just not good enough. I'm not. That is hard to digest after a big race like Rocky. It's always hard to recognize your weaknesses. But, the truth is the truth. It cannot be ignored. 100 miles at Rocky Raccoon is nothing. Nothing. I mean, yes, it is something. But it's also nothing.

Rocky Raccoon is one of the easier 100 milers out there. True, there is no such thing as an easy 100 mile race, but consider this: there is really no comparison between Rocky and some beast of a race like like Hardrock. Get what I'm saying? Just because I did Rocky does not mean I can jump to something like Hardrock or Leadville without seriously altering and specializing my training. It's a matter of taking things step by step. Measured progress.

Could I have finished Rocky without my pacer and crew present? Probably not. Could I have done it on tougher terrain? Could I have done it without Lisa Smith-Batchen saving my ass at mile 40? I don't think so. I need to get to a point where I can do these things for myself. I need to get smarter about ultrarunning and I need to get in better physical condition.

This is not me being negative. It is me being realistic. I knew, when I started this ,that things were going to be difficult. I knew it was going to take a lot of work, and that progress would be slow-going. It has taken me two and a half years to do a 100 miler. How much longer will it take me to get to Badwater?

I don't know. But, I want to utilize my time as efficiently as possible so I can get to Badwater as soon as possible. I'm not saying I want to rush into things. Ultrarunning is about patience and discipline. My problem is not lack of patience. Nor is it lack of heart. I want Badwater more than anything. There has not been a day that has gone by in the past two years when I haven't thought about Death Valley. I want it so bad that it almost hurts.

But, I am my own coach. I train by myself. Help is all around me and I am so grateful for the people in my life that teach me what it is to be an ultrarunner. However, in the end, I am responsible for my own progress and retrogression. No one is going to do the work for me. This is my journey. I am the one at the helm.

So what am I going to do? Specifically, what am I going to do to get to Badwater? What steps am I going to take? That... That is something I need to think about... I have all the tools and knowledge at my disposal. Time to figure it out.

Rocky Raccoon 100 Race Report 2011 (Part 3)

2011-02-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

In the zone at mile 80.

If anyone knew what to do, it would be Lisa. For the past two years, Lisa Smith-Batchen has mentored me in my running endeavors. We have become friends. She is an extraordinary, world-class endurance athlete and ultrarunner. 9-time finisher of the Badwater Ultramarathon (with two first place finishes) and winner of the Marathon des Sables in 1999, Lisa has competed in dozens of ultramarathons all over the world, and has even completed the Badwater double crossing. This past summer, she ran 50 miles in 50 states in 62 days. If anyone knew how to handle a little knee pain, it would be Lisa.

I called her up and her cheerful voice came on the line.

"Hey kiddo," she said. "How's it going?"

"Well, not too good Lisa. I'm at 40 miles and I've got this pain in my knee. I'm not doing a whole lot of running. I'm worried that if I continue at this pace, I won't be able to finish in time."

"Where on the knee is the pain?"

"It's like right in there. It feels like there's a little popping."

"Maybe the bone is out of alignment."

"I'm not going to DNF. I will walk the rest of the 30 hours if I have to," I exclaimed defensively

"Of course. I understand. Look, do you have Tylenol," she asked.

"I think so."

"Take three or four Tylenol. This summer when I did Run Hope, I got this really sharp knee pain and I thought I was finished. I took some Tylenol and the pain went away. I was able to keep running and we took care of the knee. Take three or four Tylenol. Take them with food and then see how you feel."

"Okay, Lisa."

"Keep it up, kiddo. You are at 40 miles already. You are at that point where things are going to start to hurt. Just keep moving. Run what you can. If it hurts less to run the uphills, then run the uphills. You can zig-zag on the trail so your weight doesn't come down directly on your knee."

"Thank you, Lisa."

Ice bath to heal my legs. This recovery method was taught to me by Lisa Smith-Batchen. It works.

We hung up. It was nice to just hear her friendly voice. I did what she told me: at the next aid station, I popped four Tylenol and headed out once again on the trail. I could still feel the pain in my knee. I would run some, and the pain would swell, and then I would stop and power-walk. Run, then walk, then run some more. On and on it went.

By mile 50, I was starting to get a bigger appetite. Before the race, I had assembled and cut up several peanut and apple butter sandwiches on flaxseed bread. I downed a quarter of sandwich every now and then, but for the most part, I stuck to gels and Heed to get my calories. At one aid station, a woman cut up some avocado for me after I told her I was vegan. Each time I went by that particular aid station, she would have avocado ready for me, saying, "Here you go, Vegan Boy!" I downed the delicious, rich-sweet flesh of the fruit and continued down the trail.

Eventually, I heard a man's voice on the trail that sounded so familiar. I knew I had heard it before, but I couldn't place where. Then, I saw him. Just ahead of me. A short, small-framed man with gray hair and thick mustache.

"Bob Becker, is that you," I called out.

He turned around. "Yes it is!"

I had talked to Bob on the phone a few weeks earlier. Bob is a fixture in the ultrarunning world. Director of the Keys 100 Ultramarathon in Florida, he is a tough-as-nails guy with an impressive resume of ultra feats. Bob helped me out a while back on a paper I was writing for law school. I was interviewing race directors about how to put on an ultramarathon for my sports law class. My topic: the legal aspects of putting on an ultra trail race. Bob was gracious enough to share his wisdom.

"You don't remember me, but you helped me out a while back with my sports law paper," I began.

"Of course I remember you!"

We ran together for quite a bit, chit-chatting about this and that. Sometimes he would run a bit ahead of me and I would fall behind, only to pass him up a little farther down the trail. Back and forth we went, from aid station to aid station, swapping friendly encouragements as we passed. It was nice. And I enjoyed his company very much.

Before long, I noticed that the pain in my knee had subsided. It was completely gone! The Tylenol had worked its magic. I could run again! Sure, my quads were burning and my feet were aching, but that kind of pain was tolerable, expected. This renewed liberation lightened my spirits. I felt like I was invincible, on top of the world. I took off at a steady pace.

On the trail, I bumped into Shannon Farrar-Griefer. Shannon is an ultrarunner out of California. She is also the founder and owner of Moeben sportswear line. I first met Shannon in 2010, when I first attempted Rocky Raccoon 100 (I DNF'd that year at mile 66). I was running at night and I tripped on a root and fell. She helped me to my feet and asked me if I was okay. I ran with her for a bit, bitching about the falls I was taking. "Don't worry, I've had my share of falls, too," she assured me. It wasn't until after the race that I realized Shannon was quite a figure in thee ultrarunning community. Mother of three, she has completed Badwater five times and was the first woman to complete the Badwater double. Shannon was here for her for her sixth Rocky Raccoon 100 finish. When we saw each other on the trail, we hugged and gave each other words of encouragement as we each ran towards our respective fates on the course.

The sun had already set. When I came in for my third loop (mile 60), I met up with Joe Barber. Joe had agreed to pace me from mile 60 to 100. He is from San Antonio, Texas, and I first met him while training for Cactus Rose 100 in 2010. Joe was set to run Cactus, but he pulled out just before the race because he was busy getting ready for his wedding! He works as a fitness trainer for the U.S. Army and has raced marathons and triathlons for over seven years. Joe was ready to run by the time I got into the aid station.

At first it was all fun and games. We talked and joked a lot as we ran into the night. He asked me questions about my training. I tried to respond briefly. It became increasingly difficult to concentrate on the trail and hold a conversation at the same time. Eventually, I got so fatigued, all I could do was listen to him talk. Gradually, my run devolved into a slow and tiresome walk. The night was in full bloom, and my spirits were depleted. I knew that this fourth loop was going to be the most psychologically taxing. Lisa had told me beforehand not to think that way.

"If you think it's going to be your worst loop, then you can bet it is going to live up to your expectations. Don't think that way. Make it your best loop," she urged.

I tried to stay optimistic, but no matter how much I told myself I wasn't tired, I could feel exhaustion taking over. The soreness in my legs creeped into my brain. Slowly, the pain trickled into my consciousness, invading my thoughts and suffocating my optimism. I wanted to quit. Joe noticed my dangerous silence and he at once snapped me out of it.

"We need to keep running," he told me. "I want you to do four minutes of running and one minute of walking," he instructed.

"Okay," I said.

We took off running. It was a slow and painful run. It took every ounce of effort to put one foot in front of the other. My quads were screaming. My calf muscles were begging for mercy. Keep running. One more minute. Thirty more seconds. Then, we walked.

"Four more minutes. Come on! Four more minutes," he called out.

I obliged. The four minutes seemed to go on for an eternity. Then I walked for the shortest minute of my life. I relished every second of that minute of walking, but before long it was time to run again.

"Four more minutes. Come on! Four minutes, man!"

I began to thoroughly abhor Mr. Joe Barber. The man obviously didn't understand the pain I was in.

"Come on, dude! Two more minutes of running!"

The man is trying to kill me. That much is obvious, I thought.

He made me run up hills and down, flats and root-covered sections. The routine of 4-1-4-1 was relentless. Never-ending. Run. Then walk. Then run some more. I felt trapped in the ruthlessness of it all. On and on it went, all night long, an endless string of run/walk alternations. Throughout the whole ordeal, I hardly spoke a word.

At the aid station at mile 70, I noticed a small stinging sensation on the side of my left foot. I sat down in one of the chairs and took off my trail shoe. When I pulled the sock down, I noticed a big red blister on the side of my heel.

"Hey Joe, look at this."

"We have to pop it," he said.

"Why?" I didn't want to pop it. I felt like any pain in my feet I could deal with.

"We have to pop it because if we don't it might pop in the shoe and make a big mess," he explained. "Better to pop it now and get it out of the way."

He got a safety pin from the volunteers at the aid station and pricked away. A brilliant little streak of pus fluid jet-sprayed out of the blister. I laughed, unable to contain myself. It was so absurd. Only in a sport this wacky could I induce this man, a total stranger, really, to squat down over my stinky feet in the middle of the night to pop an ugly blister on my foot. I think he recognized the ridiculousness of the situation, too, because he started laughing as well. He wiped the skin area with a baby wipe and I put my shoes back on.

Post-race feet.

Before long, we were back on our run/walk schedule.

As we came in for our fourth loop (mile 80), I was thoroughly discouraged. My feet were killing me, but that wasn't too big of a deal. What sucked the most was that I was just so psychologically down in the dumps. I couldn't muster up any optimism. I needed some relief. Anything to pick me up out of this dull funk. So, I did something kind of risky.

"Hand me my bag," I told Clarissa

She brought it over and I reached down for my old Asics shoes.

"My feet are hurting in this trail shoes I'm wearing. These old Asics are comfortable. I'm gonna change into them," I explained.

As I picked up the beat-up pair of old Asics (a road running shoe), I noticed a pair of fresh socks.

"What the hell. Might as well change socks, too. These DryMax socks I'm wearing aren't really holding up too well anyway. They are all wet."

The pair I was putting on was brand new. They were folded neatly in their packaging. Joe and Clarissa looked on as I fumbled with the sock.

"You've never worn those socks before," he asked.

"No, actually. I haven't. To tell you the truth, I've never even tried this brand before."

The socks I was referring to were Injinji Toesocks. I picked them up at the running store a few days before the race and had never used toesocks before.

"Is this a bad idea," I asked Joe.

"Well, maybe. You don't know if the socks will work for you."

"What's the worst that can happen," I asked.

"Worst case scenario, the sock could keep slipping under your heel and -"

"Look," I interrupted him. "Worst case scenario, these socks cause my feet to hurt more. My feet already hurt. What's a little more pain, right? No matter what, I'm finishing this race. Trust me, I am not going to stop just because my feet hurt."

We set off on our final loop. By this point my Garmin watch had died, so I had no idea how long it was from one aid station to the next. That's a hard thing to handle when you are living from aid station to aid station. Eventually, your thinking becomes very single-track: where is that stupid aid station already!

By mile 90, I was so tired that I was nearly falling asleep on the trail. Joe was falling asleep, too. He was swerving off trail like a drunk driver until he would smack into a tree. On and on it went. When the sun came up, I felt so disconcerted. The thing that brought me to was the sight of that beautiful lake, the steam rising off it like a eerie specter. As we came to the lake, the sun was just rising over it, causing me to squint in the brilliance of the sunlight. I had made it through the night. I knew the end was near. But, the task at hand was far from finished.

With Clarissa. Immediately after crossing the finish line.

At mile 96, he left me. He said he had to get home for a Super Bowl party that he and his wife were throwing. Joe, my pacer, had to leave. I felt kind of devastated. Abandoned. Would I be able to make it on my own? I had serious doubts. Four miles seemed like an eternity. I looked around. There was no sign of any other runner. I didn't know what happened to Dave, Lee, Steven, Bob, or Shannon. I took off from the aid station, that last, final aid station. I felt alone. Just four more miles.

I called Lisa.

"Savor it," she told me. "Use this time to reflect on everything you have accomplished and savor this final, miserable process."

Before long, four miles became three. Three miles became two.

My phone rang. It was Dave Carder.

"Did you finish," came his happy voice.

"I'm at mile 98," I told him.

"Wow! Keep moving," he exclaimed. Dave told me he dropped from the race. I was saddened by this. I eventually found out that Steven, Lee, and Shannon had dropped from the race as well. I want nothing more than for my friends to have a successful race. But, these ultra runs are not always about finishing. The end is not the most important goal in ultrarunning. The journey is what matters most. Each of my friends had embarked on their own special journey. Mine was not over. Not yet. Keep moving. I started to run.

Each step was kind of miserable, but I could practically smell the finish line. I wound and twisted my way through the trail in the woods. The sun beat down on my brow, and I felt a glorious rush of excitement. My legs kicked up faster. Soon, I was running at what felt like full speed towards the end. The trees whipped past me. The pine-needle covered ground flowed beneath my feet. I could hear commotion in the distance. Voices. As I rounded the corner, I saw it. The finish. Straight ahead of me. About a hundred feet away. I mustered what strength I had left and I took off. The pain in my legs gave way to a kind of bliss. There was Clarissa. She was cheering me on. There were the race directors. They were holding the buckle. My buckle. With fury, pain, pride, happiness, humility, grace, and a thoroughly grateful heart, I crossed that finish line.

Me crossing the finish line.

For Part 1 of this race report, click here. For Part 2, click here.

Rocky Raccoon 100 Race Report 2011 (Part 2)

2011-02-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

The first few miles of a race are always just a frenzied blur for me. I typically end up taking off way to fast, caught up in the excitement of the moment. That is not a problem for most runners at Rocky Raccoon 100 because it is near impossible to actually run the first couple of miles.

The single-track trail gets so crowded with over 700 runners on it that things start off at a steady walking pace. By the first aid station, the crowd starts to thin out as people fall into their respective paces and race strategies. Some take off like race horses. Others play it more conservatively and hold back. I'm a fan of the latter strategy. My feeling is this: the goal is to be as fresh as possible late in the game. If you burn all your energy early on, you're going to be doing a heck of a lot of walking towards the end. Patience is key in these races.

I understand some people have their time goals. Many ultrarunners view a sub-24 hour finish as the benchmark for a good finishing time, much in the same way amateur marathoners view a sub-4 hour marathon as achievement worth striving for. And that's fine. But, for this particular race, my first 100 mile finish, all I wanted was to make it to the end. If it took me the full 30 hours, I would be happy with that. So, I took off at a steady, but conservative pace.

You know how they say in ultrarunning that something is always bound to go wrong? No matter how much you train for something, no matter how prepared you are, the unexpected will almost always happen. Things will fall apart. I knew this going into it. I expected shit to happen. What I didn't expect was for it to happen so soon.

As soon as we left the start line, my flashlight started giving out. I don't know if it was the cold weather or what, but the light would just dim suddenly and then go out completely. Crap. All I had left for back-up was a headlamp. Note to self: take a couple of flashlights with you out on the trail. Don't get me wrong. Headlamps are fine for providing light, but since the light of a headlamp illuminates from above rather than from a low angle (as a flashlight do), you do not get to see as much of the relief of the trail, the technicalities that obstruct your path. It is easier to trip on roots and rocks at night when all you have to guide your way is a measly headlamp. Oh well. I had to make do.

Eventually, we all came up to the first set of wooden plank bridges that adorn the trail. Normally, these bridges are a welcome change in the monotony of the flat, pine needle-covered trail. Not this time. The wood was covered with a thin layer of ice, and the ice was slick! One wrong step, and your ass was down on the ground. It was really quite dangerous. You had to be cautious. At first, I sort of shuffled across the bridges. Then I saw something that made my stomach turn.

I was running behind this woman, and we were both going steadily along, minding the trail, when we came upon another one of these bridges. As she made her way across, I saw her spread out her arms to balance herself. And in the blink of an eye, I saw her lose her balance. She must have put all her weight on one foot in completely the wrong way because her ankle just snapped from under her. She fell to the ground screaming.

"Oh, shit! My ankle," she cried out. I was running right behind her when she fell, so I had to quickly jump around her to avoid falling on top of her. I stopped and stood over her as she continued to scream. "This is bad," she kept saying. Soon, some other runners came up from behind and we all helped carry her to the side of the trail. After assuring us that she couldn't stand up, we decided to keep going and tell the volunteers at the next aid station that there was a runner down. This was just 4.5 miles into the race.

I second-guessed every step I took on the bridges after that. I was so afraid of getting injured like that lady. I felt bad for her. Her screams echoed in my head. Eventually, I just started going around the bridges rather than run on them. Soon the sun came up and the ice started to melt.

Another unexpected happening occurred when I came to the first aid station: I didn't want to eat. That's a rarity! I usually love the prospect of food, but as I was coming into the aid stations, I found myself repulsed by the idea of downing solids. Maybe it was nerves or something, but no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Second aid station went by. No dice. I just wasn't in the mood to eat. Even the GU gels were difficult to get down. The cold weather made the gel thick and hard to chew. It all made my stomach quite nauseous. I didn't vomit, but I felt capable of vomiting if I pushed it. So, for the first couple of loops, I stuck to just one GU gel an hour and about half a bottle of Heed. Occasionally, I would grab a handful of pretzels, but even then, I could only manage to put two or three in my mouth. However, I wasn't too worried about my decreased appetite. I felt that as long as I kept moving forward and was feeling okay things would be fine. Gotta keep on moving.

By the time I hit Lake Raven, the most scenic part of the trail, I was fully enjoying my racing experience. The mist that came off the surface of the lake was absolutely enchanting. I felt like I was in some exotic land, a story-book world where anything was possible. Dragons. Knights. Mermaids. Magic. This land had it all. And I was smack in the middle of it. My spirits were lifted as I soared in to complete the first loop.

As I made my way in to the main aid station, the 20 mile mark, I noticed a small, sharp pain in my left knee. It didn't exactly hurt, but it was enough to get me to notice there was a problem developing. These ultramarathons are funny in that they tend to magnify the small stuff. Little problems become big problems if left untreated. A baby blister can become a fist-sized pustule. A small leg cramp can become a debilitating, throbbing pain. This knee thing worried me. It was popping a little bit when it bent, like the bone was out of alignment or something. All I could think to do was tie a bandanna around the knee to brace it and keep going.

By mile 40, the pain was obvious, crystal clear and brilliant. There was no ignoring it now. I was in trouble. With serious doubts about my ability to finish - still sixty more miles left to go - I did the only thing left to do: I started to walk. I walked and walked. And I walked some more. With each passing mile, my thoughts grew darker and darker. What if I didn't finish? What if I had to DNF? No. I couldn't allow myself to DNF. I had to stick with it. Even if I had to walk the rest of the race, I would rather be pulled off the course for not making the time cut-off than drop out of this one. No throwing in the towel. So I just kept walking.

But, dammit, I wanted to finish. I didn't want to get pulled off the course for not making the cut-off time! But, I knew that at my current pace, I would probably not make it in 30 hours. I needed a miracle. I needed this knee pain to subside so that I could continue running. I needed... Then it hit me. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through my contacts list.

This race report will be published in three parts. For Part 1, click here. For Part 3, click here.

Rocky Raccoon 100 Race Report 2011 (Part 1)

2011-02-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

There's a Japanese proverb that goes, “When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there.” That's true of the 100 mile distance. Those last four miles were the longest four miles of my life. I ran/walked/trudged through the woods in a kind of daze, a determined stupor that would see me to the finish line. In the past 27 hours, I had seen a woman snap her ankle in half, a man collapse and shiver uncontrollably on the side of the trail, copious amounts of vomit, blood, blisters, and weeping. By the time I reached the last aid station before the finish, I had already seen the sun rise twice. I felt like - what did I feel like? It's so hard to conjure up the words to describe what it's like to run 100 miles. Joy. Pride. Pain. Courage. Somehow those words don't adequately convey the subjective experience. So rather than try to describe how I felt, I will stick to telling you what happened.

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I played "American Pie" on the ride from Lubbock to Huntsville. Don McLean usually has no trouble calming down my nerves. But the good ol' boy wasn't doing much to ease my tension this time, so I broke out the big guns: The Allman Brothers, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Johnny Cash. As "Folsom Prison Blues" blasted from my iPod, I found myself gazing out the window of the backseat of the van. The roads were icy and slick. It occurred to me that we might not make it to the race. I kept getting e-mails on my Blackberry from runners who were encountering dangerous travel conditions on the way to the race site. Dozens of flights had been canceled. Roads were being closed down. But, Lee, Clarissa, and I carefully made our way from town to town, trying to avoid the worst of the weather. I was glad my friends were with me to make the trip easier. Lee drove, bless him, and Clarissa sat up front, helping him navigate. Lee was going to run the 100 miler with me. Clarissa came as my crew and race volunteer. To pass the time, we played a provocative game of "20 Questions."

Would you rather have assured sex with an unattractive person for the rest of your life, or no sex at all for the rest of your life?

Hmmm... I had to think about that one.

Could I at least masturbate if I chose the no sex option?

No.

Then, I choose assured sex with an unattractive person. Maybe I will become enamored with their personality and start to see them as attractive. Or, at the very least, I can close my eyes and fantasize about someone else.

Next question.

Eventually, my mind started wandering back to the race. What if we didn't make it? What if we encountered some bad weather and had to turn back around and head home? Shit. That would be tough to handle. I knew it was just a race, but I had spent so many weeks thinking about this run. I had planned it out so carefully, sacrificing so much time, money, and effort to make it to the start line. I had envisioned myself crossing the finish, finally and gloriously. And now there was the possibility I wouldn't even get the chance to run!

I put the thought out of my head and let myself be washed over by Laura Nyro's haunting voice:

"Never mind the forecast
Cause the sky has lost control,
Cause the fury and broken thunder's come
To match my raging soul..."

I think Lee was equally nervous. As we got closer and closer to Huntsville, we all got a little more pensive and quiet. Not a somber kind of quiet, but an excited kind, the kind that comes when you know something big is about to happen. By the time we got to runner check-in, I was so hyper, I could hardly contain myself. I bounded out of the van like a bat out of hell, ready to charge into the registration room and proudly declare, "Yes! We are here! We made it!" But before I could even take a single step, I was blasted with the cruel breath of some winter beast.

The cold hit me at once. It whipped my face and legs. This did not bode well for my run tomorrow. The race started at 5 am, while the sun was still down. Then we would run all day and into the night! I knew running in the sunlight would be okay. The snow would have a chance to melt. But the idea of running at night in these conditions scared me. I had never done much icy weather running. I knew hypothermia was a serious threat, but other than wearing lots of clothing layers and moving constantly to keep up your core temperature, I didn't know much about how to prevent it. All I had to run in was a big jacket, a windbreaker, and some skimpy running shorts. Oh well. Too late to worry about that now.

I went inside with my friends to check in to the race. On the way inside, I saw a couple of my ultrarunning friends: Dave Carder and Steven Monte, both from Dallas. Dave was sporting an impressive beard. A few weeks ago, he started an online group called "The Running Beard Movement," a forum for trail running men with long facial hair. Dave is a good guy and a superb athlete.

I introduced Clarissa and Lee to Steven. Steven is a lawyer and in his spare time he runs in these extreme events. After picking up our race packets, we all headed to eat, a little Italian place with the crappiest service I've ever encountered in a restaurant. Despite the rudeness of the waitstaff (I'll give them some credit: they were kind of busy), food was a welcome nourishment.

Eating out brought to mind another issue for me: veganism. There weren't many vegan choices on the menu. Everything had cheese or butter. I ended up ordering a garden salad with lots of olives and a side of olive oil and vinegar. Ordering at the restaurant wasn't nearly as troubling, though, as the thought of eating vegan at the race. Here is how ultras work: You run and run and run until you get to an aid station. Aid stations are stocked with food to keep you fueled to go. Calorie intake is very important in these long distance races. You pick up a handful of candy or potato chips and stuff them in your mouth, refill your water bottles and then keep going until you hit the next aid station.

Well, this was going to be my first race as a vegan. I didn't know what to expect. Would my body respond well to the limited food intake? I knew I needed to take in about 150 to 200 calories an hour, every hour. But, in prior races, there always came a point, usually at night, where I needed a surge of energy. In these cases, a slice of pizza or a cup of hot chicken noodle soup did the trick. I would not have those options now. Would I be able to do it? Would I drop my vegan diet just to get through the race? Wouldn't that make me a hypocrite? These thoughts plagued me as a munched unhappily on my lettuce.

At the hotel that night, I unpacked my gear and clothes. I told Clarissa to set the alarm for 4:15 am. I laid everything out on a chair for the morning. Flashlight, headlamp, BodyGlide, gloves. All was ready. I affixed my number bib to my shirt. Number 171. I didn't know what the morning would bring. All I knew was that in a few hours I would be waking up to an unknown. I would be embarking on a journey, the end of which was uncertain, scary, and so damned exciting! My stomach was doing cartwheels. I love this stuff.

Okay 171, we're soon to see what you're made of.

This race report will be published in three parts. For Part 2, click here. For Part 3, click here.

Rocky Raccoon 100 Video Finish

2011-02-09T14:09:00.000-08:00

Updates for Rocky Raccoon 100...

2011-02-07T14:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I guess all the training and hard work paid off because I finished Rocky Raccoon 100. 28 hours. That's how long it took me. I feel good. My legs are sore, but I guess that is expected, huh? Race report soon to come.

Inspiration for the 100 Miler!

2011-02-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

The days of physical conditioning and training have drawn to a close for those registered for Rocky Raccoon 100 this coming Saturday. The taper is in full swing now. Just a few more days left to go. This week is all about mental preparation. It is about visualizing the goal and thinking about your strategy, conceiving of the obstacles and imaging yourself overcoming them.

I usually spend the week before a race reflecting on all the hard work I have put into training. Inspiration comes in many forms. It comes from our family and friends. It comes from the stories we read and the people we meet. But, the most important inspiration comes from within, from that innermost place of contentedness and peace.

Nonetheless, it can never hurt to have some media inspiration. Below are just a few clips, some video and some audio, that I find really inspiring for different reasons. Enjoy.

1. Al Pacino's speech in "Any Given Sunday"

"Any Given Sunday" is a very strong movie directed by Oliver Stone about a professional football team. If you haven't seen it, check it out. In this clip, Pacino, who plays the head coach, gives his team a rousing speech at half-time in the locker room. The team is losing. The chips are down and the pressure is on. Listen to Pacino's words. They are about more than football. They are about life. See if by the end of this one you aren't pumped.

2. "Defying Gravity" as sung by the cast of "Glee"

Lea Michelle is such a powerful singer. She has the gift of belt. This song highlights that quality. She and Chris Colfer nail this song from Broadway's "Wicked." Listen to the lyrics. They are about dreaming big and doing the impossible.

3. "8 Mile" final rap battle

Anger is a priceless asset. Sometimes it can bring out the best in you. If you can harness your anger and use it correctly, you are capable of so many things. Eminem is a rapper who personifies anger. His lyrics are charged with such raw pain and emotion, that they sometimes even transcend the rap genre. In this final scene from the movie "8 Mile," Eminem's character Rabbit is in a showdown with the most talented rappers from Detroit. As the underdog, he must use all his talents and harness all his aggression to beat his opponents.

4. "Lose Yourself" by Eminem

Since we are on the subject of Eminem, we might as well include his song, "Lose Yourself." Now, here is a song to get your blood moving. Just listen to these lyrics: "You better lose yourself in the music, the moment; you own it. You better never let it go. You only get one shot. Do not miss your chance to blow; this opportunity comes once in a lifetime..."

5. Robin Williams' Carpe Diem speech from "Dead Poets' Society"

I was not a fan of this movie. To be sure, "Dead Poets' Society" has some very good acting in it, especially from Williams as the eccentric English literature teacher in a posh all-boys prep school. The acting deserved a better screenplay. But, this particular scene works really well. It is an odd, funny, and ultimately chilling and poignant scene where the teacher urges his students to seize the day and make life extraordinary.

6. The ending of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (Spoiler Warning)

Milos Forman's movie matches Ken Kesey's novel in scope and power. A classic, this film needs to be seen in its entirety to get the full effect of this final scene. If you've seen the movie, you know what a tremendous moment it is when the Chief breaks out of the asylum.

7. "Dream On" by Aerosmith

I've always found this song to be quite inspirational. The sound of it is epic. It makes me feel like I am about to do something big. Life-changing. Just those words, "dream on," capture the simple truth of human existence: we are capable of incredible feats, anything we set our minds to.

8. The violin scene from "The Alamo"

"The Alamo" (2004) got a lot of negative hype surrounding its release. And that's too bad, because it is a very strong movie with some wonderful performances, especially by Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett. There is a scene, about midway through the film, when Crockett plays his violin to show up the surrounding Mexican army, which is bigger and better-stocked than the ragtag group of fighters in the mission. The moment is inspiring. It showcases the beauty of the courage it took for those who remained to fight inside the Alamo walls. They had to have known they were going to die. But, their cause was too important, too noble, to allow fear to get the better of them. They did not retreat.

(Mis)adventures in Veganism: My First Real Vegan Eating Out Experience

2011-01-31T18:11:00.000-08:00

I knew this day would come. I had been telling myself that when it finally happened, I would keep my cool, play it on the down low and everything would be okay. And, yes, everything did turn out fine, but I don't think I realized how much of a challenge it could be to eat vegan in a non-vegan world. The day I am talking about is the day a vegan goes out for the first time to a restaurant with a group of people who are not vegan.

I know, I know... the world we live in is rapidly accepting vegetarianism as a mainstream way of life, and more and more restaurants are incorporating vegetarian options into their menus. But, veganism is a different ballgame. You have to question the bread they bring to the table, the dressing they put on your side salad, and the sauce they use to garnish your pasta. For a newly-converted vegan, this can be quite a novel experience. It was for me.

I went with my friend to Carino's Italian Restaurant. First of all, let me say that I am not the kind of person that likes to draw attention to myself. I am the kind of guy who, when he gets the wrong order, doesn't complain but rather eats the dish he is given. So, when my friend went to use the restroom to wash her hands, I used the opportunity to discreetly ask our waiter if there were any vegan options available. I assumed most Italian restaurants had vegan dishes, maybe a little pasta plate with some steamed veggies or some such fare, but when the guy solemnly shook his head no, I panicked. Should I just not order anything?

I feel like it's rude to go to a restaurant with people and not eat. It's also drawing attention and we can't have that. Plus, I was damned hungry - me not eating was so not happening!

Times like these are when you break out the iPad or iPhone . There is a wonderful app called VeganXpress that catalogs all the vegan items at various chain restaurants around the country. It also lists vegan-friendly food, beer, and wine. Unfortunately, I did not have my iPad on hand to check what I could eat. So I had to scrutinize the menu carefully.

I used my cell phone to check the message boards. On Yahoo.com, I typed: "vegan options at Carino's Italian." Chacha.com informed me that "Carino's doesn't offer much for vegans (they do offer gluten-free options), but you can get a salad, and omit any cheese or grilled chicken, and get oil & vinegar for the dressing." Not too promising, but I could make do.

I asked the waiter if the kitchen could make me a dish with some plain old angel hair pasta, some artichokes, black olives, capers, and diced tomatoes, and absolutely no sauce. I also ordered a side salad with no croutons, cheese, or dressing, but rather a side of vinegar and lemon. When he brought me the salad and the sides, I mixed the vinegar with the herb olive oil they have on the table and the lemon and, voilà, a wonderfully good dressing! The pasta was delicious with just a drizzle of olive oil over it. When I left the restaurant, I was content with my meal.

There is a lesson here: American restaurants, especially those in Barbecue Capital, USA (also known as Lubbock, Texas) might not yet offer the most diverse vegan menu options, but if you are flexible and creative and you can keep your cool under pressure, then a perfectly satisfactory vegan meal is not too far away.

Vegan Chocolate

2011-01-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for a bit of indulgence, here is your ticket: Go Raw Real Live Chocolate. It is vegan, made with raw organic cacao and raw organic agave nectar. This item is a bit pricey, at nearly ten bucks a box (six .3 oz pieces), but it might be worth it for the occasional splurge.

The chocolate tastes like fudge. When you pop it in your mouth, you get a soft, chewy texture that slowly melts in your mouth. As the flavors of the chocolate intensify, the true joy settles in. The product is not overly sweet (thankfully) and it does not have any of that bitterness to it that one comes to expect from non-milk chocolates.

The Health Benefits of Flaxseeds

2011-01-25T03:23:00.000-08:00

As a nation, we consume way too much omega-6 fatty acid and not enough omega-3. But, omega-3 is so important for our health for a number of reasons. For instance, omega-3 can reduce the risk of cancer. Several studies have shown the anti-cancer effects of omega-3. Omega-3 can also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Lots of people get their omega-3 from fish and fish oils (eicosapentaenoic acid). As a vegan, I am finding flaxseeds to be a good source as well. Flaxseeds have a subtle nutty flavor. They are about the size of sesame seeds and they come in a variety of colors. Flaxseeds are rich in alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fat.

Some people take flaxseed oil, but the oil does not have all the nutrients that you find in the seeds themselves.

Last long run before Rocky Raccoon 100...

2011-01-23T05:22:00.000-08:00

I wrote this as a status update on Facebook when I was feeling down during my long run. I think I want to keep it as a mantra:

It is both ignorant and selfish to think that my suffering is anything compared to what so many people in the world go through on a daily basis. Ultrarunning is not a chore, but a choice. A gift. Stay positive. Be strong.

Some inspiration... in Disney!

2011-01-20T20:31:00.000-08:00

Remember "Hercules"? One of my favorite scenes is when the young Hercules leaves home to find his place amongst the gods. The song he sings on his journey is quite touching.

This song from "Mulan" gets me pumped! When the Chinese army captain, Li Shang is training his troops for battle with the invading Huns, he tells his men (and Mulan), that he is going to make men out of them. This song will "make a man out of you"!

This last song was not in the movie "The Lion King," but rather, in Julie Taymor's spectacular Broadway production. It also gets me pumped. It builds to a rather awesome climax. Have a listen!

Fellow endurance warrior got her angel wings today...

2011-01-18T18:55:00.000-08:00

On January 2, 2011, I posted an open letter from Lisa Smith-Batchen. In it, Lisa talked about her friend, Balei Chinski. Balei had been in the hospital since early December. She suffered a burst brain aneurysm and was in a coma for five days. When she finally came out of the coma, she was so weak that it was difficult for her to even talk. She would scream out in pain because her head hurt so much.

Those who loved her could do nothing to ease her suffering. Balei's mother, Cheryl, watched her little girl go through operation after operation, hoping things would change for the better. She watched her baby endure so much pain. "I am tired of fighting, but you know I will," Balei assured her mom.

Things weren't any easier outside the hospital. Cheryl lost her job. As a single mother, this was a devastating blow. She spent all her time by her child's hospital bedside. Soon, her and her three other daughters became in danger of being kicked out of their apartment complex. Now, they have hardly a dollar to their name.

Friends, sometimes in life it is impossible to understand how or why certain things happen the way they do. We ask ourselves all sorts of questions. Why me? What did I do to deserve this? We feel alone. Abandoned. Helpless in the struggle against insurmountable odds. But, we endure. We continue, strong in our faith that God will see us through the darkness.

Today, January 18, 2011, after 47 days in ICU and 5 brain operations, little Balei passed away. She was just sixteen years-old. This is a devastating time for all whose lives she touched.

I did not know Balei personally. But, Lisa often told me about her friend. She was and is such a powerful and vibrant life force. I call Balei our fellow endurance warrior. That she was. To run 100 miles is nothing compared to what Balei accomplished with her life: she has set for us an example of true faith and courage, an example that we should spend the rest of our lives trying to uphold. You know I will fight, Balei told her mom. This is real endurance.

Now, her family needs your help. Balei deserves to have a memorial service of dignity and grace. We are asking for donations. If you would like to to donate money to pay for Balei's funeral service, please mail a check or money order to the following address:

The Balei Chinski Relief Fund
c/o
Peoples Bank of Kankakee
315 Main St. NW
Bourbonnais Illinois 60914
Phone 815.936.7600
Fax 815.932.5559

I also ask that you pass this letter on to all of your friends and family. Let's support each other in these hard times and remember how precious life is and especially the people we love.

The Protein Superstars of Veganism!

2011-01-17T23:28:00.000-08:00

I'm already getting tired of the question - "Where do you get your protein?" And I've only been a vegan for 18 days now. The answer is pretty simple actually. Where? From plant foods of course!

All 9 of the essential amino acids necessary to build protein can be found in plant foods. Why do people just assume that animal protein is superior to plant protein? The amino acids in all animal protein comes from plants. What do people think the cow was eating?

Plants are pretty bad-ass if you think about it. We don't need any meat or animal products to get the essential amino acids. However, sometimes the protein in whole, natural plant foods are harder to digest than the processed or refined plant foods. This is where processed foods get to shine. Most people think that whole, natural foods are better for you, but in this instance, the processing of the protein makes it easier to digest than if it was unprocessed. Furthermore, these sources of protein are just as digestible as any animal protein.

These processed plant foods are the Protein Superstars of the Vegan World. Eat them and be happy! They are:

1. Tofu

Tofu was developed in ancient China from soybeans; the protein found in Tofu is easy to digest. Firm tofu has more protein than soft or silken tofu.

2. Veggie "meats"

Hooray for Tofurky and other meat substitutes! Not only do they taste really good, but they are fairly indistinguishable from the meats they are mimicking. Yes, some taste like crap, but there are some good vegan "meats" out there that are an excellent source of protein. One of my favorites is the Primal Stick. It is like a Slim Jim. It is great!

3. Refined grains

Who doesn't love refined grains in the form of white or whole wheat bread every now and then? I for one am a big fan of this Protein Superhero!

4. Lentils

If you don't like beans (for whatever reason... either they take too long to cook, they make you gassy, or whatever), lentils are the perfect source for protein needs. They are easily digestible and fast to cook.

Rocky Raccon 100 Course Profile

2011-01-16T00:01:00.000-08:00

This entry is part of an ongoing series of course profiles of different 100 mile races that I run. It will be divided into three basic sections: the physical (commenting on the physical aspects of the run, the training that is necessary, etc.), the psychological (commenting on the mental aspects of the race, and what the course entails on a psychological level), and the material (commenting on the gear you will need, supplies, etc.) Leave comments if you have run the course and would like to give advice on how others might better prepare for the race. These profiles are meant as a training tool for for anyone planning to run these races. They are my personal reflections on the race.

When: February 5, 2011
Where: Huntsville, Texas at the Huntsville State Park
Cost: Starting at $132
Type: Looped
Terrain: Flat and soft with with roots
Website: http://tejastrails.com/Rocky.html

The Physical

Rocky Raccoon is a fairly flat course. There are not a whole lot of hills here. The hills that do exist are gently rolling. Nothing like Cactus Rose 100. The trails are soft and covered with pine needles. There are roots on the trails, so watch your feet. There are also lots of wooden bridges on the trails. So, you will also be stepping on wooden planks.

The Mental

The course consists of five 20 mile loops. It's not an especially scenic course. Lots of woods. The view when you get to the lake is pretty nice, though. The good thing about Rocky Raccoon is that it is a huge event. About 700 runners come every year. So, you will have plenty of moral support out there. The aid stations are great. They are well-staffed and stocked with ultra essentials. That is both a blessing and a curse: the aid stations are nice to come across, but you might not want to leave. Seriously, don't stick around too long at the aid stations. It might help to have a pacer, but it is definitely not necessary in this particular 100 miler. You can get along just fine by yourself if you are adequately prepared. However, it can get pretty hairy alone on the trails at night, when you are going through the woods. One more thing about the trails - some parts have roots sticking out. It is almost inevitable that you will fall, especially at night. This can be quite psychologically taxing. Watch your feet on the trail, but be ready to fall down.

The Material

Take all your usual gear. A shoe with a good toe guard might be just the thing for when you stub your toes on those roots at night. Get a good flashlight, too. A headlamp alone will not reveal the relief of the trail; it will just illuminate. You need to be able to see those roots! Take a jacket for thee cold of night. You don't really need much for fueling. You could get by on just two water bottles. The aid stations are well-stocked and close enough apart that you can get by on just two water bottles. But veteran trail runners will probably want to take their own fueling needs. Most runners leave a drop bag at the start filled with clothes, extra shoes, medical supplies, etc.

A great vegan snack - Spicy Garbanzo Bean Bites!

2011-01-15T16:21:00.000-08:00

It's movie night here in my apartment. I just ran 6 miles to the grocery store (this indigent college student has no car) and walked 6 miles back with about 30 lbs. of groceries in hand (not a fun trip), but it was so worth it because now I get to relish in what may be the best snack ever! These tasty treats are extremely easy to make, healthy, and can be seasoned however you want them. Then, you pop them in your mouth like popcorn!

Spicy Garbanzo Bean Bites

1 small baking sheet
1 can of reduced sodium garbanzo beans
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Seasoning of your choosing

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
2) Drain the beans completely and dry them with a paper towel
3 Spread them on the baking sheet.
4) Drizzle olive oil over them
5) Sprinkle your seasoning over them. You can use any kind of seasoning you want. They work well with Cajun seasoning. I used a sort of Italian herb blend of rosemary, black and red pepper, parsley and sea salt.
6) Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until crunchy.

A note about my shifting diet...

2011-01-15T02:33:00.000-08:00

I just realized my diet seems to be shifting towards a higher-fat, Mediterranean-style (relatively unprocessed plant foods like nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocados), vegan diet! Of course, I am making sure I am getting adequate levels of vitamin B12 (to reduce homocysteine levels)and omega-3 fatty acids (to reduce platelet aggregation). How this will affect my ultrarunning endeavors, I haven't the slightest idea. I feel like a mad scientist and the experiment is my body. I like it!

Veganism: An Evolution of the Heart (or, What I'm Learning About My Food)

2011-01-14T01:29:00.000-08:00

This is going to sound like a hippie's rant, but I swear I do not own a tie-die shirt. I am not a member of PETA either. I am simply a concerned human being...

The more research I do, the more I realize that veganism not only makes sense from a health perspective, but it has the potential to be, if well-planned and intelligently put into practice, a solid ethical system and a more peaceful way of life.

Initially, my reasons for going vegan were totally selfish in nature. They were based on the fact that veganism can promote optimal health in a way that eating meat and animal-derived food products cannot. That is not necessarily the best reason to become a vegan, although it is certainly a step in the right direction.

A good reason to become vegan is that you want to be a caring, peaceful person - someone who refuses to participate in a system that enslaves (yes, enslaves), abuses, exploits, and slaughters millions of helpless animals every year for food and clothing. Talk about a holocaust... there is a holocaust occurring right now, this very minute, in every slaughterhouse.

Why do people think that slavery is a concept that applies only to humans? Why do people think that humans have the right to exploit and kill animals simply because they are of a different species? Ever heard the term speciesism? Speciesism is discrimination in favor of one species over another. It is a belief of humans that all other species of animals are inferior and may therefore be used for human benefit without regard to the suffering inflicted.

It is no secret what goes on in slaughterhouses. But, people don't like to think about that kind of stuff. They don't want to spoil their dinners. But, it is a reality. There is no denying the abuse and torture that goes on in these places. Watch the following videos and ask yourself if this is humane:

I do not believe these are isolated incidents. Not for one second do I believe that. I believe that all the animals in slaughterhouses and dairy farms are frightened and abused. They are in pain. And I refuse to be part of a system that practices that kind of behavior.

There are many reasons to go vegan. I can go on and on about how veganism is indeed the healthier lifestyle and can promote optimal health, reducing the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic illnesses, etc. I can debate about the evolutionary history of humans and whether or not we evolved to eat meat at all. But, in the end, it all comes down to personal choice. The best argument for going vegan is because you want to be a good person.

This is not the Stone Age. We are not cave men, and therefore, we need to stop acting like cave men. We have the science, technology, and resources to not have to rely on slaughtering animals for food and clothing. We even have the ability to make food that is vegan but that is practically indistinguishable in taste and texture from meat products! So why wouldn't we choose to do go vegan? Ignorance? How long can you feign ignorance? Laziness? What is the excuse?

It seems to me it is the only ethical thing to do.

A good reason to go vegan...

2011-01-13T01:26:00.000-08:00

This documentary about how humans mistreat animals has blown me away. It will affect you, too, if you dare to look. It makes me glad I became a vegan. And it makes me feel like I am not doing enough to protect the well-being of animals who are treated so cruelly at the hands of man.

Be warned, the images in this film are extremely disturbing and upsetting.

Also, here is a very thought-provoking and challenging speech by student activist, Gary Yourofsky:

Livin' the Vegan Life!

2011-01-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

Today is my tenth day as a vegan. The transition to a vegan lifestyle has been extremely educational and I can tell my body is quickly adapting to the change in diet. I will write more about this transition later, once I can better grasp the dynamics of the changes that are happening. Until then, I have posted the video below about transitioning to healthy eating habits. The key word, I think, is "transition." Make the change. Start today. You don't have to go vegan, but do something good for your body. Eat well.

Also, if you are interested in veganism, "Becoming Vegan," by Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S. and R.D., has been a vital part of my education on veganism. It is a wonderful book. Check it out.

Ch-ch-ch-changes!

2011-01-08T00:12:00.001-08:00

My friend, Aleia, was rummaging through her old picture files on her computer and she came across some photos of me when I was heavier (not at my heaviest, though!), before I lost 180 pounds. I don't recognize myself in them. I mean, I do and I don't.

It's so weird seeing what I looked like back then. I feel like I'm a different person now. But, not so different. I still feel for that guy staring back at me in the photos. I want to reach out to him and tell him... What do I want to tell him? That it will get better. That there is a whole world of possibility out there that he hasn't even dreamed of.

Pictures like these inspire me to keep moving forward. Change is always a possibility. It's inevitable, in fact.

Here are the pictures:

Here is another "Before and After" that I have posted before.

Click here to read Part 1 of my post about my weight loss journey. Click here for Part 2.

Running in Literature: A Passage from "The Secret Garden"

2011-01-06T01:46:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read "The Secret Garden"? I picked up the book out of boredom today and I came across a really great passage that relates to running. I know... It's all about running, right? Seriously, though, I think it's a beautiful description of what running can do to revive the spirits when you're feeling gloomy.

Here's the backstory: Mary Lennox is an ugly child whom nobody likes. Her own parents didn't even like her. Neglected all her life, she turns out to be a sour little girl. A real brat. When her family is killed off by an outbreak of cholera, Mary is sent to live with her reclusive, wealthy uncle on his big estate out on a desolate moor in England. While staying there, she roams the expansive gardens. As she's wandering, she starts to run. Here is the description of her exploration:

...She gazed out of the window across to the huge moor which seemed to spread out on all sides and climb up to the sky, and after she had stared for a while she realized that if she did not go out she would have to stay in and do nothing--and so she went out. She did not know that this was the best thing she could have done, and she did not know that, when she began to walk quickly or even run along the paths and down the avenue, she was stirring her slow blood and making herself stronger by fighting with the wind which swept down from the moor. She ran only to make herself warm, and she hated the wind which rushed at her face and roared and held her back as if it were some giant she could not see. But the big breaths of rough fresh air blown over the heather filled her lungs with something which was good for her whole thin body and whipped some red color into her cheeks and brightened her dull eyes when she did not know anything about it.

Isn't that a lovely description? So simple, so true. Anyone who is a runner can relate. You know the feeling. You know what it's like to have the wind blowing through your hair, to pump your legs and have your heart racing. You feel alive. You might not even necessarily enjoy the run. It may be tough as hell. You legs could be hurting; your lungs could be screaming.

Mary sure isn't enjoying it much. She's just running to stay warm. There have been many times when I have gone out for my daily run even though I was not feeling up to it. But, you somehow always ease into the activity. You loosen up and realize what an exhilarating thing it is to be alive and moving. The experience is transformative. It certainly was transformative for little Mary. The experience of running along the garden walls helped awaken a passion in her she had never experienced before in her life. How many of you have been transformed by running? How many of you have had this experience that Mary is having?

Just had to share the goodness...

If you would like to read "The Secret Garden," you can find the entire novel here.

Fat, Cashew Butter, and Other Such Random Musings...

2011-01-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

Fat does not necessarily make you fat. We all know that. And, we all need some healthy fat in our diets. It isn't bad for you, per se. But, it is easy to overeat it. Compared to the other macronutrients, fat should comprise a relatively small percent of your diet. As an ultrarunner, I like to stick to the 60/20/20 ratio. That is: 60% of my daily calorie intake comes from carbs, 20% from protein, and 20% from fat. I like this ratio. It works for me. So how do I get my fat?

Well, lately, I notice I've been relying heavily on cashew butter. I love the stuff. I eat it with just about anything. The thing about cashew butter is, it can be sweet or it can be salty. I used to smear some on some on whole wheat bread and squirt some honey on top, but since I turned vegan, no more honey for me. Insert sad face! Seriously though, you should try this magical, rich, creamy food.

Speaking of fat, have you ever heard of the website This is Why You're Fat? It is a site that features really fatty, really unhealthy food concoctions that people have made or eaten. Most of the food looks really gross. Some items look, I'm ashamed to admit, intriguing. Here are some of my favorite gross-outs:

Chocolate-covered bacon on a stick...

Spam fries...

And the best: deep-fried lard balls with powdered sugar sprinkled on top...

Now, take some time to recover. These are obviously NOT the kinds of fats you want in your diet. Try some cashew butter instead!

Stay away from the fried fish!

2011-01-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

I was browsing the New York Times this morning and I came across an interesting piece in the Health section. The article was about how fried fish is seen as a culprit in the "stroke belt" phenomenon.

I had never heard the term "stroke belt," but apparently, you are more likely to have a stroke if you live in one of these eight Southern southern states: North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana. These states have a higher rate of cardiovascular illness than the rest of the United States.

Why? Well, scientists have analyzed the diets of people living in these states and compared them with the diets of people nationwide. What they found suggested that people in the South eat the roughly the same amount of fish as the rest of the country. However, they are 32% more likely to eat that fish fried.

As controversial as this finding may be (certainly there are other culprits than fried fish for the "geographic and racial differences in stroke rate"), I can certainly see how eating fried fish might not be the best for your health. When you deep fry fish, all the naturally-occurring omega-3 fatty acids that help reduce the risk of stroke are replaced with the cooking oil.

The American Heart Association recommends at least two fish meals per week. But, deep frying the fish defeats the purpose. You are destroying the nutritional value of the fish.

Is there a lesson here? Yes. Be conscientious of what you eat. Take care of yourself. Eat good, whole foods that you enjoy and that benefit your body. And while a little indulgence in your favorite foods, be they fried catfish or in my case bean and cheese tacos, remember that it all comes down to diet. You are what you eat.

A recipe for veggie tamales

2011-01-02T10:27:00.000-08:00

Here is a pretty simple recipe for veggie tamales. A lot of it is improvised according to judgment and taste, so feel free to experiment. None of this is set in stone. For example, you can use a different vegetable mixture than the one used here. You can add carrots or broccoli. You can add cheese if you want. There is no end to where you can take it! This recipe is meant to give you ideas (not to say that the tamales won't be perfectly delicious if you stick strictly to this recipe). Also, these tamales are not made-from scratch tamales. We are using store-bought masa here. You can find many good masa recipes online if you want to make the tamales entirely from scratch. But, you can get perfectly good masa at a quality "molino," or tortilla factory. Note that some masa that you buy at the store is not vegan-friendly since some contain lard. This masa is vegan friendly. We are using olive oil here instead of lard. The finished product here is not vegan friendly however since we are using chicken stock to boil the tamales in. However, you may be able to use vegetable stock instead for a pure vegan product! Have fun!

8 pods chiles anchos (dried red peppers)

6 lbs fresh masa (you can buy this at a tortilla factory called a "molino")

1 large package of corn husks ("hojas para tamales")

A 1 oz. small package of chile powder mix (the mix has other seasonings than chile powder)

1 3 oz. bottle of plain chile powder

Salt

Black pepper

One cup of olive oil

6 Zucchinis

2 Green bell peppers

2 Red bell peppers

1 Bunch green onions

A half gallon of chicken broth

----------------------------------------------------------------

1. Prepare the chile ancho paste to season the masa.

The following can be prepared a few days before making your tamales:

Remove stems from each pod of chile ancho.

Tear open each pod and discard all the seeds.

Soak the hallowed out pods overnight in hot water to soften them.

When completely softened, discard the water and puree the pods and set the paste aside in bowl.

2. Spice the masa.

The following can be prepared a day or two before making your tamales:

*Note: this is the fun part. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and don't be afraid to taste! Remember, none of this is set in stone, so feel free to add seasoning as you see fit.

Place the masa in a very large pot.

Add the pureed chile ancho, chile powder mix (1 oz.), half of the bottle of chile powder (1.5 oz.), and salt and pepper to taste.

Mix thoroughly with clean hands. Make sure to break up all those little clumps of masa. You want a completely evenly spiced and textured masa mix.

While mixing add about one cup of olive oil. Here, you want to get the masa to a soft and manageable texture, not too stiff and not too thin. Go by feel. If the masa seems to dry, just add more olive oil.

3. Prepare your corn husks.

The following can be prepared a day or two before making your tamales.

Open each corn husk.

Remove any corn silk (the hair-like fibers from the husk).

Soak the Corn Husks in a large pot with hot water. This makes the corn husks soft and flexible for when you spread the masa on them.

Leave them in the water overnight or until soft.

4. Cut up your veggies.

The following can be prepared a day or two before making your tamales:

Chop all the veggies to a desired size and mix in a large bowl. You can dice them up into small pieces or you can even julienne the bell peppers and zucchinis to about inch long.

Set aside or refrigerate until ready to cook.

5. Make your tamales.

Now that you have done all your prep work, you are ready to assemble and cook your tamales. This is a tough day. Spreading the masa on the tamales can be tough work, but it is well-rewarded work. One suggestion: the more people you can get in on this process of spreading masa and stuffing the tamales, the better. You can even make a party of the whole business. These tamale-making parties are called tamaladas. Sit around a large table with your friends and family and have a blast!

Drain the corn husks completely, stand them upright on drain board or in a pan so that all the water can come out. You can even shake them off to get rid of any excess water.

"Sautee" the vegetables in a non-stick skillet. Do not add any fat or oil; you won't need it. The vegetables will release their own water in which to cook. Just put the vegetables in a pan and set them at a low to medium heat. You want them tender but not too soft because they will get more cooking time when you stuff them in the tamales. Make sure most of the water in the pan is evaporated because you don't want the vegetables too watery.

In a separate pot, bring half a gallon of chicken stock to a boil. You will use this later to cook your tamales.

Take a corn husk and cup it in your palm. The corn husk naturally cups itself into a bowl-like shape. You are going to spread the masa on the inside of that "bowl."

Using a spoon, place about a golf ball size hunk of masa onto the corn husk.

Holding the husk in one hand, spread about a golf ball size of masa onto the bottom portion of the husk with the back of the spoon. The bottom portion is the wide part (do not spread any masa on the upper (tapered) part of the the husk). This is all about technique and judgment. You can place the corn husk on a flat surface and spread the masa like that, but you get more control when you cup the husk in your hand. Find out the technique that works for you. You want the masa to be spread with an even thickness across the bottom portion of the husk. How thick a layer of masa you want is up to you. A thicker layer will make a really fat, "doughy" tamale. I personally like the fat tamales, but you may not. Experiment. And remember, practice makes perfect!

When finished spreading, stack the husks with masa on top of each other.

Spoon enough vegetables, length-wise, on the masa, but don't spread the veggies all the way to the top and bottom of the masa. Rather, leave about half an inch on either side so that you can close off the tamale on both ends by pinching the masa together (see the next step). Refer to diagram below.

Roll the tamale up and fold the flap top-section of the husk (the part without masa) part down. Pinch the masa on the top and bottom of the tamale so that the vegetables are closed off and enclosed completely in the tamale. If you do not have enough masa to close off the open end of the tamale, feel free to take a little bit of extra masa in your finger to seal off the end.

Arrange all the tamales in a large pot, (teepee style), with the opened part of the tamale upright.

Pour the boiling hot chicken stock into the pot with the tamales. Maintain a boil. Cover and lower flame to where you can still hear the boiling sound. Cook for one hour on medium low. This is terribly important: do not uncover them until the hour is up. They will not cook properly if you uncover them.

6. Enjoy your tamales!

A Call for Help! Please read this...

2011-01-02T01:19:00.000-08:00

The following letter comes from Lisa Smith-Batchen. Lisa's friend, a 16 year-old girl, is in dire medical condition. She may be dying. Read below to find out how you can help her and her family get through these terrible ordeals.

Dear endurance friends!!!

Please take a few moments to sit down and read this letter, it comes
with a very heavy heart and one I have been thinking about for several days.

On Dec. 28th I will have my foot operated on. During my 2,500 mile run
this summer it broke and a tendon was torn. I have spent 6 months in a
boot or cast to heal it and it has not healed. The lessons continue. I
have been a bit stressed out this part week thinking about being put to
sleep, the surgery and the pain of the foot coming back. It sure is
different for most of us when we are on mile 200 and the pain is something we
can bare because we are the one in charge and in control of it.
We are the ones who allow the pain and know what is needed to "just deal with it"

ALL of you have done absolutely amazing endurance events, you have
endured what most people can not comprehend and what most people would
never even consider doing.

ALL of you inspire me and inspire so many to do and be better at most
everything life has to offer.

ALL of you have such talent to use your body, mind, spirit and soul to
move to places of the unknown.

My good friend Jim Simone who is one amazing endurance athlete
introduced me a friend of his Cheryl (a single mother) and her 4
beautiful daughters. They drove all the way from Chicago and spent a
week with us here in the Tetons.Needless to say if you met this
beautiful family you would fall in love with them as we did.

Balei, Cheryl's daughter who turned 16 on Oct. has been going through
the biggest endurance challenge of her life and she needs our help, her family needs our help..
On Dec. 4th, 2010 Balei complained on a headache and nausea. Hours later she was rushed to
University Chicago Corner Childrens Hospital. Balei suffered a burst brain aneurysm and was in a coma for 5 days
. In critical condition ICU Balie has gone through 3 brain surgery since then and the last one was today.
They discovered the fluid leaking from the brain was meningitis!

Balei nick name is Sassy, she is one of the most amazing, kind, giving,
generous kids I have ever met. She was the one at our home trying to
rally everyone to plays games, go on hikes, dance, sing and just live
life for the moment. I was so impressed with her ability to inspire and
get my 2 daughters to do about anything she ask of them!

The hospital staff says that Balei is the inspiration that keeps them
going right now...even when she is screaming in pain because her head
hurts so much anyone who comes into her hospital room she finds a place
to tell them she loves them, Merry Christmas.

Balie told her mother Cheryl "I tired of fighting but you know I will."

Balies voice is weak and most of the time very hard to understand her at all. I have spoken to her several times in the past few weeks even if they just put the phone to her ear so she could hear what I had to say. What I have said to Balie is that she is my hero, she is my courage. What she is going through and enduring is far greater then anything I have personally ever even been close to experiencing. A hero she is for her undying love, giving and inspiration to fight.

In the past few days, Cheryl, Balei's mother was fired from her job, she is about to lose the family's apartment and they have less then $100 to there name. Cheryl spends every waking moment with Balei and her other girls.

How can so much happen to one person and the family all at once? The
answer may never be known.

This morning I went for a walk at 2 am, I could not sleep thinking about my phone call the night before with Jim..the trials and struggles of Balei, Cheryl and their beautiful family.

It took me 40 min. to walk 1 mile because my foot is in so much pain and the limp has caused my hip to hurt.

Last night we got 1 foot of fresh snow, the sky was amazing. I fell to
my knees in the snow and just starting to cry. I thought about Mother Mary and Jesus...it reminds me of Mother Cheryl and Balei.

Sister Marybeth was the first person I called when I found out I have to have my foot operated on. Her words to me were short, sweet and full of wisdom, as always.

"Lisa, God has something else for you to do right now. Sit quiet and
listen."

It became clear to me this morning that my 2,500 mile run through the
USA was not over. Many more lessons to learn and so many children and
people to help.

I may not be able to run but I can sure continue to help and spread hope.

I am asking for your help! Helping one child at a time, one person at a
time. "Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much".

Help Balei and her family win this endurance race, help get the word out to all your endurance friends. Helping Balei helps me, it helps you, it helps all who step forward.

It helps us all come to realize that we are in this together and that we all do make a difference, we can make a difference.

When it is your turn for me to help you...you know I will.

Consider sending this letter to all your endurance friends and ask them
to please consider making a donation of even $10 to help Balei and her
family right now.

The Balei Chinski Relief Fund
c/o
Peoples Bank of Kankakee
315 Main St. NW
Bourbonnais Illinois 60914
Phone 815.936.7600
Fax 815.932.5559
People can send tax DEDUCTABLE donations to the bank or contact them
for more info.

Or you can send a check to the Dreamchaser Foundation 100% OF ALL
MONEY WILL GO TO HELP BALEI AND HER FAMILY

po box 1200
Driggs, Idaho 83422
In the subject area write: Balei

Thank you for your consideration.

May your days be filled with love, joy, hope, faith and wonder

Lisa Smith-Batchen

Final List of New Year's Resolutions - Here we GO!

2010-12-31T21:51:00.000-08:00

1. Lose some weight, get lean (130 is the goal)
2. Go vegan
3. Half marathon challenge - run (and/or walk) at least 13.1 miles a day, everyday for 365 days straight. Can split up run when necessary
4. Run at least one 30 mile long run every other week
5. Do 50 crunches a day, everday
6. No more drinking
7. Complain less
8. Sign up for, run, and complete at least three 100 mile races this year (Leadville, Rocky Raccoon and a third)
9. Get published in Ultrarunning Magazine and/or Trail Running Magazine and/or Marathon & Beyond Magazine
10. Write at least 15 posts per month on my blog
11. Run the length of the Grand Canyon over spring break R2R2R (Negotiable due to lack of money. Leadville takes priority)
12. Document food intake on iPad food counter on a daily basis
13. Document run progress on blog on a daily basis
14. Document food intake on blog on a weekly basis
15. Document run progress on blog on a weekly basis

More New Year's Resolutions

2010-12-22T06:36:00.000-08:00

As New Year's Eve draws closer, I am still finalizing my list of resolutions for 2011. I think I have come up with a manageable list. I think all fo these things are doable. Here they are:

1. Lose some weight - first order of business, and I'm getting started now. Over the period of law school final exams, due to poor eating habits and low activity level, I put on about ten pounds. I need to get back to my racing weight. This will entail cutting back a little on the calorie intake, basically.

2. Finish at least three 100 milers - Self-explanatory. (Related, see #4 and #5)

3. Finish Rocky Raccoon 100 - I DNF'd this course last year, mostly because I was totally unprepared for the 100-miler mentally. But, now that I know what running 100 miles entails, I think I have the mental fortitude to finish.

4. Sign up for, run, and finish Leadville 100 - this is the year I want to make some definite strides towards Badwater. Leadville is a part of that progress. I can't say for sure what piqued my interest in Leadville; all I know is that I have my heart set on it, and I can feel that it is going to happen.

5. Go vegan - this is the big one. I have been thinking about this for a long time, ever since my friend explained vegetarianism to me back in Austin about 6 years ago. In the past year, I have done a lot of research on veganism and the benefits of a vegan diet and I think it will be good for me. I am very excitied about this one.

7. Get published - I plan to write a lot more for this blog and hopefully my writing will get picked up by Ultrarunning Magazine or Marathon & Beyond or Trail Runner Magazine. I have already made some definite progress dowards this goal. My story on Lisa Smith-Batchen's run across America got picked up by Marathon & Beyond and will be published in the July/August issue!

8. Do R2R2R - I really want to run the Grand Canyon. However, this resolution is negotiable. Money-permitting, I will do my best to make it happen during Spring Break (mid-March). However, Leadville expenses will take priority.

An Ultrarunner's New Year's Resolution (or, Quit Your Bitchin'!)

2010-12-19T09:28:00.000-08:00

It's about that time of year when you start reflecting on the past and planning for the future. As the year draws to a close, I find myself running over in my mind all the things I did, both good and bad. I remember fondly my triumphs and I try to learn from my downfalls. It's time to formulate New Year's resolutions.

New Year's resolutions are helpful because they reinforce the possibility of change, the promise of a better tomorrow. They are psychological tools that allow you to realize change is within your grasp. What can I do (or not do) to alter the course of my life for the better? If nothing else, they imply a positive attitude.

So what is my New Year's resolution? I was looking back at some of my Facebook status updates and noticed an alarming trend:

"Law school suuuucks."
"I hate law school."
"This sucks."
"Kill me."
"F.M.L."
"I feel like crap."
"I am fat."
"I hate studying."
"Is this really my life?"

I am somewhat ashamed to read back on these posts. It would appear I have become quite a negative person. It never occured to me that I complain so much. Did it do any good? Probably not. If anything, it made me feel worse. Things are hard enough already without being so negative and cynical. So why complain about that which you cannot change? There really is no point. And there's no honor in it.

Allow me to digress for a moment and tell you some personal information. This summer, my dad went into the hospital and stayed there for about two months. He had to have his leg amputated due to complications from his diabetes. Every day, my mom, my sister, and I would go see him. There was a time when things were not looking good. The doctors thought he was dying. He developed a bad infection on his leg. He was running a fever. He was delirious. The doctors were doing all they could. All we could do here at home was pray.

Eventually, my dad did get better. The infection went away and the fever subsided. But, my dad had lost his leg. When he came home from the hospital, he had to adapt. Confined to wheelchair, he had to make his way around using what he had. Then, one day, the doctors were able to get him a prosthetic leg.

It was very difficult getting used to the prosthesis, like learning to walk all over again. In fact, he is still getting used to it. He has lost his balance and fallen down. The phsyical therapy is helping. He is getting stronger every day. I have full confidence that soon he will be up and about like nothing.

Why do I tell you this? Well, in all the days, weeks, months, that my dad spent in the hospital, after all the pain and heartache, through the misery and hell of losing a limb, not once did I ever hear my dad complain. Not once did I ever hear him curse or grumble. Not once did I ever him lament his situation.

It would have been easy to throw in the towel, whimper and whine into a corner, get bitter. What he went through - is still going through - sucks. It really does. Life, sometimes, is a bitch, and it fucking blows. You get hurt. You feel angry. I don't deserve this. This wasn't supposed to happen to me. But, you have to move through it. You don't get over it, you move through it. Anger is just not a very useful emotion in the long-run. The most it will get you is a few quick spurts of energy and then you are back where you started. Optimism and hope are much more productive, long-lasting emotions.

In the end, you do the best you can and you try to enjoy the little things.

These days, my dad laughs all the time. He listens to good music (some Charlie Parker or Miles Davis on the stereo), eats good food, and smiles big. He is enjoying life.

I want to be like him.

I want to enjoy life. I want to realize my blessings and savor them. How can I do that if I am always complaining, always seeing the bad side of things instead of the good?

So here it is, my New Year's resolution for 2011: I, Gerard Martinez, hereby promise to focus on the good things in life instead of the bad, to stay positive and hopeful even when the world around me is crumbling to pieces; I promise to be joyful, to count my blessings and be forever grateful for the gift of life; I promise to enjoy this life to the fullest because it is precious and you only get one shot at it.

Happy New Year's and happy running!

I'm baaaaaaack!

2010-12-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

Now that finals are over, I can get back to writing on here on a more regular basis. Suddenly, the world seems so full of possibilities and options! In fact, I just may make that the theme of the month: options and possibilities, possibilities and options!

Speaking of possibilities, I have been working on my racing plans for the upcoming year. I am definitely doing Rocky Raccoon 100. I also want to sign up for - are you ready? - Leadville 100. Really want to do Cactus Rose 100 again. But, I need something to do for Spring Break. I was thinking of going out to the Grand Canyon and doing R2R2R. I hear it is a very spiritual run.

Lot's of good stuff coming up on the blog. I have some fun stories I am working on, including the continuation of the story of Lisa Smith-Batchen's 2500 mile run through America. I also have some interviews with other runners coming up.

I am happy to announce that my interview with Lisa Smith-Batchen is being published by Marathon & Beyond Magazine in the August edition. Far off, but hey, it's something! Also, The Running Review chosen to publish the story on their website. It's nice to have some readers.

In keeping with the theme of options and possibilities, I have added a fun little poll on here. It is on the left-hand side of the screen. So, you are 75 miles into a 100 mile race. What do you grab at the next aid station? Click on your preference and let's see what the results are.

Stay tuned for more content, and happy running!