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Sunday, December 23, 2007

Most Interesting Blog Posts of 2007

On the summit of Mt. Whitney

December is the slowest month of the year as far as races are concerned so I don't have a lot to talk about there; I'm just continuing my normal running routine and getting in quite a few miles. Just yesterday I made a new friend at Yoga class and my yoga buddy, Larry, was telling her all about the blog. Rather than sifting through the 80 something posts I told her that I would email her the links to the best ones (of course I forgot to get her email address; not very "smooth" am I). As I was running today I thought this would be something to share with everyone since many of you may have missed some of the earlier stuff. So here they are, the entries that I think are most interesting from this year. Enjoy!

Sylamore 50K Race Report (2/19)
3 Days of Syllamo Race Report (3/19)
Kettle Moraine 100 Mile Race Report (6/4)
Psycho Psummer 50K Race Report (7/16)
Mount Whitney Summit Adventure (8/12)
Great Running and Inspirational Quotes (8/20)
Turkey and Taturs 50K Race Report (9/17)
Arkansas Traveller 100 Mile Race Report (10/8)
Trails and Tribulations Arkansas Traveller 100 Podcast (10/24)
Rock Creek 50K Race Report (10/28)
100 Mile Frequently Asked Questions and Answers (11/10)
Route 66 Marathon Race Report (11/19)
Green Rock 40 Mile "Fun" Run (12/2)

Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Running!
Carey

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Green Rock 40 Mile "Fun" Run

Stuart, Me and Jerry arriving at the Middle Aid Station (Photo by Travis Liles)

Yesterday, a group of us ran a Green Rock Trail "Double" fully supported by Lee Hess and a crew of volunteers. This trail is 10 miles one way and begins about 2 miles west of the Allenton exit near Six Flags and ends at Rockwoods Reservation. Green Rock is very rocky (hence the name) and hilly; it is known as the toughest trail in the St. Louis area and one of the most strenuous in the entire state. To our knowledge no one had ever accomplished a Green Rock Double in a single day so we were heading into uncharted territory.

Lee (pictured at right giving me a pep talk at the AT 100) is a fellow SLUG and had been planning this event for some time as a practice run for a race he would like to direct on the GR Trail sometime in the near future. There were aid stations set up at the start/finish, the middle and the turnaround just like there would be in an actual race with full ultra-aid station fare including Turkey Soup, Breakfast Burritos, M&M's, Coke, cookies, pretzels and PB&J sandwiches. About 15 runners were participating but not all were planning on doing the double. At 6:00 am we stood around the trailhead listening to some last minute instructions from Lee and around 6:07 am we headed off into the darkness with flashlights in hand. The temperature at the start was around 30 degrees with partly cloudy skies and the forecast called for sleet in the morning turning into rain around mid-day as the temperature increased; we were all mentally prepared for a long, wet day. After the first few miles the group split up and I was running with Stuart Johnson, Jerry Frost, David Stores and future SLUG member, Steve McKee. This was to be the longest run for both David and Steve so they were excited about the challenge; David commented that he only slept about 3 hours mostly due to nervousness about the gloomy weather forecast. There was a lot of chatter throughout the day (mostly from yours truly) which helped pass the time as we talked about running and life. Jerry was the first SLUG I ever met back at the Berryman training run in 2005 and is someone who has inspired me and taught me a lot about the sport of ultra-running; we don't get to run together very often so it was nice to spend the day with him.

When we arrived at the turn they were cooking up some yummy looking breakfast burritos but I stuck with my usual Coke, M&M's and cookies. In fact Jerry and Stuart were teasing me that I should do a Coke commercial; "Want to be a front-middle of the pack ultra-runner and finish in the top 10-30% but never win? Then drink COKE, that's what I do. Strive to be just a bit better than average!" Whatever works, right? We cruised back to the start/finish where David and I both changed into shorts; besides a few sprinkles early on it was dry, partly cloudy and in the mid-40's which is ideal running weather. I had been joking about how tempting it would be to quit at the turn and head to Starbuck's to enjoy a hot latte and a book but really always intended to go back out for a second loop. I told Jerry and Stuart this so they would stick around and not head off without me but when I returned from the truck they were gone. Lee and Andrew said, "Jerry and Stuart told us not to let you go to Starbucks!" Thanks guys, way to pass the buck. I stuffed my face with cookies and M&M's, downed some Coke and quickly caught up to them. I ribbed them a bit about there not being an "I" in Team; I'd have to remind Stuart of this again later.

David and Steve caught up to us and as we entered the middle aid station Steve told us he was planning on turning around. This was his furthest run beyond a marathon and he was happy to accomplish his first trail 50K; we all congratulated him and headed on to the turnaround. Around 1:40 pm we reached the turn and ate some of the best Turkey and Rice Soup I've ever had. We thanked everyone for their hard work volunteering and then started our way back for the last 10 miles of the day. Stuart (the "Old Punk" is pictured above with me at the Rock Creek 50K) wasn't wasting any time and quickly took off ahead of us as I heckled him about not being a team player; "No 'I' in Team, remember Stuart!?!" I think this made him go even faster because he was out of sight within the first few miles heading back. As we passed the 1 mile marker Jerry told David and I to savor every step since we were on the home stretch; he seemed a bit disappointed that the day would soon be ending. This kind of attitude is what makes him such a great ultra-runner; he embraces every minute of a run and truly enjoys the process.

We soon came up on Ted Gruener (pictured at left with me, photo by Travis Liles) and Jon Whiting who said Stuart had passed them like a man possessed flying right by. This was to be Jon's longest run ever and Ted had been running with him most of the day helping to support him in this challenge. We met up with Carol Izadi and Deb Johnson who were heading out to the turn as Carol said she just had to have another burrito; I run for Coke and M&M's and she runs for burritos. Once again, whatever works! We reached the middle aid station around 3:15 pm and both David and John were fading a bit. We all fueled up and made sure they would be OK to continue on together as Jerry, Ted and I picked up the pace; as we headed off Jerry exclaimed "Let's Get'er Done!" We reached the 9 mile marker and could hear the sound of cars speeding along I-44; Ted remarked what a sweet sound it was as it signaled the end of a long and grueling day. At 4:16 pm, 10 hours and 9 minutes after we had started, we reached Fox Creek road and were welcomed and congratulated by Lee and Stuart. About 20 minutes later we heard David (pictured right at Flatlanders) and Jon coming down the trail on the way to finishing their longest run yet on the most difficult trail in St. Louis. What an accomplishment, congrats to you both! At the end of the day 6 people completed the Double: Stuart Johnson, Jerry Frost, Ted Gruener, David Stores, Jon Whiting and myself. Carol and Deb ended up completing 34 miles and finished around 6:10 pm; job well done! Once everyone had arrived we all stood around reminiscing about the day and mowing down on the birthday cake Stuart, Deb and Carol had brought for Lee; I also run for cake :-)

Once again thanks to all who helped out and made this day possible including David, Travis, Randy, Andrew, Michelle, Dan, Jeff, Mike, Charlie and the rest of their Hasher Family; we couldn't have done it without you. Most of all thanks to Lee for coordinating such a great event; it was organized better than many "official" races! To view all of the pictures taken by Travis Liles click HERE.

Any of you have recent running adventures to share? If so, please do. How about some stories from the Tecumseh Trail Marathon yesterday?

Hope all is well and Happy Running,
Carey

Monday, November 19, 2007

I "Got My Kicks" At The Route 66 Marathon

Me, Dan, LaDonna and Brian

I headed down to Tulsa this past weekend to run the Route 66 Marathon with my second cousins, Dan and Brian. It was to be the first marathon for both of them and we thought it would be a great experience to run it together. My Dad and I left around 5:00 am Sunday morning from my Grandparent's lake house near Grove to drive to the Southern Hills Marriot where we were meeting up with Dan, Brian and their families. We arrived at about 6:45 am and I headed into the lobby to find all of them waiting. I quickly ran to the restroom and then we jumped into our cars to make our way to the start line downtown.

I expected a lot more traffic considering it was a marathon morning but we had no problems finding a parking space and getting to the start area. The weather was ideal with the temperature hovering around 50 degrees and an overcast sky; there was a slight mist in the air and a cool breeze from the south. For a marathon it doesn't get any better! As we stood around waiting we caught up a bit on life, since I haven't seen either of them in about 12 years, and chatted about the race. They were both very excited and well prepared for the 26.2 mile distance. I saw my good friend, Matt Bickhard, along with TATUR founder, Brian Hoover, who were also running the marathon; it seems that no matter where I race I always see familiar faces. Around 7:50 am we were directed into the starting corral and promptly at 8:00 am we were off.

Brian and Dan's goal was to maintain a 10:00 min/mile pace throughout the race and finish somewhere near 4 hours and 30 minutes. We began the race a bit fast (go figure) and were consistently running a 9:00 minute mile pace through the first 10 miles. They both were feeling good but I could tell Dan was a bit concerned about going out too fast and I should have listened better; instead of backing off we just continued cruising along. I kept reminding them to relax their shoulders, take electrolyte capsules and listen to their bodies; if they felt lactic acid building up or that we were pushing it too much just speak up and we would slow down. Around mile 10 I saw fellow SLUG Tom Whalen running back towards downtown in 4th place and shouted over words of encouragement; man that guy can fly! He ended up placing 4th overall and taking 1st place Master's Male; congrats Tom! We hit the halfway mark at 10:00 am and were pacing ahead of our 4:30 goal but a lot can happen during those last 13 miles.

As we left Jenks on our way back towards downtown, Dan said his hamstrings were beginning to cramp and I reminded him to take some more electrolyte caps and down some GU. We also stopped so he could stretch his legs out a bit and decided to let Brian go on without us. Around the 15 mile point I saw my Dad and asked him to bring my bag out to me at the next stop as I had forgotten S-Caps and Hammer Gels. Up until this point I had been borrowing electrolyte caps from Dan but they weren't S-Caps and had less sodium; I suspected that may be why he was having some issues as he wasn't replacing the salt he was losing through his sweat. About a mile later my trusty "Crew Chief" came to the rescue delivering the much needed S-Caps which I shared with Dan as he was complaining of severe cramping in his hamstrings and calves.

Around mile 17 we began taking walk breaks as we waited for the cramps to subside but they never quite did and by mile 22 Dan was hurting pretty badly as the cramps had now moved into his quads. It was also at this point that he hit the "Wall" and as he weaved back and forth he told me that he was so tired he could fall asleep right there in the road. Fortunately an aid station was near, he downed some Accelerade and GU and within minutes he was back and alert; close call! He pushed on despite the fatigue and pain reminding himself that the more he ran the quicker he'd reach the finish line. Around the 25.5 mile mark we saw Matt Bickhard who was walking back up (he had already finished) looking for his friend. Matt told us that it was all downhill from here which put the spring back in Dan's step as we coasted and rounded the last turn towards the finish line. We crossed the tape in 4:36:37 and Dan now officially has the first of what will be many marathon finishes under his belt. Brian finished about 15 minutes ahead of us in 4:22:34 and Brian's wife, LaDonna, ran the Half Marathon in 2:25:18. They dug deep and finished strong; congrats to all three of you!

As we stood around munching food and talking with our families I was reminded of how I felt after I finished my first marathon back in December, 2005. I was physically exhausted, emotionally drained but very proud; I could see that same look in their eyes and it made me smile. I think most of us ultra-runners tend to just shrug off the marathon distance as no big deal but watching Dan and Brian push on as they battled cramps and fatigue made me respect the distance again. Both Dan and Brian started out running back in January of this year not with the intention of completing a marathon but simply to lose weight and live a healthier life. After many months of training and hard work they accomplished something that most people never will; everyone CAN finish a marathon but few have the discipline and dedication to actually do it. Way to go Dan, Brian and all of the other First Time Finishers at the Route 66 Marathon!

To view the full results of the Route 66 Marathon click HERE and to view all of the pictures from the race click HERE.

I leave for LA Wednesday morning to visit my good friend and former colleague, Erik, for the Thanksgiving holiday. He actually lives in Venice so we plan to get in some beach running, yoga and hiking over the long weekend as we catch up on old times and discuss what lies ahead in the future.

Wishing all of you a great holiday and Happy Running!
Carey

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Race Day Tips for a Marathon and Beyond


Recently Runner's World Magazine published an article by Amby Burfoot on how to run a "smart" marathon titled, appropriately enough, "Marathon Smarts". This Sunday I'll be running the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa with my second cousins Dan and Brian and have been thinking about some tips to give them before the marathon. Much of this information is not new and is mentioned in the article but what I have done is to describe my own personal race routine whether I'm running a marathon or a 100 miler.

1. Stick With the Tried and True - I never try out new things on race day. This weekend I'll be wearing my New Balance 902's which have about 60 miles on them along with Injinji socks, my "signature" yellow SLUG jersey, favorite North Face shorts and a Headsweats hat. I've worn all of these items 100's of miles and know that they're comfortable and don't cause any chafing or blisters. For nutrition I'll bring along a few pouches of Hammer Gel and 10 S-Caps both of which I've used many times in training and I'll stick with water only for hydration.

2. Rise and Shine and EAT - The minute I wake up I'll eat a bowl of Nature's Path Optimum Power Cereal and add some raisins of my own; this is a staple for me as I eat it every morning. I usually eat about 2 servings so total with milk and raisins it's around 550 calories; plenty to fuel me for a while. Since we're leaving for Tulsa at 5:00 am (3 hours before the race starts) I'll also eat an Odwalla Bar at about 7:00 am; my favorite kinds are Berries Go Mega and Chocolate Chip Peanut.

3. You May Be Cold Now But You'll Be Hot Before You Know It - Unless the projected high during the race is below 40 degrees I'll wear a short sleeve shirt and shorts. Sometimes I bring along a throwaway sweatshirt to wear up until the last minute and either toss it or hand it off to my crew. If you wear a throwaway and toss it you won't get it back; most races donate the clothes to charity. I pick up my throwaway shirts at Goodwill for $2; can't go wrong there.

4. No Bloody Nips - I use Body Glide under my arms and on my inner thighs and Nip Guards or band aids (much cheaper) to protect my nipples; this is IMPERATIVE if you are a male. Make sure that you've worn your clothing, shoes and socks before in long training runs so you know they don't cause you any problems; goes back to rule #1.

5. Keep Your Number On Your Shorts (and your shorts on your rear end) - I actually just started this at Kettle since I planned on changing shirts at some point and have been doing it for every race since. It gives you flexibility so you can change on the fly and not worry about transferring the number; I'm assuming that most of you plan on keeping your shorts on for the entire race :-)

6. Perk It Up - I don't drink coffee before a race as it messes with my stomach but I do grab a Soy Latte if there is a Starbucks around. Many people, including my friends Gabe and Deanna, won't run a race without there caffeine fix; personally I can take it or leave it.

7. Save Your Energy For The Race - For distances longer than a marathon I don't warm up at all and this weekend at Tulsa I won't either given the leisurely pace we'll be running. If I'm really going after it in a marathon (which I rarely do anymore) then I'll jog just a bit before and do some light stretches after my muscles are warm; not too much but just enough so that when I start at a 7:00 min./mile pace my body is ready for it. For ultra's there is plenty of time to warm up when the race begins.

8. They Have Water At the Aid Stations - I may sip on water before a race but usually am plenty hydrated going into it; I see a lot of people downing liquids until the last minute and I used to be one of them. Perhaps I am just more lax now but I don't really worry about it; if I'm thirsty I drink but I don't go out of my way to hyper-hydrate. It's not like you're heading into the Sahara; in most marathons water is available every 1-2 miles.

9. Steady Does It - I never do this in marathons but am getting better; I always start out too fast and fade at the end. This is the opposite of how it's supposed to be done as it's better to get faster towards the end (negative split) or at least run an even pace throughout (even split). Most elite marathoners run negative splits as Ryan Hall did in his recent victory at the Olympic Trials.

10. Don't Let Mole Hills Become Mountains - Don't wait to get the rock out of your shoe or adjust your shirt if it's rubbing you in a weird way; these things will only get worse. Catch them before they cause any real problems!

11. Something To Drink? Yes, Please! - I drink from the beginning of the race until the end but be careful not to overhydrate; take S-Caps to keep your electrolytes in balance. Hyponatremia is very dangerous (potentially deadly) and can occur if you drink too much without replacing lost salt.

12. Love To Eat - In a marathon I'll stick to Gels only (GU or Hammer Gels) but in longer distances I will eat more "real" food. Whether it's M&M's, Coke or PB&J, if it looks good I'm eat'in it! You must replace the carbs you are burning otherwise you most likely will hit the infamous "Wall" when your body has depleted all of its glycogen stores. The body can only store about 2,000 calories as glycogen and most people burn an average of 100 calories per mile; that's why the Wall suddenly appears around the 20 mile mark when your body runs out of fuel.

So that's my own personal spin on the tips from Runner's World and you can read the article in its entirety by clicking HERE. Please email me or comment if you have any questions or an interesting pre-race ritual you'd like to share with everyone.

I'm off to the Lake Friday and then Tulsa Sunday morning; look for a full race report to be posted late Monday night.

Happy Running,
Carey

Saturday, November 10, 2007

YOU RUN 100 MILES!?!


UltraLister Davy Crockett recently published a list of 100 Mile FAQs (frequently asked questions) on his blog which I found very interesting. Although I'm a "Newbie" at this distance I do get quite a few questions from runners and non-runners alike when they find out that I've completed two 100 milers in my short running career (2007 Kettle Moraine and 2007 Arkansas Traveller). Following Mr. Crockett's lead I decided to post my responses to some of the 100 mile FAQs.

1. Do You Sleep During The Run? No, personally I do not. Since these are races my goal is to finish the distance as quickly as I can; also there is a 30 hour time limit for most 100 milers leaving little time for naps.

2. Do You Walk? Yes, I would say that I walk about 30% of the total distance (30 miles). The "plan" is to walk the uphills, jog the flats and run the downs; of course if the race is relatively flat then you must include scheduled walk breaks. At Arkansas Traveller I didn't follow this plan and ran everything for the first 16 miles which almost caused me to DNF early in the race due to the heat and humidity.

3. Do You Eat While You Run? Yes, you're supposed to. In a 100 mile race I'll burn around 15,000 calories so it is essential that I replace these calories during the run. For me I have a hard time eating as I tend to have no appetite and an unsettled stomach; I force myself to eat whatever "looks" good or something I can just gulp down. At Arkansas Traveller I lived on Coke and Soup during the last 60 miles but typical aid station fare includes Soda, M&Ms, Gels, Sports Drink, candy, chips, cookies, PB and Jelly sandwiches, boiled potatoes and about anything else you can imagine (pancakes, sausage, bacon, hamburgers, etc.). You must also replace your electrolytes during the race by either consuming salt or electrolyte capsules. Personally I take Succeed Caps and in hot weather consume about 3-4 an hour; during the AT100 I took over 60 S-Caps throughout the 24 hours I was running.

4. Do You Stop To Rest? There are aid stations about every 4-5 miles where we fill our water bottles, grab something to eat and see our crew if the station is accessible to them. My rule is to get in and out of an aid station in 2 minutes or less as I take food out with me to eat while I'm walking. My crew usually walks along side refilling me with Hammer Gels, S-Caps, Woerther's Candies, Starlight Mints, Clip 2 and Tums. I almost NEVER sit; as the old ultra saying goes "Beware of the chair!" It has been the cause of many DNF's (Did Not Finish) for other runners.

5. How Long Does It Take To Run 100 Miles? As Davy says in his response it really depends on the course. Kettle was my first 100 miler and I finished in 27 hours and 11 minutes due to the fact that I walked the entire last 38 miles. At Arkansas I finished in 24 hours and 35 minutes as I was better prepared both mentally and physically for the night portion; I practically ran an even split (1st 50 miles in 12:09 and last 50 miles in 12:26). In February I plan to run Rocky Raccoon which is considered "easy" for a 100 miler; my goal is to run a sub-24 but my "stretch" goal is to beat 22 hours.

6. Why Do You Like To Run 100 Miles? That's the Million Dollar question that I get all the time! First and foremost I like to push myself to see exactly what I'm capable of; the feeling of accomplishment when you finish is unsurpassed by anything else I've ever experienced. I love the people I meet during the journey and the beautiful places I get to see. I've learned a lot about myself; I can achieve anything I set my mind to and when the going gets tough I'm able to handle the stress in a calm manner (something I try to apply in everyday life). I enjoy reflecting back on the race and going through the "play by play" with family and friends; it's like reliving the excitement all over again! Lastly, you can't truly appreciate "rest" or a shower until you've run a 100 miler.

7. How Long Does It Take You To Recover? I'm usually running again by the next weekend although I stick to trails and go no further than 7 miles. Typically I do a "reverse taper" and am back to my average weekly mileage by about 3-4 weeks after the race. I ran the Rock Creek 50K three weeks after Traveller and missed my 50K PR by 3 minutes placing 7th overall; my recovery time is getting shorter and shorter as I get more miles on my body.

8. What Do You Think About As You Run? When running a race of this distance you focus on how you're feeling (body scan from head to toe and internally), keeping your hydration/electrolytes in balance, following your fueling strategy and what you're going to need at upcoming aid stations. When you scan and something isn't right you then move into a solution oriented mode to figure out what you need to do to fix the problem before it gets any worse. If you are at a REALLY LOW POINT you start thinking about why you're doing this as you search for meaning and inspiration to push on.

9. How Much Do You Have To Train? I average about 50 miles per week and a typical week consists of 4-5 runs of 6 to 10 miles and one long run over 15 miles. The Long Run is really the key as it primarily trains the endocrine system to handle the stress you will encounter during a 100 miler. I ran at least one race of 50K or longer practically every month this year.

10. Doesn't It Hurt? Yes! There are times when the pain seems unbearable; you must know the difference between "safe" pain and pain which signifies a problem so serious that you must quit. By about mile 50 everything hurts to some extent so it simply becomes varying degrees of pain. At Arkansas I actually started feeling better as the race progressed during the last 50 miles; I've found that for me late in a race it is less painful when I'm running than when I'm walking or standing still. As Davy said, after the race the pain subsides but the memories and sense of accomplishment last a lifetime!

11. Do You Get Blisters? I am blessed in that I have very few foot problems and rarely get blisters. If I do they are small and relatively insignificant; I usually don't even notice them until the race is over.

12. What Kind Of Shoes Do You Run In? I run in trail running shoes and love the Asics Gel Trabucos; I've tried others but keep coming back to these. I also wear Injinji Socks, use Sole orthotic insoles and Dirty Girl Gaiters. During Arkansas Traveller I ran in the same pair of shoes the entire race, never changed my socks and my feet felt great (it's all relative).

13. How Many Miles Do You Run In A Year? I just started running in September, 2005 so:
2005 - 492 Miles, 2006 - 2454 Miles, 2007 - 2305 Miles (through 11/11)

14. How Often Do You Run 100 Miles? I've only run two 100 milers and completed both of them in 2007. This year I also ran races of all distances including one marathon, six 50K's, one 6 Hour Timed Event and one 50 miler. I will be running one more marathon this month and a 40 mile "fun run" in December which will complete my events for 2007. Next year I will run fewer races and plan to participate in four 100 milers; I will run less 50k's and no marathons.

15. Do You Win? Not Yet :-) I am relatively young and early in my ultra career; the highest I've placed in a 100 miler was 20th at Arkansas. My running times in general have improved quite dramatically this year and I do think that someday I'll be able to run a sub-20 hour 100 miler. Is that good enough to win? Depends who shows up that year.

Are there any questions I've missed? If so please shoot me an email or leave a comment and I'll do my best to answer them.

I may be back later this week with another post before I leave for the Route 66 Marathon on Friday. As you probably have gathered I didn't travel to California as my trip got postponed; I'll be heading out there for the Thanksgiving Holiday which actually works out much better anyway.

Hope all is well and Happy Running,
Carey

Monday, November 5, 2007

Ryan Shay Collapsed and Died Saturday During the Olympic Trials

Ryan Shay: Photo from nyrr.org

A tragic story as Ryan Shay died during the Olympic Trials this past Saturday in Central Park, NYC. According to sources, the 28 year old marathoner collapsed about 5 1/2 miles into the race and was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. To read the November 8th NY Times article, "Small Town Mourns a Running Marvel," please click HERE.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Alicia, his family and his friends. Let this serve as a reminder to us all that life is precious and that you never know when your time will come; enjoy every breath!

For more information please click HERE.

The Ryan Shay Memorial Fund
5873 Leisure Lane
East Jordan, MI 49727

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

I Hit The Wall: My Endocrine System said Enough is Enough!

Major Endocrine Glands: 1. Pineal Gland 2. Pituitary Gland 3. Thyroid Gland 4. Thymus 5. Adrenal Gland 6. Pancreas 7. Ovary 8. Testes

As most of you know I've run quite a few races lately with the Flatlanders 6 Hour on September 2nd, the Turkey and Taturs 50K on September 16th, the Arkansas Traveller 100 on October 7th and the Rock Creek 50K this past weekend. I returned from the 50K this past Sunday and was feeling pretty good; physically I was a bit stiff and sore but mentally I was better than ever energized from a weekend of trail running and spending time with friends. I took Sunday and Monday as rest days to recuperate and then planned on a run Tuesday. Then, yesterday, I noticed a sharp decrease in my appetite and was feeling a bit off in general but headed out for my scheduled run anyway after work. The weather was so perfect that instead of running 6 miles I ended up doing 12 miles which put me over the edge. Today I awoke feeling queasy, with no appetite, no energy and emotionally depressed opting to call in to work and spend the day resting; I ended up sleeping 17 hours! So after a bit of research and consulting the "Ultra Bible" I figured out that my endocrine system was stressed to its max; it simply couldn't take anymore and things went a bit haywire (commonly diagnosed as Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome). Here's what A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning says about the endocrine system:

"Most runners have no idea what the endocrine system is, nor its significance to ultrarunning. An ultra places tremendous stress on the body. The endocrine system reacts to enable the body to respond to the stress. WIthout proper endocrine system function, completion of an ultra would be virtually impossible. That system is trained by repeated exposure to stress. Mutltiple glands (pituitary, hypothalamus, adrenal) are active and they secrete multiple chemicals (aldosteroone, vasopressin, glucagon, insulin, adrenaline, cortisol, endorphins-just to name a few) that affect how we get through these long, stressful runs. The endocrine system can strengthen with moderate training, but can also be pushed to the point of fatigue and collapse by too much stress. That is really what overtraining is all about. Muscles recover rapidly from an ultra, but the endocrine system takes many weeks to fully recover. Too many long runs in too short a time will push a runner into an overtrained state that will force rest, not so much for the muscles, but for the endocrine system... And make no mistake, ultrarunning does exact a cumulative effect on most of us. It takes extraordinary effort to push your body through the demands of 50 miles, 100 or even longer distances. You are "borrowing" on your body's reserves. Just how long it will take to "repay the debt," varies among runners. But if the debt is not repaid in full, there may be foreclosure down the road."

Click HERE to read an article on endocrine system depletion by Jay Hodde and the owner of Succeed Products, Karl King.

What I learned today was that I definitely have limits; I have come to think that I can just keep going like the Energizer Bunny but that is not the case. I am human and not powered by batteries that you can just swap out when they're depleted. This feeling of invincibility has led me to do too much, too soon and today it all came crashing down. You must give your body (muscles and endocrine system) enough time to recover after events or it WILL SHUT DOWN. I wanted all of you to know about my experience so you can learn from my mistakes and know that it is OK to rest; if you don't do it on your own your body will do it for you.

Hope all is well and Happy Resting,
Carey

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Rock Creek Trail Series 50K: Good Friends, Good Trails and GREAT TIMES!

As you can see from the title above I had another awesome ultra-running experience this weekend at the Rock Creek Trail Series 50K near Topeka, Kansas. I left St. Louis around 1:00 pm Friday and headed over to Columbia to meet up with my good friend Deanna Stoppler and then we continued on to Lake Perry for a fun-filled night of camping before the race. Deanna's friend, Jeff Wells, had headed over a little earlier to get a camping space as he would be joining in the festivities too. Deanna and I arrived around 6:30 pm, found Jeff and our camping spot and hurried to get our tents up before it was dark. Once we were situated Jeff got the fire started and we made dinner; Deanna and I had some pasta with chicken while Jeff mowed down on a big, juicy steak. We then sat around the campfire swapping adventure stories and cooking up SMORE's. I hadn't made SMORE's in over 15 years and Deanna had never had them so we were in for quite a treat (she's Canadian, eh; do they even have marshmallows up there?). They were just as awesome as I remembered although Deanna had some trouble when her stick broke off inside the marshmallows; she had to perform a bit of surgery using Jeff's Leatherman. After a few laughs we all retired around 10:30 pm to get some rest before the race; Deanna came back from the bathroom and said there were a lot of barking spiders around. Still not sure what she meant; is that some sort of species I haven't heard of? Anyway...

We woke up the next morning around 5:45 am, ate breakfast, broke down our camp site and headed off to the race; the morning air was cool and crisp as the temperature hovered around 40 degrees. Perfect running weather! We arrived at the race and immediately I saw my good friend Dave Wakefield and talked with him a bit before checking in. He had made a running skirt out of his shorts; he's quite an interesting dude (in a good way :-) Deanna and I headed back to the car to begin getting ready and saw a TON of our friends; Rick Mayo, John King, "Bad Ben" Holmes, Stuart Johnson, Pat Perry and Paul Schoenlaub were running in the race and I was stoked to see them. We all chatted before heading over for the pre-race spiel and at 8:06 am we were off.

Before the race I was a bit worried as I had a weird pain in my right knee that started flaring up on Wednesday; I had done some research online and still suspect I may have a torn meniscus. I began running with Deanna and could feel the slight, sharp pain with each step; I told her that it was definitely real and I was worried. I figured that if it started bothering me too badly I'd just drop at the turn but hoped it wouldn't come to that. Deanna and I continued running together in silence for the first 6 miles before coming up on fellow SLUG's Stuart Johnson and Paul Schoenlaub. We politely passed them and in return were called "Young Punks" by Stuart; them sound like fighting words to me! That would be the last I saw of the two of them during the race but not the last I heard out of them; Paul's voice carries for miles! As we entered the 8.5 mile aid station I decided to let Deanna go; she was really book'in and I was still a bit worn from the AT 100. I continued on by myself hitting the turn in 2 hours, 30 minutes and feeling good. I talked a bit with Rick and John as I filled my water bottles and gulped down the Hammer Gel that Jessica Wakefield handed me. They had both signed up for the 25K race since they each have a busy racing schedule coming up and had just run at Arkansas Traveller a few weeks ago (Rick ran the entire race and John paced Gabe for the last 52 miles). Perhaps they had the right idea but I was having so much fun I figured I'd head back out for a 2nd loop :-)

Once back on the trail I was greeted with views of Lake Perry; the constant lapping of the waves against the shore served to relax my mind. As I ran along the bluff the cool wind swept across the lake sending a much welcomed chill throughout my body reminding me how lucky I was to be out enjoying the beauty and serenity of the trail. Then I heard it, this moment of peace and tranquility was interrupted by the voice of Paul Schoenlaub carrying through the forest! Stuart and Paul were closing in and I pushed on as there was no way I'd give Stuart the satisfaction of passing this "Young Punk." I found out later that they were gunning for me the entire second loop but I always knew exactly where they were; it was impossible for Paul to keep quiet long enough for them to sneak up on me (I'm just kidding with you Paul; OK, not really). As I entered the 28.2 mile Aid Station I was encouraged by the young volunteers to pick it up as there was a gentleman just up ahead walking, "He's only 2 minutes out just around the corner, he's yours!", they said. I humored them and accepted their challenge as I filled my water bottles and grabbed a Jolly Rancher. About a mile down the trail I spotted him; he politely moved aside and exclaimed in a thick British accent "I'm beat and tired as Hell, plum out of gas!" "I hear what you're saying, Brother," I replied as I passed him and continued running up the hill; there would be no more walking for me this close to the end. I spotted the blue Trail Head signs and knew the finish was near; minutes later I was greeted by the familiar hum of the generator as I rounded the corner for one last sprint finishing in 5:16:07 and placing 7th overall. Dave Wakefield took 1st place overall with a strong 4:41:50 finish and Deanna was a ROCK STAR taking 1st place female with a 4:56:57 finish placing 3rd overall; CONGRATS to both of you! I think "Bad Ben" sums up the race perfectly in saying:

"This race was a wonderful first-year production by Willie Lambert, the race director. And what a course...probably the most perfect 50K course that I've ever run on. Singletrack in the woods, with occasional views of beautiful Lake Perry. Just enough technically-rocky sections, broken-up by faster sections. There was good aid station placement and great volunteers."

I couldn't agree with him more! The post-race festivities were AWESOME with a live band, chocolate milk from a local dairy, baked potatoes, chili, soup and some great giveaways from the sponsors and Great Plains Running Company. Deanna cleaned up taking home a beautiful 1st place trophy, a pair of Montrail shoes, a Suunto T3 Watch, a Montrail Beanie and a Nathan Waistpack; must be nice to be a winner! We hung out for a few hours chatting with all of our friends before heading back to Colulmbia.

We got back to Columbia around 9:00 pm, picked up my car from Deanna's work and discovered about a mile down the road that I had a flat tire. I hadn't changed a tire in about 15 years (that's what AAA's for, right?) so Deanna took the lead. Although we were both tired, hungry and dirty she exclaimed "You may think I'm a bit crazy but this is great. The weather's perfect and it's a real team building experience!" She's right, I do think she is crazy but you got to love her attitude! Deanna and her boyfriend Dave were kind enough to invite me to stay the night at their place and I took them up on the offer. They live on a farm about 15 miles south of Columbia and it is absolutely beautiful. I awoke this morning to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and homemade pecan pancakes with real maple syrup; YUM!!! With a full belly I headed back to St. Louis around 10:00 am energized from another amazing adventure! To check out all of the pictures from the weekend click HERE and for the full Rock Creek Trail Race Series 25K and 50K results click HERE.

I'm often asked why I run ultra's and my response is first and foremost that I love the people. The ultra-community is one big family and we are excited to share our lives and experiences with each other. Today my closest friends are ultra-runners and although I've only known them for a short while it feels like we go back a lifetime. They are some of the kindest, warmest and friendliest people I've ever known and I'm thankful each and every day for this sport and the joy it has brought into my life.

Hope all of you are doing well and Happy Running,
Carey

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Trails and Tribulations Arkansas Traveller 100 Interview Now Available


I wanted to let all of you know that the Trails and Tribulations Podcast Interview is now available. As I mentioned in a previous post Kim and Andrew approached me a few weeks back about doing an interview about the Arkansas Traveller race and I thought this would be a great chance to add a 3rd dimension to my AT 100 Race Report. I also speak in length about how I got into running in the first place, the Running4Recovery Program and how ultrarunning has changed my life. Click HERE to visit the Trails and Tribulations website and at the bottom of the "Show Notes" you will have a choice to either download and listen to the interview on your computer or subscribe to the bi-weekly podcast. Thank you Kim and Andrew for all of your hard work and giving me the opportunity to share my experience with you and all of your listeners. I hope that through my story others realize that in ultras, as in life, things can change in an instant for the better; don't give up because you may miss out on something extraordinary!

Happy Running,
Carey

Monday, October 8, 2007

2007 Arkansas Traveller 100 Mile Race Report: From the Brink of a DNF to a PR

Throughout the week prior to the race I had been eyeing the Saturday weather forecast for Perryville,AR, 89 degrees, 79% humidity and an Accuweather “RealFeel” of 99 degrees; are you kidding me!?! For some people they may welcome this last taste of summer before the long, cold winter but when you are running 100 miles through the woods these are far from ideal conditions. The Arkansas Traveller 100 would be my 2nd 100 mile attempt this year and hopefully 2nd finish; in fact going into the race I was so confident of a finish that I had proclaimed to all of you that I would beat the 24 hour mark. How quickly I had forgotten the physical pain and mental challenges I had faced at Kettle in June but I would soon be reminded!

My Dad, Andrew Karandjeff and I headed out early Friday morning to make the trek to race headquarters at Lake Sylvia, AR. We arrived there around 1:30 pm, I checked in, they recorded my weight and then we headed over to await the pre-race briefing from Stan and Chrissy Ferguson. We pulled up chairs alongside my good friends Rick Mayo, Gabe Bevan and his wife, Tiffany; Gabe and Rick were running the race and Tiffany was the crew chief. Chrissy went through the briefing filling us in about the history of the race and cautioning us about the heat and humidity we would face the next day; considering that it was about 91 degrees at the time we all knew exactly what we were in for. There was one piece of advice Chrissy told all of us; “Tomorrow is going to be hard, there will be moments when you feel awful and want to quit. It’s during these times that you need a reason to keep going; every year I’ve run the race I've dedicated it to a friend, relative or a cause and when the going got tough I focused on that reason. No matter what, unless you are on the brink of death, DON’T QUIT! Things will get better if you can just power through the rough times and you will finish.” This speech of inspiration would be something that I would remember the next day; at that time I didn’t know how important those few words would be.

After the briefing all of the SLUGs gathered for a group picture; there were quite a few that were either running or crewing for the race this year including Gena Bonini, Jeremy Bolt, Brian Kuhn, Mike Samuelson, Dale Perry, Lee Hess, Andrew Karandjeff, Charles Stroud and Carol Izadi. We chatted a bit more and then headed back to check-in to the hotel and get settled for the evening.

The next morning I awoke at 4:00 am not really nervous or excited, actually I was indifferent which concerned me a little; mentally I just didn’t feel into it which is not good when you’re facing a 100 mile run in 90 degree heat. I met Gabe and Rick and jumped into the car with them to head to the race. On the way none of us really said too much; it was really early and we were all focused on the task ahead of us. Gabe did say how much he really liked 100 milers and then qualified it with “Actually I don’t really like the process but the finishing part is great!” We got to the start, checked in and patiently awaited 6:00 am.

The temperature was around 74 degrees, humidity 97% (like running underwater) and promptly at 6:00 am we were off; as we started heading up the hill out of Lake Sylvia Gabe, Rick and I remained together. I was pushing for a sub-24 hour finish and figured I would try to stay with Rick as long as possible as he was shooting to break 23 hours; I soon figured out he was planning to run as much as he could and even voiced my concerns saying to Gabe and Rick “We shouldn’t be running the uphills, we will pay for this later.” They both pretty much ignored me and I ignored myself continuing to run everything along with them; this was a HUGE mistake which almost cost me the race. Around mile 8 the reality of the humidity, the distance and the steaming temperatures we would face later on set in and Gabe and I let Rick go; unfortunately a lot of damage had already been done. We then entered the Ouachita Trail section where I rolled my left ankle a few times and I already started wondering if I would finish; too early for that! We reached the Lake Sylvia Aid Station (mile 16.7) a little after 9:00 am on roughly a 20 hour pace and already my stomach was starting to bother me. My Dad and Andrew were there and I voiced my concern to Andrew that I shouldn’t be feeling this bad so early on; he encouraged me that things would get better but I didn’t really believe him. Heading out I knew this day would either be really short or extremely long!

Gabe and I headed out and ran together for the next 16 miles; he had been struggling with an injured right foot and now his left shin was in a lot of pain from favoring that foot. He was a bit discouraged and in a bad place mentally; I did what I could and told him he had to keep going. We both talked about how bad we were feeling and how it was way too early to be in this bad of shape; while we both encouraged each other it was also nice to know that we both were suffering so we didn’t feel alone in our battle. I continued to take my S-Caps, drain my water bottles and eat my Hammer Gels but my stomach was getting worse. We powered on and reached the next crew access aid station, Lake Winona (mile 32.2), a little before 1:00 pm still on pace for a sub-24 hour finish. At this point though I was questioning whether I would finish at all as I was feeling horrible and the day was heating up reaching 90 degrees. When I arrived an Aid Station volunteer had my drop bag in hand and asked me if I needed anything; I told her it was for the way back (mile 83.9), that is if I even made it back! Lee Hess heard this and said “What was that!?! We’ll have none of that talk; you will be back!” He came over to see what was going on and I told him my stomach was going south and I felt awful; Andrew and my Dad were there too and both were a bit concerned. We talked through my fueling, hydration and electrolyte strategy as I felt I was doing everything right. Lee gave me some rock salt in a baggy and told me to suck on it while I headed out. I left there knowing that the next crew access aid station was another 15 miles away wondering if I should have just quit there; I figured I could crawl 15 miles if things got bad enough and kept on.

At about mile 34 I knew that I had to eat something no matter how bad I felt and opened up a Hammer Gel; as I squeezed it into my mouth I was unable to keep it down and threw up everything in my stomach. Well, I’ll either feel better now or that would nail my coffin shut because of dehydration. I kept moving forward in a steady walk and was being passed left and right; fellow SLUG, Dale Perry, came up behind me and asked if I was alright. Apparently he could hear me heaving and we talked a bit about how I was feeling and the heat and humidity; he encouraged me to keep at it and moved on as I could only walk. I arrived at the Club Flamingo Aid Station (mile 39.7) and was contemplating dropping out; in addition to the stomach issues both of my calves were completely seizing up so bad that the minute I tried to run I was crippled with cramps. There was no way I was going to go another 60 miles like this plus my kidneys were starting to ache a bit which is also another bad sign; perhaps this just wasn’t my day. I sat down at that aid station and talked to a few of the volunteers about what was going on; I told them I wanted to drop but couldn’t do that to my Dad and Andrew and needed to move on to the next crew access aid station so we could discuss the situation. They wished me luck and I headed back out. It was in the next few miles that I was passed by a runner who was a nurse and she asked how I was doing; I told her not so good and that I didn’t think I was going to make it because of my stomach. She turned around and handed me a Queasy Pop (like a lollipop) which she gives to kids who have upset stomachs; I figured I’d give it a shot and thanked her. Little did I know this would end up turning things around for me. I had already come to terms with a DNF and decided I would drop at Powerline (mile 48.5); in my head I was already writing my blog entry to explain to myself and all of you why I quit. For the first time ever I was OK with a DNF and wouldn't let it define me as a failure; perhaps it was this realization that "set me free" and gave me the strength to continue on. I was no longer stressed or worried as a calming sense of relief and acceptance washed over me. Then, around mile 45, my calves stopped cramping, my stomach felt better and I began to run; soon I was passing people who had earlier passed me! As I neared Powerline I saw my Dad up ahead on the trail. He had come out to see where I was since they were worried; I filled him in on the last 4.5 hours (from mile 32.2 to 48.8) but told him that now I was feeling great. We walked along the trail and then came out on the road heading into Powerline; as I started running he did too! I told him not to run and get hurt, please walk down I’ll still be there as I had to get weighed in and re-stock my supplies. I headed into Powerline, passed the weigh in and told Andrew and Lee Hess that I was about to drop but had a miraculous recovery. I would see them again in 3.9 miles at Chili Pepper; by now I was no longer eating Gels and was living on Coke and soup since that’s all I could stomach. I ran much of the next 4 miles and got into Chili Pepper around 8:30 pm, got my headlamp on, chatted some with Paul Schoenlaub who was volunteering there and headed out towards the turnaround which was 5.1 miles away. Andrew was going to join me as my pacer here at Chili Pepper when I was heading back so I only had 10 more miles to go solo.

I pushed really hard during this section and started passing many people along the way; I was feeling good, strong and confident and knew that a sub-24 hour finish was still possible but that there was no way I could let up. I hit the 50 mile mark 12 hours and 9 minutes into the race and would need a negative split to make it happen (11 hours and 51 minutes in the dark); improbable but not impossible! At around 10:40 pm (26 hour pace according to the pace chart) I returned to Chili Pepper and quickly chatted with Paul Schoenlaub and Stuart Johnson to let them know I was back on track. Andrew joined me to pace, I grabbed some soup and Coke and we discussed our strategy as we walked out of the aid station. We would need to make up some time and couldn’t afford to let up; we would be toeing a fine line between a sub-24 hour finish and a DNF but I felt that I had it in me. Heading into Powerline, I weighed in, grabbed some Coke and soup and talked with my Dad and Gabe’s wife, Tiffany. They said they would see me in about 4 hours at Lake Winona and I confidently proclaimed “More like 3! I’m in a zone and have the Eye of the Tiger!” Tiff teased me and said “Oh yeah, is the music playing for you!?!” She then told me to stop wasting time and get moving; obviously she has a bit of experience at these things with an animal like Gabe for a husband! Andrew and I powered on through the night running as much as we could; we continued to pass people as we moved on and voiced words of encouragement to them along the way. Andrew was great; pacing is an extremely difficult job. You have to anticipate the needs of your runner, be able to read when to push them and when to let off; you must completely run like they feel. Even if you feel like you can’t run anymore and are tired or hurting when your runner decides to run you have to push on with them! In addition to monitoring your own needs you also have to be aware of how your runner is managing their hydration, electrolyte and caloric requirements. They truly are the forgotten heroes of these races and most of us wouldn’t be able to finish without them; thanks Andrew!

We reached the Lake Winona aid station (83.9) around 2:50 am and were in and out rather quickly; we had 3 hours and 10 minutes to finish under 24 hours. At this point both of us were hurting but were still driven by adrenaline knowing that we could do it; my Dad and Tiffany told us that Gabe was about 15 minutes ahead and we were determined to catch up to him. We had our aid station strategy down by now as I was downing a few cups of Coke while Andrew filled my water bottles and at the Rocky Gap station (mile 87.2) we were in and out in less than 2 minutes. We continued to pass other runners along the way and at about mile 91 saw a runner and his pacer up ahead on the hill; as we approached I saw it was Gabe and his pacer John King. Gabe was powering up the hill and as we passed him Andrew and I told him he was looking great and running strong; I knew he was hurting and wanted to try to encourage him as much as I could. We entered the next aid station together and were out in 30 seconds; Andrew and I continued running out of the Electronic Tower aid station (mile 91.4) and looked behind us to see John and Gabe’s headlights disappear in the distance.

During the next stretch we were flying and when we weren’t walking the uphills we were maintaining at least a strong 8:30 min/mile pace. We reached the Pumpkin Patch aid station (mile 93.7) at around 5:07 am and knew that there was no letting up if we wanted to beat 24 hours; we were in and out in seconds and sprinted from the station. We then were running around a 7:30 min/mile pace and as I looked down at my watch which read 5:17 am I knew that I simply couldn’t maintain this kind of pace to the end. I told Andrew this and he agreed; I had given it everything I had during the last 50 miles and was running on fumes; literally! We continued to run when we could and came to the top of the hill where there were 2 volunteers manning a tracking station; they asked my number, radioed it in to the finish line and told us we had 1.7 miles all downhill and on the road. Andrew and I both thought we were closer than that and were disappointed but didn’t say a word; we would just have to push on a bit more. We started down the hill maintaining what seemed like a 7:30 min/mile pace and I knew we had to be getting close; I was hurting and the only thing I said to Andrew was that I was going to puke the minute I crossed the finish line. I didn’t think I could keep running but there was no way I was going to walk this close to the finish! As we saw the lights ahead Andrew said “You did it man, this has been one of the most inspirational experiences I have had!” and I told him that there’s no way I could have pushed like that without him. I rounded the corner, the finish line music started playing as the landing lights were flashing and I crossed the finish line at 6:35 am; 24 hours, 35 minutes and 53 seconds after I had started on this epic journey.

Unlike Kettle I wasn’t filled with emotion at the finish; it was a different feeling but just as powerful. Instead of disbelief and relief at being finished I was proud to know that I had pushed myself to the limit; faced with sickness and mentally coming to terms with my first DNF I dug down deep to continue on when every part of me wanted to quit. There were times out there when I was searching for a reason and I thought back to what Chrissy had said Friday afternoon. At mile 35 I even had a mini-panic because I didn’t think I had a reason and knew that there was no way I’d finish without one. At Kettle I finished for my parents and for Mindy because I wanted them to be proud of me but yesterday I finished for myself. I doubted myself at numerous times early on and thought that perhaps I just didn’t have what it took to truly run a 100 miler; seems I was wrong. When the going got tough I kept going even faster!

First and foremost thanks to God for giving me the strength to persevere, my Dad, Andrew, Stan and Chrissy Ferguson and all of the volunteers for putting on an amazing event. This was the hottest AT 100 in history and had the lowest finishing rate in history (47%); they did everything they could to get us all to the finish line. Without them none of us would have made it! Congratulations to all of the finishers and for the complete results click HERE. You can also click HERE to view the pictures from the race.

Happy Running,
Carey

Monday, September 17, 2007

2007 Turkey and Taturs 50K Trail Race


This weekend I headed down to Oklahoma to do two things; watch some football and run a race. Well the football game wasn't really much of a game due to the 54 to 13 blowout as the OU Sooners spanked Utah State (Boomer Sooner!). The Turkey and Taturs 50K Race on the other hand was a different story with excitement all the way to the finish!

I ended up leaving Oklahoma City around 7:00 pm Saturday evening to head to Tulsa where Gabe was kind enough to let me crash in his hotel room with fellow KC Trail Nerd, John King. Originally the high on Sunday was supposed to be in the low 70's and since I've been running very fast lately I mentioned to my Mom last week that I was going to shoot for a sub 5 Hour finish (course record is 5:01) and hoped to place in the top 5. I was just going to keep this between the two of us but when I arrived at the hotel we started talking about the race and I of course threw it out there to Gabe and John but also added a disclaimer since the revised forecast was now a high of 85 degrees and I hadn't tapered. My 50K PR up to now was a 5:29 on a course much easier than this so I was making a bold statement; I guess we'd soon see if I could put my money where my mouth was!

I woke up around 5:15 am after lying there all night half asleep; I wasn't nervous but for some reason just never hit my sleep stride. I figured I'd be OK since it was "only" a 50K, quickly got my gear together and headed out the door. At the race I ran into KC Trail Nerd Rick Mayo (pictured in the header with me) and his wife, Kristi (thanks for the pics), and we chatted a bit about ultra "stuff" and the upcoming Arkansas Traveller 100 Mile Run. A few minutes later Gabe and John showed up and we all chatted with fellow SLUG, Mike Samuelson, and Kevin Dorsey. It was about 68 degrees for the start and at 7:08 am the race began with the signature TATUR potato exploding; I must say that was a first in my racing experiences.

Rick started at the front and I wasn't far behind as I didn't want to get stuck in a lot of traffic. For the first few miles I worked my way past other runners, skipped the first 2 aid stations and soon found myself running alone. Around the 7 mile mark I spotted Rick and we started running together. This trail was VERY TECHNICAL meaning extremely rocky and rooty; it required your full concentration at all times and was similar to running through a field of softballs. From this standpoint it was the toughest course I have run to date. Around mile 8 I let my mind wander and took a NASTY spill going head over heels; fortunately I tucked and rolled with the majority of the impact to my right shoulder blade so although it was very painful it wasn't a race ender. When I fell it distracted Rick and he took a bad fall and may have broken his right hand; of course we both jumped up, brushed ourselves off and continued on. Rick got away from me a little and was about a minute ahead of me at the 25K turn; I quickly refilled my bottles and started back out on the course.

By this point the day was heating up and I was getting tired. My goal was to keep my walking to a minimum (I didn't walk at all the first loop) and I was able to pretty much stick to that although my pace slowed quite a bit. I kept chanting in my head "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Relentless Forward Motion" to motivate me to keep moving and it was working. About 4 hours into the race at the 25 mile mark I spotted Rick up ahead and he said, "About time, I was wondering where you were? Let's take this home for a sub 5 hour!" We knew we'd have to push and do 6 miles in that hour which would be difficult with the rising temperatures and the biggest hill on the course left to climb. He pulled away a bit with 3 miles left as I walked that last hill; I reached the aid station at the top and the volunteers told me I was in 4th place and this was where I made my mistake. My fueling strategy for the race was to use Gels exclusively and I was taking 2 about every hour and a half; this was definitely working as my stomach felt great but I should have been taking more. I felt a "bonk" coming on but instead of taking an extra 20 seconds to down some gels I figured I could gut out the last 2.4 miles. About a half mile out of the station that familiar wave washed over me; I was able to run the downhills but struggled with even the slightest climbs and was forced to walk. With a mile left I was passed by Kevin Dorsey who encouraged me and helped to light a fire for me to start running again. With my sore body and ankles I carefully jogged in the last mile. As I came out of the clearing Rick came running towards me telling me to hurry up because I was in 3rd place. What, I thought I was in 5th? As I crossed the finish line in 5:13 Rick told me that the first 2 finishers had gotten off course and had been disqualified; he won the race overall, Kevin Dorsey got 2nd place and I was in 3rd! I took a moment to sit down and gather myself then joined Rick and Kevin to recap the race and cheer in the other finishers. Gabe finished a bit after me with a great time of 5:31 and John King brought home a 6:11 finish only 2 weeks after completing his first 50 miler. Before heading back for the long drive home I sat around and talked to all of these guys about the upcoming Arkansas Traveller race; Rick, Mike Samuelson, Kevin Dorsey and Gabe are all running in the event. I'm really looking forward to seeing all of these guys again as it's like we're family; I love the ultra community and the friendships I have made through this sport!

I learned some great lessons in this race including my fueling strategy and how to keep myself running when my body just wants to walk. I am prepared physically and mentally and am running better than I ever have. At Arkansas Traveller I will be surrounded by friends on the course, at the aid stations and supported by my Dad, Andrew Karandjeff and Jeremy Gulley as my crew. I am excited to push myself through to the finish; my goal is to go under 24 hours and I feel confident that will happen.

Thanks to all of the volunteers and Race Director, Brian Hoover, for putting on such a great event. The aid stations were well stocked and the course was well marked; perhaps you guys can get out there and remove some of those rocks for next year. I'll definitely be back!

To see pictures from the race click HERE and for the full race results click HERE.

Monday, August 20, 2007

Great Running and Inspirational Quotes


So I'm always coming across quotes that I like and keep them saved in a Word Document for my personal reference and figured I'd share them with all of you. As I find more (or hear them out on the trails) I'll simply add them to this post; if you have some great quotes either email them to me or post a comment on this entry. I'm trying to keep them more running related otherwise this list will be infinitely long. OK, here you go:

“Every morning in Africa, an antelope wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest antelope, or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or an antelope – when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.” – African Proverb

"If the word quit is part of your vocabulary, then the word finish is likely not."
- B.G. Jett

“The essential thing in life is not so much conquering as fighting well.”
– Baron De Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games

"It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse."
- Ann Trason

"The woods are lovely dark and deep, but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep." - Robert Frost

"Tough times don't last but tough people do." - A.C. Green

“Endurance? You’ve only got to get out there and do it. Face up to it: man was meant to run.” – Percy Cerutty

“We will go to the moon. We will go to the moon and do other things, not because they are easy but because they are hard.” - John F. Kennedy, Jr.

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same…
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run –
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – you’ll be a Man, my son!
- Rudyard Kipling, “If”

Whatever you can do,
Or think you can, begin it.
Boldness has power, and genius,
And magic in it.
- Goethe

"Your toughness is made up of equal parts persistence and experience. You don't so much outrun your opponents as outlast and outsmart them, and the toughest opponent of all is the one inside your head." - Joe Henderson

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin

“It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are separated from the boys." - Emil Zatopek

"If you start to feel good during an ultra, don't worry you will get over it." - Gene Thibeault

“Now bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible.” – Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

“We are different, in essence, from other men. If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon.” - Emil Zatopek

“To be great, one does not have to be mad, but definitely it helps.” – Percy Cerutty

"If one can stick to the training throughout the many long years, then will power is no longer a problem. It's raining? That doesn't matter. I am tired? That's besides the point. It's simply that I just have to." - Emil Zatopek

”I'm a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” - Thomas Jefferson

"You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine

"Relentless Forward Motion!" - Tom Riley

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs." - Jesse Owens

"There are as many reasons for running as there are days in the year, years in my life. But mostly I run because I am an animal and a child, an artist and a saint. So, too, are you. Find your own play, your own self-renewing compulsion, and you will become the person you are meant to be." - George Sheehan

"Everyone who has run knows that its most important value is in removing tension and allowing a release from whatever other cares the day may bring." - Jimmy Carter

"Runners just do it - they run for the finish line even if someone else has reached it first." - Author Unknown

"The obsession with running is really an obsession with the potential for more and more life." - George Sheehan

"Running is real and relatively simple - but it ain't easy." - Mark Will-Weber

"Life is a positive-sum game. Everyone from the gold medallist to the last finisher can rejoice in a personal victory." - George Sheehan

"A runners creed: I will win; if I cannot win, I shall be second; if I cannot be second, I shall be third; if I cannot place at all, I shall still do my best." - Ken Doherty

"Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?'" - Peter Maher

"There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open." - Nike

"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are." - Marcus Aurelius

"The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger - but recognize the opportunity." - John F. Kennedy, Jr.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” - Calvin Coolidge

"Respect the distance or the distance won't respect you! It will eat you up, spit you out and make you beg for mercy" - Unknown (From Kelly Ridgway's Blog)

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Mt. Whitney Summit


A week ago today I was in route to Mount Whitney for my first ever mountain summit attempt; it is the highest point in the contiguous United States towering 14,496 feet above sea level. I awoke around 4:30 am and Mindy drove me to the airport so I could catch my 6:51 am flight to Las Vegas via Phoenix. I slept quite a bit on the plane to Phoenix and then chatted a bit with an older gentleman who sat next to me during the short flight from Phoenix to Las Vegas. He was going to Alaska to do some fishing and I filled him in on my adventure; we were both heading off into uncharted territory as he had never been to Alaska and I had never climbed a mountain. I arrived in Vegas and waited for the rest of the group near the baggage claim. The group included Joe Neubauer, Chriss Bossman, Amy Wind, Dan Wind and their daughter, Carrie. An hour and a half later they arrived and we picked up the rental car and headed to Target (which was on our way) for some last minute essentials. We had decided to take the Death Valley route as Joe and I really wanted to see and feel what it was like for the Badwater runners.

Death Valley was unreal; the landscape and mountains were like nothing I've ever seen. It was so desolate and barren. Excitedly Joe and I were talking about what it would be like to run Badwater and that someday maybe we would try it; that was until we stepped out of our air conditioned car. We stopped at a scenic point and jumped out of the car and I felt like I was in an oven with a million hot hair dryers blowing on me, it was unreal! My mouth and throat went dry immediately and we quickly snapped a few pictures and returned to the comfort of our air conditioned Jeep. Joe and I both looked at each other and said "No Way, we'll never do it. Those people are crazy!" This coming from 2 people who run ultra's for fun. We headed across the desert and I pointed out Badwater landmarks along the way (Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, Panamint Springs). We arrived at the Lone Pine Campground around 7:15 pm and began to set up our camp. Around 9:00 pm we headed into town for dinner and a few games of pool at Jake's Saloon.

I awoke around 5:45 am Monday morning and was greeted by the amazing shades of amber and purple on the face of Mt. Whitney; it was absolutely beautiful! I then headed up the Mt. Whitney Portal Trail which went from our campground to the Whitney Portal. The rest of the group headed into town to grab breakfast, pick up our permits and to explore a bit. Basically I spent the entire day running and hiking the lower portions of the mountain and ended up logging about 23 miles in total. I was a bit concerned about being worn down for the Tuesday summit attempt but figured it would be good training for the Arkansas Traveller 100 mile run in October. We all prepared our backpacks for the next day and went to bed around 8:30 pm to get some sleep as we would be getting up at 2:00 am. I tossed and turned for hours and then right when I fell asleep my alarm went off; time to get up and prepare for our summit attempt. Carrie (Amy and Dan's daughter) had decided not to attempt the summit and would be spending the day by the pool at Dow Villa. The rest of us had decided to go our own pace and that it would be OK if we did not stay together as a group.

We were at the Trailhead around 3:15 am and started off. I knew that I really wanted to push myself and quickly pulled away from the group. Looking up I saw the headlamps of other hikers as they made their way up the trail and began passing them on the long route up. I probably passed around 20 hikers during the first 3 miles and came upon a group of 3 women; one of them asked me if I knew where the bathroom was. I said, "What was that?" and she said in an extremely condescending tone "You know, a bathroom? Where you pee!" I was a bit peeved by her attitude and said "We're on a mountain in the wilderness, there are no bathrooms. Pop a squat or use your poop bag; the choice is yours!" I then continued my trek up the mountain. I reached the Trail Camp (6 miles into the hike) at around 5:45 am and looked back towards the valley as the sun rose over the mountain range to our east; it was absolutely breathtaking! Mt. Whitney loomed just above me and was illuminated by the amber sun warming it's peak. This was the beginning of the infamous "99 switchbacks" in which you climb from 12,000 to 13,000 feet in a little over 2 miles. It was at this point that my pace began to slow and I began noticing the effects of the thinner air. I made sure to slow down and focus using the belly breathing technique which seemed to help a lot. I reached the top of the Trail Crest and followed the trail to the west side of the mountain where the temps suddenly plummeted by probably 30 degrees and the icy wind stung my face. I threw my polar fleece back on and followed the treacherous trail for the next 2.3 miles to reach the summit. This section was perhaps the most dangerous of all as there are major cliffs you are walking on where the trail is about 5 feet wide; I was careful not to look down so the dizziness and vertigo wouldn't send me plummeting to my death! Kind of dramatic but I'm really not exaggerating; it was scary! I reached the summit around 8:05 am in 4 hours and 52 minutes. I quickly found the summit proper and another gentleman and I took pictures of each other on the summit. He asked me where I was from and I told him St. Louis but that I had lived in LA at one point. I told him that when I left LA in 2003 I had a mountain of problems and addictions and that I had come back to conquer that "mountain!" We congratulated each other, I took a few more pictures and then began my descent; it was cold! About an hour down I ran into my group, Joe, Amy and Chris and they were looking good. I told them they were getting close and they got very excited; I wished them luck and continued on. I had decided to continue pushing myself on the descent but took the time to give hikers tips on the way up including how far they had to go (I was wearing my Garmin 205) and what the weather was like. The descent became a run/hike as I exited the switchbacks near Trail Camp but I was still careful not to slip or twist an ankle; it was "training" for Arkansas but I didn't want an injury to set me back. I enjoyed the beautiful scenery and arrived at the Trailhead around noon; the descent took me 3 hours and 20 minutes for a roundtrip of 8 hours and 12 minutes (not including the 33 minutes I spent on the summit). I was very pleased with my time considering I'm a "Flatlander" and the fact that I had never climbed a mountain before.

On the way down I passed Amy's husband, Dan. He had made it to the switchbacks but had decided to turn around after tweaking his knee. I told him I was going to camp to wash up but would return to wait with him for the group. I returned around 2:00 pm and filled Dan in on my summit adventure and we waited for the group. They finished around 6:00 pm and were very excited about the day! We went out that night to enjoy a big Mexican dinner and share stories; it was great.

The next day we awoke around 6:45 am and Joe and I decided to tackle the Whitney Portal Trail up to the general store one last time. We arrived at the store and saw Amy, Dan and Carrie; they had driven up from Dow Villa to grab some breakfast and check out the souvenirs. We made sure to order the famous Whitney Portal Store pancakes which were HUGE!!! You must try these as they are like nothing I've ever seen before; totally awesome. Joe and I ran back down to camp and we all began packing up to make our trek back to Las Vegas.

I was only staying one night in Vegas (which is more than enough for me). We stayed at Planet Hollywood and my highlight was hitting my favorite coffee house ever; the Coffee Bean. I actually had it twice on Thursday before I headed to the airport; a hot drink in the morning and an Ice Blended in the afternoon. Mmmmmm... delicious! I then headed to the aiport and began my trip back to St. Louis. On my flight from Phoenix the man next to me spotted the book I was reading, "Into Thin Air", and asked if I was a mountain climber. I said not really but I loved reading adventure books. We talked a bit more and my Mount Whitney summit adventure came up which of course was the reason for my trip. He said, "Sounds like you're a mountain climber to me!" On second thought, maybe he's right!

Click HERE to check out all of the pictures from my trip.