"Yes, Running Can Make You High" - NY Times Article

Photo from bayfrontfitness.com

I meant to post this earlier when I saw it on the Ultralist but simply forgot; I know, hard to believe, but it happens :-) Interesting article in the March 27th edition of the New York Times:

"Researchers in Germany, using advances in neuroscience, report in the current issue of the journal Cerebral Cortex that the folk belief is true: Running does elicit a flood of endorphins in the brain. The endorphins are associated with mood changes, and the more endorphins a runner’s body pumps out, the greater the effect."

To read the article in its entirety please click HERE.

Weight Gain and Hyponatremia: Thoughts By Dr. Lisa Bliss

2007 Badwater Finish Line Photo from Lisa's Blog Entry: "Goodwater"

Keeping your electolytes and fluids balanced is one of the trickiest and most important parts of ultra-running. This week on the Ultra-List, Dr. Lisa Bliss discussed the causes of weight gain, hyponatremia and how to keep our bodies in balance during ultramarathons. Dr. Bliss was the 2007 Badwater Female Winner and is the medical director for some of the world's toughest ultras. The following is taken directly from her Ultra-List response; it's a bit long but has tons of great information, especially with rising temperatures just around the corner:

Consuming a very large amount of salt is one (dangerous) way of maintaining a normal sodium level despite weight gain, but it is not a necessary condition. Here are a couple common scenarios seen at ultras:

1) Runner has a daily diet normally low in sodium but takes extra salt - in whatever form - during an ultra. She gains weight, like Ray K says, because salt causes the body to retain water. Sometimes, it doesn't take much. Many can testify that sometimes there is noticeable fluid retention, say in the ankles, just from eating a bowl of popcorn in front of the TV or, in my case, a slice of this fine Lou Malnati's deep dish spinach Chicago style pizza I just received on dry ice from a friend... but I digress....

Salt helps the body retain water. That's why we give 0.9 normal saline IV's to runners who are dehydrated. Salt and water hydrate better than water alone.

No matter what the normal daily dietary intake of salt, if a runner takes "too much" salt, water will be retained in the tissues as the body attempts to maintain a normal amount in the blood vessels, which is ultimately what matters most (the sodium in the blood vessels) because that is the sodium electrolyte that the brain "sees" and reacts to as it passes through the body.

There have been runners who have taken too much water AND too much salt (wrongly thinking this is a good way to avoid hyponatremia) and they are overweight and bloated and have swollen legs and/or hands, and their sodium levels in the blood are normal or even HIGH. Now, THAT'S a lot of sodium! Too much. Guaranteed, these runners are not feeling well and, at the very least, are not going to be running their best race in that condition.

Interestingly, the article that Karl referenced mentioned Noakes' article, which notes that there were endurance athletes in the study who gained weight but were not hyponatremic. Hmm.... He then theorized that they must have sodium stores and that sodium was somehow mobilized from these stores into the bloodstream. What he didn't do was account for sodium intake during the run. It is a glaringly obvious omission in my opinion. You can absolutely gain weight (fluid) and have a normal sodium level if you take in sodium. And you can be fine without any problems. But it's a slippery slope. You may also get yourself into lots of trouble. Adding salt to "offset" weight gain is NOT a good thing to do.

So, yes, too much salt can cause fluid retention and weight gain without hyponatremia. Thing is, though, a runner in this situation now has TWO problems to deal with: too much of two things - water and sodium. Adding more salt to an already fluid overloaded body is not the solution for preventing hyponatremia. A fluid overloaded body requires.... less fluid! Don't try to solve a problem by creating another.

2) BUT... there is another scenario where there may be weight gain even without taking in too much salt or too much fluid. We see it in the longer ultras, the 100-mile and 100+ mile races, especially the hotter races and multiday races. It's the problem of edema. Most of us have encountered it at some point with longer ultras. That's why we sometimes bring a larger shoe size in case our feet swell up. Feet can swell from too much fluid, too much salt and fluid, or they can swell despite optimal fluid and electrolyte balance. It's a consequence of the "pounding" of the muscles and the "pooling" of fluid in the feet from us forcing them to carry us for100+ miles down the roads or trails.

For an example, look at the legs of the runners in a multiday event or an event like Badwater. There can be significant pooled fluid in the legs. If the fluid is in the legs and there are indentations on the skin from your socks or your shoes are tight, etc., then the fluid is in the tissues, NOT in the blood vessels. So, now you can have an increase in weight on the scale but not necessarily an increase in fluid in the blood vessels, which is where the sodium is. So, an electrolyte test can be perfectly normal in this situation despite the increased or level weight, and I would argue that you could even be somewhat *dehydrated* intravascularly (where it matters!) if you are carrying extra fluid body's tissues but do NOT have optimal fluid and electrolyte replacement.

So, here's a question for Lulu. If a runner on day 3 of a multiday run is up 2 pounds and is not feeling well, should we assume he is hyponatremic? Well, we should consider it for sure, but is it necessarily the case? Do you tell him to stop drinking because he's up 2 pounds? Do you hold him at the aid station until his weight comes down? Should we refuse him fluids if he says he is thirsty? Well, if the fluid is in the tissues, it does not dilute the sodium in the blood. Weight gain and leg swelling does not preclude the possibility of hyponatremia, but the weight gain should be evaluated in context, and contexts can become quite complex at some of these ultras.

Fluid from significant swelling (and even fluid hanging out in the gut) are more a concern AFTER the race when those fluids gets mobilized back into the blood stream and finally to the kidney where they can be eliminated from the body. It's when the fluids go back into the blood stream that we have to be careful, especially if we are also rehydrating post-race. That's the most common time for hyponatremia to happen and that's why.

I bring up these scenarios to show that it's not always so black and white, that weight gain, while a red flag for sure, does not *always* mean imminent danger, nor does it mean that someone should necessarily stop drinking. Hyponatremia must remain in the differential; it has very real possible consequences, but it's not quite the science some of us think it is or wish it were, at least in ultrarunning.

In the end, there is NO advice on this topic that can replace personal experience and training. Training and more training. That is the ultimate answer to all the questions. Learn, read, listen, but above all, pay attention to your body and find out what works for you and make adjustments. My experience comes from reading, listening, watching, treating, and above all, making mistakes and learning from them. In the past, I've gained up to 10% of my weight and lost up to 8%.

Scales are excellent to train with and, in my opinion, essential (and easy) at races like Badwater. It was fun for me to make a game of trying to guess my weight when I trained in Death Valley before the race last year. Ask Nancy Shura, who believes in the scale too. I ran about 20 miles to Stovepipe Wells and wanted to catch up with Danny W who was making his way up to Townes Pass. But I was feeling "dry" and fatigued, not so uncommon feelings in the desert. I wasn't peeing. I got on Nancy's scale and was 6 pounds down. Instead of trying to chase down Danny (which I never would have been able to do anyway), I sat at the pool, ate a hoagie from the store, a big bag of chips and drank over 2 liters of fluid. I was still down a couple pounds but I peed. But I felt better and Nancy drove me to meet up with Danny who was RUNNING up to the pass! I was fine then only because I stopped and took care of the problem before it got too bad.

On the flip side, during the race itself, I strolled into Stovepipe Wells with a slight headache and light-headedness, and I was peeing freely and clear, enough that I suspected I might be hyponatremic. I got on the scale and was down 3% of my weight. I was in clothes that were drenched in water, so I was likely down another 1-2% of my true weight. My tested sodium was mildly low by 1-2 mEq/L. I was surprised at both the scale and my sodium level. I was only mildly hyponatremic (and that occurred over many hours asopposed to very quickly) so the sodium level was NOT the likely cause of my symptoms. My body was, however, getting rid of excess fluid, i.e. peeing, so it was attempting to bring the sodium concentration back up. BUT I was underweight! So, what do you do in this situation? First, dissect the problems out. I was mildly hyponatremic, so that needed to be fixed, and I was moderately dehydrated, and that needed to be fixed too. So, I went back out on the road and increased my fluids AND my Succeed! tabs, and the problems got resolved. I adjusted my intake of both and continued to monitor my weight on the scale because, as we know, conditions (effort, appetite, thirst, temperature) are always changing and we need to roll with whatever's in front of us.

Guidelines and information can be helpful, sure, but they also can hurt you if you are not flexible. We just need to learn, try, adjust, and train.

Lisa Bliss
Spokane, WA

Yours Truly 50K, How To Be A Great Ultra Pacer and "Spirit of the Marathon"

Picture from the 2007 YT 50K in Budapest, Hungary

YOURS TRULY 50K
Next Sunday, 1/27, I will be participating in the Yours Truly 50K out at the Green Rock Trail near St. Louis with a few other SLUGs. This is an interesting concept as it is a world wide race, based on the honor system and you have 24 hours to complete the distance. Here's how the website describes the event:

"Time starts running at the same time when you start and will finish when you have run 50k. You can have breaks if you want. Your time will be the time between start and finish.
Example: You start at 05.00 AM and you run till 09.00 AM. Totally about 35k. You come home and take a shower, eat and watch TV for couple of hours. At 01.00 PM you continue your run. You run those missing 15K's and finish at 03.00 PM. You have used totally 10h to run 50k, that is your result."

Click HERE for more information and good luck!

My AT100 Pacer, Andrew Karandjeff and I at the Finish

HOW TO BE A GREAT ULTRA PACER
On Saturday, Februrary 2nd, I will be pacing my friend and founder of Running4Recovery, Brad Holzworth, during the last 40 miles of his attempt at the Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Run in Huntsville, TX. In the February issue of Trail Runner Magazine there is an article on how to be an effective ultra pacer. Below is a brief recap of the main points in the article along with some of my own thoughts:

Know the Course: It is always best to run the course beforehand but is rarely possible so the next best thing is to study the trail map and know the information on the race website like the back of your hand. Know where the aid stations are, the difficulty of the different sections so you know when to push hard and when to pull back and most of all KNOW THE RULES.

Know Your Runner: Do they like to talk while they run or prefer silence? Should you be stern in your motivation or gentle? Do they like to run in front or behind? There are many physical and emotional highs and lows in a race. Your runner could be feeling great and jovial one minute then suddenly become nauseous and cranky the next; learn how to read your runner and modify your approach according to their mood.

Plan Aid Station Stops: About 10 minutes before you reach the aid station discuss what your runner needs and what you will take care of. Andrew did a great job of this at Arkansas Traveller this year and we had a plan going into each aid station so we could get what we needed and get out as soon as possible.

Know When To Be Bossy: Late in a 100 mile race your runner will not be thinking clearly due to fatigue and low blood sugar, may be nauseous, dehydrated and just plain tired. It's at this point that you need to take over and become the decision maker ensuring that they eat, stay hydrated, keep their electolytes in balance and keep moving forward. They may want to rest or just sit for a while but this is usually what causes a DNF. Remind them that the pain is only temporary and will end when they are finished but that the memories and sense of accomplishment will last a lifetime.

You're There For Them: It's not about you so you need to cast your ego aside and take care of their needs but make sure you are also taking care of yourself so they can count on you when the going gets really tough. They know how important you were in helping them achieve a finish and will remember the help and sacrifices you made for a lifetime.

I have been fortunate to have wonderful pacers (Chris McMahon, pictured above right, at Kettle and Andrew Karandjeff at Arkansas Traveller) for both of my 100 mile finishes and this is my opportunity to return the favor in helping Brad achieve his goal. At the end of the day though it is the runner's job to get himself across the finish line. You are there to provide emotional support, fill their water bottles, help light the way and motivate them to keep moving but they are the ones who need to put in the training, planning and preparation required to cover the distance.


SPIRIT OF THE MARATHON
This Thursday, 1/24, the movie, Spirit of the Marathon, will be showing in select theaters across the country. This is a one day engagement with an encore presentation on February 21st so if you have a chance check it out at a theater near you. Below is a brief description from the film's website:

"Four years in the making, Spirit of the Marathon is the collaborative effort of three-time Academy Award winner Mark Jonathan Harris, Telly Award winner and marathon runner Jon Dunham and producer/marathoner Gwendolen Twist. Spirit of the Marathon is the first ever non-fiction feature film to capture the drama and essence of the famed 26.2 mile running event. Filmed on four continents, the movie brings together a diverse cast of amateur athletes and marathon luminaries.

As six unique stories unfold, each runner prepares for and ultimately faces the challenge of the Chicago Marathon. More than a sports movie, Spirit of the Marathon is an inspirational journey of perseverance and personal triumph; a spectacle that will be embraced by runners and non-runners alike.

Filmed on four continents and in five countries, the film stars legends such as Dick Beardsley, Paula Radcliffe, Bill Rodgers, Toshihiko Seko and Grete Waitz."

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

Pride Cometh Before a Turned Ankle and Racing vs. Running

Loch Vale - Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Pride Cometh Before a Turned Ankle
Last Tuesday I joined Lee Hess and a few others for a New Year's Day run out at Greensfelder Park near Six Flags. I've run through the park numerous times on the Green-Rock Trail but never explored the many side trails available; I ended up logging about 14 miles as I did two loops of the Cottonwood and Declue Trails. Although there is a portion that is on the Green-Rock Trail I found that the Cottonwood/Declue loop is much more runnable than Green-Rock; the hills are rolling and not so steep. So this morning when I awoke to temperatures in the mid-60's I scrapped my Green Rock Trail run and decided to do the same run as last Tuesday. I figured dehydration could be a big problem with the temps in the 70's and with limited water available on Green-Rock thought I'd be better off doing shorter loops with my car close by so I could refill my bottles. I've been running quite a bit lately averaging about 70 miles a week as I'm building my base for the upcoming season so by Sunday I'm usually a bit worn out. But today was different, I was feeling strong and decided to push it for the entire 14 miles. As I was flying along the trail listening to Pink Floyd I began thinking, "I'm getting pretty good at this trail running stuff; I think this could be my year. It's almost like I'm one with the trail, in fact it's been a long time since I turned my... AHHHHHHHHHHH, my freak'in ankle!!!!!!!" It hurt so bad I was immediately nauseous and began sweating profusely as I hobbled along cursing under my breath and berating myself. "That's what you get for being cocky!" I slowly finished up the loop and since the pain had subsided a bit decided to hobble out for another one. Of course once you've turned your ankle during a run it's pretty much inevitable that it will happen again and it did, 2 MORE TIMES! The moral of the story is that no matter how good you think you are at trail running you've got to stay focused when running on more technical (rocky, rooty) trails; you're always just one step away from a turned ankle or a really bad fall. Be careful out there and keep your mind on the trail..., Carey!

Racing vs. Running
In 2007 I more than surpassed any goals I had set in the beginning of the year by running over 2,750 miles, finishing 2 marathons and 11 ultramarathons. Much of this wasn't "planned" as I just continued to enter races and run them; even the 100 milers were a bit spontaneous. After 3 Days of Syllamo I had decided to push back my attempt at 100 miles until 2008 but as I was sitting in Starbuck's on Easter I saw the Kettle 100 ad in Trail Runner magazine. After Easter dinner I promptly went home and signed up, exactly the reaction Jason and Timo were hoping for. After finishing Kettle I swore to my ex-fiancee that there would be no more attempts for a while but then found myself signing up for Arkansas Traveller when our relationship abruptly ended just 7 weeks before the wedding date. After finishing one of the toughest AT100's in history I kept myself busy running the Rock Creek 50K only 3 weeks later followed by the Route 66 Marathon and the Green Rock 40 Mile Fun Run before ending the Fall season. This season I RAN a lot of races but I didn't RACE many. Of course I usually finished in the top 20% and finished as high as 3rd place at Turkey and Taturs but it always seemed like I could have pushed myself just a bit more and not left so much in the tank. I learned a tremendous amount about hydration, nutrition, electrolytes and my body in 2007 as I figured out what my limits were and stayed comfortably inside them. In 2008 I plan to push these limits focusing on quality vs. quantity and daring to red-line myself a bit; finishing races completely exhausted knowing that I gave it my all out on the course. Goals this year include running a sub-5 hour 50K (4:45 actually) and breaking 22 hours in a 100 mile race. Will I DNF? I just might but I think it's worth the risk. As T.S. Eliot said, "Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go." I know how far I can go but the real question is how fast can I get there?

Hope you all are enjoying this unseasonably warm weather and staying safe out there on the trails.
Happy Running,
Carey

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

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

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

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