Well, a week has passed since the completion of my 100 mile ultramarathon. It's hard to believe that a week ago I ran 100 miles in 28 hours. I guess you could say this dream/goal has been almost 2.5 years in the making.
To anyone who is not a runner, this might seem absolutely absurd, (it most likely seems crazy to other runners as well) but to me it was the logical next step. You see, running is one of the few things in life where I am able to challenge myself. When I started to have success, it fueled my drive and passion for running.
What suprised me the most was that once I started to run 60 plus miles a week (the minimum I think, for a serious attempt at 100 miles) my body actually got stronger. Once I knew my body could handle the training, it made me want to find what the body was truly capable of.
When you realize you are capable of so much more than you let yourself believe is possible, one's potential becomes limitless. The joy then comes from pushing beyond your previous capabilites. I almost began to look forward to failing. It seems weird to say that, but it actually is a positive statement for me, as the only way to find out what is possible is to fail.
I have already achieved more than I thought was possible in the world of running. I didnt start out with any specific goals, but have already achieved beyond my wildest imagination. Running has definately instilled some sorely needed discipline, committment, drive, focus,passion, etc., in my life. Hopefully it will someday carry over into other areas of life,but for now I will be happy with the gift that running is to me.

the "true" Lone Wolf

50 miles and change on Saturday???

I'm sitting here tonight contemplating another ultramarathon this coming weekend. It's a 24 hour run around Gray's Lake on Halloween. This "race" is one I'd read about 3 or 4 weeks ago. For a good week or two there was serious thought as to attempting another ultra. Had kind of forgotten about it for the last couple weeks, but today the idea of running it has crept back into my mind.
There would be absolutely no pressure in this event, as my plan would be to run it very comfortably, not putting any pressure on a achieving a certain distance or time. The plan is to just run according to how my body feels. My goal for the 24 hours is just to beat my record distance in a day, which is 52 miles at the Superior Ultra in Minnesota back in September. In the span of 24 hours, that should really be no challenge at all. This is undertaken with the thought in the back of my mind that I might attempt a 1oo miler (maybe) next summer. It would be nice to try something beyond the 50 mile distance in race conditions before thinking about 100 miles.
I know this may sound crazy to the average person, but for me it seems almost logical. My ability to run 50 miles is no longer in question (although I would like to run a sub-10 hour 50) the challenge is to find out how far the legs will carry me. It is pretty short notice, essentially deciding 5 days beforehand to run 50 plus miles; but my body is sufficiently rested from last months ultra. Besides, it's not like there are any big plans for the weekend, other than possibly dressing up for Halloween. Will likely need to decide by tommorrow whether or not to run, as I might try to take Friday (to rest) and Monday (to recover) off from work. The boss would likely be fairly understanding as to my request for time off!
Well, if anyone I know is reading this, and isnt busy on Saturday, a crew would be appreciated! I'll let you know the decision by tommorrow night.

1st blog, subject-running

Today was a very good day for a run. It seems that some of the best runs I have are on the days when I feel the least motivated to "hit the road." What I like to call the Discipline Of The Routine helps me on the odd days where there is no motivation. In a way this helps clear the mind of any plans on how the run will progress for the day, and the run is simply done by feel.
The double loop at Ledges State Park was done with relative ease today. It took the first couple miles to find my groove, but once i did the run was nearly effortless. One of the things I enjoy most about running is my ability to get into a rhythm . Getting locked into a pace that feels like it can be sustained comfortably is a joy. It's like finding a cruise control for running.
After more than a year and a half of serious running, there is definately some reaping of the rewards for hard work. What seemed like a serious effort for a run last year is this year's steady pace. My endurance and speed have improved dramatically. I've put in so much work that I can set goals when it comes to running, and actually expect myself to achieve them.
Why is running so important to me? I guess it's importance is in what I let it represent for me.
Running represents discipline and committment. Last year, a running buddy of mine suggested I train with him for an Ultramarathon. Now, he must have seen something in me that said "he's got it" because this isn't something that would have happened on it's own. Once we got into the training, there was the realization that it would be a lot of work to get in shape just to finish, and upon realizing that, I committed myself fully to the task. It was logical really, as how is it possible to do something (run 50 miles) that will likely take all that you have when you're not fully committed?
Discipline (and planning) are the follow-up to a committment. You have to establish a plan and steps to achieving your goal. What is really required of you to achieve something may not truly be known until you are well on your way towards the goal, but as the "blueprint" becomes more clear it's easier to focus. This is where the routine(discipline) comes in. Having a tangible task to accomplish feeds me. For example, my usual runs for the week include a 5 miler and 7 miler on Monday/Wenesday, around 20 on Friday, and 5-10 on Sunday. On the days where I dont "have it" I still go out and run. Maybe the run wont be as fast, or not as enjoyable, but it still is done. I've decided that this is part of my identity(ultramarathon runner) and to not do what it takes to achieve my goals is letting myself down. You dont get a day off in life, so why would I let myself slack on something where a huge investment of time and energy as been made?
A perfect running day like I had today is the reward for such a committment!