Roll the Dice

'May the odds be ever in your favor'- Hunger Games

News came down this week that the Spring and Fall Superior Trail Races in Northern, MN will be switching to a lottery system.  There was much uproar about the move but as detailed in the press release it was a move that had to be made as the demand rose so fast. 

I feel fortunate to have gotten into the Spring 50K that filled up in mere hours this year.  Luckily I was stuck at my desk when it opened and was able to snag a spot. 

When I first read that they were going to move to a lottery system I, like many others, wasn't all that happy with the move.  Like many people, I plan months ahead for these races.  Whether it's the training schedule, travel or just life in general the planning starts well in advance.  Last year the Fall 100 miler was on my mind and in the works from March all the way until a few days after when my brother Paul flew back home.  

I understand, maybe better than anyone, that there are certain years when you can make a big event like that work and others where you can't.  So to have your fate held in a lottery can be distressing.
But the longer I thought about it the more I realized I am okay with the move and understand the reasoning behind it. 

It was something that had to be done as the demand to get into these races grew, and there is good reason for the demand.  John Storkamp and his crew at Rock Steady Running do a wonderful job putting these events on.  They are first-class races in every way.  The courses are well-marked and challenging, the aid stations are well stocked and full of great people and the events always run smooth and have plenty of unique swag for the runners.  

Not everyone will get into the race they want to this year or in the years to come, unfortunately that's part of the lottery process, not everyone is a winner.   I've felt that sting twice now with Western States.  This year I really felt like it was going to happen, Ali & I sat with our breakfast and coffee watching a stream of the lottery waiting to hear my name.  Three Minnesotans were pulled but not me.  It was disappointing there's no doubt about it.  But at the same time it was a lot of fun sitting there watching the lottery, making it an event, getting excited for the MN people.  

The lottery made it feel bigger, and I think that can happen with this, almost turn it into the Midwestern States.  Superior Lottery watch parties, qualifying races, if your running buddy doesn't get in, and you do maybe that opens up a volunteer opportunity, or pacing or crewing.  

And if nothing else this might be an opportunity to explore other trails and new races. 

This is all part of the evolution of trail running, as it gets more popular more and more races are moving to lottery systems and just like when your plans change in the middle of a race, we must adjust and make the best of it.

Finding Your Misogi

"You can't fall if you don't climb.  But there's no joy in living your whole life on the ground"- Unknown

A few weeks ago I read an article in Outside Magazine about Kyle Korver, the sharp-shooter for the Atlanta Hawks. 

Korver, and the Hawks for that matter, is having a great season.  He's got an opportunity to do something no other NBA player in the history of the game has accomplished, shooting 50% from the floor, 50% from 3pt range and 90% at the free throw line.  Not only that but Korver's Hawks are in the driver's seat in the Eastern Conference and just had their 19-game winning streak snapped. 

The article in Outside, which you can read here, talked about Korver's off-season workouts.  Not the normal kind where a guy's in a gym putting up thousands of shots per day, or out on sand dunes running up and down while throwing medicine balls.  Instead it introduced the concept of Misogi.

Misogi is a Japanese concept of purifying the mind/body/spirit through some sort of physical training or exercise.  In Korver's case he and his trainer have devised a series of one day workouts that take him totally out of his comfort zone and push him past his perceived limits.  Once he's pushed past what he thought was his limit it opens the mind to what else may be possible. 

Not all of us can rent a boat in Mexico and go out hauling a rock around underwater like Korver, but there are plenty of ways to develop your own Misogi, and it doesn't have to be a once a year thing, it can be practically every day. 

Over the past few years I have been practicing this concept without having a name for it, or even really realizing I was doing it.  Stepping up from marathon to 50K, from 50K to 50 miles, running multiple Ultra's in a year, or a month, heading to Patagonia on my own without speaking any Spanish.  Pushing beyond what I thought was possible and feeling energized and a mental clarity that was beyond anything I had experienced before. 

Heading into 2015 one of my goals was to challenge myself in a different way each month, sort of a monthly Misogi.  Doesn't always have to be a race, or physical challenge, it can also be a mental one or anything that takes me out of my comfort zone. 

January's Misogi was going to Yoga on my own, something that was challenging both physically and mentally. 

I've been going to yoga on a semi-regular basis for the past 9 months but always tagging along with Ali, who helped make it easy for me.  With Ali I never had to remember what class I was going to, if I didn't know what move we were supposed to be on I could always look to her and she'd show me, she'd laugh when I groaned at the concept of more core work, and found me towels when I was drowning in my own sweat.  Plus she always put her mat next to mine to assure that I was at least splashing sweat on her and not some poor stranger. 

The benefits I've seen since starting Yoga made me want to go more and in order to do that I'd have to venture out on my own. 

My first few trips there resulted in the normal awkward moments that seem to plague me no matter where I go, dropped water bottles disturbing pre-class relaxation, forgetting which class I was attempting to take & covering the mirror and some poor strangers in my sweat. 

But without Ali there during the actual class I was really forced to learn what was going on and not just follow what she did.  It focused my mind, something that didn't always happen when I knew I could just peek at what she was doing.  I pushed myself to prove that I belong and I'm not just there with Ali.  I am still not good, but there's a reason they call it 'practicing yoga' no one is really an expert.  Everyone is trying to get better each and every day, and that's how I approach it.  So when I am standing there hands on my knees panting from exhaustion in a puddle of my own sweat while the rest of the class contorts themselves without even a glisten of perspiration, that's what I come back to, I'm practicing at my own pace. 

I am very grateful for the times I do get to go with Ali and show her what I've learned and watch how much better she is at the postures, but also to show her I know what class I'm here for...

As for next month's Misogi, we'll see what challenge bubbles to the top in the next week or so.

Beginnings

"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."- Arthur Ashe

This was the first time in a long time that I allowed myself an off-season, not running 5 days a week, instead taking time to rebuild myself after going year round for 3-plus years.
Time was spent practicing yoga, getting back in the gym working to rebuild some strength lost while focusing on running, and in the end just relaxing.  Allowing myself slow mornings of coffee and reading before going to work, not pushing out the door for what sometimes turned into tired, junk miles.
But now that time is over, and I am starting to ramp up again with a body and mind that feels much fresher than in years past.
That quote from Arthur Ashe can be taken many different ways, for me I think of my running.   Everyone has to start somewhere, whether coming back after some time off, or stepping out the door for the first time.  You can wish you were in better shape, had trained harder, been more physically gifted, but you're not.  You have to start right where you are.
Use what you have, build up to where you want to be, it's all a process.  Nothing happens overnight. 
Do what you can, maybe it's just a mile today, maybe it's 10.  It's all about where you are, do what you can, come back to it the next day and do what you can that day.
As I start to ramp up my miles again I have to remember that I am not in the type of shape to put up huge mileage weeks like I was in September leading into the Superior 100.  If I tried that now my body would break down and I'd end up injured.  But I know that I can get one good longish run in each week, and the next week extend it out a little further.  Use the fitness I have today to get better tomorrow.
The first stage in this building process will be the Trail Mix 50K in late April, followed by the Superior 50K in mid-May with a backpacking trip to Zion National Park in between.  My goal for this season is to race, not run these events.  To really push myself, not for a time goal per say but to see what I can do, I know I can finish the distances but to find out how hard I can push myself.
After Superior work kicks in and limits my summer racing, but I plan to use this time wisely to build a base of training and strength for the next stage in the fall.  First will be pacing Ali through her first, and my 8th, Twin Cities Marathon.  Then I plan to tackle the Wild Duluth 100K, a distance I have yet to try.
But it all starts right here, where I am today, and if I focus on getting better today, tomorrow and the rest will take care of itself.

What I Wish I Knew Marathon Edition

This post first appeared here: 

I ran my first marathon in 2007, Grandma's Marathon in northern Minnesota, a 26.2 mile course that starts in Two Harbors and winds its way along the shore of Lake Superior before ending in Canal Park in downtown Duluth.
Since then I have run 10 other marathons (7 Twin Cities Marathons, 2 more Grandma's, and the Eugene Curnow trail marathon) and 12 ultra-marathons, but I always go back to the lessons I learned in that first one.
There is really no way to understand a race of that distance until you actually do it.  I read all the books, subscribed to Runner's World magazine, followed a training plan as close as I could but none of it truly prepared me for the actual event.
Books, magazines, blog posts all try to warn you about starting off too fast, staying hydrated, fueling, and staying mentally strong.  At my first marathon, despite all the warnings, I did just about everything wrong.
Part of it is just learning your body, knowing the training load your body can handle and how to taper.  For me I ran hard in all of my training, didn't understand an LSD (long, slow, day) did my hill work at top speed without recovering in between repeats and as a result ended up at the starting line exhausted.  For 18 weeks I pushed myself every day to get ready for this race and by the time I got to Duluth to pick up my packet I was spent.
Now when I train for a marathon I know how far I can go on my training runs without working myself to exhaustion, and better understand the importance of a rest day.  I am not a fan of a total rest day, but more active recovery so that I keep my body moving but don't stress it too much. 
Also the taper period is huge, slowing down a week or so before the event.  Resting, doing fewer miles and running slower during this time doesn't hurt you but allows you to toe the line feeling fresh.
Another area where I totally bombed in my first marathon was nutrition leading up to and during the event.
At the time I thought it was great, run a lot, eat all you want.  Carbo load, yes sir, give me all the breadsticks you have!
That's not really much of an exaggeration either.  I remember in the final week leading up to Grandma's I was eating pasta every night and on my way home I would stop at Little Caesars for an order of Crazy Bread to go with it.  Then fearing that I wouldn't have enough fuel, I'd walk down to Cal's Party store (great little joint by my apt in Marquette, MI) and get a huge container of peanut butter desert.  No idea what was in it but there were a lot of carbs which was a good thing in my mind, and it tasted amazing.
The problem was that kind of food is really hard to process and as a result I just got full...but I kept eating that week because I thought I'd need it.
When I arrived in Duluth I was so full I debated not eating the night before the race, but they had a spaghetti dinner so of course I took down two platefuls as 'fuel.'
The morning of the race my breakfast was a bottle of milk and an instant breakfast packet with a protein bar, not a great choice, none of that is very nutrient dense and there's not much sustainable fuel in there.
Biggest nutrition takeaway I learned was don't deviate too much from what you normally do.  Stick to foods you are used to, that you can process, and maybe in the days leading up add in some extra rice or something but don't go overboard trying to carbo-load.  There's a good chance you have enough carbs stored up to be just fine.
During the actual race there were two things that really stood out, lessons that I learned the hard way and think about every time I've toed the line since.
First, run your race.  My brother and I started that race like our pants were on fire.  We took off thinking we were going to win.  It didn't last...by mile 20 for him and mile 18 for me we were cooked and it was a slow painful march to the finish.  Sure it was great to be booking for the part and feeling like you might place, but the last 6-8 miles were some of the worst miles I have ever 'run' in my life.
The second thing is fueling during the race, which may have helped stave off the march at the end.  Drink early, drink often but don't get a sloshy stomach.  So much of this really is about feel.  I didn't drink at any of the first few aid stations because I was so full (see my carbo-loading above) so I thought I could just run it off and then later my stomach would clear and I could drink water.  Didn't work out that way.
By the time I started to hydrate it was too late and my body was getting racked by cramps in my quads and calves. 
The other thing was fuel; find something that works for you.  In marathon's I use gels, in ultra's clif bars, and shot-blocks, whatever it is, find something you can stomach that gives you the energy you need to finish. 
In that first one, I had a packet of jelly beans.  They were like 'runners energy beans' or something but I'd never used them before and by the time I tried them I was 15 miles into the race and so dehydrated that when I popped a handful in my mouth I choked on them.  They shot up into my nose since I couldn't swallow them and eventually I sneezed out a full jelly bean, hilarious for those on the sidelines watching, but not much fun to go through while trying to run.
I'd love to say that since then I've mastered these areas and never had a bad race but that would be a lie.  It's all still a work in progress and you'll have good days and bad days it comes with the territory. 
There's a great quote I read once that sums it up 'Endurance running is special.  It requires paying attention to the mind, body and spirit.  It requires being honest with yourself.  It does not require pain.'

2014 The Year In Pictures

I am but an old child wandering along unsupervised...John Morelock

2014 was a pretty amazing year.  From running the Grand Canyon rim to rim to rim, to climbing Angels Landing, running the Superior 100,  countless trips up north, Mexico City & everything that happened on a day to day basis, couldn't ask for a better one. 

Here it is, 2014 in pictures-

The annual All-Star Break trip to Gunflint

Starting the Rim to Rim to Rim with Greg & Mitch

Where we would eventually finish though it was much darker

Sedona

Top  of Angels Landing Zion National Park

Finishing up a rim to river hike at Bright Angel Trail Head

Plenty of time out on the lakes of Mpls.

Getting to visit the White House with the World Champion MN Lynx

City Trail Loppet

The Eugene Curnow Marathon

Ali's first Half Marathon

Mexico City with the Wolves

Halloween

Another trip to Hungry Jack Lake

Another Twin Cities Marathon in the books

Backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail

Getting to see Paul, Adriana & B in Seattle

Finished the Superior 100

Back up the Gunflint Trail

Back to the Grand Canyon

Tribute To Big Mike

"Your work is to discover your world & then with all your heart give yourself to it."- Buddah

Another grey day, the clouds pressing low to the earth, but at least on this morning there was a fresh layer of snow and flakes floating lazily to the ground.
I headed out with no real plan.  Letting the music in my headphones and the direction of the wind guide me.  Turned on to lake of the Isles as the song Bertha by the Grateful Dead played, my mind wandering...
Nearly 9 years ago while living in Marquette, MI I worked with a guy we called Big Mike.  Mike was, obviously, a big dude, tall, with a mustache, glasses and always with a big smile on his face.
Big Mike loved the Dead, in fact Big Mike loved all music and I owe a substantial portion of my music collection to him.  About once a week Mike would swing into my studio, we'd talk sports, and  music  and he would always drop off a stack of cd's.  Take this home he'd say, listen to them and load the ones you like on your computer.  Bring them back whenever you can.
The album that played through my headphones as the wind picked up around Isles was one that Mike had given me.   I put my head down and made my way along the lake, bent into the wind and remembered doing this same thing along Lake Superior and coming up on Big Mike out for a walk. 
He was always walking on the path by the lake, his Michigan State hat on, headphones and carrying his Discman.  He would walk, listen to tunes and stop to pull a small notebook out of his breast pocket.  I asked him once what he wrote in it and he said 'When I hear a song it makes me think of other songs that I want to hear so I always write it down and search for them when I get home.'
It's amazing how music can do that, just take you down a path of memories.  I crossed the road into a park at the north end of Isles and started doing hill repeats.
As I approached the bottom of one hill, the song Acadia Driftwood by the Band came on.  I was obsessed with that song while training for my first marathon in the UP.  That was also my first experience with hill repeats.  I would go two streets over, start at the bottom by Superior and run up High St listening to the Best of the Band.  Sometimes I would see Big Mike up there, he lived in that area.  Walking, sometimes smoking a cigar, either music or the Michigan State game playing through his headphones.
One day Mike walked in and started to juggle stuff in my studio, he was good, really good.  I was shocked and the next day he brought in three bags, almost like hacky-sacks, taught me the basics and left them for me to practice.  I never quite got the hang of it, but Mike used to go to a local nursing home at lunch and juggle and do magic tricks for the folks there.  He would just chat, tell stories, listen and spend time with them; the guy had a huge heart.
Van Morrison singing Caravan with The Band during the Last Waltz interrupted my thoughts and labored breathing as I topped a hill.  That was another album Big Mike had given me, one of my top 5 favorite albums of all time. 
I remembered Mike's Blues show he had on one of our stations.  He called himself Zenith and the show as called 'Zenith rides the bus'.  After I had moved to Mpls to work for the Wolves he would send me copies of the show asking me what I thought and telling me if I liked any of the songs he could send me the albums.
A few years ago Big Mike passed away, quite suddenly due to cancer.  I was shocked.  I heard from a friend of mine in Mqt that he was in the hospital and it wasn't good and then he was gone.
But whenever I hear certain songs, or see the Michigan State logo he's right there, that big smile on his face excited to introduce me to a new album.  

That's A Wrap TCM Style

"The strenuous life tastes better"-Williams James

"This is it, no more races this year.  I need to recover after Twin Cities, need to take what I learned this season & work on stuff.  I need an off-season." 
That's what I told Ali the week leading up to the Twin Cities Marathon.  I was planning on lacing them up and running TCM for the 7th straight year but having finished the Superior 100 a month prior I was looking forward to an off-season.
The past few years I've said the same thing, only to find myself toeing the line at the Wild Duluth 50K two weeks later, or last year at Surf the Murph 50K.  But this year I was serious (and helped by the fact that Surf the Murph sold out & I won't be in town for the Wild Duluth) there will be an off-season, one to recover & refocus on training.
With that in mind, my brother Alex & I headed to the starting line.  As usual I expected to run the first mile or so with him before he pulled away, and I settled into my pace ticking off miles like a metronome.
But this year I didn't want to just run TCM, I wanted to enjoy it, and leave proud of my effort.
The gun sounded & off we went, I kept up with Alex down to Hennepin, first mile in at 8:08, I'm  not gonna keep that up I said to him.  We made the turn by the Sculpture Garden and up the hill together, another decently fast mile but I could tell he wanted to push it and I wanted to run my race so we parted ways around mile three.
Alex would go on to crush it, finishing in 3:27 and destroying the last 5.2 miles in around 37 minutes.  I never cease to be amazed by the mental & physical fortitude he can muster up on race day.  5 times now we've started marathons together only for him to be waiting for me at the finish line.
I settled into my rhythm around lake of the Isles, but as we made the move toward Calhoun I didn't feel satisfied with just running along at an easy clip.  Finishing, one month after running 103.3 miles, would be a great accomplishment, but running hard would let me leave this season on good note mentally and physically.
So I began to push, bit by bit, seeing what I could do.  The night before Ali and I talked about the run and she said 'What if you have a great day?'  I said 'We'll meet up with everyone at the end and have brunch, and if I have a bad day we'll do the same...'  But this didn't feel like a bad day, not yet anyway, so I pushed a little harder.
Weaving in and out of people around Lake Harriet and on to Minnehaha Creek I kept pushing while trying to remain relaxed.  Oxymoron right?  While I pushed, I also made sure to breathe through my nose, helping to regulate my heart rate and relax my shoulders so that the effort didn't leave me with a sore back/neck.
Around mile 10 I got a boost as Ali and Nicole popped out of the crowd cheering for me.  It was totally unexpected since I thought I had already passed them, and it gave me an extra pep in my step as I ripped off a 751 mile.
As we turned on to Cedar & around Lake Nokomis, I made sure to keep my foot on the gas.  Not fast, but faster than felt comfortable.  I thought back to a few years ago when I was running comfortably and at mile 23 decided to see if I could make it hurt, and pushed as hard as I could over those final 3.2 miles finishing with my second best marathon time of 332.  Would I be able to keep this up and make it hurt again?  I didn't know but I was determined to try.
Up the hill to Melo Glaze, down to Minnehaha Park, still pushing feeling a bit spent but knowing I had more in the tank.  Spotting Mitch & his family cheering helped push me on, and then a mile or so later there was Ali & Nicole, another surprise that propelled me down to Franklin Bridge.

Rolling hills I told myself as I crossed into St. Paul.  Up one down the other then on the up you'll see Mom, Dad & Gramps, then a steep up to Summit & the long slow Summit grind before it levels out.
Just like that there they were, but this time the whole crew.  Another great surprise, Gramps hopped out of the crowd ringing his bell, Wolves winter hat askew on his head, and ran a few steps with me.
That shot me down the road and up to Summit where the good vibes wore off as I neared Snelling and could feel myself slowing down against my will.
Just make it up here, it levels out, I thought to myself.  Next to me I heard two women motivating each other as well.  "Sweat is weakness leaving the body" one told the other.  "Remember how hard you worked for this, there is nothing like the finish line" the other responded.
I smiled recalling some of my favorite motivational lines, then put my head down and pushed to the top where it did flatten out for a bit.
Three miles to go, what have you got left, will it be a good day or bad day?  A lot can happen in three miles.  I've had the wheels fall off pretty hard with this distance to go.
Head up, shoulders back, relaxed yet pushing.  Two to go, leg it out, this is your last race for the year let it all go...whoops, that wasn't supposed happen.  Cramp hit my left hamstring hard, stopping me in my tracks.  I hobbled to the side of the road, bent over to stretch it out, loosened just enough for me to try walking.  After a few steps the walk turned into a trot and I was back at it.
The Cathedral appeared on my left, then the finishing chute, push, push, push.  Alex was already done I was sure, don't make him wait too long!
A quick glance at my watch, can I make it across the bridge to the finish line in 30 seconds?  Let's give it a shot.  Pumping my legs while monitoring my left hammy for the remnants of that cramp; it seems okay.
Missed that 30 second mark which would have put me in at 3:39, instead I lumbered across in 3:40:17 officially.
And then it was over, not just the race but my running season.  I looked along the fence for my family, finally spotted Alex.  He stood there with his medal hanging from his neck, salt streaks down his face & on his tights, crooked smile and a bounce in his step.  He had a great day; I had a really good day, both very happy with our effort.
We met up with the crew, took some pictures, cheers to the season with our free Summit, and then just like I told Ali, we had brunch.
It was the perfect way to end the running season.  Happy with my effort, amazed at the challenges I took on this summer & grateful to have made it through them all with the help of great friends & an amazing family.