Case Study: Buckle Fever

Buckle fever is localized in and around 100 mile running events

Buckle fever, or chronic ego driven exhaustion (CEDE), has been known to cause premature DNF and extreme remorse. This case study is taken from the 2015 Western States Endurance Run

• Patient is a 43 year old white male with signs of over-exertion, gastric distress, severely blistered feet and piss-poor attitude admitted to the Michigan Bluff Aid Station one and a half hours before the cutoff.

• Patient's chief complaints include bloated stomach, sharp joint pain, lack of enthusiasm, lack of confidence, lack of focus, lack of energy, general malaise and frustration. Additionally, patient claims his body is "shutting down" and "only has one gear". Patient claims he "does not want to continue and does not want to do this anymore."

• Present illness began at race start in Squaw Valley early that morning. In an effort to secure a silver buckle, the patient exerted an unacceptably high effort at altitude in warm temperatures. Over approximately 40-50 kilometers the patient sustained heart rates at or above 80% of maximum. Additional complications arose from in-race nutritional supplements containing beets, which darkened his urine to the point of alarm. This resulted in over-hydration until the source of the problem was correctly identified and normal hydration was resumed.

• Patient's medical history includes similar instances of over-exertion, most recently at Marin Ultra Challenge 50k.

• Patient's family history includes parental marathoning, sibling middle distance running and overall health improvement through regular exercise.

• Patient's social history shows numerous examples of epic challenges, including but not limited to: Alaskan commercial fisherman, previous WS100 finisher, long distance sailor, avid ultra runner. Patient also appreciates fine craft beers often.

• Physical exam reveals some chafing, lack of color, salt-caked skin, thousand-yard stare and a curious odor.

• Assessment: Patient requires tough love and the confidence that finishing is still possible. While reasoning with the patient is unlikely, shaming and guilt can be used with moderate success. Thought exercises illustrating the remorse of dropping have shown high rates of success.

• Patient treatment course: Patient was given ten minutes to get his shit together, after which he was given two baggies containing sandwiches and fruit, along with the necessary lighting and water to make it to the next aid station, Foresthill. Patient continued on through the night, utilizing his "one gear" to stay ahead of cutoffs and eventually finish the race. This was the sought after outcome, and treatment was deemed to be successful.

Backpacking Buckskin Gulch and Paria Canyon

Buckskin Gulch, photo by Christopher Brothers

Photo by Christopher Brothers

While attending Northern Arizona University in the 1990's, my friends and I explored the surrounding wilderness almost every weekend. Backpacking the Mogollon Rim, Sycamore Canyon and the Grand Canyon provided an escape from the collegiate workload and nurtured my love of the outdoors. When I was asked to spearhead a research project in a tributary of the Colorado River just East of the Grand Canyon National Park, I jumped at the opportunity.

The Paria River had been classified as "impaired" due to high beryllium concentrations. I was to hike the canyon and collect water and sediment samples ten times over the course of two years. A rag-tag group of students would accompany me on three day blitzes of the 40 mile long stretch of remote canyon. Paria quickly became a special place for me; my own place of worship. Towering canyon walls, hanging gardens, narrow slots and hundreds of river crossings made for a surreal experience.

Stranded owl hunkers near pool, photo by Christopher Brothers

Given our short time-tables for each trip, I was never able to explore some of the more interesting side canyons of the Paria. Buckskin Gulch, the longest slot canyon in North America, would beckon as we collected samples from its confluence with the Paria. We would explore the lower mile or so before hurrying down the Paria. Years later, in 2006, I was able to hike the gulch with Twirly. We spent two days in Buckskin before hiking out to White House.

Last year, my father told me Buckskin and Paria were on his bucket list. I rounded up the boys for a five day trip from Buckskin Gulch to the end of the Paria at Lee's Ferry. I had not realized how long it had been since I saw the length of the Paria. I won't let it be that long again!

The confluence of Buckskin and Paria

We camped at the Wire Pass Trail Head on Monday night after dropping cars at Lee's Ferry and White House. Two of our five would be replicating the trip Twirly and I did in 2006, exiting via White House on the third day. My friend Jason, my father and I would head down Paria Canyon for the last three days, covering 44 miles.

622 Days, 16,300 Miles, 1 World Record Run

Tom Denniss finished his run around the world in 2013. I just found out about it this morning. He did a tremendous job documenting the journey. Runners World has put together one hell of a website outlining every step. Check it out here.

Sleep, Rest and Tapering

Sleep cycle statistics

"Rest days are when you become a better runner"

An adage I adhere to, in paradigm more than practice. My volume increases as I march towards Squaw Valley. Rest becomes more and more important. To ensure adequate time in the rack, I decided to add rest as a metric in my training log. In a serendipitous Facebook posting, Bryon Powell of iRunFar mentioned he had been using an app called "Sleep Cycle". I have been using it since the night before Marin Ultra Challenge 50k, and so far it has provided some great information.

To use the app, you set the time you would like to wake up ("weekend mode" allows you to track your sleep without a waking time) and place your phone face down on the corner of the bed. They recommend you place it under the fitted sheet corner to keep it secure, but I have not had problems with it on top of the sheet.

The app monitors your sleep cycle, and as you approach your desired wake up time, it waits until you are in a waking period before it sounds a soothing tone. The result is that you wake feeling more alert and refreshed instead of groggy and tired. It measures your "sleep quality" against your history, and you can tag each night with your days activities, providing some correlation between lifestyle and rest. 

One of my favorite features is the resting heart rate monitor. In the past, my morning resting heart rate proved difficult to measure. I would either have to sleep with my HR strap on, or fumble around putting it on when I wake up. Neither is optimal, and the latter provides data corrupted by the simple act of putting on the strap. The Sleep Cycle app handles this with a novel solution. When you turn off the alarm, it turns on the led flash on the back of the phone. You place your finger over the flash and camera lens, and the phone determines your pulse as you lay motionless. It works pretty good, and provides data within the range I expect to see for my current fitness. A jump of 10 bpm over my average on any given morning would indicate potential over training, so I am watching that trend.

Then there are the other trends I am monitoring. My weight/body fat% and ketone levels:

Wednesday weigh in, March 25th, 2015:

• Weight: 187.7 (- 1.3 lbs)
• Body fat %:16.73 (-0.14)
• Ketone level: 0.4 mm

Despite avoiding carbs all day and during my weekday workouts, I am struggling to stay in ketosis. It doesn't help that I am in the midst of Twirly's birthday week. Yet, I am feeling strong and energetic, and the weight loss continues. I am on track to toe the line in Squaw at least 15 lbs lighter than 2014. That ought to be good for an hour improvement, I figure. The other three hours will have to come from training, grit and efficient crewing and planning.

Another side effect of Twirly's birthday is this week's schedule, which includes sailing our ketch Kuani this weekend. To make room for her party on Saturday (Angel Island from noon to three, if you're in the Bay Area), I put my long run on Thursday night. I hope to get a marathon in along the Bay Trail around our marina, using my truck as an aid station. Oddly, I am looking forward to seeing what kind of time I can put up for the pancake flat course. I look forward to another sunset like this one we enjoyed last night.

Home sweet home

After that, I have a nine day taper to American River 50 Mile. I hope to improve my 50 mile PR (9:49) by a good measure. Maybe sub 9-hour. Time will tell ;)

Word Porn and Suffering

As I delve further into the pain cave, my perspective deepens. Darkness creeps into my peripheral vision. Light dwindles, and hope teeters on a precipice. Occasionally something comes along and frames my new world in a way I hadn't even considered. I found this on Facebook the other day, and it resonated in my heart like a harp string. I'll just leave it here for you to ponder.

Tunnel Vision

Wildcat Peak. The summit of my weekly time trial course (see Strava deets at the bottom)

Time accelerates as events grow near. This weekends Marin Ultra Challenge 50k will be the first real measuring stick of my training thus far. I am wrapping up the strength building cycle of my plan with this race; my confidence and climbing comfort are right where I had hoped they would be. Despite scaling back my volume after the American Canyon 25k, I am back on track with my plan, and I feel good at 45+ miles per week. My weight loss has stalled. Not surprising given my continued carbohydrate experimentation. 

Wednesday weigh in, March 10th:

• Weight: 190.2 lbs (+.3)
• Body fat %: 16.61 (-2.03)
• Ketone level: not measured

I am somewhat skeptical of that body fat %, but it will all come out in the wash. After this weekends 50k I will begin focusing on speed. Tempo runs and interval sessions leading into the American River 50 Mile in early April will require even more carbohydrate intake. I may monitor my ketones more often as I try to dial in the right amounts.

A funny anecdote from earlier this week: 

I was enjoying some suds at the Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room on Fourth in Berkeley after work, when a flock of Faraday electric bikes pulled up (like, ten of 'em). Before leaving, I asked the group leader (Bridget) if it was a meet-up or something. She was talking with a group of people which included a short guy that looked familiar. After Bridget explained that it was a media outing sponsored by Gu, the short guy gestured to my WS100 vest and asked if I had run it. I explained that I had last year and have gained entry again, and asked if he had run it, to which he replied that he had run it last year as well. I asked his finishing time and immediately regretted asking when his reply started with a "15". I meekly admitted my 28 hour finish, which he congratulated me on. The conversation returned to the Faraday electric bikes, and soon I was on my way.

As I rode along the Bay Trail a few miles later, it hit me. I had just asked Max King (4th place) what his WS100 finishing time was... I'd never really seen him without sunglasses! I felt like a tool. I suppose treating him like an average Joe was better than being a fan boy and snapping a selfie, but I feel like it was a missed opportunity to connect with another of ultra's elite.

Maybe I'll be able to joke about it with him at Squaw...

Here is a link to my most recent time trial in Tilden Park. I have been improving my time on this course over the past few weeks.

Running and American Heart Health Month

Earlier this year, President Obama declared February "American Heart Month". The declaration reads: “cardiovascular disease — including heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure — is responsible for one out of every three deaths. It is the No. 1 killer of American women and men, and it is a leading cause of serious illness and disability.” He goes on to expound the benefits of healthy eating, regular exercise and not smoking. 

Nothing new here, really.

When I quit my 20+ year pack-a-day smoking habit, the cost was a factor. But what made me finally kick the cigarettes was a realization that I was polluting my body. Worse yet, I gained no benefit besides the cessation of the urge to smoke for another half an hour. How could I continue to inhale toxins when my Return on Investment (ROI) was negligible? Once I drew that line in the sand, quitting was easy. Quitting actually WAS easy. To paraphrase Harris Dickson: "Quitting is easy, I've done it a thousand times."

That is not to say I was instantly heart healthy. My diet remained poor and my lifestyle lacked exertion out of principle. As I navigated mid-life, I began to lose a step here and there. I lost my breath skiing, couldn't hike a steep hill without rest, etc. My diet improved tremendously when I met Twirly. She got me off of fast food and into eating whole foods regularly. Yet still my health remained poor.

When she finally convinced me to move my ass off the couch, I chose running. I admit, it scared the hell out of me. Once I began, my ego took hold, and I set off on this journey of self improvement. I know myself well enough to recognize that my eagerness to improve would result in serious injury if left unchecked. Enter the heart rate monitor.

At first, I just wanted to know if I was having a heart attack or it just felt that way. Now, I consider my heart rate monitor my most valuable training resource. I track every workout by zone and time, the product of which is a numerical score which I can use to evaluate my effort. Using this "TRIMP" score allows me to compare a gym workout with a mountain trail workout and ensure that I get enough rest. I also use it to hold myself accountable for the hard workouts. Check out my posts here and here for more information on TRIMP.

A final tool for heart health which I use regularly is the annual physical and blood panel. I play with my diet so much that I am concerned about cholesterol levels and muscle damage. My results remain steady year after year, and my doctor tells me everything looks normal. At Western States last year, I participated in cardiovascular research which included pre and post race ECG's and blood work. So far, the data all indicates I am heart healthy. 

Health is a primary motivator in my running and racing. It is difficult to get a better ROI than aerobic exercise like running. Add to that the fact that it can take so many forms: trail running, road marathons, community 5k's, treadmill workouts, they all provide a different spin on the same activity. I'll be running for as long as my heart and legs will carry me. I'm willing to wager my heart outlasts the wheels.

I was inspired by the American Recall Center to discuss heart health. Below are some tips to jump start your own heart health, and be sure to check out how other bloggers are celebrating their hearts in honor of this month here.

Time To Go To Work

Hat-tip to Eric Schranz and Ultrarunnerpodcast.com for sharing the following piece written by Mario Fraioli. As I begin my 24 week WS100 training this week, inspiration is highly valued.

Time To Go To Work

By Mario Fraioli

The dark early morning sky gives way to a rising light from the east as two runners drop down onto the dirt trail at the mouth of a coastal lagoon. Headlamps aren’t necessary at this hour, but the duo proceeds carefully as their eyes adjust to the constantly changing shadows beneath their feet.

Fifteen minutes into the run the regular exchange of words gets spaced apart without warning as the runners simultaneously press a button on their respective watches. Their tempo increases along with their leg turnover as all audible communication seems to cease almost immediately. Despite the fact that the dialogue has died down, there remains an unspoken understanding between the two. It’s time to go to work.

Meet Rucky. She's Got my Back.

I knew before the race began exactly how I would commemorate my first 100 mile finish: a photo-realistic tattoo of the Western States Cougar Logo on the back of my calf. I knew who would ink it as well: Ed Slocum of Tattoo Artistry in Tucson, Arizona. Ed and I go way back to the early 1990's, and his talent has helped him become a legendary tattooer. I learned that Ed was going to do a guest spot in a San Francisco parlor, Let it Bleed, at the beginning of November. We messaged back and forth developing the design, and then I just had to wait for the day to come, which it did last weekend.

Rucky, my Western States cougar, watching out behind me

I am elated at the final product. I named her "Rucky". After 15 years without any new art, I also feel that old familiar yearning returning. Ink is addictive, and there are many other milestones which I'd like to commemorate. Have you got any running ink? Let me know in the comments!

Video: "The Ingenuous Choice"

"We need the tonic of wildness... We require that all things be mysterious and unexplorable... that the land and sea be indefinitely wild."

Emerging from a funk which saw zero miles for many weeks. This video has sparked the desire to run again.

The Ingenuous Choice - Mountain Running with Anton Krupicka from Outdoor Live on Vimeo.

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The Power of rOund Numbers

Contemplating my goals for Western States, trying to find the balance between ego and rationality, I came across this Runners World blog summarizing this New York Times blog. Not surprising, race goals are set by the numbers, and round numbers are easy targets. Being a numbers guy, I found both pieces compelling.

I have had some extra time to ponder such things, as tendinitis in my ankle has reduced my training volume significantly. The timing is horrible, as I will have to abstain from this weekend's 50k in the Canyons of the Western States trail. I was really looking forward to scoping out that section of the course. That will have to wait until the Memorial Day Weekend training camp. The break has been good for my ego though, as a 24 hour finish doesn't seem practical anymore. The fear of not showing up in Squaw Valley healthy has outweighed the potential of injury due to training too hard in pursuit of that silver belt buckle. Bronze will do just fine.

Peak Beard

H/T to Eric Schranz @ ultrarunnerpodcast.com for this story.

I love reading URP Daily News. It's like reddit for ultra runners. This mornings edition included a blog post entitled "Have we reached 'peak beard’? Good, because I’m not trying to be trendy" from The Telegraph. Please let this be true. I admit, my roots are in counter culture fashion; I was an adolescent skate punk/goth; not afraid to wear ridiculous attire or even make-up. These days, however, fashion equals comfort and utility. Sweats or shorts and tech shirts win out most days, and now that summer is here flip flops will be my go to footwear. 

That said, Twirly did just paint my toenails for the Lake Sonoma 50 Mile.

DOMS, MAP and Black Mountain: When Supplements Prove Their Worth

Master Amino Pattern: Six Month Supply

I began using Master Amino Pattern (MAP) in the fall of 2013. At first I incorporated it into long runs and hard workouts preparing for The North Face Endurance Challenge. It seemed to work; the essential amino acids provided the building blocks to repair muscle damage and reduce fatigue and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). My soreness was substantially diminished and recovery happened faster.

When I gained entrance to Western States, I bought a six month supply. It is not uncommon for a supplement company to recommend ridiculously large doses. It sells more product. For my diet and weight, it was recommended that I take 40-50 pills a day! Some who use MAP have reported good results with as little as 5 pills per day. I opted for a daily regimen of 15 grams: 10 pills prior to workout, 5 pills as recovery. On easy or rest days, I take 5.

MAP worked well to reduce DOMS all winter. I steadily ramped my weekly volume up to record levels by Spring. Daily doses became routine. I was running more than ever and suffered no muscle soreness at all, even with 40 mile weekends. I practically forgot what DOMS felt like.

Headed up Black Mountain with Twirly

Then my training had a hiccup. Tendonitis in my foot sidelined my 6 days a week training. As a result I took no MAP for 4 days. Then I ran an easy hour, with MAP. Everything felt good, so I resumed training. My Saturday long run, a week before Lake Sonoma 50 miler, took me up Black Mountain outside Los Altos Hills. It wasn't until about a half hour into the run that I realised I had forgotten to take any MAP. The run went well, I felt strong. Afterwards I took 5 as usual for recovery...

Sunday's recovery jog revealed heavy legs, but little soreness. I resumed my daily 15 grams of MAP. Monday morning, DOMS returned! That familiar ache indicating a hard effort from days before was all the proof I need. While I do enjoy DOMS as a reminder of an honest workout, I have not missed it these three months! I have put in efforts 2-3 times harder than my run up Black Mountain and suffered no residual indication that I had a hard workout. I am now 100% certain that the daily use of MAP is facilitating better recovery, muscle repair and training volume. Not having any in my system for the 17+ mile, 3500' effort resulted in an obvious difference. 

That's my two cents. Speaking of cash, I was able to get 50% off the retail price per bottle by buying two boxes at once. While I find it worth the money at either price, I have enjoyed not feeling the need to ration my supply!

Gear Review: Osprey REV 1.5 Hydration Pack

 

[This post was originally written for Ultrarunnerpodcast.com, it  was published there on March 24th, 2014. Thanks to Eric Schranz for enlisting my help with the review.]

I use a hydration pack for runs longer than 2 hours, preferring the Nathan HPL #020 for its capacity and comfort.    I also use more than one pack, so that I can swap them at aid stations without having to get in and out of the pack or bladder. Osprey’s quick disconnect reservoir makes multiple packs unnecessary, and there is plenty more about the new REV 1.5 to talk about.

I was told the new REV series trail running hydration packs from Osprey “fit like a shirt”, moving with your torso as you run. Osprey has long been an innovator in pack suspension systems, and I was eager to put the claim to the test. The REV is Osprey’s first backpack designed for trail running.

Key features include:

• A 1.5 liter reservoir
• A magnetic bite valve keeper
• Digiflip” media pocket provides weather-resistant access to your smart phone
•  

Fit

Tight and adjustable fit with no bounce.

My large frame (6’2″, 190 lbs) pushed the limits of the adjust-ability of the M/L pack. A S/M is also available. After a little tug here and there to get the straps headed in the right direction, the pack was comfortable. Once running, the pack felt compact and did move well with my torso. Despite the claim, it felt more like a vest than a shirt. The low profile kept the weight of the bladder close to my back, and after a mile I forgot it was there. As I drank, I was able to maintain a good fit using the straps to take up the slack.


The REV sports two removable sternum straps. I like this feature. Removing the lower strap may be necessary to accommodate a heart rate monitor. All straps are well-organized with keepers; no loose ends to flap about. The REV was comfortable for the long haul; I had zero issues with its fit over 2-4 hour runs.

Storage/Features

The REV 1.5 has a zippered reservoir compartment and a smaller zippered stash pocket in the main body of the pack. The smaller pocket is adequate for extra gels or energy bars, a headlamp, gloves, and even a small windbreaker. An external shock cord system on the exterior will hold extra layers and an extra water bottle. Up front, the shoulder straps provide more storage. Two small stretch pockets on the right strap are suitable for 5-6 gels, a sleeve of bloks or supplements.


The small pocket appears to be made of a weather proof material, which is always helpful on the trails. Overall, the material is similar to other packs, but doesn’t have the rip-stop that Nathan does.  That aside, it’s very well made, and the attention to detail is obvious.


The left strap contains the removable Digiflip media pocket and a small stretch pocket. The Digiflip pocket holds my iPhone 5 in its Lifeproof case, but it is snug. Some brands of phones, phablets, or Otter Box cases may not fit inside the media pocket. The entire pocket flips down, revealing a clear window providing access to the phone.

Zippered storage

Reservoir

Quick connect bladder

The 1.5 Liter reservoir sports innovations which I expect to see in other brands soon. The reservoir incorporates chevron baffles, which reduce sloshing and help maintain its shape and the compartment contains a stabilization band which locks the reservoir into place. A quick disconnect on the reservoir makes removal and replacement a non-issue. The magnetic bite valve keeper and rotating on/off valve were much easier to operate than other brands. A note on the magnetic keeper: it is strong enough to interfere with pacemakers.

Magnetic bite valve. Pacemakers, beware!

Yays

The REV 1.5 lived up to the hype. Little details like locking strap keepers and the magnetic bite valve impressed me. The baffled reservoir retains its shape, keeping the center of gravity close to the torso. The quick connect on the reservoir makes refills feel like a Formula One pit-stop. The pack with its shock cord are capable of carrying enough gear to outlast the reservoir.

Nays

DigiFlip pocket flips down for smart phone access

The pockets on the right strap were too slim for my liking. They held gels well enough, but Pocket Fuel or other products with screw-on caps were difficult to get in and out. The Digiflip pocket felt gimmicky as access to my phone was both improved and impaired. My phone remained secure while I accessed apps and music, but the pocket made it impossible to use the camera. On the trail, I don’t use ear buds often, but being able to pull out my phone to take a picture is paramount. I remedied this issue by removing my phone from its case, making it easier to get the phone in and out of the pocket. I found that the reservoir sloshed audibly, unless I took care to remove all the air before setting out. And the downside to the quick disconnect is that it makes the hose difficult to clean.

Final Verdict

The REV 1.5 is a well-designed, comfortable, compact hydration pack perfect for training runs. The REV series includes sizes ranging up to 24 liters of storage and I intend to investigate the larger sizes for use in longer races. I want more capacity in the reservoir, so I would consider buying the REV 6. Until then, my Nathan remains my choice for runs over three-four hours.

The Best Five Beers in the World

h/t to Eric Schranz at Ultrarunnerpodcast.com for bringing this to my attention

I have long held that I prefer the beer that is in my hand to one that is difficult to obtain. We've all seen lists on the interwebs, and beer is a common subject. This post at blogaboutbeer.com nails it.

More Media: Journeyfilm Prepares a Webseries

Journeyfilm, maker of Unbreakable: The Western States 100, is gearing up for a weekly web series covering ultra events and culture. The trailer is classic Journeyfilm's footage of trail running at its finest. At just 47 seconds, it has the uncanny ability to make me want to go run!

What is Trail Running?

H/T to Eric at Ultrarunnerpodcast for this highlight reel:

Training Reset: Begin at the Beginning

Sabino Canyon with Twirly

After the North Face Endurance Challenge, I took a well deserved break from training. FOMO had my 2013 schedule pretty packed with training; I began the year with six races scheduled, plus a couple of pacing gigs - as the year comes to a close, I have completed ten races plus the pacing gigs, and the injury-causing Zombie run. Not too bad compared to the 2012 schedule, but still more than I had planned. The first half of 2014 is booked solid, and the back half is vacant. I can already feel the vacuum waiting to be filled after Western States.

Red Star Ridge was a bit too icy

Fall Colors

The holidays find Twirly and me in Tucson visiting family. The temperate weather made it easy to get out and explore the craggy desert trails almost every day of our trip. Twirly got her first Garmin from Santa (Twirly's idea, not Santa's) and we put it through the paces. I don't get to run with Twirly very often so I really enjoyed the week of recreational running through beautiful places. The fall colors in Sabino Canyon were bright, and the views from Mt. Lemmon were inspiring.

SFRC on the AT

Our flight out of Sacramento to Phoenix had a layover in Salt Lake City, and as the plane ascended eastward, we looked out the window and found Auburn. The flight path took us directly up the Western States course, giving me a preview of each canyon (they look just as steep as the elevation profile). I was able to identify the course from end to end, finishing at Squaw Valley, which had pitiful snow cover for this point in the season.

Training begins with the New Year, and I am chomping at the bit. The week off and relaxed volume/pace of the holidays has allowed my toes to recover (mostly) and my legs to get heavy. The Pacifica Foothills Trail Half Marathon looms three weeks from now, and I'm eagerly anticipating the plans that Mauka Running has in store. Stay tuned for the year in review and my goals for 2014.

Why Run Ultras? Why Not?

Matt the Angry Jogger wrote a post today regarding entering his first 100k. He provides some interesting perspective on running, and life in general, courtesy of film maker Kevin Smith. Check it out here.

 

In a nutshell: why not run ultras? On his deathbed, he " ... won’t think back and think ‘shit, why did I run that 100k race, it was a complete waste of time!"

 

I myself am not suffering the same crisis of confidence, but the perspective is welcome. Staring at my first hundred miler next summer does make me question my motives. The notions in Matt's post reflect a lot of my inner dialogue, though in an Irish accent.

 

On a related note: North Face 50 is less than two days away, and I am suffering a righteous chest cold. The forecast is for freezing temps at the start, and possible snow at the higher elevations on the course. I'm rethinking my time-based goal. Honestly, I'll be happy to finish! It should be an adventure, regardless.

 

 

The Power of Oxygenated Blood

A short film is making the rounds this week; I've seen multiple sources sharing it. Basically, a crew set out in a UK park with a camera and a cart of some sort. They tooled around the bike paths looking for runners, and interviewed them as they ran.

 

Check it out here.

 

One of the reasons running is so appealing is that it is akin to therapy. Problems can be solved on runs. I've long held that this is because of the increase in blood flow, and the resulting increase in oxygen delivered to your brain. Like an oxygen bar, the effects cease when the activity stops.

 

The runners in this film are ordinary people, but they all have one thing in common: they seem to be at peace with their places in the world.