MyRunAcrossAmerica

Old guys (and gals) rule!

2012-02-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

Old not slow…

At first glance, today’s Ironman Panama 70.3 smack down by Lance Armstrong (aged 40) could easily be attributed to Lance’s super humanness. His 3 hours, 50 minute 2^nd place to a previously undefeated Bevan Docherty, 34 years old was stunning. Lance led until the final 1 km.

You could come to the conclusion that Lance being competitive at his age is yet another symptom of his paranormal athletic freakiness. That may be true.

But his near victory made me curious about how “the over the 40 gang” is holding up in races.

A closer look at performances by age grouper runners and tri-athletes in the 40 plus range reveals something many of us “old timers” know.

40 plus does not necessarily mean slow!

Take as an example, the 2011 San Francisco Marathon’s male #100 finisher by age group finish times:

Age Group: #100 Finisher Time

30-34 3:35

35-39 3:38

40-44 3:37

45-49 3:45

The results would suggest that 40-44 year old males can keep up with the younger generation.

A check in to the NYC Marathon 2011 stats revealed a similar pattern. In fact, an over 40 year old dude finished the 26.2 mile course in 2:24 versus the #1 M30-34 finisher time of 2:28!.

In triathlon, the playing field takes a bit more of an expected distribution. I took a look at the results of 2011’s Kona Ironman Championships. These folks are typically the best of the best from across the world and would likely provide the top end examples of each age groups capabilities.

Finish times for the Male #50 finisher by age group:

30-34 9:33

35-39 9:35

40-44 9:49

45-49 10:10

(Research Note…Tip of the bike helmet to M70-74 finisher Milos Kostic with an 11:45!!! Smokin Milos!)

At quick glance, you can see that older people are generally slower. Sure, only a fool would state otherwise.

But don’t count out that 45-49 age group! The fastest 45-49er beat all but 1 under age 20 finisher and would have beaten nearly all of the Top 15 finishers in the M30-44 years old categories.

What about the ladies?

Is being competitive over 40 just a male thing? What about the fairer looking race dude-ettes? Do Age 40 plus women as a whole keep up with younger model years? Let’s look at the same races.

The San Francisco Marathon 2011 #100 by age group female finisher times:

Age Group: F#100 Finisher Time

30-34 4:07

35-39 4:23

40-44 4:28

45-49 4:43

Age 40 does not necessarily mean slow! The 40-44 age group for women gave the youngsters a run!

What about Ironman Kona 2011?

Finish times for the Female #25 finisher by age group (I adjusted to #25 finisher as competition size sampling was smaller):

Age Group Finish Time

30-34 10:39

35-39 10:54

40-44 10:58

45-49 11:36

Again, those 40-44 year olds can hang with the younger women!

Now, I know you math geeks out there are gonna hate! I can hear you now.

“Your sample size is too small.” (Admittedly true.)
“You did not account for x,y,z.” (Nor a, b, c)
“Yes, but…..(insert probably right statistical analysis rant here) (Shut yo mouth will you?)

Further study would likely show some kinks in my quick conclusion that…

“Old guys (and gals) rule!”

But that’s my story. If you don’t like it, get your own blog.

Regular Amazing Runner of the Month: Donald Corry

2012-02-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

One of the cooler aspects of running is that there are thousands of regular “Joes and Jills” out there doing inspiring and awesome things. These people probably are not out there winning races, getting six figure sponsorships from major clothing companies or showing up on TV to pitch whatever.

These athletes are mere mortal common runners out there setting big goals, raising money for good causes, meeting other runners and having a lot of fun. February’s athlete has an amazing story!

Regular Amazing Runner of the Month: Donald Corry

Nine years ago, Donald Corry lit a fire in me for endurance sports. This kindling of a passion ultimately pushed me into completing nine Ironman Triathlons, too many marathons to count and at least a dozen ultras.

It started with Donald congratulating me upon a successful running of the Boston Marathon by arrogantly sniffing “Congrats on Boston. But you know, a marathon is interesting, but until you put 2.4 miles of swimming in front of it and 112 miles on a bike, it don’t really mean all that much.”

His “congratu-sult” led me to entering and completing the Duke IronDevil with Donald six months later.

Fast Forward

A few months ago, Donald announced that he would be attempting his fourth Ironman. Ironman Texas in Houston on May 19th, 2012.

I was like whaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Dude are you nuts?

Donald decided to strap on his Giro Helmet for another run at Ironman to help raise money for a cause he is passionate about. Pattison’s Academy, based in Charleston, SC is a charter school focusing on the comprehensive educational needs of children with disabilities. By blending rehabilitative therapy, tailored instructional components, leading edge technology and other innovations, the Pattison Academy helps kids succeed in our tough, unforgiving world. Donald has been with the Pattison effort from the start. He hopes to raise $10,000 through his efforts, enough to fund the transportation operations for the school and summer camp.

His goal and mission is a noble and worthy story that stands alone by itself. I could easily end the blog post here.

As if raising $10,000 for Pattison’s was not inspiring enough….

In between being a devoted husband and father to three, dealing with a demanding job at a Charleston based software company and helping Pattison’s Academy, the rest of this ex-Army Intelligence Officer’s story will likely drop your jaw.

Along with his M-Dot, Donald has a Superman logo on his chest.

Donald is an Ironman. Donald also has Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s is an unforgiving illness that put Donald in the hospital 25 times between 1995 and 2005.

After years of medications started weakening his bone structure, Donald had to have both hips replaced.

Donald is doing this Ironman on replacement hips.

Wow.

A Chat with Donald…

I caught up with my old friend Donald over the last few weeks and asked him a few questions about his upcoming journey.

Donald – what did your wife say when you dropped the bomb that you wanted to do another Ironman?

Frankly? She said I was an idiot! Then I explained why I wanted to do it…to help raise money for the Academy. At that point she knew she couldn’t stop me and really didn’t want to try. Her efforts and thoughts turned to those of support.

She worries about me for sure. But she has been around me and understands how I am wired. We discussed one night what would happen if my hips really starting hurting during the run. Without missing a beat, she looked at me and said “Well you would just Commando Crawl to the line”.

I bet. Tell me what is driving you to do another Ironman? You have been told by doctors to retire a few times!

“This is about the kids at Pattison. Go to their website, go to YouTube and search on Pattison’s Academy. I wish there was a way I could help these kids feel the way I feel during a race. Ed, you are the first to talk about my past health issues. I simply don’t want for me to be the story. I want the fundraising and the trips these kids get to take as a result to be the story. These kids are so much more inspirational and more courageous than I am or ever will be. I am trying to include them in my adventure. Ironman is such a great community! Remember how YOU felt during Ironman race week? I want to somehow bring that feeling to some of these kids.”

Your triathlon race career started with some competition from some guy named Lance?

(Laughing), Yeah, I got started in tri’s in 1986 with the YMCA Triathlon in Wilmington, NC. I was too small for football, basketball, or baseball….(I played golf). I wanted to race and be competitive and this was it. There were not a bunch of under 18 year olds racing at that time in the old USTS Bud Light Series. Triathlon was not popular as a sport then as it is now. Because of that, I easily qualified for the Nationals 2 years in a row in 1989 and 1990. I raced in 1989 in Hilton Head, SC. Notables at that race: Mark Allen, Mike Pigg, Scott Tinley, and Lance Armstrong to name a few.

Soooo, you were the one that scared Lance off into another career….what has been the hardest part of getting back into the game?

(Again laughing…) I don’t know that I had much impact on Mr. Armstrong. Getting back in the game is about managing every minute of my day. Simply finding the time to train is hardest. I wish they had a trophy category for 41 years olds with three kids, a 65 hour work week and an active life with a charity. I would win that one for sure!

Any special significance to Texas?

None really, I have a few friends down there to help me out. I am a Carolina guy…I figured Houston weather would be pretty similar to the Low Country’s weather.

What kind of gear you running with these days?

Bike - 2011 Cervelo R3
Wheels – Zipp 101
Components – Ultegra
Race Day Hydration – CytoSport
Recovery – Muscle Milk

Gotta ask….post race favorite beer?

Heineken!

Good luck Donald. Your story is inspiring on so many levels.

To follow Donald’s journey head over to this www.ironmanfundraiser.com

To learn more about the Pattison Academy and how you can help go here: www.pattisonsacademy.org

To donate using Donald’s page go here: http://ironman.kintera.org/texas2012/believe

Regular Amazing Runner of the Month: Elizabeth Trask

2012-01-13T07:33:00.000-08:00

One of the cooler aspects of running is that there are thousands of regular “Joes and Jills” out there doing some inspiring and awesome things. These people probably are not out there winning races, getting six figure sponsorships from major clothing companies or showing up on TV to pitch whatever.

These athletes are mere mortal common runners out there setting big goals, raising money for good causes, meeting other runners and having a lot of fun.

In 2012, I am going to bring you the stories of 12 of these Regular Amazing Runners that I have come to know over the last few years. Some of them I have met and shared miles with. Others, like the person below, I have never met but have followed through blogs, Facebook friendships and the occasional email.

Endurance runners, though mostly solo artists, are a tight and supportive community. I hope you enjoy meeting some of these regular people doing some cool stuff as much as I did!

Regular Amazing Runner of the Month: Elizabeth Trask

If you are lining up to run a marathon in California, New Jersey, New Hampshire or Michigan any time soon, be on the lookout for a smiling, pink tutu wearing sparkplug with the picture of her father on her back and the 50 states with red Sharpie circled hearts on 20 of them. 20 heart circled states signifying 20 states down!

Elizabeth Trask is on a mission to run marathons in all 50 states plus an extra in honor of her father who passed away when he was 51 of a sudden heart attack. "50 for Billy" is her mantra.

Elizabeth, 20 at the time, through her grief, was inspired to do something big in memory of her father, whom she credits for inspiring her to run at an early age. “My father ran cross country for Nasson College (Maine) and my mom ran a lot in her youth as well.” Elizabeth took her early love of running from age 12 through middle school, high school and college, always with her eye on the big prize of a marathon. “I ran my first marathon in 2008 at the Mount Desert Island Marathon. I plan on running Mount Desert as my 51st marathon.”

Elizabeth ran 16 marathons in 16 states in 2011. She passed through Tennessee, Oklahoma, Minnesota as well as running the Flying Pig in Cincinnati, the Myrtle Beach Marathon and one of my favorites, the Shamrock in Virginia Beach. This year she hopes to exceed 25 total marathons run.

“Sometimes the hardest part of my goal is all the travel.” She often travels for longer times than the races themselves. Elizabeth recently completed a weekend double doing the Mississippi Blues Marathon and the Alabama First Light Marathon back to back. She cheerily exclaimed, “It was a great opportunity to hit two southern states in one weekend!”

To top all of her marathon exploits, Elizabeth is studying Law at the Massachusetts School of Law. I asked her how she was able to juggle the strain of running marathons all over the US and manage to be intensely involved with her studies. “It has been tough at times to balance marathons with law school. Lucky for me my professors at school are very supportive of my journey!” She will be taking the bar examination this year, so squeezing in marathons will be a challenge.

Elizabeth’s running is also aimed at raising money for a charity as well. After her father’s passing, The Center for Grieving Children in Portland, Maine helped her get through the tragedy with support and friendship. (To donate in Elizabeth’s name, click here.)

The coolest thing that has happened to her on her journey so far? “I got to sit next to Kipyegon Kirui (Kenyan winner of the 2010 Pittsburgh Marathon with a 2:14-ish pace.) on a flight home from the Twin Cities Marathon. The coolest thing about distance running is how close you can get to the elites and how genuine they are.” She went on to say that one of the best parts of running is the social aspect.

Shoes? ASICs!

Pre race eats? A bagel!

Post race treat? A couple of beers with friends and something bad…like PIZZA! (A girl after my own heart!!!)

If you want to follow Elizabeth or donate to her charity cause, go to her blog at http://50forbilly.blogspot.com/

Go get em Elizabeth!!!

7 Running Resolutions for 2012

2012-01-04T07:07:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions, I figured I would share with you the things that I am committed to in 2012 as it pertains to my running hobby.

1) I resolve not to race in a man thong, speedo or tu-tu. I have gotten to the ripe old age of 47 without doing so. It is a bad, bad look and I am just not gonna do it in 2012. This is good for all of earth's citizens.

2) I resolve not to snicker at people as I pass them at mile 20. Ever since that ugly incident at the Shamrock Marathon on Virginia Beach (Cops Episode #2113), I have learned that people don't appreciate being snickered at.

3) I resolve not to slow down just a little as I come up on pretty women as I run so that I can get a better look. This resolution (of course) does not include feigning an injury or epileptic seizure, petting said person's dog, repeatedly needing to tie my shoes or lighting up a menthol to help my lungs breath easier. Those things happen and if it causes me to slow my pace down a bit...then it is what it is. The jurisdiction zone for this resolution is also limited to a 2 block distance through the Tenderloin district.

4) I resolve not to leave my Camelbak, water bottle holder, shorts, shirts, hats or socks in the shower after I rinse them out because they are too muddy to directly put in the washer. I do get a grace period of 72 hours. This is a "sister" resolution of last year's broken resolution of promising not to leave Clif Bar wrappers or Ginger chew wrappers in my shorts and letting them gum up the washer.

5) I resolve not to smugly tell people in the elevator at my condo that I just got back from running from San Francisco to Tiberon even if they ask how far I ran. However, if they pressure me, I will just say "I ran for for a little bit" with just enough snarky arrogance to let them know it was not down to the corner to buy a doughnut.

6) I resolve not to compete with every runner on the road I encounter. No more will every person who is out for a leisurely stroll become a competitor for a podium spot in my head. This resolution includes everyone except for that one guy who is all decked out in Ironman 70.3 gear (that is not an Ironman dude, it is a half Ironman), wearing 12 bottles of gel, water and Oakleys. You deserve to be dusted.

7) I resolve to not wear compression socks out to dinner, at the beach or taking my dawgs for a walk. I don't want to be this person. The science behind them is inconclusive. People don't automatically think you are a player while you wear them...in fact most people think you look like a goof ball. No compression socks.

There, my 7 resolutions for running in 2012!!!!!

4 Pieces of Gear I fell in love with in 2011 and one that left me : /

2011-12-31T12:28:00.000-08:00

2011 over and done.

What a learning year it was for me. Y'all got a front row seat. Thanks for being interested.

Running over 2,500 miles in the course of a year gives me a license to have "opinions" on what I think is good gear. Of course, you need to try things out for yourself. But if you are looking for gear that was battle tested by a guy who gave a lot of things a try over the last 12 months...take a quick peek.

These are not affiliate links or anything so if you want to see the gear close up, hit the link.

Shoes: Many of you are going to fall over when I tell you that my favorite running shoes of the year were not the Newton Gravities that I trained in for RAA1 and ran 20% across the USA in.

Whaaaaat?

Yes, I am going to say that I am now a bigger fan of the New Balance MT101s. Why? They are light as a feather. They don't hurt my achilles tendon. They are great for trails...AND okay to run on the road with. At $75 bucks they are about 1/2 the cost of the Newtons to boot! And as my running buddy Hugh says, they are also sharp enough to wear with a tuxedo!

Socks: I tried every brand of running sock known to mankind. If you are looking for some great socks, try Northface brand running socks. My wife says the reason I like them is they are clearly marked Left and Right. I say I like them because they stay tight, keep your feet from getting blisters and if you are lazy, you can wear them with dress shoes as the tops are black! HA!

Best drink while running: Another surprise.

I drank a lot of Cytomax in the last year. I am still a big fan of a bottle of Cytomax or two for recovery. However, my favorite run drink for long runs is Ginger People's Ginger Soother with honey.

For a couple of reasons...

First, when I run longer miles I some times get a little stomach anger. Ginger Soother calms it right down. Second, the stuff is super sweet and almost always gives me a sugar boost when I need it. You still need to take eCaps or some other electrolyte capsule on a long day, but they go down nicely with Ginger Juice!

Best way to get 400 Calories into you:

Moonpies...nuff said!

Finally, one piece of gear to stay away from:

If you are looking for a running watch with GPS and heartrate monitor, steer clear of the Timex Ironman Series.

Why?

The GPS function sucks. I sometimes never get it to link up...45 minutes into my run. When I do, it sometimes lapses...so my milage on new routes is always suspect. Additionally, the battery life is low. You may laugh, but sometimes when I run, I expect the battery to last more than 12 hours. I was getting less than 8 when the HR monitor was running and 10-11 when just in GPS mode. Also, compared to some of the other brands out there, the Ironman Timex is huge. Not to mention the huge price tag! ($360 bucks when new...)

Anyways, these are just my opinions. I am sure you have some favorites as well! These worked for me!

2012....here we come!

10 Things I learned about running in 2011

2011-12-26T12:48:00.000-08:00

10 11 Things I learned about running in 2011

1. Supplements? Who needs em! I tried nearly every vitamin, tonic and snake oil potion advertised in Runner’s World, Triathlete Magazine, Lava and Men’s Health and none of them made me faster, stronger, more handsome or recover faster. Save your money. Invest it in good shoes and gear. Or, use the money to take your partner/spouse out to dinner as payback for the lost hours and smelly laundry.

2. Injuries suck and usually are your own damn fault. I spent nearly 3 months of my 2011 on the disabled list. Every injury I got this year was earned by my own stupidity. Overuse. Ignoring vital signs. Lack of rest. I own every injury. Injuries are the body’s way of telling you to slow the hell down. Injuries are preventable.

3. You reach a point where PR’ing is not going to happen…and it does not matter! Get over it. It happens to everyone. Sooner or later the clock catches up to you. The only way I can now PR is to change the race venue. This year, I got a PR on the San Francisco Marathon, San Francisco Half Marathon and the North Face 50. I will likely PR on new courses next year!

4. Never judge runners by the package they come in. This year, I got regularly dusted by people I would have never guessed would have been able to keep up with me. I have stopped sizing the competition. The fit looking guy wearing the Navy Seal shirt? You will likely pass him at mile 20. The 180 lb. , 5 foot mother of 3? She will kick your ass and laugh while she is doing it.

5. Running is an entirely social hobby. Huh? Yeah. I said it. Even though you throw your shoes on by yourself and move your own legs, running is a social activity. I have made more friends, solid acquaintances and casual “e”connections through running than I have made through 29 years of adulthood. (JohnT, Hugh! Carolyn! KathyJ! Dave Noctropolis! Andy! And dozens of others!) I hope to make dozens of new running friends next year.

6. People pay too much attention to “being” a runner versus just moving their legs. I know, I used to be one of “Those” people. I used to get so wrapped up in a lot of “extra” garbage about running. Proper food. Proper hydration. Proper Training. Proper clothes. Proper this. Proper that. In reality, all you need to do is throw on some shoes, eat when your body tells you to, drink when your body tells you to do….and keep your legs moving. When you are at mile 50, none of the bullshit you thought was the gospel about running matters. Just move your leg.

7. Running behind pretty girls is 10X better than running behind a dude. If you have to be in back of someone because they are faster than you… (There, I said it..don’t hate me!)

8. There still are some good people in the world. The people I met along the way of my failed Run Across America attempt made me realize that there are still some nice folks in the world. People selflessly volunteered hours, time, houses and money for no other reason than to help me achieve a dream. If you are one of those people reading this….Thank you. If you are in Columbus, Georgia and reading this, I am declaring Columbus the city of awesome people!

9. Setting a big goal and failing is better than sitting on your ass watching the world go by. I highly recommend to everyone to set a huge goal and work towards it. Even if you fail – You learn. You get better. You get a notch on the totem pole. Whether you are thinking about your first 5K, your first marathon or first ultra or are thinking about a non running adventure, put yourself out on a limb. Even if you fail, you will be better for it. Try something awesome!

10. Vaseline-don’t leave home for the ultra without it. Trust me. I have the bloody shirts and other “evidence” to prove it.

11. Don’t load up on veggie juice the day before a big race.

News on RAA2

2011-12-10T10:20:00.000-08:00

I think about my first attempt to run across the US every day. A mixture of great positive memories.  A pinch of coulda/woulda/shoulda. A little sadness that I did not get it done. Mostly...I think about the huge warm feeling of gratitude for all of the support and well wishes you all gave me.

It was a positive life changing event for me.

The map of the United States taunts me. Sometimes good naturedly. Sometimes trash talking me in a way that would make most people blush. The rematch with the road is going to happen. The map of the US will be a tatoo of conquest on me somewhere, sometime.

But...temporarily, my professional life is getting in the way.

I don't talk much about what I do for a living. For most, my job would be boring. For me, I love what I do during the day (almost) as much as I love laying around happy-broken after putting my mind and body on the line for 50 miles.   I work in the software industry at a very cool company doing some very cool work trying to illuminate what our government is up to through workflow and transparency software tools. Lets just say my role is one with a tad bit of responsibility.

I had originally planned on RAA2 kicking off on March 1st, 2012. I laid the plans. Asked for some help from some volunteers. Worked closely with the folks at House of Heroes (www.houseofheroes.org) as my selected charity. I was training hard. I was ready to go.

Then, my work life stepped in and said "Not so Fast dude.".

Our company is at a state where my disappearing for four months would make a decently big impact on our success.  Not that the company could not survive without me...for sure that is not the case. However, timing and focus is really important for us right now.

The idea of being able to do my job from the road is unworkable. The reality is that the RAA1 taught me that I need to be 100% focussed on the run. It is a 24 x 7 commitment.   I cannot mail in my efforts from Route 224.

Presented with choice, I thought long and hard about quitting my job.

My passion for endurance sports and accomplishing my goal of a coast to coast accomplishment were balanced out by the fact that I have investors, employees and customers depending on me to stay committed to our success in 2012. (Oh yeah, eating, putting a roof over my understanding loving wife's head and buying Temperpedic dog beds for my mutts might have swayed my thinking as well.)

So, it is with a big bit of sadness that I am going to have to postpone my RAA2 attempt for 2012 (unless something amazingly cool happens like GoogleFacebookMicrosoft decides they want what we make at Granicus and "encourage" me to find other things to do).

This is not a weasel out of RAA2.  Back to my opening line, this run haunts me in a good way every day. I will get it done. The map is going down! It is lucky it gets to live a while longer.

So what is next?

I am going to keep my FB and this blog page open. I am going to race a lot in 2012 and do a few other cool endurance things that if you are interested, I will be sharing here. Also, I have come to know many people through the course of the run that I stay in touch with and want to continue to stay in touch with. You know who you are...many of you I have never met, but feel like I have created friendships with you none the less.

I also have something else that I have been working on in my spare time (2:00 a.m. to 2:44 a.m.) for the running community worldwide that I will be announcing soon. It is a project that I have been dreaming about and working on with a large team for over a year that I hope runners will find cool and useful. (Remember what I do for a living...hint, hint!)

What is my best guess on RAA2? 2013 or 2014. I know that sounds like a long time...but it is very, very close!

Stay running. I am. I hope to hear from you down the road.

North Face Endurance Challenge 50 Mile Championship...my take!

2011-12-06T16:34:00.000-08:00

I love trail racing.

It reminds me I am still alive.

Rather than bore you with a total recap of my run, I will talk about the aftermath first...then hit a few highlights.

On the way home, I threw up. Violently. In secret and into my water bottle while stuck behind a jackweed looking for money for the $6 toll to get back across the Golden Gate Bridge. I guess fate was smiling on me as I could have easily been driving 55 miles an hour on the bridge when the first wave of post race "I left it all out there" nausea hit me. My 50 mile run dazed logic told me it would be bad policy to throw up two cars away from the toll booth on a Saturday night. (Thinking that a guy throwing up out his window would be a flag for a DUI.) So.... Looking around my car, I had no option other than an empty water bottle.

Pulling into my condo's garage brought another barrage of sickness...unfortunately, there were people awaiting open car ports and my water bottle trick would not work. (I will let your mind create the ending on that one.) Not a proud moment...but totally real.

I reached my unit, opened the door and immediately the dawgs sensed something was a little amiss with dad. First, I smelled like a rhino and second, I was retching. Lovely wife called me "grey" and asked if was all right. I said, I feel great. (Not a lie.) Then, I took a shower, drank a beer and went to bed.

Sunday, I laid on the couch. All day. I did not need to get up one time. (Those of you who have experienced severe dehydration get the drift.)

My wife asked me "How much did you pay for this feeling?"

$200 plus all the hours training.

But the true question my friends should have been "How much was the NF Endurance Challenge Experience worth?". Back to that in a minute.

The race was really well put together. The trail, the support and the crowds were awesome.

50 miles. 26,000 feet of climbs/drops. And for me 11 hours, 22 minutes of fun, pain and intense focus.

I would include in these stats three falls. Not just trips but "BAMMMM!s" complete with yells, profanity and rolling around on my back. The last fall put me sitting on the back of an ambulance for 20 minutes getting my wounds cleaned up, ice on my leg and getting questions like "What is your phone number? When were you born? What is the name of this race?" to make sure that my landing on my head had not caused me to be more stupid than normal.

The professional field buried regular schmo's like me. The winner clocked in at a little over 6:15. 6:15!!!! for the equivelant of 2 marathons and a climb half up Everest and back!!!! Crazy. Still, I finished mid pack and felt really good about it.

So, you might be asking...what is so great about 11:22 of pain, falls, ambulance sessions, throwing up and an inability to walk for two days?

Because running a harsh 50 miles is a clarifier. You are either up to the task of pushing yourself 50 miles, through self doubt, through pain or....you fold faster than a Kardashian wedding vow.

In ultra running you have no one to blame or congratulate other than yourself. You either did the time training or you did not. You either calm the demons in your head telling you to quit and grab a beer or you don't. It is one of the very few things I can think of that is not codependent on someone else. You either gots it or you don't.

Whether 50 miles on a trail is your bag or not. You have to ask yourself...

What the heck are you doing to put yourself out there and on the edge?

When was the last time you either succeeded or epic failed doing something most people don't even try to attempt?

Get out there!

Try it...it will make you feel ALIVE! Or, make you throw up. (Even better...both!) Either is better than sitting on your butt watching the world spin.

Everyone needs a coach!

2011-10-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have had spec-flippin-tacular runs the last two weeks.

This morning it felt like days of old as I threaded myself through downtown San Francisco streets at the speed of lightening.

Lightening you say?

Yup! Lightening!

Why?

New kicks? Some new supplement? Some secret new exercise that dramatically improved my core strength? A change in hydrationsleepdietcaffienationreligiontelevisionviewinghabitspoliticalpartyassociation?

Nope.

So, Ed, do tell...

By my account, I have run nearly 23,000 miles or so in the last 13 years. You would think I know how to run by now. How hard can it be? Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot, faster...leftfootrightfootleftfoot....

Without any help, I have been able to run relatively injury free and relatively fast for a middle aged working dude. However, since my RAA attempt, I have not been all that fast or consistant. In fact, running had gotten really hard over the last 30-45 days.

I leaned on two guys for some free coaching...

My running pals Hugh Bosely and John Teeples are two regular guys I respect enough to listen to about my running. They both run fast, long and hard. Both can leave me in their dust. Both are in my age group. Both had great advice for me over the last month or so. Both, unknowingly served as the coaching influence that I likely needed to get myself out of my running performance funk.

This two cents worth coaching from John and Hugh gets me thinking that I need more coaches in my life. Running and Triathlon coaches. Business and leadership coaches. Marraige and relationship coaches. Investing and financial coaches. Nutritional coaches. I can always be better. And I would be if I already knew how...a good coach knows how!

Coaches only want you to get better. Coaches have experience and perspective. Coaches don't care to give it to you straight. (Adjust this. Great work. Correct that. Getting better Ed! You are doing this sloppily. Way to push! You are doing that half assed. That's the way. Pick it up. Showing Improvement dude! My momma has a better stride than you do Roshitsh! You are on it!)

Forget about Tiger Woods personal transgressions for a minute. It is interesting to read about how he is once again having coaches rip his game apart and put it back together so that he can return to the leader board. If Tiger Woods feels compelled to get a coach for his sport, why would the rest of us not consider finding a coach?

Where can you find a coach to help you?

Who can YOU coach?

E

The Fitness Factor

2011-10-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

Warning: This blogpost is not my normal drivel...it is truly a new type of drivel! I will get back to regular drivel next weekend.

Over the last 48 hours I have been amgusted (a new word I have coined for the state of being simultaneously amused and disgusted) by all of the media monkeyshines regarding the "fitness" of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to be POTUS. Some of the jokes are wryly funny. "Run Christie Run...err, maybe walk". But most of the stuff written is just plain stupid and low brow.

I have no clue whether this guy is the kind of leader this country needs these days. However, to judge whether this man is a good bet for running the country based on his girth is stupidity defined.

No secret. I am passionate about physical fitness. I think there have been enough studies on all of the positive impacts of being fit to put that topic to rest. I like to hang with runners and fit people because we share similar experiences and likes. But....

Basing one's vote or judgement of a person's mental capacity to do great things based on fitness, thinness or number of miles the person can run seems moronic to me. Using weight or fitness as an analog for leadership would automatically put runway models, marathoners and mixed martial arts fighters as corporate and governmental leaders...not exactly a perfect recipe for success.

Further, using weight or fitness as criterium for leadership seems cousin to racism, sexism or any other -ism that defines shallow thinking.

Do I think Chris Christie would feel better if he lost some weight? You bet! Nearly everyone does!

Do I think Mr. C would have more endurance if he were more fit? Totally!

Will Mr. Christie make a better leader if he was thinner? Who knows? Who cares?

His weight is his choice. The guy is either a leader or not. 300 lbs or 150 lbs, he will be the same guy between the ears.

My personal thinking is that the kind of person we need to lead this country has the good sense to steer clear of getting involved. My guess is that the smart and integruous men/women capable of such a job would not want to put themselves into the meat grinder of stupidity our elective process has become. This person could be thin, fat, fit, unfit, black, male, asian, female, gay, straight, religious, not religious, listen to punk rock music (oh yeah!) or like to crochet...

Who gives a rat's ass?

The person needs to lead.

That is what is missing in our government today.

No new PRs? No big friggin deal....

2011-09-18T13:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, while out on a 20 miler, reality hit me like a Floyd Mayweather hook to the face.

"I probably will not hit a new PR from here out."

Now, I know what you are thinking....

"Self pity party for Ed time."

"Another self absorbed middle aged dude who finally figured out that no matter what the Rolling Stones say.... "Tiiiiiiiii-i-i-me AIN"T on his side."

"Oh, you have a bad day and now the glass is half empty."

And, now he is going to depressionblog about it...

None of the above actually.

As I had a perfectly horrific slow run unfolding, I had a lot of time to think about the fact that I am slowing down and probably for good...

And?

I am actually okay with it. My 47 year old body is not as fast as it used to be.

I get it. I am not able to defy time and gravity. If so, I would be the first human being ever to actually get stronger and faster with time. Last time I checked, there was not an S on my chest.

My recovery times are longer. The diminishing spring in my legs is eerily a little like elastic that has been stretched out one too many times. Getting up in the morning these days is a bit stiff and rough for the first few minutes. Sitting in one position for a time causes me to cramp up. I have to stand at the office a lot because keeping my legs bent hurts.

No problem!

These are badges of honor. Daily reminders of runs, bikes, swims, races, achievements and failures past. Mental and physical medals for crossing a few finishing lines real and imagined.

The fact that I will unlikely beat my marathon PR (3:13), my Ironman PR (11:24) or my half marathon PR (1:31) really does not matter much to me.

Why?

I never raced to win.

I never raced to PR.

I race to be my best self at that moment in time. I race because I enjoy the effort of training. I race because I love the feeling of community of like minded people. I race because of the feeling of anticipation at the start line. I race to feel the elation of finishing. I race because I love the feeling of happypain that ONLY a full days effort at an Ironman or ultra distance run can inflict.

Those things will not change, whether I am 35 and running my first marathon or 85 and finishing first in my age group at Ironman Arizona and earning a spot at Kona.

PR? If it happens again? Great. If not? No big friggin deal....

San Francisco 12 Hour Prep

2011-09-12T09:45:00.000-07:00

I am prepping this week for a 12 hour running race at San Francisco’s Crissy Field. By prepping, I mean tapering a bit, drinking more fluids than usual and setting aside some supplies.

Moon-pies!

Potato chips!

Ginger chews!

There are 34 people signed up for this suffer-fest. Ten women. Twenty four men. A 69 year old. A 68 year old. The youngest? A wet behind the ears 29! Though mostly Californian, the race has a pinch of international influence. A person from Hong Kong and a lady from Canada are signed up.

What is a 12 hour race? The title sums it up. It is exactly what it sounds like. He or she who runs the farthest in 12 hours wins. In this case, the entire course is a 1 mile loop. You go around, around and around and if you go around and around and around further than the rest of the people in 12 hours you win.

The world record for a twelve hour run was set back on March 15, 1985 by Yiannis Kouris. 101 miles.

The record for this race is 83.4 miles by some dude in 2007. Any mileage above 55 miles is usually good for a Top 10 finish.

What do I think I can do? I don’t know.

My legs have been behaving well lately. I have not had a case of stump leg in 2-3 weeks now. My best day on the Run Across America was 50 miles in a little over 7 hours. That was being towed along by some dudes from the Columbus University Cross Country team. If I can average 11 minute miles, I can do 60 miles in 12 hours. However, you never know what will happen until you actually start running. I could have a GREAT day and hit 10 minute miles for 72 miles. Or, have a perfectly ugly day and end up walking for 36.

I will be tweeting (@EdRoshitsh) and shooting some pictures out to my Facebook page (MyRunAcrossAmercia) as the day progresses.

If you are in SF and want to throw down a few slow miles with me, come on down to Crissy Field Saturday!

Trail Zen

2011-09-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

The last 5 days I have been semi unplugged in Stinson Beach, CA with my lovely wife, our two fuzzy kids, a case of IPA and four books, assorted newspapers and magazines.

I say "semi" unplugged as internet access was sparse and cell phone access non-existant.

The cell phone companies probably don't pay much attention to Stinson. Not a financially viable market 48 weeks out the year. The population when not flooded with people fleeing San Francisco for a holiday weekend is allegedly 468 people.

Semi unplugged on occasion is a great idea.

I am a pretty simple guy. The lovely wife, furry kids, a cold IPA and ample reading material is always good enough for me. However, the absolute icing on the cake/best part of the four days were numerous hours and miles up on Mount Tamalpais

I could make up a bunch of bullpoop about thinking heavy thoughts up in the silence of Muir Woods. Saving the world, being a better whateverleaderhusbandathletecitizen, appreciating nature etc. etc. I could probably get away with writing something like that.

The actual truth is that when running on a difficult trail like the DipSea Trail or the Steep Ravine Trail one's mind is totally focused on the task at hand. My mind is a total void as soon as my foot hits the first steps of the trail.

No work.
No family stress.
No world economy.
No worries.

Only

Roots.
Rocks.
Mud.
Low Hanging Trees.
Fog
Scrapes
Bugs

Unlike what I deal with as a city human, one small lapse of focus on a run through mountain woods can be costly. Face planting on a trail at best is embarassing. (If no one sees you face plant, it did not really happen!) At worst, it could be a final face plant into a ravine 400 feet below. On the DipSea and other trails I ran this weekend there were ample opportunities for the 400 foot face plant!

Being deep in a woods where you cannot even get a GPS fix let alone cell phone coverage serves to simultaneously liberate you from technology as well as remind you how awesome it is.

If you have not run on a tough trail in a while or ever, give it a shot. I 100% guarantee it will be the most focused and relaxed you can be at the same time!

Inner Strength and an Epic Fail

2011-08-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend a series of unrelated, but common thread things happened that got me thinking about inner strength. Some peoples gots it...and some peoples don't.

Thread one....

Have you had a chance to catch the new show "Take the Money and Run!"? A colleague at work suggested it to me a few weeks ago. Lovely wife and I Tivo'd an episode and watched it on Saturday. The premise for the show is that a couple has an hour to hide a briefcase filled with $100,000 somewhere in a major city. The police then arrest the couple and throw them into "solitary" confinement for 48 hours. The only interruptions are "Interrogators" who try to get you to give up clues so that field investigators can try to find the briefcase. If you can keep the briefcase hidden from the investigators for 48 hours, you get to keep the $100K. If you give up enough clues under interrogation or the investigators can piece together the clues before the 48 hours is up...they keep it.

Thread two...

While out doing 20 miles on Saturday, the Giants Half Marathon course happened to be on my regular running route. I coincidentially ran into a DailyMile Friend Kathy Johnson who was running the race. She was obviously limping and nursing an ankle injury. I happened upon her at mile 6 or 7 of the race. We joined up and I ran a few miles with her, just to catch up but also maybe to keep her mind off of her ankle long enough to get a few miles closer to the finish.

Thread three...

Ironman Canada and Ironman Louisville were raced yesterday. Roughly 5,000 people swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 and ran 26.2 miles between the two events. Most people take a year or so of solid training, spend probably $10,000 and sacrifice time with family to race for 12-17 hours. Painful? You bet. As a nine timer, I know how nasty these races are on you mentally and physcially. There are no pansies out there at mile 12 of the run.

Thread four...

I read two books over the weekend. One was The Warrior Ethos, by Steven Pressfield. The book was just "okay". But one of the cool themes that Pressfield weaved into the book from the first to the last page was how the ancient Spartans raised warriors from children into adulthood. The amount of abuse these kids suffered would wilt our kids and 99.998% of the adults these days. Parking six year old kids in the woods with no food, no water and letting them figure it out or die was commonplace. (Survive or die? Today's kids get a medal just for showing up!) They figured if the kid was a strong one, he would survive and go on to be a warrior. If the boy perished, the parents would be forbidden from reproducing again. (A little harsh, but I have seen some parents that I wish could be banned from reproducing again!)

Back to "Take the Money and Run". You would think it would be easy to spend 48 hours in "Solitary Confinement"...especially as you know a few things going in. One, there is $100,000 waiting for you if you make it. Two? There are no lonesome 6' 4"" cell mates named Bubba that want to marry you. Three, there will be no physical abuse by the guards/police. All you have to do is wait it out.

Welllllll......epic fail on this week's episode. One of the guys on the show caved after four meals of eating beans and living in the 8X10 cell. He caved after about 29 hours! 29 hours. Perspective? My friend John Teeples RAN that long at Badwater! This guy was blubbering like a baby after 29 hours of sitting in a warm, well lit cell and all the beans a man could want!

So how does this all weave together?

Inner strength is a funny thing...

My friend Kathy ran the 13 miles hurt just for a Tim Lincecum Bobblehead.

5,000 people gave up a year of intense training, buckets of money and lot of pain just to be called an Ironman.

Spartan children would devote 10 years of sheer hell to become "Warriors".

And there we have some poor slob on TV who could not muster enough inner strength for even $100,000 to just sit on his butt for 19 more hours.

My point? Inner strength is awesome when you see it in action. And, absolutely disgusting when you see someone fold like a wet Kleenex.

Have you tested your inner strength recently? Did you like what you saw when you looked in the mirror?

Legs, you are on final warning!

2011-08-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

To: My Legs

From: Me

Subj.: Performance Appraisal Memo

Date: August 22, 2011

I am writing this memo to document your substandard running performance over the last 60 days. We are also going to place you on an Ed Inc. Corporate Running Performance Improvement Plan.

Legs, we specifically need to address your lack of speed, your faltering endurance and the negative attitude you exhibit, as demonstrated in our last several outings.

The following two examples are representative of the type of lackluster performance that will get you retired if you are not careful.

• August 20th, 2011 – 16 miles in 2:20 minutes of run time, or a lousy 8:45 minutes per mile. Your pace was slow enough to get you passed by nearly everyone on the trail Saturday, including mothers clutching babies, old people on red scooters and an unfortunate guy with a cast on his leg bearing crutches.

Paint dries faster. Grass grows faster. Federal debt arguments get resolved more quickly than you have been running.

Furthermore, your crabby, argumentative and disrespectful stance as I asked you to pick up the pace is not how we do business here. Though you cannot speak, I could hear the &$&#-bombs you aimed at me with every step.

• July 31st, 2011 – Known internally to the Corporation as The San Francisco Marathon incident. Even after a weeks’ worth of slow “taper” duty, you decided to mail it in during the race. Your unilateral decision to take several breaks during the race showed poor judgment. Unfortunately, you chose to absolve yourself of responsibility, blaming our Gastro-Intestinal department for your substandard performance.

You seemed to be proud of the Top 10% of all finisher’s performance.

Listen up, legs…Top 10% does not cut it here at Ed Inc.. We aim for the Top 5% or better when we enter these things. Top 10% slips to Top 20%, Top 50%, Top 75%... and then, before you know it “just finishing” is the bar you aim for.

What if the Lung Department took such a shoddy approach to their work?

These two examples are representative of, but not an exhaustive detailing, of the lapse in your performance we have noticed over the last 60 days. We need immediate improvements in your pace, consistency and team work.

This matter is a serious one and we expect you to take remedial action. Non-compliance may result in disciplinary measures including plyometrics, track sprints, working out with weights or, if needed, a Sweating with the Oldies HR session with Richard Simmons.

And…none of us wants that.

We, the jury find you guilty, guilty, GUILTY!!!!!

2011-08-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

The courtroom in my sleeping head last night was buzzing as the jurors walked in. Murmurs of insults and the angry sustained glares of the gathered audience made the pit in my stomach grow larger as I sat behind the Defendant's table.

"Please rise. The court is now in session and the Honorable, well medalled and damn fast Judge Dean Karnazes presides."

"Be seated. I apologize for my tardiness this morning. A wrong turn in Albuquerque and some autograph seekers in Sacremento put me behind a few minutes." Judge Dean muttered as he sat down.

"We are gathered here today to hear closing arguments in The People versus Roshitsh. The charges against the disgusting Mr. Roshitsh include Felony excessive excuse using and assorted misdeamenor crimes against Endurance Running. These crimes are distrubing and serious in nature. If there are any children or faint of heart people in the audience, please leave the room at this moment. I remind everyone in the court room that no outbursts will be tolerated as these proceedings continue."

"Prosecutor Jurek, please begin your closing statements."

Jurek sauntered over to the jury...

"Ladies and Gentlemen, over the last week, you have heard an ugly, sob story. The evidence was disturbing at times. Tales of missing days of running. Excessive pizza consumption. Weight gain. Drinking of IPAs. Excuse after excuse."

"His legs hurt."

"Work has been too busy."

"He has a cold."

"His IT band is aching."

"He is tired of getting chicked by 72 year old grammas."

"He even sunk as low as to blame his loving wife for feeding him a vegetable smoothie that allegedly caused him to only finish in the top 10 percent at San Francisco Marathon. Boo-Flipping-Hoo-Hoo." Jurek hissed, rubbing his eyes as if fake tears were coming out.

The crowd erupted.

"Fry him Judge!!!"
"Pansie-ass!!!"
"Sofa sitter!!!"
"26.2 feet not miles!"
"Try Zumba instead!"
"Hang him by his shoe laces!"

The angry audience mob hurled insults and anger. The only things missing were pitch forks, torches and a hanging tree.

"Order! Order! Order! Let's give this loser a fair trial!" Karnazes shouted as he pounded his gavel.

"Objection, Judge Dean, maybe you should not call my client a loser."   My public defender lawyer, nearly asleep, half-heartedly interrupted.

Leaning over to him, I asked. "Who's side are you on?

"You should have taken the plea deal. You are a disgusting shell of a distance runner. I cannot believe I even have to defend you. Why don't you go ride a bike or something? Tendonitis-shmendonitis. Stress fracture my ass."

"Over-ruled, Scott you may proceed."

Jurek continued....

"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. You have heard every excuse in the book. The evidence shows the Defendant has not gone plus 60 miles in a week for two months now. You need to find him guilty! State rests your honor."

My lawyer rose and stared speaking...

"Honorable Judge and Jury. What you have heard is sad and disturbing. Yes, my client is a reprehensible character. Yes, his masquarading as an amatuer endurance runner is a disgustingly serious charge. I cannot defend his actions. Yet, I must prove his innocence.  I have one final chance to prove he is not the slacker he appears before you today."

"I object!" I screamed.

"Over-ruled" my lawyer and Judge Karnazes said in unison.

I knew I was in last place in the line for the porta-potty at that moment.

Holding up a pair of running shoes, he continued.

"These size 12 Newton Gravities. Notice there is not a lot of tread wear since he got back from pacing Teeples at Badwater. I submit there is only one way to determine if Ed has been doing miles...have him try on the Newtons...here in court."

"If the Newton's still fit, you must acquit."

I grabbed the shoe and attempted to put it on. Too tight...I could not get it past my arch. How much weight had I gained?

A gasp from the crowd. An anguished sob from my lovely wife. I was going down for some hard time.

The shoe did not fit.

"Order! Order! Order!"

"Jury you are excused to determine the Defendant's guilt or innocence."

The jury filed out of the room. I sat back in my chair. Perhaps they are right.  Maybe, I have been finding too many excuses to not get out there and put some big miles up. Maybe I should have thrown myself at the mercy of the court. My only hope was that my DailyMile postings would hold up as credible evidence.

The jury deliberated a grand total of 21 minutes and 23 seconds. Which just happens to be my fastest 5K time. They filed in. I knew immediately I was in big trouble as they were all giving me the stink eye.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, do you have a verdict?"

"Yes your honor. We find the Defendent GUILTY! We recommend the maximum punishment and a little more."

The crowd clapped.

"Order! Order! Mr. Roshitsh, the jury has found you guilty. Your crime of low milage and posing as a decent amatuer endurance runner demand the highest and most agressive of sentences as I can levy."

"You are hereby sentenced to increase your milage to 60 miles next week immediately, raising the distance by 5 miles a week until your 12 Hour Run on September 17th. You will run until you are tired, tired, tired.

May Nike have mercy on your sole."

I started serving my sentence this morning...11 miles down before work. Tomorrow..another longer run!

My brain...a very scary place indeed.

San Francisco Marathon

2011-08-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

San Francisco Marathon Thoughts

Sunday, I ran the San Francisco Marathon with about 6,000 other marathoners and tens of thousands of half marathoners on the front/back halves. The morning sported perfect weather, a fun & challenging course and with only one small blip for me, (a row of locked porta-lets at the 6th mile) great race coordination/direction.

I never cease to be amazed by the myriad of people who do marathons. Short, tall, fat, skinny, young, old, male, female, white, black, Asian, Hispanic, (no offense if I am not using the right “race” synonyms), guys with turbans, a guy in a joker hat (the same guy who ran at Badwater), people running for a cause, people running in memory of a lost one, pretty, ugly…the list could go on. The point being that unlike any other sport, I think running and marathons bring out the melting pot that we are all sitting in ! All it takes is two shoes (or foot gloves or even barefeet), a little preparation and a race fee.

The common thread? The desire to challenge one’s self. Out of the 6,000 or so people who ran the marathon, only a small handful or so actually ran because they thought they could win. The rest were there for community, self improvement and challenge.

One stupid moment during the race. Kids on the race course! About mile 16 a 3 year old girl toddled across the course. Smiling and kid-oblivious to the fact that the fastest 10% of the racers were barreling down on her. Right in front of me.

Her slack jawed mom? Laughing.

“Watch out Kayla.”

WTH? Really?

My mom and dad would have rightly beaten me with a running shoe then tied me to a tree if I did that as a kid. A guy behind me had the same reaction. He got aside of me, a man of 50 or so and said he was not even looking at the road pacing behind me, saw me slow and shake my head as I side stepped oh so cute Kayla with the dumbass parents.

“Was that what I thought it was?”

“Yup, some poor kid with poorly constructed idiot parents.”

“I saw you slow down and almost tripped into you and then I saw the kid…did you see the parents?”

“Nope…but I heard mom laughing and telling her to watch out.”

"Unfluckingbelievable."

I am hoping little Kayla did not get injured that day…or caused a runner to get hurt because of her bricks for brains parents.

My race? Not too bad. A 3:33:53. I had been planning on a 3:22. What happened? Welllllll…without going into the details, lets just say I had to take several breaks in one of those cool green phone booths with the nice comfortable seat.

Apparently, experiments with about 5 lbs of produce and a juicer the day before was an epic fail in the judgment area for me.

Still, I finished 585th out of the 5,900 or so runners that finished.

I gladly donated $60 bucks to HouseofHeroes.org as I pledged $5 for every minute over 3:22.

Final note: Back to running. Lots of people spend loads of money on gym memberships, expensive gym equipment at home, D List Celebrity Exercise DVDs, blah, blah, blah to lose weight and get exercise. For $99 bucks on a pair of decent running shoes and a little time investment, running or walking will out do almost anything you can pay big money for to get in shape…Get out there! You can do it!

18 Months as a 99.998% Vegetarian and Impact on Ultra Running

2011-07-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I talked about the impact of my diet on my ability to log big miles.

My beautiful wife and I made the conversion from meat eaters to 99.998% vegetarians in January of 2010 for a variety of reasons.

Abundant scientific evidence that plant based diets are better for your health.

Less impact on the environment to raise corn versus cattle.

The horrible treatment animals get in stockyards.

Why the 99.998% qualifier? Well, sometimes, in some parts of the country, it is hard to get a vegetarian meal.  Asking for a vegetarian menu in Kansas City will get you beaten up...

"You must be one of those sissy boys from California. We eat beef out in these parts!"

(good luck on your next colonoscopy I think...)

We don't want to make a big deal of our choice when we are out with company and there is no vegetarian faire on the menu...so salmon/scallops it is!

We made the conversion and are never going back.   Generally, we feel better, sleep better, have an easier time managing weight and are unequivocally healthier.

What has been the impact on my ultra running?

I am running better than I ever have. My marathon times are better today at age 47 than they were at 36. My last 26 miles in race pace training, I ran a 3:15.   Not bad for an old dude fueled by veggies. I can run 50 miles with relative ease with not one cheeseburger passing my lips!

People would assume that since I am not eating meat, I am not gettng enough protein to help me repair/build muscles. Simply false. Nuts and legumes give me all the protein I need.

What about sustained energy?

Lots of people tell you that carbs are great for energy, but meat protein is where you get the sustained, prolonged energy to burn once your body burns up the stored sugar. No issues. Ketosis is ketosis. Once you are past the point where your body is burning sugar and starting to eat muscle for fuel, it does not care if the muscles are grain fed or meat fed. It indiscriminately burns whatever it can.

What about recovery?

I have noticed no negative impact on recovery times. If anything, I feel my recovery times are borderline freakishly fast. I have noticed no issues.

So, 18 months of 99.998% vegetarianism and I am running strong! As Ferris Bueller may say "I highly recommend it!"

p.s. I do miss the taste of bacon... Bacon!   MMMMmmmmmmmmmm!

10 Great Websites for Runners

2011-07-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

Because I run a bit more than the next guy, I am often asked where I go to get information on gear, nutrition, races, new technology and the like.

Googling "running" will give you 1.5 Billion results...1.5 Billion?

Forget that!

Almost anything you need to know about running can be found at one of the 10 below websites!

FYI...none of these links are internet affiliate sales links...just URL Links to great sites loaded with great information!

Runner's World

Newton Running

Running Times

Jeff Galloway Training

Cool Running

Complete Running

Active.com Running Resources

Pose Running

SlowTwitch

Ultra Marathon Running

Enjoy!

Badwater

2011-07-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

For me, the past 48 hours were the most awe inspiring and amazing hours I can say I have ever experienced running.

I was lucky enough to be on the team to crew/pace/support the 9th place finisher, John Teeples, at the Badwater Ultramarathon. I am sure much has been written through the years about Badwater.   So, my thoughts about the race are probably unoriginal...but I am sharing them anyways.

More about John in a second...lets get you familiar with the race.

The race is 135 miles. It starts in Badwater, CA which is a small spec on the Mojave desert...it flows through a place aptly named Furnace Creek, through Death Valley, Stovepipe Wells, Panamint Springs, Lone Pine and then ending 8,600 feet high on Mt. McKinley.

Heat? Holy moly. 118 Degrees during the day on Monday.  I have never felt heat like that.  We felt like rotisserie humans...the heat came up from the ground and down from the sky in amazing intensity. It then fell to 57 degrees at night...1/2 of the day's temperature!

Wind? Check. The wind was a constant. One area of the course called "The Devil's Cornfield" felt especially bad. Think about standing in front of a human sized blow dryer. It had to be blowing at 20 mph almost constantly.

Hills? Yup. Three major climbs. Not short climbs...nope, these are climbs that go on and on and on. As a "middle finger finish to the racers" the course ends with the steepest climb of all...ending half way up Mt. McKinley at 8,600 feet.

John was a machine.

He started off running 5-6 miles an hour and stayed pretty constant the entire first day...even through the worst of the heat. The team "NASCAR pit stopped him" every two miles on day one. It was really busy. Ice towels, ice baths, drink bottles, food, vaseline, new socks, holes cutting into shoes, water pistol squirting etc. etc. etc.    Get him in and get him out quick.

The pacing was harsh...and there were three of us rotating in and out. The brutality that John endured mile after mile had us all in awe.

At night, the pattern turned into a pitstop every mile. The temperature dropped down to 57 degrees which felt amazingly good. I ran with John from midnight until about 3:45. The stars were beautiful. The moon was out and shed an eerie glow on the desertscape. We ended up running/walking alternating..depending on the grade of the hill. He still averaged 5ish MPH.

The best part of the night?

Echos.

Yup.

Echoes.

John yelled out a few times to see what the echo would be like through the canyons...it was cool to hear the sound ricochet around the hills. It was like a cartoon echo....HELLO....HELLO....hello...hello!

We both had a good laugh...anything to take his mind off the pain he had to be enduring.

The last 12 hours of the race were amazing. John was still running! He cleared the 100 mile distance in 23 hours. Which is awesome anywhere. When you think about the 118 degrees heat he did it in, all the more impressive.

We played frogger the last 12 hours with another racer from Georgia, Jenifer Vogel, who was the number 2 female finisher. We would catch her on a break, she would leap ahead of us when we stopped John. Jen had a viciously fast walk that amazed all of us. 13:30 miles up a steep grade at 110 miles...try doing that on a normal day! We tried to hang with her, but it became clear that she was on a mission...we found out later that she was the number one female and was trying to get enough time to get an edge on the eventual winner who had started two hours later. Pardon the PG language, but this woman is a bad ass and a half.

We hit Lone Pine and then began a steep 13 miles to the finish. John jogged some of it, but we ended up walking a good portion of it. The pacers were all huffing and puffing to keep up with John. John, who had 125 miles under his belt looked strong and pushed himself all the way to the end.

29 hours 46 minutes from the start, without sleep for John or a real break...

The finish was low key. A rubber ribbon for John and the team to run through. A picture of John getting the coveted Badwater Buckle. Us all taking off our shoes and dipping our feet in the icy cold creek at Whitney Portal. A round of cold beers. 100s of congratulations to John from all of us.

John simply was amazing. Mentally. Physically. Attitude. Focus. Calm.

He got a buckle and bragging rights about being a top 10 Badwater finisher.

I got a lesson on how to be a better human.

Seeking Candidates for House of Heroes project in San Francisco Area!

2011-07-07T09:10:00.000-07:00

My second attempt to “Run Across America” will be associated with an effort to raise awareness and funding for a charitable organization called House of Heroes.

House of Heroes

Founded in January 2000, the House of Heroes is a nonprofit organization serving our nation's military and public safety veterans (and their spouses) who are disabled, living on a fixed income, or facing other physical/financial challenges. Volunteers perform minor repairs and make improvements to the homes of veterans and their spouses—at no cost to the veteran—through the generosity of individuals, civic organizations, and corporations.

Home repairs include, but are not limited to, cleaning, painting, installation of access ramps, installations of screen windows and doors, repair or replacement of basic appliances, and yard maintenance and improvement. Home improvements are supervised by a local contractor, and will meet applicable codes.

The mission of House of Heroes, Inc. is to recognize and honor military and public safety veterans and/or their spouses who have served our country faithfully and sacrificially. Through service to these veterans and their spouses, House of Heroes, Inc. volunteers attempt to express gratitude that can never be adequately expressed in words alone by:

•Improving the living conditions of military and public safety veterans and/or their spouses who are in need of assistance in maintaining their homes.
•Honoring these American Heroes through the generosity of individuals, civic organizations and corporations. •Encouraging leadership and service, team building and volunteerism.

In achieving the mission, there shall be no discrimination because of race, religion, sex, age, national origin or disability.

Local Effort in San Francisco

As a fitting start to my “Run Across America for House of Heroes” effort, we are looking for candidates in the San Francisco area who may be in need of the types of efforts that a House of Heroes project can provide.

Candidates for a House of Heroes project will fit the following profile:

• Be a military or public safety service veteran, or their spouse.
• Need financial and/or physical assistance with home repair.
• Own and occupy the home to be repaired.

To nominate someone, head to this link

House of Heroes Candidate Application and have the candidate fill out the information inside as completely as possible and follow the submission instructions. Do me a favor! If you nominate someone, shoot me a quick 2-4 sentence email with the name, quick blurb about the person/situation etc. Don’t give me any personal data/information…I am just curious to know about people in the community that may be nominated for the project! My email address is eroshitsh@yahoo.com

Don’t know a candidate but want to donate? Go here:

Donate to House of Heroes and put in the description area that the donations is for the San Francisco Bay House of Heroes Candidate project!

Thanks for your thought and consideration. Our veterans have earned our support!

Run Across America...the Rematch!!!

2011-07-03T16:32:00.000-07:00

Today, I am ecstatic to announce information about my second attempt to Run Across America! I thought July 4th was fitting to make the announcement as it is the most American of holidays!

I have had three months to give a lot of thought to the second run attempt. In truth, the foundation was laid less than 48 hours after my aborted first attempt. My amazing in laws, wife and I had sat around a dinner table at an Outback Steakhouse in Mississippi somewhere and agreed to give it another shot in 2012. We did not hesitate for a second!

Before the first run was shelved, the crew and I had an amazing experience! We covered 500 miles in 14 days, with several 50 mile days! We were pleased to help get donations to Freedom is Not Free totaling nearly $10,000! The coolest part was the dozens of great people we met and befriended during the process of planning and executing the run.

RAA#1 ended unceremoniously alongside the road in Uniontown, Alabama. I had some kind of stress fracture/tendon issue in my ankle/shin. Four doctors looked at it and were evenly split on the diagnosis. The prescription in both cases was the same. “No running for 4-6 weeks.” I am not exaggerating when I say ending the run was one of the top four most disappointing days in my life.

I have fully recovered and my desire to run across the country is undiminished. Undiminished? Bad word choice! My desire to make it across is stronger…because I know I can do it!

So…here is the deal!

On March 1st, 2012 I will set out again to run across the United States map. I had considered picking up where I left off in Alabama. However, this did not feel right. To be a true cross country run, I need to start with my foot in one pond and end with it in the other. So……..

My journey will begin in San Francisco, California on March 1st and end in Savannah, Georgia on Memorial Day. I will be running through Las Vegas (NV), Flagstaff (AZ), Albuquerque (NM), Lubbock (TX), Dallas (TX), Shreveport (LA), Jackson (MS), Meridian (MS), Montgomery (AL) and Columbus (GA). The final leg of the run will culminate with an exciting finish that I will describe a little later.

Again, my run will be a platform to raise awareness and funding for Veterans! I have chosen to partner with House of Heroes (HoH) to raise money for veterans. HoH, a Columbus, Georgia based 501c3, helps military veterans, public safety personnel and/or their spouses with light home construction work, repairs and maintenance. Since 1999, House of Heroes has helped over 420 veterans and their families through a network of nearly 3,000 volunteers. I became interested in House of Heroes as I ran through Columbus, Georgia on my first RAA attempt through Susan Gerkin and John Teeples. Each year, John, Susan and a number of others raise money for House of Heroes through the Annual Run Across Georgia for the Heroes Charity Run. Read all about House of Heroes here!

We are going to start by sponsoring a House of Heroes house repair/renovation project here in San Francisco.

We will be looking for candidates for this work here in the Bay Area. So if you know of veteran who has a home repair need and is unable to afford or physically make the repairs, I will be talking about how we get candidate information/selection criteria to the right people at HoH!

My run will end with the 2012 Annual Run Across Georgia for the Heroes run! I could think of no better way to end my run for the House of Heroes than by finishing it up on the Run Across Georgia effort! This will give me something to look forward to and hopefully help raise more money for the House of Heroes by taking the Run Across Georgia to a NATIONAL level!

How can you help? First, any help you can offer will not be refused! We can use volunteers in the various states to help us get the word out about my run. We would also welcome runners as we pass through various locales. Work or monetary donations to House of Heroes are always welcome. 100% of the donations will go directly to them.

Finally, I am appreciative of the volunteers who have already offered help! I just want to say thanks to people who have unselfishly offered to help me get this done. Over 30 people have stepped up to do research, manage communications and to help with planning and organization. I am humbled by this and will do better than my best to get the job done this time.

My family and friends have really made sure I owe them BIG over the two years as I have pushed to reach this goal. Simply. Thanks.

Stay tuned for more. It is going to be fun! I better get running!

Run Across America 2 Info! Coming Monday!

2011-06-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

On Monday, July 4th, I will be posting about my rematch with the Big Jog!

Charity
Dates
Locations
Goals

Etc.

Thanks for being interested!

E

Solid progress!

2011-06-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks I have been solidly and steadily building up some miles and speed. The last three Saturdays I ran 25 miles each...purposely amping up my speeds with each attempt.

The first Saturday, I was out and back in 4:15, the second 3:45 and yesterday did a solid 24.5 miles in 3:08...with an ass-kicker of a bonk at mile 23.5 that caused me to walk off a mile before I resumed. My ankle and shin took the pounding yesterday very well. I call myself 100%!

One bit of humor yesterday. Social network marketing is alive and well! So...I was tweeting out my pace to friends and Twitter followers. I updated folks at 6 miles, 13 miles and then at 23.5 miles when I experienced the bonk. I did not expect to get an automated marketing pitch as a result.

Check this out...

EdRoshitsh Ed Roshitsh

Epic bonk at 23.5...no food no water no money. Walking it back. 2:55. Right on 3:15 pace. Awesome for me.

I was quite amazed when I got this reply nearly immediately from some type of Twitter marketing campaign. I laughed and had a What the Heck? moment. Evidently the words "out of money" on the Tweet must have generated some sort of tag to get this reply from a marketing firm.

22 hours ago Favorite Reply Delete in reply to ↑

@ptpdiamon

Mario Quinn @EdRoshitsh For real? - Need some money? Get paid for your opinion.. http://t.co/IB2ygx7 8llg6

22 hours ago via web

Really? Honest? I can get paid for my opinion in time to buy a MoonPie and a Coke to get me the 1.5 miles away from my house? I love this country!

Next time I am on the trail and out of food and money, I am hitting up Mario here for some dough!!!

I hope I become a 73 year old butt kicker!

2011-06-18T15:48:00.000-07:00

I am six weeks away from the San Francisco Marathon. Today, I decided to put a little extra effort into the run and see what I could do if I pushed it a bit. It was a solid outing. I ran the same exact trail that I ran last week (a little over 25 miles) in 4:15 in a pretty decent 3:46! I nearly shaved a half hour off of my lazy time from last week. I am happy with a 3:46 on tough trails that forced me to a near walk 6-7 times.

The coolest part as I was huffing and puffing up a nearly 1,000 foot tall rock was bumping into an older guy in compression socks, dirty girls (wraps you put around your shoes to keep gravel and dirt out on trails) and an Ironman hat. I was coming up behind him, but not too quickly. And as is the habit of most repectable trail runners, The Old Guy pulled off the side of the trail to give me the right of way since it was a single track and I was a tad faster.

I laughed, thanked him and told him he did not have to do that as he would have probably beat me up the hill anyways. Well, we got to talking and in the process I got a small humility lesson. He was like "Hey, I see your Ironman tatoo, which one did you do?" Me - feeling oh so smug.."I have done 9 or so, Florida, Arizona, Louisville and the Duke Iron Devil."

He seemed duly impressed.  In retrospect that was my imagination.

"What are you training for now?", he asked.

I always hesitate when I answer that question. I hate lieing about what I am training for. Yet, I hesitate because I guess people would not believe me, or think I am some kind of crazed lunatic. (I prefer people to get to know me better before they come to the conclusion, without doubt, that I am some kind of crazy person.)

"Believe it our not, I am training to run across the country. It is my second try at it. My first attempt ended with an injury 500 miles in.

We talked a little about my first run and the second in planning. Changing the subject I asked...

"What about you?  Are you training for anything?"

I was not prepared to meet up with my future self (if all my goals are made)....

"Well, I am 73 (73!!! Running up a real hard trail like a mountain goat!!!) and I have completed 34 Ironman races including 16 in Kona. Not sure what I am going to do next."

Me in awe. "WOW! Congrats! When was your last one? (expecting to hear 1968 or something)

"Last year (making him 73-1...72!) in St. George, I had a little trouble...but I will get back there"

We chatted a little more about his endurance racing career, shook hands and I moved on....

As I ran down the other side of the hill, I felt like a smart assed little whipper snapper for dropping the "9 Ironmen" on him.   34 completions for him and 16 of the races at Kona! Those are superstar numbers. Now, 73 running up a hard trail barely slower than me....

I hope I can do what this guy is doing at 73!!!