Ryan in Boise

Tired of Starting Over?

2012-03-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

Be the Message

2012-02-28T17:10:00.000-07:00

I saw this quote the other day and really loved it. I have always hoped that I have encouraged others to reach their goals by being a good example, and Being the Message.

More Random Stuff from Mike Shuman

2012-02-28T16:50:00.001-07:00

When you feel like quitting......

2012-02-27T11:11:00.002-07:00

My wife shared this one with me the other day and it really hit home.

fitnessrxmag.com

I also saw this magic weight loss pill if anyone is interested. I can tell you from experience that the 80% is very powerful.

I met my goal 2 years ago today!

2012-02-24T08:47:00.002-07:00

Today it has been two years since I met my weight loss goal and two years of maintenance. Losing the weight was the easy part...keeping it off for the next 45 years will be the hard part. Thanks for keeping motivated!

I saw this saying on Facebook today and it sums things up pretty concisely.

"The only thing standing between you and your goal is the BS story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it."

Here's my take on the subject.......

January 2009 - 3 months before I started

October 2009 - 7 months after I started

Why do I run?

2012-02-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Here is one big reason.

Photo by Jenny Stinson October 19, 2011 Boise Foothills

...and another

May 31, 2011 Pocatello 50

...and another

December 27, 2010 Homestead Trail Boise Foothills

...and another

August 20, 2011 Bear 100 night run Bogus Basin

...and another

May 22,2011 Polecat Loop Boise Foothills

...and another

June 19, 2011 Boise Foothills

...and another

December 24, 2010 Lucky Peak Trail Boise Foothills

...and another

August 9, 2011 Skunk Creek Wild Idaho 50

January 14, 2012 Boise Foothills

Lessons on Weight Loss from Runner's World

2012-02-16T10:42:00.001-07:00

Lessons on Weight Loss - Most people who have lost weight (and kept it off) adopted these five habits. It'll be your loss if you adopt them, too. - RW

I have fallen into the 'I deserve it' category many times. As much as I run I should weigh about 120! But I eat to refuel....and then some. I need to plan out my after run meal before hand so I don't end up eating junk that I don't need!

Timing is another thing I have had problems with. I am a morning runner / exerciser and I eat breakfast at 4:20 in the morning many days. After my workout I have a post recovery snack at about 7:30 (usually a protien shake with berries or a banana mixed in). I am ready to devour my arm long before lunch. During my weight loss period I always worked out at home so I would have something like a piece of bread to settle my stomach before my workout and then have breakfast at 7:30 which eliminated the calories of the post workout snack since it was my breakfast. Plus, I was feeling full longer from a bigger meal and made it to lunchtime more easily. Now I often drive to where I am going to run and then head straight to work which means I have to pack everything but the kitchen sink in the morning!

I'll have to play with my eating and exercise schedule to find something that works better for me. I enjoy meeting other people to run, so I may need to stock the fridge at work and have breakfast here!!

Wasatch 100 Flyover Video

2012-02-16T10:31:00.005-07:00

"Remember this is fun, it will be over before you know it so soak up every minute and remember you are one of a lucky few." --Jim Milar (advice given to Stephen Jones at Wasatch 100 last year) I'll be smart to remember this nugget of wisdom.

Saw this link today. Looks like I better start eating my wheaties!

Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance Race flyover in Google Earth

The interactive google map with the aid station info from the Wasatch website.

Polecat Morning Run

2012-02-15T17:22:00.001-07:00

I don't normally add much here for my daily activity but this run was just wonderful.

View from Quick Draw Trail

Christie and I were supposed to go tear up the greenbelt with our lightning fast speed this morning but it snowed overnight so we decided to go to Polecat Loop instead.

The snow was probably 2 inches all the way around and the sagebrush and grass had a half inch coating as well. The trail was quiet beneath our feet with the snow muffling the sound. The clouds were hanging low and the moon was amazing through it all. We decided to make a little extra loop via Quick Draw trail which was gorgeous since the sun was now coming up.

Not much speed today but it was tons of fun. Christie and I got to chat on the way back to work. We drove separately but the roads were terribly icy so she hopped in with me and met her husband at my work.

Top of Quick Draw

I was glad she was able to capture these photos but they don't really do justice for how gorgeous the morning was. Stars, clouds, moon, snow.....ahhh!!

Frank's 12-Hour Night Run

2012-02-14T17:06:00.001-07:00

My friend Frank is running his first 100 miler in March at the Antelope Island Buffalo run in Utah. While preparing for his goal he got a promotion at work that came with a move from Idaho to Texas. He accepted the job but told his employer that he had been training for this race and wanted to still do it. So, this run was a farewell as he makes his move.

Anyway, the purpose of a night run is to learn to navigate the trails in the dark as well as function while tired. We started out in Municipal Park in Boise just after 8pm. There were something like 15 of us at the start that planned on going various distances. I had committed to 12 hours or 50 miles (whichever came first)! It was a fun night of carefree running. We were conscious of our pace but stopped many times to take in the beauty of the surrounding city lights and one of the best moon rises I have ever seen.

By the time we finished the first 'loop' we were down to 7 people who were going to continue on. The first loop was about 27 miles which took around 6 hours. Several of the people who called it a night at that point had to get up and study for college classes in the morning! I never did anything when I was in college except work, school, sleep - repeat!

We left out of Municipal again and headed over to Table Rock. I have never been on this particular stretch of Table Rock so it was nice to see some new territory. About this time it was starting to spit snow and rain a bit but nothing too serious. For a February night in Idaho, we couldn't have dialed up better weather. I was wearing shorts, 1 short sleeve shirt, arm warmers, a sleeveless running jacket, gloves, and some fun socks with flames on them.

We got up to the top of Table Rock and touched the cross that is lit up with flourescent lights and visible all around town. It was pointed out that none of our miles would count unless we touched the cross. It was fun and we took a minute to soak in the cityscape from high above at 3 or 4 in the morning. We headed down the pavement from Table Rock to Rocky Canyon and up to where 3 Bears trail comes in near 5 Mile Gulch.

This is where the snow and rain started coming in harder. It was nice being low in the relative protection of the canyon while chatting away. We walked most of the uphill road section. Several friends who have lots more experience at these things were telling stories about what worked and what didn't in previous situations. I am still a newbie and always looking for a nugget of wisdom. Often, it comes in the form of a reminder to continue doing the things I already know but forget to do in long run. Like on this section, I was getting stiff from the miles as well as the cold and my friend Paul reminded me to do some high knees and butt kickers to stay loose. (Those may be fun exercises during a warm-up but at mile 35? they are a real chore). Walking lunges are another big treat when you get to this point!!

Once we got onto the ridge back on 3 Bears the rain was really coming down hard. I found that the water resistant characteristics of my clothing were inadequate to say the least. We had fun cruising the downhill section while staying in a pretty close group. Once we got down to town and started pounding the pavement again I knew I was done. When we arrived back at Municipal we had been out for 10 hours and 45 minutes. My right leg had been stiff most of the night from a spill at about mile 10 and I was ready to go home.

Part of the reason for the run was to cross a mental hurdle. Set a goal and don't give up until you reach it. Five people continued on for the full 50+. I didn't feel like I wanted or needed to cross that mental hurdle on this day. My race is a month after Antelope Island, so I still have time!

All in all it was a fun night! One drawback is I looked like a crack addict at my sons Cub Scout Pinewood Derby with my bloodshot eyes and bobbing head!

Attitude Quote

2012-02-14T13:17:00.001-07:00

Got this reminder in an email from my parents!

The Ben Comen Story. This will move you to tears.

2012-02-13T10:11:00.001-07:00

"If you can watch this and not shed a tear you don't have a heart." tsmello99 (Comment from the Youtube site)

I tend to agree.....

Wise Advice from my friend Melissa

2012-02-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Today's another day. Better choices today, but I can't be on track all the time. It's just not in my nature. Here's to life, and choice, and bad days, and practicing progress not perfection. ~Melissa (Moss58)

The honest truth about Ultras

2012-02-08T17:31:00.002-07:00

I found this today and thought I would share. Nathan Sanel was at the Bear 100 this past September and I really appreciate his honesty about how he is feeling and why he is there in the videos. I wrote some similar thoughts about why I was doing it and how I finally decided to sign up. This was, as it should be, a learning experience for him since he ran a 19:19 at Bartram 100 two and half months later. Congratulation Nathan.

I don't think it is a coincidence that this is the exact spot that I had my lowest point of the day for the same reasons he described. He is between Right Hand Fork (37 miles) and Temple Fork (45 miles).

WASATCH BABY!!

2012-02-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

I was drawn in the lottery for the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Endurance race yesterday and I am stoked!! Check out the Wasatch website!

We celebrated with a nice long run today! Actually, it was already planned but it felt like a celebration. My friends Dennis (also on the screenshot above) and Lynette also got in! Can't wait.

Stop USED to BEING something....

2012-02-03T23:36:00.001-07:00

1992

When I graduated from high school back in 1992 I weighed 242 pounds. During my high school years and even before, my mother would encourage me to eat better and take care of myself. My mom has always exercised and been concious of keeping in shape but it never seemed to rub off on me. After high school I was around home more during the day and she would help me plan out my lunch when I was attending college.

At home after a Hulls Gulch ride 1993

In the spring on 1993 I got serious about eating right and I took my mountain bike with me to school everyday for exercise and to help me cross campus quickly. Many times after school I would take my bike to the foothills and ride the Hulls Gulch loop or the Table Rock loop. My mom was going to Jenny Craig at the time and they said I could use their scale for my official weigh in every week. They all got a kick out of me coming in there and were amazed at my results. Over the course of two short months I lost about 60 pounds and got down to 180. When I joined the Navy in May of 1994 I was 175. Over the course of the next 7 years I gained it all back plus another nearly 80 by 2001. All a result of not taking care of myself and not paying attention to my health.

Fall 1993

Over the course of those 7 years I started many stories with, "I used to..." I was usually talking about how I used to ride my bike all over the foothills and was in really great shape. Or when I used to be an awesome water skiier.

Summer 1993

I remember feeling ashamed saying I used to be good at anything given my situation at the time but never did anything to change. Between 2001 and 2009 I was about the same weight. I can't tell for sure because we didn't have a scale. The only time I remember my weight was when I stood on the rock scale at Victory Greens Nursery one day when we were buying landscaping materials in 2003 and I was 298 pounds.

Spring 2008

When I decided to make the commitment to get in shape in 2009 I remember thinking I needed to make some new memories so I could stop recalling those days so long ago. I have done lots of fun and amazing things since I started getting back in shape to replace those I used to stories.

Medals with cobwebs...

I was in my bathroom the other day and noticed something that made me smile. I have my St. George Marathon, Lake Lowell Marathon, and Pocatello 50 miler race medals hanging on the corner of my mirror and they are collecting dust and cobwebs.

Boston and Bear

On the counter, my Boston Marathon medal is proudly displayed in a ziploc sandwich bag that sits on top of my Bear 100 miler plaque that is stuffed in a Walmart bag and surrounded by junk.

I say it made me smile because it was a new reminder that I always need to be moving forward and have a new goal as soon as possible after finishing the last one. Race medals to me represent a lot of hard work, training and commitment but I don't run races for medals or belt buckles. I run races to test myself and stay as active as I can. I read a statistic recently that said 95% of people who lose weight gain it back in 3-5 years. Most people gain it back because they fail to change the behaviors that led to their weight problem in the first place. I am doing everything I can to stay in the 5% minority, medals or not.

Wilson Creek Frozen 50K

Stop USED TO being something and be something RIGHT NOW!

Who you are....

2012-02-02T09:23:00.002-07:00

Interest vs. Commitment

2012-02-02T09:12:00.001-07:00

"There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results." - Unknown

I saw this quote yesterday and it really hit home for me. People have asked me why I push myself to insane limits, goals, and running distances. The simple answer, I enjoy doing it. Most people exercise to stay in shape or lose weight. That is exactly where I started myself, but over time I began to enjoy what I was doing and it was no longer something I HAD to do but something I WANTED to do.

Having this mindset makes my commitment to my goals easy. Who wants to join me for a 30 miler on Sunday morning, guaranteed to be a good time!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Quote

2012-01-13T10:58:00.001-07:00

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Saw this today and wanted to share.

Runner's World Quote of the Day

2012-01-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

If we write our dreams and goals down, we dramatically increase our odds of realization. If we share them with others, they become potent and alive.

Kristin Armstrong, Full Cup, Mile Markers blog, Runner's World.com

Why People Quit

2012-01-10T14:39:00.000-07:00

I saw this picture on Sarah's blog, On My Weigh to Happiness, and had to share.

So you had a bad week, learn from it and move on!! Don't sabotage all of your progress due to a short term setback. Stick to your plan you can do it!

Daily Mile Annual Summary

2012-01-10T14:23:00.002-07:00

This came in my email from Daily Mile showing my yearly totals by month. It includes all exercise measured in distance so 99% is running and walking. I thought it would be interesting to memorialize here.

I looked back and found the summary report for 2010 year just out if curiosity. I joined Daily Mile half way through May and then added my 2010 totals for previous months in June for some reason (which skewed the weekly average. It should be roughly 41 not 63). So the real numbers are...

Jan-219
Feb-203
Mar-191
Apr-157
May-235
Jun-232.

Again, it is about 99% running and walking. Not to say I didn't do lots of cross training in both years but it wasn't measured in distance.....

New Goal - putting in the work

2012-01-09T09:12:00.000-07:00

The Runner's World Quote of the Day was a fitting one for me today.

"Running is just you, the work you put in, and the clock. You can't cheat yourself. If you don't put in the miles, you can't go to the starting line thinking you're going to pull a miracle out of nowhere. You get out exactly as much as you put in." ~Desiree Davila

Serious training has officially begun for my next 100. It always takes putting down the money to get me fired up for some reason. My friend Dennis said he expects a 24 hour finish, Emily seconded the motion and said "Ryan shall make it so.." I accept the challenge and will be putting in the work (now that I put the money down☺)

Set a goal, tell everyone who will listen, and stick to your plan, you can do it.

P.S. I expected this of myself before, but now it's just official!!

Modified Leon Fat A$$ almost 50k

2012-01-08T15:24:00.001-07:00

I wasn't going to be able to run the whole 50k if I started with everyone else at 7:15 so I left my house at 4:20 and ran 12 miles to the start of the 50k. Had a good time running with friends and enjoying some sunshine. When my alarm went off I seriously considered going back to bed and then just driving to the start and only doing half. I pushed myself out of bed and decided to get going however. After getting my stuff together and eating I opened the front door to find out it was SNOWING! Now I was REALLY thinking the drive to the start was the better option. But, I didn't give myself much time to talk myself into it and headed out anyway.

The snow was blowing in from the side so I had to pull my hat down and dip my head so the flakes wouldn't hit my eyeballs! The snow quickly broke and then it was just cold without the snow. We live near the airport and they like to break up the clouds with chemical seeding so it wasn't naturally occurring snow anyway. Oh well.

I jaywalked about 30 times on the way down there and one of them was where Vista Avenue crosses the freeway. Normally this is a busy intersection but at 5am on a Saturday it was a ghost town. EXCEPT for the cop who was sitting at the gas station on the other side. I saw him and thought there is no way. Just after I passed the gas station I hear an engine rev up and the chirp of a police siren. Are you kidding me? A jaywalking ticket at this time of day? I looked over my shoulder and he was heading the other direction but it was kind of funny.

I got down to the start with Dennis and met maybe 15 people in the Fort Boise parking lot and headed out. We met up with another group that started from a different spot and were on our way. It was a beautiful day and we all had a great time!

Glad I got my rear end out of bed today!

My muffin top got a little chafed though, I need to do something about that.

This was a bit more than half of us I think

Trail 5 looking back at town

Dennis

Otto and Christie

Me and Emily

Me demonstrating improper aid station technique

Me and Michelle

Wayne and Jenny with the AID STATION!!

Sparkle

Therapy needed

2012-01-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, I officially need a therapist!! Plan A, get into Western States and live happily ever after. Plan B, run a relatively easy Western States qualifier so I can put in next year just in case don't get drawn for Wasatch or DNF. Plan C follow my own advice and dream big and just plan on finishing whatever 100 qualifier I do. The second part of plan C is not settling for a easier 50 mile qualifier. The race I had been considering was during spring break and I am sure my kids would rather do anything but this. Hopefully we will be able to join Michelle's family on a trip to the Oregon Coast. In the meantime I need to get healthy, recharge my batteries, and find a comfortable couch I can lay down on ☺.