Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 31, 2012

200 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

I found this logo on Google images - it is for a business networking group - I just liked the logo and the illustration of the number 200

Only 200 days :o(  Bittersweet thought :o) :o(  We have worked hard to this point and all the training has put us so much closer to being ready for this monster. It has been and will continue to be satisfying to look back upon what we have accomplished. I'm getting excited to be in Leadville again. On the other hand, the more days we have to train, the more opportunities we have to become better prepared - it is comforting knowing that we have many days ahead to continue preparing - but like life, they keep ticking away. In addition, I must say I am really enjoying getting into better shape and spending time with many amazingly positive people along the way. 

Rested Thursday, Friday, Sunday and  Monday. Didn't intend to rest on Friday or Monday but had put my back against the wall in preparing to teach a class for the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center for the US Army and needed the preparation time - so I canceled out on Rick on Friday AND Monday - I am worried he may fire me as his training partner. So....other than running 16 miles on Saturday I was pretty idle for the past 6 days or so. My legs felt really fresh this morning - maybe there is some wisdom in resting the body to help us work out at a higher level and avoid injury.

This morning's power walking workout was wonderful (thanks John DeDoncker) - arguably our best yet. We ratcheted it up from last Tuesday and I thought last Tuesday was a good one. Offering you a side by side comparision....

** gotta run to have lunch with my wife Joan! back to update in a little bit :o) **

I'm back - great lunch! Had a healthy sandwich and nice conversation with Joan

Time                         January 31st                           January 24th
0-30 min                   Level 4.0  Incline 12.0            Level 3.7  Incline 12.0
30-35 min                 Level 4.0  Incline 12.5            Level 3.8  Incline 12.0
35-40 min                 Level 4.0  Incline 13.0            Level 3.9  Incline 12.0
40-45 min                 Level 4.0  Incline 13.5            Level 4.0  Incline 12.0
45-50 min                 Level 4.1  Incline 13.5            Level 4.0  Incline 12.5
50-55 min                 Level 4.2  Incline 13.5            Level 4.0  Incline 13.0
55-60 min                 Level 4.3  Incline 13.5            Level 4.0  Incline 13.5

Bench Press - 2 sets of 12 at 155 lbs

The numbers don't look too dissimilar but those of you who have walked steep inclines for extended periods of time can appreciate the challenges of ratcheting up speed and incline. Today was a great move forward on the powerwalking workout. I'm especially proud that our difficulty increased on the back half of the workout and we did it without rest. Look out Hope Pass - we're coming to get you! 

Another memorable quote from Ken Chlouber (I'm not sure how many he has but this is a good one)
"If you make friends with pain at Leadville, you will never be lonely"

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 28, 2012

203 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Katie Gaffney, Chad Uhde, Ben Driscoll, Aaron Maurer, Curt Johnston, & Rick Fountain

This was our running group this morning on our 16.2 mile run.  We were about 4 miles into our 16 mile run - it is still dark but I wanted you to see some of the faces of those who inspire us - it makes it really easy to run early in the morning when you have other great people to run with. This group of 7 (I was taking the picture) is the largest running group we've ever had - it was a blast! My mileage measurement conflicts with what a few of our runner's Garmins said (15.7 miles) - I use http://www.mapmyrun.com/ to track our route. but hey, what's a half mile between friends? It's always nice to run farther but when the running goes beyond a couple hours, I don't care a whole lot about running a mile or two farther or shorter - it's about the time on feet, staying healthy, and having the feeling that you can continue on. You can see our route at the following link   http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/66353778/?new_route=1

I am feeling extremely good about today. We didn't go super long. We didn't go super fast. We did have great company and we did have a lot of laughs and good conversation. My body feels perfectly fine. Following the run I felt tremendous satisfaction because I think I could have continued on for quite some time before feeling fatigued. I don't write this to scoff at a 16 mile run (I certainly feel that is a great day whenever I run 16 miles). I feel great satisfaction because today's run was a run that we would have struggled to finish in September, yet today it seemed like a pretty easy run - which it was, relatively speaking. Remember we just finished back to back marathons last weekend so a 2:30 run today seemed lighter by comparison.

As long as I have their pictures posted I might as well tell you about them...

Katie Gaffney is a Language Arts teacher at Bettendorf Middle School. This is the 2nd time Katie has run with us. She has coached two of my sons in cross country and I can't wait for her to coach my daughter in track. She is so kind and supportive - the kind of coach every parent wishes their children would have. She's an accomplished runner - having run the Boston Marathon already. You might think we invited her to run to increase the aesthetic appeal of the photo. True as that may be, she's a great runner and I always enjoy being around her. I knew her mother-in-law for more than 10 years before she and her husband were born - which suggests to you that I'm getting pretty old!

Chad Uhde is a Science teacher and the Athletic Director at Bettendorf Middle School. You can follow Chad's blog at http://onthepositivesideofthingsornot.blogspot.com/  Chad has done several runs with us - he reached an all time high a few weeks back by going 20 miles with us - that was a day to remember. Sometime in the near future he will go at least 26.2 miles with us on a training run and achieve the marathon goal he once thought was not attainable.

Ben Driscoll is an Art teacher at Bettendorf Middle School. This was Ben's first run with us and we hope to have him back in the future. In addition Ben coaches multiple sports at the middle school and is the Assistant Girl's Basketball Coach. He played basketball in high school and college and is still extremely talented on the basketball court. It is fun to play with him because he pushes the ball up court, is always making hustle plays, and is an outstanding passer. He has a phenomenal and admirable set of personal values and is a perfect role model for others.

Aaron Mauer teaches in the Talented and Gifted programs at Bettendorf Middle School. You can follow his blog at http://coffeeforthebrain.blogspot.com/ It is ranked as the 13th best blog site for triathalon training - congrats Aaron! Aaron coaches a variety of sports for the middle school and has been extremely regimented in his training. He is competing in an indoor triathalon tomorrow and will be completing a half Ironman in Wisconsin this summer.

Curt Johnston is a former student of mine at St. Ambrose. He played basketball for the Fighting Bees but has turned his interest toward running - knocking off Bix 7's and marathons regularly, posting some very good times. This year he plans to run a sub 50 minute Bix and I have all the confidence in the world that he will. Curt has not been running long distances lately so the increase from 9 miles last weekend to over 16 miles this weekend was quite admirable. I told him to go soak his legs in cold water for 5 minutes if they hurt after he arrived at home. Expectedly, Curt's legs were heavy at the end of the run. But he persevered and finished - he did great. Afterwards he was very grateful to us and mentioned that running with us was the primary reason he finished the 16 miles. It felt good to see in his face and hear in his voice how much he felt we helped him knock it out.

Rick Fountain - you all know about Rick if you've read my blog. You can go back a few days and see all of the great things about Rick. When going out on the first loop I asked all of the others if they were joining us on the second loop - except Rick. I didn't ask him because I can't give a guy who is running Leadville the opportunity to cut a workout short :o)

I plan to write more on this blog later today but have to run now to help load some vans with raffle prizes and auction prizes for a Chili Cookoff to benefit Hand in Hand, an organization dedicated to helping children with physical and mental disabilities and their families.  This annual event is held at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds at the Starlite Ballroom. The 2012 event is today from 3-7 pm - $8 at the door - you get to sample more than 30 different types of chili - it's a lot of fun and it is for a great cause.  http://www.handinhand.org/

The Chili Cook Off was awesome - had an even better turnout this year than last! Thanks Rick for bringing your family and brother-in-law's family.
Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 25, 2012

206 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Today was another stair workout day at Bettendorf High School. Had to take this picture in the afternoon since when we run it in the morning it is usually dark.  Bettendorf High School Football Stadium - home of the Bulldogs - 7 time 4A Iowa State Champions.

Rick and I did 75 sets today - 4 sets of 10, 1 set of 15, and 1 set of 20. I really feel like our legs are adapting to this type of training and think we could have kept going for a while longer. I'm not sure I would have felt the same way back in August or September. We run these every Tuesday or Wednesday so if you are interested, let us know - we'd love to have you join us. Our workouts on average last an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. On an earlier post, Art had asked me how many steps there were, how high they were, and how deep they were. So today I brought a yardstick to the stadium and measured! Not every step is identical - somebody call the contractor! But there are 72 steps - each step is about 6" high and the distance is about 15" deep. Total distance up per trip is approximately 36 feet and total distance forward is about 90 feet. A typical stair workout of 75 stairs translates to 2700 feet up and 6750 feet out. I don't know what that translates to in terms of grade but I may look it up with our friend Mr. Google. We do get a break at the top of every trip, which is much more forgiving than Hope Pass :o) The climb to Hope Pass as 3400 feet on the front side and a little less on the back side. The distance forward on the front side is approximately 10600 feet and perhaps 8000 feet on the back side. If you read Jennifer's race journal I posted last week, she writes about Hope Pass having a grade of 18% on the front side and 21% on the back side.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 24, 2012

207 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run....

This is Hagerman Road, about 16 miles into the race and 84 miles on the way back. Runners climb uphill on this road on the way up to Sugarloaf Mountain early in the morning within an hour or so after sunrise. Like most of the course, it is beautiful - note the mountains in the background and the tall evergreens off to the side.

Following our 2nd marathon on Sunday I was craving liquids and spent the rest of the day pumping water, gatorade, lemonade, and juice into my body. I ate some but not all that much. The past few days 2 of my sons had the flu and by Sunday night it had passed onto me. By the time Sunday night was over, most of the liquid I had consumed decided to leave my body the same way it came in. My stomach actually felt a lot better after that but the achiness started to settle into my legs. I was thankful that we had agreed to take Monday off from working out following our back to back marathons. So Monday was a rest day and my legs continued to ache most of the day. I didn't feel much like eating which was good in the sense that I've been trying to lose weight. Sunday night I weighed in at 195 lbs - 1 pound under my week's goal of 196 lbs. Next Sunday's goal is 194 lbs - I'll report back on this after the weekend.

This morning Rick and I met at the Y for a power walking workout today. We did go a little easier on the incline and a little easier on the speed; however we cut out rest entirely and gradually increased the difficulty over the course of the workout so I believe it was a step forward. Again I felt a little guilty looking around seeing other people running faster on the treadmill but they were also not at an incline of 12.

0 - 30:00            Incline 12 Level 3.7
30:00 - 35:00     Incline 12 Level 3.8
35:00 - 40:00     Incline 12 Level 3.9
40:00 - 45:00     Incline 12 Level 4.0
45:00 - 50:00     Incline 12.5 Level 4.0
50:00 - 55:00     Incline 13.0 Level 4.0
55:00 - 60:00     Incline 13.5 Level 4.0

The benchpresses were all in use so we decided to knock out a few sets of dumbbell bench presses

3 sets of 12 - 55 lb dumbbells

I was quite pleased that from 30:00 - 60:00 we continued to make the workout more difficult and we did all this without rest. We continue to build the strength in our legs and I am confident that the next time we powerwalk we will be able to increase the difficulty of the workout. By the end of the workout I also discovered that all of the achiness had left my body. I can confidently say that the flu I experienced was a 24-36 hr flu. The rest of the house appears to be healthy too!

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 22, 2012

209 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Rick Fountain

Most people define Superman as 6' 2" 225 lbs, faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and can leap tall buildings with a single bound - that's in the comic books of course. The man pictured above is about as close as you can get outside of the comic books. I've had the privilege of knowing him for the past 15 years and have worked out with him regularly for almost 2 years. I can't think of another person I've met who is really good at so many things. Rick was an All-American linebacker on the St. Ambrose University football team in college. Another All-American basketball player at St. Ambrose told me Rick would have been an excellent college basketball player. I know this first hand as I've played basketball with and against him as well. The combination of strength, quickness, intelligence, game sense, work ethic, and endurance he possesses is rare indeed. In addition, he is a star at work with his company W.W. Grainger, a loyal friend, a great family man married to a wonderful wife Jeannie, and dad to four adoring children - Tristan, Tylar, Ashley, and Kayla. To top it off, he is the nicest, most polite, humblest, and kindest person you could ever imagine meeting. Rick is the perfect workout partner, as I've said in earlier posts. He will try anything, doesn't give up, and has incredible resolve - I'm certain that has much to do with all the success he has earned. Today was a significant training day and most appropriate that I spend some time writing about him.

Today's workout was running a second marathon following yesterday's marathon. Over the past two days we logged nearly 53 miles - more than we have ever run since starting Leadville 2012 training. Prior to September 1st the furthest Rick had ever run was about 11 miles. Over the past 5 months he has run 7 marathons in our training runs! I remember in mid September when we talked about him achieving the goal of running a half marathon. I knew in my mind that a marathon would follow shortly thereafter - which it did.

I have appreciated all the people who have worked out with me but Rick is there all the time regardless of weather, time of day or night, location, distance, or rigor of workout. Before he signed up for Leadville he had committed to doing all the workouts I was doing. I think it is hard enough knowing they are for the race I'm preparing for. He was doing the workouts just to be a friend and support me. I'm glad he did sign up for Leadville and predict he will be one of the few people who successfully finish Leadville on their first attempt.

Congratulations Rick on an admirable weekend of long distance running! And thanks for being a great workout partner.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP! 

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 21, 2012

210 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

This is known as "Powerline", appropriately named as you will note the electrical wired poles lined from the bottom to the top of Sugarloaf Pass. This is the view where you will come down from the top near mile 20 and climb from the bottom near mile 80. You can run down it in less than 15 minutes but plan on climbing for an hour on the way back. The elevation at the top of Sugarloaf Pass is 11,300 feet and it is the second most difficult climb in the race, although the climb takes place nearly 25 miles after descending Hope Pass. One must be careful on the descent as running it too quickly can trash the quadricep muscles, increase your chance for injury, and risk the danger of going forward in a dangerous somersault. I remember running down it in 2005 and actually zigzagging back and forth to slow myself down. The climb back up has four false summits - which is why racers are advised to look at their watch instead of what they think they see as the top. Another peril of Powerline is the risk of attracting lightning during thunderstorms.

Today was a great day. We ran 26.4 miles in cold temperatures and through some sidewalks that hadn't been plowed yet. We started at 4:30 a.m. this morning - Rick and I were joined by Aaron Maurer, Chad Uhde, Katie Gaffney, and Chrt Johnston during different parts of today's workout. The run went well. Our legs began to tire toward the end but we hung in there and finished strong. Mentally we had to stay tough because we knew that we will be running a marathon tomorrow as well.

Some people have remarked that the training we are doing is incredible - from running a marathon in the snow at freezing temperatures to running back to back marathons. It feels good to have the admiration of others and I find it to be motivating. On the other hand, when I think about Leadville, how hard it is, how long it is, and all the difficult challenges that face the runners, running a marathon in the snow or running back to back marathons on consecutive days isn't that big of a deal, nor should it be. I realize the workouts are tough but if I start complaining or feeling like I'm doing more than enough, I will be in very big trouble when it comes time to run Leadville.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 20, 2012

211 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Didn't get as much snow as I thought so the marathon run is on for tomorrow at 4:30 a.m. Already have 4 others committed to joining us - much to my surprise. With the snow and the cold I figured it might just be Rick and I. It is a lot of fun to bring along someone new - gives me an opportunity to tell some of my old stories to new people :o) We'll start with at least 3 and pick up a 4th at 6:00 a.m. There may be more - we'll know in about 8 hours. Not sure who will try to go the entire distance - I'm certain Rick will. Didn't play basketball this morning so I'm very well rested. My lower back pain seems to have disappeared altogether - even shoveled a little snow today :o) I vow to not have cold hands tomorrow as I'm taking a couple of handwarmers with me to use and share with others. I have really enjoyed getting to know other people through this training experience, people I probably would not have had the opportunity to get to know if it weren't for this long distance running. Contemplating when to run the 2nd marathon this weekend. Thinking about late Saturday night if not Sunday morning - either early or real early.

This is a picture from the top of Hope Pass looking to the south. It would be the view you get at mile 45 looking forward or at mile 55 if you turn around and look back. Breathtaking - on a couple of levels. One because it is beautiful and two because it is oxygen deprived air!

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 19, 2012

212 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

A wonderful, inspiring person I've come to know over the last couple of days - Jennifer Schubert-Akin, a 3 time Leadville Trail 100 finisher. Jennifer posted an invitation on the LT100 listserv inviting others to read her Leadville race journal from 2008 when she finished 29:49:02. If you would like to read it - it is a great read, you can email her at  jschubertakin@marathonaccounting.com  and she will share it with you. You might think I admire her because she beat my time by nearly 9 minutes. That is true but there are several other reasons as well. If you read her story you will learn that she did not have much time to spare at the cutoffs, especially from mile 50-100. She also had the pleasure of being paced by Leadville 100 creator Ken Chlouber up and over Hope Pass. Jennifer's resolve, steadiness, and sense of purpose was moving. If you have ever run Leadville you will know what I mean. She offers a great description of the course, I felt like I was back on it even though it has been more than 4 1/2 years since I've paced and 6 1/2 years since I ran it. Jennifer embodies the spirit of what Leadville is all about and I'm excited to meet her when I travel to Colorado this summer. Thanks Jennifer!

A perfect day to blog - a day I won't do anything physically taxing :o) My main workout buddy Rick texted at 4:30 am that his quad was sore and wanted to know if I was okay with him taking the day off. Note that this request did not mean that I had to take the day off too but guess what I did? Even though I was already dressed and ready to meet him at the Y when I saw this text at 5:02 a.m., I slipped my shoes off and went back to bed! Nobody stopped me from going to work out and I was fully prepared to work out but I used Rick's sore quadricep as justification for me going back to bed :o) I can assure you that if Rick had not texted, I would have worked out this morning.

Why am I writing about this? I think this is a perfect example of accountability and camaraderie (mixed in with some laziness and justification on my part). We've had some great people join us in our workouts over the past 6 months but Rick has been as loyal and consistent as anyone could be. We have done a few things without each other but it is pretty rare. Part of me didn't want to work out this morning without him because "we are in this Leadville training together" and it felt like I was abandoning him. The other part was using the justification that more sleep is always good for the body and that 2 marathons coming up this weekend was deserving of another day of rest.

Should I feel guilty about resting on a day when I wasn't planning to? I'm also not doing any running tomorrow, although I may play basketball in the morning. Maybe I should feel guilty but I don't. I enjoyed my sleep. I know I will work hard this weekend and will continue to work hard until August. I also worked out Mon, Tues, Wed and will run on Sat and Sun - so 5 days out of 7 is not really slacking off. Leadville training is a long road and it is important to not take weeks off but a few days or consecutive days here or there is probably a good thing - my body always feels refreshed when it gets a little reprieve.

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 18, 2012

213 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run…

This was the picture I wanted to post the other day. It hangs in my office at work. Lorna Sawyer is a retired school teacher who taught 3 of my sons and is one of the kindest, most loving people you would ever want to meet. It has been a privilege for me and my family to know her. Upon returning from my Leadville run in 2005, much to my surprise, she embroidered this beautiful linen and had it framed for me with my race time on it. There are many material possessions in life we pay a lot of money for but the best things in life usually aren’t the most expensive. Her thoughtfulness and the labor of love she put into this project means so much to me  - more than she will ever know. It’s very touching when you believe that you matter to other people and that is the message I received when she took the time and the effort to do this for me. 

Tonight was a stadium stairs night. It has been cold the last few days in Iowa so I was expecting this to not be so easy. We did 82 sets of stairs in segments of 10 with a brief rest in between - 12 on the last set - just for fun. We moved our workout to the evening so that Scott Passman could join us. Scott is a recent graduate from St. Ambrose’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program. He will be a great PT for sure but he’s already an awesome athlete and great physical trainer. As part of his undergraduate program, I was assigned to be his ‘trainee’ for 12 weeks during his senior year. It was extremely tough but gratifying and dare I say 'fun'? No complaints here but he put me through some workouts that I did not believe I would be able to do – it kept reminding me that we have more in us than we realize. Scott also ran Leadville in 2010 in under 29 hrs. He’s signed up to run in 2012 and is going for a big gold belt buckle.

Unfortunately Rick could not join us tonight as he had to pick his son up from church group. So he did his stairs an hour before Scott and I ran ours. I feel bad we couldn’t be with him but I had basketball practice with my son Joseph beforehand so it just wasn’t going to work out. Small unexpected conflicts arise along the way – good training for Leadville because during the race we will be thrown for some loops for sure!

I also learned that I made it onto the Leadville Race Series' facebook page - I feel honored!

http://www.facebook.com/leadvilleraceseries 

Until my next post, have a great day!  DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 17, 2012

214 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run ...

Powerwalking day today. Part of me feels like a 'walking' workout shouldn't be so hard but it was a tough incline and my shirt was drenched in sweat afterwards. Workout went as follows...

60 minutes total - all 2 minute segments included 1:40 walk, :20 off
0 - 30 minutes incline 12.0  Level 4.3
30 - 38 minutes incline 12.0  Level 4.4
38 - 48 minutes incline 12.5  Level 4.4
48 - 50 minutes incline 12.5  Level 4.5
50 - 52 minutes incline 13.0  Level 4.5
52 - 58 minutes incline 13.0  Level 4.6
58 - 60 minutes incline 15.0  Level 5.0

Looking back at last week's similar workout, we can feel good on a number of fronts. First we went up to 60 minutes from 45 minutes. Second we increased our walk intervals by 25 seconds from 1:15 to 1:40. Third, we started at Level 4.3 and worked our way up - previous starts were at 4.2. Our break intervals did increase from 15 seconds to 20 seconds and we didn't ramp up as hard toward the end but overall we worked at higher levels throughout the workout. 

This is the reason we do so much uphill training on the treadmill and at the football stadium! This mountain is Hope Pass and it is a 3,400 foot climb from the lowest base. Racers hit this mountain at 42 miles and again at 52 miles. The legs will definitely be tired while climbing these mountains but training like what we have been should prepare us well.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 16, 2012

215 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Another milestone achieved today! It wasn't easy but it feels good. Today's workout:

1/2 mile warmup
44 minutes on treadmill
0 - 42:00 - Level 10, run for 2 minutes, rest for 1 minute
42:00 - 43:00 - Level 10.1 (took it up a little notch)
43:00 - 44:00 - Level 10.5

2 sets of 12 on the benchpress 150 lbs.

I had mixed feelings going into this workout. On the one hand, we had just run 60 minutes last week with only a 1 minute break at 30 minutes at level 7.9-8.2. Today we were taking a 1 minute rest every 2 minutes. I wondered which effect would be stronger - the higher level of running (6:00 minute mile pace vs. 7:30 minute mile pace) or having 60 second rests after every 2 minutes of running. I also thought about my friend Christian who runs for 60 consecutive minutes at Level 10 with no rest - made me realize I have a LONG way to go.

On the other hand, this was a great workout for Rick and I, especially after our near 20 mile run yesterday. When training for the 5 minute mile last year we did sprint workouts where we ran at Level 10, 11, and 12 - usually running for a 1 minute and resting 1 minute - we might do this 5-6 times. Or we might do a couple where we would run for 2-3 minutes and rest for a minute but never more than 3-4 times. So looking back today and appreciating that we did 15 consecutive 2:00 minute sprints at a 6 minute mile pace with 60 second rests in between was a significant accomplishment. I wasn't sure how it would work out. I optimistically assumed we could do it and I was right. Rick commented afterwards that he felt like we could have continued on for a while longer - I agree with him. I want to think about which direction to go next for some of these longer treadmill runs - whether we should extend time, increase speed, reduce breaks, or pursue a combination of the three.

In case I'm misleading you into thinking that today was easy, let me make clear that it wasn't. Our shirts and my shoes were soaked with perspiration and there were times when we would have welcomed a break longer than 30 seconds - and certainly run segments of less than 2 minutes! Nonetheless we pushed through and achieved the goal we had set for ourselves.

Rick commented before we started that we would give it a try and that he would try to get at least half way through. I said, "Okay, we'll play it by ear and make adjustments if we need to." On the contrary, I was thinking, "We will do this." Rick is even tougher than he lets on and he is one of the last people that would give in on any physical endeavor. Even though this will be his first Leadville, I am very confident that he will finish strong - he has the grit, guts, and determination that are needed to battle this beast of a race. Plus he is training incredibly hard and will be ready for Leadville's challenges.

"You are better than you think you are and you can do more than you think you can" - Ken Chlouber - creator of the Leadville Trail 100. Soon, I'll post a beautiful framed picture of this quote a dear friend of mine embroidered for me in 2005 when I ran this race.  

As we continue trying new workouts and succeeding, I keep coming back to this quote. Chad Uhde ran nearly 20 miles yesterday, almost 7 more than he had ever run in his life. Rick Fountain questioned whether he'd be able to do 15 sets of what we did this morning, twice as many as he thought he might be able to. If we keep pushing and keep pressing, we will be pleasantly surprised at what we are able to accomplish!

Just came across this youtube video, Ken and Merilee speak to the history of the belt buckle as the prize sought after in finishing Leadville - hope you enjoy it!



Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 15, 2012

216 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Excellent day today. 3 hour run covered 19.9 miles. My back was feeling pretty good. It still is sore at times but did not bother me at all during the run. Rick Fountain, Chad Uhde, and I ran this morning. Chad's farthest run to date was 13.1 miles - today he beat it by 6.8 miles!  Pretty awesome. Chad started a blog the other day if you want to check it out  http://onthepositivesideofthingsornot.blogspot.com/ He had been wondering if a marathon was possible for him - he finished today knowing that he will complete one soon. As a matter of fact I'm convinced if we had the time, he could have run his first marathon today. His quadriceps were tired but given the pace he was running, I know he could have done it. We incorporated some brief walks on steeper hills into our runs today - wise move. It kept us energized and enabled us to run negative splits on the return portion of our out and backs.

As I reflect back on our training the last 6 months, we really have progressed a long way. Today's 3 hr run seemed pretty easy to be honest. It used to be that this was an exhausting run but since we've become accustomed to running 4, 5, and 6 hr runs, 3 doesn't seem too bad by comparison. I'm slightly concerned about the 2nd toe on my left foot - it seems to be getting a little sore on the longer runs. I may start wrapping some gauze around this toe to see if it makes a difference.

Kudos to Julie Soucinek for posting a 3:44:07 time at the Houston Marathon this morning :o) Impressive given that she had been feeling ill the past week. Julie is a strong, steady runner and clocked in consistent 8:20 - 8:25 miles for the first 20 miles. Way to go Julie!

This is Matt "The Hammer" Carpenter, the 2005 Leadville Trail 100 Winner and world record holder with a phenomenal time of 15 hrs and 42 minutes - a record that has not been closely challenged in the last 7 years. I have no plans to even get close to what Matt has accomplished but I and many others are in utter amazement as to how fast he ran this course. According to an article written about Matt, he claims to have run the entire race. Part of me doubts this as there was a stack of boulders to climb over and a 25 foot wide, 4 ft high creek to cross; however, I'm sure he ran most of this race because he was in amazingly great shape and is naturally gifted - resting heart rate of 38 beats per minute and a VO max of 91 - higher than Lance Armstrong. If you want to read more about Matt, check out this link    http://www.skyrunner.com/story/2005lt100.htm  It is humbling and inspiring to read about people like Matt.
Until my next post, have a great day!  DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 13, 2012

218 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Was hoping to do a little speedwork today but that isn't going to happen. My lower back tightened up in a big way around noon yesterday and I've been, for the most part, immobile for the past 20 hrs. I'm waiting for it to unlock - may need to get some Motrin - that usually works. Aleve and Ibuprofin aren't getting the job done. I don't think I have an injury - just a setback. Was thinking last night that if this happened during the race, I'm pretty sure I'd be finished. It's another reminder that a successful Leadville finish has three components:
1 - excellent physical preparation - train hard, train long, train up - well within my control
2 - mental toughness - it's all about attitude - being willing to push through when you are tired and when your body wants to give up - well within my control
3 - good luck - you need to have it on your side. many great runners, even those who have successfully finished Leadville in the past, sometimes don't finish Leadville due to a variety of reasons. The weather could be horrendous, one might sprain an ankle on the mountain, a severe muscle spasm might occur, and about 1001 other things I could mention.

This will stick with me forever and always humbles me when I think about Leadville.

Pam Reed is the amazing ultrarunner who was the first person to eclipse 300 consecutive miles. She has won numerous ultramarathons and just happened to be at Leadville in 2005. She did not finish the race that day. Does it mean I'm a better runner than her because I finished? No way! It means that she had a bad day - and that is always a very real possibility at Leadville that everyone going into needs to realize.

It is a great metaphor for life. Sometimes you can do everything you should do to prepare for something and it still doesn't work out. A football team calls the right play at the end of a game and a pass is perfectly delivered to a receiver who drops a ball he catches 99/100 times. No addtional preparation was required - the human element of being infallible just kicked in.

I will go into Leadville with confidence knowing that I've trained hard. I'll also be mentally strong, expecting the worst and expecting to overcome as many obstacles as the course will throw at me. But until I've crossed the finish line I know that something unexpected can crop up and I may not be able to overcome it. If that happens, life will continue and I'll move on to the next part of the journey.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP! 

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 12, 2012

219 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

These two individuals, Ken Chlouber and Merilee O'Neal/Mappin, are responsible for thousands of runners running thousands of miles in some of the toughest conditions you can imagine for a race. Ken worked for the Climax Molybdenum mine when it shut down in 1982, throwing most of the town out of work. He decided to increase tourism in Leadville by creating the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run. While Ken was the mastermind behind it all and is the public relations guy, Merilee is the loveable motherly figure behind it all, working behind the scenes and managing many of the details that are necessary to pull this off. She's also the one who gives you a great big hug when you cross the finish line at 100 miles - it's pretty awesome! After 27 years, Ken and Merilee sold the race to LifeTime Fitness in 2011. I have to admit, my heart sank when I heard this news because I love what they created and was fearful that the some of the special parts of the race might change. On the other hand, Ken and Merilee deserve a break from all their hard work and it may have been a good opportunity for them to benefit from all their effort. LifeTime Fitness is a progressive organization that is on the cutting edge of race technology and racing events so hopefully they will be able to make further improvements to the race (although it's quite awesome the way it's been running). LifeTime Fitness was really smart in keeping Ken and Merilee on in their same roles on race days so it still seems like old times in many respects. It will be a sad day when Ken and Merilee are no longer a part of the race but I know that day will come sometime.
One thing that really bummed me out was the change in race logos. The old logo....

has been replaced by the new one...

Obviously I don't like it but nobody consulted me on the decision so we pick up and move on.

Awesome, awesome workout today with Rick Fountain. Inspired by Christian Robbins' 1 hr workout on the treadmill at 10 mph, we decided to see if we could make an improvement over last week's 45 minute treadmill workout. We came up far short of what Christian does and I'm not sure that we will reach his level but I believe we will get closer over time.

1/2 mile warmup
60 minutes on treadmill
0 - 30 minutes - 7.9 mph
1 minute rest
31 - 60 minutes - 8.2 mph

Depending on your level of fitness this may not sound too difficult. Given my current level of fitness I found it to be quite challenging. I believe the hardest part occurred during the 10 - 30 minute time frame when I began feeling tired but had so much longer to go, and knowing that the last 30 minutes are at a level higher than the first 30 minutes. Sort of strange to tell you that the last 5 minutes were easy - they weren't actually - but mentally I felt so strong since we had 55 minutes in the books already.

The improvements over last week were significant...
1. we ran 15 minutes longer
2. we ran the last 30 minutes at 8.2, .2 higher than the 8.0 we did the previous week
3. we increased the speed for the 2nd half of the workout

We did step backwards in a couple of areas
1. we ran the first 30 minutes at 7.9 instead of 8.0
2. we took a 1 minute rest at 30 minutes

I do believe the tradeoffs were tilted toward a harder workout this week.

The feeling afterward was a great sense of accomplishment and feeling very proud that we had set a tough goal, fought through when it was tough, and knocked it out. This is exactly the type of attitude and experience that will carry us through Leadville when we hit our low points. 

Until next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 11, 2012

220 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

The map above describes the course for the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run. As you can see, it leaves west from the town of Leadville (10,200 feet) and winds around the beautiful and long Turquoise Lake. Once you reach the northwest corner of Turquoise Lake, you head 37 miles south through the mountain range, eventually arriving at the ghost town of Winfield. Then you turn around and head back to Leadville :o)

Stadium stairs workout this morning - Rick picked me up at 6 am and we were done around 7 am. Nothing of great note on this workout - we did 61 sets of stairs at a good pace. Rested briefly after each 10th set. This marks two days of hill training after the treadmill workout yesterday. Everything felt good.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 10, 2012

221 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

Race registration is closed! Those who were thinking about registering don't have to think anymore :o) Pretty cool that the toughest Leadville event closed out first. I haven't run any of the others but I can't imagine that any of the other races is more gratifying and painful... and frustrating.... and tiring....and crazier than this one!

2012 Leadville Race Series Schedule

Race	Race Dates	Registration Close	Register
LQS Austin Rattler 100	April 21	April 18	OPEN NOW
LQS Barn Burner 104	June 2	May 30	OPEN NOW
LQS Wilmington Whiteface 100	June 17	June 13	OPEN NOW
Leadville Trail 100 Run Training Camp	June 23-25	June 15	OPEN NOW
Leadville Trail Marathon	June 30	June 23	OPEN NOW
Leadville Trail Heavy Half Marathon	June 30	June 23	OPEN NOW
Leadville Trail 100 MTB Training Camp	July 5-8	TBD	OPEN SOON
Leadville Silver Rush 50 MTB	July 14	July 5	OPEN NOW
Leadville Silver Rush 50 Run	July 15	July 5	OPEN NOW
Silver King & Silver Queen	July 14-15	July 5	OPEN NOW
LQS Tahoe Trail 100	July 22	July 18	OPEN NOW
Leadville Trail 100 MTB	Aug 11	January 31	OPEN NOW
Leadville 10K Run	Aug 12	August 5	OPEN NOW
Leadville Trail 100 Run	Aug 18-19	CLOSED	CLOSED
Leadman & Leadwoman	Multiple Dates	January 31	OPEN NOW
LQS Alpine Odyssey 100	September 15	September 12	OPEN NOW

Isn't this beautiful? I would have appreciated the beauty of Turquoise Lake more during my 2005 run if it weren't for several obstacles. #1 - it was dark the first time I ran around it since it was at 5 am in the morning. #2 - I was dead tired the next time I ran around it about 25 hours later :o) The Leadville Trail 100 mile run course runs around the south and east sides of Turquoise Lake from  approximately miles 5-12 and miles 88-95 of the race. Once runners get around the north side of the lake, they begin to trek into the mountains you see behind the lake.

Great workout this morning! Following Mr. DeDoncker's advice on inclined power walking, Rick and I decided to ramp it up a little more (pun intended). It was hard but it was good - we could tell that we had improved from last week.

45 minutes total
0 - 39:00 incline 12, level 4.3, 75 seconds on, 15 seconds off
39:00 - 42:00 incline 15, level 4.3, 75 seconds on, 15 seconds off
42:00 - 45:00 incline 15, level 5.0, 75 seconds on, 15 seconds off

3 sets of 18 reps on bench press - 135 lbs.

A little scary on my last two sequences on the treadmill - my feet started to slip as the amount of perspiration I generated began to make the treadmill more slippery. I was tempted to grab onto the handlebar just in case but decided not to. Will have to think about how to handle this situation in the future.

I don't expect that every workout will be more difficult than the previous one but it does feel good to take it up a notch from the previous workout.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 9, 2012

222 days until the 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run...

I've been away from blogging for 3 days - not because I've taken the weekend off from working out - quite the contrary - had 2 great workouts, family activities, etc :o)

This is where it all begins and ends - the start (4 a.m.) at the corner of 6th St. and Main St. in Leadville, Colorado! 

Saturday started off at 4:30 a.m. with a run that totaled 33.5 miles. It was actually broken up into 4 legs to accommodate the people who joined up with us along the way. Attached are the links of the maps of what we ran. We finished at 10:46 a.m. and actual running time was 5 hrs and 46 minutes.

12.3 miles - 2 hrs - Aaron Maurer, Chad Uhde, Rick Fountain, John Byrne
http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/63573020/?new_route=1

5.4 miles - 1 hr - Aaron Maurer, Curt Johnston, Rick Fountain, John Byrne
http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/63339160/?new_route=1

5.2 miles - 1 hr - Curt Johnston, Rick Fountain, John Byrne

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/63339602/?new_route=1

10.6 miles - 2 hrs - Doug Himmelman (muling on bike), Rick Fountain, John Byrne

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/63340004/?new_route=1

This is the longest single day we have traversed since starting this training on September 1st. Legs were tired, as expected but we finished pretty strong considering the length of the run. It is interesting to note how the first 2 hr leg was 12.3 miles and the last two 2 hr legs were 10.6 and 10.6 miles. We did finish up a few minutes early on the final 2 hr leg and we had a couple longer walk breaks on the last two legs - it just goes to show how the body does fatigue the longer it goes on. There will probably be more severe drops than this when Leadville rolls around. I was very pleased that the there was an improvement from the 2nd leg to the 3rd leg.

Foolishly I didn't stretch much afterwards so I felt pretty tight the rest of the day - I learned my lesson. Rick and I confirmed plans for a leisurely 2 hour run Sunday at 7 a.m. :o)

Sunday morning run - approximately 12.5 miles - a little inexact as I don't remember exactly which farmhouse we turned around at but it's pretty close.

http://www.mapmyfitness.com/routes/view/63573020/?new_route=1

My legs were tight in the beginning but they loosened up after about 20 minutes. Today we decided to incorporate some power walking into the run when we hit steeper hills. I commented to Rick that we probably should have been doing this all along. Whatever mistakes are in the past should be left in the past and I should just look toward the future. I knew this from previous experience but my stubborness pushed the notion that "reprieve from running is a good thing" to the back of my mind for the past 5 months. Well, the results of periodically power walking the upper 1/3 to 1/2 of some steeper hills left us refreshed near the top of the hills, gave us a kickstart to start the next part of the run, helped us achieve a negative split of 4 minutes on the back half of our run, and made us feel less tired at the end of our run than in the past. I will try to remember this for all future long runs that we do. 

I have told a number of people about my sister Kim's experiences with marathons. Kim has developed an amazing attitude about living a healthy lifestyle - she loves to run and to stretch. She has run more marathon races in her life than I know I ever will. She's not motivated to beat others or to torture her body in her runs, she just likes to run and does an excellent job. She once told me that when she ran her first two marathons she refrained ran through the water stations so she wouldn't lose time. On her 3rd marathon she questioned her sanity, wondering, "Why am I not enjoying this race more and replenishing my body with needed fluids? It's not like I'm at the front of the pack setting out to win this race." So she stopped at every water station there was, walked a bit and drank water. The end result - she posted her fastest time ever. We often forget the body needs rest and nourishment. I need to keep this in mind as I continue training for this monstrous race.

Sunday night was a terrific night as I made contact with Christian Robbins - a friend I met at 2005 Leadville. Christian is an amazing runner, but more than that, he is an incredibly wonderful person. I am impressed with many of the quality people I have met through working out and particularly, with long distance running.

Christian DNF'd  (did not finish) at Leadville in 2004 - which was shocking considering that when I met him in 2005, he was incredibly strong and fit and blew away the course in less than 24 hours. He was a man on a mission in 2005 and was not to be denied. Since setting my 24 hr goal for Leadville, I've been wanting to reconnect with him to try to learn what he did during 2005 to go from not finishing to not just finishing, but finishing among the great runners. After trading a few emails and voicemails we finally connected last night on the phone. In answer to my question of "What do you attribute your success to?" he gave me some excellent advice - some of what I was expecting and some of what I wasn't expecting.

1. Setting a specific goal and training for it. Christian actually had a goal of sub 25 hours, which is what he needed to earn a gold belt buckle but the run was going well for him and his performance the first 60 miles put him on a new high that helped him fly the remaining 40 miles. I am locked in on 24 hours. It may or may not happen but it is what I want and I will use that as fuel to keep working hard to realize it.

2. Having a meaningful purpose for your goal. This means different things to different people. Whatever the purpose is, it better be meaningful enough to get you through the pain and difficulties you will inevitably encounter during this race. We'll find out on August 18th if my purpose is meaningful enough to get it done. I believe it is. I am very motivated by overcoming difficult obstacles and given the fact that I barely finished the last race in time, I think a sub 24 hour finish qualifies as overcoming a difficult obstacle. It also fits in nicely with what I am attempting to do with inspiring others through speaking and writing - that we are all capable of accomplishing the goals we set for ourselves in life.

3. Training with intensity, especially during workouts that are 1 hour or less. Christian has told me that he runs on a treadmill at 10 mph for 60 minutes! Whoa! I am very intimidated by that, but I know it is something that I should strive for. I have run for 45 minutes at 8 mph so it isn't unthinkable but will probably be something I need to work up to. He strongly believes that searing the lungs is a good thing. I am of the same mindset that the mental toughness that comes with continuing on when you are exhausted is very valuable - especially at Leadville when there are so many mind games that occur. Rick and I have done a lot of very intense training on the treadmill at 10-12 mph but usually in 30 - 150 second spurts. It is very difficult but 10 mph for 60 consecutive minutes is a whole different ballgame. I will incorporate intensity into future workouts.

Surprising to me was learning that Christian DNF'd after 5 consecutive successful Leadville finishes. When I asked him why, he commented that he didn't feel a strong sense of purpose like he had in the other years, plus the weather was lousy that year. He did say that he could have made it through the weather if he had chosen but wasn't feeling a strong sense of purpose. I will hang on to my sense of purpose and mission - which I feel is very strong at this point.

I am so glad I had the chance to talk to Christian last night - what an inspiration. I learned so much and look forward to continued conversation with him over the next eight months.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 6, 2012

225 days until 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run ...

The prize if I achieve my goal (actually I can still get this if I miss my goal but make it under 25 hours) - a gold belt buckle! Note the quarter in the bottom hand right corner - gives you an idea of the size of the belt buckle. There are people who actually wear them on a belt (I don't blame them) but I'm not sure I ever see this on one of my belts. If I bent over forward it would give me a stomach cramp!


So I didn't do any vigorous exercising yesterday and don't have any plans to do any today. I actually slept in the last two days - I'll be honest, I enjoyed it! Part of me is feeling like a slug and part of me says that some rest is good for the body. A big day planned for tomorrow with a 6 hr run - definitely should be well rested for it.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 4, 2012

227 days until 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run ...

This is a picture of the "Dig Deep" band I've worn on my wrist since the Leadville Training Camp in 2005 - actually I've been through a couple of them since they eventually wear out or break. In order to make it through Leadville, the founder, Ken Chlouber, says that you have to "Dig Deep". He promises that there will be a number of times during the race when you feel like you have nothing left and want to throw in the towel but warns "Don't you quit! Reach down a little deeper - you have more inside of you." Ken is absolutely right. I've discovered much wisdom and comfort in these words and have found them to be applicable to other areas of life.  

This morning did a stair workout at the Bettendorf High School Football stadium. 60 sets of stairs. I always like it in the morning when it is pitch black starting out and gradually the earth lights up as the sun begins to light up the sky. It is pretty amazing at how much the earth brightens up even when the sun is still below the horizon - and how quickly it seems to go from dark to light.

Planning on a 6 hr run on Saturday and a 2 hr run on Sunday. Saturday's schedule will include leaving from my house at 4452 Stone Haven Drive in Bettendorf at 4:30 a.m. If you are interested in joining us I would ask you to be at my house by 4:25 a.m. The plan will be to loop back to the house at 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. for those who might be interested in 1 or 2 loops instead of all three. I need to be done by 11 a.m. - my son Thomas has a basketball game at noon. 

The Sunday run will be a quick :o) 2 hr run - tentatively scheduled for 7 - 9 a.m. - starting location to be determined later. If you want to join us Sunday, let me know so I can make sure to tell you where we will begin - probably from my house, Rick's house in LeClaire or the Bettendorf YMCA. 

Thanks for those who have commented on the blog - you are inspiring me already!

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 3, 2012

228 days until 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run....

One of my New Year's resolutions is to learn to like getting up early in the morning to workout - I'm not there yet. Thank goodness for great workout partners like Rick Fountain to motivate me to get out of bed in the morning. I'm always glad after the workout - I guess I need to fast forward my mind when I'm still in bed. Anyway, I did rise at 4:40 a.m. to get over to meet Rick at the YMCA. Following the advice of my friend and fellow Leadville finisher John DeDoncker, we did an incline workout today - it was harder than I thought it would be.

39:30 on the treadmill

30 minutes - level 4.2, incline 12, on 50 seconds, off 10 seconds

rest 1 minute
5 minutes - level 4.2, incline 15, on 20 seconds, off 10 seconds

rest 1 minute

4 minutes 30 seconds - level 5.0, incline 15, on 30 seconds, off 15 seconds

We felt like racewalkers at level 5.0 - I don't think we could crank up the speed much higher without starting to run. It was kind of weird to do a workout without running but since there will be a lot of hiking and walking at Leadville, it was good to do this kind of workout.

On the right you can see the elevation profile of the Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run. There are 4 major mountain climbs that take place at approximately 20, 45, 55, and 80 miles into the race. The big mountain in the middle is Hope Pass, known by some as Hopeless Pass. It is long and steep and takes about 2 hours to climb. Sugarloaf Mountain is especially difficult on the way back, partly do the steepness of the backside but mostly due to the fact that it occurs at 80 miles. The picture posted is a little small to read the numbers but the low is 9,200 feet and the high is 12,600 feet. Hope Pass is 12,600 feet high and Sugarloaf Mountain is 11,200 feet high.

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!

Journey to Leadville - Byrne - January 2, 2012

229 days until 2012 Leadville Trail 100 Mile Run....

Welcome to my Leadville blog! I am excited to share with you the remaining part of my journey in preparing to run this incredible race on August 18-19, 2012. I've had my eye on running this race for more than a year and officially began preparing for Leadville on September 1st. I've run over 450 miles in the past 4 months and have much more in store for the next 8 months. I run stairs at the Bettendorf High School football stadium about once a week - more than 1000 times since September 1st.

I've been fortunate to have others train with me and look forward to introducing them to you in the future on this blog. Except for some out of town running when I was in Texas and Korea, + 95% of my training has been with my good friend Rick Fountain. Rick will be running his first Leadville in 2012 also. He is the best training partner a guy could ask for - he is willing to do anything, he never says 'no', and he is always encouraging and positive - quite impressive since most of our workouts start before 6 am.

I welcome any thoughts, advice, encouragement, and advice you may have along the way. The race is phenomenal; however, the journey is quite special too.

A few thoughts to share with you...
Goal - Run 2012 Leadville in less than 24 hours
Previous Attempt - 2005 Leadville - 29 hours 57 minutes 43 seconds
Obstacles - Altitude averaging + 11,000 feet; treacherous course, extreme weather conditions, exhaustion, dehydration, nausea, fatigue, pain
Assets - Most awesome race atmosphere in the world, great training buddies, inspiring race, experience of running this race before, family and friends will be there, stubborn as a mule
Expectation - Achieve my goal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Until my next post, have a great day! DIG DEEP!