Day 0

As I start a new training cycle today, I'm approaching it from the standpoint of the six million dollar man (we can rebuild him, stronger, faster, you get the drift). This day is a long time coming but it came to the top of the list somewhere around mile 16 of the Fargo marathon. Until that point my training had been "good enough" definitely not setting a PR but I'm going to finish with an alright time. I had nestled myself in the 8:12 min/mile pacing group, laughing and chatting with the others that were also part of that pack. But then the all too familiar pings of muscle cramps started to hit and over the next ten miles the frequency and intensity of them intensified to where I was hobbling along in between cramps. 

This is where I started to question everything, the intensity of my training, my "good enough" attitude towards train, how I fueled myself, and even why I was pushing myself like this. I hobbled across the finish line with a "good enough" time but I was left unsatisfied. After a fun afternoon recovering with goods friends, I left Fargo with the same questions that I had during the race and a long drive to answer them. What I found is that I push myself because I really love to run and it has given me so much that I don't think I could ever walk away from it. I'm driven enough that this good enough training is no long enough. I have been given a gift and for me to waste it being just average is no longer an option. So I have gone back to a training method that is pretty intense even for my standards, I scheduled time with a nutritionist friend to go over my diet and race fueling. Not to drone on but this next race I am going for it all this is my moonshot.

So I'm going to return to blogging so I can share with you my trials and tribulations on and off the training path as I rebuild this racer to a six million dollar form. Stay tuned for weekly blogs and please cheer me on!

Wait, what?!?

So in some recent downtime I figured it was a great time for a checkup, "get the oil changed and the tires rotated" on this old dog. In order to meet some insurance goals I had to get my cholesterol checked, no big deal I'm a runner right? As my doctor had told me during my checkup "you're healthy as a horse" I figured I had nothing to worry about. I chuckled a little bit as the nurse commented on my runner's heart rate and went on my way for the day not expecting anything noteworthy to come out of this visit.

And then it happened...

The office nurse called me shortly thereafter with some startling news, my cholesterol was quite high.

How was that possible?? I'm a runner I tell myself I should be able to power through a mountain of cheeseburgers in a single bound right? Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong.

In all of my training I had convinced myself that I could pretty much eat at will. I mean I run marathons doesn't that qualify me for immortality or something?

And just like that a light bulb went on, if I have to work harder to pump blood through me there is no way that can be good for my running efficiency and heaven forbid it might make me slower. So I did a deep dive on what changes and additions I can make to improve this situation without medicine.  I started keeping track of what goes in the fuel tank on this marathon machine and if nothing else it becomes way more real when you enter in how much you put away. I've found some fun new additions to the diet, ghiradelli dark chocolate chips are kind of fun, box Cabernet Sauvignon  is not nearly as ridiculous as it looks, and Metamucil tastes a lot like tang but just thicker, like oatmeal. 

So I'll go back in six months and we'll check the oil again and see if I've made any improvements or not but one thing is for sure I'm not going to take this lying down. I will fight to continue to improve my health, a bad test result is just the "coal" I need to start a fire.

On your marks!!

So as I crossed the finish line of last weekend's race, I was reminded of why I love this sport. The feeling of a runners' high is a real thing and the months of planning and training is the price that you pay for it. But quite honestly not many things top it in my world.

Long before the rubber hits the road so to speak planning for the race begins. The first question I have to ask is "Why?" does this race fit my plan, is it a destination I want to go to, or does it just have really good swag (which has convinced me more than once to run a certain St. Patrick's themed race)? Next question, how does it fit in the family schedule? Before I can commit to a race no less than 6 calendars have to confirm that date is free. Lastly, but certainly not least the entrance fee, I like to register early (mostly ocd related) but you usually get the best deals by doing so.  And with a click of the mouse button I'm locked in, all in on this race. After that initial panic attack of "what did I just commit to!!!!" the easy part begins, the training. Racing I believe is all the summation of what you put into training, if you slough off during training, expect to miss your goal simple as that. My goals for this last race were simple and I put in an effort in my training plan to reflect that. I ended last years racing season with an injury and a lack of confidence. But my off season work sharpened my focus and put me in a great spot to build from.

Pre race evening: ugh this is where I go over and over my race day gear, make sure I have everything possible, where am I parking, what am I wearing, which shoes are "up" in the rotation for this race? Over the years I actually have come up with a checklist of what I need to avoid any undue stress. I double check the race itinerary, consult google on travel time, adjust my morning schedule accordingly, and scurry off to rest.

Although I slept like a kid before the last day of school, I can't focus on that come race day morning. A cup of coffee and two slices of peanut butter bread and I'm out the door. Off to the next race, to test my preparation and planning, less to see how I stack up against other runners but how I do against myself.

I'll save the details of the race for another day but it goes off as expected, my performance reflected my training and gives me a baseline to start planning for the next challenge. But as I cross the finish line and get the finishers swag, the euphoria of finishing this latest challenge reminds me why I love racing and why I dedicate this much of my life to it.        

The starting line

This wasn't supposed to start off this way, my first notion of why I wanted to start a company blog was not what is on my mind and heart today. I had envisioned discussing the joys of grinding out miles or how hard it is to roll out  of bed on weekend morning to run in snow. How Brooks Launch are the greatest shoes ever made or how a fartlek is ridiculous to an engineering mind.

But as I started off this morning's run, my heart and mind were on deeper subjects. As I ground out miles I could care less where my heart rate was at and if I could carry on a conversation (or sing the brady bunch theme) at this pace. I was trying to shed my own head trash, as I push myself through those miles it helps me burn off the negative thoughts that weigh me down. I'm not saying that it is for everyone mind you but it is my therapy at times.

I found myself wondering what kind of condolences could I give to those hurting around me. I've often quoted Johnny Cash in that "I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back, 'till things are brighter, I'm the man in black," but I'm not sure I could bear the load that some close to me will have to carry. What do I have to offer that can ease their suffering??

But as I push on, my watch buzzes alerting me of my last mile split, "gotta pick it up that last mile was slow.."  I tell myself and as my pace quickens the darkness both inside and out slowly begins to fade away. The harder I push myself the lighter my spirit feels, washed away clean in a baptism of sweat.

Maybe I don't have the answers to fix everything but I do know that if you are of the mindset and a pair of sneakers. I can offer you an opportunity to lighten your mind on an open stretch of road.