Rock/Creek River Gorge Race Report

I don’t consider myself a runner, so against better judgement I decided to take on Chattanooga’s mountains and am probably a better man for the experience.

Trail running has a different language.  Registration, course maps, and time tables are much looser, almost like the routes themselves.  They sort of expect you to figure it out.

I had no hotel, no understanding of where packet pick up was, and absolutely no clue on where the race started.  It’s all about trusting that infinite sunshine will guide you to the right place.

And, you know, it works.

On Friday night, I followed my GPS to the packet pick up and landed at Whole Foods in North Chattanooga.  I sheepishly walked through produce, avoided the olive-bar temptation, then asked the information desk girl if she knew anything about the race.

She looked at me like I had slithered out of the Tennessee River.  “Sir, this is Whole Foods, what are you talking about?”

But I wasn’t as far off my rocker as she thought.

I had typed in Rock/Creek along with a strange address like North 2 or something like that and the GPS pin pointed to Whole Foods.  Little did I know, Rock/Creek isn’t a district or a creek called Rock Creek, it is the name of the outdoor store sponsoring the race!

Anyway, registration was two doors down and I got there just in time to hear, “Yeah, they were here but just left 10 minutes ago.”  It was from 4 – 7 and I got there at 7:10.  So much for loose and laid back trail running!

The employees were super cool and gave me some ideas for rooms, one being the Crash Pad, which I had heard a lot about.  Curiosity got the best of me, so I drove into town and plunked $30 on table for the top of a bunk bed.

Essentially, the Crash Pad is a boutique hostel built for endurance athletes, climbers, and general outdoor enthusiasts.  It was very clean, had great amenities, and oozed that Chattanooga-laid-back-hipster vibe.  I’d highly recommend it to anyone who doesn’t have sleeping disorders like me.

I woke up at 6:30, had a bagel with peanut butter, and prayed my printed directions would get me to the race.

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While driving up up the mountain, I noticed my gas tank was on “e” which is always nice.  As I turned into the Prentice Cooper State Forest, the first thing I saw was a mobile home with seven pickup trucks in the driveway.  Then I barreled by a Big Game Hunting check-in station, followed by a shooting range and deer crossing signs . . . all of which put my mind at ease.

The bumpy gravel gave way to a smooth dirt and I flowed through the dust left by the Subaru wagon in front of me.  Empty pine trees lined the road, trying to come back to life as I glanced at the 4X4 truck in my rear view mirror.

The sun rose to my left, but it felt like I was driving north.  I had no comprehension of direction, but was on top of a mountain, and that’s always a good place to start.

It was a cold sun and I sacrificed fuel for heat, sitting in my car as long as I could before walking up the road for a 10-mile race on 3 hours sleep.  I told myself I would take it easy, as if this was possible in mountainous terrain.

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The race began on a gravel road with a short climb to get your blood pumping.  The road turned left and was downhill-ish for the next mile or so.  I feared I wasn’t ready for this run, so I started in the middle and let people pass me for a while.

Once we hit the single track, I was overwhelmed by the serenity of the setting.  I had one eye on the trail and one on the stunning scenery of the valley to my left.  The sun rose over the mountains and the river flowed peacefully below.  I think you’d be hard pressed to find a more beautiful place.

The course was easy to follow, even for a rookie like myself, but it was a continual challenge of climbs and descents, both of which taxed my untrained legs.  I walked a lot of the steep uphills and probably walked 2 miles in all.

There was a particularly ridiculous ascent around mile 7 that led to an aid station.  I refilled my water bottle, took a deep breath, and kept walking.  It was more like hiking at this point, and I knew my 1:45 goal was toast.  (I finished around 1:57).

The rolling single tracks continued and were paved with roots, and rocks.  At one point there were A LOT of rocks, and I thought I was crossing the infamous “Rock Garden,” but it was yet to come – and there was no mistaking it when it did.

By the time I hit the Rock Garden (around mile 8.5) my biggest concern was injury.  My legs were fried and it was literally climbing up and down loose boulders.  I’m sure some of the elite runners “ran” this section, but I tip toed with my eye out for little yellow directional flags.

For the last 3 or 4 miles I was running “with” a woman and we took turns leading each other’s pace.  At one point she fell and wrenched her ankle.  I stopped and made sure she was okay.  She was, and toughed it out.  It was a team effort of sorts, and while we didn’t speak more than a couple words, I felt that special running bond emerging.

Over the last mile, I found a boost of energy and pulled away, but decided I would wait for her at the finish line for a glorious high-five that would commence our tandem struggle through the brutal terrain.  War comrades celebrating joint victory.  I stood at the finish line looking for her baby-blue shirt, confident it would be a reunion for the ages.  A few minutes later she emerged from the tangled nature.  I stood proud, put on my best “great-job-smile” and waited for that powerful hand slap.  She ran up to the line in pain, looked in my eyes, then walked right past me and gave my high-five to some other guy.

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P.S. This Gu drink is amazing and I will gladly be one of their endorsed athletes.  For some reason I wasn’t very sore the next day and I am loosely giving credit to two post-race water bottles of this New Pomegranate/Blueberry Gu Brew.

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Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race Awaits

I joined Nashville Running Company’s trail running group in January and ran with them twice.  Now I am officially unprepared and a day away from tangling with the beast.

The Rock/Creek River Gorge Trail Race in Chattanooga is “only” 10.2 miles, but the terrain is a little dicy as shown in this video.

I’m not scared, but this 10.2 miles is supposed to be as much effort as a 1/2 marathon and I haven’t run more than 8 miles since Ironman Louisville (if you want to call that running). Adding insult to insecurity is the fact that I ran “The Nasty” (6 miles) two days ago as “a test” of my running fitness, and am still  little sore.

As I sit in my coffee-shop-office a day before the race, 90% of the bones in my body are telling me not to do it.

“It will hurt.”

“You might get injured.”

“Why kill yourself when you could relax all day and wait for your Badgers to roll Arizona in the Elite 8?”

All of these excuses flood my vulnerable brain and I know that is exactly the time I shouldn’t listen.  Steven Pressfield calls it “resistance” and it can take over your life if you let it.

I like to use the triathlon “transition analogy” to battle these moments of non-commitment.  It’s hard to be in a bike-state-of-mind and “want” to go running, but 90% of that fight is just taking the steps.  Eventually you adjust and forget about the bike.

In this case, the transition will be from a warm and cozy bed to a cold and lonely mountain. Talk about blasting through your comfort zone.  And when you boil it down, I think that’s what growth and life are all about.

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Back to the Trails

Here’s a little video I made this morning on our trail run.  Yes, I was smelling the roses/snow and really enjoyed it (there will be a post about this later).

This was our third weekend (of 10) for trail training and we’ll hit seven more parks in Tennessee before it’s done.

I’m using a new edit/conversion system, so make sure you up the quality to HD . . . much better.  Oh, and be sure to stop by Nashville Running Company for all your trail running needs.

Running the Katy Trail in Dallas

I have taken Thanksgiving nutrition to new heights this week.  The tally is bordering on embarrassing, including 654 cookies and absurd amounts of peppermint chocolate covered pretzels.  BUT, I’ve slept like a rock.

Yesterday, my sister tricked me into doing hot power yoga and it blew my doors off.  The last time I did power yoga I quit, not only yoga, but all forms of activity for a year, and frankly, it may have been the start of my fitness downslide.

Power yoga is no joke!  Especially if you’re not in shape.  Luckily, I took my off-season-modertation-mind into the dojo and spent a lot of the time in fetal, er, uh, child’s pose.  It was tough but I felt fine this morning, even after an intense bowling competition with my family last night.

Speaking of which, what the hell has happened to bowling alleys?  Last time I bowled Aerosmith was on the juke box and there was one small TV in the bar.  This place was like Studio 54!  It was so dark I could barely see the lanes and “Baby Got Back” Remix videos thundered right over my 10-pin target.  How’s a red-blooded blogger supposed to focus on the bowling pocket with Britney Spears “Work Bitch” in his periphery??

Anyway, it was a bad night on the lanes, but I woke up fresh and determined to run in Dallas. There were several intriguing options, but I opted for Katy Trail, the 3.5 mile path that gives you a taste of downtown.  The trail itself also has a Board of Directors, so I was sure it would pay dividends.

It’s a beautiful day with perfect running conditions and I parked next to the trail in Highland Park and headed downtown.  I’ve heard Troy Aikman frequents Katy Trail, but he obviously wanted no part of my pace.

It was a pleasant trek that covered 7 miles under tree covered shade and passed several places I would love to live and hang out including that BBQ joint I hit last time in town.

Oddly, I didn’t think about much on the run other than form and my latest focus is perfectly timed turnover that includes complete synch with my arms.  It’s about the same thing I think about in the water.  I just listen for the feet to keep hitting on time like a drummer and using momentum more than muscle.  Whenever it feels hard, I “think light.”  It’s not about pushing off as much as it is picking up.  Pick em up and put em down.  Oh, and trusting that you can keep it up.

Tomorrow I’ll be back in the car with my dog driving to Nashville.  Nearly 12 hours of meditation time that will allow me to simulate Ironman Chattanooga in my head from start to finish.  Wish me luck.

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Katy Trail in Dallas
Katy Trail in Dallas

 

How I'm Handling the Off Season

I’ve always felt that life is about balance and finding vitality, but it’s really hard to achieve and seems to be getting worse.  Social media is a continual stream of “look at me and all the awesome stuff I’m doing,” but someone’s public feed rarely tells the whole story.

So, I am trying to take it all with a grain of salt (I should probably not go on Facebook as much) and stay focused on the right plan for me.  And that right plan is to strengthen my frame, or as my coach says, “Rebuild the chassis.”

I’ve been walking a lot, doing yoga, weight training, a bit of swimming and a little running. The trouble with doing a “little” (especially when combined with the societal pressure) is that omnipresent fear that you’re not doing enough.

Yesterday, I just sort of had to get a grip on my current status.  So, after a four mile walk with my dog, I put on the watch and hit the trails for a run.

The goal wasn’t to go fast, I just wanted to see if I could do around 8 miles without struggling.  And, after walking Mattie through the scenery, it was hard to resist.

Shelby Bottoms Trails

I took off with my sights on 10-minute-miles and stayed pretty close to that as I blazed these gorgeous trails and mixed in a few short stretches on the connecting blacktop.  I decided that will actually be part of my new strategy.  I much prefer the cushion and serenity of dirt and grass, but it is a noticeable impact difference on pavement, so I don’t want to run away from it completely.

I don’t want to proclaim it was an easy run, but it kind of was.  My hips got a little tight by the end, but the real payoff was that I actually felt refreshed as I sat around watching my Badgers demoralize the state of Nebraska.

My tendency to push too hard beats me up, and this is the exact opposite of my plan.

In my case, “what I am training for” will be measured by my time at Ironman Chattanooga, and while it is still 10 months away, I don’t want to miss my opportunity to use this off season to my fullest.  That opportunity is building slowly so I am not battling injury next season.  Yesterday’s run was a great example of how I can go for a decent distance (1:15) and not strain my achilles, IT band, or ankles.

I don’t really even feel like I ran yesterday, and I kinda think that’s the point.  It reminds me of something a martial arts instructor told me once while I was complaining about being tired all the time.  He said, “Exercise is supposed to give you energy, not take it away.”  I try not to forget that, but often do.

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Sunday – 10 Things I Thought About On My Run

1.  The first step is always the hardest.

2.  No matter how hard I try, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the taste of bugs.

3.  Whenever I see someone walking alone in the dark on the Greenway I start talking to myself so they think I’m crazy.

4.  I love lesbians.

5.  Running hills is where it’s at.

6.  Cyclists that hammer down on bike paths are smarmy.

7.  I much prefer the sound of that quiet little bell over a screaming “passing on your left!”

8.  Just one time I wish I could remember that dog at the end of the street will bark and scare the shit out of me.

9.  Sometimes I miss my skateboard.

10.  Running in this Wisconsin Boxing t-shirt kinda made me feel like a badass.

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UWBoxing

10 Things I Thought About on My Run Tonight

1.  I wonder if all runners go through the same cycle:  Obsessed with knowing everything about running, obsessed about their times and pace, loving running because it’s free and feels good.

2.  Why don’t all runners smile, wave, or say hi to each other?

3.  Is patriotism a necessary evil in the wide scope of humanity?

4.  I really wish I would have changed my socks halfway through the marathon at Ironman Louisville.

5.  Are non-English speaking citizens lonely, or happier than most because they have a small and tight circle of people they trust?

6.  What do dogs think runners are?

7.  Are we really meant to be with one person forever?

8.  I can’t wait to get back into the pool.

9.  Running doesn’t have to be that hard.

10.  It’s amazing how fast you can get out of shape after an Ironman.

The Most Beautiful Run Ever?

Lake Geneva TrailI’ve been recuperating.  My first Ironman had me floating for a few weeks, this one dragged me through the mud.

A 350 meter swim was the only exercise I’ve had since the race . . . until today.

I’m in Wisconsin, and will be on the sidelines with my video camera for Ironman if anyone is looking.  But today, I’m in Lake Geneva, potentially the best kept secret in the US.

It is absolutely beautiful and allegedly Al Capone’s weekend getaway spot.  The homes on this lake are absolutely breathtaking and there is a public trail that runs through the backyard of each right along the lake.

I found out the trail, which goes the entire way around the lake is 21 miles long.  There was a part of me (a very small part) that considered ripping off the whole deal, but part of the reason I came here was to get back in touch with moderation.  I opted for about 5 miles.

Surprisingly, my legs felt alive as they glided across the crushed cinder, grass, dirt, and stone.  There is ample shade, and nice little hills to keep you honest.  There are roots and single tracks with overhanging trees, then perfectly manicured lawns that beg you to take off your shoes.image_5

Let me tell you, this is one of those trails that screams, “Keep going!”  Every corner offers a surprise and a stunning view of this picturesque lake.  I simply can’t remember a more beautiful run in all of my runs.  I may have to come back tomorrow.image

If you’re convinced and have a couple million laying around, I’ve done some leg work for you.

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I Am A Runner

It’s been 12 days since I went after 11 miles and my Achilles was so sore I couldn’t walk.  Tonight after a short bike ride I decided to give running a shot again.

It’s a weird feeling when you’re off for a while.  You lose almost every ounce of confidence.  I really almost thought that I’d forgotten how to run, and was sure my ankles would be mush.

So, before I went outside I went through a series of self-suggestion exercises convincing myself that I am a runner.  In the past I have declared that “I am NOT a runner,” but this shit is getting serious and I have to get my head straight within three weeks.

I said it over and over out loud.  “I am a runner.”  “I am a runner.”  “I am a runner.”

My dog was looking at my like she thought I was crazy, so I started telling her, too.

“Mattie, I am a runner . . .”  “Daddy is a runner!”

She wagged her tail in that sort of half-happy/half-confused kind of way, then I through her a treat.

I slowly opened the door, gingerly went down the steps, hit my watch and started to jog.

I swear, every time I run I forget that the first mile is just going to feel weird.  And it did and I kinda panicked.

“Shit, I’m screwed.  How will I ever run a marathon?”

But I kept on, and while my plantar fasciitis hurt, my Achilles seemed fine.  After a mile, it started feeling pretty good.  Then I started feeling a different pain in the top of my foot and just started laughing.

Like we have to do, I fought through it and by the time I hit my 20 minute goal I was nice and warm and relatively pain free.

So, I guess I’m in a running mood tonight . . . and why not, “I am a runner.”

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Here’s a video I shot for the Middle Half Marathon in Murfreesboro.  It turned out pretty good and has a couple shots of Canadian badass Lanni Marchant.

 

Crushing Iron in the Huffington Post

I wouldn’t call this totally legit, but it’s a start.  A few weeks ago I was contacted by Sarah Richards who was writing an article on how exercise can help you deal with grief.  It was a random connection, but as it turned out, I had just come back from a friend’s funeral, so the topic was brutally close to my heart.  Sarah’s line of questions drummed up a difficult run I’d experienced just after I heard about my friend’s passing and it really made me think.  Her excellent article, “Sweating Out The Sadness,” was posted in the Daily Burn, and now picked up by the Huffington Post.

Somewhere in my archives there is a half-written post about my friend, but it has been difficult to finish.  He was simply a great person and our connection was amplified because we were both athletes that followed our artistic muses later in life.  I hope to have that for you soon.  RIP, buddy.

mikegil