Overnight habit changes? – When it goes from cool to hot it’s like we’re creating a new habit. Take it slow and let your body get used to the changes.
Deceptive mornings – When you look outside you may see a perfect, cloudy morning, but beware of humidity and dew point, even if the temperature looks nice.
Wrapping your mind around Dew Point – Essentially, the higher the dew point, the harder it will be to breathe.
Getting in shape and acclimating at once – A lot of times people will be cruising in the spring, then turn it up as it gets hot to get ready for a late season race. So, in essence, you’re trying to “get in shape” at the toughest time of the year.
Chasing paces – This is not a time to chase your normal “perfect weather pace” while training, especially on intervals. If anything, slow down your warm up and realistically lower your interval goals.
“I’m losing my fitness” – Just because you’re slower and having a tough time in the heat doesn’t mean you’re losing your fitness. Let yourself adapt and be patient.
So much water in air it’s harder to get oxygen – This is more or less what’s going on with high humidity and dew points.
Keeping ego in check – Can you get your ego in a place to realize training in heat is an exercise of long term building?
Your pace could be 1:30 slower! – Look at some of the charts on effect of running in the heat. It’s amazing, really, how some say that a 30 degree temperature difference can increase your typical pace by 20%!
How your body protects itself – If the body is under fueled or hydrated, it will take care of itself naturally. Listen to your body.
Why Starky probably won’t win Kona
Body weight, fat, and heat – The bigger you are, the more muscle you have to fuel, the tougher running in heat will be. This is the same with fat, which is why lean athletes typically perform better in the heat.
How to be a better athlete in the heat – Prepare not only day of, but days before for big runs or rides. It’s these “easy training sessions” that we ignore that will add up.
Core temp and acclimation – Whether training or racing, we want to keep the core temp down from the START. If you go out too hard and begin to overheat, you will not be able to get your core temperature under control.
Benefits of training in the heat – Heat training has so many benefits and it’s probably the best way to train for elevation if you don’t live near mountains but will race in them.
What you should do BEFORE a hot run – Hydrate . . . and not only the morning of. Stay ahead of hydration and keep it topped off.
Perceived exertion while carrying fuel – Any extra weight will make running more difficult, including carrying water/fuel. But the trade off is well worth it. Just adjust, and slow down. The benefits are still happening even if you’re not going as fast as you’d like.
How going rogue makes you pay – If you dig too deep of a hole, you will have a lot of bad workouts and getting back to your baseline will be an ongoing struggle.
What to eat and drink after you run, especially in heat – You have to replenish. It’s very easy to get distracted after a workout, but your body needs to re-hydrate and fuel. Get your carbs in after a workout.
This is how we do it . . . it’s Wednesday night . . . Party people on the westside throw your hands in the air. Or however that song goes. . . we start camp on Wednesday night.
It’s always interesting meeting everyone at Robbie’s the first night because even though I’ve been there multiple times it is one of those new and really tricky neighborhoods that I cannot navigate on memory (which you will see later is extremely rare later in this report). There are usually about 15 or so people waiting when I walk through the door where a Facebook-meets-real-life explosion typically goes off in my head. It’s like I sorta know everyone but not really, and really do know some people but it’s been a while, so I’m not sure if I’ve said something dumb on the podcast they’ve been waiting to confront me about for months. Ahh, the perils of internet-street-level fame.
As I move deeper into Robbie and Allie’s inner sanctum, people are usually face first in what always seems to be the perfect dinner for everyone. It’s a simple, yet jazzy fare that could easily roll as a vegan delight, or be quickly hopped up with side chicken for meat eaters. The salad/meat combo does really well for gluten sensitive campers and if we’re lucky, someone will bring huge cookies or cake for dessert. Of course everyone drinks their personalized liquid direct from water bottles.
After dinner, Coach Robbie takes the stage as we sit around on every chair they can find and jam into his living room. As you can see to the left, I’ve yet to figure out a perfect angle for a group picture, but I’m getting close.
We then go around the room with simple introductions and everyone says what they’re hoping to get from camp. Robbie goes through the camp plan and potential changes with any looming weather. This is usually when Hayden gets a little unruly and wants to spend more time with daddy forcing Allie to scramble for toys or another toddler diversion, including a trip upstairs through 3 or 4 campers as she navigates the staircase.
This entire opening night takes about two hours and we’re are typically back at our lodging (home in my case) before 9.
THURSDAY
I have extreme pre-race sleep anxiety. Anytime my alarm is set with a “4” at the beginning, that pretty much means I will not be falling asleep that night; and typically the night before camp starts is no exception. The weather threatened our first morning at the lake, so we shifted gears and went to Boost Fitness for a pool session. Said session was to begin at 6 am. Said session is also 30 minutes from my house, so said alarm was set for 4:45.
Around midnight I was really regretting not pounding some type of melatonin. I “think” I dosed off for a while around 1:00 but was up at 2 and this process lasted until I heard one of my weekend roommates up making coffee around 4:15. It was over. I hit snooze once and put on my sleepless-morning-happy-face, but knew that I would not be swimming one stroke that morning. I’m not in the best swim shape and swimming without sleep could have ruined me for a couple days. Instead I focused on getting cool video of cool people swimming at 6 am.
After a couple hours in the pool and some awesome personal instruction, we went for a light breakfast at LePeep in Belle Meade, which is the old-Nashville-money part of town. We immediately snagged 5 prime tables, clearly frustrating several people in tassle loafers and shawls. Not to be distracted, the sweaty and famished triathletes went to town on their post-swim meals. I sat with Erika, Jessica and Katie, the Richmond Crew. I’ve known Erika for a while, but it was the first time to chat with the other girls and let me tell you, they are hilarious if not edgy sarcastic.
This is where I’m usually reminded of how cool the people are that come to camp. The first night is a little about nerves and meeting new people. The first workout is acclimating and getting over wearing tight clothes in front of said new people. The post breakfast is where the true triathlon athlete spirit and unabashed hunger comes out. People will plow down anything right in front of anyone (including little old ladies sipping tea) which, if you think about it, is a very personal moment. We seem to cross a threshold at this point and from there on, the guards are down.
The next session was at Percy Warner Park, easily one of the most beautiful, yet daunting running venues in Nashville. It’s nestled at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard (think Thurston Howell III and his wife Lovey) and retains a certain kind of elegance even when it’s muggy and drizzly like it was this morning. The assignment? Run for an hour and thirty minutes.
The route we take is called “The 5.8” and it’s 5.8 hilly ass miles. You start going straight up for about the first mile, before finding some relief on flats and downhills that eventually drop you into Deep Wells. It was foggy and misty and absolutely stunning in a cinematic sort of way and I was really regretting not shooting video instead of running. But, I’ve been on a little roll with the run and it’s very hard for me to pass on Percy Warner Park.
The problem with Deep Wells is “It Is Deep” ie… at the bottom, which can only mean one thing. It’s time to climb again. And we did. Mile 3 is an absolute torture device that never seems to end. Up straight, up right, up left, up right . . . and even though I’ve run this track dozens of times, for some reason I always think that’s the last hill. It never is.
There are about 5 more, in fact, most manageable, but one is kind of a bitch. By the time you get to mile 5 (these are all rough estimates so please do no put them in your Garmin and hold my feet to the fire after you run it at camp) it’s all down hill, but the first 1/2 of that mile is Quad Buster Central. Early in my running life, this was the section that gave me a not so pleasant, but firm introduction to my IT bands. The last half mile is also downhill, but at a perfect grade for running and a welcome way to bring it back to the car.
But wait . . . that was only about an hour. There’s still 30 minutes to go.
Instead of retracing the course, I opted for a few more miles on the flat-ish Belle Meade Boulevard. Aside from its pretentious nature, it is a great way to look at big houses and wonder why and the hell you didn’t end up living in a mansion like that, which I did wonder about and pin pointed the reason to the time when I had a nice mutual fun started out of college but decided to pull all the money out and travel around partying in Florida. But, anyway, that’s neither here nor there, just a point I thought I would get into the open for therapeutic benefit.
I think that, for some reason, not living in one of those mansions made me want to prove something, so as I re-entered the park, I ran directly at the stairs. As I did, I was saying strange things like, “uh oh,” and “look out!” to anyone who would listen. Instead of going back to the cars, I scaled the Roman-Ruin-Like staircase and ascended to the heavens. I felt surprisingly strong as I screamed back, “Who’s with me!” and “Let’s Do it!” I’m pretty sure no one even acknowledged me or thought I was losing my mind so I barreled up the steps alone, with no mansion to speak of, but possibly a greater reward waiting at the top.
Well, I can assure you there was no such award, and the ease of my glide turned into cement filled shoes about 100 steps from the top. But . . . I made it . . . and . . . I put my hands in the air and looked down upon those mansions like I was now in control. But I wasn’t. I was just a sweaty guy at the top of a staircase with no mansion.
Despite two tough challenges right out of the gate, spirits were high. We even had a few campers finish loop one, then turn around to run it in reverse. Let me tell you, that is no picnic. One loop is around 600 feet of elevation on its own, so logic would tell you that two loops would be around twice that, but only God and the two-loopers’-hamstrings know the real truth.
It was super humid and Coach Robbie gathered all the soaking wet runners for the next day’s instructions. “In the morning, we’ll hit the lake first, then . . . “The Lab.”
But before tomorrow, it was a short session on Strength and Mobility from our friends over at Innate Performance. Steven and Louisa have both run and coached Division I cross country. Steven ran through some great exercises to keep the hip flexors loose and said most endurance athletes aren’t over-trained, they are under-recovered. With that he went through ways to recover properly and gave us his top three: Sleep, mobility, and nutrition. That’s when Louisa gave campers some top line nutrition strategies to stay on top of this crazy game we call triathlon.
Great session, but now it’s around 3:30 and getting back to the East Side was going to be a nightmare. My roommates punched my address into Google Maps, but I calmly said, “I’ll take this one, boys,” and led them on a perfectly executed re-route that not only saved us time, it allowed for a concise exploration of the fascinating explosion we affectionately call downtown Nashville. The guys were very impressed with my navigation.
Around 5 o’clock, reminiscent of senior citizens, my house guests, Chuck, Ross, and Jason started getting cranky for food. I quickly put on my post-afternoon-nap-happy-face and we jumped in the car for a trendy little Mexican joint called RosePepper. I’d like to say we got wild and met a lot of crazy hipsters that showed us the nightlife around East Nashville, but instead we debated the reasons why Nashville is home for so many bachelorette parties why people don’t fall off the shelf more often at Top Golf.
We got home around 8:00 and I was ready to yuck it up with my new sorta college buddy roommates, but these guys were all business. After about 30 minutes of watching baseball, we all went to bed and I listened to old episodes of the Crushing Iron podcast to put me to sleep . . . but it didn’t work. In fact, I found them captivating, inspirational, and extremely motivating. I could not wait to get to the lake in the morning and shoot more video of people working their ass off!
To be continued . . .
Attitude is King – Camp ReCap Podcast
Have you been thinking about an Ironman, half or any kind of triathlon, but don’t know how to start, please consider us for coaching. We’ve been through most every situation regarding this sport, including starting from scratch. We’ve also taken athletes from their “stuck point” and helped get them on the Ironman podium. We love working with beginners and athletes that want to push it to the next level. Check out our coaching page for more information, including philosophy and pricing.
All 170 podcast can be found on iTunes or on our podcast page.
You can always support The Crushing Iron podcast by making a small pledge here.
As many of you saw on Facebook Live Friday June 5th at Noon CST, I have decided to once again tackle Ironman Louisville this year. It’s the second year in a row I will be running past Churchill Downs and the third time overall.
(If you can’t see the Facebook link, please join our closed group by searching “Crushing Iron Group”)
This race has had my number.
The first time was back in the August days and Coach Robbie and I experienced the wrath of running an Ironman marathon in 98 degree heat with no shade. It nearly broke my soul, but I finished in what is my slowest Ironman time to date.
Last year it was in October and nearly a polar opposite experience. From the opening cannon the wind was fierce and I remember looking at the river on the last few miles of that bike and seeing white caps. It was also “cold” but that wasn’t the problem. It was the run.
Something about that flat run gets me good. Louisville owns both of my worst run times and that’s more than a little puzzling because it’s supposed to be the “easiest” run course of the three.
Sadly, I don’t think I even wrote about it, which is another thing that is starting to change with me. Writing is absolutely my best weapon for this sport. It clears the air and most importantly helps me remember the little things.
But . . . back to the Decision 2018.
One of the main reasons I decided (honestly 20 minutes before the announcement) to do a Full again is because I didn’t have a good reason NOT to do one. Training for Ironman changed my life back when I was 49 and I don’t want to lose the momentum of what’s been built.
I’m doing it because I CAN.
Another reason is simply wrapped up in the concept of doing something hard. We can easily get caught up in the idea that relaxing means be lazy and lounge around. I do it all the time. But relaxing in its best definition means clearing the mind and doing things that you love. That make you feel better.
Admittedly, some of the training makes me feel like shit, but most of the time I love heading out on a run or a ride. For the days that suck, see “do something hard, so the other things in life are easy.”
I’m doing it because It’s HARD.
Finally, it’s just a big part of who I am now. It’s easy to think the best thing for me is to back off and gather my bearings. But sometimes I just think that’s feeling sorry. Sorry that I actually have to LIVE. That’s a sticky piece of real estate for the mind to live in.
I think back to a blog I wrote about my mom while training for my first Ironman. It is honestly one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned in life and I try to remember it every time I fade back into taking the easy way out by doing nothing.
I’m doing it because it makes me feel ALIVE.
After I made the decision on Facebook Live, Coach Robbie made a simple comment: “Good decision. Now go for a run.”
That’s exactly what I did, and while out there in the sweltering heat I remembered a very important part of training that gave me relief as I turn my mind back into the full Ironman mode. I truly think it will help me to enjoy training more, and ultimately help me race better.
Running Slow To Get Fast
My Running Woes
First off, let me acknowledge that I can be misguided at times, oh, like how I convinced myself before IM 70.3 Chattanooga that I was going to bike like a madman and take my chances on the run. Well, it didn’t work.
Going into IM Louisville, it has to be largely about the run for me. I’ve rarely performed well after T2 and I really want that to happen. I think actually my best run ever was IM Chattanooga. It was by far the hardest and I ran my customary 4:20ish.
While it’s not overly fast, as I think back, that was probably the best run shape I’ve been in before an Ironman. For sure I’d put out some of my longest runs. I also remember enjoying it more after I got in shape for it . . . So . . . . . . . . .
The Beauty in Running Slow
After today’s Decision, the first thing I did was go out for a run. It was one o’clock in the afternoon, 93 degrees, and sunny. I said to myself . . . oh, what a wonderful world. Actually, I didn’t say that at all, I said, just go take a nice little hour long run and try to finish feeling like you could keep going. Take it slow, Mike!
So, what did I do? I went out slow. And about a mile in, I looked at my pace. 9:00/min miles.
I’m convinced that nine minute miles are my natural cadence. So, for the first 3 or 4 miles, 9 minutes seems right in the wheel house. Nine is normal, even easy. I will find myself creeping into the 8:30 without thinking much, like today, but that’s when running starts to get hard. Especially when it’s hot.
We did a podcast called “Running Slow To Get Fast” and while I think our podcasts are gold, sometimes things don’t click with me. But today, that’s when I think I figured it out.
The 10/17 Run
My problem is impatience. Even today when I thought I was running for time, an hour was the target, I got to the halfway point at 38 minutes. Since it was a turnaround, I was basically screwed.
I did what I always do, turned up the speed to get done faster, but I was really struggling. I stopped once to cool down and hydrate in the shade. Then I thought, what if I slowed way down to a 10 minute pace and if I ever got lower, I had to walk until I’m at a 17 minute pace?
The Power of Patience
That means the dilemma is, if you go too fast, you have to slow down even more, elongating an already long run. It happened twice over the last 25 minutes and, frankly, it was awesome.
It dawned on me that a 9 minute pace is natural without effort, but if I’m not strong enough to hold that pace it doesn’t really matter how “fast” I am. Slow running is harder and builds the durability muscles. Strengthens the frame. That’s what I need.
For the next month or so I’m really going to try and slow it down. Build the chassis as coach calls it. Then see if I can move the speed. But even then, I have my doubts because how fast will I really go during a full Ironman? It’s better to be durable and strong.
Thanks for the support!
Here’s Our Crushing Iron Podcast on Ironman Louisville Course Strategy
Have YOU been thinking about an Ironman, half or any kind of triathlon, but don’t know how to start, please consider us for coaching. We’ve been through most every situation regarding this sport, including starting from scratch. We’ve also taken athletes from their “stuck point” and helped get them on the Ironman podium. We love working with beginners and athletes that want to push it to the next level. Check out our coaching page for more information, including philosophy and pricing.
All 170 podcast can be found on iTunes or on our podcast page.
You can always support The Crushing Iron podcast by making a small pledge here.
Here’s a little look at what it’s like to ride in what we affectionately call “The Lab” here in Nashville. These athletes are all from our April 2018 Triathlon Camp and were taking part in a “Power Hour” ride before busting out a hard 5k off the bike. Everyone brought an unbelievable attitude and effort into town and then all left stronger and more confident. For more information on Crushing Iron Triathlon Camps, please see the “Camps” tab on this sight. June currently has a waiting list but August may have an opening. We also have openings in our swim only camps.
Here is your first Crushing Iron FRIDAY FIVE. Each week we will dig up enlightening reads and training strategies for Swim, Bike, Run, a Wild Card and Bonus. We’ll also embed a motivational video. Hopefully this helps you get through some of these long Winter training weekends.
SWIM – How To Nail Your Swim
The swim rarely gets the credit it deserves in triathlon, but it is by far the place people house the most anxiety. I’ve been known to hold onto a few kayaks in my day, but over time that can be “cured.” This article from Purple Patch Fitness outlines some good stuff so you can “Nail Your Swim.”
BIKE – Understanding 3 Phases of Cycling Training
So many people I know get on a trainer with their headphones and just crank out the hours. But, like everything else in triathlon, cycling workouts should have a purpose. Here’s a good article from Trainer Road that looks at 3 phases of cycling work, what they mean, and how you should attack them.
Like a puzzle, there are three training phases that fit together to illustrate an image of your fitness over the entire training season. Whether you have a goal event in mind, or you’d just like to become a faster cyclist, your training plan will apply the right type of training stress at the right time to make sure you can achieve both.
RUN – The Science Of Jogging
We talked about the coaching method of Ernst Van Aaken on a recent podcast (Running Slow To Get Fast) and it is changing how I go about my runs. Not only that, I’m really excited about running again. Here’s a link to the article on “Science of Running.”
In some way or another, most triathletes probably dream of Kona, and I’m no exception. I’ve also been fascinated by the conditions and why everyone I know seems to go there and struggle. Here’s a good story from Alan Couzens that explains exactly why racing Kona is so difficult.
“Kona really is an incredibly tough environment to race 140.6 miles in. From the high temperatures that reflect from the lava rock to the wind that sweeps relentlessly across the barren landscape to, perhaps the toughest element of all – the saturating humidity of the place . . .”
BONUS – Free Coaching Consultation
Coach Robbie is offering a free consultation ($175 value) to one Crushing Iron fan. To learn how to qualify, listen to our podcast 09-Break Through The Kona Ceiling. Oh, hell, actually, just leave us a review on iTunes and we’ll randomly pick one of you.
Email us: CrushingIron@gmail.com
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Crushing Iron Podcasts are now on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher. They are also under the “podcast tab” at CrushingIron.com.
Coach Robbie and I recently recorded a podcast on off-season training myths. Here’s a taste of the discussion in outline form.
Be sure to subscribe to the Crushing Iron podcast on iTunes.
THREE OFF SEASON TRIATHLON TRAINING MYTHS
1 . You Need to Do an Off-Season Marathon
• Marathon training during Ironman training is a surefire way to ignore swim and bike fitness.
• A marathon is harder on your body than a 70.3 and will cause more downtime for recovery.
• Exception: If you do a 2016 late summer, early, or late Fall Ironman, you can carry over the fitness to your marathon.
2. You Should Do Drills And Kicking In Every Workout
• Most triathletes have bad ankle flexibility and/or kick from the knees which makes kicking a waste of time and energy.
• Why spend 10-15 percent of your time reinforcing bad habits when conditioning and arm fitness isn’t there?
• Most triathletes simply aren’t strong enough to maintain good form.
3. You Should Cycle With Watt-Crushing Intensity
• Take a polarized approach. 80% of training should be at level one/level two zone. The other 20% on high intensity.
• Find ways to keep riding enjoyable instead of over-trained and fatigued.
• Think recovery for next workout AND long-term versus just this season.
Here’s the full podcast, which discusses everything above in more detail, plus simplifying swim workouts and post-Ironman Blues. If you have topics or questions, email us at [email protected].
Here’s some pretty cool shots from the run course at Ironman Louisville 2015. We’re working on one that combines all three and should have that up soon. Please follow Crushing Iron on Facebook (or by email on this site) to get much more from Ironman Louisville. (And Chattanooga, which we still have to finish as well). Not to mention an onslaught of general talk about Ironman. Also, if you like what you see, please share with friends, groups, etc. Thanks for reading Crushing Iron.
I’ve had a lot of requests for a Music City Triathlon Course Preview so I thought I’d drive down to the river and take care of business. Now, I raced the old course, so my information might not be totally accurate, but really the only information you need is that it is supposed to be 100 degrees that day.
I’ve compiled three expertly crafted videos, one for each portion of the course: swim, bike, and run. Regarding the swim, I think you swim up about a 1/3, then a full length with the current, then 2/3rds back into the current… but please double check when you get there! The bike and run videos are about 5 minutes long, and I know that’s time consuming, but those minutes could save you seconds on this course!!
Please share with your friends who are racing. (That goes for you too Team Magic 🙂
Not many endurance sport activities are more awkward than “running along to support someone in a marathon,” and that’s what I did this weekend in Nashville.
I’ve run exactly two marathons, both at the end of Ironman, and Saturday I jumped on the Country Music Marathon course at Mile 18 to support my friend Mark for his last 8 miles. By then, he was a veteran soldier and I was a well-rested, baby-faced-rookie dishing my new-aged arsenal of annoying cliches.
“You look great, buddy!”
“You got this!”
“Your tougher than this course!”
“Car up!”
Most of my inspirational quotes were met with a soft grunt or groan, but I know he appreciated my company.
It’s just so weird!
Last year at Ironman Louisville I had a someone join me at the 13 mile turnaround and I literally didn’t remember who it was. I was telling this story to one of my buddies on our Wednesday night group runs.
ME: “Yeah, I was so out of it I could barely stand up and some guy was walking with me, asking me all kinds of stupid questions and trying to get me to talk about LIFE when all I wanted to do was lay in an ice bath.”
HIM: “That was me, you asshole!”
Oh…
So, that’s how I felt when I was running with Mark. It’s kinda like trying to cheer up a heavy sleeper the minute they wake.
I’d been running for two miles when he hit mile 20. A spring chicken cruising at a pace just out of Mark’s comfort zone. “We’re gonna have to slow down a bit, man.”
Okay.
In retrospect, it was fine and I’m sure it helped him, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that I felt like a party crasher who didn’t bring a dish to pass.
Three miles from the finish line we saw a woman lying in the fetal position on the side of the road. She had her left arm in the air with a “thumbs up,” like she was in great shape. She was not.
I kneeled down to touch her shoulder and asked if she was okay. She rolled over onto her back with a thud and said, “I’m from Canada, it’s sooo hot!”
I held her hand and her body temperature was through the roof. My fingers must have felt like ice cube on hers and I told runners to send back help.
“It’s just so hot,” she said in a distant voice, then she said, “I’m gonna get sick,” before turning away to do just just that.
It didn’t look good, but she still had a sense of humor, so it calmed me a bit. She was also a little salty about bonking so close to a PR. It wasn’t meant to be.
I ceremoniously removed her race belt and fastened her watch around it. I had no idea what to do other than just be there while we waited.
Two cyclists came to the rescue with full bottles and a pack of ice to hold on her forehead. Eventually an ambulance showed up and they put her on a stretcher.
As they slid her into the van, I heard her ask, “Can you at least let me run through the finish line?”
The EMT smiled and said, “Let’s just work on standing up first, Jill.”
Her name is Jill Libby and I would love to hear how she is if you know her.
——–
As the ambulance pulled away, I wished I had asked her to cut off her timing chip and let me run it through the finish line. Hopefully there wasn’t too much worry at home.
And Mark did just fine without me. Battling the last 3 miles to finish his first of two marathons this year. I’ll be running his next one, but it will be at the end of Ironman Chattanooga.
I’m sitting here in my home office watching the Boston Marathon and, as usual, it’s blowing me away. The fact that so many people care about running and/or watching this race is a testament to human spirit.
How so many could fall in love with something so painful was always a mystery to me, but now that I am a runner, I understand it goes far deeper than the activity itself. The pain is a prerequisite to growth.
It’s about the feeling, the challenge, the quest. It’s one piece of the life-puzzle that keeps us on the right side of our dreams.
Yesterday, I took off on a run with no intention. It could have been 3 miles or 15, but I guessed I’d land somewhere in the middle. I hit mile 3 as I entered my favorite abandoned-airport and it started to rain. By the time I was on the lonely runway, the sky drenched me.
My instinct was to turn back and head home, but after a few strides, I was genuinely unsure whether or not I had gone to heaven. The cool rain washed my skin and I felt unusually clear and in the moment.
I have this tendency to seek childhood feelings, and in the middle of this monsoon I was back on the playground without a worry. Completely alone in the sandbox as I circled the one mile loop. It was truly surreal gazing into the pouring rain and stomping in warm puddles with every stride. My mind was free and my body responded with four more miles.
I found a running groove for the first time this year and seemingly floated at a pace far faster than I anticipated. It was gliding more than running. No one watched, no one cared, and I imagined the home stretch at Boston with fans cheering my will to dig deeper.
Nothing mattered other than being the best me at that moment, and frankly, I think I was.
As I move deeper into Robbie and Allie’s inner sanctum, people are usually face first in what always seems to be the perfect dinner for everyone. It’s a simple, yet jazzy fare that could easily roll as a vegan delight, or be quickly hopped up with side chicken for meat eaters. The salad/meat combo does really well for gluten sensitive campers and if we’re lucky, someone will bring huge cookies or cake for dessert. Of course everyone drinks their personalized liquid direct from water bottles.
Well, I can assure you there was no such award, and the ease of my glide turned into cement filled shoes about 100 steps from the top. But . . . I made it . . . and . . . I put my hands in the air and looked down upon those mansions like I was now in control. But I wasn’t. I was just a sweaty guy at the top of a staircase with no mansion.
