Imerman Angels

I'm extremely proud to announce my affiliation with Imerman Angels, a fantastic non-profit organization that matches cancer survivors like me with newly diagnosed patients for one-on-one support. Founded by cancer survivor Jonny Imerman, this organization works sort of like an eHarmony for cancer patients and survivors. The matches are made based on common ground in terms of age, gender, type of cancer, and treatments/medications. As someone who has gone through a fight with cancer myself, I know the immeasurable value a connection like this can be for a newly diagnosed patient. I am greatly looking forward to helping as many patients as I can in the coming years.

I also want to highlight that the mission of this organization is first and foremost its dedication to matching as many patients to survivors as possible with no 'hard-core' fund raising premises worked into the plan. I will always come up with new fund raising goals on my own, but I will be 100% honest in saying what means more to me than donating money is being able to directly inspire and support patients currently fighting this disease. It's great to work hard and raise money for research as well, but it's impossible to put a price on developing a relationship with a fellow patient and being there to support them in whatever way they need. I can't thank Jonny, Laura, and all the great folks at Imerman Angels enough for allowing me the opportunity to make so many of these meaningful connections.

For anyone reading this who knows a fellow cancer survivor, I highly encourage you to pass along the link to Imerman Angels. It just takes a quick phone call to add your name to the list of survivors, and it could very well end up being the best Christmas gift you ever give someone. ...and it's free!

With that, I'm off to enjoy the holidays with family and friends...see you all in 2009!

Happy Holidays to everyone!!

Giddy-Up - 2009

The past week has been frustrating in terms of trying to set up my 2009 race plans. No, I didn't get into Massanutten...and no, the National Team folks won't accept the Virginia 24 Hour Run as a qualifier for the National Team, so I had to take a step back and remember why I started running these races in the first place. While goals like the National Team and avenging DNFs are fun for extra motivation, the real reason I like to run all day and night is to be happy. Deep down, that's what it's all about. Every long run is a celebration of life and freedom and all that positive emotional crap. Sure, the other goals are great, but they're secondary benefits for certain.

That said, I've found a few races and volunteer/pacing opportunities that will both make me happy and coincide nicely with *real* life stuff like work and family. I'll add a race or two in the fall as the schedule for those shakes out (and yes, one of those races will most likely be a 24 Hour Team qualifier), but for now, here's what I have lined up through September:

Iron Horse 100 Mile - Florida - February 21
National Marathon - DC - March 21
Bull Run Run 50 Miler (run or volunteer, depending on the lottery)- VA - April 18
Massanutten (Pace/Crew) - VA - May 16
Mohican Trail 100 Mile - OH - June 20
Cheat Mt. Moonshine Madness 50 Mile - WV - August 28
Ottawa International 24 Hour Run - Canada - September 13-14

That's all for now...Since I'm now running a 100 miler in February, I need to put down the pie and hit the roads! Giddy Up!!

Massanutten Lottery Update

I guess if I had to lose the lottery to get into Massanutten, this was the way to do it: Not only was I not picked to be among the 180 runners this year, I'm currently 99 people deep on the waiting list - OUCH!

This makes my decision to move on and look for other races VERY easy. We all know a couple dozen names will eventually come off that list and make it into the race, but not 99. I love this race, but its name sadly changes to 'MassaNot in 2009' for me this year. C'est la vie!

This means my eyes now focus on seeing if the Virginia 24 Hour Run for Cancer is a certified course. If so, I'll be heading there to try again for 135 miles and a spot on the National 24 Hour team for 2010. I'll have to dig around to find the contact info for that race and/or the National Team president to verify either way, so if anyone out there knows how to reach these people, I appreciate the help!

For now it's back to training for the only race officially on my schedule right now: the National Marathon. I had my first speed workout in *years* on Monday night, and while I'm sure I'll never get my 4:31/mile legs back, I was pleasantly surprised that I can still kick out mid-5s (for 6 miles, anyway!). Maybe my return to the marathon world won't be so bad after all...

Ultra Running Holiday Gift Guide

Need to knock a couple runners off of your shopping list? Here are my recommendations for the gear I've been using this past year. Note that I am not paid by any of these companies, I just use their stuff because I keeps me going and going and going (and yes, Energizer Lithium batteries are what I use to power my headlamps!). Let's start from the ground up...

SHOES
I wore Brooks Radius 7s for about 2000 of my training miles this year. A great (and affordable) shoe that I fell in love with immediately...of course that won't help anyone at all since they've discontinued it. If you can find a pair on clearance online, it'll be the best discount item you've ever purchased. The fit is true-to-size, and if anyone finds any 11.5s on sale out there, let me know!!

For about 1000 miles of training (including all runs over 40+ miles on asphalt)...and for both my 192 mile run this summer and my 120+ mile run at Ultra Centric in November, I wore Brooks Glycerin 6 models. This shoe has a double cushion layer of the "MoGo" Brooks uses to dampen shock in their shoes. These babies are more expensive than the Radius, but the $$ is worth it for people who appreciate a comfy ride on the hard roads. You can find them online for about $90, and they're definitely worth the price. To prove they'll last in terms of comfort and support, consider the fact that
I ran the 192 miles of Run192, 100+ more miles of training, and the entire 120 miles of Ultra Centric in the SAME PAIR of these shoes. That's about 430 miles and I didn't notice any break-down in the cushion. Not too shabby.

When I can get out to the happy land of dirt trails, my go-to shoes are Brooks Cascadia 3s. You can find these babies on sale for less than $80 online, and it's a great investment. They're a great all-around shoe for draining/drying when you've got streams to cross, and for dampening shock in the sole when you're running on lots of rocks and roots. Plus they're an environmentally-friendly "green" shoe, so it's always nice to be kind to mother nature when you're out there enjoying her trails.

I just noticed that all three shoes I've recommended here are Brooks...I honestly did not realize that before writing this. If I've arrived at this point of running on all terrains/distances with their shoes, that probably means they make good stuff. Now if only I could get a free pair or two... Not counting the few miles I've run in other brands during the first 11 months of 2008, I've gone through 5 pairs of the Radius, 4 pairs of Glycerins, and 1.5 pairs of Cascadias....that's about $850 right there. Who says running is a cheap sport?!

Here's a tip: My favorite sites to get cheap shoes are Holabird Sports and R n J Sports. Check them out for great deals!


SOCKS
Anyone who has followed my blog since the summer knows that I've fallen completely in love with Drymax Socks. I test out all sorts of gear (shoes, socks, clothing, fuel belts, etc) during my long runs in an attempt to find the stuff that allows me to completely forget I have it on while I'm out there. Good gear is like a good baseball umpire - you know it's doing a great job when you don't notice it's there at all. I've worn other socks that work great in most conditions, but between their remarkable drying ability and friction free fibers, Drymax socks (especially the Maximum Protection) perform at the highest level in ALL conditions. I will never wear another sock while running an ultra.

SHORTS
Ok, it's time for me to fess up - I haven't bought a new pair of running shorts in about 3 years. Talk about the wrong guy to come to for advice, that's me. I've covered about 3,000 miles each in two pairs of Sugoi shorts I bought (on sale for $10 each!) back around the time when people still said things like "the internets" without trying to be ironically hip. I've got some other pairs that are just about as old from various other brands (Hind, Adidas, Insport), and they all hold up fine. For some reason I picked a 4 year old pair of Saucony shorts to run all my races in this year (probably because even in the worst conditions the elastic on the edge of the inner-lining never irritates my skin). Since I'm sure none of these companies still make the same line I wear, you can just take the above for what it's worth. I mean, if I don't have any problems with any of the shorts I wear, clearly it's not too tough to find one that works well.

FUEL BELT
I'll be honest, I've used the Ultimate Direction Access 2x double-bottle fuel belt for the past two years, but I'm thinking about buying a Nathan Hydration backpack right now to test out while training this winter. I do like the double-bottle belt, but sometimes my shirt creeps up in the back while I'm running, and rough surface of the belt rips my skin up pretty bad. Maybe my hips/back are shaped strangely or something and that's what causes this to happen, but whatever the reason, I'm sick of tucking in my shirt all the time (especially in the hot weather) to avoid the belt's wrath. When it's cooler out and I don't mind tucking in the back of my shirt, I love the belt, so maybe it'll just be a cold weather option from now on. What I'll miss with the backpack style fuel system is the ability to have two different beverages with me like I usually do with the double-bottle belt. Typically I like water in one and Perpetuem in the other...but I suppose I can live with just one. Also, I'm not sure how you know when you're almost out of water with the backpack since you can't see the bladder. With the bottles I like seeing when I've got just a couple gulps left so I know how many miles I have left before a refill. I guess I can learn by feel after running w/ the backpack for a while. ....I just realized this whole section is completely useless in terms of finding a recommendation for the best product, so I'll shut up now. Sorry!

SHIRTS
For as easy as I am to please in terms of shorts, I'm insanely picky about the tops I wear when I run. The first thing I do when I get a new singlet is cut out the seam and "knot" under the arms. I've run way too many long runs in my day where those things have shredded the skin on the inside of my arm and side from friction burns. I do the same thing with short-sleeve t-shirts too. Between those modifications and a little body glide, I can run pain-free for hours (and days) on end. The shirts I've settled on as my favorites this year are the New Balance super light short-sleeve Ts (I don't actually see them as current products now, but whatever their "lightning dry" shirt is now, I recommend it). I actually cut off the sleeves (and seams) of both the ones I have, and I've enjoyed every mile I've covered in them. They dry insanely fast, and in the summer heat/humidity, I've never worn anything that feels cooler/lighter. Sure, if I was a macho dude I'd just run around without a shirt on, but that's just not for me.

HAT
After my second year running in the Outdoor Research Sun Runner hat, I'm happy to say it's still my favorite. I generally don't run with the snap-on neck shield unless I'm on long exposed routes, but it's comforting to know it's the kind of accessory you can stuff in any fuelbelt for immediate rescue if things get too toasty out there for you. In terms of just the hat, I love the cross ventilation holes on the sides, especially when it's super-hot out. My trick is to pull up an inch on the top of the hat so air can move through as I run. As I bounce up and down the loose fabric I pulled up on the top of the hat moves up and down like an accordion pushing air in and out to cool you off. It works great in the nasty heat of the DC summer when you need to block the sun with a hat, but don't want to cook your brain as a result.

FOOD
At this point I know what works for me in terms of eating on the run. I never have any stomach issues in races or on long training runs, so I stick to this stuff.

Hammer Gel & CarbBOOM Gel, any flavor will do, but I find the bland ones (vanilla) taste better after 12 hours or so on the move. I eat one every 30-45 minutes, depending on the race/training run.

Perpetuem drink: I usually mix about 1/2 concentration (100 calories) into one of my bottles during any run over 6 hours. This stuff is formulated to give your muscles the protiens, fats, etc they need to rebuild on the fly during very long runs/races. I only consume 100-150 calories of this per hour because I need save room for the gel calories. I'm someone (like lots of runners) who can't digest more than 250-300 calories per hour when running, so I find this mix to work perfectly.

For Electrolytes, I take Succeed! S-Caps every 45 to 60 minutes depending on the heat/humidity. There's a reason why so many people use these caps...they work perfectly in delivering the sodium, potassium, posphate, and citrate you need to keep on keeping on. ...and if you haven't made this rookie mistake yet, let me STRONGLY advise you not to even consider cracking open one of the caps and mixing it directly in with your fuel bottles. I don't know the science behind it, but for some reason everyone I know who has tried this ends up experiencing a 'Reversal of Fortune' about 10 minutes later. Just swallow the caps whole, and you'll be happy. Consider yourself warned!

Happy Shopping (and Running!), Everyone!

Where to go from here...

With all the highs and lows of 2008 in the rear view mirror, I'm currently enjoying a nice stretch of doing nothing but sitting on my butt and eating junk food. As fun as this lifestyle is, I will admit there's no better motivation to start planning my 2009 schedule than shoveling down yet another slice of pumpkin pie. Since I couldn't earn a spot on the 24 Hour National Team, my options are now wide open for the Spring. I'll be looking to run some new courses, pace/crew for the first time, and also lay early tracks for another big fund raiser for 2010...among other things...

For the next 2 weeks, I'm sort of in a holding pattern in terms of confirming my race schedule. The reason being is I've entered the Massanutten Mountain 100 miler lottery, and the results won't be posted until Dec. 12. I'm hoping to get into that race and avenge my DNF from this past May. Once I find out if I'm in/out, the rest of my schedule will fall into place. I really want to be able to focus 100% on this race if I get in. With relatively easy access to the course from DC, I'll be sure to get out there an hammer those trails until they're as familiar as the roof of my mouth. I really really really want to get back out there and erase the bad feelings I have from dropping last time.

If I don't get into Massanutten, I'll most likely set up a completely different training/racing schedule and focus on the Virginia 24 Hour Run for Cancer in April (date TBA). This run has obvious charitable appeal to me, and I'm hoping I'll be able to use the results to qualify for the 2010 24 Hour National Team. Since the course is only about 3 hours from DC, I'll also be able to check it out and ensure another Ultra Centric course fiasco doesn't occur. If it turns out that the Virgina course isn't certified/applicable for qualifying (I'm not sure who to check with, but I'll figure it out), I might end up heading out to the Cornbelt 24 Hour run in Iowa to qualify there. Obviously I'd rather stay local, but I'll go where I need to in order to achieve this goal.

Regardless of what my focus race is for the spring, I'll be mixing in some shorter races into my training schedule for sure. In March I'll be doing something I honestly didn't think I'd ever do again when I toe the line at the National Marathon here in DC. The reason I'm running this "regular" marathon is simply to log an official qualifying time for the Boston Marathon in 2010 - I'll need that Boston number to pull off my big charity event for that year. The plan right now is to run the marathon course 4 times in an row, with the last time being in the official race. More details will obviously follow, but first things first, I'll use the National Marathon course as a convenient qualifier since the course runs literally 1 block from my house.

I'm also hoping to get into the Bull Run 50 miler in April, but if that lottery doesn't work out for me, I'll be happy to volunteer on race day with my fellow VHTRC members. On that note, I'm also looking forward to offering up my pacing/crewing skills at a couple other races this spring. If I don't get into Massanutten as a runner, I'll certainly volunteer to pace/crew for anyone who needs me. I know that course well enough to help out any level runner out there. Depending on my schedule, I hope to offer up my pacing services for the Umstead 100 miler as well since I won't be running it myself this year.

All in all, I'm getting pretty excited for the Spring already...but until those Massanutten lottery results are posted, I have no option but to be just as excited for another slice of pie. Mmm!