Hi everyone

A few days ago I finished reading Bens book, "Ben On Foot" and I wanted to let you all know how much I enjoyed reading it. The book flows, is easy to read and draws the reader in so that the reader is able to experience and be a part of Ben's journey. You, well I was any way, with him in my minds eye every step of the way, seeing what he saw and felt through his words. He lays out in front of you the genisis of his idea to run 130 miles, his doubts, fears, joys, elations…

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Whelp, Tulsa Run 15k is done...my goal was to negative split the course. I have a hard time with patience. I go out fast on shorter races. I have run this race several times now and always love the course, a nice flattish run from downtown along the Riverparks and back. This is a race we would have fun with. Coach set up pace parameters keep me reigned in early on.

The night before the race we drove to Tulsa and went out to dinner. We ate at a usual spot about 3 or 4 miles East of the race… Continue

No, not the Danica Patrick version! I'm talking about my father. He is a big part of the reason that I've been a runner for almost 23 years. He has been a runner since he was 13 years old- he's told me stories of taking a lawn mower to a field across the street from where he lived and mowing a personal track, hidden among the tall weeds. He says that he loved to go run and run after school, where no one could see him, the smell of the sweet hay filling his nose, and all his worries would…

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Pumpkin Holler 50k is a rolling gravel course that follows the Illinois river, farms and the hills of Cherokee County, Ok. That would be my race today. It’s the end of the season for me. It’s been a packed spring/summer with amazing races in places I’ve never seen before. It’s also been a…

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(Sulcata: aka Spur Thigh Tortoise)

Ok, so it's now something like five weeks since I started to change things up to some type of approximation of proper form, function and an illusion of speed.  Time for another update. (as much for me to look back on as anything, I suppose)

I guess I should recap.  In the first five weeks of this "class" I'm in, I managed to over-strain my left lcl, flirt with shin splints (I'm told) and pull a hammy.  That was running my old way, and…

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Yesturday while competing in the Melbourne Marathon one could say I had both the worst of days and the best of days but I will choose the best of days. But let me start at the begining.

We arrived at the MCG, (Melbourne Cricket Ground) where the start and finish would be, placing our dry clothing bag in the bagging area by 6.15am and walked to the starting area which is about 10 minutes walk. It was about 10 Deg C for the start so though it was crisp it was not so cold you were…

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If your run fitness was a one of these mountains, which one would you rather it be?  Either can have a good foundation, but one is very distinct - it draws you in.  You imagine what it is like at the top.  In some ways it looks impossible to climb, but if you look long and hard, you begin to see possible routes and a way to the top.

The other mountain can be much…

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For some reason today felt like the first run since The Rut. It wasn’t. I’ve been running most days since the race, but I don't remember feeling much when I ran after the Rut. Maybe circumstance, my mother-in-law dying, maybe fatigue, or likely both, but today was the first day I EXPERIENCED my run. I felt alive and aware again. And I felt a deep connection with nature. I don't know that you can experience it through my ramblings, but I wish you could feel it. ...It is…

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Just 5 weeks left until my HM following a season of the TCI training plan. I timed my training so that phase 2, week 9 would be my taper week. I repeated weeks 1-4 of phase 2, similar to suggestions I read from Eric in the forum. I am thinking about changing up my remaining long runs, however, since I have repeated those weeks and am approaching race day. Instead of running rolling hills, I am thinking about running relatively flat routes in HRZ 1-2 and finishing my runs  at half-marathon…

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Well ... my summer didn't really turn out the way I had hoped it would. I had planned for a local "extreme" race and two half-marathons and I had to cancel all of them. And rather than spending my summer running, the pain I've been experiencing in my right foot got worse and I eventually had to withdraw from running for 6 weeks :(

On a brighter side, I've been allowed to start running again and have been able to go up to 6.5 km so far without any problems. My physiotherapist…

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"Flagstaff Skyrace final is in 4 days. I won't be there. I will be here with my family as we help my mother-in-law pass this life. I made the final decision this morning, and I have a sense of relief"...I started that entry on 9/30/14, I didn't know how much time she had left. We lost her that night. I can't really put my feelings into words. Everything kinda came to a screeching halt.  We knew it was coming,  but it still felt sudden. It's also hard for me to realize the race series is over…

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