Stay Strong - Run Long

I am a runner. I am also not your typical runner. I am 6' 2" and weigh 210-215 lbs. I am considered "overweight" by the BMI measuring system. I have a large waist, love handles and a jiggly gut but I can run long distances that other people are scared to attempt. I know what I look like and I've pretty much come to terms with it. But, as many of you know, I've come a long way in regards to how much I weigh. I was 300+ lbs 7 years ago but have struggled my whole life with my weight. I was a big kid growing up, I was a big kid in college and turned into a big adult. I have a love of food. I listened to a podcast recently at UltraRunnerPodcast.com that hit the nail right on the head with what I struggle(d) with. The interview was with a guy named Russ Thomas who has lost over 200 lbs just by watching what he eats and running. He made a statement that made so much sense with why I, and for that matter so many people, struggle with being "overweight" eve...

Many of you may remember that a few years ago I did my first Ultramarathon at the Free State Trail Ultra . I did the 40 mile version and, aside from the massive amounts of mud, I truly loved it. I've done a few short races over the past year but my training has been less than stellar. I was still able to log about 1500 miles in 2011 but that's not nearly as much as I was hoping for. I ran a couple of 5k's in 2011 along with the Dam to Dam 20k , but that was it. I was....let's just call it less than inspired. I have seen the posting on Facebook from the KC Trail Nerds go up and knew I needed to try my hand again at this race. Fortunately for me the company that I work for is really starting to embrace the importance of a healthy diet and exercise and includes race entry into our Wellness reimbursement plan. We bought a treadmill last year and used the reimbursement for that and with no big purchases planned I knew that this was an easy fit. So again starts my training fo...

Coming up in a few days is one of my favorite times of the the year. Thanksgiving!!! It's not just about the food but also getting to go home and see all of my family. Even though we keep close by phone, email, Facebook and getting to see each other every few weeks I still miss them horribly. I especially miss my nephews. I would love to be closer and for them and my girls to grow up really close, but logistically it's not possible at the moment. Who knows if it will ever be, but that's what makes the holidays so special. For those of you reading this that are far away from your family, enjoy the time that you have with them. On the running front things have been getting much better recently. I am finally back to being excited to run. For a while I was in a funk and couldn't shake it. I was getting out on the trails and road every day or two but it seemed more like a chore than a passion like it has been for the better part of 3 years. I haven't had anything to tra...

I haven't posted here in a long time and there is a reason. Everyone goes through those "seasons" in life where you just can't find the time to participate in the things that you love. I am in one of those "seasons" right now. I switched jobs in Feb. 2011. It is a far better situation for me to be working where I work now, but my previous employer had a gym and shower so I could run/workout in the mornings or over lunch and have my evenings to spend with my family. Because the situation was so bad at my previous job it was a no brainer to get out when I had the opportunity. The one thing that I didn't think about though was how it was going to affect my workouts. I know that you should never base a career change on how it is going to affect your working out but with kids that are in so many things it really does hinder things a bit. I have been trying to stay active but when you get home at 5:00, get supper made, hang out with my kids, and put them to be...

This morning I decided to go on a different route than I normally run. I am the type of person that needs variety in my runs. Whether it be speed work, hill repeats, long runs, trail runs, treadmill, etc. I decided to go on what most people consider to be a bike trail. The Des Moines area has a very nice trail system for paved biking trails. It is primarily used for biking, but because of the straight line with no hills it does attract runners and walkers as well. I have run this trail many times. It is gorgeous this time of year because the North side of the trail is open fields of corn or beans and the South side of the trail is a highway. There is always a very nice, but sometimes tough, breeze that goes through and helps to keep you cool. I went out this morning at around 5:00 AM. I took my headlamp, as I always do on my early morning runs, for two reasons: 1) For my own safety to be able to see where I am going 2) So that others that may be using the trail at the same time will be...

Recently I started a new position with a new company which has...let's just say...set my training back a bit. While I love the company that I now work for I miss a lot of my friends that I used to run with and most certainly my mid-day run. The company that I used to work for had a great workout facility with showers. I am not as lucky with my current employer and that has caused me to shift my runs around a bit. Where I used to run in the middle of the day, shower, go back to work and "be home" when I went home, I am now forced to run at nights. 2 problems with this though. 1) It is hotter later in the day. 2) It forces me to give up some family time. I don't get to spend a lot of time with my kids and my wife so when I get home, I really want to be around for them. In shifting of my schedule I do have to spend some mornings running which means getting up REALLY early. I'm fine getting up early, but 3:30 AM is too freaking early. This morning though, I didn't...

As most runners know, we are a group that is very strict on routine. Most people have their specific long run days, a lot of people have their speed work and hill days, we wear our "lucky clothes" to races, we eat the same things before each race or run, we take specific calculated days off, we have specific playlists on our music player for certain runs, etc. There are times though when it's good to make a change. It really can benefit you. I am a person that follows trends in the running world. I love gadgets. Even though I don't own a lot of them, by a lot of peoples standards, I love them. Computers, phones, iPhones/iPod/iPads, watches, GPS's. You name it. I probably own one or know something about it. With all of the technology around us most people have either a cell phone or iPod (or equivalent) that we take with us on runs. Recently when I ran in the 20k Dam To Dam I decided not to take my iPod with me. I really hadn't been training with it so I didn...