Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Eight

8. Keep Austin Weird 5K 2007


It all started with my father making an innocent, off-hand, and probably sarcastic inquiry regarding when I was going to give him shoes in response to me giving a pair to another family member. My response to him was: pick a race, train for it, and I'll not only give you shoes, I'll run the race with you. I was thinking he'd pick a 5K or a 10K, but he dove in head-first and decided on the marathon.

I sent him shoes shortly after and guided him through marathon training. In June, I flew down for a visit and did a long(er) training run with him in the suffocating Texas heat. I also mentioned that the Keep Austin Weird 5K was that weekend and that we should go down and run it. He agreed, so we found ourselves in downtown Austin walking toward the start line. We had some extra time, so we watched the Crit (bicycle) race for a bit that was going on and then went over to the starting line to find our place among all the costumed runners. My dad and I had elected to simply dress as runners, but we were surrounded by superheros, guys in drag, soldiers in full gear, and an assortment of other "weird" costumes. None of it really phased me until I noticed a group of runners that had a chicken...on a leash.

The run started. My dad and I immediately realized how terrible of an idea it was to eat Freebirds burritos earlier in the evening. I felt like I had a cinder block resting very (un)comfortably in the pit of my stomach. Needless to say, it wasn't the fastest run, but it was a run that my dad and I did together.

Unfortunately, knee problems, and eventually surgery, ended my father's marathon career before it ever got off the ground. We weren't able to run that marathon together (otherwise, you'd definitely see it on this list), but at least we were able to run the 5K. It meant a lot to get to share a running experience with him, as running has carved out such a big portion of my life.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Nine

9. The First Annual Multi-State Five-Borough Tour de Bridge Challenge 2K7

A few years ago my friend Jené ran together quite often. I can't recall when the last time we ran together was, but its been a long, long time. However, in '07 it was a different story. We started running together to motivate each other through the winter and it carried on even as temperatures warmed up. Neither of us were keen on running the same routes all the time, so we started to get creative with our runs. The Tour de Bridge Challenge was born from the monotany of running in Central Park. I dreamed up a route that took in all 5 Boroughs, 2 States, and a lot of bridges. I got my friend Kelly to design a shirt for us and we had them printed online, but unfortunately weren't delivered in time for the run.

I got off work in the early afternoon on a Saturday and met Jené at JackRabbit (where we both worked part-time). We dropped our stuff at a co-worker's apartment and then hopped on the 1 train up to the Bronx. After a long train ride, we found ourselves on the Broadway Bridge taking some pictures before running back into Manhattan. The route then went down the West Side to the George Washington Bridge where we did a quick out-and-back to nab our second state. On the way back to New York, we encountered a couple of guys riding bikes loaded with gear. Turned out they were cycling west. They had maps to the end of the Pennsylvania and were going to "wing it" from there. Their destination? Vancouver, maybe Alaska.

After leaving the GW Bridge, we followed the West Side Path down to 57th Street and cut across Manhattan to tackle the 59th Street Bridge. A few blocks before arriving at the Bridge, the sky opened up. Rain-soaked, we consulted a map once on the Queens side and ran south. We crossed the Pulaski Bridge and then sought shelter under some scaffolding to once again consult the map and figure out how to get to the Williamsburg Bridge. We wound through Brooklyn, tackled the Billyburg Bridge, and then swung around to conquer the Manhattan Bridge.

By the time we got to the Brooklyn Bridge, we were soaked through, and the rain was pounding us. There was no one else on the bridge and as the wind picked up, the rain stung as it seared our skin. We laughed and yelled out loud to combat the pain. We re-entered Manhattan and trudged south to the Staten Island Ferry. The rain abaited and we eventually boarded the SI Ferry, shivering in the cold air conditioning. Jené and I opted for hot chocolate over the planned celebratory beer while water pooled under out seats, much to the consternation of the fellow passengers. Once at SI, we jogged through the ferry station and made the return trip to Manhattan.

By the time it was all over, we had conquered two states, five boroughs, and seven bridges. We had a great time doing it, and made plans to make the run and annual event. We've never done it again.

Thanks for the great run Jené...and good luck at IMFL.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Number Ten

10. Pacing at Badwater




For some reason, Badwater has intrigued me since I initially heard of it years ago. I first stumbled up a story about the race back in the mid 1990s while watching an adventure sports show one early Saturday morning. The subject of the segment was none other than Dean Karnazes. I remember thinking how far-fetched running a race like that sounded. It couldn't be humanly possible. But for some reason, the race resonated with me. Nevertheless, I eventually forgot about the race.

Fast forward to 2006 and an interview for a job at JackRabbit Sports. I was sitting across the table from Chris Bergland, a two-time Badwater Finisher. It's only a small sample of the amazing things Chris did, but I always seemed to find myself asking Chris about Badwater over the course of my employment at JackRabbit. Maybe Chris was able to see the future ultra runner in me or maybe he just likes to tell everyone to run Badwater, but I can't tell you how many times he told me, "you should do it." When I ran my first ultra, I had a text waiting from Chris wondering how I did. I saw him at the finish line of my third ultra. He definitely fostered my obsession with long-distance running and Badwater.

Shortly after meeting my friend Stephanie through RUN NYC, she mentioned that she had paced Pam Reed at Badwater the previous year. We exchanged stories--hers, first-hand, mine, rehashed stories from Chris. Then early last year when she mentioned that Pam might need another pacer for Badwater '09, I immediately expressed my interest, while trying to suppress my excitement knowing it was probably just a pipe dream. April came along and I found myself in Queens helping crew/pace for Pam Reed during a 6-day run. That event sealed it, and I found myself planning to head out to Death Valley in July.

I had heard stories of the heat, but I don't think I was really prepared for the furnace that is Death Valley. The heat there made the temperatures in Vegas feel cool. When the wind would blow, it would feel like someone turned on a hair dryer. The only thing I can really liken it to is climbing into your car during the summer in Texas, starting the car, and then blasting the heater on your face.

On race morning, we packed up at the hotel before heading down to the start. I think I might have been more excited than Pam. Afterall, she had won this race multiple times, this was nothing new to her.



At the starting line, I found myself in awe surrounded by people like Jack Dennes, Marshall Ulrich, Jorge Pacheco, Dean Karnazes (regardless of my opinion of him), and Jamie Donaldson to name a few. Contestants were weighed in as I milled around the start soaking it all in.

The race started and I found myself setting into a system of running 3-5 miles every hour or so and jumping in and out of a van every 10-15 minutes to keep Pam full of fluids and calories.


The heat was oppressive and still hung in the 90s even during the night as Pam and the support crew navigated narrow roads up and down mountain passes. I felt like I was running out of things to talk about while pacing, but my job was to distract and motivate, so I just kept talking. I was operating on little sleep beginning to understand what Pam meant when she said, "I think crewing for these things is more difficult than running them."

Just before the mile 100 mark, we passed Nickademus Hollon, a 19-year old who was attempting to become the youngest Badwater finisher in history. He was in pretty bad shape, but still moving forward (he ended up finishing 18th).

My final task at Badwater was getting Pam up the final section of the ascent to the Mt. Whitney Portal. The ascent was not easy, and I couldn't imagine attempting it after running 120+ miles. Pam was walking most of it, but as we neared the finish, I was able to get her to muster some strength and jog to the finish. I peeled off and let her run through the finish on her own. She was the 7th finisher and second woman across the line.

Being out at Badwater really gave me perspective on how difficult the race actually is. The conditions and terrain are terrible, even by my standards. Yet, being there somehow made me realize that the race isn't as far-fetched as I once believed. The 60-hour cutoff isn't impossible to make. Even as we drove back to Vegas the next day to fly back, the runners still on the course were ahead of the cutoff. I hope to make it back out to Badwater again one day to pace, but at some point, I wouldn't mind toeing the line.

Read my race updates from July of last year here.

Top Ten Running Experiences: Honorable Mentions

Its time to kick off this list of the top running experiences of my life. Throughout this list, you'll notice a theme. And that theme is Paul Leone. On the surface, I'm not really sure why many of the best running experiences seem to involve Paul. We both love running, but if that was the sole reason, this list would be filled with repeat names. I think it more has to do to the fact that we both reach to the extremities of what most people define as running and embrace those boundaries. Our tendencies for the extremes of running differ drastically--Paul tends to put his life on the line at 2 a.m. darting through Times Square dodging and staring down aggressive cab drivers, not always winning, while I tend to put my life on the line while running as far as I humanly can through terrain and conditions most would consider hostile. Yet somewhere, our fanaticism for the fringe overlaps. Perhaps it's because we crave attention, or maybe its that long hours at work drive us to insanity. I like to think it is because we both simply like to run and have fun doing it.

Back to the issue at hand--My Top Ten Running Experiences. There are two honorable mentions here, so I'll start with those today:

Brooklyn Half Marathon - '09 & '10

"Its an island on an island that's not an island on an island." I'm pretty sure that's how the conversation between the aforementioned Paul Leone and myself started when discussing a post-Brooklyn Half Marathon celebration. Beer Island was the topic of discussion, which is located on Coney Island, which is technically on Long Island. We discussed and debated the definitions of the word "island," which inevitably devolved into some sort of nonsensical conversation, although it was fairly absurd to begin with (if you could hear half the conversations Paul is involved in, you'd either laugh until you cried or your head would explode as a result of trying to comprehend). The result of the conversation was a call to Beer Island to find out how early they opened. A Facebook invite went out and the confirmations poured in. Everyone ran the half and then met at Beer Island for a full day of socialization. The beer was cold and somewhat cheap ($5 for any beer) and the weather was perfect.

Year two found us fretting and searching for a new post-race venue, as NYRR moved the start of the race back an hour. Initial reports were coming back that Beer Island would not be opening until 11 a.m. Luckily, after several calls and emails, they relented and decided to open at 9 a.m. Although a smaller group turned out, it was another day of socialization.

This entry was relegated to the honorable mention list, because most of the experience was due to the post-race festivities. However, running is what brought the whole thing together.

Solo Circumnavigation of Manhattan

The second honorable mention is the result of a long solo training run. The run took place on a 97-degree day in early July '07. I was training for the Jay Mountain Marathon (now extinct), which at the time was touted as the toughest trail race of its distance (after finishing, I can attest it definitely has reason to make that claim). I had read an account of someone circumnavigating Manhattan on their birthday, so I figured, "why not do it for a long training run?"

Armed with a Camelbak, some gels, and a few dollars in cash, I set out from the PATH station at the WTC and started around the bottom of Manhattan. Almost 6.5 hours later, I climbed back on the PATH. Over the course of the run, I got lost, fell and bloodied by knee, gave wrong directions to some tourists, found myself into an almost trance-like state, and forged my way through an abandoned section of Highbridge Park that eerily conjured images of an 80's horror movie. Through it all, I watched neighborhoods change and ventured into parts of the city I'd never been as I made my counter-clockwise journey around the island. It was the first time I had pushed myself that far, especially in those kinds of conditions. I experienced highs and lows, strangely experiencing both at one time during my "trance" state that is too difficult to put into words. The entire run experience was mine and mine alone, not that many people would want to share the experience.

Top Running Experiences of My Life

Over the next 10-12 days, I'm going to count down the top running experiences thus far in my life. I've pounded out many miles on concrete and trails around the the country and even abroad in the past 20 or so years of my life, but every one of the top experiences have happened since I moved to New York City.

Some people say their first marathon will always be their top experience. Mine was one of my worst. I was severely under-trained (my fault) and foolishly pushed through 26.2 miles, putting my health at risk. It was such a terrible experience that after I crossed the finish line, I turned to my sister and remarked, "I will never do this again." Well time passed, and I turned out to be a liar.

Some of my top experiences were races where I achieved a personal goal. Some were just runs with friends. Its a pretty good mixed bag. There were definitely a few runs I would have liked to include, but there's only room for ten (and two honorable mentions). I wish I had room for my first ultra, my first 50 miler, that 42 mile training run with Jim where I hallucinated and then we got caught in a terrible thunderstorm (yes, it was a positive experience regardless of how it sounds), or even one of the two Texas Independence Relays or Reach the Beach Relay. However, those and others were all edged out in favor of the forthcoming list, which I will begin unveiling beginning tomorrow.

I'd love to hear feedback or know if I was involved in any of your favorite experiences. Maybe I somehow forgot about a run that is worthy of the list. If so, I apologize and I will acknowledge it. Be on the lookout for the list...

Ironman not difficult enough? Try it Old School

Want a challenge? Try the Ironman Old School Style. Personally, I say, "No Thanks."

Another night at Red Hook

Back to the track last night. Though I'm definitely feeling stronger and more comfortable on the track, last night shows that I'm still trying to figure out where my fitness and speed are exactly.

First, Coach Cane had us line up and bang out 8 400s, all of which felt easy.

8 x 400, 200 recovery
1:28, 1:28, 1:27, 1:28, 1:27, 1:27, 1:26, 1:26

Then it was time to move on to a single 2000.

1:33, 1:34, 1:34...blew up half way through lap 5. Toughed it out, but didn't get my last 2 splits.

We discussed afterward and I need to dial back the 400s (even though they felt easy). Once I can get through the workouts without falling off at the end, I can start pushing it a little more.

My legs feel a little trashed today, but I only need to knock out and easy run, so all should be good. I did get up this morning and hit the gym. I did a quick circuit and then did some core work.

Dallas White Rock Marathon

Its officially official.

I registered yesterday. I hope to see 2:59:xx on the clock when I cross the finish line on December 5th.

Firing off a rant

I haven't done a road race in quite some time. Well, I suppose the Boston Marathon counts, but when you are decked out in stars and stripes carrying an American Flag while chanting U-S-A! U-S-A!, it doesn't really count as a serious race.

Anyway, a couple recent discussions have brought up a few pet peeves I have regarding people's etiquette on the race course. This time around its all about water stations. And to solve both of these issues, all one really has to do it be aware of their surroundings.

- person #1 that I would shoot before Hitler is the person who comes in to the water station, grabs a cup of water, and then immediately stops and walks while drinking (it's not that hard, I can describe it if need be). Grab you cup and get the hell out of the way! There are plenty of us out there that can drink while running. I swear one of these times, I'm going to throw up and elbow and run over the person who stops in front of me. Grab a cup, run past the tables, move off to the side, glance behind you, and then start walking. Drink until your heart is content.

- person #2 that I would assassinate in lieu of Hitler. The people who dispose of a partially full cup of water with no regard for where other people are. I'm sorry, but nothing sucks more than having to run in a wet shoe for 23 miles due to some jackass throwing their cup of water or Gatorade into your shoe. Just look around before tossing the cup. Be aware of your surroundings! Note: this also applies to people spitting or blowing snot rockets. No one wants to be hit by your bodily fluids!

I don't understand how simple common sense escapes so many people.

The humidity returns

Katie met me at the office for an easy 6 miler last night. The easy 6 turned into a very slow trudge in the heat and humidity, mostly b/c of the humidity. I felt like I couldn't breath. Regardless the miles were logged.

I'm obviously running a bit more consistently, but its really tough to tell if I've made any gains. The weather has really made it tough to get in quality runs. I know I'm a long way from December 5th, but I'm American. And like all Americans, I'm all about instant gratification.

I'm putting my trust in Coach Cane and following his plan. I may or may not break 3 hours on December 5th, but I have full faith that he'll do everything possible to get me there.

A few things to fill my time

I seem to waste at least 30 seconds every day looking at the IMTX website to see if they have posted course information. Alas, every day I am disappointed. So, every time I see a thread on a forum talking about IMTX, I click on it thinking that it'll have some insider info. Usually its a waste of time, but occasionally I get a little insight. Anyway, while researching (wasting time) today, I found this interesting little fact:

WTC media relations stated last week that there are 1508 Texans registered for the race (it sold out at around 2500 entries).

Currently the record for most residents of one state to complete a single race was 2009 IM Wisconsin, with 655 Wisconsin residents finishing. Unless there some sort of catastrophic number of DNFs at IMTX, this meaningless record stands to be absolutely shattered. Everything is bigger in Texas.

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Here's another story that caught my attention. Kelly Williamson recently won the Steelhead 70.3, but stopped about 10 meters from the finish and waited for a couple minutes before claiming her victory. Why? To allow the 3rd and 4th place women to finish within 8% of her finishing time, ensuring they get paid.

Which brings me to the finish...let me flash back to pre-race on the beach.

Karen had jokingly said as the 4 of us stood there, "So, ladies, lets all get paid today! No super hero's out there today, are there?" (To which I thought, "Well, hell, I hope I am a super hero today! I want to win!") There is currently a rule intact which states that to take home any prize money, a professional must finish within 8% of the winners time. While I can respect the rule in that it is aiming to 'raise the bar' for us professionals, I would also like to see those who show up get paid, especially when the field consists of only 4 women. After Karen said this, the idea kept creeping back into my head throughout the race. So, as I approached the finish line, I figured why not take this opportunity to at least try to allow us to all get a paycheck. I did not know the exact spread, but when I came to the line, the clock said "4:15" (which was 4:13 as we had gone 2 minutes back) and upon a quick calculation, I realized this was going to mean they would need to be within about 18 minutes. I slowed down, high fived a few spectators, then about 5 meters from the finish line, stopped and waited. People looked around, a bit confused, but I knew what I was doing and simply held there for 2 minutes or so. Not knowing the exact spread, and knowing that Heather was likely not too far behind, I decided not to push my luck too much and crossed. While a bit anti-climactic for my first 70.3 win, it still felt incredible to break the tape, while also showing some respect to my fellow competitors.

Admirable move by Kelly. Read the rest of her account of the race here.

Back at Red Hook

I joined Coach Cane's group out at the Red Hook track last night for what was the start of my structured training for my attempt at going sub-3 in the marathon. It looks like I've finally settled on the race: Dallas White Rock Marathon on December 5th. The weather in Dallas in December can be a crapshoot, but then again, no one expected it to be 92 degrees in Chicago in October of '07.

The track workout was definitely easier than a couple weeks ago, but I don't feel strong or comfortable out there yet. Its going to take a while to get that back. I haven't done speed work with any consistency in a long, long time and its showing. I dropped all speed work when I went into IM training last year and then didn't need speed work training for Bear Mountain 50 this past spring. My form is terrible, my body is rebelling at the notion of moving quickly, and my mental toughness isn't where it needs to be.

That being said, I suffered.

2400 warm up
1200 @ ~6:20 pace (1:35, 1:35, 1:35)
400 recovery
1200 @ ~6:17 pace (1:30, 1:34, 1:35)
400 recovery
800 @ ~6:04 pace (1:30, 1:32)
400 recovery
800 @ ~6:06 pace (1:32, 1:34)
400 recovery
400 @ 1:23
200 recovery
400 @ 1:28
200 recovery
400 @ 1:30
200 recovery
400 @ 1:27

800 cool down

Its august, time to start training

What a difference a few days and 20 degrees makes. After spending a week in the Texas heat, my "easy" run tonight felt almost effortless and was noticeably faster than any run while I was in Texas.

I think I've finally settled on a fall marathon. White Rock Marathon in Dallas on December 5th. I was looking at Tuscon, but for several reasons I've sort of shied away from it. 18 weeks out, its time to get serious and get back in real shape.