Next challenge: Bring home a buffalo

In about a week and a half, I am going to attempt something a little crazy (even for me)...I will travel to Catalina island and bring home a buffalo.

You heard me right.

For those of you picturing me trying to fit a buffalo into the back of my jeep, let me put your mind at ease. The buffalo I am referring to is the finishers medal for my next marathon. It is very well known amongst marathoners as being one of the top medals in the marathon-world. Here's a look at it...

I should point out that the large majority of runners dont run for the medal. Of course, what it signifies is very important, but the design or size of it is of little importance to most.

Think of it like a wedding ring...most women (hopefully) don't care if their ring is big, small, simple or extravagant. What is most important to them is what is symbolizes. When I look at each of my medals, I can instantly tell you the race it was from and the experience I had in getting it.

I'm hoping there's a great story behind my buffalo. Stay tuned for that race report, November 13th.

Do you know the way to San Jose? (Race Report)

Saturday:

We spent the entire day in San Francisco, checking out the sites, having fun in our Halloween costumes (see above), watching the World Series and partaking in a couple adult beverages at a local speakeasy.

Sunday:

Still feeling a little drowsy from an eventful Saturday, Lindsey and I headed to the start line. For the first time ever, I was able to walk to the start line...and it took less than five minutes! A welcome change from the usual early morning wake-up call, traffic/shuttle to the start.

Trying to maximize every second of sleep I could, I arrived to the start line just a few minutes before the race began. Not leaving enough time for nerves to kick in, we were off. We made our way through five or six miles of San Jose streets before embarking on about 14 miles of paved trails.

The weather was beautiful, around 60 degrees with limited cloud cover. The trail was perfect with rolling hills and some trees to provide a little shade.

About seven miles in I was amazed at the people around me, it seemed as if everybody had decided to run the same exact pace. Nobody passed me and I hardly passed anyone. If you've ever run a race before, you know how rare this is. This went on until the half-marathoners split off at mile 13.

Passing the half-marathon finish line was like seeing the end of the movie half-way through. A big part of me wanted to cross that finish line and call it a day. Nevertheless, I made a right turn and kept on with the running. In perfect timing, I was greeted with a few large hills immediately after passing the half-marathon finish line festival. Turning around wasn't an option, as badly as I wanted to I forced myself on.

Around mile 20 my legs were still feeling pretty good and I was staying ahead of my target pace. I briefly thought to myself, "Maybe this gets easier the more I do it...maybe this won't hurt so bad this time".

Wrong.

Coming up on mile 23 my body started its usual slow and methodic shutdown. (I'm being a bit dramatic here, it actually isnt as deadly as it sounds). My right calf tightened up and I felt a sharp pain in my left groin, not enough to make me stop but more than enough to bring a grimace to my face.

With the Catalina Marathon 13 days away, I wasn't interested in being prideful and pushing myself to the point of injury so I took my time the last few miles. I encouraged other runners while slipping into a run/walk that probably looked more like a walk/stop.

The mile 26 marker finally appeared and I kicked it up a notch, making certain to finish at my goal pace. It hurt just as bad as my previous marathons, but the feeling of finishing was worth it.

Finishing number six was special to me for a couple of reasons. First, because it was the first marathon I ran as a "training run". I was able to enjoy myself and not worry at all about my time. More importantly, I was able to share the experience with two very important people in my life, Mario and Waldo. Thank you both for being there to support me. Knowing you were at the finish line motivated me more than I could ever tell you.

With hardly enough time to think back on my experience, I have to look ahead to my next race. In 11 days I will be hopping on a boat for Catalina to take on the hills and earn myself a buffalo.

Race Week

The early morning time that I normally spend running is being used for extra sleep and my morning prayers are focusing on health and rested legs. That's right, it's race week. Countless hours of training will be tested this Sunday as I take on 26.2 for the sixth time.

This race feels different than any of my others I have run, perhaps because I am considering it a training run, or maybe just because i'm "settling in" to this distance and have gotten use to pounding the pavement for 4 hours.

Scratch that...I dont think I will ever "settle in" to this distance. While it doesn't scare me the way it used to, I will inevitably hit a wall or fight some nagging pain. Regardless of your physical build, your finishing time or your training, 26.2 will humble you.

I expect to be humbled this Sunday. Discovering (again) my limitations will push me to stretch them and that's what running, and life, is all about.

So you want to run a marathon?

Runners come in all shapes and sizes. If you don't believe me, show up to the start line of a marathon and see for yourself. At any given race, you are bound to see runners with chiseled bodies and others with couch potato physiques, some shaped like body builders and others who carry their AARP cards with them. The only thing that all of these people have in common is determination. Somewhere along the way, they made the decision to run 26.2 and lived up to their commitment.

"Why would anyone want to run that far?" is the question I hear most often. While I could write a novel on the countless reasons to run 26.2, I thought I would share some that you may not have already heard...

-Burning over 1,000 calories a day allows you to eat pretty much anything. I'd be careful though, that double chocolate fudge cake will haunt you on your next run.

- Running allows you to see more of the world. Whether it's your hometown or a vacation spot, take some time to explore.

- Find some sanity. You're gonna spend a lot of time alone with your thoughts, might as well make the best of it.

- Sleep like a baby. Dont believe me? Go run for a couple of hours and take a hot shower...good luck making it to the bed before you fall asleep.

-Free beer at the end of a race. Running 26.2 makes anyone a lightweight!

Some run to stay in shape, others to accomplish a goal, but all run with determination. Find what motivates you and use it to run 26.2, I guarantee you won't regret it.

I'm a junkie

I ran across an article on addiction today and although this is a very serious issue, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Am I addicted to running?". Let's take a look at the symptoms the article listed, followed by my analysis of whether or not I am a candidate:



Tolerance - the need to engage in the addictive behavior more and more to get the desired effect. (I'm running in more races in the next six months than I have run in my 25 years on earth. Check.)


Withdrawal - happens when the person does not take the substance or engage in the activity, and they experience unpleasant symptoms, which are often the opposite of the effects of the addictive behavior. (Feeling restless on a day off or jealous when I see someone else out running. Check.)


Difficulty cutting down or controlling the addictive behavior. (Even with a full schedule, I can't help but look for more races. Check.)


Social, occupational or recreational activities becoming more focused around the addiction, and important social and occupational roles being jeopardized. (Can't stay out late, won't drink and my girlfriend knows how much time I can spend with her is solely based on how many miles I have to run the next morning. Check.)


The person becoming preoccupied with the addiction, spending a lot of time on planning, engaging in, and recovering from the addictive behavior. (Hundreds of dollars and races and even more on gear. Check.)



I am slowly coming to terms with my addiction and realizing the effects it has on other areas of my life. However, the only help I plan on seeking is from my ipod. The only support group I am looking for is more people to run with.

Some people turn to the bottle and others turn to narcotics. Not me. My name is Ryan and I am a running junkie.

6 in 6: My new challenge

After rediscovering the old joy and excitement I used to have while running (see previous post), I decided i'd test my limits and try to OD on that excitement. In my quest to become a "Marathon Maniac" ( www.marathonmaniacs.com ) I am currently training to run six marathons in six months. I chose to humbly share this with you, not seeking any praise, but rather your support. Here is what I would gladly accept from you:

- An offer to accompany me on a training run...it gets lonely out there sometimes.
- Better yet, run one of the races with me.
- A word or two of encouragement before my races.
- Come see me cross a finish line or two...you'd be surprised how motivated I get knowing people are waiting for me at the finish.
- If you see me out running, throw a brother a red vine.

Following is a list of the races i'll be running in. If you're a runner, join me! If you're not, cheer me on at the race or via your technological messaging system of choice...

October 31 - Silicon Valley Marathon (San Jose, CA)
November 13 - Catalina Marathon (Avalon, CA)
December 4 - North Face Endurance Challenge 50K (Sausalito, CA)
January 23 - Carlsbad Marathon (Carlsbad, CA)
February 6 - Surf City Marathon (Huntington Beach, CA)
March 20 - Los Angeles Marathon (Los Angeles, CA)

Note: I WILL GLADLY ACCEPT ANY DONATIONS OF RED VINES

Back in the game

Have you ever visited a favorite old childhood spot and felt envigorated thinking about the experiences you had there? Maybe you visited Disneyland as an adult and all the childhood excitement you once had came rushing back to you. Or maybe you hopped on a bicycle for the first time in years and your sense of adventure was renewed. This past July, I experienced this phenomenon while running the San Francisco Marathon.

I know, I know...in my last post I said I may not ever run another marathon. As a matter of fact, I didnt run for nearly four months. Then in March I felt the urge to get back out there, I thought I had kicked my addiction, but my time away only fueled my desire. On my first run in months, I came to a few conclusions:

1. Four months off severely depleted my stamina...I was struggling mightily to finish just a few miles.

2. I can't believe I waited this long to get back out here.

3. From now on, I won't let anything or anyone steal the joy I have when i'm running.

After a few months of training, I headed up to San Francisco and had a blast running 26.2. The course, the crowds and the race were all top notch. Sticking with my theme of just having fun, I paid no attention to my pace or my time, allowing myself to walk when I needed and even took a couple pictures and sent a couple text messages. What an incredibly enjoyable four hours. After finishing, my mind started wandering off as I pondered my next race...that's when I hatched a maniacal plan. More on that in my next post...