Mount Taylor 50K - Reflections

            September 27^th, 2014, Katlyn, my running partner and love of my life, and I woke up as we had done countless times before, got dressed as if by autopilot, and began preparing ourselves for the challenge of the day. The weather was much colder than we were used to from the last 4 months of training in the Arizona summer desert. There was a chance it would rain, but the sky was pretty clear that morning so it was impossible to tell. Another challenge we were expecting was the elevation of this particular race. We had trained at 1400-2500 feet above sea-level in Phoenix, Arizona and ran a couple of times at Flagstaff’s 6000-ish feet, but the 31 miles ahead of us today were all above 9000 feet with a peak of 11,300 feet. The air would be thinner than we had ever experienced, the terrain would be unknown, and the weather was uncertain. This left for very little that was under our control, but these conditions weren’t new or uncharted for us. This was an ultra, not a catered road race, and these challenges were part of the game. Overall, we were ready.

Thoughts From A Difficult Weekend

One of the things I enjoy most is doing what I can to inspire and motivate people to be healthy and fit. It is an amazing sense of gratification when I am able to play even a small part in helping someone get more out of life. Something that needs to be said, however, is that people who enjoy motivating and inspiring others sometimes need to be motivated or inspired as well. It is very difficult to be super-motivated 100% of the time and this past weekend was a good example of that.

This dip in motivation was due to a variety of things: constant training over the past few years, long weekends that led to low energy levels throughout the weeks, and a general lack of sufficient sleep were just a few factors that weighed heavy on my "motivato-meter". These things are fairly common in ultra-distance event training, however, and it's how we react to these challenges that determine our readiness for these events. This past weekend inspired some thoughts that I'd like to share about these challenges and how they might apply to life, in general. (Disclaimer: you don't have to be an ultra-distance athlete to get something out of this, so read on.)

The Themed Run Craze & What It Has Created

Running is a passion for me. It's something I grew up doing and it's something I'm fairly serious about; serious in the sense that I do it regularly and enjoy it a lot, not that I take it so serious that I don't have fun with it. When I participate in a running event, it's typically timed, there are awards (although I rarely win any), and they are long enough that they require a certain training commitment from all the participants. This is how the running industry was for a long time. 

Rubbish and Sensibility in Wellness

It seems like once a week, every week, there's a new article about nutrition or about exercise. Some "expert" wants to let people know that he or she has the answer to every problem they have ever encountered when it comes to health, wellness and, more specifically, fitness. This isn't exclusive to any particular level of fitness or wellness, however. You can go online and find an article that will defend or condemn anything. 

Reasons Why Phoenix Is A Great Place To Live

I recently saw an article going around the inter-webs that was titled "Reasons Why Phoenix Is The Worst Place Ever" and it made me very angry. The author seemed like a very bitter, whiney person who, after saying he was a resident, continued to list some very inaccurate, bitter reasons why he disliked Phoenix. So I decided to turn the tables, and list some reasons why I love living here. I'll leave it to whoever reads this article to decide if they'd rather agree with the negativity of the other guy, or appreciate the great things we have in this beautiful place.

Back to the Basics

There’s something incredible seductive about a perfectly cloudless, blue sky set behind a crystal clear, sun bathed mountain range. It’s hard to believe there are people in the world that, unlike us, are not called to wander and explore a beautiful landscape on a beautiful day. Our species did not originate in an air-conditioned, closed space. Our legs did not evolve to push the gas pedal of a car, or stand in an elevator. Our hands did not form for the purpose of moving the stick on a video game controller, or hit the answer button on a phone. Our legs were made to run and walk. Our hands were made to climb and make tools. Our bodies are endurance super-machines, and yet most people shudder at the thought of running more than a mile or two.

Runner's High

I know it’s been a long time since I paid any attention to Climb Run Wander. Needless to say, my life has taken more and more turns and it seems like the last three years have been spent searching, frantically for my passions and for my callings. But, alas, I have returned and I hope to stay this time.

Yesterday, I went for a run and so when I decided to start this come-back, it seemed appropriate to do so with a few words on part of the title of this humble blog. Running is a sport that, although it has a huge following, with races that more than 20,000 sign up for, is vastly under-appreciated in this day and age. So I’d like to begin with that.

I wake up yesterday, at 4:15am. The sun is barely starting to approach the horizon and the light glow of dawn lights my room as I put on my racelab triathlon shorts and triathlon top. After fiddling with my contact lenses, eating a quick bowl of cereal, and preparing my water, I drive to the Reach 11 trail area in North Phoenix with the radio off, just enjoying the quiet, Sunday morning.