Running to kick the habit

July marked an anniversary for myself and a neighbor down the street, Christy. I hadn’t seen Christy since her 1-year anniversary last July until just a week ago which coincidentally marked her 2nd year anniversary.

“Has it really been a year?” I thought? The last year crawled at a snail’s pace for me. Yet looking back it feels like yesterday.

In contrast to my melancholy morning attitude my neighbor was ecstatic!

Most week days that I run in the morning I robotically trot down the street, make a left, then a right. A half mile away – my eyes and mind still wiping the sleep away – I pass a little corner house with a table and two chairs out front. Just under 2 years ago as I passed this little corner house I notice in the periphery of my vision a woman sitting with a man waving to me. I flick my hand in response and continue on.

Our neighborhood...not quite a Mr. Roger's type neighborhood.

But, we are trying to change the neighborhood dynamic
through our own converted bus bench in our shady front yard.

“God bless you, and thank you!” She yells after me.

I continue running…Is she shouting at me I wonder? Is she crazy? Should I stop or keep going?

“Bless you!” She yells louder.

I pause my advance down the street and half turn in her direction. She skips toward the street from her patio chair.

“Today marks 1 month.” She proudly exclaims. I look in puzzlement. “I have seen you run by most mornings past my house as I sip my coffee and smoke a cigarette. The good Lord provided me with your daily inspiration of health and activity to help me stop smoking and drinking. It’s been 1 month now.”

Still somewhat in bewilderment at 6:15am I smile, congratulate her, wish her the best and turn to continue running. I begin to contemplate how a simple, daily act of mine can lead to inspiration for another, and then be returned to me.  And, here I thought I was being selfish by taking time for myself to run each day. My heart begins to warm and I am renewed with new purpose to my running habit.

For 11 months after that first encounter as I approached her corner house painted in a heavy green, I would look for her to give her a wave and greeting. We have exchanged names, remarked on the weather or sunrise, and I would receive periodic updates on how long it has been since she stopped smoking and drinking.

During month 10 for Christy – my Dad visited with me for a week. I outfitted him on my mountain bike to ride alongside as I went for a morning run. It had been about a month since I have last seen Christy and as we pass by I tell him the story of my neighbor and how my simple daily act of running inspired her to stop smoking and drinking to improve her health.

An hour later we are passing by on our way home. A block past Christy’s house a woman pulls out in front from a side street. I look in amazement as I realize Christy is riding a bike.

I introduce her to my Dad and she gushes to him how much of an inspiration I have been through my daily discipline in healthy activity and how this helped her take interest in having a healthier lifestyle. Christy highlighted the positive impacts from my daily running which was a welcome departure to how I felt others perceived my running as a narcissistic act including my Dad. Growing up, my Dad spent a significant amount of his time training for Ironman competitions. He felt in hindsight this had taken him away from family time and as a father. Conversations on this topic made me question my motives for running and the time commitment impacts they had on others close to me.

I remark to Christy how long it has been since I saw her last. She responds that she has taken up going for rides or walks to increase her daily activity and thus we have not been crossing paths as frequently. Whenever, I am feeling negative about running – either I am tired, sore, or can think of a million other things I would be rather doing – I pass by Christie’s house and have a renewed lightness in my step and am thankful for her shout out that first morning I ran by.

Soon after her 1-year anniversary I was not able to run for a dreary long 10 months due to recovering from a difficult running injury. I forgot about Christy, her green corner house, and her resolution to not drink or smoke. I was melancholy in my own thoughts and struggling to attempt some level of fitness. Then for a month I was able to build into short 2-4 mile runs every few days. Slowly as the weeks passed I was able to extend my runs. Through this past year of not running I have turned to many others for inspiration for myself. Some being friends, some family, and others just doing what they do with a smile. I am grateful for these often anonymous persons being an uplifting force for me and demonstrating how each of us can be a positive influence to others.

Two weeks ago, about a year since I last saw Christy, I decided to test out my old running route again. Just down the street from my neighbor’s corner house, I see her waving and shouting to me!

In a bubbling of conversation Christy exclaims her delight in seeing me just a few days away from her 2 year anniversary for not drinking or smoking!

I am delighted to be reminded how my daily actions can be an uplifting force for someone else and provides me positive energy in return to dispel the melancholy clouds.

When injured I switched from daily runs to seeking mountain swimming holes
regularly with Lisa. Upper Sabino Creek, Tucson, AZ on an overnight backpack.

Yuba River after a short 2 mile jog, Nevada City, CA shortly
after crewing at Western States Endurance Run. 

Sabino Creek just a couple of weeks ago after my first hill effort
workout and about 75% back running.

Part III. A breakthrough - redefining myself as a runner with barefoot form.

Running was a challenge for me since high school. Intense track training my freshman year left me walking painfully from shin splints and eventually forced me to quit track. My first running defeat. I avoided running through the rest of high school. Through college I occasionally “tested” my legs but found I could not run more than a mile without intense shin pain the following days. I happily continued other athletic pursuits in competitive road and mountain biking and swimming through college. Then graduate school started. Short on money and time, I became determined to take up running again. I figured it would provide a short and cheap workout outlet, 2-3 times per week for ~20-30 minutes.

2007 Club 10k Nationals
My first big-time race with great friends!

On the sidelines at the 2002 Tucson marathon and cheering on some friends, I ran into an old family friend, who was an experienced runner and triathlete. While chatting Mr. Soro zoomed by – barefoot – for yet another Tucson marathon win. My friend remarked how that guy was for sure going to destroy his joints and knees running barefoot.

Perhaps not. We have been running for thousands of years. Running shoes have only been on the market for the last few decades. Perhaps it is the way we run which can be damaging – not the running itself.

2007 Pemberton 50K
My first ultra!

So – with the power of the internet I searched “barefoot running” and read up on the biomechanics of running barefoot. But, how to start? My feet were tender as a baby’s bottom. With advice from a few barefoot running websites I started running 1 day a week around a grassy park and 1 day a week around a track – barefoot. Running barefoot forced me to redevelop my form which I then focused on imitating when on the road. I slowly made the switch from heel striking to fore-foot running.

My runs quickly grew longer and more frequent with less pain from my shins. Within a few months I had gone from 10-20 miles per week to 30-50miles per week. I was hooked! Within the year my new gait was effortless and comfortable.

Now both mentally and physically I declared myself a runner and continued breaking former limits and enjoying my new found freedom to explore – running!

It is hard for me to believe I wasn't able to run more than a couple of miles until changing my form in my mid-20s. No special shoes, inserts, or medical aid needed. Now I can explore the mountains at will and challenge myself to 100 mile races!

Why I love running...it takes me to far and away places in the mountains.

The Hundred that Wasn’t Meant to Be. Overcoming Hurdles Part 1 of 5.

Pushing beyond your limits often takes you beyond your own mental capacity. Grit. Determination. A sprinkle of whining or crying. A heap of self-doubt. In the next five posts I will explore how I overcame mental and physical challenges to my running and how I ultimately succeeded even when I convinced myself I would not. Have you pushed beyond what you thought were your limits? At what point did you know you would succeed?

A surprise came my way yesterday. Reading through Jay Danek’s write-up of the 2013 Arizona Ultra Runner of the Year (UROY) I discovered I had won - “Best Performance by an Arizona Runner on Arizona Soil”. I am very appreciative for the award and am grateful for everyone who helped with that performance at Javelina Jundred including my family (also my crew), the Aravaipa crew, race volunteers, and friendly camaraderie among all the runners which helped fuel my run.

A glance back before continuing up.

Part I. San Diego 100 or bust!

I struggled with making a decision. The deadline for a partial refund of my registration drew near. I clung to the hope that tomorrow I would be able to run. Weeks without running had taking its toll on me mentally. I filled my running time with more hours at work or tackling long awaited yard projects. Forget cross training.

May 1, 2013 (5.5 weeks to race day) – I made the call to withdraw from the SanDiego 100 (SD100) and emailed Scott Mills the race director: 

“I am very sad to make the decision that I will be unable to race this year in the SD100. I did have an injury that has kept me from running for about 7 weeks and I am just now slowly getting back to it. I had hoped I would be able to have a faster recovery and ramp my mileage quickly back up to prepare….”

May 7 (4.5 weeks) – Wait, can I really drop out of my first hundred for a second time? I emailed Scott,

“I have done a number of 'testing' long runs to see how my legs feel after 8wks off. It is going much, much better than expected....is it too late to NOT cancel? I have not yet cashed your refund check. I am doing another set of long runs next weekend and hope that should put me a good place to go for it. I probably won't be as competitive as I had hoped but will just set my sites on finishing my 1st 100…”

May 15 (3.5 weeks) – 

Brief rest and dip mid-run in a cool desert pool.

“Hi Scott - The ‘test’ runs last Sunday/Monday went very well for me. I am looking forward to the SD100 although I probably will not be as competitive as I would have hoped....which may be a good attitude to take for my first 100.”

And, so began my determination to not give up but to start and complete the San Diego 100. It would be my first 100mile running race, with only 4 short training weeks plus a taper (a final training period to let the legs rest and be fresh for the race). I focused on visualizing myself training hard. I visualized myself during the race. I tried to visualize myself finishing – it was a little fuzzy but I could faintly make out the finish line.

My desire to run comes with an intense desire to experience freedom – to explore, to express joy and grace, and to dart along mountain trails – like an antelope. The lyrics of a Phish song encapsulate it for me, “Run like an antelope – out of control.” Running 100 miles I felt would express that sense of freedom. Now if I could only truly realize that sense of freedom.

My short training regime focused on long, low-intensity, back-to-back weekend runs with substantial rest during the week. I focused on time-on-my-feet not mileage. I built up from 3-4 hour runs to 6 hours sandwiched the day before and after with a 2hr and 3hr run. Each start of the week as my training aches and pains dully came into focus I turned prayerfully for support. I could only hope to just attempt my next set of training runs the following weekend. Each week I found myself elated that I met or exceeded my training goal yet fearful of not being able to make it through the next training set.

June 6 – Climbing out of the low desert we arrived in the Las Lagunas Mountains inland from San Diego two days prior to race day. We settled in at a campground spot nestled among oak and pine and enjoyed a late afternoon walk on a section of the course near the campground. The welcoming meadows and mountain air refreshed my spirit. The next day we (Lisa and I) previewed sections of the course. The shady pines and meadows gave way to chaparral scrub, rocks, and a hot sun.  A knot grew in my stomach in anticipation of what race day would bring. Temps were forecasted to be in the low 100s (°F) with over 18,000ft of climbing and rough trail sections interspersed. I was way under prepared!

But, I made it to this point and was determined to give it a go.

June 8 – The blast from the starting gun found my nervous legs comfortably behind the leaders including Jeff Browning and Dave Mackey. Here it goes!  Still trying to visualize the finish, I think back to how I got to this point, and I remember the many stumbling blocks that turned into stepping stones.

Coming soon…
Part II. Signing up for my first 100 - Vermont 100. Having fun with failure.

Part III. A breakthrough - redefining myself as a runner and my form. How I became a runner by deliberately redefining my form.

Part IV. Support systems when visualization fails. You are not alone!

Part V. The adventure is in the preparations. The highlight is getting to the start line.