. . . run less. And when my motivation to write wanes. . .
Mindfulness as a Race Strategy
I should probably start out by saying I don’t meditate or practice mindfulness in my day to day life. I have no formal or even informal training. Frankly, this isn’t a topic that I’m really all that well versed in really. I’m much closer to someone who’s read a couple random internet articles than someone…
Greenbrier 100 Mile Race Report
Greenbrier Ultras hosted three distances (100M, 50M, 50K) in its namesake state park in Boonesboro, MD last weekend. The 100 mile race stared at 2pm, the 50 mile at midnight, and the 50K at 8am the next morning. The RD, Kevin Sayers, is gearing the race for first time 100 milers by providing a generous…
Greenbrier Preview
My next 100 miler is this weekend down in Boonesboro, MD. The race hosts three distances (100M, 50M, 50K) in Greenbrier State Park. This will be the third year or the race after Covid cancellations in 2020 and 2021. The course is set up as one single loop of 5-8 miles with 98% trails that…
The Lost Glove
I lost a glove on my long run last weekend. This wasn’t just any glove though. It was half of my favorite pair of gloves. A pair that I’ve had for almost as long as I’ve been running. It’s a cheap pair of red Nike branded gloves in some cotton/polyester blend that I picked up…
The Dreaded Long Run
I love running really long distances. Ultra races are the focus of my annual running calendar. I enjoy counting down the days till my next race (i.e. see widget to the right). The build up. The anticipation. It’s like Christmas season all year long for me. But my maintenance 20 mile long runs? Yeah, not…
FAQ for New Ultrarunners
I’m sure several of you who stumble across this blog are relatively new to ultras and have some questions. I’ve shied away from offering advice in the past, however been in the sport long enough now that I can help out with some of the basics. The below questions are ones I’ve seen come up…
The Failed Run
Well, that didn’t turn out like I had planned. There’s lots of different ways to define a failed training run. Maybe you didn’t run as fast as you wanted. Or your effort wasn’t high enough. You could have missed your vert target for the activity. Or possibly you went too hard on an easy day.…
So Long Season of Slow
Well, that lasted longer than I thought it would. What started out as a month or so drop in training intensity, turned into a season, turned into . . . (checks calendar) . . . over three years?!?! Back in 2018, I was getting a little burned out physically so decided to start up my…
Dumb Things I’ve Thought or Said
Here’s an abridged list of dumb things I’ve thought or said over the years. I’ll spare you the unabridged list, which would take me the better part of a week to write. It’s only forty miles. (Naked Bavarian) A flat 100-miler should be much easier. (C&O Canal) It should be light enough that I won’t…