SAME BLOG, NEW SITE!

Dear Bull City Running Blog Readers,

This message is to inform you that we have a new website with a spiffy new blog function, so instead of blogging here, we will blog there.
Same blog, new look!

www.bullcityrunning.com

Thanks for reading!

Plodders, Revolt!

Did you all catch this in the NYTimes today?

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/sports/23marathon.html

What kind of elitist B.S. is this? And check out the lackluster credentials of this Adrienne Wald woman who says “It’s a joke to run a marathon by walking every other mile or by finishing in six, seven, eight hours...it used to be that running a marathon was worth something — there used to be a pride saying that you ran a marathon, but not anymore. Now it’s, ‘How low is the bar?’"

Are you kidding me?

Having "slow" runners in the marathon takes absolutely nothing away from the experience of those running a few minutes per mile faster, and the "slow pokes" more than 'pay for' their time on the course: they account for the exponential increase in marathon participants (and revenues) across the country. But that's really beside the point. The arrogance of the folks quoted in this article is indefensible and deplorable.

I recently completed my first marathon, and while my time on the course was very average and not particularly noteworthy, the sense of accomplishment I felt at the end of 26.2 miles was much more significant and memorable than my pace per mile.

I enjoy cheering on the elite runners and marvel at their ability and effort as much as the next person. They are awesome. Some of them are freaks of nature. I will never be that fast and I'm OK with that. Does it mean there is not a spot for me in the field, or for someone who runs a few minutes per mile slower still? Absolutely not. Runners, unite!

And even if none of this touchy feely stuff matters, one fact remains: we have an epidemic of obesity in this country! If the allure of the marathon is inspiring people to get off the couch, we should cross the finish line, grab some water and an orange slice, and cheer them on.

My Blue Ridge Relay Run Down

(Editor's Note: this is not the abridged version.)
First, for those of you who have never heard of the Blue Ridge Relay or any type of distance relay, I’ll give you a quick overview. You start by compiling a group of 11 (or 5 if you’re crazy) close and/or random acquaintances. Then prepare for continuous running, day and night, for a cumulative total of around 17 miles each, completed relay-style (3 legs each, leapfrogging through your team of 12), through 211 miles of the most scenic and volatile terrain Virginia/North Carolina has to offer.

The end results - a rare chance to share a sweaty experience with someone other than your significant other; a chance to experiment with alternative re-fueling techniques such as a blueberry bagel ham sandwich with chocolate milk at 2am; and finally, the satisfaction of knowing that comfort is overrated because when you need sleep it can be achieved in any number of awkward and contorted positions.

I was the number 6 runner for Team Mizuno and with our 1 pm start, I had time for a somewhat normal morning. We knew from the start that we’d be battling Norm's Maggots throughout the race, so even though we built a small lead going into my leg, there were a lot of trials and miles to go. Though I tried to remind myself that my first leg was only a small part of the overall distance to relax, I quickly started to panic when I hit the first hill and felt my chest and legs burn – roughly only 1 mile into my 5.4 mile run. I cursed the convenience of the American Tobacco Trail. Although it is great place to run, there really isn’t any section along the trail that intimidates you with steep elevation change. I also made a tactical mistake, and relay faux pas, of not printing out my legs so I could review before my run. I had no idea how long the inclines or declines would last, and my first leg was brutal. Luckily the course elevation change was more of an “M” (downhill finish) and not “N” (uphill finish) because my spirit was close to being broken. I handed off in the lead but gave back some time. It was a lot less than I feared when I was struggling during the run so I tried to use that somewhat positive feedback to keep me motivated.

After handing off to Van 2, we drove into Boone to find some blinking lights so we’d be prepared for our night legs. For some reason, we were unable to make the lights we had blink – a justifiably required piece of equipment for this and most relays. Even after the teammate who brought the original lights got them to blink immediately, after we spent most of our first legs trying, we were unable to get them to blink after he left. Since he was in the other van, we felt the correct call was to get idiot proof blinkers.

My second leg, leg 18, was a nice downhill start with a steep uphill climb in the middle and ended with a nice downhill finish. Typically, this type of leg would not be a concern, but throw in complete darkness and a not so confident runner, and it quickly turns into a challenge. We were up on the Maggots by 2+ minutes (thanks to a 10 minute miscue made by the Maggots) and I was feeling good and hoped to maintain the gap or even extend it. During the downtime between legs, I decided to wear my compression socks and shorts. They made a world of difference – mentally and physically. My legs felt in far less worse shape than I originally anticipated and, since I was blissfully unaware of the course, they helped support my legs during the steep downhill sections. But before you think this was some storybook run that re-defined the race (though it did do the latter), I ended up taking a wrong turn less than 3-min from the finish. I finished, not with a lead, but 3 minutes down. We would not have the lead again and I felt like a goat.

We got as much sleep as possible during our time away from the race. When our van started our third and final leg, we were approximately down 12 minutes – not close enough to give our tired bodies the shot of adrenaline it desperately needed. My last leg was a nice and flat 4.4 mile run at 5:30am. I was looking forward to this one, not only for the flat terrain, but a little personal redemption for the mistake I made during my last leg. We had closed the lead to 6:30 minutes when I started and I was determined to keep it that way.

I enjoyed the run, not because it was my last leg, but I was running during the transition from night to daybreak so the amazing scenery provided a gentle reprieve from the discomfort going on in my lower extremities. I finished the leg with no additional problems and maintained the split with the Maggots. No warm down this time, I found a nice nook in the van and woke up in Asheville. We finished 29 minutes off the Maggots mark.

I did hear about and the results of the impressive feat accomplished by the solo runner (Scot Hayward), but I do have to recognize our driver. He was attempting the unheralded solo drive - all legs, both vans. He came close but packed it in for the last 6 legs. I feel we let him down, once we lost contact with the Maggots it probably made the driving much more difficult and the silence must have made it much harder to stay awake. So that’s my run down and it also adequately explains how I still felt the impact of the runs almost a week after completing my last leg. If you have a moment, please stop in and share your experience!

Running the Sahara

Have you heard about this?

In February 2007, Charlie Engle (of Greensboro, NC!), Ray Zahab, and Kevin Lin became the first people in history to run across the entire Sahara Desert, more than 4500 miles. They averaged more than 42 miles per day for 111 consecutive days while crossing the most forbidding terrain on Earth.



We runners are a crazy bunch, and this expedition is yet another example of the extremes we will go for the love of the sport, for the pursuit of adventure, and for the sake of our common humanity.

FYI - Bull City Running Co. has the video of this epic journey available for lending or purchase, and check out the movie trailer.

Running the Sahara is as inspiring as it is entertaining. For those who love to run, love to travel, and have at least a modicum of interest in reality TV, this documentary will give you something to mull over and talk about the next time you meet your buddy for a long run. And when you do, consider this: these guys averaged two marathons a day for 111 days without a single day of rest! (Editor's note: not a recommended training regimen, but remembering this may make your own training more endurable!)

Are these your shoes?

"Beyond mountains, there are mountains." -- Haitian proverb

Local runner, law student, and our friend, Jerry Boies, recently returned to his native Haiti with a suitcase full of your gently used shoes in tow. The story goes that he told one child in his village to come back the next day because he might have a pair of shoes for him, and the next day there was a line of people outside his door. He sent us a few photos and a word of thanks upon his return: "Thank you so much for helping some kids not go to school or church barefoot!"
It's as simple as that. Thank YOU for recycling your old-to-you running shoes!




“But I, being poor, have only my dreams. I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.”
- William Butler Yeats

p.s. Bull City Running Co. is also an official drop-off location for Soles4Souls!

trail love.

I've been in a post-marathon slump. I'd like to blame it on a mild case of runner's knee, but the truth is, I've been uninspired to run.
So yesterday, after some meetings at UNC, I headed out to my old stomping grounds in Carrboro to run the trails of Carolina North. Pulling into the parking lot of Wilson Park, I immediately felt nostalgic for my favorite trail running group and realized that I miss their colorful company as much as I miss these trails.
It's been at least a year since I've been back there, but apart from some erosion that is being carefully restored, the trails were just as I remembered. And they did not disappoint: they provided the full-on trail-running experience.

In the span of about 50 minutes, the following occurred:

• I ran through 3 spider webs
• I ate one bug and picked one out of my eyeball
• I got lost and subsequently ran around in a circle (maybe twice)
  
• I freaked out at the unidentified creatures scurrying and squirming around underfoot
• I sweated at least twice as much as I normally would due to the rainforest-esque conditions
• I tripped (at least 5 times) over roots and rocks just as I was settling into a rhythm and was jarred back to the realization that no matter how serene these woods may appear, Madame Nature is in charge and commands our respect

It was glorious, but I was seriously winded by the experience. There is a good reason that I was in the best running shape of my life when I was trail running regularly. I almost regretted wearing my headphones until I was about to take a walk break and catch my breath...and Dire Strait's "Walk of Life" intervened. Something about walking during that song just doesn't seem right.

So, feeling a bit bored by the concrete jungle? Go find a trail, people! I promise it will provide a welcome departure from the mundane and predictability of pavement and you might even find some inspiration along the way.

a few action shots

...of lead bulls on the downhill turn into the finish!

(Molly Nunn, 1st place Female, overall, 29:35.89)

Kim Certain (5th place female, overall, 32:05.31)

John Hinton (1st place male, masters, 27:06.02)

Jim Clabuesch (1st place, male 40-44, 30:39.99)

Photos compliments of our officially unofficial race photographer, Joan Nesbit Mabe.
Thanks, Joan!

Running of the Bulls 8K

Thanks to all of you who participated, volunteered, and cheered on the inaugural Running of the Bulls 8K! We look forward to seeing you again next year!
Results will be posted on our website shortly!

When Pigs Fly

All of the cute quips and word play you could possibly imagine have been exhausted in Cincinnati, and by the end of the weekend, I was exhausted too. I got jiggy with the piggy, got my oink on, was infected with swine flew, and after 4 grueling hours and some change, I crossed the finish swine and went wee wee wee all the way home.

(Or rather, I was transported to my gate at the airport -- yes, by the cart that typically carries senior citizens and beeps you out of the way before it almost runs over you -- because I could barely put one foot in front of the other.)

Highlights, observations, and reflections from my first marathon experience, in no particular order:

1. Training actually works and I should have done more of it. With more hills.

2. It was hard. Very hard. One of the hardest things I've ever done. I would compare it to labor on some level in terms of physical and mental toughness. (Although, I was arguably tougher in the marathon than I was in labor :))

3. I do actually care what other people think. I knew that Jason & my Mom were tracking my progress online, so part of the reason I kept going was so that they would know I was still moving and keeping more-or-less even splits.

4. The unexpected strength I found in the evangelical t-shirts. I suppose I would qualify as an Easter and Christmas Christian by some definitions, but I am now a Marathon Christian as well.

5. The posters on the course about some guy from North Dakota who was running 3 marathons in 3 weeks. (Foolish, but good luck!)

6. My training partner, Sarah. What a champ. I never would have done those pre-dawn long runs without her (as evidenced by the one long run that never happened when she was sick), and I love the fact that she was game for the Rock Bottom Brewery as our pre- and post-race meal.

7. My lucky charms -- they worked! Jason made me this (very sweet) Go Mom! pin that I wore on my shoe, and I peeked down at it frequently for motivation and strength from my two favorite people whenever I felt like walking.
The purple "Pacer of the Week" bracelet was an award from the Pacers running group in Chapel Hill that they gave me the week before the race. I talked to them about how running has given me the strength and confidence to do things I never would have done, and this bracelet was a nice reminder to eat my words.
8. The fans in Cincinnati. Thanks for coming out on your front lawn early in the morning with cow bells and licorice and orange slices -- and a clothesline rigged up with flying stuffed pigs. Seriously nice race support! But please work on your sense of distance and calculations. When I have 1.9 miles to go, it is not "JUST AROUND THE CORNER! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!"

9. RunPaul was right. I should have paid much more attention to my appearance and surroundings during all of the photo opps on the course -- and especially at the finish swine. All of the photos taken on the course make me appear slightly swollen and generally hypoxic. Furthermore, I do not have a single photo where there isn't a half-naked, hairy, less-than-trim, middle-aged man in the frame. So much for my Kodak moment of glory.

Will I do it again?
No, but in all honesty, probably. As soon as I sufficiently forget the sordid details of this experience.

Why do you run?

Last Saturday morning in front of our store there was a somewhat spontaneous group of high school students and their parents who gathered to go "Jogging for Justin". Not a race per se, but a movement in honor of their friend and fellow student who had died too young of cancer.

They had made t-shirts and colorful signs, and the kids consumed a good bit of their post-jog treats and refreshments pre-jog (to our great amusement). It was a very touching tribute and reminded me of two of the reasons I love running: 1) because you don't have to be "a runner", and 2) because there are so many reasons to run (or jog, if you prefer).

I am 10 days away from my first marathon and I have to admit that at this point I am largely bored and/or uninspired by all of the reasons I normally run. And I'm sore. And I am having a crisis of confidence. In order to get through these 26.2 miles of impending pavement, I'm going to need to a new reason to run.

Over the years, I've participated in many charity races in support of cancer research or hunger awareness or trees. While I'm always happy to support a good cause, I've just never felt a real personal connection to these types of events. But those kids out there jogging for Justin on Saturday morning had a personal connection and that was inspiration enough for them to get together, lace up their shoes, and celebrate their friend.

My Grandmother passed away last week after a hard fought journey with cancer. She had a long, full life by all definitions, and she was a character. Fun, stubborn, crafty, generous (to a fault), funny, committed (to her family, her friends, her public service, her values), determined, and gracious (to her final moments). She wasn't a runner, but she covered plenty of ground. I'll summon her spirit and hope that these qualities that marked her journey will help me through those final miles.

Why do I run? In loving memory of Rosamond Elizabeth Barton, 1922-2009...

Two of my favorite things:

Coffee and running. Mmmm. Just the thought of it makes me warm and twitchy. Is there a better combination? Beer and running is a close second (carbohydrates, hello?), but coffee goes with running like bait goes with fishing. Like tires go with driving. Like Elodie's pacifier goes with sleeping. It's essential. Don't talk to me about dehydration, diuretic, blah, blah, blah. I won't hear of it. I've got the rest of the day to drink water (although I probably won't, to be honest). And no, Diet Coke or Black Tea or Chocolate Milk is not an acceptable substitute. This goes well beyond cravings or habit or addiction. Coffee is fundamental. It is motivation and fuel and reward all heaped into one warm, delicious, freshly ground and brewed mug (with a little cream). And now, the secret is out: it might also be the key to my fastest 10K. And yours. And it is totally legal.
Check out yesterday's article in the New York Times: It's Time to Make a Coffee Run.

A Legendary Run

I'm currently reading The Perfect Distance by Pat Butcher which chronicles the history and rivalry between Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe. As Butcher covered Coe's world record mile run, I had flashbacks to when I first heard about the race. For the most part, before the wealth of shared videos on sites like YouTube , the history of running legends (triumph and heartbreak) were typically passed on by track elders in stories and, ever so often, backed up with grainy VHS tapes to the next generation ... somewhat like a storyteller in some African cultures passing on their history. I remember feverishly trying to locate all articles, videos, and pictures after first hearing about Sebastian Coe. Now, amazingly enough, it takes a 2-second google search to find a wealth of information or an actual race! Now track legends can be shared visually as well as orally, which is a good thing when it comes to Coe because words can hardly describe the effortless simplicity of his form ....so natural, a being who was truly born to run fast.

What makes this run more fascinating is that he hadn't raced the distance in 2 years and ran a limited number of times before then. He had a personal best of 3:57.6, though fast, was over 3 seconds slower than most of the main competitors, including the world record holder John Walker who boasted a time of 3:49.4. At the time, the Dubai Golden Mile in Oslo, Norway, was the best mile field ever assembled (though, to be fair, Ovett had not entered). Coe had broken the 800 meter world record twelve days earlier and 19 days after this race he would break the 1500 meter world record - three world records in 41 days.

I especially like how the announcer compares Coe's effort to the rest of the field as he heads to the finish. Watch and enjoy.

Running with the Buffaloes -- March 19

An Evening with Chris Lear
Thurs. March 19th, 7:00pm @ Bull City Running Co. -- Free!

Few books have covered the sport of running like Running with the Buffaloes and Sub 4:00. Chris Lear's experiences have provided him, and his readers, with intimate access to the training, strategies, and tragedies of championship teams, individuals (Olympians Adam Goucher and Alan Webb) and coaches. He’ll read from his books, answer questions, and discuss his experiences which will appeal to all runners – novice to competitive.

Chris Lear is the author of Running with the Buffaloes and Sub 4. He was also a screenwriter for the film Five Thousand Meters: Nothing Comes Easy. He achieved a 4:09 miler in high school and was an All-American at Princeton University.

The story of my first ever Krispy Kreme Challenge goes like this.

(Compliments of guest blogger, Mariana Byrd)

I run. I run fast. I'm passing people and I feel good. I feel ready to eat a dozen donuts. I love donuts. More specifically, I love Krispy Kreme "hot and now" donuts. My two mile run to the Krispy Kreme store on Peace Street in Raleigh is good and I get there ready to eat. Unfortunately, as I suspected, it is impossible to have "hot and now" donuts ready for 5,000 people to eat. I anticipated this, so it doesn't get me down, and I grab my box of a dozen glazed donuts and begin to eat.

The goal is to finish in 1 hour, so I estimate I have approximately 30 minutes to eat a dozen donuts, which would then leave me 15 minutes to run back two miles to the finish line. Doable, definitely doable. Especially because I estimate that I can eat 12 donuts in about 15 minutes or less.

I was wrong. Very, very wrong. I should have dedicated at least as much time to my donut consumption skills as I did to running.

I began eating the first donuts calmly. They were good. Cold, but good. I thought "no problem, slow and steady wins the race". Except the slow and steady doesn't apply to putting food in your stomach. Especially when you don't have all day.

After the 4th donut, I started squishing the donuts to get rid of all the air before I put it in my mouth. I had heard that this speeds up your time and at this point I was ready to try something. More so because all around me were people complaining about eating all 12 donuts.

All around me people were gagging, throwing up, chanting...there was just about everything you could imagine thousands of people doing while trying to eat a dozen donuts.

I felt myself slowdown while eating my 6th donut. Of course, this was natural because I never eat more than 6 donuts at one time. I kept going but it was slower. Around donut number 8, I began dipping the donuts in water. Not as gross as I imagined. It actually helped a lot. There was less chewing and more swallowing with the water dipping method. This worked well until they called "time".

Time? I wasn't ready to start running! I still had two more donuts left! I quickly realized that 30 minutes had passed and I had only eaten 10 out of 12 donuts. I had two options: 1) Stop eating and start running in order to make it in under an hour. But I couldn't do that, I signed up to be a challenger which meant that I had to eat all 12, or 2) finish eating the 2 donuts as fast as I could and start running knowing full well that I wasn't going to be able to run 2 miles in 10 minutes.

I chose option number 2. I ate as fast as I could all the while trying not to have it come back up again. I started running 5 minutes later and threw my empty box away (oddly enough, I wanted to keep it as a souvenir but we had to get rid of them). The first mile back was probably the hardest mile I have ever had to run. I wanted to run fast but my stomach wouldn't let me and I vowed not to throw up because then what's the fun in that?!

I made it back, running, not walking, which I was happy about. I was happy that I ate all 12 donuts, ran the 4 miles, and finished the race. I was not happy that my time was 1 hour and 13 minutes. But that has not yet convinced me to do it again next year.

The Krispy Kreme Challenge is a great run. I am glad that I can say I did it. Maybe one day I'll forget how it felt to eat 12 donuts and do it again to see if I can finish in under an hour. I know it's possible, hundreds of people finished in under an hour...they must be good, very good. How about you?

a few shots from last saturday!

Thanks to everyone who came out, and thanks to Matt for the goodies and gear!

Run with a Rep -- Join us tomorrow!

A.K.A. Free stuff!
Join us for our regularly scheduled run tomorrow morning (Saturday 1/24) at 8:00am. Our local rep for CarbBOOM sports nutrition, Balega socks, and CRAFT Performance Apparel will be here with samples, wear test gear, and free fun stuff!

Confessions of a Fat Runner

This article appeared in Newsweek last month. I was reminded of it in light of the first meeting of our women's beginner running clinic this past Wednesday. Over 35 women -- of all ages, shapes, and stations in life -- braved the cold to come out and, well, run. Before we hit the trail, I asked each of them why they had come, what brought them here. And I appreciated their candid replies: many of them do not like running.

In the past, it has been uncomfortable, even painful, inconsistent, and unsatisfying. But in the same breath, they offered some glimpse of an explanation for their lack of enjoyment: trying to keep up with their husbands, or an unrealistic training plan, or an idea of how fast they "ought" to be running. It became tiring and demoralizing. Left unchecked, running can often become more about external expectations than about internal motivation. When this happens, it is easy to forget why we run.

An excerpt from the end of the article:

"But this is the beauty of the run: a mile into a good one, you stop caring about what anybody thinks. Push past the pain, ignore the passing cars, and soon you arrive at a place where your head is clear, your breathing calm, and the cares of the day fade away. This is why we run, all of us—the thinnest and the fattest. This is why we race. This, and sometimes there's free beer at the finish line."

At this particular station in my life, running has become more about my mental health and less about physical achievement. I do my best thinking when I run. Occasionally, I tackle some of the world's crises. While I admit it has been pride-swallowing to know that my pace per mile is a good bit slower that it was a few years ago, I enjoy my run -- indeed, cherish it -- for other reasons now (but I still enjoy the beer at the finish line).

I Don't Like Recycling.

It's something we all do, even more so this time of year. It's easy, simple, just open the door and go, but still, I just don't like recycling my runs. I like options. I like choosing from a number of routes, or better yet, to try something new... to get lost. For me as a runner, I feel like a hamster on a wheel during this time of the year, caught in a vicious cycle of the mundane. The options are limited: do I run it regular, backward, for time, maybe throw in a fartlek? It's still the same.

But things are changing, the sun is now working with me and on March 8th time will too. I can't wait to spring forward and re-acquaint myself with a number of my favorite routes. Until then, I guess I could get up early to catch a couple extra rays of daylight... but, you know, March 8th really isn't too long to wait.