The Super Bowl of American Ultra running

Here is a great short video of Kilian and the super bowl of American ultra trail running, Western States 100. The history is second to none. Enjoy!!!

Progress

Yes progress is the title of this blog post. Why you might ask? Well on many fronts I would say. For starters my body is feeling better and better over this last week. When I found out I had a stress fracture they said like 8 weeks off and then most likely 4-6 weeks more till I felt like my old self. Last Friday was 3 weeks post time off. I ended off the week with 2 very good runs, and tonight started off this week with my longest run yet. Is a 5.7 mile run long? For now I will take it.

I ask myself what is different? For one I have been getting great treatment from people and two my body is just getting better and stronger each day. I also would like to think some of it mental. I think we all as runners have seen how the mental side of the sport is big, real big. For those who know me good know how I am a student of the sport of running, all running. You want to know a race results of a track race in Europe or what is the next race of Ryan Hall there is a good chance I might know. I love the sport that much. Running is me. Call me a running geek. So this being said I like to study great runners attitudes about things. Weather that be people like my buddies Chris Lunstrom and Tony Kocanda or guys like Western States 100 champ Goeff Roes, I learn stuff all the time. With people like Goeff when I read his blog it helps me see how to just pull back from the "racing" attitude and just run. Love what is around me. Lately this seems to be helping me allot. No 5.7 miles is not something I would normally be jumping up and down about. But hell that is 5.7 more miles than before. I am looking at it as time in my environment doing what I love. This will sometime down the road become say a 30 mile run. But in the end it is still time doing what I love. Here are two videos that ground me. Both done by Joel Wolpert.

Good Luck this weekend Goeff at Western States 100!!!

This brings me to this upcoming weekend. First off Good luck to all my friends running the Black Hills 100 mile, 100k and 50 mile trail races. There are so many going there and I was hoping to be on that starting line for you but I will be there in spirit. Then go get em Arley out at the big dance Western States 100 miler. If that is not enough the USA track championships are this weekend. You can find info on the different races at www.usatf.com.

And lastly great job to all who ran last weekends Grandma's Races. It was so fun watching you all out there!! Now rest, and yes that is you Matty Champ Mr. 2:13 as well as my wife Sonya miss 3:03.

Two steps forward One step back

Kyra and Evan striding out by the rose gardens

The title of the blog today says it all. Well maybe last week if seemed like the other way around. Man after a good run on National Running Day I went into the crapper. My back was so tight and sore and my sciatic nerve down my left leg was on fire. It was a dark day in my head for a few days. Then Saturday came and I went down to see my friends running Fans 12&24 hour race. Being down there snapped my head back around to remembering I am part of a great running community in MN. I looked at my friends and thought how can I help you? In doing so I stopd feeling bad for myself and then aloud myself to think about myself in a different light. Thanks everyone.

I am happy to report that I had a super 3.5 mile run on the trails around Cedar Lake and Brownie pond last night. Heck even thought it was like 98 degrees out when I ran I felt blessed to be out there. Now on to the rest of the week. Happy Running!!

Running on National Running Day

So last Thursday night was the very first time I had run in 2 months. I had the pleasure of having my super supportive wife Sonya with me along for the ride. What I found out that night was that even when working super hard in the pool your muscles fall asleep and go away when not used for that long. I was so stiff, sore and so so slow. That being said it was nice to loop the lake once more. I also knew after that run it was going some more time till I was running like before.

Almost a week has passed and in that time I have tried to run 2 more time and each time I got only 1.5 miles and was very discouraged about things. I thought over and over what the hell has happen to me? Either way I kept on aqua jogging and figured I just need to keep waiting.

Along come June 1st and National Running Day. We where luck to have the good people at Twin Cities in Motion ( the people who put on TC Marathon and all the other great races ) ask us to be apart of the day with us by hosting at the store. All I can say is wow; what fun! There where 5k runs each hour from 6am till 6pm with a ton of great prizes given away as well. The highlight of the day was going to be a appearance by Harry and Shelly for the little kids. My son Evan LOVES these guys and could not believe that they where going to be at Dad's running store. After running a half mile with Evan I thought to myself how much better I felt. Hmm maybe I should try to get out? At first it did not look good so I had to cancel a run with my buddy Nick. But just then things opened up so I jumped to it. I thought lets try something different. So I drove to a favorite trail of mine the MN river bottoms. The goal was to shoot for 2.5 miles and if lucky maybe even 3 miles. As I made my way down the trail I felt free and at home. I just took every step with all the joy in the world. I got to 1.5 miles and even though I was ok I turned around as I did not want to push my luck. As I got back to my car I thought about how I had hope once more. Hope to be back running where I love with people I love. I still have a long way to go but tonight was a huge steep.

3 weeks till Western States 100!!!

Up close with Goeff Roes