Monday, December 31, 2007

Wilmington Duathlon

Saturday, January 19, 2008 – 11 am
Wilmington Short Course – Wilmington, NC


Try something new to kick off 2008. If you are interested, then register by the end of day on January 1st to save some money.












The Race

The 5k run course is an out and back along Sanders and North on River Road. The bike course is also an out and back, following River Road South and turning around at Snows Cut Park. The second run course will follow the first run segment of the out and back along Sanders Road and River Road. Water stations are provided at the 1.55 mile turn around point on the first run segment. The second water station will be located at the .75 mile turnaround for the final run segment. The finish line is in the Bellamy Elementary School parking lot near the transition area.

The race course revolves around a transition area in Heyward C. Bellamy Elementary School parking lot. The same transition area will be used for all phases. The transition area will open at 9 am; ALL bikes need to be placed in position before the transition area closes at 10:45am.

Charity

The race is hosted by Cape Fear Cyclists to raise money for the Fallen Police Officer’s Fund.

Distance

3.1 Mile Run / 12.2 Mile Bike / 1.5 Mile Run

Distances are approximate and subject to change

Race Amenities

  • Wicking T-shirt
  • Post Race food
  • Winning Time Chip Timing

Registration

  • Until January 1, 2008:
    Individual Participant: $35.00
    Relay Team: $65.00
  • January 2 through January 16, 2008:
    Individual Participant: $50.00
    Relay Team: $75.00

There is a $10.00 fee for each non-USAT registrant.

Race Website: www.fsseries.com

Race Divisions

Athletes may register as a male or female aged:

  • 13 & Under
  • 14-15
  • 16-19
  • 20-24
  • 25-29
  • 30-34
  • 35-39
  • 40-44
  • 45-49
  • 50-54
  • 55-59
  • 60-64
  • 65-69
  • 70-74
  • 75+

Special Divisions Include:

  • Athena
  • Clydesdale
  • Relays - Athletes can register as a relay team for the duathlon. Teams are comprised of two members, each member does one event; the run or bike.

Packet Pick Up and Directions

January 18, 2008 from 5-7pm: Two Wheeler Dealer - 4408 Wrightsville Avenue - Wilmington, NC 28403

Race Day from 8-10am: Bellamy Elementary School - 70 Sanders Drive - Wilmington, NC 28412

Friday, December 28, 2007

Run Your First Marathon / The 7 Day Training Program





My interviewee for this this week's athlete profile is dragging his lazy feet in getting some of his answers to my questions back to me, so I've pulled an oldie but goody article out of the dusty cyber shelves.

Run Your First Marathon / The 7 Day Training Program

By Tim Long

November 2nd: A Girl named Faith (really) calls the running store [where I was working part-time] to ask whether anyone would like a complimentary entry for the Richmond Marathon which included hotel and the coveted pasta dinner the night before the race. Since I took the call, I say, “Well, how does it work?” She says that she’ll fax over the entry form and someone simply has to fill it out and send it back. “Yeah,” I reply, “someone would probably want to do it.” So I drag the two pieces of paper (fax cover sheet and faxed entry form) around with me for a few days. On Friday, November 5th, Faith’s boss, Michelle calls me to ask whether anyone was going to take advantage of the offer. Side note: I had been debating this in my mind for four days now, and came to the conclusion that it would be crazy to run my first marathon with absolutely no training or distance running. So I say, “Yeah, sure, I’d really like to do it.” Ten minutes later I have fax confirmation that my filled out entry form has reached her. Later that day I have confirmation numbers for my marathon entry, hotel room, and dinner. Then it hits me; I have to run a marathon in seven days. I start asking myself, “Will I die? What do people mean by ‘hitting the wall’? How much water do I need? Should I walk? Do I need one of those Fuel Belt thingys?” Then I remember standing and cheering the runners at mile 23 of the Boston Marathon watching thousands of runners go by, and seeing lots of men with bloody shirts from chafed nipples. Now I’m just plain scared.

Organization: Okay, it’s day one of my training. I’ll do a long run. I think to myself, “That’s what marathon training is hinged on, long runs.” Saturday, November 6th, I do eleven miles. Okay, that’s not so bad. The long run is out of the way. Sunday I am going to rest but instead do a 35 mile bike ride in the morning, then a brisk 5 mile run at night. “Cross training, lots of marathon runners cross train. ” I say to myself. Monday is a rest day. Tuesday I go out for an easy 5 miles after work at “marathon pace”. At this point I should point out that my goal marathon pace (if I ever run one with the intent to do well) is 6:27/mile (2:49 marathon). Granted, I had no intention of trying to run a 2:49 race. With no training and not knowing what to expect I just wanted to finish so I could come home without being embarrassed. So, when I say “marathon pace” for this run it means 8 mins/mile. Wednesday the 10th, I do another 5 miles. This time a little faster, maybe 6:45 pace. I call this the speed-work of my training program. Thursday I go out and do 2 miles before the Thomas Street Tavern Run, then hang out and watch other folks run. The running portion of my training is done, and now I start the tapering portion of my marathon training program. I rest on Friday mostly because I’m driving 300 miles to Richmond, VA.

It was pouring rain the ENTIRE 5 hours to Richmond. When I get there at 4PM, I’m exhausted. After checking into the hotel and finding a map to the start line (the hotel is a long 4.5 miles from the start line of the marathon), I drive down to the expo to pick up my packet, take in some of the marathon energy, and have my pasta dinner with a special guest speaker from Runner’s World, Bart Yasso, who shares a slide show accompanied by entertaining commentary on many of the more memorable races and runs he’s covered, including the Bad Water 146 Mile Race, Antarctica Marathon, Kilimanjaro Marathon, and some other interesting places and runs he’s both run and written about. The dinner was first-rate and the speaker matched it with wit and inspiration. I was nervous about the next day and let the other people at my dinner table know my trepidations. They offer encouraging words, but I can see in their expressions that they feel I might be either drunk or crazy or both, and that I’ll be lying under a water stop at the curb around mile 14 the next day. I drive back to the hotel and fall asleep watching the Weather Channel, hoping it would stop raining before the race start so my new shoes wouldn’t get wet.

Race morning: The alarm wakes me at 4:55AM, and I realize that I’ll be starting my first marathon in three hours. At that moment I wonder whether anyone would believe that I slept through my alarm and couldn’t make the start. Then a bit of confidence pushes its way in and forces me into the shower. With the image of the bloody nipples I saw in Boston, I had taken the liberty of packing two band-aids for the trip. After applying them I lather myself up in Body Glide. At least if I die, I won’t be chafed. I’m out the door at 6AM.

Being this early, I find a decent and free parking spot two blocks from the start line (though unknown at the time, much further from the finish line which will be a factor later). Knowing there will be Cliff Shot energy gels starting at mile 14, I take three gels in a zip lock bag to cover the first 14 miles. The weather had changed and had stopped raining, but was now 40 degrees with a 20mph wind that took your breath away. I chose to wear running shorts, a long sleeved shirt with my Sharksbite singlet over it, along with some gloves. At this point I realize I don’t have safety pins to secure my bib number. “No problem” I think. Being a race director, organizer, timer, and participant of many races I’m sure to have four safety pins in my car somewhere. After 10 minutes I can’t even find one, so I give up and head to the start area with my bib number in one hand and my little zip lock bag of gels in the other. The wind is whipping through the hilly streets of Richmond with newspapers and other debris flying around. I get to the general start area and realize there is no place to stay warm or to get away from the wind, so I head over to the line of 80 porta-potties and climb into the first one. Since it’s so early no one has used it yet, so the smell isn’t bad. I think to myself how smart I am to be in there keeping warm away from the wind. After about 10 minutes or so, I hear more and more voices outside, and peek my head out to see a line of people waiting to use MY porta-pottie. Once I slink out of that situation, I simply go back to the car two blocks away and wait for the start. Oh, and I finally find someone who gives me four safety pins three minutes before the race begins. I find a group holding a big sign that says “pace group 3:30”. I assume it’s either a bible passage or an anticipated finish time. I figure an 8 minute pace is ambitious, but possibly doable, so I slip in behind them. The race starts and I am taking it very easy, almost scared to have my feet touch the ground because I have counted the steps it will take to finish 26.2 miles.

The first six miles go by easily enough. I’m very observant of my surroundings, the spectators, the runners around me, the stuff left on the street. I start wondering whether the rest of the 20 miles are this easy. Then I notice that I’m trotting along at just over an 8:00/mile pace. “Should I pick it up?” I wonder. “What would my finish time be if I ran the rest of the way at 7:30, 7:00, or 6:30 pace?” I decide to bump it up to a 7:30 pace. At mile 10 I pull up alongside Jody, a guy from Eastern N.C. who is an IRONMAN triathlete. He says he’s shooting for a 3:20-3:30 finish time. We run and chat together for three miles. At the half way point (13.1 miles) I’m at 1hour: 38mins. I have to pee, so I lose a couple minutes but feel better. Now I decide to pick up my pace. By mile 16 I’m getting hints of cramps in my legs and doubts start creeping into my mind. My thoughts have gone from noticing the mundane of immediate surroundings to the intangible. I start thinking about my dad, past girlfriends, tough situations I’ve been in before. Now I’m on this long bridge between mile 16 and 17. The wind was bitter and whipping straight into my face. I come up to a smallish woman who’s making fast steady progress. I’m tempted to sit behind her and let her break the head wind for me, but instead I come up around and in front of her. “Should we share the lead to cut the wind for each other?” She kindly asks. “Naw, I’m feeling strong,” I lie. “Just stay behind me.” Surprisingly, helping her get over that mile-long bridge made me ‘feel’ strong. Funny how the mind works. Now there’s less than ten miles to go, but I’m hurting. The bones in my feet feel like someone’s smashing them with a hammer. The muscles in my legs are getting tighter with each step. I decide to stop at mile 18 to stretch and rub my legs, more lost time.

Now with seven miles to go I know I’ll finish, no matter what happens. I’m determined. The questions now were how much faster can I go, and how much damage will I do to my body. I figure I’ll run the last 10k (6.2 miles) in 40 minutes to make up for the stops I’d made. Mile 20 I have to stop again. This time I really stretch out my legs. When I start back up I pick a guy in a red shirt who’s probably a quarter mile down the road (this is a 2 mile straight stretch of road). I’m catching that guy no matter what. My feet ache, so I run faster and faster until I stop thinking about my feet. At mile 25 I pass the red shirt guy and pick it up to a 6:30 pace. Much of the last mile is downhill with lots of spectators. I run the last half-mile at a sub 6:00 min pace and cross the finish line thinking I wouldn’t be able to stop. But I did, and bent over to take my timing chip off. At that point this lady swings this finisher’s medal into my face bouncing it off my forehead, and then hangs it around my neck.


I wander away from the finish and lie down on the sidewalk. I did it. My dad would be proud. He loved hearing and reading about my bike racing and I’m sure he would have made the trip to see me finish my first marathon if he were still alive. I decide that my efforts were for him.

Being at the race by myself, there’s no reason to hang out so I get up off the sidewalk. My legs and feet are hurting, badly. Now I realize that the finish is six blocks from where I parked the car. It takes me twenty minutes to hobble back to it. After I take a shower and have some lunch, I drive the five hours back to Charlotte. Oh, my finish time was 3:13 – decent enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

Some final thoughts: DO NOT try running your first marathon with no training. I did it because I like a challenge and doing spontaneous things. I doubt I’ll be selling my 7 Day Marathon Training Program. My body paid the price the next morning. You will enjoy the experience and perform much better if you train and prepare properly for your race. I’ll probably run Boston, but I’m sure I’ll wait until the week before to sign up for it.

[Follow up: I actually trained for Boston the following spring, but got injured a couple weeks before race day. Since I already paid my entry and had a plane ticket, I went to the race and watched (and drank beer) with some of my beantown friends from mile 20. I still haven't run another marathon. I've instead pushed prudence to the side of the road and jumped directly into ultra races... Those stories will surely be used as fillers for other Fridays when I don't have material ready on other athletes.]

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Winter Walking and Hiking

There's no need to stop using the trails just because winter has come. Some of the most pleasant outings are in the fresh, crispy-cold air, on frosty hard ground or even through the snow, when the scenery sparkles or the sun glimmers in the pearly mist. However, a little thought is required to keep safe and comfortable in the colder weather. Apply the following winter hiking and walking tips to the winter trail activity of your choice, use common sense and you'll be sure have fun. After all, at least in winter there are no bugs!

Winter Walking and Hiking

Let's start with comfort. Most of your hiking clothes will be suitable for winter hiking. Your regular boots and "sock and a half" (polypropylene liner and wool outer sock) remain the same. Wool or nylon hiking pants are helped along by the addition of gaiters that keep the snow out of your boots. Tops come in three layers: polypropylene underwear (which helps keeps you dry by wicking moisture to outer layers), a fleece pullover (which helps keeps you warm) and a windproof/waterproof jacket. A fleece hat and mitts are light and cozy.

Dressing in several layers, rather than in a single bulky winter coat, is important because layers keep you dry, and staying dry keeps you warm. If you dress in layers, you can always remove a layer if you start to perspire heavily. Some people over-dress for the winter, and when they perspire their clothes get moist -- and they get cold.

Cotton has its place, but not in winter activities. The problem with cotton is that it retains moisture - either yours or the elements. This moisture quickly cools, leaving you with a cold or frozen layer, which is a primary cause of hypothermia. To be dry is to be both comfortable and safe.

If you're driving to your hiking location, it's a good idea to wear light footwear for the drive, and then put your heavy boots on when you arrive.

Safety should always be a consideration, summer or winter, but mistakes made in winter may be less forgiving. Here are some safety tips:

  • As the days are shorter in the winter, you need to know your route to avoid hiking in darkness. Make sure you know when sunset occurs and plan to be off the trail well before sunset. Carry a map and a flashlight in case you get caught in the dark.

  • Ice can be present. Consider a trekking pole (looks like a ski pole) with a carbide tip that digs into the ice. You will probably like your pole so much that you will use it year round - a great knee saver on the down hills.

  • Dehydration. Our normal sense of thirst lets us down in winter but we must keep drinking water. The consequences of dehydration, such as confusion, fatigue, bladder infections and kidney stones, are all best avoided.

  • Sun protection. Even in winter, protection from the sun's rays is still required. The cool weather will try to fool you, but use that sun screen (at least SPF 15 -- and most authorities recommend even higher). Wear high-quality polarized sunglasses to reduce the sun's reflection off snow and to protect against snow blindness.

  • Hike with a group or at least a friend. Your mother told you there is safety in numbers and hiking is a good application of the rule. Problems do arise and the presence of other people helps.

  • If you must hike by yourself, inform a reliable and responsible friend or family member of your hike plans and schedule. Consider taking a cell phone or walkie-talkie with you in case of an emergency.

  • Pack your pack with a few additional items to add more comfort and safety to the hike. A first aid kit (a first aid course also wouldn't hurt), an extra layer such as a small jacket for when you stop, a piece of closed cell foam to sit on, more water than you think you'll use, a good lunch and some high-energy snacks, a spare set of socks and mitts, rain pants and some lip protection.

  • Walking in winter is something of a fine line: you want to walk fast enough to keep warm, but not so fast that you perspire excessively. Hike leaders should be especially aware of this, watching the pace of the hike and providing stops for "clothing adjustments" and rests.

Winters can make you want to stay warm and cozy in your house, but they shouldn't keep you from enjoying nature and getting exercise. Wellness experts advise that outdoor exercise is one of the best ways of avoiding SAD (seasonal affective disorder, an article topic published here on chfmag.blogspot.com on Dec. 20, 2007), a distinctive type of winter depression. The bottom line is to continue hiking and reap the benefits year round.

(Source for idea and content: Winter Walking and Hiking, www.hikeontario.com)

Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Poor Man’s Guide to Cold Weather Running



Poor Man’s Guide to Cold Weather Running

By Tim Long

You’ve decided to keep up with your running through the winter months. Congratulations! You quickly realize that those loose elastic, droopy running shorts and frayed, snagged running shirt you run in three times a week in the warm weather aren’t going to do the trick now that the wind has a bite to it.

This is a problem. Now not only will you be fighting the waning motivation in the cold, dark days to get out and exercise, but you’ll have to come up with some cash to buy all that fancy gear and clothing you see other runners wearing. This is daunting, because your idea of spending money on running accessories is buying thread to repair your 1986 Finger Lickin’ 5k race t-shirt. Not to worry my friends. You don’t have to spend hundreds of (the deflating) US dollars on slick-wicking, flashy color, tight fitting athletic garb. You can get out the door and be comfortable with under $45 (shoes not included) for a whole outfit that will keep you snuggly warm and dry while you’re out trouncing around in the face of old lady winter.

Hat and light gloves - $7.99 (for both!) at the local grocery store. These wick moisture and keep you warm just as well as the snazzed up versions that would typically cost you $49.00 combined.

Upper body (torso and arms) – Long sleeve base layer shirt found at a “superstore” for $10. Also found a great medium thick fleece long sleeve pullover with raised collar at a multi-sport store on the clearance rack for 10.99

Legs and feet – Please, gentlemen, refrain from the tights unless: a) you’re a professional football player, b) you’re in a lab testing the wind resistance effects of lycra on hairy legs, or c) you’re trying out for the Nutcracker Ballet. That being said, the slightly looser fitting running pants may be found for $10 at a place where you can also buy the 144 roll package of TP. Also found CoolMax socks, two pair for $4.99

That’s $43.97 for a full winter running (or walking) outfit head to warm toe. So, get out and comfortably enjoy your sport, no matter what the weather is doing outside.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Race Profile - Winter Duathlon Series

Winter Duathlon Series: Race #1

The winter duathlon series is designed for all levels of athletes. The more experienced participants can keep sharp all year long by racing in the winter. The beginner triathlete/duathlete has the opportunity to try a race in a low key environment before the summer season.

The race features fantastic pine needle run course. The bike course is a 2 loop road course on lightly traveled roads. This is a road bike duathlon but hybrid and mountain bikes are also allowed.

Race Distance
2.2 Mile Run / 14 Mile Bike / 2.2 Mile Run

Date & Time
Saturday, February 2, 2008
11:00 AM

Location
Hagan Stone Park, Greensboro, NC

Entry Fees
$30 Pre-Race (until Jan 15, 2008)
$35 Late/Day of Race

Awards
Top overall male and female.
Top Relay Team
Top age groups: 14 & Under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+

Race Day Registration & Packet Pickup
Late registration and packet pick up will be from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Volunteers
We love 'em and always need 'em. A T- Shirt and food is your reward, along with knowing you helped participants have a great race.

Directions:
Hagan-Stone Park is located at
5920 Hagan-Stone Park
Pleasant Garden, NC 27313

Friday, December 21, 2007

Friday's Athlete Profile - Ross Dowswell




One guy I admire tremendously is Ross Dowswell from Mount Holly, NC. Ross is not a blazing fast runner, but as the distance grows so does the chance of him finishing ahead of most. I would say his strength is mountain biking and running is a close 2nd. I met Ross two years ago at a day-long social mountain bike event in Fort Mill, SC and gradually came to respect him as a solid athlete and consider him a friend.

Tell us about yourself. Family, work, hometown, etc.

I grew up in Ontario Canada, so obviously I played a lot of hockey. When I wasn’t hacking at the puck, I would be Cross Country or Down Hill Skiing amongst other activities. I think my true passion was Dirt Bikes. Whether it was cutting a hot lap at our local track or ripping through Northern Ontario’s crown land trails. I was happiest with throttle wide open.


I've seen you in a number of events from off-road cycling and running and road running to multi-sport events. What's your background in endurance sports? What got you started in it?
When I turned 40 (I am 45 now), I was a cigar smoking, 200 lb workaholic/couch potato. One day while surfing the internet I came across a link that referred me to a mountain biking trail in Statesville NC called Signal Hill. I took my Wal-Mart Huffy and off I went. After a couple of laps of this 3 mile course I was completely and utterly drained yet wanting more. Finally a hobby that was great fun and would keep me physically fit. I immediately realized that this was the sport for me.

I started to run, just as a way to cross train for Mountain Biking. It turns out that I really enjoy running, which was quite a surprise to me since I avoided it like the plague during school.

I started racing mostly as incentive for continual improvement and to see how far I could stretch my physical limitations.

Have you always been successful in these races?
I really never even thought about endurance sports until I decided to enter the “Break away to the beach” MS 150 ride. This is a great 2 day event which is about 180-200 miles of road riding that went from Weddington NC to North Myrtle Beach SC.

Do you have a favorite event, cycling, running, distances, etc? Are you most successful at that event or another one?
My favorite has to be the one day MTB events such as “Off Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell”& “Swank 65” (I would also like to try the Shenandoah 100 and the Fools Gold).

I also really enjoy duathlons and trail running events.

I know you recently raced in the Burn 24 Hour mountain bike event (and did amazingly well). Tell us about that experience.
I always liked the trails at Dark Mountain in Wilkesboro NC. This course is about a 6 mile loop with a good amount of climbing with some nifty downhill sections. I figured it would be good for a “solo 24 hr” first timer.

I had planned and trained to do this event with my geared bike, however 2 weeks before the event someone stole both bikes out of the back of my truck. I missed the 2006 Burn and was damned if I was going to miss it again in 2007. I scrapped enough money together to purchase a 29er single speed (SS).

Being that it was the first time I have ever done this kind of thing my goal was just to make it across the finish line. The single speed added a whole new perspective to the task at hand. I put a 32/22 gearing on it and planned to just spin my way around the course.

Mark Hendershot and Rich Dillen (SS extraordinaire) were a couple of the favorites to win this event. My buddy Matt McPherson (also on a SS) a 24 hr. solo veteran was also a contender. I planned to follow him around and see if I could maintain that pace.

I felt pretty good Saturday and Saturday night. It was hot so we used up a lot of water/energy drinks. I had no idea where I was in the standings and didn’t really care. I really thought that the pace I was keeping would not be competitive. At dusk on Saturday night I remember being passed by Rich Dillen. I wished him luck as he blew by me. How can this guy go so fast for so long? It was inspiring.

Due to a great support crew (David and Wes) I was able to stay focused on cutting consistent laps. They made sure I was fed and watered and kept me pointed in the right direction. I remember Wes telling me that I would get a “second wind” at sun rise Sunday morning. Nothing could have been further from the truth. It had been a pretty good night, but for some reason at this point the goal seemed unattainable.

Around 7:00 or 8:00 am (at this point I’m not very coherent) during a pit stop the guys told me that if I could make it 3 more laps I would lock in 3rd place.

I was flabbergasted…. Surely I could pull that off. Although newly inspired the next lap was hell. My body was worn and my feet were burning.

I could not pedal another stoke. With 2 laps left we removed the “egg beater:” pedals (special clip in pedals) and installed regular flat pedals.

Flat pedals are not the best for efficient pedaling, but I would not have been able to make it to the end with out them. The last lap was like a dream. You can’t imagine the relief knowing that it was just about over. My trusty 30 lb SS steed worked flawlessly. I made it to the line, delirious, half expecting somebody to tell that they had made a mistake and that I to do one more lap. Thank goodness not. I walked down to the lake and lay in the cool water wondering what kind of nut would want to ever do this sort of thing. Me that’s who. What a great feeling! (3rd overall, 1st SS).

www.mylaps.com/results/newResults.jsp?id=542656


What's a typical training week for you?
Usually about 10-12 hrs consisting of at least a 3 hr road ride on Sunday, off Monday, a 10 mile trail run Tuesday, local race series Wednesday (I haven’t been able to do the this year though) or spin class at the “Y”, 1.5- 2 hr road ride or trainer Thursday, weight training Friday and 1.5 – 2 hr trail run or road ride or MTB ride Saturday.

Are you very technical (HR monitor, GPS, nutrients, etc.) in your training or go more on "feel"?
I have the Garmin GPS/Heart rate monitor. That really helps for the tracking progress on my road ride routes.

What's your next big event and goals?
The 12 hr Tree Shaker is coming up next. I believe I will try that one on the single speed.

My goal is to try and stay fit and competitive for my age group. I don’t think I can devote any more time to training, but perhaps I cam learn to train more efficiently and improve that way. Plus there are still lots to learn and lots to do.

What and/or who inspires you as a competitor/athlete?
Good Question. During an event I have to constantly remind myself how crappy I will feel if I don’t put in 100% effort (or as close as I can get). I can deal with a poor result as long as I know that I did my best.

Do you have a favorite specific race?
I had a lot of fun at the Swank 65. Pisgah National forest is such a great ride and the Swank offers long gut wrenching fire road climbs and very technical single track.

What's your proudest moment? Both in sports and in life.
The Burn result has to be the best. Not a lot of people would attempt a 24 hr solo event, never mind finishing in a fairly respectful position.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Don’t be S.A.D.


Don’t be S.A.D.

By Tim Long


S.A.D. - One of the most effective acronyms out there. You understand or at least recognize its meaning even without knowing exactly what it stands for: Seasonal Affective Disorder, generally, symptoms of depression caused by the lack of sunlight during the winter months. Not a cheerful topic, but a problem that might be more common than you may have thought. You may even suffer from it without knowing why and just brush it off as “winter blues”.


It doesn’t matter whether you are an active person, who exercises every day or an inactive person. S.A.D. can affect anyone. How many times have you driven to work in the morning darkness, sat under artificial lighting in the office, and then driven back home in what seems to be the same darkness in which you began your day? It’s depressing just thinking about it. Read on if you want to learn a bit more about why you may feel a little ‘blah’, irritable, or just plain unhappy for no apparent reason and want to find out what can be done to help you get through these shorter days.


As we approach the shortest day of sunlight during the year, December 21st, wade through the often hectic holiday season, and settle into the cold, dark months of January and February, many of us may fall into the rut of S.A.D. symptoms like:


· Depression

· Irritability

· Lowered physical activity

· Lethargy

· Food cravings (especially carbohydrates)

· Anxiety

· Inability to concentrate


Researchers speculate on the causes, but no one knows for sure why moods change with seasons. Some possible causes (summarized from research done by the Mayo Clinic and the American Psychiatric Association) include:


· Increase production of melatonin - an internal clock hormone, which increases in production in darkness and is limited by light. Increased melatonin can affect the biological clock, causing laziness, sleepiness and dips in mood (not fun things to have in the middle of your day at work or when you’re trying to get motivated to get out for a walk or go to the gym).


· Decrease production of serotonin – a chemical in the brain that may positively affect mood and can be reduced by lack of sunlight.


· Changes in the circadian rhythm – the body’s natural feature that regulates the internal clock (tells you when to be tired, alert, wakeful and to sleep) that can be thrown out of whack by the limited number of sunlit hours and the growing number of dark hours in late fall and winter.


“I don’t want S.A.D.!”

What can we do to fight off Seasonal Affective Disorder?


There are many publicized suggestions for treatment, ranging from light therapy (most common) to medication. Other recommendations are: get outside while it’s daylight, take a walk at lunch, keep up with your social circles, learn how to deal with stressful situations that may cause your mood to drop, talk to your doctor about it, but do something. Don’t just curl up in your own little world and hope for summer to get here.


Exercise and diet are great mood stabilizers. It doesn’t matter whether you walk for 45 mins or cycle for three hours. It all helps by increasing your fitness level, raising your self esteem, and softening the edge of stress. Taking care of yourself physically gives you the defenses you need to survive the winter months with a smile on your face.


Some tips on sticking to a routine even when your mood is drooping during the winter: lay out your exercise clothes every night for the next day (whether they are walking shoes or a multi-colored, fancy gym outfit), schedule the time of your exercise into your daily plan every morning, register for an organized event (there are many events for runners, walkers, cyclists, hiking, etc.). Having an event on your calendar is a great motivator to get out and get ready for it. Set weekly goals. “I’m going to walk 18 miles this week.” “I’m going to hike up Crowders Mountain this Saturday.” Short and long term goals help you focus on something other than the current lack of daylight.


If you think you are affected by S.A.D., talk to your doctor. It can be a serious risk to you, so take steps (literally and figuratively) to alleviate it.


Wednesday, December 19, 2007

The Spirit of the Woods

By Tim Long

What is it that draws people to the woods and nature? For me, the world seems to intertwine with the mind when I’m away from civilization. The more wild and rugged the surroundings, the more my senses and thoughts expand. John Muir wrote about wilderness as, A fine place for feasting if only one be poor enough. One is speedily absorbed into the spiritual values of things. The body vanishes and the freed soul goes abroad…

"If only one be poor enough." We put so much emphasis on material things, that we have lost the ability to "be poor enough" to appreciate the value and purity in something so seemingly simple as a walk through woods.

You don’t have to be a rugged outdoorsman to enjoy nature. Some comfortable walking shoes, snacks and water are just about all you need to head out into the woods and re-create yourself. If only for part of a day, treat yourself to the purity of nature. We move so fast through daily life that we don’t know how to sit still and contemplate. Our days are like assembly lines, go, go, go, doing the same things every day, faster and faster, trying to get more into each day.

Schedule a couple of hours and head to one of the local natural areas. While you’re walking along a trail, simply stop and listen and look and breathe. Enjoy. Appreciate what’s out there.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Run Your First 50k - Are You Crazy?!

Run Your First 50k Without Bothering With a Marathon...
By Marcus Barton

As my buddy, Tim Long, starts to pull away at mile 27, I look over my shoulder and see no one in sight. I begin to wonder how and if I am going to finish this race. It seems that as long as I keep going, I’ll be in at least 4th place. That is, of course, if I can keep going. How did I get here? Why did I sign up for this? The mind games begin.

So let’s exam just how I did get here.

Just two weeks ago, I ran my longest race ever: a 14 mile trail race. It was a tough race and I came in 23rd overall out of about 200 people, finishing the race at 1 hour and 45 minutes (1:45). The course was beautiful, the people were great and I was content with it being the maximum distance to which I would personally compete for quite some time.

Four days later, I became horribly sick and it seemed to last forever. But by Monday afternoon, after being sick for 4 solid days, I finally felt good enough to resume normal activities and began planning my Tuesday return to work. Even though I was still very stopped up at work on Tuesday, I felt 1000% better than I did over the weekend.

It was 4 days before the ultra marathon when Tim began his cunning and well calculated plan of enticing me with text messages. They arrived in the form of a barrage of compliments, suggestions, motivation, inspirations, and rationale as to why I should run the 50K race with him. After about a half dozen messages flying back and forth, he gave up the pursuit. However, Tim is a sly species. The seed had been planted. His work was done until it was time to harvest.

It’s the day before the race and Tim was back with round 2 of the “Ultramarathon” text messaging campaign. I had been thinking about it all week and he was wearing me down. But I wasn’t going to admit to it, especially since I was also thinking about alternate activities for the weekend. . I hadn’t done much more than think about how it seemed impossible to run that far. I hadn’t properly prepared or trained for it. However, he assured me that I could do it. He said it would be hard, but not impossible. I responded with how stupid I thought it would be to attempt such a thing without any upfront training. I didn’t give him an answer.

Later that night, I talked it over with my wife, Alba, and we went over all the pros and cons. After all the debate, she suggested that I give it a try, but that if I didn’t finish, the attempt would still be an accomplishment. My decision was made and I sent Tim a text message to give him the good news. It was 8:30 pm the night before the race.

Race day. Its 4:30 am, three hours prior to race start, and the alarm goes off. Time to eat. I hydrated well the night before and I was just as eager to get to the bathroom as the dog was to go outside. . I ate breakfast and began my ritual of getting all of my stuff together. However, something was different. I wasn’t feeling as confident and excited as I normally did before a race. I felt dreadfully unprepared, even though I had everything I needed.

Since I had time to spare, I hopped on the laptop and started working out some calculations and ran into a slight problem; the pace calculator I was using only calculated up to a marathon distance (26.2 miles), not an Ultra. According to the calculator, I should be able to do a marathon by running an average pace of 7:30. I knew there’d be no way I would be able to sustain that without any training. With a little more searching, I dug up the times from previous races on the same course and finally settled on 8:30 as a goal pace. That would put me at the finish line well under 4.5 hours. After finishing up on the laptop, I gave Alba a kiss and she warned me to be careful and not to overdo it.

The weather was cloudy and cold, around 45 degrees. Standing there at the start line in my long sleeve shirt, tights and beanie, I guzzled down some of the water to wash down two electrolyte capsules. I was carrying two water bottles, one with water and the other with an energy drink. In my back pocket, I have 4 energy gels. After a quick announcement from the race director, we’re off and running. Tim and I settle into a comfortable 8:30 pace.

The first few miles were cheerful with lots of banter. At the first water stop, he realized that in his rush, the only food source he had was a granola bar and I realized that in my rush, I forgot my watch. I agreed to share my energy gels and he agreed to keep track of our time.

Everything continued as planned, complete with a 3 minute power-walk break after the first hour of running. At mile 13, the first aches and pains began for the both of us. Tim complained about pain on the top of one his feet and the outside of my left knee began to ache. It wasn’t long before they seemed to just go away. We knew they would be back, but at the time, as long as it was bearable, we didn’t care. As we approached mile 15, we both passed the guy in second place. There was one guy who took off from the start at a very fast pace, but later dropped out of the race, so now there was just one guy in the lead and then the guy we just passed. I’m feeling great emotionally as we seem to be doing outstanding even though my knee was hurting off and on.

Just before the 16 mile point, we came upon another water stop and grabbed a cupful of energy drink. As we walked away, stretching, Tim commented on how great it feels to stop for a few seconds to which I agreed. We rushed out of the water stop to prevent the guy we had recently passed from passing us back. This was short lived as I begin to feel a hotspot on my left heel. Rather than run through it and deal with the impending blister, I stopped to retie my shoes a bit tighter. While retying my shoes, the guy passes us. No problem, I thought, I knew we could overtake him again with no problem. And we did.

Once again, that small victory would be short lived as I realized that I tied my laces too tight. So we stopped so that I could loosen them, meanwhile getting passed… again. After another short stint of running, they’re still too tight, so we stopped yet again, allowing the 2nd place guy to increase his distance between us. It wasn’t long before we caught back up to him and Tim suggested that we simply hold back until the last couple of miles before we attempt another pass. The constant mental ups and downs were taking a toll on both of us.

Mile 23. The aches increased and the knee pain had returned. My legs just weren’t working as well as they normally did, but at least they were still working. I suggested another 3 minute power walk even though it means Mr. 2nd place would gain an even stronger lead on us. I was just as tired of holding Tim back as I am sure he was of being held back. If he wouldn’t have stayed with me, he probably could have won the race. I told him to go on ahead, but he insisted on sticking with me. He could see that I was hurting more and we began to hatch out a plan. We agreed that he would stick with me until after the normal marathon distance of 26.2 miles and at mile 27, he’d pick up his pace and I’d continue to keep trucking along the best that I could. Tim knows I need stats to keep me preoccupied, so he handed me his watch.

For the next couple of miles, my condition began to worsen. My legs seem to be cramping from what I believed was not only exhaustion, but a lack of electrolytes. I realized that the capsules I had been lugging all day were in the pouch attached to my water bottle. The problem? I had passed it off to our trusty water stop lady to be refilled and returned at the next encounter. We realized that we hadn’t seen her in a while and I began to wonder if she’d gotten committed to helping a hurt runner. With each pounding cramp, I began to get more and more nervous. Deep down, I knew the electrolyte capsules wouldn’t be an immediate fix if at all. However, at that point, I would have taken anything that would have mentally distracted me from the pain, even if it didn’t do anything physically. Someone could have handed me a placebo, told me they were electrolyte tablets and I would have believed they helped. No sooner did these thoughts start running through my head that we saw the water stop lady driving towards us. She had stopped for the guy in 3rd place who appeared to be having trouble getting up a hill. He was walking about ¾ of a mile ahead of us. She handed my water bottle thru the window and asked how we’re doing. We walked briefly as I quickly downed the two capsules and guzzled some water; then we we’re off running again.

As we passed the 26.2 mile mark, Tim congratulated me that I had just ran my first marathon in under 4 hours. Only 5 more miles to go. Less than two 5Ks. No problem. We stopped at the next water stop which was manned by a gentleman who helped us with a glass of energy drink. He informed Tim that the guy in 2nd place, although already almost a mile ahead of us, was really hurting and that he seemed to have fallen apart in the past couple of miles. “Kind of sounds like me,” I reply. Knowing that he could overcome the third place guy, Tim now had the motivation he needed. I, on the other hand, knew that there was no way I could have increased my pace.

So back to where this article begins. At mile 27, Tim asked me the time and began to pull away, mentally crunching the numbers as to how he would commence his assault. In no time he was out of sight among the hills and curves. I looked over my shoulder and realized I’m securely in 5th place. Just had to keep moving. Sounds simple, but it was anything except simple. As I began to play the mental battle with myself, I constantly reminded myself of my wife, Alba. She has multiple sclerosis. If she can brave the daily mental and physical pains, then I could tough the remainder of the race out. She’s a constant reminder that no matter how bad my races get, that I have to continue. My pain will subside shortly after the race. Hers won’t.

I continued on with some of the worst runner’s form I think is possible. My head was down and my eyes squinted from the pain. I felt as if I was running like the hunchback from Notre Dame. As I approached mile 28, the pit stop girl passed me from behind and pulled over. “Need anything?” she asked. As I shook my head no, she continued, “Water? Gatorade? Pretzels?” My ears perked, eyes lit up and my slouch went away. The pretzels were a welcomed addition to the run, as I had prematurely ran out of energy gels since I shared one with Tim. “Ohhhh, pretzels... I’ll definitely take some of those,” I answer. She gave me a handful and I kept on running, which at this point had become a little more than a shuffle. The only difference between my shuffle and power walking was the fact that both my feet were off the ground at some point during my stride.

Between the cold air and the level of my breathing, it was impossible to breathe through my nose. This made eating the pretzels particularly difficult. I popped in almost the entire handful at once. That was a big mistake. Not only did the pretzels remove what little bit of moisture I had in my mouth, but I accidently inhaled a small piece of pretzel. When this happened, I immediately began to cough, producing small clouds of pretzel dust in front of me. Looking like a steam locomotive, I quickly chugged a mouthful of water and washed the pretzel paste down. After the pretzel incident, I came upon a small hill and decided to walk a bit. The small bit turned into almost half of a mile. Between gagging on the pretzels and my entire lower body hurting, it was a welcomed break.

Looking down at Tim’s watch, I could see that I had already busted my goal of 4.5 hours, so it was time to set a new goal. As long as I kept running, I knew I should be able to make it in less than 5 hours. Running was harder than ever. With each step, I would give out a small grunt as I winced in pain. I muffled them at mile 30 when once again, the pit stop lady showed up. She hopped out of her car and asked if I need anything. At first, I shook my head no. Passing her car, I said, “Yeah, I could use something.” As she looked up to see what I needed, I continued, “… a ride.” She grinned and shook her head no. Oh well, it was worth a try.

Previously, I had made the mental commitment that I would run the last mile no matter how badly it hurt. However, just after passing the pit stop lady at the 30 mile mark, I came upon a small hill, where once again, I chose to walk a bit more. But it needed to be a short break. What if Alba was at the end and saw me walking. I had to be brave like her and run. About that time, I saw Tim. He was about a half mile ahead of me and waving his arms. He had already finished and had walked back to greet me. As I started running again, the pain was horrible. I began my step-grunt-step-grunt pattern again. Once I got to him, he began to run with me telling me that the end was only about 4 mailboxes ahead. “Run up the driveway. At the end of the parking area, you’ll see the finish line,” he stated. As I looked down at Tim’s watch, I realized I needed to pick up the pace to be sure and finish under 5 hours. “Got it,” I replied, acknowledging his logistics. I pulled away from him, pouring on everything I had to pick up my pace. When I looked up from Tim’s watch, I saw Alba standing there cheering me home. I was SO happy to see her and sorely needed the additional motivation she was providing. After I finish at 4:55, she and I walked for a bit. Well, she walked and I limped.

After the race, we sat around for a spell and partook of the post race food. Tim and I chatted for a while about the highlights of the race. He seemed to be more excited than me that I finished the race. Of course, the only emotion I could show was pain. My legs were cramping and both my knees felt like they could lock up at any second.

The ride home was grueling. I had driven there in my truck which is a 5 speed, manual transmission. Pressing the clutch to shift gears was no fun when your legs feel like mine did. But we made it home in one piece.

After taking a heavenly shower, I did some quick stretching and resigned to the couch where I began icing my knees. I began to reflect on the day’s events and lessons learned. Rather than lose the thoughts I started to write them down. They included:

1. Never run a race without properly training for it. This includes a gradually increasing weekly mileage leading up to race day with one long day on the weekend. The long day should also gradually increase in distance. Finally, the training should begin to taper a week or two before race day

2. Do not do any heavy strength training the week of race day that includes lower body. I had performed a lower body workout on Tuesday.

3. Do not perform any heavy lower body cardio the week of race day. My mistake was going mountain bike riding (a hard ride) on Thursday.

4. Hydrate well the week of the race.

5. Gradually increase your carbohydrates the week of the race. This will make sure your glycogen stores are at their peak on race day (your primary source of fuel).

6. Some folks don’t have any problems eating solid foods while racing. Personally, I’d be seeing that food twice if I ate it during the race. Therefore, I eat my last major meal 3 hours prior to race start to ensure it’s had plenty of time to digest.

7. Have extra sources of food on hand during the race. If I had a few extra energy gels, I could have loaned some out without sacrificing my own.

8. Drink both water and an energy/electrolyte drink throughout the duration of your race. Not one or the other…both. Too much of one or the other will wreak negative effects on your body. On excessively hot days, drink more electrolytes. I personally use electrolyte capsules to supplement my liquid sources. That way I can just concentrate on drinking 50/50 (water/electrolyte,energy drink).

9. Eat a recovery meal immediately following the race. It should consist of (as closely as possible) 4 parts carbohydrates to 1 part protein. Another recovery meal should be consumed again within two hours of the end of the race. There are numerous recovery drinks out there with this 4:1 ratio that work great.

10. Continue to hydrate after the race. Your body needs water to assist in repair. I continue hydrating well into the day after the race.

As I am writing the list in my head, I had been laying on the couch with my legs propped up and outstretched. After a while, I decided to lift one of my legs, bending it at the knee. All of the muscles and tendons that had been laying there stretched began to crumple as they became relaxed. Everything immediately cramps up completely causing me to yelp out in pain. Alba comes over and asks how she can help. We both start rubbing out the cramp which seems to go the entire length of my leg. After about 5 minutes, it begins to subside.

So you may be asking yourself, “If he’s in so much pain, will he ever do one of these again?” As I lay here icing both knees, writing this article, I too ask myself that question. However, after about 30 seconds, that question gets overshadowed by another: Which is harder: a road 50K or a trail 50K? I guess I’ll have to run one on the trail to find out.

Monday, December 17, 2007

The Weekend Race Report – The Fat Ass 50k

Every Monday on Charlotte Health and Fitness Magazine's new daily article we'll review at least one event from the previous weekend. Typically, the focus will be on the event itself, but occasionally the event description will emerge from more personal accounts and subject matter drawn from the participants themselves...like this one.


The Weekend Race Report – The Fat Ass 50k (South Carolina)

By Tim Long

The Fat Ass 50k (FA50k) is a national “franchise” event. From my understanding, rules are loose, but generally accepted as: to be held between Thanksgiving and just after New years, no entry fee, no awards, no support or aid stations, no shirt, no wimps, (aka, no whining). There are FA50ks all over the world.

So, in my hunt for some good mileage to prepare for the upcoming season, I decide to do the FA50k in Lancaster, SC. There is an entry form that states, “I WILL PUT WATER JUGS AND CUPS OUT ON THE COURSE AND MAYBE SOME GATORADE IF A FEW CONTRIBUTIONS ARE SENT. REMEMBER THAT IS A FAT ASS RACE AND NOT ONE OF THOSE RACES WHERE YOU ARE CATERED TO. DEPENDING UPON CONTRIBUTIONS, THERE MAY BE THE USUAL POST RACE PARTY AFTER THE RACE/RUN/WALK.” With that I slide two $5 bills in with my entry form, hoping for a beer after the race, and mail it off to Race Director, Claude Sinclair, on Monday, assuming it’ll get there before Saturday.

The next morning I wake up with a sore throat and slight fever – wonderful. I need the mileage, and decide a cold won’t stand in the way. I do, however, come up with a thought that maybe I could convince someone else, to suffer through the race with me, maybe someone who’s never run that distance before. It’s a large task; you just don’t email your buddy who runs 20-30 miles per week and say, “hey, I was thinking it’d be cool if you did your whole week worth of running in one morning.” I’ll have to be tactful about it, so I text my friend, Marcus, “doing longish run on Sat. intrsted?” In three to four text exchanges I ease into the fact that it’s a 32 mile run. His text response, “DAAAYUM” [sic].

Marcus is a great athlete, runs, mountain bikes, swims, loves Xterra-type races. He’s very competitive and a smart racer. Unfortunately for me, he also has common sense. The seed is planted, so I back off and let it take root, besides, I have my own achy muscle, sore throat, feverish headache to deal with before Saturday. Sure enough, Marcus has been thinking about it now for three days. I text him on Friday with, “so?”. His response, is, “Dude….i’d be an idiot to run a 50k never having run more than 14 at one pop…I should do the gradually increasing mileage beforehand.” He’s barking up the wrong tree with that line of thought. I say to myself, “Marcus is a smart guy, can’t trick him into this outright, “so I play on his ego, “Can you imagine saying that you completed a 50k without ever running a marathon? That’d be awesome!” To that, I get the response back, “hmmmmm”. And at 8:33pm on the evening before the race I receive the text from Marcus, “I’ll be there.”

Race morning

In true Tim-Time fashion, I get there seven minutes before the start of the race. Marcus has been there for over 30 minutes. This FA50k starts and finishes at Claude Sinclair’s house, a modest home on a large chunk of rural Lancaster, SC land. He’s an avid Civil War fan and has all sorts of artifacts hanging up and lying around his home. He and his wife are sitting in the living room when I get there. I sign the waiver and chit-chat with Claude for a minute. He’s been timing and/or organizing various race events since the 70s and knows everyone in the business and sport. The house is very warm and cozy, which made it difficult to go back outside in the damp cold. I grabbed my waist bottle and hand held bottle, a Fig Newton bar and headed over to the start where everyone was gathered. After the normal, “don’t get hit by a car” and “If you get lost, you’re a moron” speech, we were off.

The FA50k (also the Big Butt 50k in July) is a professionally measured course with accurate mile markers. It is rolling with just a few decent hills on mostly blacktop and a couple dirt roads. Claude has jugs of water and orange Gatorade with paper cups set up at roughly every four miles (with only one large gap of maybe 8-10 miles in the middle of the race with no aid). The weather is around 45 degrees, grey, with off and on very light drizzle.

The plan is to run at a very easy 8:45-9 minute pace. I can see the familiar look on Marcus’ face of, “this isn’t so bad at all.” Of course it’s not for the first ten miles. I tell him to enjoy it, and to not be surprised at the pain he will experience later in the race. I’m watching his stride and notice it gets a little choppy starting at mile 12. We’re averaging about an 8:30 pace at this point. There are three guys in front of us, one way out in front from the start and then the other two within eyesight. The guy way out in front eventually dropped out of the race ("dnf" did not finish). I’ve begun the mental/moral fight between staying with my friend I pulled into this thing, or going after second place (the first place guy has built up too much of a lead at this point, making it unfeasible to catch him [I didn't realize he had dropped out]). I decide to stick with Marcus for a while and keep his mind off the growing pain. By mile 20 my tendon of the tibialis anterior muscle (front of leg where leg and foot meet) on both legs is hurting. But, by adjusting my stride, it’s tolerable, in a bone-twisting, pencil-in-the-eye, kind of way.

Marcus is in pain but doesn’t whine at all. I tell him it’ll get better and worse off and on, just keep running as best he can. Just before mile 26 I tell him I’m going to run to the marathon distance with him and then try to catch the guy in second place who we can see about a half mile up the road. He looks like he’s hurting and could be easy prey for me and, with five miles to go, maybe Marcus too. At 26.2 miles I congratulate Marcus on his first marathon (he looks less than thrilled) and I feel confident he’ll finish. I pick up the pace to maybe just under 8 minute miles and catch and pass third place with 3.1 miles to the finish. After I’m done and talk with Claude for a bit, I try to go “run” back to Marcus, but because of pain I stop and stretch about a half mile from the finish and decide to just wait for him there. It doesn’t take long before I see him come around the corner and start cheering him on. He runs the last half mile at a strong pace and is greeted by his wife, who drove down to see him finish. I think I’m more proud of him finishing (in 4th place overall), than with my own finish.

Post FA50k

Claude and his wife have beer, a crock pot full of baked beans and corn bread for us in their warm kitchen. Claude is the type of guy who under promises and over delivers. I enjoyed this “free” event and his hospitality more than I did the $100 entry fee, heavily sponsored, 50 Miler I ran in last summer. The FA50k in December and the Big Butt 50k in July, when Claude and his wife open their home to friends and strangers alike, and spend their time catering to participants with no measurable pay back, are two events I recommend highly. The events not only offer a great course, timed run, and some food, but also create a space in the world that defines and nurtures the essence of ultra running and ultra runners: kindness, encouragement, supportive, rock solid athletes, and humility.

Back in Claude’s house I’ve changed clothes and am sitting at the table with Marcus and his wife. I can’t tell if Marcus is angry with me (for getting him into this mess), in pain, exhausted, or all three. I can’t stop telling him how great he did. 31.1 miles after only running 14 miles once in his life, yeah, that’s awesome. People think, “Heck, that’s just five more miles than a marathon.” To that I say, go try it and then we’ll talk. The other participants are finishing and making their way into the living room and kitchen. We’re all chatting warmly about past and upcoming events, personal goals and just enjoying each other’s company. After getting home, I text Marcus, to which he replies, “My legs are inoperable…especially my knees.” I feel a little guilty, but know he’ll feel much better the next day, and in a few days he’ll have “Ultra-Amnesia”, where he’ll forget the incredible pain felt from a race and begin thinking about doing another long race.

[Check back tomorrow for Marcus Barton's account of the event]

Comments welcome! Just click on the word "comments" at the end of each article.

Tim Long

Friday, December 14, 2007

Friday's Athlete Profile - Chuck Dumke

If there's prize money involved in a race and Chuck Dumke shows up, you may as well fill in the "Pay to the order of" with his name. Chuck Dumke, Ph.d is immersed in the athlete's dream life, both professionally and personally. He is a professor at Appalachian State University in the area of exercise sciences and is currently teaching: Exercise Physiology I: Cardiopulmonary and Metabolic Aspects, Nutritional Aspects of Exercise and Sport , Biomechanical and Physiological Laboratory Assessment.

Chuck is a tremendously gifted athlete and matches that natural talent with hard training. I was able to get him to take a few minutes out of his busy schedule to interview him.




1. Tell us about yourself. Family, work, hometown, etc. Just got married on June 30th on Orcas Island this summer. (San Juans north of Seattle) I am an Exercise Science professor at Appalachian State. Grew up in Wisconsin, and moved to Boone in 2000.

2. I've come across your name as a top-placing participant in a number of events from cycling and running to multi-sport events. What's your background in endurance sports? What got you started in it?
I was a ball sport kid growing up, football, basketball, baseball, tennis... etc... Basically just hyper, and that was what the other kids were doing. Then after college graduation everyone just slowed down, so I had to find the 'silent sports'. I went on several bike tours around the country and elsewhere and was hooked on the bike. I did my first tri in 1986, but barely finished. I did another in 91, then ran into a pack of guys in Missoula, MT when I was getting my masters that really started my multi sport career. We started team Stampede which is still running strong today.

3. Have you always been successful in these races?
Ball sports always came kind of easy to me... cycling too, but swimming has been my downfall. But I won my first triathlon in 1994, and have been training, racing, and winning at least one or two races a year since.

4. Do you have a favorite event, cycling, running, distances, etc? Are you most successful at that event or another one?
I am probably a stonger cyclist than the others, but my running has built up over the last few years. I dont have a typical runners body type and cant handle big mileage, but the years of training have built on each other so now I can do better.

5. I read about some research you're doing for the Western States 100 Mile Running Event. What's that about?
I have been going out to the WS100 for 7 years in a row. We have done research on several aspects, the effect of the race on immune function and oxidative stress, how NSAIDS (ibuprofen) affect your response to the race, how several supplements may affect your recovery and muscle damage. One year I did a 40 mile section of the course with a metabolic cart strapped to my back. I wanted to see what sort of energy expenditure the racers were going through. Very interesting results. Because of that, this last year I collaborated and we used a fancier technique called double labeled water which allows us to see energy expenditure and water turnover.

6. What's a typical training week for you?
With my job it is tough. It is a rolling schedule that is flexible to weather, work and time available. Essentially in the summer when I have more time it will be about 40 miles running, 200 miles riding and about 8000 yds swimming. Usually with a race in there on the weekend.

7. Are you very technical (HR monitor, GPS, nutrients, etc.) in your training or go more on "feel"?
Funny, because I am in the field, I dont want to take my work with me when I train. Everyone expects me to be this really scientifically based trained athlete. But when I train, I leave the numbers behind. At work I am a scientist, when I train I am an artist. It becomes my creative outlet.

8. How does it feel to be in the "Masters" category now? I had to ask this since I just turned 40 and am having trouble coming to terms with it...
Yeah, me too. I have to admit that it has been nice to find that masters awards are sometimes as nice if not better than the overall awards. But it has also been nice to win overall as a masters. I am not ready to pull out the age card yet. I am still trying to win races. I guess I must admit as well that I am enjoying still racing pretty well, as I have begun to realize that it wont be forever. Just trying to enjoy the time now. I find it funny how when I was 39 noone gave me a hard time, but now I am 41, and I am the 'old guy'. Its like people expect you to fall off of a cliff and geriatric in one year!

9. What and/or who inspires you as a competitor/athlete?
I am not the sort to have heroes per se. What I appreciate seeing in others is doing great things under the radar of media recognition. Those people that just go out and complete good, great or even spectacular things without fanfare. Like that guy (Goran Rupp or something) who rode his bike from Sweden to Everest, climbed the mountain, helped save the rich people involved in the disaster the resulted in the book "Into Thin Air", then rode home. Or the ultra woman who watched Dean Karnazes tell Letterman he was going to be the first to run 250 miles continuously, then went out and did it the next day. I enjoy creating self made adventures that are done in a fun environment with crazy friends. One year me and some friends went out and rode the RAMROD, ride around mount rainier in one day (~120 miles), then spent 3 days running the Wonderland trail around mount rainier. We had a blast. Being in shape enough to pull off outdoor adventures at a moments notice... I guess that is it.

10. Do you have a favorite specific race?
I am enjoying more the 'non-traditional multisport' lately. The paddle, trail run, mountain bike... or paddle-run, or swim-push ups.. whatever. I like when something new comes up that involves several sports. Traditional triathlon is kinda boring me lately... I have done a few adventure races, and like them, but it is an investment in time and equipment I cant always pull off. There is a race up in Illinois, not sure it still exists. It was called the 'Ultimate Athlete' or something like that. Dont quote me, but they had things like a 50 yd sprint, mile run, football throw for distance, 100 yd swim, 1 RM bench press, tennis serve for speed (radar clocked), baseball throw for accuracy.. . something like 15 events, all in one day. I would have loved to do that! Unfortunately I could never do it. But that sort of concept, mediocre at many things, but enjoying doing it all.

11. What's your proudest moment? Both in sports and in life.
ah... mmmm.... not sure I am ready to relinquish that yet. That is not for public consumption.



Thanks for your time, Chuck and good luck to you!