The Beginning

I have been running since 2000. I was visiting Jeff, a friend back in Boston along with a childhood friend, Dave. Both of my friends were and still are runners. I was the holdout. I hated running anything longer than 100 yards and even that was a pain in the butt. But on this Friday morning Dave took off on a run and left Jeff and I at Jeff's house. I asked Jeff to take me on a run. We went maybe a mile and half and my lungs were screaming for air. I had to walk for awhile but it felt good. That weekend there was the Susan G. Komen 5K race in Boston and Jeff asked if I wanted to run. I was still sore from the mile and a half but said yes. The energy at the beginning of the race is difficult to explain. Maybe it's best described as nervousness, and anxiety mixed in with excitement. I started the race following this 60 something lady. I thought I can hang with her and I'll be alright. I started out looking at her back and then her butt and then her calfs and then I couldn't see her anymore. I thought oh shit she just ran away from me in less than a half a mile. Jeff was still running along side of me but my slow pace was starting to get to him. He saw his girlfriend and asked if I would mind him running with her. I said no problem and watched as he disappeared. I made to about 2.5 miles when I heard someone say the finish is just around the bend. Of course it wasn't and my lungs were screaming for air so I stopped and walked awhile and then started running only to see the finish up around the next bend. From this race I was hooked on running.

I have since run several races including marathons, half marathons and one long course triathlon. It was during a recent marathon training program that the notion of running an Ultra came up in conversation with my running partner and friend Dennis. We had both heard and read about Dean Karnazes. I have run 5 marathons and somewhere during each one of them I said I would never run another one of these bleepin things. They are painful! Dennis was far more open minded about the notion of running an Ultra. I was more in line with no fuckin way. I recently read an article in Runner's World by a first time ultra runner who shared her experiences. She listed a couple of good ultra's for beginners and one of them is in my backyard. I started thinking, why not? I am going to turn 50 in May of 2010 and I thought, 50 at 50. I wanted to do something different for my 50th.

Now for a training program. I searched Runner's World for a training program. Downloaded the program and here I am. The program started on December 21, 2009 and concludes on race day April 10, 2010. The race is the American River 50 mile race. This race starts in Sacramento and finishes in Auburn. My goal, to finish alive and in one piece. My ultimate goal, finish in less than 11 hours. This would qualify me for the Western States 100. Not that I will necessarily attempt to run 100 miles but it would be cool to qualify.

I am now in week three of the training program. I went from 20+ miles a week to 40+ in one week. So much for the 10% rule on mileage increases. On top of this program I'm in the middle of the P90X program. This is a 90 day program that incorporates strength and core development...It kicks your butt. I love this program and can feel the increases in strength to my legs and core stability.