I Am Endorphin Dude, See Me Run!

Across The Years

2011-12-29T23:29:00.000-08:00

A few days before the final race of my Titanium Quest, I received an email from my publicist. My first thought was, "Huh, I have a publicist?" Apparently, the folks at Power Capes had their PR people contact me about hitting the media circuit. That came completely out of left field, but then again, it's not every day that someone completes 52 marathons in 52 weeks, so this is news worthy! I happily obliged.

I showed up on race day ready to throw endorphins at Fox News. I experienced runner's high early in the morning for two reasons: A) Across The Years was #52, and B) I was going to be on live TV! I really wanted to burst out with an emphatic "LIVE FROM NEW YORK, IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT!" but I opted to engage with the news reporters like a professional instead. Behold, here is my live interview. You be the judge as to how "professional" I am!

This Titanium Quest was a lot like a video game: you keep running marathons to move up in levels until you reach 10 stars. There have been numerous times when I saw the Endorphin Dude avatar quickly fade and the much dreaded "Game Over" warning blink before my eyes. But I never gave up. Injuries almost knocked me out of the race, but I fought to get to every finish line, even when it hurt the most.

Had I been on track to completing a marathon every weekend, I would have hit the halfway mark at the Seattle Rock 'N' Roll Marathon by the end of June. That did not happen. Capsulitis, tendonitis, sciatica, and kidney stones pushed me behind, and as a result, I did not reach #26 until the end of August. It really looked bleak for me, but I kept going. I crammed in five doubles and two triples in the fall, and that's how I got to #52!

There's my Titanium cake, and I'm gonna eat it too! Thanks Yolanda!

I may be the one wearing the cape, but I was surrounded by super heroes at Across The Years!

And away we go!

I came to Across The Years fantasizing about the 50 miler. How awesome would it have been to finish Titanium with a whopping 50 miler? Unfortunately, that was just not in the cards. Even with ten days of rest, I did have 51 marathons on those tired legs. I decided to just take my time and take it easy, as I had 24 hours to complete the required 50k distance.

As I strolled along the one mile loop, I had the opportunity to reflect on my incredible journey. I thought about every Marathon Maniac and Half Fanatic whom I have met on the race course or online this past year. I flash backed to Mardi Gras, Seattle, and Morgan Hill--the marathons that caused me grief. I smiled as I basked in the glory The Tahoe Triple, Labor of Love, The San Francisco Marathon, and Chicago. Most importantly, I went back to that day when I had my heart attack scare three years ago.

If you had told me five years ago that I would run one marathon, I would have laughed in your face. If you had said I would complete 52 marathons in 52 weeks, I would have had you seek psychological help. My life has changed dramatically, and I really like who I have become. And of course, you all know that this paragraph would not be complete unless I mentioned my dog. Rather than me regurgitating how important this chiweenie is to me, you see it for yourself here:

As the day went on, I continued to circle that one mile loop. When I reached the marathon distance, I posted on my Endorphin page that I was a tiny 10k away from Titanium. The flood of encouragement and congratulatory posts poured in. I truly felt like the whole Insane Asylum and all my running friends were cheering me on as if I were Ryan Hall going for the victory in Boston. I kept plugging along.

With only two laps left, I caught up to Yolanda, who gave me the biggest smile I had seen all day. She said to me, "This is it, isn't it?" I quickly responded that I only had two laps left and I wanted more than anything to cross that finish line with her, the person who told me about this little club called "Marathon Maniacs." Together, we powered it in.

This is me just a few feet away from that finish line!

When I crossed that finish line, I immediately gave Yolanda a hug so big that I thought she was going to pop. I then dropped to my knees in shock. I looked up and the race director stood there with my cake. Other runners arrived at the finish line and I hugged them one by one. There was Mad Hatter Fancy Pants, Kansas, Ken Rubelli, my Endorphin Dudette of the month Kimberly, her son Zachary, Uncle Mike, and even the runners I had just met.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I looked up at the clock and was stunned to see that I completed a 52k. What a way to end this quest, 52 marathons in 52 weeks with the 52nd being a 52k. I absolutely could not believe that this day finally arrived. Endorphin Dude is a TITANIUM Level 10 Star Marathon Maniac. WOW!! WOW!! WOW!!

WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's all about heart, and this is the only part of me that never cramped up. I did it. 52 marathons in 52 weeks. I am still in shock. Peeps of the Endorphin Empire, thank you for your overwhelming support. I encourage you to dream big, but also know that you must work hard, take risks, and make sacrifices. Only then will everything fall into place. Runner's high has taken me over the moon, and right now I am dancing on cloud nine with 10 shiny stars circling around me.

Titanium Score Board: Completed. Mission Accomplished.

Santa's Marathon

2011-12-18T23:13:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is Titanium. Is that too much to ask? I've been nice all year long. Well, there was that one naughty moment when I peed on someone's flowers, but the port-o-potty line was too long. It's not like I pooped on their rose bush. I hope you won't hold that against me.

Yeah, that's right, KEEP GOING!

I felt a bit of guilt for peeing on that flower bed, so I made sure that I did a good deed at this marathon. I took the early start and marked the course for the race director. I wanted Santa to cancel out that naughty with this nice. I wish I was more artistic so that I could draw exciting graphics on the concrete, but alas, my sister is the one in my family that got that gift. Instead, I scribbled arrows and directions for the runners.

I didn't realize it at the time, but one of my scribbles had a double meaning. When I wrote "Endorphin Dudes says keep going," I meant that in the very literal sense. I was telling the runners to keep moving forward. I now see motivational meaning behind "keep going." How apropos, as this was my mantra all year long. In any case, I plugged along on the four mile loop until all the runners arrived for the start at the crack of dawn.

And there it is! The crack of dawn!

Ok, I didn't just scribble down directions. I wanted to entertain the runners too!

I didn't recognize Jessica Wabbitz until she hopped up to me.

Go runners go!

Finish line with Race Director Charlie Alewine, my twin brother Esteban (I'll explain that on in my book) and the Van Gough'ed Jessica Wabbitz.

I smiled ear to ear when I crossed that finish line because I knew that I only had one left after this one. The best part was that I had a whole 10 days off before #52, so I would be very well rested. As happy as was, I couldn't help but feel a little bit of sadness because this would be my final Charlie Alewine race.

Charlie has been instrumental in getting me to my goal. Without his races, I would not have been able to double and triple up on the marathons to make up for the ones I lost during the sciatica days. If I lived in southern California, I would run many more of his races, but unfortunately, my wallet will not allow it. I'll definitely be back for his races in the future, but it just won't be every weekend. Thank you Charlie, I'm going to miss running every weekend with you!

Titanium Score Board: 51 down, 1 to go.

Only one left and I reach my goal of 52 marathons in 52 weeks. Can I get a WOOT WOOT!?!?!?!?!?!!?

Deck The Halls Marathon

2011-12-17T21:27:00.000-08:00

It's my final weekend of car camping in the Mini-bago! I am ecstatic that I will no longer need to sit through Friday rush hour traffic as I inch along 400 miles to southern California. No more snoozing in my car in random parking lots so I could run a race at dark o'clock early Saturday morning. Woo hoo!

Titanium is really taking it's toll on me. My body and mind are absolutely beat. You know when you're in trouble when you cramp up before the race. I found myself sleeping in my car in an alley behind a gas station in El Segundo. I woke up with a slight cramp in my leg. I got out of the Mini-bago, stretched a bit, took a make shift shower in the form of bottled water splashed on me, and headed to the start line. I tried to run but my legs were not having it, so I did my version of the power jog. Thank goodness there were no cameras around.

I really struggled through this marathon. My feet hurt and my legs stiffened up, but I had to get it done. I kept plugging along patiently. It took me awhile to get to that finish line, but I got there. I stayed focused and kept my eyes on the prize.

Early morning sun rise.

Love these two random trees. It's like a really tall person standing next to a short one.

Lonely bicycle.

Birds!

The plane! The plane!

#50 for the year! Can't believe it. It seems like it has taken a decade to get here. I am soooo close. ONLY TWO TO GO!!!

Titanium Score Board: 50 down, 2 to go.

Seasons Greetings Marathon

2011-12-11T23:11:00.000-08:00

There's someone behind me, isn't there.

This is the course for the Seasons Greetings Marathon. 13.1 miles along a canal in Riverside, CA, and then back. My legs were aching after the rattle snake marathon the day before, so I decided to run this with my dog. Who am I kidding, the chiweenie can't run. We walked it. Listen to me, now I'm blaming my 6 pound mutt for me not running. Ok, ok, ok, I walked this whole race with my dog because I was dog tired! There, I said it.

If Chewbacca could run a full marathon with me, I'd take her to all my races. However, my dog has the legs the size of French fries, so she can really only last about a 5k. I have to carry her in her doggie back pack most of the way. She did very well at the canal though, clocking in about 4 miles of walking. After that, she got tired, so I stuck her in the chiweenie dorm on my back. Geez, I wish I could have someone piggy back me for 22 miles. Having Chewbacca along for this walk-a-thon helped ease my aching legs and mind. It felt like 2009 all over again when the two of us took those long urban hikes all through San Francisco. My mind was completely at ease as I walked along the canal with my best friend.

That's my baby!

Yeah, I'm the Canal Troll, and I'm gonna break the law!

Moo!

Looks like there is going to be 6 more weeks of winter!

Peking duck? More like Peking Chiweenie!

I owe a lot to this six pound flea bag. Because of her, I got healthy and am now in the best shape of my life. Chewbacca was a rescue dog with a pretty troubled past. She was a pregnant stray when the Peninsula Humane Society found her. There was probably some abuse that went on as well. Thankfully, the kind folks at PHS took very good care of her. I knew right away that she was the one for me and it didn't take long before I adopted her. People tell me all the time that I did a good thing by rescuing this dog, but the reality is that she rescued me.

For those who don't know, I am pursuing Titanium for all of Chewbacca's homeless four legged friends. All proceeds of my fundraising will go to the Peninsula Humane Society, the folks who helped me find my side kick. This dog has changed my life for the better, and it is my hope that her furry friends at the Peninsula Humane Society will do the same for another. If you would like to throw some coins at the chiweenie, please do so here!

Titanium Score Board: 49 down, 3 to go.

I love that Chewbacca looks so unimpressed. Sorry Chew, we're going home now, promise! Only three left! COUNT IT DOWN WITH ME PEEPS! THREE!!!!!!!!

Jingle Bells Trail Marathon

2011-12-10T22:34:00.000-08:00

I had a little break last weekend and only had to run 39.3 miles. Now it's back to the marathon double weekend. I only need to complete two more 52.4 mile weekends and a single and I hit my Titanium goal. I'm getting so close, yet these final races get harder and harder. I am exhausted. On top of cranking out the 26.2 miles, I have to deal with traveling 400 hundred miles and car camping in the Mini-bago. I can tell you that sleeping in a Mini Cooper is like trying to snooze in coach on a transatlantic flight. These are the things I have to do to get to Titanium.

Another road trip? Really?

For life time marathon #55, I returned to roam the rattle snake invested trails Sycamore Canyon. Up and down hills that never seemed to end, I plugged along. I started out with four layers because it was so cold at dark o'clock, but by 10am, Mr. Sunshine threw rays of warm shines at me. I had to peel most of what I had on off. If it had gotten any warmer, I probably would have had to complete this marathon naked, which wouldn't have been a bad thing because it would have scared all the rattle snakes away! In any case, what got me through this brutal trail race was a couple of Marathon Maniacs who kept me laughing throughout the 26.2 miles of trail hell.

Trail hill. Yay.

These two kept me plugging along on the trails.

I asked for an action shot, and Jean Ho delivered!

Finally got to meet ultra runner Rachel Spatz. She's ultra cute :-)

Dale Dale on the trail.

I'm so happy to get this done because it brings me one step closer to reaching my goal of 52 marathons in 52 weeks. Like I said, as I get closer and closer to the goal, it gets harder and harder. With only a few left and a lot at stake, it's do or die. I have to finish the mission. Any DNF at this point and it's GAME OVER.

Titanium Score Board: 48 down, 4 to go.

48 down. Really? Wow, that just sounds so surreal. ONLY 4 LEFT!!!

Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

2011-12-04T23:55:00.000-08:00

There was a lot of drama at the Las Vegas Rock 'n' Roll Marathon and Half this year, and none of it was caused by Kate Gosselin. Ok, the mom of eight may have stirred up some controversy when she was rumored not to have completed the full course, but the real drama was with the Competitor Group, the folks who put on the event. With 44,000 runners and walkers out on The Strip at night, something was bound to go wrong.

Sure enough, the truck load of complaints from participants pretty much short circuited the Competitor Group's Facebook page: over-crowding at the starting corrals, lack of electrolytes, contaminated water which got many violently sick, the now infamous "Merge" where the marathoners met the halfers at the 13.1 mile mark, congestion at that finish line, and running out of medals. Yes, I was affected by some of the above mentioned, but at the end of the night, this race goes down as one of the best racing experience of my short running career. Why? Because I got to be the Best Dude at the run through wedding for my Half Fanatic buddies, Jennifer and Mitchell!

Best race shirts ever!

My non-Disney Goofy Challenge turned into a Goofy Challenge after all, thanks to the Disney-themed wedding gear. Jennifer and Mitchell are both Disney fanatics, so it did not surprise me in the least that my Best Dude shirt had Goofy on it. After completing my trail marathon the day before--mind you, that marathon was my eight marathon in four weeks--I made up my mind early on to take this one easy. I did achieve this goal, but before the race I had to deal with a potentially catastrophic five-alarm fire drill. Because of the crowds, I couldn't get onto the shuttle to get to the wedding corral, so I had to sprint to the bride and groom, dodging tourists and other runner's walking to the start line along the way. Fortunately, I managed to arrive with a few seconds to spare! Had I been tardy, it would not have been the first time. I created an uproar a decade ago when I got lost and showed up to my buddy's wedding 13 minutes late. The problem? It was a 20 minute ceremony! To make matters worse, I was in the wedding party and I was carpooling his 13 and 10 year old siblings. Not good. I did make it to that wedding and the groom and I are still friends! I did not want a repeat of that with Jennifer and Mitchell.

Needless to say, I was relieved to make it to the wedding corral on time. I think the bride and groom were too! With all the hoopla of getting there and the excitement of the race, all the things that went wrong for others didn't really bother me. Yes, I did almost get side swiped by a marathoner as I veered onto their lane to get to the nuptial site at the mile two mark, but I had to get to the far left or else I would have miss the ceremony! I don't think that marathoner was too happy with me crossing over, but I had to get there. Sorry about that, BQ lady! As for the contaminated water, I didn't drink any of it. In fact, when I realized that there were was no Cytomax left on the course, I walked into a liquor store and bought myself a Hawaiin Punch. That kept me energized for a few miles. Then the rain hit. At that point, I was so cold that I started to run just so that I could get out of the cold. I crossed the finish line late enough to avoid the gridlock but early enough to get a medal. Granted, it was the wrong medal, but at least I didn't walk away with a naked neck. Note to self: email Competitor Group to get a half marathon medal.

Gotta get to the chapel on time!

Waiting to hear Jennifer and Mitchell say "I do."

I first met Alma on the plane en route to NOLA. I saw her again in Seattle. Now I see her in Sin City. Woo Hoo!

The newlyweds with their entourage.

Maniacs!

Finally got to meet Half Fanatic Scott from Chicago.

One of my favorite peeps in the Insane Asylum. Tyler Rich!

Endorphin Dude and The Launders! Well, the female is no longer a Launder.

My Sin City Rock 'n' Roll experience was a fun and memorable one. I understand that many people got sick or just flat out had a lousy time, and I am sorry for those folks. However, I had an awesome time. Not only did I get to witness two buddies tie the knot, but I got hang out with a bunch of my running peeps and I scored the best race shirt of the year. I really felt like the Best Dude all around!

I said it before, I'll say it again: BEST. RACE. SHIRT. EVER.

On a final note, at my mile 11, a woman ran up next to me, slowed down, and walked beside me. She was at her mile 24. She said to me, "This is my first marathon. I lost 70 pounds because of you. Thank you, Endorphin Dude." She then sped off. I didn't get a name and for the life of me, I can't remember what she looks like. This woman shocked me. I was absolutely stunned. I couldn't get that moment out of my head. I still can't.

Rockin' The Trails Marathon

2011-12-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

In a perfect world, I would have completed a marathon every weekend for 52 weeks to earn my ten stars. Completing 26.2 miles and then having a full week to recover is the most ideal way to hit this lofty goal. However, life happens: injuries strike, races get canceled, and sickness rears its germ infested head. In planning my Titanium quest, I not only had to have a plan B, but I also needed a plan C, D, E, F, and the rest of the alphabet. Right now, I am at plan Y, as in “Y oh WHY oh WHY?!” I lost about 12 marathons throughout the first three seasons because “life happened,” hence I had to modify my schedule and cram in six doubles and two triples in the fall. Needless to say, I am tired.

To the Titanium Forest!

When Charlie Alewine added the “Rockin’ The Trails Marathon” to his schedule, I jumped at the opportunity to run it. This race in Orange County coupled with the Las Vegas Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon the next day made for the perfect non-Disney Goofy Challenge weekend.

Logistically, hitting these two races proved to be quite a challenge, but I made it work. Check out this itinerary: Fly out of SFO Friday evening, arrive at LAX by 9pm, pick up car rental at LAX, drive to Orange County, car camp, take the early start at dark o’clock, finish race mid morning, drive 275 miles to Las Vegas, pick up bib, carbo load, sleep, run race next day, return rental car in Las Vegas, fly home. Up to this point, my body is so used to all this running, traveling, car camping, and what not, that this crazy weekend schedule didn’t phase me one bit. ‘Tis the life of the Marathon Maniac!

Trail!

More trails!

Creek. Wonderful.

Gotta be extra careful. Wouldn't want to fall in and destroy the camera!

Creek crossing!

You probably figured out from the name of this marathon and the photos above that this race is all trail, a surface that I do not love. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: Endorphin Dude on trails is like an American on the dirt of Roland Garros. These endorphin legs are just not equipped for this surface!

Nonetheless, I had to face the Trabuco trails in order to reach my Titanium dream. I’m not going to lie or sugar coat. I did not love this marathon, but that probably doesn’t come as a surprise to any of you. I had to run up and down hills, jump over big rocks, dodge dirt bikers, and hop from stone to stone Frogger style to make it across the creek. Well, I ain't no Kermit The Frog. I missed one stone and fell right in. The water was only about 6 inches deep, so I didn’t have any worries about drowning. My big concern was that I landed on my bad foot, and the last thing I wanted was to have it aggravated. Fortunately, this slip happened later in the race so I was able to limp my way to the finish line.

No injuries, please!

The good news is that I finished this marathon with no injuries! I also took another step closer to Titanium! Feeling good, I jumped into my rental car and headed off to Sin City. I knew that I could relax the rest of the weekend, as the next race was only 13.1 miles. I can do that in my sleep.

Titanium Score Board: 47 down, 5 to go!

I can now do the count down with one hand! FIVE!!!!!!!!

Running From The Turkey Marathon

2011-11-27T22:59:00.000-08:00

When I completed the Charlie Alewine Thanksgiving Half Marathon Triple Weekend last year, I wrote something in my race report that's worth a repeat mention:

In bowling, if you nail three strikes in a row, you've bowled yourself a turkey. This Thanksgiving weekend, I struck out! Endorphin Dude trotted his way through the Turkey Triple, completing 3 half marathons in 3 days. The best part? DUDE! I got a trophy!!!

The only modification I will make to that statement is that this year it was a 78.6 mile finish! I am very proud and relieved to get this Thanksgiving Turkey weekend done. The final marathon of this triple weekend went very well. I once again took it easy and had a leisurely walk along Huntington Beach with my dog. It took me a while to get to that finish line, but that's ok. A finish is a finish. Along the way, I got to high five many of my running buddies.

The Danimal!

One of the funniest guys in the Insane Asylum, Mr. Haywood Crowder.

Marina Vasolina!

There's Coconut Boy and Shoney Mahoney. Thanks for the free therapy, Dr. Coconut!

I love it. Good job Shawna and Jessica. You guys rock!

When my foot acted up earlier in the week, I panicked. But because Titanium was on the line, I had to step back and patiently get through it. I believe the Marathon Gods decided to shake me up a little by throwing rocks at my foot, but then healing it up right before the triple started. Any other time, I would have just not shown up. Hitting this goal of 52 marathons in 52 weeks is extremely important to me, and I will do anything to nail it. I've made it this far, I couldn't let a little pain in the foot stop me. I took it conservatively all three days and made it across all three finish lines. Thank you Charlie Alewine and all my fellow runners and friends for getting me through this arduous weekend!

Titanium Scoreboard: 46 down, 6 to go.

I can add another triple to my resume. I can also add another 22 inch trophy to my mantle! Yay! I am now within striking distance of my goal. I can see the finish line from here. Let's count it down peeps: SIX!!!!!!!!!!

Feeling Stuffed Marathon

2011-11-26T15:59:00.000-08:00

After the Mayflower Marathon, I got back to my room and continued to R.I.C.E, and by that I don't mean pigging out on the fried rice of Panda Express! Thanks to fellow Marathon Maniac Elizabeth McKay, Endorphin Dude had a very comfortable cottage on the lake to stay during this Triple Turkey weekend. It was cool to be in a house with Chewbacca rather than sequestered in a Motel 6. It was also nice to have a comfortable bed where I could just sprawl out and relax. I stayed off that bum foot for the rest of the day. I fell asleep at 5pm and when I woke up ten hours later, the pain was gone! My mental state made a complete 360. I felt good going into the second marathon of this triple header weekend!

Another dark o'clock start.

Cadillac Steve and Sofie were instrumental in getting me to the finish line yesterday. Today, they were very happy to see me smile. I was happy to see me smile! I was happy to see these two out there for the dark o'clock early start with me!

Even though my foot felt healed, I still took it easy. Fortunately, this was a flat out and back course so I didn't have to put too much stress on my body. I also got to see other runners pass me on a few occasions. Some runners don't like this, but I do. I like being able to high five my fellow runners as they zoom past me. I'm not one of those tunnel visioned marathoners who is only concerned about their finish time. I am very social and I like schmoozing it up with peeps along the course. I got to do a lot of this today!

Here's a great group of Maniacs. From left to right: Me, Ultra Pussy Cat, Shoney Mahoney, Coconut Boy, Deo, Brady Wentlandt, Shawna Wentlandt, Doggie Doc Jim Grimes, and soon to be minted Marathon Maniac Mike Hanson (he qualified with this race).

And away we go!

Action shot!

Mike and Jim going for their second loop.

The couple that runs together, stays together!

Gotta love Rosemarie and Raoul.

The winners! My trophy is a banana.

What a difference a day--and quality sleep--makes. I got my mojo back, and everyone on the course who ran yesterday's marathon knew right away. I had so much fun today. The medal rocks with the cartoon turkey on it! I'm excited for tomorrow's race, the third and final in this Thanksgiving Triple Extravaganza!

Titanium Score Board: 45 down, 7 to go.

You'll probably notice that the date on the medal doesn't match up. Charlie Alewine gave us all Sunday's medal instead of today's. It's all good, because I know I'll get that other medal tomorrow. Let's count it down peeps: SEVEN!!!!!!!!

Mayflower Marathon

2011-11-25T22:35:00.000-08:00

Another visit to the Chinese Medicine Man.

I'm not really sure what exactly happened, but something must have gone awry at my 50th life time marathon. I didn't feel anything at the time, but one day after completing the Charlie Alewine double header marathon weekend, a sharp pain hit my right foot. This was the same pain that hit me in New Orleans earlier this year, and quite frankly, it concerned me. I have on my schedule the Thanksgiving Triple in a few days, and any injury at this point will knock me out of the Titanium race. Fortunately, the Chinese Medicine Man was able to squeeze me in on Tuesday afternoon. I feel like a voodoo doll every time I visit the acupuncturist, but Dr. Needles knows what he's doing, so I let him work his ancient Chinese magic on me.

The pain worsened late Tuesday night, and by about 3am, I couldn't move my foot without feeling any pain. Even the slightest wiggle of my toe made me flinch. I positioned myself in bed like a corpse in a queen sized Ikea coffin, moving not one muscle in my lower body. Seriously, it hurt so much that I couldn't sleep. My mind quickly sprinted down the path of doom and gloom. As melodramatic and tragic as this may sound, the only thing that lingered in my paranoid head was diabetic complications and amputation. Three years ago when my hemoglobin A1C numbers jumped to double digits, morbid thoughts of losing limbs took up permanent residency in my psyche. My doctor warned me that I was on that amputation track, and that frightened me. These days, any time my foot fails me--no matter how big or small--I am brought back to that dark time. I laid motionless in my bed until sunrise.

I called in sick that Wednesday before Thanksgiving and dragged myself to the acupuncturist early that morning. At one point, the pain was so unbearable that I had to do the left foot hopscotch skip so that I could keep my injured right foot still. I managed to get to my Chinese Medicine Man, and he said it looked really bad. In fact, my foot had flared up so much that he was only able to do partial acupuncture on me. He worked around the swollen areas, applied some ancient oriental potion in the form of a cold green cream, and then gave me a pair of crutches to wobble home on. I spent the rest of the day in bed with the sick foot elevated and iced. I also popped in a few ibuprofen throughout the day. Miraculously enough, the swelling dramatically went down by late evening and by Thursday morning, I was able to walk with only a slight limp. I headed down to my family's Thanksgiving get together that morning, where I stayed off the foot with hopes that I would heal 100% by Friday morning for my first marathon of the triple weekend. I didn't quite hit that goal, but I felt well enough to get out there and walk 26.2 miles. I showed up on race day determined to get the job done. Titanium was on the line.

My walking sticks saved me. Not only did they give me balance, but they served as make shift crutches.

Love this sign. Notice what's hand written in a Sharpie there? It's true. There was horse manure all over!

This was probably the toughest 26.2 miles to date. I managed to physically plug through with minimal pain, but my mental state was completely shot. I didn't even bring my camera, and the few photos I took were with my iPhone. I just wanted to get out there and get the job done with as little distraction as possible. There were moments during this race when I broke down to my fellow runners. Fellow Marathon Maniac Jon "Coconut Boy" Mahoney got an ear full from me, as did Cadillac Steve and Sofie Romero. I see these guys at so many races, so I knew that I could count on them for support. Sure enough, they gave me the free therapy that I needed to get myself back on track. At the end of the day, I played it conservatively and set a course record: a 9 hour marathon! I played it safe and it paid off, as I was able to cross that finish line once again.

Titanium Score Board: 44 down, 8 to go.

Rock The Park Marathon

2011-11-20T19:21:00.000-08:00

On July 25, 2010, my life changed when I crossed the finish line of the San Francisco Marathon, my inaugural 26.2 mile foot race. This was supposed to have been my one and done bucket list race, but the endorphins got to me and I instantly got hooked.

Today, I reached a major milestone: Marathon #50. In just a little over a year and 4 months, I have run, jogged, walked, and or crawled FIFTY marathons. Can you imagine how happy I am right now? If it weren't for these beat up legs, I'd be bouncing off walls!

Titanium Score Board: 43 down, 9 to go.

Single Digits Baby! Let's count it down: NINE!!!!!!!!!!

Beachfest Marathon

2011-11-19T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Chiweenie won't be entering the Insane Asylum anytime soon.

I took Chewbacca along for my marathon double header in southern California this weekend because her nanny was unavailable. I thought it would be fun to go on a road trip with the chiweenie. I packed along her backpack too so that she could actually participate in the marathon with me. With such tiny legs the size of the mozzarella cheese sticks you get at Denny's, the little mutt can really only handle a 5k. The first marathon of this double header weekend was perfect for both of us, as it took place at Dockweiler Beach in Marina Del Ray, and the weather was perfect.

The Beachfest Marathon had a very small turn out, but that's no surprise for Charlie Alewine Racing. I do love the idea of low key races for under 25 runners. Charlie Alewine has been my saving grace during this Titanium quest. Not only does he have multiple marathon weekends at affordable prices, but he allows me to take the early start so I don't have to worry about time constraints. There would be no Titanium for Endorphin Dude if there were no Charlie Alewine. Charlie, if you're reading this, THANK YOU!

Charlie & The Chiweenie.

In any case, only nine runners showed up for this marathon, but these were the nine regulars that I see every weekend. Party on the beach! Chewbacca was able to get about three miles in before I scooped her up and tucked her into the back pack. Gee, why can't I ride in someone's CamelBack? That would make 26.2 miles go by much faster!

On your marks, get set, GO!!!

The lone garbage can in the middle of the beach.

50 Staters Mary Fischl and Brad Schultz.

Dale Roberts. This guy always gets a few phone calls from his wife during marathons.

Deo! No tutu today. Low key.

Chris Haines earned a PR today!


Always good to see Rose Marie on the course. She placed first in the half marathon.

It took me well over seven hours to finish this marathon, but that's ok. I took it very easy and had a great time with my dog. I would not have been able to do this at any other marathon. Only at a Charlie Alewine race can I leisurely complete 26.2 miles with a chiweenie without the worry of the sag wagon. Win!

Titanium Score Board: 42 down, 10 to go!

Veteran's Day Marathon

2011-11-13T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Plan: Fly out of Tampa Bay at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning, layover at O'Hare, arrive in San Francisco a little after noon, hop into the Mini Cooper, drive seven hours to Riverside, take a quick nap in the car, and then take the early start of the Veteran's Day Marathon. In order to hit my Titanium goal, I have to cram in a truck load of doubles and one triple, so this was the plan for this weekend. I didn't factor in the possibility of delays, and sure enough, the plane heading back to SFO had some mechanical problems.

Needless to say, I did not arrive back in San Francisco until 5pm, which made for an exhausting marathon weekend even more exhausting! Fortunately, Chewbacca's nanny offered to drive me to southern California so I got to get some shut eye in the car before starting this trail race at dark o'clock!

Rattlesnakes! Wonderful!

This is what it looks like at dark o'clock on the trails.

Yes, there was elevation.

Didn't really need the head lamp once the sun came up, but I like that it takes the attention away from my rather large cranium. It's a good accessory for my forehead.

This is what my dog looks like when she pees. Yes, *she* lifts up one leg. I wasn't peeing when I posed for this photo though. Thought I'd clarify that.

Along with my medal, I got this very nice parting gift.

This was one long grueling race through Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park, and as you can see from the photos, "wilderness" is the operative word. It's no big secret that I am not a fan of trail races. I've figured out why. I am a people person and I like being around crowds. I like slowing down at aid stations to high five volunteers. I like running down the street and smiling at spectators with signs that read "Chuck Norris Never Ran A Marathon." I like stopping in the middle of the street and rocking out to what the live bands have to offer. I like the fanfare of the big road races, something I do not get with trail races.

I am often alone on a dirt path with nothing but trees when I run a trail marathon. I would probably like it more if the trees could talk to me like the ones in The Lord Of The Rings. However, the only time any flora ever had a conversation with me was in the 22nd hour of an ultra when delirium kicked in. I guess that doesn't really count. What I'm trying to say is that I do not love trails, but I have to run them in order to reach Titanium. I respect and applaud all the trail runners out there, but to each his own. It's just not my cup of Cytomax.

Titanium Score Board: 41 down, 11 to go!

11-11-11 Marathon of Sarasota

2011-11-11T21:18:00.000-08:00

He's alive!!!

He can laugh about it now, but I don't think there was any giggling going on during his 4 day nap. Let me tell you a little something about Mr. Greg Goebel. At the Zoom Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon earlier this year, this Marathon Maniac's heart stopped ticking and he collapsed on the course. Fortunately, a doctor happened to be in the right place at the right time and was able to get the tick tock back. Mr. Goebel, however, fell into a coma. Miraculously, he woke up four days later to tell his tale. True story.

I was extremely lucky and managed to do something Pheidippides wasn’t able to do--die, and live to tell about it. I don’t recommend it by the way, and will be eternally grateful to Dr. Bob Aby who was at the right place at the right time for me. Had it occurred in 90% of the 30 marathons I ran in 2010, I wouldn’t be here to type this. Whether 5Ks, marathons, or ultras, you can never take anything for granted. I had no warnings, no symptoms and no heart attack – it just quit beating. I am sure my conditioning of all the marathons last year helped me survive. I hope my January ‘event’ doesn’t scare someone else away from making a 26.2 mile commitment. It hasn’t me, and this weekend will be #5 AD. Many miles with many smiles to all! - Greg Goebel.

Fast Forward to 11-11-11.

Woo Hoo!

From what I understand, it was Greg's dream to race direct his own marathon, and this dream played out in his head long before his brush with death. Over the past year, he planned his 11-11-11 Marathon of Sarasota, paying very close attention to every meticulous detail. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend this epic once in a millennium event.

I wasn't kidding when I said Greg paid very close attention to detail. Everybody had two bibs, on for the front and on for the back. The front bib had your number and the back bib had your name so that people behind you will know who you are!

And to think, I almost missed this event because I missed my flight! I set my alarm clock for 3am so that I could make it to the airport on time for my 5:30am flight. I woke up at 5:47am. I knew I was screwed. Panic mode hit me hard as I jumped out of bed, grabbed by bags, and charged for the airport. It wasn't like I was flying to Los Angeles or Las Vegas where this is a flight every hour, I was flying across the country! When I got to the airport, I plead to the ticket agent. I explained my Titanium quest and pretty much said I needed to get to Florida. She looked me straight in the eye and responded, "What you have is a reward ticket, and there's not much I can do with it. Even if I can get you a flight, it would cost about $500." Ugh.

I was desperate, so I just told the ticket agent to do what she had to do. After about 20 minutes of typing away on her keyboard, making a few phone calls, and speaking with a gentleman clad in a suit, she handed me two boarding passes and said, "I got you on the flight to Houston. This flight boards in 10 minutes. From Houston, you are guaranteed a flight to Tampa Bay at 8pm and arriving a little after midnight. However, you can try to get on the 4pm flight and get there sooner." She then signaled to someone to get me through security. I thanked her profusely and pulled out my wallet. She told me to put it way. "Good luck Endorphin Dude. This one is on us." I couldn't believe the Endorphin Dude card worked! With no time to lose, I raced through security, caught my flight, and was fortunate enough to get on the earlier flight in Houston. I made it to Florida by 9pm! Very stressful day, but I made it across the country for #40 of this Titanium quest!

I said it before and I'll say it again, the 11-11-11 Marathon of Sarasota was an epic event, and words really can't express how awesome it was. For this reason, I will show you what an incredible job Greg Goebel did via photos. They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, prepare yourself for the greatest story every told!

It's like the who's who of marathons! So many marathon celebrities at one event!

Please meet the lovely Endorphin Dudettes of November: Mary Signorelli, Mary Lenari, and Diane Bolton.

Thank you Stephanie Zehr for offering your room to this broke marathon caped crusader!

What a bunch.

Right before the start.

Endorphin Dude and the 10 foot tall Tom Scott from Washington. I swear, I felt like a weed standing next to a redwood tree!

On your marks, get set, GO!!!!

This is what I'm talking about when I say meticulous attention to detail. Greg made these signs for everyone and placed them along the course. As we ran the marathon, we got to learn about our fellow runners! Good stuff.

There's Patti Randall Krebsbach doing the famous Dave Mari X-jump.

The Marathon Show running, trying to catch up with The Most Famous Runner In Utah, Miss Angie Whitworth Pace!

And sure enough, The Marathon Show's Joe Taricani caught The Most Famous Runner In Utah!

I love it. The 11-11-11 Marathon of Sarasota winner grabbed the Endorphin Cape ran across the finish line with it. Justin Gillette's finish time was 2:34. The Endorphin Cape BQ'ed!!! Does that mean I get a free entry into Boston?

Sure enough, the Endorphin Cape got passed around from one runner to the next. That cape ended up doing an ultra that day.

And there's Mr. Greg Goebel, smack dab in between Dave Mari and Endorphin Dude. This photo proves that we are two different people. Or are we? There is this little thing called Photoshop, you know...

Endorphin Dude with the legendary Larry Macon!

And there he is, Mr. Justin Gillette! Thank you for getting the Endorphin Cape to a BQ!

See that doctor up at the beginning of this race report? Well, that' Scott Dahl. This guy had a wardrobe change every two laps! He paid tribute to every runner on the course! Scott was so much fun.

And there's was a wedding right in the middle of the marathon! The couple finished in about 3 hours, so they had time to go back to their hotel and change. I think I was only on my mile 15. Oh yeah, Dave Mari stopped to play wedding photographer and he still beat me!

I love that everyone walked with Charles Sayles on his final lap.

Woo Hoo!! I love crossing the finish line!!

More proof that these are two different people. Or is it?

The Marathon Show's Joe Taricani summed up the 11-11-11 Marathon of Sarasota well:

"Official 11-11-11 Race report: course was flat, weather was good, Anette Blanton grabbed my rear-end, the first time that ever happened on-air, a bride and groom ran the race, then got married on the race course, Stephanie Arango arrived on crutches, ran, then left on crutches, Dennis McCarthy ran with an arm in a sling, I think he beat me, part of Endorphin Dude had a BQ, his cape crossed the finish line in 2:34, I ran 200 yards at a 2:34 pace, that's really not my pace, Steve Boone is really fast, Larry Macon is running a quad this weekend, Greg Goebel is awesome and plans to run in Cuba for his next race. I am on info overload! I need 30-40 good photos from the day...."

Titanium Score Board: 40 down, 12 to go! And in case you are wondering, I got a second medal for winning third place in my age division!!! (ok, everybody won a medal for their age division).

THANK YOU, GREG GOEBEL!

Two Cities Marathon

2011-11-06T23:45:00.000-08:00

What I love about the Two Cities Marathon in Fresno, CA, is that it's a great course that's very easy to PR. I earned my half marathon personal record in Fresno two years ago with a sweet time of 2:11. When I ran the marathon last year, I managed to finish with one of my best times, even though I had to deal with shin splints early on in the race. I love the Two Cities course. More importantly, this is one of my favorite races because most of my family live in Fresno. With everybody's busy schedule, my family really only sees one another maybe once a year at Christmas, so it's nice to stop by for a quick visit in early November. The little ones in my family are not so little anymore, so I really do want to spend time with them before they go off to college, get married, have kids, and start their adult lives. Wow, how dramatic was that?

Here is Endorphin Dude's bizarro world counterpart with his two bizarro nieces!

Unfortunately, I did not have the race that I was hoping for. I didn't come into this year's Two Cities Marathon looking for a PR, but I did want to finish it within the time limit and feel good about it. Well, I did fulfill the former, but that latter not so much. I completed the race within the 7 hours allotted, but I did so in an unconventional manner.

When I reached mile 18, one of the volunteers would not let me continue, stating that I did not reach the cut off time. This baffled me as I have run the event two years before and don't recall this ever happening. After a few exchange of words (they were kind, I did not revert back to my Morgan Hell self), I turned around stressed out about losing three miles. Fortunately, there was an ultra event going on at the same time, so I veered off and took the 50k route. Had there been no ultra, I would have ended up with a DNF. At this stage in the Titanium quest, I cannot afford any more of these!

There's Terri and Louie. It's our anniversary! I first meet these peeps in Fresno last year! This year, Terri ran the half and Louie the 50k. I love these people.

Check out newly minted Marathon Maniac, Pete! First race in Maniac gear!

Best volunteers ever! The girl in the tacky knit cap is my niece Madeleine.

There's fello Marathon Maniac Elizabeth Mckay!

Another anniversary! I met Jennifer at Fresno last year as well!

Love the entertainment. Here's my buddy Jeslen Mishelle.

ACE! Love this guy. He always has a smile on his face.

Finally got to meet Ryan Corrigan, a Facebook friend of Endorphin Dude. Good to meet you and I hope we can run again together soon!

I actually had one minute to spare!

I wish I could have finished this race feeling good about it, but it is what it is. I did have one private meltdown, and thankfully I had some friends right there to slap some sense into to me. Thank you Elizabeth, Jennifer, Mitchell, and Terri for being there. I could have very easily reverted back to bad Morgan Hell E-Dud, but you helped me keep composure. As a result, I was able to complete life time marathon #46!

Titanium Score Board: 39 down, 13 to go.

Zombie Runners Halloween Marathon

2011-10-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

I had to confuse the Marathon Gods. In order to get to that finish line, I figured if I went all sexy Jessica Wabbitz on them, they'll get all excited and give me a tail wind to push me along. I don't think they bought it, but they did show me some mercy in convincing the race directors to give me an early start. With an additional 60 minutes tacked on to the 7.5 cut off time, I knew I could comfortably hop along and get this one done. After Mari-ing (yes, I just turned Dave Mari's surname into a verb) through that Dam Marathon yesterday and having to deal with the added stress of a delayed flight which didn't get me back home until a little before midnight, I was very grateful for that 8.5 hour cut off time. I hopped along for the first few miles and then my little bunny legs pooped out. I walked the rest of the way, milking the clock for all it was worth.

Crack of dawn!

This is the Zombie Runners Halloween Marathon, and sure enough, a Zombie Runner showed up!

One of my all time favorite pics of the year. There's Catra Corbett and Ultra Woof having so much fun. Even without runners high (this was early on in the race), these two are loving life. That's what running is all about!

Quote of the day from a kid walking on the trail with his mom: "Mommy! It's a bunny and a fairy!"

Yes, I milked the clock for all it was work. My legs were dead tired by the time I reached the end, but I got it done! The Marathon Gods smiled upon me and rewarded me with this 52.4 mile finish because they knew I dug keep to get to both finish lines. Life time marathon #45 is in the books!

I really needed this double. Injuries have really thrown a wrench in my Titanium quest. Had it not been for the bulging disc, the sciatica, the capsulitis of the right second metatarsal phalanges joint, and the random kidney stones, I would still be on track. In a perfect world, I would have hit the half way mark at the Seattle Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon back in June. However, the culmination of these unfortunate events pushed me far behind schedule. As are result, I did not make it to #26 until the end of August, and will now have to cram in the doubles and triples this late in the game. I am Endorphin Dude! I can and will do this!

Titanium Score Board: 38 down, 14 to go!

Hoover Dam Marathon

2011-10-29T20:48:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween weekend, and if the Marathon Gods are kind to me, then I will get a big 52.4 mile treat rather than a tainted little poison GU trick that will knock me out of the Titanium race. Time is running out for Endorphin Dude, and it is imperative that I nail this challenging double weekend. Logistically, pulling off the Hoover Dam Marathon in Nevada on Saturday and then hopping on a plane back to northern California for the Zombie Runners Halloween Marathon in Palo Alto is manageable, but it would take some very careful planning and race efficiency. Oh yeah, it's also Halloween, so your Marathon Caped Crusader had some tricks up his Endorphin sleeve. Maybe I can confuse the Marathon Gods into thinking I am someone else and get a free pass? Hmm...

Happy Halloween, Dave Mari!

I arrived in Las Vegas early Friday morning. Thanks to fellow Marathon Maniac Ultra Pussy...Cat and his Hello Kitty wife Melissa, I saved myself about $300 and a lot of headaches this weekend. This very kind pair of pussy cats picked me up at the airport, chauffeured me around every where, provided shelter for me, and pretty much eased all traveling anxiety so that I could focus on the race. Thank you kitties, MEOW!

*SIDE BAR*
Don't you just love these Marathon Maniac monikers? Mr. U.P...C got his name because he's one big pussy...cat! Also confined in the Marathon Maniac insane asylum with Endorphin Dude and Ultra Pussy...Cat are Ultra Woof, Dianasaur, The Mo, Walking Diva, Mad Hatter Fancy Pants, The Italian Stallion, The Manimal, Lyle Lyle Crocodile, Jessica Wabbitz, Coconut Boy, Cadillac Steve, and JoJo Starbucks. How's that for a motley crew? Oh yeah, I forgot about that one guy who always wears that monkey shirt. What's that guy's name again?

*Now Back To Your Regularly Scheduled Program*
After getting my dam bib pinned on my dam shirt, putting my dam timing chip on my dam Mizunos, and filling up my dam Gatorade in my dam Nathan Pack, I got some dam sleep. I was ready for this Dam Marathon! We got up at dark o'clock and headed out to the dam start line. On your marks, get set, GO!!!!!

Yes, dark o'clock. Where is the head lamp when you need it most?

"You'll traverse a hard packed dirt trail leading you through several old railroad tunnels that were used in the 1930s to transport supplies to the workers in the construction of the then Boulder Dam- now Hoover Dam. The trail is perched atop of a ridge overlooking the crystal blue waters of Lake Mead and the marina." - Calico Racing

I see the light!

Damn you Marathon Junkie! I really wanted to win this one!

There's Martha Corazzini running down the hill. If you rearrange the letters in her name, you get "Marathon Crazzii." Indeed, she is!

And there's Marathon Maniac Diva, Bryndis Svavarsdottir, running down the hill.

One of my favorite Marathon Maniacs, Diane Adele. I like this picture for two reasons: A) Diane is in it, and B) The shadow looks like a violin player behind us!

Jasmin Flores' Dad!

And of course, there's Jasmin!

Gotta love the Halloween costumes.

And there's Ultra Pussy...Cat! Loving the jammies. He looks like a biker thug who just rolled out of bed.

Kansas!

I finally got to meet Karen "Evil Twin" Weston Vollan. I hear she's really evil.

How' this for a happy bunch? Giovanni Guevarra ran the whole race with the American Flag! Also pictured are fellow Marathon Maniacs, Elizabeth Trask and Hector Aleman. The four of us shared some miles together. The best moment was when Giovanni said to me, "I gotta tell you. I had heard so much about Endorphin Dude. When I finally met you, I was like 'wow, I pictured you to be this tall, dark, and handsome super hero! And then I see that you're not!'" I know that Giovanni meant that in the nicest way possible, but it just came out that way! The four of us had a good laugh.

Maniac super star Larry Macon and Steffan Schneider sporting the Maniac yellow!

I got so excited when I saw the very pregnant Bobbi Galindo on the course. I was so happy she wasn't running, because after being beaten by the pregnant woman who two hours later went to give birth after the Chicago Marathon, I didn't want to be beaten again by a pregnant woman!

Yay! Mile 26!

Dam! I am da man! I am a shaker and a mover and today I ran The Hoover. Dam! Woo Hoo! I made it through the first hurdle of this marathon double this weekend. Chasing Titanium is tough, and it's only going to get more challenging from here on out. In order to stay on track, I will need to complete four more double headers and a triple. I just have to be patient and take it one race at a time. After crossing that dam finish line, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. This race wasn't initially on my schedule, but I'm sure glad I ran it. I'd like to give a special shout out to race director Joyce Forier for putting on this awesome event, to Ryan and Melissa Launder for taking care of me, to Ryan's sister Alicia for letting me sleep in her guest room, and to all the Marathon Maniacs who high fived me along the course. You all gave me the treat that I desperately needed this Halloween weekend!

Life time marathon #44 done. Titanium score board: 37 down, 15 to go. DAM!

Morgan Hill Marathon

2011-10-23T23:36:00.000-07:00

Yeah, this about sums it up.

The Morgan Hill Marathon is one race I would like to forget. I won't get into the gory details, but let's just say that El Diablo followed Endorphin Dude over to the south bay to wreck havoc on his Titanium quest. That little devil threw pitch forks at the Marathon Caped Crusaders in all directions. Long story short, these are the reasons why it took so long for E-Dude to cross that finish line:

Our attempt at the early start ended up biting Ultra Woof and Endorphin Dude in the booty. Somewhere along the way, the two of us added 2 miles to the marathon!
Morgan Hill was more like Morgan Hilly for that first half. I was already stressed out about those extra two miles. Add exhaustion from climbing those killer hills to that equation and you have one very frustrated super hero!
The second half of Morgan Hill was more like Morgan Hell, as the temperatures reached inferno status. At that point, I knew El Diablo was there at every mile mark, sucking out all my energy.

By mile 19, heat exhaustion got to me and I wanted so desperately to veer off and just finish the half. Nausea kicked in at this point. However, I kept moving forward. By mile 23, the sag wagon pulled up next to me to pick up the cones. I asked the driver if I needed to get into his truck and he noted that there was one injured runner behind me and that the race director was keeping the finish line open for him. I believe this is what saved me. I only had one little 5k left so I kept plugging along. When I reached mile 25, I had a complete melt down at the aid station. I threw a tantrum so intense that one of the volunteers, who was also a coach for the local running club, walked with me to the end. All I needed was someone to talk to in order to get my mind off of the pain and ease my angst. I've talked about marathon guardian angels before, and this guy fought off El Diablo to get me to that finish line.

Another marathon guardian angel. Thank you for getting me to that finish line. You really don't know how much that meant to me. Really.

The smiles on Ultra Woof and I are genuine. We were SO HAPPY to get this one done!

This marathon should have been a DNF or a DQ. The DNF I had control of, but I seriously needed some sort of external factor to save me from that DQ. Fortunately, that came in the form of the injured runner behind me. I finished way after the cut off time and probably should not received the official finish, but I did.

What upsets me the most about this marathon is that I let the mental break downs get to me, and I did some things that I am not proud of. There is a code of conduct that I adhere by when I am out there on the course. As Endorphin Dude, it is my civic duty to bring positive vibes to all runners and walkers. Today that did not happen. I snapped at a volunteer. I cursed under my breath at another runner. I ignored those who cheered me on. Endorphin was nowhere to be found at Morgan Hill. I am glad to get another notch on my Titanium belt, but this is one race I would like to forget.

Isn't a marathon 26.2 miles? Titanium Score Board: 36 down, 16 to go.

Nike Women's Marathon

2011-10-16T22:30:00.000-07:00

16 girls for every boy? I like those odds! I don't know what the exact statistic is, but one of the message boards indicated that the Nike Women's Marathon had a 94% female participation rate. That's a lot of estrogen for San Francisco!

I wasn't planning to run this race, but after my devastating DNF at Diablo, I had to scramble to find another marathon. Fortunately, Endorphin Dude managed to get him and his cape into this sold out event, thanks to his TNT connection and fellow Marathon Maniac, "The Mo." Your Marathon Caped Crusader got out there, ran the race, and waiting for him at the finish line was The Chiweenie! How awesome is that?

How's this for striking a pose?

I thought this race was going to be a piece of cake, but it wasn't. I struggled quite a bit. I really didn't know why. I just figured Nike Women's is the sister race to The San Francisco Marathon, so I would just glide through. That didn't happen. All my problems were mental though. Fortunately, no injuries hit me. Nonetheless, it's tough when you mentally break down during a race. Hitting the half way mark was especially rough not only because all the marathoners could see the halfers hit their finish line while we had another 13.1 miles to go, but also because my apartment was only two blocks away! Oh how I just wanted to veer off head home where I could just jump right back into bed. But I kept my eyes on that Titanium prize and kept plugging along. It helped that I kept seeing all my marathon buddies on the course!

There's my San Francisco Endorphin Dudette Nadia!

Deo looked so pretty in his Marathon Maniac Diva shirt and pink tutu. This picture doesn't do Deo justice! Too bad I don't have a full body shot of him.

At Surf City this year, Sue "The Italian Stallion" Mantyla called me "Euphoria Guy." I'll take it!

Always a pleasure to see Susan Carino on the course. I do have to ask, does my head look unusually large in this photo?

Fast Sally stopped to take a picture with Endorphin Dude! Thank goodness I didn't blink, because I would have missed her!

I had just seen Roland at The Tahoe Triple! It was good to see him again!

You gotta love Coconut Boy. I still need to ask Jon Mahoney how he got this nickname.

Funny thing is that I first met Sofie at my very first marathon in San Francisco. She was with fellow Marathon Maniacs Jessica Wabbitz and Sue Bear.

Doesn't Martha look like a puritan with her bonnet looking hat on?

Woot Woot! This is Sharon Mante's first marathon!

Ah, Kathy, my college buddy from yesteryear. This girl must have found the fountain of youth because she hasn't aged!

The Tutu Girls! I first met these ladies in Long Beach!

Marathon Maniacs from Arkansas! I will be seeing these ladies again for The Little Rock Marathon!

Janeth, Ultra Woof, and me post race! Notice Woofie showing off her bling.

Endorphin Dude with Susie from Alabama.

Me and my chiweenie.

Thankfully, the Endorphin Empire Headquarters is only two blocks from the finish line, so it didn't take me long to get home. As I walked back to my apartment, I figured out where it went wrong. After three weekends of extreme runner's high, I crashed. It's like feeling the high of a sugar rush and then crashing hard. After triumphing at the Tahoe Triple, pacing my sister to a PR in San Jose, and then flying high in Chicago, it was inevitable that this happened. I wasn't there mentally and I had to fight to get this one done. I took it for granted that this race was in my backyard. This is my stomping grounds and I just figured it would be easy. It wasn't. I struggled to get through miles 19 through 26.2. Nonetheless, I dug deep and crossed that finish line for the 42nd time in just a little over two years.

My body is beat up and I am exhausted, but my heart is still going strong. Just 17 more steps and I reach my goal of 52 marathons in 52 weeks. I believe I can do this. With every race, it does get harder, but I am up for the challenge. I will get there. I run to be TITANIUM!!

Titanium Score Board: 35 down, 17 to go!

Bank of America Chicago Marathon

2011-10-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

At one point during the race, I turned the corner and witnessed the parade of spectators cheering on all the runners. There must have been thousands of people screaming for us. My heart pounded hard and my smile lit up so wide that my face started to hurt. The runner's high lifted me as I flew to the side to high five the cheer leaders. Every person made eye contact with me as they reached out to slap my hand. The chants of "Endorphin Dude! Endorphin Dude!" rang through my ears. Never have I experienced this kind of crowd support at a marathon before. But what did I expect? This was not just any ordinary foot race. In the running world there are five grand stages: Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and New York City. These are the five world marathon majors, and today I crossed the finish line of the Chicago Marathon!

What an incredible experience. I have run many marathons up this point but I have never experienced anything like this. It was like the whole state of Illinois came out to support the runners. I came to Chicago with very tired legs, having just completed the Tahoe Triple and then a 39.3 mile combination the following week. My big concern was getting to the finish line within the six and a half hour cut off time. Once I found my groove on the course, I knew I had no problems, as there were 45,000 runners out there with me. As long as I kept a steady pace, I would make it. Sure enough, I did, and it certainly helped that I had all my Marathon Maniac friends out there to make sure that I stayed on my Titanium track!

Lots and lots of Marathon Maniacs!

The Chicago Marathon left me completely speechless for 26.2 miles. It's not every day that a non-elite runner like me can say that he got to run one of the five world major marathons. Along with the awe-inspiring crowd support, the volunteers and other runners on the course cheered me and everyone else on. Once I hit the half way point, I stopped worrying about the cut off time and soaked up all the positive energy all the way to the finish line.

I was so antsy at the start line. I wanted to fly!

For the first mile, I ran at a 8:46 pace. My second mile I ran at a 9:42 pace. I knew I was in trouble! The excitement of being in Chicago got to me and I charged out! By mile three, I slowed significantly down and caught my breath. How could I not get excited? I was running THE CHICAGO MARATHON!

What's the male version of Lady Ga Ga? Lord Gu Gu! I think I took a shot of GU at this point in the race.

Cheer leading Maniac!

One of my all time favorite signs at a marathon.

Yay! The finish line!

When I hit mile 24, I noticed a guy struggling. I could see it in his step and in his eyes. He looked defeated. The two of us had been keeping pace all the way back at mile 18, but I could see that he was ready to throw in the towel. I moved over to him and introduced myself. I asked how he was doing, and sure enough, he admitted that he was struggling. He explained that this was his first marathon and that his legs were cramping up and he just didn't wanted to do it anymore. I looked him straight in the eye and said I was going to get him to that finish line.

I knew he could do it, and he did!

Sure enough, I stayed with this first time marathoner all the way up to the end, and when we crossed the finish line, I could see his pride emerge. When it was time to collect his bling, I took the medal from the volunteer and placed it around his neck. This guy finished strong, and I was so proud of him! There have been many times when I struggled to get to that finish line, so I really wanted to be there for this guy. I'm sure he could have gotten to mile 26.2 on his own, but I'd like to think that I helped him out just a little by keeping his spirits up and mind off of the pain. We definitely shared a special bond for 2 miles. I congratulated this young man and wished him the very best.

Yes, we are two different people!

Me and my Marathon Maniac Family! From left to right: Randy Donaldson, Heather Ziegler, Lori Alderman-Denton, and Lien James.

I have to give a huge shout out to Kristin Fancsalszki Schmelz. Without her, I don't think I could have made this trip out to Chicago. This Titanium quest is killing my wallet, and I almost had to drop out of this race. Kristin opened her home to me, and for that, I am very appreciative. Kristin made it easy for me to run one of the world's five major marathons, and what an incredible experience it was!

With my medal around my neck, I shouted out to all of Chicago, "HEY EVERYONE! I JUST RAN THE CHICAGO MARATHON!!!" I couldn't help myself. The runner's high was just too much. I was smiling ear to ear as I limped along the rest of the day.

Titanium Score Board: 34 Down, 18 to go!

San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon

2011-10-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

Endorphin Dude lives by the fiscal calendar, not so much because he is fiscal role model, but because his first long distance race happened at the beginning of the fiscal year. Happy Endorphin New Year peeps!

On October 4, 2009, your Marathon Caped Crusader ran his first half marathon at the San Jose Rock 'N' Roll Half Marathon. I remember it like yesterday. The butterflies in my stomach mutated into bats, and they all fought to break free. To say that nerves got the best of me would be a gross understatement. Thankfully, the excitement of my inaugural 13.1 foot race helped alleviate the anxiety, and once I got into it, I ran strong and crossed that half marathon with a very impressive 2:15:15 finish. That was pre-E-Dude. These days, I am a 2:45-3:00 and beyond half marathon finisher because I prefer to get out there and have fun. I like stopping at every mile marker and cheering on the runners and walkers who zoom past me. I like stopping at aid stations and chilling out with the volunteers. I look stopping for photo shoots along the course. I have nothing to prove to anyone, so the PR for me is the party race and not the personal record.

You gotta love the volunteers!

The San Jose Rock 'N' Roll Half marathon is my favorite 13.1 miler for very sentimental reasons. Not only was it my first long distance race, but it also marked my sister Diane's first race as well. Diane had been going through some rough patches over the past few years and as a result she gained some pounds and lost some self-confidence. I registered her for San Jose for her birthday and told her that if she didn't show up on race day she would owe me 100 bucks. Sure enough, she trained for it, showed up, and accomplished her goal of completing 13.1 miles within the four hour time limit. Runner's high hit her hard and she vowed to get in better shape and improve her time. Over the next year, she completed three more half marathons, each time significantly improving her time. She qualified for Half Fanatics at Brazen's Hellyer Half Marathon in May and continued to train non-stop ever since. All that work paid off.

I have a hunch Diane and I will be running this race together for the rest of our lives.

Happy Trails Marathon

2011-10-01T23:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Trails for the snail, ME!

Wow, that took forever. Over 8 and a half hours to complete 26.2 miles on a relatively straight forward course at sea level? I'll take it. After nailing the Tahoe Triple last weekend, I am entitled to a slow poke marathon! Yes, this one took forever, but when you consider the circumstances, I'm sure you will understand.

The first weekend of October is reserved for the San Jose Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon. No ifs, ands, or buts. San Jose was my very first 13.1 miler and this is the half marathon that I will run for the rest of my life. I had initially blocked off this weekend only for San Jose, but injuries got in the way of my Titanium quest. I had to squeeze in a marathon the day before. Fortunately, I found the Happy Trails Marathon in Coto de Caza down in Orange County, CA. Logistically, the trail to this marathon and then back for the half the next day was not so happy. I had to really get creative with my itinerary. Check this out:

Leave work at 4pm to head to the Rock 'n' Roll expo.
Pick up bib and mingle a little.
Jump into the Mini-bago and head down to Orange County by 5pm.
Arrive by 11pm.
Take a quick nap then wake up for the early start.
Finish in the early morning, take a nap, then head back to the Bay Area.

Sounds like a logistical nightmare, doesn't it? Well, it was actually worse than the bullet points above indicate. I didn't factor in the accident on highway 52 that kept me at a stand still for two hours. In any case, I did arrive by 1am or so, but rather than taking the nap, I opted to just get out there and run. I ran half a mile. Then fatigue kicked in. So I walked. In the dark. After that Tahoe Triple, I just couldn't get my legs into second gear. I tried, but it just wasn't happening. I pretty much said to myself walk the whole thing, as I had the time. When the race director and all the other runners showed up, I still had quite a few miles to clock in, but it didn't matter. I continued to walk at my grocery store pace. I finally finished a little before 10am. I took a quick half an hour nap and headed back to the Bay Area.

Titanium Score Board: 33 down, 19 to go.

That's all I got for you folks! I can't give you any thrills or frills in this race report because there were no frills nor thrills on this race! I showed up, got the job done, clocked out, and returned home. That's it.

The Tahoe Triple

2011-09-25T23:54:00.000-07:00

There is a point when runner's high reaches it's threshold. Like the thermometer that shatters when the mercury rises north of 212, endorphins explode and one is catapulted into a completely new stratosphere. This is called runner's pride. This weekend, your marathon caped crusader completed three marathons in three days. 78.6 miles. I am deliriously proud. The fat kid who always got picked last in PE is now a Tahoe Triple Finisher. This is the sweetest victory of my life.

For those who have been following Endorphin Dude's Titanium journey, you will know very well that I came into this Tahoe Triple mentally dejected and very concerned that this quest would come to an end at mile 18 of marathon numero uno of the triple. It was at this point at the Lake Tahoe Marathon last year that I nearly DNF'ed, as I sat on a rock and blew chunks into the lake. Altitude sickness got the best of me. However, my red and yellow Marathon Maniac uniform got me through that race, as I kept chanting over and over again, "First marathon as a Maniac, cannot DNF! First marathon as a Maniac, cannot DNF!" It took me nearly nine hours to cross that finish line, but I did. Lake Tahoe kicked my butt and for this reason I wanted to return for pay back. I figured, what better way to do this than to conquer the triple!

Unfortunately, on top of the fear of my altitude Achilles heel, I had also just experienced the devastating blow of the Diablo DNF a few days earlier. In my crestfallen mind, dropping out at mile 19 of that race put that penultimate nail in the Titanium coffin. The bold 78.6 point Comic Sans writing was on the wall: DNF in Tahoe, DNF Titanium. I had to pull out all the stops to stay alive. The Lake threw many hurdles at me, but I persevered and got through all three days.

Emerald Bay Marathon
September 23, 2011 - Day 1

I arrived in Tahoe at about 11am on Thursday morning. I had dropped off The Chiweenie at the doggie nanny's place in Antioch and spent the night before there, so my commute was cut by a few hours. Getting out of San Francisco on a Thursday morning can be quite cumbersome with the heavy traffic and all, so it was really nice to get that head start. Upon arriving, I went straight to Reno to pick up my running partner in crime and roommate for the weekend, Christian Pratt. Christian saw my name listed on the Marathon Maniacs race calendar for this triple and she called and asked if I wanted to split the cost of lodging. I quickly said yes, as I knew that I would not only going to be able to save some money, but that I would also be able to hang out with a super cool newly minted Marathon Maniac.

Christian and I checked into our room at the Tahoe Best West Inn near the Horizon Casino Resort, the host hotel for the Tahoe Marathon weekend, shortly after. The both of us felt very light headed and I knew that taking a nap in the room would do us no good. Hence, I strongly recommended that we venture out and walk around at the highest possible elevation point that we could. I learned from last year's race that getting acclimated quickly was key, so I took Christian on a tour of the Lake, driving all the way up to Emerald Bay. This was Christian's first time at Lake Tahoe, so I had fun playing tour guide! By touring the Lake, we not only did a great service to our lungs, but we were also able to drive part of the marathon course.

This picture is real, not a back drop of Lake Tahoe!

After taking in the breath taking views of Emerald Bay, we headed back to the host hotel for the expo and carbo load dinner. I had a lot of fun playing Marathon Maniac Big Brother to Christian, as she is brand new to the Insane Asylum. I introduced her to all the Marathon Maniacs there and she quickly fit right in. The carbo load dinner at the Horizon Casino Resort felt like one big family reunion for me. I mingled with all the runners whom I dig and got to hear Dick Beardsley speak! This was truly a treat. What an incredibly charismatic human being that guy is. After dinner, we all turned in early and headed back to our rooms for our 5am wake up call.

The Marathon Maniacs made a big splash in Lake Tahoe!

We all arrived at the host hotel at the crack of dawn to pile into the shuttle. The first 26.2 miler of this triple started at Inspiration Point, next to Emerald Bay, and finished at the junction of US highway 50 and state highway 28, near Spooner Lake. In my humble opinion, this was the most difficult of the three marathons due to the fact that the final three miles is a steep ascent all the way up to 7000 feet on a busy highway. I couldn't think about the degree of difficulty because I knew that would make me sink into negative mode. Thankfully, I was surrounded by my running friends, both old and new, to keep me motivated.

What a bunch. From left to right: Irlan "Unstoppable Girl" Hebner, Cyndie Merten, Yolanda "Walking Diva" Holder, Endorphin Dude, Jennifer Dicus, Michael "Uncle Mike" Miller, and Ed Walsh.

What's funny about this picture is that Deo wanted to take an Asian Power shot. Then this white guy pops in! I've nick named this photo bomber "Token White Guy." Matt, you know you're accepted into our club! From left to right: Mark Puntanilla, Matthew "Token White Guy" Walthour, Endorphin Dude, Vicky Lau, Deo Jaravata, and Rebecca Yi.

I think we're 0.5 miles in. Christian's goal for the day was to get the DFL!

Action shot of Connie Benskin Corbett and her friend!

Yo Yolanda, the Walking Diva, and O-MG!! MG is so glamorous that she's no longer just MG, but OMG!!!

Marathon Maniac Kyle Terry looks like he's running on one leg here.

Endorphin Dude with fellow Half Fanatic Lori Christ from New Mexico. Lori completed the Half Trifeca, three half marathons in three days.

Paying tribute to the Chiweenie!

The race organizers told us we had to provide our own support and aid, so it was a great surprise to see this aid station at about mile 8 or so!

That woman you see in the middle is heaven sent. Meet Pam Pettit-Gilbertson. She didn't just crew us, she saved us. More on Pam later in this race report...

By the time we reached the half way mark, blisters started to form on my left foot. I've never really had any problems with blisters in the past, so it surprised me a bit that this happened. As I continued to plug along, it hurt more, which really killed me mentally. What got me through this rough patch was seeing Christian a few feet in front of me shaking her groove thing like a go go dancer earning tips at a discotheque. I swear, the girl danced for all the cars that zoomed by! This certainly put a smile on my face, and it definitely helped block out the pain in the foot. What also helped was our Mobile Aid Station, powered by Pam.

Not really sure what's playing on the iPod, but the girl was rockin'!

Stupid blisters.

Pam kinda looks like one of those street peddlers selling food out of the trunk of her Prius!

I'm going to veer off course for a second to talk about a Pam. I noted in a few photos above that this woman is heaven sent. I'm realizing now what a huge understatement that is. Pam was not just our crew, she was our cheerleader, nurse, mom, psychiatrist, physical therapist, messenger, chauffeur, and all around best friend. Without Pam, I seriously doubt that I would have been able to get through this weekend in one piece. Pam was the only one who witnessed the physical pain and mental demons I had to deal with all three days, and every time I saw her, the pain seemed to just go away. Thank you Pam for being there. You are my Marathon Guardian Angel.

Back on course. As Christian and I embarked on the final uphill 5k, we would see marathon finishers along the highway returning to their hotels. It was nice hearing the honks and woot woots, but I have to tell you, I was fearing for my life out there on that highway. There were sections where the shoulder was so narrow that I had to turn sideways so that I wouldn't get hit by vehicles zooming by at 55 miles per hour. Fortunately, I wore a big red cape, so cars would see me! All the runners knew that we were last so they cheered extra hard for us as they drove by. Some runners even got out to see how we were doing!

I couldn't believe this. Fellow Marathon Maniac Irlan risked her life by parking on the other side and running across the busy highway Frogger style to give us care packages! Irlan was so concerned about us that she stopped at the store to pick up water, Gatorade, a Cliff Bar, and ice cream! Another Marathon Guardian Angel sent from above! Thank you Irlan!

Cyndie Merten pulled over to see if we were ok!

Poor Christian. Luckily Mama Pam was there to feed her!

My blisters hurt more as I climbed that hill, but I kept positive and continued moving. It got hotter with every step and at times, I just wanted to get off the road and jump into the lake. I stayed focused and kept one foot in front of the other. I finally crossed that finish line after over eight hours, maybe even more. Waiting there for me were the race director, Christian, and our mobile aid station extraordinaire, Pam. Unfortunately, there were were no medals left, but the race director assured me that I would get my bling before the weekend ended. I had no problems with this. I was just so happy to get this first marathon done!

After the marathon, I went back to the expo. Guess who I saw? Dick Beardsley!

Cal-Neva Marathon
September 24, 2011 - Day 2

It took so long so long for Christian and I to cross that finish line of marathon #1 that the race director "strongly recommended" that we take the early start for #2. I was totally down with that! To be able to run a marathon without the stress of a time constraint is always good, and with this 5am start, I was assured 9 full hours. Score!

The two of us got up way before the crack of dawn to get to that start line by 5am. This second race started where we finished yesterday, and the course took us around the lake to Tahoe City. Luckily, I packed my running lamp because it was pitch black out there. Seriously, I couldn't see my hand in front of my face!

It was dark out there, but the weather was nice an cool!

The first half of this marathon was all down hill, so Christian and I cruised in the dark. It was fun being able to fly down the hills at a 10 minute pace! My blisters were giving me only minor problems in the first half. I had wrapped up my left foot in the morning and applied some blister ointments to ease the pain. When the sun came up, the evil blisters started to hurt, but I had enough medical supplies with me to keep them from over taking me. I got my mind off the discomfort by enjoying the scenery. It was a beautiful day in Lake Tahoe!

Every time I look at the lake, I keep thinking back to what Christian said to me at mile 12 of the first marathon. I think the altitude must have gotten to her because she pointed at the water and then turned to me and asked, "what's the name of this lake?" With a very puzzled look on my face, I responded, "um, Lake Tahoe." She did lose her mind for that split second! We certainly had a good laugh.

The other early starters!

It's like a Skittles bag exploded. Look at all the primary colors!

Who do I see on the road? It's Kimberly Lohstroh Miller, crewing for her husband "Uncle Mike!"

Reunited with Mama Pam!

The adrenaline and endorphins pumped hard as the runners caught up to us early starters. Of course, we pulled to the side to cheer each and everyone one of them! That's the beauty of the early start, not only do I get to comfortably finish the race, but I am also able to help inject some endorphins into my fellow runners as they zoomed on by. What also made this stretch of the marathon fun was all the cyclists coming from the other direction! The countless thumbs up that I received from these guys kept me going strong!

I love that all the cyclists were going in the other direction.

"Uncle Mike" Miller. I almost didn't recognize him. He had a shirt on!

There's Marathon Maniac Rebecca Yi!

He's not a Marathon Maniac, but he should be one. Come on, Mark!

David Holmen opted for a more subtle look today. He wore cougar print tights for the first marathon!

It's Coconut Boy!

Whenever I see this guy, I just want to break out in 70's nostalgia. It's "Da Do Run" Ron Kalich! You gotta love these Marathon Maniacs.

Ace!

Jakob Herrmann completed the Double Dare. He went 72 miles around Lake Tahoe. Twice.

Deo looking pretty as ever. Love the arm sleeves.

Check out that gash on Rick's face. War wound! Love it!

Hector Aleman has done multiple 100 milers. This triple is a piece of cake for him!

How absolutely PHO-liscious do Lan and I look?

The last time I saw Dan was at Run de Vous! What a great race that was.

The last time I saw Angel Brock was at Labor of Love. Not only did I get to see her again here, but I got to meet her beautiful mom!

And there's Jane, who came all the way from Australia!

I didn't need any ice cream today from Irlan, just seeing her smile was enough to keep me going!

I see fellow Marathon Maniac Jennifer Dicus everywhere, and that's just awesome.

There's Connie on day 2.

Jay and Jill ran up the hill to finish a marathon.

YO Yolanda and Cyndie Merten!

The fun and games pretty much ended by mile 23 when Endorphin Dude's evil nemeses, The Wicked Twisted Blister Sisters, attacked at every angle of this super hero's left foot. I had tried to block out the pain with the excitement of seeing my fellow runners and cyclists, but by the time I got to the final 5k of this marathon, the excruciating pain took over my psyche. I couldn't get it out of my mind. The pain was so unbearable that I pulled over at mile 24 to re-mole skin. I did not like what I saw when I took off my sock.

Yeah, I know, it's gross. I really want you to feel my pain!

Now imagine four of these on four different spots on my foot. It hurt so much that I limped the rest of the way. The mobile aid station made one last pit stop at mile 24.5. I flat out told Pam how much I was hurting and she did her best to give me a pep talk, but I could see in her eyes that she believed she was of no help to me. That's how pathetic I looked. I did assure her that just seeing her gave me energy, and that was the truth. Like the loving crew mom that she is, Pam packed some goodies for me and refilled my water bottle with Gatorade. She then sent me off with a hug. I was so close to that finish line, I just had to keep plugging along.

As I struggled to get past mile 25, a marathon divine intervention hit me from out from nowhere, at least that's what my delirious mind told me. With the blazing sun roasting my meek body, I continued to limp my way to that finish line. The sun beamed so bright that everything peripheral to me seemed either blurred or glared. Out of the corner an older bearded gentleman clad in a t-shirt that read "If I stop running, how am I going to get home?" approached me. He asked if I needed company. My initial disoriented thought was, "wow, I've died and gone to marathon heaven, and God made that special trip down to earth to escort me to the Pearly Gates." That would explain why he appeared out of nowhere. I turned to the bearded gentleman and responded, "I could use all the help I could get."

I continued to ramble on about nothing as we walked together. Sometimes I wish my legs could move as fast as my mouth. This was definitely one of those times. In any case, when I finally stopped to catch my breath, this stranger introduced himself. "You may not know me, but we have some friends in common. I am Dale Ghaner, Corrie's partner's dad. I also know Charles Wickersham." My jaw dropped in awe. Such a small world. It is amazing how everyone is somehow interconnected in the running world. Corrie and Shannon are two of my favorite peeps in the running community and Charlie, well, if you don't know who this guy is by now, you should. Charlie is the guy who got me into this whole marathon thing. He is also the subject of It Donned On Me's documentary short on ultra running, "Run, Pharmboy, Run!" Mr. Ghaner put a huge grin on my face. He walked with me for a little bit and then set me free. He gave me exactly what I needed to plow through that final mile. I was pumped.

Thank you, Mr. Ghaner!

Newly charged, I picked up the pace and continued forward. The blisters still nagged at me but I kept moving on, one foot in front of the other. It took me a little over 20 minutes to drag through that final mile, and when I crossed that finish line, I shook my head in disbelief. I then took off my shoe to examine my foot and was simply abhorred by what I saw. I won't post a photo because I know you're probably still too grossed out by the blister picture above. Let's just say that it mutated into an even nastier one! Oh well, at least I finished marathon #2 of this triple. Woo Hoo!

Yay! I'm done! FINALLY.

The guy third from left is Alberto. Alberto runs barefoot. I first met Alberto's feet at The San Francisco Marathon. Maybe I should start running bare feet so I won't get any blisters!

The mobile aid station arrived at the finish line to schlep us beat up runners back to the hotel. I swear, four post-marathon bodies trying to squeeze into a Prius looked quite comical. Christian, Jill, Jay, and I looked like Mr. Potato Head body parts being crammed into the potato butt, which doubles as a storage compartment. It was even funnier when the five of us sat in the Prius for 10 minutes, devouring our post race meal of Big Macs and McFries. We ate, we groaned, and then Pam drove off. That ride, the marathon course in reverse, seemed to go on and on and on.

Lake Tahoe Marathon
September 25, 2011 - Day 3

After completing 52.4 miles around two thirds of Lake Tahoe, exhaustion and blisters hit me hard. I can run through exhaustion, it's the blisters that had me very concerned. I could barely walk with those little mutant pockets of fluids wrecking havoc on my feet. Even with all the ointments and mole skin, my feet hurt so bad that I feared that I would have to pull out of the third marathon. This, of course, was not an option! I came to Tahoe to complete 78.6 miles! I was not going to let some blisters stand in the way of my Tahoe Triple! I tried not to think too much about it and went to bed. I figured I would be refreshed in the morning, and with the early start for the final marathon, I told myself if worse comes to worst, I could walk a 9 hour marathon and still finish within the cut off time. I passed out at 8pm.

Tahoe Triplers on day three!

For the third straight day, I got up at the crack of dawn to run a marathon. What was I thinking? Oh yeah, there's this little thing called Titanium that's taken over my mind, body, and soul. How could I let this happen?

The third and final marathon in this Tahoe Triple started at Tahoe City and worked it's way to Pope Beach. This is the exact same course as last year's marathon so I knew exactly what to expect. The only deviation from the norm is that of my blisters. The only way I was going to get through this final marathon was to completely block the pain out of my mind. Well, I tried. I really tried, but by mile six, this race became a laborious chore. My only saving grace was my running buddies and the mobile aid station, who kept me motivated for the first 23 miles!

Jay and Jill before the start.

I met these ladies on the course. It was their first marathon!

And guess who made it out to cheer us on? It's mobile aid station daughter Brandi! It was awesome seeing both Brandy and her husband Gary out there. They did not need to be there, but they were. Seeing these two and Pam made a world of difference.

Ace snuck up on me! Glad he did. This guy is awesome.

Yay, more Triplers!

And there's Angel Brock's beautiful mother. She wasn't running. I just happen to catch her walking up the hill to the spectator area.

I said it before and I'll say it again: PHO-liscious!!!

Barefoot Todd! I don't know what's more amazing, this guy running in no shoes or those itty bitty shorts!

Me and my fellow Tahoe Tripler, Hugo.

What a great bunch of peeps. From left to right: Hector Aleman, Roland Blais, Endorphin Dude, Michael Connors, and Rebecca Evans.

I love this woman!

Remember I told you about that bearded gentleman who came out of nowhere? Well get this. This woman is the aunt of the Corrie, who is the partner of Shannon, who is the daughter of Dale, the bearded gentleman. Frances Lucero is her name, and seeing her at the aid station made me smile.

E-Dude with Mike McGinnis, a fellow Nanny Goat alumni who ran the 72 mile ultra in Tahoe.

And there's Token White Guy again! Loved seeing him, his wife, and fellow Tahoe Tripler Stephanie.

By the time I hit mile 20, pretty much everyone had passed me. There may have only been a dozen people left behind me. With another 10k to go, I plugged along. I tried to stay positive, but at times it proved to be too difficult. It didn't help that the roads were open up for traffic, so I had to inch my way along some parts of the course for fear that I would be side swiped and thrusted into the lake. I just kept my eyes on the prize and kept moving.

No, we are not committing suicide, we're just stretching out our legs.

Endorphin Dude with the Terry men, son Kyle and father Greg.

Phil Nimmo. You know what this guy did? This fellow Marathon Maniac went for the Double Dare. That's two round trips around the lake. 144 miles. Here he is at his mile 132 or so and still looking strong. Phil is another one of those marathon guardian angels for me, and he probably doesn't even know it. I used Phil as my pacer to get to that finish line. I kept looking back and seeing him there, so I knew I was on pace. Thank you, Mr. Nimmo, and congratulations to you on your incredible finish.

Heading into the switch back, probably the most dangerous part of this course, especially when the road opened to traffic!

Only 1.1 mile left! I was still dragging my feet.

Do you know who took this picture? At mile 26, Dale Ghaner once again popped up out of nowhere and ran me into the finish line. I'm telling you, Marathon Guardian Angel.

When I got to mile 26, all I wanted to do was run it in. Last year, this marathon wiped me out, and I wanted more than anything to finish strong. My marathon guardian angel Dale stood by my side, encouraging me every step of the way. I panted, I grunted, I grimaced. My feet wanted to throw in the towel but my heart just would not allow it. With only a few yards left, I sprinted across that finish line and raised my arms in victory! It wasn't until the volunteer put that medal around my neck that I dropped to my knees in complete shock. I released every emotion in my soul in the form of a primal roar, and everyone around me knew: Endorphin Dude had completed the most difficult test of his life, and he passed with flying colors.

Titanium Score Board: 32 down, 20 to go.

7000 feet elevation.
78.6 miles.
3 marathons in 3 days.
2 different states.
1 deliriously happy Endorphin Dude!

Lake Merced 4.5M

2011-09-18T18:29:00.000-07:00

After experiencing the exorcism of El Diablo yesterday, all I wanted was to be surrounded by my DSE running family. These people are like the hang over comfort foods after a harsh night of shameless bacchanalia. I needed my running club family to help ease the pain of that agonizing Diablo DNF. Thankfully, the DSE Lake Merced Half Marathon and 4.5 miler was on the schedule for this weekend.

I showed up at the lake with only the intention of volunteering. I had no legs to run so I sat at the table before the race and sliced oranges and bananas for the runners. After cutting up what felt like 5000 pieces of fruit, my peeps showed up and convinced me to walk the 4.5 miler. I figured it would be a mall pace stroll and with over two hours to do it, I went for it.

This walk around the lake proved to be quite therapeutic for me. Half way through the stroll, I stopped feeling angry about that DNF. Hanging out with my DSE peeps allowed me to move on from that dreadful experience on Mount Diablo. I was able to reboot and clear my mind.

Yay!

Sometimes you just have to step back and start over. This wasn't exactly the weekend I expected, but I had my gripe session and now it's time to move on. I am lucky to have my running family to help get me through these rough patches.

Diablo DNF

2011-09-17T23:44:00.000-07:00

El Diablo is the devil. That little devil lives on the estate known as Mount Diablo. His house is on top of a really big hill. This weekend, that damn Diablo possessed the Dude.

Endorphin Dude esta poseido por el diablo!!

It all started two nights before I was supposed to run in circles around Crissy Field. I came home from work and received news of Pacific Coast Trail Race’s SF One Day cancellation “due to an emergency situation.” This message sent me into panic mode, as I really needed this event. Every race counts from this point on, and any missed marathon could be very detrimental to my Titanium quest.

The SF One Day race was supposed to have been my easy 50k. My plan for the weekend was to leisurely walk a 50k in about 9 hours and save my legs for the NorCal Marathon in San Jose the next day. The latter race had a strict 6.5 hour time limit so I really needed to save all my energy for it. Imagine my disappointment when I received that cancellation email. As upset as I was, I feared that my running partner in crime would have already ended up in the emergency room, or worst off, the morgue, after hearing the news! Ultra Woof was counting on SF One Day to hit 88 miles. That’s her Chinese double infinity magical number. Quite frankly, I don’t get it. For me, it’s all about 13.1, 26.2, 50k, 50 miles, 100k, or 100 miles. What the heck is 88? Maybe the eights turned to the side look like little dumplings in her won ton soup of life, and that’s why those numbers work for her. Woofie is a big mystery, so I take everything that comes out of her head for what it is. In any case, she had not checked her email, so I was the one who broke this news to her. She was not happy.

The two of us went into panic mode and desperately searched for plan B. We found Coastal Trail's Diablo Marathon and 50k and immediately jumped on it. Completely on impulse, I registered right away, not giving any thought to the fact that Diablo in Spanish translates to “the devil,” and that this was one of the more challenging courses in the Bay Area. Nonetheless, I needed this race. My biggest hurdle for this weekend was to get through Diablo and then follow suit at the NorCal Marathon the next day. I really needed this double. My plan of action was to take one or two photos to document the day and then stick that bad boy in the Camelback.

It's like the never ending climb.

And more climbing.

Even more climbing.

Now there's the understatement of the day!

Simply breath taking. Yes, El Diablo sucked out all the oxygen out of my lungs!

I'm just going to cut to the chase. This marathon nearly killed me, and I mean that in the very literal sense. By the time I got to mile 17, it felt like the blazing hot sun burned through my skull and fried my brain. I became very dehydrated and dizzy. I had to beg hikers for food and water when my H2O supply and GU ran out. The longer I stayed out in the open field, the hotter it got and the weaker I became. Nonetheless, I kept chugging along. When I hit the mile 19 mark, my body couldn't take it any more, and I collapsed in the middle of the trail with nobody around. With the little energy that I had left, I lifted my head off the ground and unleashed a technicolor yawn so intense that I felt my whole body rock. It was at that pathetic moment that it hit me: El Diablo made a milquetoast of Endorphin Dude.

I sat on that dirt trail for the next 20 minutes to regain my strength. So many flies circled me that I felt and looked like a three day old half eaten salami sandwich in the dumpster. Once my head cleared and my legs had enough power to stand upright, I got up and back tracked my way to the main drag, where I knew I would be safe. I inched my way down that road with the hope of hitch hiking to the finish line. The only problem was that I had no clue where that was. I did manage to make it all the way to the park ranger's station, but unfortunately he was nowhere to be found. I sat down on the bench outside the station and rested my head and neck against the wall. I did not look good.

A few minutes later, a nice local couple pulled over to fill up their water bottles and saw me looking like I was near death. The woman inquired if I was ok and I sheepishly responded, "No, I'm dying here." After I said that, I thought to myself, "Hmm, I don't want this lady to think that I'm literally dying here," so I rephrased my sad situation. "I'm feeling pretty awful. I'm at mile 19 of my marathon and I just don't think I will be able to make it." The nice couple graciously offered to give me a ride, and I happily accepted. Because I had no idea where the finish line was, I asked them to take me all the way back to the summit because I knew where to go from there. I got in their SUV and stretched my legs out the best I could, as I knew that I would have to walk another 2.3 miles to get to that second aid station. Sitting in that vehicle with the air conditioner blasting in my face gave me enough energy to bounce back, at least for the 2.3 miles.

When we reached the top of the summit, I thanked the couple for the ride and dragged myself down to the aid station, where I was greeted by the only volunteer left. As I approached the station, I noticed him quickly pulling out his phone to notify the race director that I had been located. Apparently, the reason why the park ranger was not at his station was because he was on his dune buggy searching for me! In any case, the volunteer gave a ride to the finish line. Of course, I had to leave my final mark on Mount Diablo by hurling on the side of road multiple times due to car sickness. Once every ounce of that evil el diablo shot out of my system, I came to the sad conclusion that I had to accept the fact that I DNF'ed at Diablo.

I did receive a consolation prize in that the race director gave me credit for a half marathon. While it's nice to have this race count toward Half Fanatics, it clearly does nothing for my Titanium quest. I took a big risk this weekend and in the end it cost me dearly. Not only did I DNF at Diablo, but I also DNS'ed at the NorCal Marathon the following day. After my Diablo exorcism, there was absolutely no way I could have run that second marathon this weekend. In hindsight, I probably should have just rested on Saturday and save my legs for the Sunday race. I took a huge gamble and it blew up in my face. At the end of the day, I limped away with zero marathons this weekend, a devastating blow to my Titanium quest. This does not bode well for me, one week before the biggest hurdle of the year: the Tahoe Triple. It is what it is, live and learn. Even my dog felt bad for me.

Life is ruff ruff. Sorry Endorphin Dude.

Patriot's Day Marathon

2011-09-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

This is how badly I want Titanium.

Right after that Drag 'N' Fly torture fest, I drove 400 miles to southern California to get to my next marathon. I arrived a little bit after midnight and took a quick nap in a gas station parking lot by the beach. Mind you, my mode of transportation is a tiny Mini Cooper, so there isn't too much room to stretch out during my slumber. I set my iPhone alarm and 90 short minutes later, I abruptly woke up to the sound of ducks quacking. Why I chose this to be my alarm ring tone, I do not know. Fortunately, The Chiweenie wasn't around when the iPhone went off or she'd try to attack the ducks in the box! I simulated my morning shower by splashing bottled water on my face, leapt out of the Mini-bago for the very early start, stretched a bit, and then crossed the starting line at 2am. Occasionally, I'd dose off during my 26.2 run, walk, crawl-a-thon on the beach, but after nearly 7 and a half hours, I crossed that finish line. I then jumped back into the Mini-bago, took a one hour nap, and headed back home.

Yes, this is how badly I want Titanium.

Dark, dark, dark.

Hope I don't get arrested for being out here before the beach opens!

The first few hours of this race was mentally grueling. I've come to realize that I don't function well when I am in solitude. I am a people person and I like having human contact during a race. The other thing is that I had to be cognizant of was my surrounding. These Charlie Alewine races are not ultra events where I know there are other runners and aid stations out there in the middle of the night. I needed to be aware of any potential danger out there, whether it be a giant pot hole in the middle of the path that cannot be seen in the dark or a serial killer lurking in the sand dunes of Huntington Beach! Of course, the physical fatigue and exhaustion from sleep deprivation magnified these thoughts in my head. At 3am in the dark, serial killers ruled the beach! Thankfully, I made it through the wee hours of the morning without getting sliced and diced! Life got much better when all the runners showed up. I also got faster!

Yay! People!

In my delirious mind, each wooden board of this beach fence was a 3 foot serial killer waiting to fatally wound me with a big knife. That's what they looked like in the middle of the night!

Smiling for two reasons: I'm almost done! And I got a negative split!

So there you have it. This is what I will do to reach my Titanium goal. I really want this and I will not let anything stop me. People think I am insane for doing this, and I have to say that I agree with them! I guess that's why I am a Marathon Maniac.

Doh! How did Homer Simpson get on my medal? mmm...Chicken McNuggets. Marathon #36 done! Titanium score board: 29 down, 23 to go! Woo Hoo!

Drag 'N' Fly 10k

2011-09-10T23:45:00.000-07:00

My doggie nanny, Chris Bliss, has decided to pursue the Brazen streak next year. Her goal is to complete every half marathon Brazen Racing has to offer. We are big fans of Brazen. These guys have never disappointed us. They always put on great events complete with a wide selection of post race food, free photos, and super cool medals. It's no surprise that the Chiweenie's nanny wants to go all the way. The only challenge is that quite a few of Brazen's races are on trail, a surface that Chris Bliss is not too experienced with. For this reason, she wanted to give this half marathon a shot.

Drag 'N' Fly is located in the Contra Loma Black Diamond Mines in Antioch, CA, and is arguably Brazen's most challenging half marathon. Chris Bliss knew coming into this race that she would have to pull out all the stops. On top of the demanding rolling hills, she would have to deal with the scorching East Bay heat. All this sent Miss Bliss into panic mode, so I upgraded my 5k to the half marathon so that she would have some company. The added bonus was that our Cribbage partner, "The C.B. Cruiser," registered for this race as well, so the three of us would trek the hills of Contra Loma together.

It's like that big burning ball in the sky is following Chris Bliss up the hill.

Drag 'N' Fly earned it's reputation as the toughest Brazen Race out there. The three of us toiled our way up hills and through trails that never seemed to end. As the clock ticked away, the sun beamed harder and harder, zapping all of our energy. Even with the well stocked aid stations and the fuel that we carried in our Camelbacks, there wasn't anything that could have made us go any faster. At least we had each other, and that was what kept us going. I could go on an on about this how grueling this course is, but I think it would be best to post photos so that you can actually see it for yourselves. I hope you're sitting down and have a gallon of water. This could tire you out!

The hills are alive with the sound of Endorphin Dude, The CB Cruiser, and Chris Bliss panting.

First aid station stop. I didn't like the look of that mountain!

The sun was so scorchingly bright that my camera didn't know what settings to automatically click on!

Chris Bliss pushing her way up the mountain.

Yay! I made it to the top. I got excited too early. Once I turned the corner, I saw more mountains to climb!

The view of the aid station from the top!

Ooh! Down hill! And shade!

This was only mile three.

After we climbed that first mountain, we bowed down to the second aid station. Ah, water and gummy bears saved us! Well, it saved us for about four minutes and then it was off again to climb more mountains. The second set of quad-killing hills may have been in a shaded area, but it was very technical. If we weren't careful, we could have very well slipped on a rock, banged our heads on a boulder, dropped dead to the ground, rolled down the hill, and surrender to the coyotes, where the savage four legged canines would gnaw at our bloody carcasses. Chris Bliss, The CB Cruiser, and I continued forth, one step at a time.

Chris Bliss continues to climb. At this point, her asthma started to act up.

Not happy.

We knew we were in trouble when the sweeper caught up to us. The stress of being followed nearly made Chris Bliss collapse.

By the time we reached the 10k mark, exhaustion and lack of oxygen wiped Chris Bliss out. She worked hard to get to this point but the elements proved to be too much for her. I applaud her for making this far, especially for her first trail race. While we waited for Miss Bliss to catch her breath, The CB Cruiser interviewed me. Here are my thoughts on Drag 'N' Fly:

After six miles of our quads being pulverized by a meat tenderizer under a heat lamp, we decided as a team to pull out. We figured we hit the 10k mark and there was an aid station right around the corner, so this would be a good stopping point. We would load up on gummy bears, chips, and soda, and then get a ride back to the the finish line. Wishful thinking! HA! The thought of just jumping on to the back of the aid station volunteer's truck was one big fantasy. We had to hike back to the second aid station to where the parking lot was! Just when we thought our 10k was done, we had to back track three miles! Boy oh boy. Knowing this, we prepared ourselves by replenishing our system with fuel, and then away we went!

Can you hear me now?

Here we go again.

A cemetery? How eerily apropos.

Family portrait. All the men in these womens' lives have been buried. By them!

Woo Hoo! Victory!

At the end of the day, I dragged and just couldn't fly. This was one tough course and I was glad to have been able to squeak out about 9 miles. It would have been nice to get another half marathon under my belt, but I'm happy with the 10k medal.

Gotta love the Brazen medals.

Labor Day Marathon

2011-09-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Imagine the Boston Athletic Association implementing an artistic impression requirement to their qualification criteria. Runners would be scored not only on their technical merit, which would be how fast it takes them to get to the finish line, but also for their presentation skills. That would mean that the likes of Ryan Hall and Kara Goucher would have to step up their game and add some flare to their supination! Imagine receiving extra points for best high five to a volunteer handing out cups of water or getting high marks for most creative action shot pose for the paparazzi. Running marathons would be like figure skating! If this new judging criteria were implemented, Endorphin Dude would not only BQ, but he'd probably win!

Eat your heart out Kristi Yamaguchi!

There's always a madness to the Endorphin race reports, and there is a reason why your marathon caped crusader is referencing figuring skating. The first reason should be painfully obvious: I WANT TO BQ, and the only way I can do this is via my presentation scores! The second reason may not be as apparent. In figure skating, there is a move called the "Double Axel," which is a jump that consists of two and one-half revolutions in the air. Endorphin Dude executed the Double Axel of marathons this weekend, having completed two full marathons and a half. This is the first time E-Dude has finished a combination of this kind: 65.5 miles in three days. The most he has ever run in one weekend is the treacherous marathon/50k combination of the Labor of Love ultra weekend, so landing this jump is a big deal! Now if only the Boston Athletic Association would recognize this feat...hmm.

Yes, I am insane.

It's very fitting that the final race of my Double Axel weekend was The Labor Day Marathon. This was a very laborious weekend for me. I was very nervous about this particular race because the last time I attempted this course, I showed up on the wrong side of the canyon! The Dove Canyon Marathon became the "Endorphin Dude Raiders Of The Lost Dark Foot Race." The "dark" in that name refers to the fact that I spent the bulk of that race both literally and figuratively in the dark.

After enduring the intensity of the other side of the canyon, it was only natural that I would be just a little nervous. It didn't help that the course description read, "Entire course will be run on a hilly and challenging out-and-back route with beautifully scenic views of the canyon and the mountains surrounding the Dove Canyon community." To my shock, this course was significantly less technical and much more pleasing to my quads. It certainly wasn't easy, but compared to the other side of that canyon, this was cake. With my before the crack of dawn early start, a Camelback full of water, and a pair of Ultra Woof approved chopsticks, I was able to finish this race in seven and a half hours. Along the way, I got to high five a bunch of Marathon Maniacs.

Who says marathons can't be fun?

One of the most inspiring figures in running. Rosemarie Jeanpierre took control of life and dropped 110 pounds without surgery. She did it on her own. It just goes to show that exercise and eating right does work!

I was so happy when Cadillac Steve, Sofie, and Sue Bear showed up. I was delirious all by myself out on this trail at 3am. They arrived and the sun came up. These three got me my negative split! These guys are speedy. They're way ahead of me here.

Charlie Alewine Racing regulars: Jim Grimes, Dale Roberts and Luigi Giovanni. How did a Mexican guy get the name "Luigi Giovanni"??

Seriously, I should get a BQ just for this pose.

Yes, I've become quite the nature nut now. The flora and fauna that I saw were really great. Extra credit to those who can name that tune from where that line came from!

So there you have it: 65.5 miles in three days. Endorphin Dude has completed the Double Axel of marathons! This was not an easy feat, but I had my eyes on the prize the whole time: TITANIUM. In order for me to capture this prize, I will need to stay focused from now to the end of the year. There is no room for error. At this point, I feel like I'm coming into the free skate in fourth place and that I will have to pull out all the stops to land on that top podium. I believe I can do it. I am injury free, healthy, and motivated. I know I can get there based on my technical ability alone, but it sure would be nice if I can get bonus points for my presentation!

Marathons #34 and #35 done! Titanium Score Board: 28 down, 24 to go.

Disneyland Half Marathon

2011-09-04T19:21:00.000-07:00

The only time I have ever been able to get a picture with Walt Disney and Mickey in front of the castle without a billion other people trying to do the same is on race day!

When I crossed the finish line of The Goofy Challenge back in January, I let out a huge Lion King roar that pretty much woke up all of Orlando. 39.3 miles in one weekend: GOOFIFICATION! Runner's high reached the code red level and I really thought that The Mouse was going to call security on Endorphin Dude! I don't think anyone has ever been ejected from the park from extreme excitement, but you never know! The Goofy Challenge was a big deal for me. I never thought that I could have pulled off such an incredible feat. Sure enough, I did, and I walked out of the Magic Kingdom with three shiny medals around my neck.

Fast forward eight months later. Endorphin Dude visits Mickey Mouse's west coast estate to run another 13.1 miles to collect that coveted Coast To Coast medal. By completing Goofy and the Disneyland Half, E-Dude earned five shiny medals. Hakuna Matata!

I have to admit, getting to that finish line was a bit stressful. I could easily make up the excuse that my body was exhausted from the marathon the day before or that I needed to preserve my body for the marathon the day after, but that wouldn't be the complete truth. The truth of the matter is that I had a little too much fun in the park! Miles two through five were in Disneyland and I stopped to pose with every character! Once I left the park, I looked at my Garmin and gulped. Never before had I ever run a one hour fifteen minute 5k! I knew I had to hustle, but it wasn't easy, as the sun got hotter as the clock ticked away. The last thing I wanted was to get picked up by the Disney sag wagon, so I kept focused and plugged along. It took me about four hours to get to that finish line, but I made it. Woo Hoo!

I was more scared of the sag wagon than the Evil Queen!

Gotta love the fuzzy characters.

I had to stop to take a picture with this lady. Love the sign.

It's like the Goofy Challenge reunion!

I am not a Disney guy, but I have to admit that every time I run in that Mouse's house, I feel like a five year old all over again. This race marked my 42nd life time half marathon since October 2009. It still seems surreal to me that I've done all this in such a short amount of time. I sometimes feel like I'm living in a fantasy world. It gives me great pleasure knowing that my awesome life is very real.

Woo Hoo!

Run Into Fall Marathon

2011-09-03T18:48:00.000-07:00

Earlier this summer, Endorphin Dude met his match. The marathon caped crusader got struck from behind by his nefarious nemesis, Battle Star Sciatica! Out of nowhere, this evil villain shot vicious venom straight into the Endorphin L4 lumbar, knocking E-Dude out of the race and rendering his right leg unconscious. No amount of endorphins could save him, and sadly, Endorphin Dude had no choice but to cower in the corner and watch his Titanium dream quickly slip away.

Being on the injured reserved list is no fun, and E-Dude had to drop out of eight races to recover. He tried everything to reverse that pernicious affliction. He consumed large quantities of drugs. He visited a man in a white coat who cracked his bones. He allowed a cortisone specialist to stick a very big needle in his back. Nothing seemed to work, and with nothing else to lose, Endorphin Dude consulted the wise old Chinese man. This pins and needles guru from the Far East instructed E-Dude to let his aura free and allow the needles to push the evil sciatic intruder out. Sure enough, it worked. Acupuncture did wonders for this running super hero, and now he's back on that Titanium track!

TAKE THAT! Endorphin Dude shoots down the Battle Star Sciatica! HA!

I don't believe in giving up, and I was not going to let this injury knock me out of contention. Reaching my Titanium goal is still very much in the cards, but it's going to be much more challenging now. Because I was knocked out for a few weeks, I now have to cram in a few doubles and triples between now and the end of the year. First up is the 65.5 mile weekend: Run Into Fall Marathon on Saturday, Disneyland Half Marathon on Sunday, and the Labor Day Marathon on Monday. How apropos that this should happen this weekend, as these three days will be quite laborious!

First up is the Run Into Fall Marathon, which took place in Lake Forest, CA. I ran this exact same course a few weeks ago at the Run The Forest Marathon, so I didn't mind the darkness of my 3am start. I did mind the fatigue, but that goes with the territory. I thought I was the first one out there, but sure enough, fellow Marathon Maniac Jo Jo Starbucks took a 1am start! I felt good knowing that I had company out there because the first few hours in the dark were not too fun. I kept myself entertained by taking photos. I suppose that probably doesn't come as a shock to many of you.

You think I'm crazy for starting at 3am? Jo Jo Starbucks was out there at 1am!

"Jo Jo Starbucks says to turn." I love it. Even in the dark, I couldn't miss this.

I kept hearing rustling in the bushes. I sure hope it was rabbits and not crazy homeless people ready to pounce!

I've come to realize that I really do need people around. I am a social runner and being alone out there made me go a little nuts. Talking to myself took me only so far. Fortunately, the three hours in dark flew by fairly quickly, and by about 6:30am, other runners appeared. By then, I had finished a little more than half of the 26.2 miles. I headed back to the start line for a quick meet and greet and I took off for my second half with everyone.

Endorophin Dude and The Manimal, Wayne Sherman.

There's Todd Hine and his wife.

Sally and her dad Harold, both Maniacs. I love seeing these two.

Deo!

I first met Cyndie the week before in Santa Rosa. Now we're buds!

It took me a little over 7 hours to finish this marathon. I walked most of the 26.2 miles. I figured, I still had 39.3 miles to complete over the next two days, so why stress out my body out. It doesn't matter how slow it takes me to Titanium, as long as I get there. With this Run Into Fall Marathon, I am now more than halfway there. Woo Hoo!

Santa Rosa Marathon

2011-08-28T08:36:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Santa Rosa Marathon marked a very important running rite of passage for me. It was at this race last year that I qualified for Marathon Maniacs. If you had told me five years ago that I would join a club where people run 26.2 miles weekend after weekend, I would have urged you to consult a psychiatrist. Well, maybe I should be the one making that appointment. Immediately after crossing that finish line, I registered for Maniac membership. Within a few hours, I received my credentials, MM #2810, and two days later I got my singlet in the mail.

My first marathon was supposed to have been my one and done bucket list race, but that little thing called endorphins made me come back for more. That qualifying race in Santa Rosa was not easy, and I had to work hard to cross that finish line. For this reason, I was determined to return for round two and beat my time! Hence, I showed up incognito, sans cape, so I could get the job done. Sadly, I was not able to beat my 6:45 time from last year. After running a half marathon the day before, my legs just couldn't do it. Once I realized that a PR was not in cards, I slowed down, had some fun, and greeted all the Marathon Maniacs who passed me.

I tried to dip. Really, I did try.

There's Marathon Maniac Cyndie Merten!

Bill McCarty is running without an arm sling this time.

ACE!

Tyre Girl ran the whole marathon with a tire tied to her waist. Seriously. You can read all about her here: http://www.tyregirl.com

Asian Gangsta and Asian Pop Star!

Things heated up at about mile 21 when the race director biked out to see how we were doing. He rode up to me and said that the timing folks were going to leave at 2pm, and if Ultra Woof and I couldn't make it to the finish line by then, we would get a DNF. He did inform us that he would save a medal for us though. I was stunned. A medal means nothing without a finish time! I plead my case to him stating that I had all my miles recorded on my Garmin, and asked if the timing folks would take my finish time manually. I panicked! I really needed this marathon, and if I had received the DNF, the Titanium would have hit another ice berg! I plead and plead and the race director said he would see what he could do.

With that, I picked up the pace and did my best to get to that finish line! Believe me, I was stressed out. I plugged along, under the scorching sun, battling blisters and cramps. I just couldn't run any more and my legs were so shot that I couldn't even power walk. Nonetheless, I kept going. Flashbacks of last year's race haunted me. Nonetheless, I kept one foot in front of the other. After seven hours and 15 minutes on the course Ultra Woof and I crossed the finish line, fifteen minutes after the cut off time. Fortunately, the timing folks were still there and they took down our finish times manually! I let out a huge sigh of relief and then dropped to the ground! These close calls are always nerve-wracking, but the sweet victory is always oh so nice!

A finish is a finish. I got my medal and my finish time. Woo Hoo!

Thank you Ernie for cheering us in at the finish line!

Chewbacca's other doggie nanny, Kristen, and friends were there at the finish line! Thanks Kristen and Vincent, and Cappy too!

Here I am with race director Arthur Webb. This guys is a Badwater legend, having run that crazy sauna ultra race so many times that you'd have to use both your fingers and toes to count them!

Finishing any race is a big deal, and crossing the finish line at Santa Rosa was sweet success for me. Last year I ran my 3rd marathon here, so returning for #33 one year later marked an important mile stone. I earned my Marathon Maniacs credentials here, so today I celebrated my first birthday in the Insane Asylum. This race also puts me at the half way point in my Titanium quest. I am confident that I will reach my lofty goal of 52 marathons in 52 weeks. It won't be easy, but I'll get there. I am healthy, injury free, and mentally tough. By the end of 2011, there will be 10 stars after my name!

Titanium Scoreboard: 26 Down, 26 To Go! Half Way, Baby!!!!

Giant Race Half Marathon

2011-08-27T20:41:00.000-07:00

Endorphin Dude & Tim Lincecum

You're probably asking yourself right now, "Gee, why would Endorphin Dude run a half marathon when he's trying to hit Titanium?" In my pursuit of 52 marathons in 52 weeks, it would seem counterproductive to run a 13.1 miler, but I had to do it. How could I not? This race runs along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, The Giants are the World Champions, and we get to take home a Tim Lincecum bobble head! Win. Win. Win.

I ran the Giant Race last year and absolutely loved it. I had to return for round two. When I ran it last year, I only knew one person who ran it too. This year, I had my whole Half Fanatic clan and a few Marathon Maniacs. There were also a bunch of my DSE running peeps out there too. Running is a solitary sport, but somehow Endorphin Dude always turns it into one big parade.

I think we were about to do the can can. Why? Because we can can!

More Half Fanatics!

Because of the three hour time limit, I knew I couldn't drag out this race like I did at the Salinas Half Marathon a few weeks earlier. That didn't mean that I couldn't have any fun! Along with my running partner in crime, Ultra Woof, I got to run with my buddy Mohan and newly minted Marathon Maniac, Andi. Here's the funny thing about Andi: she saw Endorphin Dude in the parking lot before the race and said that she was going to drop down to the 5k. She just wasn't feeling it. I told her to stick with the marathon caped crusader and Ultra Woof and we'll be sure that she will cross that finish line.

Sure enough, Andi ran with us for the duration of the 13.1 miles. There was only one time when she fell behind us, and that was when she and Mohan stopped for a bio break at Crissy Field. I remember shouting to The Mo: "DUDE! You're properly equipped to use nature's port-o-potty, what the heck are you doing waiting in line?!" All he could do was flash an awkward smile. In any case, these two caught up with Woofie and E-Dude along with a few other Half Fanatics, and together we ran the rest of the way. Some got ahead, others fell behind, but for the most part, we all finished within 5 minutes of each other.

On your mark, get set, go!

Chris Bliss flew out with the elites!

The first Endorphin Dudette! I finally got to meet Row!

The Pink Girls, Virginia and Woofie.

Yeah, we stop in the middle of races to take pics.

One of the highlights of the day: Brian Wilson!!

Crissy Field, Yeah Baby!!!

There's Mohan!

Another Endorphin Dudette! It's Elizabeth!

Action shot of Half Fanatic, Cassandra.

Heading into the finish line. Woo Hoo!

I am happy to say that I finished this race under three hours! This is my first sub-3 race of 2011, which is really nice. My half marathon PR is 2:11, which I earned at the 2009 Eye-Q Two Cities Half Marathon, my second 13.1 miler ever. In 39 tries after, I have not been able to shatter that record, and these days, I don't even come close. Back then, I was focused on speed and getting the best time I possible could. These days, I'm out there on the course to have fun.

In any case, when I crossed the finish line, Ultra Woof informed me that there were no more medals. Yes, it did bum me out when I learned that I wouldn't have a shiny piece of bling hanging around my neck, but at the end of the day, the thrill of this race canceled out any disappointment of not receiving that medal. The race directors did inform us that the medals would be mailed, so I had nothing to worry about. So even though my neck was naked post race, I did get to run with people I dig, I got to high five Brian Wilson, I scored my first sub-3 finish of the year, I got a really cool Tim Lincecum bobble head, and I completed my 41st life time half marathon. Win. Win. Win. Win. Win.

Woo Hoo!

Run-de-Vous 50k

2011-08-20T23:12:00.000-07:00

The name Run-de-Vous loosely translated means YOUR RUN. This is truly YOUR run. If you wish to race it, do so! If you wish to celebrate a loved one or someone who influenced you to become the person you are today, do so! Need special drinks? You've got them! Need special food during the race? Ask and you shall receive.


I asked for a sign, and I got it. How can you not ♥ Run-de-Vous?

How could you not run a race with that description? The best part is that every word is true. Rajeev Patel is an amazing race director who just wants to give back to the community, and he did so in a huge way with Run-de-Vous. I had previously run Rajeev's Ruth Anderson Ultra Races 50k and was very impressed, so I had to return for Run-de-Vous. I was not disappointed!

The course is "a fast 2-mile loop in San Martin, CA with the backdrop of hills on the one end and a few homes, with distant mountains behind them on the other." After experiencing the excruciating heat of Hotter Than Hell, the treacherous Lovely Bones fields of Cool Moon, and the killer acorns and twigs of The Dirty Dozen, I was very happy to find a straight forward, no frills, 50k! The morning weather suited me well, as I felt like I was running through Lands End in San Francisco. By mid afternoon, though, the cool overcast sky got kicked out by Mr. Sunshine, who radiated pretty hard. It got really warm really fast, but nothing like last weekend's race around the goose turd infested lake. I got through the heat by splashing ice cold water on my head after every loop. I hit the wall at mile 18, but because of this loop course, I got a lot of inspiration and mental help from my fellow runners, who quickly got me back on track.

Early morning shot. Love the overcast sky. That yellow dot in the middle of the road is Guinness World Record Holder, the Walking Diva herself, Yolanda Holder.

A race wouldn't be a race without Mad Hatter Fancy Pants! Notice the slight modification to his jester uniform.

Two awesome people: Cadillac Steve and Diane. Diane, by the way, saved me in Tahoe. At mile 18 at that marathon, she saw me on the side of the road throwing up. The altitude got to me. Diane gave me meds and ginger candy and instantly revived me! It was good to see her at this race.

I really wanted to stow away in Fred's camelback, but he didn't have one!

There's Yen Nguyen. When I first saw her name on the participant list of another race, I thought it was my mom! Yen's husband brought me a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich), which really hit the spot at mile 14!

And the sun came up! Blue skies!

That banh mi really hit the spot!

Here I am with two fellow Marathon Maniacs, Valerie Hower and Bill McCarty. Valerie was the overall female winner for the 50 miler!

Here I am with the awesome Rajeev Patel, Mr. Race Director Extraordinaire!

Another very unique aspect of Run-de-Vous was the opportunity to "celebrate a loved one." Rajeev set up a "wall of love" for runners to pay tribute to those who have touched our lives. There's so many people who have inspired and motivated me, but after completing this 50k, I realized who it is that I want on that wall of love: Yolanda Holder. I always talk about this Walking Diva, but I'd really like to take this time to pay tribute to this amazing person.

It was at the 2009 Rock 'N' Roll Mardi Gras Marathon that I met Yolanda on the shuttle to the airport. Yolanda saw how fixated I was on my medal and so she struck up a conversation with me. She asked if this was my first marathon and I responded it was my fifth half marathon, but it sure felt like the first time all over again. I told her that I was training for my first full marathon, which would happen in my hometown of San Francisco. Yolanda then told me her story and I was blown away. She explained that she was a Marathon Maniac pursuing the world record of most marathons completed in one calendar year. I thought it was 10 or so, but when she said it was 101, I nearly fell off my chair! I asked Yolanda what a Marathon Maniac was and she gave me the low down. In my mind, I thought this woman was nuts! I could not fathom running so many marathons! I also could not believe that there was a club like this!

Yolanda mesmerized me to the point where I just couldn't stop listening and asking questions. When I finally felt comfortable enough to confide in her, I admitted that I was so self-conscious and worried about not fitting into the "mold" of the runner. Her response to me: "This is your journey. Do it your way." Indeed I have, and two years later, I am a Marathon Maniac with 32 marathons and 40 half marathons under my endorphin cape. Yolanda is not just an inspiration to me. This Walking Diva is the one who ignited that maniacal fire in my heart, and for this, she is plastered all over that Run-de-Vous wall of love!

I love you Yolanda!

I am very happy I came out for Run-de-Vous. Not only did I complete my 32nd life time ultra/marathon, but I also scored a huge 10 minute PR. My previous personal best was at Rajeev's Ruther Anderson race. I guess I'm just going to have to run more of his races!

Titanium Scoreboard: 25 down, 27 to go!

Brisbane Scenic Run 5k

2011-08-14T20:06:00.000-07:00

My plans to run a 50k/marathon ultra double this weekend got foiled when the warning light on my car went off. Better safe than sorry (or dead!), I turned around and headed back home. Not all was lost because I got a recovery 5k in today with my running club!

When I read the course description, I thought to myself, "sweet, easy race after a pretty brutal 50k." Boy, was I wrong. This was one hilly 5k! I ended up walking this 3.1 miler, which was a smart move, as I had quite a few blisters from yesterday on both my feet. I also had a chiweenie with me and walking partner who wore jeans. Who wears jeans to a 5k?

I ask again, who wears jeans to a 5k?

Damn blisters. Please just pick me up and take me to the finish line!

Finish line photo!

Chris Bliss, the woman in the jeans, is going to spike my Cytomax if I don't give an explanation for the denim. What happened was that she wasn't expecting to do this race, so she had not done any laundry. I talked her into coming with me and Ultra Woof, since I wasn't running my SoCal marathon. Miss Bliss threw on the jeans expecting to volunteer at the registration desk. However, when we got there, the race directors had everything under control, so she ended up walking the 5k. In jeans. Everyone was so confused by "That Woman In Jeans." Well, I just set the record straight!

So I didn't get to run my ultra marathon double, no big deal. I got to do something a lot better: I got to be with my DSE family. On a final note, I do have to say that my archrival, that 5 year old boy, beat me again! Not sure what I have to do, but this is definitely beginning to affect my psyche. I think it's time to find a sports psychologist.

My archrival with my dog.

Hotter Than Hell 12 Hour Run

2011-08-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

When Endorphin Dude is not out there running marathons, he is part of a film team called "It Donned On Me." We compete in timed film competitions where we have to produce a movie under a time constraint, which is usually 48 hours. I had not planned on running any races this weekend because my team was set to compete in the San Jose 48 Hour Film Project. However, due to some unexpected scheduling conflicts we had to pull out. This opened my weekend to find a race! Though I really wanted to return to Area 51 for the Extraterrestrial Full Moon Midnight Marathon, my wallet wouldn't allow it. Instead, I opted for the Hotter Than Hell 12 Hour Run in the Sacramento Area. Yes, Hotter Than Hell. It was hot and it was hell.

It's the creature from the Titanium Lagoon.

As you can see, I ran this race incognito. No cape, no head band, no superhero compression tights. Hotter Than Hell was all business for me. I wanted to show up, run around that lake 25 times and then leave. I had a big opportunity to get caught up with my Titanium quest when things didn't work out with the film competition, so I registered for two marathons this weekend. The big challenge was that the second marathon is 400 miles away! This meant that I had to be efficient, finish the race, drive all the way down to southern California, run the race, and drive back Sunday afternoon. Ambitious, probably. Insane, definitely.

Things didn't go exactly as I had planned. This 50k took a lot longer than I had anticipated. Aside from the scorching heat, the course was so incredibly boring. This wasn't like Nanny Goat where every step of the way, there would be a runner, volunteer, or spectator cheering you on. That 24 hour race was one big party. Hotter Than Hell was work. By the second half of the day, most of the runners had finished their 6 hours and went home. Ultra Woof and I spent part two of this race cranking out the miles around the goose turd-ridden lake. Because the final seven runners were spread so far apart on the 1.25 mile loop, we trekked the gravel road all alone under the blistering sun. Occasionally, another runner would pass us, but that encounter was brief and not enough to inject life into us. It seriously felt like the apocalypse had hit.

Woofie and I spent that second half with iPods blaring in one ear as we sang verses from Elvis, the Beatles, old Blue Eyes, Madonna, and the Felicity soundtrack to keep ourselves entertained. I'd like to make it clear that Felicity came from her iPod and not mine! At times, I would break out into a dance or two. Seriously, we pulled out all the stops to get those 25 loops in. By mile 28, we nearly lost it. Ultra Woof wanted me to drown her in the lake, just so that she would be taken out of her misery. I wanted a quicker death. Nonetheless, we kept plugging along.

The lake.

Peeking duck.

Yay, we're done.

At the end of the day, I was happy to get this 50k done. Ultra Woof and I were out there for 11 and a half hours. I had wanted to get the job done in nine, but that just wasn't in the cards. After we crossed that finish line, the two of us packed up and went our separate ways. Alva returned home while I took off for southern California to run my second race of the weekend. About 100 miles into my journey, my tire warning light started blinking, and given what happened to me a few weeks ago with my tires exploding on I-80, I did not wanted to take any chances. These are brand new tires, so I'm sure it's nothing too serious, but I'd rather miss out on a marathon than be stuck on the Grapevine en route to SoCal! Hence, I turned around and went back home. It's all good because I got to run a DSE race the next day with my running club family! In the end, everything worked out because I was able to get another marathon counted toward Titanium and another DSE race counted toward my Mongo Trophy. These two races weren't supposed to have happened this weekend, so yay for me!

On another note, here is It Donned On Me's 2008 submission into the San Jose 48 Hour Film Project. You might recognize the title character, TwirlyBoy. Check it out.

Run The Forest Marathon

2011-08-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?

After crossing the finish line of the Salinas Half Marathon, I had to drive 300 miles south to get to the second half of my west coast non-Disney Goofy Challenge. Running 39.3 miles in one weekend doesn't phase me, it's all the traveling that kills me! Thankfully, I had two Endorphin Dudettes who helped me reach my weekend goal. Chris Bliss chauffeured me around and fellow Half Fanatic Elizabeth McKay graciously hosted us at her quaint smurf-like cabin in Lake Elsinore.

Thank You, Dudettes!

Chris Bliss and I arrived at Elizabeth's cottage by the lake at around 10pm Saturday night. The distance from her place to the start line is about one hour. That meant that in order for me to have my 3am start, I had to leave at 2am. I couldn't get to sleep until midnight. You do the math. Let's just say that there was a serious endorphin deficit at that hour! Fortunately, there were others who took the early start, so I had company out there. Runners started to trickle in by 4am and by 7am, everyone showed up. It was so nice to see people in daylight!

This marathon was a no frills kind of race. We ran a paved bike path with a slight elevation climb, two loops for the half marathon and 4 loops for the full. I like these looping races because I get to see other runners multiple times on the course. It helped my ego that I finished way ahead of the elites in the pack. I figured out the sure fire way to beat the Ryan Halls, Kara Gouchers, and Mebs or the world: start four hours early! At the end of the day, it took me over 7 hours to finish this race. The good news is that I scored my first negative split in a long time. Running in the dark by myself slowed me down, but having people around in broad daylight sped me up! I am very happy to get marathon #30 done!

Thank good Jessica Wabbitz and Mrs. Mad Hatter Fancy Pants showed up. These two, along with MHFP offspring Eden, helped me get my negative split!

A marathon wouldn't be a marathon without Mad Hatter Fancy Pants!

Jo Jo Starbucks got there before I did! He started at 2:30am!

Jessica Wabbitz sans bunny ears, Mrs. Mad Hatter Fancy Pants, and the Mad Hatter offspring Eden. What a colorful bunch!

Here's fellow Marathon Maniac, Yen Nguyen. That's my mom's name! When I saw her name on the roster, I immediately thought, "WHOA! My mom is running a marathon?!" Yen is organizing a marathon in Vietnam. I'm so there!

What an endorphin filled weekend. On Saturday I ran my 40th half marathon. Today I ran my 30th marathon. Life is good!

Titanium Scoreboard: 23 down, 29 to go!

Salinas Valley Half Marathon

2011-08-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

I wasn't planning on running the Salinas Valley Half Marathon this year. It really didn't fit into my schedule. I'm trying to pursue 52 marathons in 52 weeks this year, so why would I stress out my body doing a half marathon that won't count toward Titanium? Thankfully, Ultra Woof talked me into it. This is the race where we met. Well, sort of. Woofie and I ran the Salinas Valley Half Marathon last year, but didn't meet until much later. I had posted on their Facebook page that I woke up at 3am to drive to all the way to Salinas for the race. Ultra Woof commented that she had done the same. We quickly became Facebook friends and the next thing I know, this ultra dawg is pacing me to the finish line at all my marathons, ensuring that I get that medal every time! Happy One Year Running Anniversary, Ultra Woof! Well, sort of.

Waiting for the farmer to charge at us with a hoe threatening to beat us silly if we didn't get off his property...

If you've been following the adventures of Endorphin Dude & The Chiweenie, you will know that your marathon caped crusader missed a few weeks of running due to injuries. That damn sciatic nerve caused me so much grief, but I am very happy to announce that I am once again injury free and healthy. I've fallen a little bit behind on my quest for Titanium, but I am confident that I will reach my goal by the end of the year. I have a few doubles and two triples coming up in the fall, so whatever I can do now to prepare my body those races I will. The Salinas Valley Half Marathon provided me with a great opportunity to run a Goofy Challenge this weekend. After this half marathon, I headed down to southern California for the Run The Forest Marathon, a very small and low-key race in Lake Forest, CA.

Aside from me shocking my body into thinking it can pull off doubles and triples, I was very happy to be in Salinas Valley. I had an awesome time here last year, and this year was even better because a bunch of my Half Fanatic friends ran it too. I came into this half marathon expecting to take it easy and having a lot of fun, and indeed, that is exactly what happened.

You gotta love the Half Fanatics!

Elizabeth and Ultra Woof in action!

Love that they put out these signs. I would not have known that those were cucumbers.

Jennifer in action!

Bwa ha ha! I am Count Endorphula and I want to suck your sweat! Ok, that's just gross. I can't believe I just wrote that.

Mile 8! That's me doing my Chinese number dance.

At about mile 9, Chris Bliss caught up to us! What an action shot.

Endorphin Dude & The Moving Molecules. ROCK ON!

You can probably figure out that I had a lot of fun at this race, stopping along the way to take fun photos. With another marathon the next day, I figured why kill my body? I did get serious toward the end though. At about mile 9, Chris Bliss caught up to us. This was Christine's 15th half marathon, and she looked strong at mile 9 when she ran up to us. I took a quick look at my Garmin and saw that she was on track to a PR! I told Christine that I could pace her to a personal record, and she agreed. Christine stayed focused the final 4 miles, consistently pulling in a 16 minute pace! When we reached mile 13, she, Ultra Woof, and I sprinted in hand in hand in hand. The three of us were ecstatic to earn huge PR's: Christine broke her record by 3 whopping minutes and Woofie and I got our big PARTY RACE! Woo Hoo!

I don't care that this is the same medal that I got last year but with a different ribbon. I love this race regardless!

Good times. I will definitely return to Salinas Valley to run this half marathon again. Aside from me being legacy, this race is a lot of fun. It's well organized and the people are awesome. Two endorphin thumbs up!