Brisbane Scenic Run 5k

I'll get that buckle for you, Chewbacca!

This is the only distance that eludes me. I am so ready to conquer 100 miles next weekend. I am well trained, physically fit, and mentally solid. Most importantly, I WANT THIS. I will bring home that belt buckle for that little dog who got me off that couch and into those running shoes.

First up though is my final race before the big 100 miler. The Brisbane Scenic Run 5k was a good taper run for me. Who am I kidding, I didn't run it. When Chewbacca comes along for the ride, there's a whole lot of stop and go. I did get a good work out in, as there was a huge hill that I had to climb! The Chiweenie didn't get too much exercise though. Due to oncoming traffic, I stashed her in the doggie back pack for safety reasons. Sorry I had to call you out on that, little mutt.

Ha ha, no ribbon for you Chewbacca! You only walked a 1k!

DSE Summer Evening Race Series #10

Lynnard & Bill, two legends!

I got out there on a Thursday after work to run the Summer Evening Race Series #10. 4.5 miles around Lake Merced. I was experimenting with different things in preparation for Run De Vous next week. I ran a very comfortable 12 minute pace. I'm getting really excited for my 100 miler. 

I love the fact that I am surrounded by incredible runners whom I look up to. Lynnard and Bill are two running super stars who earned their belt buckles at Run De Vous last year. Noe is a selfless human being who just wants to see runners succeed. This guy is pretty amazing. I got to pick these three runner's brains on strategy for my 100 miler. These guys have a wealth of experience and knowledge and I have nothing but respect for them. This is what I love about the running community.

Me with the selfless Noe.

On a completely different note, I am happy to say that this vegetarian thing is going pretty well for me. I am about a month into this life style change and all is good. I went to my company picnic today and was surrounded by hot dogs, hamburgers, and bacon, all the carnivorous foods that I love. I walked away from the meat plate and picked up some tofu dogs and veggie skewers. The best part was that it did not bother me at all in the least. I didn't crave the meat and I wasn't salivating and panting like a food deprived chihuahua ready to jump at the plate of flesh! This is a good thing! 

Presidio Cross Country 5k

Word.

Me and my home boy Ace, we be big pimpin' at da S.F.5.K. What do you think, did the two of us pull off that hood rat ghetto toughness? You scared?

After pacing my sister to her whopping 9 minute PR at The Summer Breeze Half Marathon yesterday, I got out there and casually walked the Presidio Cross Country 5k. This is actually a tough course complete with a sandy uphill climb. I'm glad I took this one easy because my quads were still screaming from yesterday's run. It took me awhile to get to that finish line, but that's ok. I had all the time in the world. Taking it easy allowed me the opportunity to reflect on my sister's incredible performance yesterday. She's really motivated now to get even faster. I love that.

San Bruno Mountain 5k

Wow, a 48 minute 5k! It was a jungle out there! Who would have thought that there are treacherous trails in San Bruno? Hey, I got it done. Along the way, I made a documentary!

There were no flock of seagulls chasing me, but I really wanted to get to that finish line before the two 5 year old girls!

 

Almost there. Almost out of the jungle. I made it through the wilderness. Somehow I made it through.

 

Woo Hoo! Yeah, that took forever, but I got it done. I think I may possibly be a victim of poison oak. Next time, I'll have to wear compression pants to protect my legs from these itchers!

Next up for Endorphin Dude? SAN FRANCISCO MARATHON!!! Yup, next Sunday your marathon caped crusader will be running his all time favorite marathon. It'll be a big weekend. For now, it's time to get some poison oak ointment on these legs.

Done!

Coastal Trail Challenge 10k

I knew I couldn't run this one, so I showed up an hour early to take the self-time walk option. Nitro Trail did a number on my body yesterday, so I wanted to take this DSE Coastal Trail Challenge 10k nice and slow. Chewbacca and I had a great time leisurely strolling through 6.2 miles of San Francisco awesomeness. Yes, this was probably the longest 10k of my life, but it certainly was the most scenic and relaxing!

Nitro Trail Half Marathon

The finish line. Finally.

Yeah, this is what I looked like when I inched my way into that finish line. One week has passed and every muscle in my body is still screaming "DAMN YOU NANNY GOAT!" It doesn't help that I have residual blisters at the bottom of both my feet from that 88 miler. On top of all that, I am still suffering from Nanny Goat PTSD. It's not easy knowing that there was only 12 little miles left and your body and mind completely breaks down on you. It's going to take some time for me to fully recover from Nanny Goat. That's why the Nitro Trail Half Marathon is very important to me. I needed to be around my Brazen peeps. I needed to hear, "88 Miles! YOU ROCK!" I needed that It's It. I got all those things and a little more.

Brazen always brings out the good in me. Being around my Brazen family helped me realize how good I have it, and how far I have come. Since flipping the switch to BEAST MODE, I have lost 21 pounds, PR'ed in the marathon after 54 tries, improved my 50k time by two hours and my 50 miler by ten, nailed 88 whopping miles at Nanny Goat, and gained a whole lot of confidence and pride.  I need to remind myself of all this and not be too consumed with not having that belt buckle. If anything, dropping at mile 88 has motivated me even more. I will get that belt buckle, but for now, I will continue to focus on training and fitness. I finished dead last today, and I am totally ok with that. I may be hurting physically, but the pain that I felt inside before the race quickly vanished once I saw all those Brazen smiles.

Happy 50th Race Brazen!!

Trailquake My Heart!

Me and the Doggie Nanny.

Jonesy, Ellen, and me.

Even without the cape, I can fly!

Still running. At least that's why I call it.

Janeth ran 42 miles for her 42nd birthday!

Jonesy got two medals because he ran the 42 miles with Janeth. 

Thanks for being there, Brazen.

Nanny Goat 2012

Yeah, this photo just about sums it up.

I'm just going to cut to the chase. Nanny Goat 2012 did not go quite exactly the way I had planned. I came into this race gunning for that belt buckle. I gave it my best effort, but at the end of the day, my body and mind collapsed and I surrendered at mile 88. I just could not deliver the goods. The worst part was that I completely broke down and publicly unleashed a series of colossal midnight meltdowns so violently guttural and vociferous that it woke up the whole barn. This is something I am not proud of nor is it something want to be remembered by. Live and learn.

My original plan for Nanny Goat was to only hit the 100k. Earlier this year, I made the bold statement that I was going to get my 100 mile belt buckle by the end of this year. My first attempt at this would have been at Rocky Road back in February, but I dropped out due to inadequate training. Who am I kidding, I was way out of shape back then and knew I couldn't muster up a 50 miler, let alone double that distance. My plan was to earn that belt buckle at Across The Years on new year's eve, but my buddy Jonesy convinced me to go for it at Nanny Goat. I had lost about 20 pounds and my running was improving, so I figured I was ready enough. My confidence level certainly wasn't at 100%, and it didn't help knowing that some people within my running circle were taking bets to see where I would fail. Knowing this caused a lot of unneeded stress, especially because these were people whom I thought cared about me. In any case, I tried to keep out of all the drama and run my own race.

The irony behind all this is that I had no problem reaching that 100k mark. In fact, I ran strong up to the first 70 miles or so. Along the way, I earned a sub-6 marathon (only my 4th in 62 tries), a 2 hour PR on my 50k, and a whopping 10 hour PR on my 50 miler. I kept myself disciplined and limited my aid station stops to the bare minimum, but I also allowed myself to opportunity to socialize on the run. How could I not have fun at Nanny Goat? All my running buddies were out there running that one mile loop around the barn with me. Yeah, we're pretty insane.

Everyone is smiling! We should have taken an after shot after the 28th hour.

This is the first of many epic road trips with my buddy Jonesy.

And we're off! I sported my Flying Pigs cape.

I'll let you all caption this one. 

The cape came off after the marathon and I got serious! Ok, I'm still smiling. After this photo was taken, I got serious!

As the day went on, I kept looping that one mile dirt road around the barn. Mother Nature was much kinder to us this year as she didn't turn up the thermostat that much. Don't get me wrong, it did get warm, but nothing like the inferno from the previous year. As I plugged along, I felt good knowing that I was definitely on pace for a 28 hour finish. When I hit the 100k mark, my friend and fellow Marathon Maniac Louie Perez offered to pace me. Louie was supposed to pace our friend Elizabeth, but since she dropped at mile 34, he had time on his hands (and legs). I happily obliged, as I had officially reached unchartered territory and knew that having a pacer through the night would secure that belt buckle. 

And so the melt down begins.

As Louie and I ran through the night, my mind played tricks on me and I slowly unraveled. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion, and dehydration taunted my dejected psyche. Nothing made sense to me anymore and nothing mattered. I became the one that flew over the cuckoo's nest, but thankfully I had Louie to keep me in line. There really are guardian angels out there, and this guy is truly heaven sent. Louie wasn't just a pacer to me, he was a nurse, a coach, a psychiatrist, a chef, a dad, a brother, a care taker, and a friend. Melt down after melt down, Louie was there by my side, cranking out a 50k of his own in the wee hours of the mornings. 

As the sun came up and the clock continued to tick away, I knew my time was running out. I had to reach 86 miles by 24 hours in order to make the cut off for the 100 miler. I kept pushing hard, but dehydration and lack of nutrition got the best of me. I had to pull over every 5 minutes to vomit in the bushes. Louie held me up and pushed me along, but I was too much to handle. At that point, my buddy Jonesy saw my deteriorating state and stepped in to assist my pacer. Together, these two got me to that cut off time with 5 minutes to spare. 



It wasn't pretty, but I hit 86 miles in 24 hours, and was given an additional four hours to compete 12 little miles. I can easily run a 3 hour half marathon, but after 24 hours and no sleep, my mind, body, and soul just couldn't fathom getting to that finish line. As the thought of that belt buckle slipping away from me became a reality, the break downs got more intense. Louie and Jonesy kept me in the game for then next two miles but I knew that just could not put one foot in front of the other any longer. I thanked Jonesy for sacrificing his sub-24 hundred miler and told him to finish his race. Louie escorted me to that finish line. 

As I approached the barn, my heart sank and my trembling legs lost control. I fell to the ground and released every emotion within my soul in the rawest and most honest form possible. The race director and two fellow Marathon Maniacs came running out of the barn to pick me up. I knew then that it was game over, and nothing mattered anymore. 

At that moment, seconds before surrendering at mile 88, all I wanted to do was crawl under a rock and die. The agony of defeat pumped through every vein in my beat up body. I let it all out. The race director knelt down to console me as I clutched onto his leg and buried my face in his knee. I threw a tantrum the size of the state of Texas. I cried hard, screaming that I wanted that belt buckle and that I worked so hard. He told me over and over that I was a strong runner and that I would get my belt buckle sooner than I think. He also reiterated that only a few people made the cut off and that I had a lot to be proud of. Obviously, I could not believe any of it and all I wanted to do was sulk. The race director and my fellow Marathon Maniacs picked me up and walked me to that finish line. 

No belt buckle.

Ultra events are a physical and emotional roller coaster. I learned quite a bit from my first 100 miler attempt. Key take aways include always hydrating even when I don't think I need to, getting consistent nutrition throughout the event, having a kick butt pacer, and controlling my emotions. I may not have gone home with a belt buckle, but I have a lot to be proud of. I completed a whopping total 88 miles and learned a great deal about myself in the process. As I went through all this, another fellow runner captured it all on film. At first I hated seeing this clip, but it has really grown on me. I'm totally ok with it now because I fought tooth and nail and gave it everything I got. I know what I need to do to get that elusive belt buckle. What an incredible Nanny Goat weekend. 



On a final note, you know who your true friends are when they experience your absolute worst yet they still come back to you. Special shout out to Louie and Jonesy for putting up with every insane melt down that I unleashed during this Nanny Goat torture. These two guys are amazing. I vomited on both of them multiple times. I yelled at them. I cried and complained. I pretty much made their lives miserable, yet they still stuck with it and took care of me. Without Jonesy and Louie, I do not believe I would have made it to 88. THANK YOU, guys. You mean the world to me.

Bay To Breakers 2012

The Bay To Breakers this year was a big let down for me. Last year was the centennial, and all my friends came from near and far to partake in this parade. It was one big party. This year not so much. In fact, it was pretty tepid. So I leave you with a picture of my new socks and the B2B medal. I wish I had more to offer, but this is all I got!

Mother’s Day Marina Green 5K

Ever since the switch was flipped to BEAST MODE, I've been seeing consistent results. I am very excited to announce that I shaved off a whopping 5:43 minutes off my last 5k. I finished the Mother's Day Marina Green 5k in 32:11. I still have a long way to go before I break my 28:53 PR from way back in 2009, but I am certainly going in the right direction. Here is my 5k progress so far this year.

38:50 - Conservatory 5k - 02/19/12
37:54 - St. Patrick's Day 5k - 03/11/12
32:11 - Mother's Day Marina Green 5k - 05/13/12

Not a PR, but getting close!

I am nowhere near my pre-Titanium form, but I have greatly improved since my dismal showing at Surf City. This BEAST MODE thing is really working for me. I've lost a few pounds and I'm getting a little faster. It is my goal to return to pre-Titanium form by the end of this year!

Diablo Trails Challenge Half Marathon

El Diablo. What can I say about that little Devil. There is just something about those horns and pitch fork that gets everyone worked up. I, for one, am not a fan. You may recall that I DNF'ed at Satan's playground last September and I want more than anything to avenge that loss this year. 26.2 miles in hell is quite daunting, so I figured I do a little warm up by running the Diablo Trails Challenge Half Marathon.

A part of me wanted to just go for broke and run the 50k. What better way to kick that El Diablo in the Beelzebub than to conquer 31 miles in his backyard? I thought about going for it, but there was no way this was going to happen. I am not trained for this distance on this hellish terrain, so I am not going to take any risks. I can't imagine why anyone would upgrade to the 50k knowing that they are not physically nor mentally prepared for it. Had I done this, I would have just set myself up for failure. It's no fun having to stop your race halfway through with the park ranger taking you back to start line.

I showed up to Diablo ready to rock and roll. Along with my Camelback, salt tablets, and GU, I stuck devil horns on my head to scare away Lucifer and his minions. I'm not going to let El Diablo stop me this time!

Take that, Diablo!

I'm glad I made the decision to stick to the half marathon. It only took a quarter of a mile before the climb started. It didn't help that Mother Nature turned up the furnace. I bet Mama Earth is having some sort of debaucherous love affair with the devil. Why oh why would she do this to us? She definitely sold her soul! In any case, I tried not to let this get to me and I kept plugging along. I wasn't fast, but I kept moving. Had I attempted this race two months ago, I don't think I would be able to get too far. However, I am in BEAST MODE now, so I will do what it takes to get to the finish line. 

As I got deeper into the race, I got more delirious from the heat. The sun penetrated through my skull and pounded at my brain. I quickly developed a migraine. I had to pull over to sit on a rock in the shade and catch my breath. I popped in a pain killer and prayed that the headache would quickly disappear. I was only a little half way through this race and I was already feeling like I wanted to quit. I could only imagine what the 50k'ers were going through! Since I was out in the middle of nowhere, I knew that I had to keep moving. I got up and put one foot in front of the other, whining and complaining as I did so. When I got to the final aid station, the volunteer gave me some ice and a shot of caffeine. Those two things along with the down hill finale helped propel me to that finish line.

Almost there. Almost there. Almost there.

Love seeing the Brazen arch. I'm Done!

HA! Take that Diablo! I win, you lose!

Getting my much needed massage.

Oh Dear! I think the masseuse just hit a nerve!

This guy cracks me up. Remember Chris Jones from Lagoon Valley, the guy who made me luge down that muddy hill? 

Group pic! Check out that giant dog in the front row. No, it's not Chewbacca on steroids.

I learned something very valuable today. When I attempted the Diablo Marathon back in September, I created drama in my head. Yes, I was dehydrated and physically drained, but I let that get to me. I kept pushing myself to get it done when I should have pulled out sooner. I lost my cool, had a few panic attacks, and DNF'ed in the most pathetic fashion possible. I learned today that I must stay focused and run my own race. Even when I mentally lost it, I kept plugging along. I knew when to stop and rest. At any point if I felt that I could not physically move forward, I would have pulled out, unlike back in September. I see too many people trying to achieve other peoples' goals. Running a race to impress someone else is wrong. I learned quite a bit of running and life lessons on the trails today.

I am very happy to complete this very difficult race. I ran smart and was able to finish under five hours. I'm slowly getting back to my pre-Titanium form, which is awesome. There was no way I could have completed that 50k today, and I'm fine with that. Upgrading would just have been plain stupid, being that I am in no shape to do it. Oh how nice it would have been to stick it to the devil though! Nonetheless, I am very proud of my accomplishment today. BEAST MODE!

Yeah Baby!

Pleasanton Half Marathon

Now this is runner's high!

BEAST MODE!!! Endorphin Dude went incognito for the Pleasanton Half Marathon. No cape, no headband. There were plenty of endorphins though. Your marathon caped crusader scored another major improvement. 2:33:23 half marathon baby! Woo Hoo!! Guess who's bouncing off walls? As if that was not enough, we all headed to my favorite place for lunch: HOOTERS!

Group shot!

My favorite dining establishment!

Every day I am seeing my goal of reaching my pre-Titanium form come to fruition. I am working hard and I am seeing the dividends pay off. Not only am I down 13 pounds, but I cranked out a strong half marathon today. Check out the incredible progress that I have made this year so far:

3:46:02 - Surf City (2/6/12)
3:15:28 - Hellyer (2/18/12)
2:53:09 - Oakland (3/25/12)
2:41:31 - US Half (4/8/12)
2:33:23 - Pleasanton (4/29/12)

BEAST MODE

Well, it looks like the flip has been switched to BEAST MODE! I blame Chris and Pete! Nonetheless, I scored a huge mental win at this weekend's half marathon and today I stepped on the scale and see that I am down 8 pounds since January. Cue up the soundtrack: DA DA DA DA...Eye of Tiger! Or in my case, EYE OF THE CHIWEENIE! Da Da Da Da...

US Half Marathon: The Other Half

I love you San Francisco!

The Golden Gate Bridge is symbolic of my transformation from couch potato to marathon super hero. I got healthy by walking my dog to that bridge every day. To run across this landmark is a huge deal for me. To finish this race in 2:42-ish is even a bigger deal. I have not seen these kind of numbers in two years! Slowly but surely, I am returning to form. Woo Hoo!

I am very excited to announce that my post-Titanium season is progressing very well! Completing 52 marathons in 52 weeks last year took it's toll on me, mentally and physically. I need to be patient as I work at getting back to my pre-Titanium fitness level. Slowly but surely, I'm getting there. Check out the incredible progress that I have made this year so far:

3:46:02 - Surf City (2/6/12)
3:15:28 - Hellyer (2/18/12)
2:53:09 - Oakland (3/25/12)
2:41:31 - US Half (4/8/12)

Woo Hoo!

FAB Running Celebration Virtual Run Part II

Today marks the three year anniversary of my heart attack scare. I seriously thought my time was up. Fortunately, it wasn't cardiac arrest, and once everything settled, I took my dog for a walk around the block. The rest is history. For part two of the FAB Running Celebration Virtual Run, I took my dog for a walk around that block. I couldn't help but smile. I like to take this time to thank you all for following my journey and keeping me motivated to stay healthy. There is no telling what my life would be like today had I not gone for that walk around that block with my dog three years ago. I heart you very much Chewbacca!