Good Bars to Snack On

Lately, I have been eating a variety of different little snack bars to help amp up the calories I am consuming during the day (also...I have been eating a lot of healthy fruit popsicle things!)

Anyway, here you will find a brief opinion of each bar. I "grade" the bars on a couple things:

Nutrition/Ingredients
Taste/Flavor
Use in physical activity
Cost

1 is the low score, and 5 means that they receive full points for the respective category!

:)

***

1. Bobo's Oat Bars

The first bars I will talk about are Bobo's Oat Bars. Straight out of Boulder, these oat bars are simply amazing, and even taste like a healthy dessert. Now, who doesn't want something like this to eat?

As you can see from the image below, one bar supplies you with 360 calories, so you can chomp one of these down in the morning if you want a medium amount of calories before you start your day. (I won't comment on the other facts, really...all the bars I am talking about are pretty healthy, so you can make up your mind to which one you like the best).

The ingredients are pretty simple and free of weird stuff. This bar appears to be a gluten-free bar (just because it was sent to me as a sample). I have nothing against gluten, though. The main sweetener in the bar is brown rice syrup, rather than sugar. Sugar is way down on the list, which is good...and even then, it is a non-refined cane sugar.

The plastic wrapper is very easy to open, and then you get this:

These bars hold together well, but crumble really easily and are not messy at all. Look at all this good stuff:

Here are the scores for the bar:

Nutrition/Ingredients = 4
Bobo's attempts to use organic ingredients and doesn't add any weird stuff.

Taste = 5
All of these bars taste like a healthy dessert, but not too sweet! Many flavors available!

Use in physical activity = 2
Some, like me, would like to say that they can digest anything on the run, but Bobo's are a bit harder to digest than Clif Bars. As an anytime snack, Bobo's are awesome...but on a run, these would not be good to eat. If you are going for a day-hike, then sure, take a bunch! The lower intensity will allow you to digest and absorb all the goodness of this calorie-dense snack. Also, the wrappers are very easy to open.

Cost = 3
~$1.25 per 180 calories. Priced a bit over $2 at my local health food store, these bars are in the average range for this kind of healthy, organic bar. Calorie-wise, you are paying a dollar for a "serving" size.

Total score: 14 of 20

***

2. Kind Bars

The next bar I like to eat are Kind Bars. Maybe a bit on the pricey side, these bars are very simple. They have a some kind of slogan about being able to pronounce all the ingredients.

Ranging around 200 calories per bar, you know you are only eating the good stuff. Nuts account for a lot of the calories.

And there it is, the simple ingredients that you can pronounce:

These bars can be sort of sticky. It is the vegetable glycerine and the non-GMO glucose that holds all the stuff together. The good thing about these two sweeteners is that there is a good mix of high and low GI (glycemic index) sugars present. The glucose will be absorbed quickly for a nice boost of energy, and the vegetable glycerine will take longer to be assimilated. And then you have stuff like raisins (mid GI) and the nuts (low GI), and also these little puffy things of "crisp rice" (a higher GI). So all in all, you get a whole bunch of variety. A whole bunch.

Nutrition/Ingredients = 5
Composing each Kind Bar are only the best and simplest ingredients.

Taste/Flavor = 5
With so many varieties, Kind Bars are way up on the list of tastiest bars!

Use in physical activity = 3
Kind bars could probably be used for a calorie kick while taking a break during a long run or long bike ride, as long as you are used to consuming nuts on the regular. With the good mix of low and high GI ingredients, your body will love these!

Cost = 2
~$1.50 per 200 calories. Costing you about around $1.50, these bars don't have too many calories for how much they cost. They do, however, have really good ingredients, but the bars are still sort of small. I would rather just eat some nuts and dried fruits...and that would be a lot cheaper. If you do buy these, buy in bulk...that will save you money and you could get these for about a buck each.

Total Score = 15 out of 20

***

3. PowerBar

Next, we move on to the classic energy bar, PowerBar. Considered to be the first "energy bar," I first associated PowerBars with the exciting late 1980s Ironman competitions.

I guess my favorite one is this peanut butter flavor:

All PowerBars are pretty calorie dense, with a lot of quick carbs to literally power you down the road, plus a good deal of protein. In this case, there is roughly a 5:1 ration of carbs to protein: With a glycemic index of 81, your body will just suck these bars up!

I don't have a picture of the ingredients, but the first ingredient is cane sugar...followed by sucrose. Hmm..not really too cool, to just be eating sugar? PowerBar also puts some maltodextrin in there (which has a GI of 105...this is the main source of carbohydrate in Hammer Perpetuem, the choice fuel of many endurance athletes).

When you try to open up a PowerBar, the wrapper sort of clings to the bar. The bar is sort of sticky:

Also, trying to bite into and chew a PowerBar can make your jaw hurt, especially if you are eating a couple PowerBars over a 5 hour run. The consistency of a PoweraBar is sort of like a softer, less chewy version of a Bit O' Honey:

Nutrition/Ingredients = 3
With cane sugar being the number one ingredient, PowerBar pales in comparison with Hammer products as a "healthy" endurance fuel. You still get in a lot of calories (240 per bar), but with it comes 44 grams of carbohydrates (a lot of it from the cane sugar).

Taste/Flavor = 3
PowerBars are quite palatable, but after a while the fake taste of these bars can get to you. Again, I must mention Hammer products, which have little taste and go down smooth. PowerBars come in a variety of flavors, so you can mix and match. My recommendations: Peanut Butter, of course, and also the Cookies and Cream, for a sweet little snack! Pair with an apple for a great afternoon pick-me-up!

Use in physical activity = 5
PowerBars were my original choice of fuel when I started training for ultramarathons in late 2006. Gels were great for up to a 3 hour race (my marathon pace), but after that 3 hour mark, I simply needed more calories and wanted something that was a little more like food rather than the thick "paste" category of gels.

One comment is that if it is below 40 degrees, trying to eat a PowerBar becomes quite difficult. The already firm consistency becomes even more like Bit O' Honey, and your jaw has to work at chewing the dang thing. When I used to do back-to-back long runs over a weekend, my jaw would actually hurt on Sunday (after eating 3 PowerBars the day before). On Monday, my jaw would make a clicking sound when I ate.

Also, if you are trying to take it a bit of calories every 10-20 minutes, PowerBars can be quite difficult to use. You can try cutting them into small pieces (usually I cut a 240 calorie bar into six 40 calorie "bites" that I take in every 15 minutes over 90 minutes...an average of 160 calories an hour), but then you have to deal with these sticky things. Also, the wrapper can get caught into the stickiness of the bar, and then you have to fish out bits of wrapper. Near the end of a 30 mile run when your mood begins to plummet, these can be quite frustrating and can make you cuss. And, also, if you leave the bar intact and just bit off a piece every 15 minutes, then your saliva gets on the bar and then you have this doubly sticky thing. So...I would use these only if the weather is over 50 degrees.

Cost = 5
~$1.00 per 240 calories. Retailing at basically a buck a bar, PowerBars are a steal! I usually buy a box of 6 and let that box last a while. Sometimes I take them on runs, or just eat them as snacks or as a quick, calorie-dense breakfast. The cheap cost could reflect the lower quality of ingredients, but if you eat them sparingly, PowerBars can get the job done. Also, since they are so cheap, why not stash a bar here and there (like keep some in your car's glovebox, or in your gym bag, or at your desk). Emergency snacks are very important to have, and PowerBars are much better for you than a $1.00 bag of chips.

Total Score = 16 out of 20

***

4. Clif Bars

Similar to a PowerBars, sort of, are Clif Bars. A bit more hefty than the sticky and slim PowerBars, Clif Bars are awesome because they were made by this dude who sounds like a fun guy. He used to live in a garage with a bike and two trumpets when he started playing around with making energy bars, and that is pretty kick ass.

The flavors are many, but I really enjoy the Peanut Butter Crunch, and also this new one that came out about a year ago called Coconut Chocolate Chip. There is also a Christmasy-type one that has mint and chocolate, and maybe peppermint.

Crunch Peanut Butter, for those times when you are clambering up some rocks (or hiking, or running):

Made with organic oats, Clif Bar is trying to choose quality ingredients. At 250 calories per bar, most Clif Bars average around 40 grams of carbs, and 10 grams of protein. This 4:1 ratio is ideal for those long, steady workouts or hikes:

The wrapper is simple to open, and out comes a magnificent piece of food. You can see the oats and the peanut butter in this particular bar (yum!):

Very easy to break or chew, Clif Bars have a consistent composition of yumminess. They are only a tad sticky, and you have to give a bit of effort to chew and swallow (Bobo's Oat Bars are much cleaner to consume).

Nutrition/Ingredients = 4
Sweetened with organic brown rice syrup and using organic grains, Clif Bars are definitely good for your body. There are also a ton of added vitamins and minerals, so you know your body will love them!

Taste/Flavor = 4
I have liked every Clif Bar that I have tried. Of course, I am not too particular, and I appreciate the goodness and energy these bars give to my body, so of course they will taste good to me :)

Use in physical activity = 3
I would say that these are a bit better than Bobo's Oat Bars during a run or bike. Clif Bars are hefty and will not break apart on you. They can be smashed at the bottom of a bag, but you can simply open it up and eat it. I would imagine that Bobo's Oat Bars would crumble all over the place if they got smashed. You still have to chew Clif Bars quite a bit, so they are not as good as a gel or Hammer drink, but overall, Clif Bars will get you from Point A to Point B! The wrapper is also very easy to open, and you can wrap half of the bar back up and save for later without any mess.

Cost = 5

~$1.00 per 250 calories. Averaging a dollar each, Clif Bars are actually more cheaper than PowerBars (in terms of calorie content). They are also a lot more healthier than PowerBars, although Clif Bars are not the best choice for more intense rides and runs because they take more effort to digest. Buy these bars in bulk! A great snack for anytime!

Total score = 16 out of 20

***

5. Bear Valley Bars

The last bars I will talk about are more like small meals. Bear Valley Bars are made somewhere in California. There are a couple different options, with names like "Meal Pack" or "Pemmican" (the funny thing is that the "Pemmican" bars have no meat...they are vegetarian pemmican, I guess!) I prefer the Fruit and Nut bars, but there are also Carob Cacao, Coconut Almond, and Sesame Lemon options.

Packing 420 calories into one bar, Bear Valley Bars are a good choice if you want a lot of calories in a small package. There is roughly a 4:1 ration of carbs to protein:

The ingredients are pretty straight forward and healthy:

For me, the wrapper is very difficult to get off! There is no little perforated tab or a little slit to help make things easier. Either use a pair of scissors or a knife to open, or just maul it open with your bare hands. Once you get the bar out, it looks pretty basic. In this particular bar, there are fruit and nuts dotting the bar:

Very easy to break apart, Bear Valley bars maintain their shape, but can crumble a bit:

Nutrition/Ingredients = 5 
With only a couple ingredients used, Bear Valley bars are definitely nutritious. For those of you wanting a "complete protein," this bar satisfies what you are looking for. There are tons of amino acids and vitamins in Bear Valley bars, and the pieces of nuts and fruit are awesome! These bars also contain milk, which seems to limit them to hiking and general snacking, rather than a good choice for actual running and biking workouts.


Taste/Flavor = 4
The one thing about the malt syrup is that you need to really like the taste for these bars to work for you. If you are going to use these bars for a long run, then you will have to eat a malty thing, which is never too appetizing for me after 3 hours of running.

Use in physical activity = 2
With so many calories and being harder to digest, Bear Valley bars are best for snacking or hiking. Definitely takes a lot of work to chew and digest!

Cost = 5 
$1.25 per 420 calories. I buy these bars by the box (12 in a box), and therefore get a 10% bulk discount at the local health food store. With so many healthy calories for so cheap, these are definitely great to buy and eat!

Total score = 16 out of 20

***

Final Scores:

Bobo's Oat Bars = 14 out of 20

Kind Bars = 15 out of 20

PowerBar = 16 out of 20

Clif Bar = 16 out of 20

Bear Valley Bars = 16 out of 20

Based on the scores I assigned, it appears that PowerBars, Clif Bars, and Bear Valley Bars all come in with 16 out of 20 possible points. PowerBars are up there just because of the price; they are not the healthiest choice. Clif Bars are great for anytime, even on slow runs. Bear Valley Bars seem to be the most cost-efficient snack, but are limited to snacking and low-intensity hikes. The other two bars, Bobo's and Kind Bars, are great for snacks here and there, but are not the best choice for physical activity.

Well, tell me what you think of this, and what are your favorite bars to eat?

Until next,

Run on!

The 100 Mile "Workweek"

Hello!

Since I last wrote, things have been pretty busy. I have been figuring out the logistics for the New Mexico trip, finishing up some applications to schools for next fall, and busting out a "100 Mile Workweek." What this means is basically how it sounds: from Monday to Friday (today), I managed to put in 100 miles of running!

This is only the second time I have put in 100 miles in a week, the last being back in 2008, probably, when Ben Harden and I decided that we needed to throw down 100 miles in a week. I think we took 7 days to complete the 100 miles, and I remember that I was fatigued and had sluggish legs towards the end.

But this time around, I felt great the entire time, even though I smushed the 100 miles into 5 days. Trying to think of why this might be, I don't really know. I put in 69 miles in the New Balance Minimus shoes, so if haters say that minimal shoes don't have enough protection and make your legs tired, they don't have anything to base this on :) 16 miles were in the new Altra Superior shoes (see the last post). I thought that I would love these shoes, but they ended up being a flop. They literally make a flopping sound as I run, something about the structure of the sole, probably. Even when I was on the dirt and gravel, the flopping sound was still there and became annoying. It also made me think that there was something wrong with my running gait, even though there is definitely nothing wrong about it. Another thing about the shoe was that it dug into the Achilles tendon really bad. It's as if they made this shoe for people who have shins that are not perpendicular to the ground, but who lean forward at a 10 degree slant. The place where the back of the heel is supposed to make contact with the shoe is way open, like a half centimeter of space sits between it.

On the other hand, the 15 miles I put in with the Altra Paradigm were pretty good, but sort of weird. It is nice to have all the cushion and what not, but I don't really like how high you are off the ground. Any feel you have for the ground is eliminated; I like to run over rugged ground and feel the difference. I like to feel how gravel feels different from grass, or weeds, or rocks. With the Altra Paradigm, you can't tell any difference between any surface, and I find this to be quite strange. Regardless, the Paradigm will come in handy when I run across New Mexico on those days where I am feeling like a sissy and want to be coddled.

Anyway, here is a breakdown of the miles I put in during the past five-day "workweek:"

Monday: 20 miles in 2:52:20 (8:37 pace)

Tuesday: AM- 10 miles in 1:26:53 (8:41 pace), PM- 6 miles 52:22 (8:44 pace)

Wednesday: AM- 10 miles in 1:28:02 (8:48 pace), PM- 5 miles in 39:09 (7:50 pace), then 5 miles on the treadmill in 45:00 (9:00 pace)

Thursday: AM- 10 miles in 1:25:13 (8:31 pace), PM- 10 miles in 1:23:48 (8:22 pace)

Friday: AM- 15 miles in 2:10:28 (8:42 pace), PM- 9 miles in 1:11:59 (8:00 pace)

According to my Garmin, this 100 miles used up about 11,600 calories...and believe me, I made sure to consume enough food during the day (and a lot of snacks) in order to not be deficient in calories. So, based on the fact that I probably eat 2,000 calories a day x 5 days = 10,000 calories, I got to eat over 20,000 calories this week. That is a lot!

The total time for the 100 miles was 14 hours and 15 minutes (8:33 pace). So, not really too time consuming, if you think about it. It would be an average of 2 hours and 51 minutes a day. Think of all the time people spend watching TV or just jacking around each day. There is no reason that everyone can't get in a simple 30 minutes each day. That would total 3 hours and 30 minutes a week. Come on, let's get everyone motivated to get moving :)

On the other hand, this puts things more into perspective about elite marathoners and ultramarathoners. Those who bust out 100-140 miles a week regularly at a much faster pace are ridiculous! Anton Krupicka used to run around 200 miles a week! I am planning to do another 5-day cycle after a day off, but maintaining 100+ miles a week is hard work!

Another interesting thing to note: 90% of the time I use a 9:1 ration of running to walking. On most runs, even today's run of 9 miles at an average of 8:00, I take a 1-minute walking break every 9 minutes. Especially on long runs, I think this method is great for most people to follow! There is nothing wrong with walking, ever, and those runners who are gung-ho about running the entire time need to chill out. I qualified for the Boston Marathon a couple times even though I threw in some walking breaks in all of these qualifying marathons (in one, I HAD to walk because my legs were cramping up...I still slipped under 3 hours on this one, though, so the walking was more than acceptable). Especially in ultras, people are going to be walking. In the Badwater Marathon, 135 miles across Death Valley and half way up the 14,000 feet of Mt. Whitney, pretty much everyone ENTIRELY walks the last 8 miles (it IS up a mountain, though, after 127 miles of running through the hottest part of the US...so this might be the only way to get up there in the first place).

And, if you were wondering, there have been a couple beers thrown in there. Many studies have shown the positive effects of beer, like one that concluded that having a beer after a run actually opens stuff up in the body to allow for better absorption of the adequate fluid you will drink after drinking the beer! I'll drink to that! HERE is another little snippet of why you should drink beer! Cheers!

Well, that is about all for now...this weekend, look out for a small post about a couple of my favorite snacks: Kind Bars, Clif Bars, PowerBars, Bear Valley Bars, and my recent discovery, Bobo's Oat Bars from Boulder, CO!

New Altra Shoes!

Hello!

It has been quite a long time since I have last posted an update. My preparations for the Race Across New Mexico are going good, both in training and in planning the trip. I have been getting in a lot of good miles, and the weather here in Southern Colorado has been above 20 degrees (usually getting up to 50 during the day). I remember training for the Brew to Brew 44 Miler (Kansas City to Lawrence) in the winter of 2008-2009, putting in a lot of long runs in the cloudy and snowy plains of central Nebraska. In some ways, it seems like I was a lot more hardcore back then...just sipping Gatorade and eating PowerBars and busting out 30+ mile runs alone on the grid-like gravel roads surrounding my hometown. Now, I think that I need to consume state-of-the-art supplements, like those by Hammer Nutrition. Yes, it is nice to use one of their best products, Perpetuem, on a long run or bike, and it makes it entirely feasible to consume only liquid calories. But I look back on those early ultrarunning days with awe. All I needed was a pair of Nike Pegasus and a pair of shorts...although now, it seems that Nike does not make products like they used to. It seems like the Nike Free line up changed things, and now all of their shoes are sort of overpriced and not even that good!

This post is supposed to be about some new shoes that just arrived today! But first, here is a little history of my shoes:

From 2004-2011, I basically just ran in the Nike Pegasus. For my first ultra in 2007, I wore this awesome shoe by Nike called the Kyotee. Two months later, I didn't have any fresh Pegasus around, so I actually wore the Kyotee at the Boston Marathon. It was a light trail running shoe that wasn't too rugged, so it worked equally well on a single-track trail or wet, cold pavement (as it was at Boston 2007). I also ran in the North Face Fireroad for a bit.

In 2012, I switched it up to the New Balance 890. This was the time when the Pegasus was getting ridiculous and expensive and not really a performance shoe, in my opinion. The New Balance 890 worked great for me from 2012-2014. I first was drawn to it because of it's light weight (9 oz or so) and because it had a lower heel-to-toe drop (8mm compared to 12mm of most shoes). I also explored the New Balance Minimus Series, with the New Balance 1010 trail shoe (and also some other random Minimus road shoe). The 1010 worked perfectly for a trail marathon last summer, except that the gnarly trail frayed part of the fabric on the toes. Since then, the shoe has continued to deteriorate, even though it probably only has about 200 miles on it.

Anyway, I first discovered Altra shoes last May while looking for a low drop shoe. I ordered a pair called The Torin and loved them! I ordered a second pair and rotated these two shoes...until the first pair went straight to hell and, I think, contributed to the straining of my left soleus last October :( For such an expensive shoe, Altras seem to not really be that durable. Priced just a bit more, Hoka One One shoes are purported to last twice the miles of a regular shoe, but lack a foot-shaped design. Altra shoes look like a foot, and therefore allow your toes to splay out. Below is the same foot in an Altra shoe compared to a traditional running shoe:

More than anything, I appreciate Altra shoes for having this foot-shaped design. And since I usually wear zero-drop footwear such as XeroShoes in the summer, and Bearpaw in the winter, I want to make the same choice with my running shoes.

So, here are some images of the fun that happened tonight!

This is the box that arrived via UPS at like 6:30 pm or something...such a late delivery, and such a great surprise!

For a runner, this is probably the best site one can behold, aside from seeing the finish line at a tough ultra:

From left to right: Altra Paradigm, Superior 1.5, and the Repetition:

Right away, I can tell that the Superiors are going to be my favorite. They sit very low to the ground, and have this durable-looking (but not too rugged) outsole. To me, these seem like a more luxurious version of the New Balance 1010 trail shoe:

The Paradigms seem to be taking on the appearance of Hoka One One shoes. With a stack height of three inches (so it seems), these ones will be great for when my feet are feeling beat up. I would not feel comfortable with these on any trail or rugged terrain, as these shoes will break your ankles if you step wrong. But for the roads, they will be perfect:

Hmm...the Repetition shoes are interesting. They are a more of a stability shoe, with this firm wedge of rubber right underneath the arch to prevent over-pronation. For some reason I thought that a stability shoe could help in the 390 miles in 16 days across New Mexico, but trying on a stability shoe was jarring to my body after running in neutral shoes forever and the Minimus shoes as of late (I have only had two stability shoes, ever...and I only got them because they were on sale!). I do appreciate the design of these shoes, and heavier runners with low arches who severely over-pronate would benefit from this shoe. Also, Altra designed these shoes with a 4mm tilt from the medial to lateral side of the shoe to assist with motion control. A very radical idea, but this would simply mess up my legs and body if I ran in them...so, I will be sending them back!

Lastly, here are some images from my two pairs of Torins...they are pretty beat up, and seem to be unwearable for running now, especially since I think that the degradation of the blue pair caused my soleus strain.

You can sort of see here on the bottoms of the shoe, the construction is lacking. The grey part is a foam-type material which started to be eaten away by the pavement. The blue rubber is probably about as durable as any other shoe, but the combination of the rubber and foam would make this shoe more fitting for a very smooth gravel trail, or grass. Even a treadmill would eat it up.

Well, that is my nerd-out for now. Be on the lookout for more posts as the New Mexico trip nears! :)

Until then,

Run on!

Weekly Update: November 16, 2014

I am writing to you on this beautiful, sunny day here in southern Colorado. To the north, Pikes Peak stands tall, dusted with snow; and to the south, the Spanish Peaks rise from the ground. With the temperatures hovering in the high 20s, these clear conditions made for quite the enjoyable run.

Today marks the longest run I have done since that ill-fated day (October 9) when I strained my soleus, thus rendering it impossible for me to run the Pony Express Trail 50 on October 17 in Utah. The cause of the strain was most likely from doing yoga on a mat while wearing these blasted double-layer socks from Road Runner Sports that are supposed to prevent blisters while running. I never found them to be anything special for running, and the sock shrank a bit and therefore exposed part of my Achilles tendon to the shoe, so I have just been wearing them around. But after the slipping on the yoga mat, all three pairs of these socks are in the trash.

(Speaking of the Pony Express Trail runs, last year I pulled out of what would have been my first 100 mile run due to my left piriformis acting up. I attributed this injury to using a weighted vest while doing strength training (especially burpees), but am not sure if this is the case, since the piriformis aids in lateral rotation. Sure, upon out of the pushup/plank position before jumping up, there is some lateral rotation in the hips, but is this enough to irritate the piriformis? Anyway, the Pony Express Trail runs have eluded me for two years now…let’s hope that next year is a “go”!)

For the past two weeks, I have progressed from 2 mile runs, to 4 to 6 miles runs, to today’s 8 mile run. No more do I even sense that something had been strained in my left leg. This is such a great fact that perhaps I will go celebrate with an expensive beer or something tasty!

Ever since the soleus strain, I have been using a run/walk method, first a 1:00/1:00 for the short 2 milers, a 2:00/1:00 for the 4 milers, a 2:30/1:00 progressing to 3:00/1:00 in the 5 and 6 milers, and then a 3:00/1:00 for today’s 8 mile. I will write later about the benefits of a run/walk strategy. In general, this is what projected training pace would be like for a 20 miler:

8:15 if no or little walking

8:30 if following a 9:00/1:00 pattern

9:00 if following a 4:00/1:00 pattern

9:30 if following a 3:00/1:00 pattern

10:00 if following a 2:30/1:00 pattern

11:00 if following a 2:00/1:00 pattern

12:00 if following a 1:00/1:00 pattern

I adopted a run/walk strategy about a year and a half ago, and believe that for the Race Across New Mexico, this will be the most efficient and beneficial race strategy.

Well, I will write more about this subject at a later! For now, I am just glad to be up on my feet moving again without any pain!

Until next time,

Run on!

The Race Across New Mexico

Donate at crowdrise.com/RaceAcrossNewMexico 

Hello!

For a couple years now, I have wanted to do something amazing for my birthday that also benefits others. Last year, I had the idea of putting on a "birthday" clarinet recital in order to raise money for the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, located in Lyons, CO (www.greenwoodwildlife.org/). Unfortunately, this idea did not come to fruition :(

On February 21 of 2015, I will turn 30 years of age, and I have found an opportunity to do something amazing by helping to raise awareness of childhood obesity. It is called the “Race Across New Mexico”, a 390 mile journey from the western border to the eastern border of the beautiful southwestern state. This 16-day trek in which I will be participating is just a part of the entire Run Across the USA, which will be completed by an elite group of endurance athletes who will complete the entire 3,080 miles in 140 days (raceacrossusa.org).

It is a requirement for all participants to raise money for this cause. Along the way, I will have the opportunity to speak to kids of all ages about the importance of being physically active. In this age of technology and unhealthy eating, it is a sad fact that a lot of children deal with obesity, and having a positive stimulation (like hearing a bunch of runners speak about the joys of running across an entire state, or the entire country!) could have the potential to have a serious and long-lasting impact on the youth of today.

Upon completing the trek, I want to continue to use this experience by sharing with kids wherever I may go about the benefit of staying physical active. The 100 Mile Club is a program that urges and challenges kids to be active, by running 100 miles in a school year (100mileclub.com). I hope to be able to be a “spokesperson” for this program, and go into public schools around the area, and near my home in rural Nebraska, to inspire kids to lace up their shoes and get outside!

Please help me in making my 30th birthday one to remember! In addition to raising money to fight childhood obesity, I am also asking for monetary assistance to help with travel, lodging (the cost will be split with up to 4 runners per room), food, and helping with the crew members and volunteers.

***

More about me:

I have been running marathons since 2006, and ultramarathons since 2007. Upon qualifying for the Boston Marathon on my first marathon attempt in April of 2006 (2:57), and running a satisfying 1:18 half-marathon a couple months later, I quickly lost interest in trying to set PRs. For this reason, I decided to extend the distance of my runs.

I completed my first ultramarathon, the PsycoWyco 50k, on a February morning in 2007. The temperature was around 18 degrees at the start and there were volunteers putting screws in the runners’ shoes in order to provide traction on the slippery, rocky single-track trails. You don’t see this at any road marathons. After wiping out multiple times, uncontrollably sliding down a hill while my legs were painfully cramping up, and proclaiming the course to be “treacherous,” I finished the race at a pace that was 3.5 minutes slower than my marathon pace…and I loved it! It was basically the most fun I had ever had!

Since then I have run many other ultras, ranging from the gnarly Cedro Peak 45k near Albuquerque (where a dude was offering free shots of tequila at mile 26 and where there was a self-serve beer keg at the finish), the 44 mile Brew to Brew ultra from Kansas City to Lawrence (if beer is involved, I am definitely in!). While in college I did a 50 mile run in and around Lincoln, NE on a weekday when I didn’t have classes. Recently, I have completed multiple back-to-back marathons on consecutive days, and am now looking for a greater challenge.

Why I Chose the “Race Across New Mexico”

The Race Across New Mexico will be, for me, the ultimate challenge (15 marathons in 16 days), and it will give more meaning to my running efforts. I could use the next couple of months to run another sub 3 hour marathon, or try to run a 2:50 marathon, but this will do nothing but fulfill a selfish, egotistical goal. I want to use my ability of running long distances to raise money for the good of humanity! The Race Across New Mexico will be a new beginning to my running career so far. After I complete the New Mexico run, I plan to do other endurance events to help support various causes. The Race Across New Mexico will be special for me because it will allow me the opportunity to talk to kids and motivate them to start the healthy habit of running.

I am always very inspired by athletes who raise money and participate in events for a good cause. A main reason why I wanted to start running ultramarathons was because I read Dean Karnazes' first book, Ultramarathon Man. In this book, he recounts how he set out to run 200 miles, and how he was using the opportunity to raise money for a little girl in need. This was very inspiring to me! There are countless other stories about people doing Ironman triathlons to raise money, and even a lot of 5k runs held in an effort to raise money. Now, as my 30th birthday nears, I am wanting to do something to make it a day to remember! I have been toying with the idea of doing a week-long supported bike ride across Colorado, or (a couple weeks after my birthday, in March) completing the "Dust Bowl Marathon Series," which is five days of five marathons in five different states. In 2012, I did the first and last marathons of the series, and I loved it! To do the entire series would be awesome, but it only serves to satisfy my personal goals. I want to do something more meaningful.

As outlined in his first book, Dean Karnazes had a life-changing 30^th birthday, where he made the choice to run 30 miles, and also change the path of his life. Now, he runs for Karno Kids, making a big impact to get kids outside and to lead an active lifestyle. At first, he ran for himself, but then, he wanted to run for others. This is where I am at right now in my own life. It has become boring (and a little pointless and not fun) trying to set PRs, and now I run for the experience of being outdoors, meeting other like-minded individuals, and trying to get others to do the same!

By being offered the opportunity to run across the state of New Mexico (I had to complete an application, as well as write a couple essay questions), I will be doing more than simply fulfilling a big running goal: I will raise money to bring about awareness of childhood obesity, and have the opportunity to speak to kids and motivate them to get outside and get moving! I could think of no better way to spend my 30th birthday

***

Allocation of Funds:

40% directly to fundraiser

25% lodging for 16 days ($19 each day, shared room in hotel)

15% food for 16 days ($11 each day)

15% transportation to and from New Mexico

5% to help with crew member and volunteer costs

I will be paying for the registration, supplements and other nutrition, additional gear, etc (approximately $600). In total, doing this event is rather expensive (around $1,800), so any aid you can give will help.

Donate at crowdrise.com/RaceAcrossNewMexico

Thank you for considering!

Regards,

Charles.

My FIRST Triathlon! Ordinary Mortals Sprint Tri, Pueblo CO, May 11, 2013

And it is with much excitement that I am able to say that I have completed my first triathlon ever!  I first wanted to do triathlons way back in 2007 or so, when this dude Lee from the Lincoln Civic Orchestra loaned me a bike.  Or, he could have given it to me...I don't remember...but I feel bad about it because after I moved from my apartment in Lincoln in August of 2008, I forgot to take it.  The bike was chained outside and when I went back to get it, it was gone :(

The bike was way old, like from the 1980s, but it was sweet anyway!  (I tried to find it on bikepedia.com, but I guess they only show stuff 1993 - present).  I am not sure where the shifters were, but at least they weren't the kind that were on the down tube (the slanting one going from the crankset to the head tube).  Why would they even put them on the down tubes?  I feel like my hand would get caught in the tire or something.

Anyway, back to my first triathlon!

I have been training with the Southern Colorado Triathlon Team (SoCo T2) since mid-late March, and have been very grateful for all the support, encouragement, motivation, and tips from everyone on the team.  It is very motivating to go to the pool and see a bunch of other triathlon club members getting in their laps for the day...the woman who co-runs the tri club, Gwen, coaches a youth swim team, and, while a couple tri people were swimming (we share the pool with the youth team), she offered to videotape our form with the help of an underwater camera...she sent the footage to each of us, along with some comments on how to improve our form.

Two other exciting training events that occur weekly are a Test Track Tuesdays (held on a Test Track thing on the east side of Pueblo, in which we bike 25-40 miles as a group) and Thursday Nights at Nick's (http://www.nicksbikes.com/), which is a casual 14-15 mile ride (although two weeks ago it was used as a tempo ride at 22+ mph!).

One more epic event was the Tour de Beulah, a 50 mile ride from Pueblo to Beulah CO.  Since I just started serious biking about three months ago, and my longest ride prior to this was 25 miles, I didn't know if I could do the distance!  But my buddy Ed Porter told me to not be a pussy and show up...so that is what I did!  I was a bit nervous for the distance, and actually planned to turn around, but Ed and this dude Justin (who is married to Gwen) told me to nut up on the way out, so I ended up doing the whole thing!  It was such a blast...except on the way back I was late to start (being courteous, I guess...started 20 meters behind everyone), and the pace line inched away from me as the miles went by...I ended up doing the last 20 alone, which sort of sucked, especially since there were two huge hills!  On the second one, my quads burned like no other, so I thought I would just take a quick break and get off the bike.  Bad idea!  It took almost all my effort to get the bike going again (even though I was in the lowest gear)...finished up the ride feeling ebullient and satisfied with my hard, honest effort!

***

Back to my race report:

I woke up at about 6:15 am on the day of my first triathlon, which started at 9 am.  I had picked up my packet the night before, so I didn't really have to hurry or anything...just get down to the CSU-Pueblo campus at a decent time to set up my stuff in the transition zone (TZ) and get my chip and body markings.  I got to the campus at around 7:30, took my stuff to the TZ, and found a place that looked like it would be okay for me: not too much congestion, and right next to where the kid's bikes would go (there was a kids race too!).  My bike, a Trek 1.2, wasn't as crazy as some Time Trial bikes with disc wheels and aerobars and electronic shifting, but at least it was better than some of the mountain bikes that some people were going to ride.  I probably had the coolest seat, if that means anything...check it out: http://www.ismseat.com/saddle/adamo-road.  It has a sweet little place in the back that hangs over the bike rack, making for an easy on/easy off type of deal for me.  It also has a big cutaway in the middle that eliminates the pressure put on the soft tissue and perineum...all good for any man wanting to protect his nuts from the brutalness of cycling.

Anyway, I was a bit nervous for this race, which I really haven't been for years, it seems.  Marathons and ultras, I don't really get nervous for them at all, mostly because I am just out there enjoying it, you know?  That's the way to be.  But I was nervous for my first triathlon because I wanted to do pretty good...sort of some friendly competition, but I knew I could back it up :)  Oh yeah, since I am part of the triathlon team, I got to wear the team gear, which is pretty cool!



The Run: 5 Kilometers

Having been able to bust out mid 16 minute 5ks my freshman year in college, I always feel a little weird that I can't run that fast anymore...I guess it is because I don't really train to run fast.  Regardless, when the gun went off, I took off at a good clip.  I ran a 20:50 5k in February, so I thought that just a little faster would be good, since I would have to bike and swim after the run.  At about a half mile in, the front pack had strung out...I sat about 15th or so, and was probably 30 seconds behind the leader.  All the ultra training had paid off, though, so when the hills started at mile 1, I was able to keep up a good clip while still keeping the heart rate comfortable and not putting out too much effort.

In the second mile, I was able to pick off about three dudes, all who were really nice.  I have this habit now of talking to people in races (in ultras you could literally do it for the entire race!), and it was good to know that the runners were very friendly and joked around a bit too, as well as offering encouragement!  A runner is always a good person, no doubt!

In the last mile, there was a 300m or so incline, and I passed another dude who was running in those Vibram 5 Toes shoes...he didn't look too comfortable in them, to tell the truth!  After a right turn that led me across 50m of dirt, I was in and out of parking lot, and then finished up the run on a downhill in a surprising time of 19:47!

Transition 1

 So...time for my first real transition of all time!  I threw off my shoes really fast (should have gotten a medal just for that!) and put on the bike helmet, shoes, downed part of a gel, and then jogged the ol bike out of the transition area...after a quick u-turn, I started to mount the bike, but then a lady screamed at me not too...evidently, I had forgotten that the mounting line was still 5m ahead...

After awkwardly aborting my first attempted mount, I passed the mount line and then got on the bike...for some reason I had the most difficult time clipping in...by the time I had to turn, I had barely gotten clipped in and ready to go.

The Bike: 12.5 Miles

Although not my worst event, the bike is what I was most worried about.  My high goal was to maintain an average speed of 20 mph, which would put give me a time of 37:30 for the bike.  Knowing that the leaders would finish in 31 to 32 minutes, this was depressing, but since I had ran a good 5k, it wasn't too upsetting to accept the fact that I would most likely be 5-6 minutes behind the leaders on the bike.

Anyway, on the way out, there were these dang headwinds...I got passed by like 6 people on the way out...only 2 of them seemed nice, and returned my words of encouragement.  I was just out there hammering it on my Trek 1.2 with low-end components while people on their TT bikes just flew by me, going probably 4 mph faster.  It wasn't too disheartening, though, because I was gaining on some woman ahead of me. 

I passed her at about 5 miles in, and said something like "Nice job!  Keep it up!" but she didn't say anything back.  What was with these bikers?  All the runners were nice, but I was beginning to take note of the differences between runners and bikers.  Maybe I was just too chipper, but whatever...even if I were tired and someone passed me and said "good job," I would say "thanks."  Basic manners, yo!

At turnaround, there was a pack of 5-7 riders about a minute ahead of me, but I really wasn't interested in catching them.  I just wanted to keep up a good pace and finish strong with some juice left for the swim!  I managed to pick up my pace to 22-23 mph on the way back, save for some hills that took me down to about 15.  Some 40 year olds passed me on their TT bikes, and then the last mile felt pretty good, even though the last 200m were on a hill (have you picked up on it that I hate biking hills?).

There were all these kids cheering us on, and I interacted with them a bit and said thanks, then made some remark about the "dang hills" to the people standing right at the end, then was off the bike and into transition 2.

Transition 2

Let's just take a minute to count how many times I have ridden the bike and immediately went for a run.


One...oh, I guess that's all.

Needless to say, my legs were a little jangly coming off the bike and running to the rack.  I racked the bike (easily, thanks to the hook on the seat!), took off the helmet, shoes, race belt, and even the shirt.  It was said before the race that it could be faster to swim shirtless, so I went with it.  The run to the pool was about 200m, and during that time I put on the ol goggles, ready for the swim, and hoping that I would not cramp up!

The Swim: 300 yds

I actually don't know if it was a 300 yd or a 300 m swim...regardless, the swim was a very surreal experience!  Some guy from the tri club remarked to me, as I entered the doors to the pool, "are you going to run 100 miles after this?"  Evidently, ultra runners are not very common in this part of Colorado, and I guess some people in the tri club know that I LOVE long distance running events!  Anyway, this sort of cracked me up and made me wish that I could run a couple more miles rather than get in the pool.

I got in the pool and took off, sort of.  I don't know if I was going fast or anything, but I had to change my breathing pattern...usually I do three strokes between breaths, but since I was tired from the bike, I had to do every two strokes.  This felt weird and not very fluid, but it was what I had to do.  I had also not gone swimming in a pool with a deep end of 15 feet since being at Nebraska Wesleyan, so that was sort of weird to be able to look down so far...sort of scary in a way, but not too bad.

I kept churning out the laps (this was a serpentine swim...start in lane 1, keep right on the way down, right on the way back, go under the rope into lane 2, repeat), and kept seeing that more and more people were coming up on me.  That sort of sucked, but also gave me tons of motivation to try to swim faster.  After battling a cramping right foot on the 2nd part of my 3rd lap, I knew that I could bust out 3 more laps easily...I stopped at the wall on my 4th lap to let a dude pass me, who was very nice.  I said "go ahead," and he said "thanks!"  That was the courteousness I was looking for!  This triathlete redeemed them all! 

I think two more people passed me, and I got out of the pool at the same time as some woman.  On the way out, I said "nice swim!" or something like that, but she wasn't any fun...I think she even started sprinting to the finish line.  That's not my style.  It doesn't even matter, you know?  I think it makes someone look like a douche if they try to outsprint someone at a 150 person triathlon in Pueblo, CO.  Know what I mean?  Just keep it fun and chill!

Anyway, I finished up the race in 1:05:57, well under my goal time of 1:10:00!  I was super elated, and made sure to fuel up on free pizza, Heed, and honey stinger wafers.  It felt really good to get out there and do work, put out a good effort, but I think I have moved past that stage where I really want to beat people in races.  I would rather come into the finish with someone I had met during the race, both of us knowing that it is just fun and enjoyable to be out there with like-minded people.  That's all I want.

So now that I have my first tri under my belt, I am going to set my focus on a half-ironman distance triathlon for the fall.  I think endurance events are still my favorite, and I think I will be able to successfully train for and even get in a good time for an Ironman next year!  That would be a great goal!

The thing about it all is still this: people who run on the trails and in the mountains and who grow out beards, these people are so much nicer and humble than those who just flatten out on their tri bikes and who think that running on cement is the only thing to do.

Forget about hitting exact splits or all that stuff...just get out there and enjoy it!  Train wisely and have fun, and always put out a good effort, but don't get caught up in the rigidity that comes with triathlons...

Maybe I should do Xterra triathlons!  That could be fun!

Well, that is all for now!  I hope you enjoyed this post!  I am very excited to get out there on the bike and into the pool or open water, and plan to do an Olympic distance tri this summer...fun times, it all is!

Happy training!

Bear Brook Trail Marathon, 2014

When you can register for a marathon for $35, you always do it; and this was my third time doing so. The 2014 Bear Brook Marathon has become a favorite for me, even though the distance has gotten longer. According to my Garmin, the 2012 race was 26.85, the 2013 race was 26.80 miles, and the 2014 race was 29.26 miles! This is roughly 47 kilometers...an odd distance, but very fun! Perhaps for next year, the name of the race should be changed away from Bear Brook Trail Marathon to something more accurate.

The morning began even before the sun came up, because around 4:45 there was some kind of animal rummaging around outside the tent. I heard little grunting noises, and thought that maybe an animal like a bear was causing the dog in the adjacent camping spot to make these noises. Upon waking up at 5:10, I looked out of the tent and saw that it was a skunk! While it milled around, I just sat there watching it for a while, until it was far enough away for me to be able to get out of the tent.

With this fun way to be awakened, we drove to the race start, which was about 15 minutes away. On the drive I put on a cd of the Greek clarinetist Yiorgos Mangas, which really got me excited to run!

Basically, the run was a lot easier than the previous 2 years, even though the distance was 2.5 miles longer. I wore the New Balance Trail 1010 Minimus, and they performed outstandingly. My legs didn't cramp up at all, and I think I have to owe it to the shoes. I did not take in any gels, but ate a bunch of bananas, chips, cookies, PB&J sandwiches, M&Ms, and Gatorade. Maybe taking in a lot of calories (usually on a run this size I will just consume 3-4 gels) helped out a lot.

Due to some chaffage on the nips, I had to pull off the shirt at around mile 18. I thought that this would make me more susceptible to being bitten by the deer flies, but I had no problem with those pesky insects. Around mile 22, this dude named Alex started running with me, and we talked and rolled on into the finish together. Although we could have pushed it a bit, we just took it easy and finished it out.

My total time was 5:05:27, which seems pretty good for this being just a training run, basically, and because I had only busted out a 20 miler in June and a 21 miler last week in preparation for this run. Now, 5 hours after finishing, my legs still feel really good. I think it has to do something with the shoes I ran in today, and also because I have been wearing Xeroshoes for the past three weeks. Good stuff!