An Old and Tired Man went for a Reluctant Run and Came Back Young and Energized

It was a tiring week of work with long hours and meetings at night with a lot of driving. The pandemic felt like history and I was back on the hamster wheel going full speed at work. I was so tired both mentally and physically that I had taken an extra day off from my morning running routines.  As I woke that Friday morning, I was exhausted. In fact, I was not really awake, I was more in a walking stupor.  I looked at the clock and knew I had time to get in a good run before work but I was not feeling in the mood. I was contemplating taking another “rest” day.  What really seemed appealing to me was sitting in my chair with a cup of coffee scrolling through my phone. After all, I had put in a lot of hours this week, I deserved to do nothing at all. It was time to recharge my batteries. I not only did not want to run but I was not very enthusiastic about going to work either.

I however have an obsessive habit of charting my runs and hate to have too many blank days so I compromised with the two entities battling in my brain.  I would just do a short run of four miles. Even though this was a day, I should do at least twice that distance.  I reluctantly put on my running gear and headed out the front door.  I live at the top of the hill so the first three quarters of a mile is mostly downhill which should make for an easy start but I was not feeling it, but I trudged on. Not because I wanted to, but because I had to. I needed to get some miles in.

A strange and funny thing happened as I was running by the lake in my neighborhood at mile two.  Almost exactly at the moment my Garmin vibrated that I was at mile two I noticed that my lethargy was completely gone and my somewhat dour disposition was replaced with a more positive almost euphoric mindset. I continued on past the lake in which I was a member, and when I got to the turn to at which I would veer and start my return back home for a four mile run I flew by it and headed in the opposite direction which was the route up and downhills for my eight plus mile run.

As I came upon the end of the road with only a left turn to make that would take me back home for an eight and a half mile run I didn’t want to stop so I turned right.  That would leave me with an eleven mile run and barely enough time to get to work on time. I was okay with pushing it and leaving only minutes to get to work because I was no longer the same tired and unenthusiastic person who left my house.  I was energetic and actually looking forward to doing my work. That was until my cellphone rang and it was my boss so I had to take the call even though it was before I started work. (I will admit that I debated answering the phone and may not have answered it if I was only a mile from home but I still had almost four miles left so I answered it.) In any case I dealt with the issue and finished an eleven mile run.

Yet that eleven mile run did not tire me one bit. It actually energized me. I was also enthusiastic about my work and had a great day at work.  That run had changed my entire day. While I am an avid runner, to a small degree I had taken running for granted. It was just part of my fitness routine but this run reminded me that exercise and running provide more than just fitness they affect my mood and my energy. It actually makes me a better employee. (I am thinking of asking my association to fund my race entry fees as professional development! Which led to this humorous blog)

The following day my sister called and I knew that her work, like mine, was crazy and she was putting in long hours this month.  As she talked, I could not only feel her exhaustion over the phone but I also sensed that her goal was just to make it through the week. As we talked about our crazy work schedules, she admitted how tired she was. She finally said to me “I don’t know how you can do all those events (races and runs) with your work?”   I was going to respond that “I can do all those things because I run.” but just remained quiet and listened. That was my role in this conversation.

While to a nonrunner like my sister, who lives a busy life, adding in a running or any exercise routine into their schedule may seem exhausting.  It is actually the opposite.  It adds energy and positivity to your day.  You find a way to fit your run (It can be any exercise not just running.) because without it you are tired.

I realized that my exhaustion and tiredness that week was not physical in nature.    No, it was more a mental exhaustion. Though, it had definitely slowed me down physically. I had made a mistake earlier in the week by taking an “extra” rest day from my runs. I had acted like a nonrunner and sat on my butt mindlessly surfing the internet. The break from my running routine had only added to my weariness.

A few days later, I was at a meeting featuring a speaker on mental health and dealing with stress. During the presentation, she stressed the importance of self-care. Then to my surprise, she stated that she knew I was a good example of someone who practiced self-care through my running. I had never told her I was a runner but we were friends on Facebook so she saw my running posts. I had never looked at running as self-care but after that one morning run and the conversation with my sister, it made sense. There are numerous studies that confirm this but it is always better to experience things first hand than just read about them.

Despite knowing this is self-care, it is not always easy taking that first step out the door, especially on a cold day. Yet the man who comes back after a run is always a happier, more energetic and positive man than the one who took that first step. I am positive I am not the only runner who feels that way.

Tax Breaks and Workplace Benefits for Runners is Good Government Policy

One morning at the end of a long week at work, I was dragging, and almost eschewed my morning run but I forced myself out the door and did it.  By the time, I got back to my front door I was a new man.  I had my energy back as well as my enthusiasm and I attacked my work with new vigor.  In fact, while I was running I solved a few work issues in my head and was eager to accomplish them. I was a bit irked that during my run I was solving work issues on my own time, without any compensation from my employer. That was when the first inkling of the idea that running was not just a personal fitness activity but that it affected my performance at work as well. It actually made me a better employee and that maybe I should be financially compensated for my running? 

No matter what your job is, there is training involved.  Professional development is oftentimes required.  Frankly much of it is a waste of time and does little to improve our productivity at work. If my runs or races were defined as job related I could be compensated for them?

The idea of my employer viewing my races as professional development had a lot of merit. (At least to me it did.)  I however needed to really flesh the idea out and look at it from all perspectives not just my own selfish interests (and the self interest of my fellow runners) .  So I did what I would do to develop any great idea – I went for a run.  That run did it and more! I came up with this three point plan that will get America’s economy humming, improve workplace teamwork, make Americans healthier, and even improve family life.  I am now making room in my den for my Nobel Peace Prize. Now I know that some of you are snickering and are very doubtful of my idea but I just ask that read it first, along with the rationale then you can criticize it.

All Employers Should Reimburse Runners for their Races – As any runner can attest running makes you a happier person with more energy and enthusiasm. I am sure that like me, other runners have had their runs renew their energy and enthusiasm not just at home but at work. Finishing a race brings this energy and enthusiasm to another level so it should be considered professional development. Think about how much better your work relationships would be if we ran together.  It would increase our productivity.

We all know that for all of those useless sessions and online classes you have taken at work, you have to sign in to attendance sheets or if online answer questions and submit the results. This is to verify that you took the course.  Now I am big on verification and do not want just any run counted as professional development, it needs to be a sanctioned race.   For our race verification the employee would be required to wear the race t-shirt and their finisher medal to work. If your boss wants you to turnkey your experience they could ask you to recap your race which I know all runners could do easily.

I am a fiscal conservative so this reimbursement should be limited to twelve races, one a month.

Health Plans Should Cover Running Watches and Other Running Gear – Many current health plans give discounts and other incentives as part of their “wellness” push, if you join a fitness center.  The obvious incentive is that numerous studies prove that exercise leads directly to better health. While I have nothing against fitness centers, they are not for everyone. What about those of us who run on our own? We deserve something as well. So I propose that the healthcare plans cover the purchase of our running watches. After all, even if you join a fitness center there is no tracking of your workouts.  My Garmin practically records all my movement and activities. It tells me my heart rate, my distance, steps, when to move, and I am sure that down the road it will also monitor my bowel movements. (I am waiting for the alert to pop up one day after sitting on the toilet during my morning ritual saying “Great Job! Stay Regular!)

I would not limit this coverage to just the watches but am open to other runner gear like hydration packs might also be included because after all proper hydration is essential to good health.

Travel Expenses to Races Should be Tax Deductible – This recommendation is really not for the runners per say but for the local businesses at race locations.  It is really a stimulus package to encourage runners to travel further for races and maybe stay in a hotel and spend money at the local eateries. I see numerous races that I would like to enter but the travel costs are what keep me from signing up.  This little change could help so many businesses like the airline industry, hotels, campgrounds, and restaurants.

Now some of you may think that I am just a runner who is looking to recoup some of the large sums of money I have spent on my running.  The truth is that I am proposing this to make the United States a better country and if it just so happens to help me financially that is just an unintended consequence that I am willing to live with.  Here are the five benefits to our country.

1)      First our workforce would be fitter and more energized at work, taking less sick days. As a result making the country more productive and increasing our GNP.

2)      The race promoters and local businesses would benefit by the spending of the runners, thus helping small businesses.

3)      Charities would surely benefits since so many of them use races to raise funds for their great causes.

4)      American families would become stronger! Why? Some runners like me are married to nonrunners and sometimes there are questions asked about certain bills that come in about my racing and running purchases. (I mean how am I supposed to remember all those purchases? I am busy tracking my mileage) If my employer reimbursed me for my races or if my trip to run a race in Italy was tax deductible, I would not get guff about my expenses from my wife.  The result a happier family.

5)      Finally, runners live in red and blue states, and come in all political persuasions, so this would unite the country politically.

Now obviously I suspect that my fellow runners will support me in this endeavor but I am a political realist and realize we need the support of nonrunners as well.  When a nonrunner questioned my idea and said “What about the majority of us who don’t run?” I responded that I am willing to compromise and believe that you are eligible for these incentives if you volunteer at a race or at least crew a runner. After all, if you don’t run, the least you can do is help a runner.  It is your patriotic duty.

By the way I need these law changed soon. Very soon. I just signed up for a couple of races and bought a new watch and my wife has not seen the bill yet. So if anyone knows a powerful congressman or woman let me know.

The Five Essential Keys to Staying on Course on a Trail Race and not Getting Lost

"I'm not lost for I know where I am. But where I am may be lost." 

Winnie the Pooh 

Sometimes when I run, it feels so good that I am almost lost in the euphoria.  This was one of those moments.  I was on a new half marathon trail race and was in a good stride cruising downhill through the forest. There is not a better feeling for me than running in nature carefree and loving Mother Nature.  Nothing could break this euphoric feeling I was positive.  Then I looked around and saw no trail markers and said to myself “where the f@#!& are the trail markers! Oh crap am I lost again?” I turned around and looked uphill and saw another runner coming down the hill.  Thank God, I thought to myself.  When she came up to me I said “Where is the trail?” She looked at me with a perplexed look on her face “I have no idea I was just following you!”  I was a little miffed I mean we are lost and it is my fault but could you somehow make me not feel so stupid! I regained my composure and said “You made a big mistake.”

I looked around.  We could go back uphill but I was not really liking that option.  I scanned the forest and luckily it was mature forest with the trees spread apart and I spied another runner not far from us.  He was moving slowly but steadily. He at least looked like he knew where he was going.  When we met up with him he showed us the trail blazes.  It was slow going.  The trail was not a well-worn path and all three of us spent our time searching for the next trail blaze.

In that few minutes, when I realized that I had missed a marker, thought another runner could help only to find we were lost together, yet to recover with the aid of another runner I had experienced three of the five essential keys of trail racing about staying on course.  Two were broken and one was followed.

In my work, I have driven to every corner of my home state of New Jersey, and I pride myself on my great sense of direction. I do not having to rely on some GPS APP to get me to a destination.  Yet on trail races I have not been as fortunate.  I have made wrong turns, stopped and backtracked because I am sure I must have missed a turn, often I slow up, because I am nervous that I have not seen a race marker in a longtime and begin to question myself.

So, if you are a trail runner who has experienced a few mishaps of losing your way than these essential keys will make your race more pleasurable.  If you are a road runner thinking about doing a trail race you can use this as a guide so that you are better prepared.

1)      Pay Attention! -  As runners we all love being in the zone.  The running feels free and easy. It is almost mindless and meditative.  That is fine on your regular training runs but not in a trail race. That was my first mistake in my example.  You must always be on the lookout for trail markers or ribbons, whatever the race is using to guide the racers.  Seems easy but as you run on uneasy terrain you also have to look down or you might take a header. Like me if you might miss a slight turn because the path seems to go straight. The forest is full of false trails and unmarked trails. I always tell people who are road runners, that are doing a trail race that you have to assume that your pace will be slower because of the terrain. I always forget to tell them it will be slower because sometimes you have to stop and ask for directions.  Even the best runners make mistakes. Elite ultra-trail runner Jim Walmsley famously got lost while leading the pack in the Western States 100 because he flew by a turn because he was running so fast.  (Not an excuse I can use.)

2)      Do Not Follow Anyone Blindly – That was the woman’s mistake who followed me.  We tend to assume that all the other runners know where they are going.  Sometimes you like their pace and they are almost like your personal pacer. I was in a trail race where the lead pack made a wrong turn not even half a mile into the race but luckily someone just behind them kept on the right route but they were rather embarrassed. I will also note that this is good advice for life in general. Do not follow anyone blindly.

3)      Group Think is Helpful – This is what happened when we came upon the third runner.  Even though he was on course it was a difficult trail to follow and our pace was slow in large part because we had to always pause, before we found the next trail marker. This has happened to me in a race in Utah in which the terrain was comprised of slick rock and was up and down so it was difficult finding the trail ribbons.  There were four of us running and pausing and it was much faster to have four pair of eyes searching for the next ribbon than just one. See the next rule for another bonus to group think.

4)      Listen to the Race Director – Before every race the race director will describe the course and how it is marked. He or she will also describe maybe some tricky parts of the course. Almost all, of which you will completely forget when you start running. You will come upon a spot with two colored trails and you can’t remember if he said stay on the red trail or leave the red trail by the lake? This is where group think can be helpful because if there are four of you in cluster there is better chance that one person remembers. In addition, if they are an experienced race director they will say it in such a way, that it leaves you with the distinct knowledge only a complete dolt would get lost.  This of course will make you feel even worse when you go off trail. You are not only lost but you are obviously a dolt.

5)      Everything looks the Same and Different – It is amazing especially in shorter races that the terrain you are running on all looks the same whether it is a dense forest or desert floor you may run a few miles without any distinguishing landmarks like a mountain view or a lake. So if you go off course you may not know it right away.  Many races use ribbons (Pink is a favorite color) and I always get nervous when it seems like a longtime since I saw ribbon. On that race in Utah as we were running through the slick rock one of the runners said “Are we going in circles? This looks familiar.” We were not going in circles but they were right it all looked the same. I have seen people go off course on a loop trail race and not on the first loop either. I stopped one racer on an endurance race from going the wrong way and we had already been running this short two and quarter mile loop for five hours!

It is also amazing how the same trail can look completely different.  Just try reversing your normal trail run and see how different it is. In addition, if you are doing a race and it includes running at night the same trail looks completely different in the dark guided only by a headlamp. In fact, that is what inspired this blog when I posted a short video about running overnight and looking for markers a few fellow racers posted that they had gotten lost at night even though they had run the loop many times before.

Hey, look despite all my wise advice, things happen.  On one race I was on I caught up to the lead pack because someone had stolen all the trail ribbons for about two thirds of a mile including coming to a junction. Leaving us to guess which direction to go because none of us could remember what the race director had said about this junction.  Unless you are doing the Barkley or some other crazy race you will survive getting lost.  If you are like me with no hope of winning it is a nuisance but not the end of the world. Enjoy a great day running in Mother Nature with other trail runners.  Things really don’t get much better than that.  Even when I was lost with other runners we all enjoyed a good laugh and made fun of each other. It is always reassuring to know that you are not the only dolt in the race.

Ultra Races Finding Supportive People in an Unsupportive World

I was once again finishing another of my 3.25 mile trail loop runs on my 24 Hour Endurance Ultra when Elise was finishing her last loop and calling it a day.  She had achieved her goal and had other brutal races coming up so she was saving her body for them. A smart move.  As I continued on she yelled out to Lou the race director “Ray is crushing this course!”  Lou responded “Keep going Ray!” I smiled and made a wise remark that I can’t remember. If a total stranger had observed our banter, they would have assumed that we were three old friends meeting up for our one, of many races. They would be wrong.  I knew Elise less than 24 hours and this was the second time that I had met Lou. 

That is the magic of running races particularly ultra-trail races. It is a place in which trust, support, and friendships are built almost instantaneously.  A place in which everyone is striving to improve and push themselves. A place in which you feel pain, misery, happiness, and pride all at the same time. A place in which everyone is cheering and supportive of each other. A place that stands out in this ever increasingly divided and politically polarized world. Because it is a place of solidarity and unity.

An ultra-trail race may be the most egalitarian place I know.  You are judged in very simple terms. By your running ability and your positive attitude.  All the runners know the elite runners and marvel at their ability to run not just extremely long distances but at a fast pace.  Yet even us mediocre runners get praise because we are pushing our bodies and our minds to it limits and everyone knows it. It is an unwritten rule as well, that everyone is encouraging to each other. As I run and an elite runner is either lapping me or on their way back from a loop that I am just starting, they almost always say “looking strong” to me even though I am racing like a Kia to their Jaguar. Cheerfulness is always valued as we all push ourselves.

The other thing that is amazing is that I have no idea of anyone’s socio-economic status as we run.  Our running gear camouflages our social status.  I don’t know if someone is a wealthy doctor, lawyer or someone who struggling to make their rent payment. It is so nice that people are not judged by where they live or how much money they make but on their ability and their friendly personality.

I can’t think of a truer reflection of the American ethos than the ultra-race scene.  You are strictly judged on your ability, your effort, and your positive attitude towards others. That’s it. Not on who you vote for. Not how wealthy you are. Not on your race or religion. It is truly a community and that includes the race directors and the volunteers.

Okay I will admit that most of us are a little quirky and our family and friends will attest to that.  After all who else but a slightly quirky person pays to run for 24 hours?

(A shared fire at a race)

On most of my ultra-trail races I have made not only friends but having a shared experience of getting through a struggle with someone. In my first ultra a 50 mile run two woman Denise and Jen joined me and we survived the ordeal together. In a 50k my new friend Fletch and I made it to the end despite his muscles seizing up. In another 50k Scott and I battled for a mile or two bringing out the best in each other. In my 100 mile run Ilene moved on her crutches inspiring me to push myself while Celeste persevered through digestive issues to finish with a personal long.  Besides Elise on this 24 Hour Race Felipe and Dave were two runners who I saw often and we all pushed each other.  All these people and more, inspired me to push on and I hope that in some way I returned that favor.

Elise and I ran only one of our loops together and as we chatted, she told me why she ran ultras and asked why I did.  I mentioned how I love to push myself to its limits and how great it feels to finish one.  How when you finish one you feel that you can do anything. Yet I knew my answers were missing something.

I don’t know if Elise will read this but now I know the rest of the answer. I forgot to tell her that I love the people at an ultra-trail race.  I love meeting people like her and all the others I mentioned, plus many others. It is inspiring to be around people pushing themselves to their limits.  Okay maybe we are a little quirky but that endears them even more to me. I know that this sounds corny but I know that on some of these races when things got very difficult I know that if something bad happened I could truly count on my running colleagues (That once again includes the race directors and race volunteers.) to keep me going.

Now I know that this sounds even cornier but to me it is truly an honor to run an ultra with these other runners.  They are people who are giving it their all even if they fall short, people who are nonjudgmental, people who are tough, and people who are inspiring. I am truly a better person for having met all these people.

When I got back from my race and told my wife about my experiences. She said it sounds like you enjoyed my time with “your people”.  Yes that is one more reason I do trail races, to be with “my people”. My wife meant it more to make fun of me and all the other quirky runners. Yet to me it is a badge of honor to be with these quirky people. Because in a world where everyone seems ready to pounce on you for anything it is good to go to a place where everyone is ready to pounce on you with a smile and positive support. They are my kind of people.

An Aging Runner Trying to Push Back his Cutoff Time

I was sitting in my living room reading with my wife when both our cellphones beeped with a text message. It was not a happy message. A friend of ours was diagnosed with cancer and the prognosis was grim.  In recent months, we have had a family member suffer a heart attack and another pass away from COVID. Welcome to our life as over sixty year olds.  

Those who are in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s may not understand the slight difference but as you age the conversation in your circle of friends and family starts to shift and people’s health becomes a larger portion of the conversation.

How did I cope with the news? The next morning I signed up for a difficult trail half marathon and a short while later I signed up for a 24 Hour endurance run.  I know that is not normal coping method in dealing with aging but as I told my wife “I have a gift from God that I can run ultra-marathons in my sixties and shouldn’t squander it.”

Life is like a long race maybe the ultimate ultra-marathon but like most long races it has a cutoff time. I normally do not have to worry about cutoff times in races. I easily come in well before those times.  I am also not being morbid and talking about my own death.  I am however concerned that maybe one day my health will prevent my body from running.

While I am confident in my abilities as a runner after all I had just completed my first 100 mile trail race six weeks from sixty-second birthday.  As I age there are two things that become clearer with every day.  Time is a very limited commodity and our health is maybe our most precious asset. 

When I was younger, time seemed almost unlimited and good health was something I took for granted. Yet I soon realized that waiting for the “right” time to do something was impossible because there is almost never the “right” time for anything. This is something that is true at all ages. There is always a reason not to do something.

Knowing that I have limited time has freed me to push myself. To try ultra-marathons.

For example I was infatuated with the idea of running an ultra-marathon.  I wanted the challenge and believed I could do it if I trained.  Even though I was 57 and had not started running until I was 50 I knew that if I trained I could do it. I knew however that my life schedule was hectic and finding the time to train would be near impossible, so it would be better to wait. Then it hit me “I am 57 freaking years old!  I don’t have the luxury of time to wait until I have the time to train.”  So I signed up for my 50 Mile Run and amazingly found the time to train. The same thing happened four years later at the age of 61 when I signed up for a 100 Mile Challenge. I had become infatuated with the distance of 100 miles and the challenge but wasn’t sure the time was right but then it hit me “Do I want to just dream about it or do it?” Because I did not want to leave this world never knowing if I could do it. I signed up for a 100 Mile Run.

The point is our biggest disappointments in life are not the things we did but the things we did not do because the “time” was not right! Waiting for the right time is akin to watching life pass you by.

I should also note that COVID-19 has had an impact on my desire to do things sooner rather than later. We all know events that we really wanted to do that were cancelled. We also know people we may have lost, not even necessarily from COVID, that we never got a chance to see. I think that many of us now realize how precious our time and health is.  I know that for me personally having been sidelined by COVID and thinking that I may never run again made me even more aware of how limited our time is and how precious our good health is. It also made me realize how fragile it all is.

Time is a limited commodity. There is however one way to increase your time and that is with good health and fitness. I know everyone can point out someone who lived into their 90’s who smoked like a chimney and drank a bottle of whiskey daily.  They can also name someone perfectly fit who ran marathons and died in their 50’s. In fact so can I.  Yet in general, we all know that exercise is better for us.  In my view, it not only increases your time on this earth but it improves the quality of your time on this earth.

I stated earlier that my fitness and ability to run ultra-marathons is a “gift from God”. However is some respects it is a gift, that I bequeathed to myself. God may have given me some natural talent and free from any chronic conditions. Yet I spent time nurturing my gift mostly through running.  I was not going to take my health for granted anymore when I turned fifty. 

That is when I realized that my time to be active and fit was limited and I may need to do something to extend it.  A friend asked me years ago when I was in my early fifties how long do I think I could still do all the obstacle and trail races I was doing.  I had no answer for him but in my head that maybe when I turn sixty I may back off.  That was the cutoff time I created. Now that I am in my sixties and I am going stronger than I was when I was fifty, I realize that I am not going make up my own cutoff time I will just wait until my body tells me.

I called my friend who had cancer and he was in good spirits.  He seemed comfortable and at ease with his own mortality. I hope that I would be like that when I face my own mortality.  It affects me even more that he is younger than I. I almost feel guilty that while he is in his situation I am having fun running long distances in the forest.

The next day it was an early fall crisp morning and I savored my morning run. Like most runs it seems to get more enjoyable the further I get into it. The first mile is always one in which I try and find my rhythm. Maybe that is life itself. We spend the first part finding our rhythm and then we mature and get comfortable. Then it hit me as I was coasting on the second half of my morning run.  I spend a lot of time reminiscing about my past and thinking about my future but not enough time living in the moment. Those are the runs that I should enjoy the most. Yes a future ultra is great moment but I realize I need to enjoy the present and my daily runs. Those are the runs that extend the cut off times.

Am I Closer to Scott Jurek or the “Dude” from the Great Lebowski When I Run?

As I am running my normal weekend long run, like many of you after a few miles or so, a serene and happy feeling comes over me. My “runner’s high” and I am feeling great I am imagining that I am crushing my trail run like the legendary ultra-runners Scott Jurek or Courtney Dauwalter. If you are a road runner who is partial to marathons, maybe you feel like you are at that moment emulating the Kenyan, Eliud Kipchoge or recent U.S. Bronze medalist Molly Seidal. The Endorphins have kicked in and everything feels great. I hate to be the one to tell you but science is beginning to say that you are closer to a stoner such as Cheech and Chong or the Dude when this feeling comes over you!

Some recent studies seems to indicate that endorphins are not the chemical that induces that “runner’s high” but that it is something called Endocannabinoids which are akin to cannabis. When I read the NY Times article Getting to the Bottom of the Runner’s High this past March, at first I thought this does not make sense. Stoners after all are not known to be high energy, while runners on the other hand can’t sit still. (I know newspaper links are now not open to everyone but if you can’t get access here is a link to review of one of the studies. That way you know I am not making this up!)

The studies however were very thorough and included mice, dogs, humans and ferrets. I mean using ferrets brings it to whole other level. After all how many bogus studies do you know that have included ferrets? That is because the first thing you would say is “you compared runners to ferrets in this study?” that must be a joke. So obviously only a serious study would have the guts to do that.

While at first I was a bit skeptical of these studies my real life experience started to affirm the studies’ findings. In fact they may want to use my observations to help build on their research. I warn you however, that you runners may not like it, especially if you are an ultra-runner.

Runners have Ravenous Appetites – One of the major reasons people become runners is so that they can eat. Eat not just a little but a lot, and also eat whatever the heck they want. Our appetites are equal to any stoner’s with the munchies. Take me for example as your average runner. Even my own family who live with me look at what I have devoured and say “you ate all that!” Don’t get me wrong I do try and eat healthy and for the most part I do, even when I snack. At the end of the day after a long day of running and working and I am sitting in the den I will stuff myself with a plant based supply of food most notably potato chips, nuts, and beer. I know many runners and their appetites are voracious. The only thing that separates us runners from the stoners when we eat, is our cool race shirts.

Have you seen the Food at Ultra Aid Stations? – I mean at the ultras that I have run I have seen the following, Gummy Bears, M&Ms, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels, potato chips, quesadillas, Coke, pizza, and pickle juice! I mean how many social gatherings have you been to where the host supplies pickle juice? Can you imagine a friend inviting you over to a swanky party saying “We have filet mignon, lobster, caviar, the finest French wines and of course the best pickle juice.” I mean the only other people who would drink pickle juice are a bunch of stoners.

When we get to the aid station there is no delicacy or manners used in cramming the food down. In fact, on an ultra-marathon the closer you get to an aid station the more you begin to think about the food and drink. It is like you are going through a menu in your mind about what you are going to eat or drink.

If a couple of stoners stumbled out of the woods after toking some weed, and stumbled onto an aid station at an ultra race and saw the food. I can hear them now “Whoa maaan, it’s a f#@%$ feast!” Once again the only thing that would differentiate them from the runners is their clothing and maybe they smell better than the runners since they would not be all sweaty and dirty.

Cannabis is being legalized Across this Nation – While I l know Americans love stoners in movies especially for their comic relief but do they want to emulate them of have their kids be one? That has been why I have been perplexed by the strong movement to legalize cannabis in many states. Yes, I know that there are medical and social reasons for this movement but that does not always spur change. Then it hit me. Everyone wants to be like a runner. They are a jealous of our ability to move. They want to experience the runner high but without actually running. They are looking for the easy way out. While I continue to vacillate on the issue of legalizing marijuana this idea of people getting the “runner high” without running is not an argument in its favor. In fact, it kinda irks me.

The Race Scene is a Party – Yes before a race we are all happy and excited. Many of us are addicted to races and sign up for as many as we can fit into our schedule and budget. Yet it is not before the race when the cannabis kicks in but at the finish line at the end of the race where everyone is smiling and exchanging high fives. Even those people who are in awful pain after the race, are smiling and laughing. We are guzzling a beer if available, chatting with complete strangers about the course. You couldn’t find a happier silly group, even at a stoner’s party.

While we may all debate the chemical cause of the “runner’s high” there seems to be a consensus as why us humans evolved to make it a necessary function. On the plains of Africa in our prehistoric era the biggest advantage we had is that we had no fur and could sweat which meant that we could run long distances in a pack and run down our prey. While researchers don’t say this I might add that after running miles and miles in the dirt, our sweaty odor probably kept predators away as well. A hungry lion took one whiff of a sweaty, boney, and dirty human and said “Yuck! Let me get myself some fresh aromatic warthog”.

So where does this leave us runners? Is it endorphins or Endocannabinoids (cannabis)? I will let you decide. As you are running and you feel great you will be thinking my endorphins are kicking in. On the other hand, when you rush to an aid station and eat your gummy worms, Oreos, and drink your Coke will you say that it is your Endorphins? Or when you are home after a good running day and are sitting there eating your snacks after a full meal will you also be thinking about your endorphins? In the end, it really doesn’t matter which it is because you stand out as a runner because of your cool race shirt.

Life Lessons Learned Running 100 Miles that we all Could Use

I was laying on my hotel bed after completing the Forbidden Forest 100 Mile 30 Hour Endurance Run trying to rest my body and sleep but I couldn’t.  My body was in too much pain.  Whenever I rolled to a side it hurt. I had not slept in almost 40 hours but sleep was not coming easy.  I had showered and eaten so the next thing I needed was sleep. Yet it was the one thing eluding me. I had taken some Ibuprofen to ease the pain but that seemed to have no effect. It was as if my body was rejecting the idea of rest, or more likely it was telling me this is what happens when you do stupid things like running 100 miles.

My wife was observing this, wondering if she would also not get any sleep because of all the flailing and moaning I was doing. Eventually however the pain subsided and I fell asleep.

The next morning when I awoke my body felt much better but I was definitely a little stiffer than usual and moving slower than normal. While my body may have been moving slower my mind was racing. You cannot run a hundred miles for the first time without reflecting back on the experiences and reliving all the parts of the race, the good, the bad, and the strange. (Like a moth fluttering by your headlamp and landing in your ear!) The race may have been over but the experience was not.

There are things that we all know in life but we really do not internalize them until we experience them. That is what happened to me. I learned a lot about achieving success and pushing yourself beyond your limits not just in a race but in life itself. You may be thinking to yourself “Ray do I have to run a hundred miles to learn these life lessons?” The answer is “no” because I did that for you! You can thank me later.

What are these life lessons about succeeding and achievement?

It ain’t easy! – We all tend to look for the easiest path to get to where we are going. Whether that is in our careers or personal life. There are whole industries built on selling little pills that will make us thinner, more muscle bound, or even happy. Yet the easy path rarely leads to great achievement.

Running a hundred miles is not easy and to be quite frank, I was not 100% certain that I could do it.  It was exhausting to keep going and as I explained previously I was in extreme pain for a while after the race. There were obstacles that I had to overcome, in order to succeed. However the feeling of accomplishment that I felt after finishing the race was in direct proportion to it’s difficulty. I felt like I was on cloud nine after finishing this race because of how it tested me.

Think about your greatest successes in your life, and what made them standout in your mind, it probably was because others were not sure you could do it.  Maybe even you were not sure. It was a great success because it was not easy.

Many years ago at work I told my boss and a senior colleague that I think that I could get the governor to speak to our members.  They looked at me and politely stifled their snickering and said “go ahead try”.  I ended up doing it.

The point is we have to challenge and push ourselves. Nothing great will be achieved, if we just take the path of least resistance.

Go find your challenge. If you are a runner, find that race. If not, I am sure that there is a challenge that you have, maybe you only thought about it to yourself privately. What are you waiting for?

We Need Other People – I like to think that I am a badass because I ran a 100 miles but the reality is that while it is great individual achievement, it was not a solo act.  I had a crew that would get me my water and food so that I did not have to think about it.  I could tell them what I would need at my next pit stop. This all saved me precious time. My wife would also be scanning my face to look for signs of dehydration, overheating, and general exhaustion.

Maybe more importantly than the physical help they provided, it was the energy they gave me by cheering me on.  When you have friends and family cheering you on it gives you extra energy.

It was not just my crew that gave me that mental boost, it was Celeste’s crew (She was my tent neighbor at the pit stop. I discuss her and others in my first blog as well as my second from the race.) who also cheered me on.  The race director and the race volunteers were all positive.  My friend Ian Hockley also stopped by and cheered me on and boosted my spirits. Anyone who is runner knows that other runners are always so supportive.  As a rule, we always cheer each other on.  Strangely, even my Facebook friends who were following my race posts gave me energy.  Even though I did not have time to read them while I was running I saw my notifications light up and I knew that they were all positive. This all boosted my spirit.

If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything it is that we are social creatures.  Yes, we can stay at home and have ample food and shelter, be with our families but what we missed was all our other friends and family.  There is an energy you get from other people, which we sometimes forget about and it is powerful. A co-worker may have been an integral component to one of your major successes at work.

The key is to surround yourself with positive people who help inspire and push you.  Not negative people who always bring the energy down.

Me with Ian Hockley

Planning Matters – We can all successfully “wing it” once and a while but that is usually the exception not the rule.  I was not going to be successful just “winging it” on this race I had to plan my training and think through all the details of the race. That meant, my food, hydration, gear, obstacles such as heat or rain, as well as my pace in order to make it to the end. That plan included when I would change my shoes, socks, and shirt. When I would probably need different foods. If I had no plan then I would have no finish.

Natural talent and ability can only take you so far.  There was a young runner, who had a most smooth gait when he ran. He passed me about five times and I was sure that he would break the course record because it was looking so effortlessly to him.  I remember we were both checking our laps at the same time and he was four laps in front of me and was leading the second place runner by almost two laps.  When he heard he was leading and closing in on fifty miles he asked no one in particular “Should I slow down?” I thought that was an odd thought for such a talented runner. As we entered the night I remember thinking to myself I had not seen him in a while.  I later asked about him and learned that had dropped out. This was not only his first 100 mile race, it was also his first race ever! He really had no plan and burned out despite his talent.  I hope that he is not too discouraged because he has talent he just needs to plan a bit.

In America there is a mantra “Mind over Matter” yet while we all need a strong will to succeed, I will say “that matter – matters”.  You may want it badly but poor planning and training will derail even the most strong willed.  On all the ultras that I have run I would say the runners I saw who were ill prepared rarely finished.

Earlier I described a great success at work when I promised to get the governor. I did not wing it I had a plan and worked it constantly till I succeeded.

Channel your Inner Badass – the Mental Game – Running a 100 miles or pushing yourself to past your limits at any distance is not just a physical challenge but is also a mental challenge. Often times a great mental challenge. There will be times no matter how well you planned when things will go wrong maybe an injury or the weather.  You will be exhausted, sore, cold, and just want to stop.

I stopped writing when I got this point. Because the clichéd sayings came to my head.  You have to “dig down deep” show “grit and determination” as if “mental toughness” is a switch you can just flip on and off.  I am no expert on the mental game of a 100 mile race or any race for that matter, or even having mental toughness in life. All I can say is what worked for me in both instances. Though getting through the low points of a race are easier than some of the low points in life.

For grueling races I can train in bad conditions so that as I say I am “comfortable with being uncomfortable” I also never look at the entire distance when in an ultra-marathon. I break it into segments or legs. Like going from aid station to aid station. In this loop race getting to certain numbers of loops.  Those smaller chunks of distance are always attainable. If you think of the whole prospect of running another 50 miles you can get overwhelmed, but if you say I have to go another 5 miles you are okay. The key however is to keep moving forward. As they say “if you are in hell keep moving till you get out”

This lesson from an ultra is very apropos for life itself. When my father had passed away I was stuck wallowing in my sorrow. When you suffer a death of a loved one it can really hit you hard. Even if you know it is coming, you don’t know how it will affect you until it happens.  For me I tend to get stuck as I said wallowing in my own sadness.  The only way out was to start moving forward again into my regular life of work and family. It is like an ultra-marathon, just keep moving forward.

Don’t Compare Yourself to Others – This is counter intuitive because it is after all a race. In a race you place people by order of time or in this case distance.  Yet as any runner knows while there may be thousands of entrants in a race or maybe even only seventy five most of us have no chance of winning the race.  You are in essence competing against yourself. Trying to bring out the best in ourselves. Our successes and accomplishments are relative. My accomplishment of 100 miles was no greater or maybe even less than Ilene’s doing under 20 miles on crutches and suffering from a bone disease.

In life we all tend to compare ourselves to others as well.  We look jealously at friends and neighbors who have a bigger house, better cars, and go on more spectacular vacations. In the work place it seems everyone is watching each other and judging whether someone really deserved that promotion or not.

In a race I cannot control what the other races do I just have to concentrate on my actions to achieve success. The same is true about life we can control our own actions and efforts but have little to no impact on most other people and it is wasted time and energy to do so.

Enjoy and Reflect on the Journey – Nonrunners may not understand this but no matter what the distance the race is, runners share a bond and are always supportive of each other. It is why we are always signing up for races because the energy is always so positive. This is even truer the longer and tougher the race is because of the shared challenge and one could say shared misery.

On this 100 mile race I made new friendships with Celeste, Ilene, and the Race Director Lou. I had a shared experience with my wife and daughter. I could reflect even while in the midst of the race about how lucky I was to have the ability to even, attempt this challenge. While I was focused on getting to my final destination I thoroughly enjoyed the entire race atmosphere.  I talked to some runners who did not get to 100 miles and they too just loved the journey even though they did not get to their goal.

While important in a race it is even more important in life to enjoy the journey. Too often we are only focused on destinations like a promotion or new home and do not take enough time to be thankful for our friends and family. It is so important to take time out from a hectic life to spend with those people who love us.

To think I had to run 100 miles to learn all this. Now you may challenge my lessons if you want but first run 100 miles and then get back to me.