The Multisport Maniac: Adventures of the Endurance Kind

"Everywhere is within walking distance if you have time"- Steven Wright I knew going into Tahoe that post race and post training cycle it was going to be a long road back.  The amount of shear volume, climbing, etc. really just takes a huge toll on the body.   Maybe I was naive, maybe it was just wishful thinking, but I signed up for a fall marathon and ultra with the belief that I could snap back to true form pretty quickly.   I took the week after Tahoe super light running just 12.8 miles in the 6 days following the race.  My energy levels bounced back pretty quickly, so I jumped up to 55 the following week and 65 the week after that.  While I still had some aches and pain, some of which I had before Tahoe, I just continued to compartmentalize them and push through.   A few weeks later, after 4+ weeks above 60 miles, it all came crashing down.  My hip / hip flexors were killing me and I simply lost the will to push.   Tahoe w...

“The windshield is bigger than the rear view mirror for a reason, because what is in front of you is so much more important than what is behind you.” - Jelly Roll For anyone that knows me, knows that I live for having and completing goals and thrive when I have a sense of accomplishment.  Whether it be a time to shoot for in a race, total miles run in a year, completing an event, or summiting all the peaks over 4000' in the White Mountains, the thrill and satisfaction I get when completing a goal really defines the way I like to live my life. Last year, I was fortunate enough to help my friend Becca finish running a marathon in all 50 states by pacing her at the Jackson Hole Marathon.  Watching her complete something that big, really motivated me to see what else I could do.    2024 was already set to be a big year.  After putting in the most mileage I have ever run in the first half of the year (and well on my way to hitting 4000 for the year for the first tim...

“1 year from today I want to look back and say, ‘damn, I really did believe in myself and you know what … it worked.’” Before the race started, I posted the above quote on social media. In this case, I both wanted to hold myself accountable, but I did truly believe I was ready for this.  I'm nearly a week out now from finishing the race and I am still at a loss for words. I always knew this was an ambitious goal, but I don't think I realized how ambitious until I was about halfway through day 1.  At times, I definitely had impostor syndrome and felt like I had over committed, but in the end I was able to stick it out.   The crew at the finish I am not really into the concept of "life changing experiences" but persevering in this race and watching others do the same really has given me some perspective on what people are capable of and how powerful taking just a little time to regroup can be.   Cast of Characters Before getting into the race rec...

 “The hay is in the barn!” - Bill Bowerman Tahoe Training Plan I have finally entered the taper with just over a week to go until Tahoe.  When asked if I'm ready, all I can do is reply with "as ready as I am going to be."   This whole training cycle has been an eye opening experience.  I have pushed myself well past where I have ever been before.  I have broken my max mileage weeks and my max mileage months twice.  Hell, I even reached 2000 miles for the year in May (in May!) and I truly believe I did everything that I could with the time that I had; working / traveling, parenting, coaching, and occasionally sleeping.   Tahoe Crew Shirts Key Training Numbers - Biggest Month - 460 miles - Biggest Week - 135 miles - Biggest Vert Week - 13,600' - Hardest Block - Back to Back 35s - Times up Snake Hill Rd - 100 - FKT's - 1 - Paul Revere Out and Back - Night Trail Runs - 4 (Blue Hills, 3X Western Greenway) Northern Lights    Recently Outs...

"It's not what you are capable of, it's what you are willing to do." - Mike Tomlin 2024, the year of the Tahoe 200 (hopefully).  After a massive build up over the first few months of 2023, only to have Tahoe postponed, I have been anxious to hit the ground running again (pun intended).  On January 1st, I kick started my 2024 campaign with 50 miles with a 2am start and have barely taken my foot off the gas since.  I managed to clock 396 miles in January which included 2 work trips, one to Germany, and another to San Francisco, complete with 2 red eye flights. I figured Tahoe was going to be as much about training the mind to endure as training the body, so why not start early (pun intended again).   Over the first two and half months of the year, in addition to the New Year's day 50 miler, I knocked out another five marathons and three 50k+ runs. I reached a peak week of 116 miles and total of 328 miles over three weeks ... and I have never felt better. ...

"Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present." -- Bil Keane Last year's recap was titled " 2022 - Tightening Friendships Through Running " and 2023 was definitely more of the same.  Not only did my friend group increase in size, but many of the athletes I have been coaching / advising had a standout year as well.   Tahoe 200 Training New Years Day The year started off with big hopes and big expectations and while it didn't disappoint, it definitely didn't follow the expected path either.   I started the year off (and the beginning of year 10 of the run streak) with a 31 mile run and would run over 1000 miles in the first 3 months of the year as I trained for the Tahoe 200.   Unfortunately, Tahoe wasn't meant to be in 2023 as the race was postponed due to the record snow fall.  None the less, I got some really good experience running high mileage and putting in back to back to ba...