Rebuilding

A few weeks ago I ran the Cool Moon 100 and basically had a mental breakdown during the race and dropped out of the event at mile 50.

When I got back home from the race I decided I needed to up my training.  I needed to regain my mental toughness that I felt that I had lost.

I made it a point to train the last few weeks with my friend Steve and my friend Andrea.

Steve is my Jiu Jitsu coach and knows how to push people.  I told him about what happened during Cool Moon and how I needed mentally challenging workouts to help me get my game back.  Steve was more than willing to help me out.  Every workout with Steve was mentally and physically taxing.  A lot of sparing with no rest, and constantly being put in positions where I wanted to give up and tap out, but giving up and taping out was not an option.  I was getting very comfortable with being uncomfortable again once I started working out with Steve and my old Jiu Jitsu buddies.

My friend Andrea is getting ready for her first full Iron Man.  On Tuesday mornings I've been tagging along with her and doing her morning workout.  Andrea is pretty fast and an awesome training partner.  She pushs the pace every time you run with her.  Even her "easy" pace is pretty hard at times to keep up with.

After spending the last few weeks working out with Steve and Andrea, I honestly feel like the holes that I had during Cool Moon have been filled.  These two awesome friends helped me push myself mentally and physically to the extreme over the last few weeks.

I feel like my confidence to push hard has been regained!!

I'm running the Headlands 100 for my 5th time in a row in just a couple hours from now, and I'm totally ready to rock and roll!!!!

Until next time...

KEEP RUNNING!!!!

08-09-2014 Cool Moon 100

On August 9th of 2014 I set out to run the Cool Moon 100 for the second year in a row.  I knew going into this event that it was not going to be easy.  I was one of the 4 people who finished last year, and I didn't expect the race to be any easier this year than it was last year.

I went into the race knowing that I was a little under trained, and unfortunately I was very unprepared mentally to take on 100 miles.

The course was just like last year, some good climbs and some good heat.  The course wasn't as hot as last year, but it was pretty warm (I think it was in the very high 90's).


Lately I've been working a lot, and I think under a little more stress that I realized.  During the first 25 mile section of the run I felt pretty good.  I hit mile 25 around 6 hours into the event like I planned, and I was starting off on my next 25 mile loop... and that's where everything started feeling like it was coming apart.

All the stress from working too much, planning a 135 mile run from Bakersfield to Madera at the end of September, trying to find a new full time job, and feeling like I haven't been there enough for my family came to a boiling point.  Around mile 35 I mentally came apart and just didn't want to be on the course anymore.  I didn't feel like running at all, and I was pretty much just power hiking the course.  I couldn't mentally get back into the game, I would run for a few mins and then start walking again.  I felt like even though I was a little under trained for this event, I physically should have been able to finish the event.  I tried to mentally get back into the race but it just wasn't happening.


Very long story short... at mile 50 I dropped out of the race.

My next 100 miler is tomorrow morning.  I'll be running the Headlands 100 for the 5th year in a row for what will be my 5th finish.

I've made changes in my training, mentally and physically, and hopefully everything will come together this weekend.


until next time...



KEEP RUNNNIG!!!!