Training takes on many forms

I wish I had a picture of this one, but you will just have to imagine it.

Sometimes, when one is in training mode (for whatever one is training for at the time), one will find ways to train that most people would have never considered.
I was having a stroke of "bad luck" on Monday and found myself in such a situation.

My driver-side tire went flat (my wife warned me that it would, but I wouldn't listen). There were a few problems that made this really BAD news:

1) I didn't have the money to buy a new tire (and this one wasn't fixable)

2) My spare "doughnut" was on the passenger side already.

3) I was about 5 miles from the house (where I did have a tire [on a rim] on the broken down car that sits in my driveway--don't laugh)

4) I was wearing flip flops.

Perfect training conditions don't you think? First, I headed home at a fast walk pace. I didn't plan on running that day (largely because I was a little chafe from the Saturday morning 20-mile training run), and even if I was going to, I wouldn't try to do it in flip flops--especially considering it had been raining and I couldn't keep the flip flops dry for all the puddles and wet grass.

Then, when I got home (and changed my shoes), I rigged up the spare tire--rim and all--to a backpack with bungee cords. You guessed it! I hiked back to the van with the tire on my back, only the bungee cord thingy didn't work out too well, so I practically held the tire in place, behind my back, with my hands the whole time.

Despite the crazy looks I was getting, only one person offered to help. Of course I was only a half mile from finishing at the time. I told him "After all this way, I would be disappointed if I didn't finish now." He just smiled and wished me good luck.

Others might complain about such a situation, or call someone for a ride (the obvious thing to do). But an ultra runner chalks it up to "good training"!!!


I guess I could have done what this guy is doing: