Lehigh Portland Trails--Just What I've Been Looking For!

When it comes to trails I like to train on, I've never asked for much.  I just like a quiet, secluded place in nature with a decent path to run on.  Amazingly, God's "nature" always supplies the beauty of the course, so I would say a relatively small amount of maintenance is actually required for a good running trail (not to overlook the hard work the volunteers put in to working the trails--I know they put in a lot--and I'm very appreciative of it).

Since I've been in Iola (about 5 years), I've looked for just the right place for training, as well as a place to just relax and enjoy God's nature.  The Prairie Spirit trail (as well as the Southwind Trail) provides much of that.  Being a "rail-trail," it gives trail runners a nice flat course to just "put in the miles" in a peaceful environment...but the technically challenging aspect of trail running is admittedly missing from the PST and the SWT. 

A few months ago, however, I heard from a mountain biker about a trail he and some other volunteers had been working on that I might enjoy.  I was eager to find it, but on my first search I had no luck.  I had been waiting to find someone who could direct me there, but since no one I knew seemed to know about it, I decided to look again...and this time I drove right there.  Boy was I pleasantly surprised at what I found!

As of this post, I'm still getting familiar with the course.  I've been on it two times in as many days, and can get a good 4 miles or so in without getting lost, but sometime when I'm feeling a bit more adventurous, I might check out a few of the paths I've missed.

As much as I want to share this gem with others, I have to admit I really hope it doesn't become too popular.  I know it's selfish of me, but I'd hate for it to lose its feel of being this "little hidden treasure" in the middle of small town Kansas.  Kansas has some great trails, but this one is only a few miles from my house, and it is just what I've been waiting for to bump up my ultra training.

There will certainly be future posts about this trail, but for now, I'll just share a few pictures I took with my phone (sorry about the poor quality) to give you a feel of the course.

Starting from the east trail head, a wide (maybe 12'), gravel trail becomes a single-track path into the woods.

Guess which direction I chose?!

Both times I've been out there I have decided to run instead of hike, so I've missed a lot of scenery due to watching the trail closely so as not to trip over any obstacles.  But there is even beauty in the little things on the trail...like this mushroom.

It is hard to show the incline or level of difficulty in a picture, but there are some fairly challenging hills.

My running companion...because I'm just about that slow!

I've never really mountain biked, but this looks very rough for a bike... I think I prefer to stay on my feet!

I'm not even quite sure where this is, but this was my turn-around point on one of the trails.

I love fall foliage on soft dirt.  As long as it isn't hiding any dangerous rocks, roots, or holes, it provides a pretty soft path for your feet.

there is this one little bridge crossing I thought was pretty nice.

I vote that they never mow this!  It is a nice addition to the course, in my opinion, to have to run through this tall grass.

For part of the trail, you run along this river (or creek, or whatever it is).  This was one of the few brief glimpses I got of how beautiful the trail actually is.

 So there you have it!  If you like to run, hike, or mountain bike, you should give this one a try.  If you go today, you probably won't have problems with spiders and cobwebs.  I think I cleared every one of them out with my face!  You're welcome.

"Fall Classic 50 Miler" and September 22-28 Review"

I'm officially registered for the Prairie Spirit Trail "Fall Classic" 50 miler.  I ran the same course two years ago, but it was in March, when we had that freak snow storm (see video on link).  They started the Fall Classic the next year which had the 50K option.  I didn't run it, but this year I will...for two reason's really.  First, it is the Prairie Spirit Trail, my "training ground" (easy and flat, but it is a good place to put in some long training runs), and although we don't come all the way to Iola in this race like we did in the 100 miler, I still consider it a "local" ultra.  I'm not the kind of guy who travels the world to find new ultra races to run, but when it is in my backyard I feel compelled. Second, I plan on getting my rematch next March with the 100 miler (see my review of the race here).  A nice (hopefully fast) 50 miler will be a good chance to fine tune some areas where I went wrong last March.  I've been doing pretty good on hydration on my most recent long runs, but they aren't 50 milers!  They say, "10Ks are the best training for half-marathons, half marathons are the best training for marathons, marathons are the best training for 50's and 50's are the best training for 100's..." or something like that.

My mileage was decent last week, but I would have liked to have put in another 10 miler (priorities are priorities, and I took my sons and some men from our church to the Baptist Men's Recharge in Andover, Kansas.  We had a great time--paintball, smoked meat, coffee...and something like 6 hours total of dynamite preaching!) Anyway, on my virtual run across Kansas, I am now pretty close to the half way point which is right about where I wanted to be about now.

Monday - 25 miles on the highway from Iola to Uniontown

Tuesday - 10.36 miles on the Prairie Spirit Trail from Carlyle to Colony and back

Wednesday - Off

Thursday - 6.5 miles on the Southwind Trail

Friday - 6 miles on the Prairie Spirit Trail

Saturday - Off

Sunday - Off

Total: 47.86 miles

September 15-21 Review

Scripture challenge of the week: Philippians 1:21

Yesterday (Monday the 22nd) I ran 25 miles.  That was the total mileage I ran for the whole prior week (15th-21st).  I planned on running twice that, but I'm not complaining.  I think the extra rest helped my body recover.  It wasn't intentional, though, it was just a matter of time and priorities...but such is the nature of ultra marathon training.

As far as my "virtual run across Kansas," this week didn't quite take me to Oakley, KS.  In order to make it across Kansas in my 9 week goal, I know I have to average close to 50 miles per week, so I'll really have to make it up after this past week.  That is okay, though, because I plan on getting up to 80 a couple times before it is over.  Following is a break down of the daily mileage from last week:


Monday, 15th (10 miles)
Prairie Spirit Trail, Carlyle.  Great run.  Not too hot, but humid.

Tuesday, 16th (6 miles)
Prairie Spirit Trail, Carlyle.  Great run.  Stiff at first, but warmed up and picked up the pace.  Lot's of energy

Wednesday, 17th (0 miles)

Thursday, 18th (3 miles)
Prairie Spirit Trail, Carlyle.  Great run.  Evening run.  Felt very good.  Kept a steady 8:30 - 8:40 minute/mile pace.

Friday, 19th (6 miles)
Prairie Spirit Trail, Carlyle.  Not such a great run.  Energy was very low as I had not eaten much that day.  I tried eating PB&J right before running, thinking the sugar might enter the blood stream quickly enough...but it was too late.  I pushed through, but it was sort of a tough 6 miles.

Saturday, 20th (0 miles)

Sunday, 21st (0 miles)

Personal 9-Week Challenge Before Our Youth Rally

On November 7th, we will be hosting our fourth annual youth rally at Iola Baptist Temple.  Along with this rally, we are excited to host a 5k walk/run as well.  Starting this Monday (September 8), I plan on launching a fitness challenge to anyone who wants to participate.  It is a challenge to get healthy in 9 weeks (63 days).  Obviously, you need to make it a long-term, lifestyle change to experience lasting results, but 9 weeks is a very good starting point and a sufficient amount of time to train for a 5k from scratch (if I'm not mistaken, "Couch to 5K" has a 9-week program).

I am also trying to get a simple website up with some tips and research information that I have gathered that may help.  The website, although it won't be ready till sometime next week, is www.exercisethyself.weebly.com. I hope to have it set up as a place where everyone can share their training progress and get advice.  Suggested workouts from the website will also be posted on our Facebook page each week.

Finally, I am going to lead by example with something I hope will be motivating.  Entering into a high-mileage (for me) portion of my training for some upcoming ultra marathons I plan to run, I decided to give myself some personal challenges and post frequent updates on this blog.  Here are a few of my goals for the next 9 weeks:

1.  Lose 20 lbs.  I've been holding on to a bunch of extra weight I need to get rid of.  Through the increased mileage, and better diet, I will try to lose an average of 1 pound every 3 days.  That is a pretty realistic goal!

2.  Run Across Kansas (sort of).  I looked it up, and if I averaged 7-8 miles per day, I could theoretically run across Kansas in 9 weeks.  I won't really be running across Kansas!  I'll just log each run, and give weekly reports on this blog showing exactly where I would be at that point if I were running across the state (hope that is not too disappointing.  It would be neat to actually run across Kansas, but not this time!)

3. Run a 50 miler before the youth rally.  I want a rematch with the Prairie Spirit Trail 100 next March, so in training for that, I plan on entering the PST Fall Classic 50 on October 24. 

Back To Training (August Review)

As I write this, I'm off to a pretty good running week so far.  Now, if I can keep it up...but I'll save that report for next week.  First, I want to get caught up really quickly on last month's training.  Although I haven't been posting on here for some time, there are two things I have been experimenting with that are helping me with some sort of regular routine and a bit of accountability, I have been posting short videos to a YouTube channel I started, and I have finally started logging my miles on a tracking program called Dailymile, although I still don't have it linked to GPS or anything (I'm way behind on the tech stuff in case you didn't know!)  

First of all, for the YouTube Channel.  For a couple months now, I have been taking some quick, 1-minute videos (trying to post one per week during my runs...or hikes, or any other type of outdoor activity I am doing that week.  This idea started with a conversation I had with some of the teens in the youth group I work with.  They seemed to like the idea, and so did I, so I pursued it.  I have enjoyed posting these videos as I feel sort of like I am sharing part of my run with others, but more importantly, it is an opportunity for me to challenge others with scripture rather than just attempt to inspire physical fitness (which I do believe is important, but to exercise oneself spiritually is of much greater importance).

About the tracking program, I am always seeing friends on Facebook post their running progress through programs like Nike+ and others.  For whatever reason, I found some ultra running friends on Dailymile and decided I would check into this program which seemed simple enough.  So, for about a month now, I have been trying to track my distances and write some brief notes about each run.  There is something motivating about knowing you are going to post your workout results for others to see when you are done.

So, I have decided to use this post to briefly update last month's training, and then if I can keep it up I will start sharing weekly reviews through this blog.  My training should really be increasing in the weeks ahead for some upcoming races I plan to run.  Hopefully, posting all this will help with keeping me to push a little harder...perhaps, in time, it may motivate some readers as well.

August 4-10

This was a pretty good week of running.  I put in more mileage than I had for a while.  I suspected my legs would be really tired, but they weren't too bad until the week after.  I ran 16 on Monday (when video was taken), and then 20 on Tuesday with my brother-in-law who plans on running his first 50 in October.  A couple days later I did a 6 miler and then a 4 miler.  Legs never felt too bad, but really felt it during the next week.

 

August 11-17

 

During this week, I only put in three 4-milers.  Each run was miserable as it was very hot and my legs were sore.  In the upcoming weeks I would get acclimated to the heat, but at this time it really paid it's toll on me.

(Did not post a video this week)

 

August 18-24



 

I didn't post a video this week as well.  I was thinking I did, but I'm not finding it.  Anyway, it started out a bad week of running as I was still acclimating to the hot temperature and my legs were still sore.  However, Saturday I took part in a "low-key" 6-hour race (not really a race...more like a handful of ultra runners who just needed an excuse to get in a long run).  The course was a two mile loop that we would repeat for 6 hours.  There were more hills than I was used to (nearly all my running had been on the flat Prairie Spirit Trail for quite some time now).  I knew after a few miles that 6 hours was going to be really tough for my legs in these conditions (also very hot, but I think I had started acclimating pretty well by then), so I started to do a LOT of walking.  In 6 hours, I only went 22 miles...but hey! 20 miles is 20 miles!  Chalk it up to some good training for my feet!

 

August 25-31

 

Two days after the 20 miler my legs felt great.  I went for a run (mostly on the highway in direct sun, temp. in the 90's) in Fort Scott.  I felt really good, apparently had acclimated to the heat and my legs were no longer tired.  Still had a low-mileage week for whatever reason, but decided I will have to pick it up in September.

 

The first week of September is now in progress, I'm looking forward to sharing it with you next week! 



 

 

 

 

Live, Learn, And (God Willing) Try Again!

 After considering it for some time, I decided I should go ahead and write down a report about my experience this last weekend at the Prairie Spirit Trail 100 mile race before I forget too much about it.  The reason I hesitated to report it is because, thought I, no one wants to hear a report about a quitter.  I have never considered myself to be a "quitter!"  In fact, my father who retired from the Marine Corps after 20 years or so wouldn't allow the words "I quit" to be part of our vocabulary...something to which I am very thankful actually.  But no matter how much I try to think about what I could have or should have done differently, the fact is I decided to drop at mile 77.  I'll explain why in a minute, but first I walk you through my race starting from the beginning.


Right before the sun came up, the hundred milers all toed the line after a brief "final word" and a prayer led by ultra running legend, David Horton.  If everyone was like me, we were all anxious, eager...and nervous, wondering what was in store for us over the next 20-30 hours.

The first twenty miles went by so fast I can barely remember them.  I know I met a lot of runners.  I listened to them talk to each other and I had a few conversations myself.  But each time I saw someone check their watch and heard them say something like, "We're running in the 10's and 11's right now," I realized I was in the wrong crowd. 

My plan was to start out at between a 12 to 13 minute per mile pace, storing up every little bit of energy I could for a consistent pace throughout the night that would get me a 24 hour (or less) finish (I gave myself a 26 hour cut off time, even though the official cut off was 30 hours, because I had committed to my Sunday School class, my family, and to God that I wouldn't miss church for the race but would still fulfill my responsibilities to teach, lead music, etc.  By the time I got to Garnett (25ish miles), I had already told a dozen or so people that I knew better and was going to pay later for going out so fast.

What is really strange is that I don't think my body suffered at all for running that pace.  I probably could have kept it up till Iola (the 51 mile aid station and turnaround point)...except for the fact that I kept forgetting to drink.  Now, I'm not a veteran ultra runner by any means, but I do know the importance of proper hydration.  Thinking back on my training, I realized that I often went for 10-14 mile runs without any water.  Hydrating before and after my training runs was plenty sufficient, but I was stupid to not think about the fact that I needed to train with a water bottle so my body would get used to drinking while running--such a rookie mistake!

I filled up with some Heed (electrolyte drink), tried to start drinking more, grabbed some boiled potatoes dipped in salt, swallowed some electrolyte tablets...everything I could think of to promote better hydration.  But it was too late.  I urinated my last time somewhere around mile 30, and when I got to Colony (41 miles), I knew I was in trouble. 

 Since I was still almost an hour ahead of schedule, I decided I would sit for a few minutes and sip some fluids down until I could go to the bathroom and start sweating again.  Then it happened!  After sitting (another rookie mistake perhaps) I felt nauseous.  Then came severe muscle spasms.  I was cramping so bad and felt so sick that I went to lie down in the grass, writhing in pain.  My wife offered help, but I told her I just needed to wait it out.  Several times, I tried to get up.  I knew I needed some food to last the next 10 miles but every time I looked at food to put in my pack, I wanted to throw up!  Back to the grass!  Then finally, because I started to realize everyone was looking at me in pity, I moved to the back of our van. 

 Knowing I was so far ahead when I went into this aid station, I wasn't too worried about making it up when this "low point" ended.  But unfortunately, when I finally left, I had been there around 2 hours!  I grabbed a few things to stuff in my pack, put on my Camelback for better hydration, and headed down the trail.

Feeling a lot better, I was able to pick up the pace back up a little after walking about a quarter mile.  But I still couldn't eat because I was just too nauseous.  I wish I would have forced myself, but I thought I could wait until the nausea passed...it never passed!

10 miles later, I jogged into the Iola aid station.  Home was only about a mile away.  Some friends and family had come out to cheer me on, which was a blessing and quite an encouragement, only it made me want to stay longer at the aid station and I couldn't afford that.  I sat down to change socks and check my blister (not bad really), tried to eat a few things and drink some more.  Finally, I put on a warmer shirt, grabbed my headlamp and pacer (one of the teens from the youth group, Logan, agreed to run 10 miles or so with me and actually made it almost 20), and was on my way.

 We tried to mix a little bit of walking and jogging for the next 10 miles back to Colony, but another problem set in--one that concerned me more than the nausea, cramps and lack of sweat and urine--I now had to urinate really badly, but it would not come out.  About every 5 minutes (or less) I would try to empty my bladder...and nothing.  If a tiny bit managed to come out, it stung and was dark orange.  Were my kidneys and bladder completely shutting down?  Should I get an IV?  Perhaps! But I decided to keep trucking along and keep trying to drink.

Because of the nausea, I realized I had only been managing to get down 100-200 calories every 10 miles.  That was not sufficient by any stretch of the imagination.  And the more I drank, the more I had to go to the bathroom, but really couldn't go.

Logan and I made it back to Welda, lucky to keep moving 15-16 minutes per mile.  I knew things weren't looking good, but kept hoping that I would be able to pick the pace up and make up for loss time.  After I dropped Logan off at Welda, I had about 10 miles to go to Garnett (77.5 miles).  I put my mp3 player in grabbed a few granola bars, some M and M's, and half a banana (none of which I even touched except for about a bite of the granola bar which stayed in my mouth a long time), and I kept moving. 

As I kept moving down the path into the extremely dark night (new moon) and the sound of coyotes and owls, I began to think about how good I actually felt.  This was encouraging because usually by now my feet would be screaming and the pain in my quads and calves would barely be manageable.  I might even typically have an ankle or knee that was bothering me pretty badly at this point, but the only thing wrong with me was I felt sick and couldn't eat, I had to go to the bathroom but couldn't go, and if I picked up the pace to 14 minute miles or faster, everything cramped up. 

I started doing the math and thought it was still doable if I could keep walking 15 minute miles.  Then my wife, who is much better at math than I am, called me to motivate me.  I actually needed to get back up to 14 minute miles or faster and could not stop at any aid stations if I were going to make it in 26 hours.  I decided I would keep pushing and see how my pace was in Garnett, but with about 4 miles left I started realizing that I was going to come up short.  I could walk it and make the 30 hour cut off, but 26 just wasn't going to be obtainable.  I had to decide if I should keep going anyway until the 26 hours was up and then head straight to church, or go home and sleep a few hours before church.  At that point of the game, that was an easy choice to make.  I went home and got a shower and a nap!  (More coming soon...)

Me teaching Sunday School a few hours later.

 

Come On, Let's Run This Thing Already!

The last couple weeks of training have basically been just a waiting game.  Every few days I try to get in a little run just to make sure my legs are still working okay and I haven't lost my running lungs.  There are lots of theories on tapering...I don't really know what works best for me, but I like the thought that goes something like "It's better to be too well rested than injured."  There is just a constant worry that I am doing something wrong that is going to cause me to suffer more later. 

I try to work as normal, but it is hard not to stop and check the forecast again, or run some of the logistics through my head "one more time"...maybe even check out a couple 100 mile training plans just to remind myself that I have done all I can do at this point.  The closer race day gets, obviously, the more anxious I get.  So, let me just get it over with and write down a few of my worries, and then I will let them go (Lord willing) and share some very encouraging thoughts about my race day.

Worries:
1. I have committed to stop training for 100 milers after this one (at least until my kids are grown and out of the house).  This actually puts a lot of stress on me.  I HAVE to finish and do well or I will have so many regrets afterwards.

2. I have finished a couple 50's, but only completed one 100 miler, I DNFed (Did Not Finish) my second attempt, dropping at about mile 70.  I would really like to have two finishes and confirm in my mind that the DNF was a fluke instead of having two DNFs and wonder if my first finish was a fluke!

3.  There is the little fear that my leg will not hold up.  After a severe break in my left tibia/fibula bones a few years ago (plates and screws are still in place), I was fortunate to be able to finish the 50 miler last year, but what if I'm not able to handle it after that?

4.  I have vowed to have a personal cut-off time of 26 hours (instead of the official 30 hour cut-off) if I have not finished, in order to make it to Sunday School class on time.  Can you imagine the disappointment if I have to quit a mile or so from the finish line?  Do you know how hard that would be to do?!

5.  In training for the 100 miler I finished (25:34:00), I completed a 50 mile training run, this training period, my furthest runs were the two 30's I did a couple weeks apart.  Was that enough?

6.  I have been so happy that I have had no injuries this whole training period, and not so much as a cold the entire time.  Then, the other day I went camping and felt a sinus infection coming on.  This was followed by severe case of sickness (several bouts of violent vomiting that actually busted blood vessels in my eyes, under my bottom eyelids).  I got completely dehydrated from throwing up, and very weak and remained dizzy and nauseous.  What if I have another bout on race day?

7.  Then there are a plethora of other concerns: What if that plantars wart bothers me? What about that ingrown toenail? What about chaffing between my legs?!!!



There, I wrote them down!  Now I am going to leave them alone and stop stressing about them.  It is time to start thinking positive.  Here is what I have to look forward to in a couple days:

1.  The weather is supposed to be wonderful!  It looks like high in the 70s (a little warm, but I'll take it over a blizzard like we had last year any day).  Lows are in the 40s-50's with no chance of rain (they say) and a light wind.

2.  I have had some pretty good training.  In January, I ran 10 miles per day for 10 days (100 miles in 10 days) and got by just fine.  In February, I had two days of 10 miles in the morning and 10 miles at night (20 miles per day), followed by a 10 miler with no walk breaks (about 10 min/mile pace), again with no problems.  In March, I ran two 30 milers and finished very strong both times.  Although I didn't work on speed at all, I ended up being able to run a 14 miler at a 10 min/mile pace and some shorter runs at a 9 min/mile pace without too much effort.  I know I could have went much faster!  Now, that might not be where I wanted to be (I had very high expectations about being faster, running longer, and losing another 10 lbs), but that seems to be plenty of training!

3.  The fact that there has been no real injuries or sicknesses lets me know that I have been pretty healthy.  And although my leg still acts up when the weather changes, it has never bothered me much after a long run (in fact, it often feels better when I am running than it does when I am not).  This is a good sign about my physical condition regardless of how much better I would like it to be.

4.  My wife and kids will be there to support me!  Plus, I have many folks encouraging me and many of my church family praying for me.  Can't get any better than that!

5.  I've got a pretty easy plan: try to average 14 minutes per mile and keep on moving forward!  Very few actually run these things to race (the top 5-10%, maybe).   For the majority of us, it is a race about finishing and meeting your personal goals (perhaps even setting some personal records), but there is no stress about needing to compete against anybody on the course.

So, there it is!  A 100 miler is no joke, that is for sure.  It's going to hurt.  I'm going to be very sore and exhausted... both mentally and physically drained.  I am going to be miserable all day Sunday as I try to stay awake and not cramp up, let alone try to teach Sunday School and "Children's Church," lead singing, choir practice...and whatever else I will need to do...but I know all of that going in to this thing!  This is what I love for some strange, unknown (freakish) reason.  I like pushing my body to its limits.  I like seeing how far I can go and how much I can endure.  I'm ready for this!

Now, let's get it over already!!!

If you want to follow my progress on Saturday, my wife should be posting some updates on my Facebook account.  Otherwise, I will give a detailed race report sometime afterwards.  Also, you can see the results as runners finish at http://ozendurance.net/race-results/prairie-spirit-trail-100-50-mile-ultra-races/

Another Prairie Spirit Trail Ultra--PST "Fall Classic"

I am glad to see that Epic Ultras is putting on another race on my trail (I don't mean "my" in the sense of ownership, but rather in the sense of belonging...like "my church" or "my family").  As many of you know, the trail is basically in my back yard and has been my regular place for running, hiking, training...and meditating.  I am so glad to see it is getting attention in the ultra world.  When I first discovered the trail, I wondered why there weren't more runners on it.  I began to envision a Prairie Spirt Trail ultra, and several years later I found out I wasn't the only one with that vision.  Honestly, I am so glad someone else with experience and resources took on the task because I had no idea where to start.  Eric Steele of Epic Ultras is probably the perfect man for the job.

The upcoming race is at the end of this October, and it is called the Prairie Spirit Trail "Fall Classic" 50-mile and 50k race.  This is in addition to the new, annual Prairie Spirit Trail 100 and 50-miler that debuted only in march of this year.  They posted a video on their site (You can see me a couple times briefly--On one shot I was laughing and telling the workers I couldn't talk because my mouth was frozen, and in the other shot I was entering an aid station right after the "blizzard" started coming in).

I don't plan on running this "Fall Classic" race, but I am continuing to train for next March where I will be shooting for the 100-miler this time instead of the 50.  I'll try to keep updating the status of my training, but right now there is very little to report...hopefully watching that video, and writing this post will inspire me to get serious about training. 

First Impression: Southwind Rail-Trail Review (part 1)

Picture from KansasCyclist.com

I have only had the opportunity to see a couple miles of the trail during two recent out-and-back jogs, but I am looking forward to seeing more. I am planning on getting out there to jog/hike the whole thing pretty soon and see the rest of the 6.5 mile trail between Iola and Humboldt.  About a mile from my house, I'm sure this will become a regular thing for me.

One of my first thoughts was, "Well, we are certainly still in Kansas," and I mean that as a compliment.  If you have spent much time in rural Southeast Kansas, I'm sure you find Kansans to be very friendly and welcoming people.  On this trail, I felt like I was literally jogging through local farmers' back yards...and indeed I guess I was.  One direction I could see lots of humble, country homes that looked very inviting (If I was out of water, I wouldn't feel uncomfortable at all asking these people to drink from their garden hose...and they would probably bring me out a whole pitcher of iced tea instead), and on the other side, nothing but prairie and farm land.  The pathways from the farmers' back yards to their fields actually cross the trail.

There is one thing I saw a lot of on this trail that I don't see as much of on the Prairie Spirit trail--people.  In the 45 minutes I was on the trail, I saw two groups of hikers, one solo jogger like myself, and about 5 or six cyclists.  This probably doesn't sound like that much, but it is a lot more than I see on the PST.  It is not a bad thing by any means, but it is one of the reasons I am partial to the PST, and honestly will probably still frequent that trail despite the small $12 yearly pass required.  The reason is that I love the solitude.  I have run many 10 mile plus runs on the Prairie Spirit trail without hardly seeing a soul...and I like that.  I am more likely to see coyotes or deer than people.  I suppose there is a bit of security knowing people are on the trail, but for me, I just prefer the solitude when I'm running.

That being said, I hope the Southwind trail continues to get lots of use.  No, not just so I can have the PST to myself, but because I think it is a wonderful attraction for our area.  I definitely think it is a Southeast Kansas "must see" for any outdoor enthusiast.  It is top notch, and deserves to be seen by many.  Kudos to all the volunteers and the hard work that went into this beautiful trail.

Slight Change of Plans For Race Day

So, things have changed a bit. I am officially entered into the Prairie Spirit Trail Ultra event, but I will be running the 50 miler, not the 100.  This is probably best for a few different reasons. 

First, it is the first ultra attempt since my broken leg.  I have recently run 25-30 mile long runs in training, but I have no idea what I will be like at 50-60 miles.  So, it is probably better to start with a 50 and see what happens.

Second, I committed long ago not to let ultra running interfere with church or church responsibilities.  If I would have ran the 100 miler, I question if I would have been able to make it in under 27 hours at this point.  In order to make it to church in time to teach Sunday School, I would have had to cut off at 26 hours.  If I would have had to quit at mile 95, that would have really stunk! Then, I would have still been extremely tired and sore as I attempted to teach Sunday School immediately after the race.  In a weird way, I was looking forward to teaching while sore and exhausted just to show the teens they can still make it to Sunday School no matter what they did the night before. (Only I thought it would push me to go ahead and finish in under 26 hours--who knows?)

Finally, the 50-miler was paid for.  Can't beat that!  I was about to drop out entirely because I couldn't justify spending the money on the entrance fee.  A friend, who wanted to see me enter, paid my way into the 50 miler in exchange for a little work for them.  Now I have to finish for my friend and I know that this the race I am "supposed" to be running this year.

Well, If You Didn't Think I Was Nuts Before...

Well, if you didn't think I was nuts before, I'm sure you will now.  Today I start overnight training.  If everything works as planned, I will skip a night of sleep every other Sunday.  Mondays are my days off, so it seems an appropriate time to do this type of training (as I will be a bit like a zombie on those Mondays). 

The idea is that this will help me prepare for the 100 miler.  I'm figuring that the Prairie Spirit Trail 100 will take me about 25-26 hours to complete. This will get me back home just in time to teach Sunday School...very tired and sore.  I'd like to be able to function that Sunday after the race and then rest all day Monday.  For this reason, beyond training to put the miles on me feet, I'm wanting to refamiliarize my body with sleep deprivation (It's not as bad as it sounds...I don't think)

A couple weeks ago, we had the New Year's Eve Lock-In at the church.  That was a start, but today is my first official "overnight training" where I stay up the whole next day after training through the night. We'll see how it goes.

It is 3am as I write this.  So far I have watched a movie with my wife, worked on a couple projects, drank water, stretched, and did a light workout, but now it gets fun.  I'm about to go clean KDOT (it's a side job I do twice a week).  Then, at 5am I will ride the stationary bike for an hour while watching a Bible "read along and listen" dvd (basically, a bit of cheating on my Bible reading time, but it's better than nothing). A little after 6, I will go for a jog on the trail.  Hopefully I'll get about 16 miles done in about 3 hours)  Then, I'll come home and it's back to the projects I didn't finish.

I know it sounds fun to all you freaks, but to you normal people, well...

(Week 2) "More Of The Same"

Week two was very much a repeat of week one.  I found that biking got a little easier, and I was able to hike a bit faster without much effort.  Thankfully, everything seems strong and I am ready to add some jogging.  But I will wait another week before adding more distance.  I did terrible on my diet as the holidays are coming near and there is plenty of junk to choose from, but that is not my main focus now.  After Christmas I will focus more on that, but for now I just want to get some early miles in on my legs and establish a pattern of making myself get out no matter the time or the weather.


Monday           am: 2 hour speed hike on the Prairie Spirit trail
Tuesday           am: 2 hour bike ride on the Prairie Spirit trail/pm: stretches and ab workout
Wednesday      pm: light weights, legs
Thursday          am: 2 hour speed hike on the Prairie Spirit trail (near blizzard conditions)
Friday              pm: 1 hour stationary bike/stretch and abs
Saturday          workout cancelled
Sunday             off

Prairie Spirit Trail 100

Finally!

I hiked on this trail for the first time several years ago.  At the time, I had no idea I would one day live a mile away from the Iola trail head.  Almost immediately after we moved here I began training on the trail and day dreaming about one day organizing an ultra on it.  I had become an "ultra marathoner" a few years back when I ran the Mother Road 100 in OKC, and I was looking for more epic (and local) "adventures."

The Prairie Spirit Trail would be a fairly easy course (no major hills, no real tripping hazards, no turns, easy access for crew vehicles...)  However, I never got the motivation to go through with the whole "organizing" part.  I got as far as e-mailing a couple folks...and that was about it.  I got in touch with some folks involved with the Prairie Spirit Trail, and then I came across a blog, Running Freak, and was introduced to a man who had ran the entire trail...for fun! (My kind of guy).  So I e-mailed Darin who shared the idea of an organized Prairie Spirit Trail Ultra. I hoped that someone else would realize the potential of this trail...and finally someone has.

I don't think I have had the privilege of meeting Eric Steele of  Epic Ultras (perhaps once at the Heartland 100, I'm not sure).  I hear he has done an excellent job organizing some other Ultras that have become some of the best in the Midwest.  All I can say is...I'm in (assuming I can come up with the entry fee--ouch!--and can get my newly acquired metal plate and hardware in my left tibia and fibula bones to cooperate with me.)

Whether I make it to the starting line or not, I will be strictly following a 15 week training plan and am looking forward to it.  Please check in from time to time to see how the training is going. I need the accountability.

Have fun...You Freak!

These were the parting words of my loving wife at 5:10am as I headed off from the Iola trail head of the Prairie Spirit Trail for my 35 mile trek on July 12, 2012 (My 35th birthday). She would meet me in a couple hours at Colony with muffins, fruit, coffee, ice water, etc. I kissed her bye and jogged off into the darkness, waiting for the sun to rise. 

After a couple miles, the sun finally came up (which was a good thing, because the trail starts to get a little freaky in the dark sometimes, and I didn't have a flashlight with me).  I continued a pretty steady jog with occasional walk breaks, knowing I wasn't physically ready to "run" 35 miles at the time.  About 11 miles into my journey my wife and kids showed up at Colony.  She was running a little behind, but that was fine with me because I was ready for a little rest.

After a nice little breakfast, I headed off toward Welda.  By this time, the sun was getting hot, around 100 degrees I would say.  My faithful crew would drive up about a mile or so, and when I got there they would fill my water bottle if needed and soak a rag in ice cold water so I could put it around my neck.  It seemed to be getting hotter and hotter, and as the sun rose there seemed to be less and less shade.  For a while, I found myself jogging from one shaded area to the next and walking very slowly through the shaded area which provided a tiny bit of refuge from the heat.  Finally, I approached Welda and my oldest son got out and jogged with me for a few minutes till I got to the trail head where there were some well shaded picnic tables. Unfortunately, after Welda I made a very big mistake.

I wasn't very familiar with this part of the course. I had hiked it years ago, but couldn't remember it at all.  The biggest mistake was giving my wife my water bottle and  taking off without it.  At Welda, I had drank a couple cups of orange juice with ice, a bunch of water, and a fruit smoothie.  I couldn't think about having another drink, so I handed my wife my water bottle and said, "Just give it to me in a couple miles or so."  Well, as it turned out, there were no access roads that we could find for about 9 miles.  Worst of all, I felt like I was in a desert!  I've never been to Death Valley, but in my mind I was experiencing it at that moment. There seemed to be nothing but rocks and scorched prairie grass all around.  I could almost see the heat rising from the trail.  I tried to keep the rag over my head and neck to keep the sun from burning me, but presently it was providing very little comfort as it had become completely dry and hot.

Finally I got through and took a long break in Garnett.  That leg of the jog/hike was demoralizing to say the least, but after re-fueling and getting a rest, I was able to jog a bit more down the trail, through Garnett. Thinking I only had about 5 miles left, I gave it all I had left in me. Unfortunately, it turned out to be 4-5 miles farther than I had thought to the point where I would finally finish.  I was literally dragging my feet and nearly to a crawl by the time I got there. 

We think I might have actually went 40 miles, unless my calculations were way off earlier on the trail.  My family and I were famished, and the Dairy Queen in Garnett sounded like a wonderful place to go. I wanted to eat a burger, fries, and all that; but all that sounded good to me was a large, mint chocolate chip milkshake. It hit the spot and was about all I could stomach without getting sick.

Needless to say, it was a day or two before I started thinking of all the positives of having done this for my birthday.  Now, for some odd reason, I feel like I would like to do it again...maybe even 20 miles more.  I guess maybe the words of my wife, before taking off that morning, said it all, "Have fun...you freak!"

Just another excuse

I determined a while back, that if I could keep from hurting myself too badly, I would start training again for some ultra marathon running. Something that I thought I would never be able to do again after shattering my tibia/fibula bones and getting them put back together with two plates and about 16 screws.

I'm glad to say that I've gotten up to about 15 mile jogs on the Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail (link on the sidebar). This is pretty exciting to me. However, I must admit that it comes with some new limitations. I have to be extremely careful not to twist my ankle or anything, and so I take every step very carefully. Also, there is the time factor. I mean, who has time to run two to three hours a day to train for ultra marathons that they definitely aren't getting paid to run? In fact, you have to pay quite a bit to even enter these races. Besides this, I know I am not fast enough and never will be to win any of these races? So why start training again? ...I don't really know. I guess, just to see if I can.

So, once again, I find myself waking up before the sun rises. I'm fighting dehydration and drinking a whole lot more water. I'm trying to eat better so I have better energy. I'm back to fighting chaffing in sensitive areas, blisters and planters warts, achy muscles and sore feet...Oh yeah, and I'm back to thinking up crazy excuses to get in the mileage for "good causes."

I started something I have actually wanted to start for a while. I call it "Prairie Steps" (Just like the title of this blog...what a coincidence.) I take a group of teens from our youth group and we go for an early Monday morning hike. After 5 miles or so, we come to a place where we can have a light breakfast and a Bible devotion before being shuttled back home. It has been a real blessing, and one (very little) blessing that has come out of this is another excuse to "get in the miles."

Then, I came up with an excuse to train for 7-8 hours with out feeling too totally selfish with my time. It's my 35th birthday run (jog/hike). I'll be turning 35 this week, and so I have planned to go for a 35 mile jog/hike which will help me get a little closer to being ready for another ultra marathon. Not quite sure how this will go in the middle of the summer with hardly enough training and preparation, but I am going to give it a try. I've already told my wife that the only gift I want from her this year is that she and the kids would be my "crew members," and bring me food and drinks along the way. Then afterwards, if I can find an appetite, we will go out to eat. I'll try to give a detailed report about the day on this blog and on Facebook.

Running with a pebble in your shoe

One of the first things I realized when I started running on the Prairie Spirit Rail-Trail is that the limestone grading, though it may be comfortable to run on, causes one little dilemma--pebbles in the shoe! One little pebble can be irritating on so many levels. If it is the right shape or size, it feels like it is stabbing you. You begin running kind of goofily (if that is a word). Shaking your foot every couple steps to re-adjust the pebble.

Even if you try to ignore it in hopes that it will work its own way to the front of your shoe and no longer be a problem (which it usually does), it can cause you to totally lose focus as you begin to concentrate on the little booger. If you are running for time, you certainly don't want to stop and dump out your shoe, put it back on, and re-lace it.

I suppose that if you try to ignore it, and it ends up in the right place, it can cause some blistering or some sort of rash or something. Some runner's feet are more sensitive than others, and it may depend on how long you are running, but suffice it to say, pebbles can be annoying.

Personally, I usually don't mess with it. If anything, I will come to a good resting point, dump out my shoe, take a drink of water, and keep on going. If it were really a problem I would wear some gaiters (I have a really flashy pair that is red with black Zebra stripes...one reason I don't ever mess with them).

In our lives, we have lots of "pebbles" that work their way into our shoes, so to speak. Be it a coworker or family member who has done us wrong, a minor ailment that keeps getting the best of us, a financial hardship, or any number of situations that cause us a little irritation and threaten our great mission in life.

Here are some things to ask yourself when you notice one of those little rascally pebbles has finagled their way into your shoe:

1. How serious is it?

If it is not causing great pain and you don't think it is going to keep you from reaching your goal, you might not want to worry about it. So often we get distracted and let little situations get the best of us instead of just letting them go. Yet, obviously there are times when something must be done, no matter how much it slows you down or sets you back, in order to make sure we can keep going later on down the road. You need to analyze each pebble before you act on it.

2. What are you running for?

If I am out leisurely jogging and have no time restraints, you better believe I'm removing the pebble. I've got plenty of time, and I want to enjoy the run. This is true in life, too. There are certain points in our lives where it is perfectly reasonable to slow down a little and focus on enjoying the things in our life. It is important to enjoy our family, and sometimes this requires that we remove anything that interferes with that. But this doesn't exclude us from having goals and responsibilities. Eventually you are going to have to go all out and accomplish something. During those times, the little things need not distract you.

3. How sensitive are you?

Perhaps you are the type that should just go ahead and put on some gaiters because every little pebble is a huge ordeal. I personally don't like the idea of babying myself. I like the idea of running barefoot every once in a while, enduring some pain, and making myself tougher. Have you ever noticed that the picky eater always gets the wrong order, the germaphobe who sprays everything with Lysol and washes 92 times a day is always sick, sniffing and coughing. I enjoy food that everyone else thinks is nasty--I guess it started as a kid when I was taught to go ahead and eat everything on my plate. I have a great immune system--maybe it's because I don't obsess about dirt and have even been known to pick up food that dropped on the floor and eat it. And I don't worry about pebbles--perhaps I've endured blisters and cuts long enough to have developed calloused feet.

I hope you can make the application here. Pebbles in the shoes can truly be a problem for runners, and little situations can definitely affect our lives. I just want to encourage everyone to consider the little things and decide if they are really worth us getting all bent out of shape or not.

"Spiritual Walks"

Friday PM. (Did not hike on trail today, but I walked door-to-door for about 2 hours handing out church invitations and tracts)

"Praise Ye The Lord, The Almighty, the King of Creation. Oh my soul praise Him for He is my health and salvation..."

Several weeks ago, when I really began my regular hikes on the Prairie Spirit Trail, I found myself singing out this old hymn. About 3 miles out, I sat down on the trail, sipped some coffee, chomped on an apple, and read some Psalms from the Bible. I prayed a bit, and then, on my way back I could not help but burst out singing (I apologize to the birds that had to endure) this lovely hymn.

I knew very little of the verse other than the line I wrote above, and I didn't know the author's name or the year of the work or anything. So, when I got to my office that morning, very much mindful of the "spiritual moment" I had on the trail, I looked up a book Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan. This book tells the story of old hymns and the authors that wrote them. The author of the song I had been singing was Joachim Neander, 1650. Morgan told the story about how Neander got the inspiration for the hymns he wrote...can you guess how?

Morgan called them "Spiritual Walks" and told how Neander would go on long hikes on his favorite trail--a valley now known as "Neanderthal Valley" (named after the pastor that wrote this song. It is also where the bones were found of what they now refer to as "Neanderthal Man"...but that is another story).

It just seemed such a coincidence that my soul would sing out the same song that was written by a man who was probably doing the same thing I was when he wrote it. God is good, and He deserves all the glory and praise we could ever give Him!

Crept In Unawares

Monday AM. (8-mile hike)

A beautiful morning on the Prairie Spirit trail. The sun peeked over the horizon shortly after 7am. The sunrise usually reveals a coyote or two on the trail, but I am fine not seeing any this morning (they still creep me out a little). A certain thought came to me as I hiked along: "It's not what you can see on the trail that you have to worry about, it's what lurks in the darkness."

Every once in a while you hear about a hiker who was all alone out in the wild. As he walked on the straight and narrow path, he was focused on the lit trail ahead, taking caution of any potential danger: the fallen limb of a tree, an inconvenient root, or a pit on the trail that might have caused him to trip. Then all of a sudden, out of the cover of darkness, a predator attacks; be it a mountain lion, a rattlesnake, poisonous spider, a disease infested tick, or any of a thousand other little creeping things.

Boy, does this apply spiritually! As Christians, we need to watch out for the "Creeps." In the Epistle of Jude, we are warned:

"...earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 3,4)

Friends, I too exhort you to walk on "the straight and narrow path." Watch out for the "Creeps" in the darkness that would love to devour your faith!

Another Kansas Run (Okay, Hike)

I took some more time off and went to Kansas. While there, I was able to do a little running/hiking. If you are ever going through Kansas and have a chance to run the Prairie Spirit Trail (50-60 miles from Ottawa to Iola), or a portion of it, I strongly suggest it. Following is somewhat of a critique as well as some suggestions if you decide to give it a go:

-A lot of the same scenery--could get a little boring, although I enjoyed the beauty of nature and the shade of the trees.

-Bring a lot of water and snacks as there are VERY few chances to fill up.

-There aren't really any mile markings, so I recommend a GPS (also keeps you from getting lost as I almost did...which brings me to my next point)

-A large section of the trail was out, and the detour was a nightmare. I don't know how well it is kept up with, but be sure to check for closings.

-I struggled with a lot with pebbles in my shoes. I didn't mind the terrain (just dirt and gravel) and in the fall I assume the fallen leaves would be even better. But I recommend gators over your shoes to keep the pebbles out.

-I'm not quite sure what the deal is with the permit, but as I can tell you just put $3.50 in an envelope, put the envelope in the box, and then what happens to the money after that,I have no idea...and since I saw just about nobody anywhere, I am curious if anyone would ever get caught not paying. But I recommend you be honorable and put the money in the box.

I think this could be a great trail, but I wish more people knew about it and could raise money to have more work done on it.

Anyways, that is my feeling on the Prairie Spirit Trail--definitely worth the money.

(Update: Several years later, I moved to Iola, KS in a location that is close to this trail.  I have frequented the trail for years, and it has become much better managed and maintained.  I think it continues to grow in attraction and convenience, and I have even competed in ultra distance races on this trail.)