Once, I gave up drinking alcohol for forty days. Then I wrote about it, because that's what I do. 60 more days passed, and I found myself 100 days sober. Something I had not once done before in my adult life. I liked how I felt, so another 100 days of no drinking passed. It wasn't easy, of course. Almost daily I had to turn down offers of drinks from friends, or ignore the delicious Continue reading →
How to Navigate an Ultramarathon Aid Station
About a decade ago, I was a happy road runner, traversing the paved streets of major cities while collecting new half and full marathon finishers medals. I remember thinking that a race had outdone themselves when I'd show up to an aid station, and in addition to water and Gatorade, they had something like orange slices available. Food ON course? How thoughtful of the race director! Then, I Continue reading →
Trail Running’s Affect on Mental Health: 5 Proven Ways Trail Running Makes You Happy
When you were little, chances are your mom was always hounding you to "go outside and play". Little did you know, she was doing more than just trying to get you out of her hair - she was helping you stay healthy. As adults, we seek alternate ways to enjoy the outdoors that differ from the tree-forts and stick fights of our past. For some of us, our nature solace comes in the form of running Continue reading →
2020 Retreat Repeat Race (sort of) Report
The older I get, the more I truly believe that the Universe has a way of frequently working things out, if you're open to it. It might not be what you expected, or wanted, but nevertheless it will be a happy ending. A classic case of the Rolling Stone's "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you just might find, you get what you need". If you can't be philosophic on Continue reading →
10 Pros & Cons of Massage Guns for Runners
Runners are always hunting for the best and most effective way to recover from hard workouts and races. And who can blame them? The ability to recover quickly means athletes can continue training hard, which in theory, means progression to becoming a faster, stronger runner. Naturally, when a new recovery technique or product hits the endurance community, it tends to go viral. Compression Continue reading →
You’re Allowed to Change. (My 2019 Recap & 2020 To Do List)
As 2019 comes to a close I find myself in a precarious position. With 2 days left in the year, I've already been forced to back out of essentially all of my "big goals" for the first half of 2020. I've seen the little screen on ultrasignup.com that says "we're sorry you can't make it" when you un-register from a race more times this week than I've seen in my entire life. Hell Hole 100 PR Continue reading →
A Personal Update
As many of you already know: I'm currently forced to hang up my running shoes until further notice. But most of you don't know why. I was going to wait to share this post until I have more details from my physician, but so many of you have been private messaging me and asking what's up, so hell. I've never been anything but an open book before, why change now? I'm going to preface this post Continue reading →
Why We Hate the Treadmill & How to Learn to Love it
To the average person, a treadmill is another piece of equipment found in a gym, designed to burn calories and help the user stay in shape. Nothing more, nothing less. (Alright, maybe a little more: it's often used as a coat hanger in spare bedrooms and basements around the country. The road to fitness is paved with good intentions and dust covered cardio equipment...) In the running world, Continue reading →
Miles, Mind Tricks, & Ultramarathon Hallucinations
Prior to my entrance into the world of ultramarathon, I had always imagined hallucinations to include terrifying scenarios. The kind of things that I'd have to remind myself were not real. Being chased by unidentifiable monsters that were out to get me. Hearing creepy voices calling to me in the woods. Avoiding cracks in the ground where the earth was trying to open up and swallow me. But the Continue reading →
7 Things Every Runner Should Do At Least Once in their Lifetime
There are two covenants that I hold dear when it comes to running. First: never take running too seriously (unless you are literally getting paid to win races, which I am not). Second: never forget how lucky you are to be able to run. Unfortunately, even the best of us can get caught so caught up in our own running, that we sometimes lose the love for this sport. Running becomes a chore, Continue reading →
Commotion Chronicles 12/2-12/8/19
We are officially 25 weeks out from Hell Hole Hundred. This week went only slightly better than last, as this cold from hell is still lingering. It's in that awkward phase where the lasting symptoms are minor enough that they don't warrant a visit to the doctors office (and risk catching an entirely different virus in the waiting room). But they are still there, they still leave me feeling a Continue reading →
