racing – Mo's Marketplace

Image result for 50k decal On April 22, I hit a milestone I never anticipated, nor expected, to hit. I ran a 50k. That’s 31+ miles.

A year ago, I was focused on running a number of races. By this point last year – April 23, 2016 – I had run 14 races. 14 5ks (actually 13 5ks and 1 3-miler). Today I ran a 50k trail race. Put another way, in one day, I had eclipsed 10 of those 5k races from last year.

Interestingly enough, this was race 18 on the year. I’ve run 9 5ks, and a bunch of others: 5-Milers, 10-Milers, 15k. Fully half of what I’d run to that point was far more than I could have imagined a year ago. On May 1 last year, I ran my first race of more than 5k. A 10k. Or one of 5 loops I did for the 50. To think I’d upped my capacity from 5 to 50k. Unfathomable.

Now, make no mistake, on that last 10k I did far more walking than running. I had no business being out there. I finished the marathon distance in 5 hours 20 minutes. I finished the 50k in just under 7 hours. But I made a few promises to myself this year.

First, I’m punching 2017 in the mouth. Taking no prisoners

Second, I’m committed to trying 5 things I don’t know that I can finish this year. This was the second. The first was a January DNF. The next one is also a 50k, but a far more technical and difficult one. I’m not sure just yet what the other two will be, but I’m working on it.

Last, I was told to make my race for my dad. I got back up one more time than I quit on this day, and I did so because I was out there for my dad. It’s really hard to quit on your father.

This isn’t to brag on myself, please believe me that I have a great deal to be humble about. Rather, it’s about taking stock. Stopping along the path, looking around and taking stock of where you’ve been, but also how much farther there is to go. So as I write at the 40% point of the year, I’ve completed about 43% of my running goal for the year. I’ve done something I never thought I would, and I’ve tried 2 things I wasn’t sure I could actually finish. It’s about growth.

I’ve grown. And I’m punching 2017 in the mouth.

Rucksgiving and the New England Spahtens

Over the past year, I made a commitment to myself that I was going to run 50 Obstacle Races by age 50…which then morphed into 46 Races in 2016 for my 46 years…which has again morphed into getting as many done this year as I can. As part of this evolution, I’ve connected with some wonderful people along the way, see here Joel Chavez the man representing Day 3 of the 28 Days.

One group which which I’ve connected is the New England Spahtens, a local obstacle course racing (OCR) enthusiasts team that has over time morphed (not unlike my race list, nor would that be coincidental to my own list) into other races, fitness activities, and social events. After all, it’s a team, right?

OCR is an interesting community. It’s designed as an individual challenge, but we’re social animals and want to engage these pursuits with other similarly minded folk. I’ve noticed several “teams” of this kind in various places: joining is optional, there are no membership fees, no one gets cut, be as active or passive as you want. If you want to register for a race, but the team hasn’t been formed, form it. You can confidentially register for a race, join/create the team and you’ll have the support of others even if you don’t know them. They’re there to support you, perhaps help you over an obstacle with the sole purpose of sharing the sport and making it accessible to as many as who want to join.

For the past two years, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the Spahtens marshal as many volunteers as they can, loaded with donations and carry ruck sacks stuffed with the gear around a route through Boston to carry donations to the less fortunate. This isn’t an administratively heavy endeavor (read the blog post, linked to here – this is a general call to arms, some pre-planning, and general strategy on the fly). There are no news crews covering the story, no administrative costs. Just teams of people caring for others, while living the purpose of the group – health and fitness. It’s a marriage of the mission and vision of healthy activity, and supporting others. And it’s ridiculously inspirational.

Tag: racing

A 50k Punch in the Mouth

28 Days of Inspiration – Day 15