It took two days and 52 miles to run to the other side of a big hole and back.

Our R2R2R two-day Grand Canyon Crossing.

The Grand Canyon

After a few hours at work on Friday I headed over to Kata and Nick’s house to depart for our little adventure. I met them there around 1 pm and we transferred our supplies into their SUV. We were in good spirits, but really had no idea what we had signed up for. Last year Mary had talked about how tough her one way crossing was but yet it sounded like she had a blast. Kata, Nick, and I were all invited in on the adventure 6 weeks out. Rooms on the North Rim sell out almost a year in advance and we were only able to sneak in when someone else from the group dropped. We set off on the five hour drive chatting about what we are about to attempt. I found reports of the mileage being 20 to 24 miles each way. Our group was made up of triathletes not ultra runners so we were not really sure what to expect. We stopped for some gas and then made a final push to the Grand Canyon National Park entrance. We got the chatty guy and it took us over 30 min to get through the line. Damn, we should have picked the middle lane.

The group setting up camp.

We met up with Dan and Mary at the campground. Spirits were high and we watched as Mary ran around like a little kid saying hi to all her friends that were in town just for this one adventure.

Kata was much faster then Nick

 We set up camp and enjoyed a few beers and then headed to the cafeteria for dinner before we hit the tent. This is the first time I got a chance to meet some of the others in our group. I’m horrible with names but they seemed cool and I figured I would not see them much since we would probably break up into smaller groups.

No they didnt come in adult sizes. Boooo

A few S’mores and then I was off to bed. This was my first time being the person out camping that was actually trying to get a good night’s sleep and I don’t think I’ll go drink in a campground again. I could hear everything the people around me were talking about. They weren’t loud, but when your nerves are already in a fritz, any little thing can keep you up. I crawled into bed around 8:30 and finally got to sleep at about midnight.

The plan was to rise at 3 and leave by 4 for the short drive to the trail head. It was freezing but by far the coolest sky I have ever seen. Crystal clear, pitch black, and more stars than I have ever seen in my life. You could even see the Milky Way cut across the entire sky. I could have left then and been content with my trip. Of course that’s not how it ended. 4:00:03 and we were ready to leave. There must have been some miscommunication because all of the sudden all the cars except for Mary and ours were gone. Mary had done the drive once, a year ago, so we had a short, mini panic attack trying to find a map and figure out where we were to go. Problem solved and at that point we made a pact to just enjoy our weekend and not worry about what everyone else was doing. We parked the car and started the mile or so walk to the trail head.

Hold me Nick im scared.

It was 29 degrees and we were all filled with excitement.

After a quick check of the supplies we headed down the trail. It is seven miles or so of downhill switchbacks and the plan was to walk them. It would serve as a warm up but also save our legs for the long weekend ahead. It’s hard to run downhill and the consequences of catching a toe and falling were not an option.

You could just start to see the GC as the sun came up.

As we walked down the trail the views got better. Dan climbed on every rock like a kid. I had to pee every 20 minutes.  Kata, Nick, and Mary tried to prepare themselves for two full days with Dan and I. As the sun rises you are treated to some views that I’m sure are pretty hard to come by. I’m not a big nature person but I was pretty impressed.

This was a couples pic but Mary doesnt like heights

About halfway down the trail we shed some clothes and got ready for the final push to the bottom of the canyon. After about an hour we could see the Bridge crossing the river which would lead us to our first main stop, Phantom Ranch.

You can see all the switchbacks we had to run down

We walked through the tunnel and onto the bridge feeling like we had accomplished step one of our goal. The next thing I hear is Mary yelling “mule’s run” and I took off.

The first bridge

I wasn’t sure if it meant turn around and run for your life or let’s try to beat them across the bridge. They have a mule train that you must pass one time each day and they have the right away. Once we realized that we could not make it we turned around and ran for the tunnel to get back to where we could let them pass.

"Do you know what a Mule is?"

After they cleared us we did a short jog to Phantom Ranch and fueled up with one of our many snacks. We topped off our water and started across the canyon. It’s eight or so miles across and we planned to add the extra mile or so to stop by the waterfall. It was cool but not something you could swim in. It did however make a great place for lunch, at 9:30 am.

Lunch time

We ate and chatted and just enjoyed each other’s company. Then we packed up and headed back out on the trail. The next section was five miles or so of running along the river; a real fun place to run. We took turns leading and at times ran hard or just decided to walk and enjoy it. No one really cared about the pace, we just kept moving forward.

Crossing the Canyon floor was a blast

On the way down the South Rim I had recognized Katie from American River 50 and Facebook. She was with a group of four from the Coyote running team from Cali. We ran with them for a mile or so as they offered some great ultra running advice. I didn’t recognize Jimmy Dean without his facial hair but could tell this was a group of pretty strong ultrarunners. They were faster than us but we used this as motivation to move forward. We played catch-up up the entire North Rim with them. Just as we would finally catch them, off they went.

One last push, six or so miles of steep climbing, one mini meltdown, and I heard the clapping of people as I hit the top of the North Rim.



There were at least 15 people in chairs hooting and hollering for us. They even had a cooler of beverages and anyone who does endurance sports knows what a cold coke can do to bring some life back into you. We were all beat and just ready to get a shower and dump our packs. Oh wait we had a 1.75 mile jaunt to the room and through snow, ahh crap.

Please let this be the top!

 We walked some, we ran some, and I paid Mary $5 to walk the last bit with me; I was done. After checking in we reached our room and the GPS said 26.2 on the dot. Day 1 turned out to be a marathon. I can’t describe my true feelings when I finally dumped my pack and stinky clothes, without losing the PG rating of this report. We had no hot water and I had to wash each body part at a time as it was far too cold to stand under the ice cold water for more than seconds at a time. You also learn real quickly where you missed the bodyglide. Since we had to carry everything it was back on with the stinky clothes and off to grab a beer.

We are off to get some beer

We had made pretty good time so we decided to hit the Saloon for that beer we had been talking about all day.

Our bar for the next few hours

We chatted about our adventures that day and really just enjoyed each other’s company. After round two the legs didn’t hurt quite as bad and we commented on the effects of alcohol at elevation. Each time someone new walked through the door we all cheered and invited them to have a drink with us. Most just looked at us like we were crazy and went one their merry way. Well we ended up at five beers and two shots each and decided it was time to head over to our dinner reservations.

Lets get it on

 The North Rim seemed to be the meeting point for senior sightseeing so we did get lots of weird looks running around half tipsy (ok we’ll just call it drunk by this point) in compression gear and running shorts. We were shown to our table and with a quick slide down the hand rail I was ready for some grub. When our waiter showed up I quickly realized this wasn’t my normal type of restaurant. Bow ties and slicked back hair give me the creeps. He was a very nice young man and did everything he could to keep us happy.

Its funny the looks you get when you tuck your running shorts in

 We ordered some more drinks and chatted with the other four girls who had done the crossing as a separate group. Dinner took around 90 minutes to arrive so with my A.D.D. I was off to find things to keep me occupied. I met a younger couple from Canada at the table next to ours and sat with them for a good twenty minutes. They had the happiest baby I have ever seen. You could poke him and he would giggle like the Pillsbury Dough Boy. They asked if I had children and I explained that I was not a big fan of kids. Next thing I know she hands me seven month-old Ben and I’ve got some stranger’s kid in my arms. They both warned me that he likes to grab onto things and pull. I reminded them I don’t have any hair so I should be ok. She reminded me that I still have lips and ears so just to be careful. After a few minutes I handed Ben back, as I didn’t want to be the tipsy guy who dropped the kid on his head, and I was off to find some more fun.

Thats Ben with his Kung Foo grip. He's got moms hair.

 I found our Coyote running group outside and pulled up a chair for some great conversation. Sounds like it was a good conversation but I cannot remember any of it. Maybe we drank a little too much. I saw that the food had arrived so I ran back inside, slid down the banister one more time, and scarfed down my food. I can’t really tell you if the food was any good because by that point all I wanted was pizza. We finished our conversations, paid our bills, and all headed back to our rooms for an early bedtime of 8 pm.

Our dinner group

We hopped in bed and I heard a knock. Mary needed to grab some of her stuff out of my bag and we all jumped up like it was time for round two. Luckily Nick played the parent as Kata and I were ready to go streaking. Man, did I say “maybe” we drank a little too much? Kata lost a contact and just as I was getting ready to get up to help them find it I was out. I woke to a weird slurping sound and wasn’t sure if I should play dead or make a smart ass comment. I sat up to see Kata drinking out of her camelback. She reminded us that we had a return marathon in the morning and with the amount we had drunk, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some water in our system. So all night we seemed to wake each other up slurping up all the water we could find.

Lets do work son!!

3 am and I hopped into the shower. A 30 minute, warm shower was just what I needed. Kata and Nick got up and we repacked our bags, threw on some warm clothes, and headed out to meet Dan and Mary. Our group of five was going to grow by two with the addition of Rebecca and Kallie (two of the four girls we had dinner with). As we walked to the trail head there was that familiar aurora of excitement. We all knew that we were in for another hard day but there wasn’t anything we could do about it. We finally hit the trail head and just kept going. We walked the first half just chatting away. It was still chilly but we just seemed to really enjoy each other’s company. Each of the four runners from the Coyote group went flying by and this day we were in no hurry to try and run anyone down. We shed some clothes and then decided it was time to do some work.

Yes we have to run down that

 I had taken the following day off from work so I made myself a promise that if I was going to sit around and do nothing all day that I would be damn sure I had a reason too. We ran the second half of the North Rim decently. I’m sure we were holding sub 8 minute miles and our only concern was not to trip. We reached the first water stop quickly and stripped down to our warm weather running clothes.

Dan cant read

 Mother Nature unleashed the furry on us with a bug smack down like I’ve never seen before. Ever tried to balance on a shoe, naked, trying to get your shorts on, without stepping in the bushes, while you were dive bombed by 1000's of gnats?

The super fast but very nice Coyote Group and Nick

 It was not a pretty site. We regrouped and then held a pace line for the next eight miles or so to Phantom Ranch. This was our last meet up with the Coyote group and Jimmy made sure to tell me to try the Lemonade. OMG it seemed to be the perfect mix of sour and refreshing. After two days of bland bars and gels it was a mouth orgasm to say the least. FYI one glass is perfect; two makes your tummy hurt. We ate lunch and took a few group pictures and were back on our way.

Our day 2 group

 A short mile hike to the final bridge crossing and a four hour climb lay ahead. The smiles and laughter were all but gone. Rebecca had been pretty excited about her M&Ms and that was about the last smile we would see for hours from anyone. We walked and walked and walked and walked and finally I heard Dan yell “this is the halfway point”. We had all kind of split up and were making the assent up the South Rim individually. It was just one of those times where we all needed to dig deep and find something to get us up the hill. Switchback after switchback we just kept climbing. About ¾ of the way up we stopped for some food and a quick rest. I almost blew chunks when I took my last gel. Sometimes they just don’t seem to sit right. One last 45 minute push to the final rest spot. Dan and I reached it first and we cheered for each person who came around the corner. We were lucky to get a grunt or wave since EVERYONE was exhausted. We had one final regroup; we refueled, and started the final two miles to the top. The last mile is a very steep set of around 12 switchbacks and Dan and Mary were climbing like champs. I heard someone yell “the finish is right here” and it gave me a boost; just enough to get to the spot where Dan had said the finish was. I was later told he was pointing at the finish when he said it so I kept walking and saw Kata and Nick start running. I’m smart enough to know that if you’re running at this point it must be for something good so I took off. I made the turn and saw the four of them. I took off running as fast as I could and was finally at the top. Rebecca and Kallie were seconds behind me and the climb ended with one of Kallie’s patient hops over the final step.

Done!!!!

 We all hugged and congratulated each other. We had someone take our group photo and it is by far the happiest any of us had been all weekend (well maybe other than the Saloon). We sat and enjoyed our accomplishment for a few moments and then made the mile and a half walk back to the car.

We were all DIRTY

I don’t know if I have any desire to make this journey again. I’m not a person who really is all that into nature. I love to be outdoors but at the end of the day, we ran across a big hole in the ground. I had only gone for the physical challenge but I can tell you a few things for sure.

I have a bond with those six other people now that many will never experience. At some point every person was weak and at some point they were strong. We didn’t need to prove anything to each other yet we used each other to push ourselves. It’s amazing what you can accomplish with some motivation.

The three hours we spent in the Saloon will rank in my top 5 most fun memories. We did nothing special but hung out and had a few beers. I don’t think anyone who wasn’t there will ever understand but any outsider would have surely thought we were a family.

This trip was an adventure. It had highs and lows and everything in between. It was physically difficult, but was by far more of a mental test. It took everything we had to keep moving forward and finish the day. It reminded me of my childhood when I was able to run all day. Somewhere along the trip to adulthood we lost something. The ability to head out the door with some supplies and only a time to be home by. As children you don’t know that you are supposed to rest, or worry about nutrition. You didn’t cut your workouts short to get home to watch TV. I can remember more than once where I even changed the time on my watch to prove that I wasn’t late. (It did work two times before my mom caught on)

If I could sum up what I learned from this entire trip in a few words they would definitely be: get out there and experience life.

Until my next adventure…..

25 Random things About Eric, a look into the making of a Glassman

1. I was born in Germany on an American Army base and was this close to being named after my biological father. Jean Francois is cool if you have a French accent but in America I would have been known as Gene Francis. TY mom.

2. I went to church every Sunday until I was 17 but do not believe in God. I still pray for other from time to time, as I would hate for them to miss out if I was wrong.

3. As much as I love being out and about I will always think the most fun you can have would include: a bottle of wine, comfy cloths, an intelligent woman, some great conversation, an oversized couch, and a great movie.

4. I don’t watch TV at all. Other than football I’m not sure that I’ve seen more then 2 or 3 hours of TV this year. I do love TV shows and movies on DVD. I can use when I’m done with a hard workout and need to veg.

5. In 5th grade I won a young writers award and was one of 8 people from my entire school to get to go the local high school for a week long young writer’s camp. My spelling and grammar skills may have peaked at 11.

6. I’m not a big fan of heights but I am really only scared of electricity.

7. I will always pick a monthly out of town race over a car payment. My dad always told me as long as your car is dependable; it’s about how much you want to pay to look good. But if I had extra money I may indulge myself

8. I do endurance events because it’s the one thing I have found that breaks you down and really gives you a chance to see what you’re made off. Everyone can talk a good game but hours into an adventure, not everyone has what it takes to continue to move forward.

9. My 2 biggest pet peeves are people who are continually late and those who use the word “only” before describing an accomplishment. If you’re a marathoner you can “only” be doing a 5k. If you are new to running you better be damn proud that you’re doing a 5k. Never downplay an accomplishment, if you worked towards a goal and accomplished it be proud.

10. My most memorable moment was when I cut the last out and back, on my first real race. It was a 100k mtn bike ride and every time I even think about not finishing something I remember that day. I rode 57 out of 62 miles and those 5 miles that I didn’t do are the only thing I remember about the entire adventure.

11. As snooty as it may should I do think that I’m better than most people. You would be surprised to know how many people are content with just watching life go by from the couch. I find this unacceptable.

12. I would love to go to cooking, massage, and law school for personal enrichment.

13. If I had a fire and could only grab 2 things, they would be my HRC shot glasses and race medals. Every one of them has a story. Pictures would have been first but I could replace most of them online.

14. People who play the victim disgust me. Sometimes you make bad decisions or life screws you over and I’m ok with that. When you start using it as an excuse for not working at things anymore then I have a problem.

15. I was given the opportunity to repeat the 6th grade after missing too much school from suspensions.

16. I love to read and have read 30 or so books in the last 2 years. I’ve read Ultramarathon man 6 times and my second favorite books are the girl with a dragon tattoo series.

17. You know you’ll get an honest answer from me and be glad I learned the difference between being honest and just being an ass. (Some may argue this one) be warned I am all talk with some things but most of what I say in truly genuine.

18. My biggest accomplishment is my B- in Finite Math. I worked so hard to pass that class I and boy do I hate math.

19. Although I was among the top 5% in my medical classes in the Army Reserves I very quickly learned that I cannot deal with watching other people suffer.

20. I plan most of my travels around Hard Rock Café’s so I can grab a shot glass. The food is horrible and expensive but it gives me a reason to travel and has a great atmosphere.

21. I truly believe you are only as good as the people you surround yourself with. I will not be friends with you unless you have something to bring to the table. Sounds rude but I really think people should inspire those important to them. This doesn’t mean I will be rude or ignore you as everyone offers something that I can learn.

22. I love movies and enjoy all genres. Yep even the chick flicks/ ok well some of them.

23. I make a conscious effort to make at least 5 people smile a day.

24. I love to try everything and work hard to be as good as I can be. Whether it’s a 50 mile race or seeing how fast I can pass everyone on Farmville. I find something new, research it on the internet, and see how fast I can accomplish the goal. Once I’m happy with the results I move on to the next adventure. A.D.D. at its finest.

25. Probably the only thing in my life I’m not happy about is that I can’t seem to make that last step to quit smoking. I’m fine until I get a couple of beers in me then I start to water at the mouth if I see someone smoking. But I’ve come along way and will keep working at it.

The Day I Outran My Garmin

American River 50 mile endurance run 4-10-10

Part 1 Pre race…..

Six weeks after hurting my IT band at the Pemberton 50k I was on my way to Sacramento. I had gone from 60 mile training weeks to a measly two runs of 15 miles or more since my injury occurred. This being my first 50 mile race, I was scared enough. Now I had missed the prime of race training and even wondered if I had any business attempting the race. I knew it would be rough, but I have told enough people along the way that just because something is going to be difficult and may hurt, it’s not a valid reason to DNS. I came off Ironman in November and took a few down weeks. Then starting the last week of December I went through a running phase like I have never seen before. Ten weeks, five marathons, and two 50k’s later I just couldn’t figure out why I was hurt. Well, three weeks at Endurance Rehab and I was back on track. Would I be able to cover the distance? Your guess was a good as mine. So with the encouragement of my friends I was off to see what I was made of.

I left Phoenix Wednesday night around 8 pm. The plan was to take a nap and head out at midnight but after doing the math I realized that put me in LA on a Thursday at 5a.m. This was not an option. You would think I was going on a month trek to Tibet with the amount of clothing I had packed, but I really had no idea what to expect. After 12 hours of driving and a three hour nap I pulled into Auburn, California which is 30 miles east of Sacramento. It kind of scared me a little when I passed three different signs advertising ski resorts on the way to my hotel. This is never a good sign when you’re getting ready to run 50 miles. I checked into the hotel and after my running buddy Mitch showed up, we headed into town for a beer and pizza.

Veggie pizzza rocks

Then it was off to bed after watching a 90 minute video on the Badwater Ultramarthon, another goal that I will attempt some day.

Friday I woke up and decided to take a side trip up to the Hard rock Café in Lake Tahoe. I collect shot glasses from HRC so it was a great way to kill some nervous energy. I had to cut down to interstate 50 through 30 miles of back roads where the average speed limit was 25mph. It was like a rally course with hair pin turns and a 1000 foot high bridge crossing. I may have turned it into a roller coaster adrenaline junkie ride, but will deny everything if any cops come knocking on my door. It was a blast whipping through all the ups and downs until I realized that this is where my run in less than 24 hours would finish. I really started to get scared. I made it back just in time to head to packet pick up and then to our Pasta dinner.

I’m not a big fan of going to the pasta dinners for races as they usually suck. Dick Beardsley was the guest speaker so for $25 I figured it would be worth it.

Dick B telling one of his stories

 Well let me tell you, it was. Not only was the food amazing but so was DB’s talk. If you’re not familiar with him, he was the guy just edged out from winning the Boston marathon. The book Duel in the Sun is about that specific race. In two sentences he gained my respect for life. “I can tell you guys all types of reasons why I didn’t but should have won that race. I gave it everything I had and so did Albert Salazar and he beat me.” It was as simple as that and he wasn’t mad or upset about it at all. He also said that no matter what path we choose in life it cannot be changed once it happens. He really wanted us to remember that piece of advice when times got tough out on the course. I was looking for all the motivational stuff I could find just a few hours from race start. After shoveling pasta and cookies in my face we headed back to the hotel. I took a last minute recheck of the supplies, waited for my pacer/moral support Justin to arrive, and yelled at Mitch to get off Facebook; then it was bed time. It was 10:15 and we had a 2:15 wakeup call, but it wasn’t like we were going to get a lot of sleep anyway.

It was so good

At 2:15 the buzzer goes off. I was still thinking of reasons not to race. All I could say to Mitch was “this seemed like a better idea when I signed up for it months ago.” At this point it was obviously too late to back out. This is one of the main reasons I tell everyone I know about any hard races I’m going to do. It is a lot tougher to quit when you know you’ll have to explain it to all your friends. I grabbed my Garmin off the charger and made sure it was fully charged. We packed up the car and headed down to the shuttle. It was a three mile drive and we arrived an hour early. I was late to my first marathon and it will never happen again; on race day you have enough to worry about. A quick nap and we hopped on the bus for the hour ride to the start. After we arrived I had another scary thought, “It just took us over an hour on the freeway to get to the start of the race, and we drove from the finish line.” I hopped off the bus and headed straight for the bathrooms. There was an announcement that the race would start in 15 minutes and we headed down to the start line.

Getting ready to walk down to the start

After a four minute walk to the start line we fished with our prerace good lucks and group pictures. No countdown, no start gun, just a few cheers and we were off. The race starts with a mile run out, and then you hop onto a bike path and double back. The first 15 miles were pretty uneventful. I had planned to walk every fifth mile until we hit the 25 mile point and then play it by ear. I had done my 50k training run this way and it had left me feeling fresh. With less than 700 people in the race it was very hard to stick to my plan at the first walk break. I was four miles into a 50 mile race and had to walk. I was just sure I was going to be in dead last by the time five miles came around and it was time to run again. I continued this plan, walking mile 10 and 15 and it really started to pay off. After walking a 16 minute mile I was fresh enough to run the four miles at a 9-minute pace. I was picking people off pretty quickly and was saving a bunch of energy that I was sure I would need later.

One of the biggest differences between road marathons and ultra marathons is the aid stations. It looks like someone just took a fat kid to the supermarket and set him free. Chips, candy, soda, you name it they had it. During the prerace briefing at the pasta dinner they recommended that we start “grazing” at the very first aid station. It is a lot easier to start taking in fuel at each aid station then try to play catch up after you have depleted your body. So at each station I would grab a PB&J square, a few salty chips and wash it all down with Gatorade. Another piece of advice was to get in and out of the aid stations. Even four minutes at each stop would add up to 40 minutes wasted. So I made a conscious effort to not stop unless I had to refill my camelback.

Around mile 17.5 we encountered our first real climb. I was ready for something new after more than three hours of rolling hills on a bike path. Luckily, the paved path offered a softer option of running on the dirt shoulders. We had gone up a few hills and I had been told there was a decent climb coming up. I wasn’t sure if we had already climbed the hill everyone was talking about until I saw it. It was definitely one you walk up and they had placed motivational signs up the entire climb.

A quick stop at the Nimbus Overlook aid station at mile 18.1 and as the saying goes “what goes up must come down.”

The firt real climb

We continued along the bike path passing Negro Bar at mile 22.4 and onto Beal’s Point at 26.5. This is the first place you can place a drop bag so I was looking forward to getting some new comfy shoes on. This is also the start of the trails and real climbing. I hit the marathon point at 4:35 which is ten or fifteen minutes slower than my training marathon pace, so I was happy. My goal was five miles an hour so it was nice to be ahead of schedule. I changed shoes, grabbed some grub, and looked for my pacer. Justin was going to be there for a few motivational cheap shots but since I had thought the station was closer to 30 miles and projected a time of 6 hours, I just missed him. With AC/DC blasting through the speakers I threw up my devil horns and headed back out onto the course. I had passed Mitch just a few miles back and hoped Justin could at least see him. After almost 30 miles of running just seeing someone you know can give you a much needed boost. At mile 31 I took a walk break and posted my 3rd Facebook update. It was really encouraging to get feedback from my friends. I felt great and was ready to do some work.

I could tell I had logged some miles but for being at the 50k split I felt surprisingly good. After the Granite Bay aid station at mile 32 we were four miles into the real climbing and I was still smiling. Justin was waiting for me at around mile 31 and a quick nod was enough of a boost to keep me going. I saw him a few miles ahead again and gave him the finger. I’m not one to stop and chat but he told me I looked way better than a lot of the people I was passing and to get on it. It was exactly what I needed and I even started to get a little cocky. Next stop would be Buzzards Cove at mile 35.

They had told us to make sure we thanked the volunteers at this aid station. The only way to reach it was by boat and they had to hike the entire aid station up a one mile climb. All just so we could resupply. They even had ice cream cones. They looked so good but I wasn’t going to find out how my tummy would deal with ice cream with 15 more miles to go. I just kept making forward motion.

As I rolled into Horseshoe Bar at mile 38, I was starting to go downhill mentally. I had heard that mile 37 to 42 was mentally the toughest time in a 50 mile run. I just wanted to be finished and the loud drums at the aid station had my head thumping. This, mixed with my calf starting to cramp up, was putting me in a pretty pissy mood. Five minutes out of the aid station I went to step over a root and my calf cramped and I went down. I did catch myself so it wasn’t a full face plant but I did lose all my gear. I figured with as often as I trip, making it 43 miles before my first crash and burn was acceptable. I was mentally in a bad place until about mile 43.5 when I hooked up with a group of 3 or 4 runners. I told them it was a no passing zone as they ran up on me and made sure they knew that they would surely enjoy the view of my butt more than the course. From then on I was known as funny Arizona guy with the nice butt. Eight hours into a run and names really aren’t that important. As we ran, our group kept growing until about seven of us ran single file. Not much talking but a few lead changes and the next 5 miles seemed to just fly by. You kind of just have to shut your brain off and keep moving forward. Every time I started to walk something just made me start running again. The group was a big help in the motivation department. I told them that ultra running is a lot like my adventures as a kid. You set out with a pack and some supplies with only a time and location to end your trip at. Next thing I knew we popped out of the trail at mile 47 and there was Justin standing there cheering us on. As if running 50 miles isn’t enough, they throw 900 feet of climbing at you over the last three miles. A short three miles and I would be done. My Garmin beeped and I looked down to find a dead battery. I had outrun my watch.
 

Mile 37.5 to 38 is straight up. I saw every plan of attack from walking backwards to zig-zagging. I went with the straight up the gut approach with a few breaks and many curse words. I probably would have just sat down and took a five min break had I not had Justin there to make fun of me. It was a perfect mix of smart ass comments and encouragement.

 Last Gasp aid station at mile 38.3 is the final stop before the finish. It was manned with a group of young, skinny men who ran down to the bottom of the hill to grab your bottles. They asked what you wanted then took off sprinting up the hill so by the time you got to the top you were ready to move on and didn’t have to stop. It’s a pretty amazing and nice thing although it was demoralizing to watch them just run up and down the hill that I was fighting to just walk up. Justin would challenge me to run to the next bend or sign. I was reduced to breaking the final two miles into little chunks that involved everything from walking to 8-minute mile pace spurts. I felt fine but just didn’t want to run anymore. There was a 50 year old man behind me in a Green Bay Packers Jersey and Justin was adamant that I not let that guy beat me. I’m pretty sure someone from Wisconsin has wronged Justin at some point in his life. I asked Justin if he was going to run across the finish line with me like many pacers do. He said it was my moment of glory and he wasn’t going to run across the finish line of a race he did not complete. I have always felt the same way and even though I really could care less what other people do, I really think you have to earn that privilege. That’s my feeling and as rude or elitist as it may sound it’s just how I feel. I grabbed my finisher jacket and went to look for Justin so we could cheer for Mitch when he finished.

Mitch came through a little later and stood under the finish line for a good 20 seconds with his arms in the air. I smiled; everyone laughed, and that’s when it really kicked in that I had just run 50 miles. It was an amazing feeling that lasted about 45 seconds. I’ve got a very weird way at looking at things; I’m just a normal guy who had never done anything athletic until high school. I figure that if I can do it then it’s really not that big of a deal. Yes, it was a difficult journey but with a little hard work and determination anyone could run a 50.

I’ll jump on my soap box for a minute and this is my story so I can write whatever I want. I have lots of friends and family that say they live through my adventures and travels. If they just had the time or money they would like to try some of the stuff I do. Well, I felt the same way. Then one day I just did it. I ran a little farther than I had before. I put away a little money to travel somewhere. I decided to live life and make sure I took advantage of the time I have here on earth. It doesn’t have to be an Ironman, marathon, or ultra marathon, but do something with your life. Pick a goal that you have to work towards; something that cannot be accomplished in a day or even a week. If you had one year to live, write down the five things you would just have to do. Now take that list and pick one and just work towards it. It’s going to be difficult and will probably hurt some, but at the end of the day you will know that you accomplished something that most people never will. You picked a goal, worked hard, and accomplished it. I’ve been called an adrenaline junkie or athletically gifted. I’ve also been called quite a few other words that I can’t really repeat on here. What I am is a normal guy who has chosen to live life and push myself. I love the chance to put myself in a position where I am completely broken down and really see what I’m made of. It’s not until you have really suffered and worked hard that you can truly enjoy an accomplishment. Like I said, this is just my opinion and many people are just content sitting on the couch watching TMZ to see what famous people are doing; a complete waste of life in my eyes.



Thank you for all of you who have helped me along the way. I choose to surround myself with people who can help me achieve my goals. You guys have helped me come a long way in the last few years and I hope I can help inspire others to do the same.

The updated bucket list…

Since I accomplished every goal on my bucket list by age 32 I guess it’s time to make another.

Races

Marathons- 26.2 miles

Run with Donna

Flying pig

Fargo

Park city

Mount Lemmon

Mount Desert

Marine Corps

NYC

Flying Monkey

Great Wall Marathon

Catalina Eco

Ultramarathons- more than 26.2

Western States 100

Badwater

Ultraman

JFK 50

Rocky Raccoon

Goofy Challenge

Speed Goat 50k

Tahoe Triple

Ironman Canada

Ironman Lake Placid

Ironman Brazil, South Africa, or Australia

Travel

Australia

Adventure trip to Costa Rica

Egypt

South African safari

Bora Bora

Malta

South Pole

New York and Washington DC



Goals

Run a marathon in every state

Sub 3:30 marathon

Finish a 100 mile run

Visit a majority of the Hard Rock Cafes

Get my MBA, or JD

Make 5 people smile everyday

Make sure I leave this world a better place

One week from today I going to suffer more than any other time in my life; I’m so excited.

Ironman means something different to every person who steps up to the challenge. Nov 22nd will my second Ironman triathlon; it’s a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. All completed in that order and hopefully all in under 13:30:00, you have up to 17 hrs to finish.
Only outside of my triathlon friends do I get the question “why you’d you ever want to do something like that?”. I’m not really sure if I fully know to tell you the truth. It all started in my attempt to be a badass. It sounds funny but I loved the looks people gave me when I told them I had run a half marathon, and then it went to a full marathon, and now Ironman. This got me started in the sport but being a badass isn’t enough to pull you through the tough times during these events. I searched and searched trying to understand why I would put myself through this. The answer I finally found was because “I get to choose to suffer”. I know this sounds funny but there are so many people out there who struggle just to tie their shoes. I’m healthy and damn sure am going to live while I’m here.
As I progress in endurance sports I am learning to enjoy suffering. It’s not that I love the pain; it’s that I know I’m pushing myself farther than most are willing. During my first Ironman, where I was well undertrained, I was ready to quit. I was off my bike walking and a 70 year old lady rode up and told me to get back on my bike and just keep moving forward. Mind you we all race head to head so yes she was 2 seconds from being faster than me. I was too tired to argue and hoped back on. I started talking to her about how the only thing I had been able to do all day was think about why I should quit. I was down and out. I have received two pieces of advice that have really stuck with me in reference to Ironman and one came from her. She said “that’s what makes someone an ironman; ten to seventeen hours of your body telling you to stop but yet you just keep moving forward”. This translated into stop whining and if you truly want to be an ironman just keep moving forward. Just keep on keepn on as Joe Dirt would say.
As for the second piece of advice, it was posted on a local message board in response to a woman who had signed up for Ironman and felt she had not put in enough training. You see ironman sells out a year in advance and is reaching almost six hundred dollars just in your entrance fee. So when you sign up, you’re hoping that in a year you will still have the drive and determination to train and then attempt the race. Some were telling her she had no right being out there if she didn’t put in her time training. Our sport is dominated by type A personalities who can be very elitist at times. You kind of have to be pretty driven to get into this sport. So there it was in two sentences. “I’m going to tell you something that no one in ironman will ever admit. “ANYONE CAN DO AN IRONMAN.” So the question is if anyone can do an Ironman why is it such an accomplishment? The fact is most people will spend their entire lives in their comfort zone. Yes anyone can do it but most wont. Less than 1% of people will ever run a marathon so I can only guess what the numbers are for Ironman.
Yes it is hard, yes it hurts a lot, and yes it very time consuming. It’s expensive, hard on your body, and did I mention it hurts? It is also an accomplishment that will stay with you for the rest of your life. If you really stop and think about it, when was the last time you truly accomplished something difficult? Something that took months of hard work and when you started it, you didn’t know if you could finish. Maybe Ironman isn’t for you but I’m sure if you put a little effort into it you could find something that sparks your interest. This is why I’m excited to spend a day suffering with some of my closest friends.

My First Sub 12-Hour Ironman - A Day as an Ironman Volunteer

From Nov 2008

In April 2008 I completed my first Ironman and only my second triathlon. Yep, I went straight
from Ironman Volunteer to Ironman registration. I figured it would just be crazy to make an
Ironman my first triathlon so I decided to do the Soma ½
as my very first multi-sport event. I came from a running
background, if you can call it that, and made the transition to triathlon this year. I’ve probably done 20 or so races as a runner and to be honest I’ve never paid any attention to the volunteers. Don’t get me wrong, I was grateful to have them out there, but I would have been just fine grabbing my own water off the aid station table as I ran through.
You always hear this “We couldn’t do it without the volunteers” blah bah blah. Then came my fist Ironman.

In the interest of time I will summarize my first Ironman in April of 2008. Let’s just say that all
13 times I tried to quit ended the same way. A volunteer making some small comment that, for
that few seconds, made me think I could really do it. I did finally finish and I attribute a lot of it
to the people out on the course. It wasn’t anything complicated, just a simple “Hey Eric you can
do it”, or a 65 year old lady on the B-line highway, all by herself, cheering my chubby butt along
as I went by. My defining moment came as I got off my bike midway through the third lap and
was ready to throw in the towel. I was going to grab the next sag wagon and call it a day. It was
so bad I even contemplated just rolling into oncoming traffic. That, you see, would totally work
as an excuse for all the people I had told that I was going to finish an Ironman. So there I am, 20
feet from the sag wagon and my ride home, and this little old lady on the side of the rode told me
I looked “cute” in my spandex shorts. I mean come on…you can’t stop after that. Well, once I
made it to the turnaround I decided that if by some miracle I finished, I would be there in
November to cheer my little heart out. Six months later it was IM AZ and my turn to give back.
I really only remembered a few parts of my own Ironman so I wanted to be out there early. Up at 4am, and out the door; just like I was racing. I was there for the swim start and then ran along the lake to make sure I was able to cheer for “MY” swimmers. Those are the ones who go at least 1:20. I know they must have thought there was some crazy guy screaming on the bridge but I was going to let them know we were here for them. I then made my way over to the Phoenix Triathlon Club aid station on the north side of the lake.
John, Scott’s son Brandon, and a few other PTC members along with two huge trucks were
waiting there for me. John opened the first U-haul truck, which was full of our “props” and I
thought two things. First, what did I get myself into and second. John Lierle has way too much
time on his hands. I mean come on, an entire U-Haul full of “props”? I say, if you need power
tools to put together an aid station you have gone just a little overboard. After receiving our
building permits we got to work and about 20 minutes later I looked around and there were at
least 20 PTC members hard at work. We finished with close to an hour to spare and it was a sight to behold. I even made a comment that if we didn’t win first place I was going to resort to
violence. With about 30 minutes until the first pro came through, I snuck off to get dressed.
We all know that our aid station theme was western and I knew my 15 bucks spent at the
Goodwill would be a hit. I slid on my 46-inch overalls and plaid shirt. Then came the cowboy
hat and finally my pillow. I found someone to help me tie my shoes and I was set. I did not know
it at the time, but it seems the pillow was a little more convincing than planned. I heard a few
comments about how I may have taken the off season a little too seriously. I was ready now.
Bring on the runners! With a few last instructions from John and Mary Knott, I took my place at the #1 aid table. I was the water guy and ready to be a darn good one! I held the cup just so perfect, poised to give it to the first runner who came though. I even cut to the front of the line to make sure I got to give water to the first runner who came through. Then I saw the bike leading the first place male runner. It was game time! I double-checked to ensure my shoes were tied and confirmed my running path was clear so I could run with him and it would be a flawless hand-off. I was finally giving back to my triathlon family. The first place male neared and I took off at the perfect time.
I held his pace so he wouldn’t miss a beat. I extended my arm with pin point accuracy
and...nothing. He didn’t want my water. I’ll tell you one thing, he was lucky to be moving so
fast. By the time I decided if I should trip him or just throw the water at him he was gone.
Whether warranted or not I was offended (not really, OK…some). As many of you will come to
find out, I never claim to be normal. I even pride myself on being a little quirky as my friends put it. It was my day to give back and this guy didn’t even want my water. Well I recovered fast and continued to hand out water for the next few hours. I did get over it but I still wasn’t all that happy when someone passed me by.
Around 5pm I started to get tired, OK, very tired. I had planned to “Go, Go, Go” until the
midnight cutoff but I was running on empty. I sat down in my chair, cheered and did what I
could. The runners were having a hard time with the concept of running between the red
directional tape and the red eight-foot tall cowboy M-Dots, so John moved me to the entrance of
our aid station to direct traffic. So there I was, looking like I weighed 300 pounds, sitting in a
chair on a comforter and telling these super fit athletes they could do it. Then I remembered what a few encouraging words did for me in April. I sprang into action! It was time for me to shine.
A piece of advice for those of you who race Ironman, make sure you wear your bib with your
first name on it during the run in front. When we can personalize your cheer it makes a real
difference. I started with “Good job, you can do it.” Then I found that if you use their name “Hey
John you are looking great!” they would look over and smile. I could see it in their faces, for
those few seconds they were in their happy place. All the pain and thoughts of quitting were
gone. It may have been all in my head, but I really felt that I was personally doing something to
help these racers achieve their goal. This went on for a few hours. “Julie you are smokin!” or
“Jose, man your are looking good!” Even a few offers for a date if they came back and got me
after the race. I ended with a session of letting everyone who went by know that in just a few
hours they would be able to start working on their off season bellies, while rubbing mine own of
course. I left a little after eight both mentally and physically drained. I wanted to stay until it was over but I had nothing left. I was happy and had given back to the people who just six months earlier had helped me get through one of the toughest day’s of my life.
A couple of side notes: Take a second and thank John Lierle and Mary Knott. They put a lot of
time into making sure we took first place as an aid station. I thought Mary was going to be sick
all day, she was so nervous for Dan Beaver who was racing to qualify for Kona. I also bet John
Lierle ran at least a 5k that day. I would also like to thank everybody who was out there. I now
know where the saying “We couldn’t have done it without you” comes from. If you’re not racing
or you have friends or family who want to see what our crazy sport is all about, volunteer
somewhere. It’s your chance to give a little back to our community and some day it might just be
what you need to get you through a tough day. In my very short time on the PTC board I’m
starting to see just how much it takes to put these races on. It was a day I will never forget and I
can only hope that in some small way, with less than 12 hours of my time, I was able to help
someone hear the phrase “YOU ARE IRONMAN!”

2010’s Vacation Plans

O I love this part. Every few years my buddy Jason and I take a trip. There are not many people you can travel with for a week without wanting to stab them. He also collects HRC shot glasses so it seems to work out. This year I spent a week, three different times, back home in Seattle. It was fun but I’m ready for something big again. I only get to do a big trip every few years. Jason brought up a cruise from Barcelona to Athens by way of Malta. Sounded like a blast but it’s not until Nov and I don’t want to wait. I’ve done some serious planning and price checking and these three lead the way.
Although running with the bulls looked cool I’m thinking with my luck I’ll be the one the bull gets. I found a cruise from Barcelona to France to Italy and back. I know many of you will say boo on a cruise but I enjoy them. I love the home base that moves with us. No lugn bags around and all your food paid up front. We did the U.K., Scotland, Paris, and Amsterdam trip 3 years ago. We also did a 9 day Bahamas and Caribbean cruise 4 years ago. I enjoyed both ways of traveling.
Second we could fly just to Malta for 9 days. I’m not a big sit on the beach for a week kind of traveler. I’m a gogogo and see as much as possible. I can even over plan them at times. It’s something I’ve really had to work on. Nothing scares me more in life then not having a plan. But I’ve come along way and something this tropical could work.
The final one is our HRH east coast run. We would fly into Baltimore and rent a car driving to 12 or so Hard Rock Cafes then a few days in Iceland. I’ve never been to New York or Boston. We would see Niagara Falls and the Smithsonian.
I’m sure it will all change but those are leading the way. I get lots of comments from old friends that say “I wish I could travel like you.” Well then do it. Travel is like having kids. If you wait till you financially ready you’ll never do it. Pick something 9 months out and work at saving for it. These are experiences that can never be taken away from you. Get off your ass!!!