ToughER Mudder, *or* A Pirate's Life For Me! PLUS how YOU can do something great!

Two weekends ago, me and my friend Doug Staggs once again ran the Tough Mudder in Maysville, Kentucky. For anyone unaware of the event, the Tough Mudder is a 10-12 mile trail run and obstacle course; called "The toughest event on the planet" by some.

This year, the weather was FAR better than last year. Sunshine, at least 10 degrees warmer, and no rain! That, coupled with starting toward the head of the pack so we didn't get bottlenecked at the events, helped Doug and I finished two and half HOURS faster this year!

Needless to say, we were pretty happy with the success.

Just look at the exuberance on my face. 

The following Monday evening, I came down with what my principal, Joe Matthews (a four-time Mudder himself) calls "The Curse of the Mudder". Flu-like symptoms kept me home from school the next day. No pain, no gain!

Halloween is coming up, and although this blog is normally full of my athletic exploits, I'd be remiss not to mention my favorite holiday of the year. Last weekend, me and Hillary went to visit my brother Aaron and his wife Rebecca in Louisville. Of course, there was a Halloween party, and of course we wore costumes.

I actually wanted to be a pirate when I was a kid. Ask my parents. The couch made a suitable pirate ship. 

This afternoon I was over her house, carving pumpkins with her little girls Faith and Zoe, and was once again blown away by what God has done in my life in the last year and a half. His ability to create rivers in the dry wasteland continues to amaze me. It simply proves that, no matter how terrible things seem to have become, God always has a plan to bring peace and prosperity that stretches beyond temporary circumstances. 

The aforementioned jack-o-lanterns. They turned out better than I expected! 

Every now and then, I have the chance to let my faith and my hobbies overlap. Many of you may remember that, over the summer, I raised money to help buy school supplies for needy kids in my area with a project called Miles for Missions. I'm happy to announce that, for the month of November, I'm reviving the Miles for Missions project for another very worthy cause. 

In June 2014, I am going to Guatemala for ten days with a mission team from Trinity Hill United Methodist Church. While in the country, we will be working on cleaning and construction projects, as well as relational ministry with the impoverished children of Chichicastenango, Guatemala. 

Here's how Miles for Missions works: during the month of November, I'm going to be running my butt off. I would like YOU to sponsor me for the number of miles I run! Any amount will help!  $0.25 per mile, $0.10 per mile, or even $0.05 per mile will make a real difference. Any one-time donations are also very much needed and appreciated. 

One-hundred percent of the money I raise with Miles for Missions will go toward the cost of sending me to Guatamala. If you feel that God has laid it upon your heart to give, please email me at grahampatricksmith@gmail.com. 

I would very much appreciate any PRAYERS you're willing to offer, too. The trip is very much outside my comfort zone, but I know that God is going to do amazing things in my life and in the lives of the people I'm going to encounter while I'm there!

Until next time: May the road rise to meet you! 

Monday, 10-15-13: Cracked Ribs

These are the stats from my latest long run. Yesterday I managed to clock 11 miles at a pretty conservative pace, which isn't bad for going more than a week since my last long run. 

For some reason, that run left me ACHING more than past long runs. Maybe it was because I did it in the evening. Maybe it's because the weather is getting cooler. Or maybe I'm just getting a little out of shape. Either way, I decided to take it easy today. 

This coming Sunday, October 20th, I'm running the Tough Mudder again, again with my friend Doug. He's the only guy I know crazy enough to want to do such a thing with me not once, but twice.  Last October, one of the event photographers managed to snap this amazing picture of me after I emerged from a dumpster full of ice water. 

Clearly, I was thrilled to be there. 

Today also marks a pretty important milestone. Four months ago to the day, HIllary and I went on what we called our first official "date" to see Here Come the Mummies in concert at Buster's here in Lexington (wow, that's a lot of links in one sentence). That's four months of happiness after a year and a half of battles, heartache, anger, frustration, and plain ole' weariness. 

Looking at where I am now, I can see God's plans through it all. And so can she. 

The Tough Mudder is famous for its notorious final obstacle: electroshock therapy, where contestants dash through hanging live electrical wires. But last year there was one more obstacle that I sometimes forget, when remembering the insanity of that day. It was a crawl up a muddy hill that had been embedded with tractor tires. And it was on this final obstacle that I found a large crowd.  

One guy, in the middle of the group, had cracked some ribs somewhere on the dangerous, rough-and-tumble, 13-mile course. His face was set in a painful grimace with every movement, but still he pressed onward. All around him people offered to help, to carry him over the tires. Sometimes he accepted their help, but sometimes he'd refuse: the wrong movements could jostle his cracked ribs, putting him in even more pain. 

My separation and subsequent divorce were like a bellyfull of cracked ribs. I carried them around with me for a long time, their dull ache making every movement like knives. Just when I thought the pain had finally ebbed away, I'd make one wrong move, and suddenly feel the pain as fresh as ever.  

Even though I don't feel the sting of those old injuries anymore, I still remember how much they hurt. But I guess that's a good thing. If I don't remember the pain, remember why it was there and learn what I can do to prevent it in the future, then the whole experience would have been a waste. But I've grown through it all; as a man, as a partner in a relationship, and in my faith in God.

I can now clearly see God's plan that got me through those times. If I had been able to see God's end result through the pain, it would have made the pain a little more bearable... but I would not have learned as much, and I wouldn't be the man that God has forged me into because of it. 

So as I prep for this upcoming Tough Mudder, I remember the place I am in now, and where I was a year ago. Whether I'm in as good shape as I was last year is yet to be seen... but I am certainly more whole now than I was then. With the emotional cracked ribs finally healed, I simply need to avoid cracking any literal ribs. 

And I'm taking a waterproof disposable fun camera with me, to chronaloge the whole thing. 

First Post in a While. Much Has Happened...

I think this is what happened last fall, when I stepped away from this blog for nearly a year. I let the busyness of life take over, pushing pursuits such as this, these things I'd actually LIKE to do, to the wayside. Before I slip back into that pattern for another year, I'm jumping back into Runner Confidential.

The weather is getting cooler, which means that running season is getting into full swing.  I don't have to punish myself with 5AM morning runs before work anymore. Afternoons are cooler, the sun is setting earlier. Not to mention that Lexington is finally listening to my ravings by adding...

... sidewalks to Tates Creek Road!  

I've been running Tates Creek Road for a while now in an attempt to extend my milage.  Put simply, Lexington has never been a city extremely friendly to its runners. Sidewalks in residential neighborhood simply end, or switch to the opposite side of the road (often over very busy, multi-lane roads). This has forced me to run in the narrow strip of concrete between the painted white line and the curb, which is sometimes too narrow to keep my feet inside. But now I have the luxury of a sidewalk, that runs nearly the distance from my house to the Chevy Chase area!   

Since my last post, I've logged quite a few miles, including my first long runs since summer. Trying to keep my milage up is a struggle, though. There are only so many hours in a day, and I'm working literally twice as hard in my teaching job this year as I was last year. Not to mention that I'm still trying to learn to play guitar, still the assistant youth pastor, and spending more time with Hillary than ever. 

But I don't mind giving of my time to her and the girls. I wish I had more to give, in fact. My relationship with her has really shown that God will make all things work together for our good; even (no, especially) the hurtful, out-of-control events of our lives.

2013 has been a much better year than 2012 was. Regular readers of this blog will remember the long break I took while I started divorce proceedings, and the lengthy explanation I gave as to my absence. Finally, after trying to go it on my own more than a year ago, and waiting for an attorney to do his magic for almost six months, my divorce was finalized on September 30th, 2013; eight years TO THE DAY that my now ex-wife and I started dating.  

My brother, Aaron, told me that it was an appropriate bookend to that old portion of my life. I have to agree that there's a finality to it now, one I've wanted for a long time now. I wasn't sad; I'd spent months and months being sad, and that wasn't a road I was going down again. I had been divorced on all ground except legal for a long time. 

While we were both waiting on the confirmation of our divorces, Hillary and I joked that we'd frame the paperwork and hang them side-by-side on a wall together someday. And although I'm glad it's over, I find myself not wanting to celebrate the divorce. Divorce is nothing anyone should have to go through, although statistics show that half of all Americans will have to. So I'm just going to put the paperwork into a folder, file it away somewhere for safe keeping, and move on with my new life. 

Also... did you know that pawn shops won't buy a tungsten ring?  Turns out that they only buy jewelry for the meltdown value, and tungsten has a melting point of over 3400 degrees F.  So I guess it's a perfect metaphor for a functional marriage!  But now it appears I'm stuck with an indestructible wedding band, size 8, that cannot be unmade by anything less than the fires of Mount Doom. 

So, it's on Craigslist, if anyone is looking. :)   

Until next post, which will not take me so long to create: may the road rise to meet you, and may the wind always be at your back. It makes running that much easier. 

8/22/13: Fighting the Voices

The temperature and humidity were both in the upper eighties tonight, so my run was sort of short and slow. 

Distance: 3.22 miles 

Time: 31:51 

Pace: 9:54 min/mile 

The memorable part of this run, however, didn't come from the run itself, but from something that happened during the run. 

I frequent a lot of suburban neighborhoods on my runs. South Lexington has an abundance of them, with well-kept sidewalks and friendly people and modest little homes. Normally, it's the ideal place for a runner. But while running through one of these neighborhoods today, a car drove past me slow enough for a kid, maybe ten or twelve years old, to lean out the window and yell at me. 

"Get a haircut!" He cried. 

What the heck was this about? I had no idea who this kid (or the adult driving the car) was. I hadn't run through this neighborhood in more than a year. And I was on the sidewalk, minding my own business. Not to mention that I think I wear my ponytail rather well, and I don't think it's a look a lot of guys could pull off.  

I had less than a second to think of a witty retort. And I couldn't help but smile as I yelled, "No chance!" In reply. 

The car pulled into the nearest cul-de-sac, turned back the other direction, and drove away. Meaning they had gone out of their way simply to pass and harass the running guy with the ponytail. 

Which brings me to the purpose of this entry. 

I'm no stranger to voices telling me who or what I should be. When I weighed 230 pounds my sophomore year in high school, the heaviest I have ever been in my life, I got made fun of. I didn't get a lot of dates. And my self-worth hinged mostly on my perceptions of my own body. 

So, over the course of several years, I started walking. Walking turned into jogging. Jogging turned into running. Running turned into a habit of buying short-shorts and expensive socks and vibrant, scientifically-designed shoes. 

But one doesn't simply stop being a 'fat kid'. There are still times when I find myself looking in a mirror, wondering when I'm actually going to 'get in shape', why I don't log more miles, how I could justify eating as much as I do, et cetera. It's an inner voice, spurred by long-ago memories of exterior voices. It's lost most of its volume over the years, but I'd be foolish to say that it's ever going to be gone for good. 

When my wife left me more than a year ago, there was no "working on it," no "we've tried everything, the marriage is unsavable," no "road to recovery". Just me, left in a pile of shattered dreams, leaving the mail of the woman who used to love me on her car once a month because she still hasn't changed her mailing address on all of her stuff. 

Different voices emerged from the darkness. They were rooted in the old self-esteem issues of my past, but they burned with the fuel of rejection, hotter and stronger than I had ever known at any previous point in my life.

Last summer, during a session, my counselor asked if I "enjoyed my own company", when I turned off the internet and pulled myself out of my tasks and simply was with myself; if I liked myself enough to simply exist with myself.

I didn't understand what she meant. I didn't really think other people enjoyed my company; why should I? 

Months of living, growing, drinking, crying, praying, and yes, running, led me to where I am now. The pieces of my life fit together more than they have in a year, thanks be to God alone. Though sometimes it feels to little too late, I now know that His voice, and the voices of the friends and family who really care about me, were the ones I should have been listening to all along. 

I don't talk a lot about those cold, broken days. Hillary asked me the other day if I would ever consider blogging about the last two years of my life. She said that it's a really inspirational story, that a lot of people could benefit from hearing my story. Honestly, I don't like thinking about those days. So instead I run, and I write about running, and I teach, and I lead youth group. 

But then I remember that there are plenty of other people out there being led by the same voices of inadequacy, self-loathing, and depression that led me for so long. There are people telling themselves they're not good enough, they're hopeless, they're at a dead-end from which there is no escape. 

A word of advice from a guy who escaped: You CAN do it. 

So drive on, black car. Keep taunting, kid in the passenger seat. My shoes are still going to lace up the same tomorrow. The first cup of coffee tomorrow morning is still going to be the most delicious thing I have ever imbibed. And, every time I get out there and log miles, I'm only getting better. 

And I, under no circumstances, am getting a haircut. 

Post-run hair. Gotta love it. 

Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

I've managed to get in three runs in the last week, counting tonight. I'm not even going to bother with the other two; just trust me when I say they were nothing to write home about. This most recent run wasn't much, either, but I feel like I should record SOMETHING.

Start time: ~7:30 PM
Weather: cloudy, 78 degrees F, muggy.
Time: 55:53
Distance: 5.36 miles
Pace: 10:25 min/mile


A little personal information about me:
 - I am 30 years old
 - I am a public high school teacher
 - this is my 7th year teaching in public education

I've heard it said that kids are simply vessels that diseases use to travel to adults who would otherwise remain healthy. Working in schools has exposed me to every illness creeping across the planet, and my immune system has gotten stronger over the last seven years because of it.


So why is it that one little cold has floored me for 10 days?


Hacking. Coughing. Sinus congestion. Body aches. It feels like the symptoms have been changing on a daily basis, and every time I'm no closer to feeling more like myself. I even had to start the new school year coughing into my elbow every five minutes. I've finished three prescriptions and only now feel like I'm past the worst.

So today, when I thought I could manage a strong run, I went for it. Yes, I coughed every now and again, (in fact, I just coughed while typing this), but it was worth it to get out and move my legs.


And I decided to try some hill sprints today.

Lexington is a city that boasts some impressive hills (just ask anyone who's ever finished the Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon at Keeneland), so it's a great place to work on strengthening tendons and ligaments, increasing running power, and all the other benefits of hill training.

Sisyphus, eternally pushing his boulder uphill. What my run today felt like after a few miles. 

In an effort to train for all my upcoming races, I hit a hill I've dubbed "Long, Tall, and Handsome". It begins with a short dip, inclines sharply, then does a slow, gradual incline for roughly half a mile. Maintaining a consistent pace on this hill is HARD, which I guess is why I sent myself there today after nearly a week off of running. Maybe I thought it was what I needed to whip myself back into the game after 'taking it easy' for too long. 

Hopefully, by my next post, I'll be 100%. It's been 15 days since my last long run, and I'm itching to get out there. Until then, feel free to leave me a message with any routes you like to take, products you swear by, or any other running-related rant. 

A Fun and Muddy Weekend, with a Head Cold Chaser

Last Saturday, me, my girlfriend Hillary (I've mentioned her in previous entries), and our friends Shannon, Caleb, and Tyler ran the Warrior Dash in Versailles, KY. It was my third Warrior Dash, and Tyler's second, but it was the first experience for the rest of our crew (which we dubbed 'Team Lowered Expectations').

Our "before" picture 

Our "after" picture. Not sure what happened with the black bars on this one. 

For those of you who've never done a Warrior Dash (or similar mud run), I highly recommend it. I consider myself a fairly intense runner, with my daily runs focused on how they'll improve my performance on race day. The Warrior Dash is nothing like that, and that's what makes it so much FUN. No one does a Warrior Dash to set a personal record. It, and similar races, are just for the sheer joy of running and to tackle things you never thought you could. 

The worst part about this Warrior Dash was the lack of water. Not to drink; there was plenty of that. But when the race was over, and we were covered in mud and looking for somewhere to clean ourselves, there was no water to be found. The water trucks had run dry by the time we were finished (around 2:30), and another truck didn't arrive for nearly an hour later, when we had resolved ourselves to driving home filthy. 

I mean, really. It's a mud run. Thousands of people are going to need to clean up. You didn't bring enough WATER? 

After a good shower and a two-hour nap, Hillary and I met in downtown Lexington that evening for the 29th annual A Midsummer Night's Run 5k. It's almost more of a festival than a race, because the vendors and spectators turn out in droves.  The city was beautiful and night, and thought we didn't break any speed records, it was a blast to get two 5Ks under our belts in the same day!  

Rewind to Saturday morning. I woke up with a scratchy throat, but didn't think anything of it (that happens often when I leave the air conditioner on).  

By Sunday, my throat hurt worse and I was having body aches. 

Monday, my tonsils felt like rocks in the back of my throat. 

Tuesday, my throat felt worse, and I had developed a hacking cough and sinus pain. 

Today, my sinuses are killing me, I'm still coughing, but at least my throat feels better. 

What the heck, body!? I to do two 5ks in the same day, and suddenly you turn on me? I try my best to keep you in shape!  My teaching experience was supposed to prep my immune system against head colds (or whatever I managed to pick up). 

So, I've not been able to run for a few days. But the weather today is beautiful, so I might take some time to myself when I get home from work and try to go "mind over matter" on this cold. 

I'll return from the run with pictures!  Until then, check out this great article from Runner's World about 10 bad running habits and how to break them. 

Thursday, 8/8/13: Blood, Sweat, and Tears

First, yesterday morning's run:

Start time: 6:45AM (I accidentally turned off my alarm; oops!)
Start temperature: 72 degrees F
Start humidity: There was actually more water than air. It was miserable.
Distance: 5.90 miles
Pace: I have no idea (explained below)

Ever have one of the mornings where, when you get back from your run, you're so sweaty and thirsty that you run straight for a bottle of water and forget to turn off your GPS running app?

Yeah, me too.

I didn't remember to turn it off and record my pace until half an hour later, so it recorded my pace as around 14 min/mile. Which, of course, wasn't correct. But I imagine by pace still wasn't fantastic, because I got off to a late start, allowing the sun to rise, and the temperature was a full 20 degrees warmer than my last run. And yeah, the humidity was miserable.


And now, I'd like to talk about pain.


For me, it started out as knee pain, a few years ago.

Then the knee pain went away, and my ankles started to hurt.

Now my ankles feel better, but my achilles tendons are killing me.

That thing right above your heel. 

I've never been worried about orthopedic pain before. All the other aches and pains I've experienced while running have gone away after a few weeks or months. I've always chocked it up to my body adjusting to a new training schedule, toughening up against more punishment (most of the time, that's how training works).  

But it feels different this time. My achilles feel stiff and cold in the morning, like an old piece of leather. If I step too quickly in the morning without stretching (not run... simply walk around my house), it hurts like the dickens. I don't remember my other running aches being so prevalent when I'm not actually running. I'm actually considering seeing an orthopedic specialist to get it checked out; I've been reading up on achilles tendons tears, and they sound really nasty. 

Then again, it could just be me being a hypochondriac. Still, while I have insurance that will (mostly) cover going to a specialist, I may take advantage of it. 

If you're having similar pains, Runner's World has posted a articles about achilles pain that I've found pretty helpful. 

Are you having running pains? Let me know! I'm not a doctor (not even close!), but we runners need to stick together through our limps. 

Monday, 8/5/13: The Real Role of Rest *OR* Race Crazy

It's been a week since my last post, and I've only done one run since then.  I didn't bother recording it because it was nothing special (under 5 miles, crappy pace).  But this morning I decided to tackle a long run.  The first one in more than a week. And I was very pleased with the results!

Start time: ~6:20 (I slept in this morning)
Start temperature: 58 degrees F
Distance: 13.07 miles
Time: 1:55:58
Pace: 8:52 min/mile
Food before run: 1 cup shredded wheat (unsweetened), topped off with milk.

First and foremost:  YOWZA! Look at that pace! I was like lightning this morning!

Before I toot my own horn further, there are many factors that are probably contributing to that pace.

1.) First (and probably foremost), the app I use to record my runs auto-pauses whenever I'm stationary.  So whenever I had to wait at a crosswalk and got a few seconds of much-needed rest, the timer wasn't actually counting.  I guess you'll have to take my word that I didn't stop every mile and refresh myself with a rest, all the while cheating my running app.  If I was going to cheat on my runs, why bother running in the first place?

2.)  This summer has been Lexington's most mild summer in many, many years.  Last year, I would have never seen a morning in August at 57 degrees.

3.)  It had been four days since I last ran.  Not fighting fatigue or injury, I was able to push myself this morning.

4.)  I ate a little before my run (I haven't done that pretty much all summer), and I refueled with Sport Beans during the run.

I took this picture during a crosswalk stop.  

And I think it's time for me to break up with Sport Beans. I first reviewed the product in this post, and said their nasty flavor was the primary factor that kept me from going whole hog on them.  This package boasted "assorted" flavors, which makes sense, because every one of them tasted like ass.  Sorry, Sport Beans, but for my money, I can find a product that does your job just as well while tasting much better.  

And, come on... a resealable package?  Who's going to reseal a measly one-ounce package?  

On another note, I've signed up for several races this fall!  

August 10:  I've signed up for BOTH Warrior Dash Versailles and A Midsummer Night's Run. The former will be my third Warrior Dash; but in that race, new locations always bring new challenges. The latter is Lexington's premier annual 5k, celebrating their 28th year.  I'm running these races with my dear friend Hillary (her blog can be found here) and a few friends from church. Pictures from both races will be posted!  

October 20:  Last year I swore I'd never do another Tough Mudder. I guess I'll never learn, because I signed up for it again. If you're running and you'd like to join my team, send me a message!  I'll gladly give the team name and the password for you to join!  

December 7:  What would fall be without a half marathon? The Christmas on the Country Music Highway Half Marathon will be my smallest race (the website says its limited to 300 participants!), but it's also the most affordable half I have ever done. I registered last week for $40.00!  

March 29, 2014: Yes, I know it's still months away, but I can't say enough about the Run the Bluegrass Half Marathon.  This will be my fourth year in the race, and what started out as a small race is growing into a renown celebration of all that central Kentucky has to offer to the global running community. I am always impressed with this race.  If you can make it in before the race sells out (they sold more than 10% of their spots in the first four days of open registration), I highly recommend it! 

Yeah, I know... there aren't any full marathons on my race schedule.  I'm actually waiting for registration to open for the 2014 Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon to open!  Runner's World magazine has toted this race as one of the most fun in the entire country.  I can think of no better place to try to beat my old, embarrassing marathon time of 5:13:39. I'll keep you posted, dear reader! 

UPDATE: Results from Miles for Missions Project!  

If you've read some of my earlier posts, you know that I participated in a project called 'Miles for Missions', in which I raised money to buy school supplies for needy kids by running during the month of July.  Unfortunately, I didn't hit my goal of 100 miles for the month (only hit 90.33). Fortunately, my sponsors were very generous, and I was still able to raise $231.85 for needy kids!  Thanks so much to all who donated so generously!  

Monday, 7/29/31: Monday Running Trivia *OR* Chronicles of a Burning Man

I ran an identical route last night and this morning.  Yeah, maybe it would be good for me to vary my route a little, but as the end of July creeps up on me, I'm looking for routes whose distance I know by heart.

Distance:  5.78 miles (x2)
Pace:  Last night:  10:15 min/mile
          This morning: 10:50 min/mile


Time for Monday morning running trivia!

Question:  Why do marathoners wear band-aids on their nipples?


Answer:  Sweat is filled with sodium.  As technical t-shirts (designed to move excessive sweat away from the body to aid in cooling) soak up sweat, they also soak up sodium.  When the water in sweat evaporates, the sodium doesn't; it stays in the shirt.  After a few hours of sweating, a tech shirt's texture can start to resemble sandpaper, which, when rubbed on sensitive skin (like nipples), can be very, very painful.

Yep. You started your Monday with a horror story about sandpaper on nipples.

Last Saturday, I went to Laurel Lake in southern Kentucky with my Bible study group from church.  We rented a pontoon boat and spent the day swimming, jumping from the second story of the boat (which we weren't technically allowed to do, but... yolo), and floating around on the life preservers. I didn't apply any sunscreen that day, because the day started out mild and cloudy and stayed that way for most of the day.  The sun made an appearance for a while, but, overall, it was very overcast.

Remember when you were a kid and your mom would tell you to put on sunscreen on a cloudy day, and you'd get mad at her because she knew nothing and you knew everything and 'The X-Files' was never going to be cancelled?

Turns out, your mom was right. And 'The X-Files' was cancelled.

My face was somewhat burned (I actually had enough brains to put some sunscreen across my nose and cheeks), but my shoulders and arms got fried pretty thoroughly that day.

Fast forward to last night.  With a sunburn barely 24 hours old, my technical shirt soaked with sweat (and thus, sodium) became an object of torture across my braised skin.  When I got home from the run, I seriously considered cutting myself out of the shirt so I wouldn't have to pull it off over my head.  This morning wasn't so bad (I'm going to assume it's because I lost most of the burned skin last night to the cheese-grater-like action of my sweaty shirt), but it was still pretty uncomfortable.

The moral of the story?  WEAR SUNSCREEN.  Or be comfortable enough with your body to run shirtless when you're sunburned.  Or, aloe. Like, LOTS of aloe.


At least this morning I'm able to have breakfast at North Lime Coffee And Donuts, a fantastic local business that makes the best donuts in the city. From their window I can see this phenomenal mural on Al's Bar next door.

Total July miles to date:  90.33

Friday, 7/26/13: Graham vs. Courthouse Rock

Confession: I didn't run yesterday.  Sorry if that's shocking but you're the one reading a blog called 'Runner Confidential'.

Yesterday, I DID, however, go hiking with my youth group kids. A ninety-minute drive from my fair city lies Red River Gorge National Geological Area, a state park literally world renown for its rock climbing, hiking, and geological formations. Myself, two other adults chaperons, and four youth group kids decided to tackle five miles of trail and, ultimately, Courthouse Rock. 

That monster is Courthouse Rock. It rises about 80 feet above Auxier Ridge in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. 

In order to climb this beast, we had to shinny up a crevasse in the side of the rock, visible in the picture below (which I didn't take; I found it at The Running Yoders, another great blog about running and outdoor adventures). 

That. I climbed up THAT. 

Halfway up, I actually started to freak out, and I didn't think I could keep going. But, seeing as how a 13-year-old girl (the only kid who climbed the rock) was climbing behind me, I couldn't turn around. Now I'm glad I didn't, because WOW, was the view worth it! 

Even though this is a blog about running, and I'm recording RUNNING mile for the month of July, I think I'll still tack on 5 more miles. With as sore as I feel this morning, and for the scant moments I feared for my life, I think I deserve it.

Total miles in July: 78.77

Wednesday, 7/24/13: Happy Anniversary, Arches.

I'm making great strides!  I'm actually posting about a run the day of the run!

Start time: 5:50 AM
Finish Time: 8:13 AM
Time running: 2:22:56
Distance: 13.02 miles
Pace: 10:58 min/mile
Weather at start of run: cloudy, 65 degrees, 45% humidity
Weather at end of run: sunny, 68 degrees, 45% humidity

This morning, the radio toted today as "fall-like," and I cannot express my delight that they were correct.  In fact, it was the radio's testimony that got me out of bed this morning and into my running shoes.  My brain likes to make excuses so it can get some extra sleep, which sometimes hurts my weekly milage.  Not today.

My pace wasn't great, mainly because I walked quite a bit on this run because of arch pain.  Arch pain has plagued me in the past, though not in the last few months (it's been replaced by achilles pain, unfortunately). This is probably because I stubbornly wanted to log some miles last night, even though I spend the day whitewater rafting with my youth group kids, being tossed around a river like a pinball.  Despite all this, I'm not sorry I went hard this morning.

Because today would have been my third wedding anniversary.

If you're unfamiliar with this blog, I started it about a year ago, but then took a nine-month hiatus on updates because I was dealing with the emotional fallout of the collapse of my marriage.  Many of the scars have healed now, but I knew that today was going to be one of the 'bad days' (anyone who's gone through emotional trauma knows what I mean).  These were the days last summer when I would drink myself into nigh oblivion.

But not today.

A year has passed, and I am hardly the person I was last year.  Though it's been one Hell of a year (almost literally), I would not be who I am today without going through it.  Without going into the gory details, I feel like I have a far better understanding of what it means to be in a relationship (especially a marriage relationship), and I feel closer to where God wants me to be than ever.

So was I going to lay in bed this morning, crushed by defeat, the victim of a hard year? Absolutely not.

Even though this wasn't statistically the best run I've ever logged, I'll chalk it up as one of the greats, simply because it came at a time and place when I severely needed it, and my body managed to carry me through.  I hope that you, dear reader, have had a run like that in your life. And if not, I hope you have one in the near future.

Also, I saw this fantastic car this morning.  Sadly, it was not for sale.

Total miles in July: 73.77 

Tuesday, 7/23/13: Tired and Sweaty

I ran tonight. Here are the stats.

Start time: 8:10 pm

End time: ~9:07 pm
Time Running: 56:50

Distance: 5.81 miles

Pace: 9:48 minutes per mile

Total miles in July: 60.75

It was hot. And sweaty. I'm tired and going to bed. That is all.

Tuesday, 7/23/13: Pains of Procrastination *PLUS* 2 New Product Reviews!

Yes, today is Tuesday. Yes, I'm posting about last Friday's run. I've been procrastinating.

I hate putting off posting my runs. 

This was my longest run since my last half marathon, at the end of April. Because I put off recording the run, I don't remember what the weather or temperature was like, or even when I started (that image says 6:38, but I'm pretty sure it was 5:38).  I did eat TWO energy products on the run (reviewed below!), so I'm sure that they helped with the excellent distance and pace. 

So, if there's one thing I can take from this experience, it's to post my runs immediately to make best use of all this data I'm collecting. 

In case you're keeping count, I'm up to 54.95 miles for the month of July. I still have a week left, and a lot of miles left to log!  

Anyway, about the things I ate on my most recent run.  

Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans 

Stats: 

 - Weight: 1 oz. 

 - Calories: 100

 Good Stuff: 

 - Potassium: 40mg 

 - Sodium: 80mg 

 - Carbs: 25mg 

 - Vitamins b1, b2, b3, and C (amount undermined, but the package claims they're in there). 

First of all: if you pick these up and expect the flavor of standard Jelly Belly beans, you will be sorely disappointed. As far as flavor goes, these are NASTY.  It's not just that they're salty, from their sodium content: they're sour, and not the good kind of sour, like Sour Patch Kids. The BAD kind of sour, like, "Oh man, these things aren't supposed to be sour.  Holy crap, these are nasty."  Also, I think I dropped half of them because I was trying to pour them into my mouth while running. I'm probably lucky I didn't choke.

And now, product number 2. 

(This is an old picture of the product. I actually had a grape flavored one) 

Cliff Kid Organic Z-Fruit Rope 

Stats: 

 - Weight: 0.7 oz

 - Calories: 70 

Good Stuff: 

 - Potassium: 120mg 

 - Sodium: 5mg

 - Carbs: 17mg 

 - Vitamin C: 20% daily value 

Maybe it was just the fact that I ate this after choking down a package of Sport Beans, but this one tasted AWESOME.  It's sweet chewability seemed to alleviate my thirst, which was also a major plus after the face-puckering sourness of the Sport Beans.  

Unfortunately, because I ate both of these on my run, I'm not able to give much analysis on the effectiveness of either of them alone.  However, the flavor alone may be enough to keep me from trying the "cherry" Sport Beans again. I'll have to try that product again in a different flavor.  However, if that's also terrible, I might be turned off of the product all together.  

Initial Sport Beans impression:  D (terrible flavor, awkward shapes, and the sharp corners on packaging poked me through my running shorts!) 

Initial Z-Fruit Rope impression: B-  (good taste, wish it had more calories and carbs, LOADED with potassium, and easy to fold into running shorts pocket). 

Friday, 7/19/13, part 1: Dr. Strangerun, *OR* How I Learned to Stop Sweating it and Hate the Treadmill.

Sometimes, running in the summer sucks.

Afternoon runs are next to impossible, because of heat and humidity.  Night runs are sometimes do-able, but most of the time they're just as hot as the afternoons (especially if you live in a city; concrete holds heat like a brick oven).  For this runner, morning runs are, most of the time, my only option.  

What happens if the sun beats me to the punch, but I'm desperate to get my daily run in? I'm forced to resort to.... 

The treadmill.  

<Dun dun DUUUUNNN> 

You can always tell stock photos of people on treadmills from real pictures of people on treadmills.  No one has ever, EVER, looked that happy while on a treadmill. 

I hate the treadmill.  First of all, I have ADD, and staying in the same place for a long period of time irritates me.  Especially if I have to keep looking in the same direction.  Second, I can't stand the stagnant air that seems to surround a treadmill.  Running outside creates a breeze which helps sweat evaporate, cooling the body. On a treadmill I feel like I'm stewing in my own heat, like a side of roast beef in the oven.  

But the worst is my body's ability to rationalize quitting, because I'm always less than a foot away from where I started.  If I'm running outdoors, I have things to look at to keep my mind occupied. And when I decide to quit, I HAVE to keep running to make it home.  On a treadmill, my brain assails me with a constant barrage of laziness, like, "That's far enough. You should stop now. Isn't your knee a little sore?  Maybe you should call it a day."  

That said, here are my treadmill results from earlier in the week.  

Time:  39:25 

Distance: 4.00 miles 

Pace:  9:51 min/mile 

Incline set at 1.5 to offset the lack of wind resistance 

Now this seems better than it actually was.  I stopped after the first two miles and took a water break, and then did the remaining two miles. 

So yeah, treadmills suck.  But I guess sometimes they're necessary, because of the summer heat.  But, whenever possible, I'm dragging my butt out of bed to get outdoors.

Got any tips, motivational tricks, or other advice that might make me like the treadmill more?  Please share!  I know I'm going to have to use them more often this winter, but I'm still sort of in denial. 

7/15/13: Night versus Day *OR* Sweating it Out

I did the following run last night, but was much too sleepy afterward to put together a readable blog entry.

Start time:  ~ 9:10 PM

End Time:  ~9:50 PM

Distance:  4.56 miles 

Time:  38:42 

Pace:  8:29 min/mile 

It was only my second night run of the summer, and I was able to get some great pictures of the post-rainstorm Lexington skyline. 

And this morning's run:  

Start time:  ~ 6:10 AM 

Finish time: ~ 7:10 AM

Distance: 5.65 miles 

Time:  59:14 

Pace:  10:29 min/mile  

Lexington has been a wet, soggy, humid mess for most of the month of July. Most evenings, even after the sun has gone down, have felt too sticky to brave more than a scant few miles.  So when I was finished last night's run, almost literally pouring sweat, I told myself that it was my last evening run until the fall.  

Then I compared last night's pace to this morning's pace.  

Holy cow!  How did I manage to go so much faster last night?   

Obviously there are extenuating factors to think of, here: 

 - Yesterday, I had a full days worth of fuel in my stomach to run on 

 - This morning, I had only recovered for around 6 hours before trying another run 

 - I hit the snooze too many times this morning and got off to a late start. 

 - Last night's distance was considerably shorter 

But, then again, it was about 10 degrees warmer last night than this morning, no to mention the added humidity of the passing rain.  So what made the big difference?  I'm not sure, but I'm definitely going to try a few more evening runs to figure it out!  Stay tuned for the (sort of) scientific results!  

If you're having trouble running in humidity, check out this article from Runnersworld.com about those sticky summer days!  

Total July Miles:  37.95 

Thursday, 7/11/13: Three belated runs, *PLUS* How YOU can do something great!

First, I have three runs from this week to log, because I've been lazy and haven't updated in a while.

Sunday, July 7:
Start time: ~8:30 PM
End time: ~9:14 PM
Time: 43:44
Distance:  4.70 miles
Pace:  9:19 min/mile

Monday, July 8:
Start time: ~5:45 AM
End time:  ~ 7:26 AM
Time:  1:40:22
Distance:  9.32 miles
Pace: 10:46 min/mile

And finally, this morning's run:

Thursday, July 11:
Start time: ~5:58 AM
End time: ~ 6:56 AM
Time: 58:12
Distance:  6.12 miles
Pace: 9:25 min/mile

I love running by Billy's Barbecue in the Chevy Chase area of High St.  The restaurant smokes all their daily pork early in the morning, which makes the entire street smell like bacon. My stomach growls for the entire way home.

Normally, this is the place in the entry when I share some flash of insight I had while on my run. Occasionally I give little snippets of running advice (always to be taken with a grain of salt, because I am FAR from a professional). But I've got a more important use for this blog today.

Trinity Hill United Methodist Church, where I regularly attend (and am on staff as the youth ministries assistant) always hosts a 'Back to School Bash' every August, in which schools supplies are given away to needy families in the area.  The local needy community relies on this every year to ensure their children are prepared for the new school year.

So, I started thinking:  "What can *I* do to help?  I'm just a high school teacher/ runner/ amateur blogger."  Then my friend Erica and I dreamed up the MILES FOR MISSIONS project (thanks to Sarah Bailie for the catchy name!).

I am seeking generous people to sponsor every mile I run in the month of July.  Any amount will do:  $0.25 per miles, $0.10 per mile, or even $0.05 per mile.  And if sponsoring per mile isn't your thing, you one-time donations are also greatly appreciated.

All money donated (yes, every single cent!) will go toward the purchase of school supplies to be given away to needy families in the Tates Creek Rd. area of Lexington, KY.  Your donation is completely tax deductible, and receipts for tax purposes can be provided.

If you're interested in helping needy children receive the materials they need for a successful school year, you can contact me:
 - by Email
 - on Facebook
 - or on Twitter

So far, I've amassed 27.74 miles this month.

I'm shooting to hit at least 100 miles over the course of July!  With your help, needy children can be ready for the upcoming school year!

Wednesday, 6/3/13: Running with friends!

This is my second post from Destin, FL. In case you missed the last one, I'm currently here as a chaperone on my youth group kids' high school beach retreat. 

Last night, two of my youth kids and one of the other adult leaders expressed interest in running with me this morning. They wanted to go at 7:00AM, which I thought was kind of late (I went at 6:00AM yesterday, and the sun was already high in the sky). 

Then I realized something. I hardly ever run with other people. And I came on this youth trip to invest in the lives of these kids. If they wanted to run with me, then it didn't matter how late they wanted to start, how far we went, or the pace we kept. What mattered was that we were going out together and sharing the experience. 

It must have been ordained by God that we go out this morning, because even at 7:15 the gray cloud cover hid the oppressive Florida sun. We ran all the way to Winn-Dixie and back (around 3.6 miles), kept a good pace, and even made small talk most of the way. Afterward, we cooled off with a dip in the ocean, and I treated the guys to a cinnamon roll at Bad Ass Coffee, a coffee shop a block from our house. 

I didn't keep exact pace or weather conditions today, because this was a fun vacation run. And like I said in my last post: when it comes to vacation running, don't sweat it. Just have fun!

Also, not 15 minutes after we got back, this started: 

(And it's hard to tell from the picture, but there's a steady rain coming down)

Tuesday, 7/2/13: Running on the run *OR* Some like it hot!

I've been out of town for the last week, on a combination mission trip/ beach retreat with my church's youth group. I'm normally very involved with the youth, so this has been a great experience to bond with the kids, as well as do some good work and relax. But, as I'm sure many of you can imagine, the busy days and time spent away from my normal running route have cut into my training schedule. Nevertheless, I've tried to remain vigilant and get in a few runs while I've been away. 

The first leg of the trip was spent in McDonagh, GA, a small town just southeast of Atlanta. Of the four mornings I spent there, I managed to squeeze in two runs: one of them around 5.75 miles, and the other around 4.25 miles.  I didn't record details like pace and temperature, mainly because I had to hurry back to the church where we were staying and prepare for a day of mission work. 

My apologizes for the crappy quality; they were shot with an iPhone camera before dawn. 

Also, me and three friends climbed Stone Mountain in Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. I guess it doesn't count as a run, but I'll still include it in my "Vacation fitness exploits" folder. And besides, look at that view! (The tiny buildings on the horizon is Atlanta Proper!)

Yesterday morning we arrived at Destin, FL, for the 'retreat' portion of out excursion. And, of course, this morning I took out on a run. Because how often do hillbillies like me get a chance to run by the ocean?!? 

This run wasn't stellar (only around 4 miles), because I waited too late to get started (around 6:20), and by then the sun was already pretty high in the sky. And those high-rise hotels can only block out so much heat. 

Now time for the introspective portion of my usual blog entry. 

I HATE HUMIDITY. 

For anyone who runs while on vacation (or a business trip, or any extended period away from their normal climate), adjusting to a new area can be the hardest thing. I thought Kentucky was humid, but I had never experienced a humid run until I stepped out into the Georgia soup. Not to mention that my time has been a little crunched, what with looking after two dozen teenagers. 

It's probably inevitable that training is going to FEEL worse while away from your normal running route, because your body isn't used to the conditions of the new place. Which I suppose is good from time to time (how many of us run races on our usual route?), but it sure felt like I had lost fitness since leaving my house (even though that's absurd; it takes weeks of reduced workouts to lose fitness). 

I suppose I'll end with this: if your training suffers for a week or so because of vacation, don't sweat it (ba-dump tssst). As long as you don't become completely sedentary, you should be able to pick up with your normal routine as soon as you get back. I'd reference a recent article in 'Runner's World' magazine on that, but I'm posting from an iPad and I'm not sure how to do that on this device. 

Until then, happy running! 

Monday, 6/24/13: Going Long! *PLUS* another energy product trial!

Do you know that feeling you get right after a really good run?  One where you were satisfied with your distance, your pace, and you still felt good physically when you got home?  I had one of those mornings today.

Sleep beforehand: ~ 6 hours
Start time:  5:50 AM
End Time:  7:48 AM
Total Time:  1hr 58min
Total Distance: 11.14 miles
Average pace:  10:38 min/mile
Temperature at start:  ~68 degrees F
Temperature at finish: ~73 degrees F
Humidity:  ~82%  (UUGGHH!! SO STICKY!!)
Food/Drink pre run:  half English muffin with honey, 1/2 cup of coffee
Midrun food:  SunRype Fruit strips (stats below)

I walked for a bit, so that did cut my pace.  Still, my pace was better than it was the last time I ran just over 9 miles, so I'm simply going to accept the improvement!

If you're new to this blog and you're wondering why I chronicle so much seemingly trivial information, it's because I'm a math and data nerd.  When I find myself performing inconsistently, I always want to know why.  So, I figure, the more data I keep, the easier it will be to pick up on what makes me run at my best (and what drags me down, too).

*     *     *     *

Nearly a year ago, I started this blog with the intent of posting reviews of mid-run energy products.  I was preparing for my first marathon and wondered what food/drink items would provide the most bang for my buck mid-run.  Today, I begin those trials once again!

Product:  SunRype 100% Fruit/ Fruit & Veggie Strip
Stats (for one package):
 - Weight:  0.5 ounces
 - Calories:  50
Good stuff:
 - Carbs:  12g
 - Sugars:  11g
 - Sodium:  5mg

The Rundown:

I used this product on my best run in literally months (see the opening of this post), so that might skew my opinion of it. If correlation indeed implies causation, then this is a product I'll be returning to.

On the product:

First of all, these are not sold as energy products; I simply saw them in Kroger when I want shopping for gels and chews, and I thought they looked good.  Actually, that's probably why they tasted so darn good!  (If you're new to running, you'll quickly learn that most energy products taste less than stellar, usually do to high sodium content).  I ate both of these this morning (they were only 1 ounce, combined), and they kept me going for the entire run. I think the low sodium kept my mouth from feeling dried out. However, that same low sodium content might keep me from taking them on a longer, more serious run.  Even though both of these rolled up easily and fit into the tiny, ineffectual pocket in my running shorts.

Pros:
 - TASTY!  Remember Fruit Roll-ups, from when you were a kid?  Even better than that, because these are real fruit.
 - Easy to carry in shorts pocket
 - Inexpensive.  I think each strip was only $0.50 at Kroger
 - Low sodium content, didn't dry out my mouth
 - Good carbs, for being so small.

Cons:
 - Having to unwrap two of them during a run.
 - Low sodium content may lead to cramps in certain runners
 - No vitamins, minerals, or other stuff that might be needed for more hardcore athletes.

Overall rating:  9/10

I've never found myself needing massive amounts of sodium when just running, especially on just my long runs around town.  These are great to take on a run when no water is available, when the high sodium content of other chews or gels would normally leave me sluggish and grumpy. However, during a half or full marathon, when water is available, I'd probably carry a gel.

By the way, if you manage to find a pair of shorts with a decent pocket that can hold stuff without bouncing against your leg for the entire run, let me know!  I'm always looking for new stuff!

Friday, 6/21/13: Sprints for Speedwork *OR* Into the Fog

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm visiting my parents for a few days.  Since they live in a very rural area without sidewalks (or even a road big enough to run on without being hit by a car), I had to visit my old high school's track for my morning run.

This was the view as I walked onto the track that surrounded the school's soccer field this morning.  I had the whole place to myself, except for an older man cutting weeds around the fence.  

Start Time:  6:11 AM 

End Time:   7:01 AM 

Sprint Laps:  6 

Walk Laps:  6 

According to a few different sources, sprint training is beneficial to runners in a variety of ways.  I do it mainly to improve speed, especially because I have seen my speed suffer in the last few months, since my last half marathon.  I actually didn't know how long the distance around the track was, but, according to a very extensive Google search, the longest lane is 400 meters, or 1/4 of a mile.  

I alternated 400m of sprinting and 400m of walking, changing direction on the track every other lap to avoid uneven stress. 

Distance hogs like me, who normally only run to see how fast we can break a previous distance record (or to hit a new long distance), sometimes miss out on the benefits of sprints.  I had to convince myself that, even though this run was only around 3 miles in length, it was worth the time invested. 

And what a great view I had, before the sun rose and burned off all that mysterious fog!