The untrained, unfit and unwilling present a risk... Those with a mastery of skill, sharp mind, fit body and full heart present a resource. At the time of true test aim to be the best resource available so that the decision may rest in the moment and the benefit. Preparation of mind, body and skill lies within our control, the moment does not.
~ Fire Service Warrior 2011
I hope that each of you are doing well and are enjoying your 2014 year.
It can be difficult to approach friends and family for donations right now, so I've tried to come up with a modest request towards my fundraising efforts for the Fight For Air Climb.
All I ask is that if you have $5 or $10 to give, it will go towards lung health advocacy, research, and education. Everyone has been touched by lung disease, whether you or a loved one suffers from Asthma, COPD or Lung Cancer; we all know someone who has been affected. This past fall I was diagnosed with Asthma, so this year, this event takes on a new meaning for me!
In past years I have been honored to have the MSU Alumni Associate help me raise funds for this event and they have graciously provided a few unique opportunities to meet with Sparty and create some fun videos. If you have some time, feel free to watch the videos through the links at the bottom of this email. Sparty is a rather funny fellow! This year, as in years past, I will be completing the 70 story stair climb in full fire fighter gear, complete with my helmet and air pack on my back. That’s almost 100 pounds of extra gear. No doubt, this is a difficult challenge!
Your money not only fights lung disease but it will aid in the fight for clean air – something we need! Over the past few years the American Lung Association has helped fund successful campaigns to eliminate indoor smoking at restaurants as well as a generated a lot of essential research and support for those with chronic breathing problems.
Some of you have supported me with large dollar amounts in previous years, please consider continuing your efforts in support of this journey. Every $5 donation will make a difference, so if you'd like to donate please do so by visiting my personal fundraising page.
Follow this link to make a secure donation to the ALA Climb Detroit event:
The American Lung Association's Fight for Air - Climb Detroit event was a great success! They initially hoped to raise $175,000 and after this weekend they raised more than $185,000!
Our team of firefighters were also able to exceed our goal of raising $1000. We raised over $1200 for the American Lung Association. Each of our team members completed the entire event of 1035 stairs within the 70 stories at the Detroit Renaissance Center. We walked away knowing more about ourselves as individuals and about each other as a team.
About 200 firefighters took part in the "Full Gear Challenge"
No doubt, this event kicked my butt! The event was very well organized and each person was launched in Time Trial style. When I took off the first 5 flights came pretty easy; let me clarify this statement by mentioning that this was NO run, we were in full firefighting turnout gear with air packs on our backs - that's about 100 pounds of gear. Turn out gear is designed to prevent thermal burns from exposure to a fire, it's also designed to keep you dry while spraying water on a fire. With this design there is no breathability of the fabric. With every step I got more warm... and then more and more hot! I hit the 10th floor with another team member and we chose not to stop at the water station until the 20th floor. 15-20 were tough but once I got to the 20th floor water station, I had that brief moment where I downed a small bit of water and chose to again, keep going. I continued the momentum and by the 30th floor I realized that I was so focused that I couldn't even listen to music, ear buds out and keep climbing. A volunteer at the 30th floor water station called out that we were 70% done, craziness! I didn't preplan any mental games for completing this event, only to climb until I reached the 70th floor.
My legs burned, my lungs burned and my body felt like it was on fire. The climb took place behind the elevator shafts - it was about a 5 foot wide space per flight with cinder block walls and fluorescent lights. Being that this was in the center of the RenCen, there were no windows and no ventilation. Heat rises and with each flight it was noticeably more warm. By the 40th floor I had to open my coat to let out some of the heat. I took 10-20 second breaks at the halfway point between water stations and it didn't seem like it was ever enough rest. Each time I stopped it seemed like there was a volunteer at the top of that next flight, since I'm stubborn, I didn't want to look like I was resting... I didn't think about the fact that I looked completely spent.
Me, Jeff, John and Al
Some crazy funny volunteer forced us to take this picture.
Something about the 60th floor seemed to be a problem for me. The steps no longer hurt my legs, in fact, I couldn't even feel them. It was hot and each step made my body burn more. I couldn't count down the last few steps but as soon as I crossed the threshold to the 70th floor hallway I was grabbed by "the big security guy" who didn't say anything except "Get him to triage" Since he was pulling my gear off of me and simultaneously pulling me down the hallway to an air conditioned room, I assumed he was talking about me. I tried to say that I wanted to stay in the hallway and wait for my crew but apparently he was already prepared to deny that request. Recovery was quick - icepacks were stuffed in my shirt and some HFCS drink poured in my mouth /SARC I gathered myself and gear and walked to the hallway to watch for my crew. Soon enough they trickled in, one by one! Everyone took time to recover and we went back down (via the elevators) as a TEAM. In 2013 we will be back!
This was a great event that was well organized and a lot of fun! I'm glad that we had the opportunity to participate in a great cause. Take time to visit the American Lung Association website and learn about the importance of funding their research. There are several great resources to help you learn about your body and what risks are in your area. There is also ample information about initiatives in your area that need your support!
While I previously thought that I was trained well enough for my job, Sunday I realized that I need to ALWAYS do more to be more physically prepared! While we only have a few high rise type structures in our area, we are short staffed, so we will be making several trips up and down the stairs in gear and with additional equipment. We, I, have to be better prepared for that. I read an article recently about firefighters being prepared for the "moments" in our careers when we have to rely on our physical and mental training, there's no chance to fall back on that training if it doesn't exist. I'll summarize the article and leave you with this:
The
untrained, unfit and unwilling present a risk... Those with a mastery
of skill, sharp mind, fit body and full heart present a resource. At
the time of true test, aim to be the best resource available so that the
decision may rest in the moment and the benefit. Preparation of mind,
body and skill lies within our control, the moment does not.
Dances With Dirt - Run Through Hell 50 Miler (DWD)
*Be prepared for a dissertation below*
Let's just start with answering the most basic question... Why run 50 miles?
To be completely honest, I don't know. I've been intrigued by the idea of the Ultra Marathon (anything greater than a 26.2 mile race) for some time. I've had the honor of training with Lisa Taylor over the past few years - for those who don't know her, she's a Western States 100 mile runner, ultra runner freak, has run about as many marathons as the number of years I've been alive, and has competed with Team USA at the Duathlon World Championships on more than one occasion (in fact, just this past weekend she took 4th in her Age Group and 14th Overall Female athlete at the Duathlon World Championship in Spain). For me, watching her train for these events has been fascinating and what is more inspirational is the fact that she makes it seem normal.
Last year I read the book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall. He talks about a tribe of "super athletes" from a very remote village in Mexico; they run barefoot everywhere and do it from a very young age. The adult men run an endurance event annually for fun, after drinking copious amounts of a home brew the night before. The event is very long, as I recall, over 100 miles. The book highlights the fact that the human body was designed to run. He documents specific anatomical features and covers some of the basics to human development. Another aspect to the book is about our feet and how modern day shoes hide our injuries rather fix them... describing that we wear shoes and orthotics that prevent the foot from landing correctly when we run. For example - when you run barefoot, you will likely land on the front or ball of your foot, but when you put on shoes that protect your feet you will land on the heel of your foot, which does feel better with all of the padding, but it jars your joints with every step. After time you become more dependent on supportive shoes and may be prone to 'running' related injuries associated with the knees and hips. After reading this book I felt the initial pull towards completing an Ultra run. I started training barefoot on the treadmill or with the Vibram Fivefingers shoes. I started retraining my feet and the accessory muscles that support my feet, I made a serious effort to land with a forefoot strike, a process that I still struggle with.
A few weeks ago I picked up the new Dean Karnanzes book "Run" and couldn't put it down. I finished it in 2 days (practically a miracle for me). It's a compilation of a bunch of short stories that I found to be very inspirational and motivational on the topic of long distance running. Then I picked up one of his other books "Ultramarathon Man" and again I was hooked. While this book was more about who Dean is and how he got started in running, it also hit home for me. Dean ran in school but never really ran after school until one specific night (I'll spare the spoiling details - go buy the book) where he realized how out of shape he was. The point I drew out was that he was an adult when he started running long.
A couple of other things that prompted my desire to run Dances With Dirt - Hell were for the sheer fact of pushing past what I have ever thought was possible. I ran a marathon last year and have wanted go farther ever since. I couldn't justify the distance training with my higher priority goals for triathlon. I also love going in to my annual duty physicals and talking to the doctor about my training and races (she also has competed a few marathons). Lastly, with the USAT Clinic coming up soon, I felt like the timing for DWD would be good for me on my race history list.
I called Lisa and asked her opinion... She told me that it would be "Crazy Stupid" to try DWD 50m. I listened, but still had that desire inside! So I did what I figured anyone else would do - I asked someone else. As a Boston Marathon runner and recent 50 mile runner (At the North Country race he was in the lead pack until an accident where he broke his foot during the race), Nick Gooch said to wait until my volume was higher... significantly higher. 'Crap!' I thought. I wanted someone to tell me to go for it. That's when I decided to go for a long training run just to see how I could do and how my recovery would be.
I called a couple of friends, Ryan and Gus, and asked them to ride their bikes near me for a few miles. It was asking a lot... Someone to ride for several hours with a single objective: encourage me. These guys gave me that and a little humor as well. I'm grateful for their willingness to help out! We went 32 miles, it wasn't pretty and it wasn't as fast as I expected. I averaged a 10:15 mile pace. But finishing it gave me a huge confidence boost - after all, that was and ultra marathon distance. Recovery went well and a few minor aches worked themselves out relatively quickly. It was at that time that I decided to commit to the DWD 50 mile run.
Preplanning the Drop Bags
As race day neared I started making mental notes of what to pack for race day. Prepping for a triathlon is always a multi hour process but packing/prepping for an ultra was all new to me. I called another buddy who would be running this race as well. David Potter has run Ironman triathlon and has been on a triathlon team that is well known for their speed (Team Fraser) and he was very encouraging. Now I was stoked! He gave me some great advice and I was on my way to start packing the 'drop bags.'
In an ultra distance event you pack 2-3 "drop bags" that are placed at specific locations where you can access them upon arrival and use whatever you put in them. In each of my 2 bags I put in extra clothes, shoes, socks, nutrition and body care items (anti-chafing stuff, athletic tape, etc). The bags would be awaiting my arrival at the 22 mile mark and the 43 mile mark. While I always over pack for any trip, I figure this would be one instance where I couldn't go wrong by over packing. I planned out worst case scenarios and even planned special "surprise" snacks for myself in case I got an urge for something that wouldn't be offered at the aid stations. I planned to be out running for upwards of 12 hours but also knew that the race cut off time was 13 hours. I knew the race covered some water crossing and several hills, some of which would be off the regular marked trails. I really had no idea what was in store for me!
Race morning came quick. I was up at 0330 and out the door at 0345 on my way to Hell (true, the race is held in Hell, Michigan -- The run takes place in the Pinkney Rec State Park). As I was just about 20 minutes away from home I realized that I had forgotten my iPod Shuffle. I normally have 1 earbud in while I run to help me keep pace and keep my mind off of how far I've gone or the how much time has passed, worse yet, how much time I still have to go. But not today, I would be running without music. I did bring my iPhone with me in case I got lost or needed some type of help, but with the possibility of some rain for the day, I had the phone packed in a Ziploc bag and stored in my Camelbak.
DWD Race T-Shirt
Once I arrived and parked, I noticed several things that would stick in my mind throughout the day. First was that it was so dark and the sky was so clear that you could see thousands of stars! I grew up in the country so this wasn't a crazy new sight for me, but it was a simple thing that made me smile. As I approached the packet pick up tent there was something else in the air that was different than all of my other races. Everyone was chatty and outgoing. People were interested in everyone else and few people talked about themselves, rather shifting the focus on someone else or asking about me. I got my drop bags set and I was ready to go. Head lamp on and the announcer marked the countdown to the race start. Funny thing happened when the gun went off to start, people simply shuffled forward. There was no jostling or elbowing for position, no one even bumped into me or accidentally stepped on my heels. The "ReAwakening" was under way!
Please note: The Dance With Dirt organizers got pretty creative with the names of each of the stages of this race. On paper the event is broken up into 12 stages, each stage or 'Leg' is characterized by level of wetness, elevation and torture and then separated by aid stations. Below is my account of the race as best I can recall. I didn't take notes during the race and I didn't really know what to expect. Part of the DWD disclaimer is that it is "an adventurous trail run with difficult and stupid sections. Crying is acceptable" Another advertisement for this run titles itself an "Insanely fun extreme trail run".
Dances With Dirt - Race Start
Leg A - "ReAwakening" starts at Half Moon Beach and is 5.3 miles and starts in the pre dawn darkness, claiming to be a dry run with 479 feet of climbing and 472 feet of decent. I was still tired after not sleeping very well in anticipation for the run, but it was now 0615 and Go time and as the Leg is titled, it was time to reawake! I started out slow, as planned. It wasn't long before I realized that we were already starting a slow ascent and before I knew it we were in the trails. This group run with headlamps was awesome! Most of this part of the race had to be single file due to how narrow the trails are, but still, no one was forcing anyone else out the way to get in a better position. When we hit some rugged area where there were ruts and roots someone would call it out and the pack slowed and then like a pack of sheep everyone would follow suit jumping left or right, weaving around the obstacle and then continue on. I planned to walk up every hill. As part of my preplanning for the long day ahead I followed the plan, even though some of the hills weren't too steep, yet. I wondered how long it would be before the sun started to appear. While I recently did a night run to assure that I had my headlamp set right, this was different and everyone around me had one as well. I was anxious to see the sun start to peer into the woods and it wasn't long until the light started to break the darkness. Now I could see some of the trails leading up the hills we were climbing, perhaps it was better when I couldn't see them coming. Before I knew it we were at the headlamp drop off area and there was a small water/aid stand. I stopped, took off my headlamp and took off my long sleeve shirt, tied them together and dropped them in the box to go back to the race finish area. Again, I was off running.
Leg B - "Limbo" starts at Hiland Access and is a 4.95 mile dry section designated as a horse trail with 417 feet of climbing and 394 feet of decent. Organizers advise you to watch out for horse droppings, ha! This part of the run was nice and not too difficult. The air was warm enough that there was quite a bit of fog which looked very cool when we would run out of the wooded areas. The sky quickly brightened and though it wasn't sunny, it was turning into a beautiful day. Time slipped away from me here. I found a groove and I was in it fully. We popped out of the wooded area and there was a fully stocked aid station. Already? Wow, I didn't really know how far in to the race we were until a volunteer yelled out that we were about 10 miles in and had about 5 more to go until the next aid station. I didn't let myself start doing the simple math but there was still 40 miles to go. I downed some PB&J sandwich squares and some cold boiled potatoes. Yup, you read that right and they were tasty!
Just another part of DWD trails
Leg C - "This Sucks, Less?" is a 4.75 mile section that heads out at Hell Creek Ranch. It is another dry section that claims to become "resistance running" with 400 feet climbing and 472 feet of decent. This was pretty much an 'Out and Back' section of the race. It went by quickly as I was quickly befriended by an old friend from my college days in the medic program. I saw him briefly during the packet pick up. Brandon Mulnix has been on an incredible journey in his weight loss and was in a very unfortunate car accident a few months ago; today he still has his jaw wired shut. He ran a 50 Miler a couple weeks ago and today was back at it. My hat goes off to him, there's no way I'd attempt something of this caliber when I couldn't eat normal food. "Hagerman, is that you" I heard a voice call from behind me. It was Brandon and the timing for him to run with me was perfect. Now I had some time to talk with, or rather to try to talk with. It's rather hard to hold a conversation while running trails, let alone when you have your jaw wired shut. As we approached the mini aid station, he stopped to refill his water bottle. I took a quick drink of some Gatoraid type drink and I was off.
The Stripper Pole
Leg D - "Stripper Pole" is a 3.95 mile 'moist' trail with some "Chutes and Ladders" this leg has a demanding 492 feet of climbing and 456 feet of decent. While the name is slightly misleading, the description of this section includes terms like 'wicked hill' and 'hands assisted climbs' followed by the 'Butt Slide' downhills. Sure enough, these were some wicked trails! Flags marking the course led us off the normal trail and up the side of a hill that did, in fact, require the use of my hands to make the ascent. My heart rate was soaring and I wasn't even half way up. I only briefly thought about WHY I was running this when I realized that this is part of what makes this run so stupid fun. I loved it! I remember just simply laughing and wondering else lay ahead. The "Stripper Pole" alone separates this run from any other mud run! When I finally got to the top of the 'Stripper Pole' I again just had to laugh! Ran a short bit and realized that it was now time to start the 'Butt Slide' down the hill. Wahoo!!
Below is a video that Brandon Mulnix took while climbing this section of the run:
Part of the River Run - Not me
Leg E - "Styx, River of Death" is a 3.15 mile run listed as "Very Wet" It also states 262 feet of climbing and 295 feet of decent. The leg description includes "Wet, wet, wet. Dangerous river rocks that cut. Deep holes. The path to Hell is the River of Death" "If a shoe comes off, just reach into the mud, there are plenty of them in there". Through this section you cross the knee deep to waist high river waters 3 separate times; this ain't no little creek! It was at about the 19 mile mark where I had my first real cramp, in my right upper inner thigh/groin. Crap it hurt. No way was I going to let this get to me so 'early' on in the run. I doubled up on my salt tabs and amino supplement. I refused to stop moving forward, I stretched out and walked for about 4 minutes. The cramping subsided and I was back into a run. I really found it amazing at how my body was able to quickly adjust to the nutrition change and quell the cramps - very cool. Just when you think you're done, nope. Now it's time to get really wet. The last part of this leg runs in the middle of the river and against the current for about a half mile. This is, of course, where the first photographers are. The water was very cold but it did feel rather good on my legs. I joked with a couple of guys that I was running with "if I would have known we would be walking this far in the water, I would have brought my waders and fly rod". Still I could only laugh at how much fun I was having! When we reached the dam, we were officially welcomed to Hell by a man wearing a Satan costume. I was so preoccupied giggling to myself, I didn't realize that I was at the first bag drop location - 22 miles in! Time for some more food at the aid station and a dry pair of shoes. For this first 22 miles I wore my New Balance MT10 Minimus shoes. They felt great, and my feet felt great except for a minor blister under my left big toe. The Minimus MT10's were now mucky from the river and I thought that my next opportunity to change shoes wasn't until the 43 mile mark, so I changed shoes. In my prepping and planning for 'worst case scenario' situations, I packed super glue and athletic tape for blisters. I popped the blister and filled it with super glue, just as I had been instructed by something in a Dean Karnanzes book. I got my socks and dry shoes on, they were warm. I took my time at this aid station. No rush and I got my phone out and sent a text message to Becky letting her know where I was and that I was having fun. A coworker, Mark, then arrived, he was supposed to be running the 50k but ended up working an extra shift until 7 am. He still came out to the event and started an unofficial run through the trails. He said he would run with me for a while. I ate a bunch of food at this stop, anything tasted better than more gel packs at this point.
Leg F - "Bad Out of Hell" leaves Hell, Michigan and starts the next 2.9 miles of slow torture. 325 feet of climbing and 331 feet of decent. I was almost instantly assured of the poor decision to change shoes. Something didn't feel right, ah well, too late now. A significant portion of this leg was run on a hard packed dirt road with a gradual incline. As one of the shorter sections, this one went by fast. Again, it was good to have someone to talk with, or rather someone talking to me knowing that I wouldn't always respond. Mark has run a handful of 50k's and had also given me some pre-race advice, so at this point his words were encouraging and helpful.
Leg G - "Potto" is a long 6 mile dry jaunt with 577 feet of climbing and 591 feet of decent. My pace dropped significantly here, I knew it I could feel it. At one point I cramped up again, but now I was out of salt tabs since I had doubled up earlier. I couldn't stand the thought of more gel packs, luckily I packed some sport beans. I downed them. The cramming eased but didn't completely leave. By this point I had already drank through about 3 liters of water and I figured that I was somewhere around the 5-6 hour mark. Again, I found it crazy cool how the body can adapt to pain and utilize minor nutritional changes and the overcome a problem. This section of running had some running along the side of the hills where footing was blatantly uneven and then there were rock piles to run over. I let myself walk for a several minutes. Was I hitting the wall? I'd been there before in training and in last years marathon, where I found the wall at the 24 mile mark. What was it that I had just recently read about the wall? Dean Karnanzes wrote something to the effect of - when you hit the wall, just go around it. I was still enjoying the run, I didn't want to quit early, I paid for 50 miles. I knew that this was the last section before the 50k finish. Soon enough I was there.
My blister after cleaning and more superglue
The 50k Finish and Aid Station - I refused to even consider quitting but there was an overwhelming sensation knowing that I had just completed my first ultra marathon. I could call it a day, go home and say that I ran my first ultra. I still had half marathon to run without salt tabs. Maybe Lisa and Gooch were right, I wasnt ready for a 50 mile run; what if I got 1 mile out and couldn't take another step? As I approached the chute to the 50k finish there was a separate chute leading you off away from the glory of the finish line. People started cheering, I was running alone. I heard someone yell out "Way to go Ultra!" and another person yell "Go 731" - this was my race bib number and those who paid for the 50 mile run had a different color bib. No way would I stop now. I made the 50k cut off by more than an hour. I rationalized that I had time to make it to the next cut off at the 43 mile mark, even if I was slow and get some salt tabs and my extra goodies (as I put my second stash of them in my second drop bag so they wouldn't get wet and ruined in the first bit of the race). Of course, I veered off to the Ultra side of the chute and dropped in to the aid station where there was more food and to my surprise I found the first drop bags waiting for us there. I grabbed it like a child who just found the secret stash of cookies. I had good stuff in there... some nutritional items that I didn't have room to carry from the 22 mile mark. I sat down and was happy to be able to change my socks, which I hadn't planned on being able to do. One small problem. My sock was superglued to my toe, apparently I didn't wait long enough for the fast drying Krazy Glue to dry. Mark (form work) came over, his wife was volunteering for the day. They saw my problem. I had no choice but to rip the sock off, tearing the skin. I immediately grabbed the superglue and liberally applied it to the bleeding wound. I needed it to be fixed enough so that I could run the last 19 miles. I grabbed the athletic tape and this time, waited a bit longer for the glue to dry before covering everything up. Mark got me a couple of slices of pizza from the volunteer tent, it may have taken me almost 10 seconds to devour them. I shoveled food into my mouth after I got my shoes on. I ate every bit of food I could get my hands on, yet my stomach still growled for more. I felt better, the pizza tasted so good! I soon came to the conclusion that I should probably get out and finish my run.
The Abyss Muck - Not me in the pic
Leg H - "Abyss" is a 2.55 mile run starts with the muck. There is only 233 feet of climbing and 226 feet of decent in this section. Just outside of the 50k finish I realized that the last 19 miles of this run would be completely different than the first 31 miles. The muck is described as "suspicious stuff" with "a good opportunity to sprain an ankle." I had just got new socks on and a fresh blister wound repaired and I was immediately swollowed up in the muck. With each step I sank up to my knees. A one point my right shoe got stuck, I couldn't lift my foot out. Crap! I stuck some sticks to put under my left foot to prevent it from getting stuck while I tried to loosen my right shoe. I heard about people loosing their shoes in this muck and running barefoot to 43 mile mark. I reached down behind myself and grabbed the heel of my shoe with my hand and pulled it up... Whew, that was close. But I still had about 50 yards to go. Finally makiout making out, I started running and again just laughing at what had been created for me in this adventure. I found a groove again and while I continued to follow my plan for walking up the hills, I found myself walking up the small hills just a little bit faster.
Leg I - "Vertigo" is another long section with 5.8 miles of trails, crazy steep downhills and is mostly a dry section. This section also includes part of the previous years course "Where's the F'ing Bridge" Here there are 545 feet of climbing and 525 feet of decent. I owned it here. I passed a guy who said I looked like I had just started the race with fresh legs. THIS was fun! My feet were trashed and mud still flung off my shoes with each step. I did manage to catch up with another guy and ran with him for a bit. He has been running ultras for a long time and has qualified for the Western States Endurance Run (the 100 mile run) two years running, but his name has yet to be drawn from the lottery. He is a addictions counselor and moved here many years ago from England. We mustered up a good conversation while he lead us through the winding trails. Suddenly he stopped... "Flags" he said. And I realized that there was no course flags in sight. How far off course did we get? We back tracked and found our way again and started to run with a few others. Maybe a half mile of course. There were warnings that some locals would go out and move the course flags or take down the course markers, in this case, we just missed an obvious turn.
Leg J - "The Stupid Lake" 3.65 miles. Hahaha! Really? Yes. This part of the run has 266 feet of climbing and 243 feet of decent and is listed as "Very Wet". The section description reads "Aquatics Running 101 is taught here" "Failure is not acceptable" "Who's stupid? Trail Dog measured the lake with his bike" We ran on the edge of some corn fields and quickly found... Guess what... a lake. Yup, a lake. Run it. Not beside it or in the marshy area next to it but IN it. At this point the course for the100k Relay runners matched up with the 50 mile course. Several of the Relay people caught up with us here, with their fresh legs they also passed us here. I heard things like this - 5 times "Are you doing the ultra?" Yes "the 50k or the 50 Miler" The 50 Miler, the 50k mark was about 10 miles back. They always laughed at us and wished us luck. It was rather fun to inform them that this was our 4th time in the water... They didn't get the same adventurous course that we did. But man, they were all FAST! At one point I found a hole under the water that managed to dunk me down to my chest, brrr. At the end of this section is the 43 mile mark and the final aid station with food AND our second drop bag. I changed my shoes again, this time my socks came off easily. I was drenched. The volunteers at this station were absolutely great! I had a nurse and a massage therapist tending to me. They made me laugh and asked if they could fill my Camelbak, while they stripped it off of me. They wanted to change my socks for me, help me with my shoes. I declined the offer, I wanted to do this on my own. They asked if they could do anything for me - I just smiled and they laughed. I noticed that I had some seaweed stuff stuck in and on my shoes, it made me laugh out loud. The volunteers found it funny too. I changed my clothes in the middle of the parking lot, relay runners were there, support cars everywhere. I ducked behind one to change my shorts. Fresh socks and another pair of dry shoes, I was clean and ready to rock! As I geared back up to head out for the final 7 miles I KNEW that I was going to finish. It was then that Mark Koonter found me. We have trained together quite a bit over this spring and summer and he had an offer to join a relay team for this race. He said that he would be running their final leg to the finish, so we would probably see each other during the final few miles. He offered to run with me - heck no! I knew there wasn't a chance I could keep up with him now. But I did wonder how long I could hold him off from catching up to me...
Leg K - "Don't Get No Better" is a dry and sandy 2.85 mile run with only 210 feet of climbing and 180 feet of decent. Lots of raspberry and pricker brushes, but I didn't care, I busted through them. I felt light on my feet. I was ready for the race to be done, but it was MY race now! I caught up with and passed some of the slower relay runners and that was a huge mental boost. I still made a slower progression up the steep hills but I was holding an 8 minute mile pace on the flats and downhills (I figured this out after reviewing my Garmin data back at home). Quickly came up onto the mini aid station where they asked if I needed anything, I thanked them without stopping and kept running. I heard the relay team members cheering for me as they awaited their runners to come in, only so they could soon smoke me to the finish - it was great!
Leg L -"Dirt's Revenge" Is the final 4.15 miles of the race. It boasts 371 feet of climbing and 453 feet of decent on a final attempt to kill each and every one of the runners out there. The climbs seemed more difficult and I was still walking them - no sense in cramping up again and being forced to walk in the final Mile of the course. I heard another familiar voice yelling from behind me, it was Mark Koonter and he was flying up the hill that I was walking. We exchanged a few short words as he flew past me. Now I was on a super mental high, this leg was mine. Stay focused on the markers, hold tight on the turns... Go get it it!Go, Go, GO! I wished my wife and girls could have been there to see my finish. While to them it wouldn't be any different than any other race finish, this was going to be one of my personal biggest running accomplishments ever!
Back Home
Finally there! I run into the park, and jet down the final hill with what felt like a blazing pace, my lungs burning and legs on fire. There are several relay teams cheering on their own runners as well as yelling out "great finish ultra!"
Then I was there, the finish - I completed Dances With Dirt Run Through Hell 50 Mile Run! Mark Koonter met me at the finish. 11 hours and 21 minutes was my final time. 7th in my Age Group of 11 Men and 36th Overall out of 62 People. Koonter gave me a beer and I walked around to cool down. What a huge day. I feel hugely accomplished! I left it all on the course.
The last aspect to this day was to drive home. I felt good and my body felt pretty good. When I finally got home I realized how jacked up my legs and feet were. The recovery is going to take a while and there's quite a bit of swelling in my feet.
I own this pain! This race was mine!
Much thanks to Marsh Findley at Escapes Theraputic Massage for prepping my legs and getting me back in shape after this run!
*More Pictures to follow soon - several of the above photo's are from Brandon Mulnix.
Pictures above are from the sites listed below: http://brandonmulnix.com/dances-with-dirt-hell-50-something-race-report/ http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/runner-communities/trail-running/dwd-100k-insane-terrain-relay-rr
Swim Comments: I
jumped my ability from the gun to the first buoy, but did well staying
with the appropriate pack once I settled in. I'm learning the draft!
Unfortunately those who I was drafting also knew how to sprint the last
straightaway and they left me alone. Great swim for me!
What would you do differently?: Starting
out hard worked well for me. This swim wave/group was all the men for
the sprint race and the last wave of the days events. Lot's of
competitive people swim at the front of the group... I may have faired
better starting farther back, but I had fun trying to keep up with the
real swimmers.
T1 Comments: Quick, but not as quick as others... picked up 11 places in T1.
What would you do differently?: Solid T1, no complaints.
Bike Comments: Lots
of fast cyclists out here today! Several avg 23mph. I'm very happy
with my performance and I feel it was a solid effort. Matches my faster
speeds from last year on comparable courses (training).
What would you do differently?: I feel good about this bike.
T2 Comments: In
retrospect I could have been a touch faster but I'm happy with a 44
second T2. I rode my bike in towards the dismount and did a partial
dismount until I hit the line. Running the bike into T2 there was a guy
who forgot which side his rack was and he cut me off, I almost lost it
and fell over. All I did was laugh - could have been me.
What would you do differently?: Good - but Craig pulled a sub 30 second T2 :)
Run Comments: Almost
a double out and back. Kind of sucked, but it was short and you got to
keep seeing/passing the leaders which is an absolute motivator to run
harder. A big benefit was that they moved the run from where it was
last year - which is now a loose gravel road.
What would you do differently?: Wasn't as fast as the Motor City Tri earlier this year, but I felt like I gave it a good go today!
Post race
Warm down: Nothing special - water. Forgot to bring along Fluid, though I remembered the bottle.
What limited your ability to perform faster: I feel good about this race. If I were focusing on short distance tri's I could be faster on all 3 disciplines.
Event comments: 3D
really has picked up the pieces to organize a much better race than
they had in the past. Plenty of volunteers and a well marked course.
The run ended up a little long, but no big deal. I'm happy to do a well
run race when it's in my back yard.
Here it is; my 2011 Ironman Racine race report. It was crazy hot from the time the sun came throughout the day with a heat index of over 100 degrees F. I was fortunate that my wife was there to cheer me on and good friend Eddie was racing as well, it was good to see familiar faces on the coarse. Several people from BeginnerTriathlete.com were there as well!
My recovery is going very well! I did a short swim yesterday and had a massage with Marsha at Escapes Spa - Therapeutic Massage She works wonders and today I'm feeling much better.
Overall Time was 5 Hours 58 Minutes
Warmup: Did a little swimming / water acclimation. The water temp was 66F and little to no wakes. It was a beautiful morning.
Swim: Perhaps my best swim ever! I felt great and stayed with my pack. Everything seemed to be there for me. We did swim against the current, while it was barely noticeable at first, the final few buoys were a struggle. I was able to find someone to draft off of and this was the first time that I was able to move from one persons draft to another and successfully hold their pace. I did get stuck a few times behind some slower swimmers from the group who launched before us. I still need more work on speed, but I'm getting there.
T1: I utilized the wetsuit strippers and had to wait for a second for their help. Got in to T1 and didn't rush.
Bike: Wow, it was hot before I started my swim and I definitely felt it on the bike. I didn't push the bike as I knew that I hadn't trained to race this bike. I wanted to save energy for the run and had high hopes of nailing my run. I felt that I held a good cadence on the bike but OA it was 67. I did coast a lot but my OA cadence should have been much higher! I started out holding a solid 20-22mph pace. I opted to slow a little to hold for the run, but near the end of the bike I felt spent. It was just crazy hot!
Speedfil - if you don't own one, buy one! It's a 40oz container, but I refilled it at each aid station. I also had 1 bottle of Fluid with me. Never felt the urge to use the bathroom, so I know I was sweating out a lot more than normal.
What would I do differently?: Spin baby, spin. My overall cadence was WAY too low by the midway point in the race. I should have known better.
T2: T2 went well, but again, I took my time. I felt the burn in my legs so I let them rest for a bit. Started up the Garmin 410 and let it sync, took some MAP and SaltTab and I was off to run.
Run: I was hurting when I left T2. I knew from the first step of my run that this was going to take a LOT longer than I planned. I'm not exactly sure why I was so cramped and I have a hard time believing that it was solely the heat. Water and nutrition intake was good on the bike. Supplements were right on during the bike - so that leaves me with pre-race training. I made the immediate decision to take the Hal Higdon approach to running and followed it strictly for the entire first loop. I knew that it would cause my OA run to be slower than planned, but I wanted to be sure that I could finish the race without letting the cramping stop me. Again, nutrition and supplements were right on. Second loop I did pick the pace a little and limited my breaks. I hoped that this would still give me a sub 10min/mi time. At the last turn-around I stepped it up and then paid for it. I did take another minute walk break about a half mile before the finish. Then I took final stretch in with a sadly slow stride. Turns out that only 2 of my miles were sub 10 min/mi. So apparently my walking intervals was longer than Hal Higdon would approve of. Per the Garmin data (reviewing after the race), while I was running I held 8-8:45 paces. Thankfully the good citizens of Racine were out again in full force soaking down everyone with cold hose water! I took a bath at every opportunity and put ice down the front of my shorts at every other aid station. I took in oranges at every opportunity, grabbed a sponge and kept it cold and wet.
What would you do differently?: I let my training fail me here. I should have been doing bigger and longer bricks over the past few months!
Post race: Ate a turkey sub immediately and drank some water. I hate ice baths, but if one was available, I would have dove into it! From there I was able to watch several people cross the finish line; including Madison firefighter Rob Verhouse who did the event in full turnout gear, helmet and Scot Pak as well as Iraq War veteran Melissa Stockwell of Chicago who completed the race with an artificial left leg.
All in all this was far from a PR for me at this distance but I cannot complain, I had a great time. My training was focused, but not specific enough and my volume was WAY under where I should have been for this race. I knew that going in. I knew that I was prepared to finish, but hoped that I could still race it. Ironman did a great job organizing this race. The only fault that I can point out is that one aid station ran out of cups - but with the heat and people taking 'extras' it does add up. I had a good time and hope to be back next year. I can't wait for the Lansing Legislator in August and then the Rev3 Cedar Point Half Iron Distance. I'd love the opportunity to get another 70.3 in this year, but at $250 I won't be able to swing it. I have high hopes for a full distance Ironman next year, but we'll see how this year progresses.
Again, my sponsors are the best! Take time to visit their websites and try what they have to offer!
We've jumped into June and it still feels like April with our cold and windy weather! The training for Ironman Racine 70.3 is going well and Team Motiv8 has had a successful first few weeks of racing.
Craig Weaver and Family wrapped up the Curwood Half Marathon in style! Craig took 2nd in his Age Group at the Half Marathon distance. Craig's wife, Susan, took first in her Age Group at the 5k distance and son, Ryan, took first in his Age Group at the 10k distance. This absolutely shows the underlying reason that Team Motiv8 exists; to help encourage families to be active together!
I raced the Hawk Island Triathlon and the Motor City Triathlon. At Hawk Island (400m, 10mi, 5k) I raced well but I wasn't as fast as I hoped to be. In fact, I was about 20 seconds slower than I was last year. Unfortunately I was about 2 min 30sec out of contentions for an Overall finish; in a sprint distance triathlon that is a fairly big time gap! I had the disadvantage of working my normal shift (24 hours at the fire department) the day before the race. So I got off from work at 7am and went straight to the race. But I finished in 1h 2min with a 2min/100 swim, 21mph avg on the bike and a 7:10/mi paced run. A good friend, Adam, did race very well taking a 3rd place OA finish and setting a new PR at that course!
Last Sunday at the Motor City Triathlon (500m, 12mi, 3.44mi) I raced very well! I set a huge personal best in swimming! I placed 6th Overall and 1st in my Age Group by over 7 minutes. I was still about 2 minutes away from a Podium Overall placement, but I am very satisfied with the performance! My swim averaged a 1min/100, biked 22 mph and runs were paced sub 7min/mi. My biggest advantage came in the swim where we had the help of a 3-4 mph current in the Detroit River - we swam mostly with the current and I used my full wetsuit as the water was a little chilly. What I find rewarding is that even if I would have experienced my "normal" swim, I still would have placed first in my Age Group. My bike split was very good and also a race PR for speed. My run followed suit where I raced a sub 7min/mi for the first time in a triathlon.
This past week was my Peak Week in the Periodization Training Plan for Racine. So my volume was huge and the speedwork on the run was intense. I hit a big benchmark in speed training on the run and completed a new 1 Mile Best Effort Run in 5m42s. I feel like the past 4 years of training and planning and analyzing data are finally paying off. While my overall training volume is much lower this year than last year, I have trained much more intentionally and spent a lot of time working on form, both in the water and on the run. Perhaps later this year I'll be able to bring my biking up and show a big break to hit avg speeds of 24mph.
Racine weighs heavy on my mind every day. I've looking back at race data from last year and trying out more specific nutritional planning. While I raced well at Racine last year, I know that my nutrition was low on a caloric base and I wasn't properly conditioned for the run. I cramped up on the run last year, partly due to nutrition/hydration and partly due to a storm that left the run course brutally hot and humid. Tuesday I will complete my final long distance bike/run session being a full distance brick session. From there I am only about 3 weeks away from Racine and will wrap up the Peak Training Plan and start my Taper.
After Racine I plan to enjoy the rest of the season with another 70.3 in September for fun, a local triathlon, a marathon and wrap up the year with the largest single mountain biking race in America - the Iceman.
I have to send out a big "Thank You!" to my family and friends who have helped me with training (support and encouragement, watching the girls and so much more). Becky has always been my biggest supporter! Marsha at Escapes Spa Therapeutic Massage, Fluid and Trinity Multisports continue to be very supportive sponsors -- You owe it to yourself to be treated the way I have been by visiting them! (Marsha even has a special offer for first time customers if you mention Team Motiv8) Please do mention Team Motiv8 when you visit or purchase from these sponsors - we get NO kickback from them when you utilize them, but they do like to hear that we are promoting them.
On the personal training front: I have set up a training studio in the PKSA Karate Saint Johns location (this link will take you to their Facebook page - please go 'Like' them. I hope to start building a solid client base in the St Johns area and still plan to meet others for sessions. I look forward with great expectations to this next month! Come out and swim, bike and run with me!
It's game time. Well, not time to race, but time to train. 20 Weeks until Racine! My racing plans have taken a definitive shape. Here's the list:
4/02 Martian Marathon (Not set in stone yet)
6/05 Hawk Island Tri - Sprint
6/12 Motor City Tri - Olympic
7/17 Ironman Racine 70.3
7/30 Warrior Dash MI
8/07 Lansing Legislator - Sprint or Olympic
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon
11/05 Iceman MTB Race - 27 Miles of Pain!!
To summarize my off season: October left me spent. Grand Rapids Marathon was a great race, but I was secretly glad the season was done. I had hopes to run an ultra marathon, but I needed the rest. I decided to take December easy, January came quick and I emphasized strength training and stretching. I did low volume running and no swimming. February proved to be a challenge to get back into the groove of training. Many times I had to really make a mental push to get in the workouts.
Warm weather is close, here in Michigan, and everyday we see more sunlight earlier in the morning. I'm ready to go, I'm chompin' at the bit!
I've registered for the Iceman Cometh mountain bike race. This was my 3rd year thinking about the race, but every year it sells out within hours of opening registration. This year I got in, the race sold out in 5 hours with 3700 participants. I'm pretty excited about this race.
Becky and I will be running the Warrior Dash just after Racine. I'm excited about this one too, it'll be my first adventure race and it will be super fun to run it with Becky!! Some good friends ran it last year and came back with stories and pictures that you wouldn't believe, I'm stoked to run this one!
Team Motiv8 is well under way! We're nailing down our sponsors and creating our tri training classes. We are also readying our childrens programs. I can't wait to get in with the kids and talk to them about the importance of making healthy nutritional choices and to encourage them to play (like kids should do). What a great opportunity that we have! Check out our website at Team-Motiv8.com We'd love for you to join us and run with us across the finish line. Watch for us at local races and stop by our tent before and after the event! There will be good stuff happening at our tent!
As always, thank you to my girls! Becky, Anna and Sophia - you ARE my world! You inspire me to be a better person every day.
As firefighters we NEED to be functionally strong. We need to do strength training that represents the conditions that we could face on a fire ground. You need to be able to give 100% in order to save your life or that of another person. Regular functional strength training may be the single thing that gives you the power and stamina to get out of a life threatening situation. Be safe and be prepared!
As triathletes now is a great time for us to be putting time in the strength bank. Those of us who periodize our training typically take this time of the year off, or may be in the early stages of base building. The off season is the best time to make gains in power.
The Crossfit movement is gaining momentum in the multisport and endurance sport worlds. You will be seeing more extreme training plans popping up. Crossfit Endurance has already been taking the bull by the horns and mapping out WOD's (Workout of the Day) that will kick your butt AND incorporate multisport training! Take your training to the next level.
Whether you subscribe to Crossfit and regular strength training or not, give this a try for a month and watch your speed, power and agility grow exponentially!
Complete this workout 5 times in circuit style intervals. Using the pattern of 1 minute per station followed by a 20 second rest, this workout will take about 7 minutes per circuit. You may rest up to 2 minutes between each circuit. After 5 circuits, complete the 6th circuit with no rest intervals. With the Warm Up and Cool Down, the workout will take about an hour. You can have 1 firefighter at each station (5 firefighters) for the entire workout -- Develop crew integrity!!
The goal of this workout is to push you mentally and physically; push through the burn and complete each station. Your effort at each station should push your heart rate into an anaerobic state, just like on the fire ground.
Warm Up: Run for 10 minutes - Quick warm up and then a strong sprint (push for a 1 mile sprint). Any cardio warm up is fine, but be certain that you are getting your heart rate up!
3, 2, 1... GO!
STATION 1: “Sled Pull” with a rope, pull a rolled 100’ section of 5” hose across the apparatus bay floor from a seated position without foot anchors. Use a 40’ section of utility rope. Tie to the hose roll, pull on this rope. Consider placing extra weight on top of the hose roll to increase resistance (50# bag of salt/sand). When you've pulled the 'Sled' to you, run the rope out and pull again. Try to get 3 full length pulls in this minute.
Try this exercise as if you were rowing: stretch forward, grab the rope and pull while you lean back. This will work your lower back and help prevent the common back injuries.
STATION 2: “Step Ups” while holding a rolled 50’ section of 1 ¾” fire hose, step up onto the tailboard of an ambulance (or any sturdy surface greater than an 18” height). Remember to alternate which foot steps up first.
Do not lean forward. Keep your chest out and your shoulders back.
STATION 3: “Hose Ropes” swing ropes alternately creating ‘waves’ with the rope. Take a 25’ section of 1 ¾” fire hose, anchor it in the center around a non-movable object so that both couplings of the hose are at the starting point (You'll want to duct tape around the anchor point so the hose doesn't pull one way or the other). Grab the hose below the couplings and make ‘waves’ with the hose. Single Waves, Double Waves; mix it up with Isometric Squats, Skaters Lunge or run in place. Keep your upper body upright with a straight back!
STATION 4: “Hammer Time” Use a heavy sledge hammer to hit an object on the floor (preferably one that is meant to be beat on). Kneeling or standing - alternate the dominate hand at the 30 second time mark.
STATION 5: “High Rise Lunges” while draping a high rise hose pack or a 50’ section of 2 ½” across your shoulders, do step lunges 40’ out and back. Upon reaching the starting point, do 10 full squats.
Keep a straight and upright back. Push your chest out. When you squat - "Ass to the Grass" or You're Doing It WRONG!
Cool Down: Rowing machine or Elliptical machine for 10 minutes. Any cardio is fine. Strong and steady effort, but not anaerobic.
Lastly, after you've completed this routine a few time and can "comfortably" go through it without being excessively sore the following few days: Do it in your turnout gear! If you're not a firefighter or do not have turnout gear to 'play in' then use heavy pants, boots and a heavy coat (Carhart gear come to mind). Consider this a heat acclimation drill.
I've been able to complete a few things this last year that I've been working towards for a while. Over the course of the year I exceeded each of the goals I set for myself. 2 of my biggest race goals were to run a marathon and complete a Half Ironman. Both went very well and were a big step up in 'The Plan'
Annual Swim/Bike/Run goals were met, though my run totals could have been much higher if I would have kept running through the end of the year. But again, my foot needed the rest and I think my mind needed it too - thus, the Off Season.
2010 totals
Bike:
2098 Miles
Run:
702 Miles
Swim:
31 Hours
Strength:
16 Hours
Other Exercise/Stretching:
55 Hours
In 2011 my biking mileage will probably be about the same but I plan to do a bit more work on speed. My average race speeds are currently about 21mph and I'd like to be about 24mph for Racine. For my run goal I would like to shoot for 1000 miles in 2011. It's a huge step up, but based on my peaking from last year, I think it would be a good goal. I always need to improve my swimming so I'm not setting a specific goal for swimming. Yes, it is my biggest limiter and needs the most work, so if I could swim even 10-20 seconds faster (per 100m) I would consider that a pretty big success.
Strength training will need to be increased quite a bit. I've been fairly consistent the last 2-3 years in total volume for strength training, but in order to improve my overall speeds, I'll need to gain more power early this year. I've been on a kettlebell routine that will surely help me improve all around. I'll be working on basic calisthenics (like push ups, sit ups, pull ups and squats - body weight stuff). I've always liked the basics and enjoy the Navy SEALs workout programs. I've also looked at the newer things from books like "Convict Conditioning" - all body weight things... you know, everything you'll need to be able to do to prove yourself strong in the prison system!
I did learn quite a bit of valuable information from the MSU study that I was a part of. A big key is the total volume of aerobic activity that I need to be doing. A LOT! And along with that I am learning the importance of more frequent high intensity drills and circuit style training.
Lot's of things to incorporate in this years training program. I'm excited to start the new plan. My Racine plan will start in mid-February. While I haven't pinned down the exact race plans for the year, here's the list of events that I'd like to consider:
4/02 Martian Marathon
5/01 Steelcase Du
6/05 Hawk Island Tri
6/12 Motor City Tri Oly
7/17 IM Racine 70.3
7/30 Warrior Dash MI
8/07 Lansing Legislator Oly
9/11 Rev3 Cedar Point 70.3
9/24 DWD 50k
10/15 GR or Detroit Marathon
As always, THANK YOU to my family and friends for your support over this past year. My girls are my biggest supporters.
Fluid continues to be a huge part of my training and racing as a sponsor! Thank you Rich and Dave and to the whole rest of the Fluid crew. Give Fluid a try sometime and you'll find the best available recovery drink mix of electrolytes, protein and glutamine! For those who like the typical post workout protein shake, try the new Fluid flavor: Chocolate!
Team Motiv8 is underway. If you'd like see how you can get on board with our team, send me an email at JHag@Team-Motiv8.comWe continue to look for sponsors who want to come on board and help us take the message of the importance of making fitness part of a child's everyday life! As part of that, adults need to be proactive WITH their children. If you are interested in completing your first triathlon - let me know. We will be putting on a First Time Tri training program that will lead up to the Hawk Island Triathlon in Lansing, MI. We will cover all of the basics that a "Noob" will need to know in order to successfully complete a sprint distance triathlon.
Swim Comments: I
jumped my ability from the gun to the first buoy, but did well staying
with the appropriate pack once I settled in. I'm learning the draft!
Unfortunately those who I was drafting also knew how to sprint the last
straightaway and they left me alone. Great swim for me!
Bike Comments: Lots
of fast cyclists out here today! Several avg 23mph. I'm very happy
with my performance and I feel it was a solid effort. Matches my faster
speeds from last year on comparable courses (training). 
Run Comments: Almost
a double out and back. Kind of sucked, but it was short and you got to
keep seeing/passing the leaders which is an absolute motivator to run
harder. A big benefit was that they moved the run from where it was
last year - which is now a loose gravel road.
