Hi all, it’s Lisa. I’ll be updating this post throughout the day with tweets, pictures, emails, maps, and links about the 2013 edition of the Last Annual Vol State 500K.

Check back throughout the day to see how things are going out there!

Links you might find fun:

Last Annual Volstate 500K Spreadsheet & Map – for runner tracking (updated twice a day).
Carl’s 2013 Last Annual Volstate 500K Album.

Twitter:
RunItFast: @runitfast
Joshua Holmes: @bayou
Shannon Burke: @s4121burke
Dallas Smith:  @smithbend
VS500: #VS500  or #VS500K

Facebook:
UltraJoshua – Joshua Holmes
Last Annual Vol State Road Race 

So far today:

Lisa: That’s it for today! I hope you will check back on Run It Fast tomorrow for Day 2’s live blog and see who took “a little bite” out of the Last Annual Vol State 500K!

Email from Laz at 11:06 pm:

inspiration, perspiration, and a sniff of the vol-state

49 runners along with assorted crew and family on the ferry was really something to see.
remembering the years when we might not have but 4 people,
we never thought the vol-state would look like this.

there was so much energy coursing thru the field as we cruised across the river,
unknown adventures hiding amongst the trees on the approaching riverbank.
hope and fear mingled, especially for the multi-day virgins among us.
it was impossible not to feel the inspiration.

after the traditional counting of the runners at the Mississippi river overlook,
there was little for carl and I to do but drive up thru the field,
and wait to take the splits at the 21 mile mark.
there were far too many runners on the road for us to stop and chat with each one.
the best thing for us to do was remove our own vehicle from the congestion on the road.

as we watched everyone pass thru the 21 mile mark,
happily informing nearly the entire field that they were on “course record pace”
we talked about where the runners really stood.

at 21 miles they had broken the wrapper on the vol-state.
they could catch just a sniff,
a hint of the smell of the real thing.
they had not taken a bite of vol-state yet,
not even a nibble.
hell, they hadn’t even peeled the wrapper back.
they had just broken the seal,
and maybe, just maybe, caught a hint of the smell.

the 12 hour results are on the map now.
fejes has taken a lead.
choi is 7 miles back, followed closely by abbs, holmes, and fegys.

none of this, of course, means anything as we head into the first night.
who will rest? who will run on?
who will get stronger? and who will falter?

the one thing certain is,
the 24 hour standings will little resemble the 12 hour’s.
the vol state is a race that takes a while to fall into place.
those who want to fight for the crown
must work hard to secure a spot among the contenders.
for those who get that work done,
in a couple of days the serious racing begins.

among the many newbies to this nasty game,
the passing of the first 24 hours includes another test.
how will they respond to messages from their body that it has had enough?
between tomorrow morning and the rock will come many next steps that seem impossible,
sheer will, and the refusal to surrender will be all that drives them on.

in the movies,
the hard work would be represented by a few minutes of visually stimulating clips,
accompanied by inspiring music.
the ultimate victory would go on forever in slow motion….

real life is very different.
the hard work is goes on forever,
with an end nowhere in sight.
the view changes slowly, and dramatic moments are few.
the closest thing to inspiring music is the slap of your shoes on the pavement,
and the sloshing of water in your bottles.

tomorrow morning we will see who has what it takes to tear open that wrapper,
and take a little bite.

laz

Email from Carl Laniak at 10:42 pm:

the volstate album is updated

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107684748124952715657/albums/5899552556950832081

this afternoon’s pics are shadowy, but you can’t blame me for sitting in the shade for the 6+ hours we waited for most of the field to pass the traditional “20 mile” split under the bridge….I mean, it’s a little warm out there.

they’re still out there, mostly moving. they’re going to start feeling like they’ve “actually gotten somewhere” soon.

carl

Lisa: So, at the 12 Hour Update, the top 10 solo runners were:
1. Joe Fejes – 60 miles
2. Sung Ho Choi – 53 miles
3. Alan Abbs – 49 miles
4. Joshua Holmes – 47 miles
5. John Fegyveresi – 47 miles
6. Roy Tamez – 45 miles
7. Jeff Kasal – 45 miles
8. Tim Purol – 45 miles
9. Joseph Nance – 44 miles
10. Ray Krolewicz – 44 miles

And here are the standing for the relay teams at the 12 Hour Update:

1. Team Stinky Feet – 70 miles
2. Team Two Step – 57 miles
3. Team Dancing Bears – 55 miles
4. Team Country Gentlement – 54 miles

This is what the map of the runners looks like at the 12 Hour Update:

Cool to see how much they have spread out over just one day! Joe Fejes is still in the lead. There’s been some speculation on the email list that he might not keep it so we will have to see how it plays out!

Email from Mike Dobies at 8:52 pm:

Vol State – 12 Hour Update

Tracking Sheet:

http://www.tinyurl.com/Volstate2013

Map:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=200687420624110668378.0004e12ec15b689068078&msa=0

Instagram post by Josh at 8:31 pm

Tweet from Dallas at 6:51 pm:

Tweet from Dallas at 6:48 pm:

Instagram post from Josh at 5:36 pm:

Lisa: Did you see that Joe Fejes is currently in 1st? He is the pre-race favorite and might even break the course record for the Last Annual Vol State 500K this year! The current record is 3:17:42:12 and Joe set the 72 hour mark by running 329.64 miles at the 2012/2013 Across The Years. Piece of cake, right? Of course, he had much cooler temps there but it will be exciting to watch what happens! Not only with him, but with all the runners.

Email from Carl Laniak at 2:36 pm:

Re: 21 mile vol state splits

Still waiting on:

Diane Taylor
Jan walker
Tj nagies
Marcia Rasmussen
Paul Heckert

Carl

Email from Carl Laniak at 2:10 pm:

21 mile vol state splits

1) joe fejes 3:09
2) sue (team stinky feet) 3:23
3) Alan white trash Abbs 4:04
4) Claude (team two step) 4:05
5) Joshua Holmes 4:06
6) sung ho choi 4:06
7) sal coll 4:21
8 ) Tim purol 4:30
9) Jeff castle 4:31
10) John fegys 4:35
11) Roy tamez 4:36
12) Marv Skagerberg (country gentlemen) 4:40
13) Charlie Taylor 4:40
14) Patrick binienda (dancing bears) 4:42
15) John Adams 4:46
16) Joel gat 5:09
17) joe F nance 5:10
18) dusty 5:19
19) Shannon 5:19
20) Texas Jeff 5:20
21) rayk 5:42
22) brad 5:42
23) Jeff mcgonnell 5:42
24) Jim ball 5:42
25) Diane Bolton 5:43
26) sherry Meador 5:44
27) Jeff Stevens 5:51
28) Wayne mccomb 5:57
29) jp 6:02
30) Dallas smith 6:17
31) psyche 6:18
32) joe co-alski 6:20
33) Robert Woodall 6:24
34) Scott tater krouse 6:24
35) giant backpack curro 6:29
36) 5-day brazell 6:29
37) dave wingard 6:33
38) Becky lockard 6:33

Carl

Tweet from @keithdunn at 11:03 am:

Email from Carl Laniak at 10:31 am:

Here is an album with a pic of each starter going past the overlook above the Mississippi River this morning (mile 2).

The sun was in the wrong place for more scenic pictures…

40 solo runners started their 500km journey run.

4 relay teams started.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/107684748124952715657/albums/5899373024742557185

Instagram post from Josh at 9:43 am:

Instagram post from Josh at 7:13 am:

And so it begins…

Email from Laz at 8:56 pm on 7/10/13:

twas the night before vol-state
and in all of the rooms.
not a person was stirring,
not even the doomed.
all of the runners were off in their beds,
with visions of ferries dancing in their heads…

except for the room that carl and laz share
where wagers are being taken;
who quits first, and where?

laz

Last Annual Vol State 500K 2012

The Last Annual Vol State 500K begins this Thursday, July 11th. What is the Last Annual Vol State 500K? It’s a 314 mile foot race across Tennessee…in July. Because running 314 miles isn’t crazy enough, you have to do it in the refreshing heat and humidity of the south in the summer!

The Last Annual Vol State 500K is the brain child of Lazarus Lake (Gary Cantrell). It starts in Dorena Landing, Missouri with a boat ferry ride, runs across Tennessee, and ends atop a mountain at Castle Rock, Georgia. The runners can do this crewed or uncrewed (Screwed) or as a relay. If you are doing it in the Screwed category, you must carry everything that you will need and can only accept handouts/help from the kindness of strangers.

This year, 6 Run It Fast Club members will be running the Last Annual Vol State 500K, 3 veterans of the race and 3 newbies. 2 RIFers will be doing this crewed and 4 will be Screwed. Think only super humans can do this kind of run? Think again! Below you will meet 6 every day people…just like you and me…who happen to be embarking on a 314 mile journey to see what they are made of. Check out their stories below and then check the bottom of the post for links to follow them.

THE VETERANS

RIF #276 DIANE TAYLOR

Diane has completed 2 Last Annual Vol State 500Ks and will be running her 4th this year (her first attempt was derailed by blisters). She will be running it uncrewed again this year. The past 2 years (since running 314 miles across Tennessee was not enough), Diane drove to the finish line and started her race early by running towards the start line. Last year, she was picked up in Lewisburg as others headed to the start so she added about 100 miles on to her journey in 2012! We asked Diane why she keeps coming back and she said: “I can’t explain it but I would like to do it every year as long as I’m physically able. There are others who have run/are running this who are in there 70s so I hopefully I will be able to do it into my 70s as well.”

Since Diane is running this Screwed and has to carry her own pack with what she needs, we asked her if she brought anything extra with her. She said this year “everything in the pack is just what I need. It weighs 9 1/2 pounds without water and another 6ish pounds with water so it will weigh about 16 pounds when full. Last year, I carried/wore a badge that Shannon (RIF #171 Shannon Burke – see below) made to honor our friend Angela Ivory.”

Screwed runners are not allowed to accept help from anyone they know or from the crews of other runners but can accept help from random strangers, Road Angels. We asked Diane if she had encountered any Road Angels and she said: “many times strangers stopped to give me water/soda and twice Road Angels asked me what I needed and then went to get water and bring it back to me.”

Next we asked Diane what she learned about herself while running the Last Annual Vol State 500K and she said: “I guess you learn when you want something bad enough, you are capable of doing a lot more than you thought. If you really, really want it, it can happen.”

Finally, we asked Diane if she had any advice for newbies to the VS500K or for anyone who was thinking about doing it and she said: “Tell everybody that they can do this. You don’t have to be a super athlete or runner. Anyone can do it.”

Diane used herself as a reference for that last questions, saying that if she, who was an average person, could do this then anyone can. We don’t know about you, but we think Diane is pretty amazing! Good luck Diane!

***

RIF #171 SHANNON BURKE

Shannon will be running her 3rd Vol State 500K this year and will be running uncrewed. The first year she ran it, she hadn’t even done a 50 Mile or 100 Mile race yet! She didn’t finish that first year but came back determined last year and finished in 8:13:13:36. We asked Shannon why she decided to run this race when her longest previous run was only 42 miles (only with a race like this can you say “ONLY” and 42 miles in the same sentence!) and she said: “I didn’t look at it as 500K as much as a grand adventure.  Laz (Gary Cantrell) has a way of writing that sucks you into his world.  I followed Vol State during 2010 and knew I wanted to try it.  And I am gullible and have a group of fellars that encourage me to try these races.”

Then we asked her why she keeps coming back and she said: “Vol State truly is a race that anyone can do.  It all depends on how bad you want it.  After I failed in 2011, I spent the next year wishing for the ferry to get my chance at redemption.  (It was a really long year!)  It is truly a journey run and you learn a lot about yourself.”

And finally, we asked her what the best and worst parts of the race are for her and she said: “The best: reading a Laz post that lifts your spirits when they were bottomed out, the open road, learning so much about yourself and your strength within, napping on a porch swing after a wonderful lunch, and the chance to stop when you reach the rock.  The worst:  going to bed knowing you have to get up the next day and go again, relentless rain that chases you under a bridge just to get a little bit of silence, and the pain and despair you find at times and don’t feel like you will ever reach the rock.”

But we do know that Shannon reached the rock and we are sure she will again this year! Good luck Shannon! You can follow Shannon on Twitter: @s4121burke and you can check out her blog Yellow Bus Adventures.

***

RIF #1 JOSHUA HOLMES

Josh has run over 90 marathons and ultras and will be running his 3rd Vol State 500K with a crew supporting him. Last year he was 2nd Overall and shaved more than 2 days off his previous year’s time! We asked him what makes Vol State 500K different from the many other races he’s done and he said: “It’s a grand epic adventure that gets in your blood like a bad virus and never leaves it even once the race is over and you’ve finished it. You think about it almost daily and the bond you make with your fellow Vol State runners is almost a fraternal bond that brings about a special spark when you see a VS alum at another race.”

Next, we asked Joshua about his huge PR last year and if it was training or mental preparation that made the difference and he said: “We had some crew issues in year one and I went in just wanting to finish the race. I was conservative and I kept an eye on my crew, my 15-year old cousin, as much as he kept an eye on me. We had a grand time and we both learned a lot along the way. I was a stronger runner going into my second attempt, but more so I knew what to expect and the layout of the course having run it before. I also attacked it like one of the wild dogs you sometimes meet along the way.”

Then we asked him if the running 314 miles seemed less intimidating after having done it twice and he said: “At this point I know what it takes to finish it, but I keep raising the bar of what I expect out of myself and what time goals I set for myself. It’s 314 miles no matter how you slice it. If you are going to be intimated by a race before it starts then it’s likely this one or you’re an android.”

Finally, we asked Joshua what lessons he’s learned from Vol State 500K that he’s been able to apply to other races/life experiences and he said: “Mental toughness, physical toughness, blister toughness…about every form of toughness imaginable. The downside is that almost every race since Vol State is a bit of a let down, because Vol State is such an epic adventure.”

We are excited to watch Joshua tear it up out there this year! He’s a beast! Good luck Josh! You can follow his adventures on Twitter: @bayou or on his Facebook page: UltraJoshua. Also, Joshua is raising money for charity: water and if you would like to donate to his campaign, click here: 2013 Vol State 500K Endurance Run. In 2011, Joshua and RIF #2 Naresh Kumar (@iamarunr) raised $6,205 while running VS500 that year and they helped fund a well in Ethiopia! Let’s help him top that this year!

THE NEWBIES

 RIF #79 DALLAS SMITH

Dallas has run many, many marathons, ultras, and Ironman races. He’s qualified for Boston numerous times and holds a boat load (58 and counting) of State Records for ages 63 to 72 in Tennessee for everything from the 5K to the marathon. He will be running his first Vol State 500K this year and he is doing it uncrewed.

We asked Dallas why he decided to take this challenge on and he said: “The answer is I don’t think I know why. I am always ready for adventure & a new experience & VS certainly is that. What I don’t like to face is that I may be seeking redemption for failing on a similar run in Spain. That failure was a spirit breaker in its abject totality. I was whipped. As broken ad Cool hand Luke. It haunts me yet & I guess I’m looking for a 2nd chance.”

And since everyone can use a bit of luck, we asked Dallas if he was taking a good luck charm with him and he said: “I hadn’t thought about that til now, but actually I am taking a good luck charm, a pair of Kalenji socks I bought on that same Spain trip. Practically every race I’ve run since, I’ve worn those socks, dozens & dozens. They seem indestructible & I’ve always said they were the best socks I ever owned. Not too romantic, I’ll admit, but when I was deciding on socks they had to go in. They connect this race to my failure in Spain.”

Since Dallas first answered that last question, he was given a good luck charm to carry by his daughter which we think is appropriate for the VS500:

Finally, we asked Dallas if he was nervous or excited about any part of this journey he was starting on and he said: “I’m not nervous. Strange to say – because I’m quite timid – I’ve never been nervous before a race. I am surely not bragging about that but merely expressing reality and a bit of amazement at it. I AM anxious, anxious in the sense that I want to see what will happen. Kinda like after a marathon finally starts and you say to yourself, finally dammitt we can run. This race holds many mysteries for me. A big component is the dirtbag-life on the road. Separate from the mere running is the continual foraging for food, water and shelter. All that is a problem in itself and I am curious to see how it all plays out.”

We cannot wait to hear all about the adventures Dallas has out there and are sure it would make for a great book! (If you don’t know, Dallas is an accomplished writer and a wonderful storyteller. You can find links to his books on his blog Turnaround and follow him on Twitter: @smithbend)

***

RIF #159 DIANE BOLTON

Diane is a racing machine. She just recently completed her SECOND round of marathons in 50 States. She will be running her first Vol State 500K this year with the help of a crew. We asked her why she took on this challenge and she said: “Why..actually I’ve been asking myself this too..ha,ha. Actually, RIF has been instrumental in having me challenge myself. With this in mind Vol State offered me a challenge totally out of my comfort zone. I’m not afraid of not finishing but would regret if I didn’t try. That said, I will take it day by day learning much about my threshold as well as the wonderful adventures in ultra endurance running.”

Next, we asked her what she was most excited and/or nervous about and she said she was: “Most excited about the knowledge I will gain learning so much more from some fascinating very accomplished ultra runners. What I’m most nervous about…everything! I’m such a rookie here. But thankful for the many people helping me on this journey. Most importantly my guardian angel crew chief Phil Min (RIF #286). None of this would have been possible had he not offered to crew me, giving up his scheduled marathon and extra days to be part of this epic event. I hope he’ll still call me friend when this is all over. “

Lastly, Diane had this to say about the coming days: “Also worried I’ll get lost. This is an unmarked course. I get lost on my last loop of a 9 times around course! 🙂 One thing I know for sure…I’m going to laugh and I’m going to cry. None of this would have been experienced had it not been for the gentle push by some in this wonderful Run It Fast family.”

We know Diane is going to be just fine! And we are excited that she is taking on this challenge. Go Diane!

***

RIF #101 DAVID WINGARD

David will be running his first Vol State 500K this year and he will be doing it uncrewed. He’s run almost 100 marathons and didn’t start running until he was 52. Not only does he run, but he raises money for the Lazarex Cancer Foundation as well. You can learn more about David on his website Run David Run.

We asked David why he decided to do VS500 and he said: “I only decided about 10 days ago to do this race. When I did the Jackal Marathon series a couple of weeks ago, some of my close enablers, oh, I mean friends, explained to me why I needed to run this race.”

Next we asked David if he had done anything like this before and he said: “The longest race I have done so far is Camrades (54 miles) twice. I plan to do my 1st 100 mile racin in August – the Leadville 100.”

Finally, we asked him what he was most nervous and excited about the next 314 miles and he said: “I’m most nervous about having my 1st DNF. I am most excited about running a new race with my friends and running further than I have ever run before.”

Good luck David! We have no doubt you will do great and that this will be great training for your next big adventure! (David is planning to go for the World Record for hiking the Appalachian Trail in June 2014 – you can find more info about that on his website as well).

***

I hope you’ll join us in wishing good luck to all of our Run It Fast Club members and all the others running the Last Annual Vol State 500K. Once again, it starts at 7am Central Time on Thursday, July 11th. We will be posting daily blogs/updates here on Run It Fast so make sure you check back here or follow us on Twitter @runitfast. You can also do a Twitter search on the hashtag #VS500 to see all the tweets about this year’s Last Annual Volstate 500K.

You can also like the Last Annual Vol State 500K Facebook page here: Last Annual Vol State Road Race.

And finally, you can also check on the runners at this link to the Last Annual Volstate 500K Spreadsheet & Map. It will be updated twice a day with each runners position/miles as they head to the finish.

Don’t miss out on the fun! Who knows, maybe next year people will be asking you “You’re going to run how far?” 🙂

[photos courtesy of Joshua Holmes, Naresh Kumar, and Lisa Gonzales]

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 12 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

RIF #159 Diane Bolton

Time for May Extreme Racer Standings! In the last 5 months, our RIF Club Members have raced 650 races, including 250 marathons, 14 100 Milers, 12 50 Milers, 38 50Ks, 90 Half Marathons, 109 5Ks, 32 10Ks, and 105 races of non-traditional distances. That’s 12,859.52 miles raced so far this year! 71 RIF Club members have submitted points and/or monthly miles so far for 2013 (only points count in the standings so only 69 Club members are listed below).

We have new club members in the Top 3 Overall, Men, and Women and in the Top 10! AND…there are more women than men in the Top 10 this month! Woo!

The race between 1st and 2nd looks to be getting a little closer but RIF #159 Diane Bolton is still in the lead with 809.9 points, followed by RIF #190 John Kent Leighton in 2nd 741.7 points and RIF #279 George Southgate is now 3rd with 598.7 points.

On the Women’s Leaderboard, Diane is in 1st, followed by 2 new club members to the top 3. RIF #287 Carol Earles is in 2nd with 466.4 points and RIF #231 Christy Scott is in 3rd with 432.6 points. On the Men’s Leaderboard, John is in 1st followed by George in 2nd and RIF #1 Joshua Holmes in 3rd with 584.1 points.

Here are the full standings through May:

Top Ten Overall
1.   Diane Bolton – 809.9  (RIF #159)
2.   John Kent Leighton – 741.7  (RIF #190)
3.   George Southgate – 598.7  (RIF #279)
4.   Joshua Holmes – 584.1  (RIF #1)
5.   Carol Earles – 466.4  (RIF #287)
6.   Christy Scott – 432.6  (RIF #231)
7.   Elaine Bickel Green – 424  (RIF #217)
8.   Rob Distante – 409.13  (RIF #259)
9.   Katrina Mumaw – 399.5  (RIF #268)
10.   Carol Goslin – 397.8  (RIF #218)

Women’s Leaderboard
1.   Diane Bolton – 809.9  (RIF #159)
2.   Carol Earles – 466.4  (RIF #287)
3.   Christy Scott – 432.6  (RIF #231)
4.   Elaine Bickel Green – 424  (RIF #217)
5.   Katrina Mumaw – 399.5  (RIF #268)
6.   Carol Goslin – 397.8  (RIF #218)
7.   Kerri Haskins – 359.7  (RIF #261)
8.   Heather Zeigler – 296.1  (RIF #246)
9.   Heather Shoemaker – 261.8  (RIF #44)
10.   Suzanne Spiceland – 259.7  (RIF #280)
11.   Laura Raeder – 258.9  (RIF #20)
12.   Sandy Staggs – 243  (RIF #220)
13.   Lisa Gonzales – 216.56  (RIF #5)
14.   Alicia Eno – 149.6  (RIF #126)
15.   Robin Mancinelli – 142.3  (RIF #134)
16.   Shannon Burke – 136.8  (RIF #171)
17.   Amanda Staggs – 121  (RIF #210)
18.   Michelle Mitchell – 112.4  (RIF #133)
19.   Melanie Kayal – 108.9  (RIF #202)
20.   Jennifer Wood – 91.7  (RIF #243)
21.   Christy Bowers – 91.5  (RIF #60)
22.   Marj Mitchell – 85  (RIF #4)
23.   Jennifer Whitley – 82  (RIF #160)
24.   Michelle Lenahan – 76.58  (RIF #283)
25.   Beth Hosick – 76.2  (RIF #219)
26.   Donna Pittman – 62.8  (RIF #181)
27.   Leigh Marsh – 61.7  (RIF #192)
28.   Jill Hassen – 57.2  (RIF #242)
29.   Natalie Torres – 55.5  (RIF #72)
30.   Marlene Deem – 52.4  (RIF #189)
31.   Martine Kincade – 26.2  (RIF #260)

Men’s Leaderboard
1.   John Kent Leighton – 741.7  (RIF #190)
2.   George Southgate – 598.7  (RIF #279)
3.   Joshua Holmes – 584.1  (RIF #1)
4.   Rob Distante – 409.13  (RIF #259)
5.   Hideki Kinoshita – 396.2  (RIF #88)
6.   Danny Staggs – 348.9  (RIF #186)
7.   Jeff Le – 293.96  (RIF #248)
8.   Denis McCarthy – 271.3  (RIF #263)
9.   Nicholas Norfolk – 225.8  (RIF #116)
10.   Billy Cannon – 208.9  (RIF #169)
11.   Mark Watson – 194  (RIF #173)
12.   Houston Wolf – 182.2  (RIF #254)
13.   Jeff Liu – 178.6  (RIF #275)
14.   Anthony Ohrey – 167  (RIF #27)
15.   Nathan Bass – 145.4  (RIF #174)
16.   Kevin Brandon – 116.3  (RIF #214)
17.   Dennis Arriaga – 109.6  (RIF #140)
18.   Nikiah Nudell – 94.8  (RIF #234)
19.   Rodrigo Jiménez – 93.56  (RIF #203)
20.   Charles Carmen – 89.63  (RIF #255)
21.   Steven Reagan – 88.2  (RIF #157)
22.   Josh Liggett – 85.7  (RIF #147)
23.   James Krenis – 84.8  (RIF #67)
24.   Rick Thiounn – 79.5  (RIF #111)
25.   Kevin Ronayne – 72.9  (RIF #11)
26.   Mark Ogletree – 70.3  (RIF #247)
27.   David Wingard – 65.5  (RIF #101)
28.   Stephen Griffin – 60.3  (RIF #48)
29.   Robin Robbins – 58.3  (RIF #33)
30.   Neil Dryland – 57.2  (RIF #252)
31.   Jason Scott – 55.5  (RIF #265)
32.   Naresh Kumar – 50  (RIF #2)
33.   Bill Baker – 39.3  (RIF #196)
34.   Stewart Crouch – 29.3  (RIF #89)
35.   Brian Wooldridge – 26.2  (RIF #141)
36.   Chris Haynes – 26.2  (RIF #223)
37.   Daniel Escue – 22.4  (RIF #187)
38.   Austin Coates – 22.4  (RIF #241)

I know June was a HUGE month for Run It Fast Club members and can’t wait to see what happens. Will there be a big mix-up in the standings? Who will emerge next month? Check back next month to find out!

Oh, we also did a random drawing to pick one RIF Club member who submitted points for May and this month’s winner is RIF #181 Donna Pittman We will be sending her a Gone For A Run sign. Don’t forget to submit your points/monthly miles next month for a chance to win!

Details on joining Run It Fast – The Club

[Extreme Racer points are rewarded per each racing mile completed. Example: marathon = 26.2 points, half marathon 13.1 points, etc.]

[photo from Lisa Gonzales]

RIF #27 Anthony Ohrey and RIF #169 Billy Cannon finishing strong at the Run Under The Stars 2013

Have you ever run a timed race? Did you even know they exist? All over the country, there are 6 Hour, 12 Hour, 24 Hour, etc. races. They are usually run on a loop and they are lots of fun. I know what you’re thinking….Probably the same thing the rental car agent thought this past weekend.

Rental Car Agent: What brings you to town?
Me: I’m doing a 10 Hour race on Saturday.
RCA: Wow, where do you run to?
Me: Um, we’ll be running in circles on a half mile track the whole time.
RCA: *silence*…Good luck? *cue the this girl is nuts look*
🙂

Okay, so it may seem a little crazy but here’s why you should consider running a timed race if you haven’t done one already:

• There is no DNF in a timed race. You show up and run whatever you want to run during your alloted time. Some people go in to them planning to run a certain distance and then calling it while others plan to run the whole time to see how many miles they can run. Whichever method you choose is entirely up to you.
• You can’t get lost! I’ve run on half mile loops, mile loops, and 5K loops in the ones I’ve done. You are never far away from the start and/or aid station so you don’t have to worry about them calling out search parties if you miss a course marking and end up in another state.
• You are never far from an aid station and food and water…like I stated in the previous point. This means you don’t have to carry multiple bottles or a hydration pack and you don’t have to carry a ton of food and gels on you.
• You get to see your friends multiple times on the course. Most of the time, I see my friends at the beginning of a race (and sometimes at the end if they’ve waited for me) but with a loop course, you get to see them over, and over…and over again. 🙂 And the great thing is that since the race ends at a specific time, you never have to worry about them waiting around for you because you all end at the same time.
• You get to make a lot of new friends. For the same reason above, you will see many of your fellow racers multiple times on the course and get to spend a lot of time with them.
• They allow the middle and back-of-the-packers a chance to see/watch the fast guys/women.
• You can usually set up your own little camp – with maybe a chair or blanket or sometimes even a tent – so all your stuff is there within easy access. No worrying about what to put in a drop bag for when. Night time…no problem, just grab your light. Need a change of shoes or socks…no problem, just grab them and change them.
• Your friends and family that come to see you at the race get to see you multiple times without have to drive to various places on the course. And if they are tired, they can take a nap.
• Hey, you can take a nap if you want to.
• You always know where your competition is.
• You will find yourself inspired by everyone, fast or slow, because you get to see their triumphs and their struggles.
• It’s fun to see the miles adding up as you finish each loop.
• You don’t have to worry about bears, mountain lions, and crazed cows…usually. Crazy runners, yes. Wild animals, no.
• Did I mention access to great food is never far away? I’ve had pizza and cheeseburgers and tri tip and ice cream at some of my timed races.

For all these reasons…and probably a lot I forgot…timed races are a great place to set a new PR for a distance or set a new PL (Personal Long). You will be amazed by what you can accomplish at one!

I’ve done 4 so far and had a blast at each one:

New Year’s One Day 6/12/24 in San Francisco, CA – run on a 1 mile loop around Crissy Field on New Year’s Eve/Day with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio, Alcatraz, and the city. Both the 6 Hour and the 12 Hour end at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Nanny Goat 12/24/100 in Riverside, CA – great, fun 1 mile looping course on a horse farm that supports the Wounded Warrior Project. There’s a variety of surfaces to run on so you won’t get bored.

RIF #1 Joshua Holmes having fun at the Nanny Goat 2013

Run Under The Stars 10 Hour Endurance Run in Paducah, KY – run on a 1/2 mile horse track, the race starts at 8pm on Saturday and finishes at 6am on Sunday.

Rohring Round the Clock 6/12/24 in Chula Vista, CA – run on a 5K loop around Rohring park with lots to see.

These are just a few that I’ve done. I hope to run Across the Years 24HR/48HR/72HR one of these years and will definitely go back to the others. You can find more timed races by checking out Ultra Signup.

What are you waiting for? Go find one and sign up!

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 21 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 19 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Out Damn Negative Thoughts!

I’ve gotten into a very bad habit the past 6 months. I’ve become my own worst critic and I can’t seem to stop it.

When things go bad in a race, I start telling myself how slow I am, how much I suck, how I’m not trying hard enough, not working hard enough, giving up too easily.

When I don’t hit my times in the planned work outs that my coach set up for me, I find myself saying things like “He’s got to be frustrated with me.” Or “I bet he’ll be disappointed again.” Or “Maybe a coach is a waste of time.”

And when a friend teases me about running a 4 hour half marathon, I think “He knows me/my running better than most so I must really suck.”

I know I’m only making things worse. That it’s me who’s disappointed and frustrated (and embarrassed) and not my coach or my friends. I know that I’m not helping myself but…how do I stop it?

I’ve been in a funk ever since the DNF at Death Valley Trail Marathon. I haven’t raced well this year. I’ve been slow as molasses and my confidence is shattered. I doubt I can hit my workouts and I doubt I can keep a certain pace in a race and I think it causes me to live up…er, live down…to my expectations.

I’m tired of it. I want my confidence back. I want to be fast and feel fast.

I know that fast is relative and I know I’m not a 2:30 marathoner but I feel I have a sub 4 marathon in me. Actually, I don’t know what I’m capable of but I dream of going sub 3:55 and qualifying for Boston. I want to go sub 24 in a 5K and sub 50 in a 10K and 1:50 in a half. Or faster.

But to do that, I first have to quit telling myself I can’t.

On Saturday, I ran my 5th 5K. My 5K PR is 24:59 (set in 2011) but I honestly thought I would be lucky if I broke 30 minutes for the one on Saturday. I felt that 27 minutes would be a dream goal but I shouldn’t be disappointed if I didn’t hit it. I thought there was an outside chance of hitting 27 minutes. Maybe.

Then I’m not sure what happened but I got mad at myself. The night before the race I started thinking about what it would take to PR and I started telling myself that I could do it. On race morning as I warmed up I lectured myself over and over again to try. To not give up. To run as hard as I could and try to PR. That it wasn’t impossible. I could do it. But only if I tried. I started the race…determined.

I ran hard.

I finished the race in 25:15.

So…no PR but I ran so hard I thought I was going to puke at the end. I never told myself I couldn’t do it while I was running. I talked myself out of giving up and settling for the slower 27 min goal from earlier. I was happy with my effort. I had run it with my heart instead of my head and because of that, I got a surprise when the times were posted…3rd in my age group! Woo! This is my 5K medal on the left and my AG medal on the right:

🙂 If this were a Hollywood movie, that would be the end…the happy runner girl running off into the sunset with a new mind and a new determination to make her goals happen.

Well, this ain’t Hollywood….

On Sunday, I ran the Rock n’ Roll San Diego Half Marathon (my 24th half marathon) and I was back to my old ways. If you look at the McMillan pace calc based on my 5K time…

…I should be able to go sub 2 for the half. My PR for the half is 1:57:26 (also set in 2011) but I was telling myself to shoot for 2:10 and to be happy with 2:15. And when things went south during the race (I lost 6 minutes to hit the port-a-potty and then fell before mile 10), I started in with the negative talk: I suck, I should just stop racing, I shouldn’t have signed up for that marathon at the end of June because it might take me 5 or more hours to finish and my friends will have to wait for me. What was I thinking? I was frustrated and embarrassed again and beating myself up over it.

Sigh.

Bad habits are hard to break. I have GOT to figure out how to break this one permanently before I give up trying all together. I just don’t know how right now.

Any suggestions? How do you deal with the negative voices?

Here is a look at where everyone is running this weekend. We had 21 responses this week. Good luck to everyone and Run It Fast!

To join Run It Fast – The Club then click HERE to read more details.

Remember the fallen who carried the sword

This Memorial Day I find myself at Greer Stadium where I’ve come as a volunteer to help the Nashville Striders hold their Memorial Day Dash 5K, as I did on this holiday last year. The race starts here and then ends in the Nashville City Cemetery.

Last year I remember talking with Joe Dunkin here. We exchanged news about ultrarunner Angela Ivory. At the finish line area, I saw Congressman Jim Cooper, who’d run the 5K himself. After my job was completed that day, I drove to Shelby Park and made a twelve-mile training run.

Once the race has started, my job today is to help disassemble and stow the starting line equipment, scaffolding, fences, and so forth. Then we’ll go to the finish line down in the cemetery and after the last runner has finished, we’ll do the same at the finish line. “Teardown,” the Striders call my assignment for today.

This race meanders through a good portion of the cemetery. It occurs to me that some might view running in a cemetery as disrespectful. The Striders disagree. I do, too. The sport of running exists at the intersection of good health, friendship, charity and even love. We honor the fallen heroes when we bring these qualities to their resting place. Demonstration of our life-affirming behavior honors the fallen more than any solemn speech from a politician.

Read the full story by Dallas Smith by clicking HERE