Growth

Today, after a run, I had an interesting conversation with an older gentleman.  I was talking about how I wished I could run more instead of having to drive everywhere, and he told me, "Your body is built to run.  Mine is not."  To which I said, "Actually, I molded my body to get here.  You can too." and he paused for a moment, chuckled, and replied, "You're absolutely right."

We often focus on talent but dismiss skill.  You see, skill is something that we earn through hours and hours of hard and concentrated effort.  We all start out with our unique set of strengths and weaknesses, but it is up to us to harness what we have and make it better... perhaps even transform our weaknesses into strengths.  Though we may be blessed in certain attributes or are given certain experiences, it is our responsibility to nurture what we have and direct it.

Some accept their strengths and weaknesses and do not mature.  They accept what they were born with, the experiences they have... yet they fail to use them as a springboard to leap higher and achieve even more.  You see, events will unfold whether you are in control or not.  Things will happen in your life, whether you like it or not.  Afterwards, it's you that will translate and see the situation, and then either use it as an excuse for failure, or as a reason for further growth.  It is up to you to react to the situation and limit yourself or be proactive about it and raise your potential.

When we figure out who we are, it does not define who we will be.  Rather, it gives us a better idea of what direction we ought to go... and how to get there.  Progress, then, is success, and when we are 'happy' remaining at where we are, we become stagnant and are not truly happy with who we are.  Therefore, it is vital that we search for ways to become stronger.  First, identify who we are, the talents we have, the experiences we received, the passion within us, but don't stop there.  Grow.  Mature.  Develop.

Keep striding forward.

Finding Joy in Where You Are

Today, I ran for 80 minutes.

That's a simple way of putting how my run was today.  However, I can also say that same event in a totally different way.

"As I walked out the door, ready to go out, the sun shone brightly, warming my skin, the first mile on the sidewalk warmed my legs up as I made my way towards Knoxville.  As a soothing wind caressed my whole being, I fell into a trance as I glided down the hill and made a turn to cross the bridge, looking at how the light touched the water, waves glistening.  As I made way down towards the river, I was eager to run on such a beautiful day, and two and a half miles in, I came upon a few water fountains spraying up on the sidewalk, and without a moment's hesitation, jumped through the cool water.  Soaked and smiling, I continued running as the sun dried me out, getting into a decent pace, running down Neyland Drive, making my way to Tyson Park, passing by a few families of geese.  As I passed by the UT Gardens, I looked down on my right and saw that there were a few turtles laying on a log lazily, soaking up the sun.  Ahead of me, a few cyclists were casually riding, and little by little, I began to reel them in.  Passing them, the lady in front was saying, "Oh my goodness!" making me smile even more, and as I waited to cross a road, a kind individual in a car waved me across, and I waved back.  As the forty minutes were up soon, I checked to see how far I'd run and wondered if I could continue this journey at the sub-seven minute pace I was going.  Slightly sore, but enjoying the pace, I began my trek back, passing other runners, and thought about how wonderful today was.  As I began running on Neyland Drive, I noticed a large boat lazily going the same direction as myself, and little by little, I inched forward bit by bit, pulling ahead.  As I came back, I came across the same fountains again, and embracing the cool water, I went through again, smiling once again at how silly I must have looked to those around.  Climbing back up and crossing Gay Street, I made it right in the nick of time before the boat passed underneath, and with that glorious feeling, I continued on, looking at my watch wondering if I would indeed come back in 80 minutes.  Seeing that I needed to speed up a good bit, the fun atmosphere shifted into a competitive one, as I started picking up my speed to see if I could indeed get back in time.  As I began climbing up the first hill on my last mile, my legs burned and I wasn't sure how I could keep this pace when it was suppose to be a 'casual' run, yet I pushed those thoughts aside and continued on.  As I came through the last tenth of a mile, I looked at the time, and realized that I wouldn't make it on time, but kept the pace up anyway, and finished 20 seconds past my allotted time to finish a wonderful run."

Now most people reading would wish that I stuck with that one simple sentence... but as for me personally, the feelings I had while running, a sentence doesn't do it any justice.

In our lives, we tend to shorten our experiences into small efficient stories that tells us what we've done, the achievements we've accomplished... but we fail to take in the details that describes the experiences we've gone through.  We focus too much on the results of our effort that we forget the journey itself.

In taking note of only our successes or failures, we lose the struggles we go through, the decisions we make, the experiences we gain, the people we meet.  It's not just about the details either.  It's about our view of each little event, where we open our eyes and take that time to appreciate what we're going through.

During the times of pain, we appreciate how we recognize our feelings... how our character and circumstances collide.  We open our hearts to and give ourselves the opportunity to understand where we stand.  It is then we are able to understand that pain is necessary, yet suffering... it's optional.  Joy or suffering, both come from within, and we have the capability of choosing either in our circumstances.

In the moments where things seem mundane, it seems hard to find joy... but once again, understanding that joy comes from within, it makes it so much easier to appreciate the world around you.  You begin to take in the details you are used to ignoring.  You welcome what may be a given as something special.

When something good happens, we usually get happy... and forget about being joyful.  Happiness is something that comes along for a ride and then goes away over time, while joy... joy stays with you for a longer jaunt, as a part of your character.

You see, joy does not come from the events that occur in your life, but from within.  It is up to us to harness that joy inside and use that joy as a lens to look through, seeing the world in a more beautiful way.  Joy has always been a part of who we are, but with the things that go on in our lives, sometimes we forget to utilize the capability it has to bring light to our lives.  Once we harness the joy within, we can use that to help those around us to realize their full potential, and one individual at a time, we can make this world into a joyful place.

Joy is prayer; joy is strength: joy is love; joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.

-Mother Teresa

Delirium Ultra: 12 Hours

It was 7:22 am, Monday morning, January 19th, a few days after I ran the 12 Hours of Hostelity when I received a message on Facebook.  It said, "Hey! If you are interested in Delirium I can talk to the RD..."

Standing at the starting line of the race on February 7th, I was both nervous and excited.  Who knew that a Facebook message would end up with me signing up for a race 3 weeks later.  The night before the race had also been an interesting night.  I did things I normally didn't do, eating burgers and fries for one, but also camping out at the course in sub-freezing temperatures without a proper sleeping bag (apparently, mine could handle cold temps... just not freezing).  On the bright side, I could sleep in, and had more than enough time to prepare for the race.  Being nervous, I didn't eat breakfast, as I could still eat during the race, after all, it was only a 12 hour race... right?

My Weapons of Choice:

4 pairs of Asics Gel Lyte 33 3
Injinji socks
Breathable Socks
KT Tape
Underarmour briefs
Lucky Shorts
Underarmour shirt
Red Breathable T-shirt (from my first ultra)
Old Sports Jacket
Assassin's Creed Jacket
Asics Gloves
Winter Gloves
Black Bandana
Garmin Forerunner 310XT
Princeton Tec Headlamp
iPhone and accessories
Bengay and Aquaphor

The Battlefield:

Located in Ridgeland, SC.  A 1.695 mile loop with hardly any elevation gain.  Although it was a little muddy and wet, not technical.  There was enough room on the trail for people to run together or to pass others.  Beautiful scenery, various sights, shaded and sunny areas... just a wonderful variety throughout the course.  Though the temperature started at about the mid 30s, I believe it went up to 60 during the day, and then went down to the 40s by the time the 12 hour race ended.

The Plan:

Run every lap, after finishing, walk to the aid station, drinking water/heed/coke and eating bananas or potatoes before feeling hungry.  Every hour take 2 s-caps, pickles and m&m's when needed, and then ease back into running the next lap.  Because of the lack of time for training due to coming off a different race, I was willing to look at 50 laps (84.75 miles) as the improbable A goal, 46 laps (77.97 miles) as my B goal, and 43 laps (72.885 miles) as my C goal.

Start - 3 Hrs:

We took a group picture right before the race, and then went back to huddling with friends due to the cold, but at 8:00, we were off.  I jogged around in the beginning, but after Kirby yelled at me to hurry up and go ahead, I shot out and eventually caught the leaders, pulling ahead to run alongside the guy on the bike leading the way for the first loop.  I got to know him a good bit, but as the loop ended, I drank a cup of water, ate a banana, and kept on truckin'.  I was going at about a 7:30 pace, which was pretty fast for what I wanted to do, but in the back of my mid, I had my A, B, and C goals and the 7:30 pace would keep me at the A range, which was good.  However, my body had other plans.  I'm not sure if it was because of what I ate the night before, or what else, but it seemed as if every other lap, I would have to go to the port-o-potty to relieve myself and continue on.  This was not good for two reasons.  Firstly, it would slow down my time, not only losing time, but also the momentum, which meant I'd have to warm up my muscles again to continue.  Secondly, I was worried about how going to the bathroom would dehydrate me faster than I would fill myself up.  I had already planned on drinking every single lap, but with all the bathroom stops, things weren't in my favor.  If everything worked perfectly, then I would push for 26 in the first half of the race, 24 in the second half would be possible.  Though I continued to have bathroom stops from the get-go, the first 2 hours went without a hitch.  However, after the second hour was up, I started feeling worse and worse and my stomach started acting up more and more, and things weren't looking too good.  I knew at this point that this race was going to be a tough one.  The aid station crew noticed that too, and though I looked fine and ran fairly well, the internal battle started to show in how I acted.  Most races, as I would pass others, I would encourage them and do my best to make them smile and be happy.  This race, it was not going to be that easy.  I was fortunate enough to have a great first two hours that I just finished the 13th lap when it was time for me to take s-caps and change shoes, but this next three hours were going to test how much I could do.

3-6 Hrs:

Though the weather was warmer, the stomach issues continued, making my every lap harder as it became a heavy burden to continue at the pace I was previously going for, and at that moment, the hope I had of getting 50 laps in was snuffed out and from then on, I had to reevaluate where I was and whether 46 was even possible.  Since my body was feeling pretty awful but my brain worked pretty fine, I thought that as long as I just did 12 laps in this next 3 hours and then 11 on the following and 10 after that, I would be able to get in 46 laps... but I wasn't sure whether or not my body could handle it.  At this point, my hamstrings started to get a little sore from running.  I wasn't sure whether it was because of the electrolyte imbalance with all the bathroom trips or because it was a flat course and I was only using my muscles in a certain way for an extended amount of time, but it was another mental thorn which tore at me, making this not just a physical battle, but a mental battle as well.  If I fell under the stress and self destructed, I would end up ruining my race plan, running considerably slower than what I was capable of.  It was crucial for me to intensify my focus and I said my mantra, "I'm a monster, I'm a beast" to keep a rhythm going and center my thoughts on this loop that I was on.  I was still a regular visitor at the port-o-potty, but once I started running the loop, there was no stopping til I finished it.  I still had some energy left in me in the beginning portion of the 3 hours, but towards the end, because I couldn't consume enough food, I was running out of gas, and thus I started to slow down.  I needed energy, and the only way that I could get this energy was to put on my headphones and listen to "Happy" by Pharrell Williams on repeat for the duration of the race.  I hoped that I wouldn't regret this decision.  I was only able to finish 11 loops, and at the end of the 6 hours, I was at a total of 24 laps.

6-9 Hrs:

Things were looking grim as I put on a new pair of shoes, but 46 times around the loop was very unlikely and if I went for it, I would most likely end up hurting myself and not even finishing the full 12 hours.  My stomach was feeling a little better, but it wasn't back to normal, and with 6 hours left, I needed to make the best decision to finish the race running the best I could.  By this time, it was 2:00 pm and though others were taking layers off, as I was undergoing some sort of shock to my system, my body was starting to get colder and so I started layering back up.  I noticed that my head was feeling a little feverish and knew immediately that it was important for me to cool down my head, just as much as I needed to warm up my body.  I doused my bandana under the cold water, and putting it on my head where it instantly relieved the heat that was building up, and feeling a little more energized, I continued on my trek.  An hour passed and by then, the sick feeling in my gut finally went away, but there was still the new problem of not having enough energy.  I was running on fumes and it was important for me to get in 19 loops in the last 6 hours, so that I could run 43 loops to meet my C goal.  I honestly felt like crap, but I understood the importance of continuing to the best of my abilities, and came up with 2 options.  First, I would either run 10 laps here and run 9 laps at the last 3 hours, or I would run 9 laps here, conserving as much energy as I could so that I could run 10 laps in the last 3 hours.  I wanted to do 10 here and now to get it over with, but I wasn't sure what my body could do, and in order to do 9, I needed to do a lap every 20 minutes, so I decided that I would try to give myself as much of a head start as I could for the last 3 hours, but not push it til the end.  Little by little, I gained an extra minute each lap I went through, and by the time the 3 hours were up, I finished 9 laps and was on my 10th.  During the last few laps, the volunteers at the aid station 'forced' me to eat so that I could get my energy back, and it seemed to work and I was ready to do my final push.

9 - Finish:


Things never work out the way you want them, and in today's case, it seemed like a lot of things went wrong.  It was the final 3 hours and I was ready to step it up a little bit to finish 10 laps and get to 43, but little by little, I noticed the pain on my left leg getting worse.  It was my IT band.  It wasn't feeling good.  I knew that for the time being, the adrenaline coursing through my body was preventing me from feeling the pain.  I had to sacrifice some time to wrap it tight and keep my IT band from getting injured beyond repair.  I stopped and asked the aid station guy for tape and if he could wrap it up.  He did the best he could, and though it took more time than I wanted, the job was done and I was able to get back on my feet with my left knee wrapped.  It didn't 100% fix the problem, but it did prevent it from getting any worse, and so I had to reclaim the time I lost.  I had a little over 2 hours and I was starting a little behind already.  Every second counted.  After a lap, I talked to another volunteer, asking her to fill my cup for me, and get ready for the next lap, and from then on, I shaved off an extra minute each lap because I had someone supporting me.  Gradually, I gained the time I lost, and with about an hour left, I needed to get in 3 laps in order to get 43 laps.  I was pretty sure my knee could handle the distance, but still, it wasn't definite and as I ran the first of the final three, I was a little excited.  By this time, it had gotten dark and I was running with a headlamp, and so one misstep and I could slip and fall and at this point of the race, I couldn't do that.  After finishing the lap, I had about 44 minutes left for the final two, about 22 minutes per lap.  More than doable.  I finished the penultimate lap, excited, I drank the water, got ready, and off I went.  I made sure to run at a slow pace to ensure that I didn't slip or fall, but as I came to the last mile of the loop, I started speeding up, and upon reaching the finish line, I was greeted by a good crowd, congratulating me on a new course record and first place overall.  43 laps completed, 72.885 miles.

Conclusion:


I never thought that this flat and fast course would be as hard as it was.  I would have loved to continue encouraging others as I ran, but focusing on my goal, I ended up passing others without speaking, and still kinda feel bad for doing that.  Hyperventilating (instead of talking) was definitely my secret weapon, getting as much oxygen in my body as I could to maximize my running, and hey, no cramps during the race!  During the race, I felt sick for 5 of the 12 hours, and though it was a physically exhausting race, what got to me the most was the mental aspect.  There were multiple times during the race where I felt like giving up, as if the sick feeling in my gut was too much for me to handle.  However, due to the support from the volunteers and friends that I gained during this run, I was able to continue to run solid.  Also, during the tough times, I also thought of my Cross Country team and asked myself what kind of coach I would be if I gave up because I felt bad or tired.  To me, as a coach, it was important to be a good example to my team, and despite how bad I was feeling, it would be better to give it my best no matter what went wrong.  I ran a good race not because of the distance or the course record, but because I had the tenacity, the determination, never giving up despite the everything that worked against me.  I still was able to enjoy the beauty the course had to offer, meet others that were running, and continue to pursue my path to become the best I can be, no matter what.

Thanks to Tim Waz for providing a spectacular race.  I enjoyed everything you did, from the swag and awards to the volunteers and entertainment.  What you put together was so awesome that it makes me want to be a RD and make a 6/12/24 hour race of my own here in Knoxville (if you have any tips, I would love to hear them)!  Thanks to David Dowling for most of the pictures on this blog (Tim took the last two, I believe).  Thanks also to Kirby Russell who sent me that Facebook message, getting me to take part in this awesome adventure, and also congrats for finishing 100 miles during the race!  You really did an awesome job!

The Humble Runner

No matter how hard you try, you cannot put water in a bottle if the bottle has a cap on it.  Instead, you need to take the cap off in order to add more water in the container, so that it can serve its purpose.  In the same way, the more you accept how incomplete you are, the more you can grow.

It's easy when you're a beginner because you know you don't know everything.  When you don't know, the easiest way for you to learn is to ask.  The more you ask, the more you can grow, and the growth is exponential.  The more you understand what you know and don't know, you begin to ask the right questions and you start to learn at a faster pace, becoming skilled in the art of seeking knowledge.  Eventually, the beginner evolves into a skilled individual, and instead of being the ones asking questions, the individual is the one answering the questions and more often than not, this individual's growth reaches a plateau.

The thing is that once we become skilled or become an expert in a certain field, our quest for knowledge diminishes, leaving behind a rather skilled individual that has put a cap on his or her field of expertise.  We begin turning a blind eye to the constant growth of information that surrounds us and instead of that exponential growth, we begin climbing a slow incline, if anything, and look around us as others fly by as if they had on a pair of wings.  At this point, some of us will go back and start asking those flying by how they are doing so, and once again jump on the exponential growth that is going around them and fly up even higher then they were before.  Others will instead stop and wonder why they are in their current status.

There will be the exceptional few that never stop their pursuit for knowledge and they continue to propel themselves forward, growing at an astonishing rate.  How can they do that?  What makes them different than the others around them?  Are they just that talented?

I think not.

There is a simple solution to their extraordinary growth.  They simply threw away their cap.  They understood that they will never get to the point where they know everything and so they constantly add to their expertise, expanding their mind, allowing them this incredible growth.

One of my runner friends, DK always tells me, "Sho, stay humble." before every race, and I believe that it's essential to be that humble runner in order not just to race, but also to grow.  It's easy for me to learn and grow from the knowledge of those that have more experience than I do, and so staying humble among the veterans of ultra-running is easily done.  Through this, I have been able to grow and become a stronger runner.

As I become faster and stronger, I continue to learn from those around me, as well as from my own experiences, continuing the yearning for growth.  I understand now that as long as I train properly and prepare well enough, I can perform well in races.  However, it is during this phase that I often find myself falling into a trap.  Although I ask for advice and listen to those with more experience than I have, at times, I fail to give adequate attention to those around me that may not even be runners.

It is very easy to listen to someone that has a million dollars that gives you advice on how to earn money.  It is a lot harder to listen to someone that doesn't have a cent to their name that may have knowledge that you may not have.  However, there is one important fact.  Truth is truth.  No matter who says it, whether it be a child or an older individual, the truth will remain absolute.

To be honest, when someone that didn't run gives me advice, my initial reaction was skepticism.  Even if they are absolutely inaccurate and their advice was invalid, my action and attitude was a poor response.  My automatic reaction was to dismiss the advice and continue on my path.  However, had the advice been good, I would have missed the opportunity, and continued on my path without growth.  Little by little, I am beginning to understand that it is important to have an open heart and learn to the art of discernment so that I can continue to grow.  It hasn't been an easy journey though, as I take pride in knowing things... especially about running, but learning how to harness that pride has been the most helpful and effective thing for my own personal growth.

That being said, I'm still not done in correcting my bad habits and working on my new ones.  I suspect that it'll be a continuous battle, but in the end, it's worth the effort.  It's important that I have pride as a runner, but not let that same pride control me.  To be the best I can be, I must yearn to become humble.  To continue the exponential growth, I need to learn to throw away the cap and continue to learn, from both runners and non-runners, because after all, truth can come from both.

So what about you?  Are you ready to throw away your cap too?

12 Hours of HOSTELITY

First of all, forgive me if I write too much.  Unlike a 24 hour race or 100 mile race, I only ran this 12 hour race so my mind was functioning like normal, and there was no traumatic memory loss...

It was 2:00 am and I was still awake on Saturday.  For some odd reason, I was nervous about the race that would occur in 7 hours in Dahlonega, GA.  I drove in to Cumming, Friday evening so that I could chill and hang out with my sister and friends, but I could not stop thinking about the race.  My heart was racing, and I was feeling anxious.  There was no reason for me to be anxious, but because of the race, I just couldn't focus.   Though my heart felt like a beating drum, my mind was calm.  As long as I slept at least 3 hours, I would be ready to run a 12 hour race, as I had enough sleep the night prior... and before I knew it, I was waking up to my alarm at 7:00 am.  Everything was scheduled... including me being off schedule.  The plan was to leave at 7:30, get there by 8:15, and dilly dally til the start at 9:00.  I changed into my clothes, wrapped my right knee with KT tape, listened to some pump up music, and left for the course at 7:50, got a little lost once I reached Dahlonega, and arrived at the course at 8:40, giving me 20 minutes to sort everything out.

My sister Maika came with me and during the car drive, I told her that I didn't really have a plan, except to stop for a drink and 'something' every two laps, so once I started running, I'll make up a plan and would at that point tell her exactly what I want to do, and being a very kind and understanding sister, she sighed, shook her head, and didn't freak out.  It's a Sho thing, and she's used to it.  My other sister Mary would eventually come with her fiance Tim and they would help with the support so things on my sister's end would be just fine... or so I thought.

Preparation:

4 pairs of Asics Gel Lyte 33 3

Injinji socks so I wouldn't get blisters

Breathable socks that I put over my Injinji socks as an extra layer for extra blister prevention 

KT tape to support my right knee and arches on both feet

Underarmour briefs to prevent chafing as much as possible

Lucky shorts because I needed a little luck here and there

Underarmour shirt to prevent chafing and to keep me warm

Red breathable t-shirt from my first ultra (TNF Endurance Challenge ATL)

Assassin's Creed jacket to keep me warm... and because I thought I looked pretty cool

Asics gloves, a thin pair to keep me warm~

Winter gloves that I put over my thin pair to make sure my hands were warm

Black bandana, because I always wear one, keeps sweat out of my eyes, keeps me my head warmish

Garmin Forerunner 310XT to keep my time... not my pace

Princeton Tec Headlamp... so that I could see in the dark.

iPhone with only a few songs downloaded, to make the torture... less so

Ben Gay and Aquaphor, my two important friends that keeps my body... not as pain-filled

The Course:

It was a .65 mile looped course, and other than the start area, nice trail.  Not technical at all!  There were only a few roots and rocks that jutted out that would trip you, but they were all marked with a neon green paint, which made life so much easier!

Start - 3 Hrs (including detailed course description):

It was about time for me to find out what the course was actually like.  I had no clue what to expect, but at the same time, I knew what I had to do.  I didn't put on any Ben Gay because I didn't have time, arriving just before the start, but eh, that was okay, I just wanted to have fun.  After applying the Aquaform, I came out of the toilet to hear the last bit of the announcements about how every 6 hours the course would change directions, and then there was a minute left for me to get to the start and head off.  The starting area was a little small, but then again, there were less than 40 people running around in circles, so not a problem at all!  As soon as they said go, I did my usual take off, let a few people lead the way so I get the lay of the land, and started chatting a little bit with the people around me.  The course took me around the hostel, and as we passed the chicken coops (which I honestly did not see til about 4-6 hours later), we went down a mini embankment, which led us to a 'long' stretch, which at the end dipped down to the left and then went back up a bit to the right, a nice U turn and started going up with a single switch back which had us going back towards where we were going, but a little higher.  The trail was slightly going up, and as we approached the chicken coop (from the higher elevation), we did another U-turn which had us going on a very slight ascent, a U-turn still going slightly up, and then crossing a gravel road, we went back into the trails, but the wider trail became a single track trail as we went to the highest point of the course.  At the top, we started down the descent through the woods, and went all crazy til we finally came out at the top of the Chasm of Despair, where you would have to run down to the bottom, only to go back up again to the gravel road to the hostel.  After the first loop, I decided that I'd just stretch out my legs and hurry along and catch up with Deano, who had already gone up a little ahead.  Leading the pack was where I liked to be, but after a few laps, I thought about it... and decided that I needed to chill and run MY race and not someone else's race.  I slowed down, gave up my lead to Deano, and just ran what I thought was a comfortable pace for a 100 laps.  I didn't know exactly how hard the hill was going to be, but I thought that I could at least get in 65 miles... right?  Well... when people heard what my goals were for the race... they gave me the crazy eyes look.  Yes, the people who signed up for a 12/24 hour race giving me a crazy eye look... that kind of told me that I may have set the bar too high... but there was only one way to find out!  Keep going, run smart, and hope for the best.  The first two laps came by and my sister Mary was there... but they forgot to give me water... so I said it was fine, I'll be back in two, so get me some pedialyte... and in one lap they had the pedialyte ready, but I ignored them and kept going... but after my 4th loop, I got back, they got the pedialyte... they didn't take the covering off the bottle!  I was ever so slightly not as happy... but you know... it was my fault for not explaining, so I told them I'd get back in two laps, and then after that, I gave them an order for every mini-stop I had.  Pedlialyte, Coke, Water, Water and repeat forEVER!!  Every hour, I would take in S-caps, but other than that, I would listen to my stomach.  If I wanted something extra, I'd let them know, and after that, everything went smoothly.  

3-6 Hrs:

I stopped at the 3 hour mark to switch shoes (change through 4 pairs, 3 hours each, 12 hours total, BOOM, life is good) and by that time, I had talked to practically everyone on the course, and went by several nicknames, from Viper, Shadow, Sho-time, or anything... sometimes I don't know where the nicknames came from.  Also, by the 3 hour mark, I needed to be a little more than 25 laps to get to the 100 lap goal, and I was at about 27 laps in.  I was at a decent pace, and I felt okay... well... my gluteus maximus was a little sore.  I kind of regretted doing leg day the Thursday before... but hey, it'll be alright as long as I ran smart right?  It's only 12 hours... or that's what I thought at that time.  For the first 3 hours, I needed to restrain myself so that I could get to my goal, and now, the main thing for me was to ask myself how my muscles were feeling and if I needed anything else.  It was smooth sailing, and I figure the sore glutes feeling would feel away... but I was wrong, and by then, I divided the course up to the runnable areas and the walking areas.  The steeper hill I would walk/hike, and the rest I ran.  By the 4th hour, I was somewhere around 36-7 laps, which was a good pace, but I felt a little more tired, and so I got the iPhone and put in some good tunes to keep me situated.  Now it became serious, the turning point where I would figure out if I would make it to the 100 laps, or burn out.  Somewhere between the 4th hour and 6th hour, I hit a mental wall and slowed down tremendously.  I could not go as fast as I wanted, nor did I want to push it, because that might cause me to burn out earlier... I just wanted to finish.  Things weren't looking too good, and I wasn't feeling my best.  Though the sun was shining and it was daylight, I was still cold, and I didn't like racing in the cold.  In my head, the voices suddenly told me that I couldn't do it, and I hit a mental low, which stayed with me for the duration of this 3 hour period.  At the end of the 6 hours, I hit 51 laps, which was 33.15 miles... hitting 100 laps might have been a little too daring... but did that goal also mess with my chances of finishing 88 laps?

6-9 Hrs:

Turning around and doing the course backwards was a relief.  It really changed everything... including my mindset.  Though I was still in a bad place, filled with negative emotions, the change in direction added a small light.  The difference didn't affect my speed, in fact, my speed still continued to slow, but it did allow my mind to regroup and rest.  In the midst of this darkness, I asked myself a question. "Is my body not strong enough?"  I did a body check, and answered, "It's strong enough.  It can handle this."  The next question I asked myself was, "What's causing me to be weak and slow down?" and in reply, I answered truthfully, "my mind."  My body was capable of handling this course, but what got to me was how weak my mind was.  The hill had slowly changed into a mountain, and my perspective changed, allowing me to become weaker than what I actually was.  At this point, I had finished about 66 laps, and I was passed the 8th hour, which meant that realistically, I wasn't going to make the 100... but I would still be able to give it my best.  Still down, I had sat down to eat the wonderful tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich, and started taking in as much energy for the final push, and as I stood to go out once more, Philip gave me one sentence which gave me that final shove, "You only need to run 21 more laps to tie the record." and with that, everything fell into place, my mind was strong once again.  It was Sho-time.  I put my iPhone to repeating one song and one song only... Happy by Pharrell Williams, and from then on, I took every breath on beat, semi-hyperventilating, but at the same time supersaturating my body with oxygen, getting rid of excess carbon dioxide.  I started running again.  There was hope, there was a chance, and I could make it.  In the midst of despair, I had created a small mantra, asking a question and answering it.  Four simple words:  Mind?  Strong!  Body?  Strong! and in asking and answering how I was doing, I believed in the power of my words, and pressed on.  I was going to make it to 90 laps.

9 Hrs - Finish:

The margin for error when trying to do your best is so small... go too fast and you risk bonking out and failing, go too slow, and you finish the race without giving it your best.  It was a scary balancing act.  Sometimes, I would run out of energy, but with the last minute eating from the previous few laps, the energy would miraculously appear, and I was barely making it through, running my best, and achieving my new found goal.  Time was coming to a close, and every moment count.  I couldn't be tempted to stop, I needed to push on, to do my best.  I promised myself that no matter what happened, I would continue and do the VERY best I can.  There was no lap count I was going for, but just the promise that when I finished the race, I would have given it my all, leaving behind no regrets. Sometime during the last 3 hours, Miriam and Marisa came to cheer me on, and with them here, it gave me another reason to continue on.  There are people here cheering and supporting me on this journey.  There was no way I could let them down.  2 hours left and I was on my way to getting 88 if I had about 10 minutes per loop, which was easy.  1.5 hours left and I needed to be able to average a 9 minute loop if I wanted to get to 90, but I wanted to give it my best, I wanted more.  I started averaging close to 7 minutes per loop and if I could continue to push onward, I might be able to get to 92 loops... it was possible, and that possibility pushed me onward... until the 88th loop.  All of a sudden, the momentum I had built up suddenly collapsed.  I had run out of energy.  My muscles were fully capable of running, but they had no juice.  I was done.  24 minutes left, barely any energy within me to walk... I was in trouble.  At that moment, I saw a smore that was in my sister's hand... and said, "I want that smore." and took it, ate it.  Finishing 2 laps was definitely doable.  4 laps, impossible.  3 laps... I just might be able to make it.  A quick calculation in my head and even though 3 seemed too strenuous, all I asked myself to do was to focus on this one lap, the 89th lap, a crucial lap that could either give me hope, or throw it all away.  I needed to finish this lap in under 9 minutes.  That's all I need, and that's all I focused on.  After getting cheered on as I broke the record, I walked a little more and then started my run.  The course seemed longer, but I knew it was just my mind, and I kept on going.  I finished the lap in a little more than 9 minutes, and with another smore, I left for my 90th lap with about 14 minutes left.  This was it.  Sacrificing one lap, I was able to recover enough strength to give me just enough energy to get me through my 'final' lap at a faster pace.  I ran a little faster, kept going a little further, and was able to get in with about 7 minutes left on the clock, and then I shouted at my sisters and the aide station, "1 more lap" and without stopping, I picked up my pace.  The 91st lap was the last lap, and I was going to finish it before the 12 hours were up.  The hill was daunting, but it was just one more hill.  I only had to get through it once and then I was done.  It didn't matter how tired I felt... nothing else mattered to me except for my finish.  I was going to finish this lap, no matter what happened.  As I flew down the course, my sisters and friends spread out around the course and cheered, and I ran harder.  I had to make it.  I needed to make it.  I wanted this lap.  As I crested the final incline, I turned left towards the finish line, and sprinted.  With my heart beating fast and my labored breathing, I heard the announcer saying there was 90 more seconds til the end... I had run my fastest lap at the end.  I finished 91 laps, a total of 59.15 miles, a new course record.

Conclusion~

The race was so well done.  Leigh did a great job with volunteers and EVERYTHING.  The people at the aide station were amazing and helpful, cheering all the runners on.  The other runners were also amazing, some of them so kind to stop and just wave me through as I went through the last few hours as fast as I could.  If the 12 hours was this tough... what would the 24 be like?  Philip told me that nobody had broken 100 in this race, and told me that if I trained well enough, next year, I could come back and claim that title... interesting...

After the race, I had the most wonderful massage and also that compression leg thingy... whatever it was, it was amazing, but in the end, the best thing about this race was the amazing group of people that made this possible.  Without a director, volunteers, runners, friends, families... none of this would be as fun as it was.  This was definitely an amazing race.

New Year's Resolution: Be the 8%

Obviously, not all statistics are true, but it has been estimated that only 8% of those that make a New Year's Resolution actually is successful in keeping it through the whole year.  No wonder only 45% of the people in the United States actually make New Year's Resolutions.  The likelihood of you succeeding is pretty rare... statistically speaking, but statistics do not have to define whether you succeed or not.  Also, people who publicly and purposefully make their resolutions are 10 times more likely to achieve their resolutions than those who do not.

So how can you make sure you're the 8% and not the majority of people who make resolutions and fail to achieve them?  Honestly, every individual is different, and every goal one has is also different.  However, I believe that the goals each person makes are divided into two types.  The first is what I call an achievement goal.  You're giving yourself a time limit in which you are to accomplish a certain task that is measurable.  In a New Year's Resolution, an example would be to lose 30lbs in a year.  The second is what I call a lifestyle goal.  Instead of a time limit, you're adding or taking away something in your every day routine, and create a new habit.  In a New Year's Resolution, an example would be to stop drinking soda from this day forth.

Understand what you are trying to do and then decide whether you want one type of goal or another type.  I prefer to attempt the lifestyle goals because to me, achievements are great, but they are only steps towards my main goal.

Anyway, after understanding what you are truly going for, then here are the 3 steps to success.

Be Truthful to Yourself

One of the hardest things I've had to do was to accept myself at where I am.  As a long distance runner, I need to know where I am and what physical potential I have.  I hear a lot of other people tell me where they think I am, how fast or strong I am at running, but in all truthfulness, the only person that knows me best is myself.  I know exactly how much I've run, how much I've gone to the gym and exercised, I know every training detail.  Overestimating myself often ends up with me going too fast and ending up running out of energy.  Running a strong 70 miles in a 100 mile race means nothing when you still have 30 miles to go.  The fact is that if I accept myself as I am, I have the best chance at finishing the race in the best possible manner, finishing the full 100 miles at my best.

In the same way, when you are making a New Year's Resolution, it is vital that you are truthful to yourself.  You have to start at the beginning.  You must know where you are right now, in the present.  If you don't know where the starting point is, how are you going to get to the finish line?  How are you to take steps towards success?  Accept where you are, and you're already way ahead of the 92% of the people that make these New Year's Resolutions.  When you're being truthful to yourself, you also have to be truthful and realistic on your potential, what you are capable of doing, and how much you can grow.  The more you know yourself, the better you will be able to judge your own capabilities.  If you don't know your own abilities, or refuse to accept it, then you will not be able to move forward.  It's only through understanding your strength and weaknesses can you truly grow effectively and achieve your goals.

Make Each Day Count

The thing about running a 100 miler is that each step forward you take, you are closer to the finish line.  Every single step you take can take you closer to the finish line, and the accumulation of each and every one of those steps gets you to the end of the race.  Now, to me, it's a little too much to think of the whole 100 miles all at once from the beginning, because it's just way too much pressure.  I like to divide the race up into 6-8 mile increments and focus on that.  However, sometimes, even that may seem too much, so while I have the 6-8 mile increments in the back of my mind, I focus on running the most efficient mile I can run.  Each mile I run takes me to the 6-8 mile increment, and each increment I do gets me closer to the finish line.  Making each mile the most efficient mile possible, I am able to connect the miles together to make the most efficient increment.  Each increment I put together, I am able to create the best 100 mile race... only because I focused on each mile, making every mile count.

In achieving your New Year's Resolutions, although it may be important to keep the end in mind, should the end be so far away, divide everything up into what you're suppose to do each month, and then further divide everything up and make each day count.  The accumulation of those effective and efficient days will make way to a good habit, which in turn will shape you and continue the momentum and allow your months to become effective, and in turn, by the time the end of the year comes, each day you commit to your goal adds up and the you will be able to reach that high goal.  In my 100 mile analogy, if I want to go further, I can focus not just on every mile, but each and every step, because with every efficient step, the mile becomes easy.  The reason is that the past cannot change.  It's already done.  The future isn't here, and you can't really do anything about it, except to prepare for it.  The most important time you have is the present, because it is THIS moment right NOW that you can make a difference, you can take a step, and instead of looking back or forward, and putting your energy into the here and now, you are able to put it all in a place where you can make a difference.

The Drive and Plan

No matter what sport you play, if you add a strong spirit or drive to your set amount of skills, you will rise to a higher level.  If you add a good plan alongside the drive, your level of competition rises to an even higher level.  In order to achieve any sorts of goals, it is very important to have both the drive and plan.  The drive is the force that allows you to maximize your skill set to its full potential.  The plan is a map, a path where you can effectively move forward to your goal.  Knowing the obstacles and events that happen in your life, you can make a plan to get through them and effectively get to your goal.  When crossing a river, it would be unwise to jump first and then fight your way through the swift current to get to the other side.  Instead, it would be better for you to see the options that are before you and observe what you will go through and then take all your energy and follow the path you've thought up of.  

Obviously, a plan must be like a willow tree instead of an oak tree, a fluid guideline instead of set in stone, so that should anything unexpected happen, you are able to make your way around the problem.  I remember watching Bug's Life where a leaf fell and because their way of thinking was rigid, one ant had to lead the others around the leaf.  Keeping options open and remaining fluid allows you to accept what happens and quickly take the necessary steps to achieving your goal.  If you have a New Year's Resolution and have a proper drive and proper plan, you have a higher chance of success.  Remember that the Motivation will push you towards your goal, but the drive is the pull that gets you to your goal.  Most people make the mistake by believing that the motivation is what drives them forward.  Unfortunately, motivation will die out and you will get tired; however, if it is necessary for you to achieve your goals, the necessity pulls you to your goals because you MUST achieve it.  That Desire is the drive that you need to pull you up no matter how many times you get knocked down, and that drive is what continues to fuel you as you take the steps forward.

Regrettably, one day's worth of thoughts do not contain enough words and information to fully disclose how one can be the 8%, but my aim isn't to paint a perfect picture of how to achieve your goals.  My aim is to open eyes and help people understand and respect what it means to make a resolution.  The word 'resolution' is derived from the word 'resolve' and if your resolve isn't worth much, then go ahead, make a flimsy resolution that you probably won't achieve.  However, if you have the resolve and the dignity, and it is worth a lot to you, remember that as you make your resolution.  Take the proper steps and don't give it anything less than 100%.  A promise to yourself that you don't keep shows how little you respect yourself and your words.  If you are true to yourself, your actions should follow your words.

As for me and my New Year's Resolutions, I have a nice little list, but this is my main resolution, to become one of the top runners in the US. 

So here's my question to you all.  Are you going to be the 8% or the 92%?

I'm going to be the 8%

Desert Solstice 100mi and 24 Hr Race

For those that want to get to the race report, just go straight down to the bold title, otherwise, here's my story.

It was 6:00 in the morning on Tuesday, and I couldn't sleep.  In less than a week, I was going to run against some of the best runners out there.  Heart pounding, body sweating, I eventually became too exhausted and went to sleep and woke up a little after 8:00 to start my day.  Not only was I about to run against the monsters of the ultramarathon world, but I was running it without training as much as I ought to have, and that always was in the back of my mind... but looking back at it, I had important things I needed to do, and although this race was important to me, there are things in life that have greater importance to me than this race.  I didn't have the mileage, but I still was able to get my speed.  Got through the day, and went straight to bed, ready to wake up in the morning and drive down to Atlanta.

Wednesday, I woke up, finished packing, and drove straight down to Atlanta, meeting up with my friend Miriam who drove me to the airport.  Although I was a bit worried about bringing just a carry on, I knew there's no point in fretting because if I don't have something I need, I'll just get it when I get there.  One word to describe the trip from Atlanta to Houston.  Boring.  The person beside me had earphones, so I had to play sudoku and made a 10 race plans, as there were multiple scenarios due to my training up til then.  I got off at Houston, went to the next plane, and behold~ the older lady beside me was nothing like the first person, and I learned a whole lot about her life.  Several history lessons and life stories later, we arrived at Phoenix, AZ.  Pushing the older lady in a wheelchair to the baggage claim area, the older lady's sister made fun of her, calling her a cougar, and I laughed and met up with Alicia, who was kind enough to offer her home as my base during my stay in Phoenix.  After setting my things down, we chatted awhile and I went to sleep.

Thursday was a pretty chillaxing day, put together a 750 piece puzzle, bought the things I needed from Walmart, and then at night, I was hit by round two of anxiety.  I couldn't shake the feeling that I was about to embark on a journey with some of the best runners around... and I knew that I shouldn't put that kind of pressure on me... but I still came back to it.  I finally got to sleep at 4:00 and slept til about 8:00, and the rest of the day was filled with nothing but... absolute rest.  In the evening, I went to the dinner the race had for the runners, and talked to some of the runners and little by little, my heart rate subsided, and the nervous feeling went down a bit.  I began focusing on running my race, and went home a little more prepared.  I then decided that I would do the majority of packing in the morning, and before I went to sleep, started another 750 piece puzzle, and when my anxiety was gone, and my focus was peaking, I went straight to bed and slept.

The next morning, I woke up, head clear, changed into my running clothes, and got ready.  It's race time.

The Desert Solstice 100 mi and 24 Hour Race Report

Located at Central High School 400m Track, it's a simple course.  You just run around in circles until the time is up.  From the 300m mark to about 350, there were canopy tents set up so that runners could have their crew set there to make aide readily available during the race.  24 runners were going to compete in this adventure, and I was one of them.

My weapons of choice are as follows:
4 pairs of Asics Gel Lyte 33 3
1 pair of Hoka One One Stinson Tarmac, only used if my feet are too injured
1 pair of thin Injinji socks
1 pair of breathable socks
1 pair of underarmour briefs
1 pair of my lucky shorts
1 underarmour shirt
1 pair of Asics gloves
a nice breathable shirt
my black bandana
If it got cold, I had a sweater, jacket, warmup pants, and an extra pair of gloves ready to wear

The plan was simple.   Run 5 laps and either after my 5th lap or as I'm finishing my 5th lap, I would walk the 100 meters.  That would be a set.  Every set was roughly 1.25 miles, meaning that I would base my food and water consumption based off of that. 1st lap water, 2nd lap water and coke, 3rd lap water, 4th lap water, pickle juice, and banana, 5th lap water, 6th lap water and coke, 7th lap water, 8th lap water, pedialyte, food, and a dash of chia seeds.  I would repeat that until I reach 24 hours, or until I reach my 'limit' where I would have to choose between going further than my body would allow, hurting myself, or stop and run in the near future instead, not afraid to break my body down even more.  Every 20 miles, I would switch my shoes, and continue on as far as my body could go.



First 6 Hours:

The start of the race was simple.  We all started running and being boxed in at the beginning, I didn't exactly feel like staying here and wanted to be free, so I got ahead of the group and was free.  I didn't exactly know too many people at this race, so I wasn't exactly talking to too many people.  Right before the race started, I was getting to know a few, but only by name, and so I felt practically alone in this race.  I was definitely going too fast, and instead of controlling my pace, I let my competitive spirit take control of my pace.  Not a great idea to hit 7 minute miles for a few laps.  The first stop was expected for me, but not for everyone else.  Most everyone seemed to be going at a certain pace
for a longer period of time, but because I enjoy running faster, this was my style of running that I was comfortable with.  My body wasn't exactly ready for this race, but I was.  With the beginning of the race underway, my nervousness was gone, but in the back of my mind, I was wondering how much gas I had left in the tank.  Kept on running as much as I could, I knew I got this, but after about 3 hours, I was feeling the pain in my hips.  Running around the track one direction had my hips hurting and I it wasn't feeling good.  I wanted to run a lot, but this predicament was a new thing.  I didn't know what else to do but to continue.  As I did, I noticed that I wasn't in my best condition, and the race had only just begun!  I was like, 'Oh snap~' because it was way too early for this selfish prideful me to die... and then I did some reevaluation on things I need to do to get this race over with.
Problem 1:  It's cold.  I'm weak when it's cold, more sun is good, but I need more than that.  Answer 1:  Underarmour shirt.  I felt so much better my pace picked up.  Problem 2:  I need something to take my mind off of the pain.  Answer 2:  I can pop ibuprofen and hey, lets have some fun, and started talking.  As my mouth went wild, my pace got better.  Whenever I passed people or people passed me, I just said something, either encouraging or random stuff.  That kept me going for a good bit, but after a while, even that didn't cut it.  I needed to get a little happier.  So it hit me.  I asked Alicia and John to get me my iPhone case, iPhone, and earphones, and boom.  I put Happy by Pharrell Williams on repeat and started singing.  I may have started going crazy, but when you want to be happy, you gotta go for it.  By this time, my crazy rambunctious nature had heads turning and the awesome volunteers would cheer for me every time they saw me.  Gotta say I enjoyed the celebrity status, at the cost of my dignity, but hey, anything to get through the race alive right?  So I went through the first 6 hours of my run at about 40 miles, now having a lot of people cheering me up and allowing my mind to get through without me blowing up.



Second 6 Hours:

It wasn't like I had the hardest job in the world.  All I had to do was run around in 400 meter circles, or ovals... whatever they are.  Very simple, except that the second 6 hours seemed a little bit longer than I thought.  I mean, I was glad I was getting all these miles in, but I just really did not feel like continuing on with this charade and was actually tired.  Granted, I did have a lot of energy in my upper body to make awesome poses to the cameraman as he took a bunch of pictures, but man, I just wasn't getting through for some odd reason.  I was tired like none other, and if you know what it feels like the moment before you get those extreme cramps, I was waiting for it to happen like a ticking time bomb, and that there was no way out, my legs were going to explode in series of cramping, and I would have no hope... and boom, it hit me.  I remembered that I could always take salt tablets and stay ahead of the game and the only thing I would have to worry about it the fact that I hadn't trained properly and my muscles would be extremely fatigued.... but that's a problem for another time.  So from then on, I decided I'd take two tablets every 50ish minutes, and once again, from the depths of utter destruction and the gates of Crampland, I came back around with renewed energy (which honestly surprised myself.  Who knew that 30-40 miles a week could get you to run 8 minute miles on your 50th or 60th mile (which honestly was still a bad idea... but it felt so good~).  But renewed with salt and more promises of high blood pressure, I continued on this monotonous circular path with no end, and kept
going.  Also, I made a new mantra which I'm sure some of the runners heard me say as I started running with that renewed energy.  It went like this. "I'm a monster, I'm a beast" and I would say that over and over in a beat so that I would be able to work on my wonderful cadence.   Oh!  Forgot, there was a point in this race where I was dehydrated because when I go to the bathroom, I can check my water content by the color of my urine, and it wasn't clear.  At that point, I changed from 5 laps to 4 laps and that got my water balance back to where it needed to be, but also got my stomach filled with water.  It was my time to get back to business.  By this time, I had gotten to know the Canadian runners Dennene and Dave, as well as their whole crew.  They were a fun group of people.  Dave was going for the Canadian record and Dennene was aiming for 180km which could put her on the Canadian National 24 hr Team.  They were a fun lot and very encouraging, every lap was a good lap, because as I continued to run, I made more friends, and running is so much fun when you're among friends.  At the 12th hour, I finished around 79 miles, a personal record for 12 hours, and all that without training like I normally do... man I was excited... and a little nervous because my gas gauge said I was getting close to empty.


Third 6 Hours:

The last time I ran a 24 hour race, I was only able to get through 12 hours before having to do a long walk and slowing down.  This time, I continued on beyond the 12th hour and went strong.  I was still on course for a decent distance that I would have gone for with good training, but without that training, I needed to conserve my energy and make sure that I could get through alive... but the magic only lasted for 2 more hours... 2 glorious hours.  I was ecstatic that I got that far, but by then, I had about 10 miles to go to 100 miles, and I didn't have the energy I needed to get through.  I was in big trouble.  The outside of the arch of my right foot was in pain, and that wasn't a good sign.  Having only trained myself in speed came with a price on endurance.  I was in trouble, but I could still do one more thing.  I could make it to 100 miles and make a personal record as long as I cut it under 17:42, and so I needed to get through, and still had the time.  However, my mental strength was spent, I could not continue on and walked.  Fortunately, in my bad times, friends always seem to come around and help me back on my feet.  This time around, Dennene was the one who got me back to where I needed to be.  She pushed me hard and got me going one more lap at a time.  It was dark and getting colder.  I hadn't fully prepared on how cold it got, and my body started shivering, I needed to continue on if I wanted to finish 100.  My original pace had me getting to 100 miles at 16:06, but with this walk and lack of mental strength, making it under 17 was 'impossible' (not really, I bet I could have done it, I just made myself believe in that time of weakness that it was impossible and affected my pace).  After keeping up with Dennene who was just getting over her struggling point, I pushed myself through and finished 100 miles at 17:31:20, my personal best.  I finished that lap and did another partial and then sat down.  I was done running, but I wasn't done being at the race.  I still needed to cheer the rest of the runners out there on, til the 24 hours were up.  I didn't come to a 24 hour race to go home after a little under 18 hours, I came here for the whole race.


Final 6 Hours:

After changing into warmer clothes, I was still cold, but despite my weakened state and constant shivering, I ate warm soup and then went over to chat with my team and cheer everyone else on and then talk to Joe and some others as they came by to sit out the rest of the time after reaching 100 miles.  From then on, I went over to the Canadian group's crew, and cheered on Dennene and was sad to see Dave hurt his leg and walk to 200km, and sit out the rest of the race.  Focusing mainly on cheering Dennene but always cheering everyone else out there (Ed, John, Anders, Stacey, Katalin, Traci, Rich, and Hung), I did my best to encourage everyone to continue on and do their best.  It was a great moment to see Hung make his PR in the 24 hour race, and Dennene not only getting to 180km, but going all the way to 189.303km, which was far beyond what she went for.  John Cash went on to win the race at 154.519 miles despite having stomach issues.  I also had the honor of watching Katalin Nagy finish at 151.443 miles, a new American track record.  Ed finished yet another 100 miler, furthering his world record of most 100 miles done in a year and a couple more til 40... man, that's crazy.  Eric Clifton also made a new 6 hour age group record, making him a beast... everyone out there was truly a monster, pushing through obstacles in order to achieve their goals, and succeeding.

Now to look back and learn from the race... Puzzles are great for me.  I think from now on, the night before a race, I'm going to do a puzzle til I have to sleep.  Definitely will take my mind off of the race and allow me to sleep.  My pace at the beginning was too fast, but if I train harder, it would be perfect for what I want to run the race at.  I had a roller coaster of mental strength and weaknesses, and I allowed my past to affect my present and future, giving it more power than it should have.  It's very important that I remember that and believe with all my heart that no matter what disposition I may be in, I can do a lot, even the things I may perceive as impossible.  Salt tablets are great and I will use them from the beginning of the race, definitely will use them for all my races too!  I'm glad I made new friends.  I enjoyed learning from this race and I enjoyed how well organized the race was.  Thanks to Nick and his crew for a great race, and will definitely return to become one of the monsters running there in the next year or two.  I was encouraged by so many amazing people and will fine tune my unorthodox running method and become a stronger and faster runner.

As Winston Churchill says, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."

I'm going to continue, and through both my success and failures, I plan on reaching higher heights and creating new limits... as well as making new friends.

Guess that's the end of my story, for now.