Coyote Hills

Yesterday I went to a party and for some reason, I ended up with a pretty upset stomach last night. I suffered some mild emesis and lost quite a bit of sleep. Not good. Then I had to wake up early this morning to drive Alistair to the Early Bird Criterium Series in Fremont. When we left it was once again quite windy and we had to open the garage door for a very brief period and get everything squared away, lest it blew all around.

We arrived early. When Alistair left to warm up, I fell asleep in the car for about three quarters of an hour. It was not really comfortable and also a little cold but it worked. I wore shorts and a t-shirt and that was not enough for the chilly morning. Fortunately, it warmed up quite nicely and by 10 AM it was in the upper sixties again. Even though I forgot an undershirt and socks I was able to go on a run wearing just one layer. Without running socks, the shoe fit was a bit tight and that would come back to haunt me later.

I ran the same 12 miles I had run earlier and once again it was a magical experience. This time the Bay was filled with haze and one could not see across. But there were birds and a strong smell of salty water hung in the air. There were a few more bikers this time around, but they were hardly noticeable. Long stretches of silence with no one in sight.

When I got back to Coyote Hills I had to stop briefly because my right toenail was hurting badly. It is loose -courtesy of the Arizona ironman- and can be lifted up, but it remains attached on one side. It was bumping against my shoe and causing some damage and minor bleeding. I was not able to rip it off but I did manage to move it out of the way a bit so I could finish the run.

By the time I got back the pro-1-2-3 race was finishing and we got in the car and drove back. Alistair did well in his race, and he also got his team clothing while there so he was a happy camper. Feeling exhausted I fell asleep after lunch.

11 mile (hilly) run

I did not run at all last week. Somehow it never occurred to me to go running. Between all the cycling and swimming, I simply forgot. So yesterday I took off and as soon as I hit the road I felt like running long.

I ended up on my 10.5 mile loop and added another 0.5 at the end just to make it even (or odd?). In any case, it felt good and I did not have any problems. If anything my other leg (left) was a bit worse off than the previously injured right one.

Today I rode 31 miles with Alistair, who was testing out his new Specialized SL2 frame. We rode up Redwood to the top, relatively fast uphill and slow downhill. Took about 2:00. I burned 1,500 calories. The bike is almost built. It needs a few slight modifications and it will be ready to go.

Mind games

Endurance racing requires a certain mindset that many people find hard to comprehend. There is an addictive quality to it that is similar in some ways to that seen in extreme sports or skydiving. As is common in all such events, it is a highly personal and individualistic mindset that drives the competitor.

Whereas the extreme sports-types go for the powerful adrenalin rush, endurance athletes are more into the soothing endorphin-like quality of the runner's high. It is a powerful, yet very peaceful high with a deeply satisfying somatic quality. That sets it apart from the feel-good bouts one gets from successfully controlling a device, as in driving a race-car or flying a plane. The endurance high is felt deeply in one's bones, ligaments, and muscles.

I have found that endurance athletes do not really know, or want to know, or cannot express why they are doing what they do. Some will state bluntly that it never occurred to them to ask. As many would say:"If you have to ask, then you won't understand the answer."

In an interview, former pro triathlete Ken Glah said he started competing in Ironman because he really liked training for it. Most triathletes find routine hard exercise relaxing, soothing and invigorating. They often say it sets their mind free.

If you look at the competitor lists you will see that many also engage in endurance sports as a way to overcome or deal with adverse events in their lives, or the lives of relatives and friends. The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owner of Ironman often promotes and highlights these feats. People battling deadly diseases or those with relatives suffering from deadly diseases, often engage in endurance events.

Endurance appeals to older competitors who tend to do better, relatively speaking in long events. The longer the event, the more it relies on strength and endurance versus raw speed and peak performances. That favors more mature individuals over energetic teens.

While many no doubt joined the ranks in pursuit of a health benefit or in the hope of delaying the ravages of aging, it is often not the main reason. Unless people find a way to enjoy the distance, they usually do not last all that long in this sport. Endurance athletes are in for it because they seem to need it for what it is. There is that funny addictive quality again, and there is no denying that it plays a much greater role than anyone is willing to admit.

Although cameraderie is an essential component, endurance racing is largely about the "loneliness of the distance runner." Just you and your mind and the long road ahead. As many have pointed out, the athlete is often his or her's only real opponent, and nowhere is that more clear than in an endurance event.