It feels like the first time...

So this is my first blog... and it is much like the first time I had sex. It's dark, I'm scared and I am alone.

But, I did want to share how fun and amazing the 2011 Philly Marathon was. I would highly suggest this for a first-timer to marathons. The course was mainly flat, the crowds cheered wildly throughout the entire race, the historical sites and scenery caught your attention and, most importantly, it was fun. With 30,000 runners taking off, the first 10 miles or so, you have to weave in and out to keep your pace, but with that many runners, you never feel alone. Encouragement was shared with all the fellow runners.

I had never been a part of such a large race, but Philly did a hell of a job with it. Looking forward to it again next year!

New Kicks

Got my new kicks in.  They are Brooks pureconnect.  They are supposed to be some sort of a hybrid between a barefoot shoe and a regular running shoe.  Being that I have trained in Vibram Five Fingers for the past year.  I am a little skeptical, but I need something that has a little more padding as my feet have begun to hurt after long runs.

My review of the shoes.  The fit is good for a traditional running shoe.  The weird part about these shoes is that it feels like there is a very thick sole in the mid foot, making it weird to walk in these shoes.  (It feels like you're walking in moon shoes).  With my first 6 mile run in these shoes, I didn't notice anything that would change the way I run.  I still do mainly a forefoot strike in these and I think that's why the thick midsole is so that you continue to run that way.  Because, if you strike flatfooted in these shoes it feels like you're going to bounce to the moon.  All in all, I do like these shoes and will continue to use them, but there is nothing that rivals my Vibrams.  The closest thing I have found so far is the Merrell Barfoot line, which I wear every day to work.  They are great too, but still no padding to help with the foot pain.  I think that the conclusion is that I will mainly use vibrams, but alternate them with these Brooks so that I can keep my foot uninjured.

The true test of things will be later today when I run with my vibrams and see how it affects my right 4th toe that is likely broken from Tough Mudder.

The day after mudder

It's been well over a full day after mudder.  Yesterday, after tough mudder, I felt a little achy after sitting in the car for 1.5 hours, but still a little chilled, but not too bad.  Today, I woke up and expected some soreness.  What I had was that my entire chest wall was sore and tender to touch.  I have bruises on both my inner upper arms.  I have bruises, scrapes and tenderness over my shins.  I have a pretty high suspicion that my right fourth toe is broken. And, my back is scratched up.  I have to go up stairs slowly and down then sideways.  It takes me a good 10-20 seconds to get into a chair.  Hopefully this isn't going to get worse as tomorrow is day #2 after, but we will see.  All in all, sounds pretty rough, but It is such an awesome experience, I plan on doing it again in April and then again next November.  Hopefully, with a larger team each time.  I hope that you will all be there with me.

Also, my shirt has been washed three times, needless to say, there is no way that is getting back close to white again.  It now feels like a keepsake, that nice mud-stained shade of brown.

Tri-State Tough Mudder

Awesome competition!  If you are not familiar with this event, it is a 12 mile obstacle, mud run that is more about camaraderie than it is about time.  A lot of the proceeds go to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project.  For more information and dates; www.toughmudder.com

The day started out with our journey to Englishtown.  We arrived and our heat started at 8:15 am.  I think at this point it was about 45 degrees out.  It was a fun start running behind a monster truck.  We headed out and ran about 1 mile on the racetrack and then came to the Turd's nest which is basically a structure with a suspended rope netting to climb across.  Easy enough obstacle, then we ran to the Chernobyl Jacuzzi.  This was by far the most awful of all the obstacles.  THis was a 17 foot dumpster filled with colored water that was about as cold as the water could be without being frozen.  I jumped in, immediately took my breath away and it instilled a panic in me.  Then as if it wasn't bad enough being chest deep in this water and unable to catch your breath, we then got to go from one end to the other of this dumpster by going under the water.  I was so happy to be on the other side and out of this dumpster.  After this, running to the next obstacle which was called "just the tip"  Where we had to slide along a rope upside down sloth style, with more water under us.  I made it about 3/4 of the way before falling in the what seemed like warm water (even though it was only about 40 degrees).  Another trip across the turd's nest and a run to a 50 yard swim across a cold lake to a 15 foot rope climb.  The best part of this was that you had to hold the rope down for people to climb up.  I was probably at the one end of this lake for about 5 minutes holding the rope until I had to get out of the water, because my feet were completely numb.  We then got about 30 seconds out of the water and a 15 foot plunge back into the water, which was one of the most awesome experiences of the whole competition.  Then another trip back across the lake.  A short jog to the Berlin walls.  These are 8 foot walls to get over.  They have a 1.5 inch wide step to help you get up and over.  Another highlight of the course was a lady who came up behind us, got a running start, jumped, pushed off on the step and ran face first into the wall.  We then gave her a hand and pushed her up and over.  And then up and over a 50 foot hill of hay and then through a hay wall with a couple holes. 

Finally off the racetrack and onto the motocross part of the course.  We started with a mud mile, which was about 200 yards of knee to hip deep water and mud to trudge across.  More cold and water.  Then to run on the motocross track with moguls, sprinklers, mud, hills, etc.  The best part of this was a 30 foot hill that had sprinklers on the other side and sliding down the other side.  Grand total about 4-5 miles of running on this track broken up by other obstacles.  A nice finish to this part was the "Kiss of Mud" which required us to crawl under barbed wire in the mud and water. Then to the mystery obstacle, which was a giant A frame with rope netting up and down both sides.  The only upsetting part of this was that we missed the cliff hanger because you could do the mystery obstacle or the cliff hanger.

Back off the motocross track and over another turd's nest, then for some more hay and more, higher (10') Berlin walls.  Done with this, we were off to what I consider one of the hardest obstacles of the whole course, Everest.  This is a 1/4 pipe that you have to get a running start, run up and pull yourself up.  The key, speed and upper body strength.  Most people did not get this on the first try.  After this, then off to some hurdles.  A little bit of a run, up onto the actual race track and then to the nice tire field they use for football players.  Then we get to finish off the racetrack by carrying a car tire for a couple hundred feet.  Then a short run to the fire walk.  It was a 100 foot muddy water walk through with burning hay on either side.  The smoke was hard to breathe through, but not impossible.  Then off to "The Trenches", which was an underground tunnel to crawl through that is S-shaped with water and mud.  Then a stint across a 3" wide balance beam.

Then back onto the motocross track with hills, sprinklers, moguls etc for a couple miles.  Then the over/under logs.  Which doesn't seem bad, but this really beat my knees up.  Then out and more running.  Finally at the end of the dirt trails, we had the "Devil's Beard," which is a rope netting that is on the ground that you had to crawl under.  This was a nice extra coat of mud in your hair.

Off into the woods, with a rope netting to climb up and over, but again needed the help of some friends to hold the ropes down.  Then into the log bog, jumping over logs in the path.  More trail running, then a "creek crusade." Similar to the mud mile, but not quite as much mud.  Then a nice trench that is about 6 foot deep and 10 feet across.  Climbing down and jumping back up the other side is fun after you are getting to the tired point.  Leaving the woods brings you to a pretty difficult obstacle, "The Funky Monkey."  This is monkey bars that are angled up and then go down the other side.  I would have just skipped this one, because I knew there was no way I would be able to do this, but there was no way to go around, so I attempted it and fell off the 3rd rung into water that was only about 1 foot deep.  This seems like a design that is sure to get people hurt.  After the other side, a run across the lake and then though the lake under 3 rows of barrels.  After the third set of barrels, I opened my eyes and everything was blurry.  I thought my contacts had fallen out in the water.  I just kept my eyes closed until the other side and upon blinking a couple times my vision returned.  Apparently just water in my eyes.

Leaving the woods and going back across the turd's nest, a jump over the walls of the racetrack and around.  Now to the Electroshock therapy. A wooden frame with wires hanging down, which apparently only 60% are live, the total voltage is 10,000 volts.  To be extra nice, the people put mud and hay below the wires, so you couldn't just sprint through.  Only electrocuted once and a run across the finish line to get my TM headband and a Dos Equis.  

Had a great time, Looking forward to the next one in April in PA.  Between then and now, will definitely be working on upper body, as I need some work there.  Also, will be rockin' the Vibram Five Fingers again, because they were a good choice for this competition.

Day Before Tough Mudder

Today is the day before tough mudder. We have never competed in an obstacle run before, but it just seems so fun. I am excited and a little nervous for the race. Our start time is 8:15 am, which just seems so cold. As if New Jersey in November wasn't cold enough, the ice cold water will definitely help with the hypothermia. There will be a lot more to add to this post tomorrow after the race, but for now, it's just the excitement/anticipation of the fun we will have tomorrow.

Background

To give everyone a little background on us. My brother in law and I are two guys who have been running road races for the past few years. I, unfortunately, had taken a little time off running due to having a child, but am back in this full force. My goal when I first started running was to be able to eat whatever I wanted and run to keep the weight off. That goal quickly changed into me wanting to run a marathon. I always had this as a goal, but never quite got there. This past year, as I was at the highest weight I had ever been, I decided to get back into running to get the weight off. After I started running, the marathon goal quickly came back to me. This time, instead of just saying I was going to do it, I signed up for the Disney Marathon in January of 2012. This pushed me into taking running more seriously and starting a training program. Between then and now, I have been training, running some races, but most importantly, have lost 50 lbs that I needed to. Now, I feel pretty great. Also, Johnny (my brother in law) and I have decided that our next goal (after the marathon) will be triathlons. We will eventually like to get to a full triathlon, but that will take a little bit of time. For now, we are having fun competing in races.