Anita Baker ran 2:44 for the marathon in 1988!?

Nah. I guess not. But she did get played on the radio this morning while riding the bus to work. What in the hell is a Chilean bus driver doing jamming out to Anita Baker at 7:30 on a Monday morning? Being awesome, apparently.

Ah, Monday.

Monday. Polishing the revolver.

Got me two weeks until the...(deep breath)

The North Face Endurance Challenge 80K (50 Miler) Santiago, Chile 2013

WHEW!

Wait. Wait. Nevermind. I'm exhausted after typing the title of the race. I'm going to take a nap under my desk.

Yawn. Stretch.

So, let's do a quick rundown of 2013. This post is 100% something just for me to be able to re-read next year. Skip this one. It won't have a single sex joke or drug reference. BORING!

Ok.

First thing:

January and February (summer in Chile) were both months of nice, coasting-along training. I was basically just enjoying the fitness I had built during the lead-up to my first 100-miler last December. I did some fun runs with friends in January, a lot of track workouts, because I lived next door to a track and then in February had a giant week of running in Argentina while staying with a lady friend there. All of this was just running because I was having a lot of fun while running. No goals. No purpose. Just vibin' and fuckin' diggin' it and shit, man.

The rest of February was spent with my mom, dad, and brother who visited for two weeks. I had about a week in between their visit and the start of my 2013 contract, which I spent lightly jogging and heavily drinking.

I decided to make the TNF 50 miler in Chile my GOAL for 2013. I mean, I've run the race twice now, but I wanted to FUCKIN' KILL IT this year. So, yeah. Big plans.

Starting in March, I cleaned up my act and my stoke was 100% blazing. I'M GONNA FUCKIN' KILL THAT TNF 50 MILER!!! BUT! I wanted to be smart. So, in March I put in about 5 hours/week, all quality stuff. Track workouts, hill sprints, etc. Nothing long. Nothing slow. No crazy brutal mountain days, just a lot of key sessions, well-executed. The volume would come. Did a bunch of core work. Lifted weights. Got strong.

April/May/June, I averaged about 12 hours/week of training. This consisted of very early morning runs, lunchtime jogs and then evening runs followed by spinning class as cross training (usually some weights or core work after). The weekends were spent in the mountains or around the city in the hills, doing my long stuff. In my mind, the really useful combo during this period was the evening runs which were about an hour long and then I'd go straight into the spinning class (perfectly timed, of course). This was a lot like when I used to do aerobics in Michigan (do you remember that little confession, True Believer? Jesus. Aerobics?). Back then, I'd run for 1.5-2 hours and then do an hour of aerobics directly afterward. This year, the evening run would be what I'd call a tempo effort, as in, pretty hard and then the spinning class would just be sheer white-hot, teeth-grinding horror.

The results? In June, my capacity for hurting was very high and my wholly unquenchable stoke led me to race a cross country 6K, an xc 4K, a road 5K, and two trail races (21K and 33K) in about a 5 week period. I know this is not a lot of racing for some dudes, but I don't do the "training race" thing very well. I killed myself in every single one of those races, top 10 for all of them and a PR for 5K. I also ran my best times for my local test-piece runs.

However, after the final trail race (the 33K), I was feeling a little peckish. The raging bonfire of my stoke had suddenly been reduced to a tiny pile of embers. The following weekend I basically pissed on the ashes by meeting up with some buddies for a too-long, too-hard effort. I swear, I could feel something just give out in my head. Like a blown fuse or something. It was winter in Chile and shit was heinously fucked.

I tried to keep things together, but after two weeks of extremely half-hearted jogging (still putting in about 9 hours each week), my knee revolted against the entire program and I was left barely able to ride a bicycle. Great.

Three weeks went by while I lifted weights and rode my bike as much as I could force myself to ride my bike. On the fourth week (and final week of July), I went to the U.S. of A. The warming love that radiates from my favorite country (not to mention it's summertime heat), combined with the unbelievably delicious beer, helped recuperate my knee and I made my triumphant return to jogging after about a month of no running.

I came back to Chile feebly striking the last soggy match I had, hoping to rekindle some of the enthusiasm I had during the beginning of the year. Slowly (Oh so slowly!), it started coming around. I had a couple solid weeks. I still didn't feel great. A little tired and little like I was going through the motions, but I didn't feel bad either and I was happy my knee was back in action.

Then, the week before going to San Pedro for 6 days to train with Daniel, I got really sick (see previous post). I couldn't eat or drink anything for about two days and I took the entire week off from any sort of physical activity. This plan worked for the best and I arrived in San Pedro healthy again, if not particularly running fit.

That week was good. I really needed to have my ass kicked around a bit. It also helped bring things back into focus after sort of forgetting my BIG GOAL for 2013. Since then, I've had two, 10-hour weeks. The big difference now, as opposed to April for example, is that I'm not running as many times per week. Gone are the extra lunchtime sessions and I'm not waking up at 4:30am everyday to run and certainly no more triples. Last week, I actually took three days off completely, but still put in 10 hours of running.

The plan has been to feel FUCKING AWESOME each time I go for a run. Simple, right? Not just because that means I run better on the day, but because right now my Stoke (capital "s") is all that matters.

These final weeks are much less about suddenly becoming 10 times fitter, I think I'm already pretty fit. What I want to do is have several weeks of good feelings. I want my memories of all my runs from this period to be positive. The weather is getting better. I'm avoiding my boss more. I'm now down to my lowest weight of the year (68 kg = 150 lbs) and my times for all of my test-piece runs are almost as fast as April again.

So, that's where I'm at physically. Just got to keep the good ju-ju flowing.

Second thing:

This is without a doubt the longest and hardest I have focused on any one race. Actually, this is the first time I've EVER "focused" on a race...the experience has been a mixed bag. On one hand, it's cool. It's fun to train and to have a clear goal in my mind. On the other hand, sometimes I felt like running wasn't "running" anymore. It wasn't a release or an outlet for my stress. A way to feel healthy and happy. Sometimes, a run would feel like Work (capital "w"). Perhaps, True Believer, you recall my sentiments regarding Work. In short: Fuck Work.

So, that's been complicated. Do I want to focus and dedicated myself to a single race again? I don't know right now. For one, it remains to be seen how I do in the 80K. I'm hoping to run faster this year than last year, although I think that it's very likely I'll finish out of the top 10.

If that happens, the reason will be a positive one I think: Chilean runners are faster than they were last year. Just ask Max (who won the Patagonia International Marathon's 42K category last week). Or Moises (who doesn't have a blog). Or Matias. Just in looking over the times from last month's K42 race...if I had run my 2012 time there, I would not have made the top 10. Last year, I was 4th. The fact is: The steadily growing Chilean MUT scene is maturing and has now produced a large crop of fast, strong runners. Which is fucking awesome. See: Boss Jogging link on the sidebar for further evidence of this UNADULTERATED RADNESS.

So, yeah. Whew. That killed almost an hour out of my workday! YES!

Last thing:

I'm still planning to move back to the U.S. in early 2014. I don't know where. I don't know what I'll do...but...it feels like the right decision. I miss the States and I want to run races there. Simple.

Here's a very short video from last weekend. Good back-to-back long runs and my big toe's nail finally jumped ship. Good riddance. No room for quitters on this rig.

Actual running update! High desert "training camp!"

Before we begin, True Believer, I want you to make extra-sure that you're buckled in nice and tight to your Internet Surfing Cockpit. Are your shoulder harnesses cinched down securely? They are? Good. Is the chin-strap on your helmet snug (but not too snug)? It is? Great.

Well, if every leather strap is strapped and every nylon-webbing belt is belted, then we can begin...

The reason for all this security and protection is that I'm about to blow your mind with my very first ACTUAL POST ABOUT RUNNING AND TRAINING (in about 2 years).

I just finished up what is known as a training "block" with consummate pro Daniel Rowland up in the dry heights of Chile's Atacama desert. A training block, for those of you who don't know, is where you literally produce a block-like form by running in a tight, rectangular loop for... about 50 or 60 hours, depending on the firmness of the terrain. Eventually, the result is a "block" that has been very slowly carved into the surface of the earth. Obviously, it can take longer to produce this "block" if you're on pavement...years, in fact. That's why most people choose to do their training blocks in snow. Or, sand, if there's no snow. As Marlon Brando reminded us: In many situations warm butter is also ideal, including a training block.

Did you read that? Wow. I'm so sorry. Seriously. I'll apologize to your face, one day. I swear this to you, True Believer.

Anyway, we went up to the desert to run for a week (I say up, because I'm at sea level and the Atacama starts at about 7,800 ft.). The first two days (ok, three days), I was sucking wind like I was trying my best to win a wind sucking competition. I think I did pretty well. Unless, some sort of Michael Jordan of wind sucking had jumped in at the last minute, I'm sure I would have won the World Championship of Sucking Wind. (I'm talking early 90's 3-peat Jordan, obviously).

It occurs to me, that there is almost certainly a World Championship of Sucking Dick. A quick Google search reveals that there is, indeed, although much like Major League Baseball, the championship seems limited to the U.S. If my national pride swelled any further, I'd have to change my pants.

What in the fuck am I talking about? Good grief is it difficult to focus!

Probably because I'm so damn tired after a 100 mile week (with about 90 of those in the desert).

So, I learned a lot this week.

1.) If I'm at 7,800 feet, it takes a while before I can breathe while jogging. I know this isn't high to most of you mountain people, but for me...I may as well have been running loops on Mount Everest.

2.) Daniel Rowland has more discipline, focus, and fitness in just one of his very fast feet than I possess in my entire being. Not only did he arrive fit, fast, and with his tiger's eye gleaming, but he also went into the training block practicing his nutrition for an upcoming stage race. His dinner each night, I swear to God, was a PIECE of a protein bar about the size of a 9V battery.

 

You know who else would call that dinner? A war camp prisoner.

Lot's of hot trail action. I mean, lot's of hot AND trail action. Plus, epic clouds.

Our water intake for the 6 days. Add in a couple liters of not-pictured Sprite Zero and I count about 45L

This wouldn't be one my blog posts if it didn't feature a video. This one, I think, captures the vibe of the tiny town of San Pedro as well as the running conditions. It's a quickie, too. No attention span needed.

Last point. I've had a bumpy 5 weeks of training amidst basically a year of solid, very quality training. Unfortunately, those bumpy 5 weeks led right up to this week in San Pedro. Thanks to Daniel's optimism and just a really killer week of running, I feel like all is not lost for the The North Face 50 Miler in 4 weeks. I'm going to focus now on one or two more key hill sessions, some speed work and try to lose another kilogram or two of weight off this body. Obviously, I have no idea who will be at the race, but I'm hoping to improve on my 9th place from last year...or at least certainly improve on my time.

That's it. No more writing for "write" now. A little clean joke for all of the fundamentalist Christians that read my blog.

God is dead.

Magic Moldering in Silkworms' Skirt Slats

So many good links you (probably) haven't seen! I am making a post of these links because they are what keeps me going when I'm hideously hungover and begging God to make an example of me for all you sinners out there.*

#1

http://cabinporn.com/post/58796938419/writes-joycelin-hunter-bought-by-my

The last sentence of this post is so beautiful. One nice aspect of the Internet is that people don't think too hard about what they write, and we get to read it anyway. One horrible aspect of the Internet is that people don't think too hard about what they write, and we end up reading it anyway. (Case in point: This blog. Sorry.)

#2

http://www.dwrowland.com/p/running-in-family.html

 Yes, I'm aware that this is a friend of mine...but do you know anyone else who's doing something like this? Even if you disregard the awesomeness of two generations of family planning on running a giant event together (while living on multiple continents)...well, the updates on the real day-to-day reality of running in Africa by his dad are amazing. Bring a powerful headlamp because thugs shatter streetlights in order to mug you. Oh...so your aid station ran out of fresh watermelon? hahaha! Also, Daniel's blog is the realistically the best resource for stage-racing on the internet. Dig in, my fellow nerds.

#3

http://maxkeit.blogspot.com

 Another friend of mine just pulled off YET ANOTHER mammoth week: 21.5 hours and 28,000 ft. of vert. I KNOW it's in Spanish but seriously if you're not following Max's blog you're missing out on such a high level of stoke and...c'mon, don't all USAians like to say they understand Spanish at this point? Here's your chance to practice it!

#4

Four is my lucky number. It has been ever since I was born with some sort of weird OCD. I spent most of my time in elementary school tapping the legs of my desk with my shoe in "1-2-3-4" repetitions. I also still bite my fingernails in repeating "4 corner" patterns. I'll draw you a picture of what that means if you're interested.

#5

My knee is fine. I have a gift for both developing AND treating injury. Let me know if you want the details on knee tendonitis, but the bottom line is: Lots of lifting weights and lots of alcohol.


*I say that with so much love in my heart. I hope you know that, True Believer. Your sins are OK with me. Sin on.


Tomorrow, I leave for the high desert to go training for 6 days with D-Rowdy. I don't feel fit or particularly ready. I've had a horrible throat infection for the past week and have spent most of my time crying as I attempt to swallow juice and sweating out a very persistent fever (yes, i tried more cowbell. nothing).

So anyway, we'll see how it goes. I'm still psyched to have a week off of work (google "dieciocho chile") and I can just run and hang out with a buddy and feel stoked about life.

You guys are all awesome out there. Marriages, kids, great beards (but not on the kids...yet), good running, just all around awesomeness. I know you may not feel like it everyday, but let me tell you: That shit sometimes cuts through the layers of intoxication and I think "whoa, jogging is OK."

So, keep up the good fight! And as my grandfather would say (without citing the original author)

Here's a song to go along with it!







Kill every fucking fascist you see! ...Unless they're single and looking for a bearded teacher living in Chile!

Love,
Pat.

Mixtapes. Good for running, but not about running. End transmission.

When I was in the U.S. in July, my uncle told me about a mixtape he and his buddies had made back when they were teenagers. They spent one of the best weeks of their lives on an island, with ONLY this single mixtape. I like these kinds of stories, so anyway: The origin of the tape was that they had all gotten stoned in a friend's basement and spliced together some tunes, some Animal House movie clips, some clips of them being stoned, some choice quotes amongst best friends, etc. The mixtape cassette, however, has disappeared and my uncle was asking me how easy it may or may not be to recreate the original mix, but digitally.

Normally, I would say "no" to putting together someone else's nostalgia-inspired mixtape, but the story behind the mix and then my uncle's playlist that he jotted down from memory (it's below) was funny and weird enough that I decided to give the project a whirl. Please enjoy these mixes so much.

Where I couldn't find or reproduce the original audio, I made some changes. Hopefully, the updates will not only breath some fresh air into the mix but won't wreck the overall good vibes. Otherwise, I tried to stay completely true to my uncle's list and descriptions.

Side A:

Intro to Saturday night live (partial)

Animal House “Helenic Council Mtg” aka “prelaw, pre-med… what’s the difference”

David Bowie – Young American

Animal House – Louie Louie

Animal House – Twisting the Night Away

A Dog Bark – Random…probably Tess

I Could Be Happy – Altered Images

Soul Man – Blues Brothers

Matt & Chris getting stoned (impossible to duplicate)

Institutionalized – Suicidal Tendencies

Little bit of Soul - Ramones

I Don’t Have to Jump – Jerry Lewis (not even sure how to find this soundclip…)

Great Balls of Fire – Jerry lee Lewis

Mr. Thoughtful with a 12 roses – Animal House

Matt & Chris getting more stoned

That’s Life – James Brown version

The Bird – The Trashmen

Hawaii 5-0 – The Ventures

Aint to proud to beg – Temps

Blue Moon - Marcels (partial)

Sitting in Limbo – Jimmy Cliff

Swan, Swan, Hummingbird – REM

“evil fraternity clip’ – Animal house

I Am Superman – REM

Side B:

Wipeout – Surfaris

Grab a Brew – Animal House

Walk, Don’t Run – Ventures

Sweet Transexual – Rocky horror

Dance this mess around – B52’s

Fawn Leibowitz – Animal House

Tequila – The Champs

Green Onions – Booker T and the MG’s

Bitchin’ Camaro – The Dead Milkmen

Tim Forderer quote – “Totally willing to jam on whatever project” (can’t duplicate)

Up All Night – The Boomtown Rats (partial)

Black Rat Swing – Cephas & Wiggins – Original was Memphis Minnie

Blues from the lowlands song that I can’t identify… delta style blues??

Are you Ready to go - Reggae – UB 40??

Legal Tender - B52’s

Whamy Kiss - B52’s (partial)

Blackbird – Beatles

Whamy Kiss – B52’s

Madame Butterfly – Malcom McClaren

Mandy Peperidge , Message Your Thighs! – Animal House

All Right - David Bowie

I came here to be inspired by the great painters???

In this generation - Monkees??

50’s music from scene with Mrs Wormer – Animal House

Side A

Side B