I retired from the Marines in 2005 and immediate quit running. I’d decided to never run again.
So fast forward to last summer, I helped a young lady accomplish a 200+ mile ultra. As her escort (on bicycle) for the middle 60 miles…her shuffle inspired me. In June, I bought a pair of Salomon XT Wings 3 and started with a 1.8 mile.
This weekend, by the slimmest of margin, I competed my first Ultra (28.7 miles) during an 8hr ATR. I’d never ran more than a 10K in the past. I am sure my PEK helped. But the real credit goes to the various pod cast I’ve listened to since finding TRN.
I had my run/walk/hydration/fuel and electrolyte strategy nailed down…confidence high-I could mange the clock and distance to complete the three long loops (8miles) and one short loop (4.7miles) within the 8 hours. STILL, I had a small worry in the back of my mind…how to handle the WALL. THANK you for the Sunny Blende pod cast and discussion on caffeine. I squeezed into my strategy 400mg caffeine at 18 miles and again another 400mg as a reward for completing the third long loop (24 miles), whether its benefit is physiological or psychological or both, the caffeine worked!
I started this effort at 251 pounds, I am now at 229 pounds, still not my Marine Corps weight of 210…but its dropping and four inches of the belt. My HR doesn’t shoot off the chart anymore and I can sustain 10-12 miles without worry.
Running Más!
Scott
