A Month of Gratitude - Day 03 (Health Insurance)

Last week, I had to go to the Emergency Room for a problem with my toe. Because Ric works at Kaiser, we spent all of $5 on the co-pay for the visit and another $5 for the antibiotics prescription.

And now, our friend Andrea has broken her tibia and needed to go to the ER, too. A few hours later, she had been seen by the doctor, x-rayed, diagnosed, and sent on her way. Because she is insured, she was able to get the care she needed.

Today, I'm thankful that I have such great medical insurance. I'm grateful that help is available when I need it. In a time when so many are without affordable care, I am thankful for the coverage we have and the care we receive.

A Month of Gratitude - Day 02 (Spark Buddies)

I don't make a big deal of it, and I don't really talk about it much, but I really struggle every winter with the dark days and early nights. My poor husband knows that every year around this time, my moods get worse and I just don't feel like myself.

It's SAD. No, seriously, it's S.A.D.

Fortunately, I'm not alone. There are many of us that deal with this, and all it takes to handle it is a bit of advance planning, some situational awareness, and a determination to not cave in to the gloom.

All that said, today, I am grateful for the my amazing buddies from SparkPeople. They are a never-ending source of motivation, inspiration, and encouragement. They always seem to know just what to say and share, just when I need it.

I give you Exhibit A:  Christina791's blog from yesterday called "No-SAD November." It's exactly what I needed to read to prepare myself for the season ahead of me. She has great ideas for nutrition, exercise, and mind games to keep herself focused on the good instead of the bad.

How adorable is she?!

Thank you, SparkBuddies, and thank you, Christina. I am grateful for you.

A Month of Gratitude - Day 01 (Nature)

I read about this idea and I absolutely love it. As the days get shorter and darker, it's important for me to remember all of the wonderful things in my life. I am grateful for all of them, for they make this life worth living.

First up, the simple beauty of a sunset here in San Diego.

I was driving home from work yesterday and I stopped on the side to get this shot. The iPhone camera doesn't really do it justice. The colors were so rich, so intense. Even after I took the picture, I just stood there for a while enjoying the view.

Tonight, I'm grateful that I live in a world that offers such unbelievable beauty, and all I need to do to enjoy it is take the time.

One (Good) Thing Leads To Another...

Last night, despite a crazy stressful and long day, I decided to not indulge in a pint of ice cream. 

This morning, when I woke up early, I had a choice between going back to sleep or going for an early-morning run. I chose to run. 

This afternoon, thinking back on those two choices, I realized that the first one directly led to the other one. I had already done something good for myself and I liked how it felt, so I chose to do something else good for me. 

And it's really that simple. One good thing leads to another. 

So... what are YOU going to do to start your own chain of great choices? 

Food For Thought

I love it when I run across a random quote and immediately think, "wow, I totally get that!"

“The reason we race isn't so much to beat each other - but to be with each other.”
~ Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run

It's a simple fact, I am not a fast runner. I am not likely to ever win a race. I'm comfortably a middle-of-the-pack runner and I'm perfectly fine with that. I don't run to win races. I run because I like the way running makes me feel.

And this quote from Christophe McDougall? Spot on accurate. I don't join relay races and run my portion of 200+ miles with the hopes of beating other teams. I join and I run because I treasure the experience. There is something so amazing, so personal, so powerful about sharing those miles and those hours with friends and strangers alike.

I don't know that it gets any better than that. So, I'll continue to find events big and small, corporate and local, distance and endurance. Because I love this stuff.

Tonight, Watch Something Exciting and Historic!

Tonight, we have a chance to watch people twist and distort facts and reality as they work to solve our never-ending world problems. They'll spin tales and dodge attacks. They may even lie and do so towards a grander goal. No matter what, it will be exciting and fun. 

Or you can skip Doctor Who reruns and just watch the debate. 

 

Testing My Limits

I have a marathon scheduled this next Sunday, October 21st. It's the Hercules Marathon in Santa Monica, California, and it will be my third full marathon.

If I run it.

I'm not ready. I know it. I haven't prepared for it. I haven't been running long runs and I'm a few pounds heavier than I was in May when I ran the Pasadena Marathon.

If I had any sense at all, I'd change from the full to the half and be happy with a thirteen mile run. But when it comes to running, I've never really been known for my good sense, right?

So what are my options? I can run the full marathon and not worry about my overall time. That would mean I could slow my pace, get a good long run out of the day, and still complete the full marathon. Or I could run the half, still get a good long run, and not push myself to the extreme of a full. Or I could blow off the whole event, not spend the weekend in Los Angeles, and stay right here in San Diego.

What to do, what to do?

I want to run, so I'm in for at least the half. And I would like to complete the full and feel like I'm somewhat on track with my running program, but I don't know.

Ugh. I have no one to blame but myself. I haven't trained up for this marathon and I'm acting as if I can just knock out twenty-six miles with no problem. But that's a fool's notion. I need to respect the distance and be realistic about what I am capable of right now.

Half or Full. Full or Half. I just don't know.

Capital to Coast Relay - Part 2

It's no easy feat, bringing together people from all across the country and preparing them for a 36 hour, 223 mile running adventure. But with with some planning, hard work, and a bit of luck, it can be done. And this weekend, we're going to prove it.

My adventure began Wednesday, as I headed to Lindbergh Field in San Diego to fly out. My hopes for an uneventful travel day were dashed early, as I arrived at the airport at 9:30am to find overflow crowds trying to check in with the Sky Cap and at the Southwest ticket counter. Feeling crafty, I took advantage of the shorter lines at the "no baggage, boarding pass printing only" kiosk and then the "express baggage drop-off for those with boarding passes already printed" counter. It took me less than ten minutes to go through both of those lines, bypassing the full-service line and its forty-five minute line. After that, it was a quick dash through security and I was at my gate.

Unfortunately, I burned through all of my luck, because at that moment, everything turned bad. My 10:35am flight was delayed until 10:55, then to 12:50. Every other flight out of my terminal was delayed, as well. Seems heavy fog had grounded planes at airports across the country, so there were no planes at all on the ground in San Diego. The already small Southwest Airlines terminal quickly became a massive crowd of people with no place to stand, let alone sit down. Passengers were packed from wall-to-wall, pushing back all the way to the security area. Literally, every stair leading back down towards the TSA area was filled with people occupying the last of the sitting space available.

With no place to stand upstairs and three hours to kill, I decided to head back out of the secured terminal area and go to the restaurant in the front area of the airport. *BINGO*! There were only four people inside and there was plenty of space for me. I ordered a beer and some food and decided to pass the time away from the crush of people upstairs.

Over the course of the next hour and a half, I received no fewer than six text messages from Southwest Airlines letting me know that my flight was changed to 12:35, 12:50, and 1:00pm, plus multiple gate change notifications. It was a crazy amount of shuffling, so I just ignored it and enjoyed my early lunch. By 11:30, I was making my way through security (again) and rejoining the massive crowd still seeking escape from Lindbergh Field.

Finally, to the relief of passengers and airline personnel alike, planes began to arrive and then depart from San Diego. My flight left at 1:00pm, and I was thrilled to make the quick trip to Austin without a third passenger occupying the middle seat in my row. By 6pm local time, I was deplaning here in Texas and joining my friend, Brian, who had himself arrived from Long Beach an hour before. Baggage claim was quick and we were out of the terminal and into the car with my Aunt Susan. I had arrived in Austin!

Because Brian and I had arrived a day before everyone else on our team, we were able to enjoy a quiet night out for dinner. We went to Carino's Italian restaurant and had a fantastic meal. After my day of travel nuttiness, I decided I had earned a couple of Italian Margaritas, too. Hello, icy deliciousness.

Soon enough, we were done with dinner and home at my Aunt's house... or as I like to call it, Race Headquarters. And then, the best part of the whole day for me, I had the chance to visit with my Aunt for a few hours. We talked about everything and nothing and the time flew by. By midnight, it was time for bed. Kind of. I actually puttered around online until 1:30am, but then, I was off to sleep.

Day One of the great Texas Relay Race adventure was done.

Capital To Coast Relay - Part 1

I'm off to Texas to run the Capital to Coast Relay. It's a 223 mile,36 hour, 12 person, 2 van adventure, starting in the beautiful Hill Country of Austin and finishing on the sun-drenched shores of Corpus Christi. This will be my fourth relay race, having already completed Ragnar Relays in Southern California (April 2011), Phoenix, Arizona (February 2012) and Napa, California (September 2012). This is one is unique in that it is a local event and the longest relay race in the State of Texas. It's also special to me, personally.

This race might be better described as the "John Hulsey, This Is Your Life" Relay, because my teammates represent my past, my present, and my future. In fact, our race headquarters is my Aunt and Uncle's home in Austin, and no one knows you like family, right?

I know Brian, Djan, and Bruce through the Marines. It's hard to believe that is has been twenty-seven years since I joined the Corps, but all this time later, I am as connected as ever to these friends. We have reconnected through the power of the internet and social media, and in many ways it's as if the passing years have slipped by unnoticed. The distance between us is much too great, though, so I am looking forward to having time together to catch up.

I am also running with friends that I've met in San Diego and known for several years. Kim and Doug are two amazing people, both so much fun and always up for an adventure. They are driving cross-country and meeting up with us in Texas, and I'm really excited that they are along for this experience.

More recently, I have become friends with Nancy, Jerome and Lynette. I met them all through the SparkPeople.com website, and our shared passion for running was the catalyst for friendships that I already treasure. They are positive, powerful people that bring such energy and passion to all that they do, and I'm so happy to be able to run this relay with them.

And my future? It's represented this weekend by the people I haven't met yet in person but will know well by the end of the relay race. Nicholas and John P., SparkPeople Buddies, have been such a source of inspiration and motivation to me for a long time, and I am looking forward to finally meeting them in person. And I know David and Laura through our Facebook relay group, and I am glad to have the chance to put faces to names and get to know them, too.

"This Is Your Life, John Hulsey." And it's true. I get to run this relay with people that knew me when I was a teenager just making my way in this world, with people that first met me many years ago when I was in my absolute worst physical shape of my life, and with people who have only known me since I have embarked on my journey of health.

Wow. Think about that. People who knew me as a little boy, as a skinny young man, as a fat grown-up, and as a man on a mission to lose weight. I have changed so much in my life, and these folks all represent touchstones for me along my way.

But the best part about all of this? These people each know me now as an athlete. They know me as a man who has run two marathons, fourteen half marathons, multiple obstacle courses, and relay races. They know me as a runner. And I'll take that reputation any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

So, let's do this, Texas. Show me your long, winding roads and I'll show you my stamina. Show me your moonlight and I'll show you how much I love to run in the cool night air. Show me your blazing sun and I'll show you my sweat and determination. Show me what you have in store, Texas, and I'll show you what I'm made of.

Capital to Coast, I'm coming for you.

Countdown to Key West

If you know me at all, you know I struggle sometimes with finding day-to-day motivation. To set myself up for success, I create long-term challenges. Before running the Pasadena Marathon, I created Project One Five (a one hundred day, five hundred item challenge). And after that, I completed the Summer of Run Challenge, running at least a mile every day for the 90+ days of Summer. Now, it's time to look ahead to my next big project.

On January 4th and 5th, I'll be running the Ragnar Relay Race from Miami to Key West., Florida. As part of that event, I'll be participating in the filming of the movie, "From Fat To Finish Line." And that means I have three months to get camera-ready. So, it's time to Countdown to Key West!

My challenge will include a bigger focus on nutrition and eating, since I have been pretty casual about that all Summer long. I will also track my biking, running, and strength training. And it will have a bit of an extra component - writing - since I want to make sure I am prepared mentally as well as physically.

And now, the details. Between now and the end of the year:

I will track my calorie intake via SparkPeople. I have a specific weight goal that I want to hit by the end of the challenge, and I have adjusted my calorie range to make that possible. I will continually adjust my eating throughout the challenge to make sure I am striking the right balance between "eating to lose weight" and "eating to fuel training."

I will workout like this:

1. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I will warm-up with a run (10-15 mins), Strength Train (30-45 mins), and finish with an hour of cardio (elliptical or bike).
2. Tuesdays, I will run a short run (30-60 mins).
3. Thursdays, I will not work out at all.
4. Saturdays, I will run a long run (90-120 mins).
5. Sundays, I will walk at least one mile at a slow, relaxed pace.

I want to make sure that I don't get lost in my training, so I will spend at least 30 minutes each day writing or blogging. That will help me step back and assess my ongoing progress as well as provide an outlet for my rants when I'm struggling and my raves when I'm succeeding.

I have assigned points to each of these tasks, and my goal is to achieve at least a 90% success rate. To make it fair for myself, I have adjusted the requirements for the weeks when I have other obligations or commitments (Texas Relay Race, Hercules Marathon, Silver Strand Half Marathon, etc.).

There are a lot of moving parts here, I know. But I have created a spreadsheet and planned out the next three months. Now, I just need to stay focused and start checking off my "done!" items.

It's my own Countdown to Key West. Let's do this!

Getting Lean.

Ever try something new and have it not work out at all like you hoped? I hope so, because if you haven't, I think you're playing it way too safe. Risk brings great rewards, too.

Me, I try new things all the time. And sometimes, they don't work out at all. But that's okay. I can always adjust, right? And that's what I'm doing now with my E-life.

I thought that I was so clever when I set up separate Twitter and Blogger accounts. I would continue to write about my life on one blog and I would post about my running adventures on the new blog. But that hasn't worked out at all. Instead of creating two distinct places for my writing, I succeeded only in pulling myself in different directions. Not cool.

So, I'm fixing things. Right now, I'm stripping down my web presence to the basics. Yes, that means that my running and health-related posts will appear on my blog along with political, social and (sometimes) completely random posts. But that's okay. Each of those things is a part of me, and I trust that people will either find it worth the time to read, scroll by it, or stop reading my writing altogether. That's for them to decide.

I have one blog here at www.runner12.com. That is where my new posts will be going. I have one Twitter account, @JohnHulsey. And I have one SparkPeople.com account, SanDiegoJohn.

I hope you hang around. This is only going to get better.

Running Naked? Sure, why not?

Today, I ran naked through my neighborhood. Yep, true story. 

 
(Not me. Not my neighborhood.) 

Of course, by naked, I mean I ran without my music, my Garmin, or my iPhone. Just me and my RoadID for safety. 

And it felt good. I heard my own footsteps as they hit the pavement. I heard my own breathing. I heard the sounds of everything going on around me as I ran by. It was a different running experience, that's for sure. 

I mapped it out when I got home and I ran 2.85 miles in 27 minutes. That's 9:28 average pace. And interestingly enough, that's about my average pace for my entire Summer of Run Challenge. 

Turns out, even without a watch to pace myself, I still run about the same speed. 

So go me! 

Tales From The Ragnar Relay - Part 4 of 4

(You can read Part 3 here.)

We made it through our first runs on Friday afternoon. We made it through our second runs in the early hours of Saturday morning. 

 

But we still had one more set of runs to complete, and they were going to be our toughest, yet. While we showered and napped at our team hotel room, our other van ran their last legs. They were every shade of awesome and got the job done. They also spent some time capturing the experience in pictures and on video. 

 

Here's some of the great images of them running through the Napa countryside. 

 
 
 

It was nearly 11am when it was our turn to run again. The heat was already a factor and it was only getting hotter. We made sure we each had plenty of water before we headed out for our miles, and we needed every bit of it. By the time I ran, the heat index was over 100 degrees. 

My last run was 5.5 miles through the vineyards of Calistoga. The course was mostly flat, which was good, but it also offered very little shade. I was going to get direct, late afternoon sunshine most of the way. I filled my Camelbak and waited for Runner 11 to get to the exchange. At 3:36pm, I started the final leg for our team. 

A couple of miles in to my run, I noticed a woman ahead of me. She was walking, and I decided I would take a quick break, too. As soon as I started to walk, though, I noticed she started running again. Well, I couldn't let her get away, so I began to run, too. I caught up with her, noticed she was running without any water, and shared some of mine with her. We started chatting as we ran, and we ended up motivating and encouraging each other the rest of the way in. 

The details of our conversation will stay between she and I, but I will say this. Once again, through the meeting of a complete stranger on a race course, I am reminded that the running community is made up of the most amazing, inspiring, and incredible people I've known. Not since the Marine Corps have I met people so willing to put themselves out to help others, so determined to see others succeed, and so motivated to meet any challenge. Thank you, Tabitha, for being a great running buddy. I hope to see you again on some other course someday. 

After 5.5 miles in the hot sun, I was very happy to see my team waiting for me near the Finish Line. We formed up and crossed together. 

 
 

After the big finish, we headed out to celebrate. None of us had a lot of energy left, but we managed to pull it together to enjoy a Napa Brewed Beer and some dinner. (Did I mention that the Ragnar Finisher's Medal is also a bottle opener?) 

 

And that was the end of my Ragnar Napa adventure. All I'm taking away is my super cool costume and some great memories. 

 
 

Thanks for following along with my Ragnar Blogs. I hope they've given you a better idea of what it's like to run a relay race. And I hope I've inspired you to say "yes!" to your own adventure! 

Tales From Ragnar Relay Napa - Part 3 of 4

(You can read Part 2 here.)

After we finished our first series of legs and our dinner break, it was time for us to get some rest. Our day had started crazy early, so we needed showers and sleep. Fortunately, one of our runners had a friend who lived nearby, and we had the keys and an open invitation to crash there. We took full advantage of the pit stop, replenishing our supplies and organizing everything in the van so we could find what we needed later in the dark. We also took quick showers and naps. A few hours later, we were recharged and ready to run again. 

It was nearly midnight when our first runner hit the road again. Angela was a vision in sparkly colors as she hit the highway for a long run through the downtown streets of Santa Rosa. 

 

She ran around drunken crowds spilling out of bars, alongside parks filled with late night ne'er do wells, and up a hill that seemed to go on forever. For a first time Ragnarian, she was fearless. After her, it was time for each of us to step up and do our own late-night runs. Our Amazing Slowpoke, Sara, ran faster than she had ever run before... probably because most of her run was done in a scary fog with very little moonlight. But she got it done. Here she is at the exchange with Kevin. 

 

It's difficult to truly capture the experience of running at night. It's impossible to describe what it's like hanging out in the van with the rest of the team while someone else runs. In the midnight hours, we all get giddy and silly. What might be mildly amusing at best during the day becomes absolutely hilarious to a group of sleep-deprived runners. Mostly, though, we talk. We discover cool things about each other, finding out bits of each others' lives and sharing parts of our own. Inevitably, we come to a place where we understand each other, our motivations for running and for agreeing to get involved with such a crazy event like the Ragnar Relay. I think it's in the early morning hours, just before the sun rises, that we really get to know our teammates. 

 

Of course, those hours are also a good time to recharge. Some people choose coffee. Others choose an energy drink. And others seek out a sugar high with candy. But while Kevin and Nancy logged in their miles, I took advantage of the downtime to grab a quick power nap. Yeah, I'm a traditionalist that way. When I'm tired, I want to close my eyes and catch a few winks. 

 

Soon enough, it was time for our mega-runner to do his thing. Raul, aka Insane Bolt, was our speed demon, and he made quick work of his miles. And then, at 5:34am, it was my turn again. I had 4.1 miles to run through the pre-dawn streets of Sonoma, and it was an absolutely amazing experience. I prefer to run in the morning, anyway, so I loved the chance to explore a new town before the hustle and bustle of traffic took over. I was on a total runner's high by the time I finished. 

 

After the hand-off, we spent a few minutes catching up with our fellow runners. We shared some of our crazy night stories with Van 1, then said goodbye as they rushed to the next exchange. 

For us, our second set of runs was complete, and it was time to get some rest. Our team had secured a hotel room nearby, and we went straight there. Everyone took quick showers and then we crashed out. We only had a couple of hours before we had to get back to the next exchange point and start the whole thing all over again. 

Next up: Running on the Surface of the Sun.

Tales From Ragnar Relay Napa - Part 2 of 4

(You can read Part 1 here.)

After months of waiting and days of preparing, it was finally time for the Ragnar Relay Race in Napa. Start times are based on overall team averages, with the faster teams starting later and the slower teams starting earlier. This helps all the teams come into the finish in a much smaller time window. 

We had a 7am start, so we arrived at Marina Green Park in San Francisco about 6:30. I was in Van 2 and we weren't going to be running until late in the morning, but we chose to meet up with Van 1 and send our first runner off as a team. It's cold and dark in the Bay Area at that time of the morning, so we hung out in the van as long as we could. 

 

When our other van arrived, we all climbed out of ours and joined them near the Start Line. We wanted to get some photos of all of us as a team before the race started. It was also our first chance to hang out with other teams, and there was no shortage of wild costumes and crazy antics to keep our minds off the cool morning temps. 

 

(As an aside, I should also explain something to those that don't already know. I am running Ragnar Relay Florida in January with a team of eleven other people who have lost significant amounts of weight. We are being filmed as part of a documentary called "From Fat To Finish Line." fromfattofinishline.com/ 

The film chronicles our individual weight loss journeys, our coming together as a team this past year, and our upcoming Ragnar race from Miami to Key West. Our producer and director, Angela Lee, had never seen a Ragnar, so I suggested she and I run Napa together. That way, she could see firsthand what the event was like, where she might want to position cameras, the craziness of exchanges, life in the van, etc. She agreed. We were there to run Ragnar Napa, definitely, but we were doing a little scouting and pre-planning for our film, too. Angela also brought a seriously cool professional camera to capture the entire event and turn it into a three minute music video. I'll share a link to that that as soon the video is complete. And now, back to the recap. You can see Angela working the camera here.) 

 

At 7am, our first runner took off. 

 

She was our Captain Miss Fit, and she was the only team member who got to run across the Golden Gate Bridge. It was a cool, foggy morning, but it was still an amazing view from the top of the bridge. 

 

We all raced ahead to the first exchange to be there when she came in. While we were waiting, we had some time to take a few team pictures. Here we are celebrating our true Super Hero awesomeness! 

 

After the first exchange, we had a few hours before we had to begin running. We took that opportunity to pick up more decorations for the van and costume items for our teammates. We were quite the site at the Dollar Store walking around in our costumes, but it's Ragnar. Almost anything goes! 

We also decided that even Super Heroes need coffee, so we walked over and waited our turn in line. While standing there, the young man in the plumber's van got out, looked at us for a moment, and asked, "Am I high?" We kindly let him know that he wasn't seeing things and that we really were standing in front of him wearing tight costumes and sporting sweet capes! 

 

Soon enough, it was time to meet up with our team at the first major exchange. That is where they pick up their last runner and we put our first runner onto the course. It was nearly noon already and the cold morning had given way to quickly rising temperatures. It was going to be a hot afternoon of running for our van. 

Angela, aka Weirder Woman, was up to the task. In her brightly colored tutu and shiny pink cape, she was a sight to see as she ran through the streets of Fairfax. 

 

After that, the miles seemed to go quickly. The rest of our team (The Amazing Slowpoke, Wonder Bell, The Professional, Insane Bold, and me, Captain Disco) each suited up and did our part to move the team through our portion of the race. 

I was the last runner in our van, and my first leg took me through the streets of Petaluma, California. After all the prep and stand-by time, I was ready to go. I took my cape, headband and snazzy glasses and took off running. It was nearly 5pm - rush hour - and my path would take me directly through downtown, over the crazy busy Highway 101, and along the heavily trafficked streets to the exchange point. But hey, I love the attention. In fact, here I am in an action shot taken by one of my teammates in our van as I ran by them. 

 

Three miles later, I made the handoff to Van 1 and we were done with the first legs of our race. I took a moment to update the "ledger" on the window, because no job is complete until the paperwork is done. 

 

Then we were off to find something to eat. Starbucks and Quizno's were our next destinations, and yes, we were all still wearing most of our costumes. 

 

Next up: Running Through The Night 

Tales From Ragnar Relay Napa - Part 1 of 4

Where to begin when describing the Ragnar Relay experience? It's a relay race, it's a sightseeing trip, it's a weekend away with a dozen of your closest friends. It's all that and more. And this is how it went for me. 

If you don't know, a Ragnar is an approximately 200 mile team relay race. They are held in cities all over the country and attract professional runners and weekend warriors. Most teams have twelve runners, who each take turns running three different legs. Distances range from two miles to more than ten miles, so there really is a place for runners at all levels. Teams start early Friday morning and run through Saturday afternoon. It really is a "Run. Eat. Sleep? Repeat!" experience. 

 

I signed up months ago for this relay. This was my third Ragnar event but my first time running in Napa Valley. I volunteered as Runner 12, which meant a shorter distance than that of most of my teammates. I chose that slot because I am still doing my Summer of Run Challenge, and running every single day has taken a bit of a toll on me. I wasn't comfortable running the longer legs on this Ragnar, but like I said, there is a place for every runner regardless of ability. (One of the things I love the most about Ragnar. If you want to run, you can, even if you are not a great runner.) 

Preparation is key to a successful Ragnar. With six people in a van for 36 hours, there isn't a lot of room for extra gear. You have to know what to pack and how best to stage it. I go with individual ziplock bags, each with a single outfit and clearly marked. I pack them into my bag in order, than I put my sweaty running gear back into the bags after I finish each leg. That way, my bag stays fresh and the van doesn't smell like a locker room. 

  

Once everything was packed, I was ready to go. But I still had a morning run to do. I decided to test-run the Ragnar, so I went out in the darkness of the morning and ran with my headlamp and reflective vest like I would have to do on my midnight leg in Napa. It felt good to get out and run in the early morning quiet. It's not really how I picture Los Angeles with it's hustle and bustle. 

 

Because this event was in Northern California, friends and I decided to road trip up there. We headed out Wednesday morning and spent the day driving through the heart of California. And of course, we stopped for the mandatory "everyone say cheese!" photo on the way. 

 

We arrived early enough that we were able to do our grocery run on Wednesday afternoon. We also spent another few hours going from store to store searching for last minute extras. Our team was the Super Heroes In Training. We each developed our own character and created costumes and accessories for the event. We were quite the cast of crazies, definitely. Here's two of my fellow Super Heroes, The Amazing Slowpoke and Weirder Woman. 

 

On Thursday, we met our teammates at Oakland Airport, picked up our rental vans, and finished the last of our prep work. The van was packed, our costumes perfected, and our pre-Ragnar work complete. We drove into San Francisco to meet the rest of our team and have our kick-off dinner. 

We ate at Viva Pizza in the Ocean Beach area, and it was fantastic. We decided to make it a family style meal, so we ordered a bunch of everything and just passed plates around. It felt like a family reunion as we all caught up on who had been doing what since we last got together, chatted up the new people and got to know them, and shared stories of previous Ragnar events we had run together. It was a great evening and the perfect way to start the weekend! 

 

Did I mention that I really, really enjoyed the Mediterranean Salad? 

 

And with that, we were done getting ready. It was time to go back home, get some sleep, and get ready to Ragnar. 

Next up: Running the Ragnar Relay.

A Picture Worth A Thousand Words

For those of us who have been obese, the journey to physical and mental health travels a very indirect line. It isn't as simple as "lose a few pounds, feel better about yourself."

The truth is, once we're fat, we may spend the rest of us lives seeing that same overweight person in every mirror and photograph taken of us. We can drop the extra pounds, tone up the muscles, and update and improve every part of our bodies. But still, we see the flab and fat and the rolls that once defined who we were.

But every once in a while, a miracle of sorts occurs. We see a photo of ourselves and we don't see the mistakes of yesterday. Instead, we see the promise of tomorrow. We look at the picture and we see the person that we believe we are becoming.

That miracle occurred for me this morning. I received an email from the AFC Half Marathon photo team letting me know that my race pictures were available. I reluctantly clicked the link, because truthfully, I never really like to look at pictures of me from races. I hate how I look, short and fat and awkwardly slogging my way to the finish line.

But still, I clicked. And I looked. And I couldn't stop looking. Because one of those photos leapt off the screen at me and said, "hey, look at me!" So I did. And I stared at it for a very long time. And the voices in my head weren't saying bad things. They were stunned into silence, I suppose.

Here I am, in the last mile of the America's Finest City Half Marathon.

I'll say it. I love every single thing about this photo. I'm not wasting a second on false modesty. And why should I? I can always find mean and insulting things to say about photos that I don't like of myself, so it's only fair that I say good things about this one that I love.

Visually, I appreciate that my running shirt and my shorts look good in the photo. Usually, the camera captures one leg of my shorts way too high or way too low, or they catch the shirt in some weird fold and it looks like it's too small for me. But this time, the clothes look like they fit well and are draped right where they're supposed to be. I love that.

And it's not just how the shirt looks. It's the shirt itself that is important to me. This picture shows the shirt I am wearing. Other than my wedding ring, this shirt is the single best gift I have ever received. It came from my Marine Brother, Jeff, who gave it to me to celebrate my completing the Pasadena Marathon. On the back of the shirt are all twenty-six names of the Marine Corps Heroes I honored along the marathon route. And on the front, in addition to "US Marines" and the Pasadena Marathon logo, you can see the Semper Fi Fund logo. With the help of friends, I raised $2,000 for this organization and I am proud to share their story with whomever will listen.

And what of me? Well, I'm not even going to pretend to be objective. I think my arms and legs look great. My form looks good, strong, and I'm covered in sweat from the heat. Heck, I might even be glistening. And who doesn't like that?

The look on my face reminds me just how grueling this run was. Physically, I had really struggled with the heat and the humidity. And mentally, I was exhausted from two hours of worrying about my Mom. (I received a voice mail just minutes before the race began letting me know that she was in the ICU in Texas, unable to breathe on her own.) I was tired in every way possible at this point in the race, but I knew I was going to make it. And I respect my own look of determination.

I realize that all of this praise for a photo of myself might come across as vain. Quite honestly, I don't care. I have beaten myself up time and time again over photos that I felt showed me in a less than flattering light. This time, I'm taking a different path. I like this picture and I think it captured every good thing about the AFC Half Marathon experience. More than that, it offers me a glimpse of the person I have been working so hard to create.

Arrogant? Perhaps. But I'm not apologizing for it.

Week 12 Recap - Summer of Run

Week twelve is now behind me and the summer heat seems to have really found its way to San Diego. Far from it being the end of the season, the days feel hotter than June and July. But still I run.

Saturday, September 8th, was the end of week 12 of my Summer of Run Challenge.

1. I ran all seven days.
2. I ran at least one 10-minute mile each day.
3. I ran  more than 15 miles for the week.

Here's how it happened:

And the challenge recap so far:

The heat continued through the week, with some of the hottest days of the summer so far. And I intended to finish the week with a single mile on Saturday, but as you may have already read here, I changed that to a three mile run, instead.

I had expected to feel totally "over it" by this point in the challenge, but I'm feeling a bit wound up, actually. I think it's a combination of three things. One, the attitude adjustment courtesy of Sgt Clemons. Two, the Ragnar Relay Napa that is coming up Friday and Saturday. And three, the excitement of actually seeing this challenge all the way through.

And the Summer of Run definitely continues!

Every F'ing Step.

Yep, it's a bit crude. Certainly not my normal language here. But sometimes, a lesson demands the exact truth.

Saturday morning, I woke up in a cranky mood. I had to get out and get my recovery day mile in, and I just didn't want to do it. Of course, I'm over 80 days into my Summer of Run Challenge, so I knew I was going to do it. I just didn't have to like it.

 Before heading out the door, I stopped to check Facebook. I saw that a friend had posted a message about a Marine funeral taking place just a few miles from my house. The family had made a request for volunteers to stand "guard" at the funeral, since the Westboro Baptist Church idiots had threatened to protest the funeral.

I saw the message just after 9:30am, so I had already missed my chance to go. But learning of this Marine's passing hit me hard. I shared this on my Facebook wall before I started running:

As I head out for my morning run, I'll be thinking of USMC Sgt Stephen E. "Zeb" Clemons, 2/4 Marines (Magnificent Bastards), Golf Co., being laid to rest just miles away from where I am. Stephen passed away at the age of 28 at Naval Medical Center, San Diego, due to complications of cancer. He is survived by his wife, Mother and Father. Stephen was an only child.

This morning, I won't complain or bitch about the heat, or the road, or the distance. I will rejoice with each step that I am alive and able to run. Today, I will not take my good health and able body for granted.

Reading about Sgt Clemons changed my perspective. Instead of just running my one mile recovery run, I decided to run the Marine Corps Physical Fitness Test distance of three miles. During the start of the last mile, as it was getting warmer and I was feeling out of breath, I reminded myself of my earlier promise. And I started saying, out loud, "Every. F*cking, Step. Every. F*cking. Step."

And in those moments, I ran a little faster and cried more than a few tears for a Marine I have never even met in person. But he was there pushing me and that made the difference today.

As I said, I realize the language is harsh. But those words are exactly what popped into my head as I was running. I choose to believe that a certain Marine Sergeant was running along with me to "gently encourage me" lest I think for a second about slowing down or stopping.

I have a body capable of doing great things. I pray for the mental strength to never forget that, to always remember that I have a responsibility to run for those who no longer can.

Semper Fi, Sgt Clemons. Godspeed, Devil Dawg.

 _________________

 And more about this Marine from a dear friend of his, Mariso...

 "That Boy loved his Country , defending it was his Pride & Joy. He was a deployed a few times, Iraq ( 2 times) and a MEU in 2009, and his last deployment to Afghanistan in Aug 2011, which sadly he couldn't complete, He had to come home in Oct because a Doctor diagnosed him with cancer. Steve or "Zeb" as he was referred to was a vibrant and joyful guy, like I said he loved his Country, his Country Music, his GUNS! and Dodge Trucks. Steve always had a big smile on his face, one of his favorite words to say was Awesome!

Nobody would believe how many times he volunteered to go to Afghanistan, even while on being on his last MEU he would talk about how he wanted to go and be in combat. He talked about it constantly. He loved it. He loved Scary movies, and loved Will Ferrell, Talladega Nights was one of his favorite movies, the redneck in him of course. He loved Mnt dew and Bud Light was his beer of choice. He was full of life , nothing would bring him down, nothing was ever too hard, no situation was ever too bad. 

He would take off the shirt on his back and would give it to anyone who might need it, because that was the way he was raised. He said Yes Ma'am and Yes Sir, he was a southern gentlemen, he opened doors, pulled chairs out, ect. His smile was contagious, he believed in being honest, no matter if it made people mad.

One of his favorite songs was Chicken Fried, by a country group called Zac Brown, " Salute the ones who die the ones who give their lives so we don't have to sacrifice all the things we love, like our chicken fried, cold beer on a Friday night a pair of jeans that fit just right and the radio on " was his favorite verse . Lets not get started on his love for Walmart.. he loved it , He proudly would wear his cut off shirts and his infamous RealTree cap with a Fish hook on it (that was his trade mark)."

Stephen was from Radcliff, Ky but was actually born in Germany on a military base, as his Dad was active duty at the time.

A Heartfelt, Sincere and Urgent Plea.

Dear Friends and Family,

As many of you know, over the last two years, I have worked to transform myself through exercise. With the help of inspiring Marines, committed running buddies, and supportive family members, I have lost nearly 50 lbs and gone from couch potato to marathon runner. Now it's time for the next step of my journey.

Last December, two strangers bonded over shared weight loss and skin-removal surgery experiences. While recuperating from surgery, Rik Akey crafted an idea with Katie Foster to put together a team to run a relay race. But not just any team. Katie and Rik wanted to gather a dozen formerly obese strangers/runners and share the race experience together. And I'm so fortunate that I am one of those twelve people picked for this team. I am Runner 12.

Our team will run the Ragnar Florida Keys 200 mile relay race January 4-5, 2013. The race is expected to take more than 32 hours of running. Our team all shares the common bond of having lost an average of 100 pounds each through healthy eating and running but will all meet for the very first time at the race.

Co-founder of Media Meld Studios and running teammate, Jennifer Roe quickly came to realize that our teammates’ incredibly moving and inspiring weight loss stories, coupled with the challenging feat in front of us, would make for a motivational documentary film – From Fat To Finish Line. The film will highlight themes such as persistence, overcoming obstacles, dealing with setbacks, and achieving goals.

Amongst my teammates and featured runners are Katie Foster, down 125 pounds, and successful blogger of “Runs For Cookies,” Jen Small, who went from 255-pound couch potato to a sponsored REV3 Triathlete, and Ada Wong, runner-up from Season 10 of the Biggest Loser, maintaining her loss of 99 pounds. I'm in some amazing company for this experience.

Here's what I need from you. Our team is currently fundraising through Kickstarter to help make this film a reality. If we don’t make our goal, we won’t get any of the pledged funds. Click here to visit our Kickstarter project page and learn about the fun awards you can receive if you pledge money. Special Edition DVDs, Digital Downloads, Team T-Shirts, and opportunities to meet, run and train with the cast are just some of the available items.

I have come to my friends and family many times to ask for your support. Together, we have raised over $2,000 for Semper Fi Injured Marine Fund, $1,000 for Wounded Warrior Project, and smaller amounts for local charities and organizations. I am so grateful for each of you.

Now, I come to you again. This film is my opportunity to pay it forward. I want everyone to know that it is possible for them to build healthier and more active lives for themselves. I want them to experience the pure joy of waking up and feeling better than they did the day before. And I want them to have confidence that they can not only cross a Start Line, they can get to a Finish Line. So I ask you to help me share my experience with those who don't yet know that they can take that first step, make that small change, and build their own healthy, fit and active life.

I'm asking for your pledge. I'm asking for you to share the Kickstarter link on your Facebook Wall and on Twitter and with your own friends and family. We are 1 WEEK and a lot of money away from making our fundraising goal, and honestly, every little bit will help.

Pledge money. Get cool stuff. Tell others. And help a worthwhile project get to its own Finish Line.

Thank you and Semper Fi,

John Hulsey

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