The Forget the PR Mohican 25k and 50k - Volunteer report

 

Wow, what can I say about this weekend other than it was AWESOME!
I made some new friends, and I got to spend time with my wonderful Ultra Running family.
Most of all, I got to come home to the place I love spending time at the most: Mohican.

I got a call from the race director Rob Powell a few weeks back asking me if I would like to be in charge of the beer for the race. I didn't hesitate at saying: Yes!
I had to come up with a game plan for beer. I could have went many directions but I decided that I would get a sweet set up from Gordon Biersch Columbus. I ended up getting 3 different beers: Czech Pilsner, Maibock and their flagship beer: Marzen. All three were incredible!
I got to sampling all three while setting up the day before the race and next thing I knew, I was a little fuzzy eyed. I knew it was time to simmer down when I was talking to Lindsey Brokaw and noticed I was probably making an ass out of myself. Not a good way to make my introduction. Hopefully she understood that I was in "testing mode" with the beer. I had to make sure it was quality stuff!   ;)

Race Day:
Well, I didn't get any sleep the night before due to my good buddy Brian Musick. Thanks Brian.
It ended up being a volunteer drunk-fest of all things.
The poor girls staying in the Chuck Wagon with us were probably thinking: "I'm never coming around these crazy people again"
Samantha, Allison, Kim and Molly (and Rob) I apologize for the craziness. I can't speak for Brian though.  :)
Matt was an innocent bystander as well.....
Race day was upon us and I hurried into town to buy Milk and Ice. By the time I got back, the head was pounding, the body was shaking and dehydration was setting in -so awesome.
I ran around and got a few things done with the most important thing being re-hydration for my poor body.
My job was to be course sweeper and beer tender. Seeing how these lightweights didn't want any beer first thing in the morning, I decided to go around and take pictures and then chill out at the Chuck Wagon.
Adrenaline kicked in about race time and I was ready to go.

I met up with Joselyn and Jay (part of "Team Walker" for Badwater 135). We went straight to the brutal heart of this race: "Big Ass Hill". This hill will either make or break your day. It will only make your day if you go down it. On race day, everyone had to go up it....twice.
I was having an incredible day despite the constant pounding of the head and the nausea from the night before. I was hootin, hollerin, whistlin, taking pictures and cheering on these crazy people I love so much.
I think Joselyn and Jay were plotting to put me in a straight jacket if I didn't simmer down.
We waited until the very last runner for the 50k came up the hill. We wanted to keep track of our good friend and also part of "Team Walker": Luca Blengio so,we were off to the first Aid Station which was at the Fire Tower. I took many more pics there and again I was: Hootin, Hollerin, and just plain acting Crazy!
These people had me fired up and I was ready to be out there with them.
After the photo Ops, we hurried down to the Covered Bridge to witness the water crossings. It was here at this spot that everyone was excited to see the runners be punished. It was cold, cold, and really cold that day and the water was the same way. Some people loved it, others didn't.
I was yelling some encouraging words to many of the runners crossing the cold Mohican River.
"Hey! the guy on crutches ahead of you went across the river faster than you're doing it right now"
"Just swim across. Everyone else has"
"Hey! The water is not as cold as it really is"
"Suck it up! It's only cold water"
I do realize Karma is a bitch and I will get repaid for all of this    :)   I love you guys!!!!!!!   :)

Like a dummy, I wore shorts and didn't bring any long pants or for that matter any warm clothes. By the time my buddy Luca came through the water crossing, I was so numb and beat down. I could sense I was going to get sick if I didn't head back to the Chuck Wagon to get some rest.
I managed to get a little bit of sleep and when I woke up I went to check on the beer supply. Awesome. We still had beer. I really failed at this job but again, I am blaming Brian Musick for keeping us all up to party the night before. In hindsight, it was awesome!
Next year, I am hoping we have a good sized supply available and some sleep the night before.
When Matt came and woke me up later that afternoon I was ready to continue on my day. I went out and started sweeping from the Fire Tower to the start/finish area.
People just helped themselves to the beer. By the time I got back from sweeping the course, the beer was gone and some people ended up not getting any. I am so sorry for that.
I decided to go back out and finish up sweeping the Purple Loop (4.xx miles). I took my good ole time since this is my favorite loop at Mohican. This is such a special place to me.

The time I spent up there was so awesome. I came back even more happy than when I went up there.
I was especially happy to have gotten to spend some alone time out on the trail. Don't get me wrong, I love being around people but, it's times like this, I get to recharge myself and keep my spirit alive even more.

Now it's time to focus on training for "my training" for Badwater, DWD Hell, and Javelina Jundred. Did that make any sense ? Good. Glad it didn't!

To my new friends: Samantha and Allison:

Sam: You are a very talented person and your photos are awesome. I cannot wait to see and hear the final product. You were a woman on a mission this weekend and such a trooper to handle us crazies.
I need a tour of the Athens Brewing scene!!!! Hint, Hint....

Allison: Thank you for your help volunteering and allowing us to entertain you as well. I really hope we didn't scare you away. Let's run and have a G.B. Hefe real soon.

Rob: I must say you are a truly incredible guy to do what you do. I'm Glad I got the rare chance to hang out with you; my brother. I can't wait until we can run again. I especially can't wait to be a part of this incredible tradition next year.

Here is a link to all the pics I took this weekend:  FTPR Mohican 50k

Final thoughts from the author: "Those videos" at the Chuck Wagon will not be posted   :)

Patience Makes a Great Dog

As many of you already know, I have been gloating for the past week about my newest member of my family. My little Chocolate Lab named Bodie has arrived.
He comes to me in a round about way via a friend from Facebook.

His name is based on an Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina named: Bodie Island.
My other Lab Buxton was named after a town on Hatteras Island just below Bodie Island in which we always stay in when on vacation.
Did I need another dog ? Short answer: No, or is it Yes ? I don't know......

This past week has been a true life changer or me. My Lab Buxton has not been happy about the new arrival. For the first couple of days, the puppy would sleep right beside me on the bed. (actually, he still does) and Buxton would either sleep in the other room or would sleep on the floor away from me.

This puppy is the total opposite of Buxton. He's rambunctious, playful, a little devious at times, but overall, sweet and good natured. I think he may need some obedience training, but so far, his potty training is going really well. We have our ups and downs but I think my patience will pay off over time. Patience makes a great Dog.

My Beagle Lilly has been a great big sister and is warming up to him more and more. I always catch them playing and laying together. It can only get better as time goes on. I caught Buxton and Bodie snuggling together.

I'm Back??????

I went on my longest run of the year this evening with my Sensei, my Big Brother, my Great Friend: Mark Carroll. It was a last minute decision to drive up his way since I had the night off and I was feeling really good.
Why not go for it. It was worth the drive up there even if we only did a mile or two, or three....

The past few weeks, I have felt like I am a way different person than I was even three month's ago. A lot has changed for me, but I am happiest to report that I feel extremely confident that I will be back to the running scene and being able to meet up with my running friends once again. I sure do miss them. I really do.
You guys/girls know who you are.

I'm going to take it slow. A lot of positive things WILL happen for me this year. I have not decided if I will running any Ultras this soon. I have signed up for two Warrior Dash races with my friends Julie Humes, Heidi Finniff, Cara Egeland...just to name a few.....
I am really eager to get back out on the trail. It is this place that I belong. I belong at Mohican.

First Post Back

Well, I blame someone in particular for starting this back up but, I will not name names (%M%a*r@k*C#a$r!r*o^l$l).........

Anyway, a ton of things has happened since my last post. It seems like years since then.
Yes, I did lose interest in the blog. In fact, it was the start to a miserable downward spiral to many things in life.
I was pretty bad off most of the summer. I was in pain nearly all the time. I eventually broke down and asked my doctor to prescribe something for the pain. I was told by three different, wonderful doctors that there was nothing that they could give me. I had nothing I could take. Talk about a dismal outlook on life.
All through this I thought about running and how bad I missed it. I was able to keep brewing, but not being able to run and workout was haunting me to the core.
I was really wishing I lived in my favorite state in the US (California) where I could be prescribed "a controversial substance". I was close to obtaining some, but in the end, things turned around for me.
I'm actually glad it never came to fruition. I have a great job and a great life. Why chance messing it up despite being in pain.
In late October I started feeling much better. I had stumbled upon something that has really turned my life around. The meds I was taking before made me really sick so I decided to stop taking them. I broke down in October and told my doctor that I wanted to get back on them to at least feel good 1-2 days out of the week.
I found out by taking the meds every day as opposed to twice a week, I was able to keep the level of medicine in my body stable and thus work more effectively. I will say since November I have only had 1-2 headaches and they were caused from drinking one too many pints the night before.
Today, I feel stronger, smarter and more ready than ever at not just running, but life in general.
I'm still recovering from nagging injuries that never seemed to heal but, it is my hope that I will slowly ease back into running and possibly some Crossfit again. I'm addicted to this stuff.
I feel like a race car (slow one) just sitting in a garage and not out racing.
As I type this off the top of my head, I am assuming I will pick up where I left off: Running, Brewing, my Black Lab and being a smart ass. What else is there?
Why this Blog name? Well, I feel like I have been given a second chance to catch my breath and to continue down my chosen path in life. My destiny is being unraveled right before my eyes.

I may surprise you by my current outlook on life and I may unveil some things that may seem off the wall. In the end, I really don't care what is perceived of me. I can say I am becoming a much happier person in life and my outlook altogether is positive. Thanks to my big brother Hal, I think I have discovered the true me and no longer question why I think differently from others. All I ask is that you have an open mind.

It's time to live Life.