Category: Running

CAMILLE HERRON IS EPIC

Camille Herron (41) ran 270.5 miles in 48 hours.

“Herron, 41 of Oklahoma City, ran for 148 miles the first day and 122.5 miles in the second day, averaging a pace of 10 minutes, 39 seconds per mile, according to her Instagram account.”

The Oklahoman

The most I ever ran in one day was 18 miles, while I was training for the Queens Marathon. That was about a week or two before COVID shut everything down, just three years ago.

I’ll say this – running 18 miles was magical.

It doesn’t hurt less, you just enjoy it more.

Sort of this theme of “seek discomfort.”

I’m not saying starve yourself and run for 48 hours.

For me, it’s running in the rain. Or running hills. Running in the cold and the dark.

That’s the discomfort that I love. And damn, running for 48 hours? That’s amazing. Not sure I’m ready for that, but I know I can run for two hours.

WINTER SEEKERS

Found this clip awhile on Instagram (of course), but finally dug it up and found it on the real internet, for everyone with a web browser to see!

Yeah, I know it’s just shilling for Nike running shoes (which I own two pairs of these days), but I think it’s fun, and lively, and adventerous, which is why I love running so much in the first place.

Fuck the big corporate races, or the booze drenched events that seem to be all my region cares about (please, do we need more brewery runs??!) – give me running adventures down alleys and around cities.

RUNNING IN THE SEVENTIES

Saw a recent Twitter thread from Jimmy Watkins / Running Punks.

Note: I’ll be so happy when someday I can say “saw a great post from so and so’s blog” instead of Twitter, but hey, we’ll get there.

Anyways, Jimmy / Running Punks was not feeling great mentally, be he went out for a run and had this amazing interaction with an older runner.

The part that really got me was this:

“We had a great chat. He was 73 years old, and we ran 10km in 59 minutes together. The route we took was one I take nearly every day.”

In my peak fitness a few years ago I ran a 10K in about 54 minutes or so, and that’s in my early 40s. I hope and dream that I’m able to run a sub hour 10K by the time I’m in my 70s.

But seriously – read that thread (here) while Twitter is still operational.

OBJECTS IN MOTION

In 2020 I think I ran about 1100 miles. Late last year I stopped even syncing to Strava. I’m still running, just doing my best to have less technical items to deal with. All my runs are logged in my watch, then to the Fitness app. Whatever. No one gets to see them, no comparing my heart rate to someone else.

Thinking how I wish I wrote big blog posts for some of my epic runs and races. Something to scroll through here on my blog, rather than just a bunch of numbers and metrics. Sort of like how looking at a playlist on Spotify doesn’t have the same pizzaz as a CD booklet or gate fold.

RACING THE SETTING SUN

I was in search of a new camera today. I’ve been pining for a “new toy” for a bit. Been looking online, tried visiting a small camera shop today (it wasn’t there anymore), and hit two BestBuy stores and their presentation was horrific. If I do end up buying something, I’m ordering from a reputable camera dealer online, thanks.

That said, after all that driving around, I took the woods. It was late afternoon, but I figured I could beat the sunset on my normal route, and I’m glad I gave it a chance.

It was in the 50s today, but as the sun went down, it seemed like a layer of fog or mist rolled in. There was a chill in the air, and it felt like magic.

Almost 1000′ of climbing, some gorgeous views, and made it back to the car just as the sun set. A damn good day.

ROUND AND ROUND

I keep watching as Twitter implodes, and seeing Facebook further incinerate its relationship with legit news, and realizing that I’m not jumping to another social media network. I mean, I’m just tapped out.

It’s wild that the boomers latched onto Facebook as hard as they did, which makes sense since so many of their kids got tired of their racist, xenophobic shit, and got tired of hearing how they paid for college working a 12 hour a week summer job, but still… I just can’t imagine being 60 something and going, “you know what? I want to spend more time on a computer.”

So I keep optimizing (read: spending) for adventure. Bikes, more running gear, gas in the car to head to the hills. Even though I have to drive through some sketchy traffic to get to the park pictured above, it’s very worth it. A paved one mile loop with no cars? Sign me up.

Life is here, in front of me, and that’s just fine.

RIVER RAMBLING

The day started at 5:30am, as I had to get to a friend’s house, then up to the Delaware Water Gap for the 10th running of the River Ramble.

The weather report said there was a 7% chance of rain by 9am, but there was a light rain pretty much the entire time. And it was also like 65F, with 90% humidty.

Like, train all summer with the dreadful humidity then reap the rewards during races in the Fall when the humidity is supposed to be gone, but the air was thick and heavy. I was supposed to run the 10K route, but I knew at mile one I’d only be doing the 5K.

My pace went up at each mile (11:26 > 11:07 > 10:14), and averaged a 140bpm rate, so I was happy with all that.

Finished in 32:13, which is a 10:23/mile pace, which I’ll take since I haven’t ran that pace consistently in any of my running this year! I guess my slow mileage has paid off.

GOT INTO THE WOODS

The start of the run was a slog, it was cold, windy, and raining just a bit, too. But then I found a trail I never checked out before, and the next mile was between giant trees on fluffy pine needles, and then a bit of raised walkway over a bog.

Many runs lately have felt hard, so I walk a bit, get the heart rate down, and get back to it. A slow run just means more time outdoors.

Afterwards I stopped at Target, and I thought my car looked tiny compared to the truck parked in the nearby space. I don’t want to know how much it cost to fill up the gas tank on that thing.

COVER MODEL RUN

I was hungry, didn’t bring any water, and it was one of the warmest days of the year so far. Did my best to be present, appreciate the sounds and scenery, and head out 2.25 miles on the D&L Trail in South Bethlehem.

I ran into two young kids who were taking photos with their polaroid. When I came back I asked how the photo turned out, and it was blown out – you could only see my shorts! So they took another shot, and said I looked like I could be on the cover of Vouge. I did the whole Madonna “strike a pose” thing, which may have been lost on them given their age, but it was still a good time.

THE HOLY ERRAND

My friend is out west, and posted some amazing pics from the desert. The Grand Canyon. She desribed this adventyre as a holy errand, and that’s the first time I ever heard those two words together.

Holy errand.

I was out on my run tonight, on an old route. It’s always easy to to gauge the “success” of the run by the pace, the speed, the heart rate. Can I run to that tree without stopping? To the top of the hill?

Tonight was a holy errand. I heard crickets for the first time this year. Saw this amazing sky.

Pace? Distance? Eh. I was able to get to the top of some hills. Maybe not as fast as I would like, but I made it. And tomorrow I’ll do it again.

It’s a holy errand.