an Ode to Klean Kanteen

It has been quite some time since I have been moved to write anything for the blog.  Something happened the other day, I almost lost my Klean Kanteen.  I remembered I had left it at a merchandise review at Luke's Locker on West Gray in Houston, the place I had purchased it so many years ago.  I was about half way home and realized it was missing, so I called and one of the girls found it for me.  Of course, I drove back to get it.  Seems as this inanimate object is a not so subtle reminder of who I once was. 

an Ode to Klean Kanteen

Eight years have passed

since you and I crossed paths.

Chubby and out of shape;

your cleansing water took the place

of diet sodas and milk shakes.

Funny how I remember the fear

I felt as I entered the place

where runners buy their gear.

Walking would save me from

a sedentary maelstrom.

My constant companion;

you went with me to the Grand Canyon.

Though I could not make it

to the river that trip...

I'll make it next time with you held tight in my grip!

Sitting at the dinner table

they tried to serve my water in a glass

but Klean Kanteen kept my hydration stable.

Kind of sounds like I am obsessed

but from my hands they cannot wrest.

One day while racewalking at the park,

I left you by my tire... what a lark.

I tired of carrying you

on that two mile loop

and you disappeared on the third pass through.

A busload of prisoners who were picking up trash

got too close to the rocket ship

and found my bottle stash.

Instead of throwing you in the waste receptacle

they loaded you on their bus... unacceptable!

That may have been the first

time I ever ran with such a speed burst!

That bus was leaving

with you held captive;

my chest was heaving!

Hand it over I stated

to the bus driver who provided

transportation to those incarcerated.

They looked around and just as I suspected

gave you back as I directed.

You have been with me to many races

5k to ultra, interesting places.

I left you at a vendor's stall

at the expo in Nashville, couldn't remember where...

found you at last, what a close call!

You tried to leave me at the place we met.

seems I have come full circle.  I work at

Luke's Locker, who would have bet!

Went to a staff meeting at West Gray

almost forgot you, glad it wasn't foul play.

I am no longer afraid to say I run

of course I'm slow but that's part of the fun.

Steadily improving, it's been a long

journey so far, but with you by my side

I know I'll be strong!

Making Tallow

Good morning!  Just wanted to write up a quick post about my recent purchase from A Better Way Beef. I purchased a mixed box of grass fed, grass finished beef and an additional 10 pounds of suet.  The price was great, $5.35 per pound and the mix included 7 pounds of ground beef, two beautiful shoulder round steaks, some beef short ribs, a nice sized rump roast and a couple of nice sized chuck steaks, and $3.00 per pound for the suet.  They keep the prices low by allowing smaller purchases rather than insisting a customer purchase a whole side of beef.  The cost of a whole side would be prohibitive for me, and that would keep me purchasing commercially produced meat at the grocery stores.  That is just not going to happen again, now that I have found "A Better Way!"

I finally found the extra time to render some of the suet into tallow the last Wednesday evening.

 This is the frozen suet after I removed the amount I need to render the bowl of tallow shown below.

The procedure is very simple and I was amazed at how easy it was to break off chunks of the suet with a sharp knife.

I chopped the chunks into smaller pieces and filled a 13x9x2 baking pan about 1/2 full, then placed it in the oven which had been preheated to 225 degrees F.  I checked on it once an hour, stirring the pieces to make sure it melted evenly.  Low heat and slow melting is the best way to do this, so make sure you have plenty of time on your hands if you are going to give this a shot.  I am thinking it took about 4 hours... Strain in a good stainless steel mesh strainer after you are done.

The resulting tallow is pure white.  Beautiful and probably the MOST stable fat for frying.  As a matter of fact, I fried my eggs in this fat yesterday morning, low heat of course, but not ONE splatter.

I can imagine how tasty the sweet potato fries are going to be!

I will make sure to add progress photos from the next batch I render so you all can see what the chunks of suet look like as they are melting in the pan.

Hog's Hunt 25k

Saturday, April 14. Woke up at 4am, made coffee, cooked breakfast for the road and loaded my gear in the car.  Lucky for me, I had company for this trip, my granddaughter, my son, and my nephew.

Granddaughter, Juliana, had never been to a race with me before, though her dad has accompanied me on a couple of occasions.  My nephew, Bill, was running his first trail race, and it would also be the first time he had run more than 10 miles.  We were both signed up for the 25k.

The temps were a little warmer than usual for this time of year, so I cautioned Bill never to leave an aid station with a water bottle that was not topped off, at the same time making a mental note of that fact for myself.

For some reason, I still don't think I have the fueling worked out for these shorter distance events... not sure if I should be mixing fat and protein with the carbs.  It seems I either need to go into them fasted (I do my training runs/walks of up to 10 miles with no fuel and fasted), or fuel with the sweet potato mixture I have come up with for longer events.  Hammer gel mixed with some egg white protein just did NOT get it for me.  I was able to maintain a 12:11 per mile pace all the way to about 10 miles, then the wheels fell off.  I am still not sure if it was due to the heat and high humidity of the improper fueling.  One thing for certain, I did drink plenty of fluids.  Thanks to my friends from H-T Rex, I was able to cool down with 2.8 miles to go by dumping multiple cups of ice water over my head.  Man, did that feel good!

No pr for me this time because the last 5.5 miles were a lot slower than the first 10, but everyone knows you can't PR every time.  3:28 and some change... 42nd out of 80 total females is not bad in my book.

I will add a start and finish line photo a little later.

Dinner in a Hurry

Didn't really feel like cooking when I got home from work, so I prepared something simple.

3 free range eggs over easy (cooked in butter from grass fed cows)
about 3/4 cup of roasted root veggies
               (turnips, beets, sweet potatoes roasted in coconut oil with curry powder, sea salt and black pepper)
about 3/4 cup homemade sauerkraut

Saturday at the Park

Since the plan was to go to my sister's house for Easter Sunday, I felt like I needed to get a workout done Saturday.

I was very surprised to arrive at Stephen F. Austin State Park and find a sign stating all the campsites were sold out!  I was only planning to stick around for 2 hours at the most, just to get in a good hill workout, and since I have a state parks pass, I can visit as often as I like without paying a day pass fee.

Here is a map of the trails for reference... I started out at the Cottonwood trail head near the amphitheater.  Just a little way down the trail, the Opossum Loop breaks off to the right and there is a nice little down hill to a bridge over a creek bed then back up the other side of the creek.  As you proceed around the loop, you come to the intersection of the Raccoon Bend Trail. If you turn right, it takes you toward the Brazos river which is still pretty high, and if you make a left turn, it leads you back to the Cottonwood trail, or if you follow Raccoon Bend just a little farther, you can follow the Opossum Loop back to the Cottonwood trail.  None of these cover too much distance, so I chose a sort of figure 8 pattern for a decent 4 mile hill repeat workout.  Each of these trails have a nice little up and down near where they intersect with Cottonwood, so I ran up and down all the hills and walked the flats for recovery... I ended the morning with a couple of miles of easy hiking to check out the Riverbend and Copperhead trails which were both under water my last trip to the park!  Things had dried out nicely and the park staff had mowed some of the tall grass to make the trails more visible.  It was fun to walk along a few downed trees and jump back and forth over them for fun... also walked along the edges of the little bridge over the creek (forward, backward and side to side) to work on my balance... that's when the mosquitoes attacked in full force!

Side note: Thanks for leaving me the Deep Woods Off, Mellody.  Had I not sprayed myself down and rubbed that horrible stuff all over my face and ears, the mosquitoes would have just picked me up and carried me away.  As it stood, they were trying to fly inside my ears to bite my eardrums because that's the only place I didn't spray the Off!!!

I am always encouraged when I see families with their children out exploring the trails at a state park, and Saturday was no exception!  There were families headed out to the river with their fishing poles and families riding the trails on their bicycles!  One little lady was training for a triathlon and her mother had recently completed her first half marathon!

Notes on nutrition... started this workout about 3 hours after I ate breakfast, and find that I don't need any electrolytes or nutrition on walks/runs up to about 2 hours.  Anything longer than that and I use 1 or 2 Endurolytes an hour, and might take along a Larabar or a bite or two of cooked peeled sweet potato in a ziploc bag.  For ultra distance racing or training longer than 2 hours, I have a liquid nutrition drink that is made from sweet potatoes and other stuff... and I make home made Pemmican bars too.  I will post these recipes in a separate blog post.

Seabrook Lucky Trail Challenge 2012

Finally getting around to writing up a race report covering my second go around with the Seabrook Lucky Trail Challenge.  The challenge?  Do a half marathon on Saturday (chip time 2:47:37.3) followed by a full marathon on Sunday (chip time 5:54:57.7).  The reward? Receive an extra special medal for completing both races.  The reason?  Proceeds from the race benefit “The Bridge”; a non-profit organization that assists victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

This race did not disappoint!  I had a great time as usual.  The volunteers are extremely helpful, the aid stations are top notch, the runner swag is awesome… a hat, a pair of socks and a tech shirt that fits perfectly, and the post race food seems never-ending!  The best thing?  My dear friend Mellody decided to come to Texas at the last minute and help me finish out my week long birthday celebration with a bang!

The prelude to race weekend was epic.  I spent the first part of spring break week in Austin volunteering for and attending ThePaleoFX Ancestral Momentum - Theory to Practice Symposium.  I already wrote a blog post about that one… I ended my day Thursday with a fabulous meal at the 24 Diner.  The bunless lamb burger was just what the Paleo doc ordered.  It was a little late for me to be eating dinner, but I had 2 hour drive home ahead of me.  So, I ordered my usual supercharger: quad shot espresso with heavy cream.  When the bartender served it up, he said that should last me til tomorrow night.  Of course, I had to tell him it was my 3^rd that day. LOL  Time to head back to my newly found friend Tannifer’s house, pack my car and head home.

I arrived home at around 12:20 am and barely had time to unpack from the conference and then re-pack for marathon weekend, which would also include a Broadway Across America production of Mel Brooks YoungFrankenstein at The Grand Opera House in Galveston.  Mellody’s flight was scheduled to arrive at around 8:15 am, so I really needed to hurry and get to bed.  I looked at my clock and was about to get into bed at 1:36 am, when all of a sudden, I heard a horrible noise outside.  My heart hit my feet and I said “Raymond, oh FUCK, something REALLY big just fell out of the tree in the back yard, and it sounded like it fell on someone’s car.”  I walked to the kitchen window in time to see a large blue flash of light and then watched the lights explode inside the duplex in my back yard.  Pow, Pow, Pow, starting at the back of the apartment, then finally the porch fixture… POW!

We cautiously went to the back yard and the smell of smoke was overpowering, so I called 911 to make sure they were close in case of a fire, then I made all the tenants come outside until I was sure it was safe.  We have a very large oak tree in our back yard… so large that two adults can’t join hands around the base of the tree.  We had a seriously dry summer last year and then lots of rain this spring, so the tree was weakened by the stress and a limb of about 18” in diameter fell on the electric service entrance in the back of the duplex, breaking the ground wire and causing everything in both apartments to blow out.  The amazing thing is that the electric company came right out and reconnected everything on the spot.  I think I finally crawled into bed at about 3:45 am.  Raymond woke me up when he came back in the house at 5am.  

Hahahahahaha… knowing what I know about stress and not getting enough sleep; that probably took a couple of years off my life.

This is certainly not much of a race report, but I really did enjoy the challenge in Seabrook.  The trails are immaculate, and what could be better than spending the weekend with 100’s of your craziest friends?  Well, maybe beating your previous finish time from 2010!

Recipes

Here are two more home made versions of the famous Larabar:

Apple Pie:
1 cup dehydrated apple slices *
1/2 cup dates
2/3 cup raw almonds
1/3 cup walnut pieces
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger

add all ingredients to a food processor.  process until well combined.  press into a cookie sheet.  refrigerate and cut into bite size bars.  keeps well in refrigerator or freezer.
*Organic Braeburn apples, peeled, sliced and tossed in lemon juice before dehydrating at low temp.

Apricot:
1 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dates
1 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
2T coconut oil

add all ingredients to a food processor.  process until well combined.  press into a cookie sheet. refrigerate and cut into bite size bars.

Probiotics anyone? Paleo, of course.

Every time I make another batch of homemade sauerkraut, I feel like a superstar.  I get lots of comments on my facebook page when I post the pictures, so why not share the process with everyone!

I bought 2 medium sized heads of cabbage (about 5 1/3 pounds).  I could have used 6 pounds to fill 3 - 1 quart jars and I will remember that next time.

Wash your quart jars and lids in very hot water, let air dry.

Peel the dark green outer leaves off of the cabbage heads, rinsed them off and set to the side, there will be a use for them later.

Cut the heads of cabbage into quarters with a very sharp knife.  Remove the core.  Slice all the cabbage as thick or thin as you like it.  I like to cut mine as if I was making cole slaw.  Divide the cabbage into two large glass bowls and sprinkle 2 teaspoons sea salt over each of them.  Meanwhile dissolve 1 teaspoon of sea salt into about a cup of boiling water.  Work the salt into the shredded cabbage (I use my hands to make sure the cabbage is well mixed).  I started with refrigerated cabbage, so I mixed it around a few times while it returned to room temperature before I started packing the jars.

Start by pouring a little of the salted water into the bottom of each jar.  This will insure that the cabbage does not have any large air pockets that could cause mold.  Pack the cabbage tightly into the jar as you add a little at a time until the jar is almost full.  The cabbage should be fully submerged.  There will be a little liquid in the bottom of your bowl, pour that in the jar too.

Here is where you use the green leaves you saved when you started the process.  Fold a leaf so that it is almost too large for the jar.  Press it down over the cabbage until it is partially covered with the liquid.  That will keep the cabbage where it belongs during the fermentation process, always covered with liquid.

Make sure you place the jars in a container that will catch overflow in case the liquid seeps out of the jar, cover the whole thing with a towel and put it in a dark place.  I put mine in the cabinet where all my large serving platters and bowls are stored, since that one is rarely opened.

In cooler weather, unscrew the lid to vent the sauerkraut every 5 days.  Taste if you wish at this time, then replace the lid.  When it is warmer, I would suggest venting every 3 to 5 days.

You personal taste and the climate in your home will determine the length of the process.

Properly prepared, sauerkraut should keep in your refrigerator up to 6 months.

There are lots of resources on the internet for fermenting vegetables of all kinds... and there are some safety concerns with regard to mold, etc.  I have not had a problem with mold, and I think that is because I make the sauerkraut in a closed jar, rather than the old fashioned way in an open crock.

PaleoFX12 - The Assignment

Hi! This will be a little different than the usual malvs2walk blog.

I had the good fortune to be able to attend day one of Paleo f(x) Ancestral Momentum - Theory to Practice Symposium in Austin Texas last week. I drove up on Monday just in time to "almost" attend the volunteer orientation tour of the facility where the Symposium was being held - Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium at University of Texas in Austin.


I met lots of my IPMG (International Paleo Movement Group on Facebook) friends and received instructions for the next days volunteer needs. Since I was going to be working the registration table the first two days of the event, Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, I was able to volunteer to help out with the Audio Visual setup (running errands) all day Tuesday. Wednesday I was charged with hauling some precious cargo to the facility. Then, let the packet stuffing begin! We dispensed with 500+ bags of assorted materials for speakers, attendees and volunteers alike in short order! We were ready to greet everyone when they started arriving around 3 pm!


Everyone who "knows" me also knows how much I love my coffee. We were on a pretty tight schedule and the Starbucks that is usually open in the Stadium lobby was closed due to spring break. I don't know Austin proper that well, so was certainly feeling deprived of my caffeine. Someone had directed me to a coffee shop in the Student Union Tuesday afternoon, so as we were finished stuffing the event packets... I headed over there at about 2:30. To my complete dismay, the coffee shop was closed. I was starting to get, shall we say "PISSY", and asked some people on the street where there was a decent coffee shop. They pointed me in the direction of Caffé Medici, right across the street from the campus. Mind you, it was almost 3pm and this would be my first coffee of the day, so I went ALL IN and ordered a 6 shot espresso with some steamed heavy cream. Where are you Robb Wolf. LOL  Anyhow, that was one of the better espressos I had in a long time, and it came with a compliment in the form of a question: "Are you an athlete?"


Back to the conference, higher than a kite, but also focused on the task at hand... get those folks processed and pointed in the right direction!  Everything went smoothly and from what I understand, Dr. Jack Kruse opening remarks Wednesday night were epic!  Wish I could have gone upstairs to listen!  I will be purchasing several of the presentations on DVD when they become available.


Thursday, and let the presentations begin!  The registration tribe leader was very gracious to hold me to only two of the scheduled time slots since I had been helping out an extra day or two, so I was able to see Robb Wolf's presentation, sit in on two important panel discussions and also attend Mark Sisson's presentation.

There are several things I want to touch on.  The first thing is that we all need to be willing to share our experiences with others.  So many people have been saved by Paleo.  It's one of the things I remember Robb Wolf saying at the start of his presentation... that at least 200 people had approached him saying, "You saved my life" in the short time he had been in Austin.  It's our duty to pay it forward, but not in a forceful, condescending manner.  We can lead by example, eat real food and move our bodies.  Learn to evolve in our thoughts just as we have evolved over time.  Paleo is not the same thing for every person, and the only way to learn what works for us as individuals is to clean out our own house and start anew.  I know I have learned something new almost every day since January 18, 2011 (my paleoversary).

The first panel discussions I attended was called "Affecting Future Healthcare & Food Policy".  This is something I hold near and dear.  I am, as are countless other citizens of planet earth, tired of large corporations driving policy.  Government officials have NO idea what they are talking about when they are talking about what humans eat, and the corporations that are behind "the food pyramid" or "myplate" are only interested in how forcing this policy down our throats will line their pockets.  The same goes for the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries.  There are a precious few doctors who are willing to admit that they have been wrong about the causes of diseases of civilization, and part of this panel discussion was aimed at how those physicians and dietitians who know the truth can spread it to the rest of the profession.  It should be the goal of the medical industry to reduce illness by understanding what CAUSES it rather than just mask the symptoms with another pill.  Let's all talk to our family doctor and tell them what we are doing when we get our next annual physical.  If they try to prescribe a pill for you... don't just blindly take it.  We are consumers when we enter the doctor's office, and consumers have the right to be involved from step one with their medical "purchases".  A registered dietitian in the audience asked what she should do when sanctioned by her licensing agency for spreading the truth and refusing to push My Plate toward another unsuspecting client.  Now is the time for someone to step up (are there not any Paleo attorneys willing to donate some time?) and start a legal defense fund to help these people who only want to spread the truth.

(feels like I am starting to get a little preachy here...)

The next panel I attended was called: "Future of Paleo".  Another subject that deserves some serious thought and discussion.  This thing Primal/Paleo/Ancestral Health... whatever you call it, has really been gathering speed.  I think I may have heard the words Paleo Diet a couple of years ago but never really gave it much thought.  Now, there are more and more people who have heard of it, and whether their opinion is good or bad does not matter.  When the negatives arise on the internet because some news reporter surveys 1,000 people and some of them say Paleo is not sustainable, thousands of my closest friends head on over to those websites and clear up the untruths that are being spread.  That's good for everyone.  What is not so good?  When people hide behind pseudonyms and false pictures and spread negativity.  If we are going to change the world, we need to continue to spread this message in a positive, supportive manner.  Calling each other names whether it be a vegan or someone who thinks their Paleo way is the ONLY way is not going to make any of us look credible.  We all have a purpose in this movement.  How many people have you told about Paleo?  How many of your friends and family have tried it?  How many of your friends are still headed down that SAD (Standard American Diet) path to disease?  How many people have ended their friendship with you over your determination to be a vibrant healthy individual?  Those people are still worth saving and all we can hope for is that they find their way to the truth.

I attended Mark Sisson's presentation, then headed toward the lobby to purchase "Primal Body Primal Mind" and hope to get that and my well read copy of "The Paleo Solution" both autographed by their respective authors.  Once that mission was accomplished, it was time for me to leave all this great company I had the good fortune to spend some quality time with.  I really wanted to stay for Friday's discussions, but had a prior engagement with a good friend that I will blog about in the next day or so.

I want to leave this post with a profound statement, but I think I already put all the passion I could muster into the commentary above.  I hope my story touches someone who may have been struggling and helps them choose the path to Ancestral Health!

home made Jocolat

So, this is my first attempt at a home made version of Jocolat Coffee.

1 1/2 cup Pitted Dates
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup raw almonds
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
6T cocoa powder
2T espresso beans (ground on the finest setting of the burr mill grinder)
4T coconut oil
2T coconut butter

I processed all of it in the food processor until it started to bind together.  The taste is amazing and very intense.
Spread in a cookie sheet, refrigerate for a little while, then cut into bars.  12 - 15 servings

more workout notes

Monday, February 20, 2012
Exercise Sets Reps Weight

1 walking lunges 1 10 20.0 lb
2 walking lunges 2 10
3 Standing calf raise 3 10 42.0 lb
4 Overhead Press Barbell 3 10 42.0 lb
5 Bent over Barbell row 3 10 42.0 lb
6 leg raises 3 15
7 stiff legged Barbell deadlift 3 10 20.0 lb
8 Bench Press Barbell 3 10 42.0 lb
9 Upright Row Barbell 3 10 42.0 lb
10 Plank, front straight arm 3 2:30 in duration
11 plank, side straight arm 3 1:00 in duration right arm
12 plank, side straight arm 3 1:00 in duration left arm
I had to dump the weights on the 2nd and 3rd set of lunges. Left IT and glute still sore. Also, dropped the front plank to 2:30 so I could make sure to get through all of the repeats.
Overall, a pretty good workout. Worked out fasted, didn't start until 8:30 pm, so going to bed hungry.


Thursday, February 23, 2012
Exercise Sets Reps Weight 

1 walking lunges 3 10
2 Standing calf raise 3 10 42.0 lb
3 Overhead Press Barbell 3 10 42.0 lb
4 Bent over Barbell row 3 10 42.0 lb
5 leg raises 3 15
6 stiff legged dumbell deadlift 3 10 20.0 lb
7 Bench Press Barbell 3 10 42.0 lb
8 Upright Row Barbell 3 10 42.0 lb
9 Plank, front straight arm 3 2:30 in duration
10 plank, side straight arm 3 1:00 minutes right arm
11 plank, side straight arm 3 1:00 left arm


planks are getting more difficult. 3rd Strength training workout this new cycle.

Was supposed to be getting some walking/running done during the week too, but I just didn't push it.

Saturday, February 25, 2012
Stephen F. Austin State Park. In a word - Awesome! Wildlife sightings today: barred owl, pileated woodpecker, several pair of cardinals, and LOTS of deer and raccoon tracks in the mud, but no actual sightings.

did some running the first hour... 4.61 miles
second hour mostly walking... 4.15 miles
last 9:35 cool down... .6 miles
average pace 13:51
total distance: 9.35 miles; total time out 2:09:25
ate breakfast by 7 am, started the workout at 10:00, so I would call that fasted. post workout meal was a large hamburger patty, a large sweet potato and a little home made sauerkraut topped with horseradish mustard.

Again, I was supposed to lift weights this evening, but didn't push myself to do it.  I am contemplating going out for some more muddy fun at the park tomorrow morning, but I still need to get that weight lifting workout in.   Undecided for the moment. 

Workout Notes

The reason I am doing this? To keep me honest. I seriously need to do my strength training 3 times a week. I have, in the recent past, become a slacker. I got through a 50 mile race with little or no training, and scored a 2+ hour pr. That’s not how this ultramarathoning thing is supposed to work. I do know that I don’t have to do a whole lot of long distance training to do them. I really believe that heavy weight lifting, some high intensity sprinting, and some nice slow long walk/jogs will help more than trying to get in 60 – 80 miles a week.


Friday 2/17/12
Exercise Weight Reps Sets

1 walking lunge 20 10 3
2 calf raise 42 10 3
3 overhead presses 32 10 3
4 bent over rows 32 10 3
5 leg raises 0 15 3
6 stiff legged dead lift 20 10 3
7 bench presses, 32 10 3
8 upright rows, 32 10 3
9 front plank 3:00 1 3
10 rt plank 1:00 1 3
11 lt plank 1:00 1 3

Sunday, February 19, 2012
I ate a huge breakfast at around 8, drank several cups of coffee and went and visited with my mom for a couple of hours before she had to go to work.

When I got home, I prepared the rump roast I purchased yesterday by searing it, lightly sautéing the vegetables (carrots, onions, celery, turnips, mushrooms and a little garlic) and dropping it all in the crock pot.

Next, change clothes so I can get out for a longish walk/jog. It had been about four and one half hours since breakfast and I was planning on at least two hours, at most ten miles. I only took plain water to drink and one Endurolytes Fizz tablet with me. I should have no problem going up to ten miles fasted. I probably jogged 1.33 miles, racewalked 1 mile and powerwalked the rest of the first hour, completing 4.7 miles total. I kept the intensity up throughout and up until one hour forty minutes, consuming a little water about every 1.2 miles. I refilled the water bottle and added the Fizz, planning to slow down and enjoy the last 20 minutes of my walk. Good work today, no hamstring pain. 8.82 miles in 2 hours: Average Pace 13:37. I enjoyed a post workout meal of sirloin steak sautéed in lard from grass fed beef and a huge sweet potato.

I saw these lovely tame ducks at the park. I was wondering… do ducks naturally segregate? A flock of these crested ducks are always hanging out together, and then there was one. Mallard. All alone.

Rocky Raccoon 50 mile MudFest 2012!

Hello Blog, have you missed me?

Let’s go ahead and dispense with the formalities. It rained. It was muddy. It was fun! The official results not posted yet.

Arrival at Huntsville State Park Friday at around 1:30 pm found Chris and Miles working hard at getting the aid station set up. My plan was to help them, so pitched in and helped wherever they directed me, including stringing strand after strand after strand of Christmas lights and hauling supplies from the lodge. Oh, and testing said Christmas lights while a torrential downpour was in progress… interesting, but stupid. We did everything we could so that all they really had to do was unload the perishable food in the morning and start cooking. I missed the pre-race briefing, but I ALWAYS read the race document so felt I was well prepared for the race the next day.

I am so lucky to have friends like Deborah Sexton! She organized the hotel room for the weekend and the Friday night pre-race dinner at the Farmhouse Café on 14th Street in Huntsville. As usual the NTTR group was very friendly and we had a nice chat (newbies and ultra veterans alike) before going back to the hotel to get our things ready for Saturday morning.

There were 5 ladies in one hotel room and there were no problems with everyone taking their turn in the restroom. LOL. As usual, I showered and put on my base layer and my socks before going to bed. I put my timing chip on the ankle strap, drank some water and went to bed. When we woke up Saturday morning, the storm going on outside was EPIC! That had been the forecast all week, and we paid to play, so let’s get this show on the road! The 100 mile race started at 6 am, and I arrived at the park in time to see them head out through the woods in the downpour. There were some friends who offered to crew for me because another one of their friends was running his first 50, so I found them and headed to the start at around 6:50, in plenty of time for the starting gun. It is customary to check in with the timing people prior to the start of this race, so I asked where the check-in table was located. When I was told that the timing chip was the check-in as we crossed the mat… I felt a huge pit in my stomach. I had forgotten my chip at the hotel. The stream of expletives that escaped my mouth was another EPIC occurrence at Rocky Raccoon 2012! I never thought to ask for another chip, so I RAN the half mile back to where my car was parked and DROVE back to the hotel to get my chip. It was the DUMBASS runner move of the day.

When I got back to the start line, I threw my car keys at the crew and headed out to the trail. As I passed the timing tent I said, I guess we can start when we are good and ready, right? I was so angry, I think I started with 16 or 17 minutes on the clock, and I had a pretty serious time goal as far as I was concerned, having emailed a pace chart for a 13:20 finish to all my friends with a note that stated “no Crazy outfits this time, I am serious.” Starting the race late does not really qualify as serious, right? As I headed out to join 700 other crazy folks on the trail, I just tried to forget how stupid I felt and focus on the task at hand. I don’t usually run much, but planned to run/walk this race. The 50 mile course is 3 16.67 mile loops and the plan was to finish each loop as close to 4:26 as I could, that would give me an average pace of 16:00 per mile. My finish time for the previous two 50 milers I completed was around 16:45, for an average pace of 20:06; so, if I completed this one according to plan, the PR would be another EPIC occurrence at Rocky Raccoon 2012. Since I don’t have official results and splits, the part of the story where I talk about my loop times will be estimated.

Back to the story – It was not long before I encountered the first of many mud pits on the trail. No worries, the rain had slowed down by the time I started, and I expected the mud, so I just plowed right through it. Trying to go around would just slow me down, and I had some lost time to make up. When shooting for an average pace of 16:00 per mile in a trail race with an aid station every 3 to 5 miles, you need to move faster than that in order to take a minute or two to stop at the station, refill your water bottle, use the potty if necessary and then get the heck out again. I was not fooling around, just refill and run on. The mud… did I mention the mud? 700 other folks had already plowed through the mud pits once before I got to them. Every one was sloppier than the one before. The spot I was most worried about was right after crossing the dam. There was lots of slipping and sliding going on there. I almost sat down and used the hill like a sliding board, but chose to ski on my running shoes instead. I was hitting most of my miles in the 13:00 to 14:00 minute range, so totally making up for the time I lost at the start! Of course, my bad attitude for starting late was catching up with me and my back was tightening up causing my sciatica to kick in. I know, you’re not supposed to talk on the cell while you are in a race, but I called Melissa, my friend and ultra-massage therapist. She gave me some tips on how to release my lower back, which I planned to do at the end of the first loop, or risk having to drop due to the sciatica. I kept powering through and finished the first loop somewhere around 4:00, giving me plenty of time to clean the mud out of my shoes, clean my feet and put on dry socks, and lay on the ground to fix my back.

Headed back out on the trail for loop 2, right on schedule, and very proud I had made up for lost time. Aid stations are packed with ultra fare, which I am not sorry to say, is mostly JUNK. Since starting the Paleo diet a year ago, I just don’t eat ramen noodles, cookies, crackers, pretzels, candy, quesadillas and pancakes. I also don’t drink soda or Gatorade. So, I brought along my pre-mixed ultra fuel (pureed sweet potatoes, dates, pineapple juice, egg white protein powder, coconut oil, cinnamon, ginger, and a little sea salt all blended together and poured into my fuel belt bottles) and some home made pemmican bars. I did use some Hammer gel and Endurolytes too; it IS a race after all. The nutrition and hydration went pretty well, though I did need to pee twice during each loop. The good thing is I never had any cramping during or after the race, and I knew what to do if my hands started to swell. This time right after passing the dam, I encountered a huge tree that had fallen across the trail sometime after I completed the first loop. The conversation that resulted was hilarious. Most folks thought they just forgot seeing it the first time around. I am just thankful no ultra runners were injured when the tree fell! About half way through the second loop, my back loosened up and I was really able to embrace the raccoon and the mud! A couple of times, I shouted… “I’m five years old!!!” There was one good thing about the mud: the water was cold, so it was like a built in ice pack every 30 minutes or so, so no foot problems. Second loop finished in about 4:30, including the stop to change shoes at the end… still right on schedule.

Almost left for loop #3 without the water bottle… thanks again, crew!!! Headed out, knowing I was going to meet my second goal of finishing the race in fewer than 14 hours! My back was better, there was no more pain in my left IT band, calf and hamstring, I had my music back and charged up for the last loop, and I had my headlamp ready for when darkness fell! Nothing could go wrong from here! The best thing of all was approaching the Park Road Aid station in the dark and seeing those Christmas lights that I had helped string the day before! I knew my friends from Houston would be there to cheer me on to the finish! They even had a true Paleo snack for me: almond stuffed, bacon wrapped dates! They made my day and when I asked the time of day because I couldn’t see my Garmin anymore, I took off for the finish in high spirits! The crew expected to see me at about 9pm, just making my 14 hour gun time goal, but when I saw the clock as I sprinted to the finish; it read 13:38 hours (8:38 pm). OH, MY GOD!!! If I had started the race at 7 am along with everyone else, I would have finished at a clock time of 13:21 or 13:22, just a minute or two over my “blue sky” time goal. I never really dreamed I could do 50 miles in those tough conditions that quickly! I know in the grand scheme, and compared to fast runners my age, it’s not a big deal, but to PR by 3+ hours in a 50 mile race – well that’s freaking HUGE! So, I finish, and my crew is nowhere to be found… they are off cooking pork fajitas so their friend and I will have some hot protein to eat at the finish. I got my medal and my hugs (thanks Deb and Janice), and headed out to hot food and to revel in my personal win!

Back to the hotel, shower, sleep a few hours and prepare to work the aid station Sunday morning so I could help the later 100 mile finishers see their way down the trail with some hot food and words of encouragement.

What a great way to spend the weekend!

Music notes during the race:
At 10 miles – Sublime “40oz to Freedom” No - 40 miles to freedom!
At dusk – Opeth “Harlequin Forest” (They are the trees, rotten pulp inside, never well)



Sorry so long for a measly 50 miles, but they are my thoughts to share if you wish to read them. Thanks… malvs2walk (and sometimes she runs!)

Rocky Raccoon 25k Race Report and some other junk…

Huntsville State Park, oh how I love this place! I think I would spend some time there every weekend if it were not a 100-mile drive from my home.

I woke up at 3am on November 5, 2011, made the coffee and put my race gear in the car. Thankfully, I had leftover scrambled eggs and deer sausage left over from dinner the night before, so I did not have to worry with that. I just warmed it up and headed the Honda in a northeasterly direction at about 4am!

I ate my breakfast promptly at 5am, as my race started at 7am. I planned to run as much as was humanly possible for me in order to finish the race in a respectable time (for me). Typically, I am not a runner, but a walker/racewalker. Everyone knows that racewalking is not possible on the heavily root covered trails at Huntsville, so I usually run a little when I race there. This day was going to be different because I have been waging an internal battle with myself: Do I want to be a competitive master’s racewalker, or am I really just doing the racing because it is fun?

Packet and chip pick up was very efficient and organized! East Texas Ultra Runners Paul Stone and his crew always put on a great event. Bib #181 seemed like a good one… I watched the start of the 50k at 6am, and then walked back to my car to get my race gear assembled.

It was still a little dark outside when the race started and a friend had forgotten to bring a light. I jogged slowly from the start so the friend could benefit from my flashlight. When the sun came up enough for all of us to see the trail without the light, I bid my friend farewell and began to tear up the trail. I say that with tongue in cheek, because an average 13:00 per mile pace is not necessarily tearing up the trail. However, for me, maintaining that pace for 25k would be a huge pr (personal record) for this distance on trails. I was feeling fine, the temperature was in the 40’s for the start and it was a beautiful day! I finally figured out what caused my electrolyte problem in the past (too many Endurolytes and not enough water) so I made that adjustment. My race fuel was Hammer espresso gel/chocolate gel mixed with 2T Now Egg White Protein powder and a little coconut oil. I had a handheld water bottle filled with Heed that I refilled at the aid stations. Sadly, I left my little flashlight at the first aid station. That flashlight served me well through Tejas Trails Kapt’n Karls 3 race series, so I guess I will have to go buy another one. It is very bright and easy to carry because it came with a wrist strap. I cannot imagine what made me walk off and leave it. 

Back to the trail… I was having fun and really pushing myself, passing back and forth with a couple of runners who were about my speed. There were a couple of moments where I began plodding along, not really feeling in to the race. I had to tell myself to pick up the pace because a friend, Erin Taylor-Talcott, has recently enlightened me. She got something from our conversations that I had not noticed. It is a mental thing that happens to me about 2/3 to 3/4 of the way into my races no matter the distance. I start to feel fatigued and disgusted with myself, and I always slow down only to pick up the pace after a mile or so of feeling bad. If it were a nutritional problem, it would be time based or even based on a specific distance. I think it is my mind telling my body I suck, and I will never get any better at this thing called racing. Every time I started to plod, I would tell myself “Run, Dammit! You can do better than this.” I would run until I HAD to walk again, uphill or downhill, it did not matter.

Finally, I arrived at the H-T Rex aid station, 2.8 miles from the finish. I had been drinking more water this race, so had to use the porta-can. I looked at my watch and saw I was only 2:52 into the race, so I mugged for a photo (thanks Mariela) and ran up the hill to cover the last section of the trail. A little history about my Rocky Raccoon 25k finishes: the first time I did this race in 2008 I walked the whole thing in 3:36; the second time I did it in 2010 I ran/walked it in 3:43 (the running slowed my overall finish time); this time I ran/walked it in 3:22. I am soooo proud of this! It is only a 14 minute pr for the distance on trails, but if you consider my run/walk improvement of 21 minutes, that is a substantial improvement!

Race photos can be found here for a while... Your Sporting Image and enter bib #181.


Now for the other junk:

I would not be where I am right now had I not changed my lifestyle from Standard American Diet to Paleo Diet. NO QUESTION. I effortlessly lost 35 pounds; I eat as much as my body wants to be fed, as long as there are no grains, legumes or processed foods, very little fruit, occasional full fat Greek yogurt, and plenty of coconut oil, good quality meats and lots of veggies. I maintain this weight loss without food logging which is a definite plus. I do not have to kill myself exercising, and still get pr’s. I can lift heavier things without worrying about straining my back. My total body composition is changing. I am no longer an apple shaped woman. My waistline continues to get smaller even though I am not losing any more weight.

The question I have to answer now is this: Do I want to put the additional stress in my life that trying to be a competitive master’s racewalker will cause? I started doing marathons because I really enjoy them, and gave me a good reason to try to maintain my fitness level so that I will continue to enjoy them when I participate. Then I found ultra marathons and trail races. Those are my favorite, because even the elite athletes are welcoming to the whole crowd, even if it takes you twice as long to finish the race as it does them.

I am going to go back in time a little. My husband and I used to have a weekend drag racing car. He worked on it, and I raced it. That was so much fun, from the burnout, to staging the car at the Christmas tree! The adrenaline rush of taking off and speeding down the strip does not compare to anything I have ever done, or will ever do again. The problem with drag racing is you can be as fast as you can afford to be. I was really good with my reaction time. If .500 was perfect, I was usually in the range of .501 to .510. The other drivers all tried their best to goad me into going in for the dial-in and competing against them. Everyone pitches in some money, and you predict your finish time, the one closest to the “dial-in” wins the pot. It was not long after that, we sold the car and stopped going to the drag strip. When I thought about competing, the fun was all lost.

I would appreciate a little feedback… I have not written anything for the blog in a long time, mainly because I have been going over this compete vs. participate dilemma for a long time.  I may come back and add a photo and a couple of links later, but really needed to get this off my mind.

The Falls… 2nd in the Capt’n Karls 3 Race Series (8/6/2011)

So, I recklessly signed up for The Falls and The Shoe before I had even completed Ink’s Lake. The reason I say it was reckless? I might be doing a lot better at these 30k events if I would TRAIN for them. LOL


I tried to sleep late on Saturday morning so I would not get sleepy on the trail after dark and do a face plant. I ended up getting up at about 7:30. That would just have to do. Got up, got dressed and had to drive to Sugarland to pick up some raw dairy from a wonderful farmer, I bought the fresh heavy cream, fresh yogurt, and fresh butter, then headed back home to finish packing the car for the night race.

I think I left home at about 1:30, and then realized I had forgotten my Heed. I was not too far from home, so I went back to get it, and forgot the sleeping bag I was intending to bring. Oh, well, I would just have to nap in my chair after the race was over. For some reason, I keep thinking it takes me 2 hours to drive to Austin, but when I am headed just into town on 71, I get to the airport in about 1:35. Good! I picked up Deborah at her hotel; we put her stuff in the car and headed west toward Pedernales Falls. It is not a bad drive, and we made it to the park early enough to get our stuff settled and rest a while before the planned 7:15 start of the 30k. There was one lone tree, and runners were gathered around it like cows on a hot day, looking for the one place that was shaded in the pasture! We listened to the briefing for the 60k runners as we were following the same course as they were. They started at 7:00.

The race started on time, and we were off on the dusty trail. I knew I would have sinus trouble all night because it was soooo dry out there. We still have not had a drop of rain and the river was completely dry. Anyway, I was trying out my newest fueling recipe. Egg white protein mixed with hammer gel and a little coconut oil. It didn’t cause any stomach problems at all. I wore my camel back for hydration in this race because the aid stations were not evenly spaced on the course. The biggest problem with the camel back is that I have had a neck/shoulder problem for a while, and when my body found out I would be using the camel back, it rebelled and the shoulder pain flared up. Oh well… pain is relative to what we are willing to endure in order to spend the night on the trails with 300 or so other crazy folk! I was, however, glad to have that camel back, especially when I was able to keep it filled with ice (thanks volunteers!), it helped keep me cool!

I started out running a little when I could. I heard that this was a little less difficult than Ink’s Lake, but for someone who does a little running and a lot of walking, it was just as difficult. The loose rocks on the steep inclines were a challenge for me. I was having a great time anyway, and I didn’t really get too hot to be uncomfortable. At times, there was a nice breeze! The aid stations were just as we were told they would be… cold water at the first one, then a full service aid station at the second one (we re-visited it for the 3rd stop), then cold water only at the last one.

I started to have leg cramps again about 12 miles in. I don’t know what is causing this… maybe I am taking too much electrolyte instead of not enough. Since I don’t eat ANY salt in my regular diet, I kind of think I am over doing it on the Endurolytes. I have one more race to test this out, The Shoe. Anyway, the cramps were so severe at one point, my whole left leg seized up and I could not take a single step. I stretched for a few minutes, and am happy to report that things started moving normally again. The cramps at this race were not nearly as bad as they had been 3 weeks ago, so it was an improvement. I only had the same problem one more time and it was caused by my tripping and almost falling. When I caught myself, the left leg cramped up from the knee down. I had to massage the calf muscle pretty vigorously to get moving again. I don’t remember much about the course except for the rock staircase down to the river bed! When we broke through the trail and I saw the view, I said, “This is freakin’ awesome!!!” I do remember seeing a couple of those small but deadly scorpions skittering across the trail, and am happy to report, no tarantulas!

The lights of the finish line were a welcome sight and I was happy to receive my medal, and go sit down and have my recovery drink! Hammer citrus Recoverite and some Fage Total classic yogurt shaken together with a small can of pineapple juice. Sadly, they were out of hamburgers, but no worries! I enjoyed sitting out there under the stars for a while listening to the cheering as the 60k runners finished the race. I saw numerous shooting stars! Out there away from all the light pollution of the city, the sky is just spectacular! I think Deborah and I started back for Austin at about 3:30 in the morning, and I was jonesing for some protein. I dropped Deborah off at her hotel and found the closest Denny’s. 3 eggs over easy, 2 pieces of bacon and 1 tiny sausage link would just have to carry me home. I think I made it home at about 6:30 am.

Anyway, thanks again to the folks from Tejas Trails. They do not disappoint!

Ink's Lake 30k, first in the Capt'n Karl's 3 race series.

July 16, 2011. We all make choices. This time, I made the right choice. I was planning to sign up for all three Capt'n Karl's 60k races... and at the last minute, I decided to back off to 30k. I am so happy I made the right choice, because the 30k race at Ink's Lake was by far the most difficult race I have ever completed, and I probably would not have completed 60k there. I am sure the idea of a night time trail race appeals to me because of the unknown factors in night racing.

My friend Karla and I left my house at 2pm for the 3 and 1/2 hour drive to the park, which is located in Texas Hill Country, northwest of Austin. We had a nice drive, the weather was hot but beautiful and of course, even though we are in a desperate situation with regards to lack of rain, I was happy that it did not rain on race day. The park was packed when we got there. We picked up our race packets and started looking for a place to park. No luck there so we went back to the park headquarters and paid for a campsite, even though we were not planning to stay all night. There was someone parked in our site, and when we told them the site was ours, they proceeded to just drive off and their bike was leaned against the front of their truck. Lucky for them, we saw what was happening and stopped them.



The ladder was the start line.



Starting out slow!

 The 60k runners started at 7pm on the same 10k loop as those of us running the 30k would be starting out on at 7:15 pm. I had a pretty good run/walk going on the first loop, finishing it in 1:35. That was a lot faster than I was planning on. I still felt good, but the course was really TOUGH. Lots of quick steep rocky climbs, low hanging tree limbs, and more quick rocky descents.

steep rocky descent



steep rocky climb



 These race photos  taken by EnduroPhoto will give you an idea of how tough but beautiful the race course was. (Yes, I was hamming it up for the camera... how about those calf muscles!) I went to this race with a brand new nutrition plan, which is not a good idea. I figured out partway into the second loop that I had forgotten something. I have been using Hammer Perpetuem but wanted to find another source of protein for endurance events because I am trying my best to follow a Paleo-like nutrition plan for the rest of my life and the soy protein in Perpetuem is a big no-no. Perpetuem contains a good amount of sodium, and I forgot to add a little sea salt to my protein/carb liquid fuel. I started out taking the same amount of Endurolytes as I would if I was using Perpetuem and started to have some leg cramps half way into the second 10k. It took me a little while to realize what was going on, and usually if you get behind on electrolytes on a hot day, it is very difficult to catch up. I did my best and started to take extra Endurolytes between aid stations which were about 5k apart. Also, a young female runner approached to pass me and stopped, asking me for a shot of my water. I was carrying only one hand held bottle, and she was not carrying water at all. I did give her a shot of mine, but that caused me to go the last 2 miles or so of the second loop with no water. The second loop took me 1:45 to complete. , and I hung at the aid station for about 10 minutes to regroup and eat some watermelon and orange slices.

When I headed out for the 3rd 10k loop, I knew I was going to have a hard time. It seemed that everyone else was commenting on how humid it was, but I live closer to the coast, so I was crusted with dry, salty residue as if there was no humidity... Had I been racing closer to home, I would have been soaked through with sweat. Anyway, I just kept packing in the Endurolytes, and remembered to drink water at the aid station, rather than just fill my bottle and continue on. I took a break when I reached the 5k aid station of the last loop… drank plenty of their water and took some of their Endurolytes to make sure I would have enough of my own to finish the loop. I also finished my liquid nutrition and filled that bottle with water too, so I now had a little more water for the last section of the course than I had for the previous 2 loops. I am sure I was a ridiculous sight, passing people on flat or downhill sections, then as soon as I would reach a spot where I had to climb, one or the other of my inner thighs would cramp up severely. I had to stop and stretch… every time I stretched one side, the other would cramp up. Every runner who passed me asked if I was ok and offered me water. I always replied that I just had a cramp and I would get these bitches (my legs) moving in a minute. The last loop took me 2:26 to complete because of all the time I spent trying to work the cramps out of my legs. Anyway, I finished the 30k in 5:46:31 and am very happy to report; I was not in last place. LOL

Karla and I at the finish line!

In case any of the volunteers read my blog… I was the one who kept thanking GOD that I didn’t sign up for the 60k! I would certainly have been a casualty (DNF) if I had started the 60k. Also, I got a big kick out of Joe… he said they take great pleasure in kicking our asses! I had a great time at this race, and might even do it again next year. I am proud of myself for finishing, and REALLY appreciate the ultra running community. All the volunteers who manned the aid stations were fantastic… and all the runners who participated in the race were friendly and helpful! The whole world could take a lesson from ultra runners…

one more thing... my friend Karla Wallace Scroggins took all the photos I have used in my blog.  My camera crapped out at Bataan and I have not replaced it yet.  Thanks, Karla!

FANS 24 Hour 2011

Now that I have had several days to think about my recent 24 hour race, it is time to do a little write-up about it.


My travel to the race was rather stressful. In order to save about $150 on airfare, I flew from Austin Texas rather than Houston. It is a 2 hour drive to the airport so I had to leave my home at 2:15 am Friday in order to arrive at the airport 2 hours before my flight. Here is the funny part. I flew to Houston and had to sit in the airport for 2 hours waiting for the next flight.

The race is called FANS 12 and 24 Hour, and is held at Lake Nokomis, Minneapolis Minnesota on the path that surrounds the lake. “FANS” stands for Family Advocate Network System and is a program of Pillsbury United Communities in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Pillsbury initiated the FANS project in 1989 with a group of sixth-grade students from North and South Minneapolis. The Project has a vision of sending inner-city kids to college or to another post-secondary institution. FANS works with the youth and their families in a wide variety of activities geared to providing support for the vision.
I paid the entry fee for the race a long time ago as I have had my sights set on doing a 24 hour race that actually has a walk division. Also, the race provides judges for a Centurion event if there are any walkers planning to attempt to walk 100 miles or more in 24 hours or less. I have had the dream of becoming a US Centurion since I attend such a contest in 2006, not as a participant but as a spectator, at Bear Creek Park in Houston. That particular race was held in February, 1 week after I completed my first full marathon in Austin Texas.

Back story… when I completed 100 miles walking the first time recently at Across the Years in Phoenix Arizona, I came home from that race feeling fat and defeated. I had gained back about 25 pounds of the weight I lost and things were beginning to hurt due to the extra weight I was carrying around. I was at a loss as to how to start a healthier program when I found out about the Paleo diet from some running friends in Houston. Since I was recovering from my first completed 100 mile race, they suggested it was the perfect time to try this new way of fueling my body. January 18 I gave up grains, refined foods and sugar (the only sugar I eat is a tiny bit of honey in my hot tea and the little bit that is in 90% Lindt Chocolate). I eat protein from a variety of sources, lots of veggies (I love my veggies) and lots of fat. It takes a few weeks for the transition from sugar burner to fat burner, so I was a real bear until about 3 weeks into the plan. Then, my energy level started to come back up and I felt stronger than I had in a long time.

I started training for FANS after about 6 weeks strict Paleo. Strict meaning absolutely no grains, sugar or processed food. Cooking the meals is simple, and it is very satisfying to eat something you prepare yourself rather than eating some crap that comes out of a cardboard box. I joined a gym so that I could get some help as a weight lifting beginner. I needed to make sure I was using correct form through the exercises so that I would become stronger instead of overdo it and injure myself yet again. I did not put together a real race training plan, which is the complete opposite of what I have done in the past when training for a long distance race. I just walked as far as I felt like walking, and made sure I did my strength training twice a week. Monday mornings were always reserved for what I call speed training with my high school racewalking friend Ruth. She needed to walk longer distances, which is what I do… and I need to walk faster, which is what she does.

Ok, so I lost all the weight my body felt like losing while I was always eating until I was fully satisfied. I only eat breakfast when I wake up hungry (a couple of times a week) and eat a healthy lunch and dinner. My skinny jeans fit me again, and I can see biceps and triceps and (my legs have always been muscular) and I am beginning to develop a waistline… something I have NEVER had my whole life.

Still training only as much as I felt like, the taper was uneventful. I went to Minneapolis feeling rested and ready for the race. It was great to meet up with Mellody and Dan and head to the race site after we checked into our respective hotel rooms. Packet pickup went smoothly and I really love the race shirt… Bright orange, it says run all day with a picture of running shoes on the front, and run all night with a picture of bunny slippers on the back. The pre-race pasta dinner was kind of an issue for me; I don’t eat pasta. So, I ate a large salad and picked up some Jimmy Dean Sausage and sweet potatoes when we stopped at Target on our way back to the hotel. I cooked that in the hotel microwave and had plenty to eat. I was filling my Hammer flasks while eating and accidentally spilled some raspberry gel on the sausage – it was delicious! I also cooked a couple of sweet potatoes for the race. I will not eat the junk food fare at the race aid station because my body would certainly reject it since I never eat processed foods. The sweet potato turned out to be the perfect ultra food for me. As I was getting the rest of my gear ready for the race, I realized I had forgotten a whole bottle of Endurolytes I bought for the race at home. I began to panic and decided that it was a subconscious act of self-sabotage. My mind was telling my body I could not possibly walk 100 miles in 24 hours. Mellody was critical here – she kept me from falling apart. I looked up local cycle shops who would surely have Hammer products and planned to shamelessly beg (and offer a bribe to) someone at the race to go and buy a bottle of Endurolytes for me. I didn’t have to beg for too long and a runner, Alison Fraser offered one of her crew members (her dad) to go and get them for me. If it was not for Alison’s dad, I would not have fared so well in the dry hot weather that was to come.

It usually rains race weekend in Minneapolis. Not this time. The sky was clear and beautiful and the temps rose to at least 86 that afternoon. I am used to the higher temps, but not the low humidity that we were experiencing. Back to the start of the race – The average pace to walk 100 miles in 24 hours is 14:17 and my plan was to walk at about a 13:45 pace for as long as I could to try and build a little time cushion in case I needed to stop and change shoes or had any problems later in the race. The day just proved to be too hot and I was only able to hold the pace for about 4 hours and when the clock reached 6 hours, I had walked 24 miles. I knew at that time I would not be able to walk 100 miles at this race. I did not let that stop me from trying to walk as many miles in 24 hours as was possible for me in the conditions that day. I just kept moving forward, following the nutrition and hydration plan I had painstakingly prepared for the race. Sometimes slow and steady does win the race; because that is exactly what I did… win the race.

I chose this race because it is the only 24 hour ultra in the country that has a walking division. People have come to FANS from all over the world to compete in the Centurion contest. I am really sorry I did not make the Centurion list. BUT, I did not give up even when I knew early in the race I would not walk 100 miles. Ray Sharp should have beaten me soundly, but the heat of the day got to him like it did to some of the runners. I spoke to one person who was having problems during the race and later found out he had been taken to the hospital. He is ok now, but we should never underestimate how important race nutrition, hydration and electrolytes are. This race keeps a close watch on participants, weighing each of us before the race, and then every 4 hours during the event. Should anyone lose or gain too much weight during the event, the race doctor pulls you from the competition and does not let you return to the race until your weight normalizes.

I never felt sick to my stomach and I only had one small blister at the base of my right heel which means my electrolyte intake was spot on. My weight only fluctuated 1.5 pounds during the race, which is also an indication I was taking good care of myself! I changed my shoes, socks and clothes one time, in order to put on a light weight long sleeve shirt and tights for the overnight part of the race.

I hope everyone who reads this will forgive my jumping around the story, but this is how my mind works. I am remembering going out at 1hour and 5 minutes remaining on the clock for one more 2.4 mile loop around the lake. I was starting to have more frequent bathroom stops towards the end of the race, and finished that last full loop in 40 minutes (including a bathroom stop). So, when I got back to the start/finish area, the 220 meter short track was set up and the timer told me I had a chance to get 80 miles if I kept moving. Ray Sharp told me he would probably walk about 78, and Marsha was gone. (Her 50th state marathon was 2 weeks out and I had seen the medical aid working on her feet… she stopped in order to save her feet for the marathon). That’s when I knew for sure the race was mine… with 25 minutes still on the clock. So I started racewalking (lmfao), if you could call what I was doing racewalking. The runner’s crews were all cheering us on, even the ones who were doing their first 24 hour race and looked like the walking dead. It felt like I was getting faster each time I went around a cone and missed getting to the finish of the last 220 meters by about 8 seconds. Oh well… I walked 80.77 miles in 24 hours. This is my personal best distance in 24 hours, all walking.

The post race award ceremony was great! If you participated in the 24 hour event… they brought your award to you, you didn’t even have to leave your seat. This was my first big win, and my hat is still a little tight, if you get my drift.

We went back to our hotel, showered and rested a little, then went out to dinner. I had the lucy (I totally forgot to ask for blue cheese :( ), and the server looked at me like I was crazy when I said, keep the bun, and give me an order of bacon on the side!

I highly recommend this race for anyone who wants to test their limits of endurance. It is a tough one because the path around the lake is mostly concrete and the bridge over one end of the lake started to look like a monster as the day got warmer and warmer, but the people who put the race on are amazing and they take great care of everyone. I just LOVE the fact that walkers are treated with the same respect as runners, although this is true at every ultra I have done, they give AWARDS to WALKERS at FANS.

This was my Strong is the New Skinny Challenge... to see just what I could do if I let my body be my guide.  I learned something about myself.  I can do things I never dreamed.  I will continue to work on my strengths, and do my best to improve on my weaknesses...  Thanks for reading if you took the time to follow my crazy train of thought this far!

Training Update

I have not written anything for my blog since April 26th, and it is May 10. I just cannot seem to get everything done that I have on my schedule. The blog is important to me, but so are a lot of other things.


I have been spot on with getting my twice a week weight training sessions done. There have been 4 since my last blog post. I am now moving away from machines and doing almost everything with free weights. I have had to drop the weight on some of the exercises so that I have complete control of the weights. Here is what I did on Mother’s Day:

leg raises 3sets 15 reps on the incline bench
back extensions 3sets 20 reps
leg press 3sets 15reps 150 lb
lunge 4sets 10reps 20 lb
dumbbell curl 3sets 10reps 15 lb
lying triceps dumbbell extension 3sets 12reps 12 lb
Standing calf raise 3sets 15reps 60 lb
dumbbell lateral raise 3sets 12reps 10 lb
bent over dumbbell row 3sets 12reps 15 lb
dumbbell chest fly 3sets 12reps 12 lb
upright dumbbell row 3sets 12reps 15 lb

Now that I have moved to mostly free weights, I believe things will continue to progress. I have a little muscle soreness (a good thing), but will be ready for the next workout! When my 3 month membership is over at the gym, I really believe I will continue to do my twice a week lifting at home. I have a complete set of weights, but I was having trouble forcing myself to use them.

Now for my walking report. Shame on me. I have only walked 3 times since my last blog post (should have been 8 walks). I really should not even count one of them, except for the fact that I really enjoyed going for a walk with my mom. She is amazing, even at her age and considering the fact she has severe arthritis; she walks 3 miles a day. Granted, she splits it up into 3 walks… but I am really proud of the changes she has been able to make since her diagnosis of type 2 diabetes.

Stats on yesterday’s walk with Ruth: 8.08 miles

Mile 1 - 12:25.02; Mile 2 - 11:56.42; Mile 3 - 11:53.77; Mile 4 - 11:48.78; Mile 5 - 11:44.42; Mile 6 - 12:09.94;
(average pace through mile 6 was 12:00)
Mile 7 - 12:49.86; Mile 8 - 13:44.25; .08 mile 1:09.36(to finish the lap)


Even though I have been a true slacker in the walking dept, I still believe in myself and my ability to walk 100 miles in 24 hours. Walking with Ruth has been a real confidence booster for me. I would never have dreamed that my racewalking form would improve as much as it has since I started walking with her. She has me walking at speeds that I thought I was no longer capable of walking. I guess Dave McGovern was right… that fat I was carrying around – the fat in the middle – was really only potential. Lose that fat, and anyone has the potential to walk faster.

http://www.fans24hour.org/ is less than four short weeks away. I am really looking forward to the trip to Minneapolis with my good friends, and hopefully will make some new ones!

Now, I am thinking about the Strong is the New Skinny challenge and what my goals were from the start... to increase my endurance, lose fat, and lift weights.  So far, so good.  I have had a little trouble getting the walking workouts done, but the weight lifting is progressing nicely.  I have also been really good with the food intake.  I don't really have any cheats, and am loving the Paleo diet!  When you can pretty much eat all the fat you want, how can that be bad?  I don't miss grains or processed foods at all and am really enjoying cooking again!

That's all for now... ooh, another rambling blog post ;)

My Rant.

a home schooled High School age girl and I work out on the 2 mile asphalt loop at Bear Creek Park in Houston almost every Monday morning. We have always left our water bottles sitting under one of the benches near the tennis courts and no one has ever disturbed them. We are also aware of the men in orange suits who do a very good job of cleaning up the trash that seems to be everywhere on Monday mornings.


Yesterday, April 25, we were extending our distance to 4 times around the loop, so we both had electrolyte supplement and some nutritional product with our water bottles, so that we could stop at each loop and hydrate properly. At the conclusion of the 4th loop of a very intense workout, we approached the bench where we left our water bottles and they were gone.

I asked a couple of other park patrons and they said the men in orange suits had been cleaning in the area. I jogged over to the van and asked their supervisor if they had put our personal belongings in the garbage. One of the bottles was stainless steel that I had paid about $30 for. He was not very interested in helping me, however, one of the orange suited men who was seated in one of the back seats of the van handed my stainless steel bottle to him and he returned it to me. Whan I inquired about the full bottle of Gatorade, my friend's plastic water bottle, and my Hammer Nutrition Products red and clear plastic bottle, they merely shrugged and suggested I could dig through the trash if I was inclined to do so. I was not aware that these men were allowed to keep anything they find at the park, and isn't it ironic that the bottle they chose to keep was the most expensive one.

This park is always fairly crowded with walkers, runners and cyclists, and I have never felt the need to lock my bottles in the car. I never expected that men who are doing forced community service would be the ones to force my hand in this matter. I intend to continue to use the facilities at the park, it is lovely. But from now on, my friend and I will be forced to return to the vehicle to hydrate.

Now for a personal observation.  Before I started the Paleo diet, and until I became very settled in to the lifestyle, I would NEVER have approached this van, or said anything to anyone about my belongings being stolen.  I would have just gone home PISSED OFF.  Of course, I am still pissed, but at least I got my Kleen Kanteen back.  I will just have to place another order from Hammer Nutrition and get another Hammer bottle.

As for the workout?  It was amazing... first thing Monday morning, I went to the gym and did a full body weight routine at 6am.  Yes, I said 6am.  When I was done, I drove to the park to racewalk with my friend.  She is amazing, and we had an awesome speedy racewalking workout!  8 miles, average pace 12:14!  It breaks down like this: Mile 1 - 12:20; Mile 2 - 12:00; Mile 3 - 12:09; Mile 4 - 12:16; Mile 5 - 12:24; Mile 6 - 12:24; Mile 7 - 12:25; Mile 8 - 11:47.  It's nice to still have something in the tank at the end of a long walk!

Monday's weight workout:
leg raises: 2 sets, 15 reps
leg press: 3 sets, 15 reps, 90#
Lat pull down: 3 sets, 12 reps, 50#
Chest Fly: 2 sets, 12 reps, 30#
Dumbell lateral raise: 3 sets, 12 reps, 8#
dumbell curl: 3 sets, 12 reps, 10#
tricep push down: 3 sets, 12 reps, 20#
calf raises: 5 sets, 15 reps, 10#
toe pulls (shins): 3 sets each leg, 15 reps, 10#
Lunges: 3 sets, 12 reps
back extensions: 3 sets, 15 reps
I talked to the trainer and upped the weight on some of the exercises a little (still concentrating on form and muscle isolation) and added the shin exercise.  My calf muscles are already highly developed, so needed the shin exercise to balance things out.  The shins are very important for balance in my long distance walking.

Monday was a good food day... lunch was an egg scramble made from last night's grass fed beef patty, the coconot oil soaked veggies, two eggs and some salsa. 
Dinner: Salmon salad made with celery, purple onion, chopped dill pickles, chopped green olives, boiled eggs, spicy mustard, olive oil, black pepper and garlic and herb seasoning... all on top of a huge bed of spring greens and doused with a little more olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
When I snack, I choose come good quality beef jerky, or about 7 walnut halves, or a little high quality 90% chocolate. 

Didn't do well in the sleep department.  Emily came home from work, really sick.  I took her to the emergency room... they of course, did not find anything wrong (at least they did a ct scan of her abdomen to rule out appendicitis) and sent her home with pain meds.  We didn't get home until 5am (writing this Tuesday morning), and I could not sleep past 9.  Not in a hurry to get to work today, but must go in.