When he told me he was going to do such a long race, I wondered why in the world someone would want to do such a thing. So I decided to ask him.
Many moons ago, I was a reporter for my college newspaper, The Baylor Lariat. It was one of the best things I did while at Baylor; for one because of the people I met and experiences I had, and for two because it gave me at least one marketable skill after leaving Waco with an English degree and no desire to teach school.
Since Zach's reasoning for doing such a grueling race roused my reporting instincts, I decided to make it a learning experience for our kids. I sat Drew and Kate down at the kitchen table and asked if they knew what a reporter was. "No," they said. "Do you know what a newspaper is?" "No," they said.
So we really had to start from square one. I explained the concept of how a reporter asks the questions that his or her audience wants to know, and then we devised some questions. Below is a transcript of our interview -- I went first to demonstrate how questioning a source works, and the kids followed with a few questions of their own.
************
Where is the Rocky Raccoon race taking place?At Huntsville State Park in Hunstville, Texas. It's called the Rocky Raccoon 100, and it's known for its 100-mile race. But there is also a 50-mile race, which is what I'll be participating in. The 50 is like the kid's fun run.
How many people enter this race?
750 are registered to run either the 100 or 50.
Why would you want to run 50 miles in one day? How did you get interested in ultra marathons?
Because there is something wrong with my brain. Just kidding. I like to challenge myself and set a goal to work toward. I got interested when I started training for the Dallas Marathon and studying training plans for runners and how to become a better runner. I read "Ultra Marathon Man" by Dean Karnazes, and it was entertaining.
How do you train to run 50 miles?
You run. A lot. It's different from a marathon in that your training runs will never reach anywhere near 50 miles at one time, because the recovery period would be so long it would be detrimental to your training. So you build up by running back to back long runs, which is two long runs a day a part.
Define "long run."
20+ miles. The other thing I tried to do was run on trails as much as possible since the race is on a trail. Many of my trail runs had much more elevation change that what I'll see in the race due to the topography of the land in Dallas versus Huntsville. I hope that will have prepared me for the distance. It's not so much about miles, but time on your feet. During training I didn't worry so much about mileage, but just about the time I spent running. Then I made sure that I continued to be on my feet for much of the day after my runs. It's just about being active.
How long do anticipate the race will take you?
They say to double your marathon time and add one to two hours, so conservatively I am hoping to finish in nine to 10 hours.
How do you fuel your body for a race like this?
My approach is a little different than most, I think. The theory is that you just need to get calories in when you're running such a long distance. But I still want to focus on healthy calories. I stick with fruit as much as possible, peanut butter and jelly is good because they offer all three macro nutrients. When all else fails CLIF bars or an equivalent are hard to beat. It's also important to make sure you're taking in electrolytes.
Are you nervous?
Yes.
What are you most nervous about?
Not finishing. I'm nervous about not finishing due to an ailment. I think I have the ability to finish.
How will it make you feel if you don't finish?
Disappointed.
How long do you think it will take to recover?
Define recover.
Able to walk normally and form a coherent sentence.
I would hope within a couple hours.
Do you think you'll do this again, or are you a "one and done"?
I don't know, it depends on how this goes. If I'm not successful, I'll probably have to do it again. If it turns out easier than I thought, then I might have to shoot for the 100.
What will you think about all day while you're running 50 miles?
How bad it hurts. Just kidding. What I do a lot of times when I think "why am I doing this?" and I want to quit, I think about all the people who aren't able to walk or run, or enjoy the benefits of living an active lifestyle, and it makes me thankful that I can. And that makes it easier to go a few more miles. Here lately, my Dad had been on my mind a lot. (Zach's Dad was recently diagnosed with esophageal cancer.)
What are you looking forward to after the run?
Breakfast the next day. I'm going to have a cheat meal breakfast that consists of pancakes and syrup. A lot of them.
You must have a pretty nice wife who lets you run off and train for these crazy races.
Yes, I do. She's been better about it than she should be.
Drew and Kate, what questions do you have for Dad?
(Drew) Will you run with me at the 5K in Sunnyvale?
You bet. Looking forward to it.
(Drew) What will you wear for the 50 mile race?
It depends on the weather. The race starts at 7am. If it's above 40 degrees, I will start with shorts and a long-sleeve top and a toboggan and gloves. If it's below 40 I will add tights to the mix.
(Drew) What will the temperature be during the race?
Right now it looks like the start of the race it will be around 45 degrees, and it will be in the upper 60s in the day. So it looks like I'll be wearing shorts, and I will lose the top when I get warm.
(Kate) Can me and Drew run with you tomorrow?...I love you...I'll miss you while you're running...How do you see when it's foggy?
Well the race isn't till Saturday, and I think it will be a little far for you. I love you, too, and will miss you, too. I don't think it will be foggy.
***********
I'll be down at the race to procure anything they need at the drop spot and to fix dinner after the race. I'll post updates on Facebook to let everyone know how he does!
***********
Workout of the Day
Les Mills Combat Lower Body Lean Out
No comments:
Post a Comment