running, life and living the dream

Roll 'N' Rock nah man Rock 'N” Roll. I have been asked every year since I made it known I was a runner, 2011, if I was going to Run the Arizona Rock 'n' Roll (RNR) Marathon. I have always had interesting excuses. Some legit. Like its always the weekend before the Coldwater Rumble , an ultra race at Estrella Mountain Regional Park, put on by Aravaipa . Its basically my back yard so how could I miss it. But also i stayed away because it seemed like it was a huge corporate race with too many people.  But my opinion has changed.  Yes it has.  IT WAS FUN! the wife and I race morning I singed up for the RNR Marathon close to a year in advance. The price was just to good to pass up. I was also in a bit of a fog mentally, and needed to change things up. I love trail ultras, but I was in a rut, I thought a road marathon and Boston Qualifier race would get me moving. That was until I was inspired to go for a big ultra. I paced my buddy and Chris at t...

It is crazy to me how time can fly by and yet stand still at moments. Circles. Running 1.05 mile circles is how I decided to end 2016. It’s also how I started 2017. Almost 4 days removed from my 24-hour timed race    Across the Years , I am still on cloud 9. What A Rush. No cliff hangers here. I met my goal of running my 1 st sub 24 hour 100-mile race! My cheeks are a bit sore from smiling. I’m hobbling around a bit, but it does hurt oh so good.  My 2nd 100 mile buckle. 1st sub 24 hour The day before the race, I meditated and envisioned myself on the run. I repeated “I will not stop moving, I will not stop moving. No Pain no rain will stop me.” I knew ATY would be cold, but in checking the weather, I was bummed to find out that rain was in the forecast. Being under prepared for weather cost me dearly while attempting my first Zane Grey 50 miler. I have vowed to never let weather stop me again. I over packed, two rain coats, pretty much all my...

I stumbled across my blog the other day.  It’s not that I forgot it existed, it’s just that I had not thought about it in a long time. The craving to write and create used constantly pull at me, distracting me from work, family, and at times turning me catatonic and oblivious to the world around me.  Social media technology, having everything at my fingertips, seems to have taken its place in a world and time where being wired  24/7  is not looked at as an obsession, but second nature.  I am not a couch potato.  I live an active lifestyle. I run, I work out. But I am guilty of not being able to unplug! Why is this bugging me.  Idk?  I just feel at times I wasting to much time in fantasy instead of living and pursuing.  I am always thinking about the next big adventure.  But I also crave the stimulation of a good podcast, movie, show or an audio book. I also know I feel the pressure and have suffered from “FOMO.” The Fear of Missing Ou...

Running into the fish hatchery, My wife directing me to my gear.  Or was she telling me to finish my laundry? Normally I'm dying with anticipation to get a blog out soon as a race or big run is over, but I have been so mentally and physically exhausted; finishing the Zane Grey 50 miler this year was a dream come true.   I had obsessed about this race since 2012 the first time I witnessed it first hand while crewing for my good friends, Tim and Giles.   I registered for 2013 race as soon as registration opened.  Unfortunately a few weekends before the race, tragedy hit my family, as my father-in-law suffered a massive heart attack.  He was taking off life support and was buried on the day of the 2013 race.  I vowed to run the 2014 race in his honor.  I DNF'd that race, I made a huge mistake of underestimating warnings of a huge storm, causing the race to be cut short at mile 33. That day my race ended at mile 18, Washington Park. ...

This had to be the most epic Ultra-Marathon I have ever been involved in; the elite participant field was stacked, scenery to die for, not to mention the hype and excitement surrounding The Montrail Ultra Cup  .   I had no shot finishing in the top two, a guaranteed ticket to Western States.   The BC100k is a point to point race starting in Spring Valley, AZ and finishes near New River. I kept my race week nerves on ice until Thursday, packet pick up, and the screening of the Hal Koerner and Mike Wolfes fastest know time (fkt) on the John Muir Trail.   From the moment I woke up on Friday, I was bouncing off the walls.   I was trying hard to not be overly annoying to my wife, who was days away from her first ever half marathon.   The weekend was set. When we arrived to Mayer High school, in Spring Valley Arizona, Tim, Giles, Cristain, Brian and I sat in the car silent for a few minutes.   Finally the silence was broken and we beg...