The Next 50 Miles.......

Here we go again........

On April 16th, I will be running in the Ouachita 50 Mile Trail Race in Little Rock, AR for the Second Annual Honor Scroll Run. Just like last year, the “Honor Scroll” will bear the names of those that have had or been diagnosed with Cancer. This event made an impact last year and attracted some attention- It is my hope that we can build off that and get even more people involved this year. If you know somebody that has been affected by this terrible disease then PLEASE allow me the high privilege of bringing them along on this journey. If you will send their name and status we will add them to the Honor Scroll. It would be great to have at least 50 names to carry on the scroll for the 50 miles- though more would be awesome. (Last year the scroll honored 191.)

Awareness is only a part of the fight so I am also asking for donations of $5 per name to benefit the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life. Just like always, the donations are secondary and not mandatory, I will carry the names regardless. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DONATE in order for a name to be added to the scroll. I believe that it is very important to raise funds but I do understand if you are unable to donate at this time-please don't let that stop you from becoming involved in the fight. You can send the name by clicking the “contact me” button on the right, send a message on Facebook or email runlikeamug@yahoo.com. Donations can be made online by clicking here -------->DONATE or through the link on the right of the blog.

Checks can be made out to the American Cancer Society and mailed to my address:

David Murphy
HC 72 Box 324-8
Wasola, MO 65773

Please just take a minute to think about it. Remember- I will consider it a privilege to carry the names with me even if you do not make a donation. Help me spread the word by sharing this with as many people as you can. It is an unfortunate but real fact that everybody knows somebody who has been touched by this MONSTER- please help us fight back and honor those that you know. This really is a group effort and together we must continue the hard work so that one day our children won't have too.

In times of great despair and uncertainty, it helps to know you’re not alone and that there is an answer–hope.

Expanding the Limits- Rocky Raccoon 100

A few weeks ago, I was on a training run with a friend. As usual on a long run, the topic of discussion was scattered and all over the place. At one point along the way, the subject of limits came up. In a joking manner, he stated -A man has got to know his limitations. Yep. I agree. But you will never know your limitations until you FIND them. That is what I love about running, specifically ultras, you are constantly pushing the limits of your own perceived endurance. Overcoming the fear of failure and the fear of inability is what it's all about. The more you push, the more the limits expand.

As a runner, I have come to believe that limits are set ONLY in our minds. This means that WE are the only ones that decide how much our bodies can take. Training is only part of it- of course it can change how MUCH we rely on the second part- Attitude is the most important part. How bad you want it. How hard you are willing to push it. How important it is to finish. All of these beliefs were tested and reinforced last weekend at the Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Race in Huntsville, TX. It is not often that I wonder if I had found my limit but there were some rough patches along the way where that question entered my head.

I arrived in Huntsville on Thursday afternoon after about 10 hours of driving. The drive wasn't too bad because I had my "crew" with me. Jon and Charley had both agreed to come down to crew and pace me. Four days away from their families and 20 hours of driving just to stand around waiting for me to run 100 miles. Seems insane but I think they were just as excited to do that as I was to actually run. That is why they are full-fledged members of The Idiot's Running Club.

We woke up on Friday morning to ice and snow. Ice and snow? What? Yep. It really wasn't too bad but the locals were spazzed out and Houston had to shut down the interstates. This combined with snow and ice in other areas of the country made travel tough and, in some cases, impossible. Around 80 registered runners of the 100 miler couldn't make it to Huntsville for the race. It was a good thing we drove down a day early....

So, we had some time to kill before the packet pick-up on Friday afternoon. What to do? Hmmm..... Jon and Charley came up with a brilliant plan. "Let's go for a run on the trail." And because I am part of The Idiots Running Club, I agreed and we loaded up and drove to the Huntsville State Park. First sign upon entering the park? A "Do Not Litter" sign? Nope. An "Alligator's Exist In The Park." sign? Yep. Huh? Alligators? Sweet. We continued on and found the start/finish area and met the Race Director, Joe. He was very friendly and we chatted briefly before hitting the trail. I ran 5 miles while Charley and Jon went out for 6.2. It was nice to get a feel for the trail and the conditions were fine. No major patches of ice or snow. Just a few roots....

We hit the packet pick-up that afternoon. Watched all the "rock stars" roll in to grab theirs. I don't think they were intimidated by me. Afterward we grabbed a few supplies and went back to the hotel for an early night. After a few slices of pizza and a couple of beers, I was ready to sleep. I did. I slept for almost 3 whole hours before starting the old "what time is it" roll. Finally, at 3 a.m. I gave up and decided it was close enough. Sleep is over-rated anyway. I was pretty nervous but managed to eat a couple of microwave-able sausage biscuits and suck down a BUNCH of coffee. I discovered a card from my wife and kids in my bag that was very inspiring and motivating. Just the kind of thing I needed before this monster of a test. At 5 a.m. we were off.

Just before 6 a.m. the racers started to line up. I knew that I wanted to go out at a decent pace so I lined up towards the front. After a few minutes, a group of dudes come rolling up right in front of me....... What's up with that? Oh- I see. Kupricka, Jurek and company (including the now WORLD famous Ian Sharman) decided that was a good spot too. Fair enough. It is a pretty awesome sport where an average schlubb like me can line up shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the world. Killer experience.

The RD did the final countdown, I let out a loud WOOOOO!!! right behind Jurek-(though I'm sure he didn't hear me) and we were off. This was the last time I would be that close to the leaders but, because the course was a 20 mile loop, not the last time I would see them. The first few miles went pretty fast and somewhere just past the 6 mile aid station, I decided to back off the pace some. I had ran the first 10k at an 8:40 overall pace- great for a 50k but STUPID for 100 miles. By the end of the first 20 mile loop- the pace was sitting at 9:09/mile with a total elapsed time of 3 hrs 03 minutes and things were feeling really good. I met my crew, grabbed a few essentials and went out for round 2.

The second loop went about as smooth as the first. Everything felt great, the pace was fine and the hydration/nutrition seemed just right. The only thing that I did notice on this loop was that the 6ish mile leg of the "Damnation" loop seemed to stretch a little longer- this was a sign of things to come- but overall, miles 21-40 were pretty good. This loop slowed down some, but remained pretty steady and reasonable- I thought.... Total elapsed time after loop 2 was 6 hrs 25 minutes and the overall pace had dropped to 9:37/mile. Still on track for a great finish. (remember this is my 1st 100 miler..... I had no idea what was coming)

The day was warming up fast and I got rid of the long sleeves and gloves, opting for a short sleeved tech shirt and a dry doo-rag before heading out for the 3rd loop. Things felt pretty good here too. I hit the 50 mile mark with a PR time of 8 hrs 14 minutes. Nice. But it was starting to get a little tough and the pace slowed over the next 10 miles. At mile 55- I had officially gone farther than I ever had- and still was barely half way done. An interesting thought came into my mind at this point- "Dumb-dumb.... you have never even SNIFFED 100 miles- are you freakin' insane?" Kind of made me laugh. I continued through to finish miles 41-60 with a total elapsed time of 10 hours 29 minutes and the overall pace had dropped to 10:29/mile. Still not to bad...... I was also informed that I had started this loop in 25th place overall. I was quite confident that was no longer the case- in fact I would have bet that I was closer to 70th place. I would have lost.

Finally, the time had come for a pacer and I was READY. It was starting to get lonely out there and my legs were feeling it. It was still daylight and warm but we knew that wouldn't last long so I put on a jacket and grabbed my head lamp. Jon and I headed out for the 4th loop. We hit the first aid station at about mile 63 and, because pacers get to partake in the aid station food just like the runners, Jon finally got to eat some "real" food. Him and Charley had existed all day on peanut butter and jelly- this made the aid station food look like a 5 star meal to him. I took my time getting some hot soup while he munched the quesadilla's like Scooby-snacks. Not sure WHY I found this funny- but I did. We hit the Damnation loop and I started struggling. I was starting to question if I wanted to continue running- I didn't want to but I also knew that I would.

Jon pulled me through as it got dark and cold. We talked about all the folks that had sent emails and told their story- very inspiring, tearful and motivating- finally after mixing in some walking and much slower running- it was over. Miles 61-80 were completed in a total elapsed time of 15 hours and 28 minutes with the overall pace dropping to 11:35- not great but I did NOT really care at this point. 11:35 seemed smokin' fast to me.

Before embarking on the final 20 mile loop- I needed to sit down and assess the damage. My right ankle had been hurting pretty good and it appeared swollen. Jon wrapped it with an Ace Bandage, I put a few more clothes on, grabbed some hot soup and we were off. Charley was pacing this time and I can guarantee that him and I have never gone this slow EVER. He managed to keep me running for the first 12 miles of this loop- but after the Damnation loop- around mile 92- I was zapped. The next 8 miles would be the longest and most important miles of my "running journey". It was time to decide where I would set my limitations.

Charley and I had met at a local 5k back in 2007. We started training together and decided to run a marathon. Who knew that we would end up on a trail in Texas, freezing as I struggled to step off the last few miles of a 100 miler? Man, we had come a long way and as we approached the final 5k- Charley encouraged me to keep moving. His reminder of my "hatred" for 5k's gave me a great laugh when I really needed it. 5k's kill me- I hate them but I keep going back for more- and here I was, 97 miles in and it was only a stupid 5k between me and the finish line. Awesome.

I couldn't run. My ankle was swollen, both feet hurt from the pounding and I couldn't lift them up high enough to avoid the roots covering the trail. When I tried to run, which was only a slow shuffle, the pain would shoot through me and when I would catch a foot on a root or rock, the ensuing stumble hurt more and more. So I chose to walk. It hurt less. But it was COLD. Really cold. Finally, Charley said, "You only have about 1/2 mile to go- you CAN run it in." Yep. I CAN. I did. I kicked up that Texas dirt and blew leaves off the trees with my tremendous speed. (maybe I'm embellishing a little here) It felt slow- it was slow- but it was all I had. Soon I could see the lights from the finish area and knew that it was over. 100 miles. Sweet.

As I approached- I let out my final WOOOOO!!! of the day/night. I crossed the finish line with a total elapsed time of 20 hours 59 minutes and 40 seconds. I had finished my first 100 miler with 9 hours to spare. Even better was the sub- 24 hour designation and sweet belt buckle to commemorate the achievement. Without the support of my great friends and crew- this would have been much more difficult and the outcome may have been different. Awesome dudes.

Here is a link to my splits and overall time ---> MY STUFFS <---- if you are interested. Other numbers that I found interesting..... 316 starters with 190 finishing under the 30 hour cutoff- for a finishing rate of 60%. Of these 190, there were 77 (about 40%) that finished sub 24. I will be the first to admit that mistakes were made. I am a firm believer that success comes way before race day- it comes in the early mornings spent in the gym, the hard miles of a long run and in the discipline of the daily miles. I am thankful for the opportunity to make these mistakes because they will help guide my training for the NEXT one. Oh yeah- there will be another. Not only was this the most difficult and painful challenge in my "running life" it was also the sweetest and most euphoric feeling I have ever had. Bring on the pain- I'm ready to roll.

Thanks to EVERYBODY thatsupported me on this quest. So many of you donated money to the ACS (and you still can by clicking ---->HERE<---), shared your story with me and encouraged me along this path. It is a very unique situation where I am able to chase my goals while helping in the mutual dream of beating cancer. Seems almost selfish for me to actually enjoy the journey- but it is the only way that I know to contribute and, with your continued support, WE will keep on running. Cancer sucks and together we will make a difference.


Here is a link to the video. It is kind of long at 8:35 but it tells the story pretty well. You can see me bouncing all around at the start line right behind Scott Jurek. Guess I was ready to get moving.......

Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler 2011

This video is pretty long- but really, it WAS 100 miles. I will write a race report soon but this pretty much tells the story.

Just a little change.....

When this "running stuff" started 5 years ago, there was no thought at all in my head about EVER running 100 miles. Funny how things can change so drastically in just a few years. I went from an over-weight, out of shape dude that had never ran more than 3 miles in my life to running marathons for fun, tackling 50k's in a tutu and rolling in to a 3rd place finish in a 50 mile race. That is a pretty significant change of lifestyle in a relatively short time.

Just over one year ago, there was no thought about the impact that cancer would have on my life. For me, cancer had always been one of those things that happen to "other people" not anybody that I was close to. When things change- they change fast. A diagnosis of cancer for my dad in December of 2009, left me with a lot of questions. Surgery came within days and my head was spinning. In March, my mom was diagnosed and her surgery happened before I could fully grasp the situation. Fast. Both of my parents, within just a few months of each other, had been smacked by a horrible, silent, and all but invisible BEAST. Luckily, they were saved through surgery- life is forever different but they are still with us.

Not so lucky were two men that had a major impact on my life. I had known both of these men for over 30 years- which is basically my entire life. They both passed within days of each other, each losing their battles with the BEAST. Again, things happen fast and this was no exception. One battle lasted a few months and the other, just two weeks.

I became involved with the Relay For Life last year because of my parents. Sometimes we need a "wake up call" and I had mine. I went in blind- not knowing what it was really all about- but have learned so much, from some wonderful people in a short time. The Relay For Life is a great and necessary cause that I fully believe in- weird that it had been established in my community for several years but I never felt compelled to help out.... well, things have changed.

Here comes the part where I ask for your help. You knew that I would ask- right? So here is what I was thinking- if we could get one dime for every mile..... yep, one DIME- not one dollar- for one mile. I know what your thinking, "That is craziness.....at 10 cents per mile it would take like 100 miles to even make 10 dollars." Well, fortunately I have thought that through (kind of) and, in less than a week, I will be lining up at the starting line of the Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Trail Race in Huntsville, Texas. Because I am also a math whiz- all I have to do is run every one of those 100 miles and your $10 donation will break down to one dime per mile.

There will not be any gimmicks involved in this journey. The pink tutu stays home, the Honor Scroll awaits another opportunity, there will be no names written on my shirt with a sharpie and t-shirts will not be sold. (Although I do reserve the right to bust one or all of these out later in the year.) Nope- nothing over the top or flashy- just me and my pink laces in the Texas dirt for 100 miles.

Of course I could use maybe a little extra help. You see, my training has been less than great for this race and I really could use some inspiration and motivation, especially as the day turns to night and the tough miles start to come. This is where you can REALLY help me. If you wouldn't mind sharing a unique story about yourself or a loved one that has been touched by cancer- I just know that it would help pull me through. It may sound silly to some of you but having been through this journey in the last year- I KNOW that it helps. I have been pulled along and carried over the hardest miles of some tough races by these stories of the real warriors in the FIGHT. Leave a comment here- or email me - runlikeamug@yahoo.com.

I believe in the power of numbers- the more of these warriors I have with me- the better my odds. It also works the other way too- the more people that band together, in search of a world without cancer- the better our odds. This is something we CAN achieve- something we MUST achieve and I will not stop asking or trying until WE do.

FIGHT ON!!!

Click HERE to Donate Online

Or by mail
David Murphy
HC 72 Box 324-8
Wasola, MO 65773

Please make checks payable to- American Cancer Society