It's Only 100 Miles

January 16th will mark 6 years of my "running life". I really can't remember what life was like before that day in 2006. One thing I am absolutely sure of is this... NEVER in my wildest dreams would I have said that there would be a point in my life that I would be running a 100 miler. Now I'm getting ready to do just that.... for the SECOND time.

There have been many changes over the past 6 years. That first day I barely made it one mile. It seemed like the hardest thing I would ever do. The next day felt even worse. I ran a 5k a few months later and wondered how in the world people could run any farther than that. 10,000 plus miles later and I have managed to go a little longer from time to time. It has been a learning process and the failures outweigh the successes. Fortunately, the successes have been enough to keep me coming back for more and looking for the next challenge.

One of the biggest changes over that period came in late 2009 and early 2010 when both of my parents were diagnosed with cancer. The very idea that somebody I loved would have cancer was crazy and it was unthinkable that both parents would require life altering procedures within a few months of each other. That was as far fetched as me running 100 miles. Both were ridiculous notions. Cancer happened to "other" people and NOBODY runs 100 miles. Except it doesn't happen to "other" people and people DO run 100 miles.

My eyes were opened to the horrors of cancer during this time. It is an evil monster that robs from ALL of us. Both my parents are alive and I am thankful but in the past few years, several of my friends, people that I loved and considered family, have been taken. Of course I'm not the only one, many of my friends have experienced great losses too. We are ALL in this fight together. Sometimes I get caught up in the hype and forget this.... that we ALL hate cancer and want to see the day when it is no longer relevant.

When I say "caught up in the hype"  it's not a reference to my seemingly narcissistic love affair with myself. Sometimes I just feel like it's too much. Too much to keep asking. Too much to keep begging. Too much to keep tweeting or posting on facebook every 5 minutes, the fact that I hate cancer. We all hate cancer. I know this but still fundraising can be emotionally and physically draining. It takes it's toll on my body before I ever hit the starting line. Anybody that has been there knows what I'm saying. It usually makes me feel guilty for asking time and time again. So I decided NOT to ask this time because it would just be easier that way. I could just concentrate solely on the race and go into it mentally prepared without the pressure of anybody watching.

Then the VOICES kicked in with rational thought a stern lecture. They let me know that this was a selfish and disrespectful approach. Facts are facts. I will run 100 miles on February 4th. It is the Rocky Raccoon 100 in Huntsville, Texas. Unless you are an ultra runner, you probably don't know anybody that will ever try this distance. It is a unique opportunity for both of us to TEAM UP and fight back. I will run 100 miles as fast as I can. I promise to keep moving in a forward motion, even when it gets dark and cold. Even when the miles seem impossible, I promise to push toward the finish line. I will do this with the full knowledge that my pain and weakness is not even enough to resgister a blip on the radar when compared to those with cancer. All I ask of you is to support me with one dime for each mile that I cross.  

Please consider this. I am asking begging for a $10 donation to the Relay for Life. I have NOTHING to offer in return. The Honor Scroll Run will be coming soon and the Pink Tutu will make an appearance (or two) this year. For this run it will just be me, a cancer hatin' doo rag and some really cool shoe laces. If you want to donate click------->HERE<------- or make a check payable to the American Cancer Society and mail to:


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

Here is a link to last year's Rocky Raccoon 100 Mile Recap and Video

2011 Rewind

2011 came to an end just as it started. With an early morning 20.11 mile New Years Day run. Nothing real significant or notable happened in between but a few things do stick out in my mind. I'm not a fan of looking back or living in the past because it is whats next that really matters. Of course the past does help set the path for the future so here we go.....

In December of 2010, I signed up for the Rocky Raccoon 100. The race was in early February so I picked out the perfect “get in shape for 100 miler” plan. I decided to “streak” until the week of the race. January ended with 260 miles. That was and is the biggest month for me. Whatever. The 100 miler was also a great fundraiser for the Relay for Life. I asked for a dime per mile and YOU donated over $1,000. Anyway, despite having never run more than 54 miles and thanks to an awesome crew, I survived and finished in 20 hours 59 minutes and 40 seconds. Not horrible for a rookie. Here is a little video we made.

Next was a ½ in March. I hadn't ran an official half in about 4 years and my PR was still 1:30:36. It was time to fix that. Of course it was almost freezing with the wind blowing and a major thunderstorm during the race. At start time, the race officials told us they were postponing the start for a few minutes “until the bad lightning passes” This left me to wonder if there was a such thing as running in good lightning.... The race did start about 10 minutes later and I ran straight into the wind for the first half. At the turn around, I realized that the wind was coming from the side and it was now MUCH worse. At least I was still running in “good” lightning. The rain kind of hurt and I was really cold but managed to still PR with a 1:27 and some change. Good times, yo. Good times.

April was the 2nd Annual Honor Scroll 50 Mile Run. The Ouachita 50 mile race is held just outside of Little Rock, AR and is a trail run in every sense of the word. The Climb over Mt. Pinnacle is insane but awesome. This year, I hit the top in 1^st place because the lead pack took a wrong turn. A photographer at the top took my picture and I was lucky enough to have the dumbest look on my face. I didn't buy the official pic but it was published in the July issue of UltraRunner Magazine. Figures that I would look like an Idiot in my only shot at the big time.... In 2010, I had finished in 3^rd place but 2011 was tough on me. A knee issue left me limping for 35 miles and an 11^th place finish. It was still an awesome privilege and honor to carry so many names with me on the scroll as WE continue the journey to eliminate cancer.

On May, 2^nd I decided to start a run streak. This would last through the summer. June is the month for the Relay for Life, Ozark County. Once again, I asked for donations and in return ran all night around the track. In a pink tutu. It was a lot of fun and many friends came to do a few laps/miles with me. One dude even rolled for 31 miles out of the 53 that I ran. It was awesome. Except for the chaffing issues.... never-mind.

In July, I broke out “Ye Olde Schwinn” for round 2 of the Lake Free-Bird Sprint Triathlon. I had promised to train for this one but.... well.... my bad. I don't know how I didn't drown but somehow I made the swim. My back tire was about half flat so it was kind of a tough 14 miles but you know....

The run was mo' better and I finished right at 1 hour 30 minutes. This July I will be trained. Or not.

The run streak ended after 119 days. After resting for 2 days I ran again and ended up with a bad calf strain that left me not able to run for 10 days. Not a huge deal. Except for the 50 miler on October 2^nd. In a moment of desperation, I purchased some calf compression sleeves. These are NOT tights. They are compression sleeves..... whatever. They work and I was proud to wear them.

The “Kickin' Route 66 50 Mile road race was on October 2^nd. There were a whopping 6 people that started the race. 5 finished. This was my first “road” 50. The course ran along, you guessed it, old Route 66 from Lebanon to Springfield, MO. I didn't know what to expect so I quit thinking and just ran. The first 31 miles had several hills. Don't know why this surprised me but it did. The aid stations were unmanned except for 2 or 3 in the beginning miles. After mile 26 or so, I didn't see another person associated with the race. At mile 37, I came across an unmanned aid station with a giant cooler full of hot hose water. I had to have some because it was 80+ degrees out and I was 37 miles in. Took me a minute but I realized that a milk jug type container had been fashioned into a ladle. Self service at it's finest. I was also hungry but skipped the fly covered, melted PBJ's that were baking in the sun.

I was pretty pissed at this point. Might have even posted a “not so nice” message about the RD on my facebook page. I got over it as I crossed the finish line carrying my 4 year old son. My time was 7 hours 30 minutes and I was in 2^nd place. Not horrible. I got a trophy bottom with a Hot Wheels car that I guess needs to be glued to the top. Right. The medal was nice and it turns out that my time was a Missouri State Record for the 50 mile distance in the 35-39 age group. That takes the sting out of drinking hose water but still this is the 1^st and last time I will blog about it. What doesn't kill you..... whatever.

October 23^rd was the Turn The Trail Pink event at the Dogwood Canyon 50k. YOU stepped up big here and donated over $2,000 to the ACS. It was a great day. The course had changed from the previous year and included many more hills. Steep hills. I finished in 5^th place overall and even managed to turn a cartwheel. It is widely considered to be the greatest cartwheel ever done by a 39 year old man with a beard, wearing a pink tutu at the finish of a 50k trail race. Here is the video....

The next weekend, I thought it would be cool to carry my son for 3.1 miles at our local 5k. It was dumb and the next day I had to quit a run after 10 miles. My knee hurt bad. I diagnosed it as ITB and rested for a few days. Then decided it would be okay to run the Bass Pro Marathon. It wasn't. Last year I finished in 2:58. This year was 3:36 with an awesome limp. Whad'ya gonna do?

I played cheerleader for the Idiots Running Club at the the White River Marathon in Mtn. Home Arkansas. It was an awesome experience to watch and cheer for my friends. Every Idiot that ran PR'd. It was freakin' awesome. Of course I would rather run but this was a close 2^nd.

I'm sure there was some other dumb things in there but you've got to be bored by now. 2012 has started with a 20.12 mile run and new goals have been set. They are simple and easy to remember.....

~Run. Smile. Run. Frown. Run. Grimace. Run. Mumble to myself in a state of delirium. Run. Don't die. Finish. Repeat.~

What The WOOOO!!!!! Is That All About?

Maybe it's time to explain the WOOOO!!!!! I don't know how successful this will be but here it goes.....

As a kid, I LOVED to watch pro-wrestling. Couldn't get enough of it- even after the heart crushing realization that it was as “real” as Santa Claus. One wrestler in particular left me in awe every time he made an appearance. The “Nature Boy” character had it all, from the stylin' robes to the Rock Star lifestyle, and naturally I wanted to be like that. His on air rants made him famous, holding the Title Belt and yelling things like, “To be the man, you have to beat the man!! I'm a jet flying, limousine riding, kiss stealing, son of a gun!!! WOOOOO!!!!!” Those were the things that appealed to me then but as I grew up (somewhat) I could see the real story behind the character.

The rants and sayings that he made famous only worked because of the confidence and dedication behind it. Flair wasn't as big, strong, mean or talented as those he encountered in the ring. No, he was usually not even close, nor was he a fan “favorite” and most often played the part of the “heel”. One thing that he did have though was heart, and a lot of it. He strutted around, talked the smack and yelled WOOOO!!!!! every chance he got because, well, because he could. No matter the obstacle or opponent he always found a way to hold on to the belt and the few occasions that he did lose were rectified by a successful rematch within a few days. His character was loud, boisterous and super cocky- because he had the mental self confidence to compete with anybody. This WORKS for me.

Nothing about running is easy. Too many days it would be easy to skip or “mail it in” with a half-assed attempt. I use many tactics to motivate myself on these days and the WOOOO!!!!! is always part of it. I have shouted it in races for a few years now and you can count on it coming out in every trail run- because I like the way it echoes through the woods and off the hills. In the late miles of a marathon or an ultra it comes in handy too. The responses from other runners help take my mind off how miserable I feel right then. Of course it can make people wonder.... I threw out a very weak woooo!!! to a female runner on an out and back part of a marathon and she asked, “What the hell was that?” Too tired and embarrassed to explain I just kept on going hoping she didn't think I was asking for a date.

WOOOO!!!!! is a mental state of mind. It says “I have kicked butt” or “You have kicked butt” or “I love it” or “Good for you” or “Nothing is going to stop me” or “Bring it on” or …....... you get it, right?
It can be used to brag on yourself, praise others, motivate those around you or throw down a challenge. WOOOO!!!!! has different meanings to everybody- but it is ALWAYS a positive thing- and THAT is what really defines it. Combine the WOOOO!!!!! with a multiplier of how many miles ran or a random message of motivation and it becomes........ well, the same thing only multiplied by a number or message.

WOOOO!!!!! x2 …..life is good? Easier to explain. I am very fortunate in my life with a beautiful wife and two great kids, it just seems appropriate. Besides, life IS good, so why not say it twice?

WOOOO!!!!!! x2 …...life is good. Kind of catchy, isn't it? Try it...... you'll see.

Nothing to Prove....

I have nothing to prove to anybody. Except the VOICES. They are never satisfied. Always pushing. Always taunting. Always wanting more. They expect more. They believe I can deliver everytime, regardless of how I feel mentally or physically. They are also my harshest critics, questioning every success or accomplishment.

They pushed me through my first half marathon even though I had the flu. I finished in 1:30:36. I should have been ecstatic but the VOICES let me know that I had missed a sub 1:30 by a mere 37 seconds. I qualified for Boston during the first attempt by finishing 2 minutes under my required time. BUT I dropped 5 minutes on the second half. "Need to work on that." A 3rd place finish, in a small marathon, when I had pneumonia like symptoms? Or a 5th place finish the following year while limping from a calf strain? "Dude, you suck. Toughen up."

After my first 50 miler, where I placed 3rd overall, they questioned whether it was legitimate or merely a lack of stronger competition. Last November I busted a sub 3 marathon and a PR one week after a strong 5th place finish on a tough 50k course. The VOICES once again called me out. "Fluke", they said, "do it again." Less than two weeks later I ran another sub 3 and PR'd. That worked for a minute....

Sub 24 100 miler? Nope. Not good enough. "The course wasn't that tough. Anybody could run it in 21 hours...."  An 11th place 50 mile finish on a rough trail course with a swollen knee? "Big deal." Maybe a sprint tri on "Ye Old Schwinn" and zero swim training? Nope. Expected to do well. A state record for the 35-39 year old age group in the 50 miler? "What a joke. Pure luck."

"Of course you can carry a 40lb kid for a 5k. It's only 3.1 miles...." As I write this it becomes clear to me why I had to run the Bass Pro Marathon with an ITB injury that had me limping for the majority of the miles. I still have something to prove to myself. I don't know what it is but there is something. Maybe the VOICES want me to reach a point where I can just be happy with who I am as a runner.

Or maybe I just need to sit one out and watch from the sidelines. I don't like it but maybe I need to prove to myself that I can........ Wish me luck this weekend as I cheer from the sidelines of the White River Marathon. This will be my biggest challenge yet.