Mark's Introduction to WashMO Running

By: Mark Jacobs

This journey of mine actually began the 1st day of Lent in 2016. I'm not Catholic, I’m Lutheran, but I’ve always liked the idea of giving something up for Lent "for God". This year I decided to turn that around: do something for God. I promised to do some form of exercise every day of Lent. I shared this idea with my wonderful friend Sherri Mundwiller, with whom I have shared every step of my success, that poor woman had to put up with all my questions and chatter all year.  She was the only person I felt I could talk with about the little improvements.  Others wouldn’t understand what I was trying to do, but I felt that it meant something to Sherri.  She knew any improvement I made I would share with her because it was important to me...and no matter how insignificant it might be she would continue to show excitement and encourage me.  She has my undying gratitude for that. Being a very successful runner herself she had previously shared her story with me, which in turn inspired me to begin thinking of this as my own journey.  

The first day of lent I started walking: I walked to the gas station if I needed something instead of driving; I walked to church for Sunday service and for Lent service on Wednesday. Sometimes I’d just work out with some dumbbells.  When we had snow, I would ride my bike that I keep hooked up to my indoor trainer.  I'd had it a long time but rarely used it till then.

In April, after Lent, I was feeling proud of myself and liking the walking I’d been doing, but wishing with all my heart I could run.  I was a little scared to try.  My family has a history of heart problems. I was still way over weight and easily short of breath from any exertion.  I was at about 265 lbs with a size 40 " waist…I hated any picture I was in. The most recent of pictures at that time completely disgusted me. I’ll be honest, I was really pissed at myself for ignoring my fitness for so long, for allowing myself get so far out of shape. 

I decided then and there "no more”!  It was like a lightning bolt…I wasn’t having it.  That moment of decision was when my determination took hold.  I started on Third Street, destination Hwy 47 and back. Walking at first.  After a couple days I just wanted to see IF I could run.  So, with a small jog down the first hill and walking up the next, I began my running. Not too bad, felt pretty good; I continued like that all the way to 47. By the end of the first week I was running down hill and walking up...both directions. 

I was feeling confident about myself but knew I wasn’t ready to run up hill yet. So I decided to move my running to the trail because it was flat.  My first goal was to run to the bridge without stopping and after about a week and a half I was able to go one direction without stopping to catch my breath ...and after about another week I was able to go both ways.  This was really happening.  My improvements were becoming obvious!

I was so happy with that I went straight to the gas station to tell Sherri. She was very happy for me and suggested I enter the Rivertown 5k Race. I thought about that a couple days then told Sherri, “Why not?”.  She set me up to meet with Julie Hook. Julie is another wonderful runner and part of our community.  I talked to her for a while and signed up for the race. Before I left she mentioned to me about the Daily Run Club.

I was down to about 250 by this time. I felt like my work was starting to pay off. I had decided since “the day my determination took over" that I wanted to get down to 200 by 4th of July.  That was a pretty lofty goal. I figured if I belonged to a club that ran daily it would make me want to run every day like the name said. In order to lose 50 lbs, I knew I’d have to run every day and doing so would help me keep it off. I had no illusions of fast or long running. I wasn’t going to win a bunch of medals.  But if I was going to run everyday, I might as well have fun doing it, and I didn’t need to run all the time alone.

I was running consistently from Market to Main St and back so approximately 2.2 miles non-stop and I was feeling ready to introduce myself and find some others to run with.  My breathing was continuing to improve. I wasn’t fast, but I was steady.  I knew I would be able to finish the Rivertown 5k race though I would have to walk some of it.

May 14 2016. Big day my first race. I was early.  It was cold. It was windy.  Julie was there, I  went over and said my good morning, then Sherri arrived to run the half marathon. I promised to wait for her to finish her race after my race.  Sherri introduced me to Ximena. I was start struck, this was another passionate and accomplished runner in our community. I was so embarrassed by my appearance and she was styling as always.  My run gear just made me laugh in comparison.  But she was just so nice and full of encouragement, really a one of a kind type of person and I mean that in the best possible way. She doesn’t know how grateful I was that day for her kindness.

It was an ugly race for me, my finishing time was 45:47. But I was out there and I finished and earned my first finisher medal.  I made sure to get a picture with Sherri and Julie and Ximena, three very influential people for me in running.  Those three were there for the first race I ever run along this new running path.  They’ll always be in my thoughts for that.

Now this was not the first time in my life that I have run.  I am a retired Marine and yes I ran 3 mile drills thousands and thousands of times.  Often we would run 5 miles, but rarely further than that.  I ran two 10ks while in the military...but I wasn’t a distance runner.  3 miles, sure, but long distance?  …no way, it'd take me a week to recover.  Soon after I retired, work started to interfere with fitness.  I joined a gym for the treadmill, but time became an issue; I bought my own treadmill to save on membership fees.  Running turned into walking and soon the machine was just gathering dust.  I was working 10 -12 hr days and would accept any excuse to not exercise. What a fool I was when I think back now.  I had let the gift of running get away without ever having truly embraced it.

After the Rivertown Race I discovered the next race coming up would be the Beer Rrun put on by the Landing.  I won’t bore you with more details, but at the finish line I again got a picture with Ximena.  In fact, she’s been nice enough to get a picture with me every race this year if she was there.

At this point I still wasn’t part of DRC.  I asked Julie about it and she added me immediately. It was very humbling when I first joined…I was a newbie and the club was filled with so many exceptional runners.  Since joining, every single person I’ve met have been the nicest of people...I feel like I finally found out where the nice people in the world had been hiding…they’re all here in one place that’s why I couldn’t find them!

Since that first race and joining DRC, 2016 has been a blur!  I've run twelve 5ks,  one 10k, dropped 80 lbs and went from size 40 pants to size 34, I’ve run from the bank by Subway to Hwy T and back nonstop for 14 miles...just a little over 3 hrs, also have done 20 laps around Lion’s Lake for 14 miles, I have 3 finisher medals and 4 placement medals. And….13 race t-shirts!

In 2017, I’ll start the year with a race at Six Flags and I have my first half marathon on April 1st.  I’ll run my first timed race, a 12-hour in hopes of obtaining my first ultra distance on April 29.  I also signed up for the 2017 1000-mile challenge so I expect to be increasing my mileage and trying new things in this new year.  I’ve logged a little over 650 miles since I started keeping track during the last week of June.

I couldn’t have accomplished any of that without my magnificent friends in the run club headed by John Cash and Meghan.  Everyone encourages each other and if I need to ask questions to become a better runner there’s no better local pool of knowledge to draw from.  I’ve been in the club a while now and though I still feel humbled around these great runners /people...I feel accepted. I’m not married,  I don’t have kids...to me my friends are my family...

I put in the time, running is no longer work for me now, it’s fun.  I no longer avoid running, I cherish every moment.  It took a lot of work to get to where I am.  Blood and sweat (uneven sidewalks - oh yeah, I have crashed) and somehow, to my own amazement, I am now a distance runner.  How did that come to be??  I have to thank the influence of such amazing individuals in my running community.  I could give a very long list of names here ...but it all started with Sherri.  Thank you Sherri, Julie and Ximena and thanks to all those in the club.  You saved my life.  I will continue to strive to be a better runner, for myself and for my club.  My journey isn’t over.  Lots to do yet......RUN ON DRC!

Road to Castlerock

By:  John Cash

Like a lot of you, last March I watched the documentary The Barkley Marathons.  I was inspired. Within minutes of the credits, I was logged onto Ultra Signup registering for a race that I had been interested in running for more than 2 years.   As I confirmed my spot on the Vol State Race page, terror set in.  A 500 K on the roads of TN directed by a character known almost exclusively for always difficult, often misleading and hard as shit races.

Recently, I have made some great but difficult changes in my life.  That was how I viewed Vol State, great but difficult.  I have no previous multi-day race experience and 24 hour races have yet to go seamlessly.  Honestly, I didn’t know that much about the race.  I had the John Price book.  I knew the course hit several states.  I knew there was climbing.  What knowledge I had was fuzzy having been pushed out of the way to focus on 24 Hour Races and Marathon Training.  I assumed there would be plenty of time to research before July.  

Aside from scouring race reports in my “free time” at work, my concentration was pulled to other things, life, kids, a move, starting a business…mountain biking.  It was the weekend before and I had not driven the course, half my crew had to bail and basically I just had a drape hat, some arm sleeves and some printed copies of maps.  My training still felt focused on 24 Hour Racing and Vol State was basically going to get jammed in there.  

I got lucky by reaching out and finding a close friend, John Schupp, who was available to come out and help Meghan, my girl friend, in crewing me.  My daughter, Megan, I know…that can be confusing or make things easier…returned home from a trip to Florida early and she was really interested in joining us for the adventure, as well.  In the days before, we began recruiting more interest from friends that offered to stop in along the route and ended up being met by Shari Munier and Greg Wells in the second day.  I can’t believe these people were all willing to travel such a distance, to travel a larger distance, just to help me fulfill an obligation made on an inspiration.  I wanted very badly not to let them down.

I know every one of them had special experiences traveling the Vol State course.  It seems every time I met up with them they had a story to share and an overwhelming report that family, friends, the club and even people I have never met were actually following the race and interested in this crazy thing I was participating in.  It was very motivational learning how many people were remotely along for the adventure with us.  

I have only ever written one race report and it was pretty terrible.  My reason for writing this down is to first, thank all those people that sent a message, kept in touch, thought about the race…maybe even got a little inspired themselves.  Secondly, there are a few things that I wish I had known before attempting a multi day and while they are fresh, I want to remember them.

So, thank you guys.  I am reading over all the posts, comments and looking at some great pictures.  Recently I have been forgetting my race experiences shortly after they are done.  What I can’t feel from Vol State in a week will still be there in my thoughts thanks to so much interest and involvement from the people of my community.  I say thank you only because I don’t know how to better express my gratitude to so many.  Thank you everyone.

Other things I will have to try to remember if I ever multi day again:  

Eat the right way: Heavy fatty meals for slow burn, small carb calorie boosts until hunger 

Stay dry: Especially your shoes, change them, change socks, tape feet, avoid wet shoes at all costs  (additionally, watch water in other areas and be liberal with the lube)

Sleep enough: You need to hit REM sleep but not much more than that to feel awake.  A half hour won’t cut it.  1.5-1.75 hours is good enough without jeopardizing run time

It has amazed me how an after thought documentary inspired me to commit to something so great and difficult on nothing much more than a belief that I could do it.  Maybe not do it well, but as long as I could walk, I knew would get to Castlerock.  Ok, I didn’t foresee walking being such a burden in my planning, but like I said, that is part of the reason I am typing this up.  What I have found even more amazing is the actual reach of this experience.  I didn’t think anyone would care about this race or how I was handling it. I found though, that this experience wasn't just mine.  My crew, Meghan and my daughter each appreciated aspects unique to them.  All of the people that said tracking the race led to inspiration for them really made me think about the race differently.  All I can say is that I am grateful that I was inspired, I am grateful that such a crazy opportunity exists and I am grateful to have felt such support from all over.  I hope any one that felt inspired by the race finds their own Vol State and goes for it. 

Check This Out: Nutrition Stop

I recently had the opportunity to chat with DRC fast-packer and runner Rick Kwiatkowski  about Nutrition Stop (click here for their Facebook page), where he works in St. Peters, MO. Get to know more about Rick and Nutrition Stop in this interview, then make sure to head over to St. Peters sometime to check it out!

Daily Run Blog (DRB): How do you pronounce your last name? Sorry to ask a question I'm sure you hear ALL the time, but I'm curious!

Kwiatkowski: Qua-Tow-Ski. It really is Kvee-At-Kov-Ski. Kwiat means "flower" in Polish and Kowski means "person". That was probably too much info.

DRB: Nah that’s not too much info. How long have you been working at Nutrition Stop (NS)? What has kept you there?

Kwiatkowski: I am terrible with time frames, I have been there for over 15 years. I moved to Texas [for] a while and worked for two different corporate nutrition stores. The reason I have stayed is how Mom and Pop shops do business. We sincerely try and help people. There are no push products and we do not work on commission.

DRB: What corporate nutrition stores did you work for?

Kwiatkowski: I worked for Vitamin World and GNC. I managed stores for both companies.

DRB: What differences do you see between these corporate stores versus NS?

Kwiatkowski: A lot of corporate owned and operated stores have push products and use a system that offers commission on certain products. I know how a lot of stores work and unfortunately I feel it interferes with the idea of truly helping someone get what they really need.

DRB: Both of the stores you previously worked at are supplement-specific. What kind of products do you carry at NS?

Kwiatkowski: We carry produce (all of it is certified organic), groceries, natural cosmetics, supplements, and bulk items.

DRB: Oh dang, now I really want to check it out! Do you have any favorite products? (I admit, I assumed it was mainly supplements!)

Kwiatkowski: We get our meat from local farmers. One product I eat almost every day is Missouri Bison. I also eat the Best Bar Ever nearly everyday as well. They are fresh made to order bars we have in the refrigerator(no preservatives).

DRB: I'm assuming the Best Bar Ever is local, then? Are a lot of the grocery items local?

Kwiatkowski: We try to get as much local as possible (Best Bar Ever is not local, but is always fresh). I live downtown so I am able to pick up some of our orders directly from the facilities downtown. I get to see how and where the items are made and deal directly with the people who make them.

DRB: Those relationships must be invaluable! Have you or Nutrition Stop been able to grow your local food stock because of those direct dealings?

Kwiatkowski: Yes. I also make it a point to go to local farmers markets and Best of Missouri Market (held yearly at the Botanical Gardens). 

DRB: I’m sure that’s a great event! Do you do any of the ordering or selecting of products? If so, what do you look for?

Kwiatkowski: Yes. The market has changed so much in the past decade with internet and big box stores getting into the market. We, of course, look at quality of product and integrity of the company. But now we have to see who is carrying these companies and if they are selling them at fair prices. Some products are being sold directly at prices lower than what we buy them for from our distributors. This is not just happening in our industry, but others as well. That is why it is such a struggle for Mom and Pop shops to survive.

DRB: Wow they really don't make it easy! It's good that you understand that, though, and are able to look for those things. Now, you carry a wider range of products than I was expecting, but I'll still ask: what do you recommend to first-time customers? I get pretty overwhelmed at nutrition stores and I wonder if it would be the same at NS?

Kwiatkowski: I personally believe in keeping things simple. That way people are less likely to be overwhelmed and more likely to stick with it. I usually preach paying attention to your macros (proper amounts of carbs, fats, proteins) and not sweating the micros too much. Starting with a good multi is a great way to ensure you are getting a good foundation of the micro nutrients you actually need.

DRB: Okay! Is that part of why you warned me that your views on nutrition and eating are “a little out of the range of normal”? Can you explain what you meant when you told me that?

Kwiatkowski: I have tried a lot of different ways of eating in my time. I noticed the biggest improvement in my health when I added clean meats and organic dairy back into my diet. I was feeling so great that I did some research to see if there were any people who mainly lived off of such foods as staples. That is when I found out about the Masai Tribe of Africa. They are herders who live mainly off of meat and milk. They believe farming is a desecration of the land. Pretty extreme departure of what people commonly think. So I decided to embrace this idea and test it in a reasonable manner. As a result I eat a lot of dairy and meat and nearly no fruit and veggies. Haha!

DRB: Ha, wow! That is different from the norm. I assume that's why you like the bison meat? What do you consider clean meats?

Kwiatkowski: Hormone-free, pasture-raised, and organic if possible.

DRB: Within that, do you eat any meat or lean toward one kind of meat over another?

Kwiatkowski: Not really. I do bison, grass-fed beef, salmon, and tuna. I look for calorie- and nutrient-efficient foods. Most meat fits into that category.

DRB: You said you tried other dietary regimens, were you trying those all through your running/fitness journey?

Kwiatkowski: No. I really just started running seriously a year or so ago. I was an avid day hiker back in my single days. After getting married and having a kiddo, my windows of trail time have diminished. So, to make the most of it, I decided to train to be a fast packer. I had to evolve my diet to be nutrient- and calorie-efficient and change my training to involve running along with power hiking.

DRB: Do you feel your fitness journey ties in with NS in any way?

Kwiatkowski: Yes. I believe health is a holistic sort of thing. The three main things we should focus on is nutrition, exercise, and sleep/rest. Nutrition Stop fills in the nutrition aspect, fast packing hiking/running is the exercise, and me being an exhausted, active parent equals sleep. Ha!

DRB: I would ask if your son is active, but I have a feeling he is! How old is he?

Kwiatkowski: He turned four this month.

DRB: Oh he definitely exhausts you, then, ha! I see your trail running posts, do you take to the road ever?

Kwiatkowski: Occasionally. I used to run mainly paved at Forest Park almost daily when my son was younger and would ride willingly in his stroller. Haha!

DRB: Does he enjoy fast-packing or running with you?

Kwiatkowski: At times. We live in a walk able neighborhood and have tons of parks around. We get a lot of outdoor and playground time. I usually pack out all our water and snacks in my fast-pack so it works into the whole idea of fast pack training.

DRB: Soon enough he'll be fast-packing right alongside you! Thanks so much for your time, and for sharing such wonderful information about Nutrition Stop.

This is definitely a place DRCers should check out. Let us know if you've been and give us your thoughts on it! Thanks again Rick, see you on the trails!

An Introduction to Adequate Recovery

By Meg McCarrick

In DRC, you see us talk a lot about recovery, but what does it mean? Is it healing up after an injury? Or taking a day off after an intense work out? Is it just a word reserved for elite athletes?

Look, if you are a member of DRC, you are an athlete. It is time to recognize that and treat yourself as such.  

With the weather on the verge of a spring upswing, we are all counting down the minutes until our feet get to hit the pavement or trail each day. Not surprisingly, the highest incidence of injury is often associated with this rev-up in running. As glorious as it is to be out there increasing speed and mileage, sometimes we neglect applying the necessary recovery to our running lifestyle.

Ok, so… remember, we are athletes here. We are killing PRs and pushing our limits and crushing the physical standards most people expect of themselves. Let’s take a couple minutes to talk about the parts of the day NOT spent running, but that definitely affect our running.

Hydration: Hydration is an everyday necessity and our general population is kind of terrible at it. 3-5 liters of water a day. Who does that? Well, athletes …like you. So get yourself a heavy-duty BPA-free, or steel or glass liter bottle and keep it with you. DRINK!  Replenishing fluid for your body after exertion or time in the heat or wind or even extreme cold is key to keeping the cells of your body turgid and productive. You cleanse your digestive and urinary systems more regularly and efficiently with a steady flow of water consumption. The healing process actually speeds up with effective hydration. You get over illness more quickly, repair an injury with less time down and stay mentally sharp, all simply by consuming an adequate amount of water on a daily basis. Be ready to pee a lot.

Nutrition: There is a very obvious disconnect with Americans and the purpose of food. We typically do not view food as fuel, or as sustenance, or as specific to healing or health. We tend to limit ourselves rather than green-lighting a feeding frenzy of actual real food. Calories derived from real food sources are easily utilized by our systems at rest and during physical demand. It’s unfortunate that we don’t have better food education built into primary, occupational, or even medical schools. So, it is up to us to look for the information and to apply it even when that type of lifestyle is made challenging in our common culture. Food is basic and simple… if it is basic and simple: fresh, clean, live foods are going to create a fresh, clean and live environment within our bodies. If you are eating junk, your system will be junk. The “you are what you eat” saying rings very true to those people looking to reach their physical and mental potential. Athletics aside, wouldn’t it be great if all people ate for health? We would eliminate diabetes and most cancers, as well as drastically reduce occurrences of common viral and bacterial infections because we would be more capable of fighting those things off, JUST BY HAVING A HEALTHIER SYSTEM. Now, imagine what kind of an impact a diet full of fresh, clean, live foods can have on your preparation, performance, and healing as it links to your running lifestyle.

Rest: Good sleep is paramount. We are up before the sun and not in bed until well after it goes down. We sleep restlessly as our body fights the daily sugar spikes, screen time, work and life stressors. We sleep with other restless bodies, barking dogs, noisy traffic, kids that need to get up to pee. Even when we do get in bed, as tired as zombies, sleep is often hard to manage. Napping is viewed as laziness, but we are all tired. Someone once told me to make sleeping a hobby and habit, enjoy it, don’t apologize for it and take all that you need. 8-10 hours, try to make time for it. Your body’s cells actually heal more quickly while you are at rest; while sleeping, complex systems are still diligently filtering, processing and creating new cells, pathways and products.

That’s the recovery trifecta. By becoming more in tune with your water intake, pushing a heavy diet of good foods, and making sleep a priority you can take on quality workouts, make huge gains, and heal in a fraction of the normal time. This is essentially the secret to evolving to your most impressive athlete and self. Ok, so training and balanced workouts are extremely helpful as well, but I would venture to say that how you recover actually plays a larger role in your ability and potential than just jamming out intense training. Further, you are going to be able to jam out a whole lot harder with the right regular big picture care.

Stress Avoidance: In addition to those main three, Hydration, Nutrition and Sleep, there is another facet of well-being that effects recovery. It’s a little sticky to avoid stress as we are bombarded with it in most aspects of our lives. Heck, it is why a lot of us run in the first place. If you focus on the trifecta, you will find that some stress is more manageable anyway, but there are some areas that require a little more thought. We all have those issues in our lives that make just getting by difficult. Money, other people, jobs, expectations… some of these things are static and you just have to sip your herbal tea and let it roll off your back, while in downward facing dog, listening to Fleet Foxes. But some other stresses can be lessened with clear decision making to avoid overly-heavy situations, setting up smart systems and even considering cutting your obligations. The most effective way to lessen the effect of stressors is to stay positive and stay thankful. Take time to really value those great relationships, accomplishments and joys in your life. 

Solid athletic performance and recovery will always be complimentary of one another. As DRC athletes, and especially going in to this busy season of running, remember to place some importance and focus on recovery. Proper hydration, nutrition and sleep, along with keeping a peaceful mind will strengthen your running ability and allow you to make those changes in form and training that lead to even bigger gains. Happy Running, DRC!

New Year, New... Ugh!

By Rae Hedlund

Welcome to another year, DRC! Looking back at 2015, I’m blown away by all the things our club has accomplished: members have joined and become confident and consistent runners; people have run their first races or tackled new distances; we have shared stories, told more about our lives before running and how running has changed us. It’s truly incredible to see the things our club has done over the last year.

I’ve spent the past year helping with the DRC blog, encouraging you to share your stories, and I have loved every minute of it. Every story you’ve told has been an inspiration to me personally, and I’m so thankful to have been a part of it thus far. Starting out another year, I feel excited just seeing the things to come, with the 2016 Penny Challenge, our month of speedwork in April, and other fun things in the works, it’s all so exciting! But can I share something with you that hasn’t been exciting me lately? Resolutions.

For some years now, I’ve felt completely overwhelmed by the “New Year, New You!” concept. Those of you that know me know I’m an extrovert (Gasp! Shocking!), and while I’m great at seeing a big-picture concept, achieving the final product leaves me feeling confused and muddled—the details elude me. Ask me to tell you my “resolutions” and I get frazzled because I have a lot of things I’d love to accomplish, but don’t know what is reasonable and what isn’t. To be honest, there is also a part of me that’s just cynical about resolutions. Think of all the memes out there about people going to the gym in January... and not going after that! Those memes are how I’ve always looked at resolutions.

Not gonna lie, I think they based this off something I said once.

I'd tell you to disregard the year, but this shows that I'm not the only one who thinks this way!

Well, I’m here to say sorry. I’m sorry for being cynical, and I’m sorry (okay, only a little) for being so easily stressed over a pastime that most people embrace. However, I’ve shifted my thinking over the last couple years to try to see “resolutions” as goals- and I’m always excited to talk about my goals! I have some for the year (volunteering and decluttering, to name a couple), but my main goal is to be gracious with myself. The idea of being gracious, compassionate, or just kind to myself came during my 50-miler last year, and I’ve tried to keep that idea alive.

This year is starting out particularly directionless for me. Being 34 weeks pregnant, I’m just thankful for every moment my body feels good being active. Over and over, I’ve been encouraged to “listen to my body,” while also being prodded to be cautious and not overdo things. So, this year, I consider it a  goal to continue having a healthy pregnancy. With that in mind, I have just tried to be gracious with myself while doing what I love: I love running! But I also know that I need to take walking breaks, or cut a run short; there are also times, though, where I know the discomfort I’m feeling stems not from pregnancy, but from running just being tough.

Starting off my year in my third trimester has thrown my already easily overwhelmed, non-detail-oriented brain into a tizzy. How can I set fitness goals? Can I get close to last year’s mileage, or is that out of the question? What do I even want my goals to be? I’m not much for racing and have none on my calendar for the year, and I’m okay with that! I’ve learned that I don’t need a race as motivation, that I just like to see what my body can do, and with DRC to keep the motivation flowing I know I’ll continue running (thanks, DRC!).

No races, no mileage goal, I really do feel directionless! At the same time, though, I’m looking forward to some awesome volunteering opportunities—it is so inspiring to see others pushing themselves, getting to help them on their way is just way too cool. I’m hoping to get to pace some friends this year as they go out to crush their goals, because what better way to give back to those who have helped me in my own running journey? Even continuing to encourage you DRCers to share your running stories with the rest of us through the blog is something I’m looking forward to this year!

What does this all mean, then? Here I am, somewhat goalless but looking forward to a full year. Honestly, I feel a little empty about it, but also kind of excited to see what the year will bring; with nothing in my sights, anything that comes across my horizon will be an adventure I’ll be floored to take part in. I love seeing the goals/resolutions of other DRCers, because I know that I’ll be setting goals sometime this year, just not in January. I feel directionless, but I know that I’m not.

My Challenge Year

By Kristy Young

I really don’t know why I took up running. I used to run, when I was 19; I was young and thin, and had joined the Army. In Boot Camp, you had to run... but then I developed shin splints from running in combat boots, which turned into stress fractures that wouldn’t heal because I wasn’t able to get the rest time I needed. These stress fractures caused me to be unable to do the necessary amount of push-ups needed to pass the PT test. I was eventually sent home.

That was all 19 years ago.

Fast forward to 2014. I’m married, have a home, a child, and have to be an adult now. I’ve also gained a bunch of weight from my own unhealthy eating choices, lack of energy, and lack of exercise. It’s a vicious cycle: I was always eating on the go, eating fast food that made me feel terrible and tired, and never made time for myself. I would do the same thing day after day, always feeling terrible and tired.

To try to break this cycle, I started running in early 2014 and feel like I did okay; I was slow, with 15-minute miles, but I was out there doing something! I stumbled across DRC, joined, and watched. I ran off and on with the Couch to 5k app, which is a mixture of walking and running. I did this until around July, when I had an asthma attack during my run and had to quit. I was DONE. I couldn’t do it. I was too tired, too fat, too unmotivated, too slow... I was unable to breathe, so I was just done.

But I still watched the DRC posts. Yep, I Facebook stalked all of you. And I kept seeing all the miles that were going on out there. So jealous, yet unable to get myself off the couch to claim a few miles for myself.

In November of 2014, I decided to join the gym. Club Fitness is three minutes from my house, why not? I started working with a personal trainer, Jamie Driemeyer, who taught me how to exercise properly and, more importantly, how to eat properly. Nutrition was where I was lacking the most and needed major help. First, I had to cut out the fast food and make healthy choices while cooking at home. This alone changed my entire household: we started meal-planning and meal-prepping, which was new for us. We started using MyFitnessPal to track what we were eating—it’s amazing what you put into your mouth and what you don’t when you are forced to think about it. From November 2014 to May 2015, I worked with Jamie and lost 50 pounds! During that time, I was still watching all the miles being posted in DRC.

At the beginning of 2015, The Challenge came out: Run 20.15 miles per week or month, or run 2015k or miles for the year. I thought, “I can do 20.15 a week, that can’t be too tough!” Wow, January was a huge struggle for me, but I scraped by with 21.1. miles! I kept at it. February was tough, too, and really scraped by with 20.7. My miles stayed restricted to a treadmill because of what had happened the previous July.

Then March came and I had a HUGE MONTH! I hit 41 miles! I doubled what I had previously done! And, more importantly, I fell in love! In April, I ran outside for the first time since July 2014 and I was even happier. At this point, I just could not wait to run!

Running my first race, the Mo' Cowbell 5k!

Every week I challenged myself, every day I was so anxious to run that I could hardly wait to get home and get out there! I have read almost everything I can find about running: what to do, what not to do, how to get faster, how to win over the mind struggles. I love reading your advice, your struggles, and your successes! Through the articles and your personal experiences, I have learned what works for me. I have hit 11- to 12-minute miles, a big improvement from where I started my year, an accomplishment that makes me very proud.

PR time of 35:50!

My goal at the beginning of 2015 was to run 20.15 each month, with a total of 240 miles for the year. Well, I hit that in September—that’s right, September! I changed my goal to 500 for the year and am 13 miles from that goal, and will definitely meet it.

In September I met my running buddy, Jolene Toeben. Without DRC, I would never have met Jolene. She and I became fast friends with common goals, I am so grateful to have met her. We run our long runs once a week- or every other week, depending on our schedules- together, but are virtual running partners every day. We support each other through texts and Facebook posts. It has been a joy to find someone with goals similar to mine and who is so supportive in all aspects of my life.

Katy Trail geocaching adventures with my husband and son.

So, DRC, I’m here to thank you. Thank you, all of DRC!! Without you, I would not be anywhere close to where I am now. I would probably still be on the couch. Because of you, I have completed 5ks, 10ks, and am running the Wildwood Frozen Feet half-marathon in January 2016. A year ago, I would have told you that you were crazy for wanting to run that distance, and even crazier if you told me I would run it!

My son Anthony's first 5k!

So again I say thank you! Thank you for motivating me, thank you for motivating my family. My 8 year-old just completed his first 5k, and is more active than ever, always wanting to go running with me. My husband is jumping on the bandwagon as well, starting slowly, but it looks like soon we’ll be a whole family of runners. Thank you, DRC. Without your unintentionally motivating posts, our lives would be so different right now. I would have missed out on all the fun, and the joy of watching myself change into a new person. 2015 was a tough year for me, but it was also so inspiring to see what I can do, if I only want it.

DRC Feature: Emelie Forsberg

Hey DRCers!

In case you didn't know, the holiday season is well upon us! I don't know about you, but I feel knee-deep in indulgent foods made with love, but also potentially causing guilt. I say, be free of that guilt! We were definitely made to enjoy food: it nourishes the soul, brings people together, and is just plain delicious. Even over the holidays, we can achieve a balance between healthy eating and enjoying ourselves.

Check out what ultrarunner Emelie Forsberg has to say about our relationships with our bodies.

http://www.emelieforsberg.com/body-relationships/

The DRC: My Daily Run Community

By Meg McC

A lot of you already know that the Daily Run Club was created to encourage a small group of locals to log at least one mile a day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. This idea was set in motion by the club’s founders David and Drew Beaty with the intention to stay active and begin or sustain a running lifestyle through the holidays. Fast forward 3 years, the DRC has become something of an enigma within our running community. Here is my personal account of the Daily Run Club’s short but VERY full history.

I begged, I pleaded, I could find no one to join me for a run. I was new to Washington, hell, new to Missouri, and there were no mountains here…but there were floods, rattlesnakes, and freaking tornadoes. I needed a running buddy to contend with all of the potential natural disasters I might encounter. I was a trail runner that knew no trails. I made peace with the KATY and began to consider that home turf as I learned to run on flat land again. Still, I was lonely.  

I started looking online and found a handful of run clubs in or around Washmo.  St. Louis might as well have been a six hour drive; directionally challenged, I was lucky to find my way to the grocery store, I needed local. All those sites were quiet.  I joined them anyway and begged some more.  One club, Daily Run Club, seemed to have occasional action so I just started posting…Every. Run.  I think Jimmy Brooks probably wanted to wring my neck from the onslaught of new notifications, when he wasn’t busy laughing at the stories I would add to my mileage or the stupid memes that I would find to post with my daily run. I am sure he just found me hilarious, didn’t you Jimmy?  We began challenging each other. Then something interesting started to happen. Maybe it was just that we were entering spring and members were starting to stretch their hamstrings and gaze a little more longingly at their running shoes. Maybe it was the mild winter receding and the smells and greens fooling with our senses OR maybe it was time for the Daily Run Club to truly begin to meet its potential.

Week by week, new members stumbled across our club and the numbers have grown from 60 runners to more than 500. At any given time, our active membership might fluctuate, but every day there is motivation to be found in each post. A few of us decided to begin brainstorming about ways to really increase our value to existing members.  We would meet for a run, then bullshit until we had pages and pages of notes about potential DRC ideas.  We still do this once a month.  For us, this meeting galvanizes essential plans that have often been recommended by you guys.  Our “think tank” has grown and nothing is more exciting than being able to implement new concepts to the DRC’s already colorful and successful scope.  A few months ago, I spent a long time scrolling back and finding a few of our most influential member’s first posts.  We have all grown so much, not only as runners, but as people. This club has shaped outlooks on health, humor and maybe above all, our expectations of ourselves. DRC members gain a sense of connectivity when dedicating a small portion of their day to supporting this community, and it happens in such a simple way, whether through a “like”, a comment, or a personal message. If you are one of the fortunate ones, that support transcends to real life encounters and lasting friendships.

And so it goes, members started meeting up with other members… that they didn’t know! No one was the victim of an axe murderer (though there was that one day we found an abandoned axe on the Lewis Trail). We started snapping “runfies” and imperfectly perfect circles of shoes. Third Thursdays were born and have become a monthly staple.  Those are so special as they allow a real life chance to make eye contact and touch the shoulder of a fellow runner that you have known via the group page.  Regular run groups formed or were incorporated and on any given day, you can find a clan, flock, herd (I still haven’t found a measurement that fits us just right), that you can join for a run just by peeking at the Pinned Post. We have run/bowled, run/wined, hit trails and road routes, we have run as a group when the heat was fierce or with frozen faces, we’ve road tripped, we've challenged our speeds, tweaked our form and cross-promoted with other clubs, organizations and businesses. Our members range in level and type and every one of them can call DRC their running community because this club genuinely fills a need for every member that wants to utilize it.

We make mistakes along the way. Sometimes an idea doesn’t really fly. Occasionally an injured member feels left behind when they aren’t checked upon as carefully as they deserve. Often, we bite off more than we can chew on already tired legs. Our recovery isn't always as solid of an example as we’d like. (You guys and your doughnut posts…) But, I was reminded today that our club is young, it is kind of an unprecedented phenomenon and we are still learning, every day.

You guys don’t realize, but I get a notification for EVERY SINGLE POST on DRC. So, if it looks like I am on Facebook all the damn time, well…ok, I don’t know what to tell you. But, I also wouldn’t change it, I love seeing every acknowledgement of perseverance, frustration, elation, etc.  Also, you all probably don’t realize how influential each one of these posts can be to a newbie, someone coming back from a hiatus or injury, or even for someone that just plain burned out. I think that running is always there for you to some extent, whether that is on your feet or not. Supporting the running community is one of the most fulfilling duties I have ever taken upon myself. I get back every bit that I invest. Every PR from you all has me swelling with pride as I understand the work and effort that went into your accomplishments. Cheering at a finish line, meeting up before a Third Thursday, throwing out an opinion on hydration systems, sharing a sweaty post run pic, VOLUNTEERING, all of that strengthens our network and empowers our runners.

Washington has always had a very motivated running community. We have incredible athletic talent, also busy paths/trails/tracks/roads, and regular local races through community centers and charities. There was just no basic forum, our bulletin boards were spread all about and there was no connecting factor to share ideas and information when looking for resources and inspiration. The Daily Run Club that we know today has risen to fill that need and its potential is vast.  How exactly did it come about, that part is a mystery, my gut feeling is that Washmo was finally ready for the DRC.

MT Madness: The Lesson

By Andy Smola

It seems the difficult experiences in life are often, in retrospect, areas in which we made positive strides forward. Especially if, at the time, they seem to be full mistakes, challenges, and obstacles. It's funny how fond memories can be formed through suffering... Because eventually the suffering ends.

The message I was receiving early on for MT was, "things will go wrong... adjust." As I began driving down to the Berryman Trail, I realized I had no idea how to get there. I mean, I knew the general area, but the details were foggy. I broke out my race guide and headed down to the Huzzah Valley Resort. Just look for the big red barn on the right. I would worry about finding the campground when I picked up my packet. At 7:50pm, I realized I was going to be late to the evening packet pick up. I was on Highway 8, but it was dark and I wasn't seeing any red barns. 

And then there it was, the big bed red barn. Wow, that was easy. I walked into the resort store and realized this was not the location for packet pick up. Now what? Who here would even know about the race? My question was suddenly answered when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jen. It is interesting now to see that my enlightening journey would begin and end with answers from her.

Jen told me that Travis and Tommy were still at the shelter. She gave me quick instructions that included, "Look for the RV." It seem simple enough at the time. I headed down the gravel roads and realized it wouldn't be difficult to get lost. I also realized there would be more than one RV out there. Gravel roads continued to split, when I just happened to see a couple of people in a shelter, and... An RV!

I pulled in and there were Travis and Tommy. I was very happy to see them. They not only gave me my packet, but also invited me to follow them back campground. Things were looking up!

Following the RV. The sign is for Berryman Campgrounds- we made it!

I followed them to the campground, parked the old Durango as level as I could and pulled out the air mattress. I would be asleep in minutes- plenty of rest for tomorrow. It was all going to turn out just fine... Until I saw "slow leak" written on the air mattress. I had grabbed the wrong one. But I filled it anyway and hoped it would stay that way.

Oops.

I climbed into my temporary home and found it was too hot. But, I came prepared! I got out my portable battery-operated fan... Still too hot! So I opened the back and the cool air poured in, but so did the mosquitos, moths, and every other insect in the forest. I was too hot and too tired to care. They feasted on me all night.

Welcome to Casa del Bugs.

Early the next morning, I woke up and got ready to go. I had my normal big breakfast omelet (which would haunt me later) and coffee while I packed my hydration vest (this would also become a problem later). I chose to wear my Salomon Fellraisers over my Hoka Mafates after having fallen in the dark wearing the Hokas. I began to see my tribe. I was so excited to see everyone!

The race began in the dark. The conga line of runners followed the winding trails. I passed a lot of people early. Why? I have no idea... The early parts of any race are dangerous for me; the excitement drives me to go much faster than my ability to sustain it. Before I knew it, I was running with the front runners and feeling great! 

The great thing about races are the people you meet. I enjoy talking and listening to stories. Finding out who these runners are and what brought them to race day is fascinating. I met James, who finished the 100-miler, but was having difficulty with his IT band before mile 4. I met Andy, who effortlessly flattened hills and told me the secret was stair repeats. I met Jeff, an ex-marine who talked about everything from the military to running shoes and made the first miles fly by. So many great stories from so many people that the first loop and aid stations were a blur. I tried to move through them quickly and stay with the pack. 

Right before the DRC Aid Station, I wiped out. I was running with Andy at the time, who came back to see if I was okay. I was fine, but I'm sure I didn't look like it with blood all over my hands. But I was a short distance to my tribe's aid station and I knew they would patch me up.

When I came up the hill, I was so happy. I held up my hands and Stacey went right to work patching my up while Frank refilled my water (the first refill of the race... oops). The climb to the aid station was a good one and wore me out a bit.  I had eaten (and had about 6 scoops of Tailwind) here and there at each of the aid stations, but my belly was full from the haunting omelet. I knew I needed to eat, but felt bloated. I had pushed too hard and was not digesting easily enough. And without water, it was going to just sit in my belly. I drank a bunch of water and left feeling better. 

It didn't last long. It was a lot of downhill from the aid station, but the climb out to the Start/Finish wore me down. As I topped the hill, I felt my phone vibrate (Why take a phone? For pictures I never took, of course!) and received a message from Bethany, supporting me from afar. I smiled and put it away, then realized I was at the campground. 

I was struggling... A lot! Thankfully, John was there. He helped so much! He got me food, brought me my gear, and refilled bottles. Tommy and Travis came over to check on me. I told them my plan was to start out slow and finish fast, but I wasn't following that plan. Tommy said, "That's everybody's plan." He added, "You don't have to hammer it all the way." Oddly enough, that made me feel good. I had been hammering it and was paying for it. 

I swapped out my Salomons for my Hokas and tried to eat. John handed me my vest and laughed as I put it on. "Quite a set up you got there," he said. I looked down to discover that my vest was trashed and falling apart. He added, "You might want to look at getting a new one." After adding the two big bottles of caffeinated Tailwind (5 scoops in each), I was loaded for bear. I headed out for the next 25 feeling better.

It didn't last long. By the first aid station, the cramping began. It was getting warmer now and I hadn't been drinking enough. I had also made the decision to start drinking the caffeinated Tailwind to get a little bump in my mood and attitude. At the first aid station, I didn't refill my water because I thought it was still pretty full. A quarter mile later, I was empty. With the cramping and heat, running out of water was not good. My Tailwind was pretty concentrated, so I couldn't drink that without further dehydrating myself. 

A couple miles later, I peed for the first time and it was pretty yellow. I need to eat and drink, but I could do neither. So when I arrived at the next aid station, I drank and ate. I also tried to have some pickle juice to see if it helped with the cramping. I had planned on bringing apple cider vinegar with me in case something like this happened, but I had left it in the car. With a bloated stomach, I tried to drink the pickle juice. It was awful! I didn't think I could keep it down. In the end, I did, but it did not keep the waves of cramps from hitting me over and over.

At this point, I just wanted to make it to the DRC aid station. 10 miles away. That's it. Once you are there, they will take care of you and you will feel renewed. Who knew 10 miles could feel so long? I kept looking at my watch as I traveled. The next aid station seemed to have moved. It wasn't this far last time. And bam! I fell again. I don't know if this happens to you, but when I try to stay on my feet, the strain causes my legs to cramp. I fell to the ground and was unable to stand because my calf had seized up so bad that I couldn't move. I knew if I could get up, I could stretch it and relieve it, but I couldn't... Well... I could and I did, but it was difficult.

The cramping continued to get worse. Running the downhills and flats was becoming difficult. I started to belly breathe, focusing on getting lots of air. It actually worked! While the cramps did not subside, they were at least held at bay. Some still poked through, but they were manageable and I could continue to run. 

I caught up with a 100-mile runner from Austin. He was doing great. I spoke with him for a while after the following aid station. I was only five miles out from DRC. This thought renewed my efforts and I picked up my pace on the downhills. I was beginning to feel better... until the hills before the DRC aid station. That's when I was become more exhausted.

Pausing to take a breather at the DRC AS.

I saw the DRC aid station sign and yelled, "That's what she said!" I was really struggling. I finally came into the last aid station and saw all my people again. Meghan asked me what I needed. All I could think of was, "the finish." I was beaten down and tired. Everyone fed me and refilled my water, they took my extra weight, they gave me salt tablets. I was eating better and drinking better, but still wiped out. I had even finished all 10 scoops of Tailwind (Meghan: "Yeah, your eyes are dilated!") and I wanted to stay at that aid station. I was getting comfortable and not moving forward. Thankfully the runner from Austin came in, got refilled, and was heading out. He looked at me and I'm sure he sensed that I was stalling. "Come on, let's go." And I followed him out.

Wise words from Meghan. Or maybe a, "Suck it up and get your butt moving." Who knows!

I pushed the last miles as hard as I could. I wanted 50 miles under 10 hours. According to my Garmin, I made that: 50 miles in 9:59. During the last hills to the finish, I walked here and there. I was still fighting the cramps, but I was feeling better overall. Probably because my pace had slowed and I was actually digesting food and salt was getting back into my system. 

At the finish, Tommy and Travis greeted me with my finisher's medal and congratulated me. It was a tough race and later I was happy with my results. 6th place overall with 10:17:47 finishing time. But at the end of the race, I really kicked myself for going out too fast. I knew better.

And now the most important part of the story...

I had come into this race as a training run that would be 6 weeks out from the Ozark Trail 100. I was looking at this to be a confidence booster and it felt like anything but...

I sat down at the picnic table to eat my recovery burger and some soup. Jen was making food and we began to talk. I told her I was discouraged. I told her that I don't feel confident at all now. Running 100 miles seemed even more to be an impossibility. 

The person who had guided me at the beginning was about to guide me at the end. Jen told me that this could be a humbling experience. "Do you know what to do different for OT?"

Yes. I do.