Midweek Challenge

Anyone feeling that midweek fatigue? Best thing to kick that is to get moving! What better way to move than our weekly challenge.

First up: 100 squat jumps, followed by 100 mtn. climbers!

Ready Go!!!!!

Next week we have a special treat for you. Look for the post Sunday evening.

Late Night Thoughts

Another great week of training down. I've been running about 70 miles a week for the past three weeks and plan to move up to about 80 this week. Although I've been a bit tired my legs have been responding well. Friday I ran in the afternoon and then had this brilliant thought. I'd like to sleep in Saturday morning. So, at about 10:30 PM I headed downstairs with a few water bottles, movies, and snacks. After firing up the dreadmill I figured I had at least 26 miles in me, this on top of the already near 10 I did that afternoon. The first few miles actually went really well, and it wasn't until about 30 minutes into my second movie when I started questioning my sanity. At this point my wife and kids had been asleep for hours and I had run 20 miles on the 'mill. Not my favorite venue but when you're running through the night and not sure how far you want to go, it works well.
I started thinking about the race. Only three full months plus some until I have to toe the line for 135 miles. I decided I would run 30 instead of 26. That would make it 40 for the day ... ish, let's say 12 hour period. At about 25 miles into the run I realized ... wow. I'm going to have to run 135? Ugh. Training is going to have to step up a notch. The run went well and I finished the last few miles in a great ultra trance, just running. And of course my 3 year old was in my side of the bed when I finally crawled upstairs. I moved her, but she wouldn't stay in her bed. So instead of sleeping in I didn't sleep at all. It's gonna get crazy. Miles ... here I come.

People Feeding Their Crazy

Ultimately we don't do it for money, or glory. When asked why people do the "crazy" thing that drive them. A really good answer doesn't come to mind. Sometimes they say "Because its there" or "for fun", or "just because I can". But no answer does it justice. Why do we do it? Because it feeds our crazy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6XUVjK9W4o

This Week's Challenge

As promised, another challenge to Feed Your Crazy. It's not about being the fastest, or the strongest, or the best. It is about going out and doing something that pushes your limits and leaves you exhausted and wanting more. We don't settle for average or "ok". We are about doing things that most simply aren't willing to do.

This week's challenge is 50 burpees. No beginner, advanced or anything like that. Just 50. Time yourself so that you have a baseline for next time ;) but you don't need to post your time. Just let us know that you did it.

And pass along the challenge to your friends. They can join us on Facebook or the blog.

Enjoy!

Crazy Sexy Leg Challenge

So it's Wednesday. Half way through the week. Maybe we are looking for something new to help us get motivated or just a new way to get crazy. Here is your challenge.  SQUATS! You may be thinking to yourself right now, "Squats aren't a challenge". Well after you do this you will be thinking differently.

The challenge is to do the squats as quickly as you can and time yourself.  I'm not talking your average sit in a chair squat. I'm talking sit on the floor squat. That's right! You squat all the way down and all the way up. Hamstrings meet calves.   That's one! 

 Choose what level you will do this challenge on:

100 Beginner 

200 Intermediate

300 Expert

400 Crazy

When your done with this challenge post your time and level on here or Facebook and lets see how we all do!  Don't worry if you already did a workout today you can count this as a bonus and you'll have a reason to call yourself crazy!

Highlight of My Day

We are in that period of time between the holiday break with all of the lights, great food, parties, and end of the year excitement and several months of "eh". Winter months give me time on the treadmill, time running in the dark and/or cold. Not that I mind too terribly. But when all of the factors begin adding up, heading out for a run gets more difficult. Despite that, my training time is still one of the highlights of my day. I'm into week three of real training and my body is starting to respond. I go out and push a few hours of running without finishing exhausted and an overwhelming desire to sit for the rest of the day. Each time I hit the treadmill, lace up for the icy streets I know I'm building strength, endurance and becoming more fit.
Today is rough because my 3yr old is still not sleeping. At 2:30 or 4AM she is wide awake and I can't get her to go back to sleep. I'll get her back in bed, but right about the time I start to doze off, she comes back into our room. So as I sit on hold (waiting for customer service) and writing this blog I would much rather be laying down to sleep. But I really want to get 10 miles in. It is a shorter run than yesterday, one that I should be able to get done pretty easily, but the poor quality "on hold" music is very quickly draining the life out of me.
I gave a very brief (15 minute) presentation about maintaining a positive attitude to a group of youth this week. It is a hard topic to cover in 15 minutes, but it was still a lot of fun. I had just finished 90 minutes of hard spinning so I was all amped up on the post workout energy. Speaking to the kids about a positive attitude has reminded me of the mental training, and ultimately the decision we all have to make. Will we commit to finishing the race? I was trying to describe my race strategy for the Divide 135 to someone the other day. My strategy? To finish. I won't be the fastest. I'll head out easy and maintain forward progress until I finish. Not much of a strategy, I know. But it leads to the finish. Life and training is like that sometimes. You have to head out easy. Decide you'll finish the day with a positive attitude and then simply do it.
I think it is time to go run. And then enjoy the post workout energy.

Logos - Please Vote On Your Favorite

Hey all -
I've got some logos for the Feed Your Crazy evolution. Below are the three I want you to vote on. Please just leave a comment and tell me your favorite. I can't get too much feedback? Pass the link along to your friends. Share the Feed Your Crazy Facebook link ... we are almost at 100 and stay tuned for stickers, teeshirts, and some really cool opportunities in the near future.

Thanks - Bard and the Feed Your Crazy crew.

#1

#2

#3

Second Full Week

I think the first week of training is easy. By the time your body registers the tiredness/soreness the week is over. If your second week doesn't happen then you simple take a few extra days of recovery. No problem. But if the fear of ___ (enter your race distance here) miles scares the bejezes out of you, the second week actually happens. The first week hits you, then BAM, you slam right into the second week. It takes a bit of psychological commitment to kick the second week into gear because you're already a bit sore. Take today for example. My 3 year old isn't sleeping well so an early morning workout didn't happen. Then I sit through a bunch of meetings and project work and it's 4PM before I can get my workout in. Sun is going down, mercury is taking a dive. Sigh. Lace it up and feed the crazy well into the dark hours of a Friday night.
Throw into the muscle confusion theory a serious 1.5 hours of dodge ball after a 1.5 hour spinning class. Sure, dodge ball you say. Uh huh. It was a tough match up and the whole right side of my body is sore. My right shoulder, my right obliques, my right lat ... you get the picture. I clearly do not play enough dodge ball.
Now I face a long run tomorrow to cap off the week. It will have to be early because Saturday is holy ground with my wife and kids. They don't take too kindly with me using every Saturday as a canvas for my running. So the questions now is outside in very cold temps or inside on the dreadmill. Ugh. I'm seriously longing for the late spring early fall weather when I can head outside in a tee shirt and be good for the whole run.
On top of all of this I'm in serious need for new shoes. I'm looking at several different models from Pearli Izumi, Altra, and Brooks. I haven't purchased road shoes for what feels like several years. But 100+ miles of road in the race dictate the need for some road shoe and road training. New shoes won't get here in time for tomorrow's run. It'll be old shoes ... but road or mill?
Whoever said running was simple was a liar. A cold blooded, conniving, thoughtless liar. The action of running is simple, but "running" as a whole can be very complicated. Compounded by family, race choice, gear needs, weather, and motivational levels.

Gear or no gear, inside our out, sleep or no sleep .... I'm gonna feed my crazy.