Final Hours Before Running 50 Miles

It's Friday morning at about 11 AM, November 17 and by tomorrow at this time, NWF's Crazy Craig's Climate Challenge team should be about 20 miles into our 50 mile run.

The mild panic of what to bring to wear, what the weather will be and what to eat along the way has subsided and the pure energy of being at the starting line is just a few meals, a good number of car miles and some solid hours of sleep away.

Weather will be-- shouldn't say it-- perfect. Partly cloudy. Start at 34 degrees and finish at about 45 degrees with a peak of perhaps 53. Little wind.

Hal Higdon, who writes for Runner's World and who has influenced a lot of us through his training techniques wrote that "I've said about the marathon that it's 20 miles of hope and 6 miles of truth, and you learn what you are as a man or woman in the last 6 miles." Well Hal, where does that leave us in running 50 miles? Crazy?

We should hit the ground about 67,000 times with our feet in the course of our jaunt tomorrow. Unless we hop all the way.

Each time we hit the ground, we hit with about 600 lbs of force. Sure hope the shoes are up to this! That's 200, 400 tons of delivered foot pressure. I won't ponder if that is the best use for all of that energy

Such are final, trivial thoughts on this last day. Time for a big lunch. Boonesboro, here we come.

Crazy Craig

Community Support- Reston Runners

Anna Bradford addresses over 150 runners and crew, all part of Reston Runners' great JFK 50 Miler training and support effort.

Dave, Andrew and I are the running portions of Crazy Craig's Climate Challenge but there are so many people behind our effort here at National Wildlife Federation and beyond that give us the inspiration, the motivation, skills, laughs and knowledge that will put us over the finish line late Saturday afternoon on November 18.

Outside of our own families-- personal and NWF-- there's a third family that is helping us out too, Reston Runners. All over the country, there are clubs that support people interested in getting outside and moving. The uncatalogued health benefits of what they offer their communities are really substantial. Whether you're a walker, a casual or competitive runner, a triathlete or a head-for-the-mountains-and-trails ultramarathoner, there's a club with a program for you.

Reston Runners, with over two thousand members in the northern Virginia area, has an incredible number of great activities that it offers to anyone interested. When Dave Strauss indicated that we'd be doing a 50 miler this fall (or was it when I suggested to Dave that we try something longer than a marathon so he'd have a chance of getting to the finish line before me?) I recalled hearing about a great training plan Reston Runners was offering.This was right after finishing a local 5k race Reston Runners had supported for a local nature center.

This Saturday, 70 Reston JFK Runners supported by almost 40 crew will be in Boonesboro for the start of the JFK 50 Miler. Reston Runners' record of support is so good that 95% of their runners finish.

I was placed on the Reston Freshmen team-- I haven't been a freshman for a long time. Andrew is a Reston Veteran-- he's done this race before. Dave is a Wildcard; no, he's on the Wildcard Team. Apt.

If you live close enough to Reston to join them in some of their walks and runs every week of the year, DO IT! You won't regret making the friends and getting into better shape than you were and who knows, maybe in a couple of years, you too will be running the JFK 50 Miler!

Crazy Craig

Training's End: Speed Work

It's the last week before our big run and tapering continues. We're running very little, resting up, giving sore muscles and joints some recovery time and, well, for me, eating too well. All in all though, we are ready for Saturday's 7 AM start of the JFK 50 Miler in Boonesboro, Maryland. Please come out and join us at the finish line.

It is difficult not to run in these last weeks before a race; I have a stalwart runnning partner who needs to keep in shape even as I taper. And so we've devised a game called "laps around the Backyard Wildlife Habitat" to keep him in shape while keeping me laughing hysterically.

My running buddy is our dog, Fielder. A classic border collie, he often accompanies me on short runs of 6-7 miles. And cheers me on during longer routes. While running with me, he trots. He sniffs. He visits other dogs greeting us along our rural Virginia roads.

The game here though is catch the frisbee. He catches it and then expects me to catch him. This happens only if I tire and request a break. After 8 or 9 laps of 5k pace or better, he's willing to turn over the frisbee for another throw if I ask. As for me, I am panting.

Fielder is an athlete and is a member in training on the Beltway Bandits FlyBall team. You can see a close up of his smiling face if you click on "dogs in training."


Crazy Craig