Ultrarunning and Life, the Game of Inches

It's well past my bedtime, but I'm awake and I can't stop thinking about running. I keep playing out Badwater in my head: what it must be like to run the race. If I close my eyes, I can see Death Valley. I am running and I can see the road ahead narrowing off into - where? What lies beyond the road except more road? And I can hear the patter of my own feet as they come down on the blacktop. Feel the heat radiating against my legs, and not just my legs, but everywhere really. The inescapable grasp of some awesome power. My God. The One I pray to before every run. The One to whom I offer up my daily sweat.

And after these visions comes the pain of the yearning, because, inevitably, the feelings turn physical and all I can do, as always, is go for a run.

Now, I've just finished watching a clip on YouTube. It is from the football movie, "Any Given Sunday." Al Pacino plays the coach of an NFL team, and towards the end of the movie, he and his team find themselves in an impossible situation: they are down and have little chance of coming back to win. During a locker room break (the locker room break, the typical sports movie Big Speech Moment), Pacino gathers his players and coaching staff around to deliver one last speech.

It's is one of the most stirring, powerfully affecting speeches I've ever heard in a sports movie partly because it avoids most of the sentimental traps typical for the genre (it still remains recognizably a Big Speech Moment) and partly because Pacino is still capable of delivering a tough, fine performance.

He talks about football being a game of inches, how when you find yourself in the depths of hell, when you are down and out, all you can do is fight to claw your way out, inch by inch. You have to be willing, he says, to fight and die for each inch.
Anyone who has suffered hard to get to where they want (need) to be knows, instinctively, what he means. It's not just about football. His words get under your skin and even deeper - they get down to the bone - because he is talking about life. He is talking about you and me and the game we all play.

I've come to realize how trivial and unimportant Badwater must seem to many (most) people. But surely there is something in your life that burns you up, consumes you. Surely you've wanted something so badly that you were willing to do anything to make it real. I think the desire to achieve - and eventually, the striving for that achievement - is what largely defines our characters. What we do defines who we are. What's your goal?

The goal should be something worth striving for. Something that gives us great satisfaction. Something more substantial and enriching than money, fame, or sex. Maybe the goal is to help others: that must be extremely satisfying. Maybe it's to climb a mountain or cross a desert. Maybe it's to be a good father or mother, a devoted wife or husband. Whatever the goal is, and there can and should be several in our lives, we should desire it passionately, and then strive for it inch by inch. Live for it and love it. And maybe one day we can look back and say, "I've done it. I've accomplished something worthwhile."

That must make for a good life.

The Master Cleanser - Tell Me What You Think!

What are your thoughts on this...

New Trailer for Western States 100 Documentary

A good reason to go vegan...

Watch this. Do you think this is an isolated incident? If you feel compelled to look away or close your eyes, ask yourself this question: if it's not good enough for my eyes, why then is it good enough for my stomach?

Inspiring Weight Loss Story

Here is a video that a Facebook friend directed me to. It is quite something. What is holding you back from your dreams?

If you would like to learn more about Ben and his 120 pound weight loss journey, visit his website by clicking here or going to bendoeslife.com.

More good running songs to get you pumped

Medicine Ball Abs Workout

Guaranteed to give you chills and get you going...

Brought to my attention by Ann Parrott, this video will send chills down your spine and motivate you to get your butt out the door and do something.

Rocky Raccoon 100 Video Finish

Inspiration for the 100 Miler!

The days of physical conditioning and training have drawn to a close for those registered for Rocky Raccoon 100 this coming Saturday. The taper is in full swing now. Just a few more days left to go. This week is all about mental preparation. It is about visualizing the goal and thinking about your strategy, conceiving of the obstacles and imaging yourself overcoming them.

I usually spend the week before a race reflecting on all the hard work I have put into training. Inspiration comes in many forms. It comes from our family and friends. It comes from the stories we read and the people we meet. But, the most important inspiration comes from within, from that innermost place of contentedness and peace.

Nonetheless, it can never hurt to have some media inspiration. Below are just a few clips, some video and some audio, that I find really inspiring for different reasons. Enjoy.

1. Al Pacino's speech in "Any Given Sunday"

"Any Given Sunday" is a very strong movie directed by Oliver Stone about a professional football team. If you haven't seen it, check it out. In this clip, Pacino, who plays the head coach, gives his team a rousing speech at half-time in the locker room. The team is losing. The chips are down and the pressure is on. Listen to Pacino's words. They are about more than football. They are about life. See if by the end of this one you aren't pumped.



2. "Defying Gravity" as sung by the cast of "Glee"

Lea Michelle is such a powerful singer. She has the gift of belt. This song highlights that quality. She and Chris Colfer nail this song from Broadway's "Wicked." Listen to the lyrics. They are about dreaming big and doing the impossible.



3. "8 Mile" final rap battle

Anger is a priceless asset. Sometimes it can bring out the best in you. If you can harness your anger and use it correctly, you are capable of so many things. Eminem is a rapper who personifies anger. His lyrics are charged with such raw pain and emotion, that they sometimes even transcend the rap genre. In this final scene from the movie "8 Mile," Eminem's character Rabbit is in a showdown with the most talented rappers from Detroit. As the underdog, he must use all his talents and harness all his aggression to beat his opponents.



4. "Lose Yourself" by Eminem

Since we are on the subject of Eminem, we might as well include his song, "Lose Yourself." Now, here is a song to get your blood moving. Just listen to these lyrics: "You better lose yourself in the music, the moment; you own it. You better never let it go. You only get one shot. Do not miss your chance to blow; this opportunity comes once in a lifetime..."



5. Robin Williams' Carpe Diem speech from "Dead Poets' Society"

I was not a fan of this movie. To be sure, "Dead Poets' Society" has some very good acting in it, especially from Williams as the eccentric English literature teacher in a posh all-boys prep school. The acting deserved a better screenplay. But, this particular scene works really well. It is an odd, funny, and ultimately chilling and poignant scene where the teacher urges his students to seize the day and make life extraordinary.



6. The ending of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (Spoiler Warning)

Milos Forman's movie matches Ken Kesey's novel in scope and power. A classic, this film needs to be seen in its entirety to get the full effect of this final scene. If you've seen the movie, you know what a tremendous moment it is when the Chief breaks out of the asylum.



7. "Dream On" by Aerosmith

I've always found this song to be quite inspirational. The sound of it is epic. It makes me feel like I am about to do something big. Life-changing. Just those words, "dream on," capture the simple truth of human existence: we are capable of incredible feats, anything we set our minds to.



8. The violin scene from "The Alamo"

"The Alamo" (2004) got a lot of negative hype surrounding its release. And that's too bad, because it is a very strong movie with some wonderful performances, especially by Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett. There is a scene, about midway through the film, when Crockett plays his violin to show up the surrounding Mexican army, which is bigger and better-stocked than the ragtag group of fighters in the mission. The moment is inspiring. It showcases the beauty of the courage it took for those who remained to fight inside the Alamo walls. They had to have known they were going to die. But, their cause was too important, too noble, to allow fear to get the better of them. They did not retreat.

Veganism: An Evolution of the Heart (or, What I'm Learning About My Food)

This is going to sound like a hippie's rant, but I swear I do not own a tie-die shirt. I am not a member of PETA either. I am simply a concerned human being...

The more research I do, the more I realize that veganism not only makes sense from a health perspective, but it has the potential to be, if well-planned and intelligently put into practice, a solid ethical system and a more peaceful way of life.

Initially, my reasons for going vegan were totally selfish in nature. They were based on the fact that veganism can promote optimal health in a way that eating meat and animal-derived food products cannot. That is not necessarily the best reason to become a vegan, although it is certainly a step in the right direction.

A good reason to become vegan is that you want to be a caring, peaceful person - someone who refuses to participate in a system that enslaves (yes, enslaves), abuses, exploits, and slaughters millions of helpless animals every year for food and clothing. Talk about a holocaust... there is a holocaust occurring right now, this very minute, in every slaughterhouse.

Why do people think that slavery is a concept that applies only to humans? Why do people think that humans have the right to exploit and kill animals simply because they are of a different species? Ever heard the term speciesism? Speciesism is discrimination in favor of one species over another. It is a belief of humans that all other species of animals are inferior and may therefore be used for human benefit without regard to the suffering inflicted.

It is no secret what goes on in slaughterhouses. But, people don't like to think about that kind of stuff. They don't want to spoil their dinners. But, it is a reality. There is no denying the abuse and torture that goes on in these places. Watch the following videos and ask yourself if this is humane:









I do not believe these are isolated incidents. Not for one second do I believe that. I believe that all the animals in slaughterhouses and dairy farms are frightened and abused. They are in pain. And I refuse to be part of a system that practices that kind of behavior.

There are many reasons to go vegan. I can go on and on about how veganism is indeed the healthier lifestyle and can promote optimal health, reducing the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic illnesses, etc. I can debate about the evolutionary history of humans and whether or not we evolved to eat meat at all. But, in the end, it all comes down to personal choice. The best argument for going vegan is because you want to be a good person.

This is not the Stone Age. We are not cave men, and therefore, we need to stop acting like cave men. We have the science, technology, and resources to not have to rely on slaughtering animals for food and clothing. We even have the ability to make food that is vegan but that is practically indistinguishable in taste and texture from meat products! So why wouldn't we choose to do go vegan? Ignorance? How long can you feign ignorance? Laziness? What is the excuse?

It seems to me it is the only ethical thing to do.

Livin' the Vegan Life!

Today is my tenth day as a vegan. The transition to a vegan lifestyle has been extremely educational and I can tell my body is quickly adapting to the change in diet. I will write more about this transition later, once I can better grasp the dynamics of the changes that are happening. Until then, I have posted the video below about transitioning to healthy eating habits. The key word, I think, is "transition." Make the change. Start today. You don't have to go vegan, but do something good for your body. Eat well.



Also, if you are interested in veganism, "Becoming Vegan," by Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S. and R.D., has been a vital part of my education on veganism. It is a wonderful book. Check it out.

How to Stop the Slosh With Your Running Hydration Pack Bladder

A cool tip from EnduranceBuzz.com... worth it for all you users of the hydration pack who are annoyed with the sound of the sloshing of the water in the bladder. Just flip the bladder upside down and suck out all the remaining air. No more slosh!

Cactus Rose 100 Video

Well, this is what I have to look forward to, come October! I'm scared!



Pictures are here!