Ultra wrong

I started running slowly and maybe 8-10 miles a week -- at most -- back in 2004, 2005. At that time, I was a features editor for the Chicago Sun-Times. 

It was a crazy-busy but fun job. I received a flood of emails and calls daily from PR people pitching stories on their products, and authors.

Since I was new to running, I was interested in running stories. And now I will tell an embarrassing running-related story. 

One day I received a call from Dean Karnazes' publicist. If you don't know who he is, he is a big-time ultra runner and marathoner. She was pitching something related to his running back to back marathons -- 50 marathons in 50 days. 

So what did this astute newspaper editor do? I told her I was not interested because he was not a normal runner -- and that what he did sounded dangerous and unhealthy.

Yes, I was quite the running expert at that point. Did I mention I still smoked then?

I thought of this as I was running a 20-miler last weekend as part of training for my first ultra, and cringed inwardly.

Good lord. Oops.

Yeah, he's crazy. But not as crazy as I thought...

***

Week 6 50K ultra marathon training:

Monday 9/1. 20 min. yoga DVD

Tuesday 9/2 (First day of kindergarten and pre-K for the kiddies!) 5.3 mi

Wednesday 9/3 7.4 miles

Thursday 9/4. 5.3 miles

Friday 9/5  15 min yoga DVD, some core exercises

Saturday 9/6 21.7 miles -- went slow and had a great run--no bonking! Woohoo!

Sunday 9/7. 5.4 mi + painful massage to loosen up hips

Total weekly mileage: 45.1 mi, tied for highest mileage week ever

Notes: Achy, stiff hips. Yoga is barely making a dent. Ugh. Hoping Week 7's cutback will provide a little relief.