Wow! After a thousand plus miles of running and countless number of calories eaten and burned I am nearing my time to run for the MS Run the US Relay. In 10 days I will start running from Vernal, Utah to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Some 170 miles. Give or take. May it be the take. I have 7 days to run all this which is very close to running a marathon (26.2 miles) per day for those 7 days. All my training and preparation is coming down to the wire. This is when I put everything on the line and experience what I think will be an epic experience. At least I hope it is an epic experience and not something I put on my “Seemed Like A Good Idea” list. It’s a long list too.
This training journey of mine has been very positive for me. My running has been nothing but pure joy. No aches or pains to speak of. Oh, I had some adjustments to make, but for the most part, everything is going smoothly. Training for the Relay has also given me the opportunity to spend quality time with my running friends. Thank you Susan, Stan, Brendan, Paul, Randy and Brian for your help and support. Shelly, my wife, redesigned our eating to ensure that I had the energy needed to log weekly miles of over 60, 70 and 80 miles per week. Thank you Shelly. Besides eating good food to fuel to my body, I have also dropped over 45 pounds. Thank you J.J. Virgin and a whole lot of running. This whole experience has left me feeling great, much like I did when I was in my 20’s.
With 10 days to go my thoughts move from running to packing to, well, so many things that I need to do. Lists to make. All things to keep me moving forward.
As far as my running for this week is concerned I have 2 goals. (1) to run, but to run with the intention of recovery and relaxation. (2) Not to injure or hurt myself. Just last week while running trails with friends I let myself go and started pushing my pace. Flying over roots, rocks and stumps. Then I realized that I couldn’t afford to trip and hurt myself. I have been cautiously running since.
10 days to go and tomorrow will be 9. Time moves forward and so must I. Stay tuned.
Clark
PS Thursday night is Wine Tasting for MS at 5.
PSS to donate to the cause of finding a cure for MS, visit here.
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First of all, I would like to thank all of you who have given to the cause of MS research and education a very BIG THANK YOU for your donations. I do appreciate it.
Clark Gilbert
Segment 6
Some of you might have seen on my web site (www.runhappyrunhard.com) or on the various social media networks that I have taken on a new challenge in 2013. I have joined forces with MS Run the US to raise awareness and funds to END MS. Read about it here ===> http://www.msruntheus.com/clarkgilbert/
On May 24, 2013 I will be running the first of my seventh back-to-back marathons starting in Vernal, UT and concluding in Steam Boat Springs, CO on the May 30th.
Crazy right?
I know.
It’s definitely not for everyone, however, I feel extremely fortunate that I am in excellent health (all though some might wonder about my mental health) and I am running both long and hard to prepare myself for this epic adventure while representing an incredible charity.
Along with my pledge to run 7 marathons I have taken on the challenge of fundraising a minimum of $10,000. (This is where I need your help).
I am asking all of you for the following help:
- Make a Donation Today: http://www.msruntheus.com/clarkgilbert/ any amount can and will help because 100% of your donation goes to MS Research and Education. Checks can be sent to P.O. Box 3198, FH, WA 98250.
- Share this E-mail: please send this e-mail on to as many of your friends + family as possible. The broader net we can cast the more people we can reach and the stronger we can grow.
- Post on Facebook: “I just donated to, Clark Gilbert, MS Run the US 2013 Relay Runner. Learn more here ===> http://www.msruntheus.com/clarkgilbert/“. Copy and paste the sentence before into your status update to help spread the word!
- Lend Me Your Network: $10,000 is a large amount of money and I am not expecting my small group of friends and family to donate all of that cash. I am hoping that we can all look inside our hearts, find the one thing we all have in common, compassion. I appeal to all of you to share with me anyone or any company that might be interested in becoming involved with my crazy adventure and MS Run the US.
I am very excited about this new adventure and working with MS Run the US. I can’t wait to share it with all of you as I share my experiences leading up, during and after my run. Any help you can provide to myself and MS Run the US is greatly appreciated. Check out my journey at www.runhappyrunhard.com or www.seattlepirun.com.
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What a week this has been and it’s only Thursday.
Sadness still lingers in my heart over the Boston Marathon Bombing. When I first learned of the bombing I was shocked to tears. This running was the 20th anniversary of my Boston Marathon Experience. Twenty years ago that Boston Marathon had bombs on their minds as the World Trade Center had been bombed a few months earlier on February 26. The last few blocks of the Marathon course had been boarded up to keep spectators away from the finish line.
My thoughts and good wishes go out to the victims and their families.
Wearing my 1993 Boston Marathon Shirt
This past Sunday Susan and I ran 35 miles in preparation for the Mt. Si 50 miler which is on April 28. Leaving at 5:40 am the air was chilly, but the sky looked promising for sunshine. We ended up running 35 miles in 7:01 with a max elevation of 6,724 feet. I forgot how hilly this island is.
Monday night was Monday Night Trail Running out at American Camp. Susan, Brendan and I ran our 10 mile loop at a pretty good clip – the fastest for me this year. It was a great run in spite of my tripping and falling. I have a couple of scrapes on my knee, elbow and hand. Makes for good stories.
Tuesday was a double day workout. Lunch time I ran 6 mile in 56:56, which I am really proud of. After work I ran the Egg Lake Loop which is 12 miles. My time was 2:04. Both runs had sunshine! Felt so good having the warmth of the sun on my face and back.
The last three days I have run 63 miles, an average of 21 miles per day. This is close to what I will need to run when I am running my MSRuntheUS Relay segment, where I will need to average 23 miles a day for 7 days.
My training is paying off for me. The best thing is that I feel so good. Great even. Amazing what this 59 year old body can do.
Clark
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What a great day of running I had yesterday (Thursday, April 11); which was a twice-a-day workout. Morning was cold, I mean I don’t think my gloved fingers ever did warm up. 7 easy miles which took me up and around the airport, out through Fox Hall then a short out and back towards Shipyard cove. Lunch time the sun had come out and I was itching to bag another 6 miles. Warmer temperatures made this run fun and quick. 6 miles for a total of 13 miles total. I am very happy about that.
Friday is planned as an easy day, probably another 6. The sun will probably won’t be my companion. (I am crossing my fingers that the sun beats back the clouds).
Saturday or Sunday will be my extra long run. 32 miles is the plan. I will bring my running pack with water and goodies to eat. Lately I have been experimenting with Saquito energy mix. This long run will be the first time I will have Saquito to munch on. I’ll let you know how they work for me.
If I run on Saturday, then Sunday will be my rest day. Or reversed.
I am doing all this training to prepare myself for the MS Run the US Relay segment, which I start on May 24. I sill have miles to go.
Good running to you!
Clark
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In a few days we will be celebrating the birth of another year. Oh Joy! I like New Years, I really do. I set all these cool goals and aspirations that I want to focus on and then, after a few weeks, give up on them. I return to my normal way of life. For example one goal has been to get up at 5:00 am every morning and running for two hours. Sounds good to me, until 5:00 am and then nothing sounds good except staying in bed. Normal people do that; stay in bed that is.
I always start the year with goals of races/events I want to participate in. How many pounds I want to lose (same pounds each and every year). I write down how I want to be a better person by not walking slowly across the street when I know a car and driver are in a hurry. I vow not to place any regular apples in the Organic produce section. Oh yeah. I can be evil.
Just last week I was in West Seattle to spend an early Christmas weekend with my son and his family. I was about to share some great thought of mine, when I received that “don’t say it” look from my daughter-in-law. The mother of my three grandchildren. Apparently, last summer, I told my 4 year old grandson a story about how I was trapped in an elevator. (I thought the story very funny). Apparently he, until last Sunday, wouldn’t step foot in any elevator, even if his most wonderful mother was trying to handle three kids and numerous sacks of groceries. Last Sunday we took him with us up and down an elevator to ease his mind. Thank God we didn’t get stuck. That would have been bad. Really bad.
I promise to watch what I say around my grandchildren. Like that is going to happen.
Back to the New Year.
I have some things that are on my list, like running some type of adventure event once a month. Yes, getting up at 5:00 am to run does count. I want to run Nookachamps in January, Orcas Island 25K in February. March is up in the air. April will be the Yakima River Skyline 50K – like last year’s spanking wasn’t enough. May will be the Sun Mountain 50 miler -my goal is to finish in daylight. Also in May I will be participating in the MS Run Across the US – more on that later. I also want to run around Mt. St. Helen and Mt. Rainer. Of course, there will be many Doughnut Runs.
What are you planning on running?
Whatever you do, have fun and be safe.
Have a great New Year!
Clark
ps – meet at 11:30 on New Years Eve at San Juan Fitness for a Run In The New Year Fun. No fee.
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I used to have a yearly tradition of running on New Year’s Eve while the clock struck Midnight. I always felt that running in the New Year was a good omen for how the year would go; at least in my running world.
My first New Year’s Eve Run happend in 1978 while I was living in Seattle. The Snohomish Track Club hosted. We enjoyed each other company while we ran during the late night. The experience was fun.
Over the years I have done my own New Year’s Eve Run. Sometimes solo, sometimes with a running buddy or group. I have had some interesting experiences while doing this. One year while running by Jensen Shipyard, a couple of boaters, anchored out in the the bay, fired off a few emergency flares. The sights of these flares parachuting down with the sound of fireworks and gunfire gave the appearance of a scene out of the movie Apocalypse Now.
This New Year’s Eve I will be hosting a small gathering where we will run either four or six miles. The plan is to leave San Juan Island Fitness at 11:30 pm. Let me know if you want to join along.
