HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent me presents, and I hope everyone's holidays are going well! I would have written this sooner, but a hacker decided to give me a Christmas present, too (at least 20 of them). Right now, Nadia and I are the only people staying in the dorm, which we have decided is haunted by (benevolent?) ghosts. I.E. we're having a lot of fun nowadays. I hope everyone is nice and warm (It's a toasty 68F here!) and thank you again for the wonderful gifts!

Freezing Rain

So, I'm starting to become very glad that I decided not to do the Arrowhead. The temperatures lately (15F) are especially uncomfortable when running. The 20 miles Nadia and I were going to run turned into 13 miles. We (neither of us) were ready for the 20F temperature that came late that night. We did have an enjoyable time running our half marathon, and we did have a satisfying time running together again. We have started praying again, so that brings us closer together as well, and everything seems to be fine! I'm still fighting with the Runner's World Training Log so I can keep Scott updated, but I think I will just have to e-mail him the training information. I need to dodge the freezing rain so I can do my Christmas shopping with Nadia, so I will tbe busy today, but a fun kind of busy. Of course, Nadia and I will do our 6 mile run today as well.

Only 21 Kilometers

Nadia and I were in the kitchen making fried rice, and I found myself talking about organized religion, a subject that I try not to bring up with loved ones, but I felt compelled to talk about today. I told Nadia that I thought that the point of religion is not so much to believe what you're told as much as figuring things out for yourself. I think I must have been talking to myself. Anyway, it's a pleasant 49F with a wonderful wind advisory. Tonight, Nadia and I will devote 5 hours to going 20 miles (something that is quite pleasant after dark) in order to stay on schedule. One of the things (other than hopefully a few ultras) I would like to do is the Little Rock Marathon with Nadia. She loves to go out and run. She has even shown that she can run 15 miles in the past! Anyway, that's the plan for today. Arrowhead can wait for a year or two. I am still shooting for the Rocky Raccoon, as well as some other runs that my mom and Scott have told me about. On another note, I find the idea of a vision quest more appealing than competition (both can be found in the ultras), so I'm also going to go to Subiaco sometime to talk to the monks at the monastery to see how I can expand my spirituality in as many ways as possible. Note: I really do not like organized religion. 2nd Note: I love spirituality and God. 3rd Note: What I found in the desert was what one would find on a vision quest, so I'm hoping to experience such an amazing revelation again. 4th Note (Latest): It's pretty difficult to run in cold weather!!!!

The Good News is...

I won't be getting frostbite this year.

Chills

Questions I must consider--

If I drop from Arrowhead,
--will they not let me back in in the future years even if I'm prepared?
--will I show up as something worse than a DNF on the roster: a no-show?
--will I lose a great opportunity to do something like this at a young age?

What thrills me is being 20 and being accepted into Arrowhead, since I've been amazed by the idea for a while. But maybe, since everyone around me is saying this isn't my battle, this isn't my battle.

I want to do something that will make people proud of me.
I want to do something that will make me feel like I did something not everyone could do.

I'm still 20 for 4 more months.

I'm having trouble dealing with the fact that I'm turning into an adult.

This is hard.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Okay, I finished the 13 miles this evening in about 2 hours again + Refueling energy and sugar at Wendy's aid station (at about 9 miles)--It was a good test in patience--luckily Simon and Garfunkel were there to help me wait in the ridiculously line. Not much improvement on yesterday, but it's promising to know I can do 2 hour runs of the same distance in two consecutive days. The sunset was an amazing show--I got to see it from its descent to its disappearance, and all of the colorful visuals in between. Then, something I thought was really cool: There was a runner who had just started out, wearing a white shirt, who passed me as things were starting to get dark, so I decided to keep him in my sight to pace myself. After a while, there was a third person, going in the same direction, moving with us, though none of us even knew each other. It was cool to see the mental connection that such activity can inspire, especially between strangers! The run was more difficult this time, but I think with tomorrow's day of rest, the next day I'll be able to keep up the work. My goal is now to keep all half-marathons to less than 2 hours. I feel very happy and I'm thirsty for more!

Finals Week

I'm doing a lot of thinking, but really what I should be doing is running, so as soon as I publish this blog, I'm going to do another 13 miles and hopefully beat my 2 hour mark. It's daytime this time, so it won't be as cold, but right now distance is all that matters at this point. I'll deal with the cold when the snow and rain come in the next few days. Right now, I just have to knock down the miles. I'm trying not to overthink anymore at this point, so all the stress will disappear when I get out there on the nature trail. My next post will have my miles and time, and hopefully it will be closer to 1:30 than 2:00. Later.

Snowstorm

I was just thinking--it's ridiculous how many forces (nature and human) are against me on this one. In complete honesty, the -60F and 135 miles are not nearly as scary as gaining the approval of others. That's why I've decided that people's approval is not a race requirement, just highly highly highly recommended. We're not in Death Valley anymore. Tomorrow, the snow passing through Minnesota will drench that area in -21F temperatures, something I am trying my best to comprehend, and it makes me shiver--In a good way.

New Personal Record

13 miles in under 2 hours between 1:30 and 3:30 this morning. Temp: High 30s
Hoping to do at least half a marathon each training day (Fri., Sat., Sun., Tues.,and Thur.) That is, at least 2.5 marathons for this week and the next. If I can kick it up another notch by the 3rd week from now, I will. I'm hoping to get at least 4.5 marathons a week by the end of December.
Then, if I can do that, I will try 135 miles in under 60 hours. If I can do that (while being able to use all of my equipment properly), then I consider myself ready for Arrowhead sans the incredibly low temperature, which cannot be simulated in even the coldest of freezers here in Arkansas, so that will be one factor that I will have to experience for the first time in Minnesota.
The more I achieve, the more I want to run. The more I prepare, the less fear I have.

Update

I have made a purchase, which feels good--and I'm running a lot, which feels even better. Each time, I feel myself becoming more and more used to the semi-cold (32dF) temperatures, which is, of course, nothing compared to Minnesota, but it's the best I can do. Very soon I will be taking on a half marathon each day for 4-6 days each week, hoping to get 2-3 marathons down each week. It's a gradual increase in endurance, and I know that if I train right, and start to test my equipment long before February in Arkansas's freezing nights, then I know that my mental stamina will not fail me, and neither will any other aspect of my training. Here's what I bought:

_______

Arctic Hat: $4
Knit Gloves: $8
Diabetic Socks: $2.50
Face Mask: $3
Thermal Top and Bottom: $14
___________

My wish list (1 item):

Hiking boots
Shoe Size: 9 1/2

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10269792

___________

Things to do (soon)

Borrow (with every intention of returning, but having the money in reserve just in case)

-Camping Stove/Utensils
-Sled

Find (soon)

-A material of clothing that will allow the sweat to run off instead of sticking and freezing
-A well-paying job (and hopefully one that challenges me psychologically and physically such as the cold departments of Tyson)

I am not afraid anymore. And I am intelligent for not being afraid. It's not a question of whether or not I can accomplish my goal, it's when am I going to realize that it's 100% in my hands.

God bless
Ben

Very Difficult Decision

The Arrowhead 135 is 135 miles through the Minnesota wilderness through snow and ice in temperatures of occassionally -60d F. The only thing harder than doing this race is deciding whether I should do it or not. I want to do it. This is very clear to me. There was trouble when I did the Badwater Solo, because I knew a few people might protest against me doing it. This time, there may be a few people who actually support me doing it. This time, it seems, I am really on my own. I have received many daunting analyses of the situation, and I know that I have a very heavy decision to make. The risk factor is great, but that is partly why I am attracted to it. I know that if I fail, it will be a great failure with many devastating aftershocks. I know this about the race. If I succeed, there will be great rewards. I want to do it. I want to run it, but there are many terrible things I must take into consideration as far as my physical well-being:

1. The Cold. My priorities:
Preventing Frostbite
Preventing Hypothermia
2. The Equipment. I must be able to successfully test the equipment I bring to Minnesota.
(For both the cold and the equipment, I've decided that I must find time to visit Minnesota before the race in order to test the equipment and experience the cold.)
3. The Distance. I consider this one of the least terrifying of the challenges associated with the Arrowhead. I have done this distance before, and I am running every day, increasing my stamina with each session.
4. Diabetes. Insulin cannot be frozen or else it cannot be used. I must find away to insulate the insulin. I must expose my skin to the blistering cold in order to check my blood sugar. Very difficult.

Those are the 4 threats that I can see. The cost can be easily saved up, but these four things are what makes the Arrowhead physically intimidating.

Other things that would be affected:

I would lose the faith of those who advised me to avoid doing this race whether I failed or succeeded.
I would potentially lose eligibility for the Badwater if I failed.

All of these things are on my mind. The $150 loss if I pull out seems like a minimal loss compared to the troubles I might find in the race, but none of these terrible things can equal the pride and strength that I would obtain from succeeding in finishing the Arrowhead 135 in under 60 hours.

SAVINGS POST 1

I've decided to organize my thoughts on the costs of the Arrowhead. The total cost I have decided will run somewhere between $700-$800. As I train, I will also record the money that I will have saved up to cover these expenses.

Entry Fee: $150
Gas: $160
Des Moines Hotel: $110
International Falls Hotel: $100
Supplies: $200-$300

Arrowhead:
$720-$820

Costs already taken care of:

Entry Fee: $150

Total cost left: $570-$670

F1RST POST

So, I decided to get a blog, because I felt that it would be a good way to document my preparation for challenging races such as my next goal: the Arrowhead 135 (http://www.arrowheadultra.com/) this coming February. I'm very nervous and very excited. It will be a cold that I've never felt before, so I'm going to add some interesting strategies to my training methods, all having to do with taking on this new kind of cold that I can't even comprehend until I actually go to International Falls, MN. Anyway, this is my first post, so I will get back with it when I have completed my training for the day (and brainstormed about future strategies). Somehow, I know that this race will be much more difficult than what I did with Scott's help in the Badwater Solo Crossing (http://sports.webshots.com/album/559791907uqABym)But I'm strong-willed, and I can do it.