We Can Beat Your Kid in Foot Race but You Can't Beat Father Time

Let’s talk about being old.

Sometimes hubris can get the best of you, especially as you get older. My son had football practice yesterday and he was kind of hobbling to the car afterward. I asked him what was wrong. He told me he was sore because they had to run the 200 in gym class and he pushed himself. I told him that it is good to push when you feel like it, and they did have to do some extra conditioning at practice last night. When we got out of the car and returned home, I asked him how he did in the 200. He said he was pretty happy with a time of 38 seconds. That's pretty good considering my son is not into running at all. He said he beat some of his friends, and then he started talking a big game to me. He was telling me that I couldn't run a 200 faster than him. He didn't say the actual words, but he was basically calling me old, or at least that's how I felt. I told him that I could beat that time last night. I mentioned to him that I was on the move a bunch that day, and that I had run five miles at noon. But he kept persisting. He kept telling me that there was no way I could beat him. He was sure about it. So, I told him to go wherever he felt like it was 200 meters within our neighborhood. He walked a distance that we both assumed was 200 meters. He told me to go and off I went.

I finished in 14 seconds.

After some guessing at the distance, we came to the conclusion that he only walked about 100 yards. I knew 14 seconds was way too fast, and he was not having it that I could more than halve his time. So he walked a little further. He pushed it out a bit. He told me to go and off I went.

This time it took me about 41 seconds. But, we found out that this was too far. He went about 300 meters. At this point my wife came outside because she could hear us talking. She asked what was going on and we explained the situation. In her infinite wisdom she told me to turn my watch on and walk 200 meters. Then we could run back. It was perfect. My son also decided he wanted to race me at this point. Keep in mind, he was coming off a 200 meter race in gym and football practice. I was coming off a five mile run earlier in the day and I had just sprinted 300 meters and 100 yards. We were both tired. But, I let my hubris get the best of me. A neighbor came outside and asked if they were seeing a race. I boldly proclaimed, "you're about to see a 41 year old distance runner take on a 12 year old football player and win!". I was in my bag. So, after we got the correct distance we took our mark. I let my son tell us to start and off we went.

We were both sprinting. He was ahead of me for a bit. We made the curve and that was when he slowed and I pulled ahead. It was a slight uphill, and as I passed him I said, "you can't handle these hills like this old man!". He was mad and he slowed to a stop. I kept going because I'm competitive. I also felt, stupidly, that I had to prove a point. I smoked him, but he had stopped at about 100 meters and walked. I was going so fast my head was spinning. My asthma was acting up. I had some tingling and tightness in my legs. When I made it to the end, I put my head on my car and took a ton of deep breaths, just trying to catch my breath. Again, I'm no sprinter, I'm a distance runner. I'm used to going slow and turning it on at the end of a five or six mile run. I can run half marathons all day, but sprinting is not my thing.

When we went inside I was a sweaty mess. My chest was sore. I had almost fully caught my breath, but the asthma was hitting me hard. I kept asking my son why we did this. He was fine by the way, just tired legs from practice. He was even smirking at me a bit. I would say, when I saw the smirk, that I beat him. He didn't care. Part of me assumes that he knew I'd win, but he wanted to see how far he could push me.

This morning is a rest day for me, and I couldn't be happier. I hobbled out of bed. I'm hanging onto the railing when I walk down the steps. My wife just asked how my legs were doing. I don't think I can do this sprinting stuff all the time like I thought. Being in your early 40's can be a bummer, and this is a prime example. All I did was run the equivalent of one lap around a track and I'm kind of spent. It has to be the sprinting that is doing this to me today because I don't feel like this after running double digits at my own pace. Getting older is fun, but it is also a drag. This morning is one of those bummer moments for me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I'm Not Happy With My VO2 Number

Four years ago I got one of the greatest gifts ever for the holiday. I'm a runner, as you all know, and my folks bought me a Garmin Fenix 5x watch. I had pined for one of these watches. As I got deeper and deeper into the running community, all of the people I knew would tell me about the greatness that is Garmin. I heard how they are the perfect watch for runners, they have a great GPS system obviously and they are durable as hell. They also have a pretty long lasting battery life.

So, when I opened that gift on Christmas morning in 2020, I was stoked. It gave me excitement in a very tough pandemic riddled world. All of the things I heard and read about the watch rang true, and still does to this day. I run five times a week, but I only have to charge the watch every 9-10 days. If I get confused about where I am on a trail, I use my map. I have dropped the watch, swam with the watch, fallen down with the watch on my wrist and there is no damage done. I'm all in on Garmin.

As I grew more accustomed to the watch, I started to add more fitness items on the app on my phone for the watch. One such item was my Vo2. I am still up in the air on what Vo2 fully means, but I do understand that it calculates your breathing as you exercise. The harder you go, the better your Vo2 max can get. I am usually right around a 43 or 44. I feel like that is pretty good for a runner my size.

This summer the Vo2 max and I have been fighting. I am trying a new thing with my running this summer. It has been very nice here in Saint Louis lately. But, that isn't always the case and it is about to get hot and humid again. So, this summer I am slowing down my pace. I'm taking my time a bit more. I'm not over exerting myself. I have recently started using an inhaler, so my doctor told me to slow down a bit when I run if I feel out of breath. So, I have been doing just that. My pace on the road has gone from 10 minute miles to 11. On the trail I'm at about 13 as opposed to 11 or 12, depending on the trail. It is only a minute, or just a little over a minute in some cases, but if you were to look at my training status and my Vo2 max on my Garmin app, you'd think I was hurt or slacking. I am still at a 43, but it is teetering on the edge of a 42. My fitness age is usually in the low 20's, but that is now averaging about 31. And it is really getting to me. It is making me legitimately angry. I will finish a run, like I did this morning, where I went slow but I feel good, and then get mad when I see my fitness age go up and my training status says "unproductive".

I know I shouldn't let this bother me. I understand that things like this happen when the weather changes. I get that I shouldn't be so invested in an app that is on my phone. I know how I feel after a run. I can tell from home my body feels. But I am really letting this whole Vo2 max thing get to me this summer. It is really pissing me off. I need to listen to the sound advice my sister in law gave me when I first started running. She has been one of my biggest supporters all along this running journey, and early on she told me not to take the numbers on a watch or phone app so seriously. She told me to focus on how I feel, not what an app says. And she is totally right. I ran six miles this morning. That is something I could have never done over ten years ago. And this was a smaller training run for me now. But I cannot help but be annoyed by that damn number on my app. It makes me angry. I get mad that I didn't do enough. I sit there and think about what I can do differently the next time I go out. But in actuality, I should be happy that I did anything this morning. I chose to get up and go run after taking my kids to camp. I could have gone home and sat on my ass, but I didn't do that. I got exercise. I burned almost 1200 calories. I am more prepared for my trail half that I am running in a few months than I was the day before. But, with all those positives, I'm still over here obsessing about that damn number.

Maybe I need to delete that portion from my app. I won't, but it is nice to have that option. I should be content with going out and getting exercise, and that is what I'm going to try to do moving forward. But to say that I won't think about that damn Vo2 max would be untrue. It is going to frustrate me until I decide to let it go. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Best of 2023 - Sports

Finishing my week of best of lists, today I have my personal top 5 sports moments. Sports are a big deal to me. I love sports. I have played and been involved in sports for as long as I can remember. I love college football, basketball and playing and coaching my son in baseball. I'm all in as a runner now as well. Sports are important to me and I'm happy about that.

At number 5 I have Courtney Duwalter's excellent trail running season in 2023. She did some amazing things in some of the toughest trail races in the world this year. She set records, crushed goals and continues to be an inspiration. This year she won Western States, a 100 mile trail race. Then, to outdo herself, she won Ultra Trail Mont-Blanc. She also won Hardrock 100 earlier in the year. She set records in these races. She was also voted trail runner of the year. She did some of the most amazing things in trail running that I have ever witnessed from afar. And she did it with a smile on her face. Duwalter is the best trail runner in the world and she is only entering her prime. I'm excited to see so much more from her in the future.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat's improbable run to the 2023 NBA Finals. They entered the playoffs as a play in team. They got beat by the Hawks in the 7-8 matchup. The Bulls, who were bad last year, held a late lead in the final play in matchup, only for the Heat to make a push and secure the 8 seed. They then proceeded to crush the 1 seed Buck, 4-1. They beat the Knicks in six games, but Jimmy Butler missed two of those games. They then went up 3-0 on the Celtics, only for the Celtics to tie the series. The Heat ended up running away with game 7, which was in Boston, to go to the Finals as an 8 seed that barely made the playoffs. The Nuggets beat them handily, but that run they had was very special. Jimmy Butler proved his worth in the playoffs. Bam Adebayo proved how good of a defender and low post player he can be. Duncan Robinson found his form. Caleb Martin played so well that he has forced himself into a starting role. And Erik Spoelstra showed us all why he is one of the greatest coaches to ever do it. I've never been a fan of the Heat, but I've never disliked them either. And this run was a total blast to watch as a fan of the NBA.

At 3 I have the Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl. This game was pretty amazing. It started on a cool note too, with the Kelce Brothers playing each other, having two black starting QB's and an all black officiating crew. The game more than lived up to the hype too. These were the two best teams in the 2022 season, so it was fitting that they met in the championship game. Mahomes and Hurts went back and forth. Each team would go on efficient and fun scoring drives. The defenses made plays when they needed to. The refs did get involved a bit too much, but I was able to push past that since the on field competition was so elite. I had a blast watching the game and it was made so much better by how competitive and exciting it ended up being.

At 2 I have Michigan football winning the Big 10 for a third straight season. This was the first time in this run that I had high hopes and expectations from this football team. They lived up to them. I was skeptical of the schedule, but when they played the good teams, they beat them pretty handily. The Penn State final score was much closer than the actual game. They were up two scores early on Ohio State, and even when they came back and tied Michigan, I was never really worried. They then easily dispatched Iowa in the Big 10 title game. Add on all the off field "drama", this team showed maturity and an ability to close out the outside noise. The early season suspension of Jim Harbaugh was dumb, but not as dumb as the whole sign stealing thing. That was ridiculous, every team does it and these coaches that act like they don't, they are lying to us all. To see Michigan shut it all out, win games with relative ease all season long and end the regular season number 1, that was pretty dope for me as a fan. I'm excited, and nervous, for the playoff now.

Finishing my top sports moments, at number 1 I have the growth my son has made as a football player, particularly on the offensive line. My son has been playing tackle football for two years now. I was incredibly nervous when he started to play, and although I am still a ball of nerves when he plays, he is very, very into football, and he is getting pretty damn good at it too. He switched from d line to o line this season, and he has become a changed player. He had plays this year where he would maul a d lineman on the opposing team and I didn't believe it was my kid. He is a goofy, fun loving, sweet kid. But when he was on that football field, at certain moments, he was a blocking machine. He would pancake a player and then move on to another defender to block. He would get excited when he, or anyone on the o line, would make a block that would spring a big run. It is cool to see him play a sport he loves and to excel at said sport. He even missed time this year with a bruised collarbone, and his coaches would tell me how much they could use him as soon as he was cleared to play. And when he was cleared to return, he was inserted back into his starting o line spot.

That does it for my best ofs. I really enjoy writing these every year. They're a blast. Thank you for indulging me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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An Ode to Trail Running

After my son's orthodontist appointment this morning I took him to school and went to a trailhead to do my longish run of the week. I go every Wednesday to a trail and run anywhere from 5-8 miles. It is my time to get away for the week and just relax. I'm usually gone for an hour or two and it is one of the best things about my week.

I do all kinds of running. My two main interests, as with most people, are trails and road running. I like road running because I am faster on the road. I get better times. I usually do better on races that are on the road. I recently just ran my fastest half marathon at a road race. Road running is good for timing.

My true love in the running world is trail running. I go back to when I did my first half with my buddy Kirk. We both had very different responses. He loved it, and pretty much loved any kind of running. I was miserable and told him, during the race, that I was going to focus on trail running. Now, to give Kirk some credit, he has fully embraced trail running and he is very good at it. I love it for a myriad of reasons though, and a lot of those came to mind this morning.

Trail running is better because it is technical. You have roots and rocks on good portions, depending on which trail you pick. You have to really pay attention. I took my eyes off the trail for a few minutes today and almost busted my ass. I have busted it many times before, but it has never been a deterrent.

I also love the quietness and solitude. I always wear headphones when I run on the road. I hardly ever wear them when I trail run. I like to listen to nature. There are animal sounds at every turn. I like to hear my shoes press on the rocks and the paths created. I like to know where I'm going. I want to be cognizant of every little detail. It is relaxing. That is another thing, trail running is very relaxing for me. I can go out there and just get lost and not have a care in the world. I kind of just let the trail guide me. I go where feels best at that moment and that is cathartic for me. I can go out to a trail for hours and have the time of my life. It is one of the best things for me. It is also excellent therapy. I can go and cram out any anxiety or anger. I can go out and have a nice talk with myself, or if Kirk is joining me, we can have a good chat together where we sometimes just vent to one another about whatever we feel needs to be vented about. It is very good for my talk therapy.

Above all though, trail running makes me really feel like I have accomplished something for the day. I can run anywhere from four miles to a full marathon, which the only one I've done was on a trail, and be very tired. Today I did six miles, but climbed a big hill and my thighs and calves are currently feeling it. In opposition, I ran five and a half miles yesterday on the road, and while I was tired, I was still able to do all the normal things I would do any other day. But today, the idea of relaxing on the couch until it is time to get my kids sounds like the best thing I could do because of the excellent workout I got on the trails.

Trail running is the best and I am going to do it until I cannot walk anymore. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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If You Run, You Need to Rest

Pictured: not running

It’s no surprise to any reader that I’m a runner. It’s part of my identity. I love the sport. It has, very literally, changed my life. It gives me something fun and important to do. I feel better after most runs. I love the endorphin rush I get from a race or a long run. I love the community. I love the friends I’ve made. Running is my favorite athletic thing to do. It’s the best.

Running these past nine years I’ve learned a lot about myself. I know when and what types of food to eat for certain runs. I am much better at hydrating. I know when and where to vent when I run with people. I know when to let them vent, when to be a listener. I know what I like and what I don’t when it comes to trail and road running. I know when I’m having a good run and when I’m having a bad run. But what I’m struggling most with now, what still causes mild stress for me is rest days.

I tried to do a run streak. I made it pretty far. I got very close to a full year. But it was causing me undue anxiety and stress. I would obsess and that’s no good with my OCD. It was a problem. After a visit with my therapist we decided I had to stop the streak and start adding rest days. In the long run my therapist told me it would help. And it has. Adding two rest days a week has been great for my physical and mental health. But on these rest days, Monday is one of those, I feel like I’m not doing enough. I’ve told myself many times that this isn’t true. I do quite a bit on these scheduled rest days. Today I grocery shopped and cleaned my house. Other days I take my senior dog out for short walks. I go out with my folks and spend extra time with them. I get stuff done around the house. I’m not being lazy, but sometimes I find myself craving a run. It’s hard to let it go at times. I feel useless. That’s the problem. I’m not being lazy. I’m not useless. I’m getting stuff done. I’m taking care of things that are more important. The house needs to be cleaned. My old dog needs an occasional walk. Sometimes things around the house need to be fixed. Just because I’m not burning 700 plus calories or logging 12,000 plus steps doesn’t mean I’m not getting work in. I just haven’t fully bought into all I’m saying yet. I’m finding it a bit easier to get there, but it’s definitely still a work in progress. It’s still going to take time. And I know I’m not alone. Runners are inherently obsessive. We like routine. We like the rush of a good run. I know more people who run feel the same way I do about scheduled rest days. I just wish it was easier for me to accept. I hope it will be no issue in the coming months, but who knows.

Rest days are a good, and important thing. I truly know this. I just need to get over my OCD and accept it.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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RIP Jim Redmond, Great Sports Dad

Jim Redmond passed away today at the age of 81. Outside of learning that Jim was a West Indian immigrant to the United Kingdom, I know exactly one thing about his life and that is I why I am memorializing Jim Redmond today.

During the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games, the British track team had some hope in the 400 meter race. Runner Derek Redmond had one a few medals in international competition and had posted the fastest time in his 400 meter heat. In the semifinal heat Derek came around the last turn and pulled up with a leg injury. Derek had torn his hamstring. Medical officials started to make their way to assist Derek off the track, but the runner wanted to finish. In agonizing pain, Derek hobbled his way to the finish line. It did not look like he was going to make it. Through the crowd on the track came Derek’s father Jim. He put his arm around his son and helped him finish his first, and last, Olympic race. Take a look for yourself.

Jim Redmond was not trying to be a hero, he was being a dad. He was there for his son all of his life encouraging and coaching. He was there at the beginning, and he made sure in worst sports moment of his son’s life, Jim was going to be there to pick him up. By being a dad, Jim Redmond gave us a moment of pure awe.

Recently my father in law passed away. He was my wife’s dad and my son’s grandfather. Over the last few weeks I have thought about how he supported his daughter, encouraged my son, and accepted me as an equal. My father in law, like Jim Redmond, was not an extraordinary man, he was one of the greatest men to ever live. In front of the public eye, or away from it, these men were great because they embodied the idea of being a dad. That is why I celebrate them today.

Rest in piece Jim Redmond. You set the bar for what it means to be a dad. Thank you.

RD

RD is the founder and Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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A Nice Run Helps Chase the Blues Away

Yesterday was an exhausting and annoying day. I had a good amount of stuff to do. Some of it was fun. Other stuff, not so much.

I started the day by getting coffee with my dad, which was great. I got to see him and my mom. I spent the whole morning over there. That was nice. When I got home I got some stuff done. I went for a run. I had a good lunch. I got the laundry folded and put away. I did accomplish some things. But the rest of the day was just frustrating. I was late to pick up my daughter at school. My son got out of his fancy school later than normal. I ate a snack that I shouldn't have. I had to pick up my son and his buddy early from football practice for a baseball game. The baseball game was where it all boiled over. I lost it. I had to remove myself at one point because I thought I was going to holler at a bunch of 10 year olds. But I didn't. I just went home annoyed and went to bed angry.

I woke up this morning and I still felt kind of off. But then I went for a trail run. Wednesday is my day for a longer run during the week. I went to one of my favorite trails here in the STL, DeClue out in Wildwood. This is a good trail with technical areas, nice hills, lots of flats and it is flat out beautiful. I got there a little after 9am and got started on my run. I was going slow at first, to work out the sleep kinks. As I got about a mile in, my mind wandered to what I was currently doing. All the frustration from yesterday disappeared. I was out in the woods by myself. I only saw three other people and they were all riding bikes. I basically had the trail to myself.

As I got further along in the run, it is just short of eight miles, I found that I had forgotten all about yesterday. I was happy. I was doing something that I love. I was taking it all in. It was glorious. As I was driving home I caught myself thinking about how much better I felt. I let all the nonsense wash away. I realized it wasn't all that important. There is no reason to get so upset at useless things. I have been walking on a cloud since finishing my run.

That was when it all hit me, running is my sanctuary. I feel so much better when I go for a run. I get angry when I haven't gone on a run for awhile, but when I get that run in I'm instantly better. The trail is even better. I can really escape when I am in the woods. Sometimes I bring headphones, and other times I am alone with my thoughts. Both are great. When I have headphones I can listen to music or a podcast. It depends on the mood. Podcasts are good for keeping pace. Music is good if I want to go a bit faster. When I go without headphones I get to listen to nature. I love hearing all the animals. I saw a ton of deer eating and running this morning. I also like to hear the ground below me. I also like being out there in nature. It is the best distraction. I see a therapist, and he is great. But the woods are almost, almost as good. Running can be great to clear my head. I can let it all out and I instantly feel better. That was how it was this morning.

Running is the best. I love the way it makes me feel. It is wonderful for health, both physical and mental. I have been amazed at what I have been able to accomplish since I started running about 8 years ago. I am also amazed at the community that I have become a part of. I also like seeing people I know accomplish new goals. Running is the best. It has changed my life and I wanted to give it a shout out today. It all came to a head this morning and I was stunned at how much it changed my attitude. Running rules. It is the best.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Biking and Running Mackinac Island

Today I want to talk about how I got around while on Mackinac Island. This will also wrap up my days of talking about my vacation. We did visit some friends in Chicago, but the last day on Mackinac was, technically, our last day of vacation. We drove home over the next two days with one stop in between. But being on Mackinac for a full day was cool.

As I said yesterday, there are no cars allowed on the island. There is no way to get them there, the streets are full of tourists walking, biking and running. It is kind of awesome to live like that for a day or two. The first day we were there we did some walking around. It was cool. You could go at a leisurely pace and stop wherever you wanted. The island was your oyster if you will. I also went on a run. I decided to do my own personal 5k. It ruled. The resort we stayed on had a big hill down to the mainland, and from there it was pretty flat. I was tired, but I was keeping a sub ten minute mile pace, which is good for me. It was also nice to see all the sights on my run. I got to see a myriad of horses. I dodged tourists left and right. The water was mesmerizing. You could see the bridge from where I went. The bridge is a big deal on Mackinac. It is a humongous structure. It is a sight to behold. I am scared of heights, so it was a struggle to look at. But when you see it from the island it is miraculous. Seeing it on my run was a nice break.

The weather was also perfect for my run. It was 70 degrees, sunny and there was a nice breeze coming off the lake. It ruled. I had planned on going trail running the second day we were there, but other stuff came up, more on that in a few. There were so many horses. I have never seen so many horses. They have carriage rides. The taxis are horse drawn. The delivery trucks and trash trucks are pulled by horses. It was neat. There was also so much horse droppings, but they had people cleaning it up everywhere. It was interesting.

The main mode of transportation on the island is by bike. Pretty much everyone brings a bike or rents one while on the island. It is the fastest and easiest way to get around. My brother and his wife brought their bikes. The rest of us rented. I loved every single second riding a bike. I am not much of a bike rider, but something about being on Mackinac, it just made sense. I said I had planned on going for a trail run on our full day there. And that was the plan. Then my son said he wanted to ride a tandem bike with me. I was all on board. It was his idea and I couldn't have been more eager to ride with him. We found a tandem bike with ease and started to ride. Miles helped a ton. He did so much peddling with me. I did not know what to expect, but he started to really get into it about three miles in. The island is an eight mile loop. I thought Miles was only going to want to go out and back about three miles. But the further we went the more he wanted to go. It was great. We ended up doing a full loop together. We stopped for pictures, to drink water and when we saw our family. We also ended up on the beach for a few minutes here and there. After our full loop Miles wanted some lunch and fudge, so I obliged him. He did so great on the bike that he earned it. So we did our thing. I figured he was going to be ready to return the bike, but he wanted to go out for more. Again, I obliged. We rode to Arch Rock, a great sightseeing spot. We saw the bridge. We hung out by the beach. We did another four miles. It ruled. I assumed I was done on the bike after three hours of riding with Miles. I was going to go on that trail run around two. But after meeting up with my mom, dad, wife, daughter and niece, my daughter said she wanted to go on a ride with me. I had to take her since I went all around the island with her brother. She is a bit too small for a tandem bike, so we rented a bigger bike for me with a wee ho attachment for her. The wee ho is a little seat that has a big buckle system. She had an absolute blast. We booked it around the island. We were cooking. I would look at my watch and would be astounded at how far we had gone in such a little amount of time. We made it around the full island in 45 minutes. I returned the bike. By that time I had gone 19 miles on bike around the island, 11 with Miles and 8 with Audrey. I was spent. Plus we walked over 12,000 steps on the island that day. The trail run got pushed because I was having too much fun with my kids on the bike. It is an experience I will never forget. I loved it so very much. I took so many pictures.

Biking is truly the best way to get around and sightsee on the island.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Wind is Not to My Running Back

I've been in a bit of a running rut lately. I am still running, I will not give it up, but I'm in a funk.

I've been racking my brain trying to figure out why I'm at where I am at right now. I thought it was because of my allergies. My allergies have been very rough lately. Everyday I feel like I have to blow out a full cup of mucus from my body, sorry to be gross. I then thought it was because of too much running. I was on a run streak of nearly 300 days, but I was becoming disillusioned with it. Running became a chore. It wasn't fun. So I stopped that. I even thought that it was maybe due to my anxiety issues. My anxiety has been a little elevated lately, I'm fine, but I thought it was causing my running to take a nosedive.

Today I think I finally came to as solid a conclusion as I can find. I went for a run today. I have backed down to four runs a week as opposed to seven days a week. I feel better, but my time was slower than usual. I also ran the Lion's Roar this past weekend, I did the same race last year, ran 25 miles, but this year I could only do 20 miles. The same thing happened each time, and has been going on since late March and all of April. I think my continuing rut is due to the wind. It has been so damn windy lately. And it has been windy everywhere. I thought driving 120 miles this past weekend would help. It did not. It was even windier in Columbia. And today, here in Saint Louis, it seemed like the wind might be gone. It is 60 degrees and beautifully sunny. There are no clouds in the sky, it is calm and just a glorious day. But during the whole 4.75 miles I had god damn wind blowing in my face. The same thing happened in Columbia. I would turn a corner, the race was a 2.5 mile loop run over and over again for 5 hours, and the wind was so hard that, had I not had headphones on, my hat would have blown off every single time. I did eight laps and I would have lost my hat, at the very least, eight times. It was rough.

This has been going on every day since late March, as I said. I have been going out and running and there has not been a run where the wind was not blowing in my face or coming at me from the side. There have been times I have gone on a road run and had cold wind blowing in my face so hard that my beard would freeze, and there was no snow or ice. I have found that trail running is a bit better, except when there is an open space. I've gone trail running a few times lately, and when I'm under the trees it is fine. But, I will turn a corner, or hit an open switchback, and that is when the wind comes in and totally slows me down. It is brutal. I get frustrated by it at times. I have openly cursed the wind while running. I cursed it this afternoon. I kept yelling during my race "WE GET IT!!!!! IT IS WINDY!!!!". I did make some other racers laugh with that one. I have been doing this since all this wind started. It is wild. I never thought that windy running would cause such a problem. It has made me slower. I have been actively trying to go slower, but not as slow as I have been lately. The wind has angered me, and that is ridiculous. The wind makes me cold when I should not be cold. It has knocked my hat off multiple times. It has messed up my headphones when I wear them.

This wind is crazy. The only time I do not mind it is when it is at my back, which is very rare lately. I'm sure that there are other, underlying things that are causing me to go through this mini slump, but for right now I am going with my theory that it is the wind that is my biggest obstacle. The god damn wind. My new running nemesis.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Tries Baby Feet

My wife really likes to do spa stuff at home. She has a whole routine she does every Sunday night. It is very cute. She has also gotten me to do some of these things with her. I have worn these under eye things that are supposed to make my eyes less baggy, and it did not work, at least for me. I've let her use a nail file on me because I am too afraid to do it myself. I let her and my daughter paint my nails before. I have used scented shower steamers and fancy lotions just to see if it works. None of it makes a noticeable difference to me, except this new thing she had me do this past Saturday.

She had this thing called Baby Feet on her Xmas list and I bought it for her. I think she has done this before, but I do not remember. Hell, I may have done it with her for all I know. I cannot remember. But this past Saturday she said she was going to do it and asked if I wanted to try. Now, a bit of a preamble to explain why I was so eager. I do get athlete's foot quite often. I run everyday, and even though I have great shoes and socks, athlete's foot is just part of the game for me now. It doesn't hurt, but boy oh boy does it itch. I have scratched myself raw before. Sorry to be so gross, but it is true. And I use all kinds of creams that I have purchased and that a podiatrist has given me. They work, but I do not do it enough to make it completely go away. It is all on me. So I figured that I would give these Baby Feet a try. I am going through some athlete's foot right now, so this seemed like the perfect time to try it out. These Baby Feet are supposed to make your feet feel soft like a baby's. That is what the package says, that is what the people online have said and that is what my wife said when she showed me how to put these things on. So when my wife busted these out I was intrigued.

Baby Feet is literally a bag with some goo and water in it. You put that on your feet and tape them shut. Then you are supposed to put on socks and simply wear the Baby Feet for an hour. We did just that, removed them after an hour and washed our feet. After about 30 minutes I complained to my wife that nothing was happening. My feet were still itchy, no skin was flaking off and my feet felt like those of a 39 year old runner. She told me it would take a few days. Well here we are, three days removed, and things are starting to happen. First off, I have not had to scratch them at all the past three days. That has been a relief. My feet also feel tighter, which my wife said is a sign that it is starting to take effect. And today when I got home from my run and after I got out of the shower, I noticed the skin was flaking away. It is starting to work. And it feels great. I am enjoying this odd feeling. I am also super hopeful that this is a new way to deal with my athlete's foot. I'm not so sure it will cure it, but it has been simply wonderful not having to itch my feet. All of my skepticism is fading away. These Baby Feet are working, at least it seems.

This is the first "spa" thing that my wife has had me try that really seems to be doing its job, and I love it. I may keep you all informed later, I do know this can be kind of gross for some to read. But I was so excited to talk about it, and I have a blog, so here you go. Baby Feet is super cool, and I highly recommend it for runners looking for a relief from athlete's foot or any type of foot issue they may have. It is awesome.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Tales from My First Marathon

I know I said I was going to do my NBA postseason and awards predictions today, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. I did something this weekend that I would have never thought possible about 10 years ago. Let’s discuss.

I used to be a heavy dude. I still am a big guy, but I used to be BIG. At my biggest I weighed 340 pounds. I was active back then, but I loved my food. I still do. But one day, right around the time I became a stay at home dad, I found myself winded after running around our tiny backyard in our first house with my son. When I put him down for his nap that day I was still tired. As I sat there on my couch I decided something had to change. That was when I decided I was going to do the Atkins diet. It has been an absolute home run for me. I'm not a big bread or pasta guy anyway, so this seemed like the best fit. And it worked. I started to lose weight. At first it was a few pounds here and there, but then that turned into big cumulative losses. I was loving it, and I felt much better. I could run around with my son and not get tired so quickly. At my lowest weight I was down to 240 pounds. It was awesome.

Losing carbs wasn't working as well once I got to the 250-260 range. I needed to start doing some kind of exercise to keep the weight off because right around the 250 mark I started to allow myself some sweets and pasta as a treat. I have always played basketball, but that is a sport that is easy to take breaks while playing. This was when I took up running. I decided I was going to run to simply keep my weight anywhere from 260-280 pounds, which my doctors informed me was an ideal weight for me. So I tried it. It was tough, real tough at first. I could barely make it a full mile without stopping to walk or catch my breath. But then that mile got easier so I upped it to two miles. Then I did a 5k. And now I am at that place that I thought was unattainable a decade ago. I have done multiple 5k's and 10k's. Done a bunch of trail 10k's and 15k's. I've run many road and trail half marathons. All of these were fun but I would always say that 13.1 was my limit. I did not think I could go further.

When COVID hit I started to run everyday, but still never past my 13 mile threshold. But prior to COVID I signed up for my first marathon. It got pushed to 2020, but I was still going to do it. So I trained, and trained hard. I got to a point where I could run 18 miles in one go and not feel too bad afterward. When things started to open up a bit I signed up for an in person six hour loop race in Columbia, Missouri with the intention of running the marathon distance, but only made it 25 miles before I was spent and my time limit was up. After the race in Columbia I started to have knee problems though. I would try to run through it, or take more days off, but the pain was not easing. I saw an orthopedist about ten days before what was supposed to be my first official marathon and he informed me that I was not going to be able to do it. I had a minor stress fracture in my knee that was only going to get worse if I went and ran the race. I was devastated. Things got dark. I couldn't run for four weeks, and four weeks after that I was only allowed to do four miles at the most. But I got better. My knee healed. I saw my doctor multiple times and every time he said my knee looked better and stronger.

So when my buddy Kirk told me about this race here in Saint Louis called Declue Loops, I was intrigued and wanted to do it. The race had four options, one loop, which is 8.2 miles, two loops, three loops, which equaled a marathon with a little extra on your first loop, or four loops, a 50k. I signed up for the three loops and Kirk did the four. We had a few months to train, so we both hit it pretty hard. We would meet once a week to run trails, and I decided in June that I was going to start my very own run streak. A run streak is running at least one mile everyday no matter what. Kirk and I would do longer distances on the trails. I was making sure I was averaging four miles a day. The knee felt good. Kirk was a constant inspiration and a great listener to any fear I had going into the race. We even went out about twelve days before the actual race and did two loops just to be acquainted. That run that day gave me the boost I needed.

Race day finally came this past Saturday the 16th. I was nervous the night before, but I also felt better. I knew the nerves were getting to me a bit because I only got about four hours of sleep. It didn't matter though when the nine marathon runners and twelve 50k runners got the go ahead to start at 7am. I went out ready to go. I felt pretty solid on my first loop too. The terrain was tough, but I knew it well enough. It was perfect weather, 45 and sunny. The other runners were just as hyped as I was. When I got back on the main trail it was this perfect moment of zen. I felt so good that I ran pretty much all of that first loop. I filled my pack at the aid station, grabbed some snacks for the second loop and made my way out feeling pretty solid. Then at about mile 14 I hit a major wall. I felt terrible. My legs were getting tired. I ate my food way too quickly. I didn't take in enough Tailwind. I just felt bad. I walked for a bit, but that didn't seem to ease any distress mentally and physically I was feeling. The terrain, again which I knew very well, seemed to be rockier and harder. The second loop felt like it had way more elevation. I was starting to get frustrated.

At mile 16 I decided that I was going to drop. I figured I could hike the final two miles of the loop and just go home feeling dejected. When I got to the aid station after the second loop I stopped, grabbed my knees and told one of the workers that I was done. I went over to my pack and the guy I told that I was done told me to just stay there for a minute. Then one of the main people at Saint Louis Track Club, they put on the race, came over and talked to me. He told me exactly what I needed to hear. He said these races are supposed to hurt. You are supposed to feel shitty. No marathon is fun for the whole thing. He told me to get the negative thoughts out of my head. He gave me a Coke and told me to drink half of it. He helped to make my pack lighter. And when he said that he could see in my eyes that I wasn't done, that gave me this sudden burst of energy I didn't know I had inside of me. Once I heard that and put on my much lighter pack, I looked at him, thanked him profusely and exclaimed, "I'm going back out there to finish this damn thing!". And when I took off for that final lap, hearing the people cheer only made me more convinced I could do this. I took that final lap slow. It took me nearly two and a half hours to do the 8.2 miles. I walked more than half of it. My legs and calves and thighs and feet hurt. I got passed by a few 50k runners on their final lap. But when I got to that final hill climb, which meant I was less than a mile away, this feeling of euphoria engulfed my body. I made a video to send to my family to let them know how much I love and appreciate their support in my newfound love of running. After the video, when I was all by myself making that climb, I started to tear up from happiness. When I got to the final tenth of a mile I started to jog again, and when the crew saw me coming I heard someone say, "there's our guy!". It was amazing. I felt like I was on top of the world. When I crossed the finish line multiple people were clapping and telling me what a good job I did. The guy who convinced me to finish told me I looked better at the end than I did when I thought I was done. The running community that I have become a part of now is one of the best groups of people I have ever been around. They are so cool and inviting and nice. When I was done I told my buddy Kirk that we did it. We finished. He said he wanted to be there when I finished my first marathon, and he was right there when I crossed the finish line.

I never, in a million years thought a full marathon was in my grasp. It seemed like a pipe dream. Now I have done it, and on a trail no less. I spent seven and a half hours in the woods, finished in last place of all the marathon finishers, am still very sore, but I did it. I ran a god damn marathon. It is an incredible feeling. It is crazy what the human body can do when it is trained and pushed to the limit. I know I am bragging, but I do not care. I am damn proud of myself, proud of all the other finishers and love the Saint Louis Track Club and the running community. Saturday was a great, great day.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on the Best Hat for Runners

These last six or so years have taught me a lot about running. I first did it to lose weight. Then I wanted to run some 5k's just to see what those were all about. Then I did a half marathon. Then I did some trail running. I dabbled in triathlons for a bit. I did some bike riding. But I always go back to running. It has replaced basketball as my number one option for a workout. I get the best workouts while running, I feel better, I eat better and I am mentally much better after a run, especially if I am having a crummy day.

One thing I have noticed more recently is how important gear is for runners. From hydration packs to collapsible water bottles to socks and shoes to knee braces to sweat gear and even hats. Hats are what I want to talk about today.

I have always been a hat wearer. Since I was a kid playing little league, a hat adorned my head. The only time I do not wear one while doing something athletic is when I play basketball. When I first got really into running I did not wear a hat. I went with nothing or wore some kind of sweat band. But every summer was a struggle to keep the sweat out of my eyes. I wear glasses, so when I get sweat in my eyes it is a pain, and when I am sweating like I do it is hard to clean my glasses. So when I would sign up for new races, if a hat was an option as some swag, I started to get that. I got a bunch of mesh hats from races that I wore the hell out. I have almost exclusively run with a hat for about two years now. They work better.

This year for our anniversary my wife bought me a good amount of running gear, but the coup de gras was the hat she found. I get all kinds of ads on my phone for running stuff, and one ad for a hat from a company named rnnr kept popping up. I liked the hat and mentioned it a few times in passing. My wife bought me one. She got me the Unicorn hat. It has a yellow and pink brim, a blue sweat catcher in the middle and 2 sided mesh. The bill is also the most flexible bill I have ever seen. This hat is absolutely amazing. I love everything about it. The other hats I got were fine, but this rnnr Unicorn hat is in a class of its own. It is so breathable yet it soaks up all my sweat. I hardly ever get anything in my eyes now. The hat is so flexible that if I need to move it or adjust it in any way, it is so simple and easy. I love that I can move the bill of the hat anyway I need it to be. The hat works as well if I turn it backwards when I run on a cloudy day. It is so easy to wash and hang dry. It is so light that I forget I have it on during my longer runs. It absorbs water when I throw some on my head to cool down. And it looks cool as hell. It is easily the best hat I have ever owned. I'm talking about any hat. It is perfectly crafted for what it needs to do. It looks rad. It feels even better. And I think I will be buying multiples because of how perfect this hat is.

This hat is like a restaurant with a one page menu. They know what they do is good and they keep cranking out nothing but the best. If you are a runner, of any sort, get yourself a rnnr hat. You will love it. But if you are just a collector of cool ass hats, buy one as well. These things are dope as hell. I cannot recommend these hats enough. They rule.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Adventures in Running and Hiking in Gulf Shores

We are going to be home from our trip in a few hours, and I wanted to talk about the running, hiking and “trails” in Gulf Shores.

A newer thing for me, the past five years, is checking out the running when I go somewhere. It’s a neat way to get to know the area you’re staying in and you get a feel for the terrain. I was excited about Gulf Shores because I remember it being flat. That’s a good thing because I was just given the full go from my doctor. My injury has healed and I can go to my threshold. I figured the flat ground would be nice. And it was for the first two miles of my first solo run. Then it got pretty boring pretty quick. I’ve had a similar sensation running half marathons. When you get a long stretch of flats it can be a nice break, but it sure gets tedious after awhile. And it’s not like I’m one for hills. I dread going uphill. But I love going downhill. I gain speed, I’ve been told to go down hill more freely and it breaks up the monotony. There was little to none of that this week. I would take weird turns, hoping I’d find hills. There were none. I ran a 10k yesterday and I “gained” less than 20 feet of elevation. It may as well have been an ant hill. I saw the “hill” during this run and it wasn’t exciting at all. I was up and down it within seconds. It was a drag. But that’s how it was everyday I ran, which was 3 of the four days we were there.

On the second day of the trip, after a day of swimming in the Gulf, I decided I wanted to do some trail running. There was a state park about four miles from the condo we stayed in, so I drove out to a trail head that had about six connecting trails. I figured this would get me into the three digit elevation category. It wasn’t even close. I ran four miles on three separate trails and my elevation gain that day was 60 feet. Again, I’m not a big elevation fan, I tend to walk uphill, but still, it’s a nice break to have that walk. At home I average a bit over 200 per run. When I run with my buddy, a small elevation run is about 500 feet. My body is used to going up and down. That’s not the case in Gulf Shores.

Also, they need to be very loose with the term “trail”. I talked to a park ranger about how most, if not all, the trails are paved. She told me that’s the way they like it in Gulf Shores. She said most people walk or bike the trails, so it’s better for them to pave them. I’m not a fan of this idea at all. Trails need sticks and roofs and rocks and should require some technical work. I trails I ran on had none of those. The bridges on the trail were a nice touch, but those were all pristine. They were too nice, not worn down enough, didn’t seem used very much. It was kind of a bummer. When I hear trail I think woods. I’m sure most people do. But these trails were simply flat, paved walkways.

The same problem with the “trails” is what irked me about hiking. My son had I hike together a lot. He’s a good hiker too. I let him talk and talk and he likes to climb and pick up sticks and get in a good sweat. The only thing he got on our hike this week was the sweat. He openly complained about the lack of sticks. He asked why this trail was so easy compared to home. He didn’t have to drink much water because he said it was “too easy” for him. I couldn’t agree more. Our two and a half mile hike only took 40 minutes. It was a breeze. And the lack of tree coverage was a big letdown. Tree coverage is a big time help, especially as it gets warmer out. There was no coverage at all. It was hot, bright and brutal at times. For a place that has so much vegetation the trees are practically nonexistent. The lack of shade crushed any good time I had all week.

Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to run, I’m glad I saw some new parts of town I missed, but it wasn’t the highlight I was hoping it might be. It was kind of a letdown. Props to people that run marathons in that swamp though. Those people are bosses. But no elevation and no shade is not for me I suppose.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's Paused Adventures in Running

Yesterday I wrote in my preamble how I suffered an injury that is preventing me from running my first marathon ever tomorrow. Today I am going to talk about said injury, and how I have been feeling about it all week.

First things first, this could've been much worse. I do have a stress fracture in my left knee, but it is a minor fracture. I actually talked to my orthopedist this afternoon and he said that it is much closer to a stress reaction. I didn't know what that meant, so I asked. A stress reaction is the beginning of a fracture. It is what sets it all off. So the fact that they found this very early, that I had enough pain in my knee to go see a doctor on Monday, was a good thing. This means the recovery time is way less than it could have been had I left this untreated. Instead of 6 to 8 weeks, the doctor told me that an injury like this is more of a 2-4 week recovery period. That was some mild relief. But, I cannot run for two weeks, I cannot play basketball for two weeks, I cannot play softball, and while I can still coach my kids in their sports, I have to be braced and move as little, and slowly, as possible. That is going to be the hardest part for me. I like to be active. I get bored sitting still. I don't like not having things to do. It is just who I am. So no running for two weeks, when the weather is perfect for running, is going to be brutal. Luckily I have house stuff and my kids sports to keep me occupied, but it is still not going to be fun. Running is my getaway. It is my alone time. It is when I am doing what I want to do for myself. It is therapy. It is one of my absolute favorite things to do.

Then throw in the fact that I cannot run my race, a race I have been training really hard for for three months, I broke down when the doctor told me. I actually cursed really loud in his office. It was loud enough that I had to apologize for my outburst. I have been crushed since I officially found out on Wednesday that I could not run the race. I have gone through many emotions in the last three days. I have felt that my training was all for nothing. I have had worrisome moments where I think that I will never run again. I asked for multiple opinions before finally, mercifully, opting out of the race. This is my athletic life now. I do have rec league basketball and softball, but those don't measure up to running anymore. I first ran to lose weight, but I have fallen madly, deeply in love with the sport. I have gone from barely being able to finish a mile to running 25 miles in a six hour period. I run five times a week. I need it in my life. It is an addiction, but I feel like it is a good addiction. So to have it taken away from me for any amount of time, yeah, it really bums me out. I am not going to lie and say stuff about silver linings or getting my head right. I'm frustrated and mad. I was sad, but now it is just anger.

I do know that I will get back to running, but this really stinks. This is the worst case scenario for me. This was what I have been able to avoid for seven years. I knew this would happen at some point, but to have it happen a week before my first marathon, that is a hard pill for me to swallow. So I will do the rehab, I will do the resting, but I am not going to be happy about it.

This is a setback, but it will not stop me from getting back out there in four weeks, or whenever my doctor gives me the go ahead. I am bummed now, but hopefully it will only be temporary. Hell, I know it will only be temporary. I will run a marathon before 2021 is over. You can count on that.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's Continuing Adventures in Running

For the past couple months I have been training for two long races. I have been running five days a week at different mileage each day. It has been pretty good, I have enjoyed my training and so far, no injuries. All is good.

I had my first of two races this past Saturday. I drove to Columbia to run in the Lion's Den Race. This was a timed race. There was a 24 hour, 12 hour or 6 hour portion. I opted for the 6 hours. I figured this was more than enough time since the furthest, and longest I have gone is 17 miles in three and a half hours. Race day came and I was nervous. But when I got to the course, met by a friend, I eased up a bit. He told me how it was going to be fun, it was a looped course so I would get used to it easily and how to properly eat and drink for that amount of time. When our time had come to start I felt pretty ready. And then we were off.

I felt good for a while. I ran one of my fastest 10k's. I ran my fastest half marathon. The sun was coming out and it was drying the course. Things were looking up. I was going pretty well for the first 13 miles. Then I kind of hit a wall. My buddy said he was going to keep going, and I let him know that I was going to be slowing down, walking from time to time. I was feeling it pretty hard around mile 15. Honestly, I wanted to stop right there. I even told myself that I was going to bow out. I felt done. Then I started to think about the other people there. The racers who had been there since 6am and the ones that started the day before at 6pm. Most of them were still out there. They went through a night of on and off rain. It was cold and dreary, and they were still out there going at it, and seemingly having a good time. I gained some kind of relief/acceptance that, if they could do it for as long as they have been doing it, I could go for the next three hours. That was nothing compared to what the other people were doing. I was also able to speak to some of the people that were doing the 24 and 12 hour times, and they gave me even more confidence that I could keep going. That I just needed to push through the pain. They were right. When I pushed past the 15 mile mark, I drank some fluid, ate some peanut butter pretzels and some gummy bears and felt like I had a second wind. This was a great feeling. Sure I was going slower, and the minimal hills became a much needed walking rest, but I was still moving. I pushed through to the 20 mile mark, and I slowed down even more, but I didn't stop. I would only run the downhills and the straights. The hills were a non starter. I was going to walk those the rest of the day. That was the plan. When I got to my last loop, the tenth lap, I walked almost the entire thing, and I was totally fine with that. It felt right. So I walked nearly all of that last lap. I got to the point where there was about half a mile left, and it was all flat or downhill. I decided I was going to run this part of it. Well, it was more of a very slow jog, but still, I was not walking. As I got to the finish line I was first met by a photographer. That was good because I wasn't fake running anymore.

As I got closer I heard people yelling my name. I was confused because the only other person I knew was my buddy, and he was going on to finish his 12th lap that day. When I took my headphones off and looked up I saw my oldest brother, sister in law, two nieces and my son. They came to cheer me on. It was a much needed surprise. I loved that they came out to see me do this. To see me accomplish this feat. Having my son see me do something that I have never done before was humongous. Having my sister in law, who got me into running in the first place, was awesome. My oldest brother, who is the most athletic of all of us, having him there was the epitome of support. Then having my two teenage nieces seeing me do this, they knew me when I was much heavier, that was the icing on the cake.

When I crossed the line, signaling that I was done, I gave my son a big hug. My brother and his wife made sure I was done, made sure I didn't want to do more. I needed that. My nieces were so nice and so sweet. It made me so happy. When I calmed down, drank some more water, ate a banana and took my shoes and socks off, I saw that I had run 25.78 miles. By far the longest I have ever done. It was pretty amazing, even though I was beyond exhausted. Then my buddy finished, and he ran 31.3 miles. I was stoked for him. As for some of the longer timed runners, the 24 and 12 hour people, I saw numbers in the upper 60's and 70's. Hell, a few people went over 100, with one guy going 120 miles. That was amazing.

This was definitely an experience that I will never forget. I'm so glad I did it, and it has me feeling more and more prepared for the full marathon I am running in less than three weeks. I am still tired, I was sore, I hurt all day yesterday, but I am so glad that I went out and ran for nearly six hours on Saturday. I loved it, and I am very happy to have running in my life. It is truly the best.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I Should Have Skipped That In Person Race

Last week I wrote about how I was going to be doing my first in person race since the pandemic started. I did it, and I am here to tell you all about it.

The race is called the Beulah 963. As I said last week, the 963 was for 9 hours, 6 hours or 3 hours. I signed up for 3 hours. So Saturday came, and luckily my day was filled with activities. I had stuff to do in the morning, my son had a basketball clinic, we did a father daughter dance at my house and we all had dinner together. Before I knew it, it was already 8pm, and I had to get ready, my race started at 9pm. So I bundled up big time. It was nice and cold in Saint Louis, and at around 6pm, it started to flurry. The flurrying continued into the evening, stopping at around 10:30pm. Luckily I know how to dress properly for this weather while running, so bundling was of no concern. As I was driving to the spot, the snow kept coming down, and the temperature reader in my car kept dipping. By the time I parked, the snow was like rain, and the temperature was in the mid teens. I got out of my car, put on my hydration pack, put on my light up vest, then my balaclava and head lamp and made my way to pick up my bib. As I walked to the barn, I felt okay. I had that usual pre race adrenaline I have come to know well, and I felt like I had just enough clothes on to stay warm throughout the race. I signed in, got my bib and got ready. The race director gave us a little speech, and we were off.

This is where it all turned to shit, at least for me. As I mentioned, it was snowing when I got there. The trail we were on is very rocky and very slippery even when it is beautiful outside. The snow made this trail feel like an ice rink. On the very first turn, not even a quarter of a mile in, I slipped and landed pretty hard on my back. I am used to this, so I popped up pretty quick, assured the three people around me I was okay, and proceeded to run. No less than another tenth of a mile, and I slipped again, this time hitting my back on the side of a rock. Again I gathered myself, took a deep breath and made a go of it. As I got moving again, I knew something was wrong. The pain was not just going away like it normally does. I had this constant feeling like my back had a heartbeat, and it felt like the discs were moving. I have felt this before, and it usually goes away rather quick, but not on Saturday night. I kept at it for a few reasons. I had just started, I wanted to do this, I still felt like I could run and I am not a quitter. So off I went. Every step hurt, but it wasn't any type of pain that I haven't run through before. And I finally found some solid ground, at least I thought. I was able to go for about a mile and a half straight without falling, and I got my pace back to what I was expecting. My back hurt, but getting caught up made me feel okay.

Then I slipped again, and again and about eight more times on that first loop. I was getting rather frustrated, and I had some thoughts of calling it after one loop. But, like a beacon, I saw a straight, flat path covered in leaves that led to the end of the loop. I got going again, and made my way, about a mile, to the barn where we started. I slowed to a walk, they had to punch a hole in your bib to mark your laps, and they asked if I was going out again. Reluctantly, I said yes. There were a few people behind me that were complaining like me about the condition of the trail. But when they opted to go again, that gave me the push I thought I needed. So I went on, this time trying to be extra cautious.

I did not fall after a quarter of a mile this time, but the trail was very slick, slicker than my first lap. Even with the snow fall stopping, the temperature kept dropping, and this made the rocks slick, and the terrain very slick. I was running very, very slow. This didn't seem to matter, I kept slipping. I wasn't falling, but I was slipping, and with every slip, a sharp pain shot down my back and through my hips. I got to a very rocky portion, and I stopped running all together and just walked, watching every single step. I had a few people behind me doing the same. We would tell each other where it was slick, but it didn't seem to matter. We were sliding all over the place.

I decided right then and there that this was my last lap. I was only going to be physically able to do two. I was fine with this, but it is kind of crushing when you make this realization at races. I was slipping and sliding so much that I decided it would be best to walk, or to jog extremely slow. I kept at this for a while, but my pace of 13 minutes a mile quickly shot up to 17 and 18 minutes. Not to worry I thought, there was only two more miles.

Well, I was wrong. It just got slicker and worse. I fell off the trail twice, once tumbling over. I slipped and had to hug a tree to not fall. I fell once on my face, picked up a chunk of snow, chucked it and cursed as loud as I could. Finally I got near the end and just decided I had to walk. No more running or jogging or even hiking. It was just a walk. I was still slipping and sliding, but along with two other people, we walked our way to the finish, said we were done, said goodbye and made our way to our cars.

As I walked to my car I noticed a few things. One, my headlamp froze to my balaclava. Two, my sweatshirt sleeves were frozen. Three, taking off my pack did nothing to help my back. Four, I felt almost delirious. It was just a myriad of problems. Once I got to my car I took all my gear off and blasted the heat. When I got moving on the road I felt okay. I was tired, but didn't feel overly cold, and while my back still hurt, I realized it was just sore, and I was not injured. When I got home I felt something I never have before. When I turned the car off, and got out to get my things and go inside, I started to shiver violently, and I couldn't stop. I got in my house and immediately stripped off all my clothes, but that did not help much. I was shivering so hard I couldn't even get my contacts out. I had to wake up my wife and get her help. After she did this for me, she is the best, I got into a hot shower and just let the water rain over me. I finally stopped shivering about five minutes into my shower. After I got cleaned up, and put on very comfy clothes for bed, I realized I didn't have enough fuel during the race. My pack froze and so did my gummies. So when the pack thawed, I drank a ton of my Tailwinds. I then ate a muffin and an entire bag of gummy bears. I then drank a Spindrift, and another 16 ounces of water, and I finally felt okay. This all happened at 12:30am by the way.

In the end, I have more mixed feelings than before about this race. I felt very safe COVID wise, but the terrain was horrifying. The people I met were very cool, but I have never been that cold before. Then the back and hip stuff. Add on the fact that I only did two laps. Then we have the frustration I felt for two straight hours. I mean, I'm glad I finally got to do an in person race, but I do not know that I will ever do this particular one again, or any night race for that matter. There were far too many cons than there were pros. I'm happy that people had enough sense to follow the rules and new safety protocols , but the during and after effects, I just do not think it was worth it.

Anyway, that is my story of my first in person race in 10 months. Take it as you will.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I Run. I Fall.

When winter comes around, that is my favorite time to trail run. I have always liked trail running, but something about winter, with colder temperatures, less people and some snow cover, it is very nice, and very fun. I also feel a little freer when running on trails in winter. I am a cautious runner, but something about rocks and tree roots being covered with leaves and the occasional snowfall, I let myself go a little more. I am still wary and I still pay almost too close attention, but when things are covered, I will let myself go a little further than normal.

With all that being said, I do fall even more, especially when the ice and snow turns to water, making the trail muddy and slippery. I had one such instance this morning on my trail run. Kirk and I started running together years ago, and we still get together now once a week, masked, and we go on a trail run. We do this pretty much every Thursday, and I love it. Running with my buddy is great for my mental health, it is nice to see someone outside my bubble once in a while and Kirk tends to make me push myself, which I need from time to time. But, I do fall quite a bit. Last Sunday I tripped on a ton of tree roots. A few weeks back, I rolled my ankle on some rocks. These things happen.

Today I fell twice. The first time wasn't all that bad. I took a corner a bit too tight, I tried to slow down, but I slipped on some mud and fell on my side. It was a bummer, but it wasn't as bad as it could have been. I got wet and muddy, but it's not like this hasn't happened a bunch. I assumed this would be the only time I would fall today. I was wrong. Sometimes on our trail runs I have had to ditch my glasses. I breathe heavy, and with the cold adding to it, my glasses fog up, and it is like I am running blind. It is actually better when I take my glasses off. I pay closer attention and am more aware of my surroundings. I need to start wearing my contacts again, which I plan on doing for my race on Saturday. But today I just didn't have the time to get my contacts in. I have to get my kids ready for the day, I usually do laundry, I make lunches and snacks, and if I am lucky enough, I can use the restroom before leaving. Today was one of those days, but I had no time for the contacts. So, after I had the first fall, and removing my glasses, I tried to be extra careful. But I am on a tapering schedule, and that means slowing down to almost a hike when I feel tired. At one of these moments, as soon as I started to slow from a run to a hike, I tripped on a rock that I couldn't see, and I fell chest first into the ground. The ground I fell into today was slippery, muddy and covered with a bunch of rocks. I hopped up right away. Kirk stopped and asked if I was okay. I felt fine right after the fall. I got up, made a fist to make sure I hadn't broken anything, and proceeded to continue the run. To Kirk's credit, he kept making sure I was good. I felt fine enough to run, so I did. But I noticed that my knee felt scraped. Then I checked my hands. The left one was fine, with one little scratch. But the right hand, I messed that one up. I couldn't tell at the time. I literally rubbed mud on the cut, covered it with my raincoat and continued to run. After half a mile I checked my hand, and it was definitely bleeding. Blood had made its way from the bottom of my hand to the top. I rubbed more mud on it, covered it up again, and finished the run. As soon as I got in my car, I put some sanitizer on it. That hurt like hell. But it immediately started to feel better. I then came home, cleaned up and bandaged the cut. This is one of the pre requisites, I believe, as a trail runner. You have to, at least once a year, get a nice cut on a trail run. It is like a right of passage. It is like a birthday, because it happens every year. I knew it was coming soon. I figured Saturday, what with it being a night race. But, I guess I got it out of the way today. And, even after saying all this, I will still trail run every week. I prefer it. It is so much more fun and way more technical.

Trail running rules. And even if that means scrapes that turn into deep cuts sometimes, so be it. I will never stop trail running. They will have to drag me off those trails.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts On Doing An In Person Racing

One week from tomorrow I will be doing my first in person race since the pandemic started. I have very mixed feelings about this. I am excited, but also scared and don't know if I am truly, fully trained for this specific race. I have also grappled with my decision to attend. A few months ago I was sure that I was going to opt out, but after much conversation, and another month to sit on it, and a ton of reading about safety protocols, rolling start times, the number of participants and all the intense new rules, I decided I was going to do it.

The race is called the Beulah 963. The 963 is the important part here. This is an ultra race. I have never done an ultra before. I came close in 2019, when I did a trail half marathon, but I still consider that a half, not an ultra. The difference here is the amount of time involved. You can pick to do 9 hours, 6 hours or 3 hours, hence the 963. I opted for the 3 hour portion, but I know a friend doing 9, and one of his friends is doing 6. This was a big selling point for me to actually stay in this race. My buddy that is doing the 9 hours said that the number of participants will be very small by the time I get there. He is starting at noon, I do not start until 6pm. So, along with the shortened number of allowed participants, and the people that may or may not be dropping out, I would be shocked if there were more than 20-30 total runners when I get there. We also have packet pick up 15 minutes before start time, enough time to get my bib on and my hydration pack, and then we have rolling start times. We are also not allowed to congregate in big groups prior, not to worry for me since I am going solo, and we all must be masked when we start. They said you can take your mask off, or pull it down when there are no runners within 10 feet, but since it is a night race in February, I will just be keeping mine on the whole time. Not only will it protect me from anyone who may be asymptomatic or sick, but my balaclava will keep my face warm enough that my beard won't freeze, and I won't be breathing in cold air the whole time. I also very much appreciate that we all have to be masked at the start or else we are disqualified, and when we cross the finish line for each lap, we must be masked. We also have to be masked going to and from our cars, where we have a dedicated parking lot for all racers. I also read that we have the option to do as much or as little as we prefer. Again, we all signed up for a certain time frame, but this is a looped trail. We are on the same loop for about 4 miles, maybe a little more. So in essence, and I have done this trail on my own and with a buddy, the loop takes me about 40 to 45 minutes. It will probably take a little longer since it will be dark, I do have a lit vest and a headlamp, but still. So say it takes me 50 minutes to get one loop in, I still have as long as a 10 minute break, if I want. And at these breakpoints, masks are required, no congregating, no tent set up and no bag drop off. So it is basically just a rest area if we feel tired before going on the loop again. So if I get tired after two loops, and it takes me two hours, that is my finishing time. Just because I signed up for 3 hours doesn't mean I have to do 3 hours. It is up to 3 hours. I am going to try my best to get 3 loops in, I would like to get as close to a half marathon as possible, but if I get too gassed, or feel uncomfortable for any reason, I could leave after a lap. I like that rule. My buddy who is doing the 9 hours is determined to get all 9 in, and I think he will, but I bet by the time I get there, he will be pretty sore, and some other people who signed up for that time will have dropped by 6pm.

All this being said, I am still a little scared. I have not done an in person race since March of 2020. The last one I did was one week before Missouri shut everything down. But, after reading the safety guidelines, talking to friends and family to get their opinion, and reading about other runs on the running sites I am a part of, I feel as comfortable as one can during this crazy time we live in. I will obviously recap the race the weekend after I do it, but with it a week away, I wanted to explain to everyone why, now, I decided to actually do it. I'm scared, but also excited. Just as I should be before any race I do.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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The Joys of Virtual Running

During this pandemic, and who knows when, or even if, it will end, running has been my therapy, besides when I do teleconferences with my actual therapist. Running has become a big part of my life. It was becoming big even before the pandemic. Running was a tool to lose weight at first, but now I legitimately enjoy it. I like going out to run pretty much any distance. It’s good to get away. It’s a relief. It’s a workout. I feel better during and after my runs. It’s great.

I was worried when the pandemic started because every race I signed up for was getting canceled. I’d get emails everyday with a new postponement or cancellation. This bummed me out. I didn’t know what I would do, or if this would quell any momentum I had gained since I started running about five years ago. Then virtual races became a thing. I didn’t really know what these virtual races entailed, or how to even do one. So I kind of stayed away at first. I took refunds when I could from canceled races, and the ones that were postponed, I deferred to whenever they would be safe to do in person. For the first couple months of quarantine running became just exercise again. That’s all well and good, and I was still getting out there, but I missed the race aspect of it. I didn’t miss the SWAG or the food, I missed the competition.

I’m a competitive person by nature. I’ve played sports my whole life, and competition has always driven me. I was never one to place in the top 50 of the races I ran, but I usually shot for the middle, and would usually land there. Sometimes I’d be closer to back, but in a few shorter races, I’d get myself into the top 20 or 30. I had talked to a few people, fellow runners, who had done some of the virtual races, and they spoke glowingly about them. Kirk, a sometimes contributor, was the first person I talked to because he was doing a 1000k virtual race pretty much as soon as the pandemic started. He told me it gave him a push to get out and run. He also said that he would take pictures and log miles into a system that kept count and let him know how much he had left. Before we started running together again, we took about three months off, talking on phone while we ran instead of in person masked, like we do now, we would talk while he logged miles. This got me even more intrigued with virtual races.

About a month after Kirk started his 1000k, I noticed that the state I live in, Missouri, was doing a similar thing. They had an online virtual endurance challenge, with the sign up money going to a good cause. I signed up for the 250 mile portion of it, and started in June. I realized quickly how much more this was pushing me to run. I was starting to log a good amount of miles in a short amount of time. I put in over 100 miles in the first month. I had until the end of the summer to do the 250 miles. I thought I’d cruise. Then the endurance challenge site said that you could upgrade for a small charge, so I went up to 500 miles. I wasn’t ready for a 1000k, but I figured I could do 500, which I did. That was the first virtual race I did. Since then I’ve signed up for more than a dozen. I’ve done a bunch of virtual 5k’s for many different good causes. I’ve done a few for BLM, for voters rights, for LGBTQ causes, and they’ve been great. I’ve also done a few virtual 10k’s, one of which I did get some cool University of Michigan SWAG. This past weekend I ran a virtual half marathon for GO! Saint Louis, a great local running company. I’ve also signed up for a virtual turkey trot and am contemplating doing another virtual BLM race coming up in Saint Louis. So, for a skeptic like I was, the virtual race option has been a very solid holding spot until I feel safe enough to do an actual in person race. Actually, the first in person race I have scheduled, that I will do if it happens, is in early December. But for now, I am enjoying the virtual option. It keeps me motivated and I have found myself doing longer distances than I thought in faster times than I was last year. I actually shaved about ten minutes off of my half marathon from last year.

Running is great therapy, and virtual races are great for keeping me competitive. If you’re still on the fence about virtual races, I recommend trying one out, especially if you can find an endurance option. They’re pretty cool.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Damn You to Hell Coronavirus

I was going to write about another movie today, but I just got an email that upset me, and I want to vent. I have stayed away from this, but since we are going to be doing a pod that talks about this, which will be released tomorrow, I just want to get it out there.

CoronaVirus is awful for so many different reasons. It has stunted everything in sight. I became a teacher when I didn't expect to. It has taken so many lives because the powers that be weren't ready, or just figured it would go away. Businesses have shut down, unemployment is at an all time high and everyone is afraid.

This sucks.

For me personally, and I know it seems trite to complain about such little things, but my sports life has been shuttered. I cannot go to the gym to swim or play basketball. I was training some basketball players as this whole thing started to unfold, and that was stopped, as was my ability to bring home some money. I can't play in my pickup games.I was going to be playing in a men's rec league right as the stay at home orders began. I know it was all done in good conscious, and it seems to be working. Numbers here in Missouri have stayed relatively the same, with about 250 new cases a day, but we are fortunate enough to not have our hospitals completely overrun like other places. I get it. It is doing the necessary stuff it needs to do. I would much rather be alive than go play basketball. But that doesn't mean that I cannot miss it. Like I said, I feel bad complaining about such a miniscule thing, but we all deal with grief and being upset in different ways. I have talked to friends who love all the extra time we are getting. I do too. I have talked to friends that are terrified to even hang out while properly social distancing. That one, I am okay with, as long as we properly social distance. But god damn it, I miss my sports. I am a runner, and I am lucky enough that I can still do that in some capacity. I love to trail run, but state parks have closed everywhere. And that is fine, I can road run. But it has been weird doing it with a face covering. I am always going to be safe, but still, I feel like I am running in super high elevation sometimes.

What am really upset about is the lack of races. There has also been a number of races I was supposed to do that have been postponed or canceled. That was the email I mentioned before. I signed up for a three part trail series, and the first race is now canceled. My half marathon in March was postponed. The marathon I was supposed to run in a week was pushed to next year. Hell, I am not so sure about my fall and winter races right now. I don't know if the coordinators will feel safe, or if I will feel safe at that point. But, it sucks. So does the postponement of all major professional sports. The NBA has been off for two months now. And while they keep talking about bringing it back this year, what's the point? I mean, the players aren't ready, some of the coaches are in the most compromised conditions and it would be a waste of so many tests that could, and should, be given to people that really need them. Baseball is looking into a late June start, and while that may work, they would have to drastically cut down the season. That is fine too, baseball seasons are way too long to begin with anyway. But we also have the use of tests that should be used elsewhere. My son's baseball season has been pushed to June, and that is if we get to play at all. I know in Missouri we are starting to ease protocols, but I can't imagine a world where they allow a bunch of 8 year olds to get together to play baseball. All of this is a total bummer. I saw a headline on Bleacher Report the other day, and it said, "Sports Are Back this Weekend", and it mentioned UFC and NASCAR. To me, those aren't sports. I don't care to watch or read about either of them. I will say, they are doing it right by doing it without fans.

Which brings me to my last point. If/when sports comes back, they should all do it without fans for the rest of the season. That is the safest way to do this moving forward. The players have said they want to play, and people such as myself would gladly watch a basketball, baseball or football game with no fans. I don't care about the fans, I watch to see teams and players. The only people who seem to be against this idea are sports writers and TV people. To them I say, watch like the rest of us. You can still write about a game, even if you aren't there in person. I do it all the time. It works out just fine.

To wrap it all up, I am bummed, I miss sports and I wish things were different. They aren't though, this is the new normal for now, and while I am trying to be optimistic, like only reading good news involving this awful virus, it has been hard to be optimistic when it comes to sports. This sucks, I just want to see college and pro athletes play, run my races and not be afraid to go out in group outings for exercise. I hope we get some kind of conclusion, or vaccine or something sooner rather than later. This whole thing is just awful. It is a great unknown, and with each passing day, we still don't seem to have an end in sight. I'll be hoping that will change sooner rather than later. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.