Easy, Light, and Smooth

" @Dirtdawg50k why are you still walk-running? You have been running for years now! Man-up!  "

This was a tweet that I received the other day after posting a workout from Daily Mile. I replied to the individual that I want to be moving forward until I have no more breath and that was my chosen pace for the day.

"@Dirtdawg50k not judging, but from seeing your tweets your also interested in times or performances...your selling yourself short!"

True, I stated. There are times that I am interested in running fast or have a goal time in mind, but for this training cycle in prep for the Double Blue Ridge Marathon, I have not been interested in speed or time at all. My focus has merely been on getting in lots of miles and learning to like hills. A funny thing happened along the way in that as much as I disliked the treadmill beforehand, I found comfort in it knowing I could jack up the incline and learned to like going up.

Although, it was sad to hear about the passing of Micah True, aka "Caballo Blanco", who was a central character in the book Born to Run, his message of running Easy, Light, and Smooth has been popping up everywhere as of late. He was a man that lived simply, and ran freely. That is something that as I get older,  I have found great meaning in.

Having been a runner for the better part of 20+ years, I think I have gotten to know myself pretty well out on the road. On more than one occasion, I have been stripped down to the core and found out what I am truly made of. Some days, I have risen to the challenge, and others, when my heart and mind wasn't in it, I have walked away. No regrets, and no looking back at the "Glory Days".  There is only the road ahead.

That road ahead I am quite sure will never always be easy, light and smooth. There will be detours, stoppages, and maybe even some construction, but how will you approach it? For me, it will be at whatever pace I determine. Whether, it's fast or slow, I still will be moving forward.

Barkley Marathon: Interview

Fresh off their film making experience at the Barkley Marathons, I had a chance to chat with Tim and Annika about their journey. Help support their film making efforts here: The Barkley Marathon: The Trail That Eats Its Young.

Link to the article that inspired them to film this: The Immortal Horizon

Barkley Marathon 2012: A Record Year

In the previous 25 years at the Barkley Marathon, arguably one of the toughest 100 mile ultras,  there had been only 10 finishers. The course record prior to this year stood at just over 55 hours and 35 min by "Flyin" Brian Robinson.

That was of course until this year, and not only was the course record smashed by over three and half hours, but there were 3 finishers as well. Brett Maune, became Barkley's first two time finisher and established a new time of 52 hours and 3 min. Jared Campbell and John Fegyveresi also managed to complete the 5 loop course in under the 60 hour time limit.

Skora Running: Initial Thoughts