Saturday 10 May

Planned to run about 25 mikes today, but i had to attend a graduation for a great freind of mine. Didnt get up to Bandera till 3pm. It was HOT 95 degrees. I Ran 10 miles and went through 3.5 liters of water. Whoa, that was vicious. Needed to get a feel of how my body works in the heat, so I got a pretty good taste. Good thing I didnt loose my shaker of salt. Or I would have been hatin life.

Training 7 and 8 May

WED:
Woke up at 0500 and meet the ladies of the Schertz Running Club at 0530 for 4 miles at a nice easy pace.

I have some new footbeds I am trying to break in, so the feet and ankels are feeling it a bit.

Went to Austin after work for hill training with the Rogue Running trail team. 2 hours of hill work were pretty killer. I didnt want to let on, but I think it showed. I was hurtin.

Thurs:

Ran 3 miles after work at 8 to 8:30 pace, which is fast for me right now. Then went to kung Fu practice for 1 hour of intense work out.

Relay For Life

Here is the thank you note I sent out the individuals who donated.

Hello Everyone,

I wanted to take a few minutes to say thank you once again for each of your contributions. Because of you, we were able to raise $1060.00 in 12 days. With the Verizon Foundations matching incentive program for employees an additional $610.00 will be contributed for a total of $1,670.00. What a success yall have made this campaign! I have never gotten involved in the community for this type of event, but I saw the flyer for this Relay for Life event at Starbucks, and for some reason I just wanted to get involved. The gates at the track opened up Friday afternoon at 5pm for all of the teams to come in and set up their campsites on the football field. So I went in and set up my area and dropped off my silent auction item. At 7pm the opening ceremonys began and a speech was given by Congressman Cuellar. The event staff also presented the cancer survivors who were in attendance with a survivors medal. One lady was 98 and the youngest was 8 years old. All of the cancer survivors took one lap, some in wheelchairs and some with the aid of a walker. The next lap was taken by the caregivers. At about 2000 (8pm) I was able to start running and ran until about 6:35 am covering 52.5 miles. There are alot of things a person can think about when running around a 1/4 mile track for 10 hours and 35 minutes and I think that I thought about alot of them. My sister recently bought me an IPOD, and thank goodness because w/o it I don't think I would have been able to make it. I also ate a piece of pizza every hour after about 10pm which helped alot. About 3 am I broke out the chocolate covered espresso beans, what a life saviour. It is amazing how after about 40 miles, how humble I felt. At 50 miles I wanted to quit, it was about 6am. I thought what is it in a person that makes them want to keep on going when they don't want to go anymore? I don't know but I got up and ran another 30 minutes. I talked to a fella as I was packing up all of my stuff, he had been out there all night. Looked to be about 16 or 17 years old and was a cancer survivor. He ran about 26 miles through the night and I said the only thing that really came to me, "Wow man, you're one tough son of a ......" One of those John Wayne sorta toughs. He said thanks for being out here and supporting the event. You could see it really meant alot to him. So maybe that's why folks get involved, because out there somewhere, someone needs you.


Thanks again for being involved.

John T. Sharp

Ultra Running

I was going to write about how my 50k went on Saturday but I really wanted to talk about the experiences I have had so far with competing and volunteering in Ultra distance trail races.

I have run in 4 and volunteered in 1 ultra race. I have meet quite a few folks out there on the trail and everyone, save none, are some of the best people I have ever met. I first met a fella named Curtis at the Bandera 50k. What a super guy, I tracked behind him the first 10 miles trying to pace myself. I then met him again at the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler. Still just a stand up guy. Another fella that I met at Bandera was a guy named Chuck. He gave me some suggestions on gaiters and then I saw him at Rocky. Ran the first 16.5 mile loop with him. We talked about ancient roman history and politics. He gave me more endurance tips and told me about times when he would do 500 mile endurance rides on his road bike. He also convinced me to join Hill Country Trail Runners http://www.hillcountrytrailrunners.com/index.shtml . That was the best decision I have made in a while. What a group! At these races, its alot of the same faces again and again and what can I say? Everyone is helpful and willing to share their stories whether they be successes or failures. If you can say failure, failing not to finish a 100 mile race after running 80 miles is really not a failure. I I have meet a fella named Mark he is welsh I guess or at least that's what his blog says. We finished minutes apart from each other at the Rocky 50 miler and then at the Austin marathon, same thing about a minute or two apart. He is pretty good at this stuff, his splits are always pretty even whereas mine are lopsided from hell. I was giving him a hard time at Rocky saying, "Hey man, slow down or I am not going to be able to pass you!" He didn't slow down! HA! HA! I also met one of the guys who puts on about 10 races here in Texas named Joe. This guy is great. His races, if you get the opportunity to go to one are none less than 100% professional. It takes quite alot of volunteers to get one of these off the ground, but because of his personality and approach folks enjoy volunteering at his races. On Saturday I met a fella name Ray from the Dallas area. I met him briefly at X-timbers back in February, when my feet were all messed up, but I DNF'ed tat race and didn't get to talk to him again. After this race we had a few beers together with another fella named Mark from San Antonio. We ran together the last 3 or 4 miles helping each other with words of encouragement. I also Met Bob and Charlene while we were having some beers. Charlene passed me with like 1 mile to go, that hurt. But she was running like the wind. Another person I have met is Robert he is one of the Rogue Running http://www.roguerunning.com/ coaches, a group that I am a part of but don't run with because of the issue I was having with my feet. We worked an aid station together at Hog Hunt 50K. Got to see some familiar faces, but this time I was on the other side of the table helping out. Robert knows his way around these races, training, and the ultra world in general. On his advice I got me some green LED flashlights that I plan on using this weekend actually for some night running. Moogie is another fella that was working the aid station with us. Super fella who trained on a treadmill on a research ship for a 100 miler. That is dedication now let me tell ya. Josue is a pretty nice fella that I met also. Super friendly and turns out we know some of the same folks through our work contacts. He is putting on a 100k run in Nicaragua http://fuegoyagua100.com/ . I am thinking about going down there to help set up the course and then run it. Maybe spend a week down there. I think that would be fun. One other fella I wanted to mention is Jason from Lake Jackson. We leapfrogged each other my last lap and his second lap (he was running the 50 miler). He was hurting as bad as I was, but he said he had to finish because his running partner is his 12 yr old daughter and she was calling and texting every five minutes asking how things were going. That was really impressive. Not only that but he was always in the best of spirits each time we hit an aid station. I am glad to be a part of a community of people with this kind of character. None Finer.

Before I close I want to mention the folks who helped me so much to get to this point, the point to where I could actually do 50K or a 50miler.

The ladies of the Schertz Running Club. I am the only guy. The rest of the members are ladies. I started running with them back in September of 2007. Laurie got me ready for my first marathon! I also want to mention Frances, Erin, Marty, and Sharon. Wow! I thought if these ladies who have kids, jobs, etc... can get up and run at 0530, hell I can too. What an inspiration they have been. They helped me quit dipping snuff after 15 years and didn't even know it.

Lastly, I want to let everyone know that I am going to run in the Relay for Life to help support the cancer society. The folks who donated so far have helped me to raise 550.00 so thanks a million y'all. I said 12 hour relay, sure I just run the whole 12 hours is that okay and the lady was like yea sure. So on Friday May 2nd at 7pm you can join me at Steele High School in Cibolo Texas on the track for 12 hours of party time.

Getting Pumped

I had been sidelined since Feb. 23 with a dual foot injury, but over the last few weeks the feet are healing up nicely. Shoes were too small b/c my feet have grown and I did not realize it.

You know anyone who needs 5 pair of Brooks size 9.5 ?

I can feel the excitement return! It's like I am 5 years old and I just opened up that new Dukes of Hazzard race track for Christmas.

During the month of March I can say I was basically depressed because I could not run.

I am back now! Went for a bike ride on April 12th, 60 miles, up to Canyon Lake and back.

Then on Sunday I ran a little 12 mile run! Whoosh, can ya feel it. I can feel it.