I'm just like you, I just do more of it.

A few years ago a very tall work colleague said this at the beginning of a presentation to a bunch of new people: "Hi, I'm just like you, only taller."

* * * * * * * * *

Are you going to get Burnt out?
Are you the ones running 100 miles every week?
They're putting in crazy mileage. How do they do it?
How are you feeling?
You're running how far???
Wait... your marathon is WHEN???
You went how many miles last week? Wow, that's much higher mileage I've ever run for any marathon I've trained for.
Are you injured at all?
How are you guys doing this?
CIM? Isn't that in December?

We're all getting these questions. It's funny. Our little group of 40 - 50 runners training with Team Rogue piling on the miles. Everyone has different goals, but overall, we've all raised the bar. We often chat with other, and we all hearing a version of those same things/questions. The chatter is occuring here and there all around running groups in town. We've got yet another month to go! Woo hoo!!

Here's an email I got today from a non-runner TODAY!:

"I can't believe you can run that much. It seems like your body would just break down from running 6 days per week."

So I took my updated Matrix (my simple running log), and also grabbed my other log I keep with notes on how i felt on each run, and counted things up.

As of today, since I started this Base Building training in March (earlier than most):

REST? I've taken 12 rest days. (about 1 every 10 days)

How much: I've run 107 runs (in 17 weeks)
*13% (14 runs) are 20 or more miles
*27% (29 runs) are between 13 and 19.9 miles
*26% (28 runs) are between 10 and 12.9 miles
*33% (36 runs) are under 10 miles (almost all of these in the first 10 weeks)

Distance: I've run very close to 1,250 miles (average of 11.7 miles)

I've felt good:
94% = 101 of those run have been GOOD or GREAT
6% = 6 have been less than good. Of those 6:
*1 was TERRIBLE - halted after 1 mile due to a silly back injury sustained on a couch (non-running injury)
*1 was NOT ENJOYABLE due to residual pains from back pain (non-running injury)
*3 Heat related BONKS (Back in May when weather shot up to 100 from 70 in no time. Body just wasn't acclimated)
*1 Dehydration BONK due to silly prep work the day before. (last week)

Running injuries - NONE. Unless you count blisters as injuries. Yes, I have more blisters, but my feet look much better than 70% of the running populations feet, and they haven't affected my running.
Running pains - Nothing I didn't have before all this and nothing that has stopped me: Slight plantars, Sore muscles here and there, Heel, Mystery knee pain for a few days, Slight hip soreness after a very hilly 22 miler.

Maintenance? - My analogy will be your car. You drive it every day and trust it to work, but you care for it so it will last you a long time. It's nothing any distance runner wouldn't be doing.

- You keep your tires aired up.
- At 350 miles, I switch out my shoes.

- At 3,000 miles you get an oil change.
- Every 4 to 6 weeks, I get a leg massage.

- You put the right gas in the car, so it runs smooth.
- I eat and drink right to recover and prepare for tomorrow's run, both during and after the run. During the run, no matter how short or long, i take a Gel every 45 minutes. I look at it not as, I need gels to get through my run, but I look at it more as, I'm taking a gel to stay at (the imaginary) 80% line or more, and not dip under that. Sometimes, the gel I take today I don't really NEED to finish my run; but, I'm ending my run topped off so tomorrow's run is good. I don't want to go under 80%.
- I eat the right recovery foods and regular meals food. But yYes, I love Cheese, Cupcakes, and Cheetos, and they haven't left my diet. I guess I'm blessed that I've always prefered fruits over candy or icecream.

- You take your car to a mechanic when it's acting funny, or for preventative maintenance.
- I consult with a dietician to learn what's optimal for me. Afterall, I only get one body.

- You put oil in your car, water in the wipers, brake fluids, transmission fluids, etc.
- I Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. 80 - 100oz of water a day.
- I also take the appropriate electrolytes for me on and off the runs. (consult your dietician on what's best for you)

- You make sure you have the right entertainment songs, talk radio, to not get bored.
- We switch up our routes, I listen to my iPod, or I make sure I have people around me to stay entertained.

- You put your left shoe on first in the morning.
- Uh oh, wait a minute...