Updates on well...EVERYTHING!!

So where to begin? There's so much to say it could fill 10 pages, but will try to keep it short. (yeah right)  Life has been much too busy for blogger time but is about to slow down now.  Today I find myself with plenty of time as my son is here at home with 6 of his amigos banging on their musical instruments :)  Pretty much all that's left this summer for me is summer fun with the family and training for the Pine Creek 100.   I guess all I can do is go in order from after the North Coast 24 Hr.

50's FOR YO MOMMA
My hubby had another race, called 50's For Yo Momma which was a 50 miler located in Circleville, Ohio.  This time some friends joined in on the ultra fun, too - tackling both the 50k and 50 miler distance.

Some of our buds:


Looks were deceiving in little old Circleville.  Even at the start/aid station (10 loop course) I sat there thinking how flat the course must be. As each runner came in they remarked how hilly it was, unexpected, and the comments didn't stop the whole race.  My husband wasn't feeling as well as he did at Glacier Ridge or running as strong but he kept on.  About half way through the race I noticed his typical "wtf" look he gets and told him to knock that mental shit off.  He did, and prevailed.  Despite a slower time from Glacier Ridge he came out 3rd overall!! 


The finish line:



Getting treated to a massage after the race:


After watching/crewing for my husband at both Glacier Ridge and 50's I realized he needs much more electrolytes than the average Joe.  It's just the way his body works.  Case in point:  As soon as he got off that massage table it was covered in nothing but salt.  LOTS of salt.  (Sorry massage dude!)


ONE WEEK LATER: THE CLEVELAND MARATHON
My husband decided to run the Cleveland Marathon, because his work paid for his entry, and I was already helping out coaching/crewing for Team Moving Spirit, which helps raise money for the fight to find a cure for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.  Duchenne's is a fatal progressive disorder that causes loss of muscle function and independence.  Check out their website here to learn more about Team moving spirit and the fight to stomp out Duchenne's!

Just a small portion of Team Moving Spirit's team members!

My hubby and I went our separate ways and I knew we'd see each other at some point.  I just didn't realize how fast :) 

The JOA coaches headed out to the course to first cheer on the 10k runners who were rockin' their distance and then headed out to the 1/2 marathon and marathon portion of the course.  Soon after we headed out my husband blew by us, hooting and hollering and looking good.  Not tired in the least, in the heat, a week after his 50 miler! We discussed his electrolytes after Yo Momma and he upped his dosage.  It worked like a charm!! I silently guesstimated his finish time at 3:20, unless he really blew up - but definitely no more than 4 hours.   He looked really REALLY good though and happy, so I was hopeful!  We carried on to cheer on team JOA and help them if needed.  The head honcho and brainchild of Team Moving Spirit Runners was Joe Vasil - who wound up not only helping team JOA runners with supplies/goods (gels, Vaseline, etc) but anyone on the course who needed it.  Many runners were SO thankful!

Joe the great to the rescue!

 

It was just so hot at CLE and I think it caught many runners off guard a bit, new runners and vets alike. Team JOA crushed the course though! For many of the runners on the team it was their longest distance ever.  People such as my gal pal Peg - who conquered her first 1/2 marathon!

Peg in great spirits for her first 1/2!

 

The whole set of pics I took for the team can be found here.  Congrats to the whole team, you guys are extraordinary!!

As for my hubby....

When my son and I were done with our Team Moving Spirit duties I looked at the watch and hurried to the finish line.  With a beautiful stroke of luck we got there just in time to see my hubby cross the finish line and hoot and holler for him!  His final time?  A Personal Best at 3 hours and 16 minutes on tired legs!  AMAZING!!

Holla....

 

THE OTTAWA MARATHON

Some time ago my friend Agnes Jung whom I met through the non-profit  Impossible2Possible mentioned her plans on running her first marathon, the Ottawa Marathon!  Excited for her I looked at my schedule, and saw it just happened to fall on Memorial Weekend! Added bonus! I started thinking well maybe the kiddo and I could make it down to cheer her on. (Hubby worked that weekend.  Boooo)  Well we worked it out and made our way down, we HAD to!  This gal pal of mine came down to Beast of Burden 100 - winter to cheer me on in the snow and wind, the VERY LEAST I could do for her was to go someplace that was all warm and sunshiney and cheer her on lol :)

 

One of my most favorite things in the world is watching someone tackle a new distance, cross the finish line for the first time - doing something they never thought they could do.  Agnes was all smiles! I loved it!  We ran with her for a tiny bit towards the end, and my son seranded her with his new Eukele (did I spell that right? Don't even know....).

 

We cheered on tons of other runners as well, er um...all the runners and while I was being lazy by not running my arms and hands did kinda hurt at the end from all the clapping (sissy).

Congrats to Agnes on an extraordinary finish and for letting us tag along!! Both my son and I had a great time hanging out with her and her amazing son Robert!

Way to go Agnes!!!

 

In between visiting and the marathon my son and I visited the Gatineau Trails (I seriously had to get out of the city, heard about these trails and so it was, we headed out for some hiking)

OHIO WE DO NOT HAVE HILLS.  WE HAVE BABY BUMPS. 

Happy as he looks here, I really thought he would pass out at times on the trail.

 

Despite my son's death stare every time we saw a new hill it was great getting out of the city.  Ottawa is amazing, fun, and cute but I just wanted to be in the woods :)

Wilderness

 

-OR-

City

 

Which would you choose?

My son and I stayed in Ottawa until Monday.  Monday morning we woke up and headed to Ray Zahab and his wife Kathy's house. (Super close to those Gatineau trails I learned!!)  Finally I got to meet the awesome guy who has been helping me for so long!! It was great spending time and chatting with them - they are truly amazing people!  So incredibly busy and they just do so much for so many people.  (Example....Ray was in Vancouver until Sunday morning, came home - and headed out to Mexico after we left Monday.  MORE than extraordinarily busy!!)  And as if they don't do enough for me I left rockin a pretty sweet pair of custom Oakley's :)  All I ever had before these sunglasses were the cheapo glasses that you get from WalMart, Target, or yes....I'll go ahead and say it, the GAS STATION.  What an incredible difference! (duh)  Now I actually find that I lock my p.o.s. Nissan just because my shades are sometimes in there.  *love*  Thanks Kathy and thanks Ray for a great time! (and my kick ass shades. wooooo)

SCOOBY, MY LITTLE RUNNER DOG

Last week I lost a great friend.  More than a great friend.  If you were ever close to an animal, you know what I'm talking about.  Scooby was an extraordinary dog - intelligent, strong, and caring.  Caring in every way. 

 

Scooby helped me through the worst time of my life.  Not too long ago, about 6 years back.  Something in my life happened that threw me into a deep depression.  All I did basically was cry, stare into space with this crazy ass glared out expression, eat Hot Cheetos and drink Smirnoff ice (seriously).  I would lay around for hours, and hours, and hours.  Despite my dogs very active nature she stayed by my side every day, every minute, every second.  So that meant she laid around for hours, and hours, and hours as well.  She would lay there and stare at me, lay on me, lay next to me...whatever she was there.  And almost all on her own pulled me out of the rotten miserable state I was in.  I did have a great deal of help from the kiddo and my brother, but ultimately I didn't want to place my burdens on my mini (even though I'm sure I probably did to some extent) and my brother who did not live by me.  So, there was Scooby.  We became closer than we had been, and I truly knew what it meant to have a best friend from that point forward.  In more recent, happy times she trotted through the woods with me, through creeks and around logs.  She sniffed horse poop galore and loved every minute of it. 

Her favorite thing?  SNOW!! (Oh yes you know she's mine now!!)  She could spend forever out in the fluffy white snow.  Unfortunately this year we had very little snow, save one 2 foot snowfall.  We spent that day running a loop around our house, at times she would just dive head first into the snow, eating up every single cold snowy minute!

There were only a few times she would get a little mad at me, and I'm not quite sure why......

The Saturday before she died she saw me pull out my "shoes with the three stripes" and she got sooo excited.  I was bummed because it was the furthest distance I had run in awhile and she wasn't quite there yet, so she couldn't come along.  She always got excited when she saw the shoes, but this time she was much more excited that usual. 

I promised to take her out for a jaunt when I got back, and that's what we did.  It would be our last run together.  It was probably the most enjoyable one yet, and she was just SO excited to be outside.  I never would have guessed it would have been the last one.  I went to take her out after my run on Tuesday and something was different.  I should have known then.  She didn't want to run, she just wanted to walk.  It was unusual, but I thought to myself "Hey dogs can get tired too".  Except she never did.  We walked and when it was time to go back inside she didn't want to go - she wanted to walk more.  Eventually of course, we had to go back into the "prison".  Wednesday morning I woke up and she wasn't her peppy self.  But, again not acting anything other than just not "peppy".  My son called me at work and said he thought Scooby was acting strange too - and wouldn't come inside.  As soon as I got home however, she ran inside - and then it happened.  As soon as she got to me her legs gave out from under her and I sat there, holding her, wondering what the hell was happening.  She was not coughing, not throwing up, no diarrhea - she just was very weak.  She didn't even seem in pain, although I wonder now if she was perhaps masking it.  I laid with her as she laid with me all those months, holding her, staring at her - thinking she would get better and wondering what this was.  I decided if she was still acting strange in the morning I would take her right to the vet.  Unfortunately I never got that chance. Somewhere between 12 a.m. and 3 a.m. she passed away.  Seemingly peaceful, still in her blankie.  Love you Scooby.....love you forever.  Words can't even describe what you've done for me.  We'll all miss you so much. 

THE LAKE HEALTH 1/2 MARATHON

Once again the family and I volunteered at the LH 1/2 Marathon.  This year my son and I had navigational duties (GASP!)  which was a chill job, just making sure no one turned down the wrong way at our given stations.  My hubby had that job as well, and was also course sweeper at the end picking up cones and what not.  It was great seeing a lot of running buds as well as Metropark buds (part of the proceeds benefit the local metropark system, the Lake Metroparks).  It was another hot day and part of the course included a nice hill to go along with the heat.  I wish I would've taken my good camera but only had my cell - however still managed to get a few shots in.  I was surprised to see a runner in I2P gear out there and was thrilled! It was former youth ambassador Bridget!  Love seeing the ambassadors rockin the I2P gear!!

Congrats to all who ran the 1/2 marathon or 5k out there.  And thanks for letting me volunteer....I got a serious suntan! ha.  Seriously though, this should be the last volunteer duty for us for awhile.  We have to really cut back and not spend ALL our time on running stuff, even though we love it there's lots of other stuff to do, too.  We'll still volunteer - but are scaling back.  Hints of volunteer/crew burn out are evident in the following pics and helped push the decision along:

   

Lake Health Distance Classic:

Cleveland marathon:

50's For Yo Momma:

 

Nuff said. 

Like I said, definitely won't be stopping volunteer duties altogether, volunteering is really so rewarding, but we are seriously cutting back.  It's been such a busy spring! 

And finally....the end! Thanks to you if ya stuck in there through this long junk. wooooo.

Happy Running!

Laurie

 

The North Coast 24 Hour Endurance Run Crew Report and Sabrina Moran Breaks the American Woman's 24 Hour Mileage Record!

The North Coast 24 Hour USATF National Championship was held in Cleveland this past weekend.  The National Championship was switched from fall to spring this year due to the timing of the World Championships.  (There will still be a fall North Coast however it will not be the National Championship).  Unable to handle both events, the Medina County Road Runners petitioned other clubs in the area to take over the spring version and this eventually fell into the hands of the Cleveland West Road Runners Club. 

This event brought quite a few of my ultra runner friends down to Cleveland.  David Ploskonka stayed at our place the night before the race and we met up with Jacqueline Choi at Edgewater the day of the race.  My plan was to stay and help them through the race, do whatever they needed me to do to get them through 24 hours of running. When it was all said and done Jackie logged a total of 102.69 miles and David logged 49.54 miles. Other out of town friends that made the trek down were Jameelah Abdul-Rahim Mujaahid (81.97 miles), Anne (87.37 miles) and Robert McClain, Sabrina Moran (147.72 miles), Derek Murphy (66.66 miles), and Valmir Nunes (55.85 miles).  Local ultra runner friends toed the line as well, to include Debra Horn (124.30 miles), Cyrus Taylor (44.14 miles), Brad Polman (132.41 miles) and more. 

Straight from work on Friday I picked up David from the host hotel - Days Inn of Lakewood.  He drove down with a couple of runners from his area, Serge and Christian.  (Ultra runners are ultra drivers, too - driving 8 hours from Maryland the day before the race, as well as 8 hours back the same day the race ended!)  I had "met" Serge before in passing when I ran North Coast but had never met Christian (met as in exchanged a few words around that monotonous .9 mile loop). Super nice guys and amazing runners.  Anyway, David and I drove back to my house and chatted for a bit, David crashed for a nap and I cooked dinner.  (Talk about worry, just cook for an elite ultra runner the day before their race!)

The  morning of the race I woke up, hobbled out for a short run, cooked breakfast and then my son, David, and I were off.  My husband headed out for a race of his own - the Diversity 5k downtown (p.r. at 18 minutes and change!!) and came to the race later.  As soon as we stepped out of the car at Edgewater we noticed #1 How much colder it was compared to temps at my house (not unusual) and #2 The wind.  The wind was horrible!

Case in point: Kite surfers and surfers were out in full force on Lake Erie

All anyone could hope for was the wind would die down at some point.  (It took awhile)  Pre race time was spent catching up with runner friends.  The first one I saw was Sabrina, we chatted briefly and wished her luck.  We then hooked up with Jacqueline and saw Derek and wished him well.  Soon the runners lined up at the start and with a simple yell "READY - GO!" the runners were off on their adventure, running around a .9 mile loop for 24 hours.  As for me I proceeded to set up "camp", which consisted of 3 folding chairs, a cooler, and lots of blankets for me, my son, and any runners who needed them, as well as a picnic table that held Jacqueline and David's items. (no tent this time around)  I then plopped my lazy bum into my folding chair next to my friend Charlie, who was crewing for Derek.  

Charlie and his brother-in-law Derek, who completed over 66 miles!

Watching the runners, everyone seemed in good spirits (especially at the beginning - HA!) I could tell right away that Serge would have a great race.  During the day he was running strong and smiling every loop and was pretty impressive to see.  Jacqueline was her typical self - so happy and smiling, so grateful to be just in the moment and having so much fun.  I loved it! Throughout the race there were quite a few people who came up to me and said how inspiring she was, and that her smile was just lighting things up in the cold dark night.  I think I can safely say there wasn't a time when she didn't flash a smile when she came by! Due to a crazy chain of events (work, sick, travel, etc) David stopped at 49 miles - which was a very smart thing since he has MMT coming up and was traveling to Israel for work immediately after the race. (And I do mean immediately - straight from the race I took him to the airport so he could catch his 12+ hour flight.  OUCH!)  Valmir stopped as well, and afterwards told us he'll be taking a bit of a break in June and July to rest up a bit.  He knows what he needs and knows what he has to do.  He's a spectacular runner who holds such times as 5 hours and 38 minutes for a 50 mile run, Badwater winner (and course record holder) at 22 hours and 51 minutes, Beast of Burden 100 miler (winter) at 14 hours and 56 minutes, and so much more - so yeah he knows what he's doing and knows what he needs to do!  Sabrina looked strong and incredibly focused from the get go, Anne was looking strong as always and Derek was all smiles and came with a "git er done" attitude and a PR goal to shoot for.     

Night came to Edgewater and brought a welcome change.  Everyone was worried the wind would get worse at night, but like a switch the wind died down considerably and made many people happy.  It was still cold, but no wind was such a relief to everyone - runners, crews, and volunteers alike.  Earlier in the evening my son had been playing his guitar by our "camp" and while a bit shy moved a few steps closer to the edge of the path with his guitar as time went on.  

Not too long after he got brave enough to get about 5 feet from the path and break out a song my husband and son left for the night leaving Charlie and I in silence and darkness.  Boooo!  We huddled under our many blankets (I was being quite the candy ass - 3 coats and 4 blankets.)  How could I have run a 100 mile race in the middle of winter and be cold in 50 degree weather was completely beyond me!  I tried to catch up on some reading but due to a nasty cold all week and very little sleep my eyes started to get heavy and I couldn't read anymore without drifting off to sleep.  Despite the fact that my hubby had brought a thermos full of coffee earlier it was pretty hard to keep my eyes open through the night.  (again, candy ass - I wasn't running! Shouldn't be tired!!) Charlie was making coffee runs as well, but I had already overdone it on the caffeine and just told him to get me decaf.  (Decaf coffee because caffeine seems to really aggravate my adrenal system, so too much of a good thing is so so bad!)  The coffee was a big help in keeping me somewhat warm, and was so grateful for Charlie's coffee runs and was always so bummed when I saw the bottom of each cup.  The hours went by and I continued to find myself falling asleep, taking small cat naps under my "blankies" and at times coughing uncontrollably from my cold.  Each time my body jolted me awake I sat there and stared at the path, waiting to see the incredible things everyone was doing.  At one point I saw Serge (who was still running strong) stop - throw up, and start running again.  THAT is pure heart and guts right there!  Sabrina was incredibly steady and strong, and didn't even look tired!  It was really fantastic to watch.  Every lap just brought the word "WOW" to my mouth, and that doesn't even describe what she accomplished this past weekend.  To me it appeared that both Serge and Sabrina sped up later in the race versus slowing down.  Incredible! As I said before Jackie was all smiles every step of the way and passed us on many laps shouting "WOO HOO!".  So great!

Daylight broke and all was still the same.  Except one thing.  At this race there's always something that everyone can laugh at (or be fascinated by, you make that call).  The last North Coast 24 there were Kite Flying Nuns.  This time around it was a very different scenario - a group of young people (20 somethings) came down after a late night of partying I presume and proceeded to de-robe and jump in the lake.  We couldn't make it out that well, but have reason to believe two of the adventurous swimmers were completely butt naked.  It was somewhat amusing to see from afar, and we definitely heard their hoots and hollers when they jumped in the 40-some degree water. 

Nudey pic courtesy of Charlie Bolek!  (tee hee)

Aside from the rowdy swimmers, Serge and Sabrina were still as steady and as strong as ever.  Jackie was still smiling, and Derek was pushing on.  At about 8 a.m. I started packing up my car and helped the race's Physical Therapist take down his tent.  After all that I sat on the edge of the path and watched the final laps of the race unfold and it was spectacular as always!  I love seeing the look on runners faces knowing that #1 They're FINALLY nearing the end and #2  The look of incredible accomplishment and pride.  This is well deserved.  Every one of the athletes out there put their best effort forward, accomplished amazing things and pushed it.  They fought mental battles.  They fought physical battles.  They overcame all barriers within themselves to complete an extraordinary task.  They made the Impossible Possible. 

Soon after the race everyone headed to the pavilion for the awards ceremony.  Jackie got her feet worked on, and yes was STILL smiling as if she were relaxing and getting a manicure! I love her!! Serge was tired, cold and shivering from just running 153 miles (2nd place overall!!)  and I ran and got him some blankets from the car. We waited for the awards to begin and Jackie, David, and Valmir and I hung out, chatting and enjoying each others company one more time before we parted ways once again.  While Valmir speaks very little English (He's from Brazil where the national language is Portuguese) it was still possible to have a good conversation (this is something I also encountered when I visited Mexico). 

Valmir and Jackie, post race

A good laugh - finding amusement in the fact that Jacqueline's bandaged toes match Valmir's pants and shoes perfectly :)


Before we left I said goodbye to Sabrina and congratulated her on her stellar victory and then David and I helped Serge and Christian pack up all of their belongings (no crew and packing up your own things after logging mega miles would just plain suck, not to mention the drive ahead of them).  Soon David and I were off to the airport.  We said our goodbyes and he was off on another endurance adventure, over 12 hours of flying. 

SABRINA MORAN BREAKS THE AMERICAN 24 HOUR WOMAN'S RECORD!
I didn't find this out until this morning, but Sabrina broke the American woman's record at the race by logging an unbelievable 147.90 miles!!!  I was wondering at the event if anyone had broken any records, but didn't find out until I woke up and saw this article:
 http://www.ultrarunning.com/ultra/features/news/sabrina-moran-breaks-amer.shtml?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter 

While I didn't know it at the time, it doesn't come as that much of a surprise because I had never seen anyone run like that before.  Not even close!  She was completely focused every single step of the way!  Again I have to say it was truly an amazing thing to watch.  Her last lap I guess-timated was a 9 minute mile.  She came through the aid station with (going by my watch) around 9 minutes left.  A woman who was helping runners all night (Tania) started shouting "I WANT ONE MORE LAP OUT OF YOU! DO YOU HEAR? ONE MORE!" I stood and waited, watching for her - and soon saw her round the bend to make her way back to the finish line once more!  FANTASTIC!!!  Who says ultras aren't exciting to watch!!! All of this couldn't have happened to a nicer more deserving person.  Her sponsors should be extremely proud of her - not just because of her running but because of her positive attitude and sincerity in general.  Case in point: When congratulating her at the awards ceremony she wished me a speedy recovery from my injury.  That AFTER running 147.9 miles and being up all day and night to do it - I wouldn't have even been able to think!! She's one incredible lady all the way around and very deserving of everything this weekend. She worked hard, pushed it, and it paid off in a big way. 

Congrats to Sabrina and everyone else who endured 24 hours of running and walking this weekend.  You all are absolutely inspiring and should be soaking up your hard work and efforts.  It's not easy to do this stuff. At times, training is miserable. But you pushed through and accomplished what many people don't.  For that, be proud. We certainly are proud of you!

Happy Running,
Laurie       

North Coast 24 Hour Unofficial Results
http://northcoast24.org/news/

Sabrina has a great blog - follow her at
http://notallergictoadventure.blogspot.com/

Caballo Tributes and Hubby's 50 mile race

CABALLO TRIBUTES

As the running world remains in shock regarding the untimely death of a great friend, some really beautiful tributes are showing up online. A memorial fund has also been created to help with funeral expenses and carrying on the CCUM - to donate go to http://caballoblanco.org/.

Links to amazing tributes:

Scott Jurek video tribute: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43cJM0XqZYE&feature=share

Scott Jurek/Runners World article: http://www.runnersworld.com/cda/microsite/article/0,8029,s6-238-511--14280-0,00.html

Steve Edwards, blog: http://steve-edwards.blogspot.com/2012/04/if-you-knew-caballo-blanco-you-won.html

Fun pic Mike Miller created: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2831035946959&set=at.1087738685617.2013105.1590945114.727743691&type=1&ref=nf

Many people wrote beautiful things about Micah, and I'm just wishing I could post them all. Seeing how he touched so many people is just extraordinary. Love you man......

HUBBY'S RACE: GLACIER RIDGE 50 MILER

This month my husband took over running my 50 miler, the Glacier Ridge 50 miler in Pennsylvania. I tweaked his training a bit (he also has 50's for Yo Momma in May as another training run for the Mohican 100) and bugged him about tapering (really bugged him - he's damn stubborn) and soon it was time for his run! I expected he would do much better than his first 5o miler that he ran (Mohican last year) because he's being doing lots of quality work. I really wasn't prepared for how much better he did though! He obtained a PR of over 2 hours, got 5th overall and an awesome finishers medal for his efforts (and what I believe is a permanent smile). He finished in 9 hours, oo minutes. I barely had time to make it from aid station to aid station and set up all his stuff.



My son still found time a bit of time to have fun though:
OUR RULE:
Get in and out of the aid stations. Don't linger. Have everything set so it can be grab and go. The temptation at aid stations is too great. Temptation to sit, temptation to overindulge in garbage, temptation to take it down a notch. I worried a bit when I saw him at the first aid station with the lead pack (a total of 5 runners). I worried even more when I saw him at mile 29 in 2nd place and extremely salty. *Error* Hubby did not pick up any ecaps or scaps before the race, he bought some horrible electrolyte tablets from the Vitamin Shoppe that he has never used before (NOOOO!) because he did not want to drive out to Vertical Runner. Tis' his only mistake of the race. They didn't work and he needed more salt and he needed it fast. Luckily the first place runner's crew gave us 4 ecaps to use and I spread them out for him throughout the remainder of the race. In the end their were minimal problems and he ran strong, with a smile on his face the whole time. (The only thing that matters!) The PR he got was just the icing on the cake! Congrats to my guy on an amazing race, and thanks to the race director and all the volunteers who were out there for so long and took good care of all the runners! Great people and a great race.



Happy Running,

Laurie

Caballo Blanco: Gone But Not Forgotten

"Caballo Blanco is no hero. Not a great anything. Just a Horse of a little different color dancing to the beat of a peaceful drum and wanting to help make a little difference in some lives. If i were to be remembered for anything at all, I would want that to be that I am/was authentic. No Mas. Run Free!" - Caballo Blanco

As most of you who read this may already know Caballo Blanco (Micah True) went out for a run and never returned. He was found lying peacefully at a stream, water bottle half full by his side. A white horse named Tequila carried him from the wilderness, where his friends could all say goodbye. One facebook post I saw pretty much sums it up: "The world needs more Caballo Blanco's, not less of them." (I apologize, so many amazing posts in regards to Micah and all he's done I don't recall who said it)

I've been struggling to put my own words down, reflect on our friendship. Whatever it is I write here won't be good enough. To know him was truly an honor. To be around such a genuine, caring person is a rare thing in this world. His name is fitting - "True". He was as real as they come. He never sought out fame, fortune, or glory. Fame fell in his lap and he did the best he could with it, all the while protecting the people who he loved and cherished, the Raramuri of Mexico (Tarahumara).

My story with Micah began at the site of my first 50 mile race. I met him when he was speaking at a library. When I heard him speak about the Raramuri and the beauty of the canyons I knew one day I needed to make it down there. What I didn't expect was how soon one day would come. We became facebook friends and continued on with conversations that way, and he then offered me a race entry into the canyons. Caballo's offer of korima inspired me and amazed me so much that I knew I had to get down there. It took me awhile to determine if I had enough money to do so, and finally due to my husband's hard work (he received "Man of the Year" which included a bit extra cash) and hubby's generosity sent me to the canyons. Upon telling Caballo the news I did tell him know however, I must pay at least the suggested race entry - that I would not want take away from the Raramuri. And so it goes.....

In 2011 my friend Crystal and I made the trip to the canyons, and it's an experience I'll never forget. It's during this trip that I realized just how real Micah was. Conversations about the canyons, area politics, and laughs about a certain movie in the making (who would play Caballo?) play out now over and over in my head.

"Some Hollywood dudes wanted me to set up a sequence for them in a Raramuri community in the Copper Canyons for a film. Of course I said no thanks. No doubt, somebody else will take their $$$ to do it for them--But it will not be me. Guess I am a fool----and proud of it." - Caballo Blanco, May 2011

Conversations about companies wanting to sponsor the CCUM and his distaste with that and desire to keep the race pure, real, honest - and about one thing, the Raramuri and the act of "KORIMA". What is korima? It's simple. It's the act of giving without expecting anything in return. It's true beauty at it's finest. Give out of love, out of respect - not out of necessity or desire for something else in return. It's pure. It's what Caballo did quite frequently - with not only the Raramuri, but to his friends - including myself.

"Quien es Mas Loco? acting out of love and doing things for no good reason but for the act itself the Earth needs Mas Mas Locos".... Caballo Blanco

MY PERSONAL KORIMA
I'm not an eloquent writer, and right now am at a loss for words. How do you write about someone like Caballo? How do you tell everyone just how amazing he really was? There aren't any words good enough to describe Caballo so I'm just going to give my personal account of what Caballo was to me. Many know of his work for the Raramuri - but he also cherished and loved his friends dearly.

Noted above, Caballo's first act of korima towards me was race entry to the CCUM. I'm just an average runner, there are plenty of women out there faster than me, yet he offered all this to me because that's just the kind of guy he is. One incredible person doing for many.

The second was an offered to pay for race entry in Luis Escobar's race - Born to Run. Many Mas Locos were having a bit of a reunion down there, but it was so soon after the canyons, and I had no vacation days left. My son was running his first marathon that same day as well. Again I was so touched by the offer, his generosity, his friendship - I just can't put into words how much I appreciated it.

Fast forward to 2012 - My family and I were not in a good spot financially. Caballo knew this. We discussed the race a few times and he offered a race entry again, but also to pay my way on Diego's shuttle. Again, I was so moved - and wanted to go more than anything in the world. I crunched some numbers on more than one occasion - but alas, the plane ticket and food would still overwhelm us and I had to decline. This is a decision I'll regret the rest of my life. I let money come in the way of seeing my friend this year. This decision will always weigh heavily in my heart. Upon learning of his death - I also learned of MORE korima he had in the works for me. The day they found his body in the canyons Maria called and spoke with me, told me how much he loved me - and let me know that he was planning offering all the same for me AND my family for next year, and was trying to work with Maria on getting plane tickets as well. This brought me to tears as we talked - He was such a giving person, all the way to the end.

"Act out of love and good things happen: El Caballo Blanco is such a fortunate Horse. No dinero, but the best little Dog friend I could ever have;Guadajuko! I love him." - Caballo Blanco

Korima. It is what it is. It is what he loved. He practiced it, lived it every day. It's so rare to find someone like that. I hope to be even half the person he was. I don't know if he had any idea what he did for me, just being him. There wasn't a day that has gone by that I haven't thought about my time in the canyons and all I learned from him and my trip down there.


THE FINAL CHAPTER
Caballo loved the Gila Wilderness, loved the lodge he frequented. Before heading to his girlfriend Maria's home in Phoenix he went out on a run and did not return. A massive search effort began with many Mas Locos invading Gila. They would not stop until they found him. I wished I could be there with everyone, helping, searching. Instead I fought every bone in my body to stay home. As I'm currently injured, would've hindered the search more than helped. So I sat. And sat. Sat in front of the computer, sat by the phone. Looked at old pictures. Cried. Chatted with fellow Mas Locos who could not make the trek to go search either and likewise were worrying and hoping for a better outcome. All of us were so grateful for those that were able to go down and search for Caballo, as well as grateful for the search and rescue teams that were created. Everyone involved in the search are heroes in my eyes.

In the end, Caballo was found by a mutual friend, Ray Molina. Natural causes are suspected. It was fitting that he was carried out of the wilderness by a white horse. My dear friend Maria and Caballo's dog Guadajuko were able to say goodbye. It is her that I think of now, hurting - missing the man she loves. I can't imagine what she's feeling and just wish I could be there to hug her tight and not let go. There's a reason why Caballo and Maria were together. Her playful spirit is matched by no one, and her caring and generosity to people matched Caballo's. In my eyes, they were the ultimate couple. Loving life, caring so deeply for those that surround them. Great forces of nature.

Caballo's dream will live on. His work, his demeanor, his life has touched many people. His spirit lives on, and always will. And his smile - that lovely smile - will forever be in our hearts.

The Photo above taken by Patrick Sweeney. On the day they discovered Caballo Blanco "White Horse" his team was driving and spotted some rock formed into a figure of a white horse. Hard to tell on this small picture, but believe me when I tell you the larger version shows it very clear. There were quite a few of us Mas Locos who exchanged various "signs" we received during the search. Now I am not a religious person, but all of it was simply amazing to me. And then this picture. It's given me great peace to see.

There have been many articles I have seen about Micah - but this one, an unpublished memoir of the man we call a friend is the best one yet. Please take the time to read it, as it so accurately describes Micah and the person he was:

ONE BLIND MAN'S VIEW OF THE ELEPHANT - BY MIKE MILLER

I considered Micah to be friend but I don’t claim to know him well.I am sure that there are many who knew him as well or better than I. My gut feeling, however, is that we all were like the blind men describing an elephant. We all had a piece of the puzzle of the man that was Micah True but nobody, except possibly Maria, has seen the big picture. I am OK with that and I think Micah would be too. I have enjoyed hearing about the piece of the elephant that others have seen, this one is mine. Like many others I read “Born to Run” and was inspired. I changed my running style and my knee problems went away, I began to consider the possibility that I might actually be able to run longer distances. and I signed up for the 2010 CCUM. I wanted to push my limits physically but I am not a natural runner, I struggle to achieve mediocrity and if I finish a race in the top half I am pleased. I was more interested in experiencing the area and its culture which I had been hearing about for over 20 years and I was interested in meeting new people.The kind of people that pick up a book in a bookstore and end up running an ultramarathon in Mexico a few months later. My kind of people. Mas Locos.Experience prepared me for the fact that the reality of CCUM, the canyon, the Raramuri, and of Micah himself would be very different from the book but I was completely unprepared for what a life-changing event it was to be. I drove to Urique from Colorado with my dog,Lola, and spent over two weeks at the bottom of the canyon for the 2010 race. I think I was the first runner down and the last to leave. I wanted to experience the entire chain of events, the sleepy little town before the race, the build up of craziness leading up to the race, and the return to normality after the race. I hoped to experience the Raramuri culture outside of the context of the race. Leading up to the race Micah was busy as expected and our interactions mostly revolved around our dogs. Even so I found him kind, generous,supportive, and friendly, even to me who had no expectation of even finishing the entire event and who had applied at the last minute after the race was full. “The race is full”, he said. “But I suppose we could fit you in”. After the race, most of the other runners had left and I got to spend more time with him. What struck me was the strength of his conviction that the purpose of the race was to honor and support the Raramuri and to celebrate the joy of running rather than to see who was fastest. It was clear that he was not comfortable with the trappings of fame that came from his inclusion in “the book”. Once I went into Keiths to check my e-mail and he was there working on the computer and he said “This is what ‘Born to Run’ means to me. I have to spend all my time sitting at the computer instead of doing the thing that got me in the book in the first place”. It was clear that he was not entirely comfortable with the way he was portrayed in “the book” and he had grave misgivings about being viewed as a mystical barefoot running hero who could run for days on a bottle of water and a pouch of pinole and could kill a man with his bare hands (and bare feet). I know he was not comfortable being portrayed as being in opposition to the narco-traffickers, a stance that has gotten many people dead in Chihuahua in the 21st century. More than once I saw him make air quotes when using the word “non-fiction” in reference to the book but despite his discomfort he was grateful that the book had been written and written well enough that so many would read it. He saw an opportunity to promote the race not for his own edification but to provide assistance and awareness to his Raramuri soulmates, even if it meant the loss of his valued privacy and the simplicity of the life he had built for himself. Korima. 2010 was the first year of CCUM after “the book” and its popularity had skyrocketed. This was all new ground for him and I know he struggled with how to handle its success. He was a tireless defender of the Raramuri, working hard to ensure that they were respected and not taken advantage of while at the same time trying not to miss an opportunity to help them. A fine line to walk, and one that I know he struggled with, and others involved in the race and Norawas struggled with it, and sometimes him, as well . It is difficult to judge people’s true motives and he was suspicious. It had not been easy to gain the trust of the Raramuri, and he was very protective of that as it was his true life’s work and the race would not work without it.With the success of the book and the race came many people looking to cash in on it, making movies, writing articles, taking pictures, etc.Micah insisted that they all partake in “korima” a Raramuri word whose closest translation in English is “sharing without the expectation of anything in return”. Although the success of the book and the race made it attractive to commercial interests and there were companies actually pursuing him to be allowed to sponsor it, he rejected all commercial sponsorship. He insisted that the sponsor of the race was“korima”. The race was about sharing not profit. There was an unwritten rule that the gringos who ran well enough to win cash and/or corn would not keep it but rather give it to a Raramuri of their choice as “korima”. The gringos entry fees went to support the Raramuri by providing 500 lbs of corn to everyone who finished, that was the extent of financial involvement. On a deeper level the interaction between the gringos and the Raramuri benefitted both sides. Korima.The Raramuri have been under assault from all sides ever since the Europeans came to their country. As a peaceful people they responded not with warfare but by simply moving deeper into the canyons. During the Apache wars in the US there was a bounty paid for Apache scalps.The Apaches were some of the worlds finest guerilla fighters and theirs scalps were not easy to come by. In what may be one of the worst examples in the history of the world of the horrors humanity conflict on itself in pursuit of selfish greed, American bounty hunters traveled into Mexico to hunt the peaceful retiring Raramuri in order to turn their scalps in for bounty as “Apaches”. The Raramuri survived into modern times but always under constant pressure frommining interests, logging interests, road building, the uncurtailed violence of narco-trafficking, and in general the constant onslaughtof “progress”. And perhaps worst of all, centuries of being looked down upon by their own government as lowly Indians. It all takes its toll and the Raramuri struggled to adapt, many would leave the canyons for work and lose touch with their culture. Years of disrespect by the world led to a corrosion of the pride they had in their culture and running became something the old folks did long ago rather than something the children were doing today. Micah wanted to change that,and he did. He knew that they would benefit from material support in the form of cash prizes and corn at his race but he also knew that they would benefit most of all, not from handouts, but from the knowledge that there were many people in the world who looked on them not as “Indians” but as inspirations both as runners and as people.He wanted them to know that people thought they were cool, to change their mindsets and instill pride. Based on my interactions with Micah I would say that this was the real motivation for the Copper Canyon Ultra Marathon. I saw him encouraging the gringos to go visit their encampment and even if they couldn’t carry on a conversation, at least to say “Kuira Ba”, “We are one” and touch their hand in the soft gentle handshake of the Raramuri. To let them know that we honored them and their culture of peace, sharing, and brotherhood, even if we couldn’t express it to them. I saw him struggle with broken promises of support from the government, in the form of food and housing for the Raramuri runners. I saw the gringos respond by opening up their wallets and offering their help in any way that they could. Korima. And it wasn’t just the Raramuri that benefitted. Us gringos, the MasLocos, benefitted more than you can know. We encountered kindred spirits everywhere we looked. Not just as runners but as human beings involved in something bigger than a race. We saw the example of Micah. We saw the example of the Raramuri, we saw the examples of the other Mas Locos. We all began our journeys with a little trepidation due to the constant barrage of negative news coming from Chihuahua but we went anyway and we found peace, beauty, love,brotherhood, and joy. We returned as changed people, inspired to live simpler, more peaceful lives and to give back more than we got, and to run freely and joyfully. Korima.We all know that Micah was an accomplished athlete. We all know that he loved to run but to me, his message was not about running, it was about freedom and brotherhood. Running was simply the venue through which he found freedom, the venue through which he had met and earned the trust of the Raramuri. He had been a competitive racer but the race was not about competition but simply the venue through which he could best bring attention and support and pride to his Raramuri brothers. This race is unlike any other in the states. The Raramuri are mostly shy and distrusting of strangers for obvious reasons.Micah met them first when they were brought to Leadville and he pacedthem to win against the best American ultrarunners. He was appalled by their treatment as were the Raramuri who never returned. Instead he went to them. I am sure that he spent many lonely years running through the canyons. I’m sure that he has many stories that will never be heard of close calls with dehydration, falls, narco-traffickers, animals, and loneliness. Gradually he earned their respect, later followed by their trust, and finally by their love.Anybody who knows the race director of an American ultramarathon understands how much time, effort, and planning goes into the event,often with little recognition from those of us who occasionally pay the piddling entry fees for a chance to test ourselves and run with aid stations. What Micah did was immeasurably harder and required more dedication than any of us can imagine. A true labor of love,with very low probability of getting anything in return. When the Raramuri learned of his death they said simply, "What can we do to help our brother". Korima.The man I knew was a man of contradiction. He gained fame by being a recluse but he had five thousand facebook friends. A private man who took a public role as race director and speaking events in order to benefit his brothers. A professional fighter who valued peace and love above all. A free spirit who sacrificed his freedom for others. A luddite who shunned technology but spent more hours than he would admit using technology to serve a greater purpose. A proud man who provided an example of humility to everyone he met. A humble man who accepted the adoration of thousands in order to change the world a little bit. A competitive athlete who cared not a whit how fast you were as long as you ran with joy and respect. Not a perfect man as he would be the first to admit but a wiling vessel. Korima.I saw Micah a few more times after that first race. I returned forthe 2011 race and did the extended program and I saw him at other races and speaking events and always it was the same. People would ask him about running, about footwear, about competition, about the book and always he would respectfully turn the conversation around until they were talking about freedom and joy and beauty and peace and the Raramuri people. From where I stand, that is the man I knew as Micah True. Although I regret his death and mourn for those who loved him, I take heart in knowing that nobody will ever regret his life. He lived well and died well and accomplished more with less than anyone I have ever known.

Out of love for Caballo Blanco: Mas Locos invade Gila

Micah True, otherwise known as Caballo Blanco has gone missing in the Gila wilderness area of New Mexico.

Caballo Blanco - Copper Canyon Ultramaration 2011

My friend is missing. I can't think of anything else right now but that. Usually my phone and me are not exactly connected, yet since I heard the news my phone hasn't left my side. I can't think about anything else. Sitting here, hoping he's ok - wishing, thinking, trying very hard to be positive. Micah True (otherwise known as Caballo Blanco) went out for a 12 mile / 2 hr run on Tuesday and has not returned.

Without going into all the details, Mas Locos know Micah is a private person - there have been many Mas Locos that have stepped up. As soon as I heard I knew that people such as Nick Coury, Jamil Coury, Patrick Sweeney and many more would drop everything to go help in the search and that they did. That they ARE. Micah's girlfriend Maria is there as well. I wish I could hug her right now, tell her everything will be ok. Words via phone and text are not enough.

Many skilled people are out there right now, searching the area - looking for clues, looking for Micah. Before the Mas Locos arrived there were search teams, planes, helicopters, and dogs from immigration were searching. Now the search is 100 x's stronger than it already was.

Whatever your religion, whatever your beliefs are - please think of Micah and all those searching for him. Think of Maria, send her your love from afar. Think of Guadajuko, Micah's beautiful ghost dog and send all your love and positive energy their way.

I'm comforted by the fact that friends are down there. Strong people in mind, strong in body, and stronger in heart and I know they won't give up, won't quit until they find Caballo. Thank you is not a strong enough word. I love you guys.

http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/03/29/born-to-runs-caballo-blanco-reported-missing/