We Are the Champions!

Intramural Championship T-Shirts!

Congrats to SLD and N.D., who won the BYU Intramurals Co-ed Championship tonight!  Their team beat the Care Bears or the Polar Bears or something like that to pick up the coveted intramural championship t-shirst.  I appreciate that you blew out the other team so that I didn't have to worry too much about the outcome.  Thank you for that...I have enough stress in my life already!  :-)

It's been fun watching you play this season.  I'm not very good at watching other people play.  I'm more used to playing myself, but--given that I've only touched a basketball on three brief occasions since moving to Utah--I'm glad that you're giving me some good opportunities to practice how to be an energetic and enthusiastic fan.  

As much as I enjoyed watching you drain outside jumpers, I think it was even more fun to see your passing out there.  It made me jealous that I couldn't play too.  SLD, you had a particularly great bounce pass to finish off a fast break tonight.  You managed to thread the needle on that pass just under the outstretched arms of the defender to hit your teammate streaking down the court for a wide open layup.  N.D., you had a great pass as well where you drove the lane, got the defender to commit to you, and then dumped it off to a wide open teammate for the bucket!  Those types of plays show that you really understand how the game is supposed to be played.

Congrats also to the Crickmore twins who dominated the paint and yet maintained their grace and poise!  I loved cheering you on as well--particularly since you are basically family!

Is it too early to start planning a Three-Peat celebrations?  Maybe we better worry about you winning it all again next year!  ;-)  Good luck on your finals to Team "Los Banditos"!

Just Finish

Panama City, Florida

Florida has been on my mind for nearly a year now.  I finally made it today and this is the view that greeted my brother and I as we touched down tonight.

It was interesting on the plane.  I'd say that about half of the passengers at least looked like they were competing in the Ironman this weekend.  There were all types of people...older, younger, male, and female, but they all had a couple of things in common (besides the Ironman backpacks and associated gear/swag).  They had on running shoes and they looked ripped!

It was also pretty cool that I saw and recognized Mirinda Carfrae--a professional triathlete and Ironman World Champion--on our flight.  She is going to be doing the race as well!  I guarantee she'll probably be twice as fast as I will be!  

I thought that I was in halfway decent shape for this race, but now I'm not so sure.  I guess when you spend as much time as you need to spend for this type of endurance race, you get that lean, fit look.  I'm not so sure anyone would have mistaken me for an Ironman competitor if I hadn't been wearing an Ironman sweater and toting an Ironman St. George backpack.  (Several people on the flight, however, and the girl at the rental counter booth asked if my brother and I were twins though!)

Brothers and seatmates--but not twins...

It's fun to be here with with my brother.  It would be great if I could keep up with him so that we could do a chunk of the race together.  Doing the marathon portion of Ironman St. George in 2012 was one of the highlights of my life.  It would be great if we had a chance to do it again on Saturday.

Dinner tonight was at a Southern style pit bbq place.  Maybe I was just hungry, but it was good!  I attacked my plate with a vengeance and cleaned it up so that there was not a single crumb left.  I had the pulled pork.  My brother had the brisket.  We both agreed that I got the better end of the deal.  The bbq sauce was outstanding as well!  (Sorry, no pics of dinner because my phone was almost out of juice and the food just didn't last that long!)

I can't wait to see the course tomorrow.  I don't have any big goals for this weekend.  My only goal is to just finish the race!

"When I Run I Feel His Pleasure"

Eric Liddell - 1924 Olympic Gold Medalist

I ran the St. George Marathon yesterday.  There is a lot that I could say about the experience.  Running for 26 miles gives you a lot of time to think about things and to ponder.  I appreciated and am grateful for many things about yesterday and I feel like it is important to note them so that I can remember them and remember the experience.

Weird as it may seem, running the marathon yesterday was a spiritual experience for me.  And I don't mean "spiritual" in the sense that I felt closer to nature because of the scenic beauty along the course.  (And it is spectacularly beautiful--red cliffs, white rock formations, volcanic cinder cones, and wide open desert vistas.)  For me it was spiritual because I feel like it helped me feel closer to my Heavenly Father.

At about Mile 11 or 12, the following quote popped into my head from the movie "Chariots of Fire:"

• "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure." --Eric Liddell

I'm not saying that I'm fast.  In fact, I'm not.  There were 2,789 people that were faster than me yesterday.  But I did feel like I felt loved by my Heavenly Father.  We all faces trials, challenges, and adversity in our lives.  At times, it may seem overwhelming.  Certainly a marathon is a microcosm of life in that adversity can be crammed chock full into the 26.2 mile course, but it is a blessing to feel a confirmation that we are literally children of a Heavenly Father, that He knows us personally, that is aware of our individual circumstances, and that He loves us.  And I am grateful for that experience yesterday.

My Brother

My brother and I at the starting line...brrr...it was cold!

I also did the race with my brother.  This is not the first race that I've done with him, but as we get older and are now farther apart geographically, I've realized how important it is to treasure these opportunities.

S. was not even going to do the race.  Neither one of us was prepared--although he was a lot more prepared than I was.  As I drove down to the race, by myself, I placed one last call to him.  I got his voice mail and told him that it wasn't too late to come and that I hoped that he'd do it with me.  I told him that I had a hotel room reserved and that he was welcome to share it with me.

S. was concerned that one or both of us would get hurt and that we would not be able to finish the Ironman Florida (IMFL) race next month.  I admit it was a valid concern and it did worry me a bit, but I wanted to do the race and committed to listen to my body.  I pledged to myself that I would stop if it felt like my body was telling me that it was in trouble.

Well, miraculously, S. had a change of heart.  I was certain that he was not going to make the 5 hour drive to the race, but he did!  Unfortunately, when the packet pick up line closed at 9 p.m., S. was still en route--nearly 2 hours away.  I somehow managed to persuade the race officials to let me get his race number (which saved us some time the next morning) and I was excited when I heard him opening the door to the hotel room--even though I had just gone to bed!

The next morning, I saw S. for about the first 30 seconds of the race.  The runners thronging the start line left quickly shifting gaps and very little room to maneuver.  S. went right, I went left.  And then he was gone amongst the sea of runners surging over and beyond the finish line in the pre-dawn darkness.  I knew I had to run my race and hope that he could run well.  For the entire race, I looked for him in case he had to drop off the pace or got hurt.  I never saw him.

At the end, I just hoped that I hadn't missed him somewhere along the way because he was hurt (or hurting).  Turns out he had a spectacular time--finishing in 3:41 for his first marathon ever.  I'm proud of my brother and that he did so well.  And next time, I'm going to be motivated to keep up with him!

Relieved to be finished!

The Volunteers and Spectators

The people of St. George are wonderful.  They come out and volunteer in droves.  They line the roads along the route and cheer for us.  The ring loud cow bells.  And their kids stretch out their hands to give the runners five as they zip on past.

The volunteers and the spectators inspired me.  They held signs in the cold--many of them wearing parkas, hats, and gloves.  I'm not sure that I could do it!  The signs were great--many were funny most were inspirational.  I really enjoyed the signs cheering on grandma or grandpa.  One of the funniest signs that I saw simply said: "Worst parade ever.":  We were a motley crew!

I saw Ryan Cuff handing out water at one aid station.  Ryan Cuff was one of the best high school basketball players in the history of the State of Utah.  But he is also a good human being and consummate teammate.  He had no idea who I was, but I was proud to tell him that I remembered him and that I had played hoops with him.

I also saw my niece Elizabeth L. handing out water along the course.  I think that her high school cross-country teammates were helping to support the event.  I was really happy to see her (even if she was surprised to see me there) and told her to say hi to her parent for me.  Her family has always been so kind to me and I was grateful to see her.

Utah's Governor Gary Herbert came out to support the marathon runners

The groups that lined the course were so cheering so loud that I turned off my iPod so that I could appreciate the moment.  I tried to make a point of thanking the spectators for coming to cheer for us and thanking the volunteers for handing out water, Gatorade, Clif bars, vaseline, bananas, Gu shots, and other essential items.  It was inspiring to see volunteers raking up empty cups that had been thrown to the side by the runners.  It made me try harder to hit the trash can!  ;-)

But beyond a general "feel good" sort of inspiration, I drew tangible strength and energy from the spectators.  As I ran along the rope line at one point, I looked down at my watch and saw that my pace had quickened by nearly 30% as I ran along the line giving high fives to all the little kids.  It made me worry that I might have expended too much energy--but the fact was that the spectators made me faster.  Literally.

Post race with one of my favorite missionary companions

One of the spectators was an old mission companion of mine.  I hadn't seen him for nearly 14 years!  After the race, he graciously invited me to his home in Diamond Hills and to dinner with his cute family.  Renewing this friendship was yet another thing to be grateful for that came out of the event.

I've blogged about St. George and its volunteers in the past.  They did not disappoint today.  What a great city and what great people!  I'm certainly grateful for you!

My Fellow Runners

Snow Canyon along the route

I'm also grateful for my fellow runners out there.  I felt like you "pulled" me along even when I didn't know if I could keep going myself.  The list is long and distinguished, but here are a few that I remember:

• Daniel. R. and his brother - An attorney colleague from back home.  You inspired me by actually doing the run with your brother and I'm glad that I kept up with you for a bit.  We talked jobs, families, and running.  I hope I get to bump into you at another race in the future!

• Varls - This may have been your first marathon and you bounded past me with a surge of energy and enthusiasm.  Thanks for tapping me on the shoulder.  I didn't see you when I past you, but congrats on finishing!  And I hope to see you in San Clemente or at a BYU game soon!

• David Tanner and his daughter Cheyenne - David was running while carrying a large American flag.  I looked up and saw his flag and was inspired to catch up to him.  We ran together for a few miles.  His daughter was doing her third marathon in 3 weeks!  I thanked him for his patriotism and for his willingness to inspire his fellow runners.  I saw him at the finish line too and thanked him again.

• Ken Duke, Andy, and Richard - Ken is blind and was running his 56th marathon!  Richard and Andy were his two guides that ran alongside him.  I noticed Andy at about Mile 14.  He had pulled out his cell phone to take a call and said: "Hey, I'm doing a marathon.  I can't talk now, but I'll call you later!"  Andy was on his 18th marathon, I think.  He was also wearing a BYU hat.  I knew there was a reason I liked the guy.  It was fun to run with Ken and his guides for a few miles.  I had to push myself to catch up to him.  Once I did, I thought that if I blind guy could do this, so could I!  How could you not be inspired by someone like Ken or by his guides?

There were many more that I haven't mentioned, but I really appreciated the comaraderie of my fellow runners.  Thank you for pushing, pulling, and inspiring me!

The Result

I'm also grateful for the result.  I had people (beside my brother) tell me to skip the race and not to do it because I really have not had much time to train.  There a lot of reasons for that, but they are all excuses.  If I were to do the race, I had to do it and not make excuses.

I'd love to say that I lowered expectations, but I didn't.  I honestly did not know what to expect.  I really could not start training for this race until literally two weeks ago.  The longest run that I have done in the past month and a half was only 6.2 miles.  I really did not have any business starting the race--much less have any expectations for it.

I started the race and was still unsure of what I could do.  At one point, I was about ready to drop back when Daniel R. pulled up beside me and kept me on pace.  I walked for a brief half mile stretch on the big hill just past Veyo.  My thought process was to conserve my energy and not be a hero.  This was Mile 8 and I was still just hoping to finish in less than 6 hours and not get hurt.

By the halfway point, I was still feeling strong and starting to realize that I had a lot left in the tank.  My 13.1 mile time was 2:04--not great, but not terrible either.

Every finisher medal is unique

Mile 18 was where the wheels came off the train for me two years ago in this race.  There is a long hill just after the aid station and it can be discouraging and demoralizing.  In my case, it was two years ago.  This time, as I approached that same spot, I got a little emotional.  I realized that I still had enough left in the tank to finish and to finish strong.  I think it was at this point that I finally realized that not only was I going to finish, but I was also probably going to PR (set a new personal record).  My Garmin data actually shows my heart rate spiking at that point.  It was exciting to realize that I was going to meet my goals for this race and set new marks to shoot for in the future.

With about 3 miles to go, I realized that I had a chance at breaking 4 hours for the race.  I've always wanted to run a marathon in less than 4 hours and I tried to push harder.  Unfortunately, it was too much.

My final time was 4:03 and I couldn't be more thrilled.  It beat my time from 2 years ago by about 23 minutes.  I know that I gave it my all on that course.  I also know that there is room for improvement if I am willing to put in the training and time in the future.

Thank you St. George Marathon for such a fun event!  Hope to see you next year!

Throwback Thursday - Take Me Out to the Ballgame Edition

Go Padres - August 29, 2007

Six years ago today (as near as I can tell), we took this picture at the Padres game together.  As you can tell, the seats were up in the nose bleeds, but we still had a lot of fun.  My two youngest brothers have both gone on missions (to Argentina and Florida) and come home.  Another brother got married and had his second kid just recently.

I think that B.S. and I still have those Padres shirts laying around somewhere.  Even though it looks huge on me, I'll always love it--mostly because B.S. gave it to me and it reminds me of him.  He is so generous about stuff like that and seems to have a knack for giving me cool gifts that I would never get myself (and wouldn't even think of asking someone else to give me).

This picture also reminds me of how important family is.  In the intervening years, we five brothers haven't always been together at the same time.  At times, we've been separated by oceans and continents.  Most recently, we got together for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run...good times!

World Famous Camp Pendleton Mud Run 2013

A mis hermanos queridos, les quiero mucho.  Gracias por ser tan buen ejemplos para mis hijos y para mi.  Estoy muy agradecido por ser parte de esta familia.  Un abrazo!

No Brother Left Behind: Camp Pendleton's World Famous Mud Run

Team Dyer Brothers

Last month, my four brothers and I got together for the last session (June 15th) of this year's Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run.  This was the first time that all five of us have run together in a race and it was a lot of fun. We started off the race fast and I did my best to keep up.

Look closely and you can see Team Dyer Brothers just off to the right in our blue sleeveless shirts

I bought matching shirts (moisture wicking, of course) so that we looked like a team.  It turned out to be a good call.  The light blue color that I picked really stood out in the crowd.  My parents were watching the live feed in Colombia and they were able to pick out all of us on the live feed (and by "all of us," I mean everyone but me!  Apparently, I didn't get any love from the cameras!).

This year's race had a lot more obstacles than last year and it was a lot of fun--except for the low-slung cargo nets.  They were set at about 2.5 feet off the ground and were pure torture for me.  I was just too tall!  I also narrowly averted disaster when the watch strap on my million dollar Garmin watch broke going over the "Wall" obstacle.  Luckily, I noticed that it was loose and grabbed it before it was lost forever in the Camp Pendleton mud.  That was the good news...the bad news was that I had to carry it the rest of the way and that meant I didn't have full use of my hands for the remaining obstacles.

One of the first obstacles: The Steeplechase - My brother N. successfully completes this!

The first few obstacles went smoothly...N. is my youngest brother and is just a year removed from his mission (to Argentina).  This was his first race, so I kind of stuck with him and within sight distance of L. and Big S.  Click here for a cool pic of L. with N. and me in the background going over the Steeplechase.  SLD was gone as soon as the gun went off.  Only later would I learn how amazing his race was.

SLD tackles the high "Wall"...Notice how there don't seem to be any other runners in sight.

The high "Wall" was a difficult obstacle.  I was so tired by the time that I got to it, that it seemed like it was 8 feet tall.  I managed to get over it somehow, but landed in the mud as my watch dangled from my wrist.  Luckily, I snared it and kept going.

Here's some video of me going through the final obstacle...the Mud Pit:

One thing that occurs to me when re-watching this is how utterly exhausted I am at this point.  You can see it as I enter the Mud Pit and then you can see it as I stagger out to finish the race.  Even though I was tired, my motto is to just keep moving forward.  Hopefully you can see my determination to keep going.

Here are the links to the videos of the rest of us going through the Mud Pit:

• SLD
• L.
• Big S. and N.

Thanks Nicole for taping these for us!

Here are some of the notable achievements.  Indulge me for a second while I brag on my brothers:

• SLD - 51:59 (for a course that billed itself as a "10k" but was actually about 6.6 miles long!).  SLD got 14th overall and 2nd in his age group!!  There were about 3,000 runners in the race.  SLD is a frickin' amazing runner!
• L. - 1:02:34 - 13th in his age group (118th overall)
• Big S. - 1:06:05 - 19th in his age group (#168 overall)
• N. - 1:06:53 - 8th in his age group (#186 overall).  This was an awesome result for his first race ever!
• Me - 1:09:44 - 28th in my age group (#246 overall).  As the oldest brother, I took responsibility for making sure that no brother was left behind.  Someone had to do it....  :-/

After the race, we hit the showers:

And took some more pics:

N. and SLD with his medal

Superman photobombs the post-race brothers pic..

My miracle, super-nephew!

If you're family and not already bored out of your gourd, you can check out Nicole's photo album on Google Plus here.

Love this cute fam pic!

Riding the shuttle to the parking lot...

I love my nephew's cute smile

This run has become somewhat of a tradition now in our family:

2011

2012

2013

I'm sure we'll be back next year!

Team Dyer Straits

Tonight we played in a 3 on 3 tournament at my brother's high school. It was a fundraiser for his high school basketball team.  They also had an alumni game and L. played in that too.  The original Dyer Straits is an intramural inner tube water polo team at BYU founded by my siblings that has won a bunch of intramural championships.  I never played intramural inner tube water polo, but I know my siblings have had a lot of fun on that team.

L., who put together this team, used the same name because there were supposed to be at least three brothers playing.  Our team was pretty stacked. Brett L. and I are both 6'3". My brother L. is 6'6" and A. (aka Thor) is 6'9". It was fun playing with those guys because they're all good basketball players and play smart.

Here's a quick video showing our teamwork in action:

Plus, it's always fun to play with my brothers. I was disappointed that S. was a last minute no show because he couldn't get his work schedule changed.  Even though L. is  tall, he has an outstanding jumpshot:

I also managed to get a shot of L. dunking before the alumni game.  He makes it look pretty easy:

I also managed to put down a few:

(thanks to Brett L. for directing traffic out there!  :-)

We won all 3 of our games--the first two were blowouts (15-2 and 15-4) and the last was a little too close for comfort. We won by a score of 15-13, but were down 13-9 after they hit a few surprise 3 pointers. We cranked up the "D" and put the game away though. 

Here are some pics from the festivities...

Pre-game warm ups.

Brett L. shoots a 3.

A. shows his mid-range game.

My miracle nephew.

L. goes in for the dunk. 

Brett L. hits a layup.

L. catches a pass.

L., A., and Brett L., it was fun playing tonight.  I'm looking forward to next year!  (S., we need you next year too!)

Twas the Night Before Pumpkinman...

'Twas the night before Pumpkinman, when all through my room

Not a creature was stirring, as I dreamed of my costume;

My transition bags had been laid out with care,

In hopes that on race morning I wouldn't have to prepare;

And I was all nestled, all snug in my bed,

While visions of Gatorade and a personal best danced in my head;

When my brother arrived late and put on his striped convict cap,

Just as I had settled down for what I hoped was more than a nap,

When out of my phone there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the lobby I flew like a flash,

Grabbed my brother's gear and was glad he hadn't crashed;

On race morning, we spoke not a word, but went straight to our work,

We prayed that the water wouldn't have any strange quirks,

After the swim, we mounted our bikes,

And rode on and on, up the hill nobody likes;

Then sprang from our bikes to run through Boulder City,

Trying hard not to puke, that wouldn't have looked pretty,

But I heard us exclaim, as we crossed the finish line,

"Happy Pumpkinman to all, and to all a fast time!"

Exhausted, but glad to be done!

He Ain't Heavy...

...He's My Brother

I've always liked this song.  I didn't know until tonight that it was recorded by The Hollies.  Since this post is about my brother, I thought it was appropriate to reference it in the title.

My brother with our nephew

My brother S. came up last night to play basketball on my office hoops team with me.  S. and I have always been pretty close and our basketball playing days go back to the time that we would play mini-hoops against each other in the driveway.  Maybe longer.  I'd pretend to be Hakeem Olajuwon.  He was Patrick Ewing.  And it would be a dunkfest-slugfest.  But it was fun.

S.'s drive to the game last night was probably at least an hour each way, but I love playing with him.  It was worth it to have him there because he is such a good player and we can read each other's thoughts without really even thinking.  We started the game when I found him in the corner for an open 3 point shot.  S., of course, nailed it.  That made the score 3 to zip--good guys!  :-)

S. played well throughout the game.  He has such a calm, steadying influence on the court.  We led most of the game, but it was close.  With a minute to go, we were down by 2 points and we had the ball.  I managed to drive through the lane and score a twisting lay-up to tie the game and we prevented them from even taking a shot to win it at the end of regulation.

We had a tip-off to start the overtime period.  I knew S. would be ready and so I won the tip and flipped the ball toward him.  S. dribbled up calmly and raised up for another 3 pointer from pretty much NBA range.  The shot hit nothing but the bottom of the net--giving us a HUGE three point lead to start the overtime.

Later, with about a minute left in overtime, S. would drain yet another deep 3-point shot to clinch the game for us.  I always have confidence in S. when he shoots the ball and I just feel really lucky to have such a great brother and that we get to do fun stuff (like play basketball, among other things) together.

After the game, we messed around a bit dunking and shooting 3's.  Here's quick video of S. putting one down.

S., thanks for making the effort to come out and play hoops with us!  We couldn't have done it without you!

There's No Place Like Home...

Hermanos Reunidos

My "little" brother came home from his mission yesterday.  He flew into San Diego's Lindbergh Field at about 12:35 p.m.  It was a long flight from Argentina, I'm sure.  My mom and dad and much of my family was there to greet him.  I'm sure it was a joyous reunion.  I had a court appearance and couldn't make it down.

My dad was actually in trial, but the judge was kind enough to give my dad an extra 30 minutes for the lunch break so that he could see his son whom he hadn't seen for two years.  It's a good thing that my brother's flight was on time!  When my mom first told me that story, I kind of chuckled that the judge was "only" willing to give my dad an extra 30 minutes for lunch.  That doesn't seem like much.  But today, it seems like a  lot.  And the important thing was that it was enough.  I really think that it was a tender mercy that my dad was able to be there.  I'm both happy and grateful that he was.

I had a long day yesterday, but managed to make my way down to the old homestead later that night.  I walked into the house holding a bag with two uneaten burritos from Del Taco that I bought intending to eat on the way down.  They didn't get eaten.

As I walked in the door, my brother SLD grabbed my bag and told me I wouldn't be needing it.  My sweet mother had cooked in honor of N.'s homecoming.  I should have realized there'd be food waiting for me.

But first things first, I gave N. a huge "abrazo."  The funny thing is that N. looked like he hadn't aged a day.  I know how hard he worked on his mission and that he was a great missionary.  We also posed for the obligatory homecoming photo (see above).  Unfortunately, neither of us were in our suits by that stage of the day.  I had shed mine after a tragic mishap with a red-frosted, chocolate cupcake.  N. had ditched his at some point.  I guess two years of wearing a suit while tramping through the dusty streets of South America is enough for anyone.

Another thing that you'll notice about the picture above is that I think that I can officially say that even though I'm the oldest of five brothers--I'm also the shortest.  At one stage of my life, that would have been very sad news.  I think as you get older, you get a sense of what is really important and what's not.  I was just glad to have my brother home!

Mom's Chicken Burrito with Rice, Guacamole, Cheese, and Fresh, Homemade Salsa--Yum!

Then it was time to eat.  Mom's cooking put Del Taco and Taco Bell to shame.  I had two heaping servings.

I sat on the couch to recover and to visit for a little bit with my brothers and sisters.  As I sat, recuperating on  the couch, someone walked past and handed me a little mylar-wrapped package.  I looked at it.  It was some sort of Argentine-version of a Ding Dong--but with dulce de leche.  My brother had brought it all the way home from Argentina to share with his family.

I was touched with how sweet and kind my brother really is, but he has always been like that.  He didn't make a big deal about it or brag about how great this snack was that he was giving me or tell me what a sacrifice it was for him to bring it home and share with us. He just quietly did it because he wanted to share and because he has a kind, giving heart.  Even though I physically look up to my "little" brother, I have always looked up to him and admired him for his example to watch over and care for other people.

Guaymallen--direct from Argentina!

I remember a few other things from last night.  I asked N. what was different about being back home in the United States.  He told me that he was shocked at all of the technology like iPhones, Droids, etc. that people carried around!  It took me back to when I came home from my mission.  I remember marveling that the power never goes out in the United States (it went out every single day--at least once, sometimes more--in the D.R. where I served my mission).  I also remember that a little-known, new technological innovation commonly called "The Internet" had gotten huge while I was away!  ;-)

N., it's good to have you back.  Thank you for being such a great example and the type of brother that I can always look up to--in more ways than one!  The Gospel is true!

Camp Pendleton's World Famous Mud Run

The Camp Pendleton World Famous Mud Run

I'm "running" in Camp Pendleton's World Famous Mud Run tomorrow.  I put "running" in quotes because in addition to running (including up and down hills), I will be dodging blasts of water from fire hoses, fording streams, wading through mud holes, swimming across a lake, crawling through obstacles, and getting very, very muddy.

This part comes at the very beginning of the race...
....the fun is only getting started

Last year, I "trained" for the race by getting no sleep for about the entire two weeks before the race and "carbo loading" by going to Golden Spoon for a frozen yogurt the night before.  Yep, I literally skipped dinner and had a frozen yogurt the night before the race.  Little wonder that I pretty much bonked the next day.

But forgetting to train and not getting a lot of sleep are pretty much par for the course with me, so I can hardly complain that my time was so crappy.  My time (1:09:29 for the 10k course) was terrible.  I only post it here so that you know that I am not exaggerating.  My brother L. (a gifted runner if I've ever seen one) clocked a 58:01; S. was 1:01.  I swear I will be faster this year!  (even though I still haven't trained!!)

I don't know anyone in this picture.

But I did manage to do a few things right and a few things that I'll learn from.  Here are some tips if you're considering doing a mud run in your area (even though it probably won't be the Original, World Famous Mud Run at Camp Pendleton!).

• Sign up early.  Camp Pendleton's races sell out in the first few hour after they go live.  If you are checking up on me, you won't see my time (or my brothers' times) on the official web site because we bought someone else's run bib.  Technically against the rules, but still an option if you miss out on the registration.  This year, I have my own bib so you can see how bad my time really is this year!
• You will get muddy.  They have showers that you can use after the race.  Plan on spending about 5-10 minutes in the cold shower getting mud out of every crack and crevice of your shoes and clothes.  Don't wear something with pockets.  They'll just fill up with mud.  Last year, I bought matching shirts for Team "D".  They were pretty fitted and worked out great.  I made the mistake of buying some moisture wicking shorts that were a bit baggy.  Bad call.  They were pretty much falling off of my booty the whole race.  Nothing is more embarrassing than having to cross the finish line with one hand holding up your waist band!  My brothers were wiser than me and wore swim trunks.  This year, I will prove to be the wisest among us because I'll be wearing running tights!
• Nutrition.  I will eat a good dinner tonight and my typical PB Bagel tomorrow morning before the race.  No more Fro-Yo this year.
• Get Some Sleep.  I think I spent the few days before last year's race jetting off to Florida where I took about four depositions in two days, including working all night on my laptop during the red eye flight.  I remember actually falling asleep in the car as the client drove us back following the first day's worth of depositions.  The client loved me for working so hard for him.  My body rebelled when it came time for race day.   So you'd think I learned my lesson for this year right?  Wrong!  I had to pull another all-nighter last night on a project.  I have a really good friend that always gives me crap about my sleep habits.  According to my friend, the most important sleep before a race is the sleep you get two nights before the race.  I got no sleep last night.  Awesome!
• Pace Yourself.  I started off strong last year, only to wilt on the hills and dales of the military base.  Nothing is more humiliating than having two brothers smoke you as they leave you in their rear view mirror. L., who had such a great time, actually started off behind both S. and me, but just kept it going the whole time--ultimately passing us both.  On the other hand, nothing made me prouder than to cheer both of them on as they passed me. I really am lucky to have such great brothers!
• Have Fun.  The most important point of all!  I'm set to do the race with 3 of my 4 brothers tomorrow (not sure if any of my sisters are doing it??)  SL didn't do it last year because he was in Florida on a mission, but he was a high school cross country star.  If I'm not careful, I'm likely to find myself cheering on three brothers as they pass me tomorrow!  ;-)

This is after the post-race showe...ignore the tan lines and soggy, saggy, baggy shorts...
...I'm proud to be standing amongst literal and figurative giants of men!