Run 6 Miles Under 45 Min

Sat Apr 28 21:45:53 PDT 2018.

L, my 58-year-old ultra-marathoner colleague, went to 
Zion National Park with his 18 year-old son and ran 100                     
miles. Well, the kid did it and he finished 81 miles, to be                                                  
accurate. Over the past two weeks, the significance of the                                                   
event slowly sank in and lit a fire in my head. It's bragging
rights to a very practical purpose. Think about it. Once a
young man acquired that experience in his resume, he                                                  
would be secure, mature, and unstoppable.                                                                    
                                                                                                             
Next thing I knew, I started to run and I ran five days out                                                  
of the past week. And yesterday, there came a small                                                          
breakthrough. I covered 6 miles under 45 min. It was not                                                 
an illusion. I did it. The late-afternoon run was smooth,                                                       
relaxed, and intoxicating.

I kept a five-in-five-out breathing rhythm all the way,
slowed down when I had to, and never had to struggle for
air. My core felt like steel and activating the glutes,
which all the books on running talk about, was natural.
These shouldn't be a surprise--kettlebell training was                                                       
paying off. I could raise those legs as never before and                                                     
every stride was powerful. My feet felt equally strong.                                                      
Three years of barefoot living toughened them up and                                                         
pounding the tarmac felt like nothing.                                                         
                                                                                                             
I sprinted for the last 100 yards and felt I could go on forever.                                                                                  
                                                                                                             
Hallelujah!