34 Days until Oil Creek 100

On the trail at the Oil Creek 100. Photo by Jeremy Lock

With my second attempt at the Oil Creek 100 mile ultra marathon 34 short days I had hoped to be at a place now where I feel somewhat prepared both mentally and physically for the challenge that I know is coming. As in the past, I have trained very, very hard for this race. It's been the dominant thought in my head for more than four months and I have been more disciplined with my training than ever before. My diet has never been more healthy and I have never been more strict with the food I put in my mouth. After the first month I was very surprised to see the scale not move at all. After the second month with no weight loss while burning twice or three times the calories I started to become concerned. Now, with four months of strict dieting and training behind me, I find myself at the same weight. I have been diagnosed with a thyroid condition. I have always been overweight. I am currently 30 pounds heavier than I feel I should be and I feel my entire life has been a struggle to get there. I can't remember anytime in my life when I have not struggled with being overweight. No matter how strict my calorie intake is, no matter the amount of countless hours I train, my weight does not move. If I stop my diet or take anytime off of training,  my weight quickly climbs. It's been the most difficult challenge of my ultra marathon training. I admit, on more times than I can count I have wanted to quit. I almost did not run the Brazil 135 Mile ultra marathon because I could not lose any weight during my training. I ran that race 25 pounds overweight and I felt every extra pound while I ran for 57 hours and 50 minutes. I swore it would be the last time I ran overweight. But, here I am again, running fat, for countless miles every week while also spending hours a week on the stair master and elliptical machine. It doesn't seem fair. But, what in life ever is? I can't remember anything ever being easy. Everything has to be more difficult than it should be. Everything is a climb. I'm thankful that the extra weight hasn't caused any injuries. Every part of me takes a pounding on the trails and currently my long runs are longer than marathons once a week. Last week I ran 45 miles on Sunday during the Labor Pains 12 hour ultra marathon. I was careful with everything I ate before, during and after the race. I gained two pounds.

I'm hoping the thyroid medication is going to be the answer I have been looking for and I can finally get myself to a healthy acceptable weight I can live with. I'm currently 13 pounds heavier than I was for Oil Creek last year which was the only time in my life i successful lost weight. It seems my body has adapted to the training and refuses to budge. It holds onto everything. I have dreamed of running on trails and feeling healthy as I do it. I never have. I have always waited for the change to finally arrive. 

I began training for Oil Creek with the mindset of becoming faster than I have ever been before. To finish the 100 miles with a time that would even surprise myself. Today, with 34 days until the race I am hoping to simply finish.  That was a goal that once seemed impossible to me. I ran on faith and arrived at the finish line and it was a moment that changed my life. I'm working hard to know that feeling again.