Suffering

Preparing for the Hunger 500 has forced me to constantly push my boundaries. Over the past few years I have fallen into a workout routine that is comfortable for me. I haven't continued to challenge myself, and my fitness has been impacted.  I have continued to do the types of exercise that I enjoy (pretty much just running), which has not made me very well-rounded.  Although I have dabbled in Crossfit, I have never really stuck to the program enough to see significant results.  The Hunger 500 has provided me with the motivation to step outside of my comfort zone, and I am now lifting weights four times per week with Cody.  As anyone who consistently does so knows, going beyond the comfortable can be...well, uncomfortable.  However, in this lack of comfort, this suffering, lies progress.  I find that the more I put challenge myself, the more I grow.  I have begun to expect suffering, even enjoy it on some level. This expectation has made the difficult times seem less trying.  I feel more resilient knowing that suffering is inevitable if I want to succeed.  In the spirit of suffering I completed my longest run in a few weeks, roughly 32 miles this past weekend.  I ran most of it solo, although I did meet up with Troxell, Bo and Andrea for an hour or so.  The suffering was particularly palpable as my legs were already sore at the start of the run, due to my weightlifting from the week.  As my training continues to progress in the coming weeks, I will try to maintain my mantra of suffering.  Hopefully this will allow me to push through the unavoidable lows so that I may relish the highs.

Suffer on my friends,

Joe

A 500 Mile Training Plan

By far the most common question I get when discussing the Hunger 500, besides the ever-prominent "Are you crazy?!?!", is "How are Earth do you train for something like this?". To be honest when the Hunger 500 was born I had no idea either. Fortunately, I am not the first to attempt such an event. I researched other ultrarunners that have done similar events, from Dean Karnazes' "Endurance 50" (50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days) to Charlie Engle, Kevin Lin, and Ray Zahab's "Running the Sahara" (4,300 miles in 111 days) to see their process of training and preparation. The obvious is that in order to prepare for the Hunger 500 I would have to run, and run a lot. But the questions of "How much?" "How hard?" and "When?" were more difficult to answer. After extensive research, as well as self-reflection I have decided to train slightly differently than some others who have done multi-day events similar to the Hunger 500. For me, completing 3 or 4 very high mileage runs per week in preparation for the Hunger 500 would be a greater risk to injury than is necessary. While long distance is necessary, I believe that it is also vital to limit my weekly mileage to under 100 miles per week at the most. In order to adequately prepare while keeping my mileage relatively low, I am employing techniques common in the Crossfit Endurance world: using shorter, more intense workouts to prepare the body for endurance. I typically do two longer runs per week accompanied by 3 to 4 shorter, higher heart rate workouts. These higher intensity workouts range from half-mile hill repeats to 5-10 miles at a much faster pace than normal. In addition to these running workouts, I am doing significant cross training, including Crossfit Strength and Conditioning workouts, Isometric exercises, and bicycle workouts. I am confident that this plan will prepare me, both physically and mentally to successfully complete the Hunger 500.

Inspiration All Around

When I attended the Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit this past February at Auburn University I was inspired to say the least.  The work of the individuals and organizations highlighted at the summit was incredibly motivating.  Before that, the so-called fight against world hunger had never been tangible.  I had seen the devastating effects that hunger and poverty can have, but I have never seen so many doing so much to affect change.  The fire was alive in everyone that I met at the summit, each with their own perspective on how to gain ground in the fight.  Particularly impressive was the work of the team from the University of Guelph.  Where you say? So did I, but I soon learned that the University of Guelph is a hotbed of action and inspiration located just southwest of Toronto in Ontario, Canada.  The reach of their effort is tremendous, yet they do some of their best work in their own backyard.  So when it was announced that the 2011 UFWH Summit would be at the University of Guelph I knew I had to do my part, and the Hunger 500 was born.

From its inception, the Hunger 500 was more than a run.  The Hunger 500 is a chance to increase awareness of UFWH, the 6th Annual UWFH Summit at the University of Guelph, and the global fight against hunger. Additionally, the Hunger 500 aims to raise $100,000 towards the efforts of the World Food Programme, a leader in providing support to the world's hungry and impoverished.  

The process of planning the Hunger 500 has been eye-opening, and I owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to those who have so generously given of their time and effort.  However, for the Hunger 500 to be successful this generosity must continue to grow.  So I ask you to do what you can, whether it be sponsoring the project, making a donation or simply spreading the word throughout your circle.