Heart and Sole of Champions ~ or, hey you can't do that!

I normally only write about "My" experiences with running. This stems from criticism and arguments I used to have with others about my "opinions" on running. So I started this blog about "my experiences." That said, I want to write about my good friend David Johnston and my lovely wife Shawn McTaggart. Dave has a heart of a champion and I understand how he thinks. No not because I have his huge heart but because I am married to a woman who does. They are kindred spirits for sure. Both train hard (though differently) and both do things others think should not be possible and those people advise ... should NOT be attempted. They also share some common BAD habits ... well bad in some people's minds. I won't discuss those; That’s not the point. I mention it only to show another commonality. They are both good people and fun to be around.

Neither has the latest and greatest gear. Running is not about what you are wearing, it's about dedication to training, heart and yes it's true, the gifts God has given you. Not only is it not about the gear, both design and make some of their own gear. Nothing fancy - just functional. Examples, Dave wears a mask with a hole cut out instead of a balaclava because it works for him. Shawn uses a sturdy tool belt to pull her sled with a climber's chalk bag (belt loop hand sewn on) to carry snacks and hold mittens or other small items.

While Shawn is not a speedster on the ITI trail (she likes her sleep so loses time there) she is fierce on any race that does not take her into the night. Dave is likewise fierce and you can never count him out. My first experience with Dave was in 2011 when Shawn and I first moved to Alaska. I was working in Juneau and came home to Anchorage to run part of the ResPass 100 with Shawn. We started very late (about 6 or 7 hours) and really weren't sure where we were going. We ended up running from the Hope to Cooper's Landing (50M) portion of the course. About 30 miles in, I was alone walking along a desolate part of the course. I had watched two runners pass and was watching another coming over the horizon. When this guy got to me he stopped to talk and had a huge smile (what I would call a shit eatin' grin). It was of course Dave. He had spent over an hour or so in the aid station at the half way point because of stomach issues. The first words out of his mouth were, "Hey, did you see an old guy and an Indian go by?" ~ a small laugh followed. He of course was talking about Jeff Arndt and Elisio Marquez. "Yeah," I says, "but that was quite some time ago." "OK, see you later." Shawn and I hitched a ride back to the start where we saw Dave drinking a Budweiser (or 3). He had caught both runners and had beaten Jeff, who came in 2nd, by over an hour. "That boy's got heart," I thought, "and good taste in beer," as that was my drug of choice when I drank.
 

When I first met Shawn in 2006 and in the couple of years following (we carpooled to races), I noted that she never really raced. When we trained she was unbelievably strong yet she, in my opinion, underachieved at the races. So when we started dating in 2008, I told her I was going to pace her at our next race - the White River 50M. We ran the entire course two weeks prior to the race, which we are not supposed to do right? In the end, we ran an 8:51 which was a 90 minute PR for her on that course. If interested, you can read my account in this blog post here  -http://tcgotlegs.blogspot.com/2008/07/white-river-2008.html. Since then, she's set PRs and won many races from the marathon to 12 hours events. Last summer, again doing what she "shouldn't" as far as racing, Shawn won the inaugural Kesugi Ridge Ultra, beating Christy Haupert to the surprise of many. The next week she came in 2nd in the Climbathon where she and Brianna Sullivan both broke the previous record completing 11 loops. And one more week later, because she's not supposed to, we traveled to Fairbanks with Dave, Andrea and Mr Miles to run the Equinox 40M Ultra. She had asked me what I thought she could run and I immediately blurted out "6 hours. It's 9 minute pace." Shawn didn't question it but instead wrote out a pace chart that she would refer to while on the course. She came very close to hitting 6 hours and nearly beat the 3rd place male (Ron Koczaja) in the process. She also broke the previous record of 6:32 held by Laura McDonough (an amazingly consistent champion ultra runner). Back to back to back races ... not supposed to do that. Not good for you. So much negativity people! Just go with it.

So when Shawn and I spent a day in Willow we discussed our winter race plans with Dave. Me: "I'm doing Susitna, you?" Dave: "Heck yeah!" Me: "Are you racing it?" I knew the answer when I asked it. Dave: "Of course." Me: "Yeah, Shawn is running it too." Dave: "Awesome!" We're of the mind that we can do things beyond what the expectation of others is. That's how we grow as people; we explore,  we experience, and make adjustments, then move on to big and better things. It's the same with OUR experiences with running. We give it a try, planning for the worst and hoping for the best. We're not cavalier about it ~ we train for it and put thought and planning into what we do. At the race briefing for Susitna I asked Dave, "So, sub-20?" His response, "That's the plan." 18:22 is quite a bit below 20 hours. Don't limit me ~ don't limit us because of your fears.

As Dave was passing Shawn at the beginning of the ITI (I was tagging along for a few miles) Dave pulled up beside me and said, "I'm going for under 4 days Brother!" I said, "Awesome! You can do it." What do you say to something like that? He CAN do it. And even if he doesn't, what’s the point of doing anything but encouraging the man. I embrace it and hope he does it. I'm writing this as Dave is on his way from Nikolai to McGrath ~ a 50 mile jaunt. It's a full 50 miles as I noted on my GPS in last year’s race. He left at 3:40am after spending an hour in Nikolai. He may not get to McGrath by 2pm (the 4 day mark) but he has run the best race he possibly can. My hope is that he gets there quickly. Will that put others' minds at ease? Will they change the mind about whether or not Dave (or Shawn) should have run Susitna only a week before the ITI? I doubt it...but it doesn't matter. I can already hear them saying, as I've been told about my races before, "He could have gone faster if he'd not run Susitna." Yeah, well Dave and Shawn are doing what they want to do and what they love. LET THEM BE... Shawn wasn't supposed to be able to finish the race to Nome but she did last year … solo for the most part, and is the only official woman to have done it on foot (in 2000 Janine Duplesis did it in 41 days – over the 30 day limit). Let’s enjoy the amazing feats their collective feet can accomplish.