This is what 20 lbs looks like

REI 60 Pak, full 100oz Camelbak, bike chain and lock, two 2lb ankle weights, towel, bike pump, 30 ft extension cord, jump rope, spare bike tubes, two golf balls, wallet, phone, keys, masterlock, body glide, and spare gloves.

And if you're looking for a nice little workout, try a "brick". It's essentially a bike workout followed immediately by a running workout. Most people will do 3-5 miles on a bike and 1-2 miles on a run for starters (repeating as able). Though no real bricks are involved [yet], I decided to head out Easter Sunday carrying all this shit on my back. Did about 17 miles on the bike, hopped off and ran 8 miles.

Total time was about 2hrs and 30mins, but the workout felt much longer. While it didn't quite match up to the 50 mile race I completed a month ago, it was a much faster pace, and a much harder (read: concrete) path to travel. With the weight, my knees were really feeling it. Fortunately, I was able to get right into a cold bath immediately following my workout to try and eliminate most of the aches I'd feel today.

Why am I running around with 20 pounds of unnecessary crap on my back? Good question. With all the training for the 50 mile Moab race I was actually preparing for a much shorter, but much more ridiculous endurance event. [*Note: Scott and I finished the AXS Race in just under 8 hours: (Team Bangorang! in the 2 Open division), despite some initial mechanical troubles on the first mountain bike section and some nasty cramping from Scott on the run].

The event I've signed up for is less than a month away and things are really taking a turn for the ridiculous. So far in preparation for this, I've done a number of workouts that have sidelined me for a day if not more with lactic acid buildup that would put a donkey on it's ass. I've done a 5 mile run that included a section of lunges for 2/3 mile straight. I've run repeats of all 288 of the Lyon Street steps more times than I'd like to recall (yeah, I counted). I've run with 20 lbs on my back for 4 miles, stopped at home to drench myself with a hose and run another 4 miles cold and soaked. I've run a 13.5 mile loop with a lightened load of about 12lbs on my back. And most recently, the "brick" described above. And things are only going to get crazier.

The event I've signed up for (with Scott again) is The GORUCK Challenge. Something I found through the Tough Mudder site (though they are no longer affiliated), and something I've been pretty pumped about doing since I signed up back in February. A better understanding can come from the description of the inaugural class which took place in San Francisco back in September of last year - though it looks like the Challenge has only taken on more insane parameters since its inception as the captions indicate it was 11 miles, not the 18-20 referenced in the flyer previously linked. Oh yeah, also, our challenge STARTS at 6pm and is listed as being anywhere from 8-10 HOURS. Quick math indicates, we'll be finishing at 2am at the earliest. It also means we'll be drenched and exhausted through the worst temperature/wind times in San Francisco - good livin', right?

Anyhow, keep an eye out for updates on what stupid things I'm doing to punish myself in order to get into the best shape possible for this event. I can only imagine what our instructor will get us into, so I'll be trying my best to match wits on some rather dumb things to do to myself. Run down to/full immersion at Ocean Beach at 1am in the morning? Count on it.