Perhaps the question that runners and specifically ultrarunners are most frequently asked is, why do you do it, why do you run those crazy a** long distances, or something to that effect. In a future posting I plan to share some insight to the why question as it applies to my own running; today I'm think more about the how question - how do you keep at it? How do you get started when the will is weak and the mental/emotional/spiritual gas tank reads empty?

I find that winter is the hardest time to train. Here in western PA the sun almost completely disappears in October and goes into hiding until April. The daytime sky is a leaden grey hanging heavily, oppressively over the deep snow. Trees now bare stretch their skeletal arms in supplication, longing with the passerby for the return of light and warmth. It's challenging to stay motivated. Today, as I wear and orthopedic shoe and support myself with crutches, it's even harder to take action when the couch and the television promise immediate, albeit short lived, pleasure. So what do I do? What helps to keep me moving forward when Mohican is just shy of five months off and seems as remote as the moon on this day when the temperature peaked at 22 and a foot of snow blankets the lawn? I set intermediate goals, count on others to ask how my training is going (to which I want to have a positive reply), and plan to run tune-up events between now and June that provide a greater sense of immediacy.

In my current condition, as I swing around on crutches with a pin projecting from the side of my foot my routine has consisted of light work with weights, pull-ups, ab exercises and riding a bike that rests on a wind trainer. Four days remain until the moment of truth when the pin comes out and I begin to learn to run.