Why do I smell so bad?

If you’re a long-distance runner, you’ve probably asked yourself this question. Perhaps you’ve been asked by loved ones; my own darling is uncharacteristically indelicate when it comes to my musk after a long run.

I say long run because I’m not talking about the normal sweaty body smell that I have after 5 miles. I’m talking about the stench that I have after 20 miles in the sun. It’s entirely different from normal sweat. It’s like I’ve been bathing in vodka, like my sweat will kill bacteria and remove stubborn grass stains.

I never thought much of it. This is what my body does when it’s been pushed to the limit. It wasn’t until I came across this article on Kevin Sayer’s site that I found out that this is an indicator of something unusual.

When we go on long (long, long) runs, we deplete the glycogen stores in our livers. Dehydration, excessive strain, and low carb intake speed up this process. Eventually the body no longer can rely on carbohydrates for energy, so it turns to the fat we’ve built up. This state is called ketosis. Ketones are produced as a waste product of fat-burning, and this acid starts to pollute your blood. It’s not dangerous (see here) until the ketone levels get too high, when their acidity can damage organs. Even a slightly elevated level of ketone, however, can cause muscle damage (Eades). It’s one of the reasons why elite runners tend to be disgustingly skinny.

Exhibit A: Paul Amey, kickass triathlete

If there’s a lesson in this, it’s to eat your GU– and please, never run long mileage on a low-carb diet. Americans have developed the idea that carbohydrates are bad and fat must be lost. But runners particularly need slow-burning carbs, and plenty of them, if they want to recover quickly and minimize muscle loss.

And not stink. That too.

There are several questions that come up when someone hears that you’ve run an ultra marathon. Perhaps the most common one (after “are you nuts?”) is about motivation. How exactly does an ultrarunner get in the zone before such a long race?

This question usually bring me back to the day before the Lone Ranger Ultra, sitting in the movies and waiting for Toy Story 3 to start. A preview came on for Legend of The Guardians : The Owls of Ga Hoole. It’s a kid’s movie about owls. I’m not sure who decided that owls would be fitting protagonists for a Lord of the Rings rehash, but that’s not the point. The point is, this movie looks epic; take a moment to watch if you don’t believe me:

The song they used, Kings and Queens, gives me goosebumps every time I hear the ending, when the instrumentals fade and the chorus kicks in. Hearing it in the theater, with the giant 3D owl in flight before me, I wished that I could do something epic.

It took about a minute to realize that, in 24 hours, I would begin a 50-mile run.

So the next morning, when it came time to psych myself up, I turned to music. I don’t usually use music to prepare for a race; I run better given time alone in my head. But this song connected my upcoming race to the adventure I craved. This would be my chance to do something awesome. With that in mind, how could I wuss out?

After that I found this. I’m kind of a sucker for sappy stuff; it made me well up. The clip of Derek Redmond hit especially close to home. With this video looped in the background, I read articles on past greats– not Pre or Bolt but rather Terry Fox and Cliff Young. Inspirational figures who put my 50 miles into perspective. A heady dose of techno topped off the emotional overload.

And so it came to be that, as my brother drove me to the race (thanks again, Chris), I was already emotionally drained. But my spirit rose all the higher for it, unfettered by tangled emotion. My mind was sharp and my body energized. It was a new way to prepare for races. And a good one, I think. It got me through a challenge that was truly epic.

A short while ago, I mentioned a realization I had at some point during the 50-miler. I say “at some point” because the events thereof have merged together in my mind; I can only remember bits and pieces and the overall gist of the experience. Grinding pain takes its toll on the memory. Anyway, at some point during the race, I realized that I am capable of the 100.

Before my first ultra, 50 miles seemed nearly impossible. It was close to twice the longest I had ever run. Now the 100-miler has that honor. It’s twice the longest distance I’ve ever run. It seems nearly impossible.

But during my ultra, I discovered that the 100-mile is within my reach. It will require specialized training, eating, and everything else, but my body is capable of running 100 miles. I don’t plan on doing this next week; in fact, it may be a couple years before I attempt it. But the 50-miler put it into perspective; it shattered the ceiling of my limits, and replaced it with one far higher.

This, in a nutshell, is why I run.

My list of supplies for the ultra:

Grey shorts
Running shorts
Singlet
Fuelbelt
Race number belt

Racing socks
Asics socks

Shoes
Spare Shoes

Bodyglide

Plastic bags (for ice/wet clothes)

Gatorade
Soda (for end of race)

GU
Pretzels
White bagels
Cookies
Apple Sauce
Crackers

Nuskin
Band-aids
Needle
Towel
Clear first-aid tape
Tums (or a substitute… haven’t bought any yet) Share on Facebook