Running is for Fools!!

"Born to Run my ###! Running is for fools!" That's what I have always said and always truly have believed. My name is Brigham Iraheta, and this is quite the fun experiment. I hope you enjoy it and that you can find something helpful to you - even if it's just forgetting about work for a bit, because you're probably reading this instead of doing your job. I won't tell.

"Why? Why? What's so fun about running, going from point A to B? At best that's like being a more mobile, faster zombie - which would be catastrophic, actually." No way! If there's not a basketball, football, soccer ball or even volley ball to go after, don't even bother trying to get me involved. I need an opponent across the way to put to shame - or accuse of cheating if I lose - otherwise I'm not going to mess with it.

That was me 2 months ago.

Then again, back then I also looked like this.

Look, I know it's nothing impressive, alright! Amusing at best.

But I have always wanted to take care of my body, I am 32 now and looking good is not as easy as it used to. That was killing me!! I was willing to try almost anything - except for running, you guessed it. So I'd hit the gym at work whenever I could.

About 2 month ago, someone introduced me to the Tough Mudder Race, a 10mile obstacle course designed by former British Special Forces. A beast  of a race. 20+ hardcore obstacles, including 25ft tall jump-offs and a pass through 10,000 volts charged strings. Yes. One BEAST of a course but somehow it interested me."I'm gonna do it" the masochistic, suicidal thought stroke my mind. I still don't know why. I think it's the desire to do something very few have done, I'm always looking to separate myself from the crowd and this seemed like one good way to do it.

If you do enough special things throughout your life, hard things that push your limits, pretty soon you should find yourself being pretty special, right? As of this moment, I have roughly over 4 months to get ready for it.

Of course if I can't last even 2 miles, I really shouldn't worry about any obstacles. So I decided to look into running, because it is a very necessary super evil in this race. I still can't believe I'm doing this, it's like an integrity issue, you know? I - don't - run!!!

About 1 and 1/2 month ago, I downloaded the book "Born to Run" (you can buy it at amazon or download the kindle version here), because I thought it'd be a good way to introduce me to my loathed new acquaintance. By the way, Born to Run is an awesome book, I hope the guy sells millions copies and makes enough money to retire and travel (or run) the world. I was going to Ecuador for week due to work purposes and I thought I'd use some of the long flight there to start the book. Once I was there, at night, I had the time to dive into the book and really get into it. I couldn't stop. I simply could not stop.

It is an intriguing, keep-you-on-the-edge story that peaks your curiosity and drives you crazy, "what's next? what's next?" Then there's the unbelievably air-tight made argument put forth by Christopher McDougall about man really being physiologically made for running (whether we do it or not is besides the point). I have always believed that if the human body is made for any one thing, then we all should be able to do it. --What better subject to put this to the test than the life long sworn enemy of this mind numbing infatuation called: running. 

As I have crossed the 30s I have noticed my manhood... I mean... my athleticism, ahem, take a hit. I have always prided myself for being super quick and being able to do any sport at a skill level of at least average - not graceful but above mediocre. Running, however, was something I never cared to even be mediocre at. That being said, listening to Christopher McDougall talk about 50+ year old men, running hundreds of miles and beating much younger runners lit a small flame in me. Yes, it definitely stroke a good chord with me from the beginning.


"What if?" I said to myself. What if... this was my way of getting back what I have lost? (athletically speaking). I definitely am not as fast on the basketball court as I used to, and playing with teenagers is like watching fast-forwarding a video at 5x speed. Just not right. Never thought I'd be that guy. So, "what if?"

The further I got into the book, the harder the prick on my side became. The science backing. The nutrition talk. The diet concepts. The mystical but obviously time tested foods of the Tarahumara, naturally energizing and endurance supporters - iskiate and pinole. Now at this point, I just can't help anymore: "WHAT IF?? WHAT IF???? Just maybe... I can do this too. I gotta give this a try! I gotta!!"