This is what I figure

The guys that can run 5,000 meters in around 13:00 and the guys that can run under 28:00 for the 10,000 meters can probably run a mile all out in around 4:00 or under.  So I figure in order to get to that level I need to get my mile time down to 4:00 or better, which obviously fits in the category of a very ambitious, possibly unrealistic, but-I'm-gonna-go-for-it-anyways type goal.

I also figure that in order to run 4:00 for the mile I need to be able to run a 1:55 for 800 meters and in order to do that I need to run a 51-52 for 400 meters and in order to that I need to run a 24-25 for 200 meters and in order to do that I have to run 12 seconds or better, preferably better, for 100 meters.  I'm confident that I can hit the 5,000/10,000 meter times if I get my speed up because my endurance and VO2 max is good.  So here is the goal breadown:

1. 12 seconds or better for 100 meters
2. 24-25 seconds or better for 200 meters
3. 51-52 seconds for the 400 meters
4. 1:55-1:56 for 800 meters
5. 4:00 or better for 1600 meters
6. Start working on the B and A qualifying standards for the 5,000 m and 10,000 m

I've been working on the 100 meters for about 3 weeks and probably tomorrow I'll post on how that's been going.  All I have to say for now is that it's been going well.

Confessions by Caleb

It has definitely been a while. I almost forgot how to use blogger because it’s been so long. I’m not going to lie, I’ll be totally honest and frank. The original purpose of my blog was to make money so I could run full time thus accomplishing my running dreams of being able to make a living from running, going to the Olympics, winning a Gold medal and changing the world in a very good and positive way.

Things have changed. Stay tuned for further explanations, insights and information. This first post of my return I hope to be a step in the direction of coming back. I no longer write to have my blog make money so I can do what I thought I wanted to do with my life, but rather I write because maybe something in my words, thoughts, experiences will help someone, inspire someone, or bless someone. Who knows, but here I am.

I couple weeks ago I got a message from a good friend Matt. He sent me a message on Facebook wanting to know my mailing address. He said he had been thinking lately and had written a letter. I happily gave it to him, but deep down I thought he was going to say something about how he used to hate me, but then we became friends or something. Well I could not have been more wrong.

Matt told me that my blog inspired him. My outrageous goals were something that connected with him and he missed my posts. That letter made me feel so good. That letter inspired me and brought me out of my blog aversion I had been experiencing for a while.

I am grateful to Matt and to all of you. My goal with this blog is to truly inspire people. I really don’t know what’s going to happen. Currently I’m running three times a week with my next-door neighbor who has become one of my best friends. I am studying to take the LSAT this year and go to law school next year. I work full time at a law firm in Provo. Something deep down inside says to be patient and I think that is hard for me, but I’m being taught and I’d like to think I’m learning.

The posts that will appear in the next few weeks will tell you about last year. These are some of the titles I have come up with:
o Unemployment
o Employment
o Lessons learned in the furnace
o Obsession and a change of direction
o Goal adjustment
o Mold and all of his friends
o A running overload
o Job #2: Divine Inspiration
o Branca and my battle
o The current plan

I will no longer be promoting my blog on Facebook or Twitter like I was before. Just pure posting and whoever wants to can read it and whoever doesn’t, doesn’t have to.

Feel free to comment. Or feel free not to.

This is Fearless

I don't have to be perfect

Life has been rough lately, I'm not gonna lie. I know that for other people life is harder. Life in Africa is much harder and I need to be grateful for my life now. I am. I haven't written in a while and that's gonna change. I'm overcoming some health issues and disappointments.

I thought about saving the "I am grateful" post for tomorrow, but I'd rather do it now and do something different tomorrow.

I am grateful for God.
I am grateful for Jesus.
I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
I am grateful for my wonderful and beautiful wife who makes life worth living.
I am grateful for my handsome baby boy.
I am grateful for electricity.
I am grateful for the internet.
I am grateful for wisdom.
I am grateful for learning.
I am grateful for school.
I am grateful for BYU.
I am grateful for apples.
I am grateful for exercise.
I am grateful for people.
I am grateful for mountains.
I am grateful for Utah (even though I want to move out of Utah when the time is right.)
I am grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
I am grateful for the Bible, especially for Job right now.
I am grateful for the Book of Mormon. That book is true and I love every page.
I am grateful for hope.
I am grateful for change.
I am grateful for repentance.
I am grateful for copy and paste options on computers; it makes things much better.
I am grateful for Thanksgiving
I am grateful for revolutionaries and government.
I am grateful for holidays.
I am grateful for refrigerators.
I am grateful for a modern-day prophet on the earth today: Thomas S. Monson.
I am grateful for satellites.
I am grateful for bicycles.
I am grateful for my Flip camera.
I am grateful for iMovie.
I am grateful for my parents.
I am grateful for space.
I am grateful for the sun.
I am grateful for running water.
I am grateful for hot water.
I am grateful for gas, like gas that makes it possible to heat the house and water.
I am grateful for everyone, even people who are mean; I love you.
I am grateful for challenges.
I am grateful for maple teething biscuits that keep my son happy for extended periods of time.

The end.

Barefoot Half-Marathon tomorrow! Easy yesterday.

This will be short. I'm studying for the LSAT to take it next year on top of everything else--You may be wondering why am I doing a half-marathon tomorrow then, well 1. I love to run and 2. I feel an obligation to keep my body healthy.

Yesterday I went easy testing out a GPS watch I'm borrowing from Tristan, my new best friend, jk but we are friends...I don't know if we've hit "best" yet, that's a big step. So the watch works great and it's what I'm be using tomorrow. I did a loop I had mapped in my car. The car said it was about 1.1 miles and I had 1 mile exactly on the watch so it should be right on the money.

I ran for about 30 minutes yesterday and it felt good. I don't know how the half-marathon will go tomorrow. We'll see, but I think it'll be cool and I think you'll enjoy watching the video I take.

Run fearless forever and ever.

Barefoot Running: Is it safe?

I think so. Today I ran for 1 hour and 23 minutes. Next week I will run a half-marathon barefoot. I think it's like do anything hard and challenging--It's going to be painful when your first doing it and then it will get easier.

I'm not going to lie. Today I went up into a neighborhood without any sidewalks, forcing me to run on the asphalt which was old so it hurt. No blisters, just sensitive and sore feet.

I made two mistakes today and both a regret and one I'm embarrassed to share, but I'll share it anyways:

1. I ate a hefty hot-dog for lunch and it came back to bite me when I was running. I didn't feel good and the run wasn't as enjoyable as it could have been.
2. As I was running on the sidewalk 3 kids on bikes came from behind on the opposite side of the road. One yelled, "Put some shoes on!" Well, I regret to say I chose to be a little ticked by this and I turned around and yelled, "Why? Why?" The kid questioned back, "Why?" because he obviously didn't have an answer. I continued to attack him with my words, "Why should I? Tell me why? Don't you have an answer?" And they just rode off.

If I could go back I would have done things differently. I would have responded in a funny way instead of a mean way. I would have tried to respond more in a way that I could be friends with that kid instead of enemies. He probably hates me because I made him look dumb. If you're out there kid, I'm sorry.

Run fearless.

8 Miles (1 hour 10 minutes) Barefoot on Cement and Asphalt

Yesterday I ran 3.4 miles from my house to the end of Timpview Drive, then 3.4 miles back where I dropped the baby off at home and finished up with a 1.1 mile loop. So I kind of lied in the title when I said 8 miles because technically it was 7.9, but at least I confessed and it's out there in the open.

As far as my feet went it was wonderful. Not bad throughout the run and not bad afterward either. I was pleasantly surprised at how GOOD it felt.

I did however get sore from the run itself--in my legs; calves, groin etc. But it was cool.

It rained lightly and I started worrying that my son would get wet and sick etc. but it was just a light couple drops, quite pleasant actually. Tomorrow I'm going 1 hour 20 minutes. At least that's the plan and that's how I run fearless...at this point in my life.

My First Huarache Adventure

Okay, so my posts are a day later than the actual day. All this happened yesterday, Monday, and I'll tell you about today tomorrow! This one goes out to you Mr. Stock!

The sandals that I'm wearing are made out of two things: rubber and rope. After my barefoot half-marathon (Thursday of next week, at least that's the plan) I'll start running in those bad boys. I'll also experiment with other styles.

My buddy Brant, who lives in Portland, made them for me and then mailed them to me. Thank you!!!

This is how I will be running fearless in the near future. Run it and run fearless!

Running Barefoot on Cement and Asphalt: 60 minutes with Tristan

There was a pretty big article in the paper today about barefoot running. Pretty cool. I think it was in the Daily Herald. Saturday my goal was to run 60 minutes barefoot on cement and asphalt. I did it.

For those of you who haven’t been reading my previous posts this is why I’m doing this. About a year and four months ago ish, there was a book that came out, Born to Run, that challenged traditional shoe-wearing running. I was given this book by a friend and started running barefoot at parks and on grass. I got a lot of remarks that I was crazy or that it was all good unless I wanted to run on cement and asphalt; if I wanted to do that then it would be impossible.

I distinctly remember a comment on Facebook where a friend of a friend wrote that he “highly doubted anyone could do high-mileage barefoot on the hard stuff”. So this year, about a month ago, when running wasn’t going how I had planned I decided that since I didn’t have anything to lose I would test that out.

Just like new runners have to build up to long distances when they first start running, that’s how it is with barefoot running and this was kind of the approach I used. I started running 3 times a week. Day 1 was 5 minutes, Day 2 10, Day 3 15 and so on until this past Saturday I did 60 minutes barefoot around town here in Provo, UT with a buddy named Tristan. (If you know Provo from the Creamery on 9th, down to Center Street, over to 500 West, up to Bulldog, over to Canyon, over to University Parkway, up that to 9th, back down and a little extra at Kiwanis Park) Thank you Tristan for running with me. I’ve definitely had blood blisters, regular-type blisters, sore feet etc. but I love it! It feels liberating and enjoyable. I’m not running as fast as I would normallly run, but that’s okay with me. I'm taking it nice and easy, sometimes hard when I get ambitious.

I'm planning on running a half-marathon down the Provo River Trail. You can join me and you don't have to run barefoot. Does anyone have a GPS watch I can borrow? That's how I'm running fearless nowadays: Using body as an experiment for science. Run fearless!

Tribute to Thousand Paper Cranes

Some of you know that I was in a band called Thousand Paper Cranes and this video is a song called September Snow. Here's to you Brant, and Joe, and Zac, and Aaron and Michael. We got Jo P-Witty, Big Daddy Cheetah, G-Mac (A-Tron) and Dr. B and the Synapse.

Today I took a break from running barefoot. I did some 400 meter repeats on grass. I will probably do a long barefoot run Saturday before, between or after General Conference sessions.

The fact that I was in a band is something that helped me to run fearless.

Baby while Barefoot with a Blood Blister

Okay, so this will be fast because there are tons of other things to do, but this blog is worthwhile so here goes...

Amy had a ton of homework to do and I really wanted to go running so we made a compromise. Our wonderful and incredible landlords, who live right above us, have a good jogging stroller so I asked if I could borrow it. They said that would be just fine and I did. So I ran barefoot pushing my 8-month old baby boy.

Well I was only going to go 40 minutes, but then when I looped around I calculated the distance and estimated the time it would take and I was way off. I underestimated the time it would take and went further to compensate. I ended up running for 47 minutes flat. The run was great, do-able, enjoyable except for the blood blister.

My left foot started burning, but I was semi-far from home and there was nothing I could do about it so I tried my best to ignore it. By the time I got home it was a pretty good sized blood blister as you can see in that picture above.

Fun little side-note: I had brought water and I stopped a few times to drink. I knew my son would be thirsty and so I gave him water and he loved it, and smiled, and did his hard, elevated breathing that means he's enjoying something. During the run though he was very still, motion-less and very observant. It was a wonderful workout and it helped me run fearless.

35 minutes barefoot (accidentally) and The Barefoot Half-Marathon

I woke up early for a conference call. Changed a wet diaper, then a poopy one and got the little guy down for his morning nap all while my wife slept and recovered from the rough night she had with a sick baby. We don't really plan it out, but many times I'm the back-up in the morning while she recovers.

With both of them asleep I decided it was a good time to go running and I set off in my black Nike shorts and my short-sleeved gray t-shirt. I had taped my big toe on my left foot and the second toe on my right foot. I put on extra tape just so the chances of burning through the first layer were slimmer. (I don't know if you can use "slim" like that, but I did.)

I wanted/had planned on running just 30 minutes, but ended up running 35 minutes. It felt okay. I can feel my feet getting tired and sore. My mother-in-law asked if I wanted my feet to become callused and tough. I told her I did. I think being a long-distance runner, which I see myself being for a long time, and having tough, callused feet is a good thing.

Okay, so here's the latest news: I'm going to run a half-marathon barefoot. At least that's the plan I've created in my head and a little on paper. I was thinking about running the Halloween Half-Marathon, but it's $50 and the only reason I want to run it is to say I've run a half-marathon barefoot. SO I decided to make my own race. I'll get a buddy to bike behind me (and anyone else who wants to come) with a video camera and tape. I'll borrow someone's GPS watch (hopefully), start up in the canyon, come down the Provo River Trail ALL TOTALLY barefoot. I'm excited, stay tuned and run fearless.

Crazy stares and a 2:13 800 meter run barefoot

Yesterday I went on my first real adventure barefoot. I'm sure I could call some of my other barefoot ventures adventures, but in my opinion yesterday was my first. That's because I actually went somewhere.

I left my house and started running West. I ran kind of through BYU campus on the sidewalks and through the cross-walks. One guy on the back of a scooter gave me a funny stare so I stared right back at him. That startled him so much that he caused the driver to crash. Yeah, it was bad. Except it didn't actually happen, but that was a funny/sick thought I just had. But the guy staring and me staring back part did happen.

I was waiting at a stop-light and I heard this girl say, "Whatever floats your boat." I knew she was talking about me to her friend who was driving, so I turned and yelled, "Thank you!" But they didn't hear me.

Then I arrived at the track, did a one-lap warm-up, got some water and started my 800 meter time-trial. I've decided that I'm going to train barefoot and race barefoot (if possible). So my first 400 was a 1:08.74 and the second 400 was a 1:04.54 equaling 2:13.28. It felt hard and good. If I could only do two 800s like that back-to-back that would be sweet. Total barefoot running time: 27 minutes 25 seconds barefoot.

As I ran fast I could feel old-blisters opening and the friction of skin-to-track burning the skin on the toes that grip the track the most. That's why I have athletic tape on the two toes in the picture. Besides that I'm feeling really good about it all. Run fearless.

BMX kids and 21 minutes barefoot on the hard stuff

Tuesday I went running. I did a nice loop along the asphalt trail along University Ave. up 1140 along Canyon by the stadium and then back to the Smith Fieldhouse at BYU. My total time barefoot totalled 21 minutes 36 seconds because I ran into some of the guys on the BYU team as they were coming back from their run.

Nate Ogden, one of the captains of the team, along with another runner caught up to me when I was waiting at the light at Canyon Road and Univerity Parkway; right by the stadium. They approached, recognized me and said hi. Then Nate looked down and said, "Barefoot huh?"
"Yep."
"On cement, that's brave."
"Just experimenting with some things."
And that was the end of our brief conversation. I decided to try and hang with them for the last 5 minutes of the run. They were doing an easy run so it wasn't too bad. I did have to stop at some bushes where I had hid my shoes and I was still able to catch up.

Funny side-note: About 4 guys around 17-18 years old, were getting a ticket from a cop for using the stairs and hand-rail at the track stadium for BMX bike purposes. They had used one of my shoes to prop the gate open. While the cop was writing them up I told the others who were sitting down, "I'm going to take this," as I removed my shoe.
"Go ahead," one said. Then I found my other shoe and started to walk off. "Oh were those yours?" the same guy asked.
"Yep."
"Oh sorry about that."
"I'll forgive you this time, but next time..." and I ran off, caught up the BYU guys and finished my run.

Frankly, or as Brant would say "frank", I am really liking just running barefoot anywhere I want. It's kind of liberating and freeing. Who knows what will happen when the snow comes. We'll deal with that obstacle when it comes. Run fearless.

My first speeding ticket and a 5:01 mile barefoot on the track

This past weekend has been more exciting than most weekends. To start it off my little brother got his mission call (or in other words he received, via mail, his assignment for the next two years of his life) and told us that he would be opening it later in the evening. After I got off the phone with him I turned to Amy and said, "Do you think we could make it if we left right now?" We quickly weighed out the pros and cons and within 20-ish minutes we were out the door. We surprised everyone and it was a pleasant and fun weekend. My brother is going to Daejeon, South Korea.

To add to the excitement I got my first speeding ticket. I was between Malad and Pocatello going about 84 in a 75. Yep, he saw me and pulled me over. I thought about releasing the NOS and out-running the guy, but then I remembered that I didn't have any NOS so that wouldn't help me. My first ticket ever. I'm okay, I'm okay.

Saturday was great. My dad asked me if I wanted to go running with him. My goal for Saturday was to run barefoot on cement and asphalt for 15 minutes. That was the plan, to run at this park where my dad could run barefoot on the grass and I could run beside him on the asphalt trail and then I could switch over onto grass when I had run 15 minutes. That's what he had told me earlier in the day at least...

As we were driving he said that what he really wanted to do was a workout on the track: 1 x 1600 m on 8 minutes, 2 x 800 m on 4 minutes each and 4 x 400 m on 2 minutes each--And he wanted to do it barefoot. I didn't know exactly how it would go because of how I've been feeling, but I decided to take it out easy but strong and see how I felt.

My first 400 was a 1:19. I was thinking, "Great! Right on pace for a 5:20, that would be cool. I'd be okay with that." The next 400 was a 1:17 and that's when I started thinking a little more ambitiously. That's also when it started hurting, in a good way. The next 400 I kept solid and did it in 1:16 and as I started the last 400 I gave it all I had finishing in 5:01. My feet were raw, tender and in a bit of pain, but not only had I exceeded my expectations but I really enjoyed it. As I did the rest of the workout I realized that I really do enjoy running and I think a lot of it has to do with running barefoot.

This is the second time I have been significantly frustrated about running and the second time that barefoot running has swooped in and saved my life. This is just my belief, but I think that Lord has helped me both times. I do believe in coincidence, but I also believe very firmly in divine intervention and that happened on Saturday.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: Running barefoot helps me run fearless.

10 Minutes Barefoot on Cement and Asphalt

Today I went running wearing the attire you see in that HOT picture above. I got that shirt from a high school buddy named Chris. I miss Chris.

Today I witnessed a sweet 4-mile time-trial which was kind of the last opportunity for the walk-ons to make an impression on Coach Eyestone. I loved it. It was the same course I used for The Barefoot Race a month ago. I was watching this time which was different than normal. Most races I go to so I can race in them, not necessarily to be a spectator.

After practice I ran for 10 minutes. About 40% was cement and 60% was asphalt. The coolest part was that I ran up 900 East and there was a good amount of traffic. Cars passed me, but then I caught them as they had to slow down for the light. I just picked it up running fast on the sidewalk. I just imagined what it would be like to be looking out the car at this 25 year-old, skinny, 5' 11" guy in short-shorts and a magenta shirt just bookin' it barefoot up ninth--Cool, that's what I would think.

Don't trash it 'til you try it! That's my run fearless motto, unless your talking about drugs and stuff like that. Alright, run fearless.

How to Run Barefoot on Cement and Asphalt, by Caleb

Okay, so I'm back and embarrassed because my running life lately has been rough, but I'm going to pro-act to that and I'm on to the next series of my life.

BTW my internship with the BYU Cross Country team is going great. I felt a little left-out at first because no one really knew me, or understood my humor... but I feel like I'm becoming friends with Coach Eyestone and the athletes and it's great.

Okay, so here's my latest experiment. I think that running barefoot is the best. I also am not naive enough to think that the whole world agrees that we should run barefoot. Right now is the perfect time to experiment so here goes...

A year ago I started running barefoot at parks and it was quite successful to say the least. Seeing as how I really have absolutely nothing to lose I'm going to take my experiment to the roads and run barefoot on cement and asphalt. I know, I know! Some of you will say that I'm stupid or crazy or a bad word, but that doesn't really bother me frankly because it's my life, it's now or never, I aint gonna live forever. Alright, threw a little Bon Jovi in there, sorry.

So yesterday I ran for 5 minutes on both cement and asphalt. About 80% cement and 20% asphalt I would say. Tomorrow will be 10 minutes. Saturday will be 15. We'll see how it goes. This is how I'm running fearless.

I'm not Peter Pan, so I'm leaving Neverland

I think it's time to grow up. For the past 7 years I have thought I would make the BYU Cross Country and Track teams. Today I ran a race and did horrible. I think it's time to re-evaluate.

I have felt VERY strongly that running is something God not only has led me to do but something that He wants me to do. I say that with confidence and zero blasphemy. If my feelings are right then some day some thing will happen and I just have to be ready. God has never told me when would be the time so it means I need to be ready always. There are a TON of applications for that principle, but I'll spare you for now.

My mission president in Argentina told me the following about finding a wife: "She will come. Surely she will come. You don't know when, but she will come. Your job is to always be ready so that when she does come you will be ready. Be obedient, keep the commandments and stay worthy and some day she will come and you will be ready too." Well, about two years ago I was sitting in a car with my girlfriend and we started talking about marriage. 3-ish months later we were married in Manti, UT. I was ready, so was she and we were married.

If running is right it will happen. I may not be Peter Pan, but I could be a Vince Papale, Jimmy Morris or Dara Torres of sorts where later in life I just get faster and faster.

Who knows, I don't, but what I do know is that for now a tired warrior is going to take a break and help a little more around the house. I'm going to clean more, get up in the night to take care of the baby and ease the stress from my wife and just rest.

I asked my wife if she thought that if I didn't obsess about running if I would get faster. (Did that make sense?) She said she didn't know, neither do I. I'd like to think that it will. We'll definitely see because that's what I'm going to do. For a while that's how I'll run fearless. That's how I'll be fearless. Yep, and that's how I'll live fearless.

Practice Persistence

"Most people give up just when they're about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot from a winning touchdown." -H. Ross Perot

Some of you may be like, "Perot?! Didn't he run for president or something?!" Yep and I think some people I'm related to voted for him, you know who you are. Perot was (maybe still is) a billionaire who mailed thousands and thousands of packages to American soldiers during the Vietnam war after exhausting all options and finally flying to Moscow where he was able to mail them.

I've been ready to give up on the BYU Cross Country team. Meaning that I've been ready several times to throw in the towel and not try out. I'm still doing the internship portion, but I'm tired, I feel slow, I don't feel like my hard work and long mileage has really helped and I can keep complaining, but I am stopping myself right now.

All I can say is that I'm tired and hurting, but if the above quote is true (for me) then giving up right now would be like being 100 meters or yards (or whatever measuring system you like) away from the summit of the mountain and then turning around and going back down or like running 25 miles of the marathon, pulling out and saying, "I can't do it. I hurt too much."

Now, don't get me wrong or misinterpret what I'm saying. If my leg was broken then you wouldn't see me out this Saturday at the Autumn Classic. If I had gotten a concussion yesterday then I wouldn't be there. If I had been in a freak ninja fight and had a part of my body sliced open AND deep then I wouldn't show up. But seeing as how none of those things are the case and I'm feeling okay, I'm going to do it and we'll see how it goes. I hope well.

Never, Never, Never give up. I think this is true unless you feel strongly that you should change the direction your life is heading. That's how I run fearless.

Come to the Autumn Classic this Saturday and watch some of the best high school and college runners. $5 to get in at the BYU Track stadium in the morning. Run fearless everyone!

World Record Broken! 800 meters David Rudisha

This is gonna be short and sweet!

David Rudisha is from Kenya and he's smokin' fast! He currently has the 800 meter World Record.

For about 13 years the World Record of 1:41.11 was held by Wilson Kipketer.

2 Sundays ago it was broken for the first time by David Rudisha in a time of 1:41.09.

This last Sunday it was broken again by Rudisha in a time of 1:41.01.

It's about time and that's running fearless!