Dances with Wolves? Try Running with Bulls!

Running across a pasture in the Flint Hills of Kansas wearing boots and carrying her coffee cup in one hand, Barb Downey is training for the Boston Marathon.

[Above: Barb qualifies for the Boston Marathon by turning in a sub-4:00 time in the Eisenhower Marathon in Abilene, KS.]

It's safe to say that running wind sprints by chasing yearling bulls across a pasture is not the normal way to train for a marathon. But Barb Downey isn't normal...and I mean that as a compliment! Barb ran the Boilermaker 15K Road Race this past July wearing jean shorts, a cowboy hat and spurs on her running shoes. Ask anybody who knows Barb and they'll tell you Barb is one-of-a-kind, unique, different.

I first met Barb shortly after she completed her first marathon two years ago in Olathe, KS, finishing in an impressive 4:25:56 -- a pace of 10:12/mile. But that's not what impressed me the most when I heard about Barb. What impressed me was learning Barb had recently lost 130 lbs. -- half her weight -- by changing her diet and going from walking or jogging a few miles to running a marathon!

When I asked Barb what prompted her to change her lifestyle so drastically, she pointed to reading the South Beach Diet.

"I knew for a number of years I needed to do something," said Barb. "I tried the Oprah diet of protein shakes and lost weight but ended up regaining it all because I didn't learn about eating right. I was eating no fat and no cholesterol and my blood cholesterol never fell below 225.

After reading the South Beach Diet, I knew it would work for me...eating lots of protein, fruits and vegetables. I'll eat steak on a salad, lettuce roll ups, lots of fruits and vegetables. It's psychologically and physiologically satisfying, helps me control weight and build lean muscle mass. Now my cholesterol is below 200, my bad cholesterol is low and my good cholesterol is up."

Barb says maintaining a healthy weight is a constant battle that she wins by eating right and getting exercise...lots of exercise. And its not always easy. No, it's never easy.

"When we head out to AI (artificially inseminate) the cows in the morning I take my running shoes with me and run home. When we need to drop off a tractor I'll do it and run home rather than having someone follow me in the truck. I run at night in the summertime. I run errands into town with a kid trailer on the back of my bike to haul stuff home in."

So how does a Kansas rancher prepare in the weeks leading up to the Boston Marathon?

"We’ve pretty much finished pasture burning and have been fencing. Calve-out heifers are all delivered and one bull remains to go out west May 1. Yearling bulls are off test, scanned and semen checked so they’ll head out to range as soon as the warm season grasses crank up. Then mature cow AI starts and we need to get all the spring calves worked. In the feedlot, the fall calves are all gone and the springs are rolling along nice. Scanned and sorted those and they look really good especially considering the muddy/snowy protracted winter we had.

Off on Saturday for Boston! I work the health & fitness expo on Sunday then Monday’s the race. I should start around 10:30 eastern time & run for about 4 hours so cheer me on sometime around your mid-day. I’ll need all the support I can get."

To follow Barb's race on Monday simply text the word RUNNER to 31901 using your US mobile phone. You will then receive an SMS text response with instructions on how to submit a runner’s bib number (Barb's is 20602).* You can also sign up to receive e-mail or test alerts on the Boston Athletic Association website.

*Message and data rates may apply. You will be opted in to receive four messages during the race. Send STOP to quit. Available on participating carriers AT&T, Alltel, Boost, Nextel, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, and Virgin.)

I'm Baaa-aaack!

After a 10-month break from posting I'm back with a new name and a new sense of purpose for my blog. I hope my friends, family and extended family of beef-lovers across the country will enjoy reading about my adventures (and misadventures) as I train for cycling, running and triathlon events and travel the country promoting the role of BEEF in a healthy diet.

First, let's catch up. How have you been? Well, you look great. You've obviously been taking care of yourself, getting some exercise and eating a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low and non-fat dairy products and, of course, lean BEEF! Good for you!

Me? Well, I've been traveling a lot. Since last June I've been to 22 states across this beautiful country meeting with farmers and ranchers who raise great-tasting, whole and nutritious BEEF. I love my job!

Following Ride the Rockies in June 2009 I traveled to Utica, NY in July to run the Boilermaker 15K with 100+ beef-loving athletes from across the country wearing our Team ZIP running jerseys to demonstrate the power of protein and other nutrients like zinc, iron and B vitamins found in beef.

In August I crossed a big-time goal off my "bucket list" riding to the top of the highest paved road in North America -- The Mt. Evans Highway -- from a starting elevation of 7,524 ft. in Idaho Springs, CO, to 14,258 ft. above sea level at the summit. Actually, I had to hike with my bike the last 100 ft. to the true summit to snap this picture. I don't advise doing this in cycling shoes but it had to be done!

Just yesterday I ran the GO! St. Louis Half Marathon with 220 other beef-loving athletes, turning in a new personal record time of 1:50:36 (8:22/mile). I was thrilled with the time, especially considering I hadn't logged many running miles this year. In fact, until two weeks ago I'd primarily been riding indoors on my Cannondale Synapse Carbon 3 and CycleOps Fluid 2 trainer.

So, two weeks ago I came up with my two-week half marathon training program: five runs totaling 26 miles (3, 6, 10, 4 and 3 miles) with a little time on the trainer on non-running days.

As for nutrition, I ate a LOT of beef! In the week leading up to the run I had roast on Easter Sunday, a burger on Monday, filet mignon on Tuesday, beef jerky (as a snack) on Wednesday, BBQ beef for lunch and a ribeye for dinner on Thursday, brisket on Friday, and a huge Cowboy Cut (bone-in) ribeye for dinner on Saturday before the race. Sure, this is more than the USDA recommended serving of 3 oz. of protein per meal (5.5 per day), but I took my cue from Olympic 1500 meter runner Bernard Lagat, who told Runner's World in an article called "Secrets of the Olympians":

"I love steak, and I have to have steak the day before I race. Some people are afraid to eat steak before a competition because they think it'll make them too full and slow them down. But in Osaka [at the 2007 World Championships], before I raced, I went to Outback and ordered the biggest steak I could, and I won. You have to do what works for your body."

—Bernard Lagat, Tucson, Arizona

You gotta stick with what works...and BEEF works for me!

My big event this summer is the Boulder Ironman 70.3 triathlon (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike, 13.1-mile run). This will be my second Ironman 70.3 distance event after a three-year hiatus. Shortly after I ran the Vineman 70.3 in July 2007 I was hit by a car while riding my bike and had to take a few months off from training. I started riding and running again but didn't back in the pool until this past winter, so haven't done any triathlon events since.

I'm looking forward to getting back into the groove of triathlon training this summer and have lots of events lined up between now and August 8, 2010, to prepare for Boulder. I hope you'll follow along as I ride, run and swim. Along the way I'll share my favorite recipes and tips for grilling great lean BEEF recipes!

Ride on!

Daren

Ride the Rockies 2009: One for the Thumb!

Ride the Rockies 2009 has ended. My fifth straight year to complete the weeklong bike ride through the Colorado Rockies (hence the reference to the Pittsburgh Steelers goal to win a fifth Super Bowl ring...one for the thumb). I think this was my favorite of the five. As usual, it's a bittersweet time. I'm glad the ride is over but wish it didn't have to end!

[At left: me in my BEEF jersey at the start of day one]

This year's ride took us from Glenwood Springs 80 miles over McClure Pass (elev. 8,755) to Hotchkiss; from Hotchkiss 80 miles around the rim of the Black Canyon and Blue Mesa Reservoir to Gunnison; from Gunnison 66 miles over Monarch Pass (elev. 11,312 ft.) to Salida; from Salida (elev. 7,100 ft.) 59 miles up to Leadville (elev. 10,152 ft.); from Leadville past the Twin Lakes 55 miles over Independence Pass (elev. 12,095 ft. to Aspen; and finally, from Aspen 40 miles down to Glenwood Springs.

The ride was officially 380 miles in six days, but several of us added 20 miles onto the last day with an excursion from Aspen to the Maroon Bells (at left), one of the most scenic rides in Colorado, if not the entire United States. After climbing to the Maroon Bells we had a 50-mile downhill cruise to the finish line, with a stop at the Woody Creek Tavern for lunch (a must stop on any visit to the Roaring Fork River Valley).

The final day of Ride the Rockies 2009 was perhaps my favorite of the 33 days of riding RTR over the past five years. The ride up to Maroon Bells was worth every extra mile and the company of my old friends Chris from KC, Todd from Tulsa and new friend Gillian from New Jersey made it extra special.

I met Chris in 2002 on an MS150 ride in Kansas City and we later rode self-supported from KC to St. Louis on a personal fundraiser for breast cancer research we called "Ride MO for the Cure."

[Above: Chris and I broke out our old "Ride MO" jerseys on day two of Ride the Rockies]

I met Todd last year on Ride the Rockies and met Gillian by chance Friday morning on this year's ride after we ended up camping next to each other at Aspen High School (the Ritz Carlton of High Schools!).

[Above: (from left) me, Gillian, Chris and Todd at the New Belgium Beer Garden at the finish line]

Chris, Todd, Gillian and I finished the final 34 miles of Ride the Rockies 2009 (after leaving Woody Creek Tavern with a rockin' four-person paceline along the Rio Grande bicycle trail, averaging 19.8 mph into a stiff headwind! Still, between the diversion to Maroon Bells and lunch at Woody Creek Tavern, we were among the last (possibly DFL!) riders into the finish. But Ride the Rockies is not a race. It's a bike tour of Colorado. It's a vacation (and you don't gain weight!). It's a time to spend with old friends and meet some new ones. It's easy to make the mistake of hurrying to finish the ride and get home to a hot shower, clean clothes and a cozy bed. I have made that mistake in years past. Never again!

Ride the Rockies a great way to enjoy the beautiful Rocky Mountains, one of God's great creations. Living in Colorado it's easy to forget that we live in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. I plan to bring my family back up to this area later this summer to visit Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, drive up the Roaring Fork river valley to the Maroon Bells and then over Independence Pass to historic Leadville/Lake County. What a wonderful weekend trip -- all within a few hours of Denver!

I wish I could share every moment, but below are a few from my photo journal of the trip. Of course, the pictures NEVER tell the whole story or do the scenery justice. You'l just have to come visit and experience for yourself!

My Ride the Rockies 2009 Photo Journal

Saturday, June 13: Chris and I head out from Castle Rock to Glenwood Springs for the start of Ride the Rockies 2009.

Sunday, June 14: Chris and I passed our first scenic "photo op" -- a waterfall along the ride from Glenwood SPrings to Hotchkiss.

Sunday, June 14: Chris sets a new PAR (personal altitude record) at the top of McClure Pass (elev. 8,755 ft.) -- a record he would shatter in the next several days.

Monday, June 15: Riding along the rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

Monday, June 15: I won an Old Chicago Ride the Rockies T-shirt singing the first verse of Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville" at the lunch stop -- for the third time in five years!

Monday, June 15: Our camp site at the Gunnison Community School (that's my blue/white/grey tent on the left and Chris' red/grey tent on the right).

Tuesday, June 16: Chris reached a new PAR at the summit of Monarch Pass (elev. 11,312 ft.).

Tuesday, June 16: Team DFL friends Tim and Patty celebrate crossing Monarch Pass at The Vic in Salida.

Tuesday, June 16: Team Bar2Bar faithful Lora, Woody and Paul (the pilot) kick back at The Vic.

Wednesday, June 17: Chris' triumphant return to the ER to pick up his X-rays and have his wrist taped for the ride to Leadville. So, as the story goes, Chris was screaming down Monarch Pass at 45 miles per hour when, suddenly, he arrived in Salida and hit a pothole riding five miles per hour two blocks from The Vic, sprained his wrist and and tore up his hand/knee.

Thursday, June 18: Tearing down our campsite in Leadville as we prepare to climb Independence Pass.

Thursday, June 18: It was in the low 30s at the Summit of Independence Pass (elev. 12,095 ft.) .

Thursday, June 18: Patty winds (and weaves!) her way to the top of Independence Pass.

Thursday, June 18: Chillin' at the New Belgium Beer Garden in Aspen with (from left) Chris, Todd from Tulsa, Jenny (aka "flip flop girl") and the Hankster.

Friday, June 19: Me, Todd and Chris on the ride up to the Maroon Bells (the snow-capped peaks in the distance).

Friday, June 19: Me, beef and the Maroon Bells.

Friday, June 19: Chris watches as workers load up the porta-potties at the final rest stop in Carbondale (food, water and Gatorade were already gone!). We were DFL!

Thus ends Ride the Rockies 2009. Along the way I eclipsed 2,000 miles to date for the year, a personal record of my own. All that training paid off. I felt stronger, rode harder and had more fun that any of my previous four RTRs.

So what's next? The Boilermaker 15K is three weeks away. Stay tuned for details on my next adventure in fitness!

Ride on!

Daren