Any Runners here?

I took up running about five years ago to battle a weight problem that had caused severe sleep apnea as well as more minor problems like indigestion, shortness of breath, and other typical weight problems.I'm not a talented runner. I'm slow, but I enjoy it, so I have gotten better. I've run a half marathon (Dec '03 in 2:04:52, 3 seconds ahead of the world record for a whole marathon) and managed to finish a 50K (31 miles) a couple weeks ago, though it took 7 1/2 hours.My ultimate running dream would be to tackle the Badwater ultramarathon, run from 252 feet below sea level in Badwater, CA to the gates of some state park on Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in the continental U.S., though the gates are only at 8,000 feet up. It's a 135-mile run through Death Valley run in mid-July. That may well never happen, but it is something I've hoped to make happen by the time I'm 50 (more than 4 years left).It's probably a nutso dream. I watch the documentary on Badwater, called "Running on the Sun" every two or three months, so I've seen it over 10 times. My wife thinks I'm brain-damaged, but I have three friends who want to do it with me. Maybe in a couple years we can submit an application together.Any other runners here who like to talk about running as well as evolution?Suggested forum is Coffee House, of course.

About 3 years. I had gotten in pretty bad shape. I really haven't gotten in any better shape over the last three years. I did practice some 12 to 20 mile runs in advance, with the 12 to 15 milers followed by about 2 hours of soccer with the kids (playing halfback very actively).The 20 mile runs are terribly boring, because the last five miles feel longer than the 1st 15. I much prefer 12 milers followed by soccer, which unbeatable for exercise and still a lot of fun. I am always very sore the next day.I have the amazing ability to run 30 miles per week and still eat enough to gain a pound a week. I have to watch my eating even while I'm running. It seems like I'm always hungry.After that 50K, I'm going to cut the mileage, up the speed, and run more with the kids. Several of the young people around here run 5K's with me (and they all beat me, even the ones that don't train).I saw Sour's 44 min. 10k. Breaking 45 min. for the 10K would be a goal of mine, but I need to break 50 min. first :-). My last 5K was 24:45, so there's a lot of work in front of me, but I don't think it's beyond me.

Thanks. I lived in Alaska for a year. I doubt this is the first time I've made that slip of the tongue. I probably do it repeatedly.California to Alaska would be a very beautiful trek, assuming I didn't get eaten by a bear or cougar or starve to death along the way. I doubt there will be any time in my life for such a trek, but it would be awesome if I didn't have to do it alone.

The military called the lower 48 (the term we used in Alaska) CONUS, short for Continental U.S. I adopted their usage, I guess, and I didn't realize that wasn't universal.Alaska is on the same continent as the lower 48, so I guess technically CONUS ought to include Alaska.I googled to make sure CONUS was really "continental" US to the military and not contiguous, and it is continental.Hmm. My dad's from Hawaii, anyway, so it really doesn't matter what all you haoles call your states ;>.

Well, while we're all being overly technical, Crash said that Mt. McKinley is the "highest" peak. Mauna Kea may be the tallest, but if highest means above sea level, as it normally does, Mt. McKinley wins.

Everything been's running past the right side of the page for me for the last couple days here.