I backpack ran over 20 miles today and liked it!

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Later in the afternoon I headed out for what promised to be a long conditioning run. The goal was to finally break 20 miles backpack trail running. This is a bit harder than running on a road IMHO because of the hills and rough ground. Some areas along the way were too difficult to jog because of terrain features. I don't run up or down very steep hills to preserve the knees. I don't run over deep mud or during steam crossings or over very rocky ground. One slip and there goes months of training. Naturally such an audacious... LOL boast requires proof.



Osprey REV 24 running pack is preforming well. If you need to cover a great deal of ground fast this is a good option.





Turkeys!



Jogging!









Oh. A bit nasty here.



When you're doing a 20 miles loop in my area expect to cross or even travel a bit over roads.



No way I am jogging this section.





Nice quartz all around me so that made up for it.



The sun is starting to go down but there is still plenty of light.









Leaving later meant I was guaranteed a night run. I often carry two lights. A headlamp and flashlight both taking the same battery type and 2 extra batteries. I don't want to be stumbling miles and miles back to the van in the dark.







Cover enough ground and you will see all kinds of crazy stuff.



Anything in the bed? I guess not.



Very bright headlamp running off 1X14500 lithium ion.



Walked the last .5 mile for a cool down. The multiflora floral roses and barberries reaching out for me. We like to talk about people, zombies, bugs, snakes and bears as potential problems but the plants are no joke either.



That's all. Get out there people and give it a GO!

 

[JohnC]

That's a good distance! I'm planning for the Glencoe Half marathon next year, so very interested in the pack options also the use of poles when running..

 

[TeeDee]

Nice work Mega , lovely countryside to move trough as well.

Well done you.


Now what goal ????

 

[Bluebs4]

good going buddy did you bump into any walkers ? lol

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

good going buddy did you bump into any walkers ? lol

I didn't bump into any however seen two foxes. Both kinds.

Thanks for looking everyone. There is a bit of history behind this. A few years ago I let myself go bad. Ended up weighing 300 pounds with hypertension and diabetes. 1.5 years later after hard training the high blood pressure and sugar is gone along with 80 pounds. Resting heart rate is down from the 90's to high 50s or lower 60s. I got some nasty fat pictures someplace. It was my fault however the solution was also mine to work for. I trail run 5 times a week for 5 miles unless doing some other workout. Every 3 months I do something like this to push myself however 20 miles of hard trail backpack runing might be the upper range of my conditioning for now as don't want to get injured. Not all that long ago I was walking with a crutch as my feet swelled up badly from diabetic complications. The fasting blood sugar used to be 280 now it's normally around the 80's all without meds.

 

[Bowlander]

Well done! That's an amazing transformation.

Sent from my SM-A500FU using Tapatalk

 

[TeeDee]

I didn't bump into any however seen two foxes. Both kinds.

Thanks for looking everyone. There is a bit of history behind this. A few years ago I let myself go bad. Ended up weighing 300 pounds with hypertension and diabetes. 1.5 years later after hard training the high blood pressure and sugar is gone along with 80 pounds. Resting heart rate is down from the 90's to high 50s or lower 60s. I got some nasty fat pictures someplace. It was my fault however the solution was also mine to work for. I trail run 5 times a week for 5 miles unless doing some other workout. Every 3 months I do something like this to push myself however 20 miles of hard trail backpack runing might be the upper range of my conditioning for now as don't want to get injured. Not all that long ago I was walking with a crutch as my feet swelled up badly from diabetic complications. The fasting blood sugar used to be 280 now it's normally around the 80's all without meds.

Inspirational.

Kudos due.

 

[nic a char]

impressive!

 

[Darwen]

Brilliant story, well done. I have a lot of respect for those who take responsibility for their own situation, there are many who don't.

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

Thanks everyone. A little background. In november of 2014 I ended up in the hospital after vision in one of my eyes failed. Before that I was in and out of the urgent care as my feet swelled up badly I actually needed a crutch to walk. This despite being an active outdoorsman a few years before. I was craving sweets and carbs but wasn't getting any actual energy from them. Only getting fatter and fatter. Less and less active. I had every nasty thing under the sun happening. Fungus infections, hypertension (bad), feet problems etc etc etc etc. For some reason they never decided to check the blood sugar of a 300 LB overweight person showing every sign of diabetes. Oh sure test me for gout and Lyme disease but diabetes....LOL! The ER said I was overweight but ok however didn't believe them so asked to see my lab results. The fasting blood sugar was 285 and I didn't eat for 20 hours. "Oh yea, that's a problem" they said and I had better check into that. Gee thanks.....

So I went to a new Primary care physician who determined go had diabetes, type 2. The A1C really bad and the RN, a women who is athletic weighing at most 100 lbs gave me a speech how it wasn't my fault. I told her thanks for the pep talk but assured her it was my fault. She tried to put a good spin on it but dang. I mean dang. LOL! Take a look from summer of 2014 and tell me it wasn't my fault. Nice women but I know she was thinking the same thing.






I refused medicine as feared if the stuff worked I wouldn't do what needed to be done and what needed to be done was going to be ugly. No more processed foods. No juice or soda. If it's in a box or bag odds are I don't eat it. She told me to avoid the center and rows of the super market and shop the walls which have the meats, vegetables and not processed items. I haven't had a sandwich in over a year. I don't eat potato, rarely rice, never sweets, never sugar sweeteners, no pretzels, crackers and processed trash. Also I knew it would take hard training to stabilize the situation.

So what is the antithesis of the modern world? Bushcraft which I already practiced but never threw myself into. I trained every day. I didn't care if it was snowing, raining, sleet or whatever.

An apple, nuts and the bowdrill replaced McDonald's and TV. I don't watch TV unless it involves zombies!



That said I never watched a single calorie. Ate all I wanted and sometimes more but not processed foods. Rarely anything from a can either. As for the training. What do ya all think of my water bottle. Taking it back out this week.









Some rough spots but no big deal.



I just hit a new body weight low today of 216 lbs for a total of 84 pounds lost.

Night river crossing during a 8 mile run as it's just part of the training in this case around freezing temps.








Backpack trail runs, as in actual running 5-8 miles a day 5 times a week. Often up hills. I don't even feel it.





Most of all it was bushcraft sites like Bushcraft UK and Bushcraft USA that gave me the encouragement to get out there and turn it all around. My doctor said this was a 1 in 100 case for recovery. More amazing as done without meds etc given how bad my numbers were. So what happened to the diabetes?











My last reading above 100 was 1 month ago! My eyes and feet are fantastic and A1C normal! Diabetes has taken the limbs and lives of millions but this time the disease got killed and it's ashes tossed to the wind. Score one for humanity!







If anyone reading this finds themselves in the same boat remember what one person can so can another!

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

That's a good distance! I'm planning for the Glencoe Half marathon next year, so very interested in the pack options also the use of poles when running..

Osprey Rev 24. It's a wonderful running pack! As I am running over harsh ground the hiking poles help avoid falls and they increase arm strength. 4 wheel drive when going up hill or over mud.



For a road run they're not needed and probably not allowed.

Thank for looking and good luck!

 

[TeeDee]

Excellent and Inspirational honest post.

Salute due.

 

[Terryt]

Great effort mate well done ....keep at it

 

[Angst]

i saw the title and thought.....''jeez this guys really annoying.....show-off.....i couldnt run 20 metres.....'' etc etc

then i read the rest.....well done mate.....well done mate.....WELL DONE!!!!

best of and be well! respect,

sonni

 

[MegaWoodsWalker]

i saw the title and thought.....''jeez this guys really annoying.....show-off.....i couldnt run 20 metres.....'' etc etc

then i read the rest.....well done mate.....well done mate.....WELL DONE!!!!

best of and be well! respect,

sonni

Gosh. I really appreciate it! THANKS EVERYONE!