the tire

the idea to drag a tire while running was introduced to me by a video online.
first i heard that Zach Gingerich had set a new course record at the Arrowhead 135 (mile race) and then i saw exactly what Arrowhead is and where its run. long story short: you drag a sled with all your food, water, and anything else you need for the 135 miles through trails in the "icebox of the nation," International Falls, in the middle of winter. so it sucks. and other than wondering how soon my body is gona let me do this(probably 2014) i wanted to know how people train for something so awful. i quickly found a video of a guy pulling a car tire behind him while running down the street. at the time i didnt think much of it, but after another few months of studying the physiology of a few different unconventional training methods i decided to try it out.
if ultra runners are doing it, it has to work. and if i can understand why it works than i have to try it.
my first run was only a mile, although to be honest i planned on making it five. i have run with a weighted vest probably about 100 times in the last three years, and my legs are stronger than ever. but dragging a 17 and a half pound tire is exponentially harder than running with a vest or deadlifting more than 2 times your bodyweight. its horrible.
i recently enough discovered that Zach trained exclusively on the treadmill before breaking the course record, but again: if i can understand why it works, ill try it. and that makes NO FREAKIN SENSE! the treadmill is great for intervals, maybe even tempo/hill work, but parts of my soul start to fall out when im on one for more than an hour.
pics soon