all right, it's been 2 weeks and i'm off to run mission trails 15k. due to some freeway closures or something along those lines, the race start is postponed for another hour and a half.
i wander around waiting to see how this day will pan out. i see a couple people i know, say hello, and continue waiting. once agian, clear skies. how do you have clear skies? wouldn't it be a clear sky? are there really multiple skies? wouldn't that be like haveing multiple earths? regardless, the sun is shining and it's beginning to warm up.
8:30 rolls around and we're off, i work my way up towards the front, hoping for a stronger run than my last go. The pace is a bit aggressive, but i figure i might as well stick around and see where things go wrong, after all, it's a short day. though there is a bit of climbing to come.
i'm feeling pretty good until about 3/4 of the way up the first climb. nice, not even 1/4 of the way and i'm walking. at least it's up hill. should have had more water, and done more hill work. perhaps in the future.
at the top, i resume the running and enjoy a good stretch of downhill to flat and some smaller climbs. i manage to miss 1 turn, but am quickly alerted by the aid station that i needed to go left instead of straight. right, why would i opt for the straight flat route, when i could turn left and climb up a stairway built into the side of the mountain? i'm sure the views are much better at the top, though my legs are tiring of all these great views.
up the stairs, and i'm still doing all right the bright side is at the top, it's all downhill from there, and i typically enjoy those more (my legs seem to be doing a lot better at absorbing the beatings imposed by downhill running, now if i can just get them to do better at climbing).
at the top i take a brief reprieve and look around a bit. yep, lots of stuff to see, back to running. the downhill is pretty sketchy, a fairly steep descent with a combination of ruts, rocks (both loose strewn about on top and solidly rooted). it's a chore to find a good anchor for each step, but i do all right for a bit. then to the last of the harrowing descents, it's hardpack dirt with a thin layer of loose sandy stuff on top, of course i get into this a bit too quickly, and do some slip an sliding action arms flailing, legs flying hoping to keep things semi upright, or at least not wind up in a ball on my way down.
after a bit of that, i'm back under some semblance of control, much speed is sacrificed for safety and desires to stay running instead of tumbling. i think it's a good trade.
onto the most fun and technical section of the course, it's probably 1 - 2 miles of tight wiggly single track with several water crossings and numerous rocks and other obstacles. i try to pick up the pace a bit, and do for a little while before slowing. a couple people pass by me, my legs protest, and i've no choice but to watch them go.
a short while later, it's the last of the run, i manage to quicken the pace a bit, and cross the finish line. sky is still blue, sun is still shining, and i'm still tired. all in all it's a good day.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Avalon 50 mile benefit run
the morning started off well. got up early, had some breakfast grabbed my necessities for the day. then j and i headed down to the start.
it was still dark and a bit chilly, but that would be resolved quickly. the first 15 miles went all right, i was running fairly strong and feeling pretty good, shortly after that, i seem to have run out of jam. no more motivation, and even less energy.
i plodded through the remaining climbs, tried to run the downhills the best i could and did what i could to keep the flats moving forward. my body just wasn't having much of it. i tried eating, drinking, increasing my salt intake, and chewing on some motivators (caffeine); none of this seemed to work.
about the half way point, my legs began to protest in addition to being flat they decided it was time to hurt. at this time, my brain began asking all the wrong questions:
what am i doing?
didn't i learn the last time i did this?
perhaps it's time to stop running so far?
i think i get to the finish line and retire the long runs.
my legs protested more on this run then in any of my previous ventures. i kept plodding along, the sun was up, the sky was clear, i'd been running for 7 or 8 hours, no buffalo, just a bunch of crows and ravens. what's going on? in typical me fashion i ran the last 35 miles or so by myself, despite the fact that there were runners around, i somehow manage to pace myself in such a way that they either pass me by, or i pass them. the later in the race the more the trend goes towards the former.
through the last aid station and up to the top of the final descent, nothing but 3 miles of downhill left and i'm good. i proceeded to let my legs fly as much as i could, and tried to enjoy the views rather than allowing my mind to continue with the incessant questioning.
at the bottom, across the finish line, at this point my legs felt better than they did during my go at the run last year. i grabbed my medal and continued on to the condo for a shower and whatever shananigans j had planned for the evening.
somehow during the days run, i managed to feel far flatter than i'd ever felt, no motivation or drive, as much as i tried to run faster, my legs just wouldn't go. no explanations, no ideas, nothing, just legs that were not willing to cooperate.
back to the drawing boards.
it was still dark and a bit chilly, but that would be resolved quickly. the first 15 miles went all right, i was running fairly strong and feeling pretty good, shortly after that, i seem to have run out of jam. no more motivation, and even less energy.
i plodded through the remaining climbs, tried to run the downhills the best i could and did what i could to keep the flats moving forward. my body just wasn't having much of it. i tried eating, drinking, increasing my salt intake, and chewing on some motivators (caffeine); none of this seemed to work.
about the half way point, my legs began to protest in addition to being flat they decided it was time to hurt. at this time, my brain began asking all the wrong questions:
what am i doing?
didn't i learn the last time i did this?
perhaps it's time to stop running so far?
i think i get to the finish line and retire the long runs.
my legs protested more on this run then in any of my previous ventures. i kept plodding along, the sun was up, the sky was clear, i'd been running for 7 or 8 hours, no buffalo, just a bunch of crows and ravens. what's going on? in typical me fashion i ran the last 35 miles or so by myself, despite the fact that there were runners around, i somehow manage to pace myself in such a way that they either pass me by, or i pass them. the later in the race the more the trend goes towards the former.
through the last aid station and up to the top of the final descent, nothing but 3 miles of downhill left and i'm good. i proceeded to let my legs fly as much as i could, and tried to enjoy the views rather than allowing my mind to continue with the incessant questioning.
at the bottom, across the finish line, at this point my legs felt better than they did during my go at the run last year. i grabbed my medal and continued on to the condo for a shower and whatever shananigans j had planned for the evening.
somehow during the days run, i managed to feel far flatter than i'd ever felt, no motivation or drive, as much as i tried to run faster, my legs just wouldn't go. no explanations, no ideas, nothing, just legs that were not willing to cooperate.
back to the drawing boards.
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