Raw Running

Raw?

You mean the results of groinal chafing I suffered last night running in the wrong undershorts at Mohican...well, yes, but....

You mean the brand new shoes I bought at Vertical Runner? Kick Ass green color Saucony ProGrid Guide TR 2 shoes that are a hybrid trail/road shoe. Love em, but....

You mean the 19 degree temperatures and whipping wind? Yes, that too, but....

You mean the unbridled raw passion with which I started at a good pace and refused to slow down no matter what? Yes that too....

In fact, all of the above.

4.5 miles on my Blacklick loop in 39:01, which amounted to an 8:40 per mile pace. Felt really good to crank one out, and I think tomorrow should be a rest day if I can. Feels like I am back on track with my training!

the shoe

Nighthican 10

At the start!
Don Baun and I had planned since last week to run together tonight, and he asked me yesterday if I thought I still wanted to run with the wind and weather here in Ohio currently. Hell Freaking Yeah! That being said, when it came time to saddle up and leave the house to meet him, it was a tough sell getting out the door.

We met up and headed out for the trails to run a mystery loop that Don wouldn't tell me about til we got out there...Just how I like it, a little mystery in life. When it came down to it he took us around the 10 mile loop that will be the course for the XTERRA XC 10 mile race there in July.

The wind tonight? Crazy. Our first mile headed out to the trail we were on the park road and it was a lean into it type of wind. Once we were under the cover of trees things were calmer and warmer, but that also meant we were climbing the hills. This is NOT a flat race course they laid out. It felt like pushups in basic training to me...UP/DOWN/UP/DOWN...

Up at the top side of the ridge we ran past the Fire Tower, so what do I do? I climbed it. I just had to see what it was like up there in the crazy wind, and I also do it in honor of Art Moore whose FA50k I will probably miss Jan. 2nd because I am signing up for another 24 hour race I will run down in North Carolina on New Year's Eve.

At the top of Fire Tower in the wind. Terrible picture, but it kind of shows how I felt up there.

The last 3 or so flights of stairs at the top of the tower were above the tree tops and it was howling something CRAZY. I was holding onto the railings very carefully, but still managed to take a few photos with one hand. Don stayed down on the ground while I fooled around up there.

We finished the run well and I managed to score some trail blood with a minor scratch on my leg. Don teased me about even mentioning it, but I didn't wear some sissy pants like he did. Thanks Don for another great run and teaching me yet a little more about the Mohican trails...I learn a little more each time I come up there. And Rob, just so you know, there are 13 bridges on your race course!

My blood!

Don all comfy after the run...

9 mile Pine Lane run

Danielle and I did not plan on wearing the same coat, but the other one I tried to wear had zipper issues, so I had to go with the Winter Buckeye 50k coat!

A little birdie at Boston Store under an eave.

Chef Bill, Danielle, and I met at Lock 29 for a 9 mile chilly trail run up the hill to Pine Lane, over to Boston Store and then back the way we came. It was a very nice run, just getting to meet Danielle as we hadn't really ever run together before, and always catching up with Chef Bill. Sometimes running with other parents it is nice to see that I am not the only one who has to do the juggling act to try to also be fit and be a runner. Danielle and her husband have four kids and Chef Bill has two (that we know of.)

Into the night we journeyed, frost underfoot as ascended the brick road to Pine Lane. I am always irrationally insecure in my footing upon the first dusting of snow every winter and I was really careful going up the hill, but we all ran almost the entire hill. As a matter of fact, we ran up more hills on this loop than I normally would, so that is good news! Danielle and I both believed we were each the slowest person in the group, but the whole night even when we were pushing the pace a bit, everyone hung together very tough. Lighting was a slight issue in the latter miles as both Chef Bill and my batteries were starting to wane and Danielle had fresh batteries.

Also on the way back I put my right foot down in the water during the stream crossing and got the joy of running the last 2-3 miles with a wet foot in sub freezing weather. It wasn't bad though, but I sure wish I had wool socks instead of the thin summer socks I did wear.

For at least about two miles on the return along Pine Lane I was the point man out front and kept amazing myself that I was staying on trail despite being so focused on the ground to not trip up. This loop has a long downhill near the finish that puts some spark back in the legs and when I got down to the town of Peninsula I really put the hammer down and ran to the car with mucho gusto! So much so that my legs were cramping up just a bit when I got out of the car on the way home to gas up. I had a really nice hard run and thanks to Danielle (and her family for letting her run with us) and Chef Bill (and his family for the same!) This run put me over 1000 for the year and if I do run the 24 hour race on New Year's Eve that I am trying to get vacation for, AND I keep up my training the next few weeks, I just might come close to my 2008 mileage.

My morning inspiration was....

Prefontaine

Lousiana morning

It is actually pretty chilly here so I opted to go to the nearby fitness center.

3.5 treadmiles and 2 circuits of the strength training machines as well as a few extras thrown in. My back is still bothersome, but better.

Through the Carroll Lens

Mark would probably avoid notoriety of the sort I imbue upon him tonight, but he introduced to me a whole new aspect that I had previously not seen in my running friendships. The Carroll Lens it shall thus forth be dubbed. I have been really miserable since last Tuesday because my back under my left shoulder blade has been aching like a mother fucker, and I don't know why. I didn't have any "event" that I can point to as to the cause of why my back was aching.

Sure I carried a full and heavy hydration pack at the Slim Pickins 50k 9 days ago, but it didn't start hurting til a few days after that. It was BEFORE I played basketball, so it is not that. Just what the hell did I do? Or what is wrong with me? Yes, I was getting close to breaking down and going to....gasp...professional medical help.

A long day at work today of 11+ hours and I had just gotten home. Mark calls and the lens immediately began to put me in focus. "Hey Mike, this is totally a shot in the dark, so it's OK if you say no, but...any chance you want to get out and run tonight?" Me thinking - yeah, I REALLY want to, but can I handle it? Me - speaking "Yes Mark, I really want to, but my back is killing me. If I come and we have to go slow, or I have to bail, will you understand?" Mark "Of course, let's meet and we can go as slow as you need..."

So, I changed, dashed out the door and we met near the park. Close to a mile in, and we decide upon my customary 7 mile loop. Man, a run with Mark is never long enough, because I want to hear EVERYTHING he has to say, and I want to share all that I have to add, and it is just damn fun to connect with someone so well. So we start out and head for the park (we got INTO the park before it closed...maybe not OUT) and right away I feel pretty good. For the most part, my thoughts about my back drifted away as we talked about our personal lives a little, our dreams of running, etc.

Carrying a light, I really never needed to turn it on. Billock's Mr. Moon was bright and full, and even the occasional cloud cover did little to dim his effect. Mark remarked a few times that I was running markedly better than the last time we ran together (night bandit running ANOTHER park) and that did a lot to boost my confidence. I had not run since the 50k due to the damn back, and honestly did have a few eating lapses over the Thanksgiving weekend. So this run was golden. This run took my pain and let it drift away...it will probably be back in the morning, but I suspect in a dimmed fashion. This run focused my mind and soul back into where I want and need it to be. The lens effect of Mark's good, pure, and honest friendship was very effective in putting my "me" back into focus for me.

We tallied up 8.5 miles when we were done, but they weren't enough. 10, 12, 18 would have been better. My legs felt good and tired, but at the same time were telling me that if I asked, there was a solid hard 5 miler left in them ready to go. It is a feeling that I have kind of forgotten from times gone by (for me) but it was a welcome return to my ultra legs. I sincerely look forward to my URINEO FA50k this coming Saturday at which I will do the early start again to maximize Daddy time. I hope to see Kimba! Slim! Brian! Gombu! Jeff! Tanya! and many others. Bruce? Johnny D? Losey? Moose? It is awesome to contemplate the variety of interesting people I might get to hang with on Saturday, and know that I will also have my "me" moments to wander Mill Creek too. I hope that I might come in under 7:30 or so for the 50k, and maybe under 7 hours if I am feeling juicy.

Thank you so much Mark, for taking a shot in the dark. You hit bullseye.

Camera in transit

UPS has moved my camera from Wisconsin to Illinois to Indiana in the last 24 hours...it was in Hodgkins, IN at 2:17 am this morning. Could it arrive on Thanksgiving? I don't dare to hope so; it will most likely arrive tomorrow.

On another note, I need to get off my ass an run. I have the princesses for Thanksgiving and we slept in today. Also, since basketball Tuesday the upper middle of my back has been hurting me. Who knows? I don't think I did it at basketball, it was already started when I got there.

I am thankful for so much today. My daughters being so wonderful and healthy. The memories of my Mother and Brother. All my Dad has taught me. This nice and warm weather late into the fall. Friends. Dreams. My own health. You.

Camera

I ordered a Canon Powershot SD780 using hotel reward points and should have it within a week. Looks like a pretty good choice for me as it is very small and has a good range of options.

The camera comes in four colors - black, silver, red, and gold. I asked the person I ordered it with to pick one and not to tell me. I literally do not care one ounce what color the camera is, as long as it works. Plus that will make it a little more fun when I open the package to see what it is. I will have to avoid reading any order confirmation emails so I don't see what color is specified.

Slim Pickin's Pictures (scavenged from others)

Wilma, Me, Dan K, and Mike Dobies (Brian Musick photo) mile 28

Dan Kuzma, Kimba the Trail Goddess, Me

Dan Kuzma, Wilma D. (first ultra), and Me

I "borrowed" these pictures from Kimba. I might add one more later on if I get the picture Wilma took. I can't wait to get my new camera...gonna order it tomorrow. These pictures were taken at 20 miles into our run, Kimba started earlier and met us going back the other way.

For once on a trail run, I actually gave Kimba something (a sandwich) instead of leeching off of her like I always do. :)

Because the terrain was so tricky yesterday and we didn't run a very hard pace, my legs aren't even sore today...a good thing. I still took today to rest and have slept ALOT. I will get a run in tomorrow.

Slim Pickins Laurel Highlands 50k

Up at around 3 am to quickly dress and head out the door for Pennsylvania this morning, I went to run the NEO Trail club run, Slim Pickins. The "official" distance is 100k, but it is a FA type event and everyone was encouraged to do what worked for them. So Dan Bellinger, Dan Kuzma, Wilma Depiore, and I all met at the 31 mile mark on the trail at 7 am (or maybe a few minutes late) and started out on our ultra journey. Dan K, Wilma and I stayed together the entire 31 miles, and Dan B disappeared into the distance ahead of us. We just couldn't keep him running slow today.

This would be Wilma's first ultra distance event of any kind and she nailed it, finishing strong with Dan Kuzma and I in 9:05 which is a long time representing two factors:

1. The trail is hard as HELL! Steep hills, very technical rocky footing, etc.
2. We weren't pushing it. We took our time at the aid drops, and talking to other club members we saw.

The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is 70 miles long, but we only ran the last 31 miles of it. My first impression is that this trail is the best marked trail I have ever been on. I had no issue at any time finding the next trail blaze from wherever I was standing. No runner or hiker with any portion of the brain still functioning should ever manage to get lost out here if there goal is to stay on the LHHT.

With very moderate weather, I ran in shorts, a long sleeved undershirt, a tech shirt on top of that, and my Columbus marathon hat and light gloves. The hat and gloves came off around mile 20 when it started warming up just a little, and I was never uncomfortable temperature wise. I WAS uncomfortable slope wise climbing up all those damn hills. Today reinforced a lesson to me about ultra running. NEVER assess how you are feeling, or your motivation to continue while climbing a hill. It saps your emotions and as soon as you take a few steps over the apex and start downhill or even level, life is good again and the finish seems very doable. DURING the climb, there are doubts, curses, low points, and mumblings that would tend to make you quit your day...that is just how people feel!

Immediately after the run I got two chocolate milks and some food to eat while Dan K drove us all back to our cars at the 31 mile trail head so we could all scatter like autumn leaves to our appropriate domiciles. I am home now, and not even feeling very bad due to the slower pace we took today. Contemplating a couple of very tempting running options for tomorrow morning. A few pictures were taken today, but not by me, so when people put them up, I will grab them and share on here in a separate post.

This marks my 6th state in the quest to run a marathon or longer in every state. Woo hoo! 44 to go!