It's been a while since I have written a blog post. Three months, actually. It's not that I haven't had anything to say, it's just that a lot of it is negative and I don't want this blog to be a repository of bitchy posts. But, I need to document what is happening, if for nothing else but to help myself. And it's not like there has been nothing good going on. I'll try to summarize:
I ran an amazing 17 miler at Mohican a week after I decided not to run Bigfoot. Had this run been used to determine my readiness, I would totally have gone for it. I managed to keep a 13 minute pace for this run, had fun, and even climbed the firetower! It's so nice to have one that feels so good.
 | ||
| With Sam Kerbler and Terri Lemke (local ultra running legend!) on the firetower. |
The following week was Salt Fork 10 Mile Trail Challenge, which is the day before Bigfoot and is one loop of the Bigfoot course. I had hoped to do the run in less than two hours, but sadly, it rained like the dickens the week before and the course was wetter and muddier than any of my preceding visits. By the time I hit the stretch of road halfway through, I was cooked. I didn't make up any time on the road as I ended up walking a bit. I ended up finishing in 2:09. Damn mud :). The happy part of the day was that Kim also did the race! It was her first trail race, and though she found it to be quite challenging, she had a lot of fun. She's totally hooked on trail running now. Another one bites the dust! Hehe.
 |
| Last hill before the finish. I'm ready for it to be over, yes. |
 | |
| Kim and I at the finish. Look how happy she is! |
The rest of December was a mish-mash of running, as the holidays always make it challenging to be consistent. The following week after Bigfoot, I did half of the Festivus 50K, an annual Fat Ass event that encompasses all of the Olentangy Trail from Worthington to Whittier Peninsula and back. Sam and I left my Subaru at Scioto Audubon Metro Park and drove together to the start. We ran and then ran/walked with Lisa Fine and Julie Bowen-Miller. Even though we ran slow, we were struggling at the end, which ended up being almost 17 miles. The entire run was on flat pavement, and it has been a long time since I had gone that far on that kind of surface. Get me back to the trails, stat!
Once the New Year rolled in, I was set to go with a training plan in hand and motivation was high. Then I got sick, REALLY sick, the first week of January. It was the worst head cold I had in a long time. Once the cold symptoms dissipated, I figured I was out of the woods and able to run just fine. I hit up the Alum Creek Intermediate bike path with Robbie Gannon that Saturday, and was shocked at how difficult it was to breathe. It was like someone shoved a sock in my mouth. I was reduced to walking every quarter mile. Knowing this was not normal, I opted not to run Great Seal the following day and ended up going to the doctor on Monday. I was diagnosed with bronchitis and received antibiotics and an inhaler to use for a week. When I get sick, I am used to being out of it for a day or two, and then I am fine. This extended period of ick was not the norm for me.
By the following weekend, I was feeling much better. I ran with Kat at Dublin on Saturday and though I felt weak, I had a good run. On Sunday, a few of the gang were going to Great Seal again. I met up with Julie and Lisa and together we pulled out 20 very hilly miles in the cold. I still felt a bit weak, but I kept my pace reasonable and managed to get a solid 6.5 hour run in, with over 3300 feet of climb. That run was a keeper. We topped it off with a feast at Bob Evans after and I went home feeling very encouraged.
Then the wheels started coming off. January 2012 in Ohio was a very bizarre month for weather. We would oscillate between bitter cold and spring-like temperatures all within a matter of days. This was wreaking havoc on my immune system. The week after Great Seal was a run at Clear Creek where I had hoped for another 20 miles. Within three miles, I was falling behind, walking more than I should and feeling weak, headachy, and to top it off, I was nauseous. WTF?? The trail was a sheet of ice too, which made for an extra challenge. I ended up alone after 6 miles and managed to crawl back to my car and left after 10.5 miles.
The following week, I was back at Mohican. We were supposed to do the upper 25K loop as an official training run for Forget the PR. I ended up somehow with Terri Lemke again, and by the time we made it to Covered Bridge, she decided to take the group on the mountain bike trail, rather than continue on the purple loop. Well, I had no idea where we were going, or how long it would take to get there, but before long, I was alone, feeling just as I had a week before. To make matters worse, the Pearl Izumi shoes I was wearing were causing my left arch to cramp, and the pain shot right up my leg into my hamstring. I limped a solid three miles as the winds picked up, and eventually just sat down on the trail and started to cry. I questioned myself as to why I was trying so damn hard to pursue something that comes with so much challenge for me. I mean, everyone else can just hit the trail and bust out 20, 30 miles like it is nothing. I was 13 miles into my run and ready to die. I came close to swearing off ultras, but I also remembered that low points are part of the game. Kat has told me many stories of her own crying fits on the trail. It's not that they happen, but how one responds to them. Well, I had a pretty good cry, and once it was over, I stood up and reminded myself that "relentless forward progress" was what needed to happen, or I'd be in the woods forever. So, I started going. Pretty soon, I managed to find my run again. It hurt, it was slow, but it came back. I had always wondered how that happens. Now, I don't have to wonder anymore in terms of a race. I ended up with 19 miles in just over 4.5 hours in spite of all the walking. Most importantly, I learned to weather the bad spots of a long and hard run.
That run was two weeks ago and stands as my last long run to date. I didn't run long last weekend as I wanted to spend as much time as possible with Kim before she left for a 6-week work trip to Pacific Asia. I ended up seeing the doctor again for the headaches and nausea and took a course of prednisone to try and eliminate any remaining inflammation in my sinuses. Apparently, my blood pressure has been sky high for the entire month, and if it did not come down once I was feeling better, I'd have to go on meds due to my family history. Hell no! One of the very reasons I pursue all this running business is to keep my blood pressure in a healthy range. I am 37 years old and run a lot. I will not take medication at this time to control my blood pressure, thanks! I am happy to report that a re-check of my blood pressure on Friday showed normal numbers: 120/74. Booyah! Take THAT, genetics!
So, here we are on Sunday, February 12, 2012. I will not run long this weekend, either. I don't know what I did or how it happened, but my right soleus is is incredibly tight. It actually makes walking abnormal, much less running. I was supposed to go to Mohican for a training run on the lower loop of the 50K course yesterday, but I was gun-shy about making the trip. My run on Turtle Thursday was not so great - both legs were extremely tight and it made running very uncomfortable if not painful. I did not want to drive all the way to Mohican in the cold and ice just to have to bail out early, or, worse yet, end up suffering like last time. Instead, I went to Sharon Woods with the intention of two laps around the park (7.6 miles) to assess my legs and then aim for 20 at Highbanks today. After one loop at Sharon Woods, I was done. At least this time it was just the right calf, but things did not feel right at all. I was tight and my form was awkward. I remember a similar feeling last winter and I ended up running through it as I didn't want to miss precious training time. All day yesterday I hemmed and hawed about whether I should attempt my long run. I massaged the calf, did yoga, took a warm epsom bath...I decided if it was still tight in the morning, I would err on the side of caution. Well, here I am, blogging instead of running. I don't know what the heck is going on! My running is so much less than it was a year ago. I put in less mileage, I only run long every other week, and I am not doing any quality like tempo runs, etc. My mind is boggled. I am a tad frustrated but am trying to maintain a positive frame of mind and look at the big picture. If I push it now, I could end up not starting the race again. I'd rather be undertrained and able to start the race, than to be injured and not have a chance to try. Truly, this 50K is going to be a test of my mental strength, as it is clear I am not going to be as physically trained as I would like. So, I am going to head to the gym in a bit and do some pool work and either hit the elliptical or the bike. The one thing I need to change this year from last year is that if I can't run, I need to do something to maintain fitness.
So, That's where I am at. I am praying that actually listening to my body will keep my from a full-blown injury. I am trying to be patient with myself, but I am really wanting a stretch of feel-good running. It's like my body is testing me to see how bad I really want this ultra. At this point, it's personal. I am not going to give up this quest. The gauntlet has been thrown. I WILL make it to race day, and I WILL get that buckle!! Ya hear me, body??
Off to the gym.
