Old Man Still running

Taper week to get ready for Old Pueblo 50.   After a very encouraging 15k road race run on Saturday, I've feeling just about ready.  The only thing really missing is trail conditioning because of all the roads and treadmills.   I really need to get some ankle toughening in.  So this morning, I hit the trails.   I ran out to the Eagle Mountain area.  I climbed up and ran along the ridges overlooking Utah County and the Ranches.  Heading out there, I did have to carefully go around a couple bad mud bogs, but most of the road was nice and soft and very runnable.  The temperature was perfect, about 40 degrees.  I felt strong and fast, but tentative with the ankles.  Coming down from the ridge, I ran down a very fun motorcycle trail that isn't known by runners (I never see any other tracks on it).  I hit about a dozen small patches of snow, but just with an inch, no problem.   The views are always incredible, especially this morning.  The city lights of Utah County were reflecting against the snow covered mountains behind them, lighting everything up before dawn.  It was a wonderful morning run, great to be away from the treadmill. I did get home with muddy shoes, but nothing terrible.  My left ankle was a little sore.  I rolled that one a couple times a couple months ago.  I can tell that it just needs to trail time to toughen up.

Same route and time (4 a.m. - 6 a.m.) as yesterday.  The big difference today was that it was 52 degrees out.  Wow, it felt like summer.  Shorts, no gloves.  It was nice.  The snow patches were melting fast causing some slick muddy spots coming down from the ridge. I almost ended up on my butt several times.   Left lower ankle again came out sore again from all the uneven surface.   I'll probably have to rest it up for Saturday's 50.

I ran again in the Old Pueblo 50-mile trail race in the Santa Rita Mountains, southeast of Tucson, Arizona.   I previously ran in the 2005 and 2006 editions of this race and was pleased to return.  This year I crushed my PR on this course by 1:14:00.  I had a good race.  Click here to read my detailed race report.  They haven't published the results yet, but I believe I finished in about 25th place out of about 140 starters.

Just a one mile walk to stretch out the sore quads from the 50-mile run.

Stayed home sick, bad sinus headache.  Legs feel recovered.  It is amazing how fast they recover now from ultra distance runs.

At 4 a.m. I went out into the 28 degree cold and ran out to the Lake Mountain ridge. The almost-full moon was wonderful and glowed over the valley and off of Mount Timpanogos far across Utah Lake to the east. I was surprised to find in the dark a new motercycle trail spur that I had never noticed. I suspected that there might be one in that area, but had never seriously explored. This single-track trail was great and nice and long. I noticed a set of runner footprints on it from the past week or so. So another runner knows about this hidden trail. Kind of surprising because it is 2-3 miles from any homes. This spur is more runnable than the one I have been using to the north, a little less steep, so I will have some fun trying to blast down it with speed.

Again this week a close friend seriously confronted me and let me know that they thought I was ruining my life and the life of others by participating in, and encouraging ultrarunning.  Their belief is

1. That because they get injured as a low-mileage recreational runner, surely a high-mileage ultrarunner is seriously damaging their body far more. 
2. They believe that some exercise is of course good, but the level of exercise an ultrarunner participates in not normal and therefore unhealthy.
3. They believe that because they know someone who spends hours away from their families training that therefore all ultrarunners are neglecting their families and being selfish.

Such concerns from non-runners and recreational runners are common and hard to explain away.  Some don’t want to hear explanations.

Let me deal with each concern:

Because they get injured as a low-mileage recreational runner, surely a high-mileage ultrarunner is seriously damaging their body far more. 

It is my firm belief that ultrarunners are far less-susceptible to injury than recreational runners.  When I was a recreational runner, I was always getting injured and it would make me quit running.  I then became a couch potato, gained weight and had poor health.  I see recreational runners always battling injuries.   I constantly advise runners how to recover from injuries.  On this blog I see high-milage road runners battle injuries. 

There is one huge difference in the running I do.  I avoid roads like the plague.  The only time I run roads is during a road race (5k, 10k, etc.) or during the winter when the trails are muddy.   This makes a huge difference on the wear and tear of an ultrarunners body.   I do believe that high-mileage on roads can be damaging to the body over time because of the jarring caused.   Soft trails are a world of difference.

I also believe that once ultrarunners have established a high mileage base (and sometimes they do go through injury to reach this) that their body has gone through some amazing adjustments that now prevent injuries that a recreational runner may more commonly see.   I’m always asked, “Aren’t you ruining your knees?’   No!  My knees now are stronger, the ligaments and sinews tighter, such that they can endure great distances without problem.  I don’t get ITB or runner’s knee problem anymore that a low-mileage recreational runner has to deal with often.  People just can’t understand the wonder of the human body, that it can do amazing things to adjust once it has become used to stress.  It puts up new barriers to protect itself from that stress.

Recreational runners don’t know about the fast recovery ultrarunners experience once they have a high-mileage base.   After my first 100-mile race, I could hardly walk for a week, and couldn’t run for a month.  I also experienced some soft-tissue damage in my knee.   But I didn’t have that high-mileage base to protect me.   Now I do.   I can run a 4-hour marathon and feel no pain the next day.  I can run a 50-mile race, and be out running pain-free in three days.    I can run a 100-miler and be out running pain-free in one week.   The human body is amazing.  It fascinates me how it adjusts.  Recreational runners just don’t understand this.   If they feel a month of pain after a marathon, surely ultrarunners must feel several months of pain after a 100-miler.  Well, that logic is a fallacy.

OK, surely I have developed some chronic injuries from the 13,000 miles that I have run, from the 22 100-milers, and 43 ultras in the past five years.   Yes, I have some chronic injuries to deal with.   I’ll document them.

1. I have a soreness in my right inner quad/groin muscle that flairs up.  I believe it was injured during the 2007 Plain 100.  I didn’t notice it until the next week.  It was very sore for a couple months.  I must have torn something.  But it calmed down.  Now it flares up every now and then but rarely bothers me during a race.  I notice it mostly at night as I sleep and the body does normal stretching.  I will wake up feeling some pain there from stretching it.  Very minor.
2. I have some numbness in my feet -- the ball of my feet extending to a couple toes.   It is minor and I don’t really notice it much or I’m just used to it.  After long races it will be more pronounced, but then it mostly goes away.  I don’t see this as much of a problem.
3. I have a neuroma in the ball of my right foot.  This is a bunching of nerves that can cause severe pain extending out to your toes.  Anyone can get this even non-runners.  I just deal with it.  Using a thinner insole helps.  During a race it can flare up for about ten miles and really hurt, but then it calms down, I think once the surrounding tissue swells a little to protect it.
4. I tore the meniscus in my right knee when I was an over-weight backpacker.  So, I have less cartilage protection in that knee.  I can feel pain there at times, but I have learned to manage it and the knee has became stronger and now protects itself.
5. About twice a year I bruise my bladder, usually due to running dehydtrated.  The result is soreness in the adomen and hematurina (blood).  This can be alarming but a running doctor understands what is going on.  I let it heal and am more careful about hydration.
6. I’ve developed sesimoiditis in my left foot.  There are two little bones in the ball of the foot behind the big toe.  These have became irriated over time and get inflamed.  They are not fractured, but the surrounding tissue has grown more in an attempt to protect them.   To deal with this, I just make a custom insole to give me more room in the shoe for that area of the foot.  This usually solves the problem, but it can flare up on 100-milers.
7. I have some cool scars on my arms and legs from face-plants on the trail.  Big deal, at age 50 I’m not entering beauty contests anymore.  To prevent this, I like running with hand-held running bottles.  When I fall, the bottles take the brunt of the damage.

That is it.  I really can’t think of anything else.  No stress fractures, no ITB problems, no chondromalacia (runner’s knee), no planter fasciitis, no serious muscle problems, no back problems.

When I have health checkups, the doctors and nurses are impressed.  My cholestoral level is great because of the super high level of HDL caused by good fitness.  Nurses who draw my blood always comment on the wonderful deep red color due to high oxygen content.  When I had a EKG the technician commented on my strong heart and said, “you must be a runner.”

So, how am I damaging my body?  I get occasional colds and sinus infections (due to a deviated septum) but never the flu.   I’m old, 50.  Where is this damage?

Some exercise is of course good, but the level of exercise an ultrarunner participates in not normal and therefore unhealthy.

Recreational runners for some reason believe there is a wall at 26.2 miles and that anything over that is not normal.  What is so magic about 26.2 miles?   OK, yes recreational runners constantly complain about “hitting the wall” before that distance.  They therefore think it is a barrier, and anyone going past that is not normal and doing something amazing or unhealthy.   All this is silly.  The recreational runner just doesn’t know how to fuel properly and get the balance in their body to prevent bonking past their “wall.”  Their body hasn’t yet adjusted to the stress of high mileage.  Just because they haven’t experience the lack of pain and stress at long distances, doesn’t mean it isn’t possible, even for them.

I probably exercise on average about 10-12 hours per week.  Is that excessive?   Because I now have a high-mileage base and my body has adapted in amazing ways, I can be dormant for days and then just jump right back into the saddle with no problem for even higher performance.  Recreational runners or non-runners just can’t understand that.  I’m not exercising huge amounts each week.  Yes if I wanted to be an elite ultrarunner, winning races, I would need to do much more.  But, I’m 50 years old.  Its not going to happen.  I’m happy with strong performance in races and a fitness level so I can do them often.

With the amount of exercise I do, I know far more about my body.   I understand the signals it sends me when there is something wrong.   I believe strongly that if I develop a serious illness, that I will detect it far faster than when I was a couch potato.  I know my body now.  I didn’t before.   I believe my life will be extended for years more because of ultrarunning if I’m lucky enough to avoid accident and disease.  As a couch potato, or even as an occasional recreational runner, I didn’t have this knowledge or fitness to protect my body.

Because they know someone who spends hours away from their families training that therefore all ultrarunners are neglecting their families.

I am an obsessive-compulsive person.   I know that.   I try to use that as a strength, not a weakness.  I’ll take hold of something and go crazy with it.  I’ve authored/published three books in 18 months.   Obsessive.  I’ve gone crazy doing family history research, far more than any “normal person.”  I’ve studied LDS scriptures and history far more than any “normal person.”   I helped establish a successful Internet startup that went from nothing to amazing in just a year.  I know I go overboard, and put in safeguards.

As far as running, I try to be careful with my time.   My wife sleeps about nine hours on average per night.   I sleep about 6.5 hours on average per night.   Therefore, there is on average about 2.5 hours per day when I’m awake and the rest of the family is asleep.    I try to do almost all of my training during those hours.   Where is the harm to the family?    Yes, for races I’m away, but I try to get my family to go with me at times and when I add up the days, I’m home far, far, less than others who have demanding jobs that take them away from home or church callings that require them to be away so much.   In a few months, with another son graduating from highschool, I will only have one child at home (compared to the six that were home previously).  The family time-demands are now much different when the family was younger.  Yes, my wife will grumble at times because of my running.  She isn’t a runner.  But I negotiate, try to listen, and try to be a good husband and father.  We have a very happy family life.  So why all the criticism?

Some argue that ultrarunning is a very selfish use of time.   I don’t buy this at all.   A musician will spend hours each week practicing.  How is their talent less selfish?   I make sure my ultrarunning experience is not selfish by writing about my experiences and sharing them with others.   This is very fulfilling.  I know my writings have affects hundreds of people who have been inspired to improve their lives with better fitness or set greater heights in their goals.   One close friend, a non-runner, was so inspired by my tales of endurance and reaching for goals that he became determined to do “marathon” sessions of LDS temple work and name extraction.   It greatly blessed his life.

Conclusion

I’m comfortable with being an ultrarunner.  I know the general population thinks it is crazy because their conclusions are from their own experience and prospective.  They don’t understand the facts.   I’m at the point where I just avoid trying to debate it with close friends or relatives.  Ok, I have that off my chest, now I can go do something better with me time, like go running.

I ran in the Rex Lee 10K race in Provo that helps benefit cancer research.  My 12-year-old son ran in the 5K.  There were 521 runners in the 10K and 1,470 in the 5K.  At the start line, I found my speedy brother-in-law Ed Johnson and we warmed up together.  The course is pretty fast.  It has some hills near the beginning and ends with a steady gentle climb, but I set my goal to set a PR and break 43 minutes.   I was a little skeptical about this goal because I had raced 50 miles hard only 7 days ago.  But I felt confident.

The George Q. cannon roared, and away we went.  During the first 1/4 mile I ran with Ed.  I joked around and bumped him a couple times telling him he was going slow and pushed ahead a little, but couldn't keep that pace long.   Ed went up ahead and I tried to keep pace with the other runners around me.   I forgot to start my watch, but I think the mile markers were grossly misplaced because when I did start it at mile 1, my mile 2 was very slow and my mile 3 was blazing fast.  It didn't make sense.

On the downhill I tried my best to keep my foot speed up.  At about the three-mile mark I noticed a guy pass me who looked like he was in my age group.   I tried to keep up but at that point I started to struggle a little.  The legs felt heavy, a result of the race last week.  Some runners started to slow down and because of parked cars along Center Street it became frustrating trying to pass slower runners who insisted to run side-by-side.  Finally I chastized two, telling them to not run two-abrest if they are going slower.  They shouted back, "What?"  Oh well.

After mile five the course merges with the 5K runners.  These runners are going significantly slower (30-minute 5K pace), so I had to swing wide to the left in order to continue to have room to pass them.   I was delighted to catch up with my son Connor.  He was doing great!   He tried to keep up for a little while but then faded.   I poured it on the best I could and entered onto the track.   I had to swing wide in order to pass dozens of 5K runners.  Then with 100 yards to go, some young runners decided to sprint like crazy and swing in front of me.  I didn't have much left in the tank and just pushed hard to the finish.   The clock said, 43:13, but the official time ended up being 43:17, in 65th place.   I was pleased.  It was a PR for me by almost a full minute.   I earned a second-place medal for my age group and that one guy was the only guy older than me to finish ahead of me.

Connor came in a couple minutes later with a 29:34 5K finish.   Pretty good for a kid whose only training was a one-mile run a couple days ago.   My speedy brother-in-law Ed finished 26th in the 10K, 40:08, 2nd in his age group.

5 walking miles during lunch up City Creek, over above the capital, and back to work.

With a 100-mile race coming up in 12 days, motivation is low to train hard right now because I know it won't make much of a difference at this point.   I have no injuries to recover from.  I set a PR in the 10K on Saturday, so the foot speed is good.  I ran a very good 50-miler a week ago and could have continued on much further, so distance isn't a concern.  So, I think I am pretty much ready and should be in taper mode at this point anyway.  So I will probably just do runs and walks to stay tuned and phych myself up to have a strong showing at the Moab 100.   My goal will be to achieve a 100-mile PR time.   That would be to beat 22:28:00.    Last year I ran it in 23:33:00, so I'll need to shave off more than an hour.  I can think of many things I can do different for a stronger performance this year.

4 miles with the dog.  I'm still amazed how this little dog loves to run.  She doesn't really want to stop to sniff things, she just wants to keep her head forward and run and run.   She likes roads better than trails.

I left the house at 3:55 a.m. in 44 degrees F.  There was a half moon out and it was very pleasant.  I ran a route that I had not run all winter because of snow and mud.  But this morning the route was completely dry.  I proclaim that winter is officially over!   Yipee! 

When I plotted out my route on Google maps, I have to chuckle.  It roughly looks like an inverted map of the United States.   Pretty funny.   My run was about 10.5 miles.   I ran my usual three miles out to the Lake Mountain ridge that runs north-south, kind of dividing Saratoga Springs from Eagle Mountain.   This morning I ran the entire ridge to the power lines, descending towards the homes in the Ranches, and then jumping on a motor cycle trail that traverses a slope and then runs on top of descending ridge.    I descend all the way to a low pass, run down into a neighborhood, and this morning, I decided to run straight across the massive Church farmland on a dirt road.  

For that segment, about three miles, I turned off my flashlight and ran by the half-moonlight.  It was a great challenge.  It required me to pay attention closely and use my feet to feel the trail.  I had to trust my feet, that they would make the adjustments quickly as they felt the contours of the road.  I would try pushing the speed at times to make it even more challenging.   The view ahead is spectacular, with the lights on the other side of the lake.   Once I hit Redwood Road, I crossed it and ran along the development trail back home.   It took me 2:10.   A nice leisurely run, with periodic spurts and some good short climbs.

5 mile walk during lunch around capital and down City Creek Canyon

4 miles with the dog after work.

This morning a neighbor wanted to try joining in, but didn’t show, so at 4 a.m. I just went ahead and did what I had planned, throwing in an extra mile.    I did a nine-mile run out to the Lake Mountain ridge (gotta find a better name for that.  Hmm…., historically before Eagle Mountain came to be, the area was called Tickville, maybe I should call it the Tickville ridge).   I ran out on the dirt road around the Church farm and then headed up a motorcycle trail, doing a loop counter-clockwise on two spurs of this trail, connecting them by running on top of the ridge.   I was amused to see the bikers had posted some new signs telling people to keep their horses off the trail.   They even spent time putting some obstructions across an area I usually run through.  I paused a couple minutes to clear the path.  I can appreciate that they have spent a bunch of time maintaining these trails, but it isn’t their property and they can’t tell people who can and who can’t use it.   I took a wrong turn and added a little more fun on a side spur I had only been on once.   Coming down was great fun.   I completed the loop and decided to again run straight across the Church farm on the very soft and flat dirt road.  I like running across there to end a run because it is so soft and there are no rocks to trip over.  I pushed the pace harder for awhile doing 8:00 pace.  For the last mile, I turned off the light and discovered, even with the moon behind the clouds, I still could run in the dark.  There was enough light from the city reflecting to let me still run fast in the dark, using my feet to feel the road.   I finished at 6:00 a.m.  

On Google Earth, I discovered a motorcycle trail in the lowlands near that area that I have never tried before.  I’ll have to explore that tomorrow.  Looks like it could be some fun.

4 mile walk during lunch along 2nd North and then back through downtown.

My priority before the next race is to lose a little more weight.  Any pound saved makes a huge difference in 100-mile runs.   I've come down 4 pounds since Saturday.   Pretty easy, just put in a high mileage week while cutting half-way back on the food.   I also do this training without taking carbs with me.

I woke up early, couldn't get back to sleep so decided to go out for a long run. I hit the road at 2:30 a.m. It was 49 degrees F and very pleasant. I ran to the west, climbed up and over the Lake Mountain Ridge, and ran down the valley in to expansive Cedar Valley. Since I had extra time, I decided to run clear to Eagle Mountain City Center. I stayed on dirt roads that went behind the back lots of many homes until I reached Sweetwater Rd and then ran that very straight road all the way to Unity Pass. There is a paved trail that parallels the road, but I ran mostly below that in a soft, smooth ditch, very nice trail running. Only a couple cars passed by me, probably wondering what a guy was doing out there with a green light. It was about 4:15 a.m. Once up to Unity Pass, I took a usual route back into the hills on dirt roads and the climbed up over a ridge and descended down into the Ranches foothills. Finally I ran up and over a low pass on Golden Eagle Rd and then straight across the Church Farm back to home by 6 a.m. My run was about 17.5 miles. The pace was a good steady 12:00 miles. It felt like I could run all day.   My route looks like a hand gun.  

On a busy stake conference day (stake split day), at the last minute I found a gap between meetings which would let me go to Provo to run in Mary Ann's URC/FRB St. Patricks 10k that runs along the Provo River Trail to Utah Lake and back.   I was surprised to see how many people were in the park when I arrived, so I jumped in and just started helping people register.    Mary Ann is going to need more help as her races grow.

I’m in taper-mode, getting ready for Moab 100 next Saturday, so I was going to just treat this as a tempo run and enjoy the beautiful day.  Several runners introduced themselves to me at the start.  That was great.   I heard “twinkies” in yellow (Matt)talking to a friend about his finish time goal and it registered to me that we would probably run about the same pace.

Away we went, running down the beautiful trail by the river.   For the first mile, I hung with the two leaders, one was running the 5K, and the other was the 10k leader, a tall runner in black.  After awhile, I was passed by a runner in green.  I noticed that my splits were about 6:40 for the first couple miles.   The trail splits at a turn in the river and the runner in green took the wrong turn.  I didn’t pay attention and followed him.  We probably went an extra 100 yards.  Oh well.   No one passed us, and probably a few followed us.  

As we neared the lake, I was very surprised to see the leading 10k runner already returning.  That was impossible because I knew he was only a minute or two ahead.   I asked him if he went along the lake to the right.  He shouted back that he turned around at the parking lot.  I shouted back, “No, that’s wrong.”   Oh well.  He had cut off about a mile or more.    I continued to try to keep up with the runner in green.   We finally reached the turnaround and I noticed our time was over 22 minutes.  There would be no PR today.   It was fun to see and greet all the other runners.   

So, I was running in 2^nd.   I looked behind me and could see a couple runners on my tail, including the runner in yellow.   My legs were feeling great, but my lungs were breathing hard.  I didn’t want to push it too hard.   The runner in green again took a wrong turn, same place as before, but he got on pace again. Funny how he was making it easy to stay up with him.  But he pushed it ahead and eventually disappeared.

Once the other runners caught up to me, we leap-frogged several times.   A few times I cranked it up, pushing ahead of both to see if they could keep up.   But I would quickly fade and they both would indeed catch up and pass.   I noticed a mile split of about 7:08.  

Finally with the turnoff to the park in sight, I kicked it in hard and passed them both.  I thought I heard the runner in yellow let out a groan.   I kept the pace going this time, but the other runner in white caught me and had a nice fast kick going.   I didn’t have the motivation or the speed, so I watched him go ahead.   I finished in 3^rd overall (assuming the runner in black was DQed).   44:38 or so.   I jumped right in the car and rushed back home, and back to stake meetings, back just in time to see a new stake president come out of his calling interview with a glaze in his eyes.  Ha, ha.   We had a good conference attended by more than 5,600 people, broadcast over the Internet to 10 buildings on Sunday. 

Its 100-mile race week!  Saturday morning is the big day.   It is all about taper, rest, and hopefully no weight gain.  To avoid the aches and pains that come from tapering, I will continue to do tune-up runs but nothing very tough.

This morning I slept in until 4:45 a.m. and just went out for an easy 5-mile run up into the foothills of Lake Mountain.  I almost whimped out and went to the threadmill, but it was 38 degrees out and I cracked open the door and didn't feel much wind.  The storm had not arrived yet.  So out I went.   I run up Clay Pit road and into the gravel pit to continue on the dirt road heading toward Lott Canyon.   Before the canyon I split off and ran a loop on some rolling trails and returned on the powerline trail.   Back on Clay Pit road, I was surprised to see a runner coming up the road with a headlamp heading up toward the foothills.  I've never seen another runner at this time in the morning up there.   We'll see if he goes up there some more.   On the return, the northerly wind kicked up and it was brrrr.....cold.   Wind chill in the 20's.   I was motivated to get finished fast and hit the hot shower.

So, now my attention is turned to the Moab 100.   I'm getting my pacing goals together and trying to mentally prepare.   Competition will be tougher this year and I don't expect to win it again this year, but I hope to do pretty well.   A 100-mile PR is certainly possible.

I am starting preparations to head to Moab to again run the Moab 100 on Saturday. There were actually three types of races running at the same time on the same 5.37-mile loop course. In addition to those running the 100-solo event, are runners running the 24-hour solo (as many miles as you can do in 24 hours), and 24-hour relay teams. Any 100-miler who doesn’t finish, is credited a 24-hour finish for the miles completed in under 24-hours.

Last year somehow I won the Moab 100 with a time of 23:35. Basically the runners who were ahead of me all quit and I was the last one standing. Four runners finished behind me. This race is tough mentally because you can return to your comfortable car every 5.37 miles and also if you quit early, you still get credit in the 24-hour version of the race.

The Moab 100 course is laid out on the Monitor and Merrimac Loop, a popular trail for jeepers and mountain bikers. The course is a loop with an out-and-back tail, like a lollipop. The route goes clockwise around the loop on odd laps and counter-clockwise on even laps. It first passes by the ruins of the historic Halfway Stagecoach Station. It then ascends up and down over a small ridge via a rutted jeep trail with scattered rocks. With huge Courthouse rock on the left and gigantic Mill-Courthouse Mesa on the right, the route crosses through several deep sandy washes and then climbs up a slickrock ramp to the base of the Mesa. The views below are terrific. The route then heads south toward Camel Butte which we would circle around on the slickrock, giving us views of the Monitor and Merrimac mesas named after the Cival War ships, off on the horizon. Most of the first half of the course up to this point is a runnable uphill 450-climb. From there it is mostly downhill. First up is a long run down a massive slickrock slope that leads to the Mill Canyon dirt jeep road that rolls up and down through a beautiful canyon with occasional small stream crossings. Finally you reach the main dirt road that passes by campsites and leads you back to the start/finish area.

Most of the Utah ultrarunners will be running in the Antelope Island Buffalo Run which will be the largest trail race ever held in Utah. I decided to instead go back to Moab and attempt to defend the title. However, I realize that this year it will be much more competitive.

My experience at Across the Years three months ago will go a long way to help me in this loop-format course. I’ve just got to keep my pace up and not waste time between loops. This year they took my suggestion to alternate the course direction each lap, and I think that will help my competitive spirit, because I will be able to see the competition much better and gage my pace better.

I’ve put my pace goal together and I am shooting for 22:30. I believe that is very possible on their course but I just cannot afford any long stops or slow sleep-walking. My laps will start at around 50 minutes each and eventually slow to about 1:30. I will try to keep my average lap time below 1 hour each for at least 8 laps. That is 8 laps in 8 hours, or 43 miles in 8 hours.

Weather should be great. Nice and cool. At night it will push down toward 30 degrees, so I must stop to dress warm after lap 11. I must not lose energy during the night through heat loss. I made that mistake last year at Bear 100 and also at Across the Years.

Training-wise, I’m ready. My mileage base has been good. I had a very good 50-mile race three weeks ago. I’ve tapered well this week, only going nine miles. I have no injury. My only regret is that I’m about seven pounds heavier than I had hoped. That is a bunch of weight to carry around for 100 miles and probably will cost me about an hour.

This race put together a poor aid station last year, not much in it, so I will bring all my food and drink with me. They will have some warm food at night, hopefully some soup.

My full race report is now on my blog: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=143

Recovery is going very well.  My muscles survived better than usual. This morning I could go mdown stairs with very little pain.  Sleeping last night was a bother.  My right hip just couldn't feel comfortable.  But I should be running again by the end of the week.  The main problem is my stomach.  It took a beating.  No appetite yet, but I did force myself to eat a lunch.  My feet came out great, no blisters.   I do have a large bruise on the side of my left foot.  I can't figure out how I got that.  I must have hit a rock hard.  I guess I didn't notice because there are so many other painful things to worry about when your run 100 miles.