Old Man Still running

I've had similar hard times when I have posted stuff on blogs and message boards. I think the problem is that it is hard to get a true feel across for the author and the reader when you are not face to face. I have learned that when it happens to me, just to pray for the strength to not worry about it. And move on. You are an awesome contributor to the sport and anyone that questions your love of it doesn't know the real you. And who cares about them anyway?! Keep on running and loving it!

Davy- that's one hard part of blogs is how you lose the personal expressions from face to face conversations- I could picture your grumpy feelings as I read the report but was sure you kept them inside during the race for the most part. It is very typical for our feelings to come out more strongly when we have time to reflect and write them afterwards, and I'm sure that's what the Idaho reader picked up on. I know sometimes my posts come across as too negative or positive when my feelings are actually pretty mellow. No worries, and definitely don't drop out of the sport.

For the record, I did not think you were grumpy or rude during the Bear. Tired, yes, and experiencing the normal wide range of 100 mile emotions. But never mean. And I think many runners would get a bit grumpy when the things they expect and paid for at a race (i.e. gels at aid stations) are not available.

No worries, just keep on plugging. Sounds like what happened to Michelle Lowry after SGM last Oct, when someone blasted her for "whining" about her 2nd place finish. Based on the responses, that person was alone in viewing her as complaining.

Gee, I read your race report last night and didn't think anything like that other person. I think there are some people out there that just love to be negative and try and jerk people's chains.

Great job on the race and overcoming the emotions and physical issues that beset you.

Thanks all, good thoughts. Ten years ago, I ran a listserv, publishing articles to 10,000 daily subscribers (LDS related) and used to get daily unjustified critical notes. I need to just get thicker skin again.

But, a good thought going around in my head is: I don't consider myself an elite in the sport, or even terribly good, but because of my articles, people do put me up on some sort of pedestal and expect a lot. I'm an introvert by default, and get so focused at races, so I just need to do a better job at socializing, encouraging, thanking, etc. at events.

Ultras are so social, and this is very important. Volunteers are sometime out there for over 24 hours on their own dime. I can see how someone can criticize grouchy feelings as ingratitude. I also need to be careful about writing my race reports while I still haven't recovered. The negative can outweigh the positive. But if the negative isn't experienced, you aren't pushing yourself hard enough.

Davy, I'm new to this blog but have been reading your reports for a while now. I have nothing but admiration for your efforts and accomplishments. I think it is admirable that after a very heavy 2008 race schedule you posted a number of important PRs this year despite some significant injuries. To run as far and often as you do requires an attitude, but I can't imagine anybody being put off by that. It's not as if you are celebrating in the end zone or anything. Runners as a group are pretty mellow. Congratulations on a great year.

Thanks flatlander. Very kind. I wish I could do an end-zone dance after finishing a 100-miler. But usually instead someone needs to come by with a shovel and scape me off the trail. I still laugh when I think about a comment made by Steve Pero after I finished Bear 100 this year. "I think I did see a couple people who looked worse than you at the finish." Its been a fun year, I'm ready for a rest.