Old Man Still running

I see I beat out flatlander on the mileage board last week.  Ha, ha. 

I still feel pretty beat up.  What I did feels like a tough mountain 100-mile race.  I'm guessing that I climbed about 16,000 feet along the way or more.  The GPSs get confused down there at time.  My Garmin thinks I climbed over 9,000 for the first half (then batteries died)   I know that isn't right.  My Magellin thinks it was 6,000 feet.  That makes more sense.

My feet are a mess.  I think the Hokas reached end of life.  All the taping I did, couldn't stop the hot spots.   The rugged trail was just too much.  But the bottoms of my feet aren't sore.  I did have a thorn go all the way up through the sole, the insole, and into my foot.  Ouch!  I would really like to see a minimalist try that trail!

I really still think I could do it much faster.  It is just so tough to keep the pace up.

Pictures are posted on facebook with detailed captions.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150546741175694.646922.754525693

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150547336240694.647121.754525693

Next step will be to work on the writeup.  Lots to tell.

It is fun to be lazy.  I think I'll quit all this stupid running stuff and just be lazy and eat anything I feel like.  That's what I'm been doing. It is fun.   I lost 2-3 pounds on the run, so I'm gaining it back.  Maybe I'll gain 20.

I've published my VERY long Grand Canyon run report at: http://www.crockettclan.org/blog/?p=691

My energy level has bounced back and my blisters have healed nicely so I don't have to walk funny anymore.   My problem knee is sore...always is after a pounding in the Grand Canyon.  I'm probably doubtful for BSTM this Saturday.  But I may come and run it slowly with my son or help at the aid stations.

I am likely to run the Salt Flats 100 a week from Saturday.  Vince has made some good course changes to make it into a more interesting and doable run.  We'll see how I recover.  He will be out measuring the course this Saturday.

I'm on the injured reserve list.  Running 100s are funny.  For the few days afterwards, a little swelling protects the joints from pain, but once that goes down, you can detect the problems left behind.  My bad knee is the problem.  The slanted trail to the left tooks its toll.  My knee does much better slanting the other way.  So, I have a sore achey knee that even woke me up last night.  The knee problem didn't develop due to ultrarunning, can't blame it on that. It was before running and ultrarunning when I was overweight (over 200 lbs) and tore the meniscus.  The inside/back of the knee joint is low in cartiledge due to the knee scope to fix things up in 2003.  So, a really tough run can leave that area sore, probably bruised cartiledge or bone.  I just hope each time that it will calm down and get better.  It always has.  In 2003 the doctor told me to give up running (I had not yet really started.)  Well, I've run nearly 20,000 miles since then, being careful and learning how to manage it.   Anyway, I'm hopeful, but always know my last run, may really be by last.  So I enjoy it like it is the last and try to pack in more before I get too old or the knee breaks for good.

The knee is improving.  I'll miss BSTM tomorrow, have fun to all those who go.  Instead I'm going camping with the boy scouts.

Went with the boy scouts (son included) out to the Pony Express trail.  They are getting in shape for a 50 miler.  We dumped them all out with packs six miles from Simpson Springs.  I drove to SS, got on my running gear and ran back to them.  Then as they hiked, I went off road running up and down the hillsides.  Soon some of the boys followed my lead and enjoyed going off road too.  Legs felt great and I didn't notice much if any knee pain.   Told the boys pleny of stories about the history of the area we were in.

The boys did a few more miles, this time without packs and just hiked in the foothills.  I told the leaders that I would run along and keep track of them.  The leaders drove along the road and waited for us.

I felt like a sheep dog, running along trying to herd they boys.  Some went fast ahead and a couple tried climbing too high.  One boy in back wouldn't listen to me and wanted to free-climb any rock cliffs he could find and fell way behind.   Finally after chewing him out twice he started to listen.   I finally herded them all off the mountain (Indian Peak) in safe condition.  They all had a good time.   I had a good short run going up and down the drainages.