Old Man Still running

An interesting topic is recovering after a 100-mile race.   The slower I do a 100-mile race, the faster I recover from it.  This past race was a very slow 100-miler for me, thus recovery is going fast.   Today I can already jog without any pain.  The muscle recovery is fast because I didn't push the muscles extremely hard (except for the initial climb and final descent.)

However, there are other body systems that will take longer to recover.  I was badly dehydrated for several hours and that really takes a toll on my system.  I still cannot stand having sunlight hit me, I want to be in the shade.    The endocrine system of the body can really be stressed.  This is a system of glands that releases hormones.  Sometimes after a 100-mile race some of my glands are swollen.  (But haven't noticed that for many races).  The stress put on this system can really effect endurance.  While I can jog without pain, I couldn't go very far before I would want to quit.

Need for sleep is another interesting factor.   Here are my sleep patterns

• Thursday night (before race): 4 hours of good sleep - very anxious
• Friday night (during race): 0 hours - never felt drowsy
• Saturday night (in lots of pain): 4 hours - very restless not deep, strange dreams
• Sunday night (after long drive): 8 hours - strange dreams (wife says lots of groaning, leg twitching)
• Monday night: 10 hours - very deep sleep

I woke up this morning feeling like I was hit by a truck, but after a few hours felt better.

Another recovery factor is appetite.   Right after a race my appetite bounces back and I can eat plenty to recover as long as I'm no longer nauseous.  But for the next couple days, my appetite is low.  My taste buds rebell, and nothing tastes good with the exception of some salty foods.   Today (Tuesday) is the first day that both my appetite and taste buds are back in order.

Weight:  Usually I end up weighing more than when I started (unless I finish dehydrated).  But typically during the night while running I retain water because I'm not taking in enough salt, but still drinking plenty.   This was the case at Big Horn.  I was weighed on the same scale, once around 6 p.m. - mile 30 (180 pounds including shoes, etc.), and again at about 9 a.m. next morning - mile 66 (188 pounds).   Eight pound swing up from the night.  I noticed swelling in my hands.   I adjusted by not drinking as much and taking in more salt.  By mile 82 my hands were normal again.

When I returned home, I was up a couple pounds compared to when I left home.  For about 48 hours after the race, my body dumps fluid as it recovers, plenty of trips to the bathroom without drinking much.   I drop a pound or two each day.   Then when my appetite returns, I start gaining weight again.   It is a strange process.

I expect by Saturday I will be fully recovered.  In fast last year, the Saturday after Bighorn I ran in the tough Logan Peak 28-miler and finished mid-pack.  I'm too busy this Saturday, but I expect I'll be out on the trails early in the morning feeling great.

How can I recover so fast?   Through the past few years my body systems have got used to this stress that I put on it.  It has adapted and now bounces back very fast.

Feeling normal again.  Ready to get back to training....and to ditch the roads, hit the trails.   Once the 100-mile recovery usual foot-swelling went down, my ankle/foot did start hurting again, however the pain is less than a week ago before my 100-mile run.  So it looks like healing in continuing fine.

Got up to go run on the trails but could see that a drenching rain had fallen over night.  Mud is that last thing I wanted to run through, but I went ahead and ran up Lott Canyon (on Lake Mountain).  It turned out that the dirt was wet, but not muddy.  It turned out to be a slow recovery run.  My endurance isn't back yet, will take a day or two more.  I just wasn't interested in getting my heart rate up yet.  Muscles and joints all felt great.  The problem ankle still has some soreness, but nothing bad.   I wore some new shoes as needed to adjust them a few times to get the right lace tension.  I could still feel the left big toe being jammed against the front of the shoe on the downhills.  It is still tender from the run last weekend.  I always do have numbness in the tip of the toe because of rubbing from the thousands of miles over the past few years.

Anyway, feeling pretty good.  I'm thrilled to be back out doing trail training again after being sidelined for the past few months because of the injury.   I guess that does sound kind of silly because during this injury I did run two marathons, one 50 mile race, and one 100 mile race.

Weight: 176.  My goal is to get under 170 for Tahoe Rim 100 next month.   I was talking with another ultrarunner after the Bighorn 100 and he commented that my weight was almost clidesdale weight for ultrarunning.   I know that sounds silly, but it is true for front-to-mid-pack 100-mile runners.   I'll work at it.

Two miles with the dog in the afternoon.

Did a nice early morning run up Lott Canyon on Lake Moutain.  Once up there, the legs felt good and wanted more uphill so I bushwhacked and did a steep long climb up to the top of a ridge I had never been on. (about 2000 feet up). It had great views of Cedar Valley to the west, and Utah Valley to the east.  Amazing views.  The morning was incredible.   As I was descended down a ridge I ran into a little boy scout troop hiking up.  "Oh, I guess we aren't the first ones to ever come up here."  I laughed.  One guy saw my Bighorn 100 shirt and asked if I was training for "the 100 race."   I assumed he meant Wastach and I said yes.  I didn't bother to tell him I ran 100 miles just one week ago.

I descended and took a wrong turn to go the way I came, but that was OK, I descended down the other side into Reformation Canyon and then made a run around Lake Mountain to the North.  The massive wheat fields to the north looked amazing as the tassles are now on the wheat.

On the downside.  My ankle is really still a problem.  Each day this week it hurt more with little activity.  Now it is where it was about 2-3 weeks ago.  I'm started to just resign myself to admit that it will be a problem all summer.   Yes, the run I did this morning was very rugged, each step of that ridge hike/run had a possibility of an ankle twist.  At least after 50 miles it isn't a problem so it shouldn't stop me in a 100 mile race.  I just worry that I'll have far less training on Timp this summer because of it.  Oh well

I entered the Freedom Run 10K with two of my sons for July 4.  I'm hoping to win my age group.  It will probably take a sub-43.   To medal will take a sub-45.   In 2006 I did it in 46:04 and in 2007 I did it in 44:45.   My speed is close to two minutes faster than 2007 so a 42:45 could be possible.