Old Man Still running

Rest and recovery.  The worst part is my sinuses...all messed up, probably will go into a bad cold.  I can jog down stairs with minimal pain.  Going over the race in my head makes me very determined to do better at the Bear 100 in a 11 days.  I didn't give Wasatch 100 my best effort, so I need to redeem myself.

Very funny thing today.  On my phone, I retrieved a message from last week.  A guy found my lost camera in the Uintas.  I lost it on Dead Horse Pass nearly a month ago and even ran up there again to search for it once I discovered it was missing.  Somehow by looking at the pictures on the camera, this guy figured out I was the owner!   I had joked with my buddies that this might happen.  I don't know details because I also got his phone mail.

Looking for runners interested in pacing at Bear 100 a week from Friday up Logan Canyon.  Let me know if you are interested.

I'm seeking volunteers to help out with my race next month, Pony Express Trail 50 and 100-miler.  This is out in the west desert of Utah on the historic trail.  See www.ponyexpress100.org 

I need to find some volunteers to help with checking in runners, directing traffic at the start, an aid station at the 50-mile finish, timing, runner tracking, cheering, etc.   It is on UEA weekend, so the kids are out of school that Friday.  Bring them out.  This is a family event because each runner must have a crew car driving along with them.  So it is pretty crazy to see first-hand how someone runs 100-miles.   Let me know if you want to join in the fun.   October 15-16.

Did a recovery run.  Ran up Timp. Took it relatively easy but felt fully recovered, no ill effects left over from Wasatch. No soreness, no fatigue.  Felt like I could run up hill for a long time.  Legs didn't feel heavy.   Reached the top in 2:14.  I started around 2:30 a.m.  The trail was clogged with college kids.  I counted 80 on the way up.  I passed everyone on the trail reaching the summit first except for a couple guys sleeping in the summit hut.

The crowd this week on the trail seemed unusal.  They didn't seem to know what to do when a trail runner approaches.  Perhaps these are a bunch of college kids hiking for the first time.  But it was a real problem.  As I would approach, they would see me but not know what to do.  They are in the middle of the trail, taking up the entire width.  They then figure out that they need to step over to the side but they try think they can get in a few last steps in the middle of the trail before I arrive but they can't.  So I either have to screech to a halt or almost plow into them.  Oh well.  I was considering doing a double today but the trail was so clogged, that I didn't want to go up again.   I took the steep short-cuts going up and down to bypass several groups.

There were another 50 kids going up as I was coming down....and another 50 in the parking lot waiting for dawn.  Busy day on the mountain!  My round trip was 3:54, nice and easy.  I tried to keep the pace slow enough to avoid face plants, but I went down once with one mile to go.  Didn't scape anything or get hurt.  Only go dirty. 

Love the comments from the "kids" on the trail.  "You're a freaking animal."  I resist the urge to reply, "I'm just an elderly 52-year-old man going out for a morning stroll."  The funny comments are when they thing something is wrong, that I'm running down fast to get some help, or some sort of crazy ambulence with a green light.  "What's wrong?"  Today I didn't say anything, but usually I say, "She's going to blow!  The mountain is going to blow!"

It was a nice morning run.  I'm feeling ready for Bear 100 on Friday.  Still interested in someone pacing me Friday afternoon in Logan Canyon.   No biggy, just helps save several minutes and gives you a chance to taste a 100-miler.   I don't usually use pacers, but with local races it is fun to share the experience.