Old Man Still running

Getting focused on running Virgil Crest 100, in New York, on Saturday.  Over the weekend studied the course and read race reports from last year.  The course reminds me of the Tahoe Rim 100 format, just lower altitude and cooler/moister conditions.   It really looks like my kind of race and conditions, most of it windy single track in the forest.

The more I think about it, this is crazy running three 100s in four weeks.   But I feel recovered and ready.  The stupid elblow swelled up again this weekend and got hot, but doesn't hurt much.  So, I on the stupid antibiotics, but refuse to take the steroid.  Spooks me to think what a body under 100-mile stress would react after taking that stuff.  Not willing to risk.

Last night I called a family I found, taught, and baptized into the Church on my LDS mission in 1978.   They live 20 minutes from the start.   I'll stay with them a couple nights.  Should be fun.  They are really excited.   I lived in this town for six months and knocked on the doors of about half the homes.   Later in 1981, we moved to a city 40 miles away where I worked for IBM for nine years.

I think the elbow is coming down a little now so I won't look like a freak as much.

Looking at Virgil Crest 100 competition for Saturday.  56 entrants.  22 100-mile rookies who probably won't compete for the win. 13 more back-of the packers.  But that leaves 20 that can comptete.  There are five that really should beat me, including one with elite speed.   So a top-5 finish would be really good.   I have a string of four bad 100 performances going, I hope to break this.  In my favor is low altitude which should keep the stomach happy, and possible poor conditions.  Sloppy with rain usually jumps we way up in the standings since I just ignore it.   Cool weather, high of 65.

Looks like my wishes for a rainy race may come true.  On Friday there could be a half inch of rain dumped on the course and then 50% chance of rain on Saturday, race day.  Should be interesting.  I'll bring the rain gear.  All my friends running the Bear will be running is sissy, pleasant weather.

In NY.  Taking it easy.  Previewed some sections of the course.  Wow!  The sections I went on were wonderful soft forest trails, look very fast.   I checked out several intersections which will help me not get confused.   Rain likely, but it looks like the trails drain pretty fast.  It is very humid, but not very hot.  It will be interesting running in humidty.   All systems go.

Ran out in Central NY.  First day was rainy, cool, humid.  Very muddy in spots that slowed everyone down.  Finished first 50 in just under 13 hours.  Started really cruising at mile 75-85.  But then the morning sun came out.  My body just isn't adapted to heat/humidity like that.  At mile 90, had to lay in a cot for ten minutes.  By mile 93, I was in a bad way, probably heat stroke, scariest 100-mile experience yet. Dizzy, ashen looking, going 1 mph. They sent someone back from the mile 96 aid station to walk me in the last mile.  Layed on the ground at the aid station for quite a while applying ice. Came pretty clost to DNFing at mile 96.  Finally felt somewhat better.  Asked buddy Phil Rosenstein to run with me to the finish, didn't dare do it alone.  He did and somehow I made it.  Last 10 miles took me nearly 5 hours. Ran that same section in 1:45 for the first 10 miles of the race. Recovery has been very hard.  Six hours later finally starting to fill a bit better.  Learned a good lesson about trying to do hot/humid 100s without humidity training.