Technically, Veteran's Day is a holiday at work, but the Cube Room was cubing, so I went in. I did allow myself to feel not guilty about taking a few hours off to get in a daylight run.
Thorncrag was the perfect location. I didn't need to waste time driving. There 's no hunting. It's a good work out. I got to run in the middle of the day, in the middle of the week, in a beautiful setting.
Heading back into work, I was thinking how I could convince people that I should be allowed to do that daily.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Balance?
I was in at work by 6 am Saturday, 5 am Sunday. Luckily I was able to leave both days in under 4 hours. Brad provided some balance. Saturday, Rick, Piper, and I headed there for a mountain-side five. Today it was just the Pipernator and me. We did Squirrel's BD loop in reverse. I was surprised by the amount of stuff down on the trails. It really hasn't been that long since I ran there last.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Night with Pipes
The cold, light rain felt good as Piper and I set out for a short four. It seemed to help rinse off the tension from work. Two deer with their shining eyes greeted us down by the motocross track. A little, sweet porcupine was on the edge of the woods heading over to the neighboring farmers field. Piper didn't even bark or pull. Across the street, a pair of deer tried to decide if they should bail. Instead they just moved a bit off our path. Three more watched from the edge of the field. Sweet.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Ozark Trail 100 - a DNF Report
Maybe 10 minutes, okay, 20 minutes after Haliburton, I knew I wanted to do another 100. I also knew I didn't want to run in the heat. So when I got back from Canada, I started looking. It didn't take me long to find Ozark Trail. Squirrel had said she wasn't going that long in 2014, I think largely cause of the time away from our people. When I sent her the OT100 info indicating I was thinking of it...well, I had her when she saw the buckle had acorns :D
She convinced me to do Laurel Highlands in the spring. I was afraid cause of the potential for heat. We lucked out. I will definitely do that race again someday. What it did mean was that we'd pretty much be training all year. By late September we were already dreaming of no 100s in 2015.
My work got super crazy. 12 to 13+ hours a day were the rule. I was dreaming of the stuff, waking up with a high pulse rate. It was like I was over training, but not with running. Ugh. As the race got closer, work got even more intense. When work people commented on the craziness of the race, I said it was way more preferable to being there. At the same time, I worried for my "room". I'm almost as obsessed with it as with running...just not as in love.
People at work were all kinds of getting sick. I tried to remember to wash hands at every turn, a good plan for a nail biter.
Thursday before, Rick and I drove to Squirrel Central. Pete looked a little rough. Turns out he was battling something, but committed to crewing. We all said goodbye to their furry kids and headed out. It was fun to be in constant messaging contact with the Jedi and Princess. I love that about events.
We landed in St. Louis, got our rental, and headed towards the Ozarks. With a little help from Google, we found an excellent local Mexican restaurant that you might drive pass just on looks. From there we went straight to our mid-point hotel (about 1/2 way between start and finish of the point to point).
In the morning, we tried to find a breakfast place. We had to walk out of the first "cafe" cause of the smoke. Who knew other states still allow smoking in restaurants?! The next place was of similar caliber, but no one happened to be smoking. From there it was to Walmart. Rick and I have been to Walmart in Ontario before Hali, in PA before Laurel, and now in MO before OT100. It's a thing. Since we flew, there were things that made more sense just to buy. Squirrel and I both bought fleece (faux fur?) lined, zippered hoodies for the start. I bought a $4.97 blanket. It was perhaps my best purchase of this year. No shit.
Pete started feeling worse, so it was decided he should stay put and get rest while we did packet pickup and prerace meal. And meet up with the Jedi and Princess!!! They had gotten a cabin at the race end and pre-race stuff local (by the way, a godsend). Tim, our pacer, was heading in around the same time. The race headquarters was cool. Met our with our ultra family and gave me that "this-is-what-I-love" feeling. As we headed to the pre-race meal, I mentioned to Mindy my stomach was wrong. I still ate and enjoyed meeting a new ultra friend, we named Gummy Bear.
The "mandatory pre-race meeting" was after the dinner. We were getting anxious to get back and settle in. Ah, the logistics of a 100 pt to pt. I went and asked how mandatory was mandatory. No, you wouldn't get DQ'd if you didn't attend. Done and done. A goodbye hug to George and Ann and we were on our way. Not a few minutes into our drive, my weird stomach became much more of a concern. I had intense GI cramps. A bit later I told Rick, "If we don't come to something soon, I need to pull into the woods." Squirrel saw a gas station. Now! I am forever sorry Philips 66 in Steeleville and forever grateful that your were there. I went back out to the SUV, almost got in, but had to return to the 66. Hit the Walmart again to pick up more Imodium. Stomach cramps still bad, but sort of subsiding, we got back to the hotel. Pete seemed better. Tim was there. Everyone to bed.
In the morning, I woke feeling better, but not all the way. I checked in with work. Shit was going down. I tried to help before telling them I'd be out of reach from race start on. Rick asked if I was good to go. How could I not try?!
We all set out, Rick, Pete, S & S in the SUV, Tim following in the red Prius. We had directions. Just 40 something minutes to the start. Well, we were on the right road, but couldn't find the turn...minutes were getting precious. Where the hell was County Rd 862? We saw 861. Had we gone too far or not far enough?!! Retracing. It was after race start. We're fucked; they'll be gone before we get there. Wait! It starts with a 1.4 mile out and back; they'll be there a bit after. Found it! How the hell would we see that. Ian would have had a person there (but, as good as this event was, they didn't have our gIANt). We got there almost 10 minutes late, but were okayed to go!!! (And, spoiler, that's right Squirrel was second woman with a 10 minute handicap). We reminded ourselves that 10 minutes is nothing in a 100, but set out a bit quick any way. We were caught up with the tail end after the out and back.
So, I took stock. As I ran, my body felt better. Oh, yeah, this is what I do. I'm okay. We picked off people and just ran. It got lighter quicker than we expected. The trail was hard in interesting ways. They weren't kidding about ankle-biting rocks under leaf coverage. It was unrelenting. It was also interestingly a lot of on-the-side-of-a-mountain running; it seemed like you were always on a camber. I think it was the most single track of single track. There were lots of stream crossings. How could I have done at least 12 in my 40, when there were 12 in the 100?
The course doesn't have a lot of crew access, but were looked forward to seeing our first at 14 miles. We were running strong and maybe middle of the pack. Squirrel made use of actual toilets at this aid station while Rick topped of my bladder and we were gone.
I fell once. Turned an ankle, but knew it'd be fine if I kept moving. Around 20 miles, I knew my GI issues were not a fluke. Something was still wrong. I allowed that I had to get Squirrel to 65 where she'd have Tim to pace her, then I could decide whether I was good to go on. Not much farther it was just I had to get her to 65. After the 35 or something mile aid station, I went down hill fast. I was just hanging on. I felt terrible. I tried to tell Squirrel that my mission was to get her to Tim, but I was a failure. It tried to get her to run ahead. She'd have none of it. The guys aren't far, just go. No. Then I felt worse. I realized there was no way I could go past the next aid station. I was going to throw up and felt light headed. I started to hyperventilate trying to tell Squirrel I couldn't reach my main goal; get her to Tim. She got me back to the trail. We got in to the aid station. I think Rick knew looking at me I was done. I was shivering on top of shivering. Wrapped in my Walmart blanket, I heard Squirrel and Marmot planning her journey. She was on top of her game and ready. I almost knew it was OK that I didn't get her to 65; she didn't need anyone getting her anywhere. Still, I felt like Tim was my goal; almost like DNFing on top of DNFing. Rick got me to the warmth of the SUV. I performed some kind of weird contortionist act under my blanket to get into dry clothes. Soon Tim was at my window letting me know he was heading off to catch Mindy. He was my hero by somehow letting me off the hook on the one DNF.
Rick drove me on the long and wild route back to race finish. Thankfully, Ann was in her cabin. They got me on the pullout sofa where I promptly went to sleep for over 12 hours. I woke feeling slightly better, still no desire for food or ability to look at it. More time passed before Ann told me I felt feverish. She and Rick walked down to check on the runners status. The race did an amazing job with updates and tracking. Soon we learned Jedi was coming back. He was pulled for time. His mind was there, but his recently 100 (grindstone 100) legs were not willing to push the pace. I know, being a race director, they had to pull him, but they don't know the Jedi. He would have summoned whatever it took to get it done in time. Somewhere in here, my fever broke, , my headache left. I felt so much better, just not food friendly.
Rick kept walking down to check the board for squirrel updates. I had no doubt about her finishing, just when to walk down to cheer. Jedi came back with stories. He said he's never been that cold before. He thought he'd never get warm again. Remember, he still has Grindstone stories to tell, too. He got cleaned up, took a bit nap, then we headed down to wait for Squirrel. Pete came in. He thought Mindy might be 2nd woman?! We cheered runners coming in. I recognized some from the trail.
Then. Squirrel!!! She looked so strong running in with Tim. Volunteers were cheering "Squirrel!" Many had manned more than one aid station and she'd clearly won their hearts. OK, I'll let her tell her tale. It was just so..wow!
So, I don't feel bad. It wasn't like I had a decision; i was not going to finish. It was just bad timing for me. I still have a need to earn that buckle. So that is my target race for next year. No putting in for Western States; I'm OT100 bound.
She convinced me to do Laurel Highlands in the spring. I was afraid cause of the potential for heat. We lucked out. I will definitely do that race again someday. What it did mean was that we'd pretty much be training all year. By late September we were already dreaming of no 100s in 2015.
My work got super crazy. 12 to 13+ hours a day were the rule. I was dreaming of the stuff, waking up with a high pulse rate. It was like I was over training, but not with running. Ugh. As the race got closer, work got even more intense. When work people commented on the craziness of the race, I said it was way more preferable to being there. At the same time, I worried for my "room". I'm almost as obsessed with it as with running...just not as in love.
People at work were all kinds of getting sick. I tried to remember to wash hands at every turn, a good plan for a nail biter.
Thursday before, Rick and I drove to Squirrel Central. Pete looked a little rough. Turns out he was battling something, but committed to crewing. We all said goodbye to their furry kids and headed out. It was fun to be in constant messaging contact with the Jedi and Princess. I love that about events.
We landed in St. Louis, got our rental, and headed towards the Ozarks. With a little help from Google, we found an excellent local Mexican restaurant that you might drive pass just on looks. From there we went straight to our mid-point hotel (about 1/2 way between start and finish of the point to point).
In the morning, we tried to find a breakfast place. We had to walk out of the first "cafe" cause of the smoke. Who knew other states still allow smoking in restaurants?! The next place was of similar caliber, but no one happened to be smoking. From there it was to Walmart. Rick and I have been to Walmart in Ontario before Hali, in PA before Laurel, and now in MO before OT100. It's a thing. Since we flew, there were things that made more sense just to buy. Squirrel and I both bought fleece (faux fur?) lined, zippered hoodies for the start. I bought a $4.97 blanket. It was perhaps my best purchase of this year. No shit.
Pete started feeling worse, so it was decided he should stay put and get rest while we did packet pickup and prerace meal. And meet up with the Jedi and Princess!!! They had gotten a cabin at the race end and pre-race stuff local (by the way, a godsend). Tim, our pacer, was heading in around the same time. The race headquarters was cool. Met our with our ultra family and gave me that "this-is-what-I-love" feeling. As we headed to the pre-race meal, I mentioned to Mindy my stomach was wrong. I still ate and enjoyed meeting a new ultra friend, we named Gummy Bear.
The "mandatory pre-race meeting" was after the dinner. We were getting anxious to get back and settle in. Ah, the logistics of a 100 pt to pt. I went and asked how mandatory was mandatory. No, you wouldn't get DQ'd if you didn't attend. Done and done. A goodbye hug to George and Ann and we were on our way. Not a few minutes into our drive, my weird stomach became much more of a concern. I had intense GI cramps. A bit later I told Rick, "If we don't come to something soon, I need to pull into the woods." Squirrel saw a gas station. Now! I am forever sorry Philips 66 in Steeleville and forever grateful that your were there. I went back out to the SUV, almost got in, but had to return to the 66. Hit the Walmart again to pick up more Imodium. Stomach cramps still bad, but sort of subsiding, we got back to the hotel. Pete seemed better. Tim was there. Everyone to bed.
In the morning, I woke feeling better, but not all the way. I checked in with work. Shit was going down. I tried to help before telling them I'd be out of reach from race start on. Rick asked if I was good to go. How could I not try?!
We all set out, Rick, Pete, S & S in the SUV, Tim following in the red Prius. We had directions. Just 40 something minutes to the start. Well, we were on the right road, but couldn't find the turn...minutes were getting precious. Where the hell was County Rd 862? We saw 861. Had we gone too far or not far enough?!! Retracing. It was after race start. We're fucked; they'll be gone before we get there. Wait! It starts with a 1.4 mile out and back; they'll be there a bit after. Found it! How the hell would we see that. Ian would have had a person there (but, as good as this event was, they didn't have our gIANt). We got there almost 10 minutes late, but were okayed to go!!! (And, spoiler, that's right Squirrel was second woman with a 10 minute handicap). We reminded ourselves that 10 minutes is nothing in a 100, but set out a bit quick any way. We were caught up with the tail end after the out and back.
So, I took stock. As I ran, my body felt better. Oh, yeah, this is what I do. I'm okay. We picked off people and just ran. It got lighter quicker than we expected. The trail was hard in interesting ways. They weren't kidding about ankle-biting rocks under leaf coverage. It was unrelenting. It was also interestingly a lot of on-the-side-of-a-mountain running; it seemed like you were always on a camber. I think it was the most single track of single track. There were lots of stream crossings. How could I have done at least 12 in my 40, when there were 12 in the 100?
The course doesn't have a lot of crew access, but were looked forward to seeing our first at 14 miles. We were running strong and maybe middle of the pack. Squirrel made use of actual toilets at this aid station while Rick topped of my bladder and we were gone.
I fell once. Turned an ankle, but knew it'd be fine if I kept moving. Around 20 miles, I knew my GI issues were not a fluke. Something was still wrong. I allowed that I had to get Squirrel to 65 where she'd have Tim to pace her, then I could decide whether I was good to go on. Not much farther it was just I had to get her to 65. After the 35 or something mile aid station, I went down hill fast. I was just hanging on. I felt terrible. I tried to tell Squirrel that my mission was to get her to Tim, but I was a failure. It tried to get her to run ahead. She'd have none of it. The guys aren't far, just go. No. Then I felt worse. I realized there was no way I could go past the next aid station. I was going to throw up and felt light headed. I started to hyperventilate trying to tell Squirrel I couldn't reach my main goal; get her to Tim. She got me back to the trail. We got in to the aid station. I think Rick knew looking at me I was done. I was shivering on top of shivering. Wrapped in my Walmart blanket, I heard Squirrel and Marmot planning her journey. She was on top of her game and ready. I almost knew it was OK that I didn't get her to 65; she didn't need anyone getting her anywhere. Still, I felt like Tim was my goal; almost like DNFing on top of DNFing. Rick got me to the warmth of the SUV. I performed some kind of weird contortionist act under my blanket to get into dry clothes. Soon Tim was at my window letting me know he was heading off to catch Mindy. He was my hero by somehow letting me off the hook on the one DNF.
Rick drove me on the long and wild route back to race finish. Thankfully, Ann was in her cabin. They got me on the pullout sofa where I promptly went to sleep for over 12 hours. I woke feeling slightly better, still no desire for food or ability to look at it. More time passed before Ann told me I felt feverish. She and Rick walked down to check on the runners status. The race did an amazing job with updates and tracking. Soon we learned Jedi was coming back. He was pulled for time. His mind was there, but his recently 100 (grindstone 100) legs were not willing to push the pace. I know, being a race director, they had to pull him, but they don't know the Jedi. He would have summoned whatever it took to get it done in time. Somewhere in here, my fever broke, , my headache left. I felt so much better, just not food friendly.
Rick kept walking down to check the board for squirrel updates. I had no doubt about her finishing, just when to walk down to cheer. Jedi came back with stories. He said he's never been that cold before. He thought he'd never get warm again. Remember, he still has Grindstone stories to tell, too. He got cleaned up, took a bit nap, then we headed down to wait for Squirrel. Pete came in. He thought Mindy might be 2nd woman?! We cheered runners coming in. I recognized some from the trail.
Then. Squirrel!!! She looked so strong running in with Tim. Volunteers were cheering "Squirrel!" Many had manned more than one aid station and she'd clearly won their hearts. OK, I'll let her tell her tale. It was just so..wow!
So, I don't feel bad. It wasn't like I had a decision; i was not going to finish. It was just bad timing for me. I still have a need to earn that buckle. So that is my target race for next year. No putting in for Western States; I'm OT100 bound.
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Me and My Piper
Today it was Pipes and me. We headed to Brad a little late just so it would be us. I decided on a backwards Mindy's BD loop. It was perfect. Piper only tried to kill me two times trying to get to squirrels. Other than that, what a good day to be out.
I met a woman in the parking lot before the run. She sported a VT50 tee so I asked her if she was thinking Big Brad. Well, they were just visiting and checking things out. Later, about 1/2 through my run, I saw her again, working on the Bruiser course. She was so happy and enthusiastic. Brad's trails were "just awesome". Yup, I knew I liked her :)
After the run, Pipes and I met Nathan and John, who'd just finished their BBU loop. Nice to visit before heading home. I love Brad.
I met a woman in the parking lot before the run. She sported a VT50 tee so I asked her if she was thinking Big Brad. Well, they were just visiting and checking things out. Later, about 1/2 through my run, I saw her again, working on the Bruiser course. She was so happy and enthusiastic. Brad's trails were "just awesome". Yup, I knew I liked her :)
After the run, Pipes and I met Nathan and John, who'd just finished their BBU loop. Nice to visit before heading home. I love Brad.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
A Love Story
Running, it heals. Running friends, they heal. Running makes me feel like me. I had a work week that I don't want to repeat, but am probably going to for the foreseeable future. But I run and know it will be there for me to return me to me.
The knee I fell on a few times has been hurting, but felt better after our 20 today.
I love running.
PS. I forgot my hydration pack this morning. Rick drove it to the park for me. Less than three.
The knee I fell on a few times has been hurting, but felt better after our 20 today.
I love running.
PS. I forgot my hydration pack this morning. Rick drove it to the park for me. Less than three.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Laurel Highlands Ultra
My Garmin said we did 13,209 feet of elevation gain in the first 49.51 miles and 11, 559 of loss. That's all it lasted. I loved the course. It was challenging, beautiful, and an experience. There were definitely important parts: crying, barfing, mooning, finishing. That about sums it up! And yet here's still a few more words...
Our crew, always good, are now polished and exactly what we need every aid statioin. Rick and Pete, we really looked forward to seeing you guys.
I think Squirrel had a great quote, post-race, tending to blisters and cleaning up at Tim's, that went something like, "we left large quantities of all sorts of fluids across the Highlands." The mooning was at the very orange, very large, honey moon in honor of Tom's moons.
Our crew, always good, are now polished and exactly what we need every aid statioin. Rick and Pete, we really looked forward to seeing you guys.
I think Squirrel had a great quote, post-race, tending to blisters and cleaning up at Tim's, that went something like, "we left large quantities of all sorts of fluids across the Highlands." The mooning was at the very orange, very large, honey moon in honor of Tom's moons.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Pre-Laurel Post, Post-Laurel Run
I'm going to wait for the weekend to get my race report done. In the mean time, I ran for the first time since Laurel Highlands. Well, the toe that Piper broke, I think, before Hali was on fire...more like being stuck with a hot branding iron for most of the race. Today, it was just numb. The knee that I fell and land on a rock the Tuesday before Laurel, was also weirdly numb. The rest of me felt pretty good. I ran about three miles in the fields. The only time I knew I'd run really long recently was on the down hill across the street; Piper made sure we ran fast. Then I could feel where my recently sore quads connected to the top of my legs. It wasn't pain, but a definite sensation. If I was a professional ballplayer, I'm sure I'd have to take a few games off. If I were the Jedi, I'd run a 50k on Sunday.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
The 2nd UXBA of the Year, Then a Recovery Run?
Scout and Squirrel had big miles on the schedule. Squirrel needed to get her UXBA done. Guess we both knew that would be the run for Saturday. I was surprised when John decided to join, only cause I knew he had a probably broken toe. The roots of the East side are unrelenting. He was good to go.
The Scuffle passed uneventfully. The Breaker went smoothly, with some sweet pup pauses. We had a brief refuel stop before the Bruiser. Mindy Hydropelled her feet while I dumped huge quantities of trail from my shoes. The Bruiser was going pretty well, too, but John started to catch some of the roots, of course, with his hurt foot. Youch! I'd twisted my left ankle pretty good on my 12 miler after TARC. The weird thing was it only started hurting Friday. Well, I was feeling it on the uneven terrain. Very weird.
I held hope that the O trail was leaf blown. Most of the trails were done last Sunday and Piper and I could hear them working on more while we were there. At least then we wouldn't be standing in place deciding where to go like two weeks ago with the Jedi. Did I actually think the O was going to be easy, easier, not so bad?
Well, after 25 miles, the O was the O. Even though, with the freshly blown path, there was no way to get lost, we wondered if we were lost. John started to catch more roots. My body said it was getting sick of all the fucking twists, turns, undulations and roots. What the hell, body? HtFU.
We finally saw a few of our known landmarks. Almost done. Done. At home, my ankles and feet complained. A lot.
In the morning, I found lots of little jobs to delay my run. I never don't want to run. I think I was just a little worried about the parts. Piper's excitement when she saw me starting to pack up certainly helped me get out. Back to Brad, but we'd stay off the really twisty stuff. We headed out the Connector. She was a little bit of trouble with other dogs. I did let her off leash for some play when we got to the second bridge. She was so full of joy, I couldn't help but feel some too. The parts were doing pretty well. Running, it's even good for running problems :)
Oh! I almost forgot about meeting a nice couple running the other way. The guy leads off with something about seeing me pee at Thorncrag. Oh, that was him! The last time S&S had run at Thorncrag, we both peeled off to pee and, all of a sudden, there came a runner down the hill. Oh, well... Never expected I'd run in to the person again - and to be recognized. We went on to have a very nice conversation about running and ultras. He's thinking of the Big Brad for his first 50 miler. I told him the other person peeing at the Crag was co-race director for the Brads with me :D
Heading back in, I twisted the ankle again. I let loose with a very loud stream of bad words. It hurt both on the outer and inner ankle. Still, I had to get back and would still have a couple of miles to get in once back at the parking lot. Running seems to be the best thing for most sprains. We finished up. I iced well while I napped with Piper as my blanket. A broken hallelujah came to mind. It was a very needed run and still broken.
The Scuffle passed uneventfully. The Breaker went smoothly, with some sweet pup pauses. We had a brief refuel stop before the Bruiser. Mindy Hydropelled her feet while I dumped huge quantities of trail from my shoes. The Bruiser was going pretty well, too, but John started to catch some of the roots, of course, with his hurt foot. Youch! I'd twisted my left ankle pretty good on my 12 miler after TARC. The weird thing was it only started hurting Friday. Well, I was feeling it on the uneven terrain. Very weird.
I held hope that the O trail was leaf blown. Most of the trails were done last Sunday and Piper and I could hear them working on more while we were there. At least then we wouldn't be standing in place deciding where to go like two weeks ago with the Jedi. Did I actually think the O was going to be easy, easier, not so bad?
Well, after 25 miles, the O was the O. Even though, with the freshly blown path, there was no way to get lost, we wondered if we were lost. John started to catch more roots. My body said it was getting sick of all the fucking twists, turns, undulations and roots. What the hell, body? HtFU.
We finally saw a few of our known landmarks. Almost done. Done. At home, my ankles and feet complained. A lot.
In the morning, I found lots of little jobs to delay my run. I never don't want to run. I think I was just a little worried about the parts. Piper's excitement when she saw me starting to pack up certainly helped me get out. Back to Brad, but we'd stay off the really twisty stuff. We headed out the Connector. She was a little bit of trouble with other dogs. I did let her off leash for some play when we got to the second bridge. She was so full of joy, I couldn't help but feel some too. The parts were doing pretty well. Running, it's even good for running problems :)
Oh! I almost forgot about meeting a nice couple running the other way. The guy leads off with something about seeing me pee at Thorncrag. Oh, that was him! The last time S&S had run at Thorncrag, we both peeled off to pee and, all of a sudden, there came a runner down the hill. Oh, well... Never expected I'd run in to the person again - and to be recognized. We went on to have a very nice conversation about running and ultras. He's thinking of the Big Brad for his first 50 miler. I told him the other person peeing at the Crag was co-race director for the Brads with me :D
Heading back in, I twisted the ankle again. I let loose with a very loud stream of bad words. It hurt both on the outer and inner ankle. Still, I had to get back and would still have a couple of miles to get in once back at the parking lot. Running seems to be the best thing for most sprains. We finished up. I iced well while I napped with Piper as my blanket. A broken hallelujah came to mind. It was a very needed run and still broken.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
21 the Hard Way, Twice (make a sound like the needle going across a record. jump to the end of April)
Team Scout and Squirrel are ramping up the mileage on the way to Laurel Highlands. We had 21 miles on the schedule for Saturday. There was a decent turnout at Brad, but nothing like the week before. S and S got in just short of 20 miles that day doing the BBL. We figured we'd do the same loop but add on a little at the far power lines. When I realized that Piper was going to be a pain in the ass trying to get me to keep up with Kip and Jet, I suggested to Mindy that we do the extra miles on the mountain to start. It'd be better than adding them on when we were tired anyway.
The mountain side was very runnable. I was surprised, expecting more ice and bare-ground post-holing. It was good not to concentrate too hard on terrain since we had things to talk over. When we crossed over to the East Side, we had slightly more miles than we'd need to get the BBL to 21 miles.
Not too far from the end of the park, I had to pee. Mindy held Piper's leash while I visited the woods. I was gone just a few secs. Upon my return, the silcon chip inside her head got switched to overload. No, really. We don't call her Random Collection of Neurons for nothing. They were all firing. I thought we were going to be tired up and dragged. I decided it'd probably be safer to let her off leash to blow off some steam. We laughed as she flew back and forth. We laughed till I was body-slammed from behind by Piper running full bore and hurling her sideways body into my back. Oooomph!...I went down as hard or harder than I was hit from behind. I took a few seconds to get up. Mindy suggested walking for a bit, but I thought running would help me more than not.
I was pretty hurting, but it felt better as we went along. Till we gone about 15 or 16 miles. Then each step jarred my tail bone sending a wave of pain up my spine. I actually took my fist ibuprofen in over 20 years. My stomach didn't rebel and it actually took the edge off enough.
I was impressed with Piper's stamina. At the end of the run, you'd never know that she'd just run 21 miles. It wasn't till we got back home to the recliner that I knew she was actually tired.
My runs during week were uncomfortable. The footing was uneven. My back felt every little wobble or misjudging of the ground. Every time Piper pulled on the leash I felt it even more. Piper.
So, I started this blog during the week after the 21. I'm pretty sure that was way over a month ago. The very next weekend, Scout and Squirrel, yes, and Piper, too, started out on the same 21 mile route. My back was beginning to feel better except for big drops or when snowmobiles went by and I had to hold back on the leash with most of my might (Pipes really hates those sleds).
The day was warm and sunny. More snowmobiles were out than usual....
April 30
OK. So I don't even really remember that run all that much now. I know that an overly energetic Border Collie seemed to come out of nowhere when we were 15 or so miles into the run, on the power lines somewhere. Controlling Piper took a toll on my back. It was an ordeal trying to find the dogs owner. I'm not even going into that. It was the last of our true long runs that Piper came along. Piper had no problem handling it, but she was too much for S&S to deal with along with the run itself. Pipes gets to join on our following semi-long run.
A couple weeks back, I had Good Friday off from work (good old French-Canadian Catholic Lewiston). Jedi was available for a long run, Squirrel for a semi-long run (she was saving herself for running long with Tim the next day). We decided to do the UXBA, the earliest it's been done, we think. Squirrel reluctantly peeled off about 3/4 of the way through the Breaker. George and I were running well. We headed across for the Bruiser going strong. I'd asked him if he wanted to go to Sea Dogs with Rick and I after; I knew that Ann was in MA. Nah, he had to go to work. I couldn't even think about working after the UXBA. He is the Jedi. We made it to the O with the usual comments about the trail. Holy, holy shit. I forgot that the leaves were down still. It was nearly impossible to tell trail from the rest of the forest floor. Thank goodness the park mark one direction with nailed on green rectangle and the other with painted on green rectangles. As it was, we had to stop for long stretches to figure out how to go. It was a good thing there were some faint orange arrows to help us in some of the really tough places. The temperature had dropped; it wasn't all that warm of a day to start. The wind had picked up a bit. The standing around was taking it's toll; we were getting colder and colder. There was nothing for it; we plugged on. My phone rang. Rick was worried. I asked what time it was. Really?! I'm pretty sure we set a record for the longest time on the O. When I told the Jedi what time it was, he guessed he wasn't going to work after all. I told Rick I was sure we were over 1/2 out of the crazy vowel, but I wasn't guessing a time. Turns out we were more like 3/4 of the way done. By the time we got back to the parking lot, it was almost 6pm. Yikes!
The next weekend was a back down week. Good thing; Squirrel had a training thing for work and Saturday was the running shower for Ian and Emma.
This past weekend was the first of our three build weeks. Since we had 28 on the schedule and TARC had a 50k available, we went for it. The course is a pretty easy one; after Pineland, it is probably the least technical ultra I have ever done. It is certainly the flattest. S&S had to keep a hold of the reins a bit not to run too fast. It was meant to be a training run. We had 12 the next day. We'd have another total 42 for the next weekend. There were a lot of bodies on the short 10k loop. It made the puddles get larger by the last 2 laps. Squirrel quipped that they were amateur puddles just cause of the gigantic, crazy deep mud and water from the summer, night-time 50 miles we'd done there last year. We had some little distractions, like English Springer puppy, Scout. Yup! We met an adorable puppy and we shared a name. I felt pretty sure it was a good sign. When we ran into Princess Ann at the same spot on the next lap, I was sure it was a scared spot.
My Rick had driven us down cause he didn't want tire runners having to drive all the way back. Fortunately there were other TM volunteers to keep him company and a TM tent to keep him dry. I understand Jamie had a stove and made yummy grilled sausages.
The next day, I ran Brad with Piper. Between her stops and mine, our 12 miles took a long time, but not because of any soreness. S&S were both in great running for the next day.
The mountain side was very runnable. I was surprised, expecting more ice and bare-ground post-holing. It was good not to concentrate too hard on terrain since we had things to talk over. When we crossed over to the East Side, we had slightly more miles than we'd need to get the BBL to 21 miles.
Not too far from the end of the park, I had to pee. Mindy held Piper's leash while I visited the woods. I was gone just a few secs. Upon my return, the silcon chip inside her head got switched to overload. No, really. We don't call her Random Collection of Neurons for nothing. They were all firing. I thought we were going to be tired up and dragged. I decided it'd probably be safer to let her off leash to blow off some steam. We laughed as she flew back and forth. We laughed till I was body-slammed from behind by Piper running full bore and hurling her sideways body into my back. Oooomph!...I went down as hard or harder than I was hit from behind. I took a few seconds to get up. Mindy suggested walking for a bit, but I thought running would help me more than not.
I was pretty hurting, but it felt better as we went along. Till we gone about 15 or 16 miles. Then each step jarred my tail bone sending a wave of pain up my spine. I actually took my fist ibuprofen in over 20 years. My stomach didn't rebel and it actually took the edge off enough.
I was impressed with Piper's stamina. At the end of the run, you'd never know that she'd just run 21 miles. It wasn't till we got back home to the recliner that I knew she was actually tired.
My runs during week were uncomfortable. The footing was uneven. My back felt every little wobble or misjudging of the ground. Every time Piper pulled on the leash I felt it even more. Piper.
So, I started this blog during the week after the 21. I'm pretty sure that was way over a month ago. The very next weekend, Scout and Squirrel, yes, and Piper, too, started out on the same 21 mile route. My back was beginning to feel better except for big drops or when snowmobiles went by and I had to hold back on the leash with most of my might (Pipes really hates those sleds).
The day was warm and sunny. More snowmobiles were out than usual....
April 30
OK. So I don't even really remember that run all that much now. I know that an overly energetic Border Collie seemed to come out of nowhere when we were 15 or so miles into the run, on the power lines somewhere. Controlling Piper took a toll on my back. It was an ordeal trying to find the dogs owner. I'm not even going into that. It was the last of our true long runs that Piper came along. Piper had no problem handling it, but she was too much for S&S to deal with along with the run itself. Pipes gets to join on our following semi-long run.
A couple weeks back, I had Good Friday off from work (good old French-Canadian Catholic Lewiston). Jedi was available for a long run, Squirrel for a semi-long run (she was saving herself for running long with Tim the next day). We decided to do the UXBA, the earliest it's been done, we think. Squirrel reluctantly peeled off about 3/4 of the way through the Breaker. George and I were running well. We headed across for the Bruiser going strong. I'd asked him if he wanted to go to Sea Dogs with Rick and I after; I knew that Ann was in MA. Nah, he had to go to work. I couldn't even think about working after the UXBA. He is the Jedi. We made it to the O with the usual comments about the trail. Holy, holy shit. I forgot that the leaves were down still. It was nearly impossible to tell trail from the rest of the forest floor. Thank goodness the park mark one direction with nailed on green rectangle and the other with painted on green rectangles. As it was, we had to stop for long stretches to figure out how to go. It was a good thing there were some faint orange arrows to help us in some of the really tough places. The temperature had dropped; it wasn't all that warm of a day to start. The wind had picked up a bit. The standing around was taking it's toll; we were getting colder and colder. There was nothing for it; we plugged on. My phone rang. Rick was worried. I asked what time it was. Really?! I'm pretty sure we set a record for the longest time on the O. When I told the Jedi what time it was, he guessed he wasn't going to work after all. I told Rick I was sure we were over 1/2 out of the crazy vowel, but I wasn't guessing a time. Turns out we were more like 3/4 of the way done. By the time we got back to the parking lot, it was almost 6pm. Yikes!
The next weekend was a back down week. Good thing; Squirrel had a training thing for work and Saturday was the running shower for Ian and Emma.
This past weekend was the first of our three build weeks. Since we had 28 on the schedule and TARC had a 50k available, we went for it. The course is a pretty easy one; after Pineland, it is probably the least technical ultra I have ever done. It is certainly the flattest. S&S had to keep a hold of the reins a bit not to run too fast. It was meant to be a training run. We had 12 the next day. We'd have another total 42 for the next weekend. There were a lot of bodies on the short 10k loop. It made the puddles get larger by the last 2 laps. Squirrel quipped that they were amateur puddles just cause of the gigantic, crazy deep mud and water from the summer, night-time 50 miles we'd done there last year. We had some little distractions, like English Springer puppy, Scout. Yup! We met an adorable puppy and we shared a name. I felt pretty sure it was a good sign. When we ran into Princess Ann at the same spot on the next lap, I was sure it was a scared spot.
My Rick had driven us down cause he didn't want tire runners having to drive all the way back. Fortunately there were other TM volunteers to keep him company and a TM tent to keep him dry. I understand Jamie had a stove and made yummy grilled sausages.
The next day, I ran Brad with Piper. Between her stops and mine, our 12 miles took a long time, but not because of any soreness. S&S were both in great running for the next day.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
The Power Line Piece of Perpetual Sorrow and, Then, ANDY!
Saturday, the Squirrel was heading to the GAC fatass. I didn't want to add all the driving time to the running time so decided to stay local. The weather made me decide to run from the house. The birches were bending over again with freezing rain by the time I stepped outside to run.
I would have loved Piper's company, but she'd ended up with 3 bloody paws on our little 4-miler on Thursday. I figured that 20 in potentially worse conditions wasn't a good idea. It didn't take very long to know it was the right decision. I decided I'd try to do as many miles on our side of the road as I could squeeze out, then head towards Triffittville as far as seemed runnable, and repeat as necessary for the mileage.
The miles in our fields, all two, were difficult going. I had to stop before getting to the little stream that would be impassable; the field was flooded. It had ice over it, but probably just 1/4 in thick. Not even gonna try. The light, but steady freezing rain began to soak my gloves. By the time I'd started to warm from the effort, the freezing rain picked up and I turned into the wind. Brrrr...
I thought I had seen the worst of what I'd be dealing with till I crossed Webster street onto the first power lines on the way to Triffittville. The snomo trail looked solid, but my right leg post holed fairly deeply. I timbered forward. I assessed. I was fine. I stood, stepped back to catch my balance, post holed, and fell. Perfect. I thought about turning back, but that would mean repeating the bit around our fields about 10x. No, I'd brave the power line piece of perpetual post holing. It's less than a half a mile, but it seemed to stretch on and on. Turning off the power line into the woods, the trail was the best of what I'd run for the day. Unfortunately, that was only a half mile, too. Then it opened onto another field.
Fields. Fucking fields. The problem with fields, at least for winter running, is that snowmobiles aren't constrained to follow one path. They spread out. The trail, or the multiple tracks, never get packed. I wouldn't call it post holing, but it was lots of just breaking through for long stretches, sliding in sugar, or slipping on unexpected shear ice. I was pleasantly surprised when the stream/marsh between the field I was in and the next was crossable without a plunge. One more field and I'd be into the woods!
Yeah, that's just not how this run was going to go. After that field, I entered the wooded opening only to see the "Bridge Out" sign. I kept going to inspect. After all, there were snomo tracks heading that way. Whoa! The bridge was out alright. It had been one of the more rickety, and it was a fairly big stream, but I didn't expect the entire bridge to be gone. OK, bummer, no Scoutland to Triffittville traverse this year.
And bummer cause now I knew how small my "loop" would be. I turned back. At least I was with the wind this direction. Just after the little marsh crossing, I noticed that lots of snomos went a different way. Did they know of another bridge? I debated following. Was it smart to go off on an unknown path in this weather with these trail conditions? No, but it would turn it into more of an adventure. So, no second thoughts, I went in a new direction.
Over a field, down a big hill, right to the river. It was obvious that the river had allowed crossing at one point, but not any more. I looked up and down stream. There wasn't any log across or narrow pieces that I could see - another dead end. Ugh. Once again I realized how limited my trail was. Back on the Power Line of Perpetual Sorrow, I fell again. Fortunately, I was able to press my heel into the bottom of the watery hole to stop my calf from going into spasm. This was the moment I named the PLPS. I may have even gotten some pleasure in that.
Hmmm, even though there had been no snowmobile traffic down to the beaver lodge, I decided to see what the trail down would be like. Miles. I needed miles. It wasn't easy, but it was easier than a lot of what I was doing. It was, at least, consistent. Woohoo ( a little sarcastic)...it was all of 7 miles since I left the house. Do I just stay on the fatass side of the street and off the Power Line of Perpetual Post Holing? Then I remembered the best little stretch was on the other side. OK, I'd run up to that point, then decide.
Conditions had actually deteriorated from the start. Perfect. I have to admit to laughing when I got back to the PLPS or PLPPHH (Power Line of Perpetual Post Holing Hell). I had 10 miles on my Garmin. Well, I was all in now. It was almost better on the PLPS because I could just plan on going through. I went VERY slowly. YAY!!!!! The runnable stretch was still runnable, I ran it a couple of times.
When I headed down the beaver path again, there were fresh coyote tracks. As I followed the canine prints, a little voice in my head questioned going in the same direction as a coyote all alone. A saner voice reminded me they were more afraid of me. My normal voice had a conversation with the coyote about his/her feet being able to handle the trail conditions while they made Piper's bleed. The coyote told me that was because she had feet to far removed from the wolf. Whippet feet weren't developed for the snow.
I finally made it back to the house with a bit over 19 miles. Close enough. I felt pretty beat up. I had some kind of pride in hanging in there, but wanted no part of that type of a run for Sunday. I opted to head up to Andy. The snomo trail there is so well defined; there is no riding if not on the trail. It was the best shot of having a packed trail. I also figured that the warmer weather would be kinder to Piper's feet. I knew she wanted to run with me. If it was a buts, it was a bust.
It was a small adventure getting into the parking lot, even with all-wheel drive, but it was worth it! Both Piper and I found the trail very acceptable. My legs let me know they'd been beaten up the day before, but I told them to rejoice they were here. Yes, I do love Andy :) I checked Piper's paws after one mile, two, three...four was the turn around so it was a go.
I let her off leash for a good long stretch. She didn't need to be told to rejoice.
I would have loved Piper's company, but she'd ended up with 3 bloody paws on our little 4-miler on Thursday. I figured that 20 in potentially worse conditions wasn't a good idea. It didn't take very long to know it was the right decision. I decided I'd try to do as many miles on our side of the road as I could squeeze out, then head towards Triffittville as far as seemed runnable, and repeat as necessary for the mileage.
The miles in our fields, all two, were difficult going. I had to stop before getting to the little stream that would be impassable; the field was flooded. It had ice over it, but probably just 1/4 in thick. Not even gonna try. The light, but steady freezing rain began to soak my gloves. By the time I'd started to warm from the effort, the freezing rain picked up and I turned into the wind. Brrrr...
I thought I had seen the worst of what I'd be dealing with till I crossed Webster street onto the first power lines on the way to Triffittville. The snomo trail looked solid, but my right leg post holed fairly deeply. I timbered forward. I assessed. I was fine. I stood, stepped back to catch my balance, post holed, and fell. Perfect. I thought about turning back, but that would mean repeating the bit around our fields about 10x. No, I'd brave the power line piece of perpetual post holing. It's less than a half a mile, but it seemed to stretch on and on. Turning off the power line into the woods, the trail was the best of what I'd run for the day. Unfortunately, that was only a half mile, too. Then it opened onto another field.
Fields. Fucking fields. The problem with fields, at least for winter running, is that snowmobiles aren't constrained to follow one path. They spread out. The trail, or the multiple tracks, never get packed. I wouldn't call it post holing, but it was lots of just breaking through for long stretches, sliding in sugar, or slipping on unexpected shear ice. I was pleasantly surprised when the stream/marsh between the field I was in and the next was crossable without a plunge. One more field and I'd be into the woods!
Yeah, that's just not how this run was going to go. After that field, I entered the wooded opening only to see the "Bridge Out" sign. I kept going to inspect. After all, there were snomo tracks heading that way. Whoa! The bridge was out alright. It had been one of the more rickety, and it was a fairly big stream, but I didn't expect the entire bridge to be gone. OK, bummer, no Scoutland to Triffittville traverse this year.
And bummer cause now I knew how small my "loop" would be. I turned back. At least I was with the wind this direction. Just after the little marsh crossing, I noticed that lots of snomos went a different way. Did they know of another bridge? I debated following. Was it smart to go off on an unknown path in this weather with these trail conditions? No, but it would turn it into more of an adventure. So, no second thoughts, I went in a new direction.
Over a field, down a big hill, right to the river. It was obvious that the river had allowed crossing at one point, but not any more. I looked up and down stream. There wasn't any log across or narrow pieces that I could see - another dead end. Ugh. Once again I realized how limited my trail was. Back on the Power Line of Perpetual Sorrow, I fell again. Fortunately, I was able to press my heel into the bottom of the watery hole to stop my calf from going into spasm. This was the moment I named the PLPS. I may have even gotten some pleasure in that.
Hmmm, even though there had been no snowmobile traffic down to the beaver lodge, I decided to see what the trail down would be like. Miles. I needed miles. It wasn't easy, but it was easier than a lot of what I was doing. It was, at least, consistent. Woohoo ( a little sarcastic)...it was all of 7 miles since I left the house. Do I just stay on the fatass side of the street and off the Power Line of Perpetual Post Holing? Then I remembered the best little stretch was on the other side. OK, I'd run up to that point, then decide.
Conditions had actually deteriorated from the start. Perfect. I have to admit to laughing when I got back to the PLPS or PLPPHH (Power Line of Perpetual Post Holing Hell). I had 10 miles on my Garmin. Well, I was all in now. It was almost better on the PLPS because I could just plan on going through. I went VERY slowly. YAY!!!!! The runnable stretch was still runnable, I ran it a couple of times.
When I headed down the beaver path again, there were fresh coyote tracks. As I followed the canine prints, a little voice in my head questioned going in the same direction as a coyote all alone. A saner voice reminded me they were more afraid of me. My normal voice had a conversation with the coyote about his/her feet being able to handle the trail conditions while they made Piper's bleed. The coyote told me that was because she had feet to far removed from the wolf. Whippet feet weren't developed for the snow.
I finally made it back to the house with a bit over 19 miles. Close enough. I felt pretty beat up. I had some kind of pride in hanging in there, but wanted no part of that type of a run for Sunday. I opted to head up to Andy. The snomo trail there is so well defined; there is no riding if not on the trail. It was the best shot of having a packed trail. I also figured that the warmer weather would be kinder to Piper's feet. I knew she wanted to run with me. If it was a buts, it was a bust.It was a small adventure getting into the parking lot, even with all-wheel drive, but it was worth it! Both Piper and I found the trail very acceptable. My legs let me know they'd been beaten up the day before, but I told them to rejoice they were here. Yes, I do love Andy :) I checked Piper's paws after one mile, two, three...four was the turn around so it was a go.
I let her off leash for a good long stretch. She didn't need to be told to rejoice.
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Scoutland Run with Piper
Scout and Squirrel had plans for the BBL. Our Laurel Highlands schedule had 18 for the day. Well, the weather had other plans. The low temperature was supposed to be very, very low Friday night into Saturday. It didn't make sense to be stupid when Sunday the temps would be starting out at the high for Saturday. OK, we can be reasonable.
Then Ian posted he was going to do his local trails at 1pm when the temperature would be double digits and his dogs could join. The Squirrel was in, but I decided to stay home. I'd barely seen Rick (he had supervisory duty through new years) as it was. I didn't want to take 1.5 hrs just in travel and then be running when he'd be done his errands.
So, it'd be me and Piper. I planned to go as soon as the temps went positive. The NWS predicted it would be at 10am. They were an hour off. Piper and I were out the door at 11:15.
I was definitely dressed for it. What I didn't expect, and I don't know why, was how bad the trail (can we can it a trail?) was going to be. I was working very, very hard to barely move. Then I'd brake through. Then I'd hit something awkward underneath. The beautiful scenery was not helping; I think I'm almost on beautiful scenery overload. Work, work, work. Heart beating, slamming, bursting in (through?) my chest. I wasn't having fun. I wondered on that. I normally rejoice at the challenge. But. I. was. barely. moving. Still, I had to smile at Piper's antics. Then my foot went through to the little brook. Really? Doesn't -21 mean anything to you water? I swear that the water froze in the mesh of my shoe before it could get to my foot.
We made it to the snomo bridge that is now closed to traffic. Heading back, the wind was chilly. I looked for signs that Piper was too cold so I could drop her back at the house before crossing the road to the hill. Nope, she seemed fine. Before we got to the road, I stopped to pick her a frozen apple. Shit. Shit. Ouch! The snow drifted around the tree was deceiving. I hyper-extended my knee a bit, in addition going down to my hips. Well, at least, Piper appreciated the apple.
Across the street, the conditions going up the hill were the same as they had been, except we were going up. Can I even breathe? Once we crested the hill, unexpectedly, the trail was slightly better. I think a lot of the snow had drifted off of this stretch. We continued along the power lines and crossed the next street. This is how we will head to Triffittville when we take on that adventure.
I was surprised to hear a snowmobile headed our way. Most of them either don't have the gear for such cold or are just too weenie. I quickly put Pipe's leash back on and got her off the snomo trail. Of course she lunged. My huge mittens allowed the leash to slip through. Shit. She almost got hit.
As soon as he'd put a little distance between us, I let her back off. The run just got better and better from here. Again, not easy going, the trail was better. It was the first time I'd been this way since last year. When we turned off the power lines into the woods, a huge buck bounded across the trail. Whoa! Immediately I screamed, "Piper!" as she tore after the creature. They were both extremely athletic looking. I called and called, all the time expecting to have to track her through the briars and brambles where a rabbit wouldn't go (Ballad of New Orleans, anyone?). My heart was pounding for a new reason. I was worried I'd lose her.
I'd just told Rick, yesterday, how Piper was the best thing that happened in 2013. He said, "Even better than your 100?" Yup. They are hard to compare, so totally unrelated, but Piper is family. The event was super, super important, but not like the pup - even though Hali had friendship, sacrifice (a lot on Rick's part), team work (ours and our crew's), Bunkies (less than three), Alexions, and finishing 100 fucking miles with the best running partner ever. I didn't want to go through losing her. Heart now in throat.
Piper!!! She burst back on to the trail all excited. I rejoiced. We reunited. My running was even more joyful. I saw little mice tracks, bunny tracks, hare tracks, and coyote (?) tracks. We ran. I thrilled at the thought of continuing further on the way to Triffittville. It was very hard to play it smart and turn around. That'll be there for another day.
Piper and I turned back. I think we ended up with about 6.5 miles. I'm glad I didn't let the struggle of the first miles make me cut the run short. What a day with the Piper!
Then Ian posted he was going to do his local trails at 1pm when the temperature would be double digits and his dogs could join. The Squirrel was in, but I decided to stay home. I'd barely seen Rick (he had supervisory duty through new years) as it was. I didn't want to take 1.5 hrs just in travel and then be running when he'd be done his errands.
So, it'd be me and Piper. I planned to go as soon as the temps went positive. The NWS predicted it would be at 10am. They were an hour off. Piper and I were out the door at 11:15.
I was definitely dressed for it. What I didn't expect, and I don't know why, was how bad the trail (can we can it a trail?) was going to be. I was working very, very hard to barely move. Then I'd brake through. Then I'd hit something awkward underneath. The beautiful scenery was not helping; I think I'm almost on beautiful scenery overload. Work, work, work. Heart beating, slamming, bursting in (through?) my chest. I wasn't having fun. I wondered on that. I normally rejoice at the challenge. But. I. was. barely. moving. Still, I had to smile at Piper's antics. Then my foot went through to the little brook. Really? Doesn't -21 mean anything to you water? I swear that the water froze in the mesh of my shoe before it could get to my foot.
We made it to the snomo bridge that is now closed to traffic. Heading back, the wind was chilly. I looked for signs that Piper was too cold so I could drop her back at the house before crossing the road to the hill. Nope, she seemed fine. Before we got to the road, I stopped to pick her a frozen apple. Shit. Shit. Ouch! The snow drifted around the tree was deceiving. I hyper-extended my knee a bit, in addition going down to my hips. Well, at least, Piper appreciated the apple.
Across the street, the conditions going up the hill were the same as they had been, except we were going up. Can I even breathe? Once we crested the hill, unexpectedly, the trail was slightly better. I think a lot of the snow had drifted off of this stretch. We continued along the power lines and crossed the next street. This is how we will head to Triffittville when we take on that adventure.
I was surprised to hear a snowmobile headed our way. Most of them either don't have the gear for such cold or are just too weenie. I quickly put Pipe's leash back on and got her off the snomo trail. Of course she lunged. My huge mittens allowed the leash to slip through. Shit. She almost got hit.
As soon as he'd put a little distance between us, I let her back off. The run just got better and better from here. Again, not easy going, the trail was better. It was the first time I'd been this way since last year. When we turned off the power lines into the woods, a huge buck bounded across the trail. Whoa! Immediately I screamed, "Piper!" as she tore after the creature. They were both extremely athletic looking. I called and called, all the time expecting to have to track her through the briars and brambles where a rabbit wouldn't go (Ballad of New Orleans, anyone?). My heart was pounding for a new reason. I was worried I'd lose her.
I'd just told Rick, yesterday, how Piper was the best thing that happened in 2013. He said, "Even better than your 100?" Yup. They are hard to compare, so totally unrelated, but Piper is family. The event was super, super important, but not like the pup - even though Hali had friendship, sacrifice (a lot on Rick's part), team work (ours and our crew's), Bunkies (less than three), Alexions, and finishing 100 fucking miles with the best running partner ever. I didn't want to go through losing her. Heart now in throat.
Piper!!! She burst back on to the trail all excited. I rejoiced. We reunited. My running was even more joyful. I saw little mice tracks, bunny tracks, hare tracks, and coyote (?) tracks. We ran. I thrilled at the thought of continuing further on the way to Triffittville. It was very hard to play it smart and turn around. That'll be there for another day.
Piper and I turned back. I think we ended up with about 6.5 miles. I'm glad I didn't let the struggle of the first miles make me cut the run short. What a day with the Piper!
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