Potpourri for $1000, Alex

This is going to be a hodgepodge post.  Lots of thoughts swirling around in the mind of Scout to get out.  Things past, present and future, but in no way Christmas Carol-y.

Scout and Squirrel ran at Pineland almost two weeks ago, our obligatory-during-deer-hunting-season run.  Long ago, the TMR Saturday group runs switched to Pineland from Bradbury during November.  I always badmouth Pineland, say how much I hate it.  That's really not the whole story.  And after reading Squirrels blog about our run and her memories of the Land of Pines, I have to confess to maybe having positive feelings for Pineland after all.  

I ran my first ultra at Pineland.  It was the Pineland Festival's first year also, 2006.  It wouldn't have a 50 mile option for the first two years. 50k seemed so crazy back then.  I didn't know anything about training for it and just used the same plan I had for a marathon. I wish I had been blogging then.  I didn't save my running logs (just threw out years worth when I was cleaning out the back room this past winter).  I think I did well despite having IT band issues. I think the 2nd year I earned the 3rd woman award.  Then, when Pineland opted to add the 50 miler, I decided I would too.  I guess I cut my teeth at Pineland.  Scout and Squirrel had become a duo by my 4th and last 50 miler there.  After Mindy did her 40 for 40, we moved on to grown up 50 milers.  

So when Mindy asked me where I wanted to run this Friday, I guess it shouldn't be that big of a surprise that I said Pineland.  Well, the fact my feet were really angry at me for a 22.6 mile run on rooty, rocky terrain two days before, also led me to see Pineland favorably.  The wide, smooth dirt and grass trail sounded exactly what my feet wanted.  Oh, and feet, HtFU!!! We did our normal run, ticking off the agenda items that accrue between our s&s meetings.  The only time running is on the agenda is in regards to our races.  Lots of race director meetings take place on the trail 💚

Since it's a potpourri post, I will take this opportunity to share an amazing sandal.  I don't even understand how they can, but my Chaco's Chillos have been saving my feet, especially my ultra-angry right foot.  I have had plantar fasciitis before.  It has some elements of that, but seems to be more towards the side of the foot than right in the middle at the place where the heel meets the arch.  Still, much of the same intensity and that it can lessen as you warm up.  After the long run, that my training really didn't support, they were as angry as they have ever been.  I could barely put any weight on it to hobble to the bathroom.  That's when I started wearing the Chillos around the house.  It was almost immediate relief.  After a few hours of wearing them, I could walk without them just fine.  I won't lie that I felt no pain running at Pineland, but we did 7 very comfortable miles.  I immediately switched to the Chillos and was back to pain free.  I'm very lucky I ran into Emily Rose after, or maybe before, one of her virtual dirt series races.  She had a cool rainbow pair that were cute and comfortable looking enough to make me follow through on buying a pair.  I wish they made running shoes, or, at least, inserts.

Cracked

While I'm promoting products, I dropped my phone (practically threw it on a rock) during my long run.  I was so bummed cause the screen had shattered.  I had just gotten the phone a month or two ago (who really knows since time no longer makes sense?).  When I was finally home, warm, and beer in hand, I remembered I had a screen protector.  I peeled it off to discover that it had done its job.  The screen was intact!!!  

Now, I also have a rant about scientific theory versus theory in the vernacular, but I'll save that for a post just dedicated to it.  I can't say any more or I won't be able to stop.  

Saturday was a short run from the house.  Sunday was OSGR, of course.  Just 3 folks braved the sloppy conditions, but it was a great little run.  Feet were wet and cold pretty much instantly.  

Monday!  Somehow the day frittered away.  I was just getting ready to get my running gear on around 3pm.  Xar texted.  Had I run?  Nope, but was getting ready.  IRS?  Fuck yeah!!!  I switched from getting ready to run to getting dinner going so Rick and I would be done earlier than usual.  IRS was set for 7pm.  Piper nearly lost her mind when she greeted Xar on the patio and then, again, when we finished our run.  

How sweet is it to have someone who will come to your house at night to run.  IRS is always special, even when we did it weekly, but the return was...very IRS-y!!  The only things that were missing were the guardian deer.  Maybe they are too busy being guarded themselves.  Hunting season is not quite over.  We tramped over the hill and into the back.  The little stream was too big to cross so we ran around the field.  I went through some ice and promptly fell.  We found ice caterpillars and talked about everything.  Yup!

That brings us to Tuesday (yesterday).  I had all kinds of errands and the day got away from me again.  Rather than having a late dinner where Rick almost has to go to bed right after, I chose to run when he went to bed.  It was hard to get dressed, but it's always so worth it.  The night was beautiful.  I saw no glowing eyes, no animal sounds, just the cold, clear night sky.  The snow wants to be hard enough to run on top, but it only is for short stretches...just when you let your guard down, you're plunging through.  At least it's not deep enough to call it post holing!  It just makes the run more of  a work out.

That brings us to today.  Will I run in the daylight...based on the rate of day frittering, not likely.