S&S of Old

 Yesterday I set out on a run from Scoutland after 5 or 6 inches of fresh snow.  The wind was making it feel quite cold, single digits.  The snow was over top of a mess of conditions.  The previous warm temps had made lots of mud and puddles as well has some areas that were slick ice.  My microspikes bit on very little.  The snow came down light, with very little moisture, but below it became wet with the mud and puddles.  In real cold, you don't expect clumping on your spikes to be an issue.

I was complaining very loudly in my head about all of it, whining even.  Great, now I could add plunging into water to my list of annoyances.  I couldn't even get the clump on my left cleat to break up.  I had to take it off to whack it on a tree.  It was still a battle to free it.  I thought about how I always say I never regret the run once I'm out there.  Hmph!

Something about the view then reminded me of one of Scout and Squirrels runs probably 10 or 11 years ago.  The snow we were breaking trail on had this beat by at least a foot.  We were doing the Beautiful Loop, not some little 5 miles with home right there.  It started me thinking about many of our runs.  Where had that Scout gone?  We embraced the shitty conditions.  It made the run that much more epic.  Scoutland to Triffittville we didn't even really know where we were half the time.  Sigh.

While this reflecting was going on, I was getting miles done.  They were still shitty, but I found a little perspective.  I'm going to have to channel that Scout.  I need her for my training and completing of RRR.  All buckle.  Find the fun.  

2022 RRR - Spectator Now

Rick drove Squirrel, Bucky, and me back.  We saw the part of the course that went through town.  They had volunteers out making sure what little traffic there was stopped for the runners.  I'm sure we talked about our run, but now it has all faded.  We were at Bucky's condo in no time, then back to the hotel in even less.  

I think it was before I was out of the shower, Rick was saying he'd made a rookie mistake.  He should have had me sit longer.  I said I made a rookie mistake.  I should have sat longer.  I think back to how bad I was 65 miles in at Ozarks.  I was a mess, but I was also out where there was no easy way back.  Rick was pacing me.  No one was at the aid station with a ride back.  I may have been worse then, but I took a nap.  I stopped thinking maybe I was a medical issue, ate a pbj, and they gave me hot chocolate, godammit!!!  Well, too late now.  

I'd run enough to have the fitful sleep, not long enough to just crash.  Shit.  All of the bad with none of the "I did it!"  I was awake before Rick.  I tried to be quiet.  The race played over in my head.  I thought of our friends still going.  Did I know Tammy had called it before we went to sleep...I'm fuzzy on that now.  

Rick roused.  We went over details again.  I popped the beer that I didn't have on the way back.  Morning beer :) Squirrel came over.  We heard from Ann.  She came over with "sippies".  Crap!  Jedi was calling it.  He got a ride back.  

Breakfast happened.  Really good breakfast.  I think it was Bucky, Mindy, Tanya, Kristen, Rick, and me.  Ann was back at the hotel with Jedi.  After breakfast we went to pick up some beers.  We wanted to get over to the finish line.  The day was gorgeous.  Blue skies, warm, and comfortable.  Runners were finishing.  We tried to follow Craig and PT, but the tracking was spotty.  When you're in the mountains, it's amazing you can get any news!  We also were paying attention to the 50 mile race since we had Dana and Don running.

There was music, beers, kidding, rooting, and remorse.  It was pretty early that I said I had to come back.  "Well, damn Scout, if you're coming back, I guess I am too," or something like that immediately came out of Bucky.  Forget never running another race in altitude again; it's on!  Tammy V was all in, too.  So it's on for 2023.  We have a lot to figure out, but I'm already looking forward to it.

I have to mention that I felt bad because I didn't feel bad, meaning that I probably should have continued.  I wasn't really sore.  All my parts were working.  I started running up a long flight of outside stairs telling Bucky I could beat him up.  That I did tells you he was still being affected by altitude.  I was both delighted at beating him and remorseful that I could run up the stairs.

And then as it started getting dark, with hundred milers still coming in, there was a slight, "oh, that could be me."  We'd had a entire day of fun .....

I never got around to finishing this.  I just redid my training schedule for this year.  Official training starts 4/3/23,  I'm ready.  I'm sporting a bracelet Bucky had made.  It says, "No Puke.  All Buckle."  I won't take it off until buckle!  I like the slogan, but I know it's all buckle, even if puke.  This is a good lead in to my next post.  The reason I logged on to find this unpublished piece.  I'll write it up tomorrow.