Time on the Disabled List

All baseball fans are familiar with the dreaded disabled list.  Your favorite team is rolling along and suddenly a key player goes out with an injury.  A promising season for the team is made much more difficult with a player going on the disabled list for a period of time (see Jones, Chipper – 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011.)  As a lifelong baseball fan, I’ve always looked at injuries from the impact on the team rather than the individual player.  Having been fortunate to never have a true injury, my perspective always turned to the team.  Since early June I have had plenty of time to gain the perspective of the individual player.  Being sidelined from doing something you truly enjoy is certainly a challenge physically, but minor compared to the emotional challenge.

Eight weeks ago I had a MRI to confirm a stress fracture in my heel.  The heel pain began after a Wednesday double (morning track workout and afternoon easy 6) the previous week.  That week was the final buildup for the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race.  I didn’t think much about the pain and finished off the week with 40+ miles Friday-Sunday, despite the heel feeling progressively worse during that time.  In fact, Sunday morning I turned around before reaching the end of my street due to the pain only to convince myself that nothing was wrong and then labored through 10 miles.  Probably not a good idea.

After taking a couple days off from running and talking with Daniel Ellis, my friend and consultant for all things running, it seemed that a visit to the doctor was the right course of action.  A posterior calcaneal stress fracture was diagnosed, my first running injury of any significance.  Doctor “gave” me a walking boot ($250…that’s almost 3 pairs of good running shoes) and the diagnosis was 5 weeks in the boot and 6 weeks of no weight bearing activity, although the timetable was quite fluid and the communication between doctor and patient proved to be quite frustrating throughout the entire process, at least for me. 

So, of course, the Chattanooga race was out.  Still went to Chattanooga and had a great time with the family and the Briggs’ clan, who were fortunate enough to run in the event.  (Side note:  Kudos to Andon Briggs for a 5th place finish and 50k PR at the Big Butts 50k last weekend!!!)  After a week of feeling sorry for myself, these last seven weeks have been spent biking, swimming, water running and lifting weights to maintain fitness, but fatigue with this “routine” has set in and to say that I am ready to be back to running roads and especially trails would be an understatement.  The last two weeks I have experimented with some light treadmill running (1-3 miles max), but nothing strenuous.  Continued twinges (not painful) in the left heel have me hesitant to do much more at this point.

All said, the last eight weeks have been an exercise in humility and patience (appropriate given this blog title.)  Having never previously had a broken/fractured bone, I’ve had to deal with the reality that injuries do happen and I need to be more mindful of rest and recovery during my training. Patience has also been essential, especially after the initial six weeks was up.  I fully expected to be back running as before after six weeks, but it seems the heel is not quite ready for that yet.  Frustrating, but reality.

On a positive note, the last eight weeks has also given me a chance to really seek God’s will in all aspects of my life.  I will be the first to admit that there are times when balancing family, work, running, and life’s other pressures have caused my relationship with God to take a back seat.  Perhaps this experience can serve as a reminder to keep my priorities where they should be, with Christ at the top. 

Verse:  To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.    

- 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Marathon Race Report

The XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Marathon was fun and hot.  Temperatures were expected to reach the 90s as the clock approached noon, so the less time spent on the course the better.  The course covered some of the same trails as the Oak Mountain 50k, but as a whole was less hilly.  It included the same tough 2 mile hill going from the North Trailhead to the ridge on the red trail, but this stretch began around mile 6 rather than mile 20 for the 50k.  Much easier to handle the hill with fresh legs.

The race began at 7:30 and about 20 or so guys surged ahead at the start, which consisted of roughly a half mile on pavement before reaching the trails.  John Cobbs, John Gregg and I ran together at the beginning and didn’t get caught up in the fast start.  I felt pretty confident that the pecking order would sort itself out over the course of the race, especially once the hills began to roll.  Cory Gerbrandt from Tallahassee joined up with the two Johns and me on this first stretch and we came to an aid station about mile 3 where we were told we were ranked between 13-16.  Seemed about right at that early point in the race.

Remained at the same point until the 2 mile uphill climb on the red trail began around mile 6.  I felt strong on the climb and ran the entire way, passing several runners during the climb.  Cory, John Cobbs and I continued running together during this stretch and they both looked really strong on the climb as well.  We continued to talk and chip away at the miles until Cory took a nasty fall near the halfway point in the race.  He indicated he was fine and I continued on, but clearly the fall had an impact on him as he dropped back at this point.  Unfortunate, as he was running strong.  John Cobbs and I continued on together until he told me to run ahead at the portion of the trail called “Rattlesnake Ridge”.  John ran the ridiculously tough Miwok 100k in the Marin Headlands in San Francisco just two weeks before, which I am convinced is the only reason I finished ahead of him Saturday.

Felt strong throughout with the exception of the last 4 miles.  I started to really feel the heat and fatigue set in quickly.  This, coupled with two stops where I thought I had taken a wrong turn, caused the last few miles to be somewhat frustrating, but was able to continue on without too much of a drop in pace and finish in 3:29:54, good for 6^th overall and 1^st in my age group. 

Overall, was very pleased with the race and had a great time running and talking with some really strong runners.  Holding a steady pace throughout also gives me added confidence heading into the Chattanooga Mountains Stage Race in a few weeks.  Should be fun and challenging.

Special thanks to Terry and Michelle Little for coming out and supporting.  Congratulations also to Andon Briggs for a solid marathon finish.  You looked great floating to the finish in your Hokas.  Special kudos as well to Bekah Ellis for finishing the half only 3 months after having a baby.  Awesome job in your first trail run!!!  

Verse: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” -Romans 1:16-17

Back at It

Well, it's been a while since I've posted on here, but I've been running consistently and enjoying it during the blog hiatus.  After a break from racing after the Oak Mountain 50k, it's time to pin on the race number and get back at it this Saturday for the XTERRA Oak Mountain Trail Marathon.  Should be fun, but with temperatures expected to reach 90, heat will be a factor.  This week has been cool, so not very good for heat preparation.  I feel good right now, so we'll see what happens.

Ran the Zoo Run 5k last weekend and had a lot of fun.  Finished in 18:07 for 5th overall and 1st in my new age group (30-34.)  I don't run many 5ks, and continue to take pride in the fact that I've run more marathons than 5ks, but this one was a fun atmosphere and the kids races at the end were extra special.  Anna and Luke both ran and received medals for their efforts.  Fun times!

That's it for now.  I'll provide an update after this weekend's event.

2011 Mississippi 50 Race Report

The first item to note about the race was the abundance of rain throughout the entirety of the event.  My shoes were wet well before the race even started, as I stepped from my car into a puddle upon arrival and check-in.  The Race Director, Running Bear (that’s right, I said Running Bear, which is a terrific race director name) best described the course conditions in his race recap, “But contrary to rumors, we did not have rain. Rain is when the ground gets wet and there are puddles and you see drops on the windshield. We had a monsoon, with creeks appearing out of nowhere and covering the trail and coming down the access road, and through the s/f tent, and rising to waist deep in the woods. There were no puddles or mud, just ponds to run through.”  In fact, the race has been dubbed, “The Year Everyone got their Muddy's Worth.”  Suffice it to say, the conditions greatly slowed the finish times, and transformed what would normally be a fast course into a slow, slippery one.

It became clear very early on that staying dry was not an option, so I chose to run like Luke by splashing through every puddle, creek and stream.  Why bother tip-toeing around the water?  Just go straight through.  I must admit, it was fun and humorous, even in the late stages of the race.  I ran the first 28 miles with John Clinthorne from Michigan, who would later finish 2^nd, and we had a good time laughing about the water and talking about ultras in general.  We both had a specific run-walk strategy coming into the race, but we quickly abandoned that due to peer pressure.  Neither of us wanted to slow the pace to walk, so the walk breaks were few and far between.  We both commented that this would likely cost us in the end, but we kept running anyway.

The race was divided into four loops.  The first three were identical 12.5 mile loops, while the final 12.5 miles was a smaller 6+ mile loop that was run twice to the finish.  John and I came through the first loop in 2 hours, or 8 a.m.  This was the precise start time of the 20k, so we began the second loop surrounded by 20k runners just beginning their race.  We decided to pick up the pace to clear the trail and again joked about the pace being quicker than we intended, but neither of us cared enough to slow down or take a walk break.  Plus, there is always something motivating about passing other runners, even if they are part of a different race.

The second loop was mainly uneventful, aside from some stomach discomfort that I began to have at mile 20.  We completed the second loop in exactly 2 hours, making the cumulative time just under 4 hours at the halfway point.  John and I began the third loop together, but my stomach discomfort was becoming more of an issue.  I found myself lagging a bit behind John and having to press to cover the gap that would arise every few minutes.  Finally, after a brief bathroom break where I discovered slight signs of dehydration, I told John to press on at mile 28 while I focused on fixing my stomach and increasing my fluid intake.  Fortunately these issues were short-lived, and after a longer stop behind the bushes, my stomach felt much better, then I simply focused on drinking a lot over the next mile or two to get my hydration back to normal.  Soon I was back on track and running well.  Due to these issues, my 3^rd loop was slower than the first two, 2:13, for a cumulative 6:13 after 37.5 miles. 

I began the first short final loop feeling great and energized.  At the first and only aid station on the short loop I was told that there were only three runners in front of me, with one being just a minute or so ahead.  I walked from the aid station while downing a Hammer Gel and during that walk another runner passed me, but I didn’t worry about it too much, although I did note that he looked strong.  That put me in 5^th place with just over 10 miles to go.  There were four miles between the aid station and the start/finish, which was also the beginning of the final 6 mile loop, and my goal during these four miles was to run hard and move into what I hoped was 3^rd place.  Fortunately I was able to do so and came into the start/finish area with what I assumed was a couple minute gap on the next runner, but there was no way to be sure. 

I knew that moving up another place was not likely, so I sought to run hard to keep a hold on 3^rd place, or at least what I thought was third place, during the final small loop.  At the final aid station at mile 46, four miles from the finish, I was told that either two or three runners were ahead of me, so I didn’t know whether I was in 3^rd or 4^th.  Oh well.  At that point it was simply put my head down and plunge through more water (which had been steadily rising throughout the day to waist deep at several creek-crossings) to the finish, and run hard in hopes that no one would catch me from behind. 

The finish line was a great feeling.  Sally recognized me from a distance and was there to greet me with Luke, Anna and my parents.  It was a great sense of accomplishment made even more special with my family being there.  Plus, upon finishing I was presented with the 3^rd place trophy, so there were in fact two and not three runners in front of me at the last aid station.  Of course I would have been happy either way, but finishing in the top three in my first 50 mile race was extra exciting.  Final loop was 2:08 for a total finish time of 8:20:53. 

Special thanks to Sally for all her support during training for this race and for bringing the kids out to the finish in terrible weather, my parents for being there at the finish, John from Michigan for the company and advice during the race, all the volunteers and race officials for putting together a fantastic event under tough weather conditions, and Andon Briggs for the company during training.  Andon would have easily finished the race for his third 50 miler finish, but the Forest Service cancelled the race around the 9:30 mark due to the weather and was not allowed to finish.  Tough break my friend.  At least you'll be better recovered for Oak Mountain 50k in less than two weeks.

Food/Beverages consumed during the race:

20 Gels

1 PB&J Sandwich

1 Fun Size Nestle Crunch Bar (Too tempting to pass)

8 S-Caps (1/hour)

2 Cups Heed

Tons of water

Verse: “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  -Romans 10:9-14

Thoughts Before the Mississippi 50

Saturday I will be attempting to complete a 50 mile race.  Having never run that far, I am quite anxious to get started.  Training has been strong and the taper has me rested and ready to go.  The prospect of running a new distance is extremely exciting and intimidating at the same time.  Anything can happen over the course of 50 miles, so my hope is to simply go out and run and deal with fatigue and soreness as they come.  The course is relatively flat, but strong rain and thunderstorms are expected, which can cause creek crossings to swell to very high levels and deep mud to be abundant throughout the race.  I anticipate the finish times will be slower due to the rain.

The Carl Touchstone Memorial Mississippi 50 Trail Race is held in De Soto National Forest, near Laurel and Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  This race was my choice for a first 50 miler for several reasons.  First, I grew up in South Mississippi, so racing there feels familiar.  Second, relatives in Hattiesburg will make lodging easy and give us a chance to visit.  Finally, Carl Touchstone was my orthodontist as a kid.  For three years I saw him every month where he caused me severe pain by tightening braces and preaching about the dangers of chewing gum and popcorn with metal tracks on your teeth.  Seems only fitting that a race named in his memory can also cause severe pain by testing the limits of my endurance.  At some point I will chew gum on the course in his memory.

Well, enough said at this point.  Full race report will be posted next week.  Off to run!

Verse: "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you."  -1 Peter 4: 13-14

Passing the Century Mark

101 total miles last week!  Great week of running, including an early morning outing at Oak Mountain with snow still on the ground in high areas and the Mercedes Marathon on Sunday.  Passing 100 miles in a week for the first time is a huge physical and mental boost heading into the 50 miler in less than 3 weeks.  I feel very confident in my training and believe I am as prepared as I could be.  Doesn't guarantee success, because anything can happen over that distance, but it's nice to feel prepared going into the race.  Now it's time to go easy for a few weeks before the big day.

Mercedes Marathon on Sunday was another fun event.  I always enjoy seeing so many friends and familiar faces at this race.  Decided to run last minute as a final long training run before beginning the taper for Mississippi 50.  My goal was to stay steady throughout and finish in the 3:20-3:30 range.  I fully expected to be closer to 3:30 given the mileage on the week and due to a 19 miler on Oak Mountain trails the day before.  However, I felt good throughout and was able to hold a steady pace throughout and finished in 3:18:54.  Ran a 5 minute negative split, which was also a huge confidence boost heading into the ultra.  The race recorded four splits during the race, and it was fun to see the results showing my place within my age group at each split:  10k-17th place, 20k-16th, 30k-16th, Finish-6th.  Obviously I felt pretty good late in the race to be able to gain 10 places during that span. 

Congratulations to many on a great race on Sunday, but particularly the following:
     *Michelle Litte - Completed 1st Half Marathon!
     *Andon Briggs - Completed Marathon with almost no training!
     *Beth Briggs - Completed Marathon with no training (Unbelievable!)
     *Beth Patrick - Broke the 2 Hour Mark in the Half!
     *Aaron Ainsworth - 1:14 Half...Smokin!

Verse:  "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same spirit.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men."  -1 Corinthians 12:4-6

January Totals

January Total Miles: 356
   Off Days: 2 (1/30 and 1/31 - Family travel day and stomach bug)
   20+ Runs: 5
   Races: 1 (MS Blues Marathon)

January was a great running month for me, including my highest mileage week (94) and month ever.  With five runs over 20 miles, including three over 27 and a weekend featuring back-to-back 20+ days (22 Friday/ 27 Saturday), I feel very strong with the 50 miler coming up in just over three weeks. 

Most importantly, I was able to spend a considerable amount of time on the trails at Oak Mountain during January.  Each run out there has been enjoyable, and the time really flies by on the trails.  I completed two five hour runs during the month, and each seemed like only a couple hours.  For me personally, the difference between trail and road running is huge in terms of overall enjoyment.  Time in the woods doesn't feel like training, but rather a chance to enjoy the scenery.  Plus, Andon Briggs has joined me on a couple occasions, and his company certainly helps pass the time.

One more week of hard training, then a gradual three week taper for the 50 miler.  Getting close.

Verse:  "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn..."   -Isaiah 51:1