(jeeze, maybe it's just that I was raised Catholic, but this feels like some kind of confessional or something...)
After a poor race at Dizzy Daze, I was left feeling burnt out and detached from running, I suspected that this would eventually burn off but as the days went on, I continued to ignore any urges to train. The first week I felt justified, I was angry and frustrated and felt some time away would help. The second week, I first was confused, thinking Mt. Si was that coming weekend (and thus defending it as 'tapering'), then, when I realized the date mistakes, it was just good old fashioned laziness. By the beginning of week 3 of no running, the guilt was finally starting to set in, by the end of that week the desire was back, but, of course, Sunday was the race, so that just meant, 'a little bit longer.' It's a strange feeling standing at the start of a 50 mile race after not having run for 3 weeks solid, it almost feels like your cheating, and I guess in some ways I was... but for the time being, that was gonna have to do.
The start also felt odd with so many of the 'usual suspects' not being there; between McNaughton recovery, Boston the next day, and the next week's Capitol Peaks, there were a whole slew of missing faces. For me, there was very little conversation to be had, a chat here or there, but nothing that lasted more than a half mile.
Despite what I had planned, I still managed to do my first 14 or so miles too fast, but as hard as it is to get going again post bonk, it's quite tough to slow down when you're raring to go. When I hit the aid station at mile 14 I refilled my bottle, grabbed some potatoes, and walked my way from the aid station until I finished eating. Within a mile (at most) my stomach told me the potatoes were not a good idea. The stomach cramps were bad, I knew I needed to get to the next 'rest stop' and the sooner the better...
(Fast forwarding for you, the reader's sake)
...I left the 'rest stop' feeling better, but unfortunately, much more tired than I should have been only ~18 miles in. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful (which is another way of saying, the course was boring me to tears), I walked more than I should have and was looking at the Garmin far too much but in the end, I finished.
I finished faster than I did last year, which I guess counts for something but, despite being kinda sick of the course, I hope to be out there again next year, better trained and eying an 8 hour finish (I know that's a big jump, but I think it's possible). More than anything, I'm just happy to be resurrected...
Now let's go train!
(...and not to down play it by any means, but as usual there are 2 people I need to thank for their constant support, my wife Rachael & my good friend Bob, together, they came from Seattle to see me go by at mile 47 and then watch me finish. After returning home they waited as I bathed, then the 3 of us headed out for burgers, and in my case beer! The promise of seeing the 2 of them at the finish line is always reason enough to get there :-)
After a poor race at Dizzy Daze, I was left feeling burnt out and detached from running, I suspected that this would eventually burn off but as the days went on, I continued to ignore any urges to train. The first week I felt justified, I was angry and frustrated and felt some time away would help. The second week, I first was confused, thinking Mt. Si was that coming weekend (and thus defending it as 'tapering'), then, when I realized the date mistakes, it was just good old fashioned laziness. By the beginning of week 3 of no running, the guilt was finally starting to set in, by the end of that week the desire was back, but, of course, Sunday was the race, so that just meant, 'a little bit longer.' It's a strange feeling standing at the start of a 50 mile race after not having run for 3 weeks solid, it almost feels like your cheating, and I guess in some ways I was... but for the time being, that was gonna have to do.
The start also felt odd with so many of the 'usual suspects' not being there; between McNaughton recovery, Boston the next day, and the next week's Capitol Peaks, there were a whole slew of missing faces. For me, there was very little conversation to be had, a chat here or there, but nothing that lasted more than a half mile.
Despite what I had planned, I still managed to do my first 14 or so miles too fast, but as hard as it is to get going again post bonk, it's quite tough to slow down when you're raring to go. When I hit the aid station at mile 14 I refilled my bottle, grabbed some potatoes, and walked my way from the aid station until I finished eating. Within a mile (at most) my stomach told me the potatoes were not a good idea. The stomach cramps were bad, I knew I needed to get to the next 'rest stop' and the sooner the better...
(Fast forwarding for you, the reader's sake)
...I left the 'rest stop' feeling better, but unfortunately, much more tired than I should have been only ~18 miles in. The rest of the race was fairly uneventful (which is another way of saying, the course was boring me to tears), I walked more than I should have and was looking at the Garmin far too much but in the end, I finished.
I finished faster than I did last year, which I guess counts for something but, despite being kinda sick of the course, I hope to be out there again next year, better trained and eying an 8 hour finish (I know that's a big jump, but I think it's possible). More than anything, I'm just happy to be resurrected...
Now let's go train!
(...and not to down play it by any means, but as usual there are 2 people I need to thank for their constant support, my wife Rachael & my good friend Bob, together, they came from Seattle to see me go by at mile 47 and then watch me finish. After returning home they waited as I bathed, then the 3 of us headed out for burgers, and in my case beer! The promise of seeing the 2 of them at the finish line is always reason enough to get there :-)
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