Okay . . . Okay . . .

Okay . . . stop it already!  Hundreds and hundreds of comments and e-mail coming in begging for another "Hurry Slowly . . . but Hurry" post.  Stop the madness . . . here it goes!

"Hurry Slowly . . . but Hurry" is, and always will be, a running blog.  That's just the way it is.  Okay . . . I admit that from time to time I lose my focus and go 'off-topic' but for the most part I've stayed true.  Thus, no recent posts.  If I don't run much, there is just nothing to say.

Okay . . . I could 'brag' on my personal-worst 5k . . . 31:41 or so.  Sorry, that is just sad.  And actually I was pretty pleased because I ran all but 15 steps (I counted them!).  My recent running has been humbling compared to my past running.

Don't get me wrong . . . I'm still running and glad to be able to run.  But 9-10 miles seems to me my absolute limit . . . and it's just not getting better.  (For those of you that have known me for a long time remember that I had a 13 year period were I didn't run at all!  Bad medical advice made me quit for years until I found a magic solution.)  But there doesn't seem to be a magic solution to my hip right now.  Maybe in a few more months things will get better.  That would be nice.  But not necessary.

Honestly, I'm just sooooo glad I can run at all.  Seriously.  If I can only run 9 miles or less . . . well . . . I'll be 100% fine with that.  If I do heal up and I find I can go further . . . well . . . that's great too.  But a few realities need to be acknowledged . . .

• I'm 99% sure I'll never finish a 100 miler.  Sad . . . but likely true.  What the hell am I going to do with this belt I purchased?
• If I ever finish another 50 miler, it will be walking the vast majority of the way.  And that may not ever happen.
• No more races with cutoffs . . . ever.
• And that likely means marathons too. I have signed up for the Baby Boogie Marathon this year (ample cut-off time!)  Likely my last marathon.  I'll finish if I have to crawl . . . pretty much like last year!!

In my mind I'm an ultra runner and I don't think that will ever change.  I've earned that.  In my mind . . . once an ultra runner, always an ultra runner. But now I'm think my ultras will be 24 hour walks for the most part.  And I'm okay with that.

My long-distance running may possibly be coming to an end and I may need to turn the page to new, and different challenges.

• I've always loved backpacking.   Maybe an AT thru-hike is in my future.
• I've GOT to get my 5k time to sub 30 . . . that's just frickin' embarrassing!
• Maybe some sort of a marathon of 5ks . . . I need ideas here.  I seem to need to run every other day.

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Most folks just plain enjoy being outside and in the woods.  There is just something peaceful and satisfying about it!  And last Saturday was especially nice!

Since I couldn't run Uwharrie this year, I decided to run the Medoc Marathon course backwards and just see how far I could get.  The answer . . . 9.8 miles.  Not all that far but my furthest yet.  Recovery continues and I'm still excited!

Funny some of the things I think of while running.  At one point out there I decided that both rocks and trees were 1) beautiful additions to the woods, but at the same time . . . 2) they are evil! 

Of the two, rocks are much more honest.  I mean when you see a rock you know it's hard and can hurt you.  And many times you can stop and simply kick it off the trail.

 But trees  . . . trees just look so inviting and gentle.  But that is just one side . . . . the other is trees are the devils of the woods!

Luring your eyes with their interesting trunks and branches they have sent out their root out in a covert mission to attack both suspecting and unsuspecting runners and hikers.  Even when you think the trail is a nice, gentle pine straw section you better beware . . .  those frickin' roots are just hiding there waiting to catch your toe and throw you to the ground!  Luckily trees move really slowly . . . so you can get away before being eaten!












I also spent a lot of time trying to come up with a better way to mark the Medoc trails.  The current approach just simply sucks.  And the Park experimented with using plastic colored squares and circles instead of painted blazes.  Thank goodness Medoc rangers now has agreed to return to paint blazes and the park trail map is being redone . . . so the timing is perfect to re-design trail blazes.  I did come up with a more simple and easier to follow approach . . . but now we learn the map is too far along and the park wants to just go ahead and paint blazes marking the trails as they are marked today.

Damn . . . what a missed opportunity!