Gettin' real!!

The Last Annual Volunteer State Run is getting close . . . July 10th is the start!!  Oh shit!!

Okay . . . everyone at every race sets up all the reasons they might not do well!  Not enough training miles, injury, sickness and all sorts of other bullshit!  I do that too!  It gives me great excuses for not doing well.  And honestly . . . I'm not lying!  There are good reasons I won't do well!

But Vol State is a totally different animal . . . one I have never faced before.  And I'm scared.

Okay . . . I've failed at plenty of ultras so one more failure really wouldn't be that bad . . . right?   Honestly . . . I'm really not very much of an ultra runner.  Oh . . . I've finished a bunch and I guess that does qualify me . . . but realistically . . . I suck!  I suck overall!  I suck in my age group!  I just plan SUCK!!  But I do try.

I could blame my poor performance  on misfortunes . .  injuries, etc.  But honestly it's deeper than that.  I just am not a very good ultra runner.  Period.  I sort of try.  And sometimes I convince myself I am giving it all I have.  But usually . . . I don't.  I try harder than some maybe . . . but I RARELY push myself to my limits.  Physically I probably have more talent than I have mentally.  Hahaha!!  That's a sad reality!

Oh . . . I try.  Believe me I try.  But honestly I just don't have that "If the bone isn't sticking out of the skin . . . you can go on" attitude.  I'm weak.  And Vol State isn't for the weak!!  Vol State eats the weak for breakfast!

Don't know about Vol State?  Well . . . here is the skinny!

314 miles . . . starts in MO . . . Ferry to KY for 10 miles.  Then enter Tennessee . . . cut diagonally across TN . . . run a short while in AL and then finish in GA!!  314 miles.  You have 10 days. Only a 50k a day!!!  Sounds easy!  Heck . . . you can walk that!!

And you can.  Many do!  But if you think walking 50k each day for 10 days is easy . . . well . .  you are just plain STUPID!!  Come try it!!!

This is a freaking beast!  Maybe the first few days is doable . . . but you have to be tough as steel to finish this sucker . . . physically  . . .  yes . . . but mentally is WAY more important!  Your body follows where your mind can take you!!  And when you mind quits . . . you are out of options!!

So no bullshit . . . I"m trying to decide if I should give this a go!  I had planned in trying last year . . . but foot surgery in June killed that idea.  So I decided to try for this year.  But then another foot surgery in December.  Then . . . two eye surgeries in April!  WTF!!  But everything seems to be okay now and I'm trying to build back up!!  So far so good!

But in late April I had my first big test . . . the Virginia 24 Hour.  Honestly I did okay for the first 20 miles or so . . . but then my foot began hurting.  Bad.  I pushed on until I finished 42 miles . . . but the pain was bad.  And I quit.  Period.  And no post-race doubts . . . I had honestly given it all I had.  My foot was done.  No damage but it simply couldn't go any further.

So . . . Vol State is quite a ways longer than 42 miles . . .and even with additional healing time . . . I'm doubtful it would hold up the whole way.  And this trip is a long, long trip to have to bail out early.  A day's drive to get to the finish.  Then a day's bus ride to the start.  And if I quit it could take 4-5 day or MORE to get back to the finish depending on when I quit!!

So do I just give this a go?  Or do I defer again for another year?  It's not cheap!!  But . . . I'm not getting any younger!  But 314 miles seems unrealistic since I had to quit at 42 miles just a few weeks ago!  Honestly . . . I don't need Pollyanna blowing smoke up my ass!  Honestly . . . I'm trying to decide if I should just give this a go . . . or defer another year.  Either is a good option.

I'm leaning towards deferring but my wife, Connie,  thinks I should go try it.  Of course . . . she is the beneficiary of my life insurance policy . . . Hmmmm . . .