I'm an ultra "runner" again! But a pissed off ultra runner. . .

Hinson Lake 24 Hour Ultra Classic . . . one of the premier 24 hour races in America!

 

 Goal achieved!  Guess I finished 35-36 miles . . . actually forgot to check!!  Doesn't matter . . . I was well above 26.2 and that is what I wanted!  Guess I "got my card back!"


If you were one of the 10 or so people that read my last blog, you know I had planned to walk at Hinson to see how my toe would do with no running.  At about mile 8 or so my toe REALLY started complaining.  So I went to see Denise Martin . . . our ultra masseuse to see if she could help . . . and help she did!  I was able to continue on.  The pain was significant but managable.  I had walked everything up until this point and continued walking only.

Mentally . . . I sort of gave up.  Honestly I just wanted to get to a marathon distance.  When I did . . . I quit.  It was probably about 9 pm and I decided to go to bed.  But honestly, something strange was happening . . . my toe was hurting LESS not MORE!  But I was so far behind I just quit.















I actually couldn't sleep much and finally about 4:15 am I decided to get up and go do a lap or two.  And oddly, my toe was still not all that bad!  In fact, it was actually pretty good!  I even did some running!  Not much . . . I was still being very careful!  But the toe was doing great!

And I was thinking and asking myself why I had quit at 9pm.  I could have kept going.  Easy.  I wasn't really sleepy.  I wasn't hurting.  I was a little tired.  But I knew my toe was actually improving!  And I still quit!  And if I had just kept going I could easily have finished 50 miles.  Damn.


But the next morning I did turn some good laps and ended on a positive note . . . running the banana lap to Mt Hinson!  Wooo Hoo!  Pretty lame I know, but it made me fell better doing it.

















These 24 hour races are just so mental!!!  Physically hard to a degree but the real challenge is the mental challenges you are faced with.  I've won some in the past and this time I lost the mental challenge.

But oddly I'm actually pretty excited that I folded!!  I know . . . you're thinking "what the fuck?"

Well, I had planned Hinson as only a test run . . . my first race since surgery.  Just a little test.  And I did okay!  Not great . . . especially mentally . . . but my toe held up!!  My focus race this year is the Croatan 24 in November.

I had pledges of over $3,000 for the miles I would run at the Virginia 24 to benefit the American Cancer Society.  But I had my accident the week before and most of the people who pledged to help me agreed to defer until the Croatan 24 race this November!!  Awesome!

So I still have training time.  And more healing time.  And now I have a "bee in my bonnet" about my mental collapse at Hinson!  The chances of me wimping out twice in a row . . . not good!  I'll be ready.  Physically AND mentally.

The folks pledging "per mile" better hold on to their checkbooks!!!  I'm going to cost them some money!!!

Hinson Lake 2013

A few of my 10s of readers have been asking what has been going on and why no "Hurry Slowly but Hurry" posts!  Okay . . . really only one person ask!  But that is probably 10% of my readers!!

Let me start out with two pieces of advice for you younger runners (anyone under 55 years old qualifies are younger!!).  Listen to the wise old man!

1. Don't grow old !  Period.  You think you have aches and pains now?  Bullshit!  You ain't seen nothing yet!  I simply can't wait to get up and get out of bed each morning to discover what new ailment I will have for that day!  Maybe it will be a brand new knee pain!  Or perhaps my hip will flair up for a few days.  Or maybe it will be that awesome lower back pain that visits about every week or so to keep me "stooped over!"  Yes folks!  Every day is a freakin' adventure in pain and suffering!!  But this leads to my second bit of advice . . .
2. Keep movin' !! Mechanics will tell you that one of the worst things you can do to an engine is to NOT start it!  Engines are made to run!  And I believe our bodies are made to move and definitely to not sit idle!  Starting back in April when I made my now famous "ladder dive" I was feeling pretty good and was in fairly good shape (for me!).  But from April 10th until early August I pretty much just had to sit in my recliner!  Hobble around (or "crutch" around) the house to try and fix dinner, shower or bed.  But that was pretty much it!  And just sitting around is the devil's prescription!  EVERYTHING becomes shit with disuse!  My back, my core, my legs, and even my mind!  And believe me . . . when you are 63 years old gaining back all the strength you've lost is not fun!  When your back hurts you can't do sit ups or crunches . . . hell . . . simply getting "on the ground" and getting back up becomes a frickin' challenge!  Do a plank?  No freakin' way!  You get the idea!

BUT . . .  there was one part of my body that seemed to benefit from my lack of activity!!  My hip!!  While my hip is WAY better since my hip surgery in October of 2011, it has never gotten really "well."  The labrum must still have a tear, as the hip locks up from time to time, and the damn thing just aches and fusses some days.  But since my accident, the hip has improved.  In fact, yesterday was the first day that my hip has ached in probably 2-3 months!!

So my "comeback" is coming along . . . but not very fast!  The first couple of weeks I saw pretty rapid improvement but that has pretty much stopped !!  I feel like maybe I've even done some "back-sliding" in my fitness level in spite of regular running and exercising!  Or at least I've hit a plateau or something.

But overall I am improving and we'll just have to see how far I will be able to come!  Three knee surgeries, a hip surgery and my toe surgery have taken a toll that I can't deny!  But I plan to follow Rule #2 . . . I'm going to just keep movin' as best as I can!

In my mind . . . I'm an ultra runner.  And since I've run a few ultras, I guess that does qualify me as a "card-carrying ultra runner club member!"  But there are just two problems in calling myself an ultra runner now:  1) the word "ultra" and the word "runner" . . . other that that I totally qualify!!!

So I'm NOT a current "card carrying ultra runner club member!"

• As far as the word "ultra" goes that means completing a distance of over 26.2 miles!  My longest distance since April has been a whopping 12 miles or so!!  Not even 1/2 the distance to qualify again!  

• And the word "runner" is the real problem!!  On my "runs" now it is always a run/walk interval.  Never really a "run" like in my younger years!  And on my distance "runs" . . . there is WAY more walking than running!  So t

And that brings me to Hinson Lake in two weeks!  Yea . . . I know . . . it took me awhile to get around to the subject of this post!  But when you get old, the mind just wanders around some . . . like I do when I get lost on a trail ultra!!

I'm want to be a current "card-carrying ultra runner club member" again.  Well . . . there we go with the frickin' words again!!!  Quite honestly I should try to either achieve the "ultra" part or the "runner" part.  But if I try to run very much, the ultra part will be impossible!  And since I run every day 3-6 miles or so, I think I've got the "runner" part covered but we'll have to see what the "Ultra Runners Club" admissions committee has to say about this!!!

So I'm going for the "ultra" part at Hinson Lake!  To maximize my chances I plan to run very, very little . . . if at all!

I honestly have no idea if my foot / toe will allow me to do this!  I KNOW the toe simply HATES trails.  And while Hinson Lake is not really much of a trail, the uneven-ness (if that's a word!!) of the surface will cause me issues.  And the sand going up "Mount Hinson" will be a huge problem too.  Even walking and doing trail maintenance at Medoc REALLY hurts my toe and I can only do about 3 miles a trip before the toe pain becomes excruciating.

So we'll see.  I have 24 hours to cover 18 laps around the lake or 27.36 miles!  That is my minimum goal.  Of course I would love to finish at least 33 laps which would be 50.16 miles!  That would be freakin' FANTASTIC!

The key will be my foot / toe and maybe my hip.  Neither one is going to be happy with this or with me giving it a go!!  So we'll see . . .

Maybe I can get my card back . . .

I'mmmmm BBBBBaaaccccckkkkk!!

Hell yes!!!   I'm a "runner" again!

Okay nothing crazy.  Wednesday, I was walking with my Y buddies in Rocky Mount . . . they agreed to walk with me instead of their normal routine!  At the end of our 3.1 mile walk my foot was still feeling good so I decided to run just a little and see how it did.  I only ran maybe 100 - 150 yards.  But no pain at all!  I couldn't quit smiling the rest of the day!!

So Thursday I again did 3.1 miles but walked 3 minutes / ran 1.  I was tired by the end but no foot pain!  Friday I went 2.7 miles walking 2 minutes and running 1 minute.  Very hard to finish the interval but I did!  And still no foot pain.  And that same day my PT and I agreed that I had progressed far enough that I could do the rest on my own!

My legs were tired so I decided to take today off running (Saturday) but I plan what I believe will be a hard Sunday . . . planning to try 6 miles!  I will start doing the 2/1 and I know there is no way I could do that for the full six miles.  So I'll just adjust the intervals on the fly!  Also, all my runs have been in the heat of the day, so my Sunday run will be in the morning before things heat up!

I am so excited and feel like that finally "the shit is over" and now it is simply a process to rebuild my fitness.  Is everything perfect?  Well, no.  Foot is still swollen and discolored.  But walking and running seem to have no impact on it . . . positive or negative.  So I'm just not worrying about it anymore! 

I see my doctor Monday and get to tell him what I'm doing!  Maybe I won't even come clean!  I do think I am going to have him fit me for another pair of orthodics . . . I'm thinking that my right foot is now quite different than it was before.  Doctor may want to wait a few months to see if the swelling goes down before he does do any fitting.  Guess we'll see.

Oh . . . one positive by-product of this foot problem is that my hip pain seems to have almost gone away!!  Guess it needed time to heal! I am totally amazed!  Every once in awhile it feels like it's slipping out of joint (really a minor labrum issue), but not much and the pain doesn't last!

In the mean time I'm feeling like a kid again!  Okay . . . maybe not quite that good!  But I'm feeling GREAT!  And I'm in the best mental place I've been in quite awhile!

Better . . . but progress is slow.

I am improving!!

When I think about have I improved from yesterday . . . well . . . I don't see progress.  But when I think about how I've improved over the last two weeks I can see progress!

As you would expect, the mobility of my foot and ankle suffered greatly through the 10 weeks on inactivity due to the dislocations and then 6 weeks in a cast on crutches.  So I have a long way to go the get back my flexibility and a full range of motion.  But I am starting to see progress likely due to my physical therapy . . . Elaine Weisner has been great.  Lots of different exercises and things to try.

Both the swelling and the discoloration have improved marginally.  I can see and feel a difference but both remain.  Elaine has given me several things that hopefully will assist here.

Pain on the bottom of my foot continues with virtually no improvement.  That's a little discouraging but honestly the pain is just a 2 or 3.  I can deal with that . . . though it would be nice to leave the pain behind!

Over the last three weeks I have been working on my overall fitness and here I am definitely seeing the most progress.  I started swimming.  My first swim kicked my butt!  I could only make it about 25 yards and I was totally out of breath.  I rested and swam another 25 yards!  I was DONE!

Now I swimming maybe 1,000 yards or more and only resting a little.  It was really cool to see the quick progress!  Made me feel a little better about myself!

I'm also doing other exercises and progressing there too!  So I'm feeling much better about myself finally!

I have done several ~1 mile walks and tomorrow I will be doing even more as I mark part of the Medoc Meltdown 50k course!  I'm excited to see how my walking progress is.  Even if the doctor said it was okay, I don't believe I would be running quite yet.  But once he gives me the "green light" I plan to start testing the waters.  But I'll have to watch the pain pretty closely.

With the Meltdown, I'll be spending a lot of time on my feet so this will be a GREAT test!

I honestly thought I would be running by now . . . but I'm guessing my age is playing a factor here (my physical age . . . not my mental age!!).  Maybe that's not the reason - I don't know for sure.  But progress is slow . . . BUT THERE IS PROGRESS!!!

Gout? Maybe not . . .

After over a week on gout medication there is no noticeable change in my foot!  Still swollen and discolored.  No better but no worse either!

My doctor says my uric acid level is high.  That seems to mean this MAY be gout.  But it is not proof that it is.  And he feels like the medicine I've been taking should have had an effect by now if it was gout . . . but he still wants me to continue taking the gout meds!

So honestly he really just doesn't know what's wrong.  So he is sending me to physical therapy!  I guess this makes sense!!

So tomorrow I find a PT and give him my doctor's orders (heck . . . I can't read them!).

But I'm thinking it is getting close to time that I take over responsibility for my recovery.  I won't do anything crazy  But I'm going to really listen to all the aches and pains and figure out how to get back into walking . . . and then running.  I have a way to go.  But right now I'm just sort of stuck at wherever it is I am in my recovery.  Time to move forward.

And speaking of moving forward, I have begun exercising and I can already see positive differences!  Very exciting to me!

I'm swimming.  First day I about died and swam maybe 100 yards with a good rest at halfway!!!!  Today, about 1 week later, I swam probably close to 800-900 yards (5 laps across the cove) and I know I could have done more . . . just got bored!

Also I'm doing crunches, various leg lifts with resistance bands, and arm exercises.  Have to be careful as my left wrist is now healing since I'm off crutches.  And I really can't use my toes yet.  So things like pushups and planks will have to wait.

So at least I feel like I'm moving forward rather than backwards.  And soon I'm hoping I'll be walking for actual exercise!!

Bucket List

Maybe I shouldn't call this "My Bucket List!  It's really just simply things I want to do!  And since this blog is supposed to be focused on running it would make sense for me to keep things centered there.

So following the Stephen Covy approach with dealing with the "Big Rocks" first and then fill in with lesser important things . . . here are my two "Big Rocks."

Thru-hike the Appalachian Trail
One thing that has been on my list for years and years and years is to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail!  Back when I was in high school I first learned about the trail and hike a little of it and it was love at first sight!  In college I helped maintain a trail section and enjoyed that.  Quite frankly I read everything I can find about the AT and always have.

In the past I just wanted to make my thru-hike an un-hurried adventure taking 4-6 months.  Literally stopping when I wanted to stop.  No rushing.  No schedule.  Just enjoy the hike.  But now I'm re-thinking this some.  I might just try and see how fast I can do it!  Not sure . . . but thru-hiking the AT is one of the highest priority goals I have. 

The Last Annual Volunteer State Road Race
The next goal that I've set is to complete The Last Annual Volunteer State Road Race held in July of each year (yes . . . every year is "The Last Annual . . .").  This is quite a challenge.  The race is 314 miles, starting in Missouri, crossing the Mississippi River and entering Kentucky for about 10 miles.  Then, you cross into Tennessee and go diagonally southeast.  Tennessee is a loooong state!  Cross over into Alabama for a short while and finish up in Georgia!  You have 10 day to finish which equals a 50k each day.  Sounds easy.  Try it!  Oh . . . and I forgot . . . there is no aid provided!  You are on you own!  You simply can't imagine how much no aid and no crew add to the difficulty!

I was scheduled for Vol State this year . . . but had to pull out due to my foot issue. My training had been going extremely well up to my accident and it was my focus race of 2013.  This is simply unfinished business.

My problem is these two things are the two big things on my list but realistically I don't think I could do both in the same year.  If I did the AT thru-hike I would probably start in April or May.  Not sure just how long it would realistically.  The AT distance is constantly changing as trail relocations take place but it is about 2,180 miles or so.  If you could average 20 miles a day that would take 109 days so if I started May1st I would finish around mid-August.  So Vol State would be out until 2015.  And if I decide to do Vol State, there really isn't time to do the thru-hike.

So basically I need to decide between these two goals.  I'm not getting any younger!

Then there are lots of things of lessor importance.  All the "Little Rocks."  These are not in any special order . . .

• Leadville Marathon . . . one of two marathon DNFs.  This one bugs me.  For some reason I have no desire to try the Leadville 100.  Probably couldn't make the time cut-offs anyway!
• Big Sur Marathon . . . just sounds beautiful.  Period.
• Keys 100 . . . really have no idea why this is on the list.  It's just too hot to run in the Keys in the summer!  And I hate the heat!  But I've never been to Key West!!
• Run Across VA . . . this isn't a race really.  But I would love to run US 58 starting at Cumberland Gap and end at the beach in Norfolk.  520 miles of beauty and hell!  I toyed with trying to make this into race but I believe it is just too long.  But it would be an awesome challenge!
• Run a 23 minute 5k . . . not sure why this is included . . . but it is something I've considered trying to do.  My PR at 5k is 20:01 and I was about 40 years old at the time.  Lot's has changed since then!!

Update #128 - What the F&@K is GOUT?

Things are getting better . . .

But the ride back up is definitely not a smooth one!  Ever since about a day after I got my cast off the surgery foot has been all swollen and discolored . . .  plus it just continues to hurt!!  And not just were I had the surgery . . . the whole freakin' foot!

Actually, the "hurt" is lessening and I can walk some . . . maybe a couple of hundred yards or so.  But this "recovery thing" isn't going quite like I planned.

Now . . . the doctor thinks I have "gout" in my foot from all the surgery trauma!  WTF?  I don't even know what gout is!  How can I have it?  Just makes no sense to me!

I've never had "gout" before so I really don't know quite what to expect!  The doctor said sometimes gout is REALLY, REALLY painful . . . like if someone even "looks" at it it hurts!!  Mine isn't like that at all.  It hurts but the hurt is very manageable.  I have some pill now so hopefully they will knock this shit out quickly!

But at least I've started back exercising.  I can't do a lot of things yet, but there are some things I can do!  Crunches, resistance band lifts from many directions, curls, etc.  But things like planks, puchups, etc. are out.

One thing I never mentioned much about was my wrist!  When I fell from the ladder a screwed up my left wrist!  I think that injury is what made using the crutches so hard!  But now that I'm off crutches, the wrist is starting to heal.  But things like pushups are in the distant future for me.  Heck . . . when I'm on the floor and need to get up it is a REAL ordeal!  Just barely can . . .

Plus I've started swimming even though kicking in the water does hurt.  I suck at swimming . . . and swimming itself just sucks!  But I'm going to do it.  Today I swam maybe 300 yards . . .  swim 50 . . . rest . . . swim another 50 . . . but it's a start and it is an aerobic thing which I need desperately.

I also need to develop a "Lilley-style" Paleo diet that maybe I can live with.  Trying to do some research but a lot of the recipes I'm reading just suck!  A "smoothie" with coconut milk, hard boiled eggs, pork rinds (I actually should probably like them but I don't!), Raw veggies /w guacamole . . .  I'm sorry but I'm not willing to live like that!  So I've got to adapt something I can live with but I really don't know where to start.  Got to figure this out!!

Next up . . . it's time to re-do my list of things I want to do.  This will take some thought!  I think I'll have another glass of wine . . .

Next Status Update!

Some really good news . . . I am now officially out of my cast!  And the pin is out of my toe!

Huge step for me!  And I'm really excited.  The cast removal is nothing and the removal of the pin from my toe was 100% painless!  Honestly!  Want to see it removed??

But the news wasn't 100% positive.  My doctor said he was a little disappointed in how straight the bone alignment was.  He had hoped for better.  But . . . like he said . . . God does it right and he just tried to get as close to that as he can!!

Looking at it now there doesn't appear to be an issue . . . for instance the toe isn't just sticking out to the side or anything!!  It really looks good to me!

But Dr. Purvis worries that if I try and do too much it could just slip back out of place.  Not a good thing for sure!

So my directions are to just keep everything to simple walking around . . . no fitness walking at all for the next 3 weeks.  And no exercises that would cause my toes to bend (pushups, planks, etc.).  He is hoping that in these three weeks scar tissue etc. will develop to hold everything together and in place.

I'm good with that!

Another quick update . . .

After 5 days wearing that boot I had had enough!

The lack of support allowed my toes to move around and every time my little toe moved it simply hurt like hell!  I was having three very different kinds of pain: 

1. A burning literally all the time.  Not terrible, but it just burned.  I guess it was the pin getting moved around some.
2. the ball of my foot hurt anytime I put weight on the foot.  Didn't matter if all the weight was on the heel . . . the ball of my foot hurt!  So I lost the ability to carry stuff around the house!
3. When my toe moved it it REALLY hurt.

I had started back taking acetaminophen for some relief.


So during the weekend I had had enough!  Called the doctor early Monday morning and by noon I had another cast on!

Virtually instant pain relief!!  And the pain has stayed away.  Guess the movement allowed by the boot was the problem.

So now just 10 more days on no weight bearing and this cast and they'll remove the pin.  Not sure want happens after that.  I'm pretty sure there will be some PT.  Maybe a boot . . . just not sure.

But I'm pretty sure I'll be off crutches and THAT will be awesome!!

Quick update

Just a quick update . . .

Last Monday they removed my cast and took out my stitches.  Everything is looking good!

Here is a picture while the cast was off . . .

Toes still a tad swollen but lookin' good!

The doctor had told me that we would put another cast back on for another 2 weeks.  Well . . . he changed his mind some.  He decided to let me try using a special surgical boot that will only allow me to put weight on my heel.  Totally impossible to walk in, but it does make life WAY easier!  Now I can do a weird 1/2 step and carry a glass or a plate from my kitchen to my den!!  Woo Hoo!  Can't go far but this is a nice bit of freedom!

The bad news is the doctor wants me to stay this way for three weeks instead of two.

I had to go back and see him on Thursday.  The pin in my toe must have twisted some and it was rubbing on "the little piggy that had none" making him quite unhappy!  But they twisted the pin some and re-wrapped everything with more padding and that took care of it!

Quite honestly, I wish I had a cast on instead of this boot.  The boot does allow my toes to move some and whenever that happens the pin in my toe complains!!  Loudly!  I believe a cast would support my toe better which would make these 3 weeks less painful.  But now one of those three weeks is almost over and only two weeks to go!  Not sure what will happen then . . .  PT I guess.

But in spite of this whining I'm really doing fine!  Honestly.

On a side note I mailed a letter to the doctor that missed the second dislocation.  Not surprised that I haven't heard a word from him.  Most doctors just seem to find it almost impossible to admit that they made a mistake.  Guess he thinks if he admits he made a mistake I would sue him.  But if he would admit it and apologize . . . it sure would make it easier for me to forgive him!  And I really would like to get past this.  I admit that right now I'm having trouble moving on.  Just angry that I'm having to go through all this extra pain and downtime.

But on a positive note I was already such a slow runner that this probably won't even make a noticeable difference in my pace!!

Just a little TMI

Just back from my 1st follow-up visit after my foot surgery.

Doctor believes everything is looking really good!  Bone alignments look good!  So here is the plan of action:

• Another week in this crazy cast.  Doctor did confirm that my weird foot position is intentional so that I never bear weight on my right foot.  Damn effective in my opinion! NO WAY I could put any weight to speak of on this foot!!
• Next Monday they will take this cast off and remove my stitches.  Then . . . unfortunately put on another cast, just like this one!  Damn . . . not what I was hoping for!  Two more weeks without any weight-bearing . . . ugh!
• Then I go back to the doctor and they will remove the second cast and may remove the pin holding everything together . . . or not.  Either way the may put another cast on for another 2 weeks but they may not!

One other bit of information . . . the doctor had a chance to look at my original x-rays and talked me through them.  Clearly my first doctor just simply missed the second dislocation.  It showed up on every x-ray.  If you look at the x-ray in the previous post and look at the little toe you can see there is not a clear definition of each bone like there is with every other toe bone.  The end of the smaller bone is actually riding below the longer metatarsal bone.

Have no idea right now as to when I may be able to run again but I'm pretty sure I'll be running again!  And that is the important thing!

But for right now and for at least three more weeks I'll be pretty much sitting in my chair.

Okay . . . I need a new plan!

As if you couldn't tell . . . Vol State to totally out for the this year!

I must have pissed off the running gods or something, but my fitness today is honestly equal to your normal couch potato.  I haven't run in so long I feel like a "poser" when I wear one of my running shirts!  I'm honestly certain I could not run 1/2 mile right now . . . seriously!  And that is assuming my foot would be okay!
 
Which I guess it is . . . now.  Once everything heals up.  I believe the doctors have finally identified my remaining problem . . . a second bone in my foot (5th metatarsal) was dislocated in the ladder accident but the doctor couldn't / didn't see the second dislocation!

I finally got a second opinion and the new doctor found the dislocation immediately!  So last Monday I had surgery to repair all the damage, scar tissue, etc. due to the bone being dislocated for almost 9 weeks.  Doctor said my foot was "really, really messed up."   He had to "pin" my toe/s and I've been in a cast where I cannot do any weight-bearing.

Tomorrow I have my follow-up visit to find out details about all that he had to do and what the future looks like.  I'm very excited to get some information!!  And hopefully I'll get a new cast where the foot is in a "natural" position and I maybe can walk some!!  Got to admit that using crutches 100% and essentially just sitting in a chair with my foot elevated is getting boring!!!

Plus, using a cast with no weight-bearing is just plain HARD!  Back when I was in my 30s, 40s and even 50s, this wouldn't be so hard.  But now that I'm in my mid-60s my body just doesn't respond like it use to.  Damn body!

So once I start to get some idea about how long it will likely be until I can start training again, I can scope out a plan of action.

At least I can drive (using my left foot only) and yesterday I went to the 2013  Boogie 50 miler, one of my favorite races!  I had originally signed up to run the 50 but that was now impossible.  But I did start the race on my crutches and went for maybe 20 yards . . . then I DNFed (Did Not Finish)!  But ultra runners say any DNF is better than a DNS (Did Not Start)!

It was great getting out and see so many of my running friends!








By the way, I thought some of you might like to the the first dislocation.  See if you can see the 4th metatarsal dislocation!!   I'm guessing you could!!  You are better than Halifax Regional Hospital ER . . . they didn't see it!!  Idiots!

Vol State Training - "Lilley-style" (Part 3)

Well . . . this one is getting interesting!

It's beginning to look like 2014 may be my year for Vol State rather than 2013.

While I do want to be sure I don't "over-train" for an event like this it appears my training just may not be adequate.  I'll explain . . .

Met with my doctor today and there was good news and bad news.  The 'good news" was I could start very short runs just as soon as my pain was almost totally gone (90%),  But he made me promise to stop if the pain increased or if there was increased pain the next day.

The "bad news" was he said that while he couldn't put any timetable on my recovery, he guessed it would likely be "in July" before I would feel like starting to run again.

Not exactly what I wanted to hear!

Assuming I did start running July 1st, I just don't think 9 days of training (2 travel days needed) would be enough . . . even doing this one "Lilley-style."  I mean . . . Vol State is no joke!

Not officially bailing for 2013 yet 'cause I just might feel like starting before July!  But it's not looking good.

Vol State Training - "Lilley-style" Part 2

T - 72 days until race day and counting.

Everything is going PERFECTLY!  Training could not be going any better!

Three weeks plus in and I'm hopefully in the mid to latter stages of the REST phase of the plan. 

I've ditched the crutches . . . I believe for good!  I used them a few hours on Saturday so my foot would be okay to go Saturday night on it's own!  And it did really well . . . pain is reducing every day.  I can see that maybe in a week or two more I may be able to move into Phase 2 training - actually walking normally for some distance!  Probably start with a mile or two and see how it goes.  I'm walking now . . . but 100 yards is about all I really want to do!

And this is great mental training . . . almost like meditation.  You know - "Take a deeeeeep breath and slowly  leeeeet it ooooout!  Picture a beautiful flower in a green field.  Notice its deeep yellow color . . . "  crap like that!

 Only I'm thinking things like . . . "Calm down.  It will only be a few more days.  This will pass.  You will soon be back walking again . . . and even running soon . . ."  crap like THAT!!

Just one little bothersome thing . . . there seems to be a lump or something where the dislocation occurred.  Wasn't there before for sure!  That seems to be the primary pain point unless I start moving my toes around . . . then the pain more wide-spread!  :-)

Sitting around doing nothing has several outgrowths . . . not the least of which weight gain!  Again . . . this is all part of the master training plan.  This additional weight will make the early training all that more intensive and thus speeding up the training effect!

Brilliant!

Vol State . . . "Lilley-style"

Preparations are well underway for the "Last Annual Volunteer State Run" to be held in July.  As you can probably imagine, I'll be doing this race "Lilley-style."

For those of you that are not familiar with the concepts surrounding "Lilley-style" running, you probably should read this blog entry last year that explains exactly what "Lilley-style" running is all about.

As I said, preparations are well underway.  And the first step is to make positively sure I have all my excuses in place for the assault.  I'm proud to say I am rising to the occasion with this race.  I was a tad concerned that my "hip arthroscopy" excuse was getting a little thread-bare, so I've been working on enhancements.

This year, I added a 4th metatarsal dislocation and resulting ligament damage as an excuse.  This was begun by doing what is called a "Ladder Dive."  Sometimes these are done on blacktop or concrete, but my "dive" was done on a deck . . .  much softer!!.  This whole plan is actually quite brilliant! 

The hospital ER missed the foot dislocation and sent me home to deal with the "afterglow" from the dive!  I tried walking a few days before I went to another doctor who discovered the dislocation and later identified the ligament issues.   Those walking attempts (limping actually) caused a very odd gait as you can imagine and as a result, the new leg motion irritated my hip joint!!  See . . . I told you this was brilliant!  My excuses are SET!!  I hate to brag . . . but DAMN I'm good!

So I'm getting a chance to conserve a massive amount of energy by not even being able walk.  Not sure how long but I plan to milk one this all I can!

But once I'm able to walk without crutches and without pain . . . it will be time to move on into the actual TRAINING portion of the "Lilley-style" plan. 

Stay tuned!

Delirium 24 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I've had 6 hours of driving to think about this race . . . and I'm still not sure what to think!  But the title to the old Clintwood movie is a pretty good jumping off point.  This race had all three: the good, the bad and the ugly.

There was a lot to like about this race!  But there was also a lot of problems . . . some were the race's problem and some were mine.  But some of these problems lead me to a mental place of complete ugliness!

The race is held in Bluffton, SC . . . southern South Carolina just outside of  Hilton Head Island.  The area has tons of restaurants, bars, shopping and golf courses.  Just a great destination!  After a 6+ hour drive I checked into my hotel ($65 and it was a NICE room at the Quality Inn!) the went to find race course!

The course was awesome! You run on a mulch / pine needle greenway around a large shopping center and the Bluffton city offices.  Honestly I only saw two roots along the whole 1.7 mile loop!!!  No kidding!!  Also the route takes you by several small, beautiful lakes.  And it was flat!!  Normally this would be great!

But I have given up running on trails - the uneven footing cause hip pain as does sharp turns.  This course has both . . . in spades!  The race website clearly said it was a trail . . . but I missed that!  I thought it was going to be paved!  About 4/10th of a mile was paved!!

I considered not even starting this race.  But I had spent over $125 for the race registration and had driven over six hours to get there so I decided to give it a go!  That is a VERY expensive race for me to enter!!

Friday night they had packet pickup at a huge, brand new bowling center in the complex!  Very nice and the race schwag was awesome!!  You got a really nice hoodie sweatshirt, a super tech beanie, a pint glass plus a medal if you either run 85 miles or run the full 24 hours (I did neither!).  Top drawer schwag for sure!

Amber and Jon

I hooked up with Jon and Amber Shingleton at packet pickup and then the three of us went to dinner.


I have no idea why . . . but the race started a 10am.  Seemed like a lot of wasted time!  But the race started right on time.

After four hours on the soft, twisty trail, my hip started burning deep inside . . . and it was sort of "squishing."  The pain wasn't terrible but I worried that I might be causing damage.  By 3:30 PM I posted on Facebook that I was done!

I was REALLY pissed off . . . at this turn of events, at the trail but most of all at myself for even starting this race.  I started walking / limping and tried to decide what to do.  I said I was going to quit but see if I could make a few slow walking laps.  I promised myself when it started hurting more I would quit.

I slowly walked (really limped) several laps trying to decide when to quit and runners were passing me like there was no tomorrow!  I was just waiting on the increasing pain . . . but it never came.  Instead it slowly started burning less!  At maybe 5 pm I restarted running again.  I found if I walked the first half of the course where it was more soft and twisty then I could run at least most of the second half.  My spirits picked up along with my speed.

To me this was one of the really good parts.  I was SURE I would have to drop . . . but I worked through the issues and eventually things got better.  They almost always do!

I had not been keeping up with my laps.  I knew I had fallen way off the pace of even the back of the pack . . . but I really had no idea how many miles I had covered.  So at the completion of my next lap, I ask where I stood and they told me I had done 19 laps . . . about 32 miles!  Huh?  No way!!  I told the lady I thought there must be a mistake . . . that I couldn't have gone that far.  She re-checked the history and assured me the 19 laps was correct.  The next lap I brought it up again and she assured me I had now completed 20 laps!

Talk about lifting my spirits!!!!

I was supercharged!  I remembered back to past 24s.  I realized that I was well above my best effort ever!  I turned more and more laps  . . . feeling great!  Totally excited!

But there were also some negative thoughts around my mind.  It was 8:30 and I was hungry!!  I wanted some food!  Real food!  And there had not been any!  The race had put out the usual (chips, pretzels, gummy bears, cookies and some soup, etc) but no real food!  I started thinking about the race entry fee of $125 and getting madder and madder!  Yea . . . we got some great schwag but they should have cut back some on that stuff and fed us!!!

When you're running, sometimes you just get a thought in your head and it just stays there and grows out of proportion.

So I stopped at McDonalds (on the course just 1/4 mile before the start/finish) and got a double cheeseburger.  Unfortunately I had waited too long for food and I got nauseous.  And I started getting cold.  More negative thoughts!

I was slowing down now and I was cold but I had completed 27 laps . . . about 46 miles!  At about 10:30 I passed the start/finish and asked them how many laps I had completed just to check my count.  I was totally shocked when they told me I had only done 21 laps (36 miles!!)  They had found a mistake one of the lap counters had made and had adjusted the lap totals of those affected.

WTF!!  I didn't doubt that the new number was probably correct, but this just sent me into a tail spin.  I just mentally folded.  Totally.  All motivation just left me.  Talk about a negative frame of mind!

I did two more laps and decided to take a nap.  Slept 2 1/2 hours.  Got up and did one more lap.  But my heart just wasn't in it.  I wasn't hurting.  I simply didn't care anymore.  So I quit.

Actually I'm glad I did.  This just shows me how much one's mental state of mind matters.  Races like this are really run in your mind much more than with your body.

Yea . . . shit was happening.  Things outside of my control.  But I didn't keep my head in the game.  I quit at about  3 am.  I wasn't hurting all that much and I still had energy in the tank.  This was the "ugly" part and TOTALLY my fault!

I had 7 hours left until the 10 am race end and I could have added a bunch of miles!  Walking at 3 MPH (steady hiking pace) would have taken me to 62 miles.  And I would have gotten a medal.  But I didn't.  I could have taken all this negative stuff and turned it around into POSITIVE MOTIVATION.  A reason to kick ass!  Maybe even gone further than 62!

But I didn't.

I was by myself through all this . . . walking alone.  Maybe if I had been with another runner, they could have helped me through this.  All you pacers out there . . . this is a lesson for you to file away.  When shit happens, find a way to turn it into "Shinola!"

I learned something at Delirium.  That's important!

Here are some pictures from the race:

A lot of runners were "Xing" out there!!

Ray K showing those young whipper-snappers how it's done!

Eventual First Place Overall Female Karen Heitner

Lee Kelly getting it done!  He ran a sub 40 10k at another race BEFORE he started Delirium!

My buddy Paul Heckert and me at the start!  Paul killed it out there!

One of the three lakes

Things change

Things do change.

That is one of the constants our world.  Nothing stays the same forever (thank God!)  One key to happiness is to "roll with the punches" and realize that things will change . . . always.  We just have to be smart about this and adjust as necessary.

But sometimes it's really hard to know if the change we're experiencing is just a temporary change OR the transition into a new era.  Like global warming . . .

At first I just didn't believe global warming was real.  I was thinking the changes we were seeing were simply normal variances in our weather cycles.  But now I'm not so sure!  With all the melting at the poles, the reduction in the Greenland ice cover and all the seemingly weird weather patterns in the last few years I'm now open to the possibility that this really could be a huge, significant climatic change.

See . . . I am open to being wrong!

But enough about global warming.  I'm moving on to something really important . . . running.

I'm so thankful for every run I'm able to do.  Honestly . . . I really am.  Just to be able to go out there and run SOME is simply a gift!  Some of you know why I look at it this way.  But most don't.  So here is "the skinny" as to why my runs are so special for me.

Back in about 1988 or so I had to quit totally running.  Knee problems had bothered me for years.  In about 1971 I had surgery on my left knee meniscus cartilage.  This surgery was before the arthroscope was widely used . . . as a matter of fact I don't believe it was used at all when I had this surgery.  Arthroscopes only really took off after the advances in flexible fiber optics in the early 1970s.

So this knee surgery involved opening up the joint with a huge incision and going to work.  Recovery was long.  7 days in the hospital.  I was on crutches for maybe 2-3 months post-surgery.  Tons of physical therapy.  Took seemingly forever before I could start being active.  But I started running as a sport in about 1974.

Fast forward to 1988 and my knees were really starting to bother me again.  One of my good friends was a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon, so I went to him to figure out what to do.  After x-rays he told me he had some bad news . . . there wasn't anything he could do for now.  He found arthritis in my left knee joint probably caused by my previous surgery.  The solution was a knee replacement but he strongly urged me to delay the surgery as long as I could stand before we replaced the knee because I would only be able to do it once and knee replacements don't last forever.

He told me I could keep running as long as I wanted to, but he said it wouldn't get better and the pain would continue to increase.  So I kept running for maybe another 6 months . . . but then the pain got to be so bad running stopped being fun and just simply hurt.  I knew I had to quit.  And I did.

I tried swimming, ellipse machines, stair machines . . . anything to help my fitness.  All but swimming hurt.  And swimming was so frickin' boring I just couldn't stand it!  Nothing helped my knee pain except anti-inflammatory medicines which I soon began living on.

With my increasing knee pain I began a slow decline in my fitness and mobility.  I had to quit backpacking.  I remember a day trout fishing in the mountains when I quit fishing after only 15 minutes or so and hobbled back to the car to wait for my son and brother-in-law to finish.  I told them I was going to have to stop trout fishing too.  That was a hard day.

In 2005 our family went on vacation to Bermuda.  The place we were staying had a ton of stairs that I had to go up and down many times each day.  This just absolutely killed me!  The pain was bad.  I really couldn't get around and struggled to spend much time with the family on that vacation.

But by the end of the week I found something strange was happening . . . my knee pain seemed a tad better!  The only thing I could figure out was the stairs had helped me.  So I started walking up and down stairs.  Several times a day.  In the past I had tried ellipse machines and StairMasters as exercise but they just didn't help . . .  but the stairs seemed to help.  I worked in an office with 7 floors, so that was perfect.   It was painful - especially at first.  But slowly the pain got less and less.

The knee continued to improve.

I kept a backpack and boots in my office and became a fanatic about my stair "walks" and slowly I built up my strength and endurance.  And the knee pain kept reducing.  In maybe a year I started fishing again.  And backpacking.  And in the summer of 2005 I tried running again!

I thought . . . if I can ever run a 5k again I'll be happy.  And I was.  But I kept going.  And added more and more distance.  I can't express how happy and thankful I was!  I had been given a huge gift and I have cherished it ever since!  I wish you could have seen me when I finished my first comeback marathon!  What a great moment for me!  One I never thought would happen again!  I believe I was more emotional finishing that race than my first marathon!

So I'm enjoying the gift I have been given.  It is like getting a second life!

But I got a third life!  Most of you know about my hip problems - the year of increasing pain, then the surgery in October of 2011and now 15 months worth of recovery.  I was running a little 2 months after surgery.  I walked 50 miles in April and in September I fulfilled my dream of actually finishing a 100 mile race, though I walked almost all of it!  Then, in November I finished another 100 miler . . . this time running a good portion of it.

So I got a third running life!  How cool is that!

Running has meant so very much to me . . . physically and emotionally.  I've tried to 'give back' to the running community for all it has given me, but realistically I've gotten WAY more than I could ever give back.

But my hip is far from being 100%.  I would say it's maybe 60-70% okay.  I've given up running on trails . . . the uneven ground just really aggravates my hip.   And I have to walk at least 2/3 of anything I do - even 5ks!  I have to rest at least every other day and sometimes I need two days or more.

Right now I haven't run in a week (but I plan to try tomorrow!)

Just sitting in my chair now has become painful.  Moving my leg laterally now causes the hip to "lock up" and it hurts like holy hell to move it around to get it unlocked.  Sounds like my hip's labrum has torn and is getting caught in the joint.

So I'm thinking more and more about this whole situation and trying to decide if this is simply another hurtle to get through, or should I really give up running.

Oh, I guess I'll always try and run some.  And I'm pretty sure I'll still want to do races like timed races where I can walk a lot and run just a little.  How could I give up Hinson Lake?  And who knows . . . maybe I can do another 48 hour race and walk it . . . and finish another 100!

But marathons, 50k and 50 miles etc. are very likely a thing of the past for me.

Oddly, I'm not upset about it!

I've had a great time doing what I've done and I'm ready for new challenges and adventures.  I just don't believe they will be running adventures.  But who knows for sure.  Maybe this hip of mine will get better and I'll be able to really run again.  After all . . . nothing is forever . . .

Doomsday Marathon

I honestly have no idea how many marathons I've run.  But it's been a bunch.  Maybe 80.  Maybe more.  My first was the Marine Corp Marathon back in 1983 I believe (I'm not sure because I gave my medal away!).  Since then there have been a lot of marathons run

I've run most when I was healthy, some when injured, and some when I was sick. Some have been easy, some REALLY hard.  Some fast (for me!) and some really slow.  But through it all I only failed to finish only one . . . the Leadville Marathon back in 2010.

This DNF (Did Not Finish) really bothered me . . . and haunts me to this day.  To be fair the marathon kicked my butt and I missed the time cut-off at mile 20.  But instead of turning in my bib and finishing the race anyway . . . I listened to the race director and rode back to the start in the "Van of Shame."  I'll never really forgive myself for that mistake.  Very disappointed in myself.  I felt good and could EASILY have finished . . . just outside the time limit.  I had done all the really hard parts!

Well, last night I had my second DNF . . . I quit at mile 10 of the Doomsday Marathon!  That's right . . mile 10!!  And I'm not the least bit upset!

This was a very unique race!  First, it was on the winter solstice . . . the last day shown on the Myan calendar.  We all had fun kidding about this being the end of the world.  The race started Friday night at 9 PM!!  Never had a marathon start at night and on a Friday . . .. crazy!

The bad thing about starting a race at night is that I couldn't take any pictures.  That sucks!  Plus, my eyes are so bad I rarely know who I was running near!!  I do love running at night but I think I like a race to start during daylight and the run into the night!

The day was cold and windy but luckily the wind died down some for the race!  Temps were in the low 30s with only minor wind.  The course was in a wildlife management area near Hoffman, NC . . . definitely in the middle of nowhere!  The course was a 2.4 mile loop on really sandy farm roads that surrounded this HUGE grown up field!  Since this was in the middle of nowhere there were no houses or lights at all!  As a result, we had an awesome view of the stars all night!  I love night running!!!

Of the 2.4 miles, probably 1 mile was simply loose sand . . . like you have near the dunes on a beach.  Not packed or firm like the sand near the water . . . just loose!  NASTY running!  And my hip hated it! 

In the middle of my third loop I knew I needed to stop.   So I did . . . and never a second guess if I made the right call.  I definitely did!  Maybe I should have quit after 2 lap . . . but I thought the pain might pass and the hip would adjust.  So I gave it two more laps but finishing was not to be.  So I stopped at the end of 4 laps . . . just under 10 miles.

I was not alone!  I was surprised by how many others injured themselves in the loose sand.  Everyone struggled.  The winning time was just over 3 hours (3:04 I believe) and the second place finisher was maybe 8-10 minutes back.  Then there was a HUGE gap to #3 and the other finishers.  And everyone suffered with the sand.

So I have my second DNF.  It's looking like I will definitely need to avoid loose sand like the plague!  And I'm going to have to think hard about running any trails . . . at least for awhile.

But that's not so bad.  While I love trails and trail running, I can still run on roads and well-packed dirt roads.  That's fine with me!

Running 100 miles - "Lilley-style"

Like in music, there are lots of ways to write a song.  So to in running.  There are lots of ways to run 100 miles.  The following is simply ONE way to do it.  It certainly may not be the BEST way to do it.  It definitely is not the FASTEST way.  It is just simply my way.

So if you are interested in what it takes to be a "Lilley-style" runner . . . read on!

Background

First . . . it helps to be stupid.  Seriously.  Smart people who attempt a "Lilley-style" run can usually SEE the train wreck coming . . . and thus avoid the collision all together.  But still . . . both smart people and stupid people CAN do this . . . it's just easier to be stupid.  That's all.

Preparation

As in virtually every endurance event, proper preparation is the key to success.  And "Lilley-style" running is no different.  It takes months and perhaps even YEARS to properly prepare.

See . . . the bedrock of "Lilley-style" running is you need EXCUSES.  Preferably medical excuses.  Here you can use your own creativity.  My excuse is a hip arthroscopy but yours can certainly be different.  Fused disks in your back would probably work.  A torn ACL repair in your knee could work too.  A hip replacement might be a good option.  I have one acquaintance that is using "poor blood circulation in his legs" as his!  Brilliant!

But things like a meniscus tear in your knee just simply doesn't provide the needed level of excuse . . . I've tried that three times and it simply just doesn't work as well.  See . . . if properly treated, torn knee cartilage essentially goes away in mere months.  For "Lilley-style" running you need more.

Your excuse must be a long term excuse . . . one that you can "pull out and use" over months and even years!  As you can see it takes a long time to properly establish an excuse like this . . . and health insurance helps too!

It certainly is possible to skip this section of the preparation and still be successful in your 100 . . . but people will laugh at you.  Heck . . . people may laugh at me with my excuse preparation plan in place!  But at least their laughter is behind my back and not to my face!

The next part of preparation is the training itself.  You MUST train.  Definitely.  But here you must be careful and not over-train.  Three days of running a week is plenty.  Five days is too many.  And no "long run" run should EVER be over 15 miles in length.  10 is better.  I suggest using other races as preparation runs . . but here you need to be careful.  Run your training runs just like how you plan to run your 100 . . . very, very slowly with PLENTY of walk breaks!

Don't over do your training.  That could spell disaster.  Instead limit your training to only a month or two.  Save it all for the 100.

Choosing the Race

This part is tricky!  You have to carefully select a race that plays to your skills!  Not every 100 mile race is an option.  "Lilley-style" running just simply can't be rushed!  So you need a race that will allow you the time necessary to execute a proper "Lilley-style" run.

There are two keys I suggest you use to select YOUR race . . . 1) the course difficulty, and 2) the race time cutoff.

If you just simply look at the time cutoff of a race you could make a serious mistake.  There are plenty of races that have what APPEARS to be a generous time cutoff.  But, in reality, is not!  The race director has you climbing MOUNTAINS and such!  Stay away for devious traps like this!

This last weekend I found a race that was perfect . . . easily allowing a "Lilley-style" 100 miler.  It was the Kinston 48 Hour Race.  I was a bit concerned that the 48 hour cutoff would be a hindrance to my "Lilley-style" run.  Perhaps that would not be enough time.  But it worked out to be fine!  As a matter of fact I'm now suggesting 2 day and 3 day timed events are the BEST format for displaying "Lilley-style" running.  You'll see why in a minute!

The run itself

Photo by Stephanie Carter

To properly execute a "Lilley-style" 100 mile run you have to LOOK like a runner and TALK like a runner.  Blend in.  Wear running stuff.  Wear Hokas . . . they definitely indicate your seriousness to the effort.

Once the race begins, "Lilley-style" running is quite similar to traditional running styles.  The primary difference is the speed of execution.  "Lilley-style" is executed at a slower pace . . . with more walk breaks.  Start off with everybody else but then just "eeaaaassseee" back to the rear of the group so that they don't interfere with you.


Now . . . everything that happens in other running styles happens here too!  It just simply takes longer.  A lot longer.

But oddly . . . if you choose the race carefully . . . finishing 100 miles "Lilley-style" lets you finish not all that far behind everyone else!  Seriously!  As an example, let's examine the results from this weekend's Kinston 48 hour Race.

17 folks started the race . . .

Lee Kelly after finishing his first 100 miler!

Tim O'Malie before his last 5k lap (Note stick crutch in chair and smile on his face!)

• I was tied with another (Lee Kelly) as the 4th person to finish the 100 mile distance!!  

• 6 total people finished 100 miles or longer!  So I wasn't even DFL!!!  (Okay . . . the last guy to finish the distance (Tim O'Malie) had injured himself (torn calf muscle) and had gotten another race participant to fashion him a crutch so he could complete his last two loops of the course (2 x 5k)!  Yea . . . he is a tough guy!)

• I finished 1st in my age group!!  (True . . . I was the only person over 60 years old and there weren't any age grouping . . . but I'm spinning it like this anyway!!)

And here is the secret magic trick on why 48 hour or longer timed events  are so good for "Lilley-style" . . . most of the folks that enter really don't plan to do 100 miles . . . BUT they count in the number of race entrants!!  Of the 17 folks that entered, only 10 or so REALLY wanted to run 100 or more!  But if you run this type of event you get to SAY you finished 4th out of 17!!!!!

 Brilliant!!!  To the unknowing . . . you will appear to be a 100 mile running ROCK STAR!!!!!

So choosing the right race is VERY important for respectability purposes!  This course was virtually flat . . . maybe  20 feet of ascent per lap (5k) so a total ascent of just under 650 feet over 100 miles!!  If a 100 mile race were held here, the race director would likely have a cutoff of somewhere between 27 hours and maybe 30 hours . . . and maybe even less.  Nowhere near enough time for a properly executed "Lilley-style" 100!

In "Lilley-style" we try to see just how LONG it can take!  Extend the fun for as long as possible!  Last weekend I did a proper "Lilley-style" run AND reduced the time it took to 39 hours and 36 minutes!  So I know for sure you can do a "Lilley-style" 100 that fast.  I'm not sure if it can be done any faster or not!

There are four rules to running "Lilley-style" that you do need to bear in mind.

• Smile and at least try and LOOK like you're having fun!  Having fun is definitely not a REQUIREMENT for the full race.  As a matter of fact . . . maybe 1/2 the time is spent NOT having fun at all!  It sucks!  Big ones!  But you must try and appear like it is a blast out there!
• Whine . . . especially on Facebook!  That way you get A LOT of moral support!  And believe me . . . you need that support badly!!!  Quite honestly the Facebook support I got kept me going!  I would have stopped without it!  Seriously.
• You must drink at LEAST one beer during the race.  Two or more are even better.  While I have yet to try it, I am fairly certain that wine would be an acceptable substitute . . . as long as it comes from a box.

And just because you're doing the race "Lilley-style" doesn't mean you have to miss out out on all the fun that normal 100 mile runners get to experience.  You can still have all the muscle cramps, aching joints, blisters, etc.!  But I'm finding that you do give up some quality on the hallucinations you get to see!

For me at Kinston, the hallucinations began just after dark on the second night!  But my hallucinations weren't as vivid as some 100 mile runners describe.  Mine were just indeterminable shadows / shapes flashing across the road in front of me . . . and things that sort of looked like people running along the edge of the woods beside the road.  I knew for sure these were hallucinations and they weren't REALLY there . . . so I guess I'm mildly disappointed.

But that is about all you miss.  If you choose a normal 100 mile event you may miss any finish line celebrations, awards ceremonies and such.  All that has been picked up and packed away for next year by the time you arrive at the finish.  But there is a silver lining . . . you don't have to feel guilty about not helping them do all that work!  But if you choose a 48 hour event . . . well that just doesn't work.

So that is a quick summary of "Lilley-style" running.  With this, you too should be able to go out there and finish a 100 mile RACE!

So . . . will I continue to refine "Lilley-style" 100 mile running?

Who knows?  At the end of the Kinston race I was 100% sure I was done with this kind of thing.  But now as the pain is beginning to ebb and, being old, my memory starts to fail . . . so I'm not so sure.

Like with other art forms, "Lilley-style" running needs to grow, expand and change with the times.  And until someone else comes along to champion the continued refinement of "Lilley-style" running . . . I just may have to keep doing it myself.

Crooked Road - 24 Hours of Fun???

What a race!

The Crooked Road 24 was a really great 24 hour race!  Great course, great volunteers and great food! But what a day of ups and downs for me!

It all started at about 8:45.  Not the race . . . that started at 8:00 am.  No . . . at about 8:45 or so it felt like someone stabbed me in my back with a knife!  Oh crap!  Immediately I knew what was going on.  One of my pesky little kidney stones decided it needed to break away from it's happy home in my kidney and make a journey to freedom!  I've known I have a bunch of these little hellions in my kidney for a long time, but they seem happy up there and haven't often made a 'break-away.'

Of course I didn't bring pain medicine, nausea medicine or my strainer to a race.  Heck . . . it's been over a year since my last kidney stone episode.

The good news is that doctors want you to walk to help the stone move . . . . and I was doing my normal walk / run interval.  So this should be okay.  I did check with Sharon Scott and Karen Cowher and Karen thought she had some prescription pain meds but at that point the pain was pretty manageable.  Nowhere near as bad as my last episode!  Pain would come and go but never got higher than maybe a 7-8 . . . and often less.

I just kept moving . . . and started really forcing fluids!  What??? No cranberry juice at an aid station???  :-)

Honestly it wasn't all that bad.  I didn't get nauseous and the pain was never crazy bad.  And about 11:30 or so I must have passed the stone because the pain ended.  I hope that little sucker is happy in the porta-potty!  I'm guessing he wished he had stayed in my kidney!!  Serves the little bastard right!

Photo by Lauren Wilkins

Photo by Ricky Scott

So all morning I did keep forward motion, but not very fast (as if I'm EVER a fast mover!) and by noon I was well behind where I had hoped to be.  I couldn't get that time back, so I just tried to keep at it.

Weather was an issue again this year.  Not during the daylight . . . that was awesome!  But once the sun set, the temps fell below freezing pretty quickly, just sucked the fun out of the night running for me and a lot of other folks.

But the Crooked Road folks planned well!  They had an awesome huge fire built in an old oil barrel and everyone just gathered around when they got cold!  Plus, they had awesome soup again this year!  Heck . . . it's worth coming to Crooked Road for the soup alone!!

I had honestly hoped to stay out there all 24 hours.  But I just didn't.  I took an hour nap around 10 pm and when I finally got to 50 miles at about 3 am I just lost motivation and gave in to the pain and tiredness.  I climbed in my tent and slept 2 1/2 more hours.  Then got up and out of my comfy warm sleeping bag and went back out into the night until the 8 am finish.  Ended the 24 hours at about 55+ miles I believe.  Certainly not my 62 mile goal but it was within my grasp if I had just toughed it out.

It amazes me how supportive the entire ultra community is.  I had so much fun, turning laps with so many great people.  I'm sure I'll miss mentioning several, but:

• Lauren Wilkins came out with me twice.  She always brightens my day!, 
• Johnny Nolen did a couple of laps with me too!  Together we solved about 1/2 of the world's problems!  Plus, he introduced me to a new business lead!!  Awesome!
• Enjoyed spending some time with Mike Flores . . . such a nice guy!
• Paul Heckert and I had a Bloody 11w reunion and plotted out Vol State strategy!  
• Tom Gabell just had a bad, bad day but good for me as I got to do some laps with him!
• Who doesn't enjoy spending some time with Iris Sutcliffe??
• Sondra Jarvis and I got to run a few laps together Sunday morning!  Lot's of fun!  She also lifted my spirits when I needed it!
• Enjoyed meeting and running with Daniel Matthews . . . a fairly new ultra runner who really, really toughed it out and overcame some NASTY blisters to finish his first 100k!
• Got to meet and spend some laps with Brent Lynch . . . another Rocky Mount, VA runner and another really nice guy . . . plus one heck of a runner!
• I didn't get to run much with Mo Percy . . . she was just running too fast!  She just had an awesome day finishing as 2nd Female with 79.3 miles!!  24-hour PR too!

Mo at the end.   Photo by Lauren Wilkins

Me with Crazy Gene Meade and Mo Percy - Photo by Lauren Wilkins