TaTas 5k

Ran an 18:59 5k at the Run for TaTa's race in Wilmington, NC on Saturday. Felt like it was a faster effort than that, and in fact my garmin recorded the distance run as 3.22 miles. So unofficially I am chalking the effort up as around an 18:30 5k. Finished 13th overall out of 750+ runners, and was the 1st Masters finisher. Actually was awarded $75 for top Masers, which unless I am forgetting a race, was the first time I have ever won prize money at an event.

Also the Cape Fear Flyers kids I help coach ran very well; was so pleased and happy for them afterwards as were my fellow coaches and some of the parents who were in attendance.  Several of the kids won age group awards in the 5k, and also we had the 1st place finisher in the mile race. It's a tremendous feeling to see hard work pay off, and the kids reap the benefits while also enjoying themselves

I am still fighting through some aches and pains; specifically my left achilles, and discomfort on the bottom and side of my right foot. For the moment neither of which prevent me from doing what I have been doing, and want to do.  Though it would be nice if some of it would abate in the near future, and necessitates continual monitoring and efforts to alleviate.

Felt like I had a pretty good effort and ran a fairly smart race Saturday. Splits were 6:04, 5:52, 6:00. First mile included some maneuvering around fellow competitors, especially the field of women who started this unique chaser race 2 minutes and thirty seconds before all the men.

Pushed the last quarter to half mile hard, and ended the race with a real hard kick from about 200 meters out. A guy who I passed even joked about it afterwards how I was flying on in to the finish. But I've learned from the past, that even if a gut wrenching kick is not necessary to try and beat a fellow racer, I usually will see my time later and think dam had I just gone all out it would have made my time 3, 5, 8? seconds faster which would have made my finish time a little more pleasing to me. And in this case it got my official finish time under 19 minutes. Plus it's good training for when I may really need that kick.

Mainly though I didn't shy away from the pain. I was able to sustain and push through especially in the darkest stretch of the race from about the half way point to around the two and half mile mark, where there was a turn around. And that voice which can get progressively louder, progressively more persuasive... the one which pleads and begs us to slow down, tells us this hurts too much, asks us why in god's name are we doing this?  That voice I was able to pretty much stifle and mute, and just for this race not pay too much heed to.

It'll be back again next hard workout. Next race. And I'll deal with it then.

For now, I will enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Unconditional Love

The roads, trails, the track... have always been there for me.

They have always loved me, no matter what state of mind, body, and spirit I show up in on that particular day.

Yesterday the trails in the Carolina Beach State Park provided just the solace, comfort, and communication I needed. They weren't particularly swayed by my confusion over a girl...my emotions rubbed a bit raw, my innermost self whispering "let go..."

And when I thought about my Mom and a tear rolled down my cheek as I ran up thru the Swamp Trail  ((everyone I know goes away in the end, I hear the guitar strumming gently, sadly, beautifully in the Nine Inch Nails version of the song Hurt))  -  the trails accepted me for exactly who I was at that given moment. They do not judge, pity, uplift, counsel, advise... they are just there.

There when we need them the most.

Wednesday night I ran 2 x 1200 meters before Flyers Cross Country practice, then 6 x 800 meters with Owen and Zac... all in the low 3 minute range. Tough, controlled running. I needed an outlet, I needed to rage a little in a constructive way... and the grassy half mile course on the Ashley and Murray school grounds was there. It didn't say a word to me, and afterwards I felt better.

Out here we get what we need. We can be our flawed, human selves... and not have to explain why we feel like we do, why we want what we want, why we act the way we act sometimes. Our sweat and tears fall softly into the ground, all to reappear later in this wonderful, mysterious grand circle of life.

None of us ever have to feel like we are not loved.

Adjustments

Some days that extra gear is not there. Such was the case this past Saturday morning. Got up early (6:30a) to meet the Ashley HS kids at the Carolina Beach Rec Center for their voluntary practice, but unbeknownst to me it had been cancelled due to the weather.

Perhaps since we usually run mile repeats, and get a harder workout in, I decided to try and run some threshold miles on the roads from Carolina Beach down to Kure Beach and back. A brief heavy shower hit, and I almost bagged it; perhaps mother nature was trying to send me a message.  But once my running shoes are on, and the garmin watch strapped to my wrist, it takes much more than a volatile atmospheric system to get me to abort the run.

The rains subsided and I got in a solid 3 miles, cutting the pace down to about a 7:20/ mile, before I ramped up for what I had planned to be 3 more miles at threshold pace in the 6:15- 6:20/ mile range.

I didn't feel too bad, but it also wasn't clicking. The effort was a bit too strenuous for what I felt the results should be pace wise, though truth be told it was still a pretty solid workout. I got 2.5 miles in at a 6:30/ mile pace before I shut it down along the main drag on the island, Lake Park Blvd. But the humidity was much more of a bear than I had anticipated, and when the winds gusted off the ocean it made the running doubly difficult.

After a real easy half mile though, I decided to add some hard, longer sprints in. I ran for a 10th of a mile close to all out, followed by a 10th of a mile slow recovery jog, and repeated 5 times. Felt pretty good doing so physically... ran them all under 30 seconds, or sub 5:00 / mile pace. And I felt good since I had salvaged some more of the work-out. Or perhaps a better of way of stating, is that I felt a lot better mentally about the entire output of the morning's running after the elongated sprints. I even dry heaved and almost yakked after one of them.

As a runner I've learned over the years to adjust on the fly... quite literally some days. It's better to get part of a work out in, then none at all. Or to not blow up a hard run too early, instead of attempting to recalibrate.

I've also had several harder efforts the past two weeks as well, which is likely adding a bit of accumulated fatigue to my legs. Will slot in some off days and easier runs before the big Tata's 5K this coming Saturday.

I carry forth, one step at a time.

Sloshing Along

8 mile run today in the rain.

Parts of the trails in the Carolina Beach State Park were flooded out. Mainly along the marsh lands that parallel and are back off the Cape Fear River in the southern section of the park.

I wore a lightweight and water proof jacket which kept me fairly dry, and a ball cap as well. Temps were fairly mild, which plays a large part in whether or not a run in the rain will be enjoyable or not. Today was definitely enjoyable. In fact it was one of those it's good to be alive type runs.

Especially back along the Oak Toe trail spur which travels almost right along part of the river's shoreline. A thick bank of whitish grey clouds hung low over the river. Sheets of misty wind driven rain fell a short ways down onto the surface of the river, which rippled steadily from the effects of the storm system moving up from the south.

The marsh and the river were almost sort of converging together from the edge of the woods about a quarter mile inland to edge of the river. I found myself splish splashing thru 6 inches to a foot of water, save for the one wooden bridge that goes over a small inlet. The pier at the trail's end was almost becoming submerged at it's farthest point, as the river was cresting fairly high.

And I had the park to myself, at least for the time I was out there I saw no-one. Just me and mother nature renewing our communion once again. Days like this I more acutely aware that I am provided with all I need at such moments in time. Maybe we truly are in our own heavens, and the trick is just to realize it as such.

Today I was able to reach out and touch it. Ended the run on the beach, while watching the waves unfurl, crash, and roll high up onto the sand...

Thank you.

Existential musings

Sometimes I feel like I'm just fast enough to stay a half step ahead of it...

This thing we do, affirms life. It seeks challenges, adventures, the roads less travelled...

We all have our reasons. Our stories. Our raison d'etre.

I closed the Brierwood loop by my Dad's house in a 6:08 mile late Saturday afternoon. Later at dinner I confessed that I did not know why I had run the 5 miler so hard. But perhaps, that's the speed it took at that particular moment in time to stay a half step ahead of it...

I miss my Mom. I will never ever see her again. But I can stay ahead of that...

Regrets, confusion, sadness... life on life's terms. But I can stay ahead of all that too...

Happiness. Joy. Freedom. A sense of purpose and belonging. I can slow down for that if I choose to...

They bury us all in the end anyway right?

Bah. I can laugh and go for a run.

Peace to all.

Recovering, moving on

Have been trying to thread the needle between recovering from my 30 mile mountain ultra, and getting into race shape for a 5K coming up the first Saturday in October. Plus just in a basic sense getting that lovin' feeling back when I lace up the running shoes and head out the door.

Such as today's run which consisted mainly of slower paced miles back on the water logged Carolina Beach State Park Trails. Taking in the sight of dozens of little sand crabs scurrying across the wooden bridges that traverse parts of the marsh land near the Cape Fear River. Digging the views, the moisture dripping off the trees, the smells that the woods take on after a good soaking rain.

Had a couple harder run/ work-outs the past week plus. Last Saturday morning fortuitously came upon some steep hills just east of Birmingham, AL, up from the hotel I was staying at. Knees kissing the chin total breath sapped out of the lungs suckers too. Mixed in a few thirty second burst of sub 5k pace running and a few in and out sprints towards the end of about a 5 mile run.

Monday at Cape Fear Flyers practice ran 7 400s with Owen and Zack. Grassy, meandering track my fellow coach Shawn had set up. Ran them all in about 1:25ish. Two minute rest cycle. Pleased how the two boys ran as well. Pushing themselves, encouraging each other. Been a great start too to the Cross Country season.

Then Wednesday before practice I ran a hard 1.5 miles at top end threshold pace, 6:17, and 6:08 pace mix of on and off road, and also last section into a pretty good early fall breeze. Added 2 fast 400s on the grass track, 1:13, 1:17. Legs tying up into wobbly pretzels the last 100 meters of each rep. Down on my knees gasping for air after. A bit later then some ditch/ hill circuits with the kids. Loving how even the young ones 6,7,8 years old are working and out there getting it.

Also getting back more into the ancillary work. Pushups, free weights, sit-ups, planks, some other core work that coach Amie had the kids doing Monday.

Ready for the fall season to unravel.

Iron Mountain 2015 part I

It all happened so fast. I had just passed some fellow competitors and increased my pace going down a narrow single track trail through the woods when WHAM. I hit the ground so hard I'm pretty sure I went into a bit of shock for a few moments. I don't even remember beginning to trip or the actual fall itself... just parts of the immediate aftermath.

My watch snapped off and sunglasses skipped a few times down the trail before coming to a stop. Then, a complete, an eerie silence. Until those same runners came bounding down the trail and asked if I was ok?  I spit blood out of my mouth, took my dirty, cut up hand and rubbed my face to try and feel how bad it was. Then I gingerly pushed myself up and onto my feet. Not sure if I could even stand, let along walk, or gosh even run? 

My heart was beating fast. I took a few easy steps, and a few more down the rocky, root strewn trail and realized, relatively speaking I was alright. I had a dirty face, belly and chest. And a fat upper lip, but nothing broken, and only a couple of bruises, including a bit of my ego and pride. And after a short walk I started to slowly run again. My left leg was quite sore but able to move in the normal range motion I needed it to be able to in order to run. So I carried forth.

For that's the nature of an ultra. They are full of challenges, twists of fate, highs, lows, and seemingly everything in between. They contain innumerous tests of willpower. I could have called it a day but I didn't. I moved forward. A step at a time. Sometimes quite slowly, and quite painfully. But I didn't quit. Though my brain periodically reminded me of that option, my heart and spirit wouldn't allow for it. The running gods helped pull me through, as did my fellow competitors. I hope I helped a few in return. Ultras are truly a "We" sport.

And we were all participants in the Iron Mountain Trail Run September 5 in Damascus, Virginia. 50, 30, and 16 mile options were available. The course predominately uses the Iron Mountain Trail which traverses a rugged section of the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, in extreme southwestern Virginia. The 50 mile race features over 8,000 feet in net elevation gains.

As for myself, I finished the 30 miler in front of the Damascus town park gazebo with a smile on my face. Not as fast as I would have liked, but that didn't matter. What did matter is that I had persevered, and found sublime moments of joy in coping with, and ultimately overcoming the pain. I was able to see the forest through the trees