Flat tire

This Saturday I decided to do another trail run.  This time there would be no cross country 5k before the run.  This time I would run 3.5 miles in turn around and go back an out-and-back route.  7 miles would be tough.  This is no flat course the trail I chose is a mountain bike trail around Pinacle mountain.  I forget the elevation my Garmin recorded I'll add it in later.

The Jackfork trail is the same trail I ran last time with the Hard/Harder sign.  This time I chose Hard.  It was definitely not Harder but by mile 6 I was more walk than run.  But I'm getting ahead of myself.

About a half mile in I step down and feel a sharp poke to my left foot.  I think oh sh!t I've stepped on a nail because (as everyone knows) there are nails everywhere on the side of an undeveloped moutainside in a state park.  Nails are at the top of the Trail Running Hazard List.

The list is as follows
1. nails
2. bears
3. snakes
4. falling and breaking your leg in the middle of nowhere without anyone knowing where you are and dying of exposure

I might have mixed up bears and snakes but the rest is 100% accurate.  I read it on the internet.

As I was saying I, at first thought I had fallen victim to the nail.  Instead I found a stick stuck to the botom of my shoe.  There was a piece about 1 inch long stuck through the bottom of my shoe and quite possibly through my foot.  I immediately pulled it out wishing much later I'd taken a picture frst.

I'd just driven 30 minutes to get there and decided I was running no matter what.  So I gingerly took off and felt only minor pain.  As I ran along I tried to pay attention to see if my shoe was filling up with blood.  The pain quickly faded and I forgot about it.

My foot is fine.  The stick didn't break the skin.  The lesson learned is- there is a reason people in the 'know' recommend trail specific shoes.  Bigger lugs that release mud, a thicker (more puncture resistant) sole and generally an upper that will keep  out small rocks and debris.

Where have I been?

It’s been a while since I posted.  I’ve been working a lot and then there’s vacation.  The family and I went to Cozumel with friends for some relaxing and scuba diving.  I’ll post pics on that when I get my hands on them.  An anniversary came and passed unnoticed last month while I was on vacation.   As I drove into work yesterday morning and the date hit me I realized I have been running regularly for 2 years now.

Only 2 weeks have passed in the last 108 weeks where I have not run at least 4 days for every 7.  The majority of those weeks I have run 6 days.  Only on the last few months have a cut back to 4 days.

When I began running there were no other goals than to do better and lose a few pounds.  I had no intention of running a 5k much less a marathon.  I have at this point run two 5k’s a Cross Country 5k and a half marathon.  I also have a half marathon planned for October 31^st and my first full marathon in March of 2012. 

My question is why.  Why am I doing this?

I haven’t really gotten faster.  I haven’t really tried.  I can face it, I've never been The Flash.

I’m not getting thinner.  I’ve evened out at 15 pounds lost.  There’s none of that muscle vs fat shit either I’m not building muscle anymore.  Bite me.

Actual vacation picture

Is it the endorphins?  I feel better about myself but never had “the runner’s high.”  I’ve tried.

Boredom?  Nah, I’ve got plenty of other recreations that require no sweat (or compression shorts) whatsoever.

Sense of accomplishment?  Hmmm.  This one may have legs.

Since I started running it was one small goal after another.  First, run/ walk for half an hour a day. The goal was running more every week and walking less until no walking.

Then it was complete a 5k in under 30 min.

Then complete a half marathon in under 2:30.

Then a marathon before I’m 40.

Happy Trails To You

The cross country 5k was this weekend.  It was fun but in a way kind of a let down.  The organizers were great.  The Mighty Bluebirds organization were great hosts.  I tried not to have preconceieved ideas but still had certain expectations.  We ran around a cowpasture.  It was well maintained and well marked.  I don't know what I was expecting but that wasn't it.

I was disappointed in myself.  Whether it was the heat, humidity or use of new muscles I was disappointed mostly in myself.  I'm used to running in roads or the occasional soccer field so I found the extra stability needed to run in a pockmarked field wore my calves out quickly.  Really quickly.

Regardless of my poor performance I still got an award!

I didn't deserve it.  I was beat my a 9 year old girl and a 67 year old woman.  Granted, I think the 9 year old was a juicing.  She had that roid rage look in her eyes and she was muscled like midget body builder.  The old lady was a marathon veteran.  She had her compression gear on, a Garmin GPS and a "Toenails are for sissies" shirt.  I was kidding about the 9 year old I'm dead serious about the old broad.  She was hard core.  A machine.  So maybe I did deserve it.  After the overall winners got their awards my time such as it was earned the award.  I'll take it.  Why not.

After the 5k I went over to Pinnacle Mountain Park and ran on the Jackfork Mountain Biking Trail.  I've really been interested in trail running lately.  It worked out well because my lovely wife would be in class for a couple more hours.  I could go the few miles to the park run for an hour or so and then go pick her up and head home.

After a search to actually find the trail head, I'm off armed with my windows phone, my Garmin GPS watch and my camelbak full of col sweet H2O.

The trail starts off easy enough and I'm just behind a maountain biker.  The trail gradually becomes more difficult but is still fun.  Before the first ile is over I pass the mountain biker whiole he's stopped on the side of the trail.  I never see him again.

One mile in the trail splits and I see this.

I've already run a 5k (3.1 miles) and now I'm 1 mile into my first trail run.  I take hard.  They were not exaggerating I manage to walk/run another mile of twists, turns, hills, valleys, rock and roots before deciding that it was time to turn around.  I was doing more walking than running so I knew I was done.  So I walked /ran the 2 miles back out for a total of 7.24 miles on the day.

The timing was near perfect.  As I emerged from the trailto the parking lot I get word from my lovely wife that class is done early.  So I pick her her up and we go help Krysta move.

2 seasons in Arkansas. Cold and Hot.

I like spring and fall.  Shorts and a light jacket.  Flip Flops.  Running and scuba diving.  But I live in Arkansas where we have 2 seasons.  Cold and Hot.  Either it's colder than a witch's hoo ha or it's Africa hot with 100% humidity.  Right now we're in Hot and it sucks.

As I countdown to my vacation I am still trying to run regularly.  Reasons range from both the weight control aspect to maintaining a base for an October Half Marathon but the heat during anytime other than the asscrack of dawn makes it difficult.  In order to keep interest and effort alive I have signed up for a cross country 5k.  I've never done a cross country anything so I'm really looking forward to it.  I have no preconceptions about the cross country aspect other than it will be hot and should be fun.

I have plans to go to Pinnacle Mountain Park afterwards (the 5k is not too far away) and run a mountain bike trail aftter the 5k.  We'll see how that goes.