Back to Bloggin? Its been a while.

So, I just looked at my blog and realized it’s been 2.5 years since I’ve posted and so much has gone on. Let’s catch you up so we can continue the journey. Let’s start with why I have been absent for a while. Life is all about balance and my life has been anything but balanced for years. I can put up a good Facebook front like the rest of the world, but the reality is there has been a lot of struggle and not a ton of successes. While that may sound negative, it has helped me to truly be okay with where I am…at this moment (75% of the time). 

The last time I pinned on a bib was in 2021 at The Bear. In Logan Utah. I’m sorry for the late race report y’all, better late than never? The Bear is a race I never should have signed up for but have no regrets. It all started during COVID when I was talking with my friends Luke and Martin after a local group run at the best running shop around, The Aid Station, in Auburn, CA. On Thursdays we go on a 4ish mile road/trail run followed by beer and free hot dogs. They are cooked by the master himself, Paulo Medina (owner of The Aid Station, RD of Single Track Running, and all-around awesome guy). 

I was dead set on signing up for Cascade Crest. I grew up in Washington and really wanted a race that had personal meaning. I used to drive past that race location several times a year on the way to visit grandparents in Tacoma. I also found out that because of wildfires, covid and rollovers, my chances were slim to none of getting in. Martin (RD of Cool Moon Trail Races and is running Badwater this year) and Luke (world Travel) were talking about how The Bear was going to take place and almost everyone gets in. I signed up that night without looking at the profile or any other race stats. Dumbass move #1. 

After a few weeks and finally decided to look at the race website after talking with my friend Reggie (my volunteer bother, if I’m going to run into a friend in another state who's also volunteering, its Reggie), who took on The Bear the year before. Reggie is a much stronger runner (you are way more badass than you will ever admit bro) and he was talking about how tough it was at another Thirsty Thursday run. It was time to really train like I never had before because The Bear happened to be one of the toughest races in the country. I still give Martin and Luke crap, but in reality, it was all my fault (even though Luke never signed up for the race, that dirty dog). 😊 

Fast forward to race week. I had been dealing with severe sciatic nerve pain for quite a while. The training block was really hard because I had accepted that this might be my last shot at a 100-mile race. I trained as much as my body would physically allow, was at the chiropractor twice a week, seeing a specialist about my back, and tried every possible treatment to help with my sciatica. I did 50+ mile training runs and even was running 10+ miles after 16-hour workdays and sleeping 4 hours a night. Honestly, I justified the behavior, but was on a track of failure long before the race. 

Before the race I knew, but never told my crew, that I wouldn’t finishing The Bear. My body at that point wasn’t physically capable of taking me 100 miles. I have learned from some amazing people that we just need to go out there and let the day determine what will happen. I was at peace with doing what my body would allow and to enjoy every moment. 

We left Sacramento and headed to the race. It was my girlfriend at the time, one of my best friends Ben, and Chris from the GR Crew was flying into Salt Lake City from Alaska the next day. We prepared for the race and hung out. It was a lot of fun, but as the race approached, I knew we needed to make changes. With an anticipated low of 20 degrees, I needed my crew to move all my drop bags up because I would be moving slower with my back issues. 

The morning of the race, I woke up and started vomiting within 5 minutes. I kept trying to eat and drink, but everything that went it was resurrected… with authority. I kept eating and getting dressed figuring at some point the switch would flip and I would be ready for the race. In my head I already knew that I had given so many calories back that the chances of finishing were dwindling with each withdrawal of funds. 

I got my gear together and gathered my weary crew. We drove to the start and after a few more poltergeist moments, the gun went off. I tried to stay with a local badass, Samantha for as long as I could, but I didn’t have enough energy to keep up and decided to let her go and I’d walk until my body was ready to run again. I hiked and watch everyone go past me…and was okay with running my own race. I kept getting sick for the next several miles before eventually dry heaving. I suddenly couldn’t lift my right leg more than 2” off the ground. I figured it was the lack of fuel as my calories had to be negative at that point. 

I was determined to make it to the top of the first climb (which is just dumb that early in a race). I’d give up and head down the hill only to turn around after about 100 feet and giving it another shot, having to use my hand to lift my leg over rocks. I did this dance 3 times before eventually realizing that my crew was heading into the mountain before too long and I would not be able to contact them after that. I decided to turn around and head down the hill after a short cry. 

You might think it was because I failed that I was crying. It was the exact opposite. I was able to make it just over 3 miles into the race I had been telling everyone that I was racing. It wasn’t my ego and pride, which was long gone by that point. It was that I had succeeded. I had run less than any race I'd ever started, but it was by far by greatest success. 

I never gave up, vomiting for hours and knowing I had no chance of finishing… I kept putting food and electrolytes into my system, got dressed and showed up for work. The results don’t matter because I wasn’t going to win that race anyway. 

We all have choices in life. We can choose to learn from our life experience, realizing that there is a possibility to learn from everything in life. After the race, a local runner came up and asked me what happened. I told him the story and he said, “That must be embarrassing.”  I have never been a good athlete, good at school, or really felt like I belonged. I know I gave that race everything that my body had to give…literally. I am prouder of my performance at The Bear (ever only making it 3 miles) than my only 100-mile finish, where my twins ran me across the finish line with me (my older son on the side holding up a sign they made. That had been a dream of mine since my first race and it’s still my favorite moment. 

Feeling great at RDL100 and excited to see my family (Overlook, Mile 45).

Picture after running across the finish with 2 of my 3 kids. I had 47 minutes to spare. 😁

Trail running has given me the opportunity to truly find out who I am. Not the person who I tell myself who I am, but after hours on a trail…shit gets real. I have conversations with myself, and it had helped me overcome my Anxiety, Depression, and eventually my back surgery. 

I had a 9x17mm herniation of my disk and had that removed. It was the same issue as The Bear, and the surgery was almost a year after the race. I have been recovering for the past 9 months and have had a few runs but am taking my recovery slowly. I had fully accepted before the surgery that I would never run again (which was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to accept). The surgery was in October 2022, and they successfully removed the herniation. My doctor and surgeon wanted me to try running again. 

I don’t know if I will be able to ever race again (faster than a shuffle), but the fact that I am still able to get out there is more than enough. I have been crewing friends all over the Western US and its filling my cup.  Follow your dreams and never give up. I am grateful to the running community for the support and love over the past few years. You have definitely been there to prop me up as the sick elephant, until I can stand on my own. It is the reason why I love this community so much. It is Western State Endurance Run weekend and I will be volunteering at Robinson Flat with my kids. Time to cheer on some friends and badass athletes.

The comeback story, kind of (part 1).

I have to apologize that it took a little longer for this post.  I wanted to polish it up more than the last few posts.

So, I took from Christmas of 2018 until mid-April of 2019 off from all physical activity.  It was so hard from so many different perspectives, but I was ready to finally get over my Plantar Fasciitis.  During my time off, I realized that my primary way to cope with stress is physical activity and binge eating.  With physical activity off the table, I went from 185 pounds during Rio Del Lago to over 200 pounds when I was ready to start running again.  I was eating… a lot.  I definitely felt like a part of me was missing when I couldn’t run.  Then I looked in the mirror and realized that there was more of me than there was before.  Time to get back on the training bandwagon, including Keto.  For me, it is partially about weight loss initially, but I have had huge success with inflammation reduction and increased energy on keto, or running fat adapted (High Fat Low Carb, which allows more carbs per day).

Here is the blessing from taking that time off running.  I jumped into volunteering with our local race companies with both feet (okay, I already was volunteering as much as I could) but really used that to get me through my low points.  I was dealing with loneliness, tons of stress, and some depression. 

Doing Trail Work on the Western States Trail near Robinson Flat in 2019

When I started running again, I couldn’t run for more than about a minute without having to walk.  I was starting over from scratch.  I did know it would come back faster, but didn’t know how long it would be.  I would progress slowly as I was concerned of reinjuring myself or pushing too hard, too fast.  I have done enough research for blogging, to know that I should just take my time in getting back into race shape.  I started to just run with the goal of having fun.  I would leave my house and knew I had 2 hours.  I would run and take random roads, put on some random music, and just enjoy.  I was running (that may be a little generous) with no foot pain for the first time in almost 3 years.

Even being really careful, I would have some minor issues including inflammation in my knee (Pes Bursitis) from overuse, hamstring strains, IT Band tightness, and even a torn calf.  I would do great for a month to 6 weeks and then the next weakest part of “my chain” would break.  This is common with runners coming back from injury as well as new runners.  As you strengthen your weak areas, lets say your ankle…your shin would start to take more stress and you would get shin splints.  Then maybe your IT Band.  Eventually, you have strengthened and trained your muscles to move like a runner, or whatever you are training for.  I just had to get my body to function like a runner again. 

I eventually got to that point again with my running.  I was doing a lot of camping.  I found out that I could get a folding memory foam mattress and camp in the back of my van near Tahoe (in paid spots).   It was easy and really comfortable.  I was going to places that I hadn’t been to before including Broken Arrow (Squaw Valley) where I volunteered and got to run last place runner (I'l have to make sure, but I believe his name is Kevin) from the top of the mountain all the way to the finish line.  He was a beast and I even have a picture of him and I on my wall-of-fame (a collection of people who have inspired me in running).  I might have to share “the wall” someday.  He wanted to quit, but didn't and earned his finish. 

2019 Broken Arrow Finish

I also volunteered at 2019 Tahoe Rim Trail 100 and got to drive one of the shuttle vans.  I knew people in the first 3 shuttle loads and met awesome people all day including driving some of them down to Carson City.  It was the coolest experience.  Then we set-up black lights and decorations at Diamond Peak Aid Station for the all night (quiet) party. 

The 2019 Tahoe Rim Trail 100 Start

I ran/hiked the Lost and Found 35k, which was my first official race back.  I had signed up for the 50k, but asked to drop down in distance because I didn’t feel ready.  A couple of us camped there the night before the race.  Because I always volunteer with E3, we put some finishing touches on things and I headed to the van.  The course is near Interstate 80 on the way to Reno and goes up Castle Peak to Basin Peak and back. 

Climbing back up Castle Peak during 2019 Lost and Found 35k

The Monarch Butterfly migration was happening at the time and there were thousands of butterflies everywhere.  It was so incredible, and I got to share that with Johanna, a running friend and teammate at Single Track Running and her friend Gigi.  I was slow, but able to make it.  The next day, I had to fly to LA for work and met Rebecca and Andrea for a run and lunch.  It was a great run.  I even ran the following day on Venice Beach.  I knew after that, I needed to take a few days off to just be safe and not push much. 

I got to run with Andrea and Rebecca (part of the Ginger Runner Crew) in LA

I didn’t run for the next two days.  The third morning, I had to take my suitcase from the hotel room to the car before my final work training.  I hopped off the curb weird and that’s when I tore my calf.  It just felt like a pop, but it was that simple.  Hopping 6 inches down off of a curb, are you kidding me???  I’ve run long distances, on technical stuff, sometimes really scary and it’s a curb.  I’m not trying to complain, Its actually just funny. 

My next adventure was something I was looking forward to for a long time.  I had dropped from the Javelina Jundred, which I had entered and paid for.  I knew I couldn’t responsibly train for it in time and dropped to the Jackass Night Run.  That meant I got to crew for my friends, and some new friends too.  It was so much fun just crewing and hanging out supporting my crew.  The whole trip was much needed and I even got to visit the Grand Canyon and Vegas on the way back.  That is when I decided that I was going to sell the house.  Roughly around November of 2019.

Got to see my buddy David finish the 2019 Javelina Jundred

Grand Canyon - It got down to 19 degrees...and snowed.  Oops!  It was a 3 sleeping bag night.

Grand Canyon - I tried to run, but it was so beautiful, I stopped every 10 feet.

I kept training after that and ran my first race again in February of 2020.  My first ultra was the 2017 Salmon Falls 50k.  I ran the 2020 Salmon Falls 50k again with my buddy Jeremy.  We took it easy for the first 17 miles and I had to try and push a little because my legs were starting to stiffen up.   Just by picking up the pace a little, I found a nice comfortable pace I could push, but not lose energy.  It was my all-day pace (for that day).  It was faster than I had expected, and the cool thing is that whole day, all I was focusing on was having fun.  I was saying hi to all my friends, taking extra time for pictures and chatting at aid stations.  Something that I wouldn’t normally do if I was worried about my time.  I am a big advocate for having a plan going into an aid station normally.  This day was all about celebrating my feet being pain free.

SF Pic

I pushed hard until about 2 miles from the finish at the notoriously hard levee section.  It kills me every time.  It’s just a flat levee, but the wind and after almost 30 miles…it just sucks!  I cut considerable time off my course time from 2017 and felt great…until that night.  That inflammation in my knee, Pes Bursitis, came back.  It only took 3-4 weeks to recover from, but it felt so great to run a race again. I was so excited to run the Zion 100k in April of 2020 with my buddy Jeremy.  Then COVID hit…

I will pick the rest of this up in a day or two.  I hope you enjoy the recap so far.   Below are pictures of my van setup.  One day I dream of having a Sprinter van.  

Plenty of room for gear and the memory foam mattress.

My cuddle buddy at the TRT100 (yeah, right...there was no sleep to be had)…and no I don't run the generator in the van.

Real Runner Reviews’ 2019 Gift Guide

So I have been off the grid for a while.  I promise to share all about it in the new year.  A lot has happened in my life, some good and some bad.  I plan on coming back with more content than reviews in 2020.  Don't get me wrong, there will still be reviews, but I want to really get into injury prevention and how injuries change our lives, within running and beyond.  Lets get to the good stuff though.

It’s that time of year when you may be looking for that perfect gift for the runner in your life.  It may be a $5 stick of anti-chafe or a $1,000 pair or recovery boots.  There are so many choices out there and everyone advertises their product as life changing.  While I won’t make any claims on any product being the best for every person or situation, I wanted to list a few of my favorite pieces of gear and why.

OOFOS OOriginal Recovery Sandals - $49.95

OOFOS makes the most comfortable recovery sandal around.  Maybe your boss will be okay with you wearing them to work?  Not only does OOFOS foam absorb 37% more shock than other materials, but they cradle your arches as well.  They are machine washable and float. Beware, once you put them on, you won’t want to take them off.   I can say that everyday when I get home, my work shoes come off and my Oofos go on…for over 2 years now…on the same pair.  These are especially great after a long run or a punishing track workout. 

SportHill Zephyr Long Sleeve Crew Shirt - $79.95

If you are not familiar with SportHill Direct, Inc. they are based out of Oregon.  Jim Hill was a track runner at the University of Oregon when he realized that clothing at the time was not very effective.  He developed 3SP fabric, which was the fasted drying fabric in the world.  They have clothing for all types of outdoor sporting activities.  The Zephyr Long Sleeve Crew is made with their SwiftDryPro which is a 91& Polyester to 8% Spandex blend that blocks wind to 25 mph and wicks moisture like a champ.  It has built in thumb holes and just feels good, even on those long stormy runs.  The price is higher than other long-sleeved shirts, but the fabric holds the secret and is worth the price of admission.  I was a skeptic when I first saw the price point, but it has jumped to one of my favorite long sleeve shirts.

Allett Nylon Small Coin Wallet - $35.00 (on sale for $28.00 right now)

When I was younger I could sit on my bulky tri-fold wallet with no problem.  I am not as young as I once was and have noticed that I cannot sit on a big bulky wallet anymore.  I am always in need of a pen and a place to put spare change or a stash pocket (not for that…its good for stamps, spare house key, etc).    Allett has been in my pocket for the past 5 years or so.  They have a range of slim wallets using different materials depending on your preferences.  The Nylon Small Coin Wallet is great.  It has an outside zippered coin pocket, has two slots that each holds 10+ cards, and a divided pocket for cash and receipts.  The Nylon is tear resistant and easy to clean. My favorite part is the micro pen that fits in a special slot on the inside of the wallet.  At the sale price, this makes my butt and my wallet happy.  I had to retire my old Allett wallet for this one.

Aftershokz Aeropex Bone Conduction Headphones - $159.95

So, one thing that kills me is watching people run on trails or on the shoulder of the road with normal headphones that drown out all noise.  It is vital to hear other runners, cyclists, or vehicles and most earphones don’t allow that.  It has been a few years since bone conduction headphones really started hitting the mainstream market.  Aftershokz explains it as “Transducers send mini vibrations through the cheekbones and deliver sound directly to the inner ear, bypassing the eardrum.”  This allows you to hear your surroundings.  I can listen to music and still hear my friends when they occasionally say when we are turning up ahead. 

I will state up front that the quality is not as good as some closed ear or in ear headphone, but the sound is good and is a safer alternative for sure.  I had the Trekz Titanium for the longest time before upgrading to the Aeropex, which is their newest and most advanced headphones yet.  You get better sound, battery life (8+ hours), and is waterproof (with an IP67 rating).  I love these and the battery life is amazing!

DryGuy Force Shoe Dryer - $50.00 

Do you ever run in wet weather?  Did you know that it can dramatically reduce the life of your shoes if you don’t dry them the right way?  Shoes are typically held together, at least in part, with glue.  If exposed to heat from a laundry dryer, your shoes can start to come apart. 

In the past, I stuffed my shoes with newspaper and let them dry naturally, which would take days.  There is a much better solution though, and the price is great as well.  The DryGuy Force Dry is a shoe and glove dryer that is compact enough to take with you on trips thanks to its fold flat design.  The DryGuy Force Dry can dry a pair of shoes in 1-2 hours according to the packaging and after several tests, it rarely took me more than 90 minutes, even with the most thoroughly soaked shoes. 

There is a timer that you can set for up to 3 hours so you can turn on the DryGuy Force Dry before you go to bed or head out to run errands and not have to worry about the dryer running too long.  Another thing that I like about the DryGuy Force Dry is that it’s fairly quiet.  Unlike a pair of snowboard boot dryers that I got 10 years ago, the DryGuy Force Dry can be in the same room as you while watching television without having to crank up the volume.  I use this to dry my shoes all winter long.  It’s great for gloves and kids shoes too.

   

Victory Sportdesign Bear III - $120 and Victory Sportdesign Kodiak- $180

So, to be completely honest and upfront, I have talked with Victor Ballesteros, the CEO of Victory Sportdesign, for a while at events.  He is a really nice guy.  I would see his vendor booth and would check out the bags and after a year or so, I finally got to test a few out.  Victor not only makes awesome bags for runners, but works with certified a fair wage factory and makes sure that each bag takes into account the impact on the environment that making the bags will cost, trying to minimize that impact.

The Bear III is a great drop bag or race day gear bag.  I use it mostly for runs after work or at lunch when I need to pack all of my gear.  You can fit everything into this well-organized bag.  It has numerous pockets, a detachable divider, a shoe bag all on the inside.  The outside of the bag has see-through pockets for your name (drop bags) or so see what you have stored.  The seams are taped, and it has a water-resistant outer shell.  You also get a shoulder strap. 

If you need something bigger or are looking for a travel bag for racing outside of your area, look no further than the Kodiak.  This beast is amazing as well.  It has the same water-resistant outer shell and taped seams but adds backpack straps with bottle holders that can be strapped together (attached) to make a duffel handle.  There is a see-through pocket as well as a few outer pockets.  On the inside, you really get to see Victor’s genius designing at work.  There are 9 separate see-through pockets in the top of the zippered opening.  There is a large customizable storage area that includes separators.  You can keep it open as one big compartment or make smaller ones.  I could go on-and on about these bags, but they would be at the top of my list for runners who travel to races or even who just like to have their gear organized on race day.

OPTP Stretch Out Strap with Exercise Booklet - $15.95

Stretching your muscles out on a regular basis will help you recover quicker, increase flexibility, and reduce the risk of injury from running.  The OPTP Stretch Out Strap is 6’4” in length and has multiple loops to make it easier to hold while stretching.  The included exercise book comes with 30 exercises to help you along the way.  I use mine almost every night.

With this being the time of giving, you now have a few items that are worthy of checking out for the runner in your life.  I hope you all have a happy and healthy holiday season and I am going to be coming back in 2020 to bring some exciting changes to the blog.  The long hiatus is over!

Note:  I received these product in exchange for a review.  The review is my personal opinion of the product and I was not required to give a particular opinion of it.  I am not a doctor, so please use all of the products that I review at your own risk.  I worked with Deep Creek PR out of Seattle on the Allett and SportHill items.  I have been working with Deep Creek PR for a few years and Cameron Ownbey really goes out of his way to represent their clients.

Race Report – American River 50 Mile 2018

* I'm a little late on completing my race report, but here it is.

Pre-Race Report

I finished the California International Marathon in the beginning of December and decided that I was not going to run a road race in 2018.  My love for trails and running ultras has taken over and I started to work on my race plan for 2018.  I took on the Way Too Cool 50k in the beginning of March and was ready to take on my first official 50-mile run.  

Ever since last year (2017) when I did a 12-hour race, I knew that I would try for a 100-mile race.  The Rio Del Lago 100 Mile Endurance Run is not too far from me so I knew that would be the race.  I just had to figure out what other races I would do in preparation for RDL100.  I tried to get into the Miwok 100k, but did not get picked through the lottery.  

I then signed up for the lottery for the Way Too Cool 50k, which is one of my bucket-list races.  I actually got in.  I decided that I was going to do the American River 50 Mile Endurance Run as well since the Way Too Cool and American River 50 courses combine to make the Rio Del Lago course.  I saw it as doing recon for the big race.  My goal wasn’t to kill myself on these first two races, but enjoy them and really study the course while I was out there.  

I was building off my marathon and 50k training.   Almost all my runs were at 65-70% of my max heart rate.  Basically I was building my aerobic endurance.  Everything was going really well.  I was doing back-to-back weekend runs and following Hal Koerner’s plan from his book “Hal Koerner’s Field Guide to Ultrarunning.”  It is a great book and I strongly recommend it.

The month before Way Too Cool 50k, I hurt my ankle.  I tried to train smarter since that injury.  In weeks leading up to WTC50k, I had had some very good, pain free runs.  I had a few runs where my ankle hurt as well (even stopping a run 1.5 miles in and walking back to the start).  Honestly, I was worried about it with the race quickly approaching.  I decided to take the 3 days before the race off to let it recover a little more.  I completed the WTC50k in a decent time considering my ankle injury and ongoing Plantar Fasciitis pain. 

After the race, I spent a week of cycling and swimming to give my feet a chance to recover.  I quickly got back into my training since I only had about 3 weeks until the American River 50 Miler.  I decided that I needed to get in one more long trail run, so I got up at the butt-crack of dawn (actually way before dawn) and headed up to Auburn.  I was doing the second half of the WTC course, starting about 90-mintues before sunrise.  It was cold, foggy, and wet out.  I have never had anxiety before when it comes to running, but that morning was different.  It was completely dark with no moon.  I parked my car and was heading out for my first solo night-ish run.  I finally set out on my way, knowing that my Garmin’s navigation would help me stay on track.   

I had my high-powered headlamp on and was only able to see about 25 feet in front of me.  There were creek crossings (one of which was really sketchy), but I was ready to get wet and muddy.  I was a little worried about mountain lions and bears since they are known to be in this area.  There was a ledge about 10-15 feet above me which would be a perfect place for a mountain lion to stalk me.  By the time the sun came up, I felt more at ease, as I stumble upon a fresh bear cub print.  Fortunately, I made it back safe and sound and my final long run was complete.  It was taper time.    

Race Morning/Pre Race

I woke up at about 2:30 and got dressed.  I grabbed a Pro-Bar Meal Replacement Bar and headed out to the car.  I had to be at the finish line at 4:00 to pick up the bus to the race start.  I met up with my friend Abdulah who I also ran part of Wat Too Cool with.  We were going to run together for as long as he was willing to stick with me, since he is a faster runner.  Also, I knew that I was going to run my own race and not try to stick with Abdulah if it was going to be too fast.  It was going to be a long day and I knew I needed to save something for the second half of the race. 

It was pouring out with some 15+ mph winds.  We got on the bus and made our way down to the start.  They said that we would be able to stay on the bus until the start, but ended up kicking us out 45 minutes early.  I grabbed my huge duffle bag with my drop bags for 25 miles and 41 miles and headed out into the storm.  I picked up my bib the day before, so I threw my bags into the back of a pick-up, hoping that they stayed dry until I reached them.  Then I hit the line for the port-o-potties.   

The worst thing was that people were hiding out in there just to stay dry, so the line took forever.   

Once I got out I met up with Abdulah who had to pick up his bib.  We couldn’t find any room under the eazy-ups that that had, so we just stood there in the rain.  Let’s just say that there wasn’t a dry piece of fabric on either of us by the time the race started.  

The temperature was in the 50’s so I went with shorts and a short sleeve shirt, both from Patagonia.  I was wearing my Ultimate Direction Ultra Jacket and Drymax socks along with my Hoka Speedgoat 2’s.  For my pack, I had the Salomon Ultra 8-set, which is amazing.  

The first few miles were a little slow since the trail was soggy and narrow.  We eventually made it to the levee where it widened out and we were able to pick up the pace.  We were on pavement for the next 23 miles or so.  

The rain let up after about an hour, so my jacket came off.  Abdulah wanted to pick up the pace just after that so we wished each other luck and he headed on his way.  Abdulah went on to have an awesome race.

After a few miles, I ran across a few runners that I recognized from the 12-hour race I did (Michael and Yoly).  We talked a little during that race and ended up running for about 30 minutes together at AR50.  It is funny how you run into people you that you have met before, then you end up talking for a while like you have been friends for years.  I love the ultra-community and how we can relate to each other.  We all strive to push ourselves and it is why trail running has taken over such a huge spot in my heart.

Fast forward for a little, we follow the American River Bike Trail for a while until we cross a bridge at Nimbus Dam and head up the bluffs.  I ended up seeing a Bald Eagle Nesting Area and sure enough, it was just perched in the tree.  I felt like it was a sign that good things were going to happen that day.

A few miles later I ran into a few friends who were cheering and volunteering.  

I was approaching Beal’s Point in a few miles and I started to develop some pain in my outer metatarsal from my shoes compressing my left foot too much.  It slowed me down quite a bit and eventually I had to walk for a few minutes at a time until the pain lessened.  I also was getting a blister on my right small toe from debris and moisture.  I was really concerned that I was going to not make cutoffs because I was slowing down so much.  I just plugged along though, knowing that my dad and step-mom were at the mile 25 aid station with my drop bag (Beal’s Point).  

I decided to chug an Ensure, drink some Coke and eat a little.  I also swapped out my shoes and socks.  I stuck with Drymax Socks, but switched to my Altra Lone Peak 3.5’s.  I hit the real bathrooms in the park and headed on my way.  I am so grateful for my parents heading out to cheer me on.  They told my wife that I looked pretty beat up (which I didn’t find out about until I got home that night).  Even though I knew I would be chasing cutoffs if things didn’t change, I wanted my damn jacket and was going to give it my all. 

I headed out and instantly I noticed that the compression issues were gone and that pain went away.  About a mile later, I could feel the blister again.  I had about 4.5 miles until the next aid station, which is where I was picking up my pacer, Tim.  I sent him a test and asked him to find some moleskin if he could.

I got to the Granite Bay Aid Station, where Tim was waiting.  He wasn’t able to find moleskin, but we did get some medical tape and wrapped my toe.  Then we went on our way.  It was great to just have someone to talk to and push me when I wanted to slow down.  Tim is great because he pushes me, but in a kind way, “Hey buddy, we need to pick it up a little.”

The miles started flying by.  We made it to the Rattlesnake Bar Aid Station at mile 41.  Where I refueled and headed out.  I was keeping with my plan of getting in and out of aid stations quickly (less than 2 minutes).  

The next ten miles or so started to get interesting.  We had been in wet conditions all day, but the single track narrowed and were filled with water.  We were basically running up a creek, and yes, without a paddle.  

I kept doing math in my head to make sure I was going to make my cutoffs.  I don’t know why, but doing pace calculations tends to keep my mind busy.  It is similar to repeating mantras. We plugged on and finally made it on to the Last Gasp Aid Station.

We started plugging up the last 3-mile road (yes, paved).  I was so ready to just finish that I would run as much as possible, and by run, I mean very slowly jog.  I knew it wasn’t efficient and power walking would have been better, but I just wanted to finish and knew I could push a little.  

We made it to the finish line at 13:28:15. The cutoff was 14 hours so we did have a little time to spare.  While I knew I could have run a lot faster, the injuries were significant and I was thrilled with my finish.  I was handed my medallion and jacket.  We picked up my drop bags, but I forgot my headlamp.  At least someone is getting to enjoy it now (so sad).

Gear

Shoes: Hoka One One Speedgoat 2 and Altra Lone Peak 3.5

Gaiters: Outdoor Research Stamina Gaiters

Socks: Drymax Max Pro Trail ¼ Socks

Shorts: Patagonia Strider Pro Shorts

Shirt: Patagonia Short-Sleeved Windchaser Shirt

Hydration Pack: Salomon S/Lab Sense Ultra 8 Set

Jacket: Ultimate Direction Ultra Jacket

Hat: Arc’Teryx Incendo Hat

Video: GoPro Hero6 Black with Shineda Telescopic Selfie Stick

Electrolyte/Fuel: Glukos Gummies and Tailwind Nutrition

Anti-Chafe: Squirrel’s Nut Butter

Other Items in my pack: Ginger Runner BUFF, Baby Wipes, Extra GoPro Battery, Ensure

 

Lessons Learned

I try to take a few things from every race or long run that I do.  I had another great race of making sure my nutrition and fuel were on point.  I found out that Redbull was great for a pick-me-up, one is my limit.  Coke as usual kept me happy and tasted so good (which I usually don’t like).

Running in the mud is really fun if you have some good shoes and socks.  My Drymax socks kept my feet feeling good in past races and training runs because they pull the water away from your feet so quickly.  With the blister issues, I will be switching to Injinji socks for my future long-distance training and RDL100.  I think it will really help prevent blisters since there is no skin-on-skin contact.  I also had a huger blister under my big toe-nail, but luckily I won’t lose the nail.

While the Hoka Speedgoat 2 has tons of cushion, is responsive, and have great traction.  I will need to do my future trail runs in shoes with a wider toe box to prevent compression of my feet.  I will be going back to Altra shoes, which I spend a great deal of time running in already.  I can’t wait for the new Lone Peaks to come out and hopefully a new Olympus.

I am a mid-packer, plain and simple.  I have no issues with this at all.  I am not super-fast (I know that fast is all relative) but my training has helped me gain the ability to just grind away, one foot in front of the other, for hour after hour.  I know where I should be in a race and have no problem when people pass me.  I check my ego at the door and run my race.  That is a huge change from road running, at least for me.  Even after 13.5 hours of running/hiking, I still had more left in the tank.  I can’t wait to get healthy and take on my next challenge.  

What’s Next

The reality is that I had been running for the past year with Plantar Fasciitis.  I never gave it a break because I was doing one training block or race after the next.  At AR50, from mile 10 to the finish, it felt like I was running on bruised feet.  While I could run up hill, running on flats and downhill was extremely painful.  I knew that I would take the next two months off running to let it heal.  I was going to get cortisone shots and try Shockwave Therapy, which my doctor was suggesting.  Time to finally let my feet get better so I could have a legitimate shot at completing the Rio Del Lago 100 Mile Endurance Run in November.  

Update: It has been 1.5 months since the race and I have not run more than ½ mile, which is how far the gym is away from my work.  There is still some pain, but I am working on getting better and can’t wait to start training again.  I have been cycling, swimming, and hitting the gym.  I am getting stronger in preparation for the hardest training of my life.  I have done Active Release Technique and had my cortisone shots.   I have my Shockwave Therapy in a few weeks.  Bring on Rio Del Lago 100 and let’s see what happens.  Even if I get timed out because of my Plantar Fasciitis, I will give it everything I have.  That is what being an ultra-runner is to me.