May 30th, 2009

Well the rain stopped.  Amaziing but true.  Every river and stream is at the max and everything green is super green.  Of course if there is no rain the wonderful snakes return.  Yes I almost stepped on one super long black one and another black one was spotted in front of me before i managed to almost step on it too.. no fear.. black ones wont kill you.. just make you feel sick.. 

First, i got up early and did a short but tough run up shunt-in.  The old 875 shoes had hit their max.  I think all the rain made them worth less faster then normal and they provided zero protection for my sad right foot.  

Given i am trying to support the economy of this area I picked up another pair from Foot RX which just happens to have 5 pairs my size in stock with my name on them.. so no one can buy them.. it is true.. i go through a pair of shoes every month or so..  only way to help prevent stress fractures.. for my old bones.. 

Given i had another pair of shoes i headed back out to the trail.  The heat was there.. but the soul wanted to run a bit more.. so i pushed as hard as I could.. hitting my wall a few times.  The sugar engine in my body was falling behind.  Plenty of fuel.. but could not get it to the places.. fast enough.. so .. i hit a wall.. then would slow down.. then would have energy.. kinda strange.  near the end of the run i was feeling super strong.. too bad.. but it was getting late and i wanted only one thing.. no not sex.. food.. i love food after long running days. 

The two runs together bring the run for the day to 4 hours.. and who knows how many miles.. miles are stupid cause the single track runs are single track.. rock.. sticks.. roots.. you name it.. how fast can you run on this.. not really sure.. sometimes.. super fast.. sometimes slower.. depends..  

Today was not busy in the forest..not sure where everyone is at.. but the numbers are way down.. to sad.. but i enjoy the forest to myself..   

The right foot is doing well.  It hurts sometimes super bad. .. and with the new shoes i should be ok..  

Plan on running sunday.. the same run i did this morning.. unless Aaron decides to join me.. he is a much better runner on trail.. and much younger.. so if he does run with me i will get my butt kicked.. 

enjoy

ps:  still no woman.. i think they are all afraid of the forest.. that is all i can figure.. 

May 25th, 2009

The last couple of weeks have been great because of the new shoes.  Sunday I pushed the wall as hard as i could.  Four hours of running mostly single track trail full of rocks, sticks and everything else nature could throw in.  Running the fire roads is easy compare to the single tracks but the view on the single tracks makes the entire challenge worth it.   

Most important I am never really tired.  My need for water starts to show up about mile 18.. or so.. but it has been raining so much that the air seems to supply all the water i need.  My right foot is still a problem and I can assure you it starting to take away from the peace of the run.  However, the point of running is not to win.. cant win much at my age.. the point is to push the mind and body.. to do what everyone else is not doing.  See if the mind gets upset.. see what happens when i push that hard and to learn from the process.  

At times I get upset and the peace of the forest is beaten by the sounds of my soul screaming out loud for no good reason.. 

The best example Sunday came near mile 20 when I was very tired from the wet beating, super wet.. i mean it has been raining for hours.. solid.. super hard.. my right foot hurts.. and so i start to bitch about life, sure sign i am human.  Before you know it i am in the middle of this mind game when all of a sudden the birds start to make tons of noise..  it is just me the birds and some snakes i am sure..   ok.. they get my attention and i shut up for a few minutes. 

I walked in the forest a bunch today.. get the right foot a rest.. it is feeling good today.. but yesterday was a very different story.  I also had a super bad rash that hurt so bad.. i was screaming when i got home.  

Will try to push for at least 3 long hours on Tuesday.. i look forward to the runs.. if for no other reason then the beauty of the forest right now..   the rain is making everything super green.. and things are growing like crazy.. 

Look forward to this weekend... One day will be with a friend of mine Nick.. few miles.. (tough to find sick people willing to run 20 plus miles on the fly) then Sunday see if i can run for 6 hours.. yes.. i said 6 hours.. time to get my body really angry.. 

thanks for reading. 

frank

ps: new camera by mid next week and a repaired mountain bike.. i am starting to kick again .. a bit.. any way.. 

May 15th, 2009

Sweet run today plus great new shoes.  I have been rather short of cash (not as broke as GM, but broke) which means old shoes.  Today i found myself running in my new NB 875 shoes.  Wow.  Heaven.  My feet love them.. i even think my left foot looked up at me and smiled.. the right one is a pain in the ass.. so it did not smile.. but screw the right foot.  

Today started at the parking lot at the entrance.. throught the connnector and out to 479a.  From 479a i ran all the way up to sleep gap trail, to the top of the parkway, along the shunt-in / parkway trail all the way to the highway and then back to the parking lot.  The shunt-in / parkway trail was pretty.. it was amazing in color and silence..   Given it has rained so much the ground was soft..  (note: God did not try to kill me today with Lightning.. thanks)

My goal is to do 30 on saturday.  I have to work sunday.. so Saturday is the day.  Push as hard as my body will go and see what happens.  So far my running is on track.  My right foot still acts like it is broken and the lower back is a bit upset with me..   outside that i am doing very well.  Body fat is about 10 percent.. which is good for an old man.. ..and i run between 5 to 6 miles per hour.. on trail.. 

enjoy.. more after the saturday run..  Boy do i love my new shoes.. 

May 3rd, 2008 oh no.. i meant 2009

I was running along on the parkway trail just below where the secret hotel is located when i spotted these orange flowers.   I have no idea what they are called except to tell you they were about a half a cup in size and orange as an orange.  Pretty cool.  (the flowers grew on a tree)

ps:  the black snakes are back in the trees again.  I look up in the trees and see them hanging there.. in the rain.. ok.. gotta find another job..  cant be running with snakes hanging over my head..

Today i ran about 23 miles for about 3.75 hours of running.  Given i am not sure it could be less or a bit more.  The run started off in heavy rain with all the green screaming bright colors of green.  I loved how the water dripped from the rim of my ball cap.  At one point it rained so hard i could not see more then two feet in front of me.  The warm air kept me warm but the rain makes me feel like i was in the shower.  I always wanted to run in the shower.  

I started off at the parking lot near the entrance to the park.  Ran the connector over to the 479a trail.  From the 479a trail i went up sleepy gap to the parkway then back down given i am a weak old man in need of a bit of rest.  I then took 479a all the way to another entrance to the parkway trail and stayed on the parkway trail for about 5 miles before turning around.  The trail is super thin but wow.. it was amazing in color and life.  

I have decided to take a teeny little kmart camera up there one day next week and photograph the one section of the trail that super rocks.  I will post the pictures on the blog.  Heck maybe i will do that monday given i dont plan on running monday.  

The return trip was a bit rougher.  The rain makes your shoes weight a ton and before you know it you start to feel the effects of heavy shoes.  I had no good water and no food so the body started to get really up set around mile 18.   The last mile was pure torture, legal kind, and by the time i returned to the car there was nothing left of my body.  

The total for the week is 85 or 5 miles short of my goal of a 90 mile week.  However, i did managed to get in 3 days of hard work out in the gym so maybe that counts.  

enjoy..