Back on the line

Went running (if you call the treadmill running) for the first time in awhile tonight. Went 35 minutes to see how the old calf felt and I had no issues. Tomorrow more of the same w/ some added aqua jogging. Perhaps I'll hit the trails for an easy 4 miler. Play it by ear.

If all goes well I'll be good for the 50K in a week and a half.

As you probably know I've been supplementing my preparation for Mt. D with pool running and biking. I think I need a new bike seat. Those need to be replaced with age I guess... my butt is sore. This past Saturday I spent 8 hours training between bike and pool running. Although not as taxing as running long it was good to be out in the hot weather for an extended period of time.

My posts lately feel dry and boring to me lately. Dog Days of Summer perhaps.

Purdy sure.......

I'm pretty sure the 50 Miler is not in my best intrest. Yeah, maybe.... I could limp it out, but I'm not willing to thrash my body for the distance.

Unless I experience a magic act of recovery I'll go for the 50K.

The lower leg injuries and missed training are making me think this is the best decision for my overall love for the adventure. I've wanted to do this race for two years.

Since I've been in the water so much lately here's one of my favorite country singers singing about water. .. The Kern River. I recall reading that many folks raft this river, swim this river.... and never come out.....

Some time ago on a summer camping trip a pal of mine came outta this river without a pair of drawers.... that's about as tough as I've seen it.

Friday Night and Johnny Cash

Windows open, a dog barking a few homes away, Friday night, an ice pack on the calf and The Man in Black. Johnny Cash is a person I admire. His music to me is great; soulful and genuine. There's no BS when Cash sings. He sings what he means. More than his music, I admire his story... from humble beginnings to success, downturns then rebounds. That guy lived a full life and great music that he left as his legacy.

Ankles, calves ... oh the humanity

I'm giving it my best shot to get in my training yet this weekend I again pulled up lame. I figured I'd run into my Team in Training practice to get in some extra mileage and then run with the Team. The plan was for 18 miles on Saturday and a tough 20 on the Mt. D course on Sunday.

I ran a grand total of three miles for the weekend. Somehow I managed to tweak my calf muscle to the point where running was painful. More aquajogging and questions in my mind as to whether I can complete 50 miles in less than a month. I think I can get physically well to attempt this, but will I be trained sufficiently. I've only done one ultra, but I suspect you can't fake your way to a finish of this distance.

Something Different

Wednesday's run to work. Nine miles total and a few pennies saved:

Training Week Ending 7-5-09

Last weeks training included aquajogging mixed in with some running. I haven't had an ankle sprain this bad in a few years, but by Thursday of last week I was able to get back to the trails for an evening run. This week I look to resume my regular training to get ready for Mt. D. Sunday I revisited the Kenyon DeVore training loop of the Mt. D course, but this time I started a bit higher atop Mt. Wilson instead of at Red Box like I did a few weeks ago. Despite the considerably warmer temps I felt better on my run than I had a few weeks ago. Here's the run down: I started atop at the Mt. Wilson Parking Lot amid blue skies and temps in the low eighties. Before the scramble would end temperatures would reach the high 80s to low 90s. I made my way down Mt. Wilson Road ... destination Markham Saddle: A sign at Markham Saddle read, "Trail Closed". Apparently there was a slide along the trail. I decided to check it out and proceed anyways: From Markham Saddle I made my way to Mueller Tunnel and eventually another saddle. Mueller Tunnel was blasted through the side of Mt. Wilson to bypass the precarious "Old Cliff Trail". In the picture below you can see the Old Cliff Trail and the metal posts that once held the railings: Pictures of the slide at western opening of Mueller Tunnel. I wonder if this will be cleared in time for the race: From the saddle beyond Mueller I followed the race course heading up the trail to a saddle separating San Gabriel Peak and Mt Disappointment. Here I took the trail about 1/4 mile to Mt. D and Mt. D Road. The dirt turns to an abandoned asphalt road and the course dictates I locate a side trail that drops down the north side of the mountain back to the Mt. Wilson Road and down Red Box: Antennae atop Mt. D Deserted Road atop Mt. D Trailhead Dropping Down to main Mt. Wilson Road: The trail from atop Mt. D. is steep, not that well maintained and has numerous switchbacks. I re aggravated my ankle om the downhill and questioned whether the days run was the smart thing to do. At Redbox, I assessed the situation and decided I would press on paying extra care to my footing. From Red Box I made my way down to Westfork Campground via Red Box Fire Road. Not a heck of alot of shade along the trail. Also saw notable wildlife in the form of a deer. Other than the deer I encountered hundreds of lizards. Couldn't grab my camera in time for a deer photo. On the trail above Westfork there's a overflow pipe for a water tank. The water is cold a drinkable. This made for a nice shady pit stop to soak my head, refill my bottles and refuel:


From the pipe it's about a 4 mile trudge up the Kenyon DeVore Trail back to Mt Wilson



A little over 15 miles for the day.

Happiness is found along the way, not at the end of the road.


Happy trails............