Getting back on da SLOWerr Road

After two months of on and mostly OFF the road, I am back to running! The behind knee pain is still around but I have succumbed to the fact that it might just be like that for a while. I am not training for any 100 at this time I am just trying to maintain my fitness.

Past 4 days I averaged 5 - 6 miles per run at a 10 - 12 min pace. This is manageable and by running again it helps keep my sanity - lol and keeps my weight steady for the upcoming HOLIDAY Season. (Yes that was a pillow under the shirt from my Halloween pic but if I don't run and continue eating Mini- Wafers like the

Cookie Monster this could be a reality very, very soon - lol)

Hopefully the shorter slow runs (umm I think it's actually called Jogging-LOL) will still give my leg a chance to heal up some more so I can go on longer treks but for now I am HAPPY to be on the road and treadmill again.

I missed it!

Bob

DNS for JJ

After running a 6 miler the other day (after 10 days resting and icing) my leg hurt the whole time. So it was time to unfortunately pull out of Javelina and not prevent further damage.

No doubt it's a huge bummer but will recover and run another race. Only thing I CAN do for now is Thank you all for your kind comments/support on prior post & emails :-)

Best wishes to my friends and all the other ultra crazies toeing the Javelina line!!

I can't run BUT I can ....

Javelina 100 is fast approaching, less than 2 weeks away now. I been focusing more on what I CAN do and less on what I cannot.

Sad to say but Bottom line is I am under-trained going into this 100 miler. The Past 2 months have been awful as far as consistent running goes because of a pain along the back of my knee. Diagnoses is a strained Popliteus Muscle, which is a thin, triangular muscle in the back of the knee. Its action bends the knee and rotates the leg.

The Popliteus assists in flexing the leg upon the thigh; when the leg is flexed, it will rotate the tibia inward. It is especially called into action at the beginning of the act of bending the knee, in as much as it produces the slight inward rotation of the tibia, which is essential in the early stage of this movement.

Okay, so since I can't run I NEED to focus on things I CAN DO: or I will lose it and DNF mentally before I even get started.

So what CAN I DO?!?! -

I can work my CORE (sit up's and push up's)

I can eat healthy, keep my weight level somewhat even though I am not burning a lot doing cardio.

I can rest (smile)

I can ICE, massage and stretch the area several times a day.

I can Spin (well somewhat but that's been aggravating it a bit lately but not as much as running- helps me to get some cardio in though which is positive).

I can whine, bitch & complain to my friends, family and neighbors (oops delete this)

I can keep a Good Attitude ( smile )

I can power walk ( past few days added in some walking at a good pace and it's been fine )

I can crawl (haha)

I can make the 30 hour cutoff !!

and Yup, I can finish !!!!

I look forward to going back to this fun event this year...Jamil Coury the Race Director puts on a great race. Going to be a blast seeing all my ultra friends and to close out this long running year with a finish. I already warned my fast pacer (Dusty) who helped me finish my first 100 miler last year that this is going to a long day plus, so be patient and bring a lot of energy. I promised her I will bring a lot of laughs and my camera. She said "Let's get it done"

Steppin' Up & Forward,

Bob

North Face re-cap, photo's, videos (including Nat's ice bath - burrrrr)

Natalia and I flew in to DC Thursday night and stayed at her friends place Roger...He was a great host and also let us borrow his car for a few days.

Thanks Roger. Friday we headed over to The North Face retail store at the mall to pick up our race packet and some nice swag. (NF water bottle, technical shirt, NF socks, Goretex bag) Meet up with a few runners and then off to Panera Bread for lunch and food/drop bag shopping.



Race morning weather was awesome low 60's, nice buzz in the air at the start area with music blasting... I caught up with fellow ultra running buddy, Derek Hills...Last time we saw each other was at Umstead as we both battle bad blisters. He was looking good and ready for the day.



The plan was to do one loop with Natalia then we go run our own race, in other words go ahead Natalia--lol she runs faster than me. Start time was 5 am so obviously we needed our headlamps...Not only was this Natalia's first 50 miler but also her first time running with a headlamp and because we are from FL...practically her first time on a trail for a decent amount of time. She was fired up and didn't seem nervous at all.

First section was a blast with all the runners bouncing lights in front and behind as we go up and down the rolling single trails. A few sections had some gnarly 2 to 3 foot short drops causing a few runners to bite the trail hard as they came up quickly and unexpectedly.

Natalia managed to get across them unscathed BUT (smile) during a flat rooty section Natalia said

" I am feeling pretty good, this is blast Bob "

(half second later - POOF she is on the ground- LOL ) ahhhh GOD does have a sense of humor huh :-) She managed to muddy up her shirt a bit and scrape her chin. She lied there in shock for a moment then we both LAUGHED out loud as she GOT UP we headed back on the dark morning trail ... ahhh Good times already :-) and it's early still.

The back of my knee was ok (wearing ace bandage and had heat cream applied before the start) but I was going out to fast and about mile 14 told Natalia to GOOOOOOO leave my slow ass behind - LOL and that biatch left me like the wind -- ( hahaha)

Whew, thank GOD now I can slow it up for a bit. Sun was coming up not a cloud in the sky, weather all day was awesome high 78ish ... I headed into Great Falls and difficult run sections for THREE loops (about 21 miles total). You saw a lot of runners because of the out and backs and loop sections. I had a chance to see Natalia twice, she was doing great and keeping up on her fuel.( a lot of solid foods unlike me and my ALL liquid plan of boost, powerbar gels and nuun)

Prior to the race I lubed up my feet with Sportslick and Drymax socks...it's the combo that has been working for me. Normally you don't need any lube with Drymax but I need it. Really helps keeps the friction away...I changed my socks once during the race and stopped twice to lube some hot spots on the front bottom and sides. Overall just a few small blisters, very happy about this for Javelina 100 in Oct.

OK back to the race, the 3 loop section was not that bad except for the rocky boulder section... huge rocks to climb over but it was short, only took a few minutes and yes it was fun too, up high near a cliff over looking the Potomac river.



The third and last time I went over the rocks I caught up to Gabe, a first timer from New Orleans who had bad shin splints on his left leg. He was also falling behind a bit on his fuel, I gave him an S-cap and we both ran into the aid station to re-fuel and head back towards the finish line about 15 miles away, the three loops are done!

This section was along the river and it was 6.7 miles to the next aid station... Gabe was doing great running when I did and holding on, he only had one water bottle ...I had 2 bottles so gave him some of my water and a power gel. The best part of Gabe is how he didn't want to run but RAN when I did which helped pull him along. We had plenty of time for cut offs and could have walked it in but I told him the big problem with walking tooooo much is you get stiffer and stiffer SO I need to run on and off and avoid the Frankenstein walk-- LOL

Got to the 42 mile aid station and we both felt good and needed to refill the bottles and keep moving. Only 8 more miles to go, we continued the on and off running/walking and shared stories about our past races. Gabe is a three time FL Ironman finisher.

Finally a mile to go and I see Natalia walking up the trail wondering what is taking me so long and hoping my leg is OK... which was fine! Gave Natalia a quick hug then headed to finish line to close this out and drink a few cold Miller Lites that Gabe's gf said she will pick up for us back at mile 35...

We Finished in 11 hours 49 mins and Natalia finished in 10 hours 56 mins which was so awesome for her first 50. She had zero blisters and closed out the last 2 miles with 8:30 min pace (what a sandbagger huh -- LOL ) Congrats Baby you done good. Congrats to my friends Derek H. finished in 11hours and Eric G. 9 hours 18 mins!!



PLEASE Check out the photo slide show and videos and you must watch Natalia's ICE Bath (turn up the volume as she begs for help -awww )

Re-cap PHOTO's !






Thanks all for your support and Next year I will be back running North Face in DC it was that much fun.

Bob