Shoe Failure at Cedar Ridge

For the second Saturday in a row, I headed to Cedar Ridge Preserve for a morning run.  This time, I got there before all the hikers and walkers, so for the first hour or so, I had the whole place to myself (except for--what was that figure I saw?--maybe a raccoon).  Greeting the new day on the trails, quiet and alone, I ran and enjoyed the great weather and fantastic trails.

Sunrise over Cattail Pond

I can't say enough about this place.  Maybe because I've gotten so bored with running on the streets in my neighborhood, or maybe because I have been able to run so little the last few weeks, but I have really enjoyed these last 2 runs.  Winding, hilly single track, with a good sprinkling of rocks and roots, make this a great place to run.

This morning I planned to run 18-20 miles.  After 7 or so, I started feeling like I was getting a hot spot, which surprised me, because I very rarely get blisters while wearing my VFFs.  I stopped at the picnic tables and looked at my foot.  My shoe's seam was splitting along the big toe!  That's so very frustrating.  That lets trail grit get in the toes, creating abrasion in all the wrong places.

Then I looked at my other foot, and saw this lovely sight.  Dirt had gotten in there and rubbed me raw (That's blood between my toes).  Ouch.  I'm not saying trail running should be pain free, and dirt in the shoes is certainly part of trail running, but I would like to avoid this kind of unnecessary pain when possible, especially due to a simple shoe failure.

For a little background, I bought my first pair of VFF Trek Sports last fall.  I wore them on a short training trail run (5-6 miles), then at Palo Duro Canyon.  After about 17 miles at PD, that same seam split, letting in dirt, dust, and pebbles with every step.  That's not the whole reason I DNFed that day, but it was a contributing factor.  Vibram has a 90-day warranty on their shoes, and Luke's Locker was generous in taking them back and giving me store credit for them.

After a few weeks of calling all the Luke's locations, waiting for them to get a pair in my size, I finally got a new pair, identical to the first.  I wore them last week at Cedar Ridge for the first time.  And today the seam went out.  In both cases, in less than 30 miles, the seam went out.  I will not buy VFF Trek Sports again!  The problem is, I LOVE running in them!  I don't know that I'd want to run in anything else!  I've ordered some VFF Treks, which have the same sole, but have a leather upper, rather than the fabric of the Trek Sport.  I'm sure hoping they will perform better.  Oh, and by the way, I wore a pair of VFF Sprints, decidedly not made for trail running, at the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler last year, and had no problems at all.

My 50 milers

After my DNF at Palo Duro, I have been reflecting on my ultrarunning record.  I'm slowly crawling out of my post-DNF depression, but still rather disgusted with myself for quitting.  It especially hit home after reading about Bart Yasso's race at Comrades in South Africa and his long history of running through pain (article in Runner's World here).  He has lyme disease yet has continued to race and to inspire others.  But I got a little hot and discouraged so I quit. Wah, wah, big baby.

So here is my illustrious record of 50 milers:

• October 2009, Palo Duro: finished 13 minutes before the cutoff.  I probably would have laid down on the trail and quit if I hadn't met up with Brett, who was also running his first 50 miler.
• February 2010, Rocky Raccoon: finished in just over 11 hours.  Not a bad finish, but my ankle hurt so badly I went and had it x-rayed the next day.  Nothing there, I'm just a big baby.
• February 2010, Cross Timbers: a tough, hilly course, especially compared to the relative flatness of PD and Rocky.  I finished in about 15 hours, close to setting a course record.  The only slower time was set by a man in his 70s.  I probably would have quit this one, but I had to keep going to get back to my car.  I was probably not recovered from Rocky, 2 weeks before.
• March 2010, Grasslands.  I quit after about 19 miles.  It was cold, wet, and muddy.  I still felt like a wimp, even though only 7 of the 70 starters finished.
• October 2010, Palo Duro: quit 1/2 way through.

 Not exactly a steller 50 miler resume.  Part of my problem out on the course is the gradual loss of motivation.  I start thinking, I gave up a whole weekend for this?  I could be hanging out at home, playing with the kids, watching college football, working in the yard or around the house.  I missed soccer or football or judo!  I could take Kelly on a date!  And what's the point anyway? 

So, contrary to a recent post, I'm not going to plan on the 100k in Bandera and the 100 miler at Rocky.  I'm not saying I'll never do another 50 miler.  Part of me still wants to run a 100 miler, to try Western States or Leadville.  But part of me says, too, I could just go someplace pretty and run.  I don't need to pay a fee and get a number just to experience a nice trail.  The trail at Palo Duro is great; I love to run it, and it's got some great views.  But one lap gets you all the views and trails.  The next 3 are more of the same.

I'll start running again soon, and I'll probably sign up for another race soon.  I'm still planning on running White Rock since I'm already registered, but after that, I'm not sure what I'll run next.

Sign on the trail

One trademark of the Palo Duro Trail Run is the signs posted along the course with witty and/or inspiring tidbits.  Toward the end of the loop, just before entering the camping area where the start/finish is located, one sign reads: "Adversity doesn't build character; adversity reveals character."  I guess a little of my character was revealed Saturday.  I encountered a little bit of adversity and quit.  I didn't have any particular physical reason for quitting, just a general fatigue and overall malaise.  I didn't see the point of continuing.

2 weeks! 100 miles?

Wow, I don't think I've ever gone 2 weeks without posting.  I guess I was letting a milestone sink in: my last post, the Run from the Ducks race report, was my 100th post!  Balloon drop!  Fireworks!  Party!  OK, so no big deal.  It's also closing in on a year since I started the blog.  I started it after Palo Duro last fall, and this weekend is my second shot at the Palo Duro 50 Mile Trail Run.

Last year's Palo Duro run was my first 50 miler.  I finished a few minutes before the 12 hour cutoff.  I'm heading up to the canyon this weekend again, hoping for a sub-11 hour run.  I don't know that I'm in much better shape than I was this time last year, but I'm hoping that the experience I've gained will help me in the latter miles.  This will be my 4th 50 mile race.

Speaking of multiple 50 mile races, I have decided not to pursue the Texas Style 50 Mile Grand Slam this year.  You may recall that last year I ran three 50 milers of the 5, then on the 4th I DNF'd, so I didn't finish the Slam.  In fact, the Slam had no finishers last year.  Palo Duro is the first race for the Slam, but they have changed the format this year so that instead of the 5 races from last year, runners can choose 5 of 7 possible races.  Due to my own scheduling, after Palo Duro, the next 4 I could choose from will be in a 7 week period, with 2 weeks between each race.  I don't think I would do very well with those so close together, so I'm going to try something different.

After Palo Duro, I'll return home for some hard training for the White Rock Marathon, the first weekend in December.  I'm aiming for a Boston Marathon qualifying time (3:20).  I'm feeling pretty good about it, but I need to lose some weight and crank up my pace on long runs.  After that, I've got some new races on tap.

On January 8, I'm going to run my longest run yet, a 100K (62 miles) in Bandera.  But that will be a mere training run for my next goal: my first 100 miler.  Last February, I ran the 50 miler at Rocky Raccoon at Huntsville State Park, so I'm familiar with the course.  Next February 5, I'll find out if I have what it takes to run 100 miles all at once.  More to come. . . .

A week off

I used to make fun of football players who sat out of games because of a bruised rib.  A bruise?  What a bunch of wimps!  Now I know better.  The first time I injured my ribs, I slipped while climbing in a window at home (I had locked myself out).  More recently I twisted my body in an odd way on a night trail run, somehow bruising my ribs.

Last weekend at the lake, Elliot tried knee boarding.  He picked it up quickly, knee boarding like a pro.  With more time, he'll learn to do tricks, I'm sure.  He made it look easy, so I tried it.  I am not a natural.  Bouncing along on the board, I bruised my ribs, in the same place as when I was running a couple months ago.  It hurts to walk.  It hurts to cough, sneeze, or hiccup.  It hurts to roll over in bed.  Worst of all, it hurts to run.  I admit--like those NFL wimps, I, too, am a wimp.

Thankfully, Palo Duro and White Rock are months away, so I have plenty of time to recover, and I figure missing a few days this far out won't kill me. But it's still frustrating not to run, especially since I felt like I was slowly making progress.

Official Results: Amazing RiverRun 2010

Official results of the 2010 Amazing RiverRun have been posted here.

My official time: 24:49, 4th in my age group (35-44), 30 seconds behind #3.  I should have pushed just a little harder. . . .  Thirteenth overall.

With the shorter training window, and more realistic possibility of improved results, running this little race sort of makes me want to race in some more 5Ks and 10Ks.  I'm still planning on the Palo Duro 50 mile race in October, and the White Rock Marathon in December, but in the meantime, I may seek out some short races to complement my training.

50 Miles at Palo Duro Canyon

I wrote a few weeks ago about my longest, slowest run yet (Captain Carls at Inks Lake 60K, 8:35:44, avg. 13:49 min/mile). On October 17, I topped it with an even longer, slower race. At the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon, I ran the 50 mile race in 11:47:08, avg. 14:09 min/mile. I had a terrific time! So that's the brief version; for more details, keep reading. I won't have my feelings hurt if you stop here!

This was the first race I've been to where I spent the night on the road. Kelly tried to arrange it so she could go with me, but there were too many things to coordinate and not enough people to step in, so I ended up going solo. I ended up camping with the Buckleys, a nice couple from Euless. They are Palo Duro Canyon veterans--on a first-name basis with the rangers--and were terrific hosts and companions. She was running the 50K and he provided race support by patrolling the trails on his mountain bike.

I arrived Friday afternoon in time to admire the beautiful canyon. I had been there as a kid, but I'm not sure we got past the amphitheater where they perform the musical "Texas." It's really awe-inspiring, especially in contrast to the pancake-flat surrounding topography. I got the tent set up, unpacked, and headed over to the race registration and pasta dinner at WTA&M in Canyon.

The lobby was full of runners waiting to pick up their race numbers and packets. I quickly realized that the line was for the 20K. There was a shorter line for the 50K, and for the 50 mile packet pickup, there was--no one! Nice not having to wait in line! At dinner I sat with a group of runners from Austin. I had not met any of them before, but they came with a big group, some of whom I recognized from Inks Lake.

After sitting by the campfire for a bit chatting with the Buckleys, I hit the sack. In the middle of the night I realized that my Therm-A-Rest Pad, which Mom bought me when I was in scouts, no longer holds air. The sleeping bag from the same time is still warm, though, thankfully, since it did get pretty cold.

I got up bright and early for the 7 a.m. start, had some juice and a Carrot Cake Clif Bar, and headed down to the starting area. It was chilly, definitely sweater weather, but not too cold in my shorts and sweatshirt. I think it was in the mid- to low-40s. We started before dawn, so most of the runners had headlamps or flashlights. It was nice meeting other runners, trying to stay warm while getting my drinks and snacks ready, with bagpipes playing in the background (a Palo Duro tradition). Finally, we all gathered at the starting line and were off.

A few yards after the starting line, we hit the trail, which was single track for a good mile or more, which means we were single file. This was actually a big plus for me, b/c it forced me to go really slow for several minutes, either walking or jogging slowly. After a mile or two people started spreading out, so I was able to run at a more normal pace.

The course for the 50 mile is 4 12.5 mile loops. It rolls along the floor of the canyon; no part of the trail goes up to the rim. So there's not a lot of climbing, just some mild ups and downs. It's really beautiful, taking runners to some awesome views of rock formations. It's also mostly exposed; there's not much shade on the course. Starting out that was OK. It was quite cool, and dark. But later the sun would really be a factor.

I kept a good pace on the first lap. I felt like I didn't start out too fast. After an hour or so, it got light enough that I no longer needed my Princeton Tec Fuel Headlamp. It was pretty cloudy, so I was encouraged that it would stay cool, at least for a while. I ended the first lap at 2:20, an 11:11 pace, which I knew was fast for me, but I was glad to have knocked that much out while it was cool. I swapped out my headlamp for my Tilley Hat (thanks, Mom) and headed out for lap 2.

I kept a good pace on the second lap, too. I still felt good, and any potential aches and pains that had come up during lap one were gone. My body did great for this race. No knee or hip or foot pains or injuries, just getting tired, which is to be expected. I had some speedsters pass me up, which was discouraging a bit, until I realized they were probably running the 20K, which made sense, or so I told myself to make me feel better. I really thought I was keeping a similar pace to the first lap, so I was surprised to finish lap 2 at 4:58, a 12:38 pace. I was still on track to finish in plenty of time to beat the 12 hour limit, so I wasn't too worried.

Shortly after starting the third lap, I saw Lori, my camping buddy, on the trail. She was going slow; I learned later that she was walking on some monster blisters. Ouch! I had slowed to talk with her and another runner whom I had been running near for much of the last few miles passed us. I jumped in with him and told him I'd let him pace me for a while. He turned out to be a good match for me. Like me, he is fairly new to trail running; this was also his first 50 mile run. Like me, he has 3 kids, similar in age to mine, and like me, he is a Baylor grad! We ended up sticking together the rest of the race and had a good time getting to know each other.

I had been saying to Lori that I was going to follow some advice I'd heard and run slower on the 3rd lap so I would have something left on the 4th. Brett concurred, so lap 3 was deliberately slower. We finished in about 3 hours, a 14:24 pace (roughly). We got our drinks, took some Endurolytes Electrolyte Replenishment for cramping, and steeled ourselves for the final lap. Almost done!

The goal was for lap 3 to be the slowest lap. For the first couple miles of lap 4, that may have been true. But after a while, those "mild ups and downs" I mentioned earlier became much steeper! The sun was out in force, and while I'm sure the temp was still not too hot, the sun sure felt hot. During these last few miles, I was very thankful to have Brett with me. He says I helped him along, but I think he helped me more than I helped him. We took turns leading, trying to remember to start running again after we stopped to walk the uphill portions. With only a few miles to go, we kept running the numbers to see if we could get in before the 12 hour time limit. We realized that we could do it, but we had to keep moving. Sometimes our pace was terribly slow, in the 18-20 min/mile range. But we pushed each other along until we knew we were going to make it.

The end of the course was a big horseshoe through a camping area. We knew we were close, and picked up speed. When we were nearly out of the woods, Brett's coach met us. Brett was with the big group from Austin, but he was the only runner in the group running the 50M. So they were all waiting for him at the finish! We came out of the woods, and there were all Brett's running friends, including my dinner companions, cheering for him. He hollered my name, so they all cheered for me, too! Several of them ran with us as we "sprinted" to the finish. We finished with 13 minutes to spare. No problem! That last lap was a bear; not exactly the negative split I wanted. Our pace that last lap was a little over 18 minutes per mile. Ugh!

I got my shoes off, got a drink, and found that there were still some burgers left for us! That was a good burger, let me tell you. I didn't expect to finish that slow, but I had talked to a lot of more experience runners who had attempted the Palo Duro 50M and didn't finished, so I was pleased to have finished at all. In fact, I don't know the official numbers, but I think 65 runners started the 50M that day, and 44 finished. I was 42 of 44.

I headed back to camp, took a long shower, and went out for Mexican food with the Buckleys. No hanging out by the campfire tonight. I took 2 Tylenol PMs and slept like a rock.

Like I said, my body was tired, but no injuries or unusual pains. My feet were in good shape, too. Just a couple of moderate blisters on my left foot, none on my right. (Thanks, Ford, for the awesome New Balance Trail Shoes!) My stomach did pretty well. Toward the end, nothing was tasting good, and after lots of Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans with Caffeine, M&Ms, fig bars, and potato chips, my mouth was feeling funky. I remember thinking this after Inks Lake, but I need to remember to bring a toothbrush. That would be nice 1/2way through the race. If and when I attempt a 100M race, I will have to be more deliberate about my nutrition.

Well, that was probably more than you wanted to know. When I stop and think about it, I'm still a bit amazed: I went 50 miles on foot in one day! Wowee.

Up next: the Great Brazos Relay, a 120 mile relay from Waco to College Station. This time I'll be sharing the duties with 6 teammates! Then, White Rock Marathon. Maybe I'll write another boring race report after those, too!