Its been a dizzying 7 months to this year. Good training for the first five months, a successful 50k following that; then 7 weeks of knee pain and now, down for several weeks due to emergency gall bladder removal surgery.
Where to go- all races before Oil Creek in November had already been cancelled so there’s no issue there but I am still looking at 62 miles and 11,000 feet of elevation gain in early October while I still have a couple (few?) weeks till I can train hard again.
Do I cancel Oil Creek? I am going no matter what as a friend is doing the 50k so I can:
1) Cancel race and go to crew him
2) Do a 50k and stop or
3) Get out there and do 62 miles
Option 1 isn’t likely. No disrespect to Dean but if I am traveling 18 hours round trip its going to be tough staring at the trail and competitors and not get out there. Option 2 is possible- but the thought of another Oil Creek failure this year is not palatable. So its going to be options 3- doing it.
So what’s the big deal? Nothing I guess. But….after Pineland Farms 50k I had visions of speed racing the 100k and not just attempting a completion. Yeah, it’s a kick in the gut to know that’s not feasible. Completion will be a challenge in itself with less than two months to kick it back in high gear and put in some miles. So the issue is with the mind. Successes come in different forms- finishing, finishing fast, just starting! Based on where I am this year shape wise, in no part due to my fault, a finish at Oil Creek will be huge.
So hike- that’s the plan. I’ll throw some running in when I can but Oil Creek’s informally a hike now. If it takes me 24 hours to finish, and it shouldn’t, so be it. Covering 62 miles at any time is big- and it will be for me. Too much time is spend in my stupid head caring about the perception of my efforts- 24 hours is slow- it’s a hike and not a run- but frankly I am now over it. My effort will feed my success and those close to me will get what it took to get there. Everybody else could likely care less anyhow.
So its back at it- for now while recovering from surgery it will be walking easy but as that recovery continues multiple, long, and hard workouts including running will commence.
There are a lot of ways to succeed-I only need to figure out one of them……
Where to go- all races before Oil Creek in November had already been cancelled so there’s no issue there but I am still looking at 62 miles and 11,000 feet of elevation gain in early October while I still have a couple (few?) weeks till I can train hard again.
Do I cancel Oil Creek? I am going no matter what as a friend is doing the 50k so I can:
1) Cancel race and go to crew him
2) Do a 50k and stop or
3) Get out there and do 62 miles
Option 1 isn’t likely. No disrespect to Dean but if I am traveling 18 hours round trip its going to be tough staring at the trail and competitors and not get out there. Option 2 is possible- but the thought of another Oil Creek failure this year is not palatable. So its going to be options 3- doing it.
So what’s the big deal? Nothing I guess. But….after Pineland Farms 50k I had visions of speed racing the 100k and not just attempting a completion. Yeah, it’s a kick in the gut to know that’s not feasible. Completion will be a challenge in itself with less than two months to kick it back in high gear and put in some miles. So the issue is with the mind. Successes come in different forms- finishing, finishing fast, just starting! Based on where I am this year shape wise, in no part due to my fault, a finish at Oil Creek will be huge.
So hike- that’s the plan. I’ll throw some running in when I can but Oil Creek’s informally a hike now. If it takes me 24 hours to finish, and it shouldn’t, so be it. Covering 62 miles at any time is big- and it will be for me. Too much time is spend in my stupid head caring about the perception of my efforts- 24 hours is slow- it’s a hike and not a run- but frankly I am now over it. My effort will feed my success and those close to me will get what it took to get there. Everybody else could likely care less anyhow.
So its back at it- for now while recovering from surgery it will be walking easy but as that recovery continues multiple, long, and hard workouts including running will commence.
There are a lot of ways to succeed-I only need to figure out one of them……
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