Western DNS

So, as my friends who read this already must know, I was a saddened DNS for Western States. Outside of the persistent lower back injury, I felt totally ready. However, as one friend put it, discretion is the greater part of valor, or however that saying goes.

For this record, the injury was incurred five weeks ago at the Jemez 50 Miler in New Mexico, likely as icannonballed down a ski slope at 10k, trying (successfully) to make a cutoff on a bad day on a tough course. I expected I'd recover, but there seems to be a major realignment type strain from the lower back, through the gluteal, to the hamstring. For three weeks, there was significant numbness and lack of feeling in my right foot, suggesting nerve damage. I saw the doctor, the chiro three times, and went for massage. I tried to get ready.

But then I did little test runs all the way up until the race, and significant pain was always immediately recognizable. The pain intensified in my lower back, so that after a mile or so I'd end up running cockeyed, leaning back or forwards and jogging off the calves, with a lump like pain growing in the glute and heat pain in the lower back. It just didn't work. If I could've knocked out a semi-pain free 10 miler, I probably would've started. Not to be.

I am content with the decision--it was the right call in pursuing the healthy life. It does suck, but there are worse things, and back surgeries are serious business.

So, i made a weekend of it just the same, checking out Squaw Valley, Lake Tahoe, and the race. A good decision. I hung with friends, and the race is exciting to take part in as crew, or just as a fly on the wall. I crewed for friend Charlie and friend Rich, and Charlie did absolutely textbook terrific, probably even exceeding his expectations, or so it would seem from his pre-race chatter.

Thanks to my awesome crew of Rich, Linda, Tanya, Mike, and BJ. I feel like everybody adjusted to my circumstances phenomenally, and the support during the period before Western was filled with care and understanding. Congrats too to all my friends who got down their and participated, either as runners, pacers or crew. Washington State did very well.

I'll get some pictures up soon enough--I've posted them on FB already, but am now on a second. trip, this time to the east coast for business and family. This post in fact is brought to you from the "friendly" skies ($6 for the fruit plate--how friendly is that?) on my new Ipad. Tech is something else--happy to be on the ride.

I'm leaving things open for now--the mountains will be there. I am registered for Waldo and Cutthroat, so I suppose those are good goals to hope for.

Fairhaven Frosty

25 degrees this morning in the Skagit. Brrrrrr. It took 15 minutes to warm up my truck, and I was slightly concerned about the water to antifreeze mix. I lost a $500 Peugeot for that reason years ago. So, I made a game-time decision this morning to do the Fairhaven Frosty. Love the Frosty. I do it most years. It’s a 10k put on by the Great Bellingham Running Club, with two loops for the 10k, one loop for 5. Lots of B'ham and Skagit friends I’ve been seeing at these events for years. The “race” starts at Fairhaven Park, the same place that C-nut starts, and the run then goes up C-nut Drive, take a left on Old Samish, left on the Interurban (trail that you finish C-nut on), and then loop back to the Park. I like the race because I always seem to do it with friends, usually at less than full speed. It's great to just hang out in the cold weather. Last year we were throwing snowballs. Also, the Frosty is a great bounce back run from the Seattle M, and I’m still a touch sore from that.
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Afterwards, it was lattes at Tony’s with friends. Of course I check my phone because I’m curious about Western States….and there’s an email from Alvin. Unbelievable....I got in! It's like a 17% chance. Completely unexpected, except that it was out there in a "you gotta play to win" sort of way. I'm excited, of course, and very surprised. It sure changes things for next summer, as I was beginning to put together plans to visit the ANWR in Alaska, which I still might do.
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So…here it is, reader(s)….the Top Secret key to winning ultra lotteries….the key is to hang out with Dean T. on the day of the lottery. Seriously. It’s worked every time. Same thing happened last year—we were running Alger Alp when the HR lottery went down. Dean’s the real deal. Also, I’m a Pisces. Someone was asking this week, so maybe that matters.
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Actually, my first reaction was to feel for those who didn’t get in. I don’t lead packs, I don’t run races every weekend, and I guess I'm a little self-conscious with regard to everyone else. I think of myself more as a trail guy who likes to run races because you don't have to pack a lot. I feel like there are others who would die for this, who are faster than me, that are more worthy. Make no mistake—I really want to run Western States. I love trails, I read Ultrarunning Mag cover to cover, and this is a granddaddy—that’s why I put in. Still, I really feel for those who did not get in. I guess I’m just very thankful for this terrific luck-out, and I’m going to make the most of it, especially as we sail through these winter months.
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