What do you do when the plan is 40 miles?
Well, the main group met at 3 AM to be running by 4:30 AM or close to that time.
Me, that would leave me out there when it is way to hot during the day.
My plan was to start at night.
Well, the main group met at 3 AM to be running by 4:30 AM or close to that time.
Me, that would leave me out there when it is way to hot during the day.
My plan was to start at night.
 |
| Park at red X, Aid at black Xs |
I haven't spent any time with Missy Ezel. I just knew her by site. So we both took a risk, because 40 miles is a lot of hours, what if either one of us was crazy crazy instead of just training for 100 crazy? She is a faster runner than am I. She gets stronger as the miles go on. I'm grateful that she wanted 40 miles without concern for pace.
We met at the gas station at William's Junction at about 9:30 PM.
Missy had placed out one cooler with aid, and I the other so when we got to E-Tower we were ready to rock and roll.
This time of year, anything that looks like a trail is grown up with weeds. Grown up with weeds means BUGS!!! Chiggers and ticks are the demons from hell placed there to make every runner second guess their course. We decided instead of running it as a figure 8 x 2 we would do the 212 route, both directions first, to get the buggy, weedy part of it over with.
I dabble in DoTerra Essential Oils. I mixed a brew to help prevent the bit-ems from getting me.
I applied this to all the openings, ankles, above knees, below knees, I also wore calf sleeves.
The first loop we did the normal routine, run the downhills and the flats, hike the uphills.
The second loop we hardly run a step, kind of a mid-run funk.
Oh we were glad to get the weed wading over with!
The second loop we hardly run a step, kind of a mid-run funk.
Oh we were glad to get the weed wading over with!
Whew!
By the time we got to about mile 4 of the 3rd loop, the sky was starting to get light. Seeing the sky wake up, the sun come up, is a lift to the spirits.
By the time we got to about mile 4 of the 3rd loop, the sky was starting to get light. Seeing the sky wake up, the sun come up, is a lift to the spirits.
 |
| Lake Winona Overlook |
We were making okay time. We were spending time messing with our feet between laps. This training is about finding out what works. So switching shoes, switching socks, keep moving.
I'm dealing with a new problem. Heel blisters. I prepped my feet by putting blister pads under bandages on my heels. Well... another new problem, sensitivity to the adhesive on the bandages. UGH!
Karen Hayes had given me some Hiker's Wool before the Full Moon 50K. It's lamb's wool that has been kind of spun together. You put it between your toes and it helps prevent blisters. I placed it wrong for the Full Moon so there wasn't much improvement. Since then I have been experimenting. I break off a bit, place it over the top/front of my toes, very carefully, not to displace it, put on my Injinji toe socks. So far this has worked very well! Since the 40 mile run last weekend, I have been putting a bit of the lamb's wool around my heel along with the toes. So far, my runs this week, no heel problems. Last night I decided to go one step farther. I put the wool under my bra strap. Wow, what relief not to be eaten alive by my bra!
Back to the run.
Loop four was in the daylight. We were so grateful for a cloudy sky! It would have gotten hot fast without that cloud cover. We decided that the hardest direction was whatever direction you were running at the time! This last loop was uneventful. Thank goodness. We had the opportunity to practice "brain training" as in not complaining, working on keeping our minds on positive things (no, I'm positive this run sucks isn't what I mean).
I'm so glad for the opportunity to spend so many hours with Missy. She is amazing. She had blisters, chiggers, ticks, icks, and Missy doesn't complain! She states what is, but there is no complaint in that. Wow! Missy also gets stronger as the day and the miles go on. What a warrior. This will be her first 100 milers. Baring all the millions of things that one doesn't have control over, she has this! Yes it will suck, but she has the strength, the power and the mindset to get it done!
Back to the bugs....
I'm dealing with a new problem. Heel blisters. I prepped my feet by putting blister pads under bandages on my heels. Well... another new problem, sensitivity to the adhesive on the bandages. UGH!
Karen Hayes had given me some Hiker's Wool before the Full Moon 50K. It's lamb's wool that has been kind of spun together. You put it between your toes and it helps prevent blisters. I placed it wrong for the Full Moon so there wasn't much improvement. Since then I have been experimenting. I break off a bit, place it over the top/front of my toes, very carefully, not to displace it, put on my Injinji toe socks. So far this has worked very well! Since the 40 mile run last weekend, I have been putting a bit of the lamb's wool around my heel along with the toes. So far, my runs this week, no heel problems. Last night I decided to go one step farther. I put the wool under my bra strap. Wow, what relief not to be eaten alive by my bra!
Back to the run.
Loop four was in the daylight. We were so grateful for a cloudy sky! It would have gotten hot fast without that cloud cover. We decided that the hardest direction was whatever direction you were running at the time! This last loop was uneventful. Thank goodness. We had the opportunity to practice "brain training" as in not complaining, working on keeping our minds on positive things (no, I'm positive this run sucks isn't what I mean).
I'm so glad for the opportunity to spend so many hours with Missy. She is amazing. She had blisters, chiggers, ticks, icks, and Missy doesn't complain! She states what is, but there is no complaint in that. Wow! Missy also gets stronger as the day and the miles go on. What a warrior. This will be her first 100 milers. Baring all the millions of things that one doesn't have control over, she has this! Yes it will suck, but she has the strength, the power and the mindset to get it done!
Back to the bugs....
 |
| Seed ticks could care less about essential oils! No chiggers though. |
When we removed our socks it looked like our feet were covered in mud. We were just covered in seed ticks! Seed ticks are like honey badgers, they don't care. So it is back to the drawing board to figure out how to repel ticks. I planned on no more weed wading between now and the Traveller, but I need more trips around the first 17 miles of the course. Nine miles are on the Ouachita Trail so it will be weed wading. Again UGH!
 |
| Barely fast enough, not fast enough, kind of stressing this |
 |
| Recovery ice bath, wearing pajamas and socks |
I'm on track with miles over this training period. I've ramped up my core workouts.
Just keep on keeping on!
Thank you Missy for a fabulous time grinding out 40 miles!
Thank you God for an overcast sky and manageable heat.
Just keep on keeping on!
Thank you Missy for a fabulous time grinding out 40 miles!
Thank you God for an overcast sky and manageable heat.
No comments:
Post a Comment