Milestones

The title is a good name for a running blog methinks.  Anyway, time to update you on my running.  Let's start at the beginning of this year.  I trained for the Boston Marathon with the goal that it would be a good halfway point for September's Vermont 50.  Running 26 miles in April would give me ample time to ramp up to 50 by September.  The best laid plans ...

Two weeks before the marathon about 6 miles into an 18 mile trail run I twisted my ankle something awful between a tree root and a rock.  I had a painful 4 mile limp/walk back to the car before heading home for ice and elevation.  The next morning, I woke to some swelling and discomfort, but not enough to keep me from 15 miles - my body/lungs needed it to keep pace, but my foot/ankle sure didn't.  I spent the next two weeks sticking to my marathon training plan as best I could.  I must confess, by marathon Monday, I was feeling no pain, but I'm sure the excitement had something to do with it.  After the run, I took some time to recover - that time turned into the better part of the month of May.

Losing a month was not in my plan for the Vermont 50 miler, so that goal was lowered to the Vermont 50k.  And when June brought the inevitable summer drudgery of oppressive heat, bugs on trail runs, yard work and lawn maintenance, the Vermont 50k became the Vermont "maybe next year".  So what to do?

We were already planning our Labor Day West Virginia trip and thus, the Charleston Distance Run.  I figured a 15 miler would be a nice easy long run at this part in my training.  Instead, it became the new milestone.  Come mid July, I got the inevitable and predictable call - I was needed for Reach the Beach Relay.  I vaguely remember telling Rich back in January/February timeframe that I'd fill in last minute if he was in a real bind.  Of course, July was a little earlier than last minute, but I had no other plans.  (Thinking back, given our RTB history, volunteering to fill in if someone drops out last minute is as good as saying, "call me the night before and give me the hardest, longest, uphill legs.")

So I went from one 50 miler in September to two 15 to 20 milers instead.  I'm still looking for another ultra though, but this year is winding down fast.