You ever feel like your arch is going to rip apart during a run? Well that's where I was at mile 18 of the 2022 Blue Ridge Marathon.... Not the Western States leadup I had planned.
We started ultra running in 2002 and the thought of doing a
100 was nowhere to be found. Fast
forward to 2015, a couple “life” variables come up, you’re turning 40, so what
the heck, let’s do the Beast Series.
After finishing the Grindstone 100 I decided to enter the
Western States lottery for the first time and the attitude from that point on
was to continue to qualify for both Western States and Hardrock until I was no
longer interested.
My Qualifiers for the 2022 Western
States;
2016 - Grindstone 100 - 2015
2017 - Hellgate 100k - 2016
2018 - Bighorn 100 - 2017
2019 - Vermont 100 - 2018
2020 - Covid Cancelled
2021 - Bighorn 100 - 2019
2022 - Laurel Highlands 70.5 -
2019
32 Tickets got me in to the
race
The Drama
The Late Summer and Fall of 2021 saw 7 races (3-50ks, 1-marathon, 1-28k,
and 2-VKs) and Covid in the span of 11 weeks.
You can see the details here - http://mountainjunkies.blogspot.com/2021/07/2021-year-of-bad-ideas-with-good-intent.html
That brings us up to date, to 2022 and focusing on putting those 7 years to
good use. I started the year’s
activities, in early January, with the Choas 50k, finishing up my second year
or a running streak and feeling fit and ready to build up towards June. Somewhere, shortly after this, a long term
mild issue of some heel pain started to flare up, I strained the opposite calf,
ran the Terrapin Half with Gina, and continued to try to train for WS.
The Crossroads
The Blue Ridge Marathon fit in to my plan as I figured Mtn Road running
with punishing descents would help prepare for the downhill nature of the WS
and running the road would be less of an issue for my foot. Let’s just say the BRM didn’t go as planned,
my left quad was shot early due to the offloading of pressure of my right foot,
my legs were cooked by Avenham, and right after the top of Peakwood, as you
descend before the steep climb up West Ridge, my PF felt like it was going to
tear in half (no exaggerating). I got to
the top of Peakwood, where Gina and Kathleen were waiting for me and decided
that I was done, I’m pretty sure my words were, “I think I’m going to pull the plug.”
10 Week Countdown and
plan to WS100 – Outlook bleak but possible
- No running until my heal doesn’t hurt
- Increase aerobic training volume each week
Training Log
Week 1 – spin bike, road bike, mtn
bike
Week 2 – only slightly better, added
in some weight bearing work, elliptical and stepmill
Week 3 – spin bike, road bike, elliptical
and stepmill
Week 4 – felt comfortable enough to
test things out and was able to get in a few runs without pain – 6.5 miles of
running
Week 5 – running, spin bike, road
bike, elliptical and stepmill – 34 miles running
Week 6 – running, spin bike – 53 miles
running
Week 7 – running, spin bike – 54 miles
running
Week 8 – running, spin bike – 68 miles
running
Week 9 – running, spin bike – 48 miles
running
Week 10 – running – 32 miles
My foot feels good and ready to go.
