Sunday, January 25, 2009

Sheer Guts and Muscle Memory

Well, I've had a tough couple of months, getting over Plantar Facsitis in my right foot. It started when I was relegated to pavement running, while on a business trip in Texas for a week. I should've just not run for the week!


Anyway, after running on it for a while and "hoping" that it would go away (with the pain getting steadily worse), I figured out that I just had to stay off of it and do my therapeutic exercises, stretching, yada, yada, to finally get over it. It's been 3 weeks since I've run, and I'm feeling like a pent-up Crack Head on steroids. But the foot is more flexible and feeling better, now. I'll run a little this week and next.


Am I still going to do my 7th consecutive Rocky Raccoon 100-mile trail run on February 7th??? Yep, I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'm going to do it on "sheer guts and muscle memory." I had a lot of pain in last year's race, due to a "wardrobe malfunction." Hopefully, this year pain won't be as much of a factor. It's interesting, but Willie Lambert is basically in the same boat with his foot, and he made the same "muscle memory" statement about his ambitions for this year's RR100. I wish him and all of the other Midwesterners good luck for this year's Rocky. We'll also have our Texas contingent, the Tejas Trail Nerds there and participating (in their own back yard).


I'm still collecting for the American Cancer Society for the Rocky Raccoon 100. It'll be a rough one for me, but I'm just crazy and tough enough to be up to the task. Please participate!


Speaking of tough, Kyle Amos and tony Clark pegged another 100-miler together...probably the toughest in the Western Hemisphere, just shy of Hardrock. Yep, the HURT 100. They came in together in 17th place, overall. With more than half the field either DNF'ing or dropping out at the 100K distance, this is an impressive finish for two Kansan Flatlanders!


Part of the root-infested course.

5 comments:

shliknik said...

Good job Kyle and Tony!

Kyle - you really do look tired in that pic.

Travis said...

I've been fighting PF myself too. So far I've been able to keep it in check with streching, trips to my chiro and rolling it out on a golf ball. Go get em at RR, you'll nail it!

Journey to a Centum said...

Tony and Kyle look whipped! As well they should.

Your legs have been forged on the trail. Mile after mile of unrelenting torture has pounded all the impurities out and left you with limitless travel possibilities! Yes your legs are like samurai swords. Forged from the best steel and annealed to perfection. Go get #8 out of the way! Your taper will help!

@m9f said...

Ben-you'll do great. I did the same thing last year...no training in the bank and went to Leona Divide 50 miler just cuz I couldn't stand the thought of missing it. I did better than the year before! You're hungry, ready to run, and yes, you have the experience/craziness to get you through! GO GET 'EM!!!!!!

Gabe said...

Better to run on Guts than sit on your Buts.

I had 3 weeks of no running before Traveller, I know how you feel kind of but, You are da Man.

See ya there