In awe

Tag: misc

  • [679] Life, misc, catching up (Catoctin 50k)

    I wanted this year Catoctin run to be like last year except I could not step into the same river twice.  I had a series of races right before it.

    Recent setbacks.  Old Dominion 100  did not go the way I wanted to go.  It was so close yet so far. 10 miles too far.  I don’t know if I can get over that. I can blame it on the training etc of what leading up to it.  In the end, it resulted in an injury.  So I was sidelined for following two weeks (on my third week without running). I am now 99% recovered but still haven’t got back out running like I used to.

    Then came the OSS/CIA 50.  I knew I would not be able to do well when I entered.  It was hard.  I love the hard run.  I was limited by what my injured leg could bear.  Luckily I did not make it worse. 

    When the Catoctin race came, I was smart enough to sit out on it.  It pained me that I could not run in it.  I chose the second best option to volunteer.  I was asked what if one day I could not run any more, what would I do. I got a good taste of that.  I was injured once, a few years back due to a lower back pain and had to sit out for a few weeks, so this was not the first time I had to take time off from running.  If one day I never run again, which is inevitable because I will get old, I will deal with it when the time comes. I would still love to cheer on others.

    This year has been great. I don’t know why.  I haven’t done anything significant but just feel great. Maybe having less stress of not racing so much.

    I wanted so much to make it like last year, mostly because of the race Western States 100.  It has been exactly a year when I toed the start line.  This weekend is the Western States 100.  I wished I were there.  Couple of the people I know are running in it.  I will be very happy for them regardless how they will do.  Some will be chasing for the grand slam, so some I will be seeing (again) in Vermont or at Wasatch.  I am not doing the slam myself, but I hope to be there. The perspective is a bit different now playing a supportive role compares to doing it myself. 

    Likewise, I originally wished to write about my experience at the Cat 50k this year.  But as a supporter, it is not the same as running in it (2024-report).  I was happy I volunteered last weekend and saw my friends going through the aid stations on a tough course and saw them survived the race and also some that did not. We earned praises from runners and the race director for managing our station well. 

    One thing I wanted to mention was the course was slightly changed before the race (there was a reroute) and because this was an old school kind of race, in that we don’t mark the course, so it was a fun day for people getting lost (for some people not all).  We did our part, in that unofficially, we kind of marked our small section of coming into the aid station with balloons.  And because of about a quarter mile section that deviated off the trail, we sent volunteers near the exit to tell runners where to go.  I was mostly the person there unless my friends came through then I either helped them or joked around and sent them out the wrong way (joking).  I felt I did an important job that day. (I was at the Delauter aid station — we were a newbie crew but we were praised for running the aid station like pros, which I was glad).

    So as expected, the last three weeks haven’t been too well for me.  I took 3 DNF/DNS’s.  Never before had I encountered such setbacks.  They were inevitable.  I have done only two smallish runs so far, about couple miles instead of the usual 25-30 miles. 

    I was asked when is my next big one.  It is coming up in couple weeks.  I don’t feel ready for it. I know I am not. The race name (in VT) must not be mentioned for fear of jinx-ing it.  Then another big one after that (Eastern States) and then Grindstone 100.  I have an axe to grind for that one. I am not afraid of you, Mr. Grindstone (for those who grew up watching Home Alone).  They all come one after another.  Ahhh.  One harder than before.  I have to start training hard.

    That’s a wrap for this week.  I will be watching the Western States even though I am not running in it and probably never will again (report). I love my buckle!  I still need to get a belt for it. 

    When I could not run any more, all I have left is memories from my former races.  Yes, and that actually what I did while volunteering, we were talking about our races when I was asked which one was my favorite.  I love all my races, thinking back those times I was out on the trail.  There’s another alternative, that is hiking/backpacking, more to come (exciting news to share in the next post).

    A small 5 mile training run with a friend at the Manassas National Battlefield last weekend (Juneteeth).

  • Day401 goofing off

    I found something that is better than yt. It’s tw!!

    why tw? Because you could instantly interact with the performers as they perform.

    Been spending 24 hr on it. Not sure why watching people singing and goofing off on camera for hours is so addicting.

    Some good ones though (those who called themselves professionally/classically trained) are not getting the view they should be getting but the goofey ones got tons of views

    I guess if people like good music they would go to a performance, but for some lightheart entertainment the web would do

    I found myself some streamers to follow. The coronavirus pandemic has pushed the gig economy to the web. Too bad there is no livestreaming runners on tw.

    Oh I did some running this week, so it was not all goofing off with watching vods.

    Why gamers change the term vid to vod? cooler I think. probably a vod means unedited. I know it stands for video on demand.

  • Day399 Flex

    those who served, vienna Fairfax

    Not trying to make any statement…just something I saw on my run

    Why is the flag flown at half staff? anyone? Is it because of last week? “insurrection?”

    Short blog today… my sister said my blog is always too long.

    Learned a new web thing today. TL;DR

    I thought it was a typo people put on their blog. I used to code in html right, and I thought sometimes the code accidentally got leak to the page.

    Oh, it means don’t read any further (Too long don’t/didn’t read)

    Got a new pair of shoes…hope to try them this weekend. to break them in

    Brooks…Cascadia – Black with orange strips

    Meta: yes another filler post

  • Day391 short news cycle

    Lack of news because I did the Stone Mill 50 and then the Devil Dog 50K, and ran my last race of the year, I am relatively free this weekend. I was going to do the WTF 50 (course preview), a new course I found by the Virginia Happy Trail people. They are weird I tell you. Ever since I ran their Vicky’s Death March a few weeks back, I am more into their club things and they have tons of set trail courses to run. Last weekend, I joined a few of their members to do the Buck Hollow/Mary’s Rock run and this week I was going to do their MGM stands for Big Butt in latin or Fat Ass Run on the BRR (Bull Run Trail/Run/Ultra – the last R escapes me). They love accronyms. But there the WTF, that a few of them wanted to do today and I like the name. I read it is a tough course. WTF does not mean I thought it means but it stands for WaTerFall. Cute. I guess it is the name of the local mountain or maybe an actual waterfall or a trail name but I couldn’t find it yet on the map.

    I felt a bit lazy and couldn’t will myself to wake up early in time to haul my butt to the trailhead. They were running at 6 AM in the dark and the place is about two hours away. Also I didn’t pack last night so it was not happening. I might try tomorrow morning, which will be another great day.

    Last night a guy was running a 100 miler on my, yes my track, the W-OD (Washington/Old Dominion Trail). That is awesome. No I don’t own it. I am just surprised any one would use that trail for a 100 miler since it is ‘boring’. I didn’t know it was that long either. The guy ran from Arlington and out past Leesburg to Purcellville and back. It was not exactly 100 miles so he did some loops in the middle of night at the other end point before coming back. I normally ride my bike there but never occur to me to run it.

    That kind of give me an idea. Maybe I could do the same!

    Why am I going all over the place? I was or am still trying to find out what I want to do today. I could head to MGM for the Big Butt and see some club members or go to WTF for some waterfall or go see this guy who is doing a 100 mile; he is also a club member. Or doing something completely different on my own.

    On other news, I signed up to be a sweeper for the World’s End Ultra for mile 35-50, roughly. Sweepers ensure no one left on the trail. We sweep the runners/or herd them to the Aid Station for pickup. Usually sweepers have a tough job to encourage the desperate few who are about to be cut to hurry up. No one was taking this segment so I took it. It will be from 5PM to 10PM. I think no one took it because of the emotional aspect to “sweep” people off the course after they have been running for 12 or more hours but likely won’t be able to make it to the finish. We are the person to break that news to them. It will be a fight. You know ultra people have the indomitable spirit and I will be the one to break that in the nicest possible way.

    There was an application process. They would like the sweeper to have first aids knowledge. Usually runners fell behind because of an injury. So I am thinking on signing up at a local REI to have a refresher. I learned those stuff like 25 years ago, so might need a bit of update.

    As for the distance, 14-15 miles shouldn’t be too bad. They asked me what my experiences on trail. The race is billed as the toughest ultra in PA, so ya I got to be able to run the trail. I plan to go to the trail in the spring and run it. I am excited. The race will take place in first weekend of June, a week before my A-race Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Ultra. I was just looking into that. I told them I should be able to handle the trail by then.

    Why I am even a sweeper? My friend is doing the sweeping first 20 mile. He said to come down and join him to spend the day there. I think he is also doing the Laurel Ultra, that how we meet last year.

    As for the Rocky Raccoon 100, I said I have to book the campsite couple weeks ago. I didn’t and ended up all camp spots are taken! Anyway it means I have run my 100 and not sleep, since no campsite. I might snooze in the car afterward. I won’t have any pacer coming with me, so not having a campsite to set a base camp is not a problem. As I said, I will be running through the night, so no need a camp. This will be in first week of February. Still about a month out.

    Yes, I said after Stone Mill, I have to focus on Rocky Raccoon. I need to get up to speed soon. Very soon. That’s the news for this week.