Back In The Hunt
Sunday with Herb
Yesterday, I ran the Wyâeast Wonder 50K at Mt Hood, Oregon. This was my first trail race since my heart attack last March.
This was important for me to do, as it was my only true fitness test prior to our long planned goal of fast packing the last 100 mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail into Canada starting in a week and a half.
Iâve been doing easy 3 to 8 mile runs since leaving the hospital, but no long runs. I thought I should be ok for this 50k since it only had about 4,000 ft elevation and was net downhill.
A Bump In The Road ( foot)
Then a week ago, I developed a corn on the bottom of my left foot. Suddenly, even walking on it hurt. My doctor couldnât cut it out with no time to heal before my race, so I made the decision to do the race, then fix it afterwards. Definitely not the smartest choice, but I really needed this fitness test. After all, whatâs a little pain to an Ultra Runner?
Race Day
On race day, I applied a Moleskin donut, pulled on a thicker pair of socks and called it good. After the start, the course gradually goes up for the first few miles so I took advantage of run/walking to keep my heart rate low and reduce pressure on my corn.
Well my heart rate stayed down, but the pain in my foot went up. By the time I made it to the first aid station at 10 miles, I decided this was a stupid idea, my foot was hurting and I was just limping along. I should drop now.
Decision Time
At the aid station, I went directly to the medic and had her redress my corn. I started to think, here I am at 71 years old, the oldest person in the race. I canât drop now. No one my age has ever finished this race. Plus, I need these miles in the mountains. I had plenty of time to make the cut off at the next aid station, so I pressed onâŚ
Time To Get âEr Done
My foot still hurt, but I settled into a rhythm that was manageable and made it to the next aid station with time to spare. With only a little over 12 miles to go, I got excited about finishing. I wasnât last and I knew I could handle 12 more miles. It seemed to take forever to finish, but I just got into that mindless, ultra shuffle and made it to the finish!
Was It Worth It?
Upon reflecting on my decision to do this race instead of fixing my foot, I feel better about it now. It was I very important to test myself and I was proud that I stuck with it and finished. Although I feel prepared enough for our Fast Pack trip, there still is a chance that I canât get my foot sorted out in time. I donât want to be a burden on my Fast packing friends, so weâll see how things shape up this week with the doctor. I feel that when youâre older, and youâre presented with an epic adventure, you need to go for it, what ever it takes!
-Herb
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