The G Running Diary

Cold Mornings: 1/8/03

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Yesterday Don and I went out for a morning run for about half an hour. This was our first bit of running since completing 100 miles, 6 days earlier. Maybe it takes longer to recover. My left hip is bothering me, and during the day after just that little run, my left knee on the outside was troublesome. I feel ok this morning, but it is just as well to stay inside and get some work done. I tried out new shoes--Asics 2080s. They feel more roomy in the toe box, which is the main adjustment I needed from those shoes. Also, the tongue of the shoe is softer, which means that it shouldn't cause a problem with the front of my ankle. I had this problem with my left foot during the Dick Collins Firetrails 50 and my right foot during our Angel Island 100. Pressure on the front of the foot causes it to swell up and irritates the tendons on the inside of the ankle. I'm not sure my feet will ever be the same again. Anyway, so far I like the shoes, but it takes 2 hours of running to really know.

After you complete a hundred miler it is easy to get the post-race blues. The great goal is now behind you and you are left with a body that cannot yet train. You are supposed to just sit there and be proud of your accomplishment, but the mentality of the ultrarunner does not seem able to handle that. So, the way to combat the blues is by planning the next big thing. Maybe this is my downfall. Maybe this is how I got sucked in. Yesterday afternoon I submitted my application to the Badwater Ultra. Never mind the race preparation, it takes a lot of work just to get the application done. I am still waiting to see my name on this list: http://www.badwaterultra.com/2003web/2003roster.htm