A week ago today I was running the magnificant Superior Hiking Trail from Oldenburg Point in Jay Cooke S.P. to Bayfront where the city is already setting up BENTLEYVILLE and it's not even Halloween yet! The long season has consumed me intellectually and physically, henceforth, no recap. Coming into the race 17 pounds over my usual weight gave me everything I could have expected for an obvious outcome.....soreness!! Following an upset stomach from eating out @ Valentini's and then drinking beer @ Va Bene the night before left me troubled as to what I'd eat. Mulling it over too long put me in an even worse circumstance by leaving me depleted. So it goes...blah blah blah...others shared in my despair as I would come up behind Chris Gardner(Sawtooth 100 champion) passing thru the Piedmont stretch. This guy could beat us all running backwards when he is on form but on that afternoon I couldn't coax him to resume shuffling w/me following a brief walk along his side. However, that is the allure of the ultra scene, so much uncertainty for everyone participating on any given day. Finishing 10th overall out of 90 starters was disappointing but knowing how much I struggled, I'm just fine w/it. This Wild Duluth 50K course can be traversed in less than the 5:29 it took me which gives myself reason to do battle once again.
A couple days later, on Monday, Chris Rubesch met me over in Lester Park and I guided him thru a 50-minute loop that made me wish I had just stayed in bed. Feeling surprisingly good despite heavy legs, I picked up the tempo on the descent near the end when OUCH!!! It has been sometime since I last rolled my ankle and my buddy more than saw it, he heard the pop from stepping on a hidden root or rock under the leaves. Fortunately, little swelling and no discoloration is convincing me that it wasn't as bad as past occurrences. Might test it soon but remaining patient.
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