You'll ruin your knees!
Nice spew... but a lot of it. You will need to work on getting a little more efficient at managing word count before you tackle the Umstead report... just sayin'...
Congrats!
""...the truth that someday, you will go for your last run. But not today—today you got to run." - Matt Crownover (after Western States)
Wow! Congrats on a finishing a freakin tuff race, Trent.
Leslie Living and Running Behind the Redwood Curtain -------------
Trail Runner Nation
Sally McCrae-Choose Strong
Bare Performance
Somebody, please remind me that the best way to finish a tough ultra is simply not to listen to the voices telling you to quit.
I just had this discussion w/ a friend on FB last night. He's 0-4 in 100 milers. His head always gets him... every time. Twice he's talked himself out of it by saying he had to work on Monday.
Here's a bit of the exchange, I got a good chuckle out of Pete (who's REALLY fast, 18th at WS100 last year, something like 10-0 at 100s, never DNFd):
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Runner: It's way past time to break my perfect 0-4 record for 100 milers and this is just the race to do it in. :-)
Me: Misti and my best advice for breaking the streak (being 8-0 at 100s, collectively): - Quit trying to run it for time if you want to break your streak, have a great time, enjoy the night, and finish. If the amazing PR day is meant to be, it ...will be. If the amazing day is not meant to be, you'll destroy yourself trying force that which *cannot* happen. Run by feel. Throw out the watch, the splits, and the goals. (Misti won't even let me tell her what place she is in...even when she's leading the race). - Write on an index card, before the race, the reasons that are valid (to you) for dropping. Laminate this card and put it in your pack. Don't drop unless you meet the criteria on card...period. There are no exceptions. Regardless of what the monkey mind says, if it's not on the card, it's the head messing with you. Eat some bacon and keep walking... it will go away sooner or later. "It never always gets worse"- Take Monday off from work. You trained years for this race, it's only a vacation day. :-)
Misti: My index card says: 1) Am I acutely injured such that I can not physically move forward safely and without help?; 2) Am I non-acutely injured such that to continue running/walking will jeopardize my running for longer than a few months; 3) Am I in a systemic endocrine meltdown that could put my long-term health or my life at substantial risk if I continue?
Runner: @Misti - #3 sounds like a hard one to judge. I thought that I was getting near at Leadville when I quit but I ended up feeling totally fine in 3 days. I think that rule will have to stay off of my card. :-)
Me: I don't follow Misti's #3, it's too subjective. #1: Am I being timed out?#2: Am I being pulled by race medical staff?#3: Is my life in immediate danger? #4: Is serious permanent physical disability likely?If #4, walk out of the aid station slowly with the intent to walk to the next one before fully deciding, or until timed out. Even that reason can be manipulated by the mind enough not to be completely trusted. Never drop at an aid station. Never drop before the sun comes up.
I don't follow Misti's #3, it's too subjective. #1: Am I being timed out?#2: Am I being pulled by race medical staff?#3: Is my life in immediate danger? #4: Is serious permanent physical disability likely?If #4, walk out of the aid station slowly with the intent to walk to the next one before fully deciding, or until timed out. Even that reason can be manipulated by the mind enough not to be completely trusted. Never drop at an aid station. Never drop before the sun comes up.
Pete Stevenson - I just go with #1 and #2 off of Gerber's list. You already signed a waiver for #3 and #4. And don't talk to the medical staff.
Good Bad & The Monkey
walk out of the aid station slowly with the intent to walk to the next one before fully deciding, or until timed out. Even that reason can be manipulated by the mind enough not to be completely trusted. Never drop at an aid station.
I used this a couple times over the weekend. Especially at mile 23.5, coming off the very worst part of the course.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
#1: Am I being timed out?#2: Am I being pulled by race medical staff?#3: Is my life in immediate danger? #4: Is serious permanent physical disability likely?If #4, walk out of the aid station slowly with the intent to walk to the next one before fully deciding, or until timed out. Even that reason can be manipulated by the mind enough not to be completely trusted. Never drop at an aid station. Never drop before the sun comes up.
I've already made a card of this to carry with me at Leona Divide. Just left off the "never drop before the sun comes up" part. If I'm out there that long, I'm lost and I hope the rescue workers find me - soon.
Many of you may have heard this before, but here's something that my HS wrestling coach read us once at the end of a practice.
Dont Quit!When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,when the road you're trudging seems all uphill,When the funds are low and the debts are high,And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,When care is pressing you down a bit,Rest, if you must, but do not quit.Life is queer with its twists and turns,As every one of us sometimes learns,And many a failure turns about,When he might have won had he stuck it out;Don't give up though the pace seems slowYou may succeed with another blow.Often the goal is nearer than,It seems to a faint and faltering man,Often the struggler has given up,When he might have captured the victors cup,And he learned too late when the night slipped down,How close he was to the golden crown.Success is failure turned inside outThe silver tint of the clouds of doubt,And you never can tell how close you are,It may be near when it seems so far,So stick to the fight when you're hardest hitIts when things seem worst that you must not quit.Anonymous
Speed my steps along your path, according to your will.
Nice. My HS CC coach gave us laminated copies of this a long time ago... I used to have it memorized.