The First Stupid Thing I Did In 2009.

As I get ready for the Buckeye Trail 50k next weekend I start asking myself if I'm prepared to run 31 miles on frozen trails. Typically when I feel a little pressure I start having stress dreams. You know, the ones where you are trying to run but can't.

They go something like this...Well, here I am running in 8" of fresh snowfall. My van is nearly stuck up at the gate and wind is blowing new snow sideways into my face. I look at my HRM and see the reason my ears are ringing but, I'm not hardly moving. My feet feet keep slipping and ice is building up around my ankles. Every so often I find myself playing leapfrog with a dog named Luna who seems to know the trails better than I do. The woods are mostly quiet though. Very peaceful. The only real thing I can hear is my heart pounding and the sound my lungs make when I'm sucking wind. But that's not all bad. Then to make things really odd, I hear something familiar but new?

"Hey, Man. Do you really think you should run your first marathon, swim 7.5 miles, and do an Ironman all in one year on your fragile base...I don't know, I'm not telling you what to do. Just giving my opinion."

Maybe it's the cold setting in? Maybe my brain is misfiring like my quads. What was that? The voice of reason? The wind?

Nope.

It's Nate Loman...Ahhhhh! Is it true? I don't even smell Hammer products. Then I realize my blocked nasal passages completely prevent me from smelling anything and this isn't a dream. Now it makes sense that I'm leapfrogging a dog...sort of.

Here's what happened. Friday night I text the guy and request his presence at 8am at the West Branch MTB trails regardless of weather. I love running during snowfall. Since it looks like there will be plenty of the stupid white stuff on the BT I figured it was a necessary challenge. Although it was somewhat tough, I see time spent on the trail in the snow is time well spent. After 90 minutes or so, we called it a morning. A good morning.

As for Nate and Luna. I always enjoy the random conversations and advice I get from this guy on an early morning effort. All we needed is a cask of whiskey (or xmas ale) for Luna to carry.

The Second Stupid Thing I Did in 2009.

I have been officially accepted into the Potomac River Swim for the Environment. 7.5 miles of fun. Why do I sign up for things when I am in massive pain. In this case shoulders and back.

And Lastly...

I woke up this morning got dressed and left the house at 4:55a. A few things occurred to me. Damn, I forgot my insoles. Why? Because my feet don't hurt. Then realized I feel pretty rested. Why? Because I slept through the night without shoulder or back pain. What does this all mean. Well, it means that for the first time in 3 years nothing hurts. I'm running far and swimming hard, biking when I can, and lifting, and shoveling snow and blah blah. Today I feel good. And that makes me smile. Just like an early morning trail run. (or when my 4 year old insists that everything is "stupid, stoopid, i hate stoopid".)

and Lastly, Lastly...

"You know what man, I don't say this often or about many things but, this may be 'Epic'."