My Dad and Western States

My Dad, Dale Owens

My Dad spent his last Father’s Day running a 5k at Mount Tabor in Portland, Oregon.  I don’t remember the exact sequence of events and it doesn’t matter enough to do the painful “research”, but I think he was in between 2 surgeries for the brain tumor that ultimately took his life.  Three generations of Owens boys ran that day.  2 things vividly stand out in my mind: Nathaniel was high school track and cross country fit, and ran the first half mile with me at about 8:00 pace, which was somewhere in between where I would run, and hanging back for Dad.  There were runners he knew and had competed against up ahead of him and he felt like a dog on a leash running next to me.  On a long downhill that winds back around itself, I cut him loose and told him to go.  Watching him take off at sub 5 minute pace weaving in and out of 8:00 minute runners was amazing to watch.  The course was a big loop followed by a shorter loop.  You pass by the finish with about a mile to go.  Nathaniel and I had both been finished for quite a while when my Dad and Mom came by the finish line together.  This turned out to be way more than Dad was capable of and with an easy “quit” in sight, I asked him if he wanted to call it a day.  “Nope, I’m fine” was all he said, with a smile.  As we passed the finish chute, a race official called me over and explained that everybody else was in and they were getting ready to take the finish chute down.  I explained the situation and my Dad’s tenacity.  He asked if I knew the remainder of the course as he was going to call the volunteers in, but that he would leave the clock running and finish chute up until we got in.  I assured him I knew the course and off we went.  The finish area was nearly empty when we got back, but a few volunteers remained as did the finish chute and the clock, 1:08 and some inconsequential seconds.

2 weeks before this Father’s Day, I ran Newport Marathon for the 3rd time.  I don’t remember what my goal time was but it must have been 3:40 as I clearly remember hand signaling 1 5 1 and a thumbs up to friends at the half marathon point.  I didn’t run 3:40.  Despite my good friend, Steve, jumping in and trying to “run me in”, my back tightened up and I “quit” around mile 18.  I was shuffling up the last hill (yes, there is a difference between quitting and not finishing) and my Dad was waiting at the top of the hill for me.  There was no parking available up there, so I knew he had walked to be “out on the course” for me.  He ran the last awkwardly steep downhill to the finish with me.  I remember being embarrassed to be coming in late.  I don’t know why I always insist on apologizing if my time isn’t what I told people it would be.  He didn’t seem to care.

I’ll enjoy Father’s day with my kids and their families this Sunday, then head out for Western States, which will be the biggest running challenge of my running life so far.  Dad would have loved this.  Jeanne would not be crewing alone, as there would have been nothing on this planet that would have kept him from being a part of it.  Dad had 2 great sayings, that rattle around in my brain all the time:  “It’s not what you do today, it’s what you do every day, that counts”, has been my training mantra for years.  “It’s not how fast you go, it’s how slow you don’t go”, I have only started really appreciating and understanding lately.

I have no idea what’s ahead of me, in the middle of next Saturday night, I’ve never been there before. But I know what Dad would tell me to do.

Western States with Training Wheels

We’re heading out on Thursday for a training run weekend on the Western States Trail.  I’ll be able to run the last 72 miles of the course, broken up over three days.  32 on Saturday and then 20 on Sunday and Monday.  They have over 100 people signed up to do this so far, which is cool, since it will feel race ish, but I’m planning on taking it real easy.  I’ll be able to run the part of the course that will run at night in the daytime, which seems like a good thing right now, we’ll see if I still feel that way after seeing it!

I’m taking a few clothing and shoe options, wow, that sounds like I should have purses for the ensemble.  Normal aide stations will be in place, so I should also get a good feel for distance between stations and where drop bags should be and what should be in them.

Jeanne will also be able to figure out which aide stations she can get to in time.  I realize some people do races like this with no crew at all, but a lot of planning needs to go into a crew of one.

I’ve decide to delay the decision on whether to use a pacer at least until after this weekend.  It would be nice to have someone that knows the course with me in the dark.  But I tend to lose concentration on where I put my feet when I have someone to talk to.  Sure, there are other factors like motivation etc, but not getting lost and not running off a cliff or stepping on rolling objects are bigger concerns in my mind right now.

It just occurred to me that I should find cool places to eat down there...........

Seattle Sunshine

This is mostly just to post some photos.  I was in Seattle for a very quick 2 days but had a fantastic run around Green Lake.  The kind of morning that you wish you could just run forever, because it feels like you can.

A cup of beer on a bench on a ferry.

Seattle at dusk after sushi.

Aurora bridge on morning run.

Green Lake

This Low

The good times, seem good enough.  I’m gonna try writing about the bad times, and hope to look back and say, “see, it wasn’t that bad”.  My running confidence is at an all time low right now.  I’m less than eight weeks from Western States, and right now, I feel like it’s going to swallow me whole and spit out my bones.  April should have been 300 miles, it was 142.

My left ankle is probably at 80%, but my right one actually hurts more then the left now.   I’ve messed up my right side pretty good, probably from compensating.  My shoulder hurts, bad.  It really doesn’t affect my running but it is another constant pain.  MRI reveals a partial posterior and superior tear of the labrum and tendonosis of the sub scapularis and supraspanitus.  Not really sure what that means, but what I heard was, “you hurt it, it didn’t heal well, you may need surgery but you can try physical therapy first”.

At the time I wrote the above, I had stopped doing the exercises I was supposed to be doing, hadn’t been to chiro or massage in several weeks and had stopped worrying about what I ate.  My general mood was, “what difference does it make, I keep getting hurt anyway”.  In the midst of this pity party I said the wrong (or right) words to myself.  I said, “even if I do all these things, I’m not going to get back to perfect in time”.  Then I thought, “when have you ever been ‘perfect’”.  Something always hurts a little, sometimes even a lot.  And with that, my pity party was, intellectually at least, over.  I started doing my exercises, got adjusted, got a massage, started eating better.  And within a few days, running was actually fun again.

A 20 mile night run last weekend was a bit of a struggle finishing at 2:00 AM, but 33 miles this weekend went really well.  I can still let myself get freaked out by how little time there is before Western States but for now, I’m trying to follow the best advice I’ve received so far.  “I think you have got to think about doing the best you can in any given week and let it take you where it takes you”.

10 miles down, 23 to go to get back to here.

It’s been quite a while since I logged 60 miles in a week but hit 63 last week.  Now I just need to string a bunch of those together.  I meant to include some links and complete endorsements above but will do it all here at the end instead.

Dr. Zohra Campbell for chiropractic care and yoga instruction and Kristel Wonderly for massage at Indigo Wellness Center have been fantastic.  I’m also very impressed with Jeff Blanchard, physical therapist at Therapeutic Associates.  And lastly, Cafe 22, whose only drawback is they don’t serve alcohol.

Cafe 22 burger after 33 miles!

Ups and Downs

It’s been an up and down 9 weeks.  So much so, in fact, that it’s kept me from updating this blog.  Before I could finish writing about something good that happened, something bad would happen and I wouldn’t feel like writing about something good.  Then, just as I was ready to start writing about the bad stuff, something good would happen and I’d be right back in the same boat, only backwards ish.

So, with the help of my running log, and notes jotted or emails sent to friends. Here goes the last 9 weeks in semi abbreviated form.

5 Miles Per Bride, March 5, 2011

For several weeks, I could feel myself needing a long, point to point, run.  I hadn’t been over marathon distance since October, and the loops of my local runs were starting to wear on me.  My favorite part of long distance running is getting somewhere.  From the minute I signed up for Pacific Rim 24 hour run, which is a one mile loop course on March 19th, I knew I needed a destination run to offset that craziness.  The best destinations for me are always food and/or beer, so when I went looking for something 30 to 40 miles away, the destination became obvious, Seven Brides Brewery and Taproom.  Seven Brides Brewing is a great story:

“Several years ago, three dads and two uncles would gather on a Saturday in one of their garages to master the art of home brew. Before long, the salesman of the group said, “You know, this is good enough to sell.” So the friends set out to do just that.
The name “Seven Brides” actually came from the dads’ kids. Between the three of them, they have only daughters. With the rising cost of wedding nuptials, the guys decided they needed to sell enough beer to pay for their daughters weddings. Each of the girls has a beer named after her.”

One of those “dads” was Nathaniel and Jewelia’s chemistry teacher in high school, Phill Knoll.  Phill is also, I might add, a very good runner.

Shannon, Tracy and Paul at mile 8.

I got very lucky on weather, 6 hours of running and about 10 rain drops, total, on my head.  I ran the first 8 miles by myself, then met Paul, Tracy and Shannon at Oak Knoll Golf Course.  We picked up Denice and Jane 5 miles later in West Salem.  I had some form of company all the way to mile 22.  It really helped having a 14 mile distraction.  I stayed pretty steady the whole 35.  I didn't have much spirit for the uphills, in fact it was pretty laughable how quickly I "gave up" on some of them.  

Seven Brides! Mile 35.

I had estimated finishing at Seven Brides Tap Room between 12:30 and 1:00 and pulled in at 12:42.  Two young ladies were waiting at the door with a beer and water, saying "Are you Chris?  Phil (Knoll) thought you might need this"  Doesn't get much better than that!

Have to drink water too!

Maybe it was the distance, maybe I was just really hungry....but at the time, I thought that was one of the best burgers I ever had!

Fall Down Go Boom, March 9, 2011

Post crash

McDonald Forest has been a perpetual source of adventure for me and this night was no different.  It was misty, foggy, wet and dark, so pretty much like the rest of this Winter/Spring.  Coming down the mountain I was running faster than I could see and I’m blind as a bat at night.  While I was on the main trail and I knew the footing was ok, even if I couldn't see it, I could trust it.  Once I hit the technical section, I slowed to what seemed a safe pace given what I could see.  I was probably no more than 200 meters from being out of the tricky shit and stepped on a root I never saw.  My ankle turned and I went flying head first down the hill.  My head lamp ended up in the brush, fortunately the light stayed on and I was able to find it.  I was pretty messed up.  I couldn’t put any weight on my left foot.  I banged up my right knee, elbow and shoulder pretty bad.  To make matters worse, my already messed up shoulder made using crutches almost impossible, but more on my shoulder later.

Looks worse in bad light!

Pacific Rim 24 Hour, March 19, 2011

10 days after my crash, I was feeling well enough to give Pacific Rim 24 hour a try.  I did a test 10 miler the Wednesday before and everything felt good enough.  I had three basic goals and some things I wanted to work on.  My three goals in no specific order were:  Run between 100k and 80 miles, stay on course for as much of the 24 hours as I could without going so deep in the well that I needed a long recovery.  These goals were, in some ways, complimentary and contradictory.    I went through the first 40 miles pretty comfortably and was well ahead of the pace I wanted.  At this point I realized that I was either going to hit the 100k to 80 mile range way too soon, or would eventually be tempted by 100.  So I decided to take a break.  Physically, this hurt me more than it helped me.  Of course my little nap was curled up in the back seat of a sedan, but more on new car selection later.  My back really tightened up during the break. I got it loose again after the 40 mile break but took another one at 100k and it never did loosen up after that one. I decided 70 miles seemed like a nice round number in between 62 and 80 and that by virtue of the 2 breaks I accomplished the “staying out there goal” too.  My legs felt pretty good and I was still able to run at 70 miles. It was pretty humbling and inspiring watching the leaders go past me every 5 or 6 miles. By midnight there were probably less than 20 people still on the course and they were all studs.  The thing about a timed event on a short loop is that you are routinely getting passed by people that are in better shape than you, not necessarily more talented just better trained. It's pretty humbling to watch it go by, again and again.

Awesome picture Jeanne took of me crossing the bridge near midnight.

I Handled food and water really well. Even peed 4 times.  I still need some work on early pacing but am getting better and better.

Contacts, March 22, 2011

My crash in the forest confirmed one thing for me, my luck with running while not really being able to see, might have run out.  So, thanks to Dr. Huggett I am now an everyday wearer of contacts.  So far, so good.  I should have done this a long time ago!

Shoulder, April 4, 2011

My right shoulder has bothered me since hurting it throwing a towel over the shower rod in a motel in Pasadena, while there for my sisters wedding.  I finally broke down and went to my doctor.  His preliminary diagnosis is a torn labrum, but x rays MRI’s and Orthopedist still to come.  Surgery, if necessary can wait until after Western States.

Fall Down Go Boom the Sequel, April 10, 2011

Peterson’s Ridge 40 miler, became an 8 miler for me.  Stepped on a rock and sprained the same ankle again.  I tried to see if hobbling it out would help but quit at 8 miles.

Fall Down Go Boom III, April 23, 2011

I was recovering nicely from sprain 2.  I ran a pretty solid 17 miles the next weekend so I decided a guided trip through “the Maze” of MacDonald Forest would be a good idea.  Another step on another rock decided otherwise.

Very cool path during 17 miles in Bellevue, WA

I’ve got myself to current.  I’m taking a few days off to let my ankle calm down and think through some training decisions.  I’m really in need of some positive running experiences right now!

Eventual Milestones

I’ve been debating the merits of a treadmill at home for years.  For the majority of my years running, I’ve had a gym membership.  This gave me the opportunity to run on a treadmill when necessary.  “When” necessary really is necessary has also been something I’ve debated for years.  Coming back from an injury is a good time for treadmill running, as you are never miles away from being done, if something goes wrong.  Really, really nasty weather might be another, though I’m skeptical of this.  Ice is probably the only weather that should be used as an excuse for running indoors in the Willamette Valley, and we don’t get ice that often.  Running while sick is another decent reason.  I don’t get sick very often, but when I do, with the exception of maybe the first day or two of a fever, I go through several days of too sick to run outdoors but not too sick to run indoors.  So, really, this is probably not more than 10 days a year total.  That isn’t enough to justify a gym membership, which is why I canceled mine.  It certainly isn’t enough to justify purchasing a treadmill for the house, which is exactly what I just did!  

Why?  I was sick last week.  I came back from Vegas with Smoking Redneck Spotted Fever.  It drove me crazy to not run for 5 days, that’s part of it.  Jeanne will use it for walking when the weather is bad outdoors, that’s another part.  And then there is the “solving the morning running, bathroom dilemma”  reason, which may end up being the perfect reason to get one.  Time will tell.  I’ve added a new “surface” to my running log.  I started this year tracking surfaces run on.  So that I could see how many trail miles I logged.  I added a treadmill surface, though I really hope I don’t use it too often.  So, to date for 2011, after my 5 day hiatus, I’m at 288 road miles, 36 trail miles, 21gravel road miles and 7 treadmill miles.  This brings me to almost 14,000 miles since I started running.  I should pass that milestone this weekend.  All of this has me pondering things like “can treadmill miles really be counted in distance, since you don’t go anywhere” and “is the impact of body weight minimized on a treadmill, since you aren’t propelling your own body weight forward” and so on.

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