Extreme Running Book

"The more restrictive our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom." (Sir Roger Bannister)

As part of my celebration of finishing 303 miles during the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race, I decided to treat myself to a new running book. I bought "Extreme Running." It is the most attractive running book I've ever seen. The publisher did a top-notch job of using the highest quality paper, photos, typeset, layout, etc. It's gorgeous. The book highlights 24 extreme running events from around the globe (organized by continent). Some I had heard of (Badwater Ultramarathon, Yukon Arctic Ultra, Jungle Marathon, Marathon des Sables, etc) and others I had never heard anything about (Verdon Canyon Challenge, Bogong to Hotham Trail Run, Lake Baikal International Ice Marathon). All the entries are very interesting and fairly short reads--basic race & course statistics, summary of the event, and GREAT photographs. The book is worth the price just for the pictures. If I ever thought the 7-day stage race was hard, all I have to do is open this book and look at some of the crazy terrain people run through in these truly EXTREME events. Three hundred and three miles at Lake of the Woods trails over 7 days barely qualifies as training for one of these races!

"After gazing at the sky for some time, I came to the conclusion that such beauty had been reserved for remote and dangerous places, and that nature has good reasons for demanding special sacrifices from those who dare to contemplate it." (Richard E Byrd)

NOTE: Links to all of my running books, including this one, can be found on the "My Books" section on the left side of the blog. It randomly displays 2 books, but you can click on "my library" and it'll take you to all of them.

Day Seven of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 85 & Sunny, Low: 62
(Thunderstorms in morning)

It's over. The 2008 "Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race" is history. We had 21 finishers. All of them will get a cool finisher certificate courtesy of Katelyn Rose. That's me crossing the "finish line" around 3pm Saturday afternoon. I could have run until 11pm (according to race rules), but I struggled to finish those last few miles. My last 5-mile trail loop took me 2:07 to complete. It was agonizing. I ended up with 303.5 miles. That was my original "Ted Corbitt" goal. And befitting the accomplishment, I was awarded the "Ted Corbitt Achievement Award." This award is given annually to any runner that meets or exceeds 303 miles in the 7-day event. It is designed to honor Ted Corbitt, a pioneer in ultra running, and his 303 miles completed at the age of 82 in a 6-day race. Please note that I exceeded the 303 miles. I have a feeling Ted would have racked up more than 303.5 miles if he had 7 days. Corbitt passed away late last year at the age of 88.

While I am very proud of getting in 303 miles, I think I could have hit 350 miles. Without my class on Monday night I think I would have reached 300 miles on Friday and had less than 50 to go on Saturday. It would have been tough, but the motivation to hit 350 would have kicked in and I'd be out there until 11pm on Saturday trying to rack up those extra miles to break 350. Maybe not. I sure learned a lot about running during these 7 days. My greatest concerns coming into the event were problems that have plagued me in past 100 mile trail races:

-My left knee (almost always hurts after 20 mile runs)
-Serious chaffing (thighs, buttocks, nipples, under arms)
-Blisters (don't get many, but seem to "pop up" after 80 miles)
-Mental fortitude (I give up when I get tired or lose sight of a goal)

None of these were an issue! My left knee held out the whole time WITHOUT any knee brace or pain pills (I took pain relievers the last two days, but for my shins/ankles). I believe the key to keeping the knee in good shape was the slow running pace, with plenty of walking, and no steep downhills. My chaffing problems of the past have been solved with a new lube (SportShield). Frequently changing socks and shoes seemed to prevent blisters (I also used some BlisterShield). As far as mental toughness, well, when you don't have the first few problems, it's a LOT easier staying on track and keeping focused. Every morning at 4am my alarm would go off and I simply forced myself to get out of bed and make coffee. By 4:20am I was eating Cheerios, drinking coffee, and feeling "almost ready" to hit the trail again. I knew the sunrise over the trail would get me going. Every morning I was greeted by a view like that at left--and by curious deer.

One injury I hadn't planned for was the left shin and ankle to swell up and become painful and red. I guess that's what I get for exceeding the 10% rule ("You should increase your activity no more than 10 percent per week"). Well, going from 30-35 miles per week to 303 seems a bit excessive...and I paid the price. Icing and Aleve kept it under some control, but I looked like a wobbling zombie by Saturday afternoon. I'll keep icing today and see how it heals.

Other Lessons Learned:
1. Wear sunscreen. I never got burned. Reapply every 6 hours.
2. Force yourself to eat every loop. You need the calories.
3. Stay hydrated. I alternated H2O, Propel, Conquest, & Succeed.
4. Use an ice bandanna to keep head/neck cool.
5. Wear sunglasses & hat to shield eyes.
6. Soak feet in ice water as often as feasible.
7. If hot, ingest salty snacks & electrolyte pills.
8. If clothes are soaked (rain/sweat), change them.
9. Bring extra toilet paper.
10. Walk often. It's all about relentless forward progress.
11. Music is good. Bring an iPod/MP3 player.
12. Appreciate the trail (no roads!)--nature is wonderful.

Couple runners of note...all 21 finishers were special...but these stood out...

Connie: She came down from Highland, IN and did all 7 days wearing a jacket, tights, gloves, balaclava, and big buffalo hat! I didn't think she'd keep wearing that darn hat all week--she has some serious discipline and determination. She was in training for the Badwater Ultramarathon--she'll crew during the July race and then go back and do the solo run in August. Hope this week helped her acclimate to Death Valley conditions. Sorry it wasn't hotter, but we did hit 90 the first day. In addition to wearing a balaclava, Connie also brought tasty baklava to share.

Donna: She commuted each day from Normal, IL and ran a consistent 20 miles on five of the seven days. She got 25 miles on Wednesday, but only 10 on Friday. Not sure what happened on Friday. Like Connie, Donna brought some homemade treats...great chocolate chip cookies! She also wrangled her boyfriend into coming down on several days. It was nice meeting Steve--they both have great positive attitudes and it was a pleasure spending time on the trail with them.

Bill & Jack: The only real competition all week...subtle, but it was there. They each ran great EVERY day. Reminded me of the world-renown "Migotsky-Nelson Challenge Cup" days (a few years ago). Whatever happened to the Fat Kid? Anyway, Bill & Jack both got smoked by the two women above, but they really did get in a lot of miles and always had nice things to say to me. Bill ended up with 78.5 miles and Jack had 75.1 miles. Next time they'll both break 100 for the week!

Serena & Eric: These relative newcomers blazed through the week and ended up tied for 4th place! I went out last night at 9pm to just walk around and see the fireflies--and there they were finishing 20 miles--and then going out for 10.6 more before 11pm! That's the longest run they've each done...and it came after a long week of running. Well done.

Stage Seven Winner: Serena & Eric (30.6 miles)
Overall Winner: Chris (303.5 miles)
Runner of the Day: All the runners who came out today and finished the 7-day event! Congratulations to all 21 of you. It was great seeing you on the course.
Non-Runner of the Week: Sharon (My wife tended to my needs at night and was on call each day for supplies. Plus, she had to take care of the 8 kids all week by herself. "Kids"=7 gerbils and 1 hamster--they ran quite a bit all week too.)

For those that finished the "minimum" of 5 miles per day (that would be you Scar Face)---good for you! You still beat out a host of fine runners like Injury Prone Pat ("My hip hurts"), The Riddler ("My ankle hurts"), Danielle ("I'm tired"), and my Dances with Dirt buddy Srini (no excuse given).

Here are the male & female champions for 2008...Chris & Connie...at the base of Goat Mountain on Saturday morning.

Thanks to everyone that participated. I couldn't have done it without you. This was an unsupported race--no real aid stations, no volunteers, no crew, no pacers--but we encouraged & supported each other along the way. We are lucky to be healthy enough to do something crazy like this for 7 days. Appreciate your physical and mental strength. It was a great seven days. Are you ready for next year?

Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race motto: "When 6 days just isn't enough...but 8 days is too much." I hear that! Sunday is a day off for me.

PS: I'll never complain about a weekend "20 miler" again. I was getting soft, but now I have re-earned my buffalo nickname...S&M.

Day Six of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 85 & Sunny, Low: 57

Livin' easy, lovin' free, season ticket on a one-way ride
Askin' nothin', leave me be, takin' everythin' in my stride
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme
Ain't nothing that I'd rather do
Goin' down, party time, my friends are gonna be there too
I'm on the highway to hell
Highway to Hell
I'm on the highway to hell
No stop signs, speed limit, nobody's gonna slow me down
Like a wheel, gonna spin it, nobody's gonna mess me around
Hey Satan, payin' my dues, playin' in a rockin' band
Hey Mumma, look at me, I'm on my way to the promised land...

(AC/DC, Highway to Hell, 1979)

One of the greatest hard rock songs from one of the best rock bands ever, AC/DC kept me moving today. Nothing will stop me now. I have my stride (more of a wobble). There are no speed limits or stop signs at the Lake of the Woods trails. Join me tomorrow for one more day of fun...on the trail to the promised land with my friends.

I had some serious shin and ankle swelling today. The top part of my left foot/ankle is red, hot, and swollen (those could be the opening lines of a romance novel). Could be shin splints? Maybe a stress fracture? My wife insisted that I take the middle part of the day off--almost a full 8 hours to elevate the leg and ice the shin area. I'm hoping it's just some soft tissue damage that will heal soon after this is over. If not, I'll visit the local sports medicine clinic. For now, I'm icing the area every few miles. It's going to be a long Saturday (or short if things get worse).

Stage Six Winner: Connie (41 miles)
Overall Leader: Chris (277 miles)
Runner of the Day: The Shadow Runner (This guy has been following me for days. Always just a step behind or ahead of me. Managed to snap a picture early this morning. Look at the long legs on this fella! And people say I have long legs. Funny, he never stops at the shaded aid station.)

Six days done. One day to go!

Don't forget that the race has its own web site. Look for information about next year's event...exciting changes to come in 2009 (like maybe not doing this crazy thing!).

Day Five of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 85 & Sunny, Low: 55

I'm even more tired...and now I hurt. The morning started off well with a left-over full moon ("Moon Over Mahammy"), but it quickly digressed into a house of pain and slow movement. I felt like a sloth. I've never had shin splints, but I think I have them now. They hurt. Apparently I misinterpreted that running advice about not increasing your weekly mileage more than 10% per week. I'm doing 10 times more mileage! I should get that right next time. Coach thinks I should soak my feet and legs in a garbage can filled with ice water. Do I do that on the trail? Or at home with all the spare time I have after running 50 miles each day? I have a race to run and organize.

Too tired to post more, but here's a picture of the one and only aid station (nothing was promised, so water, S-Caps, and a chair is pretty darn good!). Notice the strategic location under a tree. And the "station" moves to stay in the tree shade as the sun rises.

Stage Five Winner: Connie (50 miles, some done before 5am)
Overall Leader: Chris (250 miles)
Runner of the Day: Viola (far right in the photo below--she can't get enough running, but her parents think she's too young for high miles. I admire her spunk and energy. Also, it's cool that she prefers barefoot running. That character in the background is logging some good miles too).

Day Four of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 83 & Sunny, Low: 54

Short & simple summary of day four...I'm tired. I had no energy all day. This was the worst day...so far. But it was a moon run. Beautiful cool, clear night with a bright moon. Fireflies dancing along the trail. Lots of runners. Good way to end the day. Donna (in photo) started the day before me! But she couldn't stay for the moon run.

This whole 7-day thing got in my mind about 2 years ago when I realized the 100th full moon run would be coming up in summer 2008. At first I figured a 100 mile "fun run" would be a good way to celebrate. One hundred moon runs conclude with 100 miles. Not a bad idea, but who can participate in a 100 mile run? Well, if you spread it out over a few days...almost anyone can do serious mileage! Except then it's too easy. So those yahoos in Arizona with the "Across the Years" race (72 hour event) got me thinking. Why just 3 days? There was talk of extending that to a 6-day race. Hasn't happened. There are other 6-day races around the world, but I didn't know of any 7-day races. That's the ticket! Run for a week to celebrate the 100th full moon run. Everyone can run a little each day for a week. How about a minimum of 5 miles/day? Easy. The rest is history...almost. We aren't done yet. Three more days to go.

Stage Four Winner: Chris (55 miles)
Overall Leader: Chris (205 miles)
Runner of the Day: Donna (She drives in from Normal each day, today she even beat me to the trail head at 5am, and she logged 24.5 miles before heading back home!)

Day Three of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 77 & Sunny, Low: 51

In Mahomet, Tuesday night can only mean one thing...pizza night! Every Tuesday, from 5-7pm, Dominos has $5 single-topping large pizzas for pick-up (no order needed). Running a seven day race doesn't change tradition. Around 5:15pm, I stopped running, jumped in the car, grabbed a pizza (and cheesy bread), and headed back to the trails (after delivering the cheesy bread & dipping sauce to Sharon). Sitting under a tree, eating pizza and Coke, while the birds chirp and the wind blows isn't too bad. After running 45 miles, it rocks. Connie has a slice and Bill grabbed one after he tore up the course (Jack has some work cut out for him if he's going to catch 'em).

One of my highlights for the day was being attacked for the 30th time by those swallows on the north-west corner as you just leave the parking lot heading north (or as you almost finish the 5-mile loop). Those suckers are small, but persistent! Lots of dive bombing and chatter. At first they kind of scared me, now I just laugh.

The second "highlight" was stopping for ice and deciding to get a can of marking paint to "tidy up the course" for the moon run tomorrow night. I also grabbed my clippers so I could trim back all the grass around each mile marker and turn sign post. Well, now the posts are clear and I've painted turns (and mile mark lines) all along the course. Jeff does a FANTASTIC job of keeping this whole trail clear and runnable (including adding impromptu bridges like then one to the left). I've just added that last touch--which you won't be able to see during the freaking moon run! Come out early and get a few extra miles in before the 100th moon run. I'll be waiting for you. So will Connie. I hope to have a few newbies out there too. Any buffalo that have NOT done a moon run, MUST come out for #100. And if you've done a few, but not lately, come on out (Davey, ya hear me?).

People always ask me "What do you think about all those hours while you run?" Well, today I thought about my hat. It's my Badwater hat. Not really useful for much except keeping the sun off you--which is important in Death Valley...and climbing up Mt Whitney. And it's been a nice companion this week. A little hot at times, but it does keep the sun off my face, neck, and ears. I've decided to name him "Marshall" (after Marshall Ulrich--one of the greatest ultrarunners around). He's a Badwater legend. I'm sure he'd be proud. Anyway, when you have extra time to think, that's what you might come up with. Guess curing cancer will wait for tomorrow. I now have a steady friend on the trail (although I can guarantee "Marshall" will be relegated to the closet...faster than Derby in the EPL...as soon as this adventure is over--those hats are not very useful for your everyday runs).

Stage Three Winner: Chris (56 miles)
Overall Leader: Chris (150 miles)
Runner of the Day: Chris (You knew this was coming sooner or later! This kid set a goal and reached it with perfection...56 miles before sunset.) I suppose stage win, current leader, and runner of the day gives me a trifecta. Sweet. Too easy for things to go wrong. We still have FOUR FULL DAYS LEFT.

Current results are listed here. I now have an alpha list and a "sorted by total miles" list. A few people haven't reported yet. It's kind of cool to see who Zola and Viola are beating.

Wednesday brings day four and full moon run #100. For those that don't know, that's why this 7-day craziness started. Nobody just runs for 7 days without a reason. Well, not many people. This is a celebration of the Buffalo full moon runs reaching the century mark. Full moon run starts at 9pm. "Moonathon" starts at 5am.

Day Two of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 81 & Sunny, Low: 57

Is this thing REALLY seven days long? I'm tired already and today was a short day (I got 37 miles before class). Do I have to wake up at 4am on Tuesday morning to start running at 5am again? Of course not! I can sleep in all day...but no miles will accumulate. I'll be out there. Wednesday should be my first real test---a full day/evening of running in OK weather (the forecast is a high of 77).

Connie (picture at right) showed up late, but managed 40 miles (best of the day) dressed in her "Death Valley" suit. She wore this yesterday too. She's training for two Badwater trips this summer--first to crew during the official race and then back in August for a solo run. Best of luck to her. After 5 more days she should be acclimated. The heat and sun is getting to me already...she has some serious discipline. I'd be tossing that stuff off after one loop and running to the nearest swimming pool to cool off! I know a good one near the trails.

Even though I was dressed appropriately for the warm & sunny conditions (see my picture with Connie), I still had a hard time. I was moving rather slowly and each time I made it back to the parking lot I'd sit in a chair just hanging out under a tree wondering what I had gotten myself into. If anyone wants to "organize" this event next year...go for it. I might even volunteer. This is killing me.

Stage Two Winner: Connie (40 miles)
Overall Leader: Chris (94 miles)
Runner of the Day: Connie (she got the most miles AND was dressed in full winter garb--buffalo hat, balaclava, jacket, pants, & gloves--makes me look normal!)

Full results on my Google docs page.

Day One of Seven

Temperatures:
High: 90 & Sunny, Low: 62
(Thunderstorms in early evening)

The race banner (at left) hangs quietly at 4:55am. I'm now at home for a quick lunch break. It's currently 88 degrees and sunny! That wears you down pretty quickly. I just took a quick shower, ate lunch, changed clothes, and am now ready to head back for more miles. I ran 30 miles before lunch. Not bad for a warm day. The banner on the left was as fancy as this race will get--hand written race name on a roll of paper towels. It could have been toilet paper, but this is a classy event.

The two runners behind the banner (Jeff & Chris) were in the "first wave" start at 5am (kinda like Badwater Ultramarathon). Jeff sprained his ankle around the 1/4 mile mark. Other runners showed up at their convenience throughout the morning. I think I saw about 20 runners before noon. More race reporting after I get in a full afternoon of running. Storms are predicted around 5pm.

Afternoon update: Well, those storms came! There were thunderstorm warnings around the area--we had ferocious winds, heavy rain, and thunder (lightning was a bit away). At least things cooled off after 5pm. I ended up with 57 miles for the day. The trail now has water and mud, but it should dry up by tomorrow afternoon. I have my Wilderness First Aid course so I'll leave Monday around 3pm to freshen up, eat, and head to class. That only leaves 10 hours for running. Guess that means less sitting around with my legs up on the cooler! At 2pm when it was around 90 degrees, this was pretty comfortable.

Stage One Winner: Chris (57 miles)
Overall Leader: Chris (57 miles)
Runner of the Day: Jeff (the guy sprained his ankle in the first 200 yards and kept going for quite a few miles--and he brought a homemade banner!).

Check out the updated list with mileage totals (some haven't reported yet).

One Day to 7-Day Race!

I just came back from the Lake Mingo 7.1 mile trail race. It was very wet and muddy. I walked most of the race and ended up finishing in about 90 minutes. Not even close to being last place! Darn. Legendary Curt got me a beer at the 5 mile aid station. It didn't even last to mile 6. Fortunately, there was plenty of beer at the finish line. And veggie brats, soda, & chips. Kennekuk throws a good party. I couldn't stay long. I needed to rest. Tomorrow at 5am the "Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race" begins!

The start of the trail (mile zero) is pictured at the left. Zola, the running wonder dog, should appreciate the doggie bags placed at the start. The course is a 5-mile trail through forest, meadows, prairie, and some farmland. It is very well maintained by the Champaign County Forest Preserve (with some extra "volunteer" help from Jeff). I took several pictures of the trail today--they are uploaded to my Picasa web site. Every major turn has a brown post with an arrow. Every mile is similarly marked. Actually every half-mile is marked. FOLLOW THE BROWN SIGN POSTS FOR ALL TURNS AND MILE MARKERS. (Ignore the yellow disks on the ground--those are for the high school XC course.) Jeff and I will have some trail maps at the starting parking lot. Maps (and directions) are also on the 7-day race web site. I'm happy to walk (or run/walk) an entire loop with anyone that is worried about getting lost. I can, and often do, run the whole trail at night without a light. It's a very tame trail so you don't need to watch for rocks and roots. A perfect venue for a 7-day event. Well, almost perfect...it wouldn't hurt to have restrooms, running water, and shelter at the start area. BRING YOUR OWN AID and plan on being self-sufficient.

The park officially closes at 9pm (it might be 10pm in a week or so), but there are no gates that lock you in or out. The restroom on the east parking lot (not our main start/finish area) is locked in the evening. People are free to come and go as they please. There are several convenience store/gas stations in town, plus one grocery store (IGA). Not the largest assortment of restaurants, but Mahomet does have a few fast food spots (Arbys, McDonalds, Subway, etc) plus pizza (Dominos & Monicals) and a few casual sit-down restaurants. I plan on eating food from Los Zarapes (Mexican) and The Wok (Chinese) almost everyday. I am promising no aid, but will probably have a 5-gal cooler with ice water out there each day. My personal snacks will be in my car--I'm happy to share food, drinks, electrolyte pills, etc if you are around when I forage for grub. After just 7 days on the trail, it'll all be over. Here is a photo of the trail finishing at the parking lot. Once you see cars, you are almost done! Best of luck to everyone. Be safe out there and take care of yourself. This is supposed to be a "fun run" not a real race. So have fun.

Trail Conditions for 7-Day Race

The Lake of the Woods trail is in excellent shape. Jeff & Gregg have done a nice job of draining that soggy swamp from the northeast corner of the trail. Jeff's added a few small wooden planks to get across muddy spots on other sections of the trail. We are expecting rain today & tonight, but the weekend should be dry and slightly cooler. Things are looking up! The weather forecast for next week even has the highs in the high 70s (and some low 80s). It's almost too good. The mile 5 sign post (the end of the trail!) is seen in the photo to the left. A whole set of trail photos are embedded in the link at the end of this post.

We now have 20 people signed up for the 7-day event. Check out the list. And for further event information, don't forget the race web site. You can show up and leave whenever you want, but it officially starts at 5am on Sunday, June 15 and ends at 11pm on Saturday, June 21.

The 100th full moon run will be on Wednesday, June 18 at 9pm. Hopefully lots of buffalo will come out and run the trails that night. Come out early and stay late.

Here are recent pictures of the trail posted on Picasa.

Weather looks OK for the week (hot Sunday, but then cooling off)--here is the AccuWeather forecast for Mahomet, IL.

Afraid of 7-Day Race

I'm a bit nervous about the upcoming 7-day stage race. Actually, it's not nerves, it's more like actual fright. To the left is the turn into the parking lot. Once you make that turn, there's no going back! Here are my main concerns...

I'm afraid I haven't prepared very well. My average weekly miles run this year is 31 miles/week. That's not bad, but it ain't terrific either! I had hoped to average more like 50 miles/week. That 31 miles week includes a week where I ran a 100 mile race. Which means I've had some rather low mileage weeks too...like only 10-12 miles. I have supplemented a LITTLE cross training, but not much. I suppose one of the great challenges of doing an ultra endurance event like this 7-day thing is seeing how far a "normal" person can go. I'm no Dean Karnazes. I'm just Chris from Mahomet. I remember reading about Al Arnold (first to cross Death Valley and go up Mt Whitney) saying the real achievement is not to over prepare, but to try the challenge with normal training. See if a regular old guy or gal can cross the desert and go up the mountain. I guess we'll see how far a "regular old Moon Master" can run & walk in 7-days straight.

I'm afraid I'll wilt in the summer heat. We haven't had much heat until recently. This past weekend really got me tired. If I can barely run 15 miles and then mow my yard, how can I keep going for 18 hours? Maybe I'll acclimate DURING the 7-days? If I get severely over-heated, I'll take a break and soak my feet in ice water. I'm not in a rush. I hope to stop for lunch & dinner each day--that'll give me some time off the feet and in some air conditioning.

I'm worried that my feet will be wet for 7 days of running through mud and puddles. The trails have been very water-logged the last 3-4 weeks. Things are turning around now. We've had warmer weather, winds, and no rain. Gregg and Jeff dug some trenches to drain the worst part of the course (corner by Hwy 47). The future looks promising. Jeff has also added a few small wood "bridges" (wooden planks) to low and muddy spots. It might be possible to stay relatively dry.

I'm concerned that anyone that comes might expect actual support. Will people expect water? Ice? Salt pills? Food? Hope not. I will probably have a single 5-gal water cooler filled with water and ice each day. That's about it...and I don't even promise that much support. This is a casual fun run, not an organized race. If all goes well, then we'll have awesome support and extras next year.

My solution to all of the above is simple...do this event simply to see how far I can go. It's for me and not anyone else. Enjoy the challenge. Don't worry about other runners. I'm not competing with anyone except myself. I've always asked myself "How far could I run in a week?" (I'm a bit odd in the Qs I ask myself.) Now I have the opportunity (challenge) to get the answer. I'm curious how many others will come out to challenge themselves.

Don't forget...keep the original goal of this insanity in mind...next week will be full moon run #100 (June 18). That's reason enough to be on the trails all week! Enjoy.

Trail Day a Bust

The National Trail Day yesterday didn't go as planned. I was going to run the 5-Hour Frenzy on the trails at Weldon Springs State Park, but it was canceled due to rain and lightning. A lot of the local area has had flooding too. That left me running on a treadmill at the gym...not a good way to celebrate trails day! Oh well. Today I ran the local trails at Lake of the Woods. It was fun jumping around and through the standing water and mud on the trail. One section has had 3-6 inches of standing water for a couple weeks! The heat, humidity, and sun took it's toll. Tonight I'm beat. I'm definitely not ready to do 7 days straight if the weather doesn't cool off and get drier. Dragging soaking shoes and socks around a trail isn't fun. It's hard work! Even with the best conditions, I'm not in any kind of shape to be doing 7 days on the trails. Whatever...no excuses...it's less than a week away. Sunday, June 15 at 5am starts the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. Jeff (of the famous "Riddle Run") agreed to tend the trails a bit before the race--some extra mowing, maybe even some clipping of branches, and I heard a rumor that he and Gregg might try to drain the soggy corner of the trail by digging a drainage ditch.

I hope my fellow buffalo up at Kettle Moraine had a better weekend than me. That's a great area to run a race (Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin). I think they had a bit cooler weather and less rain. Although northern Illinois had serious storms and even a tornado around Chicago. Too bad the Chicago Fire game wasn't canceled...DC United pulled out a victory. Not a good weekend. Time to leave the blog and study for my Wilderness First Aid course...class begins tomorrow and we already have a reading assignment.

5-Hour Frenzy Sorta Canceled

The Clinton YMCA was putting on the "5-Hour Frenzy" and "Rubber Chicken Relay" this Saturday at Weldon Springs State Park. I thought it would be a great way to celebrate the National Trails Day and also get in a really long run (5 hours) in preparation for the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. Looks like the heavy rains have flooded sections of the park and the race course is being changed (and unofficially canceled). No prize money or awards and only minimal aid. I still plan on attending, getting my race shirt, and having a good long run. Here is the note I received from Jann the race director...

Here is the plan for Saturday: The trail that we had the race course set on is under about 4 feet of water and the level continues to rise. We are going to “Unofficially Cancel” the race and offer full refunds to all the runners who have registered up to this point. However, we have set a different course in the same park on higher ground and I went out and ran it this morning. It’s probably going to be wet…but not over your shoes wet. Anyone who shows up to run should bring their own aid supplies. I’ll have water and pretzels and maybe a few snacks but not a real aid station. It is a 1.5 mile loop that is pretty flat. Anyone who is already registered and shows up to run on Saturday will receive their 5 Hour Frenzy Race Shirt and the shirts are very cool. Anyone who is not registered but shows up to run will not pay a registration fee, and will receive a t-shirt (we have a total of 30 shirts for the 5 Hour Frenzy and 20 for the Rubber Chicken Relay) on a first come, first served basis. Folks are welcome to run as much or as little as they chose and there is a great concession stand-restaurant in the park. We won’t be doing the post race cookout. We want to encourage those who want to get in a few miles and a nice race t-shirt to stop by. We will give it another shot next year.

UPDATE: Race was canceled due to rain and lightning on race day.

Wilderness First Aid

I signed up for a Wilderness First Aid course at Heartland Community College this summer. Gregg told me about it a few weeks ago and it intrigued me. I looked it up online, the cost was reasonable ($89), and it meets at night so it fit with my work schedule. The only problem with the WFA course is that I'll have to skip a few hours of running one night to attend the class--it conflicts with the Buffalo Trace 7-Day Stage Race. Yikes. It's a good excuse to take a break and justify low miles that day. Anyway, it sounds like a cool course. You get 3 required texts included with the registration fee. Among other things, you learn about exposure, shock, insect & animal bites, fractures, altitude sickness, and even sucking chest wounds! In addition to treating injuries, the course covers preventative measures and evacuation plans. Not bad for a month-long course that costs less than $100. I guess next year at the Clinton Lake ultra, if you break your leg, I'll be able to splint it with a tree limb and drag you back to safety. No promises.

When I enrolled in the Wilderness First Aid course, it said "current CPR certification is recommended, but not required." I used to get annual CPR training, but my certification expired many, many years ago. So I signed up for an American Red Cross CPR training class too! There are local chapters providing CPR and AED training in almost every community (local fire departments often provide the same type of trainings). Again, for a small fee ($35), I'll be trained and certified in adult CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED). As a race director, I feel that I should have at least some basic training in first aid and CPR. I suppose every aid station crew should have one trained volunteer too. I'm surprised that RRCA or race insurance policies don't require minimal training standards of race officials. If all race directors were trained in CPR and AEDs, and they actually had an AED, we might prevent a few race deaths every year. In remote trail ultras, where official medical assistance is far away, the need is even greater (and the expenses more justified). I wonder if it'll ever be mandated?

National Trails Day

Less than a week away...June 7 is National Trails Day! The celebration is coordinated by the American Hiking Society. It occurs the first Saturday of June. As trail runners, we should be particularly cognizant of this date. Make sure you get out to the trails and appreciate all the hard work that people have put in to make your runs possible. I'll be at Weldon Springs State Park running the Clinton Community YMCA's "5-Hour Frenzy" on a small trail loop within the park. I've never run there so this is my way of getting out to a new trail and enjoying nature. I'll be pretty beat after the 5-hour run, so no trail work for me at Weldon Springs. Maybe I'll head over to Clinton Lake on Sunday, June 8 to pick up some trash and cut down the itch weed.

This year (2008) is the 50th anniversary of the Ice Age Trail up in Wisconsin. The Ice Age Park and Trail Foundation has some special activities planned for that anniversary. I hope our northern runners can make it out to that trail this coming weekend. For those closer to central Illinois, maybe you can make it out to Clinton Lake, Kickapoo, Kennekuk Cove, Allerton, Forest Glen, or Lake of the Woods. Getting out and enjoying the trail is great, helping keep the trail maintained is even better. Even picking up trash helps. If you find areas that need extensive trail work, contact the local park folks and volunteer to help.

For those that want to contribute more than a few hours to trail maintenance, think about doing a week-long volunteer vacation. Jeff and I are heading down to Mammoth Cave (KY) this October to do a week of trail work with the American Hiking Society. Care to join us? If Kentucky isn't your thing, they have quite a few volunteer trips all across the country.