Mission Possible -- Badwater

Phase2 Training Update

Aloha Athletes !

I'll keep this short and sweet. It's comforting to tell you that after a couple of days of light training, the lil' foot seems to be doing okay. I haven't really tested it, and it still feels a bit weak, but we'll take it easy and see what happens. Boys and girls, it really feels good to be back training again ! Yippee !!

Thanks to David Carlsson for the nice comment last week. David is a runner that I really admire for making some very smart decisions, and has returned from difficult times to become a serious runner. He also showed great courage, finishing Run to the Sun after having problems that would have stopped most. Keep an eye out for the name David Carlsson when checking the future running results. He's also a super guy.

Thanks everyone for your concern. I'm looking forward to seeing all of you soon ! Aloha !  Don

Refocus

Aloha athletes and friends !

Wow, I finally learned how to wake-up the sleeping giant(s)...just say in jest that some people are a pain in the ass or someone is a pit bull and they crawl out of the woodwork. Hey, I didn't mention names, but Cheryl sure admitted to the pit bull tag...and what's with McAllaster bringing up the pain in the a$$ thing? Feeling a lil' guilty, Bob? Being serious for a moment, I loving call Cheryl a pit bull for her tenacity about everything in life and McAllaster would be the last person to make my list as a pain in the ass. I could write a book (and maybe I should) about these two wonderful friends, and all the unselfish things that they do for all their many friends (especially me !).

Okay, I know, I'm getting out of hand with this "quote" stuff, but this one was really appropriate, at least in my case...for today (Outside magazine): "The hallmark of a lifelong athlete is not the ability to focus but to refocus." Yikes, that's all I've been doing for the past almost 3 weeks..."refocusing" ! Hopefully training will resume, short and slow, next Tuesday (5-29-07). My great PT guy, Wessel, put my injured foot through it's paces yesterday, and the lil' foot did great ! So, barring any unforseen problems, Phase2 of Ol' Don's Badwater training will begin then...short and slow, complete with serious heat training gear...how I love to sweat !! Obviously my original training schedule has been compromised somewhat, but I feel the resulting additional core-work may more than make up for less time on the roads. We'll know in 2 months. I admit I'm an optimist at heart.

In the mean time, I'm about ready to crawl the walls ! I'm even getting excited thinking about spending time on hot, hard pavement! I can hardly wait until Tuesday.

Thanks to everyone for their concern and their support, especially over the past few trying weeks, and to Paul and Larry for posting comments.

Have a fantastic Memorial Day weekend !

Aloha !

Don

The Dumps are History !

Aloha Friends !

I don't remember who said, "If you don't follow your dreams, you might as well be a turnip", but it made me smile to think about it. I don't know about you, but I have absolutely no plans being a turnip. We athletes are a very fortunate few. We are constantly chasing one dream after the other...and we even catch a few dreams along the way.

Emerging from the dumps actually was pretty easy. All I had to do was focus my attention away from myself, to my friends. For those of you who don't know me very well...I have a semi-truck-load full of friends! In fact, it would give me writer's cramps just telling you about a few of them. Sure, they can be a pain in the ass sometimes and some are part pit-bull, but they really CARE...and there's not a turnip in the bunch ! Everyone of them provides me with inspiration, by continually challenging themselves to succeed and excel. And when I'm having problems, they are there to help.

It's easy to feel sorry for yourself, even if you were the stupid one (like me) that caused the problem, but all of that is behind me. The reality of the situation is that my training is on hold for a few weeks, due to a foot injury. In the interim I am working on my core, which has in the past been my Achilles heel. This will be a very good use of my time. If everything goes as planned, I will still have adequate time to train on the roads prior to leaving for Death Valley.

Mahalo to all of you for your kind thoughts, encouragement, suggestions, help and companionship over the past few months. We have just over two months before Badwater. What an adventure !!

Don

Down-in-the-Dumps Don

Aloha Friends,

Usually about this time of the week, you are able to read what's been going on over the past week or so, out on the hard, hot highway. Well, let's turn the clock back about 8 days. If you've been following the training, you will remember a couple of reports, regarding the 71.3 mile training event. Neither report mentioned my sore feet, which I blew-off typical ultrarunner fashion, since ultrarunners deal with pain al the time. However, I might should have mentioned it...in fact, I might should have stayed at home (instead of doing the 71.3). To cut to the chase, now I've got rather serious foot problems, most likely due to over-use.

Last week I was a good boy and did zero training ! It would have been too painful. I know what you're thinking...what about you tough ultrarunners dealing with pain all the time?? I know. Folks, it hurt just to take a small step. Picture fire shooting out the end of your toe ! Okay, maybe I'm a wimp...a woose...a weanie, but I honestly felt that it would be in my best interest to give it a rest. But you can only rest so long. Besides, I can feel the Badwater clock ticking...tick, tick, tick. I made a trip to Wessel, my great PT guy, who thoroughly checked everything out, recommending rest, ice, ice, ice, ibuprofen, medicated pads, and metatarsal pads. I see him again on Thursday.

This morning, I just had to do something ! So, I put training plan B into effect and went to the YMCA for some aqua-jogging. After all, there would be no impact on the bottom of my injured foot. It worked well for about 35 minutes, until I the affected area began to ache. I exited the pool and by the time I got to my locker, it was really hurting. Not a good sign...now I'm really worried ! With just less than two months of actual training time before Badwater, and having an injury that could possibly take months to heal, I'm scared as hell !

Screw this...it's time to see the doctor ! I went straight there, without an appointment (not smart), but got lucky and they worked me in. After consultation, examination and x-ray, the diagnosis is the possibility of a bone spur (and of course, bruising, inflammation and trauma from over-use. They are going to have me see the podatrist. On hearing of my plans in Death Valley, the doctor actually suggested that she send me to a psychiatrist first, before the podiatrist. The nerve ! However, she was smiling when she said it. Now we wait to see the foot doc.

Okay, that puts us up-to-date as of 2:15 pm on Monday 5-14-07. Please keep your fingers crossed for me, as I need all your positive energy right now. It's very tough to just sit here, when I need to be out training. Just call me "Down-in-the-Dumps Don"

A Long Forced March

It's over now, but it is Tuesday and I am still dragging a bit, still finding myself standing in the kitchen wondering why I am there, still as edgy as shattered glass and just as likely to crack or cut.  And I didn't do the whole damn thing, just about  50 to 55 of it.  What am I droning on about?  Don's latest BW training run that's what, and it was a gem, and one for the history books, at least my history book.   We were supposed to meet at Don's before 5:00 am and head out at 5:00.  But I ran into some snags and tried to intercept them at Castle Hospital in Kailua.  I got there and headed back up the road, ducking in at Maunawili and taking the old road up, almost reaching Castle Ranch Office when I just figured I'd missed them and turned around and headed back to the car.  Fact was if I had continued going I would have run into them in ten minutes or so.  But I didn't and I drove back and forth on the Highway finding  them just as they hit the other old section of the road past the Detention Center.   

The 71.3 Mile Don Ho Memorial Training

Aloha Athletes !

It wasn't planned that way, but since it would be the day they spread legendary Don Ho's ashes off Waikiki, and we would be within a stone's throw of the somber ceremony, it seemed fitting to name our training run after the occasion. Had it been planned, we would have certainly made it 76 miles, to correspond with Don Ho's age when he passed. Oh well, the 71.3 miles definitely felt like 76 miles to me...maybe even more.

Friday, I had made the statement to one of my two partners-in-crime, Ernest Tay, that "it would be fun !" But, had it not been for Ernest's Grandma, who lectured him in the importance of always doing what you commit to do, I possibly would have been all alone for a portion of the trek. You see, I don't think he really believed it would be fun. Grandma won out and despite lingering foot and ankle problems, Ernest was there to down strong coffee, corned beef hash and pears in time for our 5 am start.

Had Ernest taken the easy route and stayed home watching basketball, and nursing his injuries, my other partner-in-crime, Mad Man Mike Muench would have likely joined me the entire way, but as it was, with Ernest there from the start, this gave Mike, who is known far-and-wide as one who will sleep-in at any given opportunity, the opportunity to do just that. Well, he didn't admit to it, saying he searched everywhere, trying to find us, but you need to understand that Mike is the best, at least in these parts, at following indescript pig trails, using long-lost indian tracking methods. For him to say he couldn't find us, in his car, on roads, using a printed street list, just doesn't compute. Mike didn't win the Mystery Run in 2006 by being a dumb-ass...no sireee ! Sorry Mikeee. Anyway, we knew he slept-in and that's okay. Mike's 50+ miles kept us motivated and entertained. When I was compelled to say "I want my mommy", it was great to have these two tough guys there to completely ignore me.

Obviously, several of our running friends sensed that we would sorely need moral and nutritional help along the way. Vernon Char was the first, not only bringing cold, fresh fruit and hummus, but actually joined us for a while on the road, providing us some needed chatter. Bob and Barbi tracked us down and then taunted us with visions of margaritas and mexican food at Compadres (which is where they were headed for Cinco de Mayo), but they did treat us to chips, salsa, yummy cheese dip and cold water. Our buddy Fish actually came to our aid on two occasions, first with chips, soda and water and later (when we were at a low-period) with hot pizza, soda, water, ice, cold towels and sweets. Such a cool guy ! My wonderful Heather and mom found us at Fish's second aid station with cheery faces and brightened my spirits for the remainder of the ordeal...oops, I mean journey.

Yes Ernest, I guess we can say "it was fun !" Many thanks to Ernest, Mike and all our friends who came out and supported us. Aloha ! Don

Training Day Photos from 71.1 Mile Day

I tried my best to convince Don otherwise, however he still went out and trained for hours on Cinco de Mayo. I give him credit, turning down ice cold margarita's all in the spirit of good training. Barbi and I managed to bring a bit of the celebration to the tres amigo's, Don, Ernest and Mike around sunset on our way to celebrating in town. We provided chips, salsa, jalapeno cheese dip (The perfect ultra food, salt, protein, carbs and fat) and ice cold water that seemed to hit the spot.

The tres hombres seemed in good spirits and were moving well as we departed. Here's a few photos: (Remember to click each image to enlarge it)

 

It's Official: 6:00 am start

Aloha All !

As I'm sure many of you know, the Badwater Ultramarathon has a staggered start system, designed to keep the entrants bunched as close together as possible. The slowest start at 6:00 am, the next wave starts at 8:00 am and the faster people start at 10:00 am. Since they keep up with individual times, everything is cool. However, it can make the race interesting from a contestant standpoint. Like last year. There were two fast runners in the first wave, and they crossed the finish line before anyone else. The actual winner, Scott Jurek, who finished with the fastest elapsed time, started in the 10:00 am group. The man who had crossed the finish line first earlier, Akos Konya, had to wait at the finish for several hours only to watch Scott win the race with a faster time.

It's official, starting times have been posted and I will be starting at 6:00 am. Don't be concerned that a repeat of last year will occur, with me finishing first and having to wait around to see who wins. Folks, it ain't gonna happen ! In fact, by the time I finish, the winner will not only have showered, slept for 8 hours and eaten a big meal...they may already be at home in another state !

For me, getting to start ahead of some of the best endurance runners in the world and to have the thrill of them passing me along the way, is something I will always cherish. Hearing them say "good job, old geezer" (just kidding !) as they pass will definitely keep me motivated to the max ! Don