Enjoying summer running

Just as I had expressed hope for two weeks ago, in my last post, the legs have come around nicely.  And I’m not even that annoyed with coming home soaking-wet-sweaty after each run, thanks to the summer heat and humidity.  Time heals and conditions everything.  Usually pretty fast, too, if one does not super obsess over something.  Simply, it is nature’s way.  Thank goodness is all I can say about that because the year is half over and there is too much fun to be had on the trails before the fall.

Last week I touched 100 miles.  The week before that, 80.  I’m feeling stronger, like I felt during April.  Leaner.  Recovering quickly.  And I’m hungry for more runs, more climbing, more down hills.  Anything involving being on my feet and outside, moving.  Last year immediately following the Vermont 100 I recovered for two weeks, running very little, then snuck in a 75 mile training week before tapering the final two weeks prior to Leadville.  Basically, I wasn’t much trained up or fresh for Leadville.  Leadville is now less than seven weeks out.   I’ve got two weeks of training under my belt, post Massanutten and Old Dominion recovery, and plan to get in at least five more big weeks still.  Plus, obviously, I ran the race last year and have that experience going for me.  All of this is to say that I’m looking forward to the race with a much greater confidence than last summer.  I’m certainly in no rush for the race to get here- the suspense is a big part of the fun.  Nor do I have any clue as to who will show up as the entrants list is not [yet] published.  I imagine the entrants list will be leaked somehow, somewhere before the race; it was last year.  It doesn’t matter much.  Not knowing who is running is also part of the fun.

Another bit of news on the personal front is that two weeks ago I ditched my orthotics.  I’ve worn them for a few years now, even had them re-covered a few times.  I’ve wanted to wean myself from them for about a year and finally did so, cold-turkey like.  I enjoy the sensation of a lower heal drop and more movement of my metatarsals.  I also think that the lower heal drop sensation is helping with my hip and hamstring, which is what I hoped for when I ditched them in the first place.  Hopefully by ridding myself from orthotics and running with a lower heal drop, opening my lower back muscles and allowing my hamstring to stretch out more in the process, I have fully turned the corner on the path to hip recovery but I will pretend as though I am not.  Meaning, not giving up on yoga, stretching, glut work, core, etc.  I’m also now flirting with new trail shoes but, honestly, am very intimidated by the sheer volume of options in the market.  I’ve run mostly in Asics for so long.  Where to begin?  Well, for now I know where not to begin.  Last week I blew the dust off a box of brand new LA Sportiva Fireblades, size 12, I had stuffed in a closest for a year and a half.  One ten mile run on the Buttermilk trails in Richmond, Virginia told me this shoe model is not for me.  The toe box is too small.  Who wants them?  The first person to email their name and mailing address can have them.  I’ll even pay the postage- but only within the lower 48 US states.  nealgorman...at...hotmail.com.

Here they are.