50k

Physical therapy (struggling with constant pain) continues, but received an excellent prognosis from nurse practitioner regarding my shoulder. As I mentioned earlier in the mont, I am 4 weeks ahead of schedule, but not to push myself too much. She was highly impressed with the progress I had made, which I partly attribute to my way of eat, but I wasn’t going to mention that. I inquired about running and was released to start the activity back up, but any strengthening of the bicep would need to be postponed until the end of November. This is great, as I have my eye on a 50k.

While 2014 is rapidly approaching, the holiday season will see the last 2 months of the year fly by and leave me asking, where did they go? I have been contemplating events I want to participate in next year. Next month I was supposed to run my first marathon in Sacramento (California International Marathon), but with the shoulder surgery, my training program was placed on hold. I have already registered for Tough Mudder 2014 in Lake Tahoe with 27 other people from BART. This will be a great event and look forward to the teamwork and camaraderie.

Two friends I ran Mudder with have been looking at participating in the Endeavor Team Challenge, September in Big Bear, CA. This event makes Tough Mudder look like a Warrior Dash. Not sure I have the full backing of my wife, after showing her a video of competitors pulling themselves across a gorge. It’s a hefty entry fee of $479 (and up, depending on when you register), but the experience will last a lifetime. No one has committed the money yet and the training for some of the event can be accomplished while training for Tough Mudder. There are aspect, rocking climbing, rappelling and orienteering that would take some additional training.

More recently I have been looking for another race to enter, which will probably be my last race. I don’t need to pay an entry fee or receive a medal to prove to myself I can do it. The marathon in Sacramento would have been a challenge, even though the course was relatively downhill from start to finish. But I find road running rather boring and wanting to challenge something bigger. The word “ultra” is enticing.

Starting Sunday I am training to participate in my first ultra marathon, it’s the shortest distance that qualifies as an ultra, 50k (or 31 miles). I have selected the Diablo Trails Challenge 50k as my first and possibly last race I plan to enter. The best part of this race, it’s run completely on trails around Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County. It’s a beautiful setting through numerous regional preserves and a climb elevation of 7,142 feet. Something I have yet to experience or accomplish during a race.

Training for this run will take part over the next 22 weeks, culminating with the 50k on April 19 beginning at 7am. The course will have a 10 hour time limit and will need to be at the 15.6 mile mark in within 5 hours and the 23 mile mark within 7.5 hours. This race won’t be about time, I do believe I can be past both those checkpoints long before the time limits approach. Without putting in some long runs I can only guess I will come in between 5-6 hours. But the goal of this 50k is to finish, that in itself will be a big accomplishment.

I look upon this race as an adventure. The trail and scenery alone are reward enough for me. I won’t take a mobile device to listen to music, rather take comfort in the sights and sounds of the trails in order to concentrate and focus on putting one foot in front of the other. With any luck I will convience a friend to pace me the last 7 or 15.6 miles. I am looking forward to getting back into running with a goal in mind. Let the adventure begin!