Prairie Spirit groupie report

The second running of the Prairie Spirit 100 (and 50) took place over the weekend. Epic Ultras served up god weather, great volunteers, and an awesome event--and this year even without epic weather was epic in the minds of most of the participants. This might be the easiest 100 miler in the USA with soft chat to run in for 98% of the way, and barely more than a thin dime's worth of elevation change. I was on the sidelines just being a fan. Ultrarunning IS a spectator sport and I had a great time just hanging out seeing my friends.


We drove up from Tulsa and got to the halfway point just before 5:00 pm--just in time to see my buddy Bill Ford. Dude hardly looked like he had ran 50 miles.


Dana and I were not the only fans out. Shelley and Lori were doing the groupie thing, while both crewing and pacing friends.


Bill and Michele refueled, and headed back north for 50 miles. We planned on following them--jumping from aid station to aid station.


More groupies--Cindy and Teresa were following and crewing Kathy and Roman.

Picture by Lindsy Wenz

My list of people I wanted to follow included several Oklahomans, a couple of Arkansans, a few from Kansas, and a herd of GOATz (Greater Omaha Area Trailrunnerz.)


My Kansas buddy and fellow Flat Rock Fool Zach Adams was doing well. He, Bill, sand Michelle were toe fastest ones I saw, although Earl Blewett and Brian Smith had hit the turnaround before I got there and were both enroute to good finishing times.


Jono looks tired, but he never seemed slow once he was running. He kept a steady pace throughout the race.

The Goatz had two groupies for each runner, or so it seemed.


Goat superstar Bobbie Ruhs rolled into the turnaround looking good.


A beautiful day was drawing to an end, giving way to colder temps. We left the turnaround at Iola,
got a bite to eat, and drove northward to Welda--some 19 miles down the trail.

We were ahead of most of the runners on my list, and we stayed here for around 3 hours.


The Trail Nerds ran this aid station. They were very well organized, and had two soup choices, and all kinds of aid station goodies. It was cold, but they had a propane space heater, and the warmth from the gas fired soup kettles made it pretty cozy.


Jason Dinkel waited for his runner. Jason and I will be running an aid station at FlatRock 101K later this month/


My buddy Tony Clak shows true grit and determination in finishing the race.


And while Tony was impersonation the incredible Hulk, Arnold impersonates an Eskimo.


69 miles, and Bill looks like he is merely out for an easy 6 on a Saturday morning.


Roman and Kathy roll into Welda looking good. Ok, Roman looks pretty sleepy.

We waited until all of my listees came in. Charlotte, Dennis, Ron, Bill C, Amanda, Bobbie, and Caroline. I had a few friends drop along the way, and Welda claimed a couple more. :-( From there, we leapfrogged two aid stations to get ahead of enough runners so we could catch a few winks. This plan worked, but I slept through seeing most of the faster runners. Kurt Egli, Jeff and Amelia Elbert, David Newman, Zach Adams, Earl Blewett, and Brian Smith buzzed through while I slept. I woke up just in time to seer Ken Saveth aka K2, and he had really came back to life. I bet he had close to a negative split, running a huge PR. HGis pacers Michelle Hancock and Travis Owen lit a fire under him and dug him out of cut-off-danger.


Next, Roman and Kathy strolled in and started grazing.


Roman had picked u a huge rock in his calf. Cindy and Dana teamed up on his poor legs, and rubbed out some of the knots in his lower legs.


With a mere 7.5 miles to go, Roman ran on in for a huge PR himself.

Again, we stayed until the last runners came through. I actually ran a couple miles waiting for the last runners. I really miss not getting to run this race.

Picture by Russell Bennett

The GOATz crew made in to the finish 30 minutes under final cutoff. Amanda nabbed her first 100 mile finish, as did Bill Colbert.; This was Ron's third, I think. Dana and I did not go on to the finish line though. We had to get home, and we were worried about falling asleep on the road.

It was tough for me to be on the sidelines--I wanted to run so bad! I think even despite a hampered knee (it is better every day) I could have ran. But I still loved being a groupie and I will go back next year to run this race--and run it well.

Post Oak Challenge aid station's perspective

It's been a while and I'm normally not this late in getting out race reports, so I guess this report is DFL--much like a lot of my races.

The Post Oak Challenge is a 2-day event where trail runners can run a DOUBLE. Only a trail or ultra runners understands the will to do two hard races on consecutive days--it's an oddity to some casual observers, and lunacy to others. The POC has your choice of a 50K/25K/10K on Saturday all on trailz, and your choice of a marathon/half marathon/quarter marathon on Sunday on a mixture of trailz and pavement. I did the big double the first year, and it is super tough. The past 3 years I have worked aid stations which is a blast. It's fun to see to the needs of friends as they push themselves.

 
The different distances are sent out in waves, and on day one, we had quite a bit of wait time til we saw our first runner. We had the privilege of seeing every runner, and the 50K runners twice,


I had fantastic help, with Susan Melon Westmoreland and Mishelle Hancock by my side. Our aid station was well stocked with goodies provided by the Post Oak staff (thank you Charlotte Lindley) and we also brought some goodies of our own.


Jello shots were a favorite. Nearly everyone who knew we had them through on e back. They were yummy, and were a lot like a yogurt cup where the goodies were on the bottom (wink.) The dude at the bottom left was having a big dose of one of our other goodies--CHOCOLATE BACON!!!

Nice crispy salty bacon dipped in a hard shell luscious chocolate. Melon cooked up 11 pounds of bacon, and it was all consumed. And I helped! (to the point of having a tummy ache)

We had such a great time and were out until the last runner came through.

Day two, my station was very near the start/finish, and we serviced only the marathon runners at their halfway point. It was bitterly cold, but the sun shining made it bearable. The chicken soup was a hit, but only for the mid to back of the pack. The front runners checked in and out very fast. My aid station was done and picked up by 11:00 am. I then made my way down the big hill to the point where my aid station was the day before. Monty Python and the Holy Grail was the theme.

Picture stolen from Wes Rupel

Stormy, Brynna, Edward, Christy, Phillip, Sarah, and Wes had this place under control. Runners came through and headed out on the road for an out-and-back, then headed up the Hill from Hell. Directing traffic (cars and runners don't mix well) was a big responsibility, and there were no mishaps. 


This is Holmes Peak-the tallest hill in a 3-county area, and the course goes up and over more times than most runners wished. Here, a GOATz friend Ron Ruhs practices a "Hurdle the weak, trample the dead" philosophy.

Picture stolen from Ron Ruhs

And the payoff for running tough but beautiful trailz for two days in a row--bragging rights, a cool tech shirt, and double bling. It doesn't get much better than this.

Ghost town running

Trail Therapy

I met the Sunday group at Turkey Mountain, and gave thought to trying to run with them. I was dressed for a run, although I had not brought my water bottle. I had a cup of coffee in my Starbucks cup though. The group took off, and I walked with them for 100 yards or so, and when they took of running, I let them go. I would have slowed even the slower ones down, and they would have cut their run short on my account, and if I got into trouble, it would be irresponsible of me for even running at all, let alone messing up their runs.  
So I just walked. I have found all of the geocaches on Turkey Mountain, but I remembered my friend Yogi telling me there was another one that is not on geocaching.com, but on a new site called opencaching.com. A quick download of the app on iPhone, and the search was on.


It was such a nice morning to be out. The skies were partly cloudy--no breeze--and temps in the 30s. Perfect for a run (or walk.) During this time of year, you can see Downtown Tulsa as you approach the overlook. Turkey Mountain earns its name as Tulsa's Urban Wilderness.


Going slow has its benefits. I found a couple of new caves. Both of these will be used in the Barkley Book Fair later this year.


Does the sky get any bluer than this? Maybe in the mountains. The geocache I found was right here--well actually just to the right of this pic.


A couple of miles later, and I felt a small part of myself was healed. Sleeping in seemed good, but going outside was better.

MRI on knee happens next Thursday. The follow-up with my ortho-doc is the following Tuesday.

Slither with us!!!

There is no race like the Snake Run. Sure, there are other races on trails, but this one is different. Your finish time is whenever you want to call it. And how far you run is also up to you. There's more awesome snacks than you can imagine--and most all of your running friends are there. And, you'll see them all day as you pass each other by.

This race has it all. We have old guys....

We have trail brats.... (and they will beat you!)

We have RockStars!!!

We have crazy redheads....

And we have crazy redbeards!!!

(Above pictures provided by Beyond Ordinary Life Photography LLC)



Finish in the top three in the 3-Hour or 6-Hour Snake Run, and you'll earn the scariest trophy on your shelf.

Sign up by CLICKING HERE.

work stuff that's running related

I have not been running much, but I have been around it. My super-great friends at RunnersWorld are moved into their new huge multi-faceted store, and I have helped build some of their displays.
This has been fun--getting to hang out with friends and such. Plus--it's been some inside work on super cold days--BONUS!!


No, I did not move or create the signs. It involved wiring, and the extent of my electrical expertise is plugging an extension cord into a wall socket.


I do have some expertise in spending money at Lowe's and Home Depot though!!



These 2'x 8' shelves were a snap, but were heavy to move. We joked about them getting double-duty as coffins.

This was actually an unpopular post on Facebook. (There were a few peeps who were less than amused.)


Building the cash wrap was a huge challenge. I can't say I breezed through it. I actually have a bald spot on my head from scratching it and saying "hmmmmm."


The marble top had to be reused, as did the counter-top on the inside of the half round structure. I made the walls to fir the marble, before considering the curve of the counter-top. It was a tighter curve. (More head scratching here.) With some minor modifications and some good fortune, it all came together.


Weighing 10,000 lbs, it will never move. In case of a tornado, this would be a good shelter.


My plumbing skills also suck. The most skillful feat of plumbing on my resume is remembering to put the seat down, and I only get a C- on that.. Kathy had this vision of displays made out of galvanized steel pipes. (Could that be called a "pipe dream"?) I think she could have built all of these pipe displays herself, but I was eager to lend a hand. I was confident I could fit these pipes together and guarantee they would not leak.


Kathy wasted no time in filling these racks up.



Notice the metal trim on the edge of the plywood. That is steel shelf tracking, and Kathy thought it would look good along the edge of the wood. It DOES look good. The girl has the knack.


This series of projects was a great challenge, and I loved every bit of it.

Options for my knee

I had my Dr's appointment today. I like my doctor. He thinks running 100 miles is a bit crazy, but he was part of my inspiration to me doing my first marathon. He told me it sucked and he lost a few toenails, but the medal was so worth it. I believed him, and now--90 marathons later--I guess I am hooked. My doc has done a few shorter Tri's but now just does Crossfit. He has yet to get me hooked on that.

I knew going in that this first appointment was a formality. We chatted for a bit, I took a flue shot, had my blood pressure read, weighed (I am getting fatter), and he sent me upstairs to get an x-ray to rule out any fractures. I was happy this went well, and the bone pix were done. I expect to receive a call in the next few days from an orthopedic specialist who will poke and probe, and most likely send me for a MRI or some similar procedure.

Of course, I am weighing my options. I have never tried acupuncture. I cried like a baby getting my flu shot. I was boo-hooing so bad that I thought the tech was just gonna spare me the pain and she was leaving the room. Turns out, while I was crying big old tears, she had already given the shot and I didn't even notice. SO I got to thinking--maybe acupuncture would not be all that bad. I stopped at Barnes and Nobles and bought a book on it.
I had no idea you could do this yourself!! It takes about three weeks to have my needle kit shipped. Reading the article, it looks like I'll be using 30-40 needles. Plus, it'll be 6-8 weeks before I get the kit. And it seems a little fishy that they wanted me to mail the $465.00 in CASH??!? I dunno. I just don't have time to wait that long.

I am IMPATIENT!!! I want to run and NOW! I have been thinking about that treatment that Mr Miyagi gave Daniel LaRusso when that thug Johnny Lawrence dude cracked his knee with an illegal kick.
 
This seemed to work very well, as Daniel popped right up and kicked Johnny Lawrence so hard in the forehead it knocked him out. I did some Googling about Mr Miyagi's little trick. It's called Reiki. The following is copied from some obscure site I found. I hesitate sharing this because it may not be entirely factual--and you KNOW I never post anything on my blog that's not 100% true.

Just what was Mr. Miyagi doing when he healed Daniel’s leg in the Karate Kid movie? He was doing Reiki. Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that transfers energy from one person to another. It was started by Mikao Usui, and brought to America in the 1970’s. I know it all sounds hokey, pokey, but modern science has now proven that the transference of energy from one person to another exists. Science has also proven, that Reiki energy heals tissue and bone at certain frequencies. Reiki is almost like a laser, healing whatever needs to be healed. Reiki energy heals by flowing through the affected parts of the energy field and charging them with positive energy. It raises the vibratory level of the energy field in and around the physical body where the negative thoughts and feelings are lingering. This removes the negative energy. Reiki clears, straightens and heals the energy pathways, thus allowing the life force to flow in a healthy and natural way. Reiki is a special kind of life force that can only be channeled by someone that has been attuned. Everyone who legitimately practices Reiki, has been attuned or given the Reiki energy from someone who comes from a direct line of practitioners from Mikao Usui. Reiki symbols are used to increase power. They used to be handed down from reiki masters in secret, but since the explosion of reiki, you can find a lot of information on the internet and books. Reiki can never hurt the person giving it or the person receiving it. It is pure energy, thus it knows exactly where to go and what to do! Although Reiki energy is spiritual in nature, Reiki is not a religion, it is a healing technique.
How does a reiki treatment work? Reiki energy flows from the practitioners hands onto the client. The client is usually lying on a massage table, but treatments can also be given while the client is seated or even standing. The client remains fully clothed. The practitioner places their hands on or near the client’s body in a series of hand positions. Each position is held for a few minutes, depending on how much reiki the client needs at each position. The whole treatment lasts between 45 and 90 minutes. Feelings of deep relaxation are usually reported. People may also fee a calming, glowing radiance that flows through and surrounds them. Reiki encourages one to let go of all tension, anxiety, fear or other negative feelings. A state of peace and well-being is experienced. Some drift off to sleep or report floating outside their bodies or have visions and other mystical experiences. At the end of the treatment, one feels refreshed with a more positive, balanced outlook. Intense and miraculous healing has been reported for years, all over the world due to reiki. By now, most people know someone who performs Reiki or have had it done. I highly recommend adding reiki to your spa treatment or having it done as a solo treatment. Heal on and feel great Daniel-son.

This is encouaging, but I'm assuming this would not get me 100 miles at Prairie Spirit. I need a back-up plan. There are knee braces out there that might give some relief. I have one which is a neoprene/Velcro device that wraps around and then wraps around again. My leg above the brace spills over the top like an overfilled muffin. After running a mile or so, it starts to slip. Think underwear-creep. The scratch part of the Velcro then grabs to my hairy legs which is a lot like the fuzzy part of the Velcro. Not to fun. When I rip the brace off, the last two rips pull off a small rug of fur from my legs. Remember the 40 Year Old Virgin when he got part of his chest waxed? It hurts on the legs too. But this brace--the Mach 9 has my attention. It goes clear up the leg and connects to a pelvic harness, and ties into the shoe--so I am thinking it would not slip. The knee hinge is spring loaded, and the tension is adjustable. Since my stride with that leg is now 1.5 inches shorter, it could equal that out. I wonder if I could torch it up late in the run to catch that dude who was one-upping me in my age group? The Mach 9 has LOTS of pockets--even more than my cargo shorts! It has a Camelback Bladder option and also a refrigerated compartment for food (and maybe beer?) It also has a connecting ports for a Foley Catheter and a colostomy bag, which would  make aid stations virtually unneeded. There are so many great options but one concern is that the hoses for the waste evacuating applications look identical Camelback hose.  What happens if I get some of the tubes crossed in the middle of the night? Better pack some toothpaste and mouthwash.

Maybe I'll have some good news from the doc.