Bryan’s Blog – take two

Well, it has been over half a year since I last updated the blog. Lots of things have happened that prevented me from writing, from work to depression to just not feeling like writing. But right now, sitting outside in the shade of one of my flowering crabapples, Teddy, one of my dogs, chilling at my feet, enjoying the 80 degree weather with a breeze blowing, makes me want to try and take up the pen again (or keyboard, or whatever) and write.

I am still hoping that someday I will finish my 100 mile report – I have it outlined but not written yet – but until then I will give my update and plan for the rest of this year.

Running and being an IPOS: After finishing the Halloween Hundred last October and resting for a few weeks, I started running again to build up to Cocodona. That is, until I developed posterior tibial tendonitis of the right foot, and soon after extensor tendonitis of the left big toe (or something like that – sharp lightning pains in my big toe shooting from the proximal part to the nail fold). Things got better, and I went out to Scottsdale for some training runs and to work with the amazing Chris Thornley and Deb Hamberlin at Bumble Bee aid station at Black Rock 100K. All in all a good time.

While this was all happening I was keeping an eye out about the COVI-19 situation. I wanted to have Lori and my three teens out at the race crewing for me and giving me support, but everyone needed to be vaccinated before that was going to be possible. Iowa had not opened the vaccines yet for anyone under 65, and as the weeks passed I realized that the likelihood of my kids getting vaccinated in time to help out was very low. Therefore I decided to roll over my Cocodona 250 registration to 2022 when I was pretty sure that things would be better and everyone in the family would be vaccinated. Sure enough I was correct – my children just got their second vaccine a few days ago, and Cocodona starts tomorrow, so I am glad I chose to delay the race. I wish everyone good luck out there, and I will most likely be picking everyone’s brains about the race to better prepare myself for next year!

Which brings us to where I am now. I ran my first in person race in over a year at the Fools 5K in Cedar Falls,. The weather was perfect on April 3rd, and I set a PR by almost 2 minutes, running under 30 minutes for the first time ever! I finished a crazy 12 mile run yesterday (May 1st) in 40-50 mph wind gusts and 90 degree weather because I am a masochist to start the taper for the Galena Sky Trail Race on May 15th. This will be my first 8-hour timed race, on the course that I ran a 4-hour race on a few years ago. I like the trails you get to run on, and with the loop being a bit over 3 miles not only do you have an aid station every 5K or so, but you run close to your crew going the other direction so you seem them often as well! Hoping for 50K as an A-goal, with the B-goal being 26.2 miles.

What else for the year, you ask? Well on June 4th I am going up to visit Chris Butcher, a good friend who is 12 weeks out from hip replacement surgery, in Fairbanks Alaska. Never been to Alaska before so really looking forward to it! Plus, while I am there I will run the 24 hour Alaska Endurance Race in Fairbanks, with Chris crewing me (and maybe pacing as well). Should be fun!

I have nothing on the calendar for July and August yet, but hope add a few things soon. In September I am going to be crewing for Deb Hamberlin at the Tahoe 200. She is still on the waitlist, but is 22nd (I think) and so she should get in.

In October I have two choices: I did put my name on the waitlist for Moab 240 (Oct. 8th-13th), and am currently 61st. 280 people are registered, so I figure about a 50/50 chance to get in. If I don’t get in, I had deferred my registration for Javelina Jundred 100K to this year, and could bump that up to the 100 miler. Either way I should be running something in October!

Well, that is all the updating for right now. I will try and be more diligent updating my blog, especially after the Galena Sky Trail Race. Take care and have fun out there!