Update

First of all, a plug in - I just got a phone call from Rick, who PR'd on Quicksilver 50M course by half an hour in 8:31 after a grueling yet satisfying triathlon race a weekend before at Wildflower!!! Man, he is in shape, how in the world are we supposed to run Bighorn 100M together?? Tom's famous brother Jeff finished second in 6:44!! WS, here he comes! I love getting reports from races:)

I honestly cross-trained the whole week (boy, was I BORED!), although I was lucky enough to get my Marathon & Beyond magazine that week, so at least I could catch up on reading and not shoot someone at the gym while pedaling the elliptical. The pain is much better, thank you very much for your concirn, not completely gone, but doesn't make me panic anymore.

I taped my shin and met with Gail and Mike today at the Herman Creek campground for the proposed route (well, Mike planned a longer day, so he only wanted to join us for the first 14 miles of it). It was fun as usual wiuth this group, and while we chit-chat our way up the first hill which was the regular site of my hill repeats last 2 years (3 miles and almost 2,500 feet see pics here) and still made it only 3 min slower than I did last year. that was so good to know, we didn't even push it that hard, although I did run those ups that were not "vertical"! At the top I complained on my feet - I took a new pair of finally arrived Montrail Nitrus (I alsways do, but probably because I know the shoes very well) - this is a new release from our sposnors, and they do not work out of box for me! I had pain on the bottom of my feet like hell! Some time further up Mike suggested to take insoles out - and it was good one. While my feet felt awkward and were lsiding around, the pain subsided and I was moving better. We began hitting snow drifts pretty soon, but still runnable. What were we thinking? Going, going, cut-off to Herman creek trail - 4 feet of snow, unmarked trail and LOST!!! I mean, we first followed cut-in blazes on the trees, but then they disappeared. This is my thrid time (last one here) on this portion in the snow, and every time we get lost there, on a mere mile connection trail! Insane:) We wandered around looking for a way for about an hour before deciding to retrieve our steps and just go back. Mike left us soon after for his adventures (he just called in alive and well), and we took it all the way to Benson plateu and PCT. I got some hot spots on my feet from sliding and some minor tendinitis on the outside of the left ankle, but other than that, 27 miles and 7,500 fett of climb is checked. I came home and iced every spot I could find.
What brought me to thinking again about my so far going not the great direction year. Mike mentioned on the run that he believes in a 3 years cycle - 2 years build-up and a year of piling up speed (where he is right now), and I remembered how *tc emailed me three times the same thing - be patient, build up, because this is what Master G taught him some time ago too. Now it makes sense to me! I had a couple of good ultrarunning years after 2 years of "building" by running shorter races, then after last year's injury and break body went into new cycle! I like this! Now I have a perfect understanding how I shouldn't push "above and beyond" quite yet and expect great results, and that's why every time I do - I get a new nagging injury. Well, lets be patient. I am in this for a long ride, right?

I'll do a shorter and slower version tomorrow, and I also would like to share some parts from Marathon & Beyond with you, but for now - HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY ladies! And best to folks who is running the inagural Tacoma marathon, as well as to Rob to handle all the volunteers.

As Michelle says it: signing off from somewhat cloudy Portland, OR, tired but happy and at peace - Maniac and Montrail trail runner Olga who smiles no matter what life throws at her:)