I woke up early to walk dog, finish packing up the truck, drive to C-field to drop dog at kennel, then drive to WSP near Potosi for the run. My goal was 20-25 miles, and I wasn't feeling it. As I was leaving the house, I put on for the first time my new pair of Cascadias. These were ordered last summer I think from REI on discount, and they've been waiting and boxed in the closet until needed. Thinking I'd test them out today, I put them on only to find they felt like they were one size to big!?!? I did some comparisons to the current pair, side-by-side and changing back and forth, checking the numbers. I can recall that when I first decided on size 8 Cascadias I was torn between 7.5 and 8 because 8 felt too big, but the 8 worked great in the end. My plan was to run loops on 2-6 mile long trails, so I continued out the door with the shoes knowing I could swap to the older pair.
Ended up leaving 43 mins later than planned, having to stop for gas, loosing momentum with each passing mile. Got to WSP, drove around a bit to get oriented, then found the trail head. I started out on the "1000 steps" trail to test the shoes as it was only 1.5 miles long.
I was immediately unhappy. The trail was muddy and wet from all the rain (it rained all yesterday and overnight in this area) but that wasn't really my issue. The trail was full-on ROCK. Slick, jagged, round, buried, sticking up, loose, embedded. Alllll kinds of rocks on a narrow trail. To get warmed up I diverted to some grass before returning to the trail, only to find spider webs. Alllll kinds of webs -- big orb spider circles at face level, single strands hanging across the trail, sticky gross buggy spider webs. When you add them to a rocky trail, you end up with a set of distractions that really wear me down. So I turned back to the grass and back to the truck, hitting just over a mile.
Off to the main 6 mile train, called .... I forget. Apparently I hated it so much that I've blocked it out. The trail started up a series of steps behind the Thunderbird Lodge (name made more sense to me later) then immediately up a steep hill blocked by fallen limbs that had been there long enough for a well established detour. Up and around, then more uphill of all rock. With all the rain, water was flowing down the hill and most hills I was about to run. Rocks, more rocks, all kinds of rocks just like before. Back by the Lodge I saw a sign that said "XXXX Trail 6 miles, 6 hour hike. Initially I'd laughed at the sign, but I should have taken it more seriously.
The trail continued like this with me barely running most segments. Just couldn't run it. It wasn't fatigue or the new shoes. It was wet rock steps, stumbly rock hills, I know I keep saying this but it was really all rock! Oh and more f^cking spider webs. I kept pushing on, hoping that the terrain could improve for the better.
Of course it didn't. Well it did change, from less to more rock. I did hit short segments I could run, and ran these with glee. Aside from the damned webs. This trail was minimally maintained and rugged, and quite likely the most rugged I've run. Ever. Or maybe that's not fair because I really wasn't running. Most rugged I've hiked?
The web just kept coming, many times the spider landing on my chest or camelbak, and they worst were the ones I pulled off my face. This was just burning me up, lots of negative energy. I started looking for a way out off the trail. My map said I was stuck for a while. F^ck. I convinced myself to at least run the loop.
Around mile 4.5 I tripped over one of those f^cking rocks and fell. Of course, right? And of course I landed on my right knee again and of course I rolled my left ankle hard pulling the outside. I got up, tested the ankle, wasn't broken but certainly damaged. I just wanted to cry in frustration. I really don't think it was the shoes, it just happened. So I kept going.
The ankle hurt but it tingled more, so I figured I was OK to run, and I was. I tried all types of distractions. Think about TV, who had started the MT100 a few hours ago. The sun was shining, the clouds were clearing. It was hot just how I like it. I ate extra mints to perk my mind up. No go. I wanted out. As soon as I came to a road crossing, I rested a bit then turned onto the road. Told myself to hit at least 10 miles.
Up into a campground, loop around, back along the road, back around again back to the lodge at 9.4 miles. As I approached a leaf fell out of a tree and hit my right eye, inciting worry about a corneal abrasion. Went to keep going but around the corner was a long uphill. Walked the uphill, frustrated, hurt, tired, miserable. It just wasn't meant to be today. I'm just not supposed to be here.
I kept moving to walk some more. As I passed a section of trail I flipped it the bird. A double bird, in fact. The Thunderbird reference was from some petroglyphs carved into rock of thunderbirds. I visited the site, half interested in the rocks but more interested in eating mints. Tried to enjoy the history but enjoyed the idea of being done more. I walked back down the hill to the truck.
Changed clothes and took a 'bath' with my wipes in the Lodge restroom. Evaluated the ankle swelling sitting on the endgate during some stretches. Ate a little bit, then decided to visit the nearby Big River. But access was closed off due to flooding. Gawd this just sucks here.
Left to drive to Berryman, stopping first in Potosi along the way. I was debating buying some instant ice packs for the ankle. I found what I wanted at Walmart but as I walking around just find and not really in pain, I didn't buy. Then I realized I was more interested in buying cheese sticks. WTH? They aren't good for my stomach, and why was I craving cheese? Left walmart, ate the rest of lunch. Driving out to Berryman, I passed a Dollar General and thought about getting some glowsticks. Ended up looking for cheese sticks?! WTF? Left without buying anything (happily I recognized what my head was really doing to me with these mental games for f^cking cheese) and finally started on the road to the campground hoping things would get better, wondering if I'd get to run tomorrow, and looking forward to seeing TV!
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