Blog Crown the Capitol

Thoughts about Ultra Running by Jim Linville

SuperBowl Sunday, I should be running. I'm not. Ultra running is such a time consuming hobby I get in a habit of putting stuff off so I can run or sleep, or eat, oh yeah,.. and work. With the holidays in December and the new year's launch of January, I have slipped out of shape and out of the routine drive to get out and get in the street. I gained 10 pounds!

Those of you that know me know that I have a goal of finishing the Bad Water. From that stand point Dean Karnazes is my hero, ww.ultramarathonman.com is one of my favorite sites and Kevin Sayers Ultra Running Resource www.ultrunr.com is where I go for advice. I am an ultra runner. For a 10 to 15 mile run to max me out is depressing. But, that is where I am. Can I get to a point in my conditioning to be able to complete a 150 mile run by June 5th? Yes, I can.

In this blog I'll try to relate to you some of the more minute details of this journey. I'll try to avoid some of the more routine. For instance; I've had an issue with the toe next to my littlest toe on my left foot. It seems as though my foot is rolling over on the toe pad and pinching a blister. I've tried several different things from wrapping the toe to different levels of control shoes. I've decided that the orthodics that I was prescribed 5 years ago are no longer what I need. Running in the standard inserts that came with the shoe is relieving the blistering with no obvious damage to my feet or ankles.

Valentine's Day weekend and between the temperature, the weather front moving in and my feet still adjusting to the absence of prescription orthodics, I turned back at 7 miles out. A 14 mile run in four and half hours, I'm okay with that.