Back At It

Butler Fork to Gobblers, then back.  Nothing really worth reporting other than I pushed hard, felt ok, and enjoyed a nice day out on the trails.

I fully intend on writing a full post about this adventure later on my personal blog.  You should check out Scott's post on this run if you want some details.

Went up to run the Utah Triple Crown with jun and Scott while jun was attempting the FKT.  Scott and I got turned around below Gunsight Pass when a thunderstorm rolled in, but jun was able to complete the route in a new FKT.  Congrats to him!  I had a great time getting out and running with friends. 

I'm thinking about making another attempt at this route when everyong goes up to run Quest For Kings next month.  The only way I'd attempt it again is if I had friends somewhere on the mountain just in case I ran into some trouble.  Gilbert is remote and dying alone up there doesn't sound like too much fun.

Went up with my dad to run the American Fork loop portion of Speedgoat.  After making our way up the canyon on the most horrendous 4-wheeling trail ever, we finally arrived at the campground.  We had a little trouble route finding at the bottom of the canyon, so we ended up heading up Mary Ellen Gulch.  Once at the top we did some exploring, then went up to the the pass that looks over into Snowbird, then descended back down.

At the bottom of the canyon we decided that between the long run, the route finding, and the terrible trail back to the main canyon road, we were just going to stop.  Still ended up getting some great vert and seeing the terrible downhill portion of the course... Which was our main objective in the first place.

Just a run around the neighborhood streets.  Did not feel well at all (see below), but felt like I had to get a run in because my week has been shambles, at best.

My legs felt pretty good after the Triple Crown attempt last Thursday, but my run up Mary Ellen on Saturday was tough.  The legs just felt heavy and unresponsive the whole time.  I was a little bit sore on Sunday, so I decided to take the day off and do a nice mountain run on Monday after work.

Fast forward to Monday around 10:30 am... I'm sitting at my desk and I start feeling some pressure in my chest.  Thought maybe a cold or something was coming on, but it continued to get worse and worse.  I started getting a little shaky and my blood pressure started going up slowly, but I continued on with my work and took a lunch break around noon with some friends.  At the restaurant my friends can tell I'm not doing well so they start asking me questions (they're both moms), which eventually leads to them taking me to the ER.  I avoid going to the doctor whenever possible, but I was trusting their judgment.

When I get to the ER things continued to get worse.  I started to panic and my resting heart rate was around 120 or so.  I'm sweating, shaking, and feeling miserable.  Next thing I know I'm hooked up to an EKG, getting X-Rays, and having blood drawn.  So now I'm thinking I'm having a heart attack!  Seriously???  Diagnosis... Anxiety attack.  I told the nurse that I wasn't doing anything at the time that would've triggered something like that, but she said that's not usually how anxiety attacks happen.  She said it was most likely caused by lots of things pent up, and finally released by something miniscule.  Go figure... In the last 3 months I got divorced, moved, have been given more responsibility at work, been dealing with injury, getting little sleep, not eating right, stressing about Speedgoat and Wasatch, and I'm now in a new relationship with someone who lives 40 minutes away and has two kids (I don't have kids).  I guess that's a lot to deal with, even for someone like myself who's generally pretty even keel.

After some medication, an IV, and about 3.5 hours in the ER they released me.  The medication they sent me home with has left me feeling FLAT and low on energy.  I don't feel happy, sad, excited, or depressed... Just feeling kinda meh.  I realize some people may need it, but living your life on anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medication would suck.  Luckily, I'm taking my last dose tonight (Wednesday) and I'm hoping I can bounce back pretty quickly.  The mountains are calling my name and I'm gonna see how my body reacts tomorrow when I head up the canyon.

I needed to build some confidence back because I've been feeling really defeated since Monday's little episode.  Went up to Mill B South and did the Lake Blanche trail.  When I'm in good shape I'm able to run every step of this trail, and that was the goal for today.  While at times I felt like I was barely moving, I accomplished my goal and ran every step.  Round trip was only about 8 minutes slower than usual too, so that's pretty encouraging.  That means my downhill legs are just about back.

Now if I could just lose this extra 7 or so pounds I'm carrying, I'd be right back in the game.  My focus for the next week: Diet.  Well, and more running of course!

Grandeur fun run loop.  Original plan was to get out and do two loops, but I was so slow on the first loop that I didn't think I'd have time to get a second one in.  Plus my legs were feeling pretty hammered, so I decided to only do the one loop.  I'm fine with my decision though.  I want my legs to feel rested for Speedgoat next weekend.

While I know I'm not quite where I'd like to be in terms of speed and fitness, I know I can put up a better time than I did two years ago which was 7:43.  I'd really like to aim for the 7 hour mark.  Regardless, it will be a great training run for Wasatch.

Went out to get my legs moving fast, so I turned to my usual 5 mile loop around the neighborhood.  Averaged about a 6:45 pace for the first 4 miles then my Del Taco lunch came back to haunt me.  Ducked off into my neighborhood at the first entrance and could barely walk.  I wasn't going to make it home!  I contemplated using a window well of an unfinished house until I spotted a honeybucket.  I've never been more excited to see one of those in my life.

Butler Fork loop.  When I got to the trailhead it was raining.  It was looking like I was in for a long day!  Eventually though, the rain dissipated and it was quite nice out. 

The rain made for an interesting morning.  The weight from the rainwater caused the plants to droop over onto the trail.  This means I stayed soaked from the waist down the entire run.  It also means that I got into LOTS of stinging nettle.  Lots of wildlife sightings too!  Saw at least 10 hummingbirds, which I almost never see on this trail.  Kicked up 30 or so pine hens, which is always a treat because your heart skips a beat when they fly up after almost stepping on them.  Also ran into 2 bull moose which is always cool.

Then I get to the end of the trail and I spotted my dad standing there.  I guess he went up into Mill A and figured that I had gone out for the loop so he waited for me.  I don't think he was waiting more than 5 minutes because he was still steaming from his run.  We seem to randomly run into each other on this trail at least twice a year.

I probably won't run again until Speedgoat, unless I get really bored or something.  Looking forward to running a race again after 10 months.  Sheesh!

Super frustrated with how my day went.  Didn't have my usual climbing gear from the start.  Oh well.  Guess I can't expect a great race when I've been plagued with injuries and only able to put in focused training for the 5 weeks leading up to the race.  Still bummed though.  Full report on my personal blog HERE.