Recovery

Well its been two weeks since Pocatello and I feel that I'm fully recovered. The first two days after the race I was really sore (mainly in the quads) and getting around was slow but every day after that I seemed to feel better and better.  We spent four days down in Utah visiting family after the race before heading home. The kids loved playing with their cousins which are all about the same age. When we got back From Utah I started lifting and cycling, nothing super intense just wanted to get the body moving again. The start of the second week after the race I started lifting harder and did a little jogging (5-10min) to warm up before lifting. I even lifted on my legs on Wednesday which left good but they were sore for two days afterwards. On Friday I went on my first "real" run with Vern over at Syringa. Didn't break any speed records but went five miles and it felt great to be out again. I could have run longer or harder but I wanted to play it safe, at least for a couple more days. I lifted again on my legs on Saturday and ran a mile. The legs are starting to feel strong again so next week I'll start training for Angels Staircase.

Angles Staircase is a 60k (about 37miles) races in Washington state that climbs to 8000ft(starting from 2100ft!) above sea level at the top of Angels Staircase. The trail climbs above treeline to the top of the rocky ridge line that separates the Lake Chelan Watershed from the Methow River Watershed. From the high points of the course you can see Glacier Peak and the surrounding North Cascades Mountains to the West as well as the smaller and older Okanogan Range to the North and East . Its a very remote race in the back-country of the North Cascades, Chelan Sawtooth Sub Range. Most of the race is in high alpine so the views should be stunning. My dad is coming and plans to hike to the top of the Angels Staircase and then back down (about 16 miles) and I believe Vern is planning to run the 60k as well. The only bummer with this race is that it is so remote that I won't be bringing Katie and the kids (we will be camping the night before and the nearest town is about 30+ miles away) its just not really doable with a baby and three little kids. I'm going to really miss the support they gave me in the last race, they were great! They will for sure be in my thoughts and prayers as I run. They are so supportive of me, I couldn't ask for a better family then the one I have now! I love them so much.

More Follow-up thoughts on Pocatello- I clearly got dehydrated relatively early in the race. I believe I actually started the race a bit dehydrated from the trip down and nerves. I didn't keep hydrated enough the days before the race, so that should be an easy fix. I also will carry salt and electrolyte pills and take them early and often. To answer some questions from Grandpa Ed, I write the following. First, I didn't have any blisters, I credit a lot of that to good socks and shoes. That being said my feet did swell up for about a day afterwards (probably do to the fact that I switched to shoes I hadn't worn in a while at mile 32). Second, the best time for this course is 8:14 set in 2010 by Dakota Jones one of the top ultrarunners in the world. Third, not only do people run 50 miles in one day but there are 100+ mile races. I believe the world record is 167 miles in 24 hrs and the fastest 100 mile run was done just under 13 hrs (it was really flat terrain).

Final Thought- After completing Pocatello one thought has crossed my mind and that is even after running 53 miles I could take one more step. In fact I probably could have ran 5-10 more miles maybe more (despite the condition that I was in). This realization has prompted the now serious consideration of running a 100 mile race. I don't plan on doing it soon I want to enjoy the 30-50 mile distances for a little longer before jumping up to a 100 (pulse I have only been running for a little over a year and I would like to build some more base fitness). I plan on attempting a 100 miler in 2014 so I have some time to figure out which race I'll do but as of right now the Wasatch 100 or the Bear 100 would be my top two choices both are run in the mountains of Utah.  

I love the mountains
(Pic from trip to Utah)

Sun rise on the Wasatch Front

Montana just below Butte
(taken on our way home from Utah)

Hiking the Syringa Trail with the Family

Our Kids love going hiking, it is one of their favorite things to do.
Their always begging to go and the have so much fun running up and down the trails. 

Matthias running up the trail