Exeter, RI. Border Patrol Challenge - Arcadia Trail. 13 out of 19 completed now.
Went with Brady to Browning Mill Pond. I thought we were in Richmond, but now I see the main parking lot is in Richmond, but where we parked in very nearby Roaring Brook was just over the line in Exeter. At any rate, after a short warm-up along the pond shores, it was go time.
We headed south on the Arcadia Trail, and I immediately fell through some black ice and went down. Other than on the ice, I was having great traction on both rocks and all boardwalks. The boardwalks felt tacky under my VJ Ultra shoes. I might have gotten a little cocky when I was "flying" downhill headed towards KG Ranch Road, slid on a root (no traction there), slid awkwardly, fell, and rolled downhill through a rock and root garden. Scraped up the thigh, but certainly could've been worse. Got up and got going. Again.
Other than tiring on the climbs and tough footwork through technical sections with a lot of rocks, wet spots, and ice, I was feeling good on this run. Until I wasn't. We had repassed Roaring Brook and were now tackling the northern section. My feet were really hurting now. Both feet, but in different places. On my left foot, the ball of my foot. On my right foot, the outside of my right toe. I figured we had about three miles to go and rationalized I should trek on despite the increasing discomfort.
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| As soon as we finished and got back to the car, I couldn't get my shoes and socks off fast enough. Well, this pic and revelation would explain why I had the hot spots. I'm pretty sure (but not positive) that my socks were not torn when I put them on, but as seen here, the threads were quite worn from so many repeated runs and washes and they were likely on their last miles already. --- The right toe is already blistered. Maybe I should've just stopped? Or maybe for longer tough technical and wet friction causing runs like this, I should have some new and maybe blister-resistant socks? And periodically check my socks and throw out worn ones? (Probably all of the above.) |
Considering that I fell twice, I had one wrong-way turn that I had to reverse and correct course, and a few ice-covered sections that I had to slowly work through, I was very surprised to see that I took over a minute off my time from two years ago. 1:51:07 vs 1:52:23.
Tuesday: 1 walk, 1 run
Westerly, RI. CCC annual monitoring, as required for Land Trust accreditation, is about 3/4 complete now. Today we monitored the nascent Cottrell Preserve, which I am proud to say had ZERO litter! Wish we could say that about all of our properties. Next up for monitoring it was off to Colonel Willie Cove. Had no familiarity with this WLT property at all. When we got there, I figured out why: it's almost completely underwater.
Post-CCC, I went to Weekapaug and got ready for a run as I typically do post-CCC. Even putting on my running shoes, I could feel the friction on my two blisters from yesterday. Ran slow and easy hoping this wouldn't bother me, but it did and I realized it was smart to take a break. Aborted the run and returned to the car.
This evening I popped and drained the two blisters, but they were painful even wearing socks so I walked around the house barefoot.
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| Never thought of it that way, but there is some truth to this for sure! --- Way back in the 1970s, my typing teacher Ron DiFabio at Chariho would hit me with a ruler (seriously) when I slouched while typing, and I only took the course as an elective, not having any idea of how often we would type (instead of write) in the future. |
Wednesday: 1 walk
Stonington, CT. Getting up in the morning with pain in the popped blisters told me the best action today would be no running. Went to Kelley's Pace to get some blister-resistant running socks, and took Brady for a walk in Mystic in the fields off nearby Maritime Drive.
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| It was depressing with the temporary break from running, but at least it was a nice day to get outside for a walk. I think Brady agreed. |
Thursday: 3 walk, 10 run
AM: Westerly, RI. Weekly Thursday WLT hikes. Today's hike was at neighboring Champlin Glacier Park. Of course I've been there many times before, but it was a good opportunity to get out on the trails with other like minded people. I also learned a few items (e.g., the difference between kettle ponds and vernal pools, and the specific places in this preserve where evidence of indigenous peoples' activities were found). Jana, my Mom, and Brady also joined the hike.
PM: Charlestown, RI. Not feeling pain in my blisters for the first time since Monday, I figured today would be fine for an attempt to get back out there and try out my new Kelley's Pace socks. Ran the VG plus Burlingame Trails with Brady and Matthew.
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| Today's sock: feetures Elite Ultra Light |
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| I think this was my first time wearing left and right specific socks. |
Today's sock synopsis: I had never heard of the feetures brand of socks, but when I Googled "anti blister running socks", this brand featuredly prominently. The socks felt just a tad loose, but that could be just because I'm right on the cusp of a medium and large. The socks were very comfortable and I had zero issues with them.
Friday: 12
Hopkinton, RI. Challenging and technical run with Brady. From Canonchet trailhead on Route 3, up Canonchet Trail to end, left on Stubtown (dirt trail), right on North Road (dirt), and then up and around Yawgoog Pond. Returned via the very technical Narragansett Trail.
Was feeling fine until the last few miles when I started getting really weak. It was getting towards 2pm and I hadn't eaten since breakfast. That's the trouble with running mid-day. I can't run immediately after eating lunch or I'll throw up, but I also weaken without food. Anyhow, I was running downhill getting close to Asheville Pond when I didn't notice a large branch poking out from the side of the trail and ran smack into it hitting my left bicep. Man did that hurt! I stopped and yelled out in pain, while Brady came back to me to see what was wrong. After gaining my composure, in the technical section just before Asheville Pond, I fell in a rock garden, smacking my left wrist and right knee into rocks. I may or may not have dropped some very loud obscenities.
I had two miles to go, but the rest of the run was not nearly as technical and I had no further issues.
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| Today's sock: Darn Tough |
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| Pretty cool that they're made in Vermont |
Today's sock synopsis: Unlike feetures, I had heard of this brand before. This brand came up in a search for "what sock do ultramarathons wear", but not in the "anti-blister search". In a Runners World review of socks, the feetures sock was rated the "Best for Long Runs" and the Darn Tough socks the "Most Durable".
The Darn Tough socks were comfortable, but unfortunately they irritated one of my two blisters and made it worse. While it's possible this wouldn't be an issue if I didn't have the blister to begin with, this was disheartening and once again I went through the process of popping and draining the now-inflamed blister on my right toe.
So while I'll certainly wear these Darn Tough socks again, after these two tests, in future long trail runs and races especially where I may get my feet wet, I'll be reaching for the feetures socks first.
Saturday: 8
Charlestown, RI. Easy road and grass run at Ninigret Park with Matthew and Brady.
Sunday: 10
Cambridge, MA. Abbreviated warm-up plus disappointing poorly organized race. Separate write-up and rant already posted.
Milton, MA. Six mile cool-down at Ponkapoag and Houghton's Ponds.
Weekly mileage: 56 run, 4 walk
Weekly synopsis: Salvaged running week after painful blister issue. Kind of. Long run mid-week was out, as was any workout attempt.
Weekly highlight: Canonchet / Yawgoog technical run.
Weekly lowlight: Blisters issue.
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