What a great way to start 2022 than a hike at one of my favorite places. Nice hike in the wintertime woods. A bit muddy from recent rains made the trail conditions less than ideal. Still nice to get out and enjoy the morning with friends.

I decided to run the New Year’s 5 miler at the last minute. It’s a race that has become a tradition the last several years. It’s a part of the winter series including the Turkey trot and St. Patrick’s day distance festival. A cold morning but clear. The roads were mainly wet. I had some breathing issues and had to run/walk most of it. I still have a few things to work on to get myself in better running shape. It’s another good way to ring in the New Year!! 🏃🏻‍♂️❄️🏃🏻‍♀️❄️🏃🏻‍♂️

~”Salt Fork State Park is a state park located north of Lore City in Guernsey County, Ohio, United States. It contains 17,229 acres of land and 2,952 acres of water. It is the largest state park in Ohio.” ~
We are always trying to find new place to run and explore. This race came up on Facebook a few months ago and figured it would be a nice weekend to do something in December. It was a great course located within the state park. Single track, logging roads and plenty of decent hills made this an interesting run/hike. The rain a few days before and the morning of the race made for pretty rough trail conditions. But after running in the mud pretty much all of 2021. You start to get used to it!! Lol 😂. The course ran along a lake. Making for some great views. The trail community in Ohio was very friendly as all trail runners primarily are. Helping each other out on the course. The temperature was in the 60’s at the start and windy. It rained an hour or so into the race. Making everything slicker. It finally ended and came back as a storm burst with wind and cold air two miles from the finish. All in all a great day to be on the trails with friends. We plan on returning hopefully in June to do the summer version, Summer Sasquatch 10 miler.

Great morning for a run at Presque Isle. The 10k course was two loops of the 5k course. Different from past years but it worked out well. I tried to do some pulse running as I’m not back to where I was before my Achilles issue. I ran two minutes and walked two minutes. Seemed to work out well for me. With it being cold outside I couldn’t get my breathing right. Of course it got better towards the end of the race. Regardless, It was a great morning of running. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍁

Oilcreek 100 - the wet, the muddy and the crazy.
I went into this race under trained and dealing with an injury. So no expectations and time frames to finish so was going on with a clear mind. Enjoy the day and connect with the forest again. Easy. Right? Just like every thing dealing with Oilcreek nothing is predictable. The forecast called for rain all week so it wasn’t like we didn’t expect it. With a severe thunderstorm on Friday afternoon and rain showers overnight. The trail was surely going to be soaked by then.

So they race started with darknesses and rain showers (of course lol ). Making it to the trailhead off the bike path and started the climb to start the trail portion. From the amount of water running downhill I knew it was going to be a long day. The trail conditions worsened as so many runners trampled the mud and muck. Making it the consistency of basically quicksand. I’m sure many shoes were lost and then found again. Trail shoes are expensive!!

The highlight of the day was the many conversations with fellow runners. On portions on the trail or in passing. Most of the conversation was about the trail conditions and the rain but trail runners are a resilient group of people. We just put our head down and keep moving forward. But not without a sense of humor about the whole situation. “We actually pay money to do this!!” “What are normal people doing right now?” Trail humor is the best!! It will get you through a tough stretch of trail for sure. You have to laugh at yourself!! Life is too short.

The rain did eventually stop. Believe it or not. The sun came out for awhile. Not enough to dry the trails out. That will take days if possible. Some of the uphill climbs were so bad. That you were literally on your hands and feet pulling your way through the muck. Trekking poles were a godsend at least for me. They helped secure my footing on difficult water obstacles and uphill and downhill ascent/descents. I still fell 5 times. Usually in front of other runners. Hurting nothing but my pride. I laughed it off but was swearing under my breath. I felt all those falls the next day.

The aid stations were so amazing!! The staff was extremely helpful to all your needs and attentive to every runner passing through. They had everything a runner would need to keep going. From hydration products to hot food. Almost anything to fuel up your tank and get you on your way. Oilcreek100 has the best aid stations in my opinion. They are staffed by runners. So who better to know your needs than them. They have been in your shoes literally. They can tell by the look on your face if your having a bad time or need some encouragement. They are also your biggest cheering section. Coming into an aid station to clapping and cheering. Feels real good after you battled mud up to your ankles to get there!! Sometimes the conversations with the aid stations workers is enough to change your mind on dropping out or staying in the race. I’ve had a few talk me out of quitting in some races. Eat something. Drink something. Sit down awhile and maybe you will change your mind. Usually that is all you need to get up and go on your merry way. Looking back at them as you leave. They are waving goodbye and yelling good luck. Amazing and beautiful people. You cannot have a great race without them.

Oilcreek state park has many beautiful waterfalls. Some hidden and only come out during periods of intense rain. So even when it rains and is pouring down you can see new things. I usually like to rest near the bigger waterfalls. The park conveniently has benches overlooking them. This waterfall in section 3 was so calming and serene. I fell asleep for a few minutes. A fellow runner tapped me on the shoulder to see if I was ok. In the rush of a race to get finished or watching the time. Stop and admire the beauty of nature, at least for a few minutes.

The Oilcreek railroad runs through the park. Most of the time you can hear the train but never see it. Some parts of the Gerard hiking trail (which is what the course follows.) are close to the track. Like section 3 and the train station at Petroleum Center. Drake well in Titusville has a station crossing as well. The train will usually run every few hours. It’s amazing to think this was the only means in and out of this area except by foot or horse. When you hear the horn blowing it almost takes you back in history to the birth of the oil industry.

Birthplace of the Oil industry. Relics and reproductions are scattered throughout the park.

I ended up finishing the race in 14 hours. I decided to walk most of it but due to the extreme weather conditions it took me longer than I anticipated. But that’s ok. Believe it or not I enjoyed it. Definitely type 2 fun. People always ask me if I like to suffer. I’m not sure how to respond except to say when you are done it feels so good. A sense of accomplishment. Another high point is I finished the last 8 miles with a gentleman named Barry. It was his first 50k. His first race ever. I told him he picked a great race to do but a hellava day to do it. We powerhiked the last section. Because it was dark and I just wanted to get the hell out of the woods. Lol 😂. It was amazing to watch someone finish this awesome race!! It gave me a better appreciation of trail running and the trail running community as a whole. Working together and accomplishing great things. Helping each other. Taking a piece of the forest and trail with us when we leave. Hopefully to spread that togetherness and kindness to the rest of the world. Till my next running adventure. Happy running!!! Strike oil or move on!!!
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Since the weather is beautiful and sunny outside. I could either sit inside and sulk because I can’t run or I could pull out my road bike. Just what I needed to get me out of my funk. Still a little cold by the lake but I managed a relaxing 5 or so mile ride. I’m eager to start running and begin training for all these crazy races I signed up for. But I must be patient and let the healing process continue. So I will either be walking or riding to keep me moving. Happy Running 🏃🏻‍♂️ ✌️

Towards the end of 2020 I started a half marathon training plan to just keep me moving and motivated since most of the local races were canceled. I was out doing a scheduled negative split run. I just purchased a new pair of Brooks Adrenaline shoes. So as I increased my pace at the set mileage. I felt some discomfort in the back of my left heel. I paid no attention to it. Being the stubborn idiot I am I continued on. I finished the run and tried to stretch out the affected leg. I assumed I pulled something since I was running a pace faster than I normally run. The next run planned was a easy run of 3 miles. My heel, especially my Achilles. I was feeling more discomfort but I continued on with my run. The discomfort went away and so did my worry of it. The next few runs I continued to have discomfort so I took some time off of running to rest and heal. It was probably 2 days and I was back out running. This time I was limping and the discomfort was more intense. So I decided to call my doctor, who specializes in sports medicine. He determined I had Achilles tendinitis in my foot and gave me a series of exercises to help me. Great! But I was lax in doing them and the discomfort increased especially when I was walking. I talked to a running friend who told me I didn’t want a lingering injury the rest of the year. With a 100 miler looming in the future, I decided to see a physical therapist to get me back on track. The therapist asked me how much I stretch before I run. I said very little. I really never gave it much thought. He told me flat out that I had limited mobility and I need to start a stretching routine not only for running but also daily living. Talk about an eye opener. We did some stretches and he was dead on. My mobility sucked. He told me if I want to run all these long distances I better start today and remain consistent with it the rest of my life. He was a runner at one point in his life. So he knows what he is talking about. So I’ve been seeing him once a week so far. I have learned many things about stretching properly and how my body works together in tandem. The human body is an amazing thing. It’s crazy I’ve gotten this far with all the crazy races I do. In the end he said if I continue to make stretching a regular part of my life I will be a better runner. Which is what I have always strived for. To do well and remain healthy. To have fun with running and keep it interesting. So if your struggling with an injury or other issues in your life. There is help available. You need to seek it out and ask for it!! Happy Running 🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♂️ ✌️

So 2020 was the year of the pandemic. So pretty much all in person races were canceled. That definitely slowed training down for many reasons. No races in an uncertain future. For 2020 it did see me doing two ultras. The run between the suns in June and the Tuscazoar 50 miler over Labor Day weekend. Both proved to be pretty hard races due to my lack of training and motivation. Run between the suns was a fun event, it was a 12 hour endurance run. You pretty much run a 3 mile loop, come in and either rest or go back out. Great aid stations with everything you would need. It was a great day for a run with my running friends and we ended up doing 37 miles in 12 hours. Had a ton of laughs and some great conversations, that’s what running is all about. Over Labor Day weekend I ran my first 50 mile race at the Tuscazoar 100. Another race that I was not ready for. The race is two 25 mile loops.The front end of the race is pretty easy but the last 10 miles is a brutal up and down hill climb. I was ready to pack it in after 25 miles due to my lack of training and my nutrition. But I sat down ate something and got hydrated, went back out for the 25 miles I had left. I’m glad I went out. I saw fantastic sunset over the town of Zoar. Then later on we saw a full moon with Mars to the left of it. It’s things like this that make me appreciate running. Things I get to see,the people I get to meet, make it all worthwhile. So this coming Labor Day of 2021 I’ll be attempting my first hundred miler back at Tuscazoar. I have a grudge against this race it chewed me up and spit me out last year. I’ll be back to try to finish my first 100 mile race. If I can get over some injuries that I currently have and get the training in the books. I think I’ll be OK. That’s all for now. Happy running

After six months of training and preparation, race day is finally here. We arrived in Titusville around 3:30. Waited to get into the middle school to prepare our space in the gym for the weekend. After unloading our gear, we headed to get our bibs and door prizes. A new pair of trail running socks for me!! You can never have enough of them. After chatting with fellow trail runners we took to the task of getting the air mattress and our gear set out for the mornings race. 100 miler at 5:00am. 100k at 6:00am. 50k at 7:00am. After more unpacking and setting out of more gear and drop bags. It was almost time for the pre race dinner. Pasta, meatballs, salad and desserts. During dinner the race director Tom Jennings made some announcements for the race and introduced some runners from different countries that would be running on Saturday. A couple from Great Britain and a fellow from Spain. So after dinner we mingled around and talk to the other there before heading to bed for an early start in the morning. I wanted to be up before my friends started their 100 miler race which was at 5:00 am. I felt that I slept pretty good. I usually use ear plugs to drown out the noise or people snoring. I saw my friends off on their 100 mile quest and started to get ready for my race. I wasn’t nervous just antsy to get started as it was going to be a long day (and night). Finally the time had come to out all the training to the test. Headed out to the side of the school and waited for the horn. It’s about a mile from the school to the trailhead. Pavement lit up with headlamps. The sound of footsteps and chatter. The forest looks ominous in the dark but I’ve been on these trails hundreds of times. Sections 1 and 2 went pretty fast even in the dark. Got to aid station 2 and fueled up. Section 3 is the longest 9 miles or so. It’s a mixed bag of rocks and inclines. Runnable spaces and declines. This is where I experienced the first of the cramps in my thighs. It seemed to move from one leg to another. Hindering my ability to run. Put more salt tablets and triedto keep hydrated. This would definitely slow me down. In a nutshell. I got a pacer and finished the 100K in 22 hours.

3 weeks out till my first 100k ultramarathon at Oilcreek state park in Titusville, Pennsylvania. Seems like yesterday I signed up for this race. I have been doing a ton of preparation for this race since this is the farthest I have done. This makes a marathon seem easy, a walk in the park. I set up a training schedule and have been trying to stick to it. Running 3 days during the week after work and doing higher mileage on the weekends. Pretty much all consuming. I’ve been dealing with an injury of late. Left knee has been swelling up and hamstring has been tight. Over usage or old age? Not sure so I’ve been trying to slow down a bit and try to taper these last few weeks. I have the physical ability to do this race but what it ultimately comes down to is the mental side of it. The doubting of yourself and thinking your not ready. I’m grateful I have a group of friends I run with that keeps me grounded and motivated. I’m so ready to run this thing and get my life back!! Lol. But I wouldn’t change a thing over the last few months. It all had to happen to get me where I’m at now. Like David Coggins says “Don’t stop when your tired, Stop when your done.” Words to live by.

A little behind with new posts because life gets in the way sometimes. I got a couple of good training runs in the past two weeks. One a 25 miler and the other 18 miles. Both were beautiful days with temperatures in the mid 70’s. The 25 miler was still a slog through the mud and ankle deep water in spots. 18 miler brought dry trail conditions and very little mud. Still trying to plug away at this training and I’ve come to realize that I need to balance my training out with other things I like to do in my life. If I spend every weekend on the trail I might start to get bored with it and not want to train as much. Not that I don’t like going down to Oilcreek to run. I just want to keep it fresh by changing up my runs by doing different trail or different sequences of sections. Passion is still there but balance is needed at this point. I know why I do this. I love to run and be in the forest. Especially in the early morning hours. The solitude and being in nature is definitely therapy for me. 🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️😊🌲⛰🏃‍♂️🏃‍♂️