The downfall of a Runners High

After returning from doing the R2R2R down at the grand canyon I was just buzzing with excitement. Even after sitting in a “minivan” 50+ hours and returning home at 5:30am in the morning then heading to work at 7:00am I couldn’t shake the buzz. Wednesday is my weekly run with the local gang from Fairhaven runners and I just couldn’t wait to tell my story of the past few days.

I have now developed a weakness for attacking the trails after a long run. I have come to a point that I know longer feel the need for recovery. Though I am now learning I do! So we take off up the logging road nicknamed “Burn out” I hang back and get my running legs working again. But soon enough I’m charging to the front. The thought of only being out on the trail for 2 hours spurs me on to push extra hard. We head around the back side of lost lake and up one last climb. Now it’s a extremely fast decent down a gravel road to fragrance lake. I can’t believe how fast I’m running and how great I feel just to bomb down the trail. I feel no effects of the past few days of travel or adventure. Now down at the lake it’s just one more fast single track decent to the bottom. Even in the dark which it was you can just fly down this trail. So I proceed to charge down the mountain a full force chasing the guys ahead of me. Sure enough I feel like a running monster and start passing one after another as though they were standing still. Now only one left. I get right on his heals and wait for my chance. I follow for a short time and chase him down switch back after switch back. When I take the next corner at full force and hear a “POP! POP!” in my left ankle. Crap! I just toasted my other ankle. Yes I mean other ankle. See I had just sprained my right ankle after coming back from Hard Rock 100 just a little over two months ago. In a similar situation. It’s not a painful sprain and I limp it back to the car. Now embarrassed from the lack of self control.

I would like to say I have learned my lesson and am now resting but tomorrow I have a 50k fun run. Maybe I’ll rest after that.