Grindstone 100 Training Weekend

The Grindstone trail work and training run weekend was a huge success.
Everybody else started their trail work at 8:30 am Friday morning. I didn't get to the boy scout camp till almost 11. Clark had asked me to cut the trail around the lake, which I did and then I went around to rt. 42 to do some trimming in from that end. I had just arrived at the road crossing when the rest of the volunteers arrived. We finished our work, got cleaned up and then went to dinner in Staunton.
We all left camp at 5:15 the next morning heading for Redish Knob, which is the turn around point for the race in October. The plan was to run from there to Dowels Draft, about 30 miles.
Brian and I ran together for for most of the day. Mark planed on meeting us at the road crossings and running in to meet us. That worked out really well. Without aid stations, some of those sections were REALLY LONG !! So Mark was bringing some fluids in for us. That was especially helpful during 1 really long section when some jerk decided it would be funny to mess with the trail markings that the front runners were leaving for us. Brian and I were lost for awhile and we still managed to finish the 30 miles in less than 8.5 hours.
Once again we got cleaned up and went to dinner in Staunton. Man was I ready for bed by the time we got back to camp.
We left camp at 6am Sunday morning heading back to Dowels Draft to run the last 20 miles from there to Camp Shenandoah. I really didn't know what to expect from my body on day 2. I have run a lot of back to back long runs, but never 30 and 20. Actually it wasn't too bad Sunday. I took a couple of short cuts on my way back to camp, because I wanted to be back for a special meeting at church at 5pm. Sunday ended up being just under 18.5 miles in just over 5.5 hours. I am totally stoked about the race in October. It is definitely going to go better than the 2009 effort.
"show me the belt buckle"

Thank You Mark. You were a life saver this weekend. Thanks for being there.

I Know It Has Been A While

I know it has been a while since I posted. I could give you the normal "bla bla bla" about how busy I have been and all that, but I will spare you.
The training for Grindstone is going VERY WELL !!!! So much better than this time 2 years ago. I got in 21 on Friday. Took Saturday off to get all our corn cleaned and frozen, then got another 21 on Sunday after church. It was not quite as hot as it has been, but it was plenty hot. I have never gotten 42 miles in over a 3 day period before. It went way better than I expected. I almost quite a half a mile into the run today, but me and God had a little talk about all this quiting nonsense. Well we got thru it and I was actually felling better as the run progressed. Not so good that I wanted to go any farther. ha ha.
I am really looking forward to Oct. Nov. and Dec. it is going to be an exciting ride.

Congrats to Adam Cassaday for his thru hike of the AT this summer. It was awesome living vicariously thru him as he ran the trail. http://wvultrarunner.blogspot.com/
Congrats to Jennifer Davis for setting a new record for the fastest thru hike on the AT this summer. http://jenniferpharrdavis.tumblr.com/