Hurting for the Hurt

Applications went out last week for the 2009 HURT and closed within twenty-four hours. I took mine down to the central post office that night and mailed it, and am still concerned that I might not have made the cut. It all depends on when they pick up the mail from that box. Crazy stuff.






Maunawili Out and Back



On Saturday August 2, we had the Maunawili Out and Back. 22 miles of very difficult trail. I was hoping for a good run and managed a two hour out, but gut cramping got to me and I did an almost three hour back. I did a 4:30 approximate on the practice run the week before. It was a real disappointment. I had the strength when I was not feeling the gut cramps. I finally had to stop and it cost me ten minutes. I fell coming out of Waimanalo and though it didn't scrape me up to much it really shook me up, and took me maybe twenty minutes to feel right again. Hard race.



Sunday Run



I was supposed to go out on a Sunday run with Fish, he hit me up while I was still cramping at the finish of the Maunawili. I said yes, but as usual Fish was pushing for early morning. I tried but I was having gut problems all evening, and into the night, and I called him at 5:00 and backed out. I needed a relaxed morning. Later in day, Pete called and asked if I wanted to do a short hike. I hadn't been out with Pete in a while, and a short hike was my distance for Sunday, so we arranged to meet at the Water Tank. I drove up to the top of Tantalus and we hiked in from the bottom of the Pu'u Ohia trail head. We went up, right through along the makai side of the crater, and then into the crater and around. Then we cut back up, found the trail and walked along the high ridge, then down and up through the bamboo to the transmission towers at the end of Concretes. Nice hike. We finished it by going over to the other hump on Concrete's and to the top there, where there is a great view of the town. Then back down the Pu'u Ohia trail to the car. Beers and Sandwiches followed. A good afternoon.



Monday Run



I was busy on Monday, though I can not much say with what. I managed to make it over to the parking lot at the Nature Center at 5:00 or so and did a short loop. I was dragging and it was hard. But that is a good time to have to push up center trail. There are always times like that that you have to get used to, and I figure they might as well be overcome in training so you know what to expect in a race. Hell half of a hundred can be done feeling like that!