Pushing the Trek Envelope

Its Tuesday before the Saturday of the Trek. Still time to get in some good training. I had a late start but was on the trail by 5:30PM and heading up the Center Trail fast and feeling good. Hit the top of Water Pipes by 4:30, the top of Center by 16:30, and Smokies by 24:30 of so. So it was a fast run down Easies, a push up Ginger Shorts, and back down Twisters. I was feeling good up Stair cases and hit the Bench at 27:50 and managed to push up to the bottom of Moleka by 30:00. Not record setting times but among the best I have done in a long while. I was at the road at the top of Moleka by 40:00, but lost it on the steps toward the top of Manoa Cliffs, Hitting the top just over 45:00. Good pace in the early part of the Cliffs, but once again my mind wandered and I lost concentration, losing a few minutes here and there to other worlds. Made the top at the back of Manoa Cliffs by 1:00 and the Map Case by 1:02. I have done better, but the trails were different. This year seems to be harder just naturally, not just from a fitness standard. I was pushing down the back of Manoa Cliffs and my right calf tightened. I slowed but kept pushing and it seemed to be easing but spasmed again. I slowed knowing it was no good to push it as it would just aggravate the problem. After the turn a the bottom of kalawahine it felt a bit better and I was striding good, and ran into the last of Hash House Harriers heading out toward Tantalus. The guy's name was Warren and he was in his 60's. He had some poles and we talked, and my calf was tight so it didn't matter much about time anymore. Warren told me his tale of a hip replacement, and the fight he has had to come back. He is packing about 30 pounds too much and that may explain his difficulty to some extent. Anyway it was nice talking to Warren, thought the pace was slow.

His friends met him with a beer at the road, and I headed down Nahuina in the dark. I was using my neck light by the mid point after a few close slips and stumbles. It was dark, seemingly darker than a few days ago. I made it to Center, and strode down in the dark, alone and enjoying the quiet and peace of the night.




First turn on Nahuina

I was happy with the good time to the Map Case. No sense in push when you got a problem. Part of staying within one's own realm. The reality is sometimes not what we expect, but it is what limits us. I ran to the limit. Could only have eked a minute or two out of the push. Need to get those minutes from my core. Need to do ab work to find the extra time and the stamina I am going to need in the coming months.



by © aminagawa
The ginger is in bloom all along the Trek. It is wonderful. I wish I could smell it better than I do at the moment, but my sense is returning slowly.