Donations for a worthy cause

It is the eleventh hour and I am remiss that there hasn’t been sufficient time to pursue fund raising.  Below is an e-mail I mailed to pretty much everybody in my e-mail address book last night.  I am posting it here because every dollar makes a difference…

Dear Friends,

The big day is almost here…or should I say days?  On October 15^th and 16^th I will attempt to complete a 58 mile ultra-marathon through the wilderness of Reunion, a tiny volcanic island off the coast of Madagascar.  For the most part I am very excited, but there are moments of utter terror when I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.  The adventure began eighteen months ago when I decided to challenge myself physically to celebrate reaching the ripe old age of fifty this year.

There is a twist in this effort because of my affliction with Juvenile Diabetes.  Long distance running is not recommended for juvenile diabetics and serious training did not begin until after I talked things over with my doctor to get his okay.  It was this conversation that led to creating a fund raiser, because it occurred to me that without the medical break-through yielding insulin, I wouldn’t be around at all at 50…let alone attempting something this outrageous.

Diabetic research has a great deal to offer and new discoveries continue to enrich the lives of people like myself.  I will be using a device which only became available recently to help me with the Reunion run.  Just three weeks ago I began using a Continuous Glucose Monitor, which provides constant feedback on blood sugars, including trends and whether levels are rising or falling (and even how quickly).  I cannot begin to express how valuable this information is to someone who needs to fret about blood sugar levels 24/7/365.

So the reason I am sending this e-mail is to seek donations in hopes that future generations might reap even more benefits than I have been blessed with.  I’ve run nearly 2,000 miles training for this event and for the last six months devoted 12 to 15 hours each week on the road (or getting ready for the road – there is a lot of details you need to pay attention to when you are diabetic and go out for a 20+ mile training run!), which hasn’t permitted time to pursue contributions.  When it dawned on me how close the big race was I decided to get something out – apologies for the “mass mail” approach but I feel strongly this is a worthy cause and I hope you find my effort is worthy of sponsorship.

If you are able to support this drive, please visit my page on the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) web site: 

JDRF Donation Site

The web site only accepts credit cards, but I have also established a charitable association and you may alternatively make a check out to “Ultra Fund Raider” and mail it to:

Vance Stephenson

6047 Willow Glen Drive

Wilmington, NC  28412

It has been quite a journey so far.  When I had that first conversation with my doctor in the spring of 2010, he was initially negative, but proposed a game plan where I would train for a half marathon in the fall, followed by a full marathon this spring.  In my doctor’s words, “if the marathon doesn’t kill you, the ultra probably won’t either.”  Not only was this sage advice, it behooved me to pay heed because to run the Reunion race you are required to submit a medical waiver signed by your physician.

As fate would have it, my doctor ran in the same marathon this past March and passed me around mile six.  We chatted for a bit and then I waved goodbye as he pulled ahead.  However, I caught him at mile twenty five and got to exclaim that he would have to sign off if I beat him! 

Many other fun connections have arisen from this adventure (one of my favorites is the three-letter abbreviation for the airport on Reunion à RUN), and I hope you follow the blog to see whether the story has a happy ending.  The run is nicknamed the “diagonal of fools” because there is more than three miles of elevation gain along the route.  The race begins at 4,000 feet and over the first three miles you ascend to over 8,000 (to the highest point on the island, Piton des Neiges, or “Snow Peak”), followed immediately by a 5,000 feet “technical descent”.  If I survive the initial up and down, there will only be 45 more miles (with another 2+ miles of uphill) to conquer…

Last year less than half of the entrants successfully completed the entire run, so my goal is simply to cross the finish before time runs out  --- I’m not after any pot of gold, I just want to see the end of a rainbow!

But more important, I sincerely ask that you help support this cause.  I am living proof of what can be reaped from diabetic research, but there is so much left to do.  I appreciate your consideration and will close with  a link to the site where you should be able to follow my progress during the race à Race Site.  My bib number is 5313 (plus I am the only American entered in the Bourbon Trail run) and should start at 9PM EST on Friday, October 14^th (it will be 6AM Saturday morning on Reunion).  I will have until 2AM Sunday morning (EST) to finish.

Thank you so much,

Vance

PS.  Please know that I am paying ever cent of the expense to travel halfway around the world and back from my own pocket.  My commitment to this cause leads me to insure that 100% of your donation goes to JDRF!

It’s Swell not feeling swell…

Glad to report that I followed up the Tuesday trot with nine mile runs yesterday and today..and the calf hasn’t ballooned à no swelling is swell!  This is certainly encouraging because the challenge is so close that I would be crushed if I was still reduced to limping through short routines.


I’m still bummed that I’ve been forced to punt on a lot of training miles in the home stretch, but remain hopeful the sixteen mile run scheduled for Saturday might be accomplished without inflicting more pain and swelling.  If I can get past this (and ten miles on Sunday) with no aggravation of the injury I might be able to start getting my game face on.  What have I gotten myself into?  This is going to be a monstrous challenge and I need to begin gathering up confidence and convince myself that I can rise above...


Since time is running out, I need to implement a last minute drill for raising contributions.  I’ve regretted not having the bandwidth to focus on this aspect, but it has been frustrating.  Seems every attempt I’ve initiated has met with no response or a negative response, and frankly I have not received much assistance in this effort.  Guess the lesson learned is that there are many good causes and resources are limited.


I am a terrible fund raiser, because it seems you have to be a real pest to rake in proceeds and I just can’t bring myself to be a pain in the butt.  That said, I will finish up a last minute plea and e-mail it to friends this evening --- and keep my fingers crossed that it finds some traction.  To those of you who have made a contribution, I cannot stress enough how much these have meant to me, and during the hours I’ve tackled the twenty+ mile runs I often recall each of you and picture you in my mind…and it makes me smile no matter how weary I am.  Thank you again because I would not have made it this far without the boost your generosity and thoughtfulness has provided (and continues to provide!).  Thank you, thank you, thank you…

On the Road Again…with Friends!

I’m on the heels of a satisfying 6.5 mile run this morning, because the calf never complained enough to slow me down, so let me get off the running road and veer towards the traveling road.  Despite the looming race being a mix of excitement and terror, the non-race prospects of an afternoon in Paris and exploring Reunion are pure glee.


If both of our flights go according to schedule, I rendezvous with Jeff early Sunday morning (October 9^th), and we don’t get aboard an even longer flight to Reunion until that evening.  This affords a rare opportunity to see Rudolph and Jacomien, who will venture to Paris from The Hague and they’ve planned a splendid sprint together through the City of Lights.  They will meet us right at the airport so time isn’t squandered attempting to decipher the metro, and away we scamper to a bateaux tour on the Seine.  I don’t usually relish “touristy” junkets, but time is short and it will be a fun intro to Paris, as well as idle time to chat and catch up with our Dutch friends.


But the fun is only beginning, because after the boat ride we head for the renowned Musee d’Orsay.  Rudolph was thoughtful enough to score “advance entry” tickets so we can avoid the usual hour-and-a-half wait to gain admittance.  But of course we part ways with Jeff, who has little interest in the Impressionist masters, lol.  We won’t have ample time to fully relish the marvels of Musee d’Orsay, but what a fun beginning for the adventure!


And if I can’t thank Rudolph and Jacomien enough for the guided tour, they also proofed my attempt to translate the Bourbon Trail course description into English from the La Diagonal des Fous guide I recently received.  It got complicated because of typos in the French text, which I discovered frustrate the Google translator…and me!  But I muddled through and necessary repairs were effected with a little help from my friends.



Another day closer…    J

Unplugged

The good news is that I ran 10K this morning and the calf didn’t feel too bad.  Previously I would keep going and cause the calf to get sore and swell up again, but exercised prudence rather than legs.  Still, I only put in 26 miles this week where I should have logged 65 miles…and in two weeks I will almost be on the island!


The bad news is that the sensor for the Continuous Glucose Monitor came out during the run.  I had asked intently whether all this activity would disqualify me from being a good candidate for the device, and was assured there would be no issues.  But I suspect the sweat and movement contributed to the sensor coming unhinged --- the adhesive had pretty much come undone yesterday and even though I attempted to use band aids to secure it before taking off this morning, it completely fell out.


So if that result was driven by only running 26 miles, one wonders what the prospects are for the trial of Reunion?  The sensor gets replaced every week and at least it made it to the last day, so I did my best to install it this evening and will ensure I don’t bump or rub it.  Perhaps it got brushed by my hydro belt during Thursday’s run, but I swear I held the belt out of harm’s way the entire time (much to my dismay).


Time to start making sure I have everything I need, because the countdown is getting serious!

On the Road Again???

Starting to fret now as the healing process drags out and the ultra-marathon gets closer and closer…


After a ten day layoff from running I ventured out for six miles Wednesday morning.  The calf was still weak and painful, though much improved from the last effort.  Didn’t seem to have stressed it too much so it was back out again Thursday.


The game plan for Thursday’s trot was to try and extend the distance beyond six miles, and if the calf felt okay to stretch it out as far as twelve.  Unfortunately, the entire run was a mild disaster.  This was the first time I strapped on the hydro belt since I began injecting the CGM sensor into my abdomen and the crazy belt rides high enough to rub up against where I had placed the sensor.  So the initial conundrum limiting any desire to run a longer distance was the need to continually keep one hand on the belt to ensure it didn’t dislodge my sensor.  Not a fun way to run!


Enduring this annoyance, I persevered and decided to run behind the local high school.  I take a road that extends 1.7 miles between River Road and Carolina Beach Road, past the local high school (and middle school and an elementary school).  There is a single left turn just before the high school which appears to run behind the school and sure enough, when you near the other end there is a road plugging back in.  Seemed a logical conclusion that this was a continuous piece of pavement, but as luck would have it, they are independent stretches and the first road dead ends at the ball fields behind the school.  There was a trail and I started running down it, assuming I could squeeze behind the fencing around all the fields, but after several hundred yards it is blocked by an impassable stand of brush and fencing, so I had to turn around and backtrack.


Of course the final straw was that my calf started giving out and although I ran the whole way (except for when I was trying to push through the brush behind the ball fields), I only logged eight miles and once again my calf is painful and swelling.  Even worse, this morning my legs were a little stiff.  I sure hope this layoff hasn’t caused my endurance to rot so much I get sore after an eight mile jaunt (though it was more likely due to an awkward running style to try and protect the calf).


What to do?  Tomorrow I will try to get six miles of road work in and follow up with an hour of rowing + an hour on the bike --- hopefully this will still provide an extended workout that doesn’t cripple me.  We’ll have to see how this pans out before deciding what to do for the last two weeks of training.  The big disappointment is not being able to test how the CGM helps me manage long runs (Saturday was supposed to be the final 26 mile training run).


Trying to keep the spirits and prepare myself as much as possible, but a disconcerting development…

Packing Up

Even if this leg refuses to heal I remain bound for Reunion, and the departure draws near --- I’ll be there in three weeks!  It’s time to get packing and though I’ve done my best to dodge electric concerns when traveling (for example, I purchased three camera batteries and just charge ‘em all up before I go), bringing the Continuous Glucose Monitor along requires a means of recharging.  So I had to pick up a convertor/adapter among other things.


There is an “Equipment List” that you are required to pack along for running the ultra, including a medical kit, flashlight and blanket.  I already mentioned thoughts around a spare headlamp and my lovely wife resolved that dilemma by suggesting I get another and give it to her for Christmas afterwards.  So I get to assuage concerns around running at night and “lighten” my Christmas list at the same time…    J


Went to the LL Bean web site over the weekend and picked up a small medical kit and compact camping blanket, so cross those off the list.  But what about a better day pack to tote all this stuff?  The one I have is fine for hiking, but it doesn’t snug up too well for running.  Seeking a solution here has proven a bit more arduous – can’t seem to pin down anything created specifically for extended running.  Any suggestions?


On a more positive note, I half-heartedly pursued enabling myself with a cell phone that works internationally…assuming it would wind up being cost prohibitive.  Stopped in at the Verizon store to learn my droid couldn’t be upgraded for use outside the US and was given a phone number to contact their “experts” in this milieu.  This turned out quite well.


Verizon will ship me a phone to use for thirty days that I only have to pay $20 for (which is just to have it shipped back and forth à they will send it to me with a return FedEx label and I can call to have it picked up once I return home!).  I will receive the temporary device immediately before departure and just need to deactivate my droid / activate the temporary unit and I will be armed and dangerous with the same phone number.  For Reunion I will need to pay $2.29 per minute for connect time (didn’t opt for any internet capability), but for emergencies having this available with hardly any sunk cost is pretty decent!

Sole consideration

The calf felt a lot better today, but still aching…so the layoff persists.  Another combination workout featuring an hour and ten minutes on the rowing machine and an hour on the bike.  My legs are getting a good workout, but whether this carries any benefit for the big run is an unanswered question which haunts my confidence.  My attitude bounces between excitement and terror…


I am glad to report that I scored a pair of “trail runners” last weekend.  These are sneakers specifically designed for racing along mountain trails.  It was an amusing purchase.


Dropped in at the local sports shop (Omega Sports) where I have bought a gazillion pairs of regular sneakers over the past year and asked one of their knowledgeable attendants what they offered in this realm.  The guy quickly admitted it was a short stack and there were only three different models in stock.


Trail runners span a broad swath of design features to accommodate the widely varying terrain ultra runners might face.  I communicated the essential ingredients were solid traction to help me avoid plummeting to my death and that I would definitely be dipping these babies into some water.  My research proved valuable because the attendant directed me towards the model with Gortex, but I had read that these might be a detriment for long hauls (because the water barrier also keeps water in, which translates to carrying a lot of excess weight).


So he reviewed the attributes of another model and I was leaning in that direction.  He followed up by asking whether I had ever read the book “Born To Run” and (if you’ve been following this blog, lol) I confirmed.  Then he told me the sneaker had been designed by the author!  This confused me because a theme in the book was the author’s disdain for expensive sneakers, the theory being that all the cushioning to protect feet in modern footwear is what causes knee injuries.


After raising this point my confidence was boosted when the attendant didn’t blink and agreed.  He asserted this model was designed to accommodate the author’s concerns and demonstrated the sneaker’s rigidity by having me flex all three models --- this one definitely was tougher to twist.  The only bummer was that for my shoe size the only pair in stock was blazing red!


In spite of the rather loud color, I was pleased to have added another quality component to my arsenal for the assault on Reunion.  Well, at least until I perused the Forums on the web site for the race.  Once again my brother-in-law came through and advised me to upload the Google Chrome browser so I could automatically translate web pages from French to English.  This made reading the forums possible, despite the often clunky translations.


Just randomly sifting through the entries after I had proudly purchased my trail runners, I read some very detailed forum posts where runners detailed the three different pairs of trail runners they would deploy, indicating the shoe characteristics and at what point in the run it would make sense to unveil the particular breed.  Criminy, I feel like getting a t-shirt made up that says R-O-O-K-I-E now!!!

My Trail Runners – so much for being subtle!

Need to close with a thank you for a nice donation I received.  I met with the owner of Massage Envy at the Greene in Dayton, OH, to try and arrange a fund raising event to support my drive and even though plans fizzled (due mainly to my lack of time to cobble things together), they were kind enough to write a nice check to my JDRF drive.  Thank you so much, Matt and Massage Envy!!!

Row your boat

A quick entry from the road...inspired by enjoying a fun dinner with my friend Dan last evening because he made some comments from this blog, confirming that somebody is actually reading all this blather.

The calf is still hurting, but seems to be getting better.  Of course the down side is that I am not running and confidence in my ability to go the distance wains with each day passed on the sideline.  To try and get some leg work in I visited our excellent gym facility at the Ohio office and used the rowing + bike machines to move the legs.  Not the best workout ever, but way better than nothing and I am heartened that these regimens have not aggravated the calf.

Hopefully these stints will keep my endurance from free falling while I wait for the healing process to complete, because all I really hope to do is finish this run within the 29 hours permitted.  I am not seeking a pot of gold --- simply glimpsing the end of the rainbow will be an astonishing reward!  In exactly one month I will be out on the trails trying to conquer this bugger and the excitement grows.  When I get back home it will be time to get serious about packing ---> with the temperature changes and rugged terrain I will need to pick my equipment wisely.  For example, do I bring an extra battery for my headlamp or go buy an entire extra set just in case it breaks?  Definitely leaning towards just a battery, but these are the thoughts that swirl through your head as you near the point of no return, lol...

Grounded

Yikes.  Had a marathon training run scheduled this morning which went nowhere.  My calf started howling around mile five so I re-directed back home (walking much of the way) and only logged a total of seven miles.  Guess I will have to muster all the patience in my soul to sit out and let the injury mend, but as I work on translating the course directions from French and learn how monstrous the effort will be, not being able to prepare myself is disheartening.


Realizing that attempting to run would deteriorate my ability to complete the challenge is poor salve, but logic prevails.  Getting sidelined does afford more time to work on translating the trail directions and I can also squeeze in a trip to check out some trail running shoes today.  These are glorified sneakers, with features like light weight, super traction, etc. for the unique conditions of scampering up and down mountains.


I’ve also got some leisure to savor another web site Jeff shared à Reunion 360


Check this out and play around a bit (you can use the arrows in the lower right to override the slow 360 scroll and click on points in the upper left map to move around the island).  Provides a great introduction to the environs of Reunion!

The Meter isn’t Running, just Running with the Meter…

My calf continues to trouble me, but for better or worse I ran nine miles yesterday and again today.  I hate to resign from training with the big day so near, but I’ve also been anxious about using my Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM) while running.  So prudence gets abandoned and I risked further injury by hitting the road.


The downside is that the CGM is yet another device to tote along – departed in the dark this morning with my head lamp, iPod Shuffle and now my CGM attached to my person (not to mention hydro belt and the weight vest!).  Hauling the CGM around is probably my biggest concern with this unit: you have to constantly carry the receiver around with you à they recommend it remains within five feet of the sensor taped to your abdomen at all times.  Doesn’t seem like a big deal, but several times I’ve set it down after fishing it out to see where I’m at and then leaving it behind.  You also have to consider times such as taking a shower, when there is no pocket or belt available to lug the device around…


This creates a small dilemma because when it loses the connection it seems to take a while to get back in sync.  I am slowly starting to appreciate this is no big deal, but things are awkward at this early stage.  If you are diabetic it is important to be aware that this device does not free you from blood sticks as you need to perform one every twelve hours and then enter the result into the receiver to keep things calibrated.  A screen indicating “Enter BG” (for “Enter Blood Glucose”) pops up automatically every twelve hours to prompt appropriate action.


Of course it was during my very first time pounding the pavement with the CGM that this screen appeared.  My first though was “terrific, now I am out of commission until I get back home and test my blood”, but as I ran it occurred to me what a serious design flaw this would be since you’d be completely denied using the device whenever you couldn’t poke your finger right away.  So I hit the buttons a second time and voila, the usual screen appeared, displaying current blood sugars.  Guess you just have to jump in to grasp these nuts & bolts.


Nothing dramatic to report as the nine mile courses never drove blood levels down into the danger zone, but if I haven’t aggravated my calf too badly we’ll conduct a thorough test Saturday morning when I’ve got a twenty-six mile run scheduled.

Programmed Response

This latest update is compliments of receiving the official “Diagonal of Fools” program guide in the mail.  With the exception of a single passage it reads entirely in French, so it is rather bizarre this has pumped me up.  Guess it simply makes the challenge a bit more tangible.


The English passage shares a web site where anyone can follow my progress (or lack thereof) in real time during the race à Race Link.  I’m not positive how folks might be able to identify me (my bib number will be 5313), but I will have to register three days before the race begins and have an electronic bracelet affixed to my wrist (which gets scanned at various checkpoints and subsequently relayed to their tracking web site).  You have to be physically present and display ID at this time, so it is clear they want to eliminate imposters!  Spotting fellow competitors should be easy in the days before the start.


I paid for a DVD of the course which has yet to arrive, but I am currently attempting to translate the trail description included in the program.  This has proved to be frustrating and alarming.  It has taken me some time to untangle several typos in their literature (very difficult to identify when you don’t know the language!) and there are a few places where my translations don’t make much sense.  Since I might need to rely upon this document to stay on course it seems vital to have someone versed in French vet my attempt after I’ve completed the stab.


But please don’t think problematic translations begin and end with moi, because I will share the opening lines from the “English” cover letter which accompanied my Program:



Dear Sporting Friend,


You are about to take part in a fantastic event: “le Trail de Bourbon”, a race for some, a sporting hike for others, a physical and moral ordeal for all that will take you across Reunion Island, from south to north.



If there was a proofreader, they certainly didn’t wordsmith this to make it read less clunky, and I have no idea what was intended where they exclaim the run presents a “moral dilemma”.  I seriously doubt there will be any nightclubs to duck into along the mountainous route, but as Kim pointed out, we’ll just hope they didn’t mean to insert “mortal” there!

The official program guide for this year’s “Diagonal of Fools”

One of the tidbits from my translations was a warning to “refuel before embarking on a technical descent”.  Here I’ve been concerned about all the nasty uphill stretches and never thought about coming back down.  But the section this caution appears in drops a whopping 5,200 feet…ach du liber!  Perhaps I will find some time to learn a bit of mountaineering before I depart?

Middle relief map is my run (Bourbon Trail) – that first massive plummet exceeds 5,000 feet!

Clever Devices

The bad news is that I scratched the Sunday run as my left calf remains knotted up (though the swelling is way down).  The really good news is that I am extremely encouraged by the Continuous Glucose Monitor despite not using for even a day yet!


It is a bit awkward the first time –-- you actually inject the sensor into your abdomen --- but I suspect this will rapidly become part of the routine since you need to replace the sensor once per week.  After that inconvenience, however, it is truly an eye opener to witness your blood sugar levels in real time.  Don’t think I recognized how draining it is to constantly dwell over whether the way I’m feeling is due to sinking blood sugar, but what a relief to simply gaze at the receiver and see where I’m at.  Definitely a new day!


Many lessons are sure to follow as I gain experience with this remarkable device, but I am most excited to deploy this baby for the upcoming long runs…if my calf heals sufficiently to permit…

My CGM – the sensor is that thing taped onto my abdomen and I’m holding the receiver (what displays real time blood sugar readings!)

You’re Pulling My Leg

Well, the day began with high hopes for another long run.  Think I am finally getting over the intimidation of these 20+ mile runs, and I was doubly psyched this morning for two reasons: this would be the only run of the week without the twenty six pounds strapped on, and; this would be the final long run without my Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM).


I am hopeful the CGM device will prove to be a game changer, because my long runs are frequently plagued with horrendously slow intervals driven by low blood sugar.  Bear in mind that I am aware of these moments and don’t allow myself to go down too far, but it seems I always strive towards some faraway landmark before eating another Clif Bar.  I will feel extremely tired and consider stopping during these interludes, but inevitably rebound after taking on some calories, so I’m pretty sure these kill my pace.


With the CGM you have to inject the sensor into your body every seven days, and with my business travel it made sense to stage this for Sunday evenings (avoiding the need to accomplish the task while traveling).  Irene’s visit last weekend caused me to miss that Sunday to get things off and running.  So tomorrow I will enter a new era and look forward to providing useful feedback.  There is no doubt that I will kick the tires on the CGM’s ability to withstand massive physical exertion, lol…


But I digress.  Both of my calves were tight as I started off at 6:30AM for a 24 mile route, although it was a nuisance and not a death knell for the run.  I ran straight through the villages of Carolina Beach and Kure Beach for the first time ever, and despite this being Labor Day Weekend, traffic wasn’t too awful early on a Saturday morning.  Later on, however, I was bothered by the masses of cars zipping along and constantly turning into my path!


Best part of the run was when I encountered an ice truck making a delivery to a convenience store in Kure Beach.  The truck was partially in the roadway, snugged up against a telephone pole.  After eyeballing the gap I decided to try and squeeze through, and was really glad I did, because I received the most refreshing jolt of cold air rushing out of the back of the truck (the guy had the hatch open because he was loading up his dolly)!


The final six miles of the run, unfortunately, were plagued by my left calf muscle.  It seemed to have transitioned from “tight” to “painful” and my pace was hampered by a new gremlin.  Regardless, it never got so bad that I considered punting --- but after getting back home and sitting for a few minutes it really tightened up and is now swelling.  I’ve popped some ibuprofen and am keeping it iced, so we’ll see whether I can try tomorrow’s ten mile run…

Weight, weight…don’t tell me!

Back in the groove with my mid-week runs completed.  Rang up thirty miles over the last three days, ALL burdened with an extra twenty six pounds of weight.  Whether or not this is preparing me for the uphill struggles on Reunion, there are psychological benefits.  After several weeks of escalating payloads (both in terms of weight carried and distance covered), I can actually feel the effect.  Seems to be building up my calves, quads and even my arms, which is probably a minus since it is more mass to lug up and down Reunion’s mountain trails.


However, as beneficial as running is, I can’t say there is any palpable awareness that one is improving their fitness level.  So even if my weighted runs are misplaced from the perspective of enhancing hill-climbing ability, the invigoration it yields from the sensation of getting stronger contributes valuable motivation to this weary soul.  And after climbing out of bed at 4:30AM the last three mornings to scoot ten miles, positive feedback carries some currency…


Of course motivation has other sources.  Jeff e-mailed another link he found which overviews a lot of the trails on Reunion, and it’s in English à Reunion Trails

My ultra covers several of the trails discussed here, and I find it both inspiring and downright scary.  In the description of Piton des Neiges, the author remarks that the best way to tackle the highest point on Reunion is to break the hike into two days.  While part of his reasoning is to permit a leisurely pace and absorb the scenery, this only represents the first eight miles and 3/4ths mile of elevation gain for the run.  After this initial challenge I’ll still have fifty miles and over two miles of uphill remaining!!!  Have I mentioned it's a good thing you only turn fifty once…  J