CCM Diary: Perspective

Rest week continues.  I gave myself today off, except for the three-mile bike ride to Alewife Station and back for puppet class.

My toenail felt OK this morning but the blister underneath the nail had swelled and pushed the nail farther above its bed.  That increased the risk that the nail would inadvertently catch on something and tear off, which would hurt like hell.  So I sterilized a pin and poked a hole in the bubble under the nail so I could squeeze out most of the fluid.  It’s just like draining any other blister, though this one is bigger and has more blood mixed in than most.  The blood adds the color that gives black toenails their name.

RD Ryan posted the Bear Brook results along with a note that said, “Everyone listed without a time was still a finisher but unfortunately cannot be given an official marathon time even though most or all ran at least a full marathon++ due to the course markings being changed by vandals.”  95 of the 108 marathoners and only 5 out of the 17 ultrarunners on the lists were given times.  The note implies that the results on the list have some sort of value, but since almost everyone went off course they really don’t mean much of anything.

My time of 6:02:44 put me 60^th on the marathon list.  I’ll count the race as a completed marathon, but I still think of my 5:47 at Nipmuck as my official marathon Personal Worst.

I could also say I finished first in my event.  After all, no one else ran the same course I did.

Now that I’ve had a couple days (and some sleep), it’s easier to put the race into the proper perspective.  It was the first year for Bear Brook.  I expect Ryan and the crew learned many lessons that they will apply in future years.   This year’s edition was a failure as a race, but that’s not what I was there for.  I went to get a break from training on asphalt and concrete and enjoy a nice long trail run on a pleasant summer day with a new group of people.  Nothing happened to keep me from achieving those goals.  Sure, there were a few aggravations, but a little bit of adventure makes for a better story. Returning to Bear Brook isn’t a priority (next year I want to earn my claw at Great Cranberry Island), but when it fits my schedule, I’ll be back.

(3 mi. bike; 148#)