Blog changes

Thanks to everyone who followed Training Because I Can! over the last nine years. This blog started with Addison's Disease, hypothyroidism and a crazy idea of doing an Ironman distance triathlon. My life has changed and so has this blog. I am using this blog strictly for Addison's Support topics from here on out. I hope to continue providing people with hints for living life well with adrenal insufficiency.

Monday, March 30, 2009

Antelope Island Buffalo Run




True to the name of the run, there were buffalo.  See below for video of buffalo running across the trail.



We went down to Layton, Utah this weekend for the Buffalo Run on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake.  We camped the night before the race, an experience I will never repeat if at all possible.  At 4 am, I was awoken by a chorus of very loud farting by campers in nearby tents.  Not the way I like to be woken up.  The day of the race started out cold, about 35 degrees Fahrenheit.  Eventually, it warmed up enough that I was wearing a sleeveless shirt.  The views were spectacular, other participants were friendly and kind.  I really enjoyed the race and felt pretty good most of the time.  Toward the end, I got tired but I finished this 50 mile race two hours faster than the other two that I completed.  Meds went well (20 mg when I woke up and about 5 mg/hour throughout the race - not quite enough but passable), eating could have been better and hydration was pretty good.  I was pretty stiff yesterday but able to share in the driving.  Today going down stairs is a little challenging but I was able to hit the elliptical this morning.  By tomorrow, I should be nearly "normal".

I have two more 50 milers planned and paid for in the next couple of months.  They are both much harder than the one I just did so my training needs to involve more hills and more back to back running.  Anyone who knows me knows that I'll walk whenever I'm given half a chance.  It's time to push myself a little bit more on a day to day basis!!!

Paul did great in his 25K.  He's recovering well!

Below are video and pictures from the race. 

Before the race started, the Race Director made the starting line.  The Race Director is the guy wearing jeans and a brown coat.



The race starts!  This is one of my favorite parts of the race.  Everyone is mellow and there's a steady stream of reflective tape and headlamps.  There's a lot of hope in the air.



Buffalo in the distance.  Heading up Elephant Head.  About mile 6.



A better view of the buffalo.  Mile 6ish.



Buffalo crossing the trail!



The trail winding downhill.  About mile 10.



About mile 11, the sun coming up over the hill.



Mile 20.  A view across the island and the lake to the west.



Mile 44, wet and marshy up a steep hill to the last aid station.



Mile 45.  This looks like where they do stuff with the buffalo.



Spectators.



Happy to cross the finish line!



A minute or so after finishing the race!  Yahoo!



Swollen hand.  Looking better than in the middle of the race.



A view of the Wasatch Mountains from the Antelope Island causeway.



An antelope on the island!



Big mountain on the island.



Wasatch from the causeway.

9 comments:

when the musics over said...

Way to go Dusty! Fifty miles?!! Wow.

Linda A said...

My friend, I am so impressed with you! A two hour improvement is huge! You have found your race! Yay!

PuddleThumper said...

Congratulations! The scenery was amazing and I love your finish across the line. :-)

Unknown said...

Thanks everyone! IT was fun and I feel so lucky to be able to finish something like this. I'm also lucky to spend a day being completely self-centered!

rpd said...

Runningrobin here.

What a wonderful place to spend the day.

Congrats!

Anonymous said...

congrats dusty!!
poky trails are rockin'! come down and i'll show you around.
mike e.

Unknown said...

Thank for the offer Mike. I'm a little under the weather now but when I feel better, I'll let you know when we're coming down!

Hope you're doing well!!

Ultrathoner said...

Congrats! Strong work! I'm glad that I came across this post. I was at Antelope Island also.

If we ever happen to be running the same race, please come up an introduce yourself.

http://ultramarathon.vox.com/

Besides my passion for running ultramarathons, I'm also an endocrinologist.

I write for the medical journal: Endocrine Today. Ironically, I posted last week about a case of missed Addison's disease I was involved in a few years ago:

http://www.endocrinetoday.com/comments.aspx?rid=39279#com

I wish I could say this was the only one I've ever been involved in but mis-diagnoses and "missed" diagnoses are all too common.

I'm very glad I found this website.

Too many physicians forget (or perhaps they have never known?) what it is like to be a patient.

Thank you!

Tom

Unknown said...

Hey Tom,

Thanks for commenting on my blog! I checked out yours, well done. What's your next race? I'm doing Pocatello 50 in May and Big Horn 50 in June. Possibly Devil's Backbone (Bozeman, MT) in July. Are you doing any of those?

I'd be interested in corresponding with you if you're interested in corresponding with me. I've got some general questions that I'd be curious to get your opinion on. You are probably really busy though. contact@addisonssupport.com

:) Dusty